August 27th 2024 Current Affairs

Index:

Creation of New Districts in Ladakh

CONTEXT: 5 new district announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on August 26, 2024 the vision aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal for a developed and prosperous Ladakh.

New Districts:

  • Names: Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, and Changthang.
  • Objective: Improve governance and delivery of public services by decentralizing administration.

Government’s Rationale:

  • Current Situation: Ladakh is an expansive and sparsely populated UT with only two districts (Leh and Kargil).
  • Challenges: Difficulty in administrative reach due to vast and challenging terrain.
  • Expected Benefits: Enhanced efficiency in public welfare schemes and governance.
  1. Implementation Process:
  • Committee Formation: Ladakh administration to form a committee to evaluate and plan district structures, boundaries, and posts.
  • Report Submission: Committee report to be submitted within three months for further action by the MHA.
  1. Administrative Considerations:
  • Census Impact: Registrar General of India (RGI) typically freezes administrative boundaries before the Census.
  • Current Status: Boundaries are usually frozen three months before the Census, but the deadline can be extended. The RGI has not yet extended the deadline, but the creation of new districts will proceed with a possibility of post facto permission.
  1. Governance and Development:
  • Prime Minister’s Endorsement: Viewed as a step toward better governance and bringing services closer to people.
  • Development Goals: Aim to facilitate all-round development and improved delivery of central and local government schemes.
  1. Administrative Oversight:
  • MHA’s Role: Ministry of Home Affairs will oversee the process and make necessary adjustments post-committee report.

RGI Coordination: Ministry can obtain retrospective permission from the RGI for boundary changes.

India-Singapore Bilateral Meeting

  1. Meeting Overview: Second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) held in Singapore with the objective to Explore and enhance bilateral cooperation in key areas.
  2. Indian Delegation:
    • Members: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
  1. Key Areas of Cooperation (Six Pillars):
  • Digitalization
  • Skill Development
  • Sustainability
  • Healthcare and Medicine
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Connectivity
  1. Discussions:
  • Progress Review: Evaluated progress since the first ISMR held in New Delhi in September 2022.
  • Future Plans: Preparation for commemorating the 60th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Singapore.
  • Regional and Global Cooperation: Discussions included ASEAN and G20 developments.
  1. Meetings with Singaporean Leadership:
  • President Tharman Shanmugaratnam: Focused on enhancing the India-Singapore Strategic Partnership, particularly in digitalization, green initiatives, and skill development.
  • Prime Minister Lawrence Wong: Addressed similar strategic areas.
  1. Upcoming Engagements:
  • PM Narendra Modi’s Visit: Preparations underway for a possible visit next month.
  1. Strategic Importance:
  • Enhanced Cooperation: Emphasis on emerging and futuristic areas to boost bilateral relations and regional influence.

Focus Areas: Strengthening partnerships in sectors critical for future growth and innovation.

Definitions of Literacy and Full Literacy under New India Literacy Programme (NILP)

  1. Context: In a letter to all States, the Education Ministry has defined ‘literacy’, and what it means to achieve ‘full literacy,’ in light of a renewed push for adult literacy.
  • Initiative: New India Literacy Programme (NILP)
  • Duration: 2022-2027 (5 year)
  • Objective: Onboard 1 crore adult learners (aged 15 and above) annually across all States and Union Territories.
  1. Definitions: Literacy:
    • Basic Definition: Ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension.
    • Expanded Definition: Includes critical life skills such as digital and financial literacy.
  • Full Literacy:
    • Threshold: Achieving 95% literacy rate in a State or Union Territory.

 

  1. Assessment and Certification:
  • Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT):
    • Purpose: To certify literacy under NILP.
    • Performance Data: a decrease from previous years’ pass percentages (64% in 2024 to 91.27% in 2023).
  1. Budget Allocation: 2024-25 Budget: ₹160 crore allocated for NILP.

 

  1. Literacy Challenges: 2011 Census Data:
  • Non-Literate Population:76 crore individuals aged 15 and above (9.08 crore males and 16.68 crore females).
  • Progress and Gaps:
    • Saakshar Bharat Programme (2009-10 to 2017-18): Certified 7.64 crore individuals as literate.
    • Current Non-Literate Estimate:12 crore adults remain non-literate.

 

  1. Importance of Literacy:

Impact: Non-literacy affects financial transactions, job applications, understanding of rights, and participation in higher productivity sectors.

ISRO's Humanoid Skull Design for Gaganyaan Mission

CONTEXT: Humanoid Skull Design: Part of a half-humanoid called Vyommitra, designed for safety tests ahead of the Gaganyaan mission.

