Daily Prelims Notes 25 May 2021

May 25, 2021
Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
Category: DPN

Daily Prelims Notes

25 May 2021

Table Of Contents

1. LAKSHADWEEP DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (LDA)

Subject: Governance

Context: Discontent is simmering in the Lakshadweep group of islands over the creation of a Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA) by the new administrator PrafulKhoda Patel.

Concept:

Mr Patel, a BJP leader and former Home Minister of Gujarat, is the first political appointee as Administrator, a post mostly held by retired civil servants.
Islanders have pointed out that the legislation are out of sync with the social and environmental realities of the archipelago.
The creation of the Lakshadweep Development Authority (LDA), with extensive powers, including eviction of land owners, is widely read as having been pushed by the real estate lobby and against the interest of the islanders.
Hundreds of islanders have written to the administrator demanding the withdrawal of the proposed regulation, which makes provision for the
orderly and progressive development of land in both urban and rural areas and to preserve and improve the amenities thereof;
grant of permission to develop land and for other powers of control over the use of land;
Conferring additional powers in respect of the acquisition and development of land for planning.

2. BELARUS

Subject: Geography

Context: The authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus sparked international outrage after his regime forced a commercial airline flying from Greece to Lithuania to land in its territory allegedly on the pretext of a bomb scare, so it could arrest a dissident journalist on board.

Concept:

The journalist, Roman Protasevich, is a prominent opponent of Lukashenko, and had been living in exile in neighbouring Lithuania since fleeing his home country in 2019. Protasevich, 26, is the co-founder of the NEXTA media outlet on social media platform Telegram.
In November 2020, he was charged in Belarus with inciting public disorder and social hatred. The regime has also put his name on a list of terrorists, and if convicted, he could face the death penalty.
Opposition leaders have denounced the incident as an act of terrorism by the state, and infuriated Western leaders are discussing possible consequences for Belarus.

About Belarus

Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.
Minsk is the capital and largest city.
In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in 1917, Byelorussian SSR, became a founding constituent republic of the Soviet Union in 1922. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared independence in 1991. In 2000, Belarus and Russia signed a treaty for greater cooperation, forming the Union State.
It has shown no aspirations for joining the European Union.
Alexander Lukashenko was elected Belarus’s first president in the country’s first and only free election post-independence, serving as president ever since.

3. NIDHI

Subject: Governance

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has unveiled ‘Cool’ PPE Kits for Corona Warriors developed under National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI).

Concept:

What is ‘Cool’ PPE Kits for Corona Warriors?

It is named as Cov-Tech developed by a student innovator Nihaal Singh Adarsh from Mumbai.
It is a compact and frugal innovation which is a ventilation system for PPE kits.
It takes the surrounding air, filters it and pushes it into the PPE suit.
The design of the ventilation system ensures a complete air seal from the PPE kit.
It provides a breeze of fresh air to the user in a gap of just 100 seconds.
The Cov-Tech Ventilation System became a reality, thanks to a Rs. 10 lakh grant for prototype development and product innovation.
The innovator received the funding from NIDHI’s Promoting and Accelerating Young and Aspiring technology entrepreneurs (PRAYAS).

About NIDHI

It is an umbrella program pioneered by the Department of Science & Technology (DST).
It is aimed at nurturing ideas and innovations (knowledge-based and technology-driven) into successful startups.
The objectives of NIDHI are:
To take forward student innovations in IEDC / NewGen IEDC programme to commercialization stage;
To promote student startups; and
To accelerate the journey of idea to prototype by providing initial funding assistance.

4. CDOM

Subject: Science & tech

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Science & Technology has said that the reduced the anthropogenic activities during COVID-19 imposed lockdown period indicated by decreased Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) build-up and nutrients in the Mandovi Estuary.

Concept:

Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM)

The dissolved organic matter is the largest reservoir of organic carbon in the aquatic environment.
It can be greatly influenced by land use, which can ramp up or diminish organic matter loads to waterways.
The forested lands can contribute more DOM than agricultural lands, but the nutrients bound in the material can be less bio-available than those from farm fields.
The organic matter in waterways can be viewed as a mixture of things living and dead, including plant, microbial and animal products at various stages of decomposition.

Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM)

CDOM is interchangeably known as chromophoric dissolved organic matter or colored dissolved organic matter.
The CDOM cover the parameter that can be measured in aquatic environments as a product of decaying material.
CDOM is largely a subset of DOM, or dissolved organic matter.
The decay releases organic substances, also called tannins that stain waters and can have effects on light absorption and other aspects of water quality.
CDOM is closely related to fDOM or fluorescent dissolved organic matter, as fDOM refers to the fraction of CDOM that fluoresces.
CDOM contributes to light absorption and may also help fuel bacterial respiration because of the large quantities of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus that it carries.

5. SWAMIH

Subject : Government Schemes

Context : Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs handed over possession to homebuyers as Government of India’s Special Window for Affordable & Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) completes its first residential project.

Concept :

The residential project — Rivali Park in suburban Mumbai — is the first housing project in India to have received funding under the SWAMIH Fund.

About SWAMIH Fund:

The SWAMIH Fund was launched by Sitharaman in November 2019.
SWAMIH Investment Fund has been formed to complete construction of stalled, RERA-registered affordable and mid-income category housing projects which are stuck due to paucity of funds.
The fund was set up as a Category-II AIF (Alternate Investment Fund) debt fund registered with SEBI.
The Investment Manager of the Fund is SBICAP Ventures, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SBI Capital Markets, which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the State Bank of India.
The Sponsor of the Fund is the Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.

