Daily Prelims Notes 14 January 2021

January 14, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

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Daily Prelims Notes 14 January 2021

By

Santosh Sir

All 6 Prelims qualified

4 CSE Mains qualified

If I can do it, you can too

Table Of Contents

1. 30 days’ notice period not mandatory under Special Marriage Act 1954: Allahabad HC.

Subject: Polity

Context: The Allahabad High Court has ruled that couples seeking to solemnise their marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954 can choose not to publish the mandatory 30-day notice of their intention to marry. It is significant in wake of targeting of inter-faith couples by vigilante group and passing of anti-conversion law by the states like UP.

Concept:

The judgement is significant for it gives emphasis on Right to Privacy which was accepted as fundamental right in Puttaswamy (Retd) case in 2017.
Mandatory provisions will invade in the fundamental rights of liberty and privacy, including within its sphere freedom to choose for marriage without interference from state and non-state actors, of the persons concerned.
The significance of the judgement is evident for inter-faith couple being targeted increasingly after giving notice and even court note of anti-conversion laws could also impact rights by privacy laws is significant.
Court noted that notice out of free will not be a violation but is exercise of right of choice of couples.
It becomes interesting to look as similar provisions exists in The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, which declares conversion of religion by marriage to be unlawful, mandates a 60-day notice to the District Magistrate.

About Special Marriage act, 1954:

It is a central legislation for couples of all faith.
The Special Marriage Act to provide a framework for inter-caste and inter-religious marriages was originally enacted in 1872.

2. Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)/Tejas aircraft

Subject: Defence

Context: CCS cleared the largest indigenous procurement of Rs 48000 crore for 83 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).

Concept:

India is facing host of security challenges from border dispute with China and Pakistan to terrorism across the border. This apart from need to reduce dependency on import for defence the government has brought changes in procurement policy to support indigenisation.
The procurement of 83 Tejas MK 1A LCA would not only strengthen armed force but would also push the indigenisation strategy forward.

About Tejas MK 1A LCA

Designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development, the Tejas Mk-1A multirole light fighters will be manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
LCA is multirole jet military aircraft modified or designed for engaging in light combat missions, either in light strike or attack missions, reconnaissance or interdiction roles or trainer role.
Tejas is a fully-weaponised light fighter (India’s first indigenised fighter aircraft) with a single engine. It is an indigenously designed and manufactured fourth-generation fighter with critical operational capabilities
Critical operational capabilities: Active Electronically Scanned Array radar; Beyond Visual Range air to-air missiles; Advanced Electronic Warfare suite; air-to-air refuelling capabilities.
The naval variant of the Tejas, in development stage, successfully performed “arrested landings” on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

About CCS

CABINET COMMITTEE ON SECURITY – Optimize IAS

3. Bhogali Bihu

Subject: Arts and Culture

Context: Assam is celebrating Bhogali Bihu a traditional harvest festival.

Concept:

It is a harvest festival of Assam where people express gratitude for good harvest and marks the end of harvest season. Also called as “Magh Bihu” or festival of abundance.
The word Bhogali comes from word “Bhog” i.e., eating delicacies and enjoyment.
It believes in sharing of the gifts of nature as a community, and to strengthen a sense of identity and belonging.
The festival of Bihu has three forms: Bohag Bihu, Kati Bihu and Magh Bihu. Each of these falling in agriculture calendar.
Bihu dance is an important form of expression of joy.
This day is considered auspicious in the Hindu lunar year as well and is known as the Makar Sankranti, i.e., the day when the sun begins its northward journey or Uttarayan and transitions into the Hindu zodiac sign of Makara. On this day the Sun God is worshipped in various parts of India in the form of different festivals such as Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Maghi (Punjab) and Uttarayan (Gujarat).

4. Cyborg

Subject: Science and Technology

Context: Rise of artificial intelligence, robotics and threat of machine overpowering human

Concept:

It is shorter version of cybernetic organism. It is part human part machine i.e, biological and technology.
It is the application of idea that the evolution of human won’t be a function of natural selection.
It applies to organisms with restored functions or enhanced abilities due to the integration of some artificial technology based on some sort of feedback.

5. T-bills (Treasury bills)

Subject: Economy

Context: Treasury bill yields rise in India after RBI’s cash move. The 190 billion rupees ($2.6 billion) sale was the first sovereign auction since the Reserve Bank of India said late on Friday it plans to drain cash via a reverse repo operation.

Concept:

The government raised fund from financial market in two ways: 1) T bills (treasury bills). 2) Government Bonds.
T-bills are the instruments for raising fund by the government for the short-term up to a year.
These bills are issued by the Central government only and interest rate is determined by the market forces. It is issued at a discount to original value and the buyer gets the original value upon maturity. For example, a Rs 100 treasury bill can be availed of at Rs 90, but the buyer is paid Rs 100 on the maturity date.
They are issued via auctions conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at regular intervals. Individuals, trusts, institutions and banks can purchase T-Bills.
The returns on T-bills are influenced by the liquidity as well. When there is liquidity crisis than the yield is higher on the T-bills.
It is considered a very safe financial instrument for zero-risk weightage attached to it.
Banks give treasury bills to the RBI to get money under repo. Similarly, they can also keep it to fulfil their Statutory Liquid Ratio (SLR) requirements.
Treasury bills, or T-bills, have a maximum maturity period of 364 days and thus called money-market instruments.
Currently they are issued in three maturities: 91-day, 182-day and 364-day (earlier 14-day bill was also issued).
T-bills are available for a minimum amount of Rs.25,000 and in multiples of Rs. 25,000.
The 91-day T-bills are auctioned every week on Friday and 182-day and 364-day T-bills are auctioned every alternate week on Wednesdays. The Reserve Bank of India issues a calendar of T-bill auctions.
Government paper with tenor beyond one year is known as dated security. At present, there are dated securities with a tenor up to 20 years in the market