Daily Current Affairs and GK | 12 December 2023

Topic: Indian Polity

1. In a historic decision, the Supreme Court has upheld the Central Government's decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution.

• Under this article, the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was given special status.
• In 2019, the Center had abrogated Article 370 and divided the state into two union territories -- Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.
• A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud gave this decision after hearing petitions challenging the Centre's decision.
• The other four judges of the Constitution bench included Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, and Surya Kant.
• The Supreme Court said that Article 370 was a temporary provision and the President has the right to abrogate it.
• In August 2019, the court upheld the decision to separate Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir and make it a union territory.
• The Court said that Jammu and Kashmir has no internal sovereignty unlike other states and all the provisions of the Indian Constitution apply to Jammu and Kashmir.
• The judges rendered three separate decisions but the final decision was unanimous.
• The Supreme Court said that statehood should be restored to Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible.
• The bench also directed the Election Commission to hold elections by September 2024.

Topic: Indian Polity

2. The 8-member Vice-Chairman Panel reconstituted by Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar with effect from 11 December.

• This was announced by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour. The Vice President's panel was reconstituted with the presence of 50% women MPs in the eight-member panel.
• These members will now conduct the proceedings of the House in the absence of the Chairman or Deputy Chairman.
• This panel includes Bharatiya Janata Party's Kanta Kardam, Saroj Pandey and Dr. CM Ramesh, Samajwadi Party's Jaya Bachchan, and Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi.
• It also includes Akhilesh Prasad Singh of Congress, Tiruchi Siva of DMK, and Sushil Kumar Gupta of Aam Aadmi Party.
• The winter session of Parliament is being held from December 4 to 22.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. A total of Rs 57 lakh crore will be spent by India in the next seven years on climate change adaptation.

• India has told the United Nations Climate Change Framework that India has spent more than 5.5% of its GDP, i.e. about Rs 13 lakh 35 crores, on climate adaptation during the financial year 2021-22.
• India has also informed that for this purpose, about Rs 57 lakh crore will be spent in the next seven years so that the situation of climate change can be prevented from becoming more adverse.
• On December 9, it filed India's latest submission which includes the first assessment of adaptation needs.
• Climate-induced damage could increase this amount by another Rs 15.5 lakh crore.
• Climate adaptation efforts are made to reduce the effects of climate change.
• Its objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Efforts being made for this include building walls in view of rising sea levels, developing crops that are unaffected by temperature, planning to control temperature, and creating infrastructure that can combat disasters.
• Under the Global Climate Change Framework, every country makes an annual assessment of its green gas emissions and provides information to the United Nations.
• These were called National Communications (NATCOMs) under the Kyoto Protocol mechanism of 1997.
• On 9 December, India presented its third NATCOM which will fulfill its obligations under the Kyoto Protocol.
• On 11 December 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan, and entered into force on 16 February 2005.
• The Kyoto Protocol implemented the UNFCCC's objective to reduce the onset of global warming by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere "to levels that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system".

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

4. 1st Delta Ranking of Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP) released by NITI Aayog on 7 December.

• In the first delta ranking of the ABP, Tiriyani Kumuram Bheem block of Asifabad, Telangana has been ranked first.
• The second place was given to Kaushambi block of Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh.
• NITI Aayog announced the rankings at a virtual event, which saw participation from over 329 aspirational districts and 500 aspirational blocks from across the country.
• The ranking of the blocks was calculated based on the performance of the blocks and the progress achieved in the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the month of June 2023.
• Ranking the blocks based on KPIs is a core strategy of the program which is based on the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism.
• This is the first time that a ranking of blocks has been calculated as part of the Aspirational Block Programme.
• Apart from ABP, Aspirational Districts Programme rankings for the month of October 2023 were also announced in which Rayagada (Odisha) and Jamui (Bihar) secured the first and second ranks respectively.
• Aspirational Block Program (ABP) was launched on January 7, 2023.
• ABP focuses on improving governance to enhance the quality of life of citizens in India's most difficult and relatively underdeveloped blocks.
• In consultation with various stakeholders, 40 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were selected to measure the progress of the Block, grouped into 5 themes.
• The baseline data for the first quarter of March 31, 2023, and June 30, 2023, of 500 aspirational blocks was obtained through the management information system of 11 ministries.
• The first delta rank is calculated based on the improvement in the first quarter.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. PM Shri Narendra Modi has appreciated the importance of the NAMO Drone Didi Scheme.

