UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples World Elephant Day Governor's discretion on State Legislature The United States Senate passed a bill to officially recognize the bald eagle as America's national bird India's largest floating solar park commissioned

The  International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples  is  observed  on 9 August each year to  raise awareness  and protect the  rights of the world's indigenous population . This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that  indigenous people  make to improve world issues such as  environmental protection . It was first pronounced by the  United Nations General Assembly  in December 1994, marking the day of the first meeting of the UN  Working Group on Indigenous Populations  of the  Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights  in 1982. Wikipedia UNESCO United Nations Previous Articles: <<<  Empowerment of Denotified/Nomadic Tribes <<<  Supreme Court held that state or central government have no power to change the lists of Scheduled Castes <<<  Land Rights of Scheduled Tribes <<<  The criteria and procedure follo...

World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. Conceived in 2011 by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures, and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary-General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand, it was officially founded, supported and launched by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation on August 12, 2012. Since that time, Patricia Sims continues to lead, support and direct World Elephant Day, which is now recognized and celebrated by over 100 wildlife organizations and many individuals in countries across the globe. Wiipedia ,  <<<  Elephants, Project Elephant and Elephant Corridors in India

Constitutional Provisions: Articles 200 and 201: The power to grant assent or to withhold assent or to reserve a Bill for the consideration of the President is not dealt with under the heading “The Governor” in Chapter II of Part VI (i.e. as a power or as a function of the Governor) but in Chapter III dealing with State Legislature and under the sub-heading “Legislative Procedure”.  Article 200:  According to Article 200, when a Bill passed by the Legislature of a State is presented to the Governor, he has four options, namely, (a) he assents to the Bill; (b) he withholds assent; (c) he reserves the Bill for the consideration of the President; or (d) he returns the Bill to the Legislature for reconsideration. The first proviso says that as soon as the Bill is presented to him, he may return the Bill to the Legislature (if it is not a Money Bill) together with a message requesting the Legislature to reconsider the Bill. He can also suggest the desirability of introducing such a...

The United States Senate passed a bill that officially recognizes bald eagle as America's national bird. It was recognized after 200 years since it became the symbol of the country. The American Bald Eagle: The bald eagle has been the national bird of the United States since 1782, when it was placed with outspread wings on the Great Seal of our country. It appears in many government institutions and on official documents, making it the most pictured bird in all of America. The eagle appears on the president’s flag, the mace of the House of Representatives, military insignia, and billions of one-dollar bills.  The bald eagle first appeared as an American symbol on a Massachusetts copper cent coined in 1776. Since then it has appeared on the reverse side of many U.S. coins, notably the silver dollar, halfdollar and quarter, as well as the gold coins which were christened the eagle, half eagle, quarter eagle, and double eagle.  For six years, the members of Congress held a bitter...

SJVN Limited, a Mini Ratna Schedule ‘A’ CPSU under Ministry of Power, Govt. of India has successfully commissioned its 90 MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project today. The project has been executed by SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of SJVN. On commissioning of the project, total installed capacity of SJVN has been increased to 2466.50 MW. 90 MW Omkareshwar Floating Solar Project is housed in Omkareshwar Floating Solar Park located in District Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh. This Park is the largest floating solar park of India. The project is one of the largest floating solar projects in Central & North India. With commissioning of the project, the company has ventured into floating solar power segment. The project has been developed at a cost of Rs. 646.20 crores & is expected to generate 196.5 million units of energy in first year. The estimated cumulative energy generation over a period of 25 years shall be 4629.3 million units. The project will increase...

Using regional languages in courts Strategies for achieving net-zero emissions CAQM issues Advisory to curb open-air burning in Delhi-NCR in light of the forthcoming winter season Vampire Star, GALactic Archaeology with HERMES ( GALAH ) & HERMES EOS-08 Mission Overview

  Article 348(1)(a) of the Constitution of India states that all proceedings in the Supreme Court and in every High Court, shall be in English language. However, Article 348 (2) of the Constitution of India provides that the Governor of a State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize the use of Hindi Language, or any other language used for any official purposes of the State, in proceedings in the High Court having its principal seat in that State. Further, Section 7 of the Official Language Act, 1963 states that the Governor of a State may, with the previous consent of the President, authorize the use of Hindi or the official language of the State, in addition to the English Language, for the purposes of any judgment, decree or order passed or made by the High Court for that State and where any judgment, decree or order is passed or made in any such language (other than the English Language), it shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in the English La...

