💥Join UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (July Batch) + XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Type: Prelims Only

  • PM flags off world’s longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas

    ganga vilas

    Prime Minister has flagged off the world’s longest river cruise – MV Ganga Vilas – and inaugurated the tent city at Varanasi.

    About Ganga Vilas

    • MV Ganga Vilas is the first indigenously made cruise vessel to be made in India.
    • The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is the coordinator of this ship tourism project.
    • The cruise has three decks, 18 suites on board with a capacity of 36 tourists, with all the modern amenities.
    • It will cover a distance of 3,200 km in roughly 51 days reaching Assam’s Dibrugarh through Bangladesh.

    Destinations covered

    • Set to sail from Varanasi, the cruise ship, MV Ganga Vilas, will cover 3,200 km over 51 days, crossing 27 river systems and several states before ending its journey at Dibrugarh.
    • The voyage is packed with visits to 50 tourist spots, including World Heritage spots, national parks, river ghats, and major cities like Patna in Bihar, Sahibganj in Jharkhand, Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka in Bangladesh and Guwahati in Assam.
    • It will make pit-stops to cover the famous Ganga Arti in Varanasi, the Buddhist site of Sarnath; and even Majuli, the largest river island in Assam.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • FSSAI sets standards for Basmati Rice

    basmati

    In a bid to promote the business around basmati rice, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified standards for basmati rice. They will be enforced from August 1, 2023.

    Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)

    • The FSSAI is an autonomous body established under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
    • It has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 which is a consolidating statute related to food safety and regulation in India.
    • It is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the regulation and supervision of food safety.
    • It is headed by a non-executive Chairperson, appointed by the Central Government, either holding or has held the position of not below the rank of Secretary to the Government of India.

     

    Basmati Rice

    • Basmati, pronounced is a variety of long, slender-grained aromatic rice which is traditionally grown in India, Pakistan, and Nepal.
    • As of 2019, India accounted for 65% of the international trade in basmati rice, while Pakistan accounted for the remaining 35%.
    • Many countries use domestically grown basmati rice crops; however, basmati is geographically exclusive to certain districts of India and Pakistan.
    • India accounts for over 70% of the world’s basmati rice production.
    • The areas which have a geographical indication are in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Western Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

    What are the standards set out by FSSAI?

    • Fragrance: Basmati has the characteristic fragrance identified with this variety and is free from artificial fragrances and colouring.
    • Grain size: The authority has also set standards on parameters such as average size of grains and their elongation ratio after cooking.
    • Vital contents: It has set the maximum limits for moisture, amylose content, uric acid, damaged grains and presence of non-basmati rice.
    • Varieties included: The standards are applicable to brown basmati rice, milled basmati rice, parboiled brown basmati rice and milled parboiled basmati rice.

    Economics of Basmati

    • Basmati rice is exported out of India and had an annual forex earning of Rs 25,053 crore during 2021-22.
    • India accounts for two-thirds of the global supply of basmati rice.

    Significance of the move

    • FSSAI hopes that the standards would protect consumer interest and ensure the quality of basmati rice.
    • In 2020, India’s application for a geographical indication tag recognised in the European Union market was put on hold after Pakistan opposed the move.
    • Before this, in 1997, Texas-based Company RiceTec developed American basmati varieties and patented them.
    • These were introduced in the international market as ‘Kasmati’ and ‘Texmati’.
    • However, the patent was contested in the year 2000 by the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India’s premier science and industry organisation, saying the term ‘basmati’ could be used only for rice grown in India and Pakistan.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • 1st-ever 3D map of Local Bubble’s magnetic fields

    bubble

    Researchers have generated a 3D magnetic map of the giant cosmic cavity called Local Bubble that surrounds the solar system could reveal the universe’s secrets, including questions about the origins of stars.

    What is the Local Bubble?

    • The Local Bubble is a 1,000-light-year-wide cavity or a super-bubble.
    • It is a relative cavity in the interstellar medium (ISM) of the Orion Arm in the Milky Way.
    • Local Bubble is thought to have originated from supernovae roughly 14 million years ago. Supernova is a cosmic explosion occurring when stars meet their end.
    • Space is full of these super-bubbles that trigger the formation of new stars and planets and influence the overall shapes of galaxies.

    How are they formed?

