Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Srinagar has become the fourth Indian city to be recognised as a ‘World Craft City’ by the World Craft Council (WCC), three years after it was designated as part of the UNESCO Creative City Network (UCCN) for crafts and folk arts.

Background:-

• Jaipur, Malappuram and Mysore are the other Indian cities that have previously been recognised as World Craft Cities.

Key takeaways

• The World Craft City (WCC) initiative, launched in 2014 by the World Crafts Council AISBL (WCC-International), recognizes the vital role played by local authorities, craftspeople, and communities in cultural, economic, and social development worldwide.
• The WCC-World Craft City Programme establishes a dynamic network of craft cities across the globe, aligning with the principles of the creative economy. This initiative responds to the increasing acknowledgment of the valuable contributions made by local entities to the multifaceted dimensions of development.

Key objectives of the WCC-World Craft City Programme:

• Global Recognition
  • Showcase the reputation and assets of creative cities/regions specializing in specific craft disciplines, raw materials, articles, or a variety of crafts on a global platform.
• Government Advocacy
  • Encourage governmental support and future commitments for the development of crafts in designated cities/regions.
• Local Innovation
  • Strengthen local potential for innovation and foster the development of creative tourism.
• Knowledge Exchange
  • Promote the exchange of know-how, experiences, and best practices in various craft fields at the national, regional, and international levels.
• Collaborative Opportunities
  • Create new opportunities for cooperation and partnerships between designated craft cities.

Source: World Crafts Council

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – Polity

Context: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain said recently that those found assisting militants in J&K should be tried by investigating agencies under the Enemy Agents Ordinance, 2005.

Background:

• The law is more stringent than the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and has the punishment of either a life term or a death sentence.

About J&K Enemy Agents Ordinance

• The J&K Enemy Agents Ordinance was first issued in 1917 by the then Dogra Maharaja of J&K.
• It is referred to as an ‘ordinance’ since laws made during the Dogra rule were called ordinances.
• According to the ordinance, “whosoever is an enemy agent or, with an intent to aid the enemy, conspires with any other person to any act which is designed or likely to give assistance to the enemy or to impede the military or air operations of Indian forces or to endanger life or is guilty of incendiarism shall be punishable with death or rigorous imprisonment for life or with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and shall also be liable to fine”.
• After Partition in 1947, the ordinance was incorporated as a law in the erstwhile state and was also amended.
• In 2019, when Article 370 of the Constitution was repealed, J&K’s legal framework also underwent several changes. TheJammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act was passed, which listed out state laws that were to continue while several others were repealed and replaced with Indian laws.
• While the security laws such as Enemy Agents Ordinance and Public Safety Act remained; the Ranbir Penal Code was replaced with the Indian Penal Code. Other laws including The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 or Forest Act, and The Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 were extended to J&K as well.
• The trial under the Enemy Agents Ordinance is conducted by a special judge who is appointed by the “government in consultation with the High Court”.
• Under the ordinance, the accused cannot engage a lawyer to defend herself unless permitted by the court.
• There is no provision for appeal against the verdict, and the decision of the special judge can only be reviewed “by a person chosen by the Government from the judges of the High Court and the decision of that person shall be final”.
• The ordinance also bars any disclosure or publication of the case tried under it.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: As today is June 26th, the annual Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya Temple, atop Nilachal hills in Assam’s Guwahati, which commenced on Saturday, will conclude with the temple doors opening for darshan after a ritualistic bath and daily puja, following a four-day cessation of worship.

Background:

• During the period of Ambubachi from the seventh to the tenth day of the Hindu month of “Asadha”, the doors of the shrine are closed to all as it is believed that Goddess Kamakhya goes through the annual cycle of menstruation. On the twelfth day, the doors are opened ceremonially and a big fair held at the temple premises on that day.

Key Takeaways

• The Ambubachi Mela is an annual mela (gathering) held at Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
• This yearly mela is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall during the Assamese month Ahaar, around the middle of June when the sun transits to the zodiac of Mithuna, when the Brahmaputra River is in spate. During this time Brahmaputra River near the temple turns Red for three days.
• Ambubachi Mela is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Kamakhya. It is believed that the presiding goddess of the temple, Devi Kamakhya, the Mother Shakti, goes through her annual cycle of menstruation during this time stretch.
• “Ambubachi” means spoken with water and it also implies that the rains expected during this month make the earth fertile and ready for procreation.
• Daily worship is suspended during this period. All agricultural work like digging, ploughing, sowing, and transplanting of crops are forbidden. Widows, Brahmacharis and Brahmins avoid cooked food during these days.
• On the fourth day, Ambubachi being over, household items, utensils and clothes are washed, cleaned and purified by sprinkling sacred waters, worship of Goddess Kamakhya begins after cleansing and other rituals are performed. Entry to the Shrine is considered to be auspicious after this.
• The concept of Ambubachi thus has in its origin, formative influences and elements of agricultural, social and religious ideas that have contributed to the emergence of the phenomenon. It is thus symbolic, supported by religious sanction.
• This mela is also known as Ameti or Tantric fertility festival since it is closely associated with Tantric Shakti cult prevalent in eastern parts of India. Even some Tantric Babas make their public appearances only during these four days. The rest of the year, they remain in seclusion.