Who will be the investors of the fund?

AIFs created/funded under the Special Window would solicit investment into the fund from the Government and other private investors including cash-rich financial institutions, sovereign wealth funds, public and private banks, domestic pension and provident funds, global pension funds and other institutional investors.

6. SHAHI LICHI

Subject : Economy

Context: In a major boost to export of GI certified products, season’s first consignment of Shahi Litchi from Bihar was exported to United Kingdom by air route.

Concept :

The Shahi Lichi is a variety of lichi that is grown in Muzaffarpur and has high pulp and is juicier compared to the litchi grown in other parts of the country.
Humid condition and alluvial soil having fairly good amount of calcium content in Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, and nearby areas, proved ideal for lichi cultivation in Bihar.
India is the second largest producer of lichi in the world after China and Bihar is the leading state for lichi production in the country. Production is mostly organic.
It was accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag recognition in 2018.
Lichi is most commonly blamed for the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) outbreak in Bihar.
However, experts are of the view that fruit is only a triggering factor for malnourished children as the toxin methylenecyclopropyl glycine (MCPG) can lead to hypoglycemia (fall in sugar levels) in undernourished children that in turn results into unconsciousness, coma and even death.
AES is a basket term used for referring to hospital, children with clinical neurological manifestations which include mental confusion, disorientation, convulsion, delirium or coma.

7. ONE STOP CENTRE SCHEME

Subject : Government Schemes

Context : One Stop Centre Scheme (OSCs) being implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development has provided assistance to over 3 lakh women so far.

Concept :

One Stop Centre Scheme

One stop centre is a centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), for addressing the problem of violence against women.
It is a subscheme of umbrella scheme for National Mission for Empowerment of Women including Indira Gandhi MattritavSahyaogYojana.
One stop centre, will be established across the country to provide integrated support and assistance under one roof to women affected by violence, both in private and public spaces.
The scheme is funded through Nirbhaya Fund and the central government provides 100% financial assistance to the state governments /Union Territories administrations.
Audit will be done as per Comptroller & Auditor General of India norms and social audit will also be undertaken by civil society groups.

One stop centres will be integrated with women helplines to provide following services:

Emergency response and rescue services.
Medical assistance.
Assistance to women in lodging the FIR.
Psycho- social support and counselling.
Legal aid and counselling.
Shelter
Video conferencing facility.

8. EKLAVYA MODEL RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS

Subject : Governance

Context : Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Microsoft sign MoU on Joint initiative for Digital Transformation of Tribal Schools such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and Ashram Schools.

Concept :

Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) started in the year 1997-98 to impart quality education to ST children in remote areas.
The schools focus not only on academic education but on the all-round development of the students.
The objective of EMRS is to provide quality middle and high level education to Scheduled Tribe (ST) students in remote areas, not only to enable them to avail of reservation in high and professional educational courses and as jobs in government and public and private sectors but also to have access to the best opportunities in education at par with the non ST population.
Each school has a capacity of 480 students, catering to students from Class VI to XII.
These are being set up by grants provided under Article 275(1) of the Constitution.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) are funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
In order to give further impetus to EMRS, it has been decided that by the year 2022, every block with more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons, will have an EMRS.
Eklavya schools are on par with NavodayaVidyalaya and have special facilities for preserving local art and culture besides providing training in sports and skill development.

9. SAMVEDNA

Subject : Governance

Context :With an objective of providing psychological first-aid and emotional support to children affected during COVID-19 Pandemic, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)is providing Tele-Counselling to children through SAMVEDNA.

Concept :

SAMVEDNA stands for Sensitizing Action on Mental Health Vulnerability through Emotional Development and Necessary Acceptance.
It is a Toll-Free Helpline launched to provide psycho-social mental support for Children affected during COVID 19 Pandemic.
This service is available on a toll-free No: 1800-121-2830 from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Tele counselling is provided to the children under three categories:

Children who are in Quarantine/isolation/COVID Care centers.

Children who have COVID positive parents or family members and near ones.

Children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19 Pandemic.

10. MISSION COVID SURAKSHA

Subject : Governance

Context : Under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0 Mission COVID Suraksha was announced by the Government of India, to accelerate the development and production of Indigenous COVID Vaccines.

Concept :

Mission COVID Suraksha is India’s targeted effort to enable the development of indigenous, affordable and accessible vaccines for the country and will complement the ongoing mission of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The Centre had announced this package during the third economic stimulus.
The Mission with its end-to-end focus from preclinical development through clinical development and manufacturing and regulatory facilitation for deployment, would consolidate all available and funded resources towards accelerated product development.
Phase-I of the Mission has been allotted Rs. 900 Crore for a period of 12 months.
The grant will be provided to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) for Research and Development (R&D) of Indian Covid-19 vaccines.
It will be led by DBT and implemented by a dedicated Mission Implementation Unit at the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC is a Public Sector Enterprise, set up by the Department of Biotechnology).
The existing activities under National Bio Pharma Mission (NBM) and Ind-CEPI Mission will provide complementary strengths to this Mission.
The DBT is supporting the implementation of the Ind-CEPI Mission, “Epidemic preparedness through rapid vaccine development: Support of Indian vaccine development aligned with the global initiative of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)”.