    • Super-bubbles are comparable to holes in Swiss cheese. Supernova explosions blow holes in the cheese. New stars form around these holes.
    • However, mechanisms powering the formation and expansion of the Local Bubble are not well-understood.
    • Further, there is little information on how magnetic fields likely impact the bubble and local star formation.
    • Max Planck has provided information on the magnetic alignment of cosmic dust. This alignment can indicate the orientation of the magnetic field acting on the dust particles.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • In news: Gangasagar Mela

    ganga

    Lakhs of pilgrims are descending on Sagar Island in the southernmost tip of West Bengal for the annual Gangasagar Mela, being held between January 12 and 14, to celebrate Makar Sankranti.

    What is Gangasagar Mela?

    • Every year during Gangasagar mela, devotees from all over the country gather at the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal to take a sacred dip during Makar Sankranti (mid-January).
    • The mela is said to be India’s second largest pilgrimage gathering after the Kumbh Mela.
    • Gangasagar, the largest and the oldest living tradition in Bengal, has been mentioned in Indian epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata, putting its existence as early as 400 BCE.
    • Legends suggest that the first Kapil Muni’s temple was constructed by Queen Satyabhama in 430 AD, and the present idol was established by Swami Ramanand in 1437, marking the beginning of a pilgrimage that remains timeless till today.

    About Sagar Island

    ganga

    • Sagar Island is an island in the Ganges delta, lying on the Continental Shelf of Bay of Bengal about 100 km (54 nautical miles) south of Kolkata.
    • This island forms the Sagar CD Block in the Kakdwip subdivision of South 24 Parganas district in the Indian State of West Bengal.
    • Although Sagar Island is a part of the Sundarbans, it does not have any tiger habitation or mangrove forests or small river tributaries as is characteristic of the overall Sundarban delta.
    • This island is a place of Hindu pilgrimage.
    • Every year on the day of Makar Sankranti (14 January), hundreds of thousands of Hindus gather to take a holy dip at the confluence of river Ganges and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers (puja) in the Kapil Muni Temple.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • Discretionary Haj Quota in India

    haj

    The Union Minister for Minority Affairs has done away with the discretionary Haj quota for pilgrims, in keeping with Prime Minister’s resolve to end VIP culture in the country.

    About Haj Pilgrimage

    • The holy Haj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims.
    • It is considered to be a mandatory religious duty for all adult Muslims physically and financially capable of doing so.
    • The rites of pilgrimage are performed over five to six days, in Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar.

    How is it managed?

    • For the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the pilgrimage poses a massive logistical challenge.
    • Housing, feeding and facilitating safe pilgrimages for millions of pilgrims who descend upon Mecca from across the world during a brief period of time is difficult, to say the least.
    • Thus, Saudi Arabia allots country-wise quotas which determine the total number of pilgrims who can make a journey from a particular country.
    • These quotas are broadly allotted on the basis of the number of Muslims a country houses. However, the quotas are also major diplomatic issues.
    • Every year, countries lobby Saudi Arabia for more slots. After a Covid-19-related lull, the pilgrimage will resume at its full scale in 2023.

    How India manages this?

    • India signed the Haj 2023 bilateral agreement with Saudi Arabia.
    • According to the agreement, a total of 1,75,025 Indian Haj pilgrims will be able to perform Haj, reportedly the highest in history.
    • This quota allotted to India is then further distributed by the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) to various stakeholders.
    • According to the 2018-22 policy document, 70 per cent of India’s total quota goes to the HCoI and 30 per cent goes to private operators.

    Distribution of Quotas

    • Out of the total number of slots with the HCoI, 500 are held under the Government discretionary quota whereas the rest are distributed to different states on the basis of their Muslim population.
    • A draw of lots is conducted in each state to determine who makes the journey in case the number of applicants exceed the number of slots available.

    What are the haj discretionary quotas?

    • The “Government discretionary quota” is further divided in two, 200 seats are with the Haj Committee itself and 300 are with people holding important offices at the Centre. These include,
    1. 100 with the President
    2. 75 with the Prime Minister
    3. 75 with the Vice President
    4. 50 with the Minister of Minority Affairs
    • As per the old policy, these seats could be allocated to individuals who applied for the pilgrimage through normal means but were unsuccessful in getting a slot for the pilgrimage.
    • This quota has now been abolished with these seats being added back to the general pool.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • What is VSHORAD Missile System?

    vshorad

    The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is set to procure the Very Short Range Air Defence System or VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system.

    VSHORAD Missile System

    • Meant to kill low altitude aerial threats at short ranges, VSHORADS is a man portable Air Defence System (MANPAD).
    • It is designed and developed indigenously by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners.
    • The missile is propelled by a dual thrust solid motor—incorporates many novel technologies including miniaturised Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics, which were successfully proven during the tests conducted last year.
    • The DRDO has designed the missile and its launcher in a way to ensure easy portability.

