• 31 Jan 2024

Rajasthan Governor Announces Economic Revival Task Force

Why in News?

On 26 January 2024, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra announced the formation of an Economic Revival Task Force to prepare a roadmap for strengthening the State’s economy.

Key Points

• The task force would help build a robust economic infrastructure for the future and ensure the State’s sustainable and holistic development.
• According to the Governor, the State government would pave the way for economic growth through the “ease of doing business” model, as it had taken a pledge for socio-economic development of all sections of society by implementing the Antyodaya concept of Jan Sangh leader Deendayal Upadhyaya.

Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya

• Deendayal Upadhyay is an Indian politician born in Mathura, UP in 1916.
• He was one of the most important leaders of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the present day Bharatiya Janata Party.
• He is seen to have played a larger role in India’s thought process and political life, transcending party lines.
• Major Schemes on his name:
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY): For alleviating poverty.
  • Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY)) Antyodaya Diwas: To diversify the incomes of rural poor families and to cater to the career aspirations of rural youth.
  • Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana: To provide electricity to rural homes.
  • Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Shramev Jayate Karyakram: To create a conducive environment for industrial development primarily through skill training.
  • Deendayal Upadhyaya Swaniyojan Yojana (DUSY): The rural version of the Start Up India scheme.

Padma Shri for 5 Persons from Rajasthan

Why in News?

Recently, President Droupadi Murmu has approved the conferment of four Padma Shri awards to five persons from Rajasthan.

Key Points

• The awardees included:
  • One award is being awarded to two folk singers, Ali Mohammed and Ghani Mohammed. The duo, known as the Ghani Brothers, have been selected for excellence in folk singing.
  • The others include 93-year-old Dhrupad player Laxman Bhatt Tailang. The veteran has authored several books on Indian classical music and has taught his genre of music to hundreds of students throughout his life.
  • Maya Tandon, another recipient from the state, works in the field of road safety and has trained over 1 lakh persons to help in the rescue of injured victims of road accidents.
  • 81-year-old Janki Lal Bhand, has kept Bahurupiya art alive and has performed it in more than 10 countries. Behrupiya (‘multi-faceted’) is the art of dressing up as and essaying various characters.

Behrupiya

• The word ‘behrupiya’ is a derivative of the Sanskrit word bahu (many) and roop (form).
• Behrupiya are impersonators, mostly known to perform in villages and markets all over India.
• They put on various costumes to play figures from mythology, folklore and traditional stories.
• National Behrupiya Festival was organised by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) from 5th-8th October 2018.
• IGNCA is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture.

Rajasthan Launches Drone Survey Against Illegal Mining

Why in News?

Recently, the Rajasthan government has launched a major drive against illegal mining activities by conducting surveys through drones to put a curb on the sources of such activities.

• The highest number of 75 illegal mining cases have been detected in Bhilwara district.

Key Points

• Rajasthan has as many as 81 varieties of minerals in its land, out of which 57 are being commercially exploited.
• The State has the highest number of mining leases in the country, while the government has been taking measures to curb unlicensed and illegal mining by using remote sensing data and geographic information systems.
• According to the officials, the revenue authorities had been involved in the campaign to initiate action under the Rajasthan Tenancy Act, 1955 for cancellation of khatedari (title) rights on the land where illegal mining was taking place.
  • The field officers identify the mining mafia and violators and submit the data online, which is used for initiating further action.

Illegal Mining

• Illegal mining is the extraction of minerals, ores, or other valuable resources from land or water bodies without the necessary permits, licenses, or regulatory approvals from government authorities.
  • It can also involve the violation of environmental, labor, and safety standards.
• Laws Related to Mining in India:
  • The entry at serial No. 23 of List II (State List) to the Constitution of India mandates the state government to own the minerals located within their boundaries.
  • The entry at serial No. 54 of List I (Central List) mandates the central government to own the minerals within the exclusive economic zone of India (EEZ).
  • In pursuance to this Mines & Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act of 1957 was framed.
  • The power to frame policy and legislation relating to minor minerals is entirely delegated to the State Governments while policy and legislation relating to the major minerals are dealt by the Ministry of Mines under the Union Government.

