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G.S II - Polity

Journey of the Indian Constitutional State


Why in News?

India celebrates the 75th anniversary of the coming into effect of the Constitution of India.

What is the character of  Indian constitutional federal structure?

  • Union of States - The term ‘federation’ has no where been used in the Constitution and  Article 1 of the Constitution describes India  as a ‘Union of States’.
  • Reason - According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the phrase ‘Union of States’ has been preferred to ‘Federation of States’ to indicate two things
    • The Indian federation is not the result of an agreement among the states like the American federation.
    • The states have no right to secede from the federation.

KC Wheare described the Constitution of India as “quasi-federal”. He remarked that “Indian Union is a unitary state with subsidiary federal features.

  • Canadian model - The Indian federal system is based on the ‘Canadian model’ and not on the ‘American model’.
  • The ‘Canadian model’ differs fundamentally from the ‘American model’ in so far as it establishes a very strong centre.
  • Co equals - Dr. Ambedkar explained that the ‘Centre and the States are co-equal’ in matters of legislative and executive authority.
  • The overriding powers for the Union are only placed “to be used in an emergency”.
  • Regular conduct - The regular conduct of democratic business in India is within a federal framework and not to be mistaken for a unitary one.
  • Basic structure - Constitutional courts have confirmed that federalism to be a part of the basic structure of the Constitution, in S.R. Bommai vs Union of India (1994) and Government of NCT of Delhi vs Union of India (2024).

What are the recent federal constitutional issues?

  • Interpretation of India’s federal structure - Many of the constitutional issues that have been keenly debated in recent times have been around India’s federal structure.
  • States vs Governor - Tussles between State governments and some of the State Governors have made their way to the Supreme Court of India.
  • Simultaneous elections – Conducting lok sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously has been debated between  administrative efficiency and  federal significance.
  • Regional languages - The neglect of ‘regional languages’ such as Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi and so on is being argued from the vanguard of multilinguistic equality and State autonomy.
  • Fiscal federalism – It  has been a major sticking point for States that are suffering under the dual regime of the Finance Commission and the Goods and Services Tax Act.
  • Delimitation exercise – This will determine the democratic future of India and  set to result in a showdown between the Union and States that have controlled their population.

What are the challenges to social democracy?

  • Threat of police state -  Preventive detention, arbitrary arrests, denial of fair trial through the impunity that is guaranteed statutorily in anti-terror laws such preventive detention and unlawful activities.

Preventive detention act was upheld in the A.K.Gopalan Case 1950.

  • Inequality - Achieving a degree of equality among various cohorts in democratic manner.
  • Dr. Ambedkar explained that the country must strive to remove social and economic inequality before they become a threat to democracy itself.
  • Caste system - Terming the idea of an Indian nation as a delusion, Dr. Ambedkar asked how people divided into several thousands of castes can be a nation.
  • Threat to personal liberty - Reductionist, mechanical readings of the constitutional value of personal liberty and human dignity.

What lies ahead?

  • Clear-headed guidance on the future of our constitutional philosophy.
  • Strengthen the constitutional guardians in the form of judges, bureaucrats, politicians, activists, journalists and citizens.
  • Exercise of ‘creative constitutionalism’ by constitutional courts in the cause of the right to personal liberty as justice.

Supreme Court of India reinstated Justice S. Fazl Ali’s dissenting opinion in A.K. Gopalan vs State of Madras, unanimously in Puttaswamy vs Union of India (2017), a case about the fundamental right to privacy.

References

  1. The Hindu | Foundational values, the journey of the Indian state
  2. The Hindu | Constitutional Justice and Personal Liberty

Prelim Bits

UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 25-01-2025


 

One Liners 25-01-2025

History, Art and Culture

76th Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day 2025

  • Statehood Day – 1950, 24 January.
  • Historical background – It is recognized in the later Vedic Age as Brahmarshi Desha or Madhya Desha.
  • 1935 – Its name was shortened to United Provinces.
  • 1950 – United Provinces was renamed as Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is home to revered places such as,
    • Birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
    • Lord Krishna in Mathura.
    • Holy city of Varanasi.
  • It is a “Holy Land” in shaping India’s history, mythological tales, and culture.

