Daily Prelims Notes 15 July 2023

July 15, 2023
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Daily Prelims Notes

15 July 2023

Table Of Contents

1. Chandra Taal

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in news

About:

Tso Chigma or Chandra Taal (meaning the Lake of the Moon), or Chandra Tal is a lake in the Spiti part of the Lahul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India.
Chandra Taal is near the source of the Chandra River.
The lake is one of two high-altitude wetlands of India which have been designated as Ramsar sites.
Despite the rugged and inhospitable surroundings, it is in a protected niche with some flowers and wildlife in summer.
It is usually associated with Spiti, although geographically it is separated from Spiti.
Kunzum La separates Lahaul and Spiti valleys.

Location:

Chandra Taal Lake is on the Samudra Tapu plateau, which overlooks the Chandra River (a source river of the Chenab).
The name of the lake originates from its crescent shape.
It is at an altitude of about 4,300 metres (14,100 ft) in the Himalayas.
Mountains of scree overlook the lake on one side, and a cirque encloses it on the other.
- A cirque is an amphitheatre-like valley formed by glacial erosion.
- Alternative names for this landform are corrie and cwm.
- A cirque may also be a similarly shaped landform arising from fluvial erosion.
- The term scree is applied both to an unstable steep mountain slope composed of rock fragments and other debris and to the mixture of rock fragments and debris itself.

Flora and Fauna:

There are vast meadows on the banks of the lake.
During springtime, these meadows are carpeted with hundreds of varieties of wildflowers.
There was a plain of good grass to the north of Chandra Taal, where shepherds brought large herds for grazing from Kullu and Kangra.
Due to overgrazing, the grasslands are now degraded.
Chandra Taal is home to a few species such as the Snow Leopard, Snow Cock, Chukor, Black Ring Stilt, Kestrel, Golden Eagle, Chough, Red Fox, Himalayan Ibex, and Blue Sheep.
Over time, these species have adapted to the cold arid climate, intense radiation, and oxygen deficiency by developing special physiological features.
Migratory species such as the Ruddy shelduck are found in summer.

2. Suraj: Eighth cheetah dies at Kuno National Park

Subject: Environment

Section: SPECIES IN NEW

Context:

An eighth cheetah, a male named Suraj was found dead on the morning of July 14, 2023, at the Kuno National Park (KNP).

Details:

The primary investigation found the cause of death to be due to injuries on the neck and back. A detailed understanding and actual details will be known after an autopsy.
Extreme wet conditions are causing the collars worn by the animals to create infections. Both Tejas and Suraj died of septicemia.
Earlier, six cheetahs including Agni (male), Sasha (female died due to renal failure), Uday (due to cardiac failure), and Daksha (female) had died.
Eight cheetahs from Namibia and 12 cheetahs from South Africa were introduced in the KNP.
On March 29, Jwala, a female from Namibia, gave birth to a litter of four cubs. Three have died since then.

Eight Cheetahs from Namibia are:

The male cheetahs are named Freddie, Elton and Oban, while the female cheetahs are named Siyaya, Aasha, Tbilisi, Sasha and Savannah.
Namibian cheetahs Tiblisi, Siyaya, Savannah and Oban are now named Dhatri, Jwala, Nabha and Pawan.

African Cheetah

IUCN status – Vulnerable
CITES status – Appendix-I of the List. This List comprises of migratory species that have been assessed as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of their range.
Habitat – Around 6,500-7,000 African cheetahs are present in the wild.
Physical Characteristics – Bigger in size as compared to Asiatic Cheetah.

Asian Cheetah

IUCN Status – Critically Endangered.
CITES – Appendix I of the list
Habitat – 40-50 found only in Iran.
Physical Characteristics – Smaller and paler than the African cheetah. Has more fur, a smaller head and a longer neck. Usually have red eyes and they have a more cat-like appearance.

Kuno National Park:

It was established, in 1981, as a wildlife sanctuary in the Sheopur and Morena districts. It was also known as Kuno-Palpur and Palpur-Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary.
In 2018, it was given the status of a National Park.
It is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion.
The protected area is largely a dry deciduous forest.

