Connect to Current -Daily Current Capsules 25th January 2019

Defence Successful Flight Test of LRSAM

Relevance IN – Prelims(regarding LRSAM ) + Mains ( GS III defence and

security challenges)

What’s the NEWS

Ship launched Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) has been

successfully test fired from INS Chennai against an incoming aerial target

flying at low altitude

The missile destroyed the target with a direct hit. All the mission

objectives have been met.

Know! about LRSAM

LRSAM has been jointly developed by Defence Research and

Development Organisation (DRDO), India and M/s Israel Aerospace

Industries (IAI), Israel for the Indian Navy.

INS Kohassa – a New Bird’s Nest in the Andamans

Relevance IN – Prelims( regarding INS kohassa) + Mains ( GS III defence and

security challenges )

Naval Air Station (NAS) Shibpur was commissioned as INS Kohassa

INS Kohassa has been named after a White-Bellied Sea Eagle, which is a

large bird of prey, endemic to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Know! all about INS Kohassa

NAS Shibpur was established in 2001 as a Forward Operating Air Base

(FOAB) for enhanced surveillance in North Andaman.

The close proximity of Coco Islands (Myanmar) and wide expanse of

Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) makes the base a very vital asset.

The airfield provides sustained detached operations of Indian Navy,

Indian Air Force and Coast Guard aircraft.

The Air Station presently operates Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance

(SRMR) aircraft and helicopters.

These aircraft undertake EEZ Surveillance, Anti-Poaching Missions,

Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief

(HADR) missions within the ANC Area of Responsibility. As a point of

interest, during the search operations of the Malaysian Airlines Flight

370, Dornier DO 228s of the Navy and Coast Guard operated from this

very base.

NAS Shibpur was identified by NITI Aayog as one of the ‘Early Bird’

project as part of holistic island development.

Towards this, IN has been ready in all respects to facilitate civil flight

operations from NAS Shibpur. The runway extension to 10,000 ft is also

planned in the near future to facilitate operations of wide-bodied aircraft.

Government Schemes

Relevance IN – Prelims( factoids)

Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana

Know! the features of the scheme

In Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana a group of Indian diaspora will be

taken on a government-sponsored tour of religious places in India twice a

year.

The first batch of 40 people participated in the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

2019 held in Varanasi.

Those selected would be taken to religious places of all major religions in

India.

The government will bear all the expenses including the airfare from their

country of residence. People of Indian-origin aged 45 to 65 can apply can

avail the benefits under the scheme.

Girmitiya countries

The Scheme accords first preference to people from Girmitiya countries

such as Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and

Jamaica.

The term Girmitiya was coined by Mahatma Gandhi referred to

descendants of indentured Indian labourers brought to Fiji, Mauritius,

South Africa, East Africa, the Malay Peninsula, Caribbean and

South America (Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname) to

work on sugarcane plantations for the prosperity of the European settlers.

Women and Child Development National Girl Child Day

Relevance IN – Prelims( about the scheme) + Mains ( GS I women empowerment

+ GS II government interventions)

What’s the NEWS

The Women & Child Development Ministry celebrated National Girl

Child Day (NGCD) 24th January, 2019

The programme will also observe anniversary of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao

(BBBP) Scheme.

The theme of this NGCD is “Empowering Girls for a Brighter

Tomorrow” and celebrating with objectives of generating awareness on

the issue of declining Child Sex Ratio (CSR) and create a positive

environment around valuing the girl child.

Know! all about Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme

It was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister on 22nd January, 2015 at

Panipat in Haryana. Seeing the good progress and improving trend of Sex

Ratio at Birth (SRB) in 161 implementing districts.

The all India Expansion of BBBP covering all 640 districts (as per Census

2011) was announced at Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan on 8th March 2018.

Out of 640 districts, 405 districts are covered under advocacy & multi-

sectoral action while the remaining 235 districts are covered under media

advocacy & outreach.

It is a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child

Development, Health & Family Welfare and Human Resource

Development

BBBP Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% financial assistance

for District level component and the fund are directly released to the

DC/DM’s account for smooth operation of the Scheme.

BBBP is a comprehensive programme to address the declining Child Sex

Ratio (CSR) and related issues of empowerment of women over a life-

cycle continuum.

The CSR, defined as number of girls per 1000 boys in the age group of 0-6

years.

The specific objectives of the scheme include preventing gender biased

sex selective elimination; ensuring survival and protection of the girl child

and ensuring education and participation of the girl child.

