Why in news?

• March 4 is observed as National Security Day in India. It is also known as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas and is celebrated to honour the National Security Day.
• The day aims to show gratitude to our security forces which include military, para-military, commandos, police officials, guards, and India’s security forces and to those who maintain peace and security of our country.
• March 4 marks the day when the National Safety Council of India was established in 1966. The Ministry of Labour under the Government of India took this decision and National Security Day was celebrated for the first time in 1972.
• National Security Council, the apex agency looks into the country’s political, economic, energy and strategic security concerns which were established by the then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee on November 19, 1998

Why in news?

• Indian shooter, Saurabh Chaudhary has won the gold medal in Men’s 10m Air Pistol event at the ongoing 2022 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup in Cairo, Egypt.
• The silver medal has been won by Germany’s Michael Schwald while Artem Chernousov of Russia claimed the bronze medal.

Why in news?

• Swiss International Air Lines AG (SWISS or Swiss Air Lines), a part of the Lufthansa Group, has signed a new strategic collaboration with Switzerland based solar fuels start-up, Synhelion SA (Synhelion) to use their solar aviation fuel.
• SWISS is set to become the world’s first airline to use Solar Aviation fuel (“sun-to-liquid” fuel).
• Synhelion is set to build the world’s first facility to industrially produce solar fuel in Julich, Germany. The plant will become operational from 2022 onwards.
• SWISS will become the first customer of solar kerosene in 2023.
• As per the agreement, SWISS and Lufthansa will also support the commercial fuel production facility of Synhelion in Spain.
• Solar Aviation fuel: SWISS and the Lufthansa Group have concluded a strategic collaboration with Synhelion, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) spinoff, to bring solar aviation fuel to market.
• Synhelion has developed a key technology for manufacturing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from renewable energy sources
• The process uses concentrated solar heat to manufacture syngas which can then be synthesized into carbon-neutral kerosene using standard industrial processes.
• This sun to liquid fuel will only produce as much as carbon dioxide as used in to its manufacture.
• This fuel will contribute to effectively decarbonizing air transport.

Why in news?

• The Government of India approved the proposal for continuation of the seven existing sub schemes under the Umbrella Scheme “Relief and Rehabilitation of Migrants and Repatriates” for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26 with a total outlay of Rs.1,452 crore.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) launched these seven schemes at different points of time.
• The scheme will aid and assist the migrants and repatriates to earn a reasonable income and promote their inclusion in economic activities.

The assistance provided for 7 schemes are –

• Relief and Rehabilitation of displaced families of Pakistan Occupied Areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Chhamb,
• Relief assistance to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees,
• Relief assistance to Brus lodged in relief camps in Tripura,
• Enhanced relief to 1984 Anti-Sikh Riot Victims,
• Financial Assistance and other facilities to the families of affected civilian victims of terrorist violence including militancy, insurgency, communal/ Left Wing Extremism violence and cross border firing and victims of mine/IED blasts on Indian Territory,
• Grants-in-aid to Central Tibetan Relief Committee (CTRC),
• Grants in Aid to Government of West Bengal for infrastructure development in 51 erstwhile Bangladeshi enclaves in Cooch Behar and resettlement of 922 returnees from erstwhile Indian enclaves in Bangladesh.

Why in news?

• As a part of nationwide celebrations of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsave, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) is celebrating the International Women’s Day week from 1st to 8th March, 2022.
• The inaugural event of the week was organised by the MoWCD in collaboration with Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) to raise awareness on safety and security of women.
• During the event, an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh was announced for the workers of One Stop Centres (OSC), established in 2015 under Nirbhaya fund to provide mental, legal and medical aid to distressed women.

Launch of Stree Manoraksha Project

• MoWCD launched the ‘Stree Manoraksha Project’ in collaboration with National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, Karnataka with an aim to improve the mental health of women in India.
• The project will focus on building on capacity building of 6000 OSC functionaries on the tools and techniques as to how to handle the cases of women approaching the OSCs, particularly the women who have suffered violence and distress with due sensitivity and care.
• In this regard, Minister, WCD launched the advance certificate course for OSC Councilors and also released the resource material for capacity building of OSC Staff.
• The Training module is carved out by NIMHANS.

Legal Services provided by Government

• MoWCD is looking forward for a pilot on ‘Naari Adalat’ with the help of NALSA so that women victims can get speedy justice.
• Nyaya Bandhu (Pro-bond Legal Services) is a programme to link the persons eligible to avail free legal aid under Section 12 of LSA Act, 1987 with lawyers.
• Tele-law programme, provides legal advice to public including persons entitled for free legal aid under Section 12 of LSA Act, 1987, at pre-litigation stage by the Panel Lawyers through 75,000 Common Service Centre (CSC) at the Panchayats.

Why in news?

• Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the 7^th consecutive edition of Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2022, the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey. It coincides with the celebrations of the 75^th year of India’s independence thus SS 2022 will focus on the theme of Azaadi@75 spirit.
• It is designed with ‘People First’ as its driving philosophy.

About Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2022:

• The survey has been initiated with around 3,000 assessors of Ipsos Research Pvt. Ltd., an Assessment Agency headquartered in Paris, France. In India, it is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• Its scope has been expanded to cover 100% wards for sampling, as compared to 40% in previous years.
• It will look into the initiatives of cities for the overall welfare and well-being of frontline sanitation workers.
• SS2022 will also give priority to the feedback from senior citizens as a part of paying tribute to the wisdom of the elderly.
• Cities have been regularly filling in their data, updating their progress in the Swachhata Portal MIS (Management Information System) along with running several citizen centric campaigns in preparation of SS 2022.

