{"id":147669,"date":"2024-12-19T19:35:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=147669"},"modified":"2024-12-19T19:35:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T14:05:05","slug":"news-in-shorts-19-december-2024","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/news-in-shorts-19-december-2024","title":{"rendered":"News In Shorts: 19 December 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Kisan Kavach<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An <\/span><b>anti-pesticide bodysuit called \u2018Kisan Kavach\u2019<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been developed by scientists affiliated to the <\/span><b>Department of Biotechnology (DBT).<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About the \u2018Kisan Kavach\u2019<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>About:\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kisan Kavach is <\/span><b>India\u2019s first indigenous built \u2018anti-pesticide\u2019 body suit <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which intends to protect the farm labourers from<\/span><b> ingesting and accumulating the pesticides they spray.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Developed By: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Kavach is <\/span><b>developed by a DBT-affiliated organisation, inStem Bangalore<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The kisan kavach will be manufactured by <\/span><b>Sepio Health Pvt. Ltd<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Components: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The kit consists of a <\/span><b>trouser, pullover, and a face-cover<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Fabric: Oxime fabric <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is chosen for the kit as it can <\/span><b>chemically breakdown pesticides on the cloth or body <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and prevents chemicals from leaching into the skin.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Oximes were integrated into the cellulose<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of cotton fabric converting it into an <\/span><b>activated fabric.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Price: The price per kit is \u20b94,000.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Features:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The kit <\/span><b>retained its potency in a wide temperature range,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under UV-light exposure\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Durability: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The kit is<\/span><b> washable and reusable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and was protective even after <\/span><b>150 washes therefore making it cost efficient.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Cutting edge technology: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The kit uses <\/span><b>nucleophile based fabric technology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to deactivate pesticides.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Search and Rescue Aid Tool &#8211; SARAT 2.O<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A newer version of <\/span><b>INCOIS\u2019s Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been developed to aid the<\/span><b> Indian Search and Rescue (SAR) agencies <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in their operations at sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Developed By:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Launched: SARAT was launched in 2016 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and has been used extensively by the Coast Guard in its marine search operations.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tool is developed<\/span><b> under the Make in India program.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Function:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> SARAT application can<\/span><b> simulate the probable search area of a range of objects lost at sea,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> including humans, when provided with the <\/span><b>last known time and location of the lost object.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Source of Data:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> SARAT is <\/span><b>based on model currents derived from very high resolution Regional Ocean Modelling System<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> run operationally on high performance computers at INCOIS.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Features of SARAT version 2:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The position from which the search <\/span><b>area expands has now been corrected to be the last known position<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the object.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Visualizations: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The version 2 offers <\/span><b>improved visualizations for a better judgement of a probable area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of finding the missing object.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Easy Identification: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also has features like colour coding of search regions, and a marker for easier identification of the last known position of the object.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>National Urban Co-operative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: Recently, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an organization named <\/span><b>National Urban Co-operative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been established<\/span><b> to address the difficulties <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About NUCFDC\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is an Umbrella Organization (UO) for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Objectives: It aims to\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Address challenges faced by UCBs,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enhance their operational efficiency, and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen the cooperative banking sector.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Cooperation<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Established:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> March 2, 2024<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will also act as a<\/span><b> Self-Regulatory Organization (SRO)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the sector under the guidelines of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It will provide comprehensive support to UCBs through<\/span><b> fund-based and non-fund-based services.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Examples for fund based services: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">capital support, investment, and financial support during emergency.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Non fund bases services: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payment and settlement services, providing IT services, and offering consultancy services.\u00a0<\/span><b><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>What are cooperative banks?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are small <\/span><b>financial institutions.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its members are owners and customers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Regulated by: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reserve Bank of India and respective state government.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Registered under: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The States Cooperative Societies Act.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b><\/b><b>Services Provided to :\u00a0 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural and low-income populations in the country.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+CSE+Books\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC CSE Books From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Milkweed Fiber<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context:\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ministry of Textile extends its R&#038;D efforts into new natural fibres, including <\/span><b>milkweed fibre<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in India.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Milkweed Fibre<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers are a <\/span><b>sustainable, natural plant fiber also known as vegetable silk.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Family:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It belongs to the genus<\/span><b> Asclepias of the family Asclepiadaceae.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Native To:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They come from the<\/span><b> seedpods of milkweed plants<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which are <\/span><b>native to North America<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and can grow in a variety of soil conditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Features:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Composition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They are made up of <\/span><b>cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Hydrophobicity: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers are <\/span><b>water repellent therefore have a hydrophobic<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> surface due to natural waxes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Oil Sorption: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers can<\/span><b> absorb more than 100 grams of engine oi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">l per gram of fiber.