Geography

Uttar Pradesh

  • Capital – Lucknow.
  • Languages – Hindi and Urdu.
  • Bordered by – Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in the north, Haryana in the west, Madhya Pradesh in the South and Bihar in the east.
  • Rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ram Ganga, Ghagra, Betwa, Ken.
  • It is blessed with fertile and mineral-rich soil.

Polity & Governance

Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)

  • Launched in – 2023.
  • Aim – Restoration of mangrove forests by undertaking mangrove reforestation/ afforestation measures along the coast of India.
  • Coverage – 540 sq. km of mangroves across 9 coastal states and 4 Union territories.
  • Time period – 2023-2028 (5-years).
  • Focused on – Sundarbans delta, Hoogly Estuary in West Bengal and other wetlands.
  • Implementation - Funding will be done from State CAMPA, National CAMPA &MGNREGA and also from other sources.
  • Mangrove Alliance for Climate – “MISHTI” comes after India joined the Alliance.
  • It was launched during the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Egypt in November 2022

Digital Tree Aadhaar programme

  • Launched in – 2021.
  • Launched by:
    • Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department.
    • J&K Forest Research Institute (JKFI).
  • Objective – To conserve the iconic Chinar trees, a symbol of the region's cultural and ecological heritage.
  • It includes geo-tagging each tree with QR codes to record vital information, such as location, health and growth patterns.

PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

  • Launched in – 2024.
  • Aim – To increase the share of solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity.
  • It is the world’s largest residential rooftop solar initiative.
  • Time period – Till 2026-27.
  • Implemented by – A National programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) at the National level and by the State Implementation Agencies (SIAs) at the state level.
  • Working – To provides for a subsidy of 60% of the solar unit cost for systems up to 2kW capacity.
  • 40% of additional system cost for systems between 2 to 3kW capacity.

Security

Pralay

  • Pralay  – It is the indigenous short-range surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile.
  • Range – Approximately  400 km.
  • It is the 1st ballistic missile in India for conventional strikes.
  • Approved by – Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
  • Development by – Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad of DRDO
  • Capability – To strike different types of targets using different types of warheads.
  • Deployment along – Line of Control (LoC).
    • Line of Actual Control (LAC).

SANJAY - The Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS)

  • SANJAY – It is an automated Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS) which integrates the inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors.
  • It produces a Common Surveillance Picture of the battlefield over secured Army Data Network & Satellite Communication Network.
  • Developed by – Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
  • Applications - Monitors  vast land borders.
    • Prevent intrusions.
    • Assess situations with unparalleled accuracy.
    • Prove to be a force multiplier in intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance.

Science

International Solar Conference (ISC)

  • Conference on – Sun, Space Weather and Solar-Stellar Connections.
  • Organised by – Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
  • Purposes – To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO).
  • Themes – Solar magnetism over long time scales.
    • Solar magnetism in high resolution.
    • Energetic phenomena.
    • Solar-stellar connection.
    • Heliosphere.
    • Space weather.

Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO)

  • Established in – 1899.
  • Location – Palani hills, Tamil Nadu.
  • Operated by – Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
  • Observation – It houses a digital repository of 1.2 lakh digitized solar images and 1000s of other images of the Sun recorded every day.
  • It made understanding of sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections and other solar phenomena.

Artificial Sun

Chinese scientists achieved a world record with artificial Sun.

  • Artificial Sun – It is a mega nuclear fusion device, which generates energy through a fusion process similar to that of the sun.
  • Aim - To create clean and sustainable energy through a fusion process for global energy supply.
  • Conducted at – Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST).
  • Achievement – Maintained plasma temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius for nearly 18 minutes.

Prelim Bits

GSLV-F15 NVS-02 Mission


Why in News?

GSLV-F15 NVS-02 mission is the 100th launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, scheduled for January 29.

