Historical and Archaeological Findings in News

1.Excavations in Kutch shed light on early Harappan custom

• Archaeological excavations undertaken by a group of researchers have shed light on the custom and burial rituals that were prevalent during the early Harappan phase.
• The team which camped in Khatiya village of Kutch unearthed several skeletal remains from a cemetery-like burial site where 26 graves out of the nearly 300-odd ones were excavated.

2.Chalukyan sculpture of Siva found in Andhra Pradesh

• A rare sculpture of Lord Siva and Goddess Parvati dating back to the 7th century was discovered at a Chalukyan temple in Satyavolu village of Prakasam district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The red sandstone sculpture portrays Lord Siva as the therapeutic physician (Rudra Bhaishajana) — as described in Rigveda — in which he holds a bowl in his left hand, which contains medicine from herbs to revive the ailing horse lying at his feet.
• Siva was fairly represented in sculptural art of ancient India in many forms right from the Indus Valley civilization to the late medieval period.

Chalukyan Architecture (5th – 8th CE)

• 1. The temples under the Chalukyas are a good example of the Vesara style of architecture.
  2. This is also called the Deccan style or Karnataka Dravida or Chalukyan style. It is a combination of Dravida and Nagara styles.
  3. The building material they used was reddish-golden Sandstone found locally.
  4. The temples had beautiful mural paintings also.
  5. The temples are located on the banks of River Tungabhadra and Malprabaha in Karnataka and Alampur in Andhra Pradesh.
  6. Aihole temples: Ladh Khan temple (Surya Temple), Durga temple, Huchimalligudi temple, Jain temple at Meguti by Ravikirti..
  7. Badami temples: Virupaksha temple and Sangameshwara Temple are in Dravida style. Papanatha temple is in Nagara style.
  8. Pattadakkal: is a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are ten temples here – 4 in Nagar style and 6 in Dravida style.

3.Archaeologists find pre-Columbian mass child sacrifice site in Peru

• A group of archaeologists has discovered the remains of more than 50 children who were ritually sacrificed by the pre-Columbian Chimu culture on the northern coast of what is now Peru
• The new sacrifice site was discovered in the Pamapa La Cruz area in Huanchaco, a coastal district of Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city

Other similar places

• In Huanchaquito, the remains of over 140 children and 200 llamas slain some 550 years ago were discovered
• It reinforces the idea that Huanchaco was a place where massive sacrifices of children were made during the Chimu culture

Pre-Columbian Chimu culture

• The Chimú culture was centred on Chimor with the capital city of Chan Chan, a large adobe city in the Moche Valley of present-day Trujillo, Peru
• The culture arose about 900 AD, succeeding the Moche culture
• The Chimú people are best known for their distinctive monochromatic pottery and fine metal working of copper, gold, silver, bronze, and tumbaga (copper and gold)
• The pottery is often in the shape of a creature or has a human figure sitting or standing on a cuboid bottle

4.India gets its 37th UNESCO World Heritage Site

• India’s nomination of the “Victorian and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai” has been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
• The decision was taken at the 42^nd session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO at Manama in Bahrain today.
• This achievement is especially remarkable in the view of the successive inscription of another Indian city after Ahmedabad last year

About the Ensembles

• Together, this architectural ensemble represents the most remarkable collection of Victorian and Art Deco buildings in the world which forms the unique character of this urban setting, unparalleled in the world.
• The Ensemble consists of 94 buildings primarily of 19^th century Victorian Gothic revival and early 20^th century Art Deco style of architecture with the Oval Maidan in the centre.
• The 19^th century Victorian buildings form part of the larger Fort precinct situated to the east of the Oval Maidan.
• These public buildings include the Old Secretariat (1857-74), University Library and Convention Hall (1874-78), the Bombay High Court (1878), the Public Works Department Office (1872), Watson’s Hotel (1869), David Sasoon Library (1870), the Elphinstone College(1888), etc.
• The Art Deco styled buildings to the west of the Oval Maidan were raised in early 20^th century on the newly reclaimed lands at Marine Drive and symbolised the shift in expression to represent contemporary aspirations.

UNESCO World Heritage Properties in India

• In the past 5 years alone, India has managed to get inscribed seven of its properties/sites on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
• India now has overall 37 World Heritage Inscriptions with 29 Cultural, 07 Natural and 01 Mixed sites.
• While India stands second largest in number after China in terms of number of World Heritage properties in ASPAC (Asia and Pacific) region, it is overall sixth in the world.