    Unique features

    • Being man portable and lightweight compared to the other missile systems in the Army’s armoury, it can be deployed in the mountains close to the LAC at a short notice.
    • Others like the Akash Short Range Surface to Air Missile System are heavier with a theatre air defence umbrella.
    • They are perceived to be the best option for mountain warfare since they can be deployed quickly in rugged terrain.

    Significance of the missile

    • The development comes amid the ongoing military standoff with China at the LAC in eastern Ladakh and reports of air violations by China along the LAC last year.
    • India has been in talks with Russia since 2018 to procure the Igla-S air defence missiles at a cost of $1.5 billion under the VSHORAD programme in a bid to replace the Russian Igla-M systems.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • Ozone Hole filling up now

    ozone

    The ozone ‘hole’, once considered to be the gravest danger to planetary life, is now expected to be completely repaired by 2066, a scientific assessment has suggested.

    What is Ozone and Ozone Layer?

    ozone

    • An ozone molecule consists of three oxygen atoms instead of the usual two (the oxygen we breathe, O2, makes up 21% of the atmosphere).
    • It only exists in the atmosphere in trace quantities (less than 0.001%), but its effects are very important.
    • Ozone molecules are created by the interaction of ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the Sun with O2 molecules.
    • Because UV radiation is more intense at higher altitudes where the air is thinner, it is in the stratosphere where most of the ozone is produced, giving rise to what is called the ‘ozone layer’.
    • The ozone layer, containing over 90% of all atmospheric ozone, extends between about 10 and 40km altitude, peaking at about 25km in Stratosphere.

    Why need Ozone Layer?

    • The ozone layer is very important for life on Earth because it has the property of absorbing the most damaging form of UV radiation, UV-B radiation which has a wavelength of between 280 and 315 nanometres.
    • As UV radiation is absorbed by ozone in the stratosphere, it heats up the surrounding air to produce the stratospheric temperature inversion.

    What is Ozone Hole?

    • Each year for the past few decades during the Southern Hemisphere spring, chemical reactions involving chlorine and bromine cause ozone in the southern polar region to be destroyed rapidly and severely.
    • The Dobson Unit (DU) is the unit of measure for total ozone.
    • The chemicals involved ozone depletion are chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs for short), halons, and carbon tetrachloride.
    • They are used for a wide range of applications, including refrigeration, air conditioning, foam packaging, and making aerosol spray cans.
    • The ozone-depleted region is known as the “ozone hole”.

    Tropical Ozone Hole

    • According to the study, the ozone hole is located at altitudes of 10-25 km over the tropics.
    • This hole is about seven times larger than Antarctica, the study suggested.
    • It also appears across all seasons, unlike that of Antarctica, which is visible only in the spring.
    • The hole has become significant since the 1980s. But it was not discovered until this study.

    What caused an ozone hole in the tropics?

    • Studies suggested another mechanism of ozone depletion: Cosmic rays.
    • Chlorofluorocarbon’s (CFC) role in depleting the ozone layer is well-documented.
    • The tropical stratosphere recorded a low temperature of 190-200 Kelvin (K).
    • This can explain why the tropical ozone hole is constantly formed over the seasons.

    Try this PYQ

    Q.Consider the following statements:

    Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances are used:

    1. In the production of plastic foams
    2. In the production of tubeless tyres
    3. In cleaning certain electronic components
    4. As pressurizing agents in aerosol cans

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    (a) 1, 2 and 3 only

    (b) 4 only

    (c) 1, 3 and 4 only

    (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”4vi3n055n3″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here:[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • Paigah Tombs of Hyderabad

    paigah

    The necropolis of noblemen dating from the Asaf Jahi era known as Paigah Tombs Complex in Hyderabad is set to be restored with funding by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation.

    Who were the Paigahs?

    • Paigah tombs are 200 years old and represent the final resting places of the Paigah Nobles of several generations.
    • During the conquest of the Deccan region by Emperor Aurangzeb, the Paigahs came along with him.
    • The House of Paigah was founded by Shams-ul-Umra I also known as Nawaz Abul Fatah Khan Tegh.
    • Their ties with Nizams were further cemented through matrimonial alliances.
    • They also constructed several palaces in the city and the notable amongst them are the famous Falaknuma Palace, Asman Garh Palace, Khursheed Jah Devdi and Vicar-ul-Umarahi palace.
    • They were believed to be rich than the average Maharajah of the country.