3. How has the moon transformed our evolution?

Subject : GEOGRAPHY

Section: Physical geography

Context:

Chandrayan-3, India’s moon mission which was launched on 14 July 2023, has set high hopes for India expecting its first moon soft landing.

Moon’s impact on Earth:

Moon, the satellite of the Earth with an orbit of 384,400 kilometres, has a profound impact on lives on Earth.
Though the Moon’s gravitational pull is weaker than Earth’s, it is responsible for Earth’s current length of the day, stable seasons and tides.
The big tidal ranges have been responsible for forcing bony fish into shallow pools on land, prompting the evolution of weight-bearing limbs and air-breathing organs.

Tides:

The biggest impact that the moon has on life is through tides.
The tides resulting from the gravitational force of the moon affect animal life in the intertidal zone, where the ocean meets the land between high and low tides.
- Weaker tides due to the absence of the moon would have narrowed down this zone, increasing the competition for survival among the species.
Billions of years ago, when the moon was closer to the Earth, extreme tides used to occur frequently because the Earth was spinning more rapidly. The tides eroded the coastal areas, adding minerals to the oceans which have been essential for life to evolve quickly.
Tides led by the moon also affect the reproductive cycles of marine life, where the laying and hatching of turtles’ eggs depend on the timing of tides.

Lunar cycles affecting reproduction in animals:

The reproductive cycles of many marine creatures are closely synchronised with lunar phases’, including migration and spawning in fish, crabs and triggering in plankton by the moon’s glow.
Circalunar rhythms, which are tied to lunar cycles affect different types of organisms.
The Moon is essential to migration and navigation, particularly for birds.
The sleep cycles of the ‘pre-industrial communities’ were strongly influenced by lunar activity.

Climate change and stabilising seasons

The absence of the moon would lead to extreme climate change.
There would be huge differences between temperatures and daylight throughout the year, and ice ages would hit different parts of the world every few thousand years.
The moon’s gravitational pull helps transport heat away from the equator and towards the poles, fundamentally shaping Earth’s climate.
Moon also stabilises the Earth’s rotation on its axis by slowing Earth’s rotation on its axis.
In the absence of the moon, the poles would be burning hot and the equator freezing cold, seasons would be a thing of the past, and night and day would be equally long all year round.

Light of moon:

Just like the planets, the moon does not emit its own light but shines due to the reflection of the Sun’s light.
Fluctuating light levels by the moon have a startling impact on life on Earth. The ability to see and to be seen enhances in the moonlight.
Studies have documented changes in the success rates of predators and foraging patterns of prey animals due to this added nighttime illumination.
Studies have shown that lions are less likely to hunt during the full moon and lion attacks on humans happen 10 days after the full moon.
Many bats will be less active during the full moon.
Coral and certain species of crabs, worms and fish can sense the moonlight from particular phases of the Moon. They use this as a trigger to start species-wide reproduction.
Nocturnal animals behave differently depending on where the moon is in the sky during its 29.5-day cycle. When the moon is full and bright, prey fish stay hidden in the reef, when they’d be most visible.

Tectonic plates, water distribution:

Planetologists at the University of Münster (Germany) have shown, for the first time, that water came to Earth with the formation of the Moon some 4.4 billion years ago.
The moon was formed when Earth was hit by a body called Theia.
Researchers from Munster proved that Theia came from the outer solar system and delivered large quantities of water to Earth.
According to scientists, the collision that led to the formation of the moon provided sufficient carbonaceous material to account for the entire amount of water on Earth.
The moon’s pull of gravity might have set our tectonic plates.
It raises the level of the world’s oceans towards the equator. Without this gravity, the oceans would redistribute, raising levels at the poles.

About Tides:

Tides can be defined as the alternate rise and fall of ocean water. It is caused by the combined effects of :
- The gravitational force exerted on Earth by the Sun
- The gravitational force exerted on Earth by the Moon
- Rotation of the Earth

Neap Tide:

When the Sun and Moon form a right angle, as when a half moon can be seen, their gravitational pulls fight each other and one can notice a smaller difference between high and low tides. These are called neap tides.

