Places of Worship Act, 1991

A 3-judge bench of the Supreme Court upheld an order by the Allahabad High Court allowing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct its investigation of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi.

• Aim – To protect the religious character of all houses of worship as it stood on August 15, 1947 and forbid any changes that would compromise that character.
• Places of worship – Any structure used for public religious worship, such as a temple, mosque, gurudwara, church, monastery, or congregation.
• Restricts conversion – It limits converting a house of worship of one religious’ group into another religious group, or even a different sect within the same religious group.
• Bar on jurisdiction of court – No new suit or legal process shall be instituted if there is already a suit or legal proceeding currently before any court regarding the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship existing on August 15, 1947.
• However, legal proceedings can be initiated with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship after the commencement of the act i.e. after August 15, 1947.
• Penalty – Up to 3 years in prison and shall also be liable to fine.

Exemptions

• Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case and any appeal or procedure arising out of it are exempt from its coverage.
• Any religious structure protected as an ancient monument or archaeological site or remains under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1958.
• Any action, appeal, or procedure that was determined, settled, or disposed of by a court, tribunal, or other body prior to the effective date of this Act.
• Any disagreement over related aspects that has been resolved amicably between the parties before the start of the proceeding.
• Any prior conversion to religious or secular use of such a location that was allowed to take place with the owner’s approval.

River Cauvery

The Tamil Nadu government has sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to make Karnataka immediately release 24,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) from its reservoirs.

• Cauvery – It is the 3rd largest river in South India.
• Ponni was another name for it in Tamil literature.
• Origin – Talakaveri on Brahmagiri range in Western ghats.
• States – Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Puducherry
• Basin – It can be divided into 3 parts, the Western Ghats, the Plateau of Mysore, and the Delta.
• Right tributaries – Lakshmana Tirtha, Kabini, Bhavani, Noyyal, Amaravati, Moyar.
• Left tributaries – Harangi, Hemavati, Shimsha, Arkavathy
• Island formation – In Karnataka, it bifurcates twice, forming the sacred islands of Srirangapatnam and Sivasamudram, 80 kms apart.
• Immediately after crossing Tiruchirappalli district in Tamil Nadu, it divides into 2 parts, the Northern branch ‘The Coleron’ and Southern branch remains as Cauvery and from here the Cauvery Delta begins.
• After flowing for about 16 Kms, the 2 branches join again to form “Srirangam Island”.
• Perennial character – It carries water throughout the year with comparatively less fluctuation than the other Peninsular Rivers.
• This is because the upper catchment area receives rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (summer) and the lower part during the northeast monsoon season (winter).
• Drains in – Bay of Bengal at Poompuhar in Tamil Nadu.

Committees for reform of criminal laws

• Malimath committee – It was formed in 2003 to bring reforms in the criminal justice system.
• The Committee recommended that the victim should be allowed to participate in cases involving serious crimes and also be given adequate compensation.
• Justice Verma panel – It was formed to ensure quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women.
• It submitted its report in 2013.
• Ranbir Singh committee- It was formed in 2020 to review 3 codes of criminal law
  • Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860
  • Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973 and
  • Indian Evidence Act, 1872.

Parliamentary Committees

Recently, Home Minister has said that members had complained about the inclusion of their names in the proposed Select Committee without their signatures.

• Parliament Committees – It means a committee which is appointed or elected by the House or nominated by the Speaker.
• It works under the direction of the Speaker and presents its report to the House or to the Speaker and the Secretariat for which is provided by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.
• India’s Parliament – It has 2 different committees.
• 12 Standing Committees – They are permanent and regular committees which are constituted from time to time in pursuance of the provisions of an Act of Parliament or Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha.
• The work of these Committees is of continuous nature.
  • Example – Privilege committee, Financial Committee, etc.
• Ad hoc Committees – A temporary committee, set up for a specific purpose, such as examining a particular Bill.
• They are dissolved once that purpose has been served.
• The principal Ad hoc Committees are the Select and Joint Committees on Bills.
  • Example – Railway Convention Committee, Joint Committee on Food Management in Parliament House Complex etc also come under the category of ad hoc Committees.
• Broad classifications
  • Financial Committees
  • Departmentally Related Standing Committees.
  • Other Parliamentary Standing Committees; and
  • Ad hoc Committees.

