Current Affairs Reverse Engineering – CARE (11-09-2024)
| News at a Glance |
| Polity and Governance: Government launches website with technical terms in 22 official Indian languages |
| Centre relaxes exclusion criteria under PMAY |
| Economy: Centre revises National Highway rules: Free travel up to 20 km for satellite system-equipped vehicles |
| Science and Technology: Polaris Dawn mission: first private spacewalk |
| National Testing House to now certify drones |
Government launches website with technical terms in 22 official Indian languages
Source: The Hindu
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS Paper 3 (Science and Technology), Paper- 2 Polity
Context: Government launches website with technical terms in 22 official Indian languages
Why in news
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), under the aegis of the Union Education Ministry, has launched a unique website which provides technical terms in all 22 official Indian languages.
Key highlights
- The web portal ‘shabd.education.gov.in’ aims to be a central repository for terminologies in Indian languages, featuring glossaries and dictionaries from various institutions and agencies.
- As of now, the website hosts 450 dictionaries, containing about three million words.
- Users can search for scientific and technical terms in Indian languages and provide feedback on existing terms. Search options include filtering by language, subject, dictionary type, or language pairs.
- The portal is significant in the context of promoting technical education in Indian languages, including fields like medicine and engineering.
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), established in 1960, is responsible for evolving and defining scientific and technical terms in Hindi and other Indian languages. The CSTT also publishes textbooks, journals, and glossaries.
- CSTT collaborates with various government bodies, institutions, and public sector units to publish glossaries and organize events to popularize standard terminology in Indian languages.
- Since its launch in March 2024, the portal has received 1,22,643 hits from users in India and abroad.
- The process of word collection involved special subject-based committees and language committees, supported by the National Translation Mission under the Department of Higher Education.
- Words were compiled from various definitional dictionaries, glossaries, and reference materials published by the CSTT over the years.
About The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT):
- The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) was established on October 01, 1961, following a Presidential Order dated April 27, 1960, with the goal of developing technical terminology in all Indian languages.
- It operates under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, and is headquartered in New Delhi.
- CSTT’s primary function is to create, promote, and widely distribute standard terminology. It also prepares and publishes bilingual and trilingual glossaries, national terminology, school-level terminology, and departmental glossaries.
- The commission identifies Pan Indian terms, creates definitional dictionaries and encyclopedias, and prepares university-level textbooks, monographs, and journals. Additionally, CSTT provides grants to Granth Academies, Textbook Boards, and University Cells for regional language textbooks, and supports the National Translation Mission by supplying necessary terminology.
- The commission collaborates with state governments, universities, and regional textbook boards in its work, and it also offers free distribution of publications and organizes training programs, workshops, and seminars to review and expand the use of coined terms.
Article 344 of the Indian Constitution:
- Article 344 of the Indian Constitution pertains to the official language of the Union and the procedure for its usage. It primarily focuses on the formation of a Commission and Committee to recommend the progressive use of Hindi for official purposes.
Features of Article 344
- Commission for Official Language: The President must constitute a Commission at the end of five years from the commencement of the Constitution, and thereafter at ten-year intervals. This Commission is tasked with making recommendations regarding the use of Hindi as the official language, and the restriction of English for official purposes.
- Committee of Parliament: After the Commission submits its report, the President will refer it to a Committee of Parliament. This Committee will consist of 30 members—20 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha—to examine the recommendations and suggest necessary changes.
Recommendations:
- The recommendations focus on the progressive use of Hindi and any limitations on the use of English, along with other aspects like the language to be used in Parliament, for official communications, and for conducting the business of the Union and the States.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q1. Consider the following statements:
How many of the above statements are incorrect?
|
Q. Which one of the following was given classical language status recently? (2015)
(A) Odia (B) Konkani (C) Bhojpuri (D) Assamese Ans: (A) |
| Answer 1 – D
Explanation –
|
Centre relaxes exclusion criteria under PMAY
Source: Indian Express
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/centre-relaxes-norms-under-pmay-gramin-9561081/
UPSC Syllabus Relevance: GS Paper 2– Welfare Schemes
Context: Centre relaxes exclusion criteria under PMAY; find out who is eligible to avail govt’s rural housing scheme
Why in news
- The government has relaxed PMAY-G exclusion criteria, making families with two-wheelers, fishing boats, or incomes up to Rs 15,000 eligible.
