Prelim Bits 09-01-2024 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

17 products from across 6 States/Union Territories got the geographical Indications (GI) tag recently.

• GI tag - A GI tag is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

• Ownership - Any trader's body, association, or organization can apply for a GI tag.

• Conditions - The applicants need to prove the uniqueness of the item with historical records and a complete breakdown of how the product is made.

• Raw materials - The raw materials for such products do not necessarily have to come from that region, unless it is an agricultural tag.

• For instance, the mulberry silk used in Kancheepuram sarees comes from Karnataka, and the gold zari from Surat.

• Status - Over 500 products across all the States have been given GI tags so far.

• Major Categories - The products in the GI registry fall under five major categories.

1. Agriculture

2. Food Stuff

3. Handicrafts

4. Manufactured

5. Natural

• Highest - Handicrafts dominate the list, with over half the GI tags being given to products crafted by skilled artisans.

• Variety of products - There are 34 classes of products that can get GI tags.

• They range from chemicals and paint to foodstuffs, handicrafts, musical instruments, and even firearms and locomotives.

• GI tags across States - Every State in India has at least one GI tag.

• Highest - Tamil Nadu, with 61 GI-tagged products, has the highest number of GI-tags compared to other States.

Harit Nauka guidelines and the River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047 were launched at the recently held inaugural Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC) in Kolkata.

• IWDC – It is hosted by the Inland Waterways Authority of India.

• Establishment in – 2023

• Objectives – For comprehensive development of inland waterways and associated ecosystems with improved cargo efficiency, passenger movement, and river cruise tourism, with active participation from the States and UT’s.

Harit Nauka

• Harit Nauka – It is the ‘Guidelines for Green Transition of Inland Vessels’.

• Launched by – Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

• Aim – To embark on a journey towards a sustainable and eco-friendly future for our inland waterways.

River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047

• Launched by – Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

• Roadmap – To enable capacity in an additional 26 waterways fit for river cruise tourism from an operational strength of 8 waterways.

• To increase cruise routes with night stays from 17 to 80 and to increase river cruise terminals from 15 up to 185, registering a growth of 1233%.

• To move the cruise tourism traffic with night stays up from 5000 to 1.20 lakh and the local cruise tourism traffic on National Waterways without night stays up from 2 lakh to 15 lakh by 2047.

• It had identified 30+ additional potential routes for different cruise types, including long and short, recreational, and heritage segments, to attract all tourist categories.

References

1. PIB| India’s 1^st IWDC meeting in Kolkata
2. Economic Times| Launch of River Cruise Tourism Roadmap 2047

With rising use of drones, DRDO develops own counter technology.

• Indigenous - The DRDO is developing an indigenous counter-drone technology, which is capable of counter-attacks including detection, soft kill and hard kill of all types of drones.

• The counter-drone system is ready for production and is already demonstrated to armed services and other internal security agencies.

• Technology - The technology is transferred to Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru, who is the production agency for the system.

• In addition, Transfer of Technology is given to four more Indian firms for production of anti-drone systems.

• TAPAS - The Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle TAPAS was developed for ISTAR (Intelligence in Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition).

• Battery - Lithium Ion-based battery with indigenous battery management system has been developed by the DRDO in association with a private vendor and is being used on Tapas UAV.

TAPAS is currently only in developmental stage.

References

1. The New Indian Express – DRDO develops own counter technology
2. The Hindu – Anti-drone tech ready, handed over to BEL, private firms

Recently, Department of Justice have announced nomination of Supreme Court judge Justice BR Gavai as the Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC).

• Constituted under - Section 3A the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 which states that the Central Authority (NALSA) shall constitute the committee.

Legal Services Authorities Act was constituted in 1987 to give a statutory base to legal aid programmes and to provide free and competent legal services to eligible groups.

• National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) was constituted in 1995 to monitor and evaluate the implementation of legal aid programmes and to lay down policies for making them available.
• Objective – To provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of society, in cases falling under the top court’s jurisdiction.
• Composition – It consists of a sitting SC judge, who is the chairman, along with other members possessing the experience and qualifications prescribed by the Centre.

Currently in 2024, SCLSC consists of chairperson and 9 members.

• Selection criteria – Under Section 27 of the 1987 Act, the Centre is empowered to make rules in consultation with the CJI, by notification.
• Rule 10 of the NALSA Rules, 1995, entails the numbers, experience, and qualifications of the SCLSC members.
• Appointment – CJI nominates both the chairman and other members of SCLSC and appoints the Secretary to the Committee.
• Powers of the Committee – It can appoint officers and other employees as prescribed by the Centre, in consultation with the CJI.

Reference

The Indian Express | New Chairman to SC Legal Services Committee