• Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry has received the Porter Prize 2023.
• It recognized the government’s strategy in managing COVID-19, also the approach, and involvement of various stakeholders especially the involvement of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers.
• The country’s contribution to developing and manufacturing vaccines was also lauded.
  • India delivered more than 2.5 billion doses.
• Porter Prize is named after award-winning economist Michael E. Porter.
  • He has brought economic theory and strategy concepts to bear on many of the most challenging problems faced by corporations, economies and societies

• The Supreme Court recently formed a five-member expert committee to investigate the possibility of regulatory failure in the Hindenburg Adani saga.
• The Supreme-Court formed a committee headed by former apex court judge, Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre to assess the regulatory framework.
• The scope of the committee is to
  • provide an overall assessment of the situation, including the relevant factors which led to the volatility in the securities market.
  • suggest measures to strengthen Indian investor awareness.
  • investigate any regulatory failure in dealing with the alleged breaking of rules by the Adani Group of companies.
  • Suggest measures to strengthen the statutory and regulatory framework and secure compliance with the existing framework for the protection of investors.

• National Safety Day is observed on March 4 annually with an in aim to promote safe working environment and ensure safety of people in all aspects.
• The campaign is comprehensive, general and flexible with an appeal to the participating organisations to develop specific activities as per their safety requirements.
• This year will mark the onset of the 52nd National Safety Day.
• The theme for 2023 National Safety Day is ‘Our Aim – Zero Harm’.
  • The National Safety Council of India (NSC) publishes the theme of National Safety Day.
• The National Safety Day was first marked in 1971 to commemorate the founding of the National Safety Council (on March 4, 1966) and raise safety awareness.

• A Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court directed in a landmark judgment that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs) will be appointed by the President on the advice tendered by a committee of the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
  • The judgment has now brought the appointment process of Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners on par with that of the CBI Director.
  • The move is aimed at insulating the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and election commissioners from the Executive’s interference.
• Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners have so far been appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• The high-powered committee would continue to advise the President on the appointment until the Parliament enacts a law on the appointment process of Election Commissioners.
• Other highlights of SC verdict
  • Appointment of an EC for a tenure less than six years is in “clear breach” of law. Section 4(1) of Election Commission (Conditions of Service of ECs and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991 requires that CECs and ECs should separately have a period of six years in office.
  • SC ruled that process of removal of CEC and other ECs cannot be the same.
  • On issue of funding EC, Court held that there is a need to provide for a permanent Secretariat and expenditure be charged on Consolidated Fund of India.

The Election Commission of India

• It is an autonomous constitutional body under Article 324.
• It administers elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies in India, and the offices of the President and Vice President in the country.
• Composition
  • Originally the commission had only a Chief Election Commissioner.
  • It currently consists of Chief Election Commissioner and two Election Commissioners.
• Appointment & Tenure of Commissioners
  • The President appoints Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners under article 324(2).
  • They have a tenure of six years, or up to the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
  • They enjoy the same status and receive salary and perks as available to Judges of the Supreme Court of India.
  • The Chief Election Commissioner can be removed from office only through impeachment by Parliament.
  • Service condition- same as judges of Supreme Court. EC can’t be removed from office except on recommendation of CEC.

• The 4th edition of National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) commenced in the Central Hall of Parliament recently.
• It is based on the theme: “Ideas for a Better tomorrow: India for the World”.
• More than 2.01 Lakh youth from 748 Districts of all States and UTs participated at 150 venues across the country.
• Objective:
  • To hear the voice of youth in this age bracket of 18-25 who are allowed to vote but cannot contest in elections.
  • To encourage the youth to engage with public issues, understand the common man’s point of view, form their opinion and express these in an articulate manner.

About National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF)

• NYPF is based on the idea given by the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat address.
• Under this District Youth Parliaments are also conducted.
• These are conducted at three levels:
  1. District Youth Parliament (DYP): Preliminary rounds of screening are conducted to select youth for participation in the DYP by a Jury.
  2. State Youth Parliament (SYP): The youth selected by a Jury from the District Youth Parliament participate at the State level in SYP.

• National Youth Parliament (NYP): The youth selected by a Jury from the State Youth Parliament participate at the National level in NYP in New Delhi.

• 1st edition of NYPF 2019 was organised with the theme “Be the Voice of New India and Find solutions and Contribute to Policy” with the participation of 88,000 youth in physical mode.
• Organized by: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

• A hidden corridor, 9 m long and roughly 2 m wide, has been unearthed by scientists close to the main entrance of the 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza.
• The discovery was originally made by the ScanPyramids project in 2016 using a non-invasive technique called cosmic-ray muon radiography.

