News In Short 06-12-2024

Hornbill Festival

Syllabus: GS 1/Culture 

In News

• The Hornbill Festival  has completed 25 years. 

Hornbill Festival

• About: Organized annually since 2000 by Nagaland state. Named after the Hornbill, a symbol of boldness and grandeur in Naga folklore.
• Location: Held at Kisama Heritage Village, a cultural hub preserving Naga heritage through 17 indigenous houses (Morungs) representing each tribe.
• Significance: Nagaland, known as the “Land of Festivals,” is home to 17 major tribes, each with unique festivals and traditions.
  • The festival promotes inter-tribal interaction and preserves the state’s heritage.
  • Reflects India’s unity in diversity, where various cultural practices coexist harmoniously to form a strong, resilient national identity.

Source: TH

69th Mahaparinirvan Diwas

Syllabus: GS1/History

Context

• Mahaparinirvan Diwas is observed on December 6 annually, commemorating the death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. He passed away in 1956.

Contributions of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar

• Champion of Dalit Rights: Ambedkar fought against the caste system and untouchability, and his efforts led to the abolition of untouchability in the Indian Constitution.
  • He led movements like the Mahad Satyagraha (1927), fighting for Dalits’ right to access public water tanks and temples.
  • He also organized the Kalaram Temple Entry Satyagraha in 1930, pushing for Dalits to enter temples from which they were previously barred.
• Indian Constitution: As the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Ambedkar played a crucial role in framing India’s Constitution, ensuring that it enshrined principles of equality, justice, and human rights.
• Social Reforms: He advocated for women’s rights, education, and social justice.
  • He was instrumental in the passage of laws that promoted social equality, including the Hindu Code Bill, which aimed to provide women with rights in marriage and property.
• Labour Rights: He was one of the founding members of the Indian Labour Party and worked to secure labour rights for industrial workers.
  • He advocated for minimum wages, working hours, and social security for workers.

Source: HT

Parliament Passes Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity

Context

• The Rajya Sabha passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024, which replaced the Aircraft Act, 1934.
  • The Lok Sabha had already passed the Bill.

About

• The Bill retains the foundational structure of the Aircraft Act while introducing key reforms. 
• BVV aims to regulate and control the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft and incidental matters.

Key Changes

• Shift in Certification Authority: Testing for the Radiotelephone Operator’s Restricted certificate, earlier under the Department of Telecom, is now assigned to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). 
  • This streamlines the process for aviation personnel by creating a single-window clearance system.
• Expanded Regulatory Scope: The DGCA now has additional powers to oversee aircraft design and the facilities involved.
• Enhanced Appeals Mechanism: The Bill introduces a second level of appeal for adjudications on penalties, ensuring more comprehensive grievance redressal.

Significance

• The BVV modernizes India’s aviation regulations, aligns with international standards, and ensures better efficiency in the sector. 
• These changes aim to promote safety, innovation, and streamlined governance in India’s growing aviation industry.

Source: TH

International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience

Syllabus: GS2/ International institutions

Context

• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) have jointly launched the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience.

What are Submarine Cables?

• Definition: Submarine cables are fiber optic cables laid on the ocean floor, connecting two or more landing points across countries and continents.
• India’s Role: India is a significant player in the global submarine cable network, with 17 international cables and 14 landing stations in cities like Mumbai and Chennai.
  • As of the end of 2022, the total lit capacity and activated capacity of these cables stood at 138.606 Tbps and 111.111 Tbps, respectively.
• Significance: Submarine cables form the backbone of the global digital economy, carrying over 99% of international data exchange.
  • They support critical services like e-commerce, financial transactions, and global communications.

Importance of the Advisory Body

• Enhanced Resilience: Safeguards the infrastructure critical for global connectivity.
• Economic Stability: Ensures uninterrupted flow of data, vital for commerce and financial systems.
• Future Preparedness: Addresses issues like increasing data traffic, climate risks, and infrastructure aging. The body will meet at least twice a year to consult on international policies.

International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) – The ICPC, founded in 1958, is a global forum for governments and commercial entities involved in the submarine cable industry.  – Its primary mission is to enhance the security of undersea cables by providing a platform for exchanging technical, legal, and environmental information.

Source: PIB

India and Slovenia Announce Five-Year Collaboration Plan

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

Context

• India and Slovenia have announced the finalization of a Programme of Co-operation (PoC) for the period 2024–2029. 

About

• The India-Slovenia partnership, rooted in a 1995 agreement, has grown through programs such as the Joint Working Group on Scientific and Technological Cooperation.
• The PoC will open up opportunities for joint research in transformative fields such as hydrogen technologies and sustainable innovation, while also facilitating greater academic exchange.

What is the Programme of Cooperation (PoC)? – It is a formal agreement between two countries designed to enhance collaboration in specific sectors, such as science, technology, and innovation.  – The PoC serves as a structured framework for long-term cooperation, enabling nations to develop networks among scientists and researchers while addressing global challenges through collaborative innovation.