Source: Livemint

Syllabus

• Prelims & Mains – ECONOMY

Context: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revises Priority Sector Lending (PSL) norms.

Background:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) periodically revises its guidelines for Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to promote financial inclusion and address emerging challenges.

Key Takeaways:

• Priority Sector refers to those sectors which the Government of India and the Reserve Bank of India consider as important for the development of the basic needs of the country. The banks are mandated to encourage the growth of such sectors with adequate and timely credit.
• Priority Sector Lending (PSL) is an important policy tool in India aimed at ensuring that adequate credit is available to vital sectors of the economy that may not get timely and adequate credit in the absence of this special dispensation.
• Priority Sector Lending was formalised in 1972 to facilitate the flow of credit to such sectors, which though creditworthy, cannot access credit from formal financial institutions.
• This initiative is designed to promote inclusive growth by directing a portion of the lending by banks to specified sectors.
• Some categories of priority sector are: Agriculture, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, Export Credit, Education, Housing, Social Infrastructure, Renewable Energy, Others.
• Banks who have not achieved their PSL targets can achieve their PSL targets by purchasing Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs). This mechanism allows banks that have surpassed their PSL targets to sell their excess lending to other banks that have not met their targets.
• Monitoring and Reporting:
  • Banks are required to submit quarterly and annual reports on their Priority Sector Lending performance to the RBI.
  • The RBI monitors and ensures compliance with PSL guidelines, and non-compliance can attract penalties.

Source: Regulation Asia

Syllabus

• Prelims – POLITY

Context: Rahul Gandhi has been named the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, party general secretary KC Venugopal announced after a meeting of floor leaders of opposition parties.

Background:

• In the Indian parliamentary system, the Leader of the Opposition holds a crucial role.

Renaming State

• In each House of Parliament, there is the ‘Leader of Opposition’.
• The leader of the largest Opposition party having not less than one-tenth seats of the total strength of the House is recognised as the leader of the Opposition in that House.
• In a parliamentary system of government, the leader of the opposition has a significant role to play.
• Main functions of the Leader of the Opposition are to provide a constructive criticism of the policies of the government and to provide an alternative government.
• It was in 1969 that an official leader of the opposition was recognised for the first time.
• The leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were accorded statutory recognition in 1977 through “The salary and allowance of Leader of opposition act, 1977”.
• The Act defines the term ‘ Leader of the Opposition’ as that member of the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha who, for the time being, is the Leader of that House of the party in Opposition to the government having the greatest numerical strength and recognised, as such, by the chairman of the Rajya Sabha or the speaker of the Lok Sabha.
• They are also entitled to the salary, allowances and other facilities equivalent to that of a cabinet minister.

Source: Hindustan Times

Syllabus

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: Defence Ministry signs 350th contract under Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) for miniaturised satellite.

Background:

• The contract was inked with SpacePixxel Technologies Pvt Ltd for design and development of a miniaturised satellite capable of carrying electro-optical, infrared, synthetic aperture radar and hyperspectral payloads up to 150 kg.

About Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX)

• The iDEX initiative was launched by the Hon’ble PM in April 2018.
• Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) is an ecosystem initiated by the Ministry of Defence to foster innovation and technology development in the defence and aerospace sectors by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes & academia.
• iDEX is funded and managed by a ‘Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has been formed as a ‘not for profit’ company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 for this purpose, by the two founder members i.e. Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) – HAL & BEL.
• iDEX will function as the executive arm of DIO, carrying out all the required activities while DIO will provide high level policy guidance to iDEX.
• Objectives of iDEX:
  • FACILITATE
    • Facilitate rapid development of new, indigenized, and innovative technologies for the Indian defence and aerospace sector, to meet needs for these sectors in shorter timelines
  • CREATE
    • Create a culture of engagement with innovative startups, to encourage co-creation for defence
      and aerospace sectors
  • EMPOWER
    • Empower a culture of technology co-creation and co-innovation within the defence and aerospace sectors.
  • Funding and Support:
    • iDEX provides grants (up to ₹1.50 crore, or up to ₹10 crore for iDEX Prime) through the Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart (SPARK) Framework.
    • These grants fund projects in technological areas identified through the Defence India Startup Challenges (DISC) and open challenges.
    • iDEX follows steps such as challenge curation, outreach, screening, selection, and grant appraisal to catalyze open innovation and deliver defense-grade products.

Source: Hindu

Q1.) With reference to the Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX), consider the following statements:

1. iDEX is an ecosystem initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
2. iDEX aims to deliver technologically advanced solutions for modernizing the Indian Military by engaging innovators, entrepreneurs, and industries.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q2.) With reference to the Leader of the Opposition, consider the following statements:

1. Leader of opposition is not a constitutional post.
2. The opposition leader must come from a party that commands at least 10 percent of the lawmakers in the lower house.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q3.) With reference to the Priority Sector Lending (PSL), consider the following statements:

1. Priority Sector Lending (PSL) is aimed at ensuring the availability of adequate credit to vital sectors of the economy
2. Banks can meet their PSL targets by purchasing Priority Sector Lending Certificates (PSLCs).
3. The RBI monitors and ensures compliance with PSL guidelines, and non-compliance can attract penalties.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. Only one
2. Only two
3. All three
4. None

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  26th June 2024 – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs.st

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – b