• 28 Mar 2024

Haryana Commission Gets Auto Appeal Software’s Copyright

Why in News?

The Haryana Right to Service (RTS) Commission has secured the “copyright” for ‘Auto Appeal Software’ (AAS).

• Haryana RTS Commission applied for copyright in 2022 and it was granted on March 20, 2024.

Key Points

• The AAS (launched in 2021) is the first software of its kind in India which eliminates the need for the complainant to do anything to file an appeal.
  • Through AAS, a total of 11,70,766 appeals have been raised by 27th March 2024, out of which 11,56,595 appeals have also been disposed of.
  • The disposal rate of appeals in AAS is 98.8%.
• Haryana is the first state in the country to provide this facility to its citizens.
• The copyright is a type of intellectual property that grants the creator of an original work, or another rights holder, exclusive and legally protected rights to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform the work.

Copyright

• Copyright refers to the legal protection provided to creators of literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, as well as producers of cinematograph films and sound recordings.
  • The Copyright Act of 1957 aims to safeguard these creative works as the intellectual property of their creators.
  • Unlike the case with patents, copyright protects the expressions and not the ideas.
  • In addition to the act, the Copyright (Amendment) Rules 2021, are brought into effect to bring the copyrights in line with other relevant laws.
• Copyright owners have the right to take legal action against infringers, including seeking remedies such as injunctions, damages, and accounts.

Haryana Right to Service Commission

• It was constituted by the state government via a notification issued on 31^st July 2014.
• It is a statutory body constituted under Sections 12(1) and (2) of the Haryana Right to Service Act, 2014.
• The Commission will consist of one Chief Commissioner and a maximum of four Commissioners, who will oversee the effective implementation of the Haryana Right to Service Act, 2014.
• The HRTS Act, 2014, has empowered people to make the most of the services in a hassle-free, transparent and time-bound manner through an effective service delivery mechanism.

Adani Green Commissions 180 MW Solar Plant In Rajasthan

Why in News?

Adani Green Energy has recently operationalized a 180-MW solar power plant at Devikot in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.

Key Points

• The plant has a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL), India's largest renewable energy company.
• It will produce approximately 540 million electricity units annually, powering over 1.1 lakh homes and reducing around 0.39 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
  • Next-generation bifacial solar Photovoltaic modules and horizontal single-axis solar trackers (HSAT) have been deployed to maximise generation through better efficiency of modules and tracking the sun throughout the day.
    • HSAT used to increase the generation potential of the sunlight by tracking systems
• The plant is equipped with waterless robotic module cleaning systems, enabling water conservation in the barren region of Jaisalmer.

Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)

• It is a long-term contract between an electricity generator and a customer, usually a utility, government or company.
• PPAs usually last anywhere between 5 to 20 years, during which time the power purchaser buys energy at a pre-negotiated price.
• Such agreements play a key role in the financing of independently owned (i.e., not owned by a utility) electricity generators, especially producers of renewable energy like solar farms or wind farms.

Gulaal Gota

Why in News?

Recently, Gulaal Gota, a unique tradition dating back around 400 years, was celebrated in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Key Points

• Gulaal Gota is a small ball made of lac, filled with dry gulaal, and weighs around 20 grams when filled.
• Lac, the primary raw material for Gulaal Gota, is sourced from Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
  • The process of making Gulaal Gotas involves boiling lac in water to make it flexible, shaping it, adding colour, heating it, and then blowing it into a spherical shape with the help of a blower called "phunkni".
• Gulaal Gotas are made by Muslim lac makers, known as Manihaars, in Jaipur, who learned lac-making from Hindu lac makers in Bagru, a town near Jaipur.
• The government of India has given “artisan cards” to the lac bangle and Gulaal Gota makers, allowing them to avail benefits from government schemes.
• In a bid to save the tradition, some Gulaal Gota makers have demanded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Lac

• It is a resinous substance that is secreted by certain insects. The female scale insect is one of the sources of lac.
• To produce 1 kg of lac resin, around 300,000 insects are killed. The lac insects also yield resin, lac dye and lac wax.
• It is used in various applications, including the production of lac bangles.

Geographical Indication (GI) tag

• A GI tag is a name or sign used on certain products that correspond to a specific geographical location or origin.
• The GI tag ensures that only the authorised users or those residing in the geographical territory are allowed to use the popular product name.
  • It also protects the product from being copied or imitated by others.
• A registered GI is valid for 10 years.
• GI registration is overseen by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Expert Teams to Assess High-Risk Glacial Lakes of Uttarakhand

Why in News?