  Climate change is a global collective action problem which is primarily caused by not only the current Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions but also by the historical cumulative GHG emissions mainly contributed by developed countries. Even though India’s per capita GHG emission is minimal, India is committed to addressing the challenge with firm adherence to multilateralism keeping in mind the national circumstances and based on equity and the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities (CBDR-RC), as enshrined in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Developed countries have to take lead in reducing their GHG emissions and by providing finance, technology and capacity building support to developing countries. India, at the 26 th  Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC in November 2021, announced its target to achieve net zero by 2070. In pursuance thereof, India formulated and submitted its Long-Term Low Greenhouse...

In a decisive move to significantly control open bio-mass/ Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) burning and the resultant harmful emissions impacting overall air quality of the National Capital Region (NCR) especially during the upcoming winter season, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has issued an Advisory to all Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and other residential societies in Delhi to mandatorily provide electric heaters/ other suitable implements to all security staff and other service staff employed by them, aimed at curbing open burning practices. With winters approaching, the Commission recognizes the urgent need to issue an Advisory to tackle the issue of uncontrolled burning of MSW including bio-mass (wood, twigs/ branches, dried leaves etc.) across Delhi-NCR, particularly during the winter months. The practice of open burning of bio-mass and MSW by security personnel and other individuals during winter season, often as a means to stay w...

Recently, a team of astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India made a groundbreaking discovery of a vampire star in M67, that sheds light on a complex rejuvenation process, known as mass-transfer in a binary system. Vampire stars, known to astronomers as blue straggler stars (BSS), are identified easily in star clusters. These stars defy simple models of stellar evolution and show many characteristics of younger stars.  The team made use of the Ultra-Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT) onboard AstroSat, India's first multi-wavelength satellite launched in 2015, for their study. Using the UVIT on AstroSat, the scientists took images of the vampire star and estimated its UV brightness.  These heavy elements are rare and are found in a class of stars called ‘asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars’, where abundant neutrons for a slowly occuring neutron capture process (s-process) ...

EOS-08 is ISRO’s latest Earth Observation Satellite, slated for launch by the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV)-D3. The primary objectives of the EOS-08 mission include designing and developing a microsatellite, creating payload instruments compatible with the microsatellite bus, and incorporating new technologies required for future operational satellites. Built on the Microsat/IMS-1 bus, EOS-08 carries three payloads: Electro Optical Infrared Payload (EOIR), Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry payload (GNSS-R), and SiC UV Dosimeter. The EOIR payload is designed to capture images in the Mid-Wave IR (MIR) and Long-Wave IR (LWIR) bands, both during the day and night, for applications such as satellite-based surveillance, disaster monitoring, environmental monitoring, fire detection, volcanic activity observation, and industrial and power plant disaster monitoring. The GNSS-R payload demonstrates the capability of using GNSS-R-based remote sensing for applications such a...

Steps taken to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance and enhance Disease Surveillance Quality Council of India introduces QCI Surajya Recognition & Ranking Framework to Drive Excellence in Key Sectors " Million Designers, Billion Dreams " initiative MANUAL SCAVENGING Ministry of Textiles empowers Ginners to produce Kasturi Cotton Bharat brand

The Government of India has taken many initiatives to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). The initiatives include constitution of a National Task Force on AMR Containment in 2010 leading to development of the National Policy on AMR containment in 2011. The Government launched the National Programme on AMR Containment in 2013. Union Health Ministry has taken the following steps to  combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): National surveillance networks including laboratories from across the country have been established and are generating National AMR Surveillance reports annually and also submitting data to the Global AMR Surveillance System (GLASS).  Awareness material on judicious use of antimicrobials and hand hygiene and infection prevention has been developed and shared with various stakeholders. National Guideline on Infection prevention has been launched and translated to training material. Training of trainers held for all States and UTs. Trainings are being further c...

  The Quality Council of India (QCI) is introducing the QCI Surajya Recognition & Ranking Framework, an empowering initiative designed to drive excellence among states to improve quality of life of citizens for a Viksit Bharat. This framework is categorized under four pillars: Shiksha (Education), Swasthya (Health), Samriddhi (Prosperity), and Sushasan (Governance).  The Surajya Recognition acknowledges the outstanding performance and commitment to quality by states and organisations in these vital areas. Enhancing the quality of education (Shiksha) through robust accreditation and certification processes. Guaranteeing superior healthcare (Swasthya) services throughout the nation and upholding the highest standards of medical care in every region. Driving economic prosperity (Samriddhi) through quality assurance in manufacturing and industrial practices. Ensuring transparent, accountable, and responsive governance (Sushasan) that upholds the highest standards of quality. T...

