Why in news?

• A recent study of genetically modified mosquitoes in the United States has raised hopes of controlling disease-carrying mosquitoes.
• For this experiment, the scientists engineered a gene that will kill the female offspring.
• It was done to reduce the population of wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that is a vector for viruses like chikungunya, and dengue, zika, and yelow fever.
• Genetically engineered mosquitoes are an alternative to insecticides to control insect populations.

Why in news?

• India is set to have the world’s highest tunnel at Shinku La(Shingo la) Pass, between Zanskar Valley in Ladakh and Lahaul Valley in Himachal Pradesh.
• The tunnel is set to be built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 16,580 feet above sea level. Length of the Shinku La tunnel – 4.25 km.

Details of the tunnel

• The BRO will start the construction of the record-breaking tunnel connecting Himachal Pradesh to the Union Territory(UT) of Ladakh by July 2022.
• The centre has constituted a BRO team “Project Yojak” to execute the project.
• The tunnel is expected to be operational for vehicles by 2025.
• The Shinku La Pass will host the south portal of the tunnel and the north portal will provide access to motorists to enter Lakhang and the Zanskar Valley.
• The tunnel will reduce the travel time from Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh.

Why in news?

• India observes National Civil Services Day on April 21 every year to acknowledge the works of officers engaged in several public service departments in the country. The day also marks a reminder for civil servants, who collectively run the country’s administrative machinery and their dedication to serving the citizens of the country.
• Civil Services Day is celebrated on April 21 to commemorate the day when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of Independent India addressed probationers of Administrative Services Officers at Delhi’s Metcalf House in 1947. In his address, he called Civil Servants, the ‘Steel Frame of India’. This meant that civil servants, employed at various levels of the government, act as supporting pillars of the country’s administrative system.
• Earlier, during the British rule, the name of civil services was Indian Civil Services which was later changed to All India Services and it was fully controlled by India.
• Every year, on this occasion, the Prime Minister’s Awards of Excellence in Public Administration are presented to District/Implementing Units for the implementation of priority programmes and innovation categories.

Why in news?

• Development comes amid a sharp rise in number of ‘nidhi’ companies and is aimed at improving their governance and safeguarding public interest.

Key amendments

• A public company set up as a Nidhi with share capital of Rs. 10 lakhs needs to first get itself declared as a Nidhi from Union government. Earlier, there was no such need for a company to get declaration.
• Promoters and Directors of company have to meet the criteria laid down in rules.

About Nidhi company

• Similar to a Non-Banking Financial Company, a Nidhi is formed to borrow and lend money to its members. It inculcates saving habits among its members and works on the principle of mutual benefit.
• Not required to get an RBI license but need approval under the Companies Act.
• Ministry of Corporate Affairs regulates its operational matters and RBI has the power to issue directions for its deposit-taking activities.
• Can’t deal with chit funds, hire-purchase finance, leasing finance, insurance or securities business. It is strictly prohibited from accepting deposits from or lending funds to, any other person except members.
• Only individual members are allowed in Nidhi companies.

Why in news?

• A recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) working paper suggests that $3.2 on PPP could be made an official poverty line since India has almost eliminated extreme poverty at 51.9 PPP (defined by World Bank).
• According to the IMF paper, number of people living in extreme poverty was 0.86 per cent of the population in 2020-21 up from 0.76 per cent during 2019-20 (pandemic year).
• Suggestion assumes significance since India does not have any official poverty line.
• Last poverty estimates were released by erstwhile Planning Commission following the methodology recommended by Tendulkar Committee for 2011-12.

Poverty estimation in India

• Planning Commission Expert Group (1962) formulated separate poverty lines for rural and urban areas (Z20 and Z25 per capita per year respectively).
• Dandekar Rath (1971) defined poverty line as expenditure adequate to provide 2250 calories per day in rural and urban areas.
• Subsequently different committees — Alagh (1979), Lakdawala Committee (1993), Tendulkar Committee (2009) did the poverty estimation.
• Latest estimation was by Rangarajan committee (2014), which defined poverty line as Monthly Per Capita Expenditure of Rs. 1407 in urban areas and Rs. 972 in rural areas.

Why in news?

• Oil India Limited (OIL) has commissioned India’s first 99.999% pure green hydrogen plant in Jorhat, Assam.

About Green Hydrogen:

• Defined as hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable energy such as wind or solar power that does not entail greenhouse gas emissions.
• Hydrogen gas can be used as a fuel in transportation, power generation, and industrial activities.

Why in news?

• CAT is conducting a special drive across for disposal of cases of most vulnerable section of applicants like the senior citizens / pensioners.
• CAT had been established (1985) under Article 323 -A for adjudication of disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and conditions of service of persons appointed to public services and posts.
  • Members of the defence forces, officers and servants of Supreme Court and the secretarial staff of the Parliament are not covered by it.
• CAT is a multi-member body consisting of a chairman and members.
• It is guided by the principles of natural justice.
• Appeals against the orders of the CAT lie before concerned High Court (Chandra Kumar case).

Why in news?

• Vagsheer, sixth and last submarine of Project 75, has been launched.
• Vagsheer is a diesel attack submarine, designed to perform sea denial as well as access denial warfare.
• It is also capable of performing anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, inteligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance related operations.
• P 75 is one of two lines of submarines, other being P75I, as part of a plan for indigenous submarine construction with technology taken from overseas firms.
• Under P75, Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj and Vela have been commissioned. Sea trials are on for Vagir.
• Constructed by: Mazagon Dock Ltd

Why in news?

• It is being reported that Pakistan’s inteligence agency is using the corridor to cultivate contacts among Indians going on the pilgrimage.
• Kartarpur Corridor was inaugurated in 2019 to Pakistan commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak.
• Corridor connects the Dera Baba Nanak (in India) with Sri Kartarpur Sahib Gurudwara (in Pakistan), located on the east bank and west bank of River Ravi respectively.
• Guru Nanak spent last 18 years of his life at Kartarpur.
• Kartarpur Corridor allows a visa-free day only travel to Sri Kartparpur Sahib for devotees.

Why in news?

• The Department of Rural Development and Panchayati raj, Jammu and Kashmir (MK), under the e-governance initiativ e has launched an app ‘Jan Nigrani, intended to help people lodge their complaints related to various schemes online.
• The Jan Nigrani app is a 24×7 Internet based platform aimed at reporting and resolving the grievances of the residents of J&K, against various government schemes launched by the department.
• The app would act as a single link between the residents and the officials by mapping concerned authorities related to the complaint for faster grievance redressal.
• The app ensures minimal rejections of accounts due to incomplete information, by facilitating accurate reporting of the grievances using customised scheme specific input forms.
• In order to provide faster Grievance redressal the app has been set at the block level with a seven-day time slot to redress any particular grievance, also the app checks for the bogus and false complaints raised by the customers.