Honourable Disposal of Dead Body Bill-2024

Why in News?

Recently, the Haryana cabinet approved a draft bill which seeks to prohibit any protest with the body of a dead person.

Key Points

• According to an official statement, this landmark bill aims to ensure decent and timely last rites of the dead.
• In consideration of the respect and dignity owed to a dead person, nobody should be allowed to raise any demand or bait for pursuing any demands by way of any protest or agitation by not performing the timely last rites of a dead body.
• It is essential to prevent any individual from using a body as a means of protest or demonstration in any form.
  • The proposed legislation also emphasizes the responsibility of public authorities in cases where family members disown a body, leading to denial of proper last rites.
• It is pertinent to note that the entitlement to dignity and fair treatment, in accordance with Article 21 of the Constitution of India, extends beyond the living to include the body after death.
• The state cabinet also approved another draft bill, ‘The Haryana Registration and Regulation of Travel Agents Bill, 2024’ to check unscrupulous travel agents, who cheat innocent people wanting to move abroad.
  • The draft bill mandates that no person can undertake the profession of a travel agent without obtaining a registration certificate under the Act.
  • The competent authority can cancel a registration certificate on the grounds of criminal activities and violation of terms.
  • A cancelled registration will debar the travel agent from the profession for a prescribed period.
  • Individuals involved in human trafficking or forging documents may face imprisonment up to 10 years and a fine ranging from Rs 2 to 5 lakh.
• The Haryana government is committed to protecting its citizens from falling victim to illegal immigration scams.
  • The proposed legislation reflects a proactive approach to regulate travel agents, ensuring transparency, legality, and accountability in immigration-related services.

One of the Largest Dinosaur Hatcheries in the World Uncovered

Why in News?

According to recent discoveries by paleontologists, Madhya Pradesh, is home to one of the largest dinosaur hatcheries in the world.

Key Points

• The state’s Narmada Valley, which spans several districts, has yielded hundreds of fossilised dinosaur eggs and nests, belonging to the herbivorous Titanosaurs, one of the largest known dinosaurs.
• The most recent discovery was made in the Lameta Formation of the Dhar district, where a team of paleontologists from various institutes found 92 closely located dinosaur nests and 256 eggs with each clutch containing between one and twenty eggs, dating back to about 66 million years ago.
  • The eggs ranged from 15 to 17 cm in diameter, and each nest contained one to 20 eggs. Some of the eggs showed evidence of hatching, while others did not.
• The Lameta Formation is of Maastrichtian age (Late Cretaceous), and is also found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is notable for its diversity of dinosaur genera, including the titanosaur sauropod Isisaurus and the abelisaurus Indosaurus, Indosuchus, Laevisuchus, and Rajasaurus.
  • The Lameta Formation also contains fossils of mammals, snakes, and other animals.
  • The prehistoric structure represents the last phase of dinosaur evolution in India, before their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period.
• The team, led by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Delhi, published their findings in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.
  • They concluded that the Narmada Valley was a dinosaur hatchery zone, where the Titanosaurs either came specifically to lay eggs or also hatched them.
  • They also suggested that the area had a warm and humid climate, with abundant vegetation and water sources, suitable for the dinosaurs’ survival.
  • Previous studies have also reported similar findings in the Jabalpur district and the Gujarat town of Balasinor.
• Some of the fossilized eggs found in the Dhar district were not recognized as such by the local villagers, who had been worshiping them as sacred stones for generations.
  • These palm-sized objects, known as ‘Kakar Bhairav’ or the lord of the land, were believed to be the protective deities of farms and livestock.
• The discovery of dinosaur fossils and eggs in Madhya Pradesh has not only enriched the scientific knowledge of the region’s palaeontological history, but also opened up new avenues for tourism and education.
  • The state government has plans to develop the sites as tourist attractions, and to create awareness among the public about the state’s rich dinosaur heritage.