5.Thanjavur Paintings

Thanjavur Paintings

• It is a classical South Indian painting style, which was inaugurated from the town of Thanjavur and spread across the adjoining and geographically contiguous old Tamil country.
• The art form draws its immediate resources and inspiration from way back about 1600 AD, a period when the Nayakas of Thanjavur under the suzerainty of the Vijayanagara Rayas.
• It is distinguished by its famous gold coating.
• However, it can safely be surmised that Thanjavur painting, as we know it now, originated in the Maratha court of Thanjavur (1676 – 1855).
• It has been recognized as a Geographical indication by the Government of India in 2007-08.

6.Ancient rocks in India give clues to early life

Cambrian Explosion

• It refers to the sudden appearance in the fossil record of complex animals with mineralized skeletal remains 541 million years ago.
• Researchers have found the oldest clue to the mystery of animal life in ancient rocks and oils dating back at least 100 million years before the famous Cambrian explosion of animal fossils.
• Researchers at the University of California tracked molecular signs of animal life, called biomarkers, as far back as 660-635 million years ago during the Neoproterozoic era.
• In ancient rocks and oils from India, Oman, Siberia, they found a steroid compound produced only by sponges, which are among the earliest forms of animal life.

Demosponge

• A sponge is a member of the phylum Porifera.
• It is a simple marine animal with many cells, but no mouth, muscles, heart or brain.
• Demosponges is a class that contains most of the sponges.
• The sponges in this class make their skeleton from Spongin, a special protein.

7.Buddhist site museum at Lalitgiri Odisha

• One of the earliest Buddhist settlements in Odisha, Lalitgiri (Located in Cuttack district), where excavations have yielded ancient seals and inscriptions, has been converted into a museum.

Lalitgiri Museum

• Located in Cuttack district, it will be the third site museum of the Bhubaneswar circle of the ASI after Ratnagiri and Udaygiri.
• The three sites together form the Diamond Triangle of Buddhism in Odisha.
• The museum complex is spread over 4,750 sq. m. The building and auditorium are built over 1,310 sq. m. The complex has been constructed at a cost of ₹10 crore.

Historical importance of Lalitgiri

• Excavations at Lalitgiri have yielded the remains of four monasteries, showing cultural continuity from the post-Mauryan period till the 13th century CE.
• Tantric Buddhism was practiced at this site.
• The centre of attraction is a relic casket containing corporal remains found inside the Mahastupta.
• Huge sculptures of Buddha, architectural fragments of Viharas and Chaityas are arranged period-wise.
• The central gallery is designed after a Buddha Mandala with a colossal Buddha image at the centre and six Bodhisattva images surrounding it.

8.Reconstitution of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR)

• The Government has reconstituted the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), New Delhi for a period of three years till 2022.

Indian Council of Historical Research

• The ICHR is an autonomous body of the HRD Ministry, which had been established by an Administrative Order of the then Ministry of Education.
• The body has provided financial assistance to the historians and direction to the research scholars in their multifarious topics of historical research through established historians and scholars of the country.
• ICHR disburses funds for carrying out research to Indian as well as foreign scholars on their applications for fellowships, grants, and symposia.

9.The Indian Museum of the Earth (TIME)

• India has set in motion an ambitious plan to create Indianised version of the world-famous Smithsonian Museum, showcasing Indian subcontinent’s evolutionary history.

The Indian Museum of the Earth (TIME)

• This museum will be modelled on the American Museum of Natural History, or the Smithsonian museum in the U.S.
• The museum, which will be set up as a public-private partnership, would be located somewhere in NCR.
• Unlike static museums that are commonplace, the proposed Earth museum would be a dynamic place to encourage fossil research, student activity, public outreach besides driving policy decisions.
• The museum would be having a repository where individual collectors and researchers can submit their life long collection for safekeeping and allowing future generation researchers to study those samples.

Why Samachar Manthan?

We understand that the UPSC exam is a generalist exam. It’s more important to cover more issues than to cover one issue in more depth. Hence, through Samachar Manthan, we are trying to maintain a fine balance of covering many important news items and having a detailed discussion on selected topics which require the same. On a daily basis, the news gets repeated multiple times. Scattered knowledge is not adequately useful when you have to write a 200 words answer within 6-7 minutes. To handle this, Samachar Manthan covers such issues in a comprehensive and consolidated manner which is the smart strategy.

Benefits of Samachar Manthan

• Packed 3 – 3.5 hours Weekly videos will focus on news and its importance from both prelims and mains perspective.
• This program will also help you understand how to utilize current affairs in all your prelims and mains papers.
• This ideology makes this course the best utilization of your time.
• Detailed coverage would mean analysis from all the angles like background or history, features, significance, challenges and way forward. Also, multiple sources like epw, diplomat magazine etc will be referred to in the video lectures.
• Such an approach will help in writing multidimensional answers.
• Also which part of the topic is important from mains and prelims perspective will also be discussed.
• Audio Visual Learning is more impactful than simply glancing through the material. So that you are able to retain information for long also interlink with any new information you get.
• 4 stage structure of Video->Notes->testing->review to perfect your preparation
• The sequence of video->Notes->testing->review is the best way to ensure maximum retention and a rock solid preparation. Each component of the program has been meticulously crafted.