Spring Tide:

When the Moon, Earth, and Sun fall in a straight line, which is called as syzygy (siz-eh-gee), the greatest difference between high and low tide water levels can be observed.
These spring tides occur twice each month, during the full and new Moon.
If the Moon is at perigee, the closest it approaches Earth in its orbit, the tides are especially high and low.

4. Maputo Protocol contributed towards Africa’s progress on gender equality, but growth uneven: Report

Subject: International relations

Section: International Conventions

Context:

There has been some progress on gender equality in African countries due to the Maputo Protocol, but it has been uneven, according to a new report.
The report: 20 Years of the Maputo Protocol: Where are we now?

About the Maputo Protocol:

The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, better known as the Maputo Protocol, is an international human rights instrument established by the African Union that went into effect in 2005.
It guarantees comprehensive rights to women including
- The right to take part in the political process,
- To social and political equality with men,
- Improved autonomy in their reproductive health decisions, and
- An end to female genital mutilation.
It was adopted by the African Union in Maputo, Mozambique, in 2003 in the form of a protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (adopted in 1981, enacted in 1986).
The Protocol is considered one of the world’s most progressive legal frameworks for women’s rights and was launched 20 years ago in 2003.
The Protocol has a target of universal ratification in Africa by 2028. However, with just five years until the target year, there are still 12 countries that are yet to ratify this important legal instrument.
In two decades (2003-2022), women’s labour force participation rate (LFPR) in most African nations as compared to that of men remains low.
- In 24 countries, the share of women in the labour force has decreased.
So, there is an urgent need for Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Madagascar, Morocco, Niger, Somalia and Sudan to renew their commitments and ratify the Maputo Protocol in order to deliver on their promises to the women and girls in their countries.
There has been an improvement in women’s participation in the political and decision-making processes.
In most of the AU states, women’s representation in Parliament has increased.
For example in Rwanda, women’s share in Chamber of Deputies or Lower House increased to 61.3 per cent in April 2023 from 25.7 per cent in April 2003.

Challenges remain:

When 54 per cent of the AU states mandate equal remuneration for equal work or fair / just pay as per Article 13 of the Protocol, 46 per cent do not. These are: Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic and DR Congo.
Women’s economic rights and opportunities and access to social welfare and protection are significantly affected by external factors such as conflict, COVID-19, the pandemic and climate change.
Up to 10 million more girls are at risk of becoming child brides by 2030.

5. Chandrayaan-3 mission: How Sriharikota became Isro’s ideal launchpad

Subject: Geography

Section: Places in news

Context:

India’s third lunar mission and second attempt to soft-land on the Moon, the Chandrayaan-3, took off on Friday at 2:35 pm from the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota.

There are three major rocket launch sites in India:

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram (Thumba), Kerala,
Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Sriharikota), Andhra Pradesh,
Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Bhadrak, Odisha

Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota:

Sriharikota is a spindle-shaped island on the east coast of Andhra Pradesh.
The SDSC is the country’s only spaceport from where spacecraft and satellites are launched.
It became operational on October 9, 1971, with the flight of ‘Rohini-125’, a small-sounding rocket, and was initially known as SHAR (Sriharikota Range).
But in September 2002, the space centre was renamed Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR to honour mathematician and former ISRO’s Chairman Satish Dhawan.

How was Sriharikota selected as the launch site?

The search for a launch site began in 1960s when Vikram Sarabhai and EV Chitnis started looking for a launch site on the east coast of the country.
In March 1968, Chitnis contacted then Director of Industry of Andhra Pradesh, Abid Hussain, who helped him acquire information and prepare maps for potential sites, including Sriharikota.

Why was Sriharikota chosen?