• This scheme is helping women become integral stakeholders of their local agricultural supply chains.
• NAMO Drone Didi scheme:
  • On November 30, PM Narendra Modi launched the 'Drone Didi Scheme'.
  • Under the 'Drone Didi Scheme', drones will be made available to women self-help groups (SHGs), who can earn additional income by renting them to farmers.
  • The Union Cabinet had approved the plan to provide drones to 15 thousand women's groups.
  • Women groups will be given an 80% subsidy (maximum Rs 8 lakh) to purchase drones. Besides, training in operating drones will also be provided.
  • A scheme of Rs 1261 crore has been approved during the years 2024-25 to 2025-26 for providing drones to women's self-help groups (SHGs).
  • It is estimated that by renting drones for agricultural purposes, women farmers can earn additional income of up to Rs 1 lakh annually.
  • Women SHG members will be given 15 days of training.
  • This will include 5 days of mandatory drone pilot training and 10 days of additional training on the use of nutrients and pesticides for agricultural purposes.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

6. ‘Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth’ launched by PM Narendra Modi via video conferencing on 11 December.

• The aim of this initiative is to provide a platform for the youth of the country to contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
• PM Modi said that India's youth is both the "agent of change" and the "beneficiary of change".
• In line with the PM's vision of actively involving the youth of the country in the formulation of the country's national plans, priorities, and goals, the ' Viksit Bharat @2047: Voice of Youth' initiative will provide a platform to the youth of the country.
• Through this, youth will be able to contribute their ideas to the vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
• These workshops will be an important step towards initiating the process of engaging youth to share their ideas and suggestions for a Viksit Bharat @2047.
• Viksit Bharat @2047 aims to make India a developed nation by the 100th year of independence i.e. 2047.
• This vision encompasses various aspects of development including economic growth, social progress, environmental sustainability, and good governance.
• Teachers and universities need to work on finding ways to make India a developed nation with a faster cost.
• PM highlighted the need to channelize the energies of students of each university to achieve the common goal of ' Viksit Bharat'.

Topic: National Appointments

7. Dr Mohan Yadav to become new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.

• Dr Mohan Yadav has been unanimously elected as the new Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh.
• Senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chauhan proposed the name of Mohan Yadav as the new leader of the legislature party.
• Narendra Singh Tomar, Kailash Vijayvargiya, Prahlad Patel, and other senior leaders also supported the proposal.
• Jagdish Deora and Rajendra Shukla have been nominated as Deputy Chief Ministers. Narendra Singh Tomar will become the Legislative Assembly Speaker.
• Dr. Mohan Yadav met Governor Mangubhai Patel at Raj Bhavan and claimed to form the government.
• Dr. Mohan Yadav has been elected from the Ujjain South Assembly seat for the third time. For the first time, he became the cabinet minister in the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government in 2020.
•  The BJP won 163 out of 230 seats in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

8. Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated Khelo India Para games in New Delhi.

• Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur formally inaugurated the Khelo India Para Games 2023 at the KD Jadhav Indoor Hall in New Delhi.
• More than 1450 participants from 32 states and Union Territories and Services Sports Board are participating in the Games.
• This is the first edition of the Khelo India Para Games.
• This initiative is a significant step towards providing equal opportunities for all athletes, regardless of their abilities.
• The main aim of this event is to empower all para-athletes. The government has launched several key projects for the welfare of the differently-abled.
• The Khelo India Para Games is being organized at Indira Gandhi Stadium, Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium and Karni Singh Shooting Range.
• This tournament will be held in athletics, shooting, archery, football, badminton, table tennis and weightlifting.

Topic: Sports

9. India’s largest state-of-the-art Sports Science Centre set up at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

• This centre has been established in partnership with Abhinav Bindra, India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist. 
• This Sport Science Centre has been designed to cater various needs of athletes. It will also help in injury management, rehabilitation, recovery, and performance enhancement.
• This Centre will be facilitated by a team of experts including bio-mechanists, sports scientists, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, strength and conditioning specialists, psychologists, nutritionists, sports masseurs, and nurses.
• The Sports Science Centre in collaboration with Sports Science India will host Odisha’s first Sports Science Conclave on December 16.
• This center will bring sports and medicine under one roof for strengthening grassroots level sports in India.

Topic: Defence

10. Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled two new nuclear-powered submarines.

• Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated the Krasnoyarsk and Emperor Alexander III submarines at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk.
• He was present at the raising of the navy's flag on the newly built nuclear submarines.
• The Emperor Alexander III is the seventh Borei-class atomic-powered submarine to enter the service. 
• The Krasnoyarsk is a nuclear-powered submarine of the new Yasen type. It is also capable of attacking ground targets.
• Another five Yasen-class submarines are also being built.
• Russian lawmakers supported a record increase in military spending, which will account for almost a third of all outlays in 2024.

Topic: Defence

11. Exercise 'Prasthan' was conducted by the Indian Navy near the Mumbai coast.

• The Indian Navy conducted a bi-annual exercise called “Prasthan” in the Western Offshore Development Area off Mumbai.
• It is conducted under the Western Naval Command on every six months.
• Its main aim is to validate measures and procedures to respond to various contingencies that may arise in the oil production platforms.
• The current exercise was conducted on the R12A (Ratna) platform of ONGC. It was started on 8 December and was conducted in two phases.
• In the first phase, security emergencies such as attacks by terrorists and bomb threats from IEDs actions practice were conducted.
• The second phase witnessed action against contingencies such as the fire in the oil platform and assisting a disabled vessel in the offshore development area.
• Several ships and helicopters from the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force, the Indian Coast Guard, ONGC and the Director General of Shipping were deployed for the exercise.
   

Topic: National News

12. All India coal production in FY22 and FY23 was 778.21 Million Tonne (MT) & 893.19 MT (provisional) respectively.

• Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra & West Bengal are major coal producing states in India.
• The coal production target for the current Financial Year are given below.

• 1.5 billion tonnes of coal production is likely by 2029-30.
• The government has taken several steps to increase domestic coal production in order to achieve self-reliance. These steps include:
  • Single Window Clearance
  • Amendment of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 to allow captive mines to sell up to 50% of their annual production after meeting the requirement of the end use plants
  • Production through Mine Developer and Operator (MDO) mode
  • Increasing use of mass production technologies
  • New projects and expansion of existing projects
  • Auction of coal blocks to private companies/PSUs for commercial mining
  • 100% Foreign Direct Investment has also been allowed for commercial mining

Topic: Defence

13. The Indian Armed Forces contingent will participate in the 4th edition of Joint Military Exercise VINBAX-2023.

• The Indian contingent comprising 45 personnel reached Hanoi, Vietnam.
• The exercise is being conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam from 11th to 21st December 2023.
• The Indian contingent includes 39 personnel from an Engineer Regiment of Bengal Engineer Group and 6 personnel from the Army Medical Corps.
• The Vietnam People’s Army contingent will also be represented by 45 personnel.
• Exercise VINBAX was started in 2018. Its first edition was carried out at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• It is an annual training event. It is conducted alternatively in India and Vietnam.
• The last edition was carried out at Chandimandir Military Station in August 2022.
• The exercise aims to foster collaborative partnership and promote inter-operability.
• It also aims to share best practices between the two sides under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping Operations.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

14. Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

• This is a national forest certification scheme. It offers voluntary third-party certification.
• The certification is designed to promote sustainable forest management and agroforestry in the country.
• Forest management certification, tree outside forest management certification, and chain of custody certification are included in the scheme.
• The scheme can provide market incentives to entities that adhere to responsible forest management and agroforestry practices.
• This covers state forest departments, individual farmers, or Farmer Producer Organizations engaged in agroforestry and farm forestry, as well as other wood-based industries in the value chain.
• The Indian Forest Management Standard, which consists of 8 criteria, 69 indicators, and 254 verifiers and is a crucial component of the National Working Plan Code 2023, which was introduced earlier this year, serves as the foundation for the Forest Management certification.
• The recently announced Indian Forest & Wood Certification Scheme has a separate Trees Outside Forests Standard.
• As a multistakeholder advisory organisation, the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Council will monitor the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme.
• The Council is represented by members from the following eminent institutions:
  • Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education
  • Forest Survey of India
  • Quality Council of India
  • Indian Institute of Forest Management
  • Representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Ministry of Commerce and Industry, State Forest Departments, Forest Development Corporations
  • Representatives from wood-based industries
• Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal will act as the scheme operating agency.
• It will be responsible for overall management of the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme.
• The certification bodies that will conduct independent audits and evaluate various companies' adherence to the standards outlined in the scheme will be accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies, which is a division of the Quality Council of India.