• Northern Coalfields Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India, will start production of M-Sand.
• M-Sand is artificial sand produced from crushing hard stones into small sand sized angular shaped particles, washed and finely graded to be used as construction aggregate.
• Advantages: An alternative to natural sand, it offers benefits such as Greater Durability, Higher strength, low price, eco-friendly (minimising illegal sand mining), better workability etc.
• Disadvantages
  • Rough and angular texture can increase water and cement requirements.
  • Higher concentration of Micro fine particles can affect strength and workability.

• It is celebrated every year (on January 10^th) to promote the use of Hindi Language around the world.
• It is also the day when Hindi was spoken for the first time in UNGA (in 1949).
• It was on this day in 1975 that the first World Hindi Conference was held in Nagpur.
• It is different from National Hindi Day which is celebrated every year on September 14 to mark adaptation of Hindi (written in Devanagari script) as official language by Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949.

• US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval to Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab (marketed as Leqembi) that has shown to slow cognitive decline in patients in early stages of the illness.
• Lecanemab aims to slow the progression of disease by removing clumps of beta-amyloid —considered one of the main causes of Alzheimer’s disease — from the brain.

What is Alzheimer’s?

• Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder that causes the brain to shrink (atrophy) and brain cells to die.
• It is the most common cause of dementia — a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills .

• Despite an exponential rise in cybercrimes across the state, two newly opened cyber police stations at Mandi and Dharamsala have been denotified by the new government.
• Both police stations were opened at the fag end of the tenure of the last government though their proposals were chalked out in November 2021 by the state CID. Though no infrastructure was created and just officials were posted there, the need to strengthen these was a dire necessity given the rising cybercrimes in the state.
• There are three police ranges in the state — Southern, Central and Northern. Each has four districts within its purview. There is barely one such police station in Shimla to handle cases from all 12 districts.
• The two cyber crime police stations were supposed to ease the burden of the lone cyber police station in Shimla by making available specially trained cyber warriors.
• The Police Department was endeavouring to open such police stations in 10 districts, barring the two tribal districts, in view of the increased reporting of such crimes on the National Crime Recording Portal through toll free number 1930. On an average, 5,000 complaints per month are received on the portal.
• As many as 368 FIRs were registered in the southern range, 129 in the central range and 57 in the northern range from 2017 to 2021. As many as 31 FIRs were registered at cyber crime’s Shimla-based police station.
• Similarly, cases of cyber frauds have registered an steep rise. As many as 1,234 cases have been registered in the last five years in the southern range, 1,669 were registered in central range, 478 in the northern range while 4,302 were registered at Shimla.
• The number of social media complaints too have witnessed an increase with the CID’s cyber police station registering 3,446 cases in the last five years while miscellaneous cases, comprising other cyber-related crimes, touched 3,010 in the same period as per figures secured from Shimla.
• Field officials face handicaps like the delayed receipt of data pertaining to Facebook, WhatsApp usage of an accused as well as the failure to get the pinpoint location of an accused from most cellular companies while investigating a cyber crime. This often impedes investigation as the first few hours of a crime are the most crucial.
• Neighbouring states have taken a lead in stepping up their preparedness like move to recruit experts and opening more cyber police stations.

• The New Development Bank (NDB) has agreed to fund the Shimla Urban Transport Ropeway Project.
• The project will be implemented under the 90:10 financial scheme by the Centre and the state.
• This information was given by RD Nazeem, Principal Secretary, Transport.
• The cost of the project, the first of its kind in the country, will be around Rs 1,600 crore.
• The ropeway will have a network of 14.69 km, starting from Taradevi, the entry point to the city. It will have 15 boarding and de-boarding stations close to the circular road.
• The stations will be built along the circular road so that people have easy access to cable cars.
• Parking lots will also be created near these stations,” said Rohit Thakur, Chief General Manager, Ropeway and Rapid Transport System Development Corporation (RRTSDC), the implementing agency of the project.
• “Several surveys are being carried out to assess the social and environmental impact of the project.
• The ropeway will lead to decongestion of the city roads. It will have the capacity of ferrying around 7,000 passengers in an hour to various parts of the city.
• It will be like “Metro on ropes.”

Why in News?

• IndAusECTA was signed last year, on 2^ndApril, 2022; after Ratification and Exchange of Written Instruments, the Agreement has come into force on 29^th December 2022.

Current trade trends between India and Australia:

• India’s imports from Australia amount to 17 US $ billion while its exports to Australia amount to 10.5 US $ billion. However, what we need to realize that India’s imports from Australia are primarily (96%) raw materials & intermediate goods.  They are highly concentrated in Coal (74% of Australia’s exports to India) out of which 71.4% is coking coal. On the other hand, India’s exports to Australia are broad-based and dominated by finished products (consumer goods). India also spends $ 4 bn approx. each year on education of students in Australia.