  • GSLV-F15 NVS-02 – Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)- F15/ Navigation with Indian Constellation-2 Satellite (NVS-2).
  • GSLV-F15 – 17th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
    • 11th flight with – Indigenous Cryo stage.
    • 8th operational flight with – Indigenous Cryogenic stage.
  • Payload – Its fairing is a metallic version with a diameter of 3.4 meters.
  • It will place NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

  • NVS-02 satellite – It is the 2nd satellite in the NVS series.
  • Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) – NVS-02 satellite is part of NavIC.
  • It is India’s independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) service to users in India.
  • It extends to region of about 1500 km beyond Indian land mass.
  • U.R. Satellite Centre (URSC) – NVS-02 was designed, developed and integrated at the U.R. Satellite Centre (URSC) with the support of other satellite-based work centres.
  • Navigation Payloads – It operates in L1, L5, and S bands and employs Tri-band antenna.
  • Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS) – Is the main component of the navigation payload.
  • RAFS is an atomic clock which acts as a stable frequency reference for the navigation payload.
  • Ranging Payloads – It consists of C-band (CxC) transponder used for 2-way Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) ranging to facilitate precise orbit determination.

  • Lift off mass – 2,250 kg.
  • Power handling capability – Approximately 3 kW.
  • Usage – A combination of indigenous and procured atomic clocks for precise time estimation.

References

  1. The Hindu| 100th Launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
  2. ISRO| GSLV-F15 NVS-02 Mission

Prelim Bits

Tamilnadu Iron Age


Why in News?

A groundbreaking study reveals that Tamil Nadu's Iron Age began as early as 3,345 BCE, predating the Hittite Empire's iron usage by a millennium.

  • Sivagalai -It is an Iron Age habitation-cum-burial site in the Thamirabarani river valley in Thoothukudi district.

sivakalai

  • Sivagalai excavation - A total of 24 trenches were excavated at these sites, which exposed around 160 urns, a majority of them being redware
  • Findings - Skeletal remains, paddy grains, over 85 iron objects including knives, arrowheads, chisels, axes, rings, and swords, were found at the site.

2

  • Radiometric dating - The samples from Sivagalai were analyzed by three prestigious research institutions
    • Beta Analytics in the United States
    • Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad
    • Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow.
  • Advanced dating techniques - The samples from Sivagalai, however, were subjected to advanced dating techniques
    • Accelerometer mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating for charcoal
    • Optically stimulated luminescence (OLS) dating for ceramics.
  • The Report – Findings of the dating study were presented as ‘Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu’, authored by K Rajan and R Sivanantham.
  • Findings - Radiometric dating of burial urn samples from Sivagalai indicate a thriving Iron Age civilization in southern India in 4th millennium BCE, contemporaneous with copper civilization of  Indus Valley.
  • While the regions to the north of the Vindhyas were still in the Copper Age, southern India may have entered the Iron Age due to a lack of commercially exploitable copper ores.
  • Adichanallur charcoal - Adichanallur in Thoothukudi district, of Tamilnadu produced a charcoal sample associated with iron objects that was dated to 2517 BCE.
  • First smelted iron - For the first time in the world, smelted iron has been dated back to the middle of the third millennium BCE.
  • Hittite Empire (in modern-day Turkey)- This was believed to be the first civilization to use iron, with evidence dating back to around 1,380 BCE.
  • Other Iron regions of India - Brahmagiri in Karnataka and Gachibowli near Hyderabad, were dated to around 2140 BCE and 2200 BCE, respectively.

3

References

  1. The Economic Times | Did the Iron Age actually begin in Tamil Nadu?
  2. The Indian Express | Tamilnadu Iron Age
  3. The Hindu | Sivagalai sheds light on iron’s antiquity in Tamil landscape

Prelim Bits

Fiscal Health Index (FHI), 2025


Why in news?

The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) was recently released by Niti aayog that provides a comprehensive assessment of the fiscal health of 18 major States.

  • Aim – To throw light on the fiscal status at the sub-national level and guide policy reforms for sustainable and resilient economic growth.
  • Fiscal Health Index 2025 – Is first of kind in India, a comprehensive assessment with insights into state-specific challenges and areas for improvement.
  • Five key sub-indices – The index is based on 5 key sub-indices that include Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
  • Launched by – Niti Aayog.
  • 18 major States – The index assess the fiscal health of the only 18 major states.
  • Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) – The report uses the data from CAG.
  • Odisha – With a cumulative score of 67.8, Odisha tops the ranking in fiscal health among 18 major States, followed by Chhattisgarh and Goa with scores of 55.2 and 53.6, respectively.
  • Odisha tops the Debt Index (99.0) and Debt Sustainability (64.0) rankings with better than average scores under Quality of Expenditure and Revenue Mobilization.
  • Strong fiscal health – The achiever States display strong fiscal health, excelling in revenue mobilization, expenditure management, and debt sustainability.
  • West Bengal and Punjab – States like West Bengal and Punjab witnessed growing debt burdens, increasing debt-to-GDP ratios and raising serious concern about debt sustainability.

