It is India’s second strategic nuclear submarine which is going to be launched soon.
Aridhaman belongs to Arihant class submarine, carrying ballistic missiles and powered by light water nuclear water.
It will carry K-15 and K-4 ballistic missiles as does INS Arihant.
K-4 is an intermediate range ballistic missile that can hit targets as far as 3500 km.
INS Arihant was inducted into service in 2016.
It made India the only country apart from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to operate a homemade nuclear U-boat.
Nuclear submarines are those that are powered by onboard nuclear reactors whereas conventional submarines generate energy by burning diesel, which requires air.
Mahanadi River
There is an ongoing dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over Mahanadi River.
Chattisgarh is building barrages and dams in the upstream of the river and Odisha has moved to the court to stop the construction work.
The river originated in Sihawa Mountain in Chattisgarh.
Ong, Telen and Hasdo are some of the notable tributaries of the river.
Hirakud Dam is built across the river in the state of Odisha.
It was notorious for its devastating floods for much of recorded history. Thus it was called 'the sorrow of Orissa'.
However the construction of the Hirakud Dam has greatly altered the situation.
Free Trade Pact with Mauritius
India and Mauritius are negotiating to revive efforts for a free trade agreement that was suspended in 2013 due to disagreement over the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).
DTAA was revised last year clearing the hurdle for the FTA.
This FTA isofficially referred to as the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA).
Mauritius is a FTA member of the Common Market for Southern and Eastern Africa and the Southern African Development Community.
Indian investors couldtake advantage of it once the FTA is in place.
The revised DTAA gives India the right to tax capital gains arising from sale or transfer of shares of an Indian company acquired by a Mauritian tax resident from April 1, 2017.
Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS)
ICDS scheme was launched in 1975 as an initiative for the all-round development (health, nutrition and education) of children under the age of 6.
Its aim is to reduce infant mortality, child malnutrition and to provide pre-school education.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has the overall responsibility of monitoring the ICDS scheme.
Under the ICDS scheme, children under 6 and pregnant or lactating mothers can access four main services:
Immunization
Supplementary nutrition
Health checkup
Referral services
In addition, children aged 3-6 should be able to access pre-school non-formal education under ICDS.
Women and adolescent girls (aged 15-45) should also be able to access nutrition and health education as well as that of their children and families.
All these services should be available from a local ICDS (or Anganwadi) centre by Anganwadi Workers.
There are reports saying that the ministry will discontinue Supplementary Nutrition Program under ICDS and replace it with conditional cash transfer.
However, the ministry has clarified that there is no proposal to discontinue it.
SampoornaBima Gram Yojana
Ministry of Communications has recently launched SampoornaBima Gram Yojana to give rural people affordable life insurances services.
Under the scheme, at least one village (having a minimum of 100 households) will be identified in each districts and provide with a minimum of one RPLI (Rural Postal Life Insurance) policy for each households.
Coverage of all households in the identified SampoornaBima Gram village is the primary objective of this scheme.
All villages under the SaansadAdarsh Gram Yojana will be brought under its ambit.
SansadAdarsh Gram Yojana
It is a village development project under which each MP will take the responsibility of developing physical and institutional infrastructure in three villages by 2019.
The goal is to develop 3 Adarsh Grams by March 2019, of which one would be achieved by 2016.
Thereafter, five such Adarsh Grams (one per year) will be selected and developed by 2024.
Gram Panchayat would be the basic unit for development. It will have a population of 3000-5000 in plain areas and 1000-3000 in hilly, tribal and difficult areas.
MPs cannot pick villages which belong to themselves or their spouses
The main objectives are,
Holistic development of the identified Gram Panchayats.
Improving the standard of living and quality of life
To generate models of local level development and effective local governance which can motivate and inspire neighbouring Gram Panchayats to learn and adapt.
District Collectors will carry ground-level surveys along with monthly review meetings to monitor progress.
The scheme requires MP to draft a village development plan, identify gaps in funding and mobilizing MPLAD funds to create additional resources specifically from CSR initiatives in areas of sanitation and water supply.
