• Saudi Arabia unveiled its latest grand plan to transform its capital city Riyadh called the Mukaab – “cube” in Arabic.
• The Mukaab is among the ambitious architectural projects planned and undertaken by Saudi Arabia as a part of its Vision 2030, aimed at revolutionising the country’s economy and lifestyle.
• It will stand 400 metres high, wide and long, big enough to hold 20 Empire State Buildings.
• The cubic shape of the Mukaab will ensure the ultimate utilisation of space.
• The Mukaab will be built using the modern Najdi architectural style – a twist on the traditional Najdi architectural style from the Najd region in the centre of the Arabian peninsula.
• This architectural style was perfected over generations to be best suited for the region’s desert climate – its design focuses on naturally controlling the climate inside the structure.

• Prime Minister recently congratulated Members of Parliament who will be conferred the Sansad Ratna Awards 2023.
• The Jury Committee has chosen a total of 13 MPs and two parliamentary committees for the award, with a lifetime award being presented for the first time this year.
• The Sansad Ratna Awards were instituted in 2010, inspired by the teachings of former President APJ Abdul Kalam, who launched the first edition of the Award function in Chennai. They seek to recognise and felicitate the top-performing MPs on the basis of their work in the apex legislative body.
  • So far, 90 Parliamentarians have been given this award.
• The Sansad Ratna Awards are not given by the Government of India but by The Prime Point Foundation.
• The jury committee is composed of eminent Parliamentarians and members of civil society.
• The nominations were based on an MP’s cumulative performance in Parliament, from the beginning of the 17th Lok Sabha until the end of Winter Session 2022.
• Factors that the decision is based on include- questions asked, private members’ Bills introduced, debates initiated, attendance, funds utilised, etc.

List of Sansad Ratna Awards 2023

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 nominated from Lok Sabha

• Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (INC, West Bengal),
• Gopal Chinayya Shetty (BJP, Maharashtra),
• Sudhir Gupta (BJP, Madhya Pradesh) and
• Amol Ramsing Kolhe (NCP, Maharashtra)
• Bidyut Baran Mahato (BJP, Jharkhand),
• Sukanta Majumdar (BJP, West Bengal),
• Kuldeep Rai Sharma (INC, Andaman Nicobar Islands),
• Dr Heena Vijayakumar Gavit (BJP, Maharashtra),

Sansad Ratna Awards 2023 from Rajya Sabha

• Smt Fauzia Tahseen Ahmed Khan (NCP, Maharashtra)
• John Brittas (CPI-M, Kerala),
• Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD, Bihar),
• Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (Samajwadi Party, UP) and
• Smt Chhaya Verma (INC, Chhattisgarh)

Two Parliamentary Committees of Lok Sabha nominated for Sansad Ratna Award 2023

• Rajya Sabha’s Standing Committee on Tourism, Transport, and Culture, chaired by Vijay Sai Reddy
• Lok Sabha’s Parliamentary Committee on Finance, chaired by Jayant Sinha

Lifetime Achievement Award

• Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Lifetime Achievement Award: T K Rangarajan (Former Rajya Sabha MP for two terms  and a Senior CPIM Leader)

• Known as one of India’s most inventive classical dancers and pioneering dance educationists, Mohiniyattam exponent Kanak Rele, who played a significant role in bringing a systematic structure, academic veracity and much currency to Mohiniyattam, besides propagating female roles in Kathakali, died recently.
• She was conferred with the Padma Bhushan in 2013.

About Mohiniyattam

• Mohiniyattam is from Kerala and one of the eight classical dances of India.
  • 8 Classical dances are Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Odissi, Sattriya, Mohiniyattam and Manipuri.
• It is performed by women in honour of god Vishnu in his incarnation as enchantress Mohini.
• Conventionally a solo dance performed by female artists, it emotes a play through dancing and singing. Instruments used: Maddalam, Mridangam, Veena, Kuzhitalam or Cymbals, Edakka etc.
• It has its roots in sage Bharata Muni’s text called ‘Natya Shastra’.
• Mohiniyattam lays emphasis on acting. The dancer identifies herself with the character and sentiments existing in the compositions like the Padams and Pada Varnams which give ample opportunity for facial expressions.
• The hand gestures, 24 in number, are mainly adopted from Hastalakshana Deepika, a text followed by Kathakali. Few are also borrowed from Natya Shastra, Abhinaya Darpana and Balarambharatam.
• The gestures and facial expressions are closer to the natural(gramya) and the realistic (lokadharmi) than to the dramatic or rigidly conventional (natyadharmi).

