News for the Day (22nd July, 2024)

Current Affairs


 22-Jul-2024

Current Affairs

SINDHU-SARASVATI CIVILISATION

Why in the News?

  • The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released the Class 6 Social Science textbook named Exploring Society: India and Beyond, which mentioned the Harappan Society as the Sindhu-Sarasvati Civilisation.
  • It is the first Social Science textbook released by the NDA government in alignment with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)

  • It is an autonomous organisation set up in 1961 by the Government of India.
  • It assists and advises the Central and State Governments on policies and programmes for improving school education quality.
  • Objectives
    • To undertake, promote, and coordinate research in school education.
    • To prepare and publish model textbooks, supplementary materials, newsletters, journals, and develop educational kits and multimedia digital materials.
    • To organise pre-service and in-service training for teachers.
    • To develop and disseminate innovative educational techniques and practices.
    • To collaborate and network with state educational departments, universities, NGOs, and other educational institutions.
  • Units of NCERT
    • Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), New Delhi
    • Pandit Sundarlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Bhopal
    • Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Ajmer
    • Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhopal
    • Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Bhubaneswar
    • Regional Institute of Education (RIE), Mysore
    • North-East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE), Shillong

NATIONAL FLAG DAY 2024

  • It is annually observed on 22nd July.
  • Origin: The day commemorates the adoption of the Indian national flag in 1947 by the Constituent Assembly.
  • Objective: To honor the rich symbolism and significance of the Indian National Flag, and to foster a sense of patriotism and national unity among the citizens.

Indian National Flag

  • History
    • Arguably the first national flag of India is said to have been hoisted on 7th August 1906, in Kolkata at the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park).
    • The second Indian flag was raised by Madame Bhikaji Cama in Paris in 1907.
    • In 1917, Dr Annie Besant and Lokmanya Tilak adopted a new flag as part of the Home Rule Movement.
      • It had five alternate red and four green horizontal stripes, and seven stars in the saptarishi configuration.
      • A white crescent and star occupied one top corner, and the other had Union Jack.
  • In 1921, at the Bezwada session of the All India Congress Committee, Pingali Venkayya designed a flag with red and green colors representing Hindus and Muslims.
    • Gandhi suggested adding a white stripe for the remaining communities of India and a spinning wheel to symbolize the country's development.
  • In 1931 a resolution was approved accepting a tricolor flag as our National Flag.
    • This flag had three stripes- saffron, white and green with spinning wheel of Mahatma Gandhi in the middle.
  • In 1947, the Constituent Assembly embraced the Indian flag with three trips and Asoka chakra in the middle.
    • Consequently, the tricolor flag of the Congress Party ultimately became the tricolor flag of Independent India.

Evolution of Indian Flag

  • Details of National Flag
    • Saffron on top symbolises strength and courage, white in the middle represents peace and truth and green at the bottom stands for fertility, growth and auspiciousness of the land.
    • The Ashok Chakra with 24 spokes replaced the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. It is intended to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation.
    • The National Flag should be rectangular with a length to width ratio of 3:2.
  • Constitutional and Legal Aspect
    • The Part IV-A of the Constitution (which consists of only one Article 51-A) specifies the eleven Fundamental Duties. According to Article 51A (a).
    • It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
    • A person who is convicted for the following offences under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971 is disqualified to contest in the elections to the Parliament and state legislature for 6 years.
      • Offence of insulting the National Flag,
      • Offence of insulting the Constitution of India,
      • Offence of preventing the singing of the National Anthem.

NEXT AMBASSADOR OF INDIA TO UNITED STATES (US)

Why in the News?

  • Vinay Mohan Kwatra has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America.
  • He took over for Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

Vinay Mohan Kwatra

  • He is an Indian diplomat, currently serving as the Secretary (East) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
  • He joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1995 and held key positions in various countries, including the USA, China, and Nepal.
  • In 2021, he was appointed as the Ambassador to Nepal and played a pivotal role in managing relations during the 2015 Nepal earthquake.

SECOND ASIA PACIFIC AVIATION CONFERENCE (APAC)

  • Why in the News?
  • The second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation will be held in New Delhi on 11-12 September 2024.
  • The conference is jointly organized by the Indian government and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
  • It will be attended by representatives from around 40 countries, including China and Pakistan.
  • Goal: To give the area a vision for the future that both encourages a culture of innovation and stresses how important it is to keep airplanes safe.

About APAC

  • It is a premier regional forum that addresses critical issues and opportunities within the aviation industry.
  • Held periodically, the conference gathers aviation leaders, policymakers, and industry experts from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
  • Key Focus Areas: Regional aviation challenges, technological innovations, economic growth, safety, and sustainability

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

  • Established: 7th December 1944
  • It is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency which laid the foundation for the standards and procedures for peaceful global air navigation.
  • Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
  • President: Salvatore Sciacchitano
  • Secretary General: Juan Carlos Salazar
  • India is among its 193 members.
  • Key Programs:
  • Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP)
  • Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP)
  • Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA)
  • Recent Focus: Aviation recovery post-COVID-19, environmental sustainability, and global air navigation improvements

1ST WOMAN OFFICER AT SIACHEN

Why in the News?

