WHY IN THE NEWS?

The government of India has launched the People’s Plan Campaign titled ‘Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas’ campaign for inclusive and holistic preparation of Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).

About Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas Campaign:

• Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas campaign has been launched by the Ministry of Panchayats Raj from 2nd October 2020 to 31st January 2021. It was also launched in 2018 and 2019.
• Aim: To help Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the preparation of a convergent and holistic Gram Panchayat Development Plan(GPDP) through the identification of sectoral infrastructural gaps in respective areas.

Objectives of the Sabki Yojna Sabka Vikas Campaign: The objectives of the campaign include:

• Strengthening of elected representatives and Self Help Groups
• Evidence-based assessment of progress made in 2020-21 and proposals for 2021-22 in all 29 subjects of XI Schedule
• Public disclosure on Schemes, finances and
• Preparation of inclusive, participatory and evidence-based GPDP for 2021-22.

Significance of the campaign:

• Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas is an effective strategy for ensuring the preparation of GPDP in a campaign mode. It also converges all resources available at the Panchayat level related to 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution.

About Gram Panchayat Development Plan(GPDP):

• Under Article 243 G of the Constitution, Gram Panchayats have been mandated for the preparation of GPDP for economic development and social justice utilizing the resources available to them.
• The GPDP planning process should be comprehensive and participatory by involving full convergence with the schemes of all related Central Ministries / Line Departments.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Australia is keen that India joins its biggest war games ‘Exercise Talisman Sabre’ in 2023. And a formal invite could be extended during the Australian Defence Minister’s visit to India, in the next couple of months.

About Exercise Talisman Sabre

According to the Australian Defence Ministry,

• Talisman Sabre 2021 is the largest bilateral combined training activity between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the U.S. military.
• It also saw the participation of approximately 17000 military personnel from seven nations on land, air and sea.
• The other countries include Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and U.K.

India’s participation in other Exercises

Four frontline warships from the Navy’s Eastern Fleet are scheduled to depart on the overseas deployment of over two months to South East Asia, the South China Sea and the Western Pacific during which they will conduct a series of exercises and interactions.

• SIMBEX with Singapore
• Samudra Shakti with Indonesia
• AUS – INDEX with Australia
• Malabar 21 Exercise (hosted by the US) with Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, Royal Australian Navy and the United States Navy

Significance

Such exercises and interactions are conducted to:

• Deepen interoperability and high technology cooperation between member countries
• Enhance synergy and coordination between the Indian Navy and friendly countries, based on common maritime interests and commitment towards Freedom of Navigation at sea

WHY IN THE NEWS?

India has not been invited Russia led ‘extended Troika meet.

About:

• An extended Troika meet will be held on the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan.
• The meeting is expected to be attended by Pakistan, China and the US.
• India also sought to downplay its absence stating that it engages with Russia on the issue of Afghanistan regularly.
• An extended Troika meeting is scheduled to be held on August 11 in Qatar.
• Before this meeting, talks earlier took place on March 18 and April 30.

Why this meeting will take place?

Russia led meeting will be held because the Taliban is still continuing its major offensive in Afghanistan. So, Russia has stepped up its efforts in order to reach out to all key stakeholders in the war-torn countries so that violence can be stopped.  The meeting will also give a push to the Afghan peace process.

Other steps by Russia

Russia has also been holding ‘Moscow Format’ of talks in order to bring peace and create conditions for the process of national reconciliation in Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov also highlighted in Tashkent that, Russia will continue to work with India and other countries to find a solution for Afghanistan.

India’ stands on Afghanistan peace process

At the last Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Dushanbe, India urged Taliban to abide by Moscow format, Doha process (talks in Qatar), as well as Istanbul processes (an initiative of Turkey and Afghanistan) in order to instil peace in Afghanistan. India also asked Taliban to ensure that neighbours like Iran & Central Asia are not threatened by terrorism, separatism and extremism.  In Moscow, India maintained that the basis for the India-Russia-Iran partnership followed in the mid-1990s still remain valid because India asserted that, legitimacy of who ruled Afghanistan cannot be ignored.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

India is pushing for cars to run on ethanol made from sugar. This move of the Indian government is increasing the risks of the higher cost of sweeteners worldwide.

About:

• The Indian government will fast-track an ethanol program. This programme will divert about 6 million tons of sugar toward fuel production annually by 2025.
• This amount to almost the entire sugar that India currently exports to the international market. India is the world’s second-biggest producer of sugar after Brazil.