Governance Cabinet decides to strengthen northeast autonomous councils

Approves constitutional amendment to grant more power

Relevance IN – Prelims ( about the schedule areas ) + Mains ( GS Paper II

governance)

What’s the NEWS

The Union Cabinet approved a constitutional amendment to increase

the financial and executive powers of the 10 autonomous councils in

the Sixth Schedule areas of the northeast.

Know! the benefits of the amendment proposed

The amendment would impact a population of about 1 crore tribals living

in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, according to the Centre.

The Finance Commission would be mandated to recommend devolution

of financial resources to the councils, the government said in an official

statement.

Till now, the autonomous councils have depended on grants from Central

Ministries and the State governments for specific projects.

As per the proposed amendment, at least one third of the seats would be

reserved for women in the village and municipal councils in the Sixth

Schedule areas of Assam, Mizoram and Tripura.

The amendment also provides for transfer of additional 30 subjects,

including the departments of Public Works, Forests, Public Health

Engineering, Health and Family Welfare, Urban Development and Food

and Civil Supply to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council and

Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council in Assam.

The Cabinet approves the landmark amendment to Article 280 and Sixth

Schedule of the Constitution.

The most important part of these amendments is that these will

significantly improve the financial resources and powers of the

autonomous districts councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and

Tripura, fulfilling long-standing aspirations of the tribal population in

these northeastern States

A Bill in this regard is expected to be introduced in the upcoming session

of Parliament

This will be a game changer, as it will substantially enhance the funds

available to these local government institutions for undertaking

development works in these tribal areas

The proposed amendments provide for elected village municipal councils,

ensuring democracy at the grass-roots level.

The State Election Commissions would hold elections to the autonomous

councils, village and municipal councils in the areas of Assam, Mizoram

and Tripura.

Know! more about the 6th schedule

The 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with “Administration

of north east states. There is special provision for tribal area in north

east States (Assam,Meghalaya,Tripura and Mizoram).

These tribal areas are to be administered as autonomous districts. These

autonomous districts are not outside the executive authority of the state

concerned but provision is made for the creation of district councils and

regional councils for the exercise of certain legislative and judicial

functions.

There councils are primarily representative bodies and they have got the

power of law-making in certain specified fields such as management of a

forest other than a reserved forest, inheritance of property, marriage and

social customs, and the Government may also confer upon there councils

the power to try certain suits or offences.

These councils have also the power to assess and collect land revenue and

to impose certain specified taxes. While the administration of Scheduled

Areas in States other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram is

dealt with in schedule 5th.

National 9th National Voters Day

Relevance IN – Prelims( regarding national voters day)

What’s the NEWS

The 9th National Voters Day is going to be celebrated on 25th January

2019 for enhanced participation of citizens in the electoral process.

Know! about the National Voters Day

The main purpose of celebrating National Voters Day is to encourage,

facilitate and maximize the enrollment, especially for the new voters.

The proposal mooted by the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Union

Cabinet headed by then Prime Minister approved the proposal to

celebrate National Voters Day on 25TH January.

The National Voters Day was first celebrated on 25th January 2011.

January 25th is celebrated as the National Voter’s Day vowing to the fact

that it was on this day the Election Commission of India was constituted

on 25th January 1950. President Ram Nath Kovind would be the Chief

Guest at the main function being organized by Election

India is going to witness the parliamentary elections in 2019, in order to

ensure an inclusive election process the theme of the National Voters Day

is No Voter to be Left Behind.

Economic Development GDP growth could accelerate to 7.3% in FY20: Crisil

Relevance IN -Prelims(crisil findings) + Mains ( economic developments)

What’s the NEWS

GDP growth is expected to quicken to 7.2% in 2018-19 and further to

7.3% in 2019-20, according to Crisil. The agency predicts retail

inflation to rise substantially by then, to 4.5% in 2019-20.

Know more about the report

Fiscal 2019 was a year of recovery from demonetisation and the initial

disruption caused by the Goods and Service Tax implementation

The economy has so far fired mainly on the public investment cylinder,

and is estimated to grow at 7.2%. Private consumption has disappointed.

Exports, however, have performed well, presenting a buoy to the

manufacturing sector.

In financial year 2019-20, Crisil expects GDP growth to quicken

marginally to 7.3% based on the assumptions of normal rains, lower oil

prices, and a stable political outcome in the 2019 general elections.

With the government likely to stick to a fiscal consolidation path, the

pick-up in growth is expected to be only gradual A change in the growth

mix is on cards, with private sector likely to take over the baton from the

government.

Private consumption growth is expected to pick up on the back of softer

interest rates and an improvement in farm realisations as food inflation

moves up.