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Density:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Milkweed fibers have a<\/span><b> lower density than water.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Perennial: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed plants are perennial and <\/span><b>don&#8217;t need to be replanted each year<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also they don&#8217;t require fertilizers.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Toxicity:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The leaves and sap of the milkweed plant are<\/span><b> toxic to mammals.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Application:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibres are used<\/span><b> in water-safety equipment <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as life <\/span><b>jackets and belts and will float in<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> water while supporting as much as 30 times its own weight.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Upholstery: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers are l<\/span><b>ightweight and have good insulation properties. They can be used as upholstery <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">padding and insulation material.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Technical Textiles: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers can be<\/span><b> used to make eco-friendly, non-allergenic textiles.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n Thailand, milkweed fibers are used to make fabrics and are called<\/span><b> Rux fiber.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Sanitary napkins: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers can be used in sanitary napkins because <\/span><b>they retain a lot of liquid and have a vertical wicking property<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Medical goods: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milkweed fibers can be used to make medical goods because of their ecological and chemical benefits<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be used as <\/span><b>biodegradable scaffolds for bone tissue<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Tulsi Gowda<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tulsi Gowda, a Padma Shri awardee and renowned environmentalist from Karnataka, passed away at the age of 86\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Tulsi Gowda<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Birth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Born in 1944 in Honnali village, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ankola taluk in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Encyclopedia of forest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Gained recognition as \u201cEncyclopedia of forest\u201d\u00a0 for her vast knowledge of forests<\/span><b> despite lacking formal schooling.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Notable Contributions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Played a key role in<\/span><b> afforestation, preventing poaching, and mitigating forest fires.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Credited with<\/span><b> planting over 1 lakh trees,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> strengthening reserves and sanctuaries across Karnataka. Her efforts safeguarded tiger reserves, conservation areas, and biodiversity.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Legacy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Revered as the <\/span><b>&#8220;tree goddess&#8221;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by the<\/span><b> Halakki tribal community.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Recognition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honored with the<\/span><b> Padma Shri in 2021<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for her dedication to environmental conservation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>PM Narendra Modi <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">called her a<\/span><b> \u201cguiding light\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> whose work will inspire generations to protect the planet.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Halakki Tribe<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Halakki Vokkaligas are an <\/span><b>ancient tribe (400 years)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> living near Uttara Kannada&#8217;s Western Ghats. They are also referred to as <\/span><b>&#8220;Aboriginals of Uttara Kannada&#8221;.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Halakki Vokkaligas<\/span><b> resemble <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the<\/span><b> Maasai Mara community in Africa.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Halakki speak a <\/span><b>different dialect of Kannada<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> called<\/span><b> Achchagannada.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their distinct culture features women adorned with beads and sarongs.Their traditional clothing helps them work the land.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their way of living is still ancient and needs amalgamation with the mainstream.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They farm rice and have their own<\/span><b> governance system led by a Gouda. <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Wroughton\u2019s Free-tailed Bat<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><b>A Wroughton\u2019s Free-tailed Bat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Otomops wroughtoni) has been sighted at north Delhi\u2019s <\/span><b>Yamuna Biodiversity Park (YBP). <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chiropterologists say it is the first record not just for Delhi-NCR but northern India too<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Wroughton\u2019s Free-tailed Bat<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Scientific Name: <\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Otomops wroughtoni.<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li><b>Conservation Status:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listed as &#8220;<\/span><b>Critically<\/b> <b>Endangered<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; on the IUCN Red List.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is listed on <\/span><b>Schedule I <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the <\/span><b>Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Issues faced<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Habitat loss and limited known populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Habitat: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Primarily found in the<\/span><b> Western Ghats <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">near<\/span><b> Karnataka <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and parts of southern India. Has also been found in <\/span><b>Meghalaya in <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">northeast India.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Globally, it&#8217;s also found in <\/span><b>Cambodia.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Known to inhabit caves, cliffs, and high-altitude forests.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Unique Features:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Long tail<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> extending beyond the flight membrane.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Echolocation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calls adapted for long-range communication.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>It roosts in caves or dark, damp and little warm places, in moderate colony sizes.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>It is known to be a powerful flier.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Wroughton\u2019s Free-tailed Bat is a rare species known only from four locations in<\/span><b> India and Cambodia.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It gives us a sense of understanding that Delhi\u2019s landscape is still home to many rare and uncommon species.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI)<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The NCMEI celebrated its <\/span><b>20th Foundation Day <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on Minority Rights Day ( December 18 ) 2024, in New Delhi.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About NCMEI<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Established<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under the<\/span><b> National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act, 2004 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(effective 2005).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims to safeguard the educational rights of minorities enshrined in Article 30(1) of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Functions as a <\/span><b>quasi-judicial body<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the <\/span><b>powers of a Civil Court.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Objectives and Mandate<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure minority communities can establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Protect and promote minority educational rights through adjudicatory, advisory, and recommendatory roles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adjudicate disputes related to Minority Status Certificates and No Objection Certificates (NOCs).