News In Short – 04-09-2024

Na Anka Famine

Syllabus: GS1/History

Context

• Recently, the Union Education Minister proposed changing the name of Ravenshaw University as it believes Na Anka Famine occurred during Ravenshaw’s tenure.

About the Na Anka Durbhikshya (1866) (aka Great Odisha Famine)

• Odisha was ravaged by a catastrophic famine—the Na Anka famine, just two years before the Ravenshaw University’s establishment.
  • Ravenshaw University, nestled in the ancient city of Cuttack in Odisha was founded in 1868. 
• Severity: The famine was so severe that approximately one-third of Odisha’s population perished during this tragic period.
• Regnal Year: It occurred in the 9th Regnal year of King Divya Singha Deva, the Gajapati king of Orissa.

Role of Thomas Edward Ravenshaw

• Thomas Edward Ravenshaw, a British Bureaucrat who held the position of colonial commissioner of Odisha division during this tumultuous period.
• He witnessed the horrors of the famine firsthand.

Causes and Impact

• Communication Challenges: Prior to the famine, Orissa faced significant challenges in terms of communication and connectivity, making it difficult to access essential supplies during times of crisis.
• Inaccessibility: Orissa was virtually ‘out of the world’ in terms of trade and communication that exacerbated the effects of the famine.
• In response to the devastating famine, the Famine Commission of 1866 highlighted the urgent need to improve communication in Orissa to prevent similar disasters in the future.
• The commission recommended the speedy construction of a Trunk Road connecting Cuttack (in Orissa) to Calcutta (now Kolkata) to facilitate trade and movement, and suggested making irrigation canals navigable (Construction of Orissa Coast Canal began in 1880-81).

Source: IE

Cocoa (Theobroma Cacao)

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography

Context

• California Cultured, a plant cell culture company, is growing cocoa from cell cultures at a lab facility in California.

About

• The cocoa tree is an evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae.
• The flowers are produced in clusters directly on the trunk and older branches (cauliflory). The flowers are small, 1–2 cm diameter, with pink calyx. 
• The fruit, called a cacao pod, is ovoid, ripening yellow to orange, and contains 20 to 60 seeds.
  • The seeds are called “beans”, embedded in a white pulp.
  • Cocoa beans are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate.

Growing Conditions

• It grows about 20 degrees north and south of the equator in regions with warm weather and abundant rain, including West Africa and South America.
• Cocoa requires deep and well drained soils. Majority of area under Cocoa cultivation is on clay loam and sandy loam soil.
• It requires a temperature between 15°-35°C with optimum of 25°C.

Source: TH

Aparajita Bill

Syllabus: GS2/Polity

Context

• The West Bengal Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the Aparajita Women and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, 2024.

Major Highlights 

• It seeks changes in several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 so that 10 or 20-year jail terms in rape, gangrape and murder cases are replaced with death penalty or imprisonment for remaining life of the convict.
• The Bill introduces three critical elements — increased punishment, speedy investigation, and rapid dispensation of justice, specifically targeting cases of sexual assault under the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
• The State government will form a special ‘Aparajita Task Force’ from among the State police to ensure time-bound completion of the probe.
• The Bill has provisions for capital punishment for those convicted of rape if their actions resulted in the victim’s death or left her in a vegetative state. 
• The legislation also requires that investigation into rape cases must be concluded within 21 days of the initial report.
• The bill will require Presidential assent under Article 254(2) of the Constitution to become law within the geographical jurisdiction of West Bengal.
  • According to Article 254(2), a state legislature can seek to amend an existing Union law on a subject mentioned in the Concurrent List, but it cannot become law without assent from the President.

Source: TH

Vishanu Yudh Abhyaas

Syllabus :GS 2/Health 

In News

• The central government conducted a five-day mock drill named Vishanu Yudh Abhyaas (Virus War Exercise) 

About  Vishanu Yudh Abhyaas

• The drill took place over five days in Ajmer district, Rajasthan.
• It is conducted under the National One Health Mission (NOHM).
• It aims to assess pandemic preparedness and response to zoonotic disease outbreaks.
  • Zoonotic Diseases include infections spread between people and animals, such as avian influenza, Nipah, and Zika, caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi.
• Objective: To evaluate the readiness and response of the National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT), which includes experts from human health, animal husbandry, and wildlife sectors.
• Outcome: The drill provided valuable insights to improve India’s preparedness and response to zoonotic disease outbreaks and promoted a coordinated and efficient approach across relevant sectors.

