Current Affairs Question - 16 July 2019

Explanation :

• Statement 1: At present, the NIA can investigate offences under Acts such as the <strongstyle="color: #33ffff;">Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967. Now it will be able to investigate cases related to human trafficking, counterfeit currency, manufacture or sale of prohibited arms, cyber-terrorism, and offences under the Explosive Substances Act, 1908. So, the given statement is incorrect.
• Statement 2: The amendment extended the NIA’s jurisdiction. Now officers of NIA will have same powers as police officers. This will be applicable across the country. So, the given statement is correct.
• Statement 3: The given statement is incorrect as the amended bill give power to NIA officers to investigate offences committed outside India. Of course, NIA’s jurisdiction will be subject to international treaties and domestic laws of other countries.
• Statement 4: The existing Act allows the Centre to constitute special courts for NIA’s trials. But the amended bill enables the Central government to designate session courts as special courts for such trials So, the given statement is correct.

Explanation :

Explanation:

• The corridor- often dubbed as the “Road to Peace” is underway construction over River Ravi and will connect Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan’s Kartarpur (Narowal district) with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India (Gurdaspur district).
• The construction of the corridor will allow visa-free access to pilgrims from India.
• Kartarpur Sahib was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.
• India is intended for making the corridor operational in November 2019, given the historic importance of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
• India had first proposed Kartarpur Sahib Corridor in 1999 when then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee took bus ride to Lahore.

Explanation :

Explanation:

• The Project is located on river Dibang, in Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh. The project envisages construction of a 278 m high Concrete Gravity Dam.
• The 2880 MW hydropower project will be the largest ever Hydro Electric Projectto be constructed in India.
• Arunachal Pradesh will get 12 percent free power from the project.One percent free power will be given in Local Area Development Fund (LADF).

Significance

• This MPP is envisaged as storage based hydro-electric project with flood moderation as the key objective.
• The construction of Dibang MPP shall prevent the sizeable downstream area from floods.
• After implementation of master plan of Brahmaputra Board for flood moderation of all rivers contributing to river Brahmaputra, of which Dibang MPP is one of the components, sizable area will be protected from flooding and help in mitigating the perennial damage due to floods in Assam.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online

Explanation :

Explanation:

• Kharchi Puja is one of the most popular festivals in Tripurawhich falls in the month of July on the eighth day of the new moon.
• This festival is celebrated at Agartala (Puran Agartala) in the temple premises of fourteen gods. There are many legends associated with this Puja.
• Animal sacrifice is also an important part of this festival and includes sacrificing of goats and pigeons.

Significance:

• The puja is basically done to worship the earth. All of rituals are of tribal origin, which comprises of worshipping of 14gods and mother earth. It is performed to wipe out the sins and to clean the post menstrual phase of mother earth’s menstruation which is why the Puja is performed for 7back-to-back days.
• On day of Puja, 14 gods are carried to Saidra river by members of chantai where gods are bathed in holy water and are brought back to temple.

Source: Civil Services Chronicle Online