News In Short 30-11-2024

Ramappa Temple

Syllabus: GS1/ Art & Culture

In News

• Centre approves ₹141 Crore loans for development of Ramappa Circuit under the Special Assistance to States/Union Territories for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme.

About Ramappa Temple

• Brief: The Ramappa Temple, also known as the Rudreshwara Temple, is a magnificent testament to the architectural prowess of the Kakatiya dynasty.

• The presiding deity of the temple is Ramalingeswara Swamy.
• Located in Palampet, Telangana, this 13th-century temple was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.

• Key Features:

• The temple is renowned for its exquisite sculptures, depicting gods, goddesses, dancers, and mythical creatures.
• The “sandbox technique” used in the foundation of the temple has been a marvel of engineering. Kakatiyas adopted the Chalukyan Style of Vesara Architecture. 
  • The sandbox technique involves filling a pit (dug for the foundation) with a mixture of sand-lime, jaggery (for binding), and karakkaya (black myrobalan fruit) before constructing the building.
  • The lower part of the temple is constructed using red sandstone.
  • The pillars are made of basalt, while the white gopuram is made of light bricks that are said to float on water, showcasing the advanced engineering methods of the time.
• The gopuram (temple tower) is one of the key features of the temple. Built with light bricks, it is not only a structural marvel but also has aesthetic significance.
• The gateway style employed at the Rudreswara Temple is unique to the Kakatiya region and reflects a highly evolved aesthetic sense in South Indian temple architecture.

Source: TH

Jyotiba Phule

Syllabus: GS1/History and Personality in News

Context

• November 28 marks the death anniversary of great Indian activist and reformer, Jyotiba Phule.

About: Jyotiba Phule

• Birth: On 11th April, 1827 in Khatgun village which is today in the Satara district of Maharashtra.
• Title: His family belonged to the ‘mali’ caste and their original title was ‘Gorhay’. On May 11, 1888, he was bestowed with the title of Mahatma by a Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar.
• Ideology and influence: His ideology centered around liberty, egalitarianism, and socialism. He drew inspiration from Thomas Paine’s book The Rights of Man.
• Marriage: He was married off when he was only 13 with Savitribai. The couple went on to establish the country’s first school for girls in Bhidewada, Pune, in 1848.
• Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha: In 1863, Jyotiba and Savitribai began Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha, India’s first home dedicated to prohibiting infanticide and supporting pregnant Brahmin widows and rape victims.
• Satyashodhak Samaj: Phule along with his followers formed Satyashodhak Samajin 1873 which meant ‘Seekers of Truth’ and was dedicated towards the removal of the socio-economic backwardness of Dalits.
  • It is believed that it was Phule who first used the term ‘Dalit’ for the depiction of oppressed masses often placed outside the ‘varna system’.
• Literary works: Gulamgiri (Slavery), Shetkarayacha Aasud (Cultivator’s Whipcord), and Tritiya Ratna.

Source: IE

Baltic Sea 

Syllabus: GS1/ Places in News

In News

• Sweden has formally requested China’s cooperation in explaining the recent damage to two undersea data cables in the Baltic Sea. 

About Baltic Sea 

• The Baltic Sea is the youngest sea on Earth, formed 10,000-15,000 years ago as glaciers retreated.

• The Baltic Sea is artificially linked to the White Sea by the White Sea Canal and to the North Sea by the Kiel Canal.
• Location: It is in Northern Europe, bordered by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Sweden.
  • It includes the Gulf of Bothnia, the Bay of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga, and the Bay of Gdańsk.
• Characteristics: 
  • Brackish Water: It is one of the largest brackish water bodies, where saltwater from the North-East Atlantic mixes with freshwater from rivers and streams.
  • Ecosystem: The Baltic Sea has a unique and sensitive marine ecosystem with diverse flora and fauna.
  • Economic Importance: Provides food, income, recreation, and well-being, but faces underperformance due to environmental decline.
• Concerns:
  • Environmental Impact: 94% of the Baltic Sea is affected by eutrophication, leading to dead zones.
    • Baltic Sea Seagrass Initiative helps train local citizens to restore seagrass meadows in the Baltic Sea which can help tackle Climate Change.
  • Biodiversity Decline: Cod populations have crashed, European eel is near extinction, and only around 500 Baltic Harbour porpoises remain.
  • Climate Change: A degraded Baltic Sea may release more greenhouse gases, worsening climate change.