The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) announced today the launch of the initiative "Million Designers, Billion Dreams." This innovative program aims to empower individuals across India with systems design know-how to tackle complex societal challenges. Spearheaded by LEAP in collaboration with the DAY-NRLM. LEAP is a catalyst organization that emerged from the multidisciplinary work developed in India by the Design Laboratory at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (D-Lab) and the Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF), with seed investment provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). "Million Designers, Billion Dreams" is a unique initiative designed to enhance the capacity of individuals through systems design know-how. It targets rural leaders, frontline change agents and village entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills to create impactful, scalable solutions. The program's primary objectives ...

As per Sections 2(d) and 2(g) of the ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’, the definition of Hazardous Cleaning and Manual Scavengers is as follows : ‘Hazardous Cleaning” by an employee, in relation to a sewer or septic tank, means its manual cleaning by such employee without the employer fulfilling his obligations to provide protective gear and other cleaning devices and ensuring observance of safety precautions, as may be prescribed or provided in any other law, for the time being in force or rules made thereunder. ‘Manual Scavenger’ means a person engaged or employed by an individual or a local authority or a public or private agency, for manually cleaning, carrying, disposing of, or otherwise handling in any manner, human excreta in an insanitary latrine or in an open drain or pit into which the human excreta from insanitary latrines is disposed of, or on a railway track or in such other spaces or premises, as the Central Government or...

The Kasturi Cotton Bharat is a joint initiative by the Ministry of Textiles, the Cotton Corporation of India, Trade Bodies & Industry to work on the principle of self-regulation by owning complete responsibility of Branding, Traceability and Certification of Indian Cotton to enhance its’ competitiveness in the global market and create a sustainable ecosystem for all stakeholders involved. Earlier, on the eve of World Cotton Day on 7 th  October, Ministry of Textiles announced the “Kasturi Cotton Bharat” brand of cotton by which Indian cotton has been endowed with a brand and a logo that represents Whiteness, Softness, Purity, Lustre and Indianness. Thereafter, an MoU has been signed between CCI on behalf of Govt. of India and TEXPROCIL on behalf of the Textile Industry on 15 th  December 2022 for a mission-mode approach in positioning of Kasturi Cotton Bharat brand. All the ginners in the country have been empowered to produce Kasturi Cotton Bharat brand as per stipulated ...

Boilers Bill, 2024 introduced in Rajya Sabha Directed Energy Weapons The International Conference on Human-Elephant Conflict Exercise Pitch Black 2024 Concludes Bailey Bridge

The Boilers Bill, 2024 was introduced in Rajya Sabha today (on August 06, 2024). It repeals the Boilers Act, 1923 (5 of 1923). The Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 2 nd   August, 2024 had approved repealing of the existing Boilers Act, 1923 and introduction of “Boilers Bill, 2024” in the Parliament. The re-enacted legislation meets the current requirements of stakeholders including industry, personnel working on/with boilers and implementers in the country and is as per need in the current times. The salient features of the Bill are as under: It has been drafted as per modern drafting practices to give more clarity to the provisions of the Bill. The similar provisions which are at different places in the Boilers Act,1923 have been grouped together in six chapters for easier reading and understanding of the Act. All the functions/powers of the Central Government, State Governments and Central Boilers Board have been enumerated in detail to avoid any confusion...

  What is it?   Directed energy weapons (DEW) use concentrated electromagnetic energy to combat enemy forces and assets. These weapons include high energy lasers and other high power electromagnetics—such as millimeter wave and high power microwave weapons. Unlike weapons that fire bullets or missiles, DEWs can respond to a threat in different ways. For example, they can temporarily degrade electronics on a drone or physically destroy it. See our 2022   Spotlight   for more information on counter-drone technology. How does it work?   Each type of DEW uses a different region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This spectrum describes all of the kinds of light—including those the human eye cannot see—and classifies them according to wavelength. Different types of electromagnetic energy have different properties. For example, the wavelength affects what the directed energy can penetrate—such as metal or human skin. All DEWs emit energy at the speed of light, and are o...