• A deadly malaria vector, transmitter Anopheles Stephensi, has been detected in Kenya.
• Kenya is now the sixth and latest country in Africa to report an invasion of the deadly malaria species.
• Anopheles Stephensi originated in Southeast Asia, West Asia and Arabian Peninsula.

About Malaria

• Malaria is a life-threatening mosquito borne blood disease caused by plasmodium parasites.
• It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, South America as well as Asia.
• It is both preventable as well as curable.
• There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – P. falciparum and P. vivax – pose greatest threat.
• Anopheles stephensi is capable of transmitting both Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.
  • It is highly adaptive and can thrive in urban environments.

• The Union Cabinet approved extension of the term of 22nd Law Commission up to August 31, 2024.
• The three-year term of the Commission headed by former Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Rituraj Awasthi ended on February 20. Justice Awasthi was appointed chairperson in November last year.

About Law Comission

• It is a non-statutory body.
• First law commission of independent India was constituted in 1955 and is re-constituted from time to time.
• It will consist of:
  • A full-time Chairperson.
  • Four full-time Members (including Member-Secretary).
  • Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department as ex officio Members.
  • Not more than five part-time Members.
• Mandate includes:
  • Identification of laws which are no longer relevant and recommending for the repeal of obsolete and unnecessary enactments;
  • Suggesting enactment of new legislations as may be necessary to implement the directive principles and to attain the objectives set out in the preamble of the constitution;
  • Considering and conveying to the government its views on any subject relating to law and judicial administration that may be specifically referred to it by the government through ministry of law & justice (department of legal affairs);
  • Considering the requests for providing research to any foreign countries as may be referred to it by the government through ministry of law & justice (department of legal affairs);
  • Preparing and submitting to the central government, from time to time, reports on all issues, matters, studies and research undertaken by it and recommending such reports for effective measures to be taken by the union or any state; and
  • Performing such other functions as may be assigned to it by the central government from time to time.

• For the first time since the India-China border stand-off began in 2020, India visited Beijing for the 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
• Both sides discussed proposals for disengaging in remaining friction areas along Line of Actual Control (LAC) to create conditions to restore normalcy in relations.
• Border between India and China is not clearly demarcated throughout and there is no mutually agreed LAC.
  • LAC is divided into three sectors: Western, Middle and Eastern.
    • Boundary dispute in Western Sector (Ladakh) pertains to Johnson Line proposed British in 1860s.
    • In Middle Sector (Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand), dispute is a minor one. Both have exchanged maps on which they broadly agree.
    • Disputed boundary in Eastern Sector (Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim) is over McMahon Line (in Arunachal Pradesh) decided in 1914.
  • A series of agreements signed to address disputes arising over LAC:
    • 1993 Agreement on Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the LAC.
    • 1996 Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures in the Military Field Along the LAC.
    • 2005 Protocol on Modalities for Implementation of Confidence-Building Measures in Military Field Along LAC.
    • 2012 Agreement on Establishment of a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs.
    • 2013 Border Defence Cooperation Agreement.

• Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has presented a report on the findings at the Sangam-era site of Keeladi and their significance.
• Keeladi is a village in south Tamil Nadu along the Vaigai river near the temple city of Madurai.