Key highlights
- The government has relaxed the “automatic exclusion” criteria under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
- Families owning two-wheelers, motorized fishing boats, refrigerators, landline phones, or earning up to Rs 15,000 per month are now eligible for the rural housing scheme.
- However, exclusion still applies to households owning motorized three/four-wheelers, mechanized agricultural equipment, Kisan Credit Cards with a credit limit of Rs 50,000 or more, government employees, those with registered non-agricultural enterprises, income tax payers, professional tax payers, and those owning 2.5 acres or more of irrigated land.
- Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the changes during a video conference with state Rural Development Ministers, also mentioning that land-related criteria have been rationalized.
- Households with pucca roofs, pucca walls, or more than two rooms remain excluded.
- The revision is part of the Centre’s aim to construct two crore additional houses under the scheme by 2028-29, following a Union Cabinet approval on August 9.
- These will be in addition to the 2.95 crore target under the ‘Housing for All’ programme, of which 2.65 crore houses have already been completed.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release Rs 2,745 crore to PMAY-G beneficiaries on September 15 in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, and distribute acceptance letters to all targeted beneficiaries for 2024-25. Beneficiaries under PMAY-G receive up to Rs 1.2 lakh in plains and Rs 1.30 lakh in hilly, difficult, tribal, and backward areas.
- The cost-sharing ratio between the Centre and states is 60:40 in plain areas, 90:10 for Northeastern states, Himalayan states, and Jammu & Kashmir, while the Centre covers 100% in other Union Territories including Ladakh.
About Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY):
- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) is a flagship housing scheme launched by the Government of India with the aim of providing affordable housing to all by 2022. The scheme is divided into two components: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) for rural areas and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) for urban areas.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G):
- Objective: To provide pucca houses with basic amenities to the homeless and those living in kutcha or dilapidated houses in rural areas.
- Target: The initial target was to construct 2.95 crore houses by March 2022 under the ‘Housing for All’ program. This has since been extended, with an additional target of constructing 2 crore houses by 2028-29.
- Financial Assistance: Beneficiaries receive financial assistance of up to Rs 1.2 lakh in plains and Rs 1.3 lakh in hilly, difficult, and tribal areas. The cost is shared between the Centre and states in a 60:40 ratio in plains and 90:10 for Northeastern and Himalayan states. In Union Territories, the Centre bears 100% of the cost.
- Eligibility: The scheme targets those who do not own a pucca house and are listed in the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) 2011 data, with priority given to certain vulnerable groups.
- Implementation: The scheme is implemented through a convergence approach, integrating various rural development programs to provide basic amenities like toilets, drinking water, and electricity.
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U):
- Objective: To address the housing needs of the urban poor, including slum dwellers, by providing them with pucca houses.
- Target: The scheme aims to construct 1.12 crore houses in urban areas by 2022.
- Components:
- In-situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR): Focuses on using land as a resource to provide houses to eligible slum dwellers.
- Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS): Provides interest subsidies on home loans for eligible beneficiaries, including Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Low-Income Groups (LIG), and Middle-Income Groups (MIG).
- Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP): Promotes affordable housing projects in partnership with public and private sector developers.
- Beneficiary-Led Construction (BLC): Supports individual eligible families to either construct new houses or enhance existing ones.
- Subsidy and Assistance: Under the CLSS, beneficiaries can avail of interest subsidies on housing loans. For EWS and LIG categories, the subsidy is provided for loans up to Rs 6 lakh, with an interest subsidy of 6.5%.