For example this week, we will be covering the following issues;

Economics

Ind AS (Indian Accounting Standard)

[op-ed snap] A sour taste

Global Energy Transition Index

Regulatory Sandbox for Fintech firms

Time to have an institutional mechanism like Fiscal Council to enforce rules: NK Singh

GI Certification for five varieties of Indian coffee

Enviro & Biodiversity

Urban areas cooler than non-urban regions during heat waves

Rising sea levels to affect water table along Chennai’s shoreline

Galapagos Islands

How rocks in Meghalaya cave connect Northeast monsoon to El Niño

India’s carbon dioxide emissions up 5%: IEA Report

Arctic warming may lead to prolonged droughts: Study

Island Protection Zone (IPZ), 2019

Hump-backed Mahseer

[op-ed snap] A stop sign

Governance

Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA)

Govt. notifies new rules for drugs, clinical trials

[op-ed snap]A bridge to nowhere

Global Multidimensional Poverty Report 2018

[op-ed snap] Slow on sanitation

Centre should address States’ concern on GST transfers

[op-ed snap] The shape of an urban employment guarantee

NYAY scheme

International Relations

[op-ed snap]Parallel tracks on trade ties

World Food Programme

Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)

GAZA issue

Polity

Fiscal council

Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) Survey

[op-ed snap]The point of having democracy

Article 370 issues

Art Culture

Sharda Peeth Corridor

How researchers used science to show Bengal famine was man-made

Science Tech

Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA)

GRAPES-3 Experiment

PSLV-C45/ Emisat Mission

Mission Shakti (Anti-Satellite Missile Test)

Humans can detect the earth’s magnetic fields

Security Issues

The government sets up group to monitor terror sympathizers

CH47 Chinook heavy-lift Choppers

And these issues will be covered in detail

• Fiscal council
• Gaza issue
• Urban heat island issue
• IEA report
• Global multidimensional poverty report 2018
• Fiscal federalism
• ADR survey
• Article 370
• Mission Shakti
• GRAPES 3 experiment

So to be thorough in your preparation and to have an integrated approach toward prelims and mains, join Samachar Manthan here.

1.RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands

Brief Intro–

• The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975 after UNESCO, the Convention’s depositary received the instruments of accession from the countries.
• The RAMSAR Secretariat is based at the headquarters of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Gland, Switzerland.
• World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd.

Key Objectives-

• An intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Year-1971

Place – Ramasar

Key Terms-The Montreux Record – a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character are of concern. It is maintained as part of the Ramsar List.

India specific – India currently has 27 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites).

2.The World Heritage Convention

Brief Intro–

The Convention recognizes the way in which people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.

Key Objectives-

The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the World Heritage List under UNESCO

Year-1972

3.Stockholm Conference

Brief Intro–

Stockholm Declaration contains 26 principles. These principles provide the basis of an International Policy for the Protection and improvement of the environment.

Key Point-The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been established by the UNGA in pursuance of the Stockholm Conference.

Year-1972

4.CITES

Brief Intro–

To ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants.

Key Objectives-

• It is a multilateral treaty drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties – in other words they have to implement the Convention – it does not take the place of national laws.

India Specific –

The Government of India signed the Convention in July 1976, which was ratified in October 1976

5.Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC)

Brief Intro–

Seeks to establish a uniform global legal regime for compensation to victims in the unlikely event of a nuclear accident. It was adopted on 12 September 1997. It can enter into force after ratification by at least 5 countries having minimum of 400,000 units of installed nuclear capacity.

Key Objectives-

• It provides a uniform framework for channelling liability and providing speedy compensation after the nuclear accident.
• Seeks to encourage regional and global co-operation to promote a higher level of nuclear safety in accordance with the principles of international partnership and solidarity.
• All states are free to participate in it regardless of their presence of nuclear installations on their territories or involvement in existing nuclear liability conventions.
• It has been framed in consistent with the principles of Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (1963) and the Paris Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy (1960).

India Specific –

India has ratified Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage (CSC), 1997 which sets parameters on a nuclear operator’s financial liability..

6.Nuclear security summit

Brief Intro–

The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) is a world summit, aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe. The first summit was held in Washington, D.C., United States, on April 12–13, 2010. The second summit was held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2012. The third summit was held in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 24–25, 2014. The fourth summit was held in Washington, D.C. on March 31–April 1, 2016.

Key Objectives-

Aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe.

India specific-

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the NSS 2016 in Washington

7.Ashgabat Agreement

Brief Intro–

Ashgabat Agreement, is an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.

