Composite Water Management Index
- NITI Aayog has come up with the Composite Water Management Index as a useful tool to assess and improve the performance in efficient management of water resources.
- This index is an attempt to inspire States and UTs towards efficient and optimal utilization of water, and recycling thereof with a sense of urgency.
- The index can be utilised to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources.
- The index would provide useful information for the States and also for the concerned Central Ministries/Departments enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resource.
- Union Minister for Water Resources will release the Index.
- In view of limitations on availability of water resources and rising demand for water, sustainable management of water resources has acquired critical importance.
National council of Senior Citizens
- 3rdMeeting of National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC) was convened by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
- The NCSrC advises Central and State Governments on the entire gamut of issues related to welfare of senior citizens and enhancement of their quality of life.
- The NCSrC meets at least twice a year.
- In pursuance of the National Policy for Older Persons (NPOP), 1999, a National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) was constituted under the Chairpersonship of the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment to oversee implementation of the Policy.
- NCOP reconstituted and renamed as National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSrC) in 2012.
- Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment is the Chairperson of NCSrC and theMinister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment is the Vice-Chairperson.
- On 1st October every year (International Day of Older Persons (IDOP)) Vayoshreshtha Samman/National Awards are conferred in 13 categories to institutions and senior citizens for their outstanding contribution towards the cause of elderly persons since 2013.
- Members of the Council are entitled to make nominations for Vayoshreshtha Samman.
Warli Art
- Warli is a tribal art form that was mostly created by the Adivasis of the Western Ghats.
- It is one of the oldest art forms in India that originated in Maharashtra and is still practiced.
- The Warli tribe, which does these paintings, is one of India’s largest tribes located on the outskirts of Mumbai.
- Their culture basis itself around the concept of Mother Nature; therefore, elements of nature serve as focal points for Warli paintings.
- These artists used to use the clay walls of their huts as a canvas for their paintings.
- These paintings use a set of geometric shapes – circle, triangle and square.
- This comes from the tribe’s observation of nature as circle represents the sun and the moon, while the triangle represents the mountains and pointed trees.
- The square on the other hand is a human invention, indicating a sacred piece of land or enclosure.
- The Warli artists use only a white paste made out of rice paste and water and they use glue as a binder.
- Artists use a bamboo stick which is chewed at the end to give it a paintbrush like texture.
- In ritual Warli paintings, walls are painted only to celebrate special occasions like harvest or weddings
Pho Minh Pagoda of Viet Nam
- Union Cabinet has been apprised of the joint issue of a postage stamp between Department of Posts and Viet Nam Post.
- The Commemorative Postage Stamps on India-Viet Nam: Joint Issue depicts Sanchi Stupa of India and Pho Minh Pagoda of Viet Nam.
- Pho Minh Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Vietnam, the home town of the Tran Dynasty.
- The statue of King Tran Nhan Tong lying on his left side shows him entering Nirvana is an important feature of the temple.
- The statues of the three founders of the Truc Lam Buddhist Sect, Tran Nhan Tong, Phap Loa and Huyen Quang are also found here.
- In addition, 60 red-lacquered and gold-trimmed Buddha and Saint Statues have been preserved in the pagoda.
- It is estimated that the 700-tonne tower relies on an area of only 30 square meters.
Nikkei Asia Prize for Culture and Community
- Nikkei Asia Prize is an award which recognises the achievements that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia.
- Noted social reformer and founder of Sulabh International Bindeshwar Pathak was honoured with Japan’s prestigious Nikkei Asia Prize for his significant work in tackling poor hygiene and discrimination.
- Sulabh International has ensured the safety of rural women and freedom from manual labor of removing human waste.
- The Nikkei Asia Prizes were created in 1996 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of Nikkei Inc's main Japanese-language newspaper.
- The coveted prize honors people who have made significant contributions in one of the three areas: regional growth; science, technology and innovation; and culture and community.
- Former PM Manmohan Singh and Infosys Chairman Narayan Murti are among the few Indians who have won the prize in the past.
Keibul Lamjao National Park and Sangai
- The Park is situated in the North Easern state of Manipur.
- The marshland located on the southern end of the Lotak Lake was marked and named Keibul Lamjao National Park.
- The Lotak Lake is under the Montrex Record.
- The Park is said to be the only floating national park in the world.
- Brow-antlered deer is found only in Keibul Lamjao National Park.
- The Habitat of Sangai is the floating marsh called phumdis in Manipur’s Loktak Lake.
- The brow-antlered deer is known by several other names such as dancing deer, Eld’s deer, sangai and thamin.
- It is believed that the dancing deer got its name due its delicate hopping while moving between the phumdis.
- It is the State animal of Manipur.
- The deer population is said to migrate from phumdis to nearby island hillocks when their habitat gets flooded.
Source: PIB, The Hindu