- Implementation: The scheme is implemented through a partnership between the Centre, states, and urban local bodies, with a focus on convergence with other urban development initiatives.
Both PMAY-G and PMAY-U are integral parts of the government’s broader vision of “Housing for All,” aiming to provide safe and affordable housing to all sections of society by addressing the specific needs of rural and urban populations.
Challenges in PMAY- G:
Challenges in the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) include:
- Land Availability: Many beneficiaries, especially in rural areas, lack land ownership, making it difficult to construct houses under the scheme.
- Funding Delays: There are often delays in the release of funds from the government, which hinders timely construction.
- Construction Quality: Ensuring the quality of construction is a challenge, particularly in remote areas where access to materials and skilled labor is limited.
- Beneficiary Identification: Identifying and reaching out to eligible beneficiaries, particularly in tribal and remote regions, can be difficult due to a lack of accurate data.
- Geographical Challenges: In hilly, tribal, and backward areas, difficult terrain and lack of infrastructure complicate construction and logistics.
- Coordination Between Agencies: Effective coordination between various government agencies, state governments, and local bodies is necessary but often challenging.
- Awareness and Outreach: Many eligible beneficiaries are unaware of the scheme or its benefits, leading to lower participation rates.
- Monitoring and Supervision: Effective monitoring of the progress and ensuring compliance with guidelines is challenging, particularly in vast rural areas.
- Corruption and Leakages: Instances of corruption and misallocation of funds can undermine the effectiveness of the scheme.
Addressing these challenges is crucial to achieving the objectives of the PMAY-G and ensuring that the benefits reach the intended population.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
Q2. Consider the following statements:
How many of the above statements are correct?
|
Q. In the context of the Indian economy, non-financial debt includes which of the following? (2020)
1. Housing loans owed by households 2. Amounts outstanding on credit cards 3. Treasury bills Select the correct answer using the code given below: (A) 1 only (B) 1 and 2 only (C) 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: (D) |
| Answer 2: B
Explanation:
|
Centre revises National Highway rules: Free travel up to 20 km for satellite system-equipped vehicles
Source: Indian Express
UPSC Syllabus Relevance : GS Paper – 3 Infrastructure
Context: Revised National Highway rules
Why in News
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has recently revised the National Highways Fee Rules.
Key Highlights
Free Travel Provision
- Under the new rules, vehicles equipped with GNSS will enjoy zero-user fees for the first 20 kilometers of travel in each direction on national highways.
- This means that drivers will not incur any toll charges for short trips, promoting more efficient use of the highway system.
Distance-Based Tolling
- The revised rules introduce a distance-based tolling system.
- After the initial 20 kilometers, users will only pay for the actual distance traveled.
- This approach is designed to ensure that tolls are fair and proportional to the distance driven, potentially benefiting frequent travelers.
Exclusive Lanes for GNSS Vehicles
- Vehicles equipped with GNSS will have access to exclusive lanes at toll plazas, allowing them to pass through without stopping for toll payments or FASTag scanning.
- This feature is expected to significantly reduce waiting times at toll booths, enhancing the overall travel experience.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
- To enforce the new system, vehicles without GNSS that enter the exclusive lanes will face a penalty of double the toll fee.
- This measure aims to encourage compliance and ensure that only eligible vehicles benefit from the streamlined tolling process.
About The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is a ministry of the Government of India, that is the apex body for formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to road transport, transport research and in also to increase the mobility and efficiency of the road transport system in India.
- The Department of War Transport was formed in July, 1942, by the bifurcation of the then Department of Communications into two Departments:
- Department of Posts
- Department of War Transport
National Highways and Budget 2024-25
- The Union Budget 2024 maintains NHAI’s funding at Rs 1.68 lakh crore for 2024-25, with an unchanged highways sector outlay of Rs 2.78 lakh crore. NHAI and NHIDCL play vital roles in constructing national highways and expressways. Previous budgets also highlighted significant funding for these infrastructure projects.