There were two primary reasons for selecting Sriharikota as the launch site.
- One, it is on the east coast which facilitates the launching of the rockets in an easterly direction.
- Two, its proximity to the equator.
By launching a rocket eastwards, one can take advantage of Earth’s rotation.
For a launch site close to the equator the magnitude of the velocity imparted due to Earth’s rotation is about 450 m/s, which can lead to a substantial increase in the payload for a given launch vehicle.
Geostationary satellites must necessarily be in the equatorial plane.
So, for such satellites, the closer the launch site is to the equator the better it is.
There were other considerations also, such as it was a largely uninhabited area and closer to the sea.
This helped ensure that the flight path of launch vehicles or rockets is entirely over the sea, so that impact of separated rocket hardware can take place on the high seas without any constraints.

Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre or Thumba:

Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) is an Indian spaceport established on 21 November 1963.
Operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), it is located in Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, which is near the southern tip of mainland India, very close to Earth’s magnetic equator.
It is currently used by ISRO for launching sounding rockets.

Abdul Kalam Island:

Formerly known as Wheeler Island, Dr Abdul Kalam Island is an island located in the coastal outskirts of Odisha, India, which hosts the Integrated Test Range missile testing facility.
It is operated by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and is host to most of the military missile testing in India.
Its main purpose is to make an advancement in the development of launch vehicle technology in India.

Search for a new launchpad:

ISRO is considering a second launchpad in Kulasekarapattinam, a town in the Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) district of Tamil Nadu
Why?
- Proximity to the seashore makes Thoothukudi ideal for “straight southward” launches. From Sriharikota, such southward-bound launches are not possible as the rockets have to fly around Sri Lanka.
- Nearness to the equator: Like the Sriharikota spaceport in the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Thoothukudi was selected as a spaceport due to its nearness to the equator. A rocket launch site should be on the east coast and near the equator.
- Logistical ease: ISRO has its Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at Mahendragiri in Tirunelveli district, where it assembles the second and fourth-stage engines for the PSLV. Instead of transporting the second and fourth stages to Sriharikota from Mahendragiri, it would be easier to shift them to the launch pad if it is built in Kulasekarapattinam, which is around 100 km away.

Who was Satish Dhawan?

Born in Srinagar, Dhawan was an Indian rocket scientist, known as the ‘Father of Experimental Fluid Dynamics research’ in India.
He is also one of the foremost researchers in the field of turbulence and boundary layers.
In 1972, Dhawan succeeded Vikram Sarabhai as the Chairman of ISRO.
In the decade following his appointment, he directed the Indian space programme through a period of extraordinary growth and spectacular achievement.
His efforts led to operational systems like INSAT- a telecommunications satellite, IRS – the Indian Remote Sensing satellite and the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) that placed India in the league of space-faring nations.
It was after his death in 2002 that the space centre in Sriharikota was renamed the Satish Dhawan Space Center to honour his legacy.

6. Remembering a long-forgotten hero- Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

Subject : History

Section: Art and Culture

Concept :

Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

Mirza Wajid Ali Shah, known as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was born in year 1887 and was the last king of Awadh.
Awadh was significant region and was known for its gardens, granary, and was considered a queen-province of India.
After the 9 year of his rule, The Awadh was annexed in 1856 by EIC and made a buffer state.
Soon after the king was exiled to Garden Reach in Metiabruz and was provided a pension.
He was an excellent connoisseur of art and patronized artists around him.
He spent the last years of his life in Metiabruz on the outskirts of Kolkata.

Contribution to Art

Himself being a poet, a playwright, a gifted composer and an admirer of dance, he patronized various art forms and associated artists.
Dance
A classical Indian dance form, Kathak, was introduced by him as a court dance.
His Kathak teacher was Thakur Prasad ji.
He provided artistic guidance, financial assistance to make this dance form achieve greater heights and a definite form.
He is also believed to start two distinct forms of dance called Rahas and Raas.
Music
He patronized a light classical form of thumri music.
Most famous is bhairavi thumri “Babul Mora Naihar Chhooto Jaay”
He also supported and encourages ragas like Tilak, pilu, sendura, khammach, bhairvi and jhanjhauti.
As a gifted musician he composed various musical compositions such as poems, prose and thumris, under a pseudonym Akhtarpiya.
Gazhals : Diwan-i-Akhtar and Husn-i-Akhtar
Ragas : Jogi, Juhi, Shah-Pasand
Hindustani theatre
Establishment of Parikhaana – a place to teach music and dance to beautiful and talented girls by expert trainers.
By staging Rasleela he promoted this theatre art form.
Some historians and experts believe his to be the first playwright of the Hindustani theatre.
Playwright
Radha Kanhaiyya Ka Qissa;
Darya-i-Tashsq;
Bhahar-i-Ulfat etc.
Poetry
He was known to use a poetic takhallus, a pen name used by poets, Qaisar.
Works in poetry
Sawat-ul-Qalub;
Huzn-i-Akhtar
He also patronized the famous poet Mirza Ghalib.