The greatest pyramid

• The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest of the three pyramids in Giza, originally standing roughly 147 m above the Giza plateau.
  • Giza Pyramids are the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of ancient world.
• Construction was started in circa 2550 BC, during the reign of Khufu, often considered the greatest pharaoh of Egypt’s old kingdom.
• It is estimated that the pyramid was built using 2.5 million stone blocks, each weighing between 2.5 and 15 tonnes.
• Tomb art includes depictions of ancient farmers working, fishing and fowling, carpentry, costumes, religious rituals and burial practices.

• Report is first in IEA’s new series, Global Energy Transitions Stocktake- tracking progress towards Paris Agreement, provides complete picture of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2022.

Key findings

• Global energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 0.9% in 2022, reaching a new high of over 36.8 Gt.
• CO2 emissions are caused by burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas.
• Despite the rise, CO2 growth was well below global GDP growth of 3.2% – reverting to a decade-long trend of decoupling emissions and economic growth.
• Clean energy technologies (wind and solar energy, electric vehicles etc.) helped keeping the emission level of CO2 lower.
• Global Energy Transitions Stocktake
  • It tracks technology, investment and people-centered progress toward Paris Agreement and supports first Global Stocktake (GST) which will conclude at COP 28 in 2023.
  • GST, started at COP 26, assesses world’s collective progress towards Paris Agreement and long-term climate goals.
  • Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 Parties at UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in 2015.

About International Energy Agency

• It is an autonomous Intergovernmental Organisation established in 1974
• HQ- Paris, France.
• It mainly focuses on its energy policies which include economic development, energy security and environmental protection. These policies are also known as the 3 E’s of IEA.
• It was established in the wake of the oil crisis of 1973-1974, to help its members respond to major disruptions in oil supply.
• Over time, the mandate of the IEA has expanded to include tracking and analyzing key global energy trends, promoting sound energy policy and encouraging multinational energy technology cooperation.
• Major Reports:
  • World Energy Outlook Report.
  • India Energy Outlook Report.
  • World Energy Investment Report.
  • World Energy Statistics.
  • Energy Technology Perspectives.

• India has taken several steps to boost tea output, create a niche brand for the Indian tea and ensure the welfare of families associated with this industry, the commerce ministry said recently.
• Facing various geo-political, geo-economic and logistical challenges, Indian tea exports are expected to achieve more than 95% of set targets of $883 million.

Tea Industry- details

• India is 2nd largest tea producer after China and 4th largest exporter of tea in world.
• Also, India is largest black tea producer and consumer.
• Tea Cultivation and Exports are regulated by Tea Board of India.
• It employs 1.16 million workers directly with 52% of total produce from small tea growers.
• Major Tea Varieties grown in India: Darjeeling Tea, Assam Tea, Nilgiri tea, Kangra tea etc.
• Darjeeling tea was 1^st Indian product to get Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• Ideal Conditions for Tea plantation
  • Temperature: Vary from 16 to 32 degree C.
  • Annual rainfall: 125 to 150 cm, which is well distributed over 8-9 months in year.
  • Atmospheric humidity: 80%.
  • Locations: North Eastern States, hill ranges from 600 to 2200 m above mean ssea level.

About Tea Board of India

• Constituted under Tea Act 1953 under Ministry of Commerce.
• Aim- To make India, the leading producer and supplier of quality tea in the global market.
• Members– 31 members (including Chairman) drawn from Members of Parliament, tea producers, tea traders, tea brokers, consumers, and representatives of Governments from the principal tea producing states, and trade unions.
• Headquarters- Kolkata
• Board is reconstituted every three years.

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sought Odisha government intervention to protect Sisupalgarh from land mafia.
• Sisupalgarh is an ancient fortified city which flourished between 300 B.C. and 4th century A.D, on outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
• Sisupalgarh, believed to have been built around the 7th to 6th century BCE, served as the capital of the Kalinga kingdom.
• It was an important centre of trade and commerce during ancient times.
• First excavated in 1948, it was declared a Centrally Protected Monument under provisions of Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904.
• Other features of city:
  • JalaDurga (Water Fort) with planned drainage system,
  • presence of stone pillars,
  • only fortified site in India having eight gateways.

• Prabodh Kumar Trivedi today took charge as the Director of the CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technologies (IHBT), Palampur.
• At present, Trivedi is the Director of the CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow.
• Former Director Sanjay Kumar superannuated on February 28.