- The Budget 2024-25 also retained the outlay of Rs 2.78 lakh crore for the highways sector. The pre-election Budget 2024-25 document had an outlay of Rs 2.78 lakh crore for the highways sector.
- An allocation of Rs 2.70 lakh crore was made for the highways sector for 2023-24, which was revised to Rs 2.76 lakh crore.
- NHAI and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) are primarily responsible for the construction of national highways and expressways in India.
Major National Highways in India
- Jammu & Kashmir: NH 1 B and NH 244
- Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, UP, WB: NH 19 (Golden Quadrilateral)
- Andaman & Nicobar Island: NH 4
- Assam, Nagaland: NH 129
Conclusion
- The recent amendments to the National Highways Fee Rules represent a progressive step towards modernizing toll collection in India. By implementing a GNSS-based system, the government aims to enhance efficiency, reduce congestion, and provide a more user-friendly experience for drivers. As this system rolls out, it will be interesting to see its impact on traffic flow and toll revenue across the national highway network.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q3. Consider the following statement with reference to new revises National Highway rules:
1. Recently The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has recently revising the National Highways. 2. The revised rules introduce a distance-based tolling system. 3. GNSS-equipped vehicles will have no user fee for the first 200 kilometers of travel in each direction on national highways. Which of the above statement is/are incorrect? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 3 only (D) 1,2 and 3 |
Q. Consider the following pairs: (2014)
National Highway : Cities connected 1. NH 4 : Chennai and Hyderabad 2. NH 6 : Mumbai and Kolkata 3. NH 15 : Ahmedabad and Jodhpur Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 3 only (C) 1, 2 and 3 (D) None Ans: (D) |
| Answer 3: C
Explanation
|
Polaris Dawn mission : first private spacewalk
Source: Indian Express
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-sci-tech/everything-about-polaris-dawn-mission
UPSC Syllabus Relevance : GS Paper 3 Science and Technology
Context : Polaris Dawn mission
Why in News
- The recent launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket marks a historic moment in space exploration as it carries billionaire Jared Isaacman and his crew into orbit to undertake the world’s first private spacewalk.
Key Highlights
- This groundbreaking mission, known as Polaris Dawn, is the first of three planned under the Polaris Program, which aims to develop technologies for future crewed missions to Mars. Originally scheduled for late August, the launch faced delays due to a helium leak and adverse weather conditions.
Understanding Spacewalks
- A spacewalk, or “extravehicular activity (EVA),” involves astronauts performing tasks outside their spacecraft while in orbit.
- The first spacewalk was conducted by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965, lasting just 10 minutes.
- Recently spacewalks typically occur outside the International Space Station (ISS) and can last between five to eight hours, serving purposes like scientific experiments and equipment repairs.
The Crew Onboard
- Leading the Polaris Dawn mission is Jared Isaacman, founder of the electronic payment company Shift4 and commander of the crew.
- Joining him are retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Scott Poteet and SpaceX engineers Anna Menon and Sarah Gillis.
- This mission marks Isaacman’s second journey into space, following his previous trip in 2021.
Mission Objectives
- The Polaris Dawn crew aims to reach an unprecedented altitude of approximately 1,400 km, surpassing the previous record set by NASA’s Gemini XI mission in 1966.
- This altitude places them within the inner Van Allen radiation belts, where they will conduct research on the effects of spaceflight and radiation on human health.
- The mission also includes a planned spacewalk to test new EVA spacesuits developed by SpaceX.
About the Van Allen Belts
- The Van Allen Belts consist of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetosphere, which protects the planet from solar storms and cosmic rays.
- These belts were first identified in 1958 by the American physicist James Van Allen.
- The belts are divided into two types:
- Located between 680 and 3,000 kilometres above the Earth’s surface, this belt is primarily composed of high-energy protons. It forms due to the interaction between cosmic rays and Earth’s atmosphere.
- Situated at altitudes ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, the outer belt predominantly consists of high-energy electrons originating from the solar wind.