India’s support for commercial crops

India should optimise the potential of commercial crops to provide income security to the farmers.

• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) – A government sponsored crop insurance scheme that was launched in 2016.
• National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) – It was launched in 2021 for a period of 5 years for self-reliance in edible oil.
• Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) – A subcomponent under the scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure.
• It aims to reduce post-harvest losses of horticulture and non-horticulture produce and providing remunerative price to farmers for their produce.
• National Food Security Mission (NFSM) – It has sub components such as NFSM – Oilseeds, NFSM-Oil palm, NFSM- Tree Borne Oilseeds, NFSM-Commercial Crops etc.
• Institutional support – Support is provided through institutions such as
  • Central Institute of Cotton Research - Nagpur
  • Central Tobacco Research Institute - Andhra Pradesh
  • Coconut Development Board – Kerala
  • Tobacco Board – Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
  • Tea Board – Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Coffee Board – Bangalore, Karnataka
  • Rubber Board – Kottayam, Kerala
  • Spices Board – Kochi, Kerala

Vyommitra

Vyommitra will fly into space in 2024.

• It is an AI-enabled female robot, designed to simulate human functions in the space environment and interact with the life support system.
• Role – It will accompany astronauts on manned missions in addition to the unmanned Gaganyaan mission.
• Gaganyaan mission will be India's 1st human-manned space flight carrying Indian astronauts into space.
• Name – ‘Vyoma’ meaning space and ‘Mitra’ meaning friend.
• Designed & developed by – ISRO Inertial Systems Unit (IISU).
• Aim – To perform specific tasks in order to analyse how astronauts might behave.
• Functions – It is equipped with the capability to monitor module parameters, issue alerts, and execute life support operations.
• It has the ability to speak, see and make facial expressions, it has been created to resemble a human.
• It will mimic every action that astronauts are required to take and respond to them in 2 languages.

Namoh 108

Recently Ministry of Science and Technology unveiled the new variety of Lotus flower named “Namoh 108”.

• Namoh 108 – It is a lotus flower with 108 petals, the 1st flower whose genome is completely sequenced for its characteristics.
• This variety flowers from March to December and is rich in nutrients.
• Developed by – Lucknow based National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI).
• NBRI – A premier plant-based, multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art National R&D centre.
• It is a constituent institution of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) Scheme

• Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) Scheme is the new name for the Ministry of Education’s scheme to improve the quality of higher education in State Universities.
• It aims to improve quality through curricular & programme changes, teacher training, physical and digital infrastructure, accreditation, and enhancing employability, while ensuring equity, access, and inclusion.
• States are required to sign a MoU with the Centre.
• The MoU mandates the implementation of the National Education Policy in order to avail funds for the next 3 years, under the Centre’s flagship scheme for State-run higher education.
• Nearly 40% of the PM USHA budget must be borne by the States themselves, and no extra funds have been earmarked for NEP reforms.
• The MoU makes it mandatory for States to undertake the administrative, academic, accreditation, and governance reforms detailed in the NEP.
• These include an academic credit bank, entry and exit flexibility, and the Samarth e-governance platform.
• PM-USHA carries forward the vision of the earlier Rashtriya Uchstar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), to improve the access, equity and quality of higher education in States.
• PM-USHA reduces the fragmentation of resources by streamlining the number of (scheme) components to six.

Belem Declaration

• It was adopted during the Amazon Summit, 2023 and recognizes Indigenous knowledge as a condition for biodiversity conservation.
• The declaration calls for ensuring full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in decision-making and public policy formulation processes.
• The declaration promotes sustainable use of biodiversity resources in the Amazon.
• The Amazon Summit, 2023 was held at Belem, Brazil with participation of 8 countries that include Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
• The leaders from the 8 amazon countries failed to agree on the goal to protect the rainforest at the ongoing Amazon Summit organized by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of 15 African countries founded in 1975.
• Lagos Treaty – ECOWAS is also known as CEDEAO in French and was established through the Lagos Treaty.
• Mission – To promote economic integration in all fields of economic activity, social and cultural matters.
• The Institutions of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are:
  • The Commission
  • The Community Parliament
  • The Community Court OF Justice
  • ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID)
• The ECOWAS Commission and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (The Fund) are its two main institutions.
• They are designed to implement policies, pursue a number of programmes and carry out development projects in Member States.
• Single currency – It’s larger aim is to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in western Africa.
• The grouping has also intervened militarily in the region in the past.
• It works with the mandate of promoting economic integration among its members.
• Members – Benin, Cape Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.
• Suspended Members – Guinea, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali
• In 2024, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali announced their withdrawal from the bloc.
• Alliance of Sahel States - It is a mutual defense pact created between Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso in 2023.
• The Liptako-Gourma region is where the Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger borders meet.

