• 11 Jul 2024

Bihar’s First Transgender Sub-Inspectors

Why in News?

• Recently, three transgenders qualified the Bihar Police Subordinate Services Commission (BPSSC) exam to become police sub-inspectors.

Key Points

• Following a Patna High Court judgment in 2021, the State government had asked BPSSC to recruit third genders into police services.
• According to the 2022 caste survey conducted in Bihar, the transgender population is reported to be 825 (0.0006%).
  • This figure contrasts sharply with the 2011 census, which recorded 40,827 transgenders in the state.

Transgender

• According to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019, transgender means a person whose gender does not match with the gender assigned to that person at birth.
• It includes trans-person with intersex variations, gender-queer and people having such socio-cultural identities as kinnar, hijra, aaravani and jogta.
• India’s 2011 Census was the first census in its history to incorporate the number of ‘trans’ population of the country. The report estimated that 4.8 million Indians identified as transgender.

Census

• Origin of Census:
  • The origin of the Census in India goes back to the colonial exercise of 1881.
  • Census has evolved and been used by the government, policymakers, academics, and others to capture the Indian population, access resources, map social change, delimitation exercise, etc.
• First Caste Census as SECC (Socio-Economic and Caste Census):
  • SECC was conducted for the first time in 1931.
  • SECC is meant to canvass every Indian family, both in rural and urban India, and ask about their:
    • Economic status, so as to allow Central and State authorities to come up with a range of indicators of deprivation, permutations, and combinations of which could be used by each authority to define a poor or deprived person.
    • It is also meant to ask every person their specific caste name to allow the government to re-evaluate which caste groups were economically worse off and which were better off.

Uttar Pradesh Dismiss Permit for Pruning Mango

Why in News?

Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government took a decision to exempt state farmers from the requirement of getting permission from any government department for pruning mango trees.

• Mango producers can simply prune the trees and reduce their height to enhance their productivity.

Key Points

• This decision simplifies canopy management for old mango orchards. It will rejuvenate old mango orchards, making them as productive as new ones.
  • In older orchards, the growth of new leaves and branches which is crucial for flowering and fruiting has declined.
  • Instead, thick and tangled branches dominate, blocking sufficient light from reaching the interior.
• These conditions result in greater insect and disease infestations and complicate effective pesticide application.
  • As a result, the sprayed pesticides often fail to reach the inner parts of the trees, causing increased pesticide use and environmental pollution.
• To tackle these problems, the Central Institute of Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) has developed an effective pruning technique for rejuvenating mango trees.
  • This method, called pruning of tertiary branches or table-top pruning, opens the tree's canopy, reduces its height, and fosters a healthier environment.
  • This pruning technique enables trees to yield up to 100 kg per tree within just 2-3 years, while also reducing the need for excessive pesticide use.

The Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH)

• It was started as Central Mango Research Station on September 4, 1972 under the aegis of the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore.
• The Institute, later renamed as Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH) on June 14, 1995, is serving the nation on all aspects of research on subtropical fruits.
• Headquarter of CISH is situated at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

Surge in Sarus Crane Population

Why in News?

According to a census conducted by the State forest department, the population of Sarus cranes in Uttar Pradesh is rising.

Key Points

• The survey revealed that the Etawah Forest Division recorded the highest number of Sarus cranes at 3,289, an increase of 500.
  • While the Mau Forest Division spotted six Sarus cranes for the first time in a decade.
• In Uttar Pradesh, Sarus crane numbers have consistently risen over the years from 17,329 in 2021 to 19,188 in 2022, 19,522 in 2023, and 19,918 in 2024.

Sarus Crane

• The scientific name of Sarus Crane is Grus Antigone.
• It is the tallest flying bird in the world, standing 152-156 cm tall with a wingspan of 240cm.
• The Sarus crane has predominantly grey plumage with a naked red head and upper neck and pale red legs.
• It is known to mate for life with a single partner, and its breeding season coincides with heavy rains during the monsoon season.
• These are known to live in association with humans and well watered plains, marshland, ponds, and wetlands (like Dhanauri wetland in UP) which are suitable for their forage and nesting.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN red list: Vulnerable
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV

Haryana to remove Shambhu border Barricades

Why in News?

