Prelim Bits 13-03-2024 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

Geoglyphs of Konkan Region

The Bombay High Court issued a notice to the Centre and the ASI seeking their replies on the proposed mega oil refinery in the region where prehistoric geoglyphs were found.

• A form of human rock art – They are engraved or incised on the floor or rock bed and are open air ensembles.
• Surfaces – On the lateritic plateaus (Sada) of the Konkan belt.
• Time period – More than 10,000 to 12,000 years old
• Spread – They are dispersed along 900 km of the Konkan coast.
• Sites – Around 600 figurines clusters in
  • Maharashtra - Kasheli, RundhyeTali, DevacheGothane, Barsu, Devi Hasol, Jambharun, Kudopi and Ukshi
  • Goa – Pansaymol
• Site at Barsu – It has more than 62 geoglyphs, making it the largest cluster of geoglyphs in the Konkan region.
• Themes – Faunal themes are integral that includes marine and riverine, mammals, reptiles, amphibian and avian life which have vanished from the region several centuries ago.
• Excellence in rock art – High quality of artistic expression, with evolution of techniques (of scooping and etching).
  • 1 or 2 standalone figures of larger-then-life scale.
  • A composition of multiple figures, gathered for a purpose.
• Unlike Bhimbetka paintings, the incision marks and figures are more angular and less fluid.
• Cultural significance – Abstract anthropogenic and geometrical features together convey the interaction between man and fauna and foundational stages of socio-sacred activities.
• Continued habitation – It sheds light on the transitory phase from Stone Age to Early Historical period of the Konkan region.
• Evidence of Human adaptation– It is a documentation of how people adapted to ephemeral wetlands in a dry-arid plateau having shallow rock pools, streams and watercourses.
• Protected status – They are classified as protected monuments by the state archaeology department and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• Earlier it was included in the ‘tentative list’ of UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

References

1. The Indian Express| PIL seeking protection of Geoglyphs of Konkan Region
2. UNESCO| Geoglyphs of Konkan Region

Small and Medium REIT (SMREIT)

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has issued regulations to establish guidelines for creation of Small and Medium Real Estate Investment Trusts (SM REITs).

• The new regulations will be called SEBI (REIT) (Amendment) Regulations 2024.
• Aim – To regulate the fractional ownership industry and safeguard investor interests, incorporating both commercial and residential properties within the new framework.

Fractional ownership allows individual investors to co-own commercial or residential properties as an alternative investment route.

• SMREITs – Small and Medium REIT (SMREIT), which may raise funds from Indian and foreign investors by the issuance of units.
• Fund pooling – It may gather funds starting from ₹50 crore by issuing units to a minimum of 200 investors.
• Fund utilization – Used for acquiring and managing real estate assets, generating income for the investors.
• Ownership of assets – It will be structured through 1 or more schemes, each operating under special purpose vehicles (SPVs).
• An investment manager – He/she is responsible for setting up an SM REIT and required to
  • Have a net worth of at least ₹20 crore
  • Have a separate trustee for oversight.
  • Maintain a website detailing all SM REIT schemes enhancing transparency and investor access to information.

• Significance – It is expected to open the doors to fractional ownership of rent yielding real estate assets, including uber-luxury 2^nd homes across the country.

References

1. Live Mint| SEBI notifies Small and Medium REITs (SMREITs)
2. Hindustan Times – Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT)

Tripartite Agreement

The Centre recently signed a tripartite agreement with the Tripura government and the state’s main opposition party, the TIPRA Motha.

• Aim – To address the long-pending demands of the state’s tribal population, including economic, political, land, linguistic and cultural rights.
• Need – Tribals in Tripura became a minority due to non-tribals settling in large numbers and the concerns of illegal immigration from Bangladesh.

The wave of refugees led to a sharp change in demography in the state in 1948, the indigenous tribes accounted for over 80% of the population, now they are around 30%.