Lameta Formation

• The Lameta Formation, also known as the Infratrappean Beds (not to be confused with the contemporaneous Intertrappean Beds), is a sedimentary geological formation found in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, India, associated with the Deccan Traps.
  • The Intertrappean Beds are a Late Cretaceous and Early Paleocene geologic formation in India. The beds are found as interbeds between Deccan Traps layers, including the more diverse Lameta Formation.

Maastrichtian age (Late Cretaceous)

• The Maastrichtian is, in the ICS geologic time scale, the latest age (uppermost stage) of the Late Cretaceous Epoch or Upper Cretaceous Series, the Cretaceous Period or System, and of the Mesozoic Era or Erathem. It spanned the interval from 72.1 to 66 million years ago.

Flight Operations Linking Sacred Lands

Why in News?

Recently, flight operations began from Pithoragarh's Naini-Saini airport after a gap of more than three years.

Key Points

• Following the resumption of flight operations, which was suspended in early 2020, aviation firm Flybig will operate a 19-seater aircraft between Dehradun and Pithoragargh thrice a week on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
• Resumption of services from the airport, which will soon be extended to Pantnagar and then to Hindon airport in Ghaziabad, will be crucial for the strategically important border district.
• According to Uttarakhand Chief Minister, air connectivity between Dehradun and Pithoragarh will give further boost to religious tourism in the Manaskhand region.
• The Prime Minister's visit to Jolingkong for a darshan of the Adi Kailash peak and Jageshwar Dham had awakened the interest of tourists who have begun to visit the relatively lesser-known religious destinations in large numbers.

Adi Kailash Peak

• Adi Kailash, also known as Shiva Kailash, Chota Kailash, Baba Kailash or Jonglingkong Peak, is a mountain located in the Himalayan mountain range in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.

Jageshwar Dham

• It is a Hindu pilgrimage town near Almora in Almora district of Uttarakhand. The site is protected under Indian laws, and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Maoists Encounter in Chhattisgarh

Why in News?

Recently, 3 security personnel were killed and 14 others were injured in an encounter with Maoists along the Sukma-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh.

Key Points

• According to the official statement, the incident took place near Tekalgudem village during a search operation by a joint team of security personnel.
• A new camp of security personnel was set up in Tekalgudem, a Maoist stronghold.
• After setting up the camp, the personnel belonging to the Special Task Force, District Reserve Guard and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action [CoBRA- a jungle warfare unit of CRPF (Central Armed Police Forces)] were searching nearby Jonaguda-Aliguda villages when Maoists opened fire.
• Sukma District:
  • It is located in the southern tip of the state of Chhattisgarh, the district was carved out of Dantewada in the year 2012.
  • It is covered with the semi-tropical forest and is a mainland of tribal community Gond.
  • One major river that flows through the district is Sabari (a tributary of Godavari river).
  • Over a few decades, this region has become a fostering ground for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) activities.
    • Uneven terrains and the tricky geographic locations made this region a safer hideout for the LWE activists.

Left Wing Extremism in India

• Left-wing extremists, popularly known as Maoists worldwide and as Naxalites in India.
• The term Naxalism derives its name from the village Naxalbari of West Bengal. It originated as a rebellion against local landlords who bashed a peasant over a land dispute.
  • The rebellion was initiated in 1967, with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.
• The movement has spread across Eastern India in less developed areas of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• It is considered that Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.
  • Maoism is a form of communism developed by Mao Tse Tung. It is a doctrine to capture State power through a combination of armed insurgency, mass mobilization and strategic alliances.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

• It is one of the premier Central Armed Police Forces of India (under the Ministry of Home Affairs) for internal security.
• Originally constituted as the Crown Representative Police in 1939, it is one of the oldest Central paramilitary forces. After Independence, the force was renamed as the Central Reserve Police Force by an Act of Parliament on December 28, 1949.
• Its Mission is to enable the government to maintain Rule of Law, Public Order and Internal Security effectively and efficiently, to Preserve National Integrity and Promote Social Harmony and Development by upholding supremacy of the Constitution.