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Here are the topics covered for 17 & 18 September 2023: Shantiniketan – UNESCO, OIML Certificate, Over-The-Top (OTT), Vishwakarma Scheme, Project Cheetah, GST Appellate Tribunal, RajBhasha Kirti Puraskar, International Day of Democracy.

Table of Content

GS-1

1. Shantiniketan – UNESCO

 

GS-2

1. OIML Certificate
2. Over-The-Top (OTT)

 

GS-3

1. Vishwakarma Scheme
2. Project Cheetah
3. GST Appellate Tribunal

 

Facts for Prelims

1. RajBhasha Kirti Puraskar
2. International Day of Democracy

Vishwakarma Scheme

Context

1. In commemoration of ‘Vishwakarma’ the Prime Minister launched the ‘PM Vishwakarma Scheme’ for the benefit of traditional artisans.

 

Vishwakarma

1. The Union government fully funds PM Vishwakarma\’s scheme with ₹13,000 crore
2. Registration through the biometric-based PM Vishwakarma portal
3. Supports artisans and craftspeople in rural and urban areas
4. Initial coverage of 18 traditional trades
5. It aims to cover five lakh families in the first year and 30 lakh families over five years
6. Focus on improving product quality and integration with value chains
7. Provides beneficiaries with a PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card
8. Offers skill upgrade with basic and advanced training
9. Includes toolkit incentive of ₹15,000, collateral-free credit up to ₹1 lakh (first tranche), and ₹2 lakh (second tranche) at a 5% interest rate
10. Incentives for digital transactions and marketing support

 

Project Cheetah

Context

1. The government report, marking one year of the cheetah reintroduction program, indicates that the initial progress aligns with the planned favorable trajectory, demonstrating a promising path toward successful significant carnivore conservation and population establishment.

 

About Cheetah Project

1. India\’s Cheetah Reintroduction Project, initiated on September 17, 2022, aims to revive the population of cheetahs, declared extinct in India in 1952, through the relocation of cheetahs from South Africa and Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh.
2. As part of the Cheetah Reintroduction Project, 20 radio-collared cheetahs were translocated from South Africa (12 cheetahs) and Namibia (8 cheetahs) to Kuno National Park.

 

Why Cheetahs have been introduced?

1. The aim is to establish a self-sustaining cheetah population in India.
2. Cheetahs will serve as apex predators.
3. The project focuses on large, unfenced wildlife reserves.
4. Wildlife corridors connect these reserves.
5. This contributes to global cheetah conservation

 

Status of the Project

1. A total of 20 African cheetahs have been imported for the project.
2. Arrival dates of the cheetah batches from Africa.
3. Delay in releasing the cheetahs into the wild.
4. Deaths of six cheetahs, both in captivity and in the wild.
5. Challenges in capturing and managing the cheetahs.
6. Current status of the surviving cheetahs and plans for their release in other sanctuaries.
7. Consideration of importing more cheetahs from Africa in the future.

 

Why did the Cheetahs die?

1. Multiple reasons and causes for the deaths of six adult cheetahs and three cubs.
2. Radio collars are not considered as the underlying reason for the deaths.
3. Susceptibility of African cheetahs to insects and parasites in India.
4. Details of specific cheetah deaths, including renal condition, mating attempts, heatwave, and cardio-pulmonary failure.
5. Questions were raised regarding the decision to bring a sick cheetah to India and attempts at captive mating.
6. Need to reassess the approach to prevent further deaths and consider the impact of captivity on cheetah fitness for release.

 

Shantiniketan – UNESCO

Context

1. Santiniketan, a town in West Bengal, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list during the 45th Session of the World Heritage Committee held in Saudi Arabia.

 

About Shantiniketan

1. Santiniketan, established by Tagore in 1901, was initially a residential school and art center rooted in Indian traditions.
2. In 1921, it transformed into a \”world university\” called \”Visva Bharati,\” emphasizing global unity.
3. Santiniketan\’s architecture diverges from British colonial and European modernism.
4. It embodies pan-Asian modernity, incorporating elements from diverse regional traditions.
5. Santiniketan\’s inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list highlights its cultural and historical significance.