UDGAM Portal

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled a Centralised Web Portal UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits – Gateway to Access inforMation).
• Purpose – For use by public to search their unclaimed deposits across multiple banks at one place.
• It enables to either claim the deposit amount or make the deposit accounts operative at their respective banks.
• RBI Technology Pvt. Ltd. (ReBIT), Indian Financial Technology & Allied Services (IFTAS), and participating banks have collaborated on developing the portal.
• Unclaimed Deposits – Balances in savings / current accounts which are not operated for 10 years, or term deposits not claimed within 10 years from date of maturity are classified as “Unclaimed Deposits”. 
• Such deposits are transferred to the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund maintained by the Reserve Bank of India.

Maya OS

• The Defence Ministry has developed Maya OS with the help of various government agencies, including
  • Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO),
  • Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and
  • National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• Maya is based on open-source Ubuntu that is developed locally.
• The Microsoft Operating System (OS) in all computers connected to the Internet will be replaced with a new OS, Maya.
• Indian Navy has decided to install Maya OS in their systems while the Army and the Air Force are evaluating it.
• CERT-In - The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team is the nodal agency to deal with cyber security incidents.
• It is an office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Malabar Exercise

• It is a multilateral naval exercise that includes simulated war games and combat maneuvers.
• It aims to demonstrate the synergy, coordination and inter-operability among the participating navies.
• Started in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the navies of India and the US.
• Current Members – United States of America, Japan, Australia and India as permanent partners.
• 2023 Exercise – The Indian Navy was represented by indigenously built Destroyer INS Kolkata, Frigate INS Sahyadri and P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft.
• These countries are also members of the QUAD grouping
• QUAD – The Quad, officially the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, is a group of 4 countries: Australia, India, Japan and the US.
• Maritime cooperation began after the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004.
• Quad works on a far broader agenda, which includes tackling security, economic, and health issues.

Jaderi namakatti

• These are white clay sticks. They are used to adorn the foreheads of idols, men and temple elephants.

• It is a GI product from Tamil Nadu.
• Composition - Rich deposit of hydrous silicate minerals that form fine grain particles of clay.
• The clay is processed and shaped in a finger like structure.
• The production of namakatti depends on the climatic condition as it needs a lot of sunlight to dry.
• Jaderi is a small village in Tiruvannamalai district of Tamil Nadu.
• Other products from TN - Kanniyakumari Matti banana and Chedibutta Saree are other GI products from Tamil Nadu.

Jalesar Dhatu Shilp

• It is a metal craft famous in the Jalesar in Etah district, Uttar Pradesh.

• It includes ghungrus (anklets), ghantis (bells) and other decorative metal craft and brassware.
• The bells casted in Etah district’s soil ring better.
• The Thatheras community, which resides in Hathuras, involved in making of these products.

Koftgari Metal Craft

• The Udaipur Koftgari Metal craftsmen practices the ancient art of Koftgari used in making ornamental weaponry at Udaipur, Rajasthan.

• Other GI products from Rajasthan – Bikaner Kashidakari Craft, Jodhpur Bandhej Craft, Bikaner Usta Kala Craft, Udaipur Koftgari Metal Craft and Bikaner Kashidakari Craft.

Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects

• Recently ISRO rocket debris was found on Australian shore.
• Article 7 of the Outer Space Treaty states that the damages caused by a State Party that 'launches or procures the launching of an object into outer space is internationally liable for damage to another State Party to the Treaty.
• Liability Convention was signed on 1972 and it expands the rules mentioned in the article 7 of the Outer Space Treaty.
• The Convention deals mainly with damage caused by space objects to other space assets, but it also applies to damage caused by falling objects on earth.
• The amount of compensation is to be decided “in accordance with international law and the principles of justice and equity.
• This provision of the Convention has resulted in compensation payment only once so far —Canada sought damages from the then Soviet Union in 1978.