  • Significance – FHI helps to promote more integrated approach to fiscal health and sustainable growth, with shared responsibility of both levels of government in achieving national prosperity.
  • FHI offers a roadmap for achieving fiscal consolidation, improving transparency, and fostering effective resource management.
  • FHI is not merely a ranking but a tool designed to assess and thereby improve the fiscal health of States.
  • It provides a framework to evaluate the financial well-being of state economies through key fiscal indicators.

References

  1. PIB| Launch of the Fiscal Health Index 2025
  2. Business Standard| Fiscally Healthiest States

Prelim Bits

India’s Forests Fires


Why in News?

Recently, the data showed that in the past 5 fire seasons, over 11 lakh fires incidents reported in India.

  • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change – Mentioned that 4 states have reported over 1 lakh forest fire incidents each in the last five forest fire seasons.
  • 4 States – Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
  • They accounted for 4,73,834 forest fires, which constitutes approximately 43% of the total forest fire incidents in India.

India has reported a staggering 11,09,588 forest fires. Each year from November to June, forests across the country ignites, threatening ecosystems, wildlife and livelihoods.

  • India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 – Over 36% of the country’s forest cover is estimated to be vulnerable to frequent forest fires.
    • 2.81% - Extremely fire-prone.
    • 7.85% - Very highly fire-prone category.
  • ISFR 2023 – Around 275 million rural people in India depend on forests for their livelihood security.
  • Communities residing near forested areas rely heavily on forests for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).
  • Major Factors – Collection of tendu leaves and mahua flowers contributing to forest fires.
  • Shifting cultivation practices adopted by local farmers, where an estimated 4.35 million hectares (mha) of forest area is affected by fires.
  • Reasons for fires – Unsustainable exploitation of forest resources and coupled with increasing human activities threat to the balance of forest ecosystems.
  • Impacts – It leads to loss of:
    • Human lives
    • Depletion of biodiversity
    • Habitat destruction
    • Reduced agricultural productivity
    • Landscape degradation
    • Disruptions to local livelihoods.

Reference

The Hindu Business Line| India’s Forests Ablaze

Prelim Bits

UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 25-01-2025


GSLV-F15 NVS-02 Mission

Why in News?

GSLV-F15 NVS-02 mission is the 100th launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, scheduled for January 29.

  • GSLV-F15 NVS-02 – Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV)- F15/ Navigation with Indian Constellation-2 Satellite (NVS-2).
  • GSLV-F15 – 17th flight of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
    • 11th flight with – Indigenous Cryo stage.
    • 8th operational flight with – Indigenous Cryogenic stage.
  • Payload – Its fairing is a metallic version with a diameter of 3.4 meters.
  • It will place NVS-02 satellite into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

  • NVS-02 satellite – It is the 2nd satellite in the NVS series.
  • Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) – NVS-02 satellite is part of NavIC.
  • It is India’s independent regional navigation satellite system designed to provide accurate Position, Velocity and Timing (PVT) service to users in India.
  • It extends to region of about 1500 km beyond Indian land mass.
  • U.R. Satellite Centre (URSC) – NVS-02 was designed, developed and integrated at the U.R. Satellite Centre (URSC) with the support of other satellite-based work centres.
  • Navigation Payloads – It operates in L1, L5, and S bands and employs Tri-band antenna.
  • Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (RAFS) – Is the main component of the navigation payload.
  • RAFS is an atomic clock which acts as a stable frequency reference for the navigation payload.
  • Ranging Payloads – It consists of C-band (CxC) transponder used for 2-way Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) ranging to facilitate precise orbit determination.

  • Lift off mass – 2,250 kg.
  • Power handling capability – Approximately 3 kW.
  • Usage – A combination of indigenous and procured atomic clocks for precise time estimation.

References

  1. The Hindu| 100th Launch from Satish Dhawan Space Centre
  2. ISRO| GSLV-F15 NVS-02 Mission

Tamilnadu Iron Age

Why in News?