Recently, The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Haryana government to remove barricades set up at the Shambhu border near Ambala, where farmers have been camping since 13^th February, 2024 in support of their demands.

Key Points

• The Haryana government had set up barricades on the Ambala-New Delhi National Highway in February.
  • It was after the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha announced plans to march to Delhi, advocating for various demands, including a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.
• Since February, farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana after their march was halted by security forces.
  • However, the number of farmers at the site has steadily decreased over time.

National e-Vidhan Application

Why in News?

Recently, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet has given approval to the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme 'National e-Vidhan Application' (NEVA) in the state Legislative Assembly.

Key Points

• Under the Digital India initiative, the Government of India has launched the centrally sponsored 'National e-Vidhan Application' scheme to transition all Legislative Assemblies of the country to a paperless format and unify them on a single platform.
  • The scheme implementation costs will be shared with 60% funded by the Government of India and 40% by the state governments.
• The rationalisation of students residing in hostels, ashrams, and community welfare centres operated under the Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribe Welfare Department as per the scholarship rates determined by the Scheduled Caste Welfare/Tribal Affairs Department.
  • The present monthly scholarship for boys will be increased from Rs 1230 to Rs 1550 and for girls from Rs 1270 to Rs 1590 a month.
• The council of ministers also gave its nod to invite tenders for seven projects of Narmada Valley Development Department worth Rs 9,271.96 crore.

Digital India Programme

• The Digital India program, launched in 2015, aims to transform India into a digitally empowered society and a knowledge-based economy.
• Its key objectives include strengthening digital infrastructure, delivering services digitally, and promoting digital financial inclusion.

De-Notified, Nomadic And Semi-Nomadic Tribes

• These are communities that are the most vulnerable and deprived.
• DNTs are communities that were ‘notified’ as being ‘born criminals’ during the British regime under a series of laws starting with the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871.
  • These Acts were repealed by the Independent Indian Government in l952, and these communities were "De-Notified".
• A few of these communities which were listed as de-notified were also nomadic.
  • Nomadic and semi-nomadic communities are defined as those who move from one place to another rather than living in one place all the time.
• Historically, Nomadic Tribes and De-notified Tribes never had access to private land or home ownership.
• While most DNTs are spread across the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) categories, some DNTs are not covered in any of the SC, ST or OBC categories.

Chhattisgarh Development Schemes Reviewed

Why in News?

Recently, The Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal reviewed ongoing schemes and proposals in the power and urban development sector for Chhattisgarh in Raipur.

Key Points

• At the meeting, the Union Minister emphasized that improved coordination between the state and central governments will accelerate Chhattisgarh's development.
• The schemes that were reviewed are Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM SVANidhi, AMRUT Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM e-Bus Sewa, Smart City Mission, and National Urban Development Mission under Housing and Urban Affairs.

PM-SVANidhi

• It was launched on 1^st June, 2020.
• It is a Central Sector Scheme i.e., fully funded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with the following objectives:
  • To facilitate working capital loan;
  • To incentivize regular repayment;
  • To reward digital transactions
• Introduction of 3^rd term loan of up to Rs 50,000 in addition to 1^st & 2^nd loans of Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively.
• The loans would be without collateral.

AMRUT Scheme

• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 25^th June 2015 in 500 selected cities across the country, covering around 60% of the urban population.
• The mission targets enhancing basic infrastructure and implementing urban reforms for selected cities, encompassing water supply, sewerage, drainage, green spaces, non-motorised transport, and capacity building.

Smart Cities Mission (SCM)

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, launched in June 2015 to transform 100 cities to provide the necessary core infrastructure and clean and sustainable environment to enable a decent quality of life to their citizens through the application of "Smart Solutions".
• It aimed to improve the quality of life for citizens through sustainable and inclusive development.