The IndAusECTA covers the following major areas:

• Trade in Goods
• Trade in Services
• Rules of Origin
• Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures
• Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation
• Trade Remedies
• Legal & institutional Issues
• Movement of Natural Persons

Benefits under Trade in Goods:

• Indian goods on all tariff lines to get access to Australian market with zero customs duty
• Cheaper Raw Materials, Faster ApprovaI for Medicines
• 90% of Australian exports by value to get zero duty access to Indian market
• 10 Lakh More Jobs, 10 Billion Dollar More Exports in Five Years

Benefits under Trade in Services:

• More than 1 lakh Indian students in Australia to benefit from post-study work visa
• Australian services to get Negative List Treatment after 5 Years
• Protective Features to guard against Unintended Consequences.
• End to Double Taxation

An Agreement Suiting the Specific Requirements of Indian Economy:

• Great care has been taken in negotiating the agreement to suit the peculiarities of the Indian economy. Here are some of its beneficial features:
• India has not provided access and kept out milk and other dairy products, wheat, sugar, iron ore, apple and walnuts from its offers to Australia. This is normally impossible as these are the major exports of Australia.
• Australia hopes for gains for its products such as Coal and Wines plus a few quotas in agriculture / horticulture products (almonds, cotton, lentil, pears, oranges, etc.) which are already being imported.
• Australia has offered Zero duty access to 100% of its lines & trade whereas India has so far offered only 70% of its lines for duty free/ reduced duty access to Australia.
• India can benefit hugely in the pharmaceutical sector. Through the Agreement, drugs approved in other developed jurisdictions will get quicker approval in Australia. This will enable easy penetration of the Australian medical market (India is just 3%).
• Major gains are expected for India’s labour-intensive sectors such as textiles/ apparel, leather/ footwear, gems and jewellery, fish products, machinery and electrical goods. They will gain duty free access on par with Vietnam and other countries, making them competitive.
• Liberal grant of work visas to students, employee/ worker visas, agriculture worker visas.
• This agreement hopes to encourage other developed countries such as UK, Canada, Europe to sign similar agreements with India.
• The Agreement allows India to overcome any loss it would have incurred as a result of walking out of RCEP, which was virtually an FTA with China.

Total India – Australia trade expected to cross US $ 45-50 billion by 2035:

• As a result of the aforementioned provisions, projections point to a number of long-term gains for the Indian economy.
• The coming into force of the India Australia ECTA is expected to consolidate and help in the growth of market share of Indian products and services. New markets for Indian goods in Australia are also likely to emerge. There is an expected growth in pharmaceutical products with the easing of Australian regulatory processes.
• There is expected to be a vertical movement in value chains with the increasing presence of higher value products of advanced technology. Exports are expected to increase by 10 billion by 2026-27 with a creation of approximately 10 lakh jobs.
• The total bilateral trade is expected to cross US $ 45-50 billion by 2035. It is expected that there will be enhanced job opportunities for Indians in Australia and increased remittance and investment flows to India from Australia.

Why in News?

• Startup India Innovation Week will be organized from 10th to 16th of January to celebrate the Indian Startup Ecosystem and National Startup Day.
• The innovation week is intended to foster a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in the country.

More about Startup India Innovation Week:

• The Commerce and Industry Ministry said, knowledge sharing sessions for entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs, officials, incubators, corporates and investors will be organized during the Startup India Innovation Week.
• The Ministry said, as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, various startup-related events are being organized in more than 75 places across the country. The events include workshops for women entrepreneurs, training of incubators, mentorship workshops, capacity-building workshops, startup pitching sessions.
• The Ministry said, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade will organize the felicitation ceremony for the winners of National Startup Awards 2022 to commemorate National Startup Day on 16th of January.

What is the Startup India Initiative?

• Launched on 16th January, 2016, the Startup India Initiative has rolled out several programs with the objective of supporting entrepreneurs, building a robust startup ecosystem and transforming India into a country of job creators instead of job seekers.
• These programs are managed by a dedicated Startup India Team, which reports to the Department for Industrial Policy and Promotion (DPIIT).
• Under the Startup India initiative, eligible companies can get recognised as Startups by DPIIT, in order to access a host of tax benefits, easier compliance, IPR fast-tracking etc.

Key Pillars of Support for Startups

• Simplification and Handholding
• Easier compliance, easier exit process for failed startups, legal support, fast tracking of patent applications and a website to reduce information asymmetry.
• Funding & Incentives
• Exemptions on Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax for eligible startups; a fund of funds to infuse more capital into the startup ecosystem and a credit guarantee scheme.
• Incubation & Industry-Academia Partnerships
• Creation of numerous incubators and innovation labs, events, competitions and grants.

Why in News?

