State PCS

• 09 Aug 2024

Bihar Mandates Registration of Temples, Mutts, and Trusts

Why in News?

Recently, The Bihar government has instructed all the officials to ensure that unregistered temples, monasteries, and religious trusts are registered, and the details of their immovable properties are submitted to the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT).

Key Points

• According to the Bihar Hindu Religious Trusts Act, 1950, all public temples, mutts, trusts, and dharamshalas must be registered with the BSBRT.
  • The state government will take stringent action against those involved in illegal property transactions of registered temples, mutts, or trusts, as well as against unregistered entities that fail to register with the BSBRT.
• According to the latest data from BSBRT, there are approximately 2,512 unregistered temples and mutts in the state, owning 4,321.64 acres.
  • The state has about 2,499 registered temples, which collectively own over 18,456 acres.

Haryana Plans Grand Welcome for Vinesh Phogat

Why in News?

According to the sources, the Haryana government plans a grand welcome for wrestler Vinesh Phogat despite her Paris Olympics finals disqualification.

Key Points

• The Chief Minister of Haryana announced that Phogat, who became the first Indian woman to qualify for an Olympic wrestling final, would be honoured as a medalist.
  • Haryana government offers Rs. 6 crore to gold medalists, Rs 4 crore to silver medallists and Rs 2.5 crore to bronze medal winners in the Olympic games.
• Vinesh Phogat was competing in the 50-kg category and missed the cut by 100 grams during the weigh-in, leading to her disqualification.
  • She has also announced retirement from wrestling.

Olympics

• About:
  • The Olympics are an international sporting event that takes place every four years.
    • The goals of the Olympics are to cultivate human beings through sport and contribute to world peace.
  • The Olympics include: Summer Games, Winter Games, Youth Olympics Games.
• History and Origin:
  • Olympics trace their roots back around 3,000 years to Ancient Greece's Peloponnese region.
  • While the precise starting date remains uncertain, 776 BC is a commonly mentioned year in historical records.
    • The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896 based on the plan of Pierre de Coubertin.
• Olympic Rings:
  • The Olympic symbol consists of five interlocking rings of different colors (blue, yellow, black, green, and red) on a white background.
  • These rings represent the five continents of the world and symbolize the unity and diversity of nations through sports.

Jharkhand HC Warns About Illegal Immigration from Bangladesh

Why in News?

Recently, The Jharkhand High Court directed the state government to take immediate action against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants entering the state through the Santhal Parganas.

Key Points

• The court noted that illegal immigration is likely to increase due to the current unstable situation in Bangladesh.
• The bench ordered the director of the intelligence bureau, director general of the Border Security Force (BSF), Chief Election Commissioner of India, and director general of the Unique Identification Authority of India to be made parties in the case.
  • The court, while issuing notices, instructed them to submit a response in the matter.
  • Additionally, the court recommended that the government conduct surprise inspections of Aadhaar cards and voter identity cards.

Current Situation in Bangladesh

• Protests and Unrest: Bangladesh has been engulfed in protests over job quota issues fueled by authoritarian policies and suppression of opposition, leading to significant unrest, the largest seen since Sheikh Hasina's tenure began in 2008.
• Economic Challenges: Sheikh Hasina’s departure raises concerns about the country's economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has already been strained by rising inflation and currency depreciation.
• Political Landscape: The Bangladesh Army is set to form an interim government, emphasising the fluidity of the situation.
  • The potential return of radical Islamist forces could threaten Bangladesh’s secular governance.
• Disruption in Export Flow: Bangladesh's textile sector, which significantly contributes to its export revenue, is facing major disruptions. The ongoing unrest has led to a breakdown in supply chains, affecting the movement of consignments and production schedules.
  • Bangladesh is a major player in the global clothing industry, accounting for 7.9% of global trade in clothing. The country's USD 45 billion garment sector, which employs over four million workers, represents more than 85% of its merchandise exports.
    • The country has a significant market share in the European Union, the UK and the US, with a 10% share in the US market.
  • International buyers are reassessing their supply sources due to the uncertainty in Bangladesh. This could result in a shift of orders to alternative markets, including India.
  • India stands to gain substantially if it captures a portion of the displaced orders from Bangladesh.
  • Industry experts estimate that India could see an additional USD 300-400 million in monthly business if 10-11% of Bangladesh’s textile exports are redirected to Indian hubs such as Tiruppur.

Jharkhand Tribal Festival

Why in News?

The two-day “Jharkhand Tribal Festival,” celebrating World Tribal Day, was started in Ranchi highlighting tribal culture, food, and lifestyle.

Key Points

• Tribal groups from various states showcased their traditional dances and songs.
  • They also engaged in discussions about the challenges facing tribal communities and other contemporary issues.
• The Chief Minister urged tribal people to grow together in unity. He highlighted that tribal communities have suffered the pain of displacement.

World Tribal Day

• The day recognizes the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva in 1982.
  • It has been celebrated every year since 1994, in accordance with the declaration by the United Nations.
• To date, numerous indigenous peoples experience extreme poverty, marginalization, and other human rights violations.

Uttar Pradesh to Launch Agriculture Business Project

Why in News?

The Uttar Pradesh government is preparing to launch a World Bank-funded agriculture business and entrepreneurship project worth Rs 4,000 crore aimed at boosting rural income.

Key Points

• This initiative will benefit farmers, farm groups, and agro micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across 28 districts in eastern UP and the Bundelkhand region.
• The project is estimated to benefit a million farmers, including 30% of the rural women associated with agri Self Help Groups (SHGs).
  • As part of the project, financial assistance will be provided to 100,000 fisherfolk.
  • Additionally, 500 farmers will be sent on international tours for training in advanced farming techniques.
• The government also intends to invest in high-yielding seed varieties and farm infrastructure, develop a digital platform for the agricultural sector, and help farmers tap into the carbon credit market to boost their income.

Carbon Markets

• Carbon markets are essentially a tool for putting a price on carbon emissions— they establish trading systems where carbon credits or allowances can be bought and sold.
  • A carbon credit is a kind of tradable permit that, per United Nations standards, equals one tonne of carbon dioxide removed, reduced, or sequestered from the atmosphere.
  • Carbon allowances or caps, meanwhile, are determined by countries or governments according to their emission reduction targets.
  • Carbon trading started formally in 1997 under the United Nations' Kyoto Protocol.