  • Specifications:
    • Material: High-strength aluminium alloy.
    • Features: Covered in prosthetic material to mimic human skin; houses face actuation mechanisms.
  • Function: Simulate human facial movements and house sensors for space environment testing.

Vyommitra:

  • Description: A half-humanoid resembling the upper part of the human body (torso, arms, face, and neck).
  • Role:
    • Conduct human-like functions.
    • Measure the impact of space conditions on human beings.

Mission Gaganyaan: India’s maiden human space flight mission.

·         Year of Mission: Scheduled for 2025.

·         Objective: To send three Indian astronauts to space, approximately 400 km from Earth’s surface, for a three-day mission.

 

Pre-Flight Missions:

Gaganyaan-1 (G1):

o    Schedule: December 2024.

o    Objective: Test safe re-entry of the spacecraft and its orientation upon sea landing.

Gaganyaan-2 (G2):

o    Objective: Carry Vyommitra in the human-rated pressurized crew module to record parameters and study the impact on humans.

India’s Space Milestone: If successful, India will become the fourth country to send humans into space, following Russia, the US, and China.

Importance of Humanoids in Space Missions:

  • Data Collection: Vital for understanding space travel impacts on human bodies.
  • Design Enhancement: Helps in designing space capsules for safety and comfort.

Robotic Assistance: Used in missions to perform repetitive or dangerous tasks.

India’s LNG Imports and Natural Gas Demand (April-July FY25)

Context: Increase in India’s LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) imports due to heightened domestic demand for natural gas, particularly driven by the power sector.

  1. Key Statistics:
  • Power Sector Demand: Power Generation by Gas-Based Plants: Increased by 62.5% YoY to 13.49 billion units (1 unit = 1 kilowatt hour).

 

  1. Seasonal and Economic Factors:
  • Peak Summer Demand:
    • June: LNG imports peaked due to high power generation and severe heatwave.
    • July: Demand softened with the onset of the monsoon.
  • Gas-Based Power Plants:
    • Operate using both domestic gas and imported LNG.
    • Domestic gas is allocated preferentially to city gas distribution and fertilizer sectors.

 

  1. Policy and Economic Measures:
  • Electricity Act, 2003 (Section 11): Power Ministry directive to ensure electricity demand met by operating idling gas-based power plants from May to June.
  • LNG Prices and Purchases: Subdued LNG prices led to increased spot market purchases.

 

  1. Government Initiatives:
  • Natural Gas Consumption Target: Aim to increase the share of natural gas in India’s primary energy mix to 15% by 2030 (from over 6% currently).
  • Environmental and Economic Justification: Natural gas is less polluting compared to coal and oil and is seen as a key transition fuel towards greener energy.

 

  1. Future Outlook:
  • Growth Areas for Natural Gas: City gas distribution, fertilizer, power generation, and petrochemicals.

Energy Transition: Natural gas to play a significant role in India’s transition to cleaner energy sources.

Delhi's Dipping Sex Ratio and Vital Statistics Report (2023)

Context: Increase in India’s LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) imports due to heightened domestic demand for natural gas, particularly driven by the power sector.

  1. Key Statistics:
  • Power Sector Demand: Power Generation by Gas-Based Plants: Increased by 62.5% YoY to 13.49 billion units (1 unit = 1 kilowatt hour).

 

  1. Seasonal and Economic Factors:
  • Peak Summer Demand:
    • June: LNG imports peaked due to high power generation and severe heatwave.
    • July: Demand softened with the onset of the monsoon.
  • Gas-Based Power Plants:
    • Operate using both domestic gas and imported LNG.
    • Domestic gas is allocated preferentially to city gas distribution and fertilizer sectors.

 

  1. Policy and Economic Measures:
  • Electricity Act, 2003 (Section 11): Power Ministry directive to ensure electricity demand met by operating idling gas-based power plants from May to June.
  • LNG Prices and Purchases: Subdued LNG prices led to increased spot market purchases.

 

  1. Government Initiatives:
  • Natural Gas Consumption Target: Aim to increase the share of natural gas in India’s primary energy mix to 15% by 2030 (from over 6% currently).
  • Environmental and Economic Justification: Natural gas is less polluting compared to coal and oil and is seen as a key transition fuel towards greener energy.

 

  1. Future Outlook:
  • Growth Areas for Natural Gas: City gas distribution, fertilizer, power generation, and petrochemicals.

Energy Transition: Natural gas to play a significant role in India’s transition to cleaner energy sources.

Lateral Entry : All you need to know

Vaccine Derived Polio

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