UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 09-01-2021

National Internet Exchange of India

• National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) will offer free Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) in any of the 22 official Indian languages along with every IN domain booked by the registrant.
• [.IN is India’s Country Code Top Level domain (ccTLD).]
• NIXI is a not for profit Organization under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013 and was registered in 2003.
• It was set up for peering of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) among themselves to route the domestic traffic within the country, instead of taking it all the way to US/Abroad.
• NIXI is working for spreading the internet technology to Indian citizens through the following activities: -

1. Internet Exchanges through which the internet data is exchanged amongst ISPs and between ISPs and the Content Delivery Networks (CDNs).
2. IN Registry, managing and operation of IN country code domain and IDN domain for India.
3. Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers (IRINN), managing and operating Internet protocol (IPv4/IPv6).

Indian Registry for Internet Names and Numbers

• IRINN, a non-profit organization, is a division functioning under NIXI.
• It was previously known as National Internet Registry (NIR).
• It provides allocation and registration services of IP addresses and Autonomous System (AS) numbers, and internet-related information to its Affiliates at national level.
• NIR is an entity under the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) which is Asia Pacific Network Information centre (APNIC).
• NIXI was recognized by APNIC in 2012 to become the NIR for India.

Advisory on Human-Wildlife Conflict

• The Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has approved the advisory for management of Human-Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in the country.
• The advisory makes prescriptions for the States/Union Territories for dealing with HWC situations.
• It seeks expedited inter-departmental coordinated and effective actions.
• It envisages empowering gram panchayats in dealing with the problematic wild animals as per the WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• It suggested that utilizing add-on coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna for crop compensation against crop damage due to HWC would, in turn, reduce HWC.
• To know more about the National Board for Wildlife, click here.

Caracal

• It is a medium size wild cat found in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
• It has been included into the list of critically endangered species by the Standing Committee of National Board of Wildlife (NBWL).
• Now, it will be conserved with financial support under the centrally sponsored Scheme - Development of Wildlife Habitat.
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) status - Least Concern.
• Their survival in India is endangered due to the rapid loss of scrub and thorn habitat and unchecked human activates in the caracals habitat.

Ladakh Committee

• The Centre has decided to form a committee to protect the language, culture and land of Union Territory of Ladakh.
• This will ensure citizen's participation in the development of Ladakh.
• The Committee will be headed by the Minister of State for Home.
• It will include elected representatives from Ladakh, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, central government, and the Ladakh administration.

Industrial Development Scheme for J&K

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved a scheme for the industrial development of Jammu & Kashmir.
• This is a Central Sector scheme with a proposed outlay of ₹28,400 crore up to 2037.
• It would generate employment leading to the socio -economic development of the area.
• Companies will get capital intensive incentives, capital interest subvention, working capital incentive and GST-linked incentives.
• The scheme is made attractive for both smaller and larger units.
• Smaller units with an investment in plant & machinery up to ₹50 crore will get a capital incentive of up to ₹7.5 crore and get capital interest subvention at the rate of 6% for maximum 7 years.
• All existing units will be able to avail working capital interest incentive at the annual rate of 5% for 5 years and the maximum limit of incentive has been set at ₹1 crore.

India to Chair 3 UNSC Committees

• India began its eighth term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the period of 2021-22 on January 1, 2021.
• India’s stated objectives are to raise its voice against terrorism, to speak for the developing world and to bring human-centric inclusive solutions to matters of global peace and security.
• India would chair the following three committees of the UNSC.
• India will chair the Counterterrorism Committee in 2022, which coincides with the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence.
• This Committee was formed in 2001 after the 9/11 attack in New York.
• India had chaired this committee in the UNSC in 2011-12.
• Chairing the Taliban Sanctions Committee (1988 Sanctions Committee) will help keep the focus on the presence of terrorists and their sponsors, threatening the peace process in Afghanistan.
• Libya Sanctions Committee implements the sanctions regime, including a two-way arms embargo on Libya, an assets freeze, a travel ban, measures on illicit export of petroleum.

Source: PIB, DD News, Business Line, Hindustan Times