WHY IN THE NEWS?

• Falguni Nayar, the CEO and founder of beauty and fashion eCommerce platform Nykaa, has become the richest self-made woman in India. She founded Nykaa in the year 2012. She holds a 53.5% stake in Nykaa and has a net worth of USD 7.48 billion.
• This comes after the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures which is Nykaa’s parent entity. This is also the first woman-led unicorn to list on the stock exchange.
• The issue size of the IPO of FSN E-Commerce Ventures (Nykaa) was Rs 5,351.92 crore with a face value of Rs 1 per share.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

• India’s first Physical National Yogasana Championships has been organised in Bhubaneswar, Odisha from November 11-13, 2021. The National Yogasana Sports Championships 2021-22 has been organised by the National Yogasana Sports Federation (NYSF) in association with the Odisha state.
• Around 560 young Yogasana Sports athletes from across 30 states would be taking part in the event. The event aims to promote yoga and create a global brand around it, portraying it as a competitive sport with high standards and benchmarks

WHY IN THE NEWS?

As part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the Government of India has said that a programme on “Nutrition Smart Village” will be initiated to strengthen the Poshan Abhiyan.

About Nutrition Smart Village Programme

As part of the programme, a total of 75 villages will be adopted by All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) centres and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (ICAR-CIWA).

The Programme is in line with the Prime Minister’s call to adopt and transform 75 villages.

Objectives of the Programme

– To promote nutritional awareness.

– To promote Education and behavioural change in rural areas involving farm women and school children

– To harness traditional knowledge through the local recipe to overcome malnutrition and

– To implement nutrition-sensitive agriculture through homestead agriculture and Nutri-garden.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

According to a study, India’s Singhbhum region may have been Earth’s earliest continental land to rise above the ocean 3.2 billion years ago.

The researchers studied the granites that form the continental crust of Singhbhum region. Scientists found sandstones in Singhbhum region with geological signatures of ancient river channels, tidal plains and beaches over 3.2 billion years old.

What are the key findings of the study?

Earth’s first landmass emerged 3.2 billion years ago: Currently, a widely accepted view is that the continents rose from the oceans about 2.5 billion years ago. However, the study has suggested that this has happened 700 million years earlier which is about 3.2 billion years ago.

Moreover, the earliest continental landmass to emerge may have been Jharkhand’s Singhbhum region.

Earth’s earliest continents emerged from massive outbursts of magma: The study has also challenged another well-accepted notion that continents rose above the ocean due to plate tectonics.

According to the study, Earth’s earliest continents emerged not through plate tectonic processes but from massive outbursts of magma that hardened into continental crust.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

At the recent G20 Summit, the International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) was launched.

About International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO)

Launched by: UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with support from the European Union

The objective of the IMEO

The observatory aims to provide credible data to track countries progress on meeting methane reduction pledges and to promote best practices.

It will initially focus on methane emissions from the fossil fuel sector and then expand to other major emitting sectors like agriculture and waste.

It will also monitor commitments made by countries in the Global Methane Pledge, a US- and EU-led effort to slash methane emissions by 30% by 2030.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Chief Minister of Punjab, Charanjit Singh Channi, announced that Punjabi will now be a compulsory subject for all students in the state of Punjab.

About:

• The Punjabi language will be made compulsory from classes 1-10.
• Apart from that, it will be made mandatory in offices as well.
• It has been made compulsory to promote the mother tongue.
• If any school violates the norm, it will be fined up to Rs 2 lakh for violation.
• As per norms, Punjabi will be written on top of all the boards in Punjab.

What are those bills?      

This announcement was made by CM, a day after the state legislative assembly passed 15 bills on November 11, 2021. Two bills were related to the Punjabi language namely, Punjab State Language Amendment Bill, 2021 and Punjabi & Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

Punjabi & Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021

Under this bill, the Punjabi language will be made a compulsory subject in schools. In case of violation, it has set a fine of ₹2 lakh.

Punjab State Language Amendment Bill, 2021

The bill directs that all official business shall be conducted in Punjabi. In case of violation, a penalty of Rs 500, Rs 2000 and Rs 5000 will be imposed respectively for first, second and third violations.

Background

State government announced this move in the backdrop of recent announcement by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to move status of Punjabi language from ‘major subject’ to ‘minor subject’. CBSE had classified all the regional languages as ‘minor subjects’ for first-term exams of 10^th and 12^th classes.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Indian Army is set to conduct the sixth edition of the biennial training exercise with French Army from November 15, 2021, in a series of joint training exercises with friendly nations.

About:

• India has already conducted joint Naval exercises and Air Force exercises with France earlier in 2021.
• Shakti 2021 will be conducted from November 15 to November 26 in Frejus, France.
• In the exercise, platoon strength of a Gorkha Rifles Infantry Battalion will participate, representing India.
• French army will be represented by troops of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.