A groundbreaking study reveals that Tamil Nadu's Iron Age began as early as 3,345 BCE, predating the Hittite Empire's iron usage by a millennium.

  • Sivagalai -It is an Iron Age habitation-cum-burial site in the Thamirabarani river valley in Thoothukudi district.

sivakalai

  • Sivagalai excavation - A total of 24 trenches were excavated at these sites, which exposed around 160 urns, a majority of them being redware
  • Findings - Skeletal remains, paddy grains, over 85 iron objects including knives, arrowheads, chisels, axes, rings, and swords, were found at the site.

2

  • Radiometric dating - The samples from Sivagalai were analyzed by three prestigious research institutions
    • Beta Analytics in the United States
    • Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad
    • Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences in Lucknow.
  • Advanced dating techniques - The samples from Sivagalai, however, were subjected to advanced dating techniques
    • Accelerometer mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS14C) dating for charcoal
    • Optically stimulated luminescence (OLS) dating for ceramics.
  • The Report – Findings of the dating study were presented as ‘Antiquity of Iron: Recent Radiometric Dates from Tamil Nadu’, authored by K Rajan and R Sivanantham.
  • Findings - Radiometric dating of burial urn samples from Sivagalai indicate a thriving Iron Age civilization in southern India in 4th millennium BCE, contemporaneous with copper civilization of  Indus Valley.
  • While the regions to the north of the Vindhyas were still in the Copper Age, southern India may have entered the Iron Age due to a lack of commercially exploitable copper ores.
  • Adichanallur charcoal - Adichanallur in Thoothukudi district, of Tamilnadu produced a charcoal sample associated with iron objects that was dated to 2517 BCE.
  • First smelted iron - For the first time in the world, smelted iron has been dated back to the middle of the third millennium BCE.
  • Hittite Empire (in modern-day Turkey)- This was believed to be the first civilization to use iron, with evidence dating back to around 1,380 BCE.
  • Other Iron regions of India - Brahmagiri in Karnataka and Gachibowli near Hyderabad, were dated to around 2140 BCE and 2200 BCE, respectively.

3

References

  1. The Economic Times | Did the Iron Age actually begin in Tamil Nadu?
  2. The Indian Express | Tamilnadu Iron Age
  3. The Hindu | Sivagalai sheds light on iron’s antiquity in Tamil landscape

Fiscal Health Index (FHI), 2025

Why in news?

The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) was recently released by Niti aayog that provides a comprehensive assessment of the fiscal health of 18 major States.

  • Aim – To throw light on the fiscal status at the sub-national level and guide policy reforms for sustainable and resilient economic growth.
  • Fiscal Health Index 2025 – Is first of kind in India, a comprehensive assessment with insights into state-specific challenges and areas for improvement.
  • Five key sub-indices – The index is based on 5 key sub-indices that include Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
  • Launched by – Niti Aayog.
  • 18 major States – The index assess the fiscal health of the only 18 major states.
  • Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) – The report uses the data from CAG.
  • Odisha – With a cumulative score of 67.8, Odisha tops the ranking in fiscal health among 18 major States, followed by Chhattisgarh and Goa with scores of 55.2 and 53.6, respectively.
  • Odisha tops the Debt Index (99.0) and Debt Sustainability (64.0) rankings with better than average scores under Quality of Expenditure and Revenue Mobilization.
  • Strong fiscal health – The achiever States display strong fiscal health, excelling in revenue mobilization, expenditure management, and debt sustainability.
  • West Bengal and Punjab – States like West Bengal and Punjab witnessed growing debt burdens, increasing debt-to-GDP ratios and raising serious concern about debt sustainability.

  • Significance – FHI helps to promote more integrated approach to fiscal health and sustainable growth, with shared responsibility of both levels of government in achieving national prosperity.
  • FHI offers a roadmap for achieving fiscal consolidation, improving transparency, and fostering effective resource management.
  • FHI is not merely a ranking but a tool designed to assess and thereby improve the fiscal health of States.
  • It provides a framework to evaluate the financial well-being of state economies through key fiscal indicators.

References

  1. PIB| Launch of the Fiscal Health Index 2025
  2. Business Standard| Fiscally Healthiest States

India’s Forests Fires

Why in News?

Recently, the data showed that in the past 5 fire seasons, over 11 lakh fires incidents reported in India.

  • Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change – Mentioned that 4 states have reported over 1 lakh forest fire incidents each in the last five forest fire seasons.
  • 4 States – Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra.
  • They accounted for 4,73,834 forest fires, which constitutes approximately 43% of the total forest fire incidents in India.

India has reported a staggering 11,09,588 forest fires. Each year from November to June, forests across the country ignites, threatening ecosystems, wildlife and livelihoods.

  • India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 – Over 36% of the country’s forest cover is estimated to be vulnerable to frequent forest fires.
    • 2.81% - Extremely fire-prone.
    • 7.85% - Very highly fire-prone category.
  • ISFR 2023 – Around 275 million rural people in India depend on forests for their livelihood security.
  • Communities residing near forested areas rely heavily on forests for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs).
  • Major Factors – Collection of tendu leaves and mahua flowers contributing to forest fires.
  • Shifting cultivation practices adopted by local farmers, where an estimated 4.35 million hectares (mha) of forest area is affected by fires.
  • Reasons for fires – Unsustainable exploitation of forest resources and coupled with increasing human activities threat to the balance of forest ecosystems.
  • Impacts – It leads to loss of:
    • Human lives
    • Depletion of biodiversity
    • Habitat destruction
    • Reduced agricultural productivity
    • Landscape degradation
    • Disruptions to local livelihoods

Reference

The Hindu Business Line| India’s Forests Ablaze

 

One Liners 25-01-2025

History, Art and Culture

76th Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day 2025

  • Statehood Day – 1950, 24 January.
  • Historical background – It is recognized in the later Vedic Age as Brahmarshi Desha or Madhya Desha.
  • 1935 – Its name was shortened to United Provinces.
  • 1950 – United Provinces was renamed as Uttar Pradesh.
  • It is home to revered places such as,
    • Birthplace of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
    • Lord Krishna in Mathura.
    • Holy city of Varanasi.
  • It is a “Holy Land” in shaping India’s history, mythological tales, and culture.

Geography

Uttar Pradesh

  • Capital – Lucknow.
  • Languages – Hindi and Urdu.
  • Bordered by – Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in the north, Haryana in the west, Madhya Pradesh in the South and Bihar in the east.
  • Rivers – Ganga, Yamuna, Gomti, Ram Ganga, Ghagra, Betwa, Ken.
  • It is blessed with fertile and mineral-rich soil.

Polity & Governance

Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI)

  • Launched in – 2023.
  • Aim – Restoration of mangrove forests by undertaking mangrove reforestation/ afforestation measures along the coast of India.
  • Coverage – 540 sq. km of mangroves across 9 coastal states and 4 Union territories.
  • Time period – 2023-2028 (5-years).
  • Focused on – Sundarbans delta, Hoogly Estuary in West Bengal and other wetlands.
  • Implementation - Funding will be done from State CAMPA, National CAMPA &MGNREGA and also from other sources.
  • Mangrove Alliance for Climate – “MISHTI” comes after India joined the Alliance.
  • It was launched during the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Egypt in November 2022.

Digital Tree Aadhaar programme

  • Launched in – 2021.
  • Launched by:
    • Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department.
    • J&K Forest Research Institute (JKFI).
  • Objective – To conserve the iconic Chinar trees, a symbol of the region's cultural and ecological heritage.
  • It includes geo-tagging each tree with QR codes to record vital information, such as location, health and growth patterns.

PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

  • Launched in – 2024.
  • Aim – To increase the share of solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their own electricity.
  • It is the world’s largest residential rooftop solar initiative.
  • Time period – Till 2026-27.
  • Implemented by – A National programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) at the National level and by the State Implementation Agencies (SIAs) at the state level.
  • Working – To provides for a subsidy of 60% of the solar unit cost for systems up to 2kW capacity.
  • 40% of additional system cost for systems between 2 to 3kW capacity.

Security

Pralay

  • Pralay  – It is the indigenous short-range surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile.
  • Range – Approximately  400 km.
  • It is the 1st ballistic missile in India for conventional strikes.
  • Approved by – Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).
  • Development by – Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad of DRDO
  • Capability – To strike different types of targets using different types of warheads.
  • Deployment along – Line of Control (LoC).
    • Line of Actual Control (LAC).