Source: PIB

UGC Released Draft Guidelines for UG and PG Degrees 

Syllabus: GS2/Education

Context

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released draft regulations outlining minimum standards for higher education institutions (HEIs).

About

• Applicability: These regulations apply to all universities established by Central, State, or Provincial Acts, deemed universities, and institutions affiliated with such universities.
• Biannual Admissions: Allowing students to enroll twice a year in July/August and January/February.
• Multiple entry-exit: Students can leave and rejoin courses without losing progress, making education more accessible.
• Flexible degrees: Aims to encourage multidisciplinary education, letting students design their academic pathways according to their interests.
• A student is eligible for admission in any discipline of UG programme or PG programme if the student qualifies the national level or university level entrance examination in the discipline of UG/PG programme.
• The duration of an undergraduate degree shall be either three or four years, and a postgraduate degree shall normally be either one year or two years. 
• Other proposals include flexible attendance policies, recognition of prior learning, and skill-based assessment.

The University Grants Commission (UGC)

• Established in 1956, it provides funding to universities and colleges, sets guidelines for academic programs, and promotes research in institutions of higher learning.
• Key functions of the UGC include:
  • Accrediting universities: It grants recognition to universities in India.
  • Funding: Provides financial assistance to universities and colleges for development, research, and other academic purposes.
  • Regulating standards: Sets quality standards in teaching, research, and infrastructure in higher education institutions.
  • Promoting academic growth: Encourages research, innovation, and the development of new courses in various fields.

Source: IE

Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)

Syllabus: GS2/Health and GS3/ Science and Tech

In News

• A deadly outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), often called the ‘bleeding eye disease’, has emerged in Rwanda, Africa.

About MVD (also known as Marburg Haemorrhagic Fever)

• Ebola’s Twin: MVD belongs to the filovirus family, like Ebola.
  • Both cause rare but severe outbreaks with high fatality rates.
• Origin: First outbreak occurred in Marburg, Germany (1967).
  • Subsequent outbreaks reported across Africa, including Tanzania, Ghana, and now Rwanda.
• Transmission: Rousettus aegyptiacus, a fruit bat species, is the natural reservoir.
  • Virus spreads to humans from infected fruit bats.
  • Human-to-human transmission occurs through contact with infected bodily fluids
• Symptoms:  Severe headache, Pain, Bleeding from eyes, gums, nose
• Diagnosis and Treatment: Diagnosed using ELISA or RT-PCR tests.
  • No approved vaccines or specific antivirals, only supportive care.

Source: IE

NHAI Contractor Rating System

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy

In News

• The NHAI has introduced a new rating mechanism for contractors maintaining highways, in response to criticism over poor road conditions caused by potholes and cracks. 

NHAI Contractor Rating System

• Ratings will be published on the NHAI website and social media to encourage performance improvement.
• Mechanism: Contractors will be assessed on five parameters: roughness, potholes, rut depth, surface cracking, patchwork, and ravelling.
  • Contractors scoring below 60 out of 100 will be labeled “non-performers,” reducing their chances for future contracts.
• Assessment and Data Collection: NHAI will deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSVs) with cameras and sensors to assess highway conditions, capturing data every 100 meters. This data will be processed within 48 hours.
• Automation: The new system will operate without manual intervention, using 3D data captured by sensors. Notices will be automatically generated for contractors to take corrective actions, with color codes for faster response.
• Non-Compliance Consequences: If contractors do not improve the roads in time, NHAI will carry out repairs and recover the costs from them.

Significance of the Initiative

• It will ensure the smoother and better road quality
• Increased Transparency and Accountability
• Encourages the use of advanced tools like NSVs for accurate evaluations.

Source: TOI    

National Legal Metrology Portal (eMaap)

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Department of Consumer Affairs, is developing the National Legal Metrology Portal (eMaap).

About

• Aim: To integrate State Legal Metrology Departments and their portals into a unified National System.
  • To streamline processes for issuing licenses, conducting verifications and managing enforcement and compliance. 
• Need: 
  • eMaap eliminates the need for stakeholders to register on multiple State Portals, fostering ease of doing business and transparency in trade practices.
  • Presently, State Governments are using their own portals for registration of packaged commodities, issue of licenses and verification/stamping of weighing & measuring instruments.  

Source: PIB

Business 4 Land Initiative 

Syllabus: GS3/ Conservation, Land Degradation 

In Context

• At the Business for Land Forum, global business leaders, policymakers and experts convene to discuss sustainable land solutions and resilience-building.
  • It was the part of sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) that took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Business 4 Land Initiative (B4L)

• Launched by: UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) [ Legally binding international agreement ]
• Aim: To engage private sector actors in sustainable land management strategies.
• Supported by: World Economic Forum, World Business Council for Sustainable Development Sustainable Fibre Alliance, etc
• Importance of B4L: Raising awareness about the importance of sustainable land management within the private sector.
  • Encouraging businesses to commit to sustainable practices & invest in land restoration
  • Fostering collaboration between businesses, governments, and civil society to accelerate progress towards land degradation neutrality.

Source: UN