 

OIML Certificate

Context

1. India has achieved recognition as the 13th globally accepted authority for issuing International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML) certificates.

 

Legal Metrology

1. Legal Metrology involves applying legal standards to measurements and measuring instruments.
2. Its aim is to provide the public with assurance regarding the safety and accuracy of measurements.
3. The specifications for measuring instruments are outlined in the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011.

 

About OIML Certificate

1. An OIML certificate is required to sell weights and measures globally.
2. The Department of Consumer Affairs issues OIML Pattern Approval certificates for international sales.
3. India adheres to OIML recommendations and testing procedures for weights and measures.
4. Domestic manufacturers can have their measuring equipment tested in India before international sales, including items like BP meters, oximeters, and cloth scales.

 

About OIML

1. The OIML is an intergovernmental treaty organization founded in 1955 to promote global harmonization of legal metrology procedures for international trade.
2. It helps harmonize national laws and regulations related to measuring instruments like clinical thermometers, alcohol breath analyzers, radar speed measuring devices, ship tanks, and petrol dispensing units.
3. India joined the OIML in 1956 and signed the metric convention with the Standards of Weights and Measures Act the same year.
4. Other countries that can issue OIML certificates include Australia, Switzerland, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Slovakia.

 

GST Appellate Tribunal

Context

1. The Finance Ministry has officially established 31 Appellate Tribunals for Goods and Services Tax (GST) across 28 States and eight Union Territories.

 

About the Tribunal

1. The Union Government establishes 31 Appellate Tribunals for Goods and Services Tax (GST) across India.
2. The rollout of these tribunals is phased and scheduled to begin from November 2023 to January 2024.
3. Uttar Pradesh will host the highest number of GST tribunal
4. The northeastern states will have one primary tribunal bench located in Guwahati.
5. Circuit benches in Aizawl, Agartala, and Kohima will be operationalized based on the number of appeals filed in each respective state.
6. These tribunals are specialized authorities for resolving GST law disputes at the appellate level, improving the dispute resolution process in the GST system.

 

Over-The-Top (OTT)

Context

1. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a consultation paper seeking input on regulating over-the-top (OTT) communication services.
2. TRAI seeks stakeholder input to define OTT and propose cost-sharing mechanisms between Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and OTT services.

 

Conflict between TSPs and OTTs

1. Telecom Service Providers advocate for the regulation and charging of OTT services due to revenue erosion caused by these platforms.
2. OTT communication services provide various services over the Internet, including messaging and calls, competing with traditional telecom services.
3. Telecom operators argue that OTT providers do not invest in network infrastructure as they do and benefit from TSP-funded networks without contributing to their development and maintenance.

 

Cellular Operators Association of India

1. The COAI and the Internet Service Providers Association of India emphasize the need for a policy framework that ensures large OTT service providers contribute fairly to telecom network operators.
2. They suggest assessable criteria such as the number of subscribers or data usage to determine fair share charges for OTTs to pay to TSPs.
3. Funds received from OTTs would support network expansion and increase contributions to government revenues.
4. Both organizations argue that OTT services should be subject to the same rules as licensed telecom services, regardless of whether they are provided over operators\’ networks or via the Internet.

 

FACTS FOR PRELIMS

RajBhasha Kirti Puraskar

1. The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has received the First Raj Bhasha Kirti Puraskar for 2022-23.
2. This marks the second consecutive year that the department has been recognized as the best-performing department among those with fewer than 300 employees.
3. The RajBhasha Kirti Puraskar is awarded annually to the department that ranks first in its category during the Akhil Bhartiya Raj Bhasha Sammelan and Hindi Diwas celebrations organized by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

International Day of Democracy

1. International Day of Democracy is observed globally on September 15th every year.
2. It was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 2007, urging governments to enhance democracy.
3. The day provides an occasion to assess the global democratic landscape, with each year featuring a specific theme.
4. The 2023 theme, \”Empowering the next generation,\” underscores the vital role of young people in promoting democracy and ensuring their participation in impactful decisions.