    Paigah Tombs

    • Paigah Tombs are the tombs belonging to the nobility of Paigah family, who were fierce loyalists of the Nizams, served as statespeople, philanthropists and generals under and alongside them.
    • They are among the major wonders of Hyderabad State which known for their architectural excellence as shown in their laid mosaic tiles and craftsmanship work.

    Its architecture

    • These tombs are made out of lime and mortar with beautiful inlaid marble carvings.
    • It consists of marvelous carvings and motifs in floral designs and inlaid marble tile-works.
    • It depicts Indo-Islamic architecture, a mix of both the Asaf Jahi and the Rajputana styles of architecture.
    • There is fabulous stucco (plaster) work, representing the Mughal, Persian and Deccan style too.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • BIS Standards for Digital TV, Type-C USB and Video Surveillance Systems

    bis

    The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has published three significant Indian Standards in the area of Electronics.

    Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

    • BIS is the National Standards Body of India working under the aegis of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
    • It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 which came into effect on 23 December 1986.
    • The organization was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), set up under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies in September 1946.
    • The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
    • A new Bureau of Indian standard (BIS) Act 2016 has been brought into force with effect from 12 October 2017.
    • The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India.

    [A] Digital television receivers

    • BIS has published an Indian Standard IS 18112:2022 Specification for television with built in satellite tuners.
    • TVs manufactured as per this Indian standard would enable reception of Free-To-Air TV and Radio channels just by connecting a dish antenna.
    • This would facilitate transmission of knowledge about government initiatives, schemes, and educational content of Doordarshan and repository of Indian culture programs.
    • At present, TV viewers in the country need to purchase set-top box for viewing various paid and free channels.

    [B] USB Type C receptacles

    • BIS has published Indian standard IS/IEC 62680-1-3:2022 USB Type-C® Cable and Connector Specification.
    • This Indian standard is adoption of existing International standard IEC 62680-1- 3:2022.
    • This standard provides requirements for USB Type-C port, plug and cables for use in various electronic devices like mobile phone, laptop, notebook etc.
    • This standard would provide common charging solutions for the smartphones and other electronic devices sold in the country.
    • This would facilitate in reduction in number of charger per consumer as consumers will no longer need to buy different chargers or generate e-waste.

    [C] Video Surveillance Systems (VSS)

    • BIS, through its technical committee on Alarms and Electronic Security Systems has developed a series of Indian Standard (IS 16910) on Video Surveillance Systems for use in Security Applications.
    • IS 16910 series of Standards is an adoption of the International Standard IEC 62676 series.
    • It provides a detailed outline of all the aspects of a VSS System such as requirements for its components like camera devices, interfaces, system requirements and tests to ascertain the image quality of the camera devices.
    • This will also help in making the surveillance system more secure, robust and cost effective.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more

  • Who was Fatima Sheikh (1831-1900)?

    fatima

    Teaching pioneer Fatima Shaikh was recently honoured with a Google Doodle on her birthday.

    Fatima Sheikh

    • Fatima Sheikh was an educator and social reformer, who was a colleague of the social reformers Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule.
    • She is widely considered to be India’s first Muslim woman teacher.
    • Fatima Sheikh was the sister of Mian Usman Sheikh, in whose house Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule took up residence.
    • One of the first Muslim women teachers of modern India, she started educating Bahujan children in Phules’ school.

    Association with Phules

    • Under pressure from upper castes, Jyotirao’s father evicted Savitribai and Jyotirao from the family home in the late 1840s.
    • With nowhere else to go, the Phules would find shelter at the house of Mian Usman Sheikh, where they would live till 1856.
    • As many from their own community abandoned them, Fatima Sheikh and her brother stood strongly with the Phules and the mission to educate girls and bahujans.
    • Sheikh met Savitribai Phule while both were enrolled at a teacher training institution run by Cynthia Farrar, an American missionary.
    • She taught at all five schools that the Phules went on to establish and she taught children of all religions and castes.
    • Sheikh took part in the founding of two schools in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1851.

    Determined amidst opposition

    • In Pune, a conservative bastion of culture and tradition, the very act of trying to educate the underprivileged caused uproar.
    • It is said that the two women would often have stones and pieces of dung thrown at them while walking in the streets.
    • Fatima specifically is said to have borne the wrath of both upper-castes and radical orthodox sections.

     

    Crack Prelims 2023! Talk to our Rankers

    (Click) FREE 1-to-1 on-call Mentorship by IAS-IPS officers | Discuss doubts, strategy, sources, and more