Findings:

• In the eight rounds of excavations, over 18,000 artifacts have been unearthed from the site.
• Over 120 potsherds containing Tamil Brahmi inscriptions have been found.
• Spindle whorls, copper needles, terracotta seal, hanging stones of the yarn, terracotta spheres and earthen vessels to hold liquid suggest various stages of a weaving industry
• Gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell bangles, ivory bangles and ivory combs reflect the artistic, culturally rich and prosperous lifestyle of the Keeladi people

Significance 

1. Keeladi and Sangam age:
   1. Keeladi’s excavations from 2015 prove that an urban civilisation existed in Tamil Nadu in the Sangam age on the banks of the Vaigai river.
   2. The unearthed artifacts from Keeladi belong to a period between sixth century BCE and first century BCE.These findings pushed the Sangam age to 800 BCE .
   3. Keeladi adds to the credibility of Sangam Literature.
2. Keeladi and IVC:
   1. The unearthed Keeladi artifacts have led to conclusion that the site is a part of the Vaigai Valley Civilisation
   2. some of the symbols found in pot sherds of Keeladi bear a close resemblance to signs of Indus Valley

Related Information

ASI-Archaeological Survey of India:

• The ASI is the premier organization for the archaeological research and protection of the cultural heritage of the country.
• It functions under the Ministry of Culture.
• The prime objection of ASI is to maintain the archaeological sites, ancient monuments, and remains of national importance.
• It regulates all archaeological activities as per the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.
• It also regulates the Antiquities and Art Treasure Act, 1972.

Sangam Age

• The area lying to the south of river Krishna and Tungabhadra experienced a period between the 3rd century B.C. and 3rd century A.D. known as the Sangam Period.
• It has been named after the gathering of poets (Sangam) held during that period under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
• The sources for this age are largely literary, though archaeological evidence has started to come up.
• Kharavela’s Hatigumpha inscription (155 BCE) provides the earliest epigraphic evidence referring to a confederacy of Tamil states.

Vaigai River

• It originates in the Western Ghats (Varushanad Hills).
• It travels through the Pandya Nadu region of Tamil Nadu.
• Its main tributaries are Suruliyaru, Mullaiyaru, Varaganadhi, Manjalaru, Kottagudi, Kridhumaal and Upparu.
• The Vaigai finally drains into the Palk Strait near the Pamban Bridge in Ramanathapuram district.

• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released revised guidelines to broaden scope of Scheme so as to enable MPs to recommend developmental works as per changing needs of community with an emphasis on improving the functioning, implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
• Also, a new Web-Portal was launched for implementation of Revised Fund Flow Procedure under MPLADS. It will facilitate real-time monitoring, greater transparency and accountability in the system.

About MPLADS

• MPLADS, a Central Sector Scheme launched in 1993, enables MPs to suggest and get executed developmental works of a capital nature based on locally felt needs with an emphasis on creation of durable assets.
• Recommendation of works by MPs-
  • Lok Sabha MP- in their Lok Sabha constituency.
  • Rajya Sabha MP- within their state of election.
  • Nominated members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha- anywhere in the country.
• Under it, MPs receive Rs.5 crore each year in two instalments of Rs. 2.5 crore each.
• Funds under MPLADS are non-lapsable.
• Every year, M.P. shall recommend atleast 15% of MPLADS funds for areas inhabited by S.C. population and 7.5 percent for areas inhabited by S.T. population.
• District Authority is responsible for overall coordination and supervision of works under scheme at district level.
• Nodal Ministry – Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)

• Hundreds of deities took part in second Shobha Yatra of the week-long international Shivratri fair in Mandi.
• Devotees paid obeisance to the presiding deity of this event- Raj Madhav on the temple premises in Mandi town.
• Hundreds of deities joined the Shobha Yatra with their musical instruments.
• The fair is a symbol of our ancient culture and civilization and the International Shivratri festival celebrated in Mandi has its own identity.
• Dev Samagam (deities’ confluence) is a unique festival in which devotees got an opportunity to have a glimpse of deities in such a large number at a single place.
• People come to know about the traditional culture of the town known as “Chhoti Kashi”, where 81 temples of Lord Shiva are located.

• The state government is all set to harness the tourism potential of the Pong wetland, a Ramsar site, situated in the lower Kangra hills.
• Water sports activities will be started here to attract more tourists.
• The Centre has approved Rs 145-crore Pong Lake Ecotourism Development Project of the Asian Development Fund (ADB) for promoting tourism in the wetland area.
• Another Rs 67-crore tourism project was also under the Centre’s consideration, which was likely to be cleared soon.

About Pong dam

• The Pong Dam, also known as the Beas Dam, is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Beas River in the Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh.
• The purpose of the dam is water storage for irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.