Trilateral Highway Project

• It is also referred as “The Road to East” which connects India, Myanmar and Thailand.
• The project spans 1,400 kilometres and will connect Moreh in Manipur with Mae Sot in Thailand, while passing through Myanmar.
• It will be a gateway to ASEAN countries.
• The first 160 km stretch is called India-Myanmar Friendship Highway (IMFH).
• The project has the power to revolutionise tourism, cultural interchange and improve regional trade among India, Myanmar and Thailand.
• The project was first proposed by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was approved at ministerial-level meeting in 2002.

PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme for Vibrant India (PM –YASASVI)

• PM–YASASVI is Centrally Sponsored Schemes for vulnerable groups comprising of Other Backward Class (OBCs), Economically Backward Class (EBC) and Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT/S-NT).
• The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• The 5 sub-schemes under PM –YASASVI are:
  1. Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
  2. Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
  3. Top Class School Education for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
  4. Top Class College Education for OBC, EBC and DNT Students
  5. Construction of Hostel for OBC Boys and Girls

LockBit, Akira and Luna Moth

• The report named “Turning Tides Navigating the Evolving World of Cybercrime” noted that Ransomware attacks is one of the reasons for disruption in the cybersecurity space in the first half of 2023.
• LockBit ransomware was the most used, accounting for 30.3% of observed ransomware cases, cybercriminals were also found making use of new variants, including Akira and Luna Moth.
• Ransomwares like LockBit were also updated to target newer operating systems including Linux, and macOS.
• Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) model has dominated the cybercrime industry over the past few years, Cybercrime-as-a-Service grew parallel to it in H1 2023.
• WormGPT, a blackhat version of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT was found to be used to generate malicious content, including phishing emails, malware code, fake news, and social media posts.

Wildfires and Heatwaves

• Wildfires and heatwaves have been raging across the Northern Hemisphere in the past month (July), even as many countries across Europe, Asia and northern America have been experiencing record-high temperatures
• Spain – Has been bearing the brunt of wildfires, particularly in the Canary Islands where 4,000 people to flee and forced others to wear face masks.
• Syria – The fires in Latakia raged for five days before rescuers could control it.
• Turkey – The seaside town of Kemer was affected by wildfire.
• In the western coastal province of Izmir, towns of Kinik and Odemis were also affected by wildfires.
• Greece – Wildfires which were initially confined to the islands of Rhodes and Corfu spread towards the mainland with the city of Volos facing a large brunt of the crisis.
• Italy – Is facing extreme weather events that are occurring in both the northern and southern regions of the country.
• The Palermo airport in Sicily has been closed down due to raging wildfires.
• Sardinia and Calabria have also reported dozens of fires while evacuations were ordered.
• In the north, Lombardy is being battered by severe storms that have already killed a woman and a sixteen-year-old girl.
• Croatia – In the country’s south along the Adriatic Sea coast, a wildfire was raging a few kilometres from the renowned walled town of Dubrovnik.

MASI Portal

• MASI - Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection for real time monitoring of the Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and their inspection mechanism across the country.
• It serves as a single platform for inspections of all the CCIs across the country by the following authorities:
  • Child Welfare Committees (CWCs),
  • State Inspection Committees,
  • District Inspection Committees,
  • Members of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and
  • State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs).
• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed this (MASI) application.
• The app is linked to the monitoring Portal where the automatic reports are generated.
• The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, makes it mandatory to establish at least one Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in each district.

Flood-watch Mobile App

• The App aims to disseminate information related to the flood situation and forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.
• The App has readable and audio broadcast and all the information is available in 2 languages that is English and Hindi.
• The App utilizes near real-time river flow data from various sources.
• The App is launched by Central Water Commission (CWC).
• Other key features include forecast using an Interactive Map where users can check the CWC Flood Forecast (up to 24 hours) or Flood Advisory (up to 7 days).

Khanan Prahari App

• The mobile app Khanan Prahari allows citizens to report incidents of illegal coal mining through geo-tagged photographs and textual information.
• It is an initiative of Ministry of Coal.
• The corresponding web portal called as Coal Mine Surveillance & Management System (CMSMS).
• The portal has been developed in association with the Bhaskaracharya Institute of Space Application & Geoinformatics.