Current Affairs Questions

Explanation :

• India’s telecommunication satellite GSAT-30 was successfully launched into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) on 17^th January, 2020 from Kourou launch base, French Guiana by Ariane-5 VA-251.
• GSAT-30 is configured on ISRO’s enhanced I-3K Bus structure to provide communication services from Geostationary orbit in C and Ku bands. The satellite derives its heritage from ISRO’s earlier INSAT/GSAT satellite series.
• Weighing 3357 kg, GSAT-30 is to serve as replacement to INSAT-4A spacecraft services with enhanced coverage.
• The satellite provides Indian mainland and islands coverage in Ku-band and extended coverage in C-band covering Gulf countries, a large number of Asian countries and Australia.
• India's high power communication satellite GSAT-30 is aimed at providing high-quality television, telecommunications and broadcasting services.
• In-orbit operational life of GSAT-30 is more than 15 years.

Explanation :

• Article 131 of the Constitution of India grants original jurisdiction to the Supreme Court on all cases involving the enforcement of fundamental rights of citizens.It involves the following cases:
  • Any dispute between the Indian Government and one or more States.
  • Any dispute between the Indian Government and one or more States on one side and one or more States on the other side.
  • Any dispute between two or more States.
• Article 131 can be invoked by a state whenever there is a difference of opinion between the Centre and state on the question of interpretation of the Constitution, which will affect the exercise of government powers that are attributes of a state.
• This cannot be used to settle political differences between state and Central government headed by different parties.

Explanation :

• Bru also known as Reang is a tribal group living mostly in Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. In Tripura, they are recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group.
• They are the second most populous tribe in Tripura after the Tripuris. They are ethnically different from the Mizos, with their own distinct language and dialect and form one of the 21 scheduled tribes of Tripura.
• They speak the Reang dialect of Bru language which is of Tibeto-Burmese origin and is locally referred to as Kau Bru.

Explanation :

• Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has been set up as an autonomous body of the Ministry of Women and Child Development which functions as a nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoption.
• CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with inter-country adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Conventions on Inter-Country Adoptions, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003.
• It primarily deals with adoption of orphan, abandoned and surrendered children through its associated/recognised adoption agencies.

Explanation :

• Taal Volcano is a large complex volcano filled with a 15 km × 20 km lake located on Luzon Island in the province of Batangas, in the Philippines.
• It is the second most active volcano in the Philippines.
• Because of its proximity to populated areas and its eruptive history, the volcano was designated a Decade Volcano, worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters.
• The Philippines lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” which is the most seismically and volcanically active zone in the world.

Explanation :

• Till date, six languages have been conferred the status of ‘Classical Language’ in India.The first language to be accorded with that status is Tamil in 2004. In 2005 Sanskrit was accorded with this status.
• In 2008, Telugu and Kannada were conferred with the status followed by Malayalam in 2013. Odia is the latest addition to the list and received the status in 2014.
• Of the six classical languages, five of them are regional languages except for Sanskrit which is not specific to any region. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are Dravidian languages while Sanskrit and Odia are Indo-Aryan languages.

Criteria for Classical Language in India

• High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers.
• The literary tradition to be original and not borrowed from another speech community.
• The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Explanation :

• On 9^th January, 2020, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) approved Green Credit Scheme that would allow forests to be traded as a commodity.
• The scheme allows agencies like private companies, village forest communities, etc. to identify lands for forest cultivation and ensures plantations carried out.
• After 3 years, these identified lands would be considered as compensatory forest land after meeting forest department’s criteria.
• An industry that needs forest land could approach these agencies and pay them for such forested land. This would then be transferred to the forest department and also recorded as forest land.

Impact

• Will encourage plantation by individuals outside the traditional forest area.
• Will also help in solving land acquiring issues of various industries which find it hard to acquire appropriate non-forest land.
• Will help in meeting international commitments such as Sustainable Development Goals and Nationally Determined Contributions.

Explanation :

• Coastal stretches of creeks, bays, seas, rivers and back waters that are affected by the tidal actions of up to 500 metres from the High Tide Line and the land between the Low Tide Line and the High Tide line are Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ).
• The coastal areas have been classified into four categories—CRZ-I, CRZ-II, CRZ-III and CRZ-IV.
• CRZ-I: these are ecologically sensitive areas; these are essential in maintaining the ecosystem of the coast. They lie between low and high tide line. Exploration of natural gas and extraction of salt are permitted here.
• CRZ-II: these areas are urban areas located in the coastal areas. Now under new coastal zone regulations 2018, the floor space index norms have been de-freezed.
• CRZ-III: these are rural and urban localities which fall outside the CRZ-I and CRZ-II. Only certain activities related to agriculture even some public facilities are allowed in this zone.
• CRZ-IV: this lies in the aquatic area up to territorial limits. Fishing and allied activities are permitted in this zone. Solid waste should be let off in this zone. This zone has been changed from 1991 notification, which covered coastal stretches in islands of Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.

Explanation :

• On 9^th January, 2020, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy launched Amma Vodi Scheme in Chittoor district. It is one of the nine flagship programmes of Andhra Government.
• The scheme will be commencing from 26^th January, 2020 on the eve of Republic Day.
• Amma Vodi is available to ration card holders, who fall under the Below Poverty Line and clear a few more criteria related to their economic status.
• The scheme aims at benefitting school students studying in classes I to XII. It includes both public and private schools.
• Amma Vodi scheme will be exclusively offered for students who are undergoing their education in Government and private schools in AP, and Intermediate students pursuing in government and private colleges.
• Under the scheme, an amount of Rs.15,000 per year will be offered to support a student towards his education.

Explanation :

• Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) was set by the Government of India on 18th November 2004 as the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.
• It is an independent body reporting directly to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC) headed by the Finance Minister.
• FIU-IND is a multi disciplinary body with a sanctioned strength of 75 personnel. These are being inducted from different organizations namely Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Department of Legal Affairs and Intelligence agencies.
• FIU-IND is responsible for coordinating and strengthening efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation and enforcement agencies in pursuing the global efforts against money laundering and financing of terrorism.