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Address grievances of minority institutions, ensuring constitutional provisions are upheld.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Powers and Jurisdiction<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resolve disputes concerning minority status and affiliated rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Cancel minority status <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">if found in violation of NCMEI Act provisions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Act as an<\/span><b> appellate authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> against orders of State\/UT authorities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>No court (except the Supreme Court and a High Court exercising jurisdiction under articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shall entertain any suit, application or other proceedings in respect of any order made by the Commission.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Varmam Therapy<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context:<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>National Institute of Siddha (NIS), <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chennai, achieved a Guinness World Record by conducting the largest session of Varmam Therapy, a traditional healing technique in Siddha medicine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>What is Varmam Therapy?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Definition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A traditional Siddha medical practice using vital points (varmam) in the body to <\/span><b>regulate energy flow <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and treat various ailments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Applications:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Addresses neurological, musculoskeletal disorders, and chronic pain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Significance of the Achievement<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Promotion of Siddha Medicine:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Elevates the visibility of Siddha practices on the international stage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cultural Heritage:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reinforces the importance of preserving and celebrating India\u2019s traditional medical systems.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Public Awareness:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Encourages adoption of Varmam Therapy as a complementary healthcare approach.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Siddha Medicine<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Originated in Tamil Nadu and is one of the oldest traditional medicine systems in the world.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focuses on <\/span><b>balance <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">among the body, mind, and environment.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc\/pw-only-ias?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A high-powered committee led by the Prime Minister met recently to select the next chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Set up: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) came into existence after India enacted the <\/span><b>Protection of Human Rights Act in 1993.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Selection Committee:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The <\/span><b>President of India appoints<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)<\/span><b> based on a recommendation of the selection committee, which includes:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prime Minister (Chairman)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaker of Lok Sabha<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Union Home Minister<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of the Parliament<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Membership:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It consists of a <\/span><b>chairperson, five full-time Members, and seven deemed Members.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A person who has been the <\/span><b>Chief Justice of India or a judge of the Supreme Court will be a chairman.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Two Members: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One who is, or has been, a Judge of the Supreme Court of India and one member who is, or has been, the Chief Justice of a High Court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Three Members:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> One shall be a woman from amongst persons having knowledge of, or practical experience in, matters relating to human rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Seven Deemed Members: Chairpersons of the National Commission for SC\/ST\/Minorities\/Backward Classes\/Women\/Protection of Child Rights and the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities serve as ex officio members.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Tenure:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> They serve for a term of <\/span><b>three years or until they attain the age of 70 years, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">whichever is<\/span><b> earlier.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Removal:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The members can be<\/span><b> removed by the President.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>India top recipient of remittances in 2024: World Bank<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India was the topmost recipient of remittances in 2024 with an estimated inflow of<\/span><b> $129 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a blog post by World Bank.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Key Highlights on Remittances<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>India as the Top Recipient: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India received the highest remittances globally in 2024, amounting to <\/span><b>$129 billion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The other top recipients of remittances were <\/span><b>Mexico, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Growth Rate of Remittances: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The growth rate of remittances in 2024 was estimated at <\/span><b>5.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which is significantly higher than the <\/span><b>1.2% growth rate registered in 2023<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Key Drivers<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Recovery of Job markets: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recovery of job markets in high-income countries, <\/span><b>particularly in OECD nations,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> following the pandemic, played a key role in driving remittances.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Migration: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration pressures, driven by <\/span><b>demographic trends, income gaps, and climate change<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, also contributed to the sustained growth of remittances.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Remittances vs. FDI: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the last decade, remittances have increased by <\/span><b>57%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, whereas FDI has declined by <\/span><b>41%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Remittance<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A remittance is <\/span><b>money sent home by workers abroad<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, members of diaspora communities, or citizens with family ties overseas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This money is used to <\/span><b>support household income in the sender\u2019s home country <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and is a major financial inflow for developing nations.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kisan Kavach Context: An anti-pesticide bodysuit called \u2018Kisan Kavach\u2019 has been developed by scientists affiliated to the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). About the \u2018Kisan Kavach\u2019 About:\u00a0 Kisan Kavach is India\u2019s first indigenous built \u2018anti-pesticide\u2019 body suit which intends to protect the farm labourers from ingesting and accumulating the pesticides they spray. Developed By: The Kavach&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/news-in-shorts-19-december-2024\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">News In Shorts: 19 December 2024<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":147655,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[],"subject":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147669"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147669"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147669\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147671,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/147669\/revisions\/147671"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147669"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=147669"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=147669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}