7. Declare floods as calamity, compensate farmers for loss

Subject :Government schemes

Concept :

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella organisation of various farmers’ outfits, urged the Centre to declare the floods and landslides in north Indian States, particularly in Himachal Pradesh, as a national calamity.

What is a national calamity/ disaster?

The central government has examined proposals in the past to define a national disaster.
However, there is no provision, executive or legal, to declare a natural calamity as a national calamity.
Hence there is no fixed criterion to define any calamity as a national calamity.
In this regard, the 10th Finance Commission (1995-2000) examined a proposal.
The proposal was to term a disaster “a national calamity of rarest severity” if it affects one-third of the state’s population.
The panel did not define a “calamity of rare severity”.
But it stated that a calamity of rare severity would necessarily have to be adjudged on a case-to-case basis.
It would have to take into account:
the intensity and magnitude of the calamity
the level of assistance needed
the capacity of the state to tackle the problem
the alternatives and flexibility available within the plans to provide relief, etc
Accordingly, 2013 Uttarakhand flood and 2014 Cyclone Hudhud in Andhra Pradesh were classified as calamities of “severe nature”.

What are the benefits of such a declaration?

On declaration as a calamity of “rare severity”/”severe nature”, support to the state government is provided at the national level.
The Centre also considers additional assistance from the National Disaster Response Fund.
A Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) is set up, with the corpus shared 3:1 between Centre and state.
When CRF resources are inadequate, additional assistance is considered from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF).
NCCF is funded 100% by the Centre.
Relief in repayment of loans or grant of fresh loans to the affected persons on concessional terms are also considered.

How is the funding decided?

It works as per the National Policy on Disaster Management, 2009.
The National Crisis Management Committee deals with major crises that have serious or national ramifications.
It is headed by the Cabinet Secretary.
The inter-ministerial central teams are deputed to the affected states.
They make assessment of damage and relief assistance required.
An inter-ministerial group, headed by the Union Home Secretary, studies the assessment.
It then recommends the quantum of assistance from the NDRF/NCCF.
Based on this, a high-level committee approves the central assistance.
It comprises of Finance Minister as chairman, and Home Minister, Agriculture Minister, and others as members.

8. Data Protection Bill poses severe restrictions to RTI Act, NCPRI cautions govt

Subject : Polity

Section: Legislation in news

Concept :

An upcoming amendment to the Right to Information Act, 2005 is set to remove the legal basis allowing government agencies to share personal information in public interest, a move that activists have warned would dilute the transparency law.
In the version of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill cleared for introduction in Parliament, a copy of which was reviewed by The Hindu, there exists a section that would eliminate the majority of ection 8(1) (j) of the RTI Act, 2005

Section 8(1) (j) of the RTI Act, 2005

Section 8 (1) mentions exemptions against furnishing information under RTI Act.
Section 8(1) (j) of the RTI Act, 2005 encapsulates that information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has no relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual, unless the CPIO or SPIO or the Appellate Authority is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information should be exempted from disclosure.
Further, the information which cannot be denied to the Parliament or the State Legislature shall not be denied to any person.
So, Section 8(1)(j) of the Act allows officials to refuse access to information if it intrudes on the privacy of an individual, but permits disclosure of information if there is an overriding public interest law.

About NCPRI

The National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI) was founded in 1996. Its founding members included social activists, journalists, lawyers, professionals, retired civil servants and academics.
One of its primary objectives was to campaign for a national law facilitating the exercise of the fundamental right to information.
Since the passage of the law, the campaign has been working towards effective implementation of the Act and realisation of peoples’ right to information.