New indicators added in SS2022:

• To commemorate the 75 years of progressive India, ULB’s (Urban Local Bodies) joined hands with citizens to identify at least one Chauraha /Roundabout in their respective cities that can be thematically decorated to showcase the spirit of the glorious 75 years of India’s independence.
• Another new indicator ‘Swachh Technology Challenge’, launched by MoHUA on December 6, 2021, has been added in SS 2022.
• As part of this challenge, individuals/organizations and start-ups submitted innovative solutions under four thematic categories, viz. social inclusion; zero dump (solid waste management); plastic waste management; and transparency through digital enablement, across all ULBs.
• For smaller cities, it introduces two population categories under 15K and between 15-25K.
• District rankings have also been introduced for the first time.

About Swachh Survekshan:

• Launched in 2016 by MoHUA as a competitive framework, it encourages cities to improve the status of urban sanitation with large scale citizen participation. It creates healthy competition among cities and towns of India.
• The survey was initiated with 73 cities which has grown to 4,320 cities in SS 2021, including 62 Cantonment Boards.

Why in news?

• The National Safety Day (NSD)is celebrated every year on the 4th of March to commemorate the foundation of the National Safety Council (NSC) of India.
• The day aims to raise public awareness of all safety principles, including road safety, workplace safety, human health safety, and environmental safety. The year 2022 marks 51st National Safety Day.
• This year, the National Safety Council of India announced the theme to be ‘Nurture young minds – Develop safety culture’.
• The first National Safety Day was observed in The National Safety Council was set up on 4th March 1966 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to develop and implement a voluntary routine in the areas of safety, health, and the environment.

Why in news?

• Investments in the Indian capital market through Participatory notes (P-notes) dropped to Rs. 87,989 crore at the end of January and experts believe that foreign investors will continue with their negative stance amid the Ukraine crisis.

About Participatory notes (P-notes)

• P-Notes are financial instruments required by investors or hedge funds to invest in Indian securities without having to register with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Investors save time, money and scrutiny associated with direct registration.
• P-Notes are among the group of investments considered to be Offshore Derivative Investments (ODIs). 
• The P-Notes include investments in equity, derivatives, debt and other hybrid instruments.
• Majority of the investments is in the equity space.
• P-notes are issued by registered Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to overseas investors who wish to be a part of the Indian stock market without registering themselves directly
• They, however, need to go through a due diligence process.
• These investments are also beneficial to India as they provide access to quick money to the Indian capital marke

Why in news?

• Odisha government has planned to run the Sun Temple completely on solar energy
• Konark is going to be the first model town in Odisha to shift from grid dependency to green energy.

About  Konark Sun Temple

• Konark is situated at a comfortable distance from the famous religious and tourist centre of Puri (35 K.M.) and the capital city of Bhubaneswar (65 K.M.)
• “Konarka”, the place bears a name composed of two World elements: Kona meaning corner and ARKA meaning the Sun.
• The Sun god worshipped in Ark Kshetra is also called Konark.
• In ‘Brahma Purana’ the Sun Godin Ark-kshetra has been described as Konaditya.
• So it is evident that the place where the Kona aditya (or Kona-arka, the Sun god) was worshipped was also popularly called Konark.
• The main Temple was called by European sailors “The Black Pagoda”as it formed an important landmark for them in their coastal voyage.
• It forms part of the golden triangle of Odisha, along with Puri and Bhubaneswar, and attracts tourists, pilgrims, and history and art lovers.
• Built by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty from 1238-1250 CE.
• Features: The Sun Temple built in the thirteenth century was conceived as a gigantic chariot of Sun God, with twelve pairs of exquisitely ornamented wheels pulled by seven pairs of horses. 
• Its fine traceries and scroll work, the beautiful and natural cut of animal and human figures, all give it a superiority over other temples.
• The Sun temple belongs to the Kalinga School of Indian Temples with characteristic curvilinear towers mounted by Cupolas.
• The main sanctum which (229 ft. high) was constructed along with the  audience hall (128 ft. high) having elaborate external projections.
• The main sanctum which enshrined the presiding deity has fallen off.
• The Audience Hall survives  in its entirety but of the other two viz the Dancing Hall (nata Mandir) and the Dining Hall (Bhoga-Mandap), only small portions have survived the vagaries of time.
• The alignment of the Sun Temple is in the east-west direction.
• The temple is a World Heritage Site is situated in the eastern state of Odisha and  is  a massive temple dedicated to the Sun God temple
• Great poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote of Konark: “Here the language of stone surpasses the language of man.”
• Protection :
• The Sun Temple, Konârak is protected under the National Framework of India by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act (1958) and its Rules (1959).
• Other relevant protective legislation includes the Forest Act, Konârak Development Act and notified Council Area Act.

Why in news?

• Cash-strapped Egypt has increased transit fees for ships passing through the Suez Canal with hikes of up to 10%.

About

• The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway running north to south across the Isthmus of Suez in Egypt, to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
• The canal separates the African continent from Asia.
• The Suez Canal Company built it between 1859 and 1869, and it opened on November 17, 1869.
• It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
• It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes, carrying over 12% of world trade by volume.