  • Captain Supreetha C.T. has become the first woman officer from the Corps of Army Air Defence, to be operationally deployed at Siachen Glacier.

About Captain Supreetha C.T.

  • She is from Chamarajanagar district, Mysuru, Karnataka.
  • She was commissioned into the Indian Army as part of the Officer Training Academy in 2020.
  • Supreetha’s deployment to Siachen marks a significant milestone for women in the Indian Army, breaking gender barriers in one of the most challenging military postings.

Siachen Glacier

  • Region: It is in the Eastern Karakoram Range in Ladakh.
  • Elevation: 17,700 feet above sea level.
  • Length: 76 kilometers
  • Nubra river originates from Siachen Glacier.
  • The Siachen Glacier is the world's highest battlefield.
  • It serves as an important source for the Indus River system.
  • It gained international attention due to the Siachen Conflict.
  • Siachen Conflict:
    • The conflict began in 1984 during Operation Meghdoot, a military operation initiated by India to assert control over the glacier.
    • The primary goal was to secure the glacier from potential invasion and to establish control over a strategically important location.
    • Pakistan responded to India’s actions by launching Operation Ababeel, seeking to assert their claim over the glacier.
    • The Indian Army maintains a presence at several high-altitude posts, including Campo, Sonam Post, and Indira Col.

Location of Siachen Glacier

General Knowledge

GODAVARI RIVER

  • It is the longest river in peninsular India that flows eastward.
  • It is also called the Ganges of the South or Dakshin Ganga.
  • Source: Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra
  • Mouth: Bay of Bengal
  • Length: 1,465 km
  • Major Cities: Nashik, Nanded, Rajahmundry
  • Major Tributaries: Tapti, Purna, Manjira, Pranhita, Wardha, Wainganga, Indravati, Sabari
  • It extends over states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Puducherry.
  • Kumbh Mela takes place on the banks of the Godavari River in Nashik.
  • Basin Boundaries
    • North: Satmala Hills
    • South: Ajanta Range and Mahadeo Hills
    • East: Eastern Ghats
    • West: Western Ghats
  • Projects
    • Polavaram Irrigation Project
    • Kaleshwaram
    • Sadarmatt Anicut
    • Inchampalli Project
    • Sriram Sagar Project (SRSP)

Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal

  • Establishment: 1969
  • Final Award: 1979
  • Act Enacted: Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Act, 2004
  • Purpose: To adjudicate and settle disputes over the sharing of Godavari River waters among Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and other states involved.
  • Godavari River Basin Management Plan: A framework for sustainable water management and conflict resolution.

Godavari River

NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION (NiV)

  • It is a zoonotic virus, transmitted from animals to humans.
  • The virus causing encephalitis is an Ribo Nucleic Acid virus of the Paramyxoviridae family, genus Henipavirus is closely related to Hendra virus.
  • The disease is named after a village in Malaysia, Sungai Nipah where it was first detected.
  • Transmission
    • It first appeared in domestic pigs.
    • Animal-to-Human: Contact with infected pigs or contaminated environments.
    • Human-to-Human: Through respiratory droplets or contact with bodily fluids.
    • Foodborne: Consuming contaminated date palm sap.
    • Environmental Reservoir: Fruit bats are natural hosts.
  • Outbreaks
    • Malaysia (1998)
    • Singapore (1999)
    • Bangladesh and India (2001-present)
    • Philippines (2014)
  • Symptoms: Fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, mental confusion, coma, and potentially death.

Nipah Virus Transmission

STATUE OF UNITY

  • It is the world’s tallest statue, dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
  • Inaugurated: 31st October 2018
  • Height: 182 meters (about twice the height of the Statue of Liberty)
  • Architect: Padma Bhushan recipient sculptor Ram V. Sutar
  • Location: Sadhu Bet Island on the Narmada River, which flows between the Satpura and the Vindhya Mountain ranges.
  • Purpose: Honors Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's role in unifying India post-independence.
  • It offers an expansive view of the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
  • Structure: Three-layered structure
    • The innermost layer is made of reinforced cement concrete (RCC), comprising two towers 127 meters high that rise till the statue's chest.
    • The second layer is a steel structure
    • Third is an 8 mm bronze cladding on the surface.

Statue of Unity

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

  • Birth: 31st October 1875, Nadiad, Gujarat
  • He was India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
  • Role
    • Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Led a successful farmers' movement against increased taxes.
    • Bardoli Satyagraha (1928): Organized a major non-violent protest due to the increase in land revenue, earning him the title "Sardar" (leader).
    • Indian National Congress: He organized the party for elections in 1934 and 1937, worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi, played a crucial role in various civil disobedience movements and worked towards the end of British rule.
    • Unification of Princely States: He persuaded over 560 princely states to join the Indian Union.
    • Institutional Reforms: He established the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) to ensure a cohesive and efficient administration across the newly formed nation.
  • He was also one of the earliest proponents of property rights and free enterprise in India.
  • He is often referred to as the Iron Man of India and Patron Saint.
  • Death: December 15, 1950