Source :TH

Koraga Tribal Community

Syllabus: GS2/ Welfare of Vulnerable Sections, Tribals

In News

• The Kerala government has launched a project named Operation Smile to provide land titles (patta) to the Koraga community.
  • By securing land rights, the Koraga community can access government housing schemes, agricultural loans, and other welfare programs.

About Korega Tribals

• The Koraga community is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) primarily residing in the Kasaragod district of Kerala and certain parts of Karnataka.
  • PVTGs are identified by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and currently there are 75 PVTGs communities.
  • In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) (in 2006, renamed as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) as a separate category, who are less developed among the tribal groups. 
• They primarily speak Tulu and possess a rich cultural heritage, including traditional songs, dances, and rituals.

Source: TH

Rule 267

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity

In News

• The increasing frequency of invoking Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha has led to disruptions and delays in parliamentary proceedings.

About

• Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure allows members to move a motion to suspend the normal business of the House to discuss a matter of urgent public importance.

Source: PIB

Nafithromycin

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

In News

• Mumbai-based Wockhardt Limited developed Nafithromycin with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
  • The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) is indeed a Public Sector Enterprise established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

About

• It would be available with the brand name Miqnaf.
• It is designed to treat Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia (CABP), caused by drug-resistant bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae.
• Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health threat. The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has made it increasingly difficult to treat common infections. 

Source: Print

Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI)

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) showed a 3.1% growth in October 2024 compared to October 2023.

About Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) 

• The ICI encompasses industries such as Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, and Electricity, which together account for 40.27% of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
  • Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is an index that tracks manufacturing activity in different sectors of an economy. 
  • IIP data is compiled and published by CSO every month.  CSO or Central Statistical Organisation operates under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
  • The base year was changed to 2011-12 from 2004-05 in the year 2017.
• The Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) is released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, through its Office of the Economic Advisor. This index is published monthly.

Source: PIB

CAFE Norms

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment, Conservation

In News

• The Indian government has identified non-compliance with tightened CAFE norms by eight major car manufacturers for the fiscal year 2022-23, resulting in proposed penalties.

About CAFE Norms

• Brief: 
  • Introduced in 2017 under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001. CAFE norms link the corporate average fuel consumption of vehicles (measured in litres/100 km) to the average kerb weight of all vehicles sold by an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)  in a fiscal year.
  • The calculation focuses on achieving better mileage and lower emissions across the entire fleet of vehicles a manufacturer sells.
• Objectives:
  • Reduce CO₂ emissions from vehicles.
  • Lower fuel consumption.
  • Decrease oil dependency and address air pollution.
• Applicability: 
  • Applicable to vehicles with gross weight less than 3,500 kg.
  • Covers petrol, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles.
• Compliance Phases:
  • Phase I (2017–2022): Focused on introducing the standards and achieving initial compliance.
  • Phase II (from 2022): Enforces stricter fuel efficiency and emission targets.

Impact of CAFE Norms

• Fuel Efficiency: Encourages the development and production of more fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Reduced Emissions: Contributes to lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved air quality.
• Technological Advancements: Promotes innovation in automotive technology, such as hybrid and electric vehicles.
• Consumer Benefits: Lower fuel costs and reduced environmental impact.

Source: IE

Indian Army Launches Eklavya Digital Platform 

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The Indian Army’s Eklavya platform is a significant step towards modernizing military education and training.
  • It aligns perfectly with the Indian Army’s “Decade of Transformation” initiative and Indian Army’s theme for 2024 as the “Year of Technology Absorption.”

About 

• Developed by: Bhaskaracharya National Institute of Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N).
• Key Features of Eklavya:
  • Accessibility: The platform is accessible to Army officers across the country, eliminating the need for physical attendance at training institutions.
  • Personalized Learning: Officers can access a wide range of courses and resources tailored to their specific needs and career goals.
  • Continuous Learning: The platform promotes continuous learning by providing regular updates on the latest military doctrines, technologies, and best practices.
  • Collaborative Learning: Eklavya fosters collaboration among officers through discussion forums, webinars, and other interactive features.

Source: ET