Source:PIB

Brunei Darussalam

Syllabus: GS2/International Relations

Context

• Recently, the Prime Minister of India embarked on a visit to Brunei Darussalam which will be the first ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister.

About the Brunei Darussalam (often simply referred to as Brunei)

• It is a small sultanate in Southeast Asia, and the smallest country in Southeast Asia by population, with less than half a million people.

• Brunei is an absolute monarchy, and its head of state is Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
• Geographically, it occupies a coastal strip on the northern part of the island of Borneo, surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
• It has a predominantly Malay-Muslim population, with its official religion is Islam.

Oil Wealth and Economy

• Brunei is rich in oil and natural gas reserves. Its economy heavily relies on hydrocarbon exports.

India-Brunei Relations – Defence: Strengthening defence ties to promote security and stability in the region. – Space: Exploring collaboration in space-related endeavours. – People-to-People Relations: Fostering stronger connections between the citizens of India and Brunei. – PM’s visit aligned with the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Brunei. – Brunei is an important partner in India’s Act East Policy and the Indo-Pacific Vision.

Source: TH

The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), launched a new toll-free number as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance claimant support services. 

About

• It is designed to provide users with access to an upgraded, multi-language Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) and an enhanced Call Centre.
• This initiative aligns with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs’s broader efforts to streamline corporate compliance and improve user experience. 

About IEPFA:

• It was established in 2016, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. 
• IEPFA is responsible for managing the Investor Education and Protection Fund, which focuses on safeguarding investor interests by facilitating the refund of shares, unclaimed dividends, and matured deposits/debentures. 
• Through its initiatives, the IEPFA aims to ensure transparency, protect investors’ rights, and promote financial literacy across the country.

Source: PIB

Financialization of Capital Markets

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

Context

• Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) V. Anantha Nageswaran cautioned that financialization of capital markets might distort macroeconomic outcomes.

About

• Financialization of capital markets is the dominance of the role of financial markets in public policy.
• India’s stock market capitalisation being about 140% of its GDP indicates a high level of financialisation.

Consequences

• While high market capitalization signals a robust financial sector, it also suggests that the economy is overly reliant on financial markets rather than the real economy.
• The financial sector’s record profitability exacerbates income inequality, as gains from financialisation typically accrue to a small segment of the population.
• Advanced economies have seen unprecedented levels of both public and private debt, largely driven by the financialisation process. 
• Economic growth in financialised economies often relies on the continuous inflation of asset prices, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate.
  • This can create asset bubbles, which, when burst, can lead to severe economic downturns.

Source: TH

Capital Acquisition Proposals by DAC

Syllabus :GS 3/Defence 

In News

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 10 capital acquisition proposals totaling ₹1,44,716 crore.

About Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

• It  is the top decision-making body for military procurement and gives what is known as acceptance of necessity (AoN) — the first step towards buying military equipment.
• It is chaired by the Defence Minister.
• It aims to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the Armed Forces in terms of capabilities sought and time frame prescribed by optimally utilizing the allocated budgetary resources.

Projects Approved:

• Stealth Frigates: Procurement of seven stealth frigates under Project-17B.
• Future-Ready Combat Vehicles (FRCV): Main battle tanks to replace the T-72 and T-90 tanks.
• Air Defence Fire Control Radars (FCR): For detecting and tracking aerial targets.
  •  These radars will provide detection, tracking, and firing solutions for aerial threats.
• Dornier-228 Aircraft: For various operational needs.
• Patrol Vessels: Next-generation fast patrol vessels and offshore patrol vessels.
• Indigenous Sources: 99% of the procurement costs will be from indigenous sources, under the Buy (Indian) and Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) categories.
• Shipyard Construction: The stealth frigates will be constructed by public sector shipyards Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. (MDL).
• Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Enhancements: Three AoNs approved:
  • Dornier-228 Aircraft: For enhanced surveillance and patrolling.
  • Next Generation Fast Patrol Vessels: For high operational features in rough weather.
  • Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels: For advanced technology and long-range operations.

Source:TH