Background

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advanced the target for blending 20% ethanol in gasoline to 2025 which is five years earlier than it was planned.

How this target will be achieved?

In order to meet the 2025 target, India is required to almost triple ethanol production by about 10 billion litres in a year. It will require $7 billion of investment.

Challenges that India will face

• A major challenge associated with the target would be to create the kind of capacity needed in about three to four years.
• Prices of ethanol are increasing since 2017 amid a supply crunch. Prices have increased partly due to wild weather in Brazil. The further surge will increase the food inflation risks.

Advantages of ethanol blending

1. Ethanol blending will reduce air pollution.
2. It will cut India’s oil import bills.
3. It will also help in soaking up the domestic sugar glut and increase investment across rural areas.

How government is supporting the process?

The government is offering financial support to sugar mills in order to set up or expand distilleries. For instance, Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd. will stop producing sugar at some of its mills and start processing cane juice to make ethanol.

India’s strategy

India is following the Brazilian model that has promoted sugarcane-based ethanol for more than 40 years in order to increase energy security, ease its sugar glut and cut dependency on oil imports. Presently, Brazil has the largest fleet of flex-fuel cars running on any blend of ethanol and gasoline. India will also allow the production of ethanol-based flex engines.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Senior ministers from the governments of Assam and Mizoram held a detailed discussion on August 5, 2021, regarding the boundary dispute between Assam & Mizoram.

About:

• Following the meeting, a joint statement was released stating that boundary disputes would be resolved amicably.
• Assam Government also issued an order to revoke and withdraw a travel advisory for state residents and asked them to think before visiting Mizoram.
• The governments of Assam and Mizoram later agree to take forward initiatives taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Chief Ministers of both the states were asked to remove tension prevailing around interstate borders. They were also asked to find lasting solutions to the disputes through discussion.

How peace will be maintained?

To maintain peace in inter-state border areas and deployment of central forces, both the government highlighted that, Assam and Mizoram would not send their respective forest and police forces for the purpose of patrolling, domination, enforcement or for fresh deployment in any area where confrontation had taken place between police forces of both the states. It includes the areas along the Assam-Mizoram border in the districts of Karimganj, Hailakandi & Cachar in Assam, and Mamit & Kolasib districts of Mizoram.

Assam-Mizoram Boundary Dispute

The boundary dispute between Assam and Mizoram dates back to the colonial era when inner lines were demarcated in accordance with the administrative needs of the British Raj. This dispute started from two notifications passed under the British era.

1. Notification of 1875- It differentiated Lushai Hills from the plains of Cachar. It was derived from Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) Act, 1873.
2. Notification of 1933- It demarcated a boundary between Lushai Hills and Manipur.

Mizoram is of the view that the boundary should be demarcated on the basis of the 1875 notification and is opposing the 1933 notification citing that Mizo society was not consulted. While the Assam government follows notification of 1933. Thus, the dispute is there because of different perceptions of the border.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Three remote Alaska volcanoes are in different states of eruption. One of the volcanos is producing lava while the other two is blowing steam and ash.

About:

• None of the small communities surrounding the volcanoes has been affected, till now.
• Webcams on August 6 showed episodic low-level ash emissions from Pavlof Volcano.
• Following the emissions, the observatory has raised the volcano’s threat level from yellow to orange that indicates an eruption is underway with minor volcanic-ash emissions.
• Ash clouds were rising just above the volcano’s 2,518-metre summit and were drifting about 9.7 kilometres to the south before dissipating.
• The Pavlof Volcano was last erupted in 2016 and dropped some ash on the Nelson Lagoon community of Alaska.
• The observatory also received reports from the Adak community regarding a lava fountain at the summit of the Great Sitkin volcano.
• Semisopochnoi Volcano also erupted at Aleutian Island.

Pavlof  Volcano

It is a stratovolcano of the Aleutian Range on the Alaska Peninsula. It is one of the most active in the United States since 1980. It has erupted in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1986–1988, 1996–1997, 2007, 2013. It erupted two times in 2014. Its last eruption was recorded in March 2016. This volcano mostly erupts Basaltic andesite lava with 53 % SiO2. This volcano is monitored by the Alaska Volcano Observatory which is a joint program of the United States Geological Survey, Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and State of Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys.

Great Sitkin Volcano

It is a stratovolcano comprising of caldera and dome. It is located about 1,851 kilometres southwest of Anchorage.