9. FinMin asked to consider imposing customs duty on Chinese stainless steel

Subject : Economy

Section: External sector

Concept :

The Ministry of Steel has written to the Finance Ministry asking it to look at the possibility of levying customs duty on Chinese stainless steel shipments coming into India.
Such a duty will benefit the domestic stainless steel industry which has been badly hit by such imports and is “facing low capacity utilisation”.
The import of stainless steel from China increased from about 20 per cent to about 60 per cent of overall imports into the country.
The DGTR has, in the sunset clause review, recommended the continuation of customs duty on stainless steel imports from China in April 2023.
Sunset clause is a clause or provision in a legislation, rule, or legislation that states the law will expire after a certain date unless it is renewed by legislative action. The law/statute is also referred to as ‘periodic review’.

About DGTR

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) (earlier known as DGAD) was formed in 2018 as an integrated single window agency for providing comprehensive and swift trade defence mechanism in India.
It is a single national entity dealing with all kinds of Trade Remedial measures (anti-dumping, countervailing, safeguard).
Previous Mechanism: Earlier, the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) dealt with anti-dumping and CVD cases, Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS) dealt with safeguard measures and DGFT dealt with quantitative restriction (QR) safeguards.
The DGTR brings DGAD, DGS and Safeguards (QR) functions of DGFT into its fold by merging them into one single national entity.
It also provides trade defense support to our domestic industry and exporters in dealing with increasing instances of trade remedy investigations instituted against them by other countries.
DGTR provides a level playing field to the domestic industry against the adverse impact of the unfair trade practices like dumping and subsidies from any exporting country.
For this it uses Trade Remedial methods under relevant framework of WTO arrangements, Customs Tariff Act & Rules and other relevant laws and International agreements, in a transparent and time bound manner.
DGTR functions as an attached office of Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

10. PSU banks wary after SBI’s dismal AT-1 bond issue

Subject : Economy

Section: Monetary Policy

Concept :

The underwhelming subscription to State Bank of India (SBI)’s additional tier-1 (AT-1) bond issue on Thursday has dampened market sentiment and is expected to make fund-raising harder for other PSU banks, even leading to delays in certain cases.

Additional Tier – 1 Bonds

AT-1 bonds are a type of unsecured, perpetual bonds that banks issue to shore up their core capital base to meet the Basel-III norms.
There are two routes through which these bonds can be acquired:
Initial private placement offers of AT-1 bonds by banks seeking to raise money.
Secondary market buys of already-traded AT-1 bonds.
AT-1 bonds are like any other bonds issued by banks and companies, but pay a slightly higher rate of interest compared to other bonds.
These bonds are also listed and traded on the exchanges. So, if an AT-1 bondholder needs money, he can sell it in the secondary market.
Investors cannot return these bonds to the issuing bank and get the money. i.e there is no put option available to its holders.
However, the issuing banks have the option to recall AT-1 bonds issued by them (termed call options that allow banks to redeem them after 5 or 10 years).
Banks issuing AT-1 bonds can skip interest payouts for a particular year or even reduce the bonds’ face value.
AT-1 bonds are regulated by RBI. If the RBI feels that a bank needs a rescue, it can simply ask the bank to write off its outstanding AT-1 bonds without consulting its investors.

11. Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour

Subject : International Relations

Section: msc

Concept :

French President Emmanuel Macron recently conferred his country’s highest honour, the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, upon the Indian Prime Minister.

About Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour:

The National Order of the Legion of Honour, or simply The Legion of Honour is the highest French decoration, both civil and military, and is one of the most famous national honours in the world.
Five Degrees: The Legion of Honour has five degrees of increasing distinction: three ranks — Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), and Commandeur (Commander) — and two titles — Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand-croix (Grand Cross). The Prime Minister has been honoured with the highest French honour, akin to the Bharat Ratna in India.
Origin: The Order was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, and has been presented for more than the past two centuries on behalf of the French Head of State to its most deserving citizens in all fields of activity.
Are foreigners eligible?
Foreigners may be decorated with the Legion of Honour “if they have rendered services (e.g., cultural or economic) to France or supported causes defended by France, such as human rights, freedom of the press, or humanitarian action”.
The motto of the Order is: Honneur et Patrie, French for Honour and Fatherland.

Award:

There is no material or financial benefit attached to the award.
The award badge is a five-armed Maltese asterisk hung on an oak and laurel wreath.
On the obverse is the effigy of the Republic and on the reverse two tricolour flags surrounded by the motto. The colour of the ribbon is red.

12. Four months on, Jharkhand Governor plans to helm Tribes Advisory Council

Subject: Polity

Section: Constitution

Concept :

Four months into taking charge as Governor of Jharkhand, C.P. Radhakrishnan has set his sights on “taking over” the Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) of the State, which is constituted under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes, and currently has the Chief Minister as its ex-officio head.
Jharkhand has seen tensions escalate between the Raj Bhawan and the Hemant Soren-led State government over the TAC under the tenure of Mr. Radhakrishnan’s predecessor Ramesh Bais as well.

Tribal Advisory Council

According Article 244(1) of Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India, the Tribes Advisory Councils (TAC) shall be established in each State having Scheduled Areas therein and, if the President so directs, also in any State having Scheduled Tribes but not Scheduled Areas therein.
Tribal Advisory Council consists of not more than 20 members, three-fourths shall be the representatives of the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State.
If the condition of seats are not fulfilled:
If the number of representatives of the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State is less than the number of seats in the Tribes Advisory Council to be filled by such representatives, the remaining seats shall be filled by other members of those tribes.
It should be established in each state having scheduled areas therein. They are constitutional bodies formed to deal with welfare and advancement of scheduled tribes in states.
Accordingly, Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) have been constituted in 10(Ten) states having Scheduled Areas therein namely Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan.
Further, the States of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand not having any notified Scheduled Area also have Tribes Advisory Council constituted therein.
Accordingly, there is no State (mandated to establish TAC), which have not constituted TAC.
The Governor may make rules prescribing or regulating, as the case may be,
the number of members of the Council, the mode of their appointment and the appointment of the Chairman of the Council and of the officers and servants thereof;
the conduct of its meetings and its procedure in general; and
all other incidental matters.
Duty of Tribal Advisory Council-
To advise on such matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the Scheduled Tribes in the State as may be referred to them by the Governor.

Fifth Schedule

In the Article 244(1) of the Constitution, expression Scheduled Areas means such areas as the President may by order declare to be Scheduled Areas.

The President may at any time by order

direct that the whole or any specified part of a Scheduled Area shall cease to be a Scheduled Area or a part of such an area;
increase the area of any Scheduled Area in a State after consultation with the Governor of that State;
alter, but only by way of rectification of boundaries, any Scheduled Area;
on any alteration of the boundaries of a State on the admission into the Union or the establishment of a new State, declare any territory not previously included in any State to be, or to form part of, a Scheduled Area;
rescind, in relation to any State of States, any order or orders made under these provisions and in consultation with the Governor of the State concerned, make fresh orders redefining the areas which are to be Scheduled Areas.

There are 10 states having scheduled areas:

Andhra Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Gujarat
Himachal Pradesh
Jharkhand
Madhya Pradesh
Maharashtra
Odisha
Rajasthan and
Telangana

Criteria for the declaration of the Scheduled Area:

Prominent numbers of tribal population, i.e. when tribal people are in majority in an area
Compactness and reasonable size of the area
A viable administrative entity such as a district, block or taluk, and
Economic backwardness of the area as compared to the neighbouring areas.

Special provisions for 5^th Schedules

The Governor of each State having Scheduled Areas (SA) shall annually, or whenever so required by the President, make a report to the President regarding the administration of Scheduled Areas in that State.
The Union Government shall have executive powers to give directions to the States as to the administration of the Scheduled Areas.
Para 4 of the Fifth Schedule provides for establishment of a Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) in any State having Scheduled Areas. If the President so directs, there will be established a TAC in a State having Scheduled tribes but not Scheduled Areas therein, consisting of not more than twenty members of whom, three-fourths shall be the representatives of the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State. If the number of representatives of the STs in the Legislative Assembly of the State is less than the number of seats in the TAC to be filled by such representatives, the remaining seats shall be filled by other members of those Tribes.
The TAC shall advise on such matters pertaining to the welfare and the advancement of the STs in the State as may be referred to them by the Governor.
The Governor may make rules prescribing or regulating
- the number of members of the Council, the mode of their appointment and the appointment of the Chairman of the Council and of the officers and servants thereof,
- the conduct of its meetings and its procedure in general; and
- all other incidental matters.
The Governor may, by public notification, direct that any particular Act of Parliament or of the Legislature of the State shall or shall not apply to a SA or any part thereof in the State, subject to such exceptions and modifications, as specified. The Governor may make regulations for the peace and good government of any area in the State which is for the time being a SA. Such regulations may
- prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of the Scheduled tribes in such area;
- regulate the allotment of land to members of the STs in such area;
- regulate the carrying on of business as money-lender by persons who lend money to members of the STs in such area.
In making such regulations, the Governor may repeal or amend any Act of Parliament or of Legislature of the State or any existing law after obtaining assent of the President.
No regulations shall be made unless the Governor, in case a TAC exists, consults such TAC.

13. India’s third lunar odyssey commences with perfect launch

Subject : Science and technology

Section: Space Technology

Concept :

The Chandrayaan 3 project from India was launched with the goal of landing a spacecraft on the lunar surface.

About Chandrayaan-3

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota successfully launched Chandrayaan-3 using a Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM-3) rocket.
In order to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and wandering on the lunar surface, it is a follow-up mission to Chandrayaan-2. Payloads

Payloads

The Chandrayaan-3 carries six payloads that would help ISRO understand the lunar soil and also get the blue planet’s photographs from the lunar orbit.
Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA) will measure the near-surface plasma density and its changes with time.
Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) will measure seismicity around the landing site and delineate the structure of the lunar crust and mantle.
Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) will determine the elemental composition of lunar soil and rocks around the landing site.
Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) will derive the chemical composition and infer the mineralogical composition of the moon’s surface.
Spectro-polarimetry of HAbitable Planet Earth (SHAPE) will study the spectro-polarimetric signatures of the earth in the near-infrared wavelength range.
This could be used in the search for life on exo-planets beyond the solar system.
Lunar lander Vikram will click photos of the rover Pragyaan as it studies the seismic activity on the moon by dropping some instruments.
Using laser beams, it would try to melt a piece of the lunar surface — the regolith — to study the gases emitted during the process.

Soft Landing

A soft landing on the Moon’s surface refers to a controlled and gentle touchdown of a spacecraft or lunar lander on the lunar terrain.
During a soft landing, the spacecraft undergoes a series of manoeuvres and braking techniques to reduce its velocity and align itself with the landing site.
This typically involves firing retro-rockets or thrusters to slow down the descent and make a controlled approach.
The goal is to land the spacecraft gently without causing any significant damage.

Process of soft landing for Chandrayaan-3

Following the separation from the launch vehicle, the propulsion module along with the lander would proceed for an over a month-long journey towards reaching the orbit of the moon until it goes 100 km above the lunar surface.
After reaching the desired altitude, the lander module would begin its descent for a soft landing on the moon’s south pole region.

Challenges to soft-landing

What happened to Chandrayaan 2?

During this mission, ISRO lost contact with the spacecraft’s lander Vikram.
While the orbiter entered into orbit around the moon, the surface mission failed when the lander crashed instead of executing a slow descent.
ISRO later identified a problem in the guidance software and unexpected dispersion in the propulsion system during certain phases of the descent.

How will Chandrayaan-3 be different?

In Chandrayaan-3, the rocket will place the payload in an elliptical orbit around the earth, where a propulsion module will take over and pilot the lander to a circular orbit around the moon.
To improve the chances of success at this stage, ISRO has strengthened the lander’s legs, lowered its minimum thrust, enhanced the availability of power, and upgraded the landing sequence.