Key Objectives-

• The transit agreement provides for a transit corridor across Central Asia and the Middle East through the continuous landmass between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran before reaching the Persian Gulf and into Oman.
• The objective of this agreement is to enhance connectivity within Eurasian region and synchronize it with other transport corridors within that region including the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

8.The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)

Brief Intro–

The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is an inter-governmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

Key Objectives-

It is a forum based on the recognition that there is close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world.enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia.

India Specific-

India is a member of CICA

9.Beijing declaration

Brief Intro–

The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA) is an international declaration of women’s rights set up at the UN’s landmark Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing in 1995.

Key Objectives-

• The BPfA covers 12 key critical matters of concern and areas for action including women and poverty, violence against women and access to power and decision- making.
• It was supported by 189 countries, including the UK, at the 1995 World Conference.gender equality and the empowerment of all women, everywhere.1995.
• It was the outcome of The Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace convened by UN.

12.The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)

Brief Intro–

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is a treaty adopted by the 56th World Health Assembly held in Geneva,Switzerland on 21 May 2003.

Key Objectives-

• It became the first World Health Organization treaty adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution.To protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke” by enacting a set of universal standards stating the dangers of tobacco and limiting its use in all forms worldwide.
• The FCTC established two principal bodies to oversee the functioning of the treaty: the Conference of the parties and the permanent Secretariat. In addition, there are over 50 different intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations who are official observers to the Conference of the Parties.

India Specific-

India has hosted 7th Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

10.G-7

Brief Intro–

• The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal bloc of industrialized democracies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States—that meets annually to discuss issues such as global economic governance, international security, and energy policy.
• Russia belonged to the forum from 1998 through 2014—then the Group of Eight (G8)—but was suspended after its annexation of Crimea in March of that year.

11.G-20

Brief Intro– It was started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Southeast Asian (Tiger economies) financial crisis.

Key Objectives-

• The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for its members’ international economic cooperation and decision-making.
• It is deliberating forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies on economic issues and other important development challenges.
• In 2008, the first G20 Leaders’ Summit was held in Washington DC, US. The group had played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis. It comprises total 19 countries plus the European Union (EU), representing 85% of global GDP, 80% of international trade, 65% of world’s population. Its members include Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, India, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, UK, US and EU. 4.The 2016 summit was held in Hangzhou China.
• It was established for studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.

India Specific-

India is a founding member of G-20

12.International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Brief Intro–

It is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, which aims at guaranteeing food security through the conservation, exchange and sustainable use of the world’s plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), as well as the fair and equitable benefit sharing arising from its use.

Key Objectives-

It also recognises Farmers’ Rights, subject to national laws to

a) the protection of traditional knowledge relevant to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture;

b) the right to equitably participate in sharing benefits arising from the utilisation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture;

c) the right to participate in making decisions, at the national level, on matters related to the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.

It is a comprehensive international agreement in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity.

India Specific-

India has signed the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

13.Marrakesh treaty

Brief Intro–

• The treaty requires signatories to introduce national law provisions that facilitates the availability of published works in formats like Braille that are accessible to the blind and allow their exchange across borders by organizations working for the visually impaired.

Key Objectives-

• The pact will help import of accessible format copies from the member countries by the Indian authorized entities such as educational institutions, libraries and other institutions working for the welfare of the visually impaired.
• The treaty will also ease translation of imported accessible format copies and export of accessible format copies in Indian languages.To create a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled (VIPs).

14.London Declaration

Brief Intro–

• The London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases is a collaborative disease eradication programme launched on 30 January 2012 in London.
• It was inspired by the World Health Organization 2020 roadmap to eradicate or negate transmission for neglected tropical diseases.Officials from WHO, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s 13 leading pharmaceutical companies, and government representatives from US, UK, United Arab Emirate, Bangladesh, Brazil, Mozambique and Tanzania participated in a joint meeting at the Royal College of Physicians to launch this project.

15.Declaration of Montreal

Brief Intro–

The Declaration of Montreal on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Human Rights is a document adopted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on July 29, 2006, by the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights which formed part of the first World Outgames.

Key Objectives-

• The Declaration outlines a number of rights and freedoms pertaining to LGBT and intersex people that it is proposed be universally guaranteed.
• It encompasses all aspects of human rights, from the guarantee of fundamental freedoms to the prevention of discrimination against LGBT people in healthcare, education and immigration.
• The Declaration also addresses various issues that impinge on the global promotion of LGBT rights and intersex human rights.

16. Istanbul Convention

Brief Intro–

• The Istanbul Convention is the first legally-binding instrument which “creates a comprehensive legal framework and approach to combat violence against women” and is focussed on preventing domestic violence, protecting victims and prosecuting accused offenders. The convention aims at prevention of violence, victim protection and “to end with the impunity of perpetrators.
• The Council of Europe.Only European countries have signed this convention.