Semisopochnoi Volcano

This volcano is located about 241 kilometres away on an uninhabited island at the western end of the Aleutian Islands. It has been erupting intermittently. On August 4, 2021, it spitted an ash cloud that went about 3,048 metres into the air.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

• Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs outshone a field of unusual suspects to claim a shock Olympic gold in the men’s 100 metres, breaking retired Jamaican star Usain Bolt’s 13-year hold on the blue-riband event.
• American Fred Kerley took silver in a personal best of 9.84 with Canada’s Andre de Grasse repeating his bronze of 2016 in 9.89, also a new best.
• Elaine Thompson-Herah led a Jamaican sweep in the women’s 100 meters at the Tokyo Summer Games, capturing gold in an Olympic-record time of 10.61 seconds. Thompson-Herah’s time was also the second-fastest women’s 100 of all time.
• Veteran teammate Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce took the silver in 10.74 seconds while Shericka Jackson, also of Jamaica, was third in 10.76. Teahna Daniels of the U.S. was seventh in 11.02.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

• Bhubaneswar has become the first Indian city to achieve 100 per cent COVID-19 vaccination. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) had launched a massive vaccination drive against Covid-19. This milestone is credited to the BMC running 55 centres at all times for vaccines.
• BMC has a record of around nine lakh people who are above 18 years of age in the city. Which includes around 31 thousand healthcare workers, 33 thousand front-line workers. 5 lakh 17 thousand people are in the age group of 18 to 44 years. Three lakh twenty-five thousand people are above 45 years of age.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

National Statistical Office (NSO) has published the eighth periodic labour force survey recently. According to the survey, the unemployment rate in India has increased to 13.3 per cent in the period of July-September 2020. The unemployment rate was 8.4 per cent in July-September 2019.

About:

• As per the survey, the joblessness or unemployment rate (UR) was 20.9 per cent in April-June 2020. UR is defined as the percentage of unemployed persons in labour force.
• In September 2020, labour force participation rate for all ages was 37 per cent. It has increased from 36.8 per cent in September 2019.
• Labour force participation rate was 35.9 per cent in April-June 2020.
• WPR has decreased to 32.1 per cent in July-September 2020 as compared to 33.7 per cent in the same period in 2019.

Labour Force

It refers to the part of population that supplies or offers to supply labour to pursue economic activities for production of goods and services. It includes both employed and unemployed persons.

Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

Periodic labour force survey was launched by NSO in April 2017. Based on PLFS, quarterly bulletin is provided by giving estimates of labour force indicators such as UR, Worker Population Ratio (WPR), Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), distribution of workers by broad status in employment & industry of work in Current Weekly Status (CWS).

Current Weekly Status (CWS)

CWS estimates on unemployed persons provides an average picture of unemployment in short period of 7 days during the survey period. In CWS approach, a person is considered unemployed if he/she did not work even for 1 hour on any day in a week.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Power Grid Corporation of India has commissioned a 40-kilometre transmission line successfully in Aryan Valley (Kargil district) of Ladakh.

About:

• Under the Development Programme of Prime Minister, Power Grid-connected Lalung, Darchik, Silmoo, Batalik, Sinikcey, Hurdass, Garkon and other adjoining villages between Lalung to Darchik.
• With this connection, all villages in Aryan Valley of Kargil district are now connected to National Grid through 220 KV Srinagar-Leh transmission lines.
• Further, the Power Grid Corporation also completed electrification of twenty other villages such as Largiab, in Nubra valley of Leh district.
• Different 11 KV lines distancing about 150 kilometres have also connected Wanla to Fotoksar, Lamayuru to Atishe & Fotorse and Saspol.
• Power Grid has set up state of art 220/66 KV gas-insulated Sub-Stations at Drass, Kargil, Khaltsi and Leh. It has connected Ladakh region to National Grid by 341 kilometres of 220kV Transmission line starting from Srinagar.

Significance of the connection

Rural electrification in difficult terrain will help bring carbon neutrality by setting diesel generator sets aside across these villages. Reliable power connectivity from the grid also will help in economic development in remote villages in Ladakh region.

National Grid in India

National Grid in India is the high-voltage electricity transmission network that connects power stations and major substations. It ensures that electricity generated anywhere across India can be used to meet demand elsewhere. National Grid in India is owned and maintained by the state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India. It is operated by state-owned Power System Operation Corporation. With a power generation capacity of 371.054 GW (as of 2020), it is the largest operational synchronous grid worldwide. India’s grid is nominally running at 50 Hz. The permissible range of frequency band is 49.95-50.05 Hz. Grid is also having synchronous interconnections with Bhutan and asynchronous links with Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal.