About:

• Common name: Saltwater crocodile, estuarine crocodile, Indo-Pacific crocodile, marine crocodile, sea crocodile or informally as saltie.
  
  
• Scientific name: Crocodylus porosus.
  
  
• Size: It is Earth’s largest living crocodilian. It is the largest of all living reptiles. Average-size males reach 17 feet and 1,000 pounds.
  
  
• Habitat and Distribution: They have an enormous range, populating the brackish and freshwater regions of eastern India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia. They are excellent swimmers and have often been spotted far out at sea.
  
  
• Indian scenario:
  • In India, the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP), Odisha, the Sundarbans and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are the prime habitats of the saltwater crocodile.
    
    
  • The estimated number of the saltwater crocodiles increased from 96 in 1976 to 1,640 in 2012 in India due to the rear and release programme established under the Indian Crocodile Conservation Project.
    
    
  
  
  
• IUCN status: Least Concern.
  
  

Report Summary:

• Andaman & Nicobar Islands, comprising only 0.25% of country’s geographical area, is home to 11,009 species i.e. more than 10% of the country’s fauna species.
  
  
• A long period of isolation from the mainland made the islands hotspots for speciation (the formation of new and distinct species) resulting in hundreds of endemic species and subspecies.
  
  
• The Narcondam hornbill, the Nicobar megapode, the Nicobar treeshrew, the Long-tailed Nicobar macaque, and the Andaman day gecko, are among the 1,067 endemic faunal species found only on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and nowhere else.
  
  
• Marine Faunal Diversity:
  • 555 species of scleractinian corals (hard or stony corals) are found in the island ecosystem, all which are placed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA).
    
    
  • Similarly, all species of gorgonian (sea fans) and calcerous sponge are listed under different schedules of the WPA.
    
    
  
  
  
• Threats:
  • Tourism, illegal construction and mining are posing a threat to the islands’ biodiversity, which is already vulnerable to volatile climatic factors.
    
    
  • Recent order by Government of India to relax the Restricted Area Permit (RAP) norms under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963 has triggered further concerns.
    
    
  
  
  

Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa And Asia (RIMES):

• It is a 45-nation international organisation on disaster warning.
  
  
• Objective: To establish a regional early warning system for the generation and communication of early warning information of tsunami and hydro-meteorological hazards.
  
  
• Background: It was established and registered with the United Nations in
  
  
• Location: It operates from its regional early warning centre located at the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand.
  
  
• Governance: It’s council is composed of heads of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and national scientific and technical agencies generating multi-hazard early warning information.
  
  

Findings of RIMES on Cyclone Titli:

• More than 200 years of cyclone track history in the Odisha coast reveals that the Titli cyclone is the rarest of rare in terms of its characteristics such as
  • recurvature after landfall and retaining its destructive potential after landfall and
    
    
  • recurvature away from the coastal areas for more than two days.
    
    
  
  
  
• No synthetic track projection captures the Titli type of cyclones.
  
  
• Earlier, India Meteorological Department had called the formation of Titli as a ‘rarest of rare’ occurrence. The severe cyclone had changed its path after landfall.
  
  

About:

• In 2014, all the dairy majors of the country, along with the Indian Dairy Association, resolved to observe Dr. Verghese Kurien's birthday, November 26, as National Milk Day.
  
  
• Verghese Kurien (1921 – 2012) is known as the 'Father of the White Revolution' in India.
  • He was a social entrepreneur who led Operation Flood – the world's largest agricultural dairy development programme.
    
    
  • It made India the world's largest milk producer from a milk-deficient nation, which doubled milk available per person and increased milk output four-fold, in 30 years.
    
    
  • Kurien played a key role in formation of Amul, which broke the local trade cartel 65 years ago, paving way for the dairy co-operative sector to flourish in Gujarat. He served Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) from 1973 to 2006.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Launched as part of the Nirbhaya scheme in April 2017, the self-defence project has so far covered over 7,800 women and will include the remaining 2,000-odd by mid-December.
  
  
• The training comprises modules on the various types of assaults women face, such as molestation on public transport and domestic violence.
  
  
• Instead of complex martial arts techniques, women are taught easy-to-remember defence tactics. Besides attacking the primary target, awareness of different aspects of crimes against women, including the legal provisions, were also imparted during the training.
  
  

Context:

• The study was published in the online journal NeuroImage Clinical and was carried out by doctors at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, King George Medical University in Lucknow and Sidra Medicine in Doha, Qatar which analysed resting state functional MRIs.
  
  
• The researchers assessed 26 perinatally HIV infected children being treated under the National AIDS Control Programme in eastern Uttar Pradesh and 20 non-infected children from the same region.
  
  
• Key findings:
  • Children infected with the HIV have to endure a significant adverse impact on their neurodevelopment and cognitive functioning i.e. reduced memory span, attention deficit and decreased visual-motor coordination among other conditions.
    
    
  • There are significant fluctuations in regions of the brain that are associated with auditory, language, sensory and motor functional networks of HIV infected children.
    
    
  
  
  
• Comment: Decline of mental processes has been commonly observed in HIV infected adults. This new study asserts similar impact on HIV infected children.
  
  

Background: Mission Indradhanush

• Launched in:
  
  
• Objective: To achieve full immunization coverage by 2020 for children under the age of two years and pregnant women who are either unvaccinated/partially vaccinated against ‘7’ vaccine preventable diseases.
  
  
• These 7 diseases are: diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles, and hepatitis B.
  
  
• However, in 2017, WHO estimated that a whopping 68 countries, including India, fall well short of the 90 per cent basic immunisation target coverage. In this background, Government of India introduced “Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) in October 2017.
  
  

Intensified mission Indradhanush (IMI):

• Objective: To cover all left outs and drop outs in select districts and urban areas with low routine immunization coverage in a specific time-frame (December 2018).
  
  
• Target population:
  • IMI will focus on children up to 2 years of age and pregnant women who have missed out on routine immunization.
    
    
  • However, vaccination on demand to children up to 5 years of age will be provided during IMI rounds.
    
    
  
  
  
• Strategy:
  • Starting from October 7, 2017, states will carry out Intensified Mission Indradhanush drives for seven working days the from 7th day of every month starting from for four consecutive months.
    
    
  • The key to effective rapid coverage is: Inter-ministerial and inter-departmental coordination; Action based review mechanism and Intensive monitoring and accountability framework
    
    
  • Progress to be monitored at the highest level under “Proactive Governance and timely implementation (PRAGATi)”.
    
    
  
  
  

Recent development:

• The special issue of the BMJ (British Medical Journal) is being brought out on the occasion of the fourth Partners Forum conference organised by the Government of India that will be held in New Delhi on December 12-13.
  
  
• Partners’ Forum is short for the meeting every four years of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (The Partnership, PMNCH) that is an alliance of more than 1,000 organisations in 192 countries.
  
  
• The organisations work in the sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health communities, as well as health influencing sectors.
  
  

About:

• The proposal, drafted under the aegis of National Health Mission, has received an ‘in-principle’ approval and will be fully funded by the Centre.
  
  
• This is the first regular air ambulance service by any state in India. The services will be helpful to save lives which are lost due to inaccessible roads and delay of ambulance services in remote areas of the hills.
  
  
• The chopper (which will function as the air ambulance) will have a doctor to provide first-aid in the initial hours of the medical emergency. The chief medical officer of the district will be authorised to summon the air ambulance in cases of emergency.
  
  
• The health department is preparing a comprehensive detailed project report (DPR) to work out the modalities of the service. The services are expected to start within next 2-3 months.
  
  

About:

• Background: The decision follows more than 18 months of negotiations between the two sides, which began when the UK triggered Article 50 in the wake of the 2016 referendum leave vote.
  
  
• Way Ahead: The UK is scheduled to leave the EU on the 29th March, 2019. The deal needs to be approved by the UK Parliament, with many MPs opposing it. The Parliament is expected to vote on the deal early next month.
  
  

About:

• View of Constitution: The Constitution of India does not define the word sedition.
  
  
• View of Indian Penal Code (IPC): Section 124-A of the IPC defines the offence of ‘Sedition’ –
  • Whoever, by words (or by signs or visible representation) attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards the Government shall be punished with life imprisonment.
    
    
  • The word ‘disaffection’ in this section includes disloyalty and feelings of enmity.
    
    
  • However, Comments expressing disapproval of the 'Government action without attempting to excite disaffection, do not constitute an offense under this section.'
    
    
  
  
  
• View of judiciary on sedition:
  • In Kedar Nath Singh’s Case, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court made it clear that allegedly seditious speech and expression may be punished only if the speech is an ‘incitement’ to ‘violence’, or ‘public disorder’.
    
    
  • In Indra Das v. State of Assam and Arup Bhuyan v. State of Assam, the Supreme Court unambiguously stated that only speech that amounts to “incitement to imminent lawless action” can be criminalised.
    
    
  • In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, the famous 66A judgment, the Supreme Court drew a clear distinction between “advocacy” and “incitement”, stating that only the latter could be punished.
    
    
  • Thus, words and speech can be criminalised and punished only in situations where it is being used to incite mobs or crowds to violent action. Mere words and phrases by themselves, no matter how distasteful, do not amount to a criminal offence unless this condition is met.
    
    
  
  
  

History:

• Sedition was not a part of original IPC in the 1860s and was even dropped from the law. It was introduced in the IPC in the year 1870.
  
  
• British used the sedition law to quell the Indian freedom struggle and retain imperial power.
  
  
• The first known use of Sedition law was against Jogendra Chandra Bose, was charged in 1891 for his criticism of the “Age of Consent Bill”. Many Indian freedom fighters, including Mahatma Gandhi and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, were charged with sedition.
  
  

About:

• In Boxing, M.C. Mary Kom created history after she defeated Ukraine's Hanna Okhota by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the women's 48-kilogram light flyweight final of the Women's World Championships in New Delhi.
  
  
• With this, Mary Kom became the first female boxer to win six gold medals at world championships.
  
  
• The 35-year-old Mary Kom from Manipur previously won the gold medal in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 editions of the Championships.
  
  
• This was her second Worlds crown on home soil and second in light flyweight. Her first four gold medals had come in pinweight.
  
  
• With six gold medals and a silver, Mary Kom now stands as the most successful woman boxer in the 17-year-old history of the event and equals legendary male boxer Cuban Felix Savon’s World championships record.
  
  

Dr Nagendra Singh International Peace Award:

• Objective: For recognizing individuals and institutions who are promoting peace and goodwill in the world through their philosophy and their actions.
  
  
• Instituted by: The International Goodwill Society of India (IGSI), a non-political, cultural and academic organization to spread the noble ideas of Mahaveer, Buddha, Nanak, Dayanand, Ambedkar and Gandhi.
  
  
• After whom? The award has been instituted in the memory of Nagendra Singh, first Indian president of International Court of Justice (ICJ), Hague.
  
  
• Background: The First Justice Nagendra Singh International Peace Award was given to Justice Dalveer Bhandari in 2014.
  
  

Nagendra Singh:

• Nagendra Singh (1914 – 1988) was an Indian lawyer and administrator.
  
  
• Career:
  • He joined the Indian Civil Service (ICS) and served in various positions.
    
    
  • He served as the 4^th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India from 1972 to 1973.
    
    
  • In 1973, he moved to The Hague to become a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and was served as President of ICJ 1985 and 1988.
    
    
  • He was one of the four judges from India to have been on the ICJ, the others being N. Rao (1952 - 1953), R S Pathak (1989 - 1991) and Dalveer Bhandari (2012 - )
    
    
  • He was the only Indian who got full tenure at the International Court of Justice in Hague and served as its President.
    
    
  • He was also the Founder President of International Goodwill Society.
    
    
  
  
  
• Awards: In 1973 he received the Padma Vibhushan.
  
  

Chinmaya Mission:

• Chinmaya Mission was established in India in 1953 by devotees of the Vedanta teacher, Swami Chinmayananda. 
  
  
• It is engaged all around the world in a wide range of spiritual, educational, and charitable activities
  
  
• The Mission is administered by Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT) in Mumbai and has over 300 centres worldwide.
  
  

Apep:

• 2XMM J160050.7–514245 star system is nicknamed Apep after the serpentine Egyptian god of chaos.
  
  
• Apep is a triple star system containing a Wolf–Rayet binary and a third hot supergiant star orbiting the binary.
  • e. Apep comprises of two hot, luminous stars - known to astronomers as Wolf-Rayets.
    
    
  • Wolf-Rayet stars are extremely massive bluish stars, containing the mass of 10 to 15 suns.
    
    
  
  
  
• Apep star system is located in the constellation of Norma i.e. around 8,000 light years from Earth.
  
  
• The star system is surrounded by a vast complex of stellar wind and cosmic dust thrown into space by the fast rotation speed of the binary's primary star and formed into a "pinwheel" shape by the secondary star's influence.
  
  
• Recent development:
  • According to the recent studies of the system published in November 2018, Wolf–Rayet stars with fast rotations are theoretically capable of producing a Gamma-ray burst during a supernova, and the system has been identified as a progenitor for a Gamma-ray burst.
    
    
  • However, he primary star's axial tilt of 30° away from Earth means that a potential Gamma-ray burst would not impact life on Earth.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Scientific name: Falco amurensis.
  
  
• They are small raptors of the falcon family. Raptors are birds that hunt invertebrates and vertebrates including other birds.
  
  
• Their diet consists mainly of insects, such as termites. They have red feet.
  
  
• Distribution: They breed in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China, wintering in Southern Africa.
  
  
• Migration Journey: They have one of the longest migration routes, flying almost 22,000 km up and down their breeding and wintering grounds.
  • They start their journey from South – eastern Siberia and northern China.
    
    
  • Then en route, in the month of October to November, a large number of Amur falcons arrive in the northeast India, especially near the Doyang reservoir in Wokha district of Nagaland in Nagaland for roosting (sleeping/resting).
    • On their return flight they fly over Bangladesh and Myanmar after entering India but skip Nagaland.
      
      
    
    
    
  • And then they travel to Africa which is their final destination. In Africa they go to Somalia, Kenya and South Africa.
    
    
  
  
  
• IUCN status: Least Concern.
  
  
• Protection:
  • They are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
    
    
  • The Nagaland government hosted the first Amur Falcon Conservation Week from November 8 to 10.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Objective: Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) is an unproven and hypothetical geo-engineering technique that could limit rising temperatures that are causing climate change.
  
  
• Working:
  • It would involve the use of huge hoses, cannons or specially designed aircraft to spray large quantities of sulphate particles into the upper layer of the atmosphere to act as a reflective barrier against sunlight.
    
    
  • The research assumes a special aircraft can be designed to fly at an altitude of about 20 km and carry a load of 25 tonnes.
    
    
  
  
  
• Timeline: These scientists have developed a design that could be ready to be deployed in 15 years.
  
  
• Cost: SAI program could be remarkably inexpensive. Total costs to launch a hypothetical SAI effort 15 years from now would be $3.5 billion, and the average annual operating costs would be about $2.25 billion a year over 15 years.
  
  
• Concerns:
  • SAI could cause droughts or extreme weather in other parts of the world, harm crop yields as well as potential public health and governance issues.
    
    
  • It also does not address the issue of rising carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Insolvency: Insolvency is essentially the state of being that prompts one to file for bankruptcy. An entity – a person, family, or company – becomes insolvent when it cannot pay its lenders back on time.
  
  
• Bankruptcy: Bankruptcy is a legal declaration of one’s inability to pay off debts. 
  
  

Salient features of the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016:

• The Code repeals the Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1909 and Provincial Insolvency Act, 1920. In addition, it amends 11 laws, including the Companies Act, 2013, and the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, among others.
  
  
• Applies to: The 2016 Code applies to companies and individuals. 
  
  
• Time-bound resolution for insolvency: The Code creates time-bound processes for insolvency resolution of companies and individuals. These processes will be completed within 180 days.  If insolvency cannot be resolved, the assets of the borrowers may be sold to repay creditors.
  
  
• Resolution plan (RP): A resolution plan specifies the details of how the debt of a defaulting debtor can be restructured.
  
  

 Institutional mechanism:

The Code creates various institutions to facilitate resolution of insolvency.  These are as follows:

• Insolvency Professionals: These professionals will administer the resolution process, manage the assets of the debtor, and provide information for creditors to assist them in decision making.
  
  
• Insolvency Professional Agencies:
  • The insolvency professionals will be registered with insolvency professional agencies.
    
    
  • The agencies conduct examinations to certify the insolvency professionals and enforce a code of conduct for their performance.
    
    
  
  
  
• Information Utilities: Information utilities (IUs) will be established to collect, collate and disseminate financial information to facilitate insolvency resolution.
  
  
• Adjudicating authorities: The proceedings of the resolution process will be adjudicated by the
  • National Companies Law Tribunal (NCLT), for companies; and
    
    
  • Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), for individuals.
    
    
  
  
  
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board:
  • It will be set up to regulate functioning of IPs, IPAs and IUs.
    
    
  • The Board will consist of representatives of Reserve Bank of India, and the Ministries of Finance, Corporate Affairs and Law.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Nomenclature: It is also known as Hansen's disease (HD), named after the physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen who identified the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae in 1873 as the causative agent of leprosy.
  
  
• Type: It is a neglected tropical disease.
  
  
• Cause: It is a chronic disease caused by a bacillus, Mycobacterium leprae.
  
  
• Transmission: Although not highly infectious, leprosy is transmitted via droplets, from the nose and mouth, during close and frequent contacts with untreated cases.
  
  
• Impact: The disease mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and also the eyes. If untreated then it can cause permanent damage to these areas.
  
  
• Cure: Leprosy is curable with multidrug therapy (MDT).
  
  
• World Leprosy Day: it is observed internationally on January 30 or its nearest Sunday to increase the public awareness of the Leprosy. This day was chosen in commemoration of the death of Mahatma Gandhi, who worked towards improving the life of people affected with leprosy.
  
  
• Indian Scenario: The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the elimination of leprosy as a public-health concern in India in 2005.
  • According to WHO norms, leprosy is eliminated if the prevalence of the disease is less than one case per 10,000 populations.
    
    
  • In 2005, India achieved statistical elimination of leprosy (In 2015-16 the prevalence rate was 0.660). Next step is complete eradication of the disease.
    
    
  
  
  
• National leprosy eradication program: it was launched in 1983 by union health ministry with the following objectives
  • Detection of leprosy cases through active surveillance
    
    
  • Regular treatment of cases by providing Multi-Drug Therapy (MDT).
    
    
  • Launching public awareness campaigns to remove social stigma attached to the disease.
    
    
  
  
  

 Directions issued by Supreme Court to Centre and states in September 2018 to end discrimination against leprosy-afflicted persons and those living in leprosy colonies:

• Conduct Periodic National Surveys to determine the prevalence rate.
  
  
• Formulate a comprehensive community-based rehabilitation scheme which shall cater to all basic needs of the leprosy-afflicted persons and their families.
  
  
• Integrate treatment of leprosy into general health care, which will usher in a no-isolation method in general wards and OPD services.
  
  
• Give wide publicity to the activities of the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).
  
  
• Discontinue using “frightening images” of people afflicted with leprosy in the awareness programmes and instead use “positive images of cured persons sharing their experiences of being cured of leprosy”.
  
  
• Ensure that drugs for management of leprosy and its complications are available free of cost and that they do not go out of stock in Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
  
  

About:

• The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is the world’s first, inter-governmentally negotiated agreement covering all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner.
  
  
• Nature: The UN pact is not binding on the parties.
  
  
• Objective: The compact has 23 objectives that seek to boost cooperation to manage migration and numerous actions ranging from technical issues like the portability of earnings by migrant workers to reducing the detention of migrants.
  
  
• Need of agreement: The UN estimates that there are over 258 million migrants living outside their country of birth today — a figure that is likely to rise with growing population, increasing connectivity and trade, rising inequality, and climate change.
  
  
• Timeline:
  • In September 2016, with Europe overwhelmed by waves of migrants from Africa and West Asia, all 193 UN member states adopted a declaration saying that no country could manage international migration on their own
    
    
  • In this background, Global Compact was finalised under United Nations auspices in July this year. It is due to be formally approved at a meeting in Marrakech, Morocco, in December.
    
    
  
  
  
• Opposition to it:
  • Countries dominated by right-wing leaders such as The U.S., Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland had previously done the same.
    
    
  • They have criticised its “almost irresponsibly naive pro-migration tone”, which represented a “danger to national sovereignty”.
    
    
  • They have argued that Migration cannot become a human right. Someone cannot receive a right to migration because of the climate or poverty.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Governance: Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory. Under the Gibraltar constitution of 2006, Gibraltar is self-governing, with some responsibilities, such as defence and foreign relations, remaining with the British government.
  
  
• Geography: It is located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula.
  • Gibraltar's territory covers 6.7 square kilometres and shares a 1.2-kilometre land border with Spain. It shares a maritime border with Morocco.
    
    
  • Gibraltar's terrain consists of the 426-metre-high Rock of Gibraltar made of Jurassic limestone, and the narrow coastal lowland surrounding it.
    
    
  • Gibraltar is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and has “NO CONTACT WITH THE ATLANTIC OCEAN”.
    
    
  
  
  
• History and dispute:
  • In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. The territory was ceded to Great Britain in perpetuity under the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
    
    
  • The sovereignty of Gibraltar is a point of contention in Anglo-Spanish relations because Spain asserts a claim to the territory.
    
    
  • Gibraltarians rejected proposals for Spanish sovereignty in a 1967 referendum and, in a 2002 referendum, the idea of shared sovereignty was also rejected.
    
    
  
  
  
• Significance: It remains strategically important, with half the world's seaborne trade passing through the strait. It is also an important Tourist and cargo ship refuelling centre.
  
  

About:

• It is an annual Buffalo Race held in the Tulu region of Karnataka (districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi).
  
  
• The contest generally takes place between two pairs of buffaloes, each pair race in wet rice fields, controlled by a whip-lashing farmer.
  
  
• The Kambala season generally starts in November and lasts till March during which races are held under the banner of Kambala Samithi (Kambala Association).
  
  
• Some farmers also run their buffalo in non-competitive ritualistic manner for thanksgiving for protecting their animals from diseases.
  
  
• Kambala vs jallikattu: Although both of them are traditional animal sports, involving bulls, they are different by principle.
  • Kambala is “Buffalo RACING”.
    
    
  • Jallikattu is “Bull TAMING” where a group of people try to hold on to the bull and win).
    
    
  
  
  

Lisowicia bojani:

• Lisowicia is a genus of dicynodont synapsids that lived in what is now Poland during the Late Triassic Period. The Triassic was the opening chapter in the age of dinosaurs, followed by the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.
  
  
• Physical Appearance: It had a body shaped like a rhinoceros and a beak like a turtle.
  
  
• Size: About the size of an elephant, it is the largest dicynodont known. It was the largest-known non-dinosaur land animal alive at its time and weighed 9 tons.
  
  
• Nomenclature: The genus is named after the village Lisowice in Poland, where the only known specimen was found, while the specific name bojani honours Ludwig Heinrich Bojanus (1776–1827), a German naturalist who did pioneering work in comparative anatomy and paleontology.
  
  

Dicynodonts:

• The new fossil, a partial skeleton described online this week in Science, is an ancient plant eater called a dicynodont; the name means "two dog tooth," referring to the characteristic tusks on the upper jaw, which resemble oversize canines.
  
  
• ‘Dicynodonts’ blended reptilian and mammalian traits. Apart from the tusks, dicynodonts were mostly toothless, with a horny beak like modern-day turtles.
  
  
• These plant-eaters ranged in size from small burrowers to large browsers.
  
  
• They're part of the large evolutionary group called ‘Synapsids’, which includes our mammal ancestors, and they were some of the most abundant and diverse land animals from the mid-Permian period into the Middle Triassic, before the first mammals evolved in the late Triassic.
  
  

About:

• Features: A Quadricycle is a vehicle of the size of a 3-wheeler but with 4 tyres and fully covered like a car. It has an engine like that of a 3-wheeler.
  
  
• Benefits: All this makes it a cheap and safe mode of transport for last mile connectivity.
  
  
• In short, it’s a modern version of auto-
  
  

Recent decision:

• Quadricycles were only allowed for transport/commercial usage under the Act, but now they have been approved for personal use also.
  
  
• However, quadricycles will not be allowed for transporting cargo or luggage.
  
  
• Background: In June, the transport ministry headed approved the launch of quadricycles, which weigh less than 475 kg.
  
  
• Present status in India: Bajaj Auto Ltd’s Qute, the first locally produced quadricycle, had initially hit regulatory hurdles due to safety concerns. Others such as Tata Motors Ltd and Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd are also expected to launch similar products over the next couple of years.
  
  
• Impact on Market: Quadricycles may now pose a threat to entry-level cars like the Nano. Auto majors like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai will have to revamp their strategy given that quadricycles will be cheaper.
  
  

Braille Basics:

• Braille is a system that enables blind and visually impaired people to read and write through
  
  
• Braille is named after its creator, Louis Braille, a Frenchman who lost his sight as a result of a childhood accident. It was devised by Louis Braille in 1821
  
  
• The Braille Script consists of raised dots arranged in "cells."
  
  
• A cell is made up of six dots that fit under the fingertips, arranged in two columns of three dots each. Each cell represents a letter, a word, a combination of letters, a numeral or a punctuation mark.
  
  

Indian constitution in Braille:

• The Constitution will be made available in five parts in Braille for the benefit of visually challenged individuals.
  • A book in Braille script cannot cross more than 150 pages due to its limitations.
    
    
  • That’s why it was decided to publish the constitution is five parts and the first of it will be published on November 25.
    
    
  
  
  
• This is being done under a joint project by ‘The Buddhist Association for the blind along with Saavi Foundation and Swagat Thorat, who started India’s first Braille newsletter Sparshdnyan.
  
  

Cannabis (Marijuana):

• Marijuana is a greenish-grey mixture of the dried, shredded leaves and flowers of plant Cannabis sativa.
  
  
• It is also called as weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane.
  
  
• The main psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical in marijuana, responsible for most of the intoxicating effects that people seek, is delta-9-tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC).
  
  
• Compounds which are structurally similar to THC are referred to as
  
  
• Consumption: Some people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints; or in pipes (sometimes called bongs). It can also be used to brew tea and fixed into foods.
  
  
• Cannabis is by far the most widely cultivated, trafficked and abused illicit drug. Half of all drug seizures worldwide are cannabis seizures.
  
  
• Present status in India:
  • The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985 criminalises the cannabis plant, ganja and charas but not bhang.
    
    
  • However, Uttarakhand, Jammu and — as of this month Uttar Pradesh — have allowed restricted cultivation of the plant for medical research.
    
    
  
  
  

Cannabidiol vs tetrahydrocannabinol (THC):

• All drugs obtained from marijuana plant have an important medical ingredient called Cannabidiol (CBD), which is arousing interest in the scientific community due to its medical and therapeutic capabilities, but doesn’t cause intoxication or euphoria (the ‘high’).
  
  
• But the plant itself has been banned because of another component, called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is psychoactive and produces a High.
  
  

Human Trials:

• Last year, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), a J&K based lab of the CSIR (CSIR-IIIM), obtained a license for cultivation of cannabis (marijuana) in Jammu & Kashmir to study their medicinal properties.
  
  
• Now CSIR-IIIM is planning to conduct clinical trials of the drugs on terminally ill patients of cancer, epilepsy and sickle cell anaemia.
  
  
• CSIR-IIIM, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) will soon sign an agreement to carry ahead the research programme on a larger scale.
  
  
• Global scenario: While India is yet to start any human trial, the US drug regulator has already approved a cannabis-based drug Epidiolex recently for the first time to treat epileptic syndromes.
  
  

About:

• President of India said the India-Australia knowledge partnership rests on two pillars: (1) Education cooperation and (2) scientific collaboration.
  
  
• Education cooperation:
  • Australia is the second most preferred destination for higher education for Indian students. Around 85 thousand Indian students are studying in various parts of Australia
    
    
  • “Education” has been chosen as the flagship sector for Australia in the “India Economic Strategy” commissioned by the Australian government.
    
    
  
  
  
• Scientific Collaboration:
  • Australia is among the top five research partner countries for India.
    
    
  • The “Australia India Strategic Research Fund” is Australia’s biggest investment in research collaboration with any single country. During the visit, both countries announced a renewed commitment of Aus$ 10 million each towards the Fund.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Location: Djibouti is a country located in the Horn of Africa.
  
  
• Neighbours:
  • It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast.
    
    
  • The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east.
    
    
  
  
  
• Capital and largest city:
  
  
• Demography:
  • Religion: More than 90% of residents adhere to Islam, which is the official religion.
    
    
  • Ethnic groups: Somalis (60%) is the largest ethnic group.
    
    
  
  
  
• Key Organizations: Djibouti is a member of the African Union and the Arab League.
  
  
• Significance:
  • Djibouti is strategically located near some of the world's busiest shipping lanes, controlling access to the Red Sea and Indian Ocean.
    
    
  • It is also the site of various foreign military bases, including Camp Lemonnier.
    
    
  
  
  

Centre of entrepreneurship and innovation:

• It has been built in a record time of two years. In November 2016, India had provided a $5 million grant to build an incubation centre in Djibouti.
  
  
• The project is one of the first targeting small businesses in Djibouti.
  
  
• With China having set up its first naval base in Djibouti, India is also making small moves to establish its own presence in the country. India has also provided $49 million to build a cement factory.
  
  

About:

• Prasar Bharati is the Public Service Broadcaster of the country.
  
  
• Status: Prasar Bharati is a statutory autonomous body established under the Prasar Bharati Act.
  
  
• Objective: To conduct public broadcasting services intended to inform and entertain the public.
  
  
• Components: It comprises the Doordarshan Television Network and All India Radio, which were earlier media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
  
  
• Established in:
  
  
• HQ: New Delhi.
  
  
• Prasar Bharati Board:
  • The Prasar Bharati Act vests the general superintendence, direction, and management of affairs of the Corporation in the Prasar Bharati Board.
    
    
  • The President of India appoints the Chairman and the other Members, except the ex officio members, nominated member and the elected members.
    
    
  • Board meetings must be held at least once in every three months each year.
    
    
  
  
  

Recent decision: Manpower Audit

• Prasar Bharati has hired Ernst and Young to conduct a manpower audit to overhaul its workforce. The exercise is expected to be completed in eight months’ time.
  
  
• It essentially involves identifying redundant roles and make the organisation IT-enabled.
  
  
• The Sam Pitroda Committee which submitted its report in 2014, recommended the manpower audit of Prasar Bharati.
  • According to it, Prasar Bharati reportedly had 33,800 employees and the sanctioned strength was 48,022 — the highest in the world for a public broadcaster.
    
    
  • While the BBC had staff strength of 16,858, public broadcasters of Japan and China employed 10,000 each.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621 – 1675) was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
  
  
• Name: He was born as Tyaga Mal. He came to be known by the name Teg Bahadur (Mighty of The Sword), given to him by Guru Hargobind after he shown his valour in a battle against the Mughals.
  
  
• Family: His father was the Sixth guru, Guru Hargobind. His son Guru Gobind Singh, became the tenth Sikh guru.
  
  
• Life and works:
  • He built the city of Anandpur Sahib (in Rupnagar/Ropar district, on the edge of Shivalik Hills, near the Sutlej River, in Punjab). Here the last two Sikh Gurus lived and where Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.
    
    
  • He contributed more than 100 poetic hymns to Granth Sahib which cover various topics, such as the nature of God, human attachments, body, mind, dignity service etc.
    
    
  • He resisted the forced conversions of Kashmiri Pandits and non-Muslims to Islam.
    
    
  
  
  
• Martyrdom:
  • He was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for himself refusing to convert to Islam. He is remembered for giving up his life for freedom of religion.
    
    
  • His martyrdom is remembered as the Shaheedi Divas of Guru Tegh Bahadur every year on 24 November, according to the Nanakshahi calendar released by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 2003.
    
    
  • Memorials in Delhi:
    • Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib mark the place of his execution.
      
      
    • Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib mark the places of cremation of his body.
      
      
    
    
    
  
  
  

About:

• When? Kartik Purnima is celebrated on the full moon day of the auspicious Karthika Month of the Hindu lunar calendar. Kartik is the eighth lunar month as per the Hindu calendar and is considered the holiest month among all lunar months.
  
  
• Tripuri Purnima / Dev Deepawali: Kartik Purnima is also known as Tripurari Purnima and Dev Deepawali.
  • to Hindu's, it was on this day when Lord Shiva defeated the three demons, Vidyunmali, Tarakaksha, and Viryavana, who had a firm control over the world and had created three cities in space known as Tripura. Hence the name Tripurari Purnima.
    
    
  • Once Tripurasura was killed, the Gods were overjoyed and celebrated the day in the heaven by lighting several diyas. Hence the day also came to be known as the “Deva Deepawali” or “Diwali of Gods”.
    
    
  • Tripuri Purnima is only next to Maha Shivaratri, amongst festivals dedicated to Shiva worship.
    
    
  
  
  
• Prabhodini Ekadashi:
  • Kartik Purnima festivities last for five days, beginning on the day of Prabodhini Ekadashi,
    
    
  • The end of Chaturmas, a four-month period during which Lord Vishnu sleeps is marked by Prabhodini Ekadashi.
    
    
  
  
  

Associated festivals:

• Bali yatra: In Odisha, on Kartik Purnima, people celebrate Boita Bandana or bali Yatra.
  
  
• Pushkar Fair: Generally, In Pushkar, Rajasthan, the Pushkar Fair commences on Prabodhini Ekadashi and continues till Kartik Purnima.
  
  
• Gurpurab: Guru Nanak Jayanti or Gurpurab is also celebrated on Kartik Purnima (as according to the (Sikh) Nanakshahi calendar, Guru Nanak was born on a full-moon night). The day marks the birth of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak Dev, who laid the foundation of Sikhism. This year marks the 549^th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
  
  

About:

• Imrat Khan (1935 – 2018) was an Indian sitar and surbahar player and composer. He is credited for keeping the art of playing surbahar alive.
  
  
• Family:
  • He was the younger brother of sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan.
    
    
  • His father Enayat Khan and grandfather Imdad Khan were recognised as a leading sitar and surbahar player of their time.
    
    
  
  
  
• Awards and Honours:
  • In 1988 he received Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.
    
    
  • In 2017, he was conferred with the Padma Shri, however he refused to accept the award stating it came too late.
    
    
  
  
  

Surbahar:

• Surbahar, sometimes known as bass sitar, is a plucked string instrument used in the Hindustani classical music
  
  
• It is closely related to the sitar, but has a lower tone.
  
  
• History: The surbahar was developed around 1825 by Ghulam Mohammed, a sitar player from the Awadh principality to combine the handling convenience of the sitar with the melodic potential and acoustic richness of the rudra veena.
  
  

Imdadkhani gharana (Etawah gharana):

• Ustad Imrat Khan belonged to the ‘Imdadkhani gharana’, the school of sitar and surbahar performance named after his grandfather Imdad Khan.
  
  
• It is also known as the ‘Etawah gharana’, after a small town close to Agra where Imdad Khan lived.
  
  
• The gharana's achievements includes –
  • the development of the Surbahar,
    
    
  • major structural changes to both the sitar and surbahar and
    
    
  • the creation of the instrumental style known as the gayaki ang (vocal style performed on sitar) by Vilayat Khan. This style of sitar is now known as the Vilayatkhani sitar.
    
    
  
  
  

Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards 2018:

• This is the third time the Awards will be given.
  
  
• Objective: The awards recognize excellence in enforcement by government officials and institutions/teams combating transboundary environmental crime, such as illegal trade in wildlife, chemicals or waste, in Asia.
  
  
• Categories:
  • This year’s Awards will be given in 4 categories: (1) Collaboration; (2) Impact; (3) Innovation; and (4) Integrity.
    
    
  
  
  
• Agencies involved:
  • The 2018 Awards are presented by UN Environment programme (UNEP) in partnership with the UNDP, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, INTERPOL, USAID, Freeland Foundation, and the Government of Sweden.
    
    
  • Financing for the Awards is being supported by different partners, including generous support from the Government of Norway.
    
    
  
  
  
• 2018 awards:
  • Nine institutions and individuals from across Asia have been recognized this year. Winners hail from China, India, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam
    
    
  • WCCB has been conferred this year’s Award in Innovation category. This is the second time in a row that the awards are being given by UN Environment to India.
    
    
  
  
  

Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB):

• Status: A statutory body constituted under the WildLife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  
  
• Parent Agency: Ministry of Environment and Forests.
  
  
• Mandate: To combat organized wildlife crime in the country.
  
  
• Location: The Bureau has its headquarter in New Delhi and five regional offices at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Jabalpur.
  
  
• Wildlife Crime Database Management System:
  • WCCB has developed an online Wildlife Crime Database Management System to get real time data to analyse trends in wildlife crimes across India.
    
    
  • This system has been successfully used for carrying out operations such as Operation Save Kurma, Thunderbird, Wildnet, Lesknow, Birbil, Thunderstorm, Lesknow-II etc resulting in huge seizures of Tiger/Leopard Skin/bones, Rhino Horn, Elephant Ivory etc.
    
    
  
  
  

Microbiome:

• Microbiome: A microbiome is a collection of all microbes present at any location, be it soil, plant or the human body.
  
  
• Human Microbiome:
  • Meaning: The human body carries diverse communities of microorganisms, which are mainly bacterial. These are referred to as “human microbiome”.
    
    
  • Significance: These organisms play a key role in many aspects of host physiology, ranging from metabolism of complex indigestible carbohydrates and fats to producing essential vitamins, maintaining immune systems etc.
    
    
  
  
  

Indian Human Microbiome Initiative:

• The NCMR-NCCS will soon undertake the Indian Human Microbiome Initiative, a first-of-its-kind project on microbiome. The cost estimation for the project is Rs 150 crore and the proposal is being reviewed by the government.
  
  
• This project aims to study various microbiomes present in the human body and improve knowledge of evolution of the mutualism between ‘GUT microbiota’ and the host.
  
  
• About 90 endogenous groups will be studied along with 13 ethnic tribes chosen for their specific features.
  
  

National Centre of Microbial Resource - National Centre for Cell Science (NCMR - NCCS):

National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS):

• The National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) is an autonomous organisation aided by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India.
  
  
• NCCS is located within the campus of the P. Pune University, Pune, Maharashtra.
  
  
• Its mandate is to serve as a national repository of animal cell cultures and undertaking research in cell biology. It has two repositories –
  • Cell repository
    
    
  • National Centre of Microbial Resource (NCMR)
    
    
  
  
  

National Centre of Microbial Resource (NCMR):

• With more than 180000 micro-organisms in its collection, NCMR is the largest culture collection in the world and single-handedly lifted India to 3rd place among countries having collection of microorganisms.
  
  
• It was recognised in 2009 as an International Depository Authority (IDA) for the deposit of microorganisms for the purposes of patent procedures under the Budapest Treaty by the World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva.
  
  
• NCMR also got recognition as a Designated National Repository under the Biodiversity Act of 2002 from the Ministry of Environment.
  
  

About:

• ACROSS is an umbrella scheme containing nine sub-schemes to address different aspects of weather and climate services.
  
  
• Objective: To provide reliable weather and climate forecast so as provide various services to end-users like Agro-meteorological Services, Aviation service, Environmental monitoring services, Hydro-meteorological services etc.
  
  
• Implementation Mechanism: It will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences in an integrated manner through its four institutes namely –
  1. India Meteorological Department (IMD),
     
     
  2. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM),
     
     
  3. National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), and
     1. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Service (INCOIS).
        
        
     
     
     
  
  
  

About:

• Working:
  • By the end of 2020, India will buy an exclusive aircraft, equipped with sophisticated instruments, which will work as National Facility for Airborne Research (NFAR).
    
    
  • It will carry out all airborne atmospheric research for studying the impact of Air Pollution and for improving the country’s weather forecast capabilities.
    
    
  
  
  
• Implementing agency: The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, is entrusted with the establishment of all support system to operate the NFAR.
  
  
• Location: Though the hangar for the aircraft would be set up near Pune, it will be used as a national facility from different bases in the country for various airborne atmospheric research.
  
  
• Significance: The airborne research on atmospheric aerosols and clouds has been gaining importance due to its role in weather and climatic systems.
  
  

Recent decision:

• The CCEA approved that 100% of the food grains and 20% of sugar shall be mandatorily packed in diversified jute bags. The decision to pack sugar in diversified jute bags will give an impetus to the diversification of the jute industry.
  
  
• Initially 10 % of the indents of jute bags for packing food-grains would be placed through reverse auction on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. This will gradually usher in a regime of price discovery.
  
  

Impact:

• The decision will give a fillip to the development of jute sector by ensuring diversification and also boosting and sustaining demand for jute product.
  
  
• This is important considering the fact that nearly 7 lakh workers and several lakh farm families are dependent for their livelihood on the jute sectors.
  
  
• The jute industry is predominantly dependent on Government sector which purchases jute bags of value of more than Rs. 6,500 crore every year for packing foodgrains.
  
  
• The decision will benefit farmers and workers located in the Eastern and North Eastern regions esp. in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya and Tripura.
  
  

Recent Measures by the Government to support the Jute Sector:

• Under the Jute ICARE, the Government has been supporting one lakh jute farmers by disseminating improved agronomic practices to improve the productivity and quality of raw jute.
  
  
• National Jute Board has collaborated with National Institute of Design to setup a Jute Design Cell at Gandhinagar.
  
  
• Government of India has imposed Definitive Anti-Dumping Duty on import of jute goods from Bangladesh and Nepal with effect from 5th January, 2017.
  
  
• To promote transparency in jute sector, Jute SMART, an e-govt initiative was launched in December, 2016, providing an integrated platform for procurement of B-Twill sacking by Government agencies.
  
  

About:

• SHe-Box is the online portal to report complaints of Sexual Harassment at Workplace. It was launched by WCD Minister Maneka Gandhi in 2017.
  
  
• Eligibility:
  • SHe-Box offers the facility of making online complaints of sexual harassment at workplace to all women employees in the country including government and private employees.
    
    
  • Those who have already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) or Local Complaint Committee (LCC) constituted under the Sexual Harassment Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal.
    
    
  
  
  
• Present status: Till November 20, 2018, as many as 321 complaints have been registered with 'SHe-Box' out of which 120 are related to central ministries/departments, 58 are from state governments and 143 are from private companies.
  
  

Recent development:

• Now WCD Ministry has linked 'SHe-Box' to central/ state ministries & districts for speedy disposal of cases. Each case goes directly to the central/ state authority concerned having jurisdiction to take action in the matter.
  
  
• Comment: This is a proactive step taken by the WCD Ministry in the wake of the worldwide campaign #MeToo, where women have related their experience of facing sexual harassment and abuse at workplace."
  
  

About:

• The Commission, headed by Justice (Retd.) G. Rohini was constituted under Article 340 of the Constitution with the approval of President in October, 2017.
  
  
• The Commission has since then interacted with all the States/UTs which have subcategorized OBCs and the State Backward Classes Commissions.
  
  
• As of now, the commission has obtained records, caste-wise data of OBCs admitted to higher educational institutions as well as similar caste-wise data of recruits in Central government departments, Central public sector undertakings, public sector banks and financial institutions.
  
  
• Keeping in view the voluminous data obtained and the time required for a scientific analysis of the data, the term of the Commission has been extended. This is the fourth extension of term given to the commission formed in October 2017.
  
  

Central and State Allied and Healthcare Councils:

• An Allied and Healthcare Council of India and corresponding State Allied and Healthcare Councils will be setup by the Bill. An Interim Council will be constituted within 6 months of passing of the Act holding charge for a period of two years until the establishment of the Central Council.
  
  
• Mandate: The Councils will play the role of standard-setters and facilitators for professions of Allied and Healthcare. The State Council will undertake recognition of allied and healthcare institutions.
  
  
• Coverage: The Councils will include 15 major professional categories including 53 professions in Allied and Healthcare streams.
  
  
• Professional Advisory Bodies: Professional Advisory Bodies under Central and State Councils will examine issues in detail and provide recommendations relating to specific recognized categories.
  
  
• Composition: The Central Council will comprise 47 members (of which 14 members shall be ex-officio); The State Councils will comprise 28 members (of which 7 shall be ex-officio).
  
  
• Funding: The Council will be established as corporate body with a provision to receive funds from various sources. Councils will also be supported by Central and State Governments respectively through Grant-in-aid as needed.
  
  

Need of Bill:

• Our system is highly focused towards limited categories of professionals such as doctors, nurses and frontline workers (like Accredited Social Health Activist or ASHAs, Auxiliary Nurse Midwife or ANMs).
  
  
• However, there exist numerous Allied and Healthcare Professionals (A&HPs) who remain unidentified, unregulated and underutilised. Utilising the potential of A&HPs can reduce the cost of care and improve the accessibility to quality driven healthcare services.
  
  
• Globally, Allied and Healthcare Professionals typically attend undergraduate degree programme of a minimum 3-4 years and may attain up to PhD level qualification in their respective streams. However, most of Indian institutions offering such courses lack standardisation.
  
  
• Majority of the countries have a statutory regulatory body that is authorised to license and certify the qualifications of such professionals. This lacks in India.
  
  
• The Bill thus seeks to establish a robust regulatory framework which will help standardize allied healthcare and will provide employment to millions of youth in the country.
  
  

About:

• Names: Bali Jatra also known as Bali Yatra or Boita Bandaṇa literally means A Voyage to Bali.
  
  
• Location: This festival is held in Odisha, in the city of Cuttack on the banks of the Mahanadi river, as a large open fair near the Barabati Fort area.
  
  
• Reason: It is held to commemorate the day when ancient Sadhabas (Oriya mariners) would begin their voyage in vessels (called Boitas) and sail to Bali & other islands in Indonesia and Sri Lanka for trade and cultural expansion.
  
  
• When: The festival is celebrated every year for around 8 days from the day of Kartika Purnima (full moon day of the month of Kartika) according to the Oriya Calendar. Kartika Purnima, comes around the end of October and November.
  
  
• Celebrations:
  • Bali Yatra festival is Odisha’s mega trade fair. It has over Thousands of stalls showcasing various ethnic and electronic goods along with food courts and handicrafts.
    
    
  • On the day of Kartika Purnima people of Odisha gather near banks of Mahanadi, Brahmani river, other river banks, ponds, water tanks and sea shores to float miniature toy boats as a symbolic gesture of their ancestors' voyage.
    
    
  
  
  

About:

The following are the highlights of the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting:

• Development of Kartarpur Sahib corridor:
  • Kartarpur corridor will be built from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district to the international border, to facilitate pilgrims from India to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur throughout the year.
    
    
  • It will be implemented as an integrated development project with Government of India funding. Pakistan will be urged to develop a corridor in their territory as well.
    
    
  
  
  
• Development of Sultanpur Lodhi:
  • The historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi (in Kapurthala district of the Punjab), associated with the life of Shri Guru Nanak Devji, shall be developed as a heritage town and on the Smart City principles.
    
    
  • As a major attraction for pilgrims, a heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi, "Pind Babe Nanak da" will be established to depict life in the times of Shri Guru Nanak Devji.
    
    
  
  
  
• Centre for inter faith studies: It will be set up at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
  
  
• Global Celebrations: Indian missions overseas will organize special events on the occasion. UNESCO will be requested to publish Shri Guru Nanak Devji's writings in world languages. Chairs on Shri Guru Nanak Devji will be set up in one University each in UK and Canada.
  
  
• Special train for pilgrims: Ministry of Railways will run a train passing through the various holy places associated with Shri Guru Nanak Devji, for pilgrims and tourists.
  
  

Note to readers: For detail of “KARTARPUR SAHIB”, refer NEWS ‘RECITALS’: NOVEMBER 20, 2018.