SANJAY - The Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS)

  • SANJAY – It is an automated Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS) which integrates the inputs from all ground and aerial battlefield sensors.
  • It produces a Common Surveillance Picture of the battlefield over secured Army Data Network & Satellite Communication Network.
  • Developed by – Indian Army and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
  • Applications - Monitors  vast land borders.
    • Prevent intrusions.
    • Assess situations with unparalleled accuracy.
    • Prove to be a force multiplier in intelligence, surveillance & reconnaissance.

Science

International Solar Conference (ISC)

  • Conference on – Sun, Space Weather and Solar-Stellar Connections.
  • Organised by – Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
  • Purposes – To commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO).
  • Themes – Solar magnetism over long time scales.
    • Solar magnetism in high resolution.
    • Energetic phenomena.
    • Solar-stellar connection.
    • Heliosphere.
    • Space weather.

Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO)

  • Established in – 1899.
  • Location – Palani hills, Tamil Nadu.
  • Operated by – Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
  • Observation – It houses a digital repository of 1.2 lakh digitized solar images and 1000s of other images of the Sun recorded every day.
  • It made understanding of sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections and other solar phenomena.

Artificial Sun

Chinese scientists achieved a world record with artificial Sun.

  • Artificial Sun – It is a mega nuclear fusion device, which generates energy through a fusion process similar to that of the sun.
  • Aim - To create clean and sustainable energy through a fusion process for global energy supply.
  • Conducted at – Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST).
  • Achievement – Maintained plasma temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius for nearly 18 minutes.
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Keeping up with UPSC Current Affairs through IAS Parliament

Preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination is a rigorous process that requires not just knowledge of various subjects but also a thorough understanding of current affairs. The UPSC syllabus covers a vast range of topics, and current affairs play a significant role in shaping the exam questions. Aspirants need to stay updated with the latest happenings in India and the world to crack the exam successfully. One of the most reliable sources of current affairs for UPSC is the IAS Parliament.

The IAS Parliament is a platform that provides the latest news and insights on Government Policies & Schemes, bills, and acts. It is an excellent resource for UPSC aspirants who want to keep themselves informed about the latest developments in Indian Politics, Indian Economy, and society. The platform provides regular updates on the functioning of the government and its various departments, making it an ideal source for current affairs preparation.

The IAS Parliament covers a wide range of topics, including agriculture, education, health, environment, technology, and more. Aspirants can access the platform through its website or app and stay updated with the Latest News and Information. The platform also offers a daily news digest, which summarizes the most important news of the day. This feature is particularly useful for those who are short on time and need a quick overview of the day and events.

In addition to news updates, the IAS Parliament also offers in-depth analysis and expert opinions on various issues. The platform has a team of experts who provide Insightful Articles on current affairs, which are beneficial for aspirants looking to develop a deeper understanding of a topic. These articles also help aspirants form an opinion on a particular issue, which is useful for the Essay Paper in the UPSC exam.

Apart from news and analysis, the IAS Parliament also provides resources for aspirants to enhance their knowledge of current affairs. The platform has a section on 'Current Affairs for UPSC,' which offers a comprehensive coverage of various topics such as Indian Polity, Economy, and International Relations. These resources are updated regularly, ensuring that aspirants have access to the latest information.

The IAS Parliament also offers a UPSC Quiz section, where aspirants can test their knowledge of current affairs. These quizzes are based on the latest news and help aspirants assess their level of preparation. Aspirants can also participate in UPSC Daily Quizzes and track their progress over time.

The IAS Parliament is an excellent resource for UPSC aspirants who are looking to stay updated with the latest developments in India and the world. The platform provides reliable and comprehensive coverage of current affairs, making it an ideal source for aspirants preparing for the UPSC exam. The resources offered by the platform are not just limited to news and analysis but also include quizzes and resources to enhance knowledge. The platform's user-friendly interface and regular updates make it a must-have resource for every UPSC aspirant.

In conclusion, keeping up with current affairs is a critical aspect of UPSC Preparation, and the IAS Parliament offers a reliable and comprehensive source for the same. Aspirants can leverage the platform's resources to stay informed and enhance their knowledge, making them better prepared to tackle the UPSC exam. IAS Parliament is a one-stop-shop for all UPSC aspirants looking for a comprehensive and reliable source of current affairs information.

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