Significance of the exercise

The Shakti 2021 exercise will focus on Counter-Terrorism operations in light of semi-urban terrain under the mandate of the United Nations. It will be conducted with the aim of enhancing military cooperation and interoperability between the armies of both the country.

Last edition of the Shakti exercise

The last edition of the Shakti exercise was organised in the year 2019, at the Foreign Training Node in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. In this edition of the exercise, armies practised and validated the Counter-Terrorism operations in semi-desert terrain.

Gorkha Rifles contingent

Indian Army is being represented by Gorkha Rifles contingent. It has a rich heritage which is marked by its military valour and supreme sacrifices. It has a glorious history of 68 years. The contributions of contingent in 1971 war were recognised by Theatre Honour of Jammu & Kashmir and Battle Honour Shingo River Valley.

French Army contingent

The French Army contingent was set up in 1831 under the name ‘2nd Marine Regiment’. It was later renamed as 21st Marine Infantry Regiment in 1901. It has an illustrious operational history of 120 years. The contingent has participated in all the major wars of French Army.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

During COP26 conference in Glasgow, it was decided that Egypt will host COP27 United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022.

About:

• Egypt will host the conference in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.
• This decision was taken after Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi showed in September Egypt’s interest in hosting COP27 on behalf of the African continent.
• Apart from that, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was selected to host COP28 international climate conference in the year 2023.

United Nations Climate Change Conferences

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment & Development in 1992.
• United Nations Conference on Environment & Development is also known as Rio Summit, Rio Conference or Earth Summit.
• India is among few countries to have hosted the COP of all three Rio conventions on climate change, biodiversity and land.
• UNFCCC was enforced on March 21, 1994.
• Till date, it has been ratified by 197 countries.
• UNFCCC is the parent treaty of the 2015 Paris Agreement as well as 1997 Kyoto Protocol.
• UNFCCC secretariat is a United Nations entity that has been tasked with supporting global response to the threat of climate change.
• It is headquartered in Bonn, Germany.

Conference of the Parties (COP)

COP is the apex decision-making authority of UNFCCC. It meets every year. The first COP meeting was held in March 1995 in Berlin, Germany. COP meets in Bonn, seat if the secretariat. The office of the COP President rotates among five United Nations regional groups namely, Asia, Africa, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Western Europe & Others. President of COP is usually the environment minister of home country, who is elected by acclamation after opening of COP session.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

India and Sri Lanka have revived their “Parliamentary Friendship Association” for which Minister Chamal Rajapaksa has been selected as its president.

About:

• This association was there in the past.
• It is being revived for the current Parliament which was elected in August 2020.
• At the revival event, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris noted the “close civilisational ties” between India & Sri Lanka. He observed that the greatest gift of India to Sri Lanka was Buddhism.
• This association will help in “reinvigorating” Parliamentary exchanges and strengthening bilateral ties between both countries.

Background

Sri Lanka formed India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship group, after deciding to buy fertiliser from India on November 11, 2021. The Indian Parliament proposed to form Parliamentary Friendship Group with the friendly nations to strengthen the bilateral relations.

India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship group

• This association comprises of senior members of Lankan parliament to rejuvenate ties in spite of its close relations with China.
• This association was established for 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka.
• It was established at the Parliament complex in the presence of Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the Speaker of Parliament.

About meeting at Parliament complex

This meeting was attended by about 100 Members of Parliament. It was attended by several MPs, Ministers, State Ministers. During the meeting Chambal Rajapaksa was elected as the President of this Association.

WHY IN THE NEWS?

Punjab Assembly adopted a resolution against the Centre’s three contentious farm laws on November 11, 2021.

About:

• This resolution was passed after claiming that firm law had unlawfully ventured into the state government’s domain.
• This is the second resolution adopted by Vidhan Sabha against three agriculture laws.
• The first resolution was passed in October 2020.
• The new resolution was moved by state Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha.

About the resolution

• As per the resolution, the Vidhan Sabha of Punjab strongly deprecates and condemns the efforts of the Union government. It was aimed at the systematic dismantling of regulated mandis and replacing mandis with trader-friendly unregulated mandis.
• The resolution showed concern about unfair concessions which was extended to the traders and corporations to allow purchases from unregulated markets without paying market fees and rural development fees etc.
• The resolution will lead to shifting of the trade from APMC mandis to private mandis apart from causing fiscal loss to state government.

What are those three firm laws?

1. The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020

This act was launched with the aim of opening agricultural sales and marketing outside notified Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis for farmers. The act removes barriers to inter-State trade as well as provides a framework for electronic trading of agricultural produce. It also expands the scope of trade areas of farmers’ produce from select areas. It seeks to break the monopoly of government-regulated mandis and allows farmers to sell directly to private buyers.

2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020

This act creates a national framework for contract farming. It provides a legal framework for farmers to enter into written contracts with companies and produce for them.

3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020

The act removes pulses, cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, onions and potatoes from the list of essential commodities. It seeks to deregulate the production, movement, storage, and distribution of these food commodities.