17.vienna convention on diplomatic relations

Brief Intro–

It is a treaty that came into force in 1964 2.It lays out the rules and regulations for diplomatic relations between countries as well as the various privileges that diplomats and diplomatic missions enjoy.

Key Objectives-

• One of these privileges is legal immunity for diplomats so that they don’t have to face prosecution as per their host country’s laws.
• The Vienna Convention classifies diplomats according to their posting in the embassy, consular or international organisations such as the UN. A nation has only one embassy per foreign country, usually in the capital, but may have multiple consulate offices, generally in locations where many of its citizens live or visit.
• Diplomats posted in an embassy get immunity, along with his or her family members. While diplomats posted in consulates too get immunity, they can be prosecuted in case of serious crimes, that is, when a warrant is issued.
• Besides, their families don’t share that immunity.It has been ratified by 187 countries, including India.

18.Jaipur Summit

Brief Intro–

• The Forum for India–Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) was launched during Hon’ble Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi’s visit to Fiji in November 2014.
• FIPIC includes 14 of the island countries – Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
• The second summit of the Forum for India Pacific Cooperation (FIPIC-2) in Jaipur on 21-22 August 2015 has made significant progress in strengthening India’s engagement with the 14 Pacific Island countries. Increase Cooperation Between India and 14 Pacific Countries.

Key Objectives-

• Though these countries are relatively small in land area and distant from India, many have large exclusive economic zones (EEZs), and offer promising possibilities for fruitful cooperation.
• India’s focus has largely been on the Indian Ocean where it has sought to play a major role and protect its strategic and commercial interests. The FIPIC initiative marks a serious effort to expand India’s engagement in the Pacific region.
• At this moment, total annual trade of about $300 million between the Indian and Pacific Island countries, where as exports are around $200 million and imports are around $100 million.

19.NPT

Brief Intro–

The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

Key Objectives-

• The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970.
• To prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

India Specific-

India has not signed the treaty as India argues that the NPT creates a club of “nuclear haves” and a larger group of “nuclear have-nots” by restricting the legal possession of nuclear weapons to those states that tested them before 1967, but the treaty never explains on what ethical grounds such a distinction is valid.

20.CTBT

Brief Intro–

• The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear explosions, for both civilian and military purposes, in all environments.
• It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 September 1996 but has not entered into force as eight specific states have not ratified the treaty. Nuclear weapon free
• The treaty thus awaits signature and ratification from India, Pakistan, and North Korea and in addition requires the United States, China, Israel, Iran and Egypt (which have already signed) to formally ratify it.

India Specific-

Even though it is yet to sign the CTBT, India has supported the treaty’s basic principle of banning nuclear explosions by declaring a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. India’s expressed support to the essential requirement of the treaty makes it a de facto member of the CTBT.

Missiles

Missiles in news recently

1.QRSAM

• This missile has been developed to replace the ‘Akash’ missile defence system and has 360-degree coverage, light weight, high mobility and shorter second reaction time as compared to ‘Akash’.
• It also uses solid fuel propellant and has a stated range of strike range of 25-30 km with capability of hitting multiple targets.
• It is capable of hitting the low flying objects.
• It successfully demonstrated the robust Control, Aerodynamics, Propulsion, Structural performance and high manoeuvering capabilities thus proving the design configuration.

2.MRSAM

1. The new missile system is developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
2. The MRSAM provides the armed forces with air defense capability against a variety of aerial threats at medium ranges.
3. IAI will reportedly supply India with 2,000 missiles capable of intercepting enemy aircraft and missiles within a 70-kilometer range.
4. The proposed MRSAM, to replace the old Pechora missiles.

3.Agni –I

1. Agni-I is a short-range ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.
2. It is sleek single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants developed after the Kargil War to fill the gap between 250 km range of Prithvi-II and 2,500 km range of Agni-II.
3. Agni-I was developed by advanced systems laboratory, the premier missile development laboratory of the DRDO.
4. Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I, which can carry payloads up to 1000 kg, has already been inducted into the Indian Army.

4.Astra Missile

1. Astra is an all weather beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, India.
2. It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India.
3. Astra is designed to be capable of engaging targets at varying range and altitudes allowing for engagement of both short-range targets at a distance of 20 km (12 mi) and long-range targets up to a distance of 80 km (50 mi).
4. Astra has been integrated with Indian Air Force’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI and will be integrated with Dassault Mirage 2000 and Mikoyan MiG-29 in the future.