• Demands – A ‘Greater Tipraland’, an area that includes the area currently under the Tripura Tribal Areas District Autonomous Council (TTADC) with places inhabited by the Tiprasa tribe outside the council areas.
• It also wants the Roman script to be declared as the official script for the indigenous Kokborok language.
• Tripartite Accord – It was agreed to amicably resolve all issues of indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land and political rights, economic development, identity, culture and language.
• Constitute a joint working group/ committee to work out and implement the mutually agreed points on all the above mentioned issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an honourable solution.
• Refrain from resorting to any form of protest/ agitation by all stakeholders, starting from the day of signing of the agreement.
• Limitation – It is silent about the demand for Greater Tipraland or greater autonomy over land to tribal councils.

The 6^th Schedule of Indian Constitution relates to the administration of the tribal areas in Assam Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram through establishment of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).

Reference

The Indian Express| Tripura’s Tripartite Agreement

Citizenship – Union List

Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal objected to implementation of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA).

Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 aims to offers citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim minorities from Muslim-majority Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.

• Citizenship – It is the status of a person recognized under law as being a legal member of a sovereign state or belonging to a nation.
• Indian Constitution – Articles 5 – 11 of the Constitution deals with the concept of citizenship.
• It entails the enjoyment of full membership of any State in which a citizen has civil and political rights.
• Power of Union government – It is entitled with granting of citizenship.
• ‘Citizenship, naturalisation and aliens’ figuring as entry no. 17 in the union list under the 7^th Schedule.

The 7^th Schedule has 3 lists namely, the Union list, state list, and concurrent list that show the division of power between the Union and States concerning certain subjects.

• Article 256 of the Constitution – It talks about 'Obligation of States and the Union'.
• The executive power of every state shall be so exercised as to ensure compliance with the laws made by Parliament and any existing laws which apply in that state.
• The executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of such directions to a state as may appear to the government of India to be necessary for that purpose.
• Limited power of States – It would have no other option but to implement the law passed by the Parliament.
• CAA Rules, 2024 – It envisages district level committee and state/UT level committee (Empowered committee), to verify documentation and take a final call on citizenship.
• Both committees are packed with central government officers and state/UT concerned is represented by a sole invitee to each committee.
• The Chair of both the committee are central government officers.
• Since the quorum of both committees shall be 2 including the chair, it means the committees can do complete work without mandatorily involving the state representatives.

References

1. Deccan Herald| Citizenship under Union List
2. Times of India| Limited powers of States in CAA

Gandhi's Ashrams

Prime Minister of India has inaugurated the refurbished Kochrab Ashram and unveiled the Master Plan for the Gandhi Ashram Memorial at the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

• Objective – To make its members qualify themselves for, and make a consistent endeavour towards, the service of the country, not inconsistent with the universal welfare.
• Here, Gandhi and his co-residents sought to engage in acts of self-control and communal labour in the pursuit of spiritual and social liberation.

Kochrab Ashram was the 1^st Ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi after coming to India from South Africa in 1915. It is maintained by Gujarat Vidyapeeth.

Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project

• Prepared by – Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Pvt Ltd (HCPDPM).
• Spread – Over 55 acres, and the entire precincts will sprawl over 322 acres.
• Location – Over 120 acres of land on the banks of the Sabarmati River on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.
• Budget – Rs 1,200 crore
• Masterplan – It proposes to restore, conserve, and rebuild about half of the 63 structures that existed in the original ashram.
• In all, 36 buildings will be restored and 20 buildings will be conserved.

Quick Facts

• Historical Significance of Sabarmati Ashram - From Sabarmati Ashram, Gandhi began Dandi march on March 12, 1930.
• He also launched the Champaran Satyagraha (1917), the Ahmedabad mills strike and Kheda Satyagraha (1918), the Khadi movement (1918), the Rowlatt Act and Khilafat Movements (1919), and the Non-Cooperation movement (1920) while living in Sabarmati.
• Global Significance of Sabarmati Ashram – Since 1963 it has been maintaining a visitors’ book which records eminent visitors include Queen Elizabeth (1961), the Dalai Lama (1984-85), South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela (1995), and former US President Bill Clinton (2001).

References

1. PIB| Inauguration of refurbished Kochrab Ashram in Sabarmati
2. The Indian Express| Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Development Project