NITI Aayog has come up with the Composite Water Management Index as a useful tool to assess and improve the performance in efficient management of water resources.
This index is an attempt to inspire States and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilization of water, and recycling thereof with a sense of urgency.
The index can be utilised to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources.
The index would provide useful information for the States and also for the concerned Central Ministries/Departments enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resource.
Union Minister for Water Resources will release the Index.
In view of limitations on availability of water resources and rising demand for water, sustainable management of water resources has acquired critical importance.
National council of Senior Citizens
3rdMeeting of National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC) was convened by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The NCSrC advises Central and State Governments on the entire gamut of issues related to welfare of senior citizens and enhancement of their quality of life.
The NCSrC meets at least twice a year.
In pursuance of the National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP), 1999, a National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) was constituted under the Chairpersonship of the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment to oversee implementation of the Policy.
NCOP reconstituted and renamed as National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC) in 2012.
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment is the Chairperson of NCSrC and theMinister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment is the Vice-Chairperson.
On 1st October every year (International Day of Older Persons (IDOP)) Vayoshreshtha Samman/National Awards are conferred in 13 categories to institutions and senior citizens for their outstanding contribution towards the cause of elderly persons since 2013.
Members of the Council are entitled to make nominations for Vayoshreshtha Samman.
Warli Art
Warli is a tribal art form that was mostly created by the Adivasis of the Western Ghats.
It is one of the oldest art forms in India that originated in Maharashtra and is still practiced.
The Warli tribe, which does these paintings, is one of India’s largest tribes located on the outskirts of Mumbai.
Their culture basis itself around the concept of Mother Nature; therefore, elements of nature serve as focal points for Warli paintings.
These artists used to use the clay walls of their huts as a canvas for their paintings.
These paintings use a set of geometric shapes – circle, triangle and square.
This comes from the tribe’s observation of nature as circle represents the sun and the moon, while the triangle represents the mountains and pointed trees.
The square on the other hand is a human invention, indicating a sacred piece of land or enclosure.
The Warli artists use only a white paste made out of rice paste and water and they use glue as a binder.
Artists use a bamboo stick which is chewed at the end to give it a paintbrush like texture.
In ritual Warli paintings, walls are painted only to celebrate special occasions like harvest or weddings
Pho Minh Pagoda of Viet Nam
Union Cabinet has been apprised of the joint issue of a postage stamp between Department of Posts and Viet Nam Post.
The Commemorative Postage Stamps on India-Viet Nam: Joint Issue depicts Sanchi Stupa of India and Pho Minh Pagoda of Viet Nam.
Pho Minh Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Vietnam, the home town of the Tran Dynasty.
The statue of King Tran Nhan Tong lying on his left side shows him entering Nirvana is an important feature of the temple.
The statues of the three founders of the Truc Lam Buddhist Sect, Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang are also found here.
In addition, 60 red-lacquered and gold-trimmed Buddha and Saint Statues have been preserved in the pagoda.
It is estimated that the 700-tonne tower relies on an area of only 30 square meters.
Nikkei Asia Prize for Culture and Community
Nikkei Asia Prize is an award which recognises the achievements that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia.
Noted social reformer and founder of Sulabh International Bindeshwar Pathak was honoured with Japan’s prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize for his significant work in tackling poor hygiene and discrimination.
Sulabh International has ensured the safety of rural women and freedom from manual labor of removing human waste.
The Nikkei Asia Prizes were created in 1996 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Nikkei Inc's main Japanese-language newspaper.
The coveted prize honors people who have made significant contributions in one of the three areas: regional growth; science, technology and innovation; and culture and community.
Former PM Manmohan Singh and Infosys Chairman Narayan Murti are among the few Indians who have won the prize in the past.
Keibul Lamjao National Park and Sangai
The Park is situated in the North Easern state of Manipur.
The marshland located on the southern end of the Lotak Lake was marked and named Keibul Lamjao National Park.
The Lotak Lake is under the Montrex Record.
The Park is said to be the only floating national park in the world.
Brow-antlered deer is found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park.
The Habitat of Sangai is the floating marsh called phumdis in Manipur’s Loktak Lake.
The brow-antlered deer is known by several other names such as dancing deer, Eld’s deer, sangai and thamin.
It is believed that the dancing deer got its name due its delicate hopping while moving between the phumdis.
It is the State animal of Manipur.
The deer population is said to migrate from phumdis to nearby island hillocks when their habitat gets flooded.