5.Prahar Missile

1. Prahar (“Strike”) is an Indian solid-fuel road-mobile tactical ballistic missile developed by DRDO.
2. Prahar is expected to replace the Prithvi-I short-range ballistic missile in Indian service.
3. It is a quick-reaction, all-weather, all-terrain, highly accurate battlefield support tactical weapon system.
4. The missile fills the short-range tactical battlefield missile role as required by the Indian Army to take out strategic and tactical targets.
5. ‘Prahar’ is a contemporary weapon system capable of carrying multiple types of warheads and neutralizing a wide variety of targets.

6.Advanced Area Defence (AAD)

1. AAD is an anti-ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 30 km (19 mi)
2. AAD is a single-stage, solid-fuelled missile.
3. Guidance is provided by an inertial navigation system.

7.BrahMos

1. BrahMos is a joint collaboration between India and Russia and is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against the surface and sea-based targets
2. It has a strike range of around 290 km and is described as the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile.
3. The range of the supersonic missile was initially capped at 290 km as per the obligations of the Missile Technology Control Regime

8.Dhanush

1. The indigenously upgraded artillery gun Dhanush has successfully completed final user trials and is ready for induction into the Army
2. Dhanush is an upgraded version of the Swedish Bofors gun procured by India in the mid-1980s.

Important Missiles

1.Surface-to-surface Missiles

1.Agni-I

• Medium-range ballistic missile
• Range – 700-1250 km
• Speed- Mach 7.5

2.Agni-II

• Intermediate-range ballistic missile
• Range –2,000–3,000 km
• Speed- Mach 12

3.Agni-III

• Intermediate-range ballistic missile
• Range –3,500 km – 5,000 km
• Speed – 5–6 km/s

4.Agni-IV

• Intermediate-range ballistic missile
• Range –3,000 – 4,000 km
• Speed- Mach 7

5.Agni-V

• Intercontinental ballistic missile
• Range – 5000 – 8000 Km
• Speed- Mach 24

6.Prithvi I

• Short-Range Ballistic Missile
• Range – 150 km

7.Prithvi II

• Short-Range Ballistic Missile
• Range –350 km

8.Dhanush

• Short-Range Ballistic Missile
• Range –350 – 600 km

9.Shaurya

• Medium-Range Ballistic Missile
• Range –750 to 1,900 km

10.Prahaar

• Short-Range Ballistic Missile
• Range –150 km

2.Cruise Missiles

1.BrahMos

• Supersonic cruise missile
• Range –290 km
• Speed- Mach 2.8 to 3 Speed- Mach

2.BrahMos II

• Hypersonic cruise missile
• Range –300km
• Speed- Mach 7

3.Nirbhay

• Subsonic cruise missile
• Range –1,000 -1500 km
• Speed– Mach 0.8

3.Anti-Tank Missile

1.Amogha

• Anti-Tank Guided Missile
• Range – 2.8 km

2.Nag

• Anti-Tank Guided Missile
• Range – 4km
• 230 m/s

3.Helina

• Anti-Tank Guided Missile
• Range – 7-8km

4.Defence Missile

1.Prithvi Air Defence

• Exo-atmospheric Anti-ballistic missile
• Altitude- 80km
• Speed- Mach 5+

2.Prithvi Defence Vehicle

• Exo-atmospheric Anti-ballistic missile
• Altitude- 30km
• Speed- Mach 4.5

3.Advanced Air Defence

• Endoatmospheric Anti-ballistic missile
• Altitude- 30km

5.Surface-To-Air Missiles

1.Trishul

• Short-Range surface to air missile
• Range – 9 km

2.Akash Missile

• Medium-range surface-to-air missile
• Range – 30-35km
• Speed- Mach 2.5 to 3.5

3.Barak 8

• Long-Range surface to air Missile
• Range – 100 km
• Speed- Mach 2

6.Air-to-air missiles

1.MICA

• Air-to-Air Missiles

2.Astra Missile

• Air-to-Air Missiles
• Range – 80-110 km
• Speed- Mach 4.5 +

3.Novator K-100

• Medium Range air-to-air missile
• Range – 300–400 km
• Speed- Mach 3.3

Schemes & Acts (Women)

1.NIRBHAYA FUND

Salient Features–

• Nirbhaya Fund is an Indian rupee 10 billion corpus announced by Government of India in its 2013 Union Budget.
• According to the then Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, this fund is expected to support initiatives by the government and NGOs working towards protecting the dignity and ensuring the safety of women in India.
• Nodal Ministry-Ministry of Women & Child.

