Locust outbreak
- Locust outbreak reported in Rajasthan and Gujarat from areas bordering Pakistan.
- Locusts are related to grasshoppers.
- The common name which it generally refers is ‘short-horned grasshoppers’.
- The desert locust is potentially the most dangerous because of the ability of swarms to fly rapidly across great distances.
- When environmental conditions produce many green plants, locusts can congregate into thick, mobile, ravenous swarms.
- Locust swarms can devastate crops and cause major agricultural damage.
- Desert locust plagues threatens the economic livelihood of one-tenth of the world's humans.
- A desert locust swarm can pack between 40 and 80 million locusts into less than half a square mile.
- Each locust can consume the equivalent of their body weight (2 g) in plants each day, so a swarm of such size would eat 423 million pounds of plants every day.
- An outbreak of desert locusts in the villages of Rajasthan and Gujarat has posed a threat to the crops.
- India has a “Locust Control and Research scheme” that is being implemented through the ‘Locust Warning Organisation’(LWO).
- It was established in 1939 and amalgamated in 1946 with the Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine and Storage (PPQS) of the Ministry of Agriculture.
- The LWO’s responsibility is monitoring and control of the locust situation in Scheduled Desert Areas mainly in Rajasthan and Gujarat and partly in Punjab and Haryana.
- It publishes a fortnightly bulletin on the locust situation.
- It has set up a helpline for farmers in the State.
ASRAAM
- Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) is the next generation infrared-guided missile of UK.
- It is also known as ‘heat seeking’, because infrared is radiated primarily by heat.
- It is designed and built by MBDA, UK to provide enhanced aerial combat capabilities for fighter aircraft.
- It is widely used as a ‘Within Visual Range’(WVR) air dominance missile with a range of over 25km.
- It can also be fired at targets behind its aircraft.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is looking to adopt ASRAAM across its fighter fleet.
- This plan is to bridge the missile gap between the IAF and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), which displayed an edge during the 27 February dogfight.
- The missile was shortlisted through a tender and MBDA was working with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on the integration.
Kharchi Pooja
- It is an important festival celebrated in Tripura.
- The word Kharchi is derived from the word ‘Khya’ which means ‘Earth’. It is basically done to worship mother Earth.
- It is performed after ‘Ama pechi’ or ‘Ambu bachi’ period.
- According to Tripuri, ‘Ama Pechi’ is menstruation of mother goddess or mother Earth.
- Among Tripuri the menstruation of a woman is considered as unholy.
- During this period all the auspicious functions performed by women are prohibited.
- After the menstruation period ‘Ama pechi’, mother Earth is considered to become unholy.
- So even the soil is not ploughed nor digging of any where on this day, to give it time to cleanse.
- The Puja is performed to wash out the sins and to clean the post menstrual phase of mother earth’s menstruation.
- The festival lasts for 7 days and 14 gods of the dynasty deity of Tripuri people are worshipped.
- The 14 gods are worshipped by the royal priest called Chantai.
- Only members of chantai family descendants are allowed to take the post of ‘Chantai’.
- All of rituals are of tribal origin but both tribal and non-tribal people join together to celebrate the festival.
Apprenticeship training reforms
- The ‘Central Apprenticeship Council’ under Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, proposed new reforms in apprenticeship training.
- Major proposals are,
- To raise the upper limit of apprentices from the existing 10% of total strength of establishment to 15%
- To lower the limit of an establishment with mandatory obligation to engage apprentices from 40 to 30.
- To lower the limit of establishments eligible to engage apprentices on optional basis from 6 to 4.
- Rationalization of stipend payable to all categories of apprentices.
- Fixed stipend for apprentices linked to their educational qualification to make it easier for an apprentice to understand the program.
Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC)
- It is an apex statutory body under the Apprentices Act, 1961.
- Its function is to assist and advice the Central Government for the implementation of Apprentice Act.
- Central Government can establish the CAC by notification in the official Gazette under Section 24(1) of the Apprentices Act, 1961.
- It functions under,
- Chairman- Minister of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
- Vice Chairman- Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
- Other members of council includes,
- representatives of the Establishment in the PSUs,
- Private Sector, representative from Central Ministries and State /UT Governments,
- persons having special knowledge and experience on the matters relating to industries
- persons having special knowledge and experience on the matters relating to Labour, and
- representatives of the AICTE and UGC.
- It aims to meet the aspirations of the Indian youth who strive to gain on-the-job training and secure better opportunities for employment.
Source: Indian Express, PIB, The Hindu
