Prelim Bits 07-02-2023 | UPSC Daily Current Affairs

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

Data presented in Lok Sabha revealed that the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) is currently functioning with less than 50% of its sanctioned strength.

• The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) was established under Article 338A in the Indian Constitution through the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
• The 89^th amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes into 2 separate Commissions namely-
  1. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)
  2. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)
• NCST has its Headquarters at New Delhi and 6 Regional Offices.
• Composition - Consists of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and 3 members, appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
• The rules provide for the ST panel to have two among V-C and Members must be from ST community.
• The Chairperson has rank of Union Cabinet Minister and the Vice Chairperson has rank of Secretary to government of India.
• Tenure - 3 years; conditions and service of tenure by President.
• NCST annually submits its report to the President.
•  NCST is vested with the powers of a civil court for investigation and enquiry.

References

1. The Hindu - NCST functioning with less than 50% of sanctioned strength
2. Vikaspedia - National Commission for Scheduled Tribes
3. National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

National Centre for Good Governance

The 5th capacity building programme for the civil servants of Jammu & Kashmir started at NCGG, Mussoorie campus.

The Centre has imparted training to a large number of civil servants from Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Gambia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Laos, Vietnam, Bhutan, and Myanmar, which has been very useful to them.

• The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) was set up in 2014 by the Government of India.
• NCGG is an apex–level autonomous institution under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• Origin - The Centre traces its origin to the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR), which was set up in 1995 by LBSNAA.
• NIAR was subsequently rechristened and subsumed into NCGG.
• Functions - NCGG deals with a gamut of governance issues from local, state to national levels, across all sectors.
• NCGG works as a premier think tank.
• The Centre is mandated to work in the areas of governance and policy reforms.
• They provide capacity building and training of civil servants and technocrats of India and other developing countries.
• This capacity building programme is highly sought after and in recent times.

References

1. PIB - 5th capacity building programme for the civil servants of J&K
2. National Centre for Good Governance    

Bharatpur Sanctuary

The Rajasthan state Forest Department has proposed to construct a zoo in Bharatpur, Rajasthan.

• Zoo - The zoo is called Wetland ex-situ Conservation Establishment (WESCE) and it is part of the Rajasthan Forestry and Biodiversity Development Project (RFBDP).
• The zoo aims to rejuvenate the bio-diversity of Keoladeo National Park, thereby boosting its outstanding universal values.
• Several facilities are planned inside Keoladeo national park. These include:
  1. A breeding and re-introduction centre for locally extinct species, such as otters, fishing cats, blackbucks, hog deer, etc.
  2. An aquarium for indigenous species like Gangetic Dolphin, crocodiles.
  3. Enclosures for the display of large wetland species like Indian Rhino, Water Buffalo, Barasingha (swamp deer).
  4. An aviary, a reptile house and a veterinary care facility.
• Bharatpur - Keoladeo National Park, a World Heritage Site is popularly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
• Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is recognised as one of the world’s most important bird breeding and feeding grounds.
• It is spread across 29 Sq. Km area.
• The park is home to over 370 species of birds and animals.
• In 1982, Keoladeo was declared a national park and then later listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

References

1. IE - Rajasthan plans zoo inside Bharatpur sanctuary
2. Hindustan Times - Activists raise concerns over plan for zoo
3. Rajasthan Tourism - Keoladeo National Park

LCA on INS Vikrant

The Naval variant of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) undertook maiden landing on-board the country’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) INS Vikrant.

• INS Vikrant is the first indigenous Aircraft Carrier built in India.
• It was named after the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant operated by the Navy from 1961 to 1997.
• The ship was designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited.
• The ship had sailed for maiden Sea Trials on 04 Aug 21.
• The Carrier was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 02 Sep 22.
• As part of the aviation trials, landing of LCA (Navy) and MiG-29K on-board INS Vikrant was carried out by Indian Naval Test Pilots.
• LCA - LCA (Navy) is a prototype of the naval version of the locally made light combat aircraft (LCA).
• The LCA (Navy) was indigenously designed & produced by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• It is designed with stronger landing gear to absorb forces exerted.
• TEDBF - India plans to design and develop twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF) to operate from its aircraft carriers.
• The Navy is working with the DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) on the TEDBF project.

References

1. PIB - Maiden landing of LCA Navy on board INS Vikrant
2. Hindustan Times - Naval LCA operates from INS Vikrant

India, UAE, France - Trilateral Initiative

India, France and the UAE announced an ambitious road map for cooperation in defence, energy and technology under a trilateral framework.

• The initiative follows the first meeting of the foreign ministers of India, France and the UAE on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York in 2022.
• The trilateral initiative will serve as a platform to expand cooperation between development agencies of the 3 counties on sustainable projects.
• The initiative also ensures greater alignment of their respective economic, technological, and social policies with the objectives of the Paris climate agreement.
• The 3 countries also agreed to expand their cooperation through initiatives such as
  1. Mangrove Alliance for Climate led by the UAE
  2. Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership led by India and France
  3. India’s Mission LiFE
• The 3 countries will explore the possibility of working the Indian Ocean rim Association (IORA).

References

1. The Hindu - India joins UAE, France for trilateral
2. IE - Trilateral framework: India, France, UAE
3. Hindustan Times - India, UAE, France - trilateral cooperation initiative