- The spacewalk during Polaris Dawn will expose the crew to higher levels of radiation than those on the ISS.
- The charged particles within these belts can lead to radiation sickness, harm to human tissues, and an increased risk of cancer.
- Data collected during this mission will be crucial for future deep-space missions, including NASA’s planned 2025 mission to the Moon and Mars.
Polaris Missions ahead:
- Isaacman has committed to three Polaris missions in collaboration with SpaceX.
- The first mission is planned to last five days, with future missions set to push the boundaries of human spaceflight, communications, and scientific research.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q4. Which option is not correctly matched regarding Polaris Dawn space mission?
(A) Polaris Dawn will be the first governmental mission to conduct a spacewalk, reaching an altitude of approximately 700 km above Earth. (B) The Polaris Dawn mission’s altitude will surpass that of the International Space Station, which orbits at about 400 km. (C) SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule will be used for the Polaris Dawn mission, aiming to break the Gemini 11 altitude record of 1,373 km. (D) The Polaris Dawn mission is led by billionaire Jared Isaacman, known for financing SpaceX’s Inspiration 4 mission. |
Q. Consider the following statements: (2016)
1. The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO 2. Is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission 3. Made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA 4. Made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3 Ans: (C) |
| Answer 4 A
Explanation
|
National Testing House to now certify drones
Source: Indian Express
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/national-testing-house-to-now-certify-drones-9561078/
UPSC Syllabus Relevance : GS Paper – 3 & 2 (Defence Technology Government Policies & Interventions)
Context: National Testing House to now certify drones
Why in news
- The National Testing House (NTH) has recently gained approval from the Quality Control of India to become the certifying body for drones in India.
Key Highlights
Official Approval by Quality Control of India
- The Quality Council of India has provisionally approved the NTH, based in Ghaziabad, to conduct type certification for drones as part of the Certification Scheme for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
- This designation positions the NTH as the only government agency authorized by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to certify drone models, a task previously dominated by multinational companies.
First Onsite Assessment
- A team of auditors from the NTH is set to conduct a Stage-2 onsite assessment of M/s Vimaana Aerospace Technologies in Noida on September 11-12, 2024.
- This evaluation focuses on their D1 application for the Krishiraj 1.0 agricultural drone model, showcasing the NTH’s proactive approach to facilitating local drone technology advancements.
Cost-Effective Certification
- The NTH is offering drone certification at a competitive rate of ₹1.5 lakh per model, positioning itself as the most affordable option in the industry.
- This initiative not only makes certification more accessible for local manufacturers but also encourages innovation within India’s drone sector.
Streamlined Certification Process
- The NTH has successfully completed the first stage of the certification process for the Krishiraj drone, demonstrating its operational efficiency.
- The second stage audit is expected to yield a report that will be forwarded to the DGCA, emphasizing NTH’s commitment to adhering to both national and international standards for drone operation.
Conclusion
- The approval of the National Testing House as a certifying body for drones underscores the Government of India’s commitment to developing a self-sufficient and competitive drone ecosystem.
- By providing a cost-effective and efficient certification process, the NTH is poised to play a pivotal role in advancing domestic drone technology, particularly in the agricultural sector.
- This initiative marks a significant leap forward in ensuring compliance with regulatory standards while fostering innovation in India’s burgeoning drone industry.
| CARE MCQ | UPSC PYQ |
| Q5. Consider the following statement with reference to National Testing House (NTH) to conduct type certification for drones?
1. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has approved it. 2. It will be operated under the Vikas Drone Rules 2024. 3. NTH is located in Ghaziabad. 4. This evaluation focuses on their D1 application for the Krishiraj 1.0 agricultural drone model. Which of the above statement is/are correct? (A) 1and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 3 and 4 only (D) 1,2,3 and 4 |
Q. What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news? (2018)
(A) An Israeli radar system (B) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme (C) An American anti-missile system (D) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea Ans: (C) |
| Answer 4 C
Explanation
|