• Recently, A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said it will first take up for preliminary determination whether Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 suffers from any “constitutional infirmity”.

About:

• Section 6A was a special provision inserted into the 1955 Act in furtherance of a Memorandum of Settlement called the ‘Assam Accord’ signed on August 15, 1985.
• The accord was a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the Assam government and the All-Assam Students Union, and came after years of protest against perceived demographic change and outsiders in the state.

Section 6A

• It created a special provision for Assam by which persons who entered between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, and who are residing in the state, upon being detected as foreigners, will be allowed to register
• Upon registration, such a person will have the same rights and obligations as a citizen of India, but will not be entitled to be included in any electoral roll for a period of 10 years.
• Foreigners who had entered Assam before January 1, 1966, and been “ordinarily resident” in the State, would have all the rights and obligations of Indian citizens including the right to vote.

Acquisition of Citizenship

• The Citizenship Act of 1955 provides for the following ways to acquire citizenship:
• Citizenship by birth– for people born in Indian territory
• Citizenship by descent– for persons born outside India with Indian parents
• Citizenship by registration– for persons whose ancestors were Indian citizens
• Citizenship by naturalization– for persons staying in India for a long time
• Citizenship by incorporation of territory(by the Government of India)

Termination of Citizenship

• The Citizenship Act 1955 provided provisions for renunciation, termination, and deprivation of citizenship.
• Renunciation of Citizenship:If an Indian citizen who is also a national of another country renounces his Indian citizenship in a legal manner, he loses his Indian citizenship.
• When a man ceases to be an Indian citizen, his minor children cease to be Indian citizens as well. However, such a child may become an Indian citizen within one year of reaching full age by filing a statement of intent to return to India.
• Termination of Citizenship:If an Indian citizen knowingly or voluntarily accepts the citizenship of another nation, his or her Indian citizenship can be revoked.
• Deprivation of Citizenship:In some situations, the Indian government can strip a person of his citizenship.
• However, this does not apply to all citizens. It only applies to citizens who have obtained citizenship through registration, naturalization, or Article 5 Clause (c) of the Constitution (which is citizenship at commencement for a domicile in India and who has ordinarily been a resident of India for not less than 5 years immediately preceding the commencement of the Constitution).

• The Chintpurni Temple Trust will launch e-vehicle services for devotees, which will shuttle between Mai Das multi-purpose tourist complex situated near the bus stand to the shrine premises.
• Deputy Commissioner Raghav Sharma, who is also chairman of the trust, given green flag to the test run of the e-vehicle on 7th January 2023.
• As per an official communiqué, the temple trust has decided to launch green initiatives and successful test runs of e-rickshaws was conducted some time ago. The test ride for seven seated e-vehicles conducted on 7th January  so as to check whether these vehicles can manipulate the road inclines with the load of devotees.
• Once the e-vehicles pass the test, they will enable the devotees, particularly the elderly and physically challenged persons, to gain direct access to the flight of stairs leading to the sanctum sanctorum as private vehicles are not allowed beyond the police barrier, from where the shrine is about half a kilometre away.

About multi-purpose tourist complex, Mai Das.

• The multi-purpose tourist complex is named after Mai Das, a priest. As per the legend, he had a dream that Goddess Chintpurni, in the form of a stone slab, was lying buried at a particular place in the nearby forest area. The next day, he dug up the place and found the slab, which he began worshiping. The revered rock formation represents the deity and is enshrined in the sanctum sanctorum.
• The Mai Das tourist complex was constructed with the funding of the Asian Development Bank. Devotees have to first get themselves registered at this place for ‘darshan’. A computerised slip is issued to the devotees, which allows them entry into the shrine. The complex also has facilities for boarding, lodging and vehicle parking.

• Cultivation of mountain yam vegetable crop can be an alternative source of income for farmers of the state, reveals a study conducted by Dr Tara Devi Sen, assistant professor of botany at Government College, Mandi.
• Mature tubers of mountain yam are sold at a price of Rs 250 to Rs 500 per kg because of its organic value.
• Mountain yam is commonly seen growing as a vine in miscellaneous forests and shrub jungles up to an altitude of 1,500 m.
• The tubers, bulbs, inflorescences and young leaves of mountain yam are eaten cooked. The tubers are usually eaten as a seasonal delicacy.
• A variety of traditional dishes like ‘bhale, ‘siddu’, ‘parantha’ and ‘kachouri’, etc can be prepared with the stuffing of tubers.

Medicinal value

• Mountain yam is extremely beneficial in treating high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.
• Its tubers are a good source of vitamins and minerals and help in boosting immunity.
• Tubers are useful in treating stomach pain, anaemia and rheumatic swellings.
• Tuber paste is applied on swelling of joints.
• The inflorescence of mountain yam is eaten to recover from weakness.