2.ICDS

Salient Features

• To prevent and reduce young child under-nutrition (% underweight children 0- 3 years) by 10 percentage points.
• Enhance early development and learning outcomes in all children 0-6 years of age.
• Improve care and nutrition of girls and women andreduce anaemia prevalence in young children, girls and women by one fifth by the end of 12th five year plan.
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme.
• The engagement of the anganwadi worker and helper from the same village.
• It is a universal and self-selecting scheme i.e. anyone can visit to the Aanganwadi centre and
• enroll these services.
• Package of six services i.e.
  1.  SNP – supplementary nutrition programme
  2.  Pre-school education
  3. Health and nutrition education,
  4. Immunization,
  5. Health check up and
  6. Referral services to the beneficiaries
• AEC-cum-crèche, AWC-cum counselor.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

3.Mahila Police Volunteer

Salient Features

• It envisages creation of a link between the police authorities and the local communities in villages through police volunteers who will be women specially trained for this purpose.
• Under this scheme it is expected to have at least one such volunteer in every village whose primary job will be to keep an eye on situations where women in the village are harassed or their rights and entitlements are denied or their development is prevented.
• Nodal Ministry – Joint initiative b/w Min. of WCD and Home Min. Ministry of Women & Child and Home Ministry.

4.UJJAWALA Yojana

Salient Features

• Comprehensive scheme for prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration of victims of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child.

5.One Stop centre scheme

Salient Features

• To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces under one roof.
• To facilitate immediate, emergency and non-emergency access to a range of … support under one roof to fight against any forms of violence against women 1.These centres will provide immediate access to a range of services including medical, legal, psychological and counselling support to the victims.
• The OSC will support all women including girls below 18 years of age affected by violence ,also for girls below 18 years of age, institutions and authorities established under Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 will be linked with the OSC.
• In addition to this, a single uniform number –181 will provide 24-hour emergency response to all women affected by violence, through referral (linking with appropriate authorities such as Police, OSC or hospital); funding thru’ Nirbhaya fund.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

6.Swadhar Grehs

Salient Features

• Homes for relief and rehabilitation of women in difficult circumstances including survivors of rape/assault etc.
• Provision for food clothing, counselling. training, clinical and legal aid.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child.

7.She-Box

Salient Features

• Online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organizations to ensure effective implementation of the Sexual Harassment of Women at workplace Act.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child.

8.Universalization of Women Helpline

Salient Features-

• A Women Helpline (state level toll free number such as 181) would be made universal for providing an immediate and 24 hour emergency response to women affected by violence including rescue (where necessary), information, first point contact counseling and referral (linking with appropriate authority such as police, One Stop Centre, hospital) services to any woman in distress across the country.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

9.Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women

Salient Features

• To achieve holistic empowerment of women through convergence of schemes/programmes of different Ministries/Department of Government of India as well as State Governments.
• It aimed at improving the declining Child Sex Ratio; ensuring survival. & protection
• of the girl child; ensuring her education, and empowering her to fulfill her potential.s a social sector welfare schemes for care, protection and development of
• Women.
• It will provide an interface for rural women to approach the government for availing their entitlements and for empowering them through training and capacity building.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

10.Mahila Shakti Kendra

Salient Features

• Mahila Shakti Kendras will converge all Govt. Schemes for women at National, State, District and Block level
• Skill Development, Employment, Digital Literacy, Health and Nutrition.
• Through this scheme, government plans to reach 115 most backward districts in the country with 920 Mahila Shakti Kendra.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

11.Sabla

Salient Features

• Enable the adolescent girls for self development and empowerment
• Improve their nutrition and health status.
• Promote awareness about health, hygiene, nutrition, adolescent reproductive and sexual health (ARSH) and family and child care.
• To educate, skill and make them ready for life’s challenges.
• Nutrition provision
• Iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation
• Health check-up and referral services
• Nutrition & health education (NHE)
• Counseling/guidance on family welfare, ARSH, child care practices and home management.
• Upgrade home-based skills, life skills and integrate with the national skill development program (NSDP) for vocational skills.
• Mainstream out of school adolescent girls into formal/non formal education.
• Provide information/guidance about existing public services such as PHC, CHC, post office, bank, police station, etc.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

12.Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana-

Salient Features

• Empower women in agriculture by making systematic investments to enhance their participation and productivity,
• Create and sustain agriculture based livelihoods of rural women.-a sub component of the Deendayal Antodaya Yojana-NRLM (DAY-NRLM)
• Under the Pariyojana, projects are conceived in such a manner that the skill base of the women in agriculture is enhanced to enable them to pursue their livelihoods on a sustainable basis.
• Under MKSP sustainable agriculture, 58 projects from 14 States have been sanctioned which will benefit 24.5 lakhs Mahila Kisans during the period.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Rural Development.

13.Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

Salient Features

• Prevent Female infanticide
• Ensure Every Girl Child is Protected
• Ensure every Girl Child is educated
• Enforcement of PC & PNDT Act, nation-wide awareness and advocacy campaign and multi-sectoral action in select 100 districts (low on Child Sex Ratio) in the first phase.
• Under this scheme there is a strong emphasis on mindset change through training, sensitization, awareness raising and community mobilization on ground.
• Nodal Ministry – It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource Development.

14. Sukanya samriddhi yojana

Salient features

• (Minor) bank account for girl child below the age of 10.
• She can withdraw 50% of the money after reaching age of 18 e.g. for higher education. 18 years deadline will also help preventing child-marriages.
• For initial account opening, minimum deposit Rs.250 required.
• Later, any amount in multiple of 100 can be deposited, but maximum Rs. 1.5 lakh per year.
• Interest rate: 9.1% compounded annually.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

15. Pocso-e Box

Salient Features

• POCSO e-box is a unique endeavour by NCPCR for receiving online complaint of Child Sexual Abuse directly from the victim.
• Through a well defined procedure complaints are directly followed up by a team which counsels the victim, providing further guidance for required legal action. Through a short animation film embedded in the e-box it assures the victim not to feel bad, helpless or confused as it’s not her fault. With the e-box, it is easy to register complaint through a step-by-step guided process.
• Nodal Ministry – The Ministry of Women & Child

16.NARI

Salient Features

• Due to scattered information on various women centric schemes/legislations there is a lack of awareness among people regarding the same.
• To address this problem government launched NARI portal as a single window access to information and services.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology

17. E-samvaad Portal

Salient Features

• It is a platform for NGOs and civil society to interact with the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) by providing their feedback, suggestions, put up grievances, share best practices etc.
• This will help in formulation of effective policies and measures for welfare of women and children.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Women & Child

18. Stree swabhiman

Salient Features

• It aims to create a sustainable model for providing adolescent girls and women an access to affordable sanitary products in rural areas.
• Under this project, sanitary napkin micro manufacturing units (semi-automatic and manual process
• production unit) are being set up at CSCs across India, particularly those operated by women entrepreneurs.
• The product will be sold under local brand name and marketed by village level entrepreneurs.
• Each facility will employ 8-10 women and educate women of their society to overcome this social taboo.
• It also has a menstrual hygiene related awareness generation component and is also expected reduc dropped out rates in girls on reaching puberty.Ministry of
• Nodal Ministry – Electronics and Information technology (MeITY).

19.PROGRAM TO TRAIN ELECTED WOMEN REPRESENTATIVES OF PANCHAYATI RAJ INSTITUTIONS

Salient Features

• The program aimed at capacity building of EWRs is being organized by National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD) of the MoWCD.
• It is the first ever initiative which will train approximately twenty thousand EWRs covering nearly 50 EWRs from each district (by March, 2018) who will go out and administer the villages professionally.
• It will help in creating model villages, ensure their effective participation in governance process and help preparing women as political leaders of the future.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of women and Child.

20.Support to Training and Employment

Salient Features

• Programme for Women (STEP)
• To provide competencies and skill that enable women to become self-employed/entrepreneurs.
• The scheme is intended to benefit women who are in the age group of 16 years and above across the country.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of women and Child

21.Rashtriya Mahila Kosh

Salient Features

• RMK is a national credit fund for women under the aegis of the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• It was established in 1993 for socio-economic empowerment of women.
• It aims to provide financial services with backward and forward linkages for women in the unorganized sector through Intermediary Micro Finance Organizations (IMOs) and Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) and to augment their capacities through multi-pronged efforts.
• RMK also extends micro-credit to the women in the informal sector through a client friendly, without collateral and in a hassle-free manner for income generation activities.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of women and child

22.The Personal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018

Objectives

• It seeks to amend five Acts. These are: (i) the Divorce Act, 1869, (ii) the Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, 1939, (iii) the Special Marriage Act, 1954, (iv) the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, and (v) the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.

Key Features

• These Acts contain provisions related to marriage, divorce, and separation of Hindu and Muslim couples. Each of these Acts prescribe leprosy as a ground for seeking divorce or separation from the spouse.
• The Bill seeks to remove this as a ground for divorce or separation.

Nodal Ministry-Ministr of  Law and Justice

23.The Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2018

Objectives

• The Bill amends the IPC, 1860 to increase the minimum punishment for rape of women from seven years to ten years.

Key Features

• The Bill amends the IPC, 1860 to increase the punishment for rape of girls. However, punishment for rape of boys has remained unchanged. This has resulted in greater difference in the quantum of punishment for rape of minor boys and girls.
• The Bill imposes death penalty for rape of girls below the age of 12 years. There are differing views on death penalty for rape. Some argue that death penalty has a deterrence effect on the crime and therefore helps prevent it. Others argue that death penalty would be disproportionate punishment for rape.

Nodal Ministry-Ministry of Law and Justice