Recently, the Uttarakhand government has formed two teams of experts to conduct a risk assessment and survey of five glacial lakes in the state that are highly vulnerable to "outburst floods".

Key Points

• It has been proposed that the teams will start their work on these lakes in May-June 2024.
• Of the 188 glacial lakes in Himalayan states, 13 are located in Uttarakhand.
• Uttarakhand in February 2021 saw a glacial lake outburst in Chamoli district that washed away a small hydel project on the Rishiganga and caused flash floods, killing many people.
• The 13 glacial lakes of Uttarakhand have been categorised as 'A', 'B' and 'C', with 'A' being highly sensitive.
  • Out of the 13 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand, Five fall in category 'A'(highly sensitive), four in category 'B' (sensitive) and four in category 'C' (relatively less sensitive).
    • Out of the five highly sensitive lakes, four are in Pithoragarh district and one in Chamoli, and of the four sensitive lakes, two are in Pithoragarh and one each in Chamoli and Tehri.
• The first team consisting of experts from the National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee; the Geological Survey of India, Lucknow; the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun; the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority; and the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre will assess the sensitivity of two glacial lakes.
  • The work of the first phase will entail satellite data study and data collection, bathymetry and area survey.
• The second team headed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Pune, as the lead technical agency and consisting of the Dehradun-based Indian Institute of Remote Sensing; the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology; the Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority; and the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre will study and survey the other three glacial lakes falling in the 'A' category.

The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing

• It is an institute for research, higher education and training in the field of remote sensing, geoinformatics and GPS technology for natural resources, environmental and disaster management.
• The institute was established in the year 1966 under the Indian Department of Space.
• It is located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF)

• It is a type of catastrophic flood that occurs when the dam containing a glacial lake fails, releasing a large volume of water.
• This type of flood is typically caused by rapid melting of glaciers or the buildup of water in the lake due to heavy precipitation or the inflow of meltwater.
• In February 2021, Chamoli district in Uttarakhand witnessed flash floods which are suspected to have been caused by GLOFs.
• Causes:
  • These floods can be triggered by a number of factors, including changes in the volume of the glacier, changes in the water level of the lake, and earthquakes.
  • According to NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), glacial retreat due to climate change occurring in most parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayas has given rise to the formation of numerous new glacial lakes, which are the major cause of GLOFs.

Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra Spearhead India's Post-Pandemic Growth: SBI Report

Why in News?

According to the latest findings from the State Bank of India (SBI) Research, out of the 235 basis point (bp) growth, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh emerged as frontrunners, contributing 56 and 40 bps, while the remaining 90 bps stemmed from other states.

Key Points

• The Indian economy has demonstrated resilience in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with the average real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth surging to 8.1%, a substantial increase from the 5.7% growth witnessed in the pre-pandemic period.
• According to the report:
  • On the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) front, Gujarat has notably doubled its economic output, marking a 2.2 times increase over the last decade.
  • Following closely behind are states such as Karnataka, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Sikkim, and Madhya Pradesh, showcasing significant economic momentum and development.
  • While some states such as Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh have maintained stable per capita income growth trajectories, others like Jharkhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Punjab, Delhi, and Goa have experienced deceleration in this aspect.
  • The report highlights a significant reduction in state-wide inequality in terms of per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) following the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The SBI Research team emphasised the importance of continued policy support and targeted interventions to sustain and enhance economic growth momentum across all states.
• It serves as a resource for policymakers, economists, and stakeholders, providing insights into the evolving dynamics of the Indian economy and guiding future development initiatives.

Basis Points

• These are a unit of measure used to describe the percentage change in the value of financial instruments or the rate change in an index or other benchmark.
• One basis point is equivalent to 0.01% (1/100th of a percent) or 0.0001 in decimal form.

Masaan Holi

Why in News?

Recently, Masaan Holi, a special two-day event was celebrated in Varanasi. During which devotees put ashes from funeral fires and a pink powder (gulal) on each other. This event is also seen as a way to celebrate death.

Key Points

• The ritual of Masaan Holi Varanasi is believed to celebrate the Holika-Prahalad mythological event with the pyre ashes.
• The use of pyre ashes in Masaan Holi Varanasi symbolises the shortness of life and the cyclical nature of a person’s existence in this materialistic world.
• It is believed that the ashes used in Masan Holi possess purifying properties that cleanse the body, mind, and soul of impurities.
• By smearing each other with ash during Holi, people seek spiritual rejuvenation and internal purification.