Why in news?

• 65th anniversary of the adoption of the National Calendar of India is being celebrated.

About National Calendar

• It is based on the Saka era, adopted on 22 March 1957 by the government along with the Gregorian calendar.
• It is based on the ascension of King Shalivaahan to the throne in 78 AD.
• One year consists of 365 days, with Chaitra being the first month of the year.
• New year starts on 22 March in a normal year, and on 21 March in a leap year.
• It was adopted on the recommendation of Calendar Reform Committee (Chaired by Meghnad Saha)
• It is used in the Gazette of India, News broadcast by All India Radio, Government communications addressed to the public and Calendars issued by the Government.

Why in news?

• Minister for Jal Shakti launched Digital Dashboard for DGCs Performance Monitoring System.
• DGCs were constituted in districts on Ganga River basin to ensure people’s participation in management and pollution abatement in Ganga and its tributaries.
• DGCs are mandated to
  • Ensure proper utilization of assets created under Namami Gange,
  • Monitor drains/sewage falling in Ganga and its tributaries,
  • Create strong connect of people with Ganga rejuvenation.
  • District Collector is the Chairperson of DGC.

Why in news?

• Union government has extended the scheme to provide ₹40 crore grants-in-aid to the Dalai Lama’s CTRC for another five years, up to 2025-26.
• CRTC (formed in 1981) is a non-profit organization dedicated to welfare and socio-economic development of Tibetan refugees exiled in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
• CRTC is registered under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, India.
• CRTC is relief wing of Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA).
• It includes members from Tibetan settlements in India, Nepal and Bhutan.
• In 1959, Dalai Lama established Tibetan exile administration, named CTA which is the continuation of government of independent Tibet.

Why in news?

• Hamirpur district has bagged the first spot in the country for the successful implementation of welfare and infrastructure development schemes under the Adarsh Gram Yojana.
• Significantly, 17 villages of the district were identified to be covered under the scheme and the district administration executed the task in collaboration with representatives of gram panchayats.
• It scored 38 points out of 40 to grab the top rank.
• These villages were provided road connectivity and pavers were fixed in streets. The component also included the installation of streetlights.

Why in news?

• Kangra tea is likely to be awarded the Geographical Indication Tag (GI tag) for the European Union.
• Tea Cultivation and Development was transferred from the Industries Department to the Agriculture Department in April, 1999. Since then, various steps have been taken to improve tea cultivation in the state, particularly in Kangra.
• Kangra Tea was accorded the GI tag in India in 2005.
• The development and cultivation of Kangra Tea is being promoted and looked after by four departments, namely Tea Board of India Regional office Palampur, cooperative & agriculture departments of the state, CSIR, IHBT Palampur and Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Agriculture University, Palampur.

Why in news?

• The Chief Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu (TN), M K Stalin launched ‘Kaaval Uthavi app having 60 features that will provide police assistance to the people particularly women during any emergency situation.

About ‘Kaaval Uthavi app

• The app features a facility to dial 112/100/101 to make direct calls with the police control room. The Dial 100 facility has been integrated with the app.
• It will allow people to virtually reach the city police control room in a few seconds by clicking an ’emergency button’ of the app.
• The user’s live location will be shared with the control room by pressing the emergency red button.
• The user details will also be identified and the nearest police station/patrol vehicle will be alerted to provide the required assistance to the user.
• The mobile compliant feature can be used to register real-time mobile based complaints with the control room along with a short video or image by selecting the required complaint type.
• Other features- police station locator with direction and dial feature and control room directory, lost document report, vehicle verification, FIR and CSR status etc. will be provided.

Why in news?

• Recently Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the “School Chalo Abhiyan” with a view to ensure 100 percent enrolment in Primary and Upper Primary schools from Jaichandpur Katghara upper primary school in Shravasti district of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
• The ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’ is being started in the Shravasti district because of its lowest literacy rate with an average of 46.74 percent.
• Other Districts with low literacy rates in UP are Bahraich , Balrampur , Badaun and Rampur .

About School Chalo Abhiyan

• The scheme aims at transforming primary education and holistic development of primary schools.
• A target has been set to connect two crore children with the drive.
• Under the scheme all Teachers, Principles, Officials and also People’s representatives should themselves take every child who is deprived of school education to school, register them, and provide them with facilities like free uniform, books, bag, shoes, sweaters etc,.
• Also the Government schools must achieve all the goals of ‘Operation Kayakalp’ which aims at giving schools a facelift.

About Operation Kayakalp

• Operation Kayakalp aims to improve the basic education of the state run schools under various initiatives.
• All Governmental buildings like primary schools/Junior High schools, Anganwadi centre, Auxiliary nurse midwife Centre etc. should be properly maintained and used after repair.
• Under the scheme Village secretariat/Pachayat Bhawans etc may be used as Library/Service Centers/Knowledge Centers/Kaushal Vikas Kendras.

Why in news?

• Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has unveiled La’eeb as the official mascot for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 during the draw for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which took place in Doha,the capital of Qatar.
• La’eeb – a super skilled player (in Arabic), is playful, adventurous and curious.
• According to FIFA and the Tournament organising body ,The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) ,the mascot represents donning the flowing Qatari National dress and trying to stop the football in air.
• According to the Supreme Committee (SC), La’eeb comes from a parallel world where tournament mascots live.
• It is a world where ideas and creativity form the basis of characters that live in the minds of everyone.
• Also La’eeb encourages everyone to believe in themselves as ‘Now is All’.

Why in news?

• Aleksandar Vucic re-elected as the President of Serbia for the second term by winning the presidential election 2022 in Serbia.
• He belong to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).He defeated his Opposition presidential candidate Zdravko Ponos, a retired army general, while his United for Victory alliance obtained 13.1%.
• Aleksandar Vucic was born on 5 March 1970 in Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia.
• He is a politician by profession, serving as the president of Serbia since 2017 and as the president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) since 2012.
• He served as the Prime Minister of Serbia in two terms, from 2014 to 2016 and from 2016 until 2017, as well as the deputy prime minister from 2012 until 2014.

Why in news?

• Germany has shut down Russia-linked ‘Hydra Market’– considered as world’s biggest and oldest DarkNet marketplace of illegal items and services.

About Dark Net

• Also known as Dark Web, it is that part of Internet which cannot be accessed through traditional search engines like Google nor is it accessible by normal browsers like Chrome or Safari.
• It generally uses non-standard communication protocols which make it inaccessible to internet service providers (ISPs) or government authorities.
• Content on Dark Net is encrypted and requires specific browser such as TOR (The Onion router) browser to access those pages.
• Dark Net itself is only a part of Deep Web that is a broader concept, which includes sites that are protected by passwords.
  • Part of Internet that is readily available to general public and searchable on standard search engines is called as Surface Web.
• It is used by Journalists and citizens working in oppressive regimes (to communicate without any government censorship), researchers and students to do research on sensitive topics, law enforcement agencies etc.
• Concerns over its use: Anonymity, Haven for illicit activity, Privacy and ethical seeking concerns, drug dealing, communication by terrorists etc.