UPSC GS 1
National Anthem
- News: Religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj has said that ‘Vande Mataram’ should be India’s national anthem.
- National Anthem of India
- Composed By: Rabindranath Tagore, originally written in Bangla.
- Adopted On: The Hindi version was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly on January 24, 1950.
- Guidelines for Singing the National Anthem:
- Full Version:
- Duration: Approximately 52 seconds.
- Occasions: The full version is sung during:
- Civil and military investitures.
- Arrival or departure of the President or Governor at state functions.
- Parades or National Flag unfurling ceremonies.
- Arrival or departure of the President at public events.
- Band Performance: A drum roll precedes the anthem when performed by a band.
- Short Version:
- Duration: Approximately 20 seconds.
- Occasions: The short version is played during:
- Toasts in military messes.
- Specific events as directed by the Government of India.
- Mass Singing:
- Occasions: The anthem is sung collectively at:
- National Flag unfurling ceremonies.
- Cultural and ceremonial events with public participation.
- Arrival or departure of the President at non-state public functions.
- Legal and Constitutional Aspects:
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- Article 51A: The Constitution outlines the fundamental duty of every citizen to show respect for the National Anthem.
- Punishment for Non-Compliance: In 2019, the Madras High Court ruled against mandating punishment for not playing the National Anthem at functions. The court clarified that there is no legal obligation for compulsory performance of the anthem.
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Artesian Condition
- News: Recently water gushed out from underground in Rajasthan village due to ‘artesian condition’.
- Artesian Condition:
- Artesian conditions arise when groundwater is confined under pressure within an aquifer, which is sandwiched between two impermeable layers of rock or clay.
- When the upper confining layer is breached, such as through drilling, the pressurized water naturally ascends to the surface without the need for external pumping.
- Origin of the Term:
- The term “artesian” is derived from the Artois region in France, where artesian wells were first drilled during the Middle Ages.
- Key Features:
- Confined Aquifer: The groundwater is stored within a pressurized aquifer, enclosed by impermeable layers that restrict its movement.
- Natural Flow: The water rises to the surface naturally, propelled by underground pressure, without requiring mechanical pumping.
- Depth: Artesian aquifers are located at greater depths compared to unconfined groundwater sources, often resulting in a consistent water supply.
- Difference from Normal Wells:
- Pressure-Driven Flow: In artesian wells, water flows naturally to the surface due to high pressure, whereas normal wells rely on pumps to extract groundwater.
- Depth and Confinement: Artesian water is stored deeper and within confined aquifers surrounded by impermeable rock layers, unlike the unconfined aquifers tapped by regular wells.
- Importance in Arid Regions:
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- Artesian conditions play a crucial role in arid and semi-arid regions by providing a reliable water source.
- Examples of regions benefiting from artesian aquifers include Rajasthan in India and parts of Australia.
UPSC GS 2
Bharatpol
- News: Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently inaugurated the ‘Bharatpol’ portal which aims to streamline international cooperation for law investigating agencies.
- About BHARATPOL Portal:
- Definition: The BHARATPOL portal is designed to streamline the processing of international assistance requests through INTERPOL, including the issuance of Red Notices and other color-coded INTERPOL notices.
- Features:
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- The five key modules of BHARATPOL – Connect, INTERPOL Notices, References, Broadcast, and Resources – provide a technological platform to support all our law enforcement agencies.
- It is poised to become a transformative resource for field-level police officers, enhancing their capabilities to address crimes and security challenges effectively.
- By enabling faster and easier access to international support, the portal strengthens India’s efforts to combat transnational crimes.
- The portal facilitates real-time information sharing, significantly aiding Indian Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) in expediting access to international police assistance.
- Implementation: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is responsible for the development of the BHARATPOL portal.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme 1.1
- News: Union Minister of Steel and Heavy Industries, Shri H. D. Kumaraswamy, launched the second round of the PLI scheme for Specialty Steel, termed as PLI Scheme 1.1.
- Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme 1.1:
- The PLI Scheme 1.1 will be implemented during the production period from FY 2025-26 to FY 2029-30.
- It is designed to boost domestic manufacturing of specialty steel and reduce reliance on imports, while promoting investments in key product categories.
- Product Categories Covered: The scheme includes five key product categories, aligning with the existing PLI scheme:
- Coated/Plated Steel Products
- High Strength/Wear-Resistant Steel
- Specialty Rails
- Alloy Steel Products & Steel Wires
- Electrical Steel
- These products find applications in diverse sectors such as white goods, transformers, automobiles, and other niche industries.
- Changes Introduced in the Scheme:
- Lower Thresholds for CRGO Products: The scheme has reduced the investment and capacity thresholds for cold-rolled grain-oriented (CRGO) steel product subcategories.
- Carry Forward of Excess Production: Companies can now carry forward any excess production to the subsequent year for incentive claims.
- Inclusion of Capacity Augmentation: Companies opting for capacity augmentation investments, including process improvements and energy efficiency measures, will be eligible to participate without the need to install new mills.
- Significance of the Scheme:
- Encourages quality steel production by prioritizing energy efficiency and process enhancements.
- Expands opportunities for companies to augment existing capacities while ensuring eligibility under the scheme.
- Background of the PLI Scheme:
- Initially introduced to promote domestic manufacturing during the COVID-19 lockdown, the PLI scheme targeted three key sectors.
- It was later expanded in November 2020 to include the specialty steel sector, emphasizing reduced imports and increased domestic production.
- About Cold-Rolled Grain-Oriented Steel (CRGO):
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- High-Value Material: CRGO steel is a premium-grade steel crucial for manufacturing power transformers used in high-tension (HT) power distribution.
- Technological Gap in India: Indian steelmakers currently lack the technology required for CRGO production, making it a key focus area under the PLI scheme.
BRICS
- News: Indonesia has formally joined the BRICS group, a bloc of emerging economies featuring Russia, China and others that is viewed as a counterweight to the West.
- What is BRICS?
- BRICS: An intergovernmental organization consisting of ten nations—Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
- Origin of the Term: The acronym “BRIC” was introduced by economist Jim O’Neill in 2001.
- Founding Members: Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
- First BRIC Summit: Conducted in 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.
- Transformation to BRICS: South Africa became a member in 2010, expanding the grouping to BRICS.
- New Members:
- 2024 Expansion: Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates were inducted as permanent members.
- 2025 Addition: Indonesia was granted full membership, further broadening BRICS.
- Purpose and Objectives:
- Counterweight to G7: BRICS was envisioned as a counterpart to the Group of Seven (G7), comprising developed nations like the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- Primary Objectives:
- Foster economic growth and cooperation in trade, investment, and infrastructure development.
- Advocate for global governance reforms, including changes in institutions like the United Nations (UN) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- Enhance cultural and social ties through people-to-people exchanges.
- Economic Importance:
- BRICS+ encompasses over 45% of the global population and contributes approximately 35% of global GDP (measured by purchasing power parity).
- The grouping wields increasing power in trade and investment through initiatives like the New Development Bank (NDB).
- Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA): A $100 billion financial safety net for member countries facing balance-of-payments crises.
- New Development Bank (NDB):
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- Establishment: Founded by BRICS as a multilateral development bank.
- Purpose: Mobilizes funds for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries (EMDCs).
- Initial Capital: Authorized at $100 billion.
- Headquarters: Located in Shanghai, China.
UPSC GS 3
Sonobuoys
- News: India and the U.S. recently announced cooperation on co-production of U.S. sonobuoys for Undersea Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy.
- Definition: Sonobuoys are expendable, electro-mechanical acoustic sensors designed to detect underwater sounds from ships and submarines.
- Duration: They remain active for about 24 hours.
- Role: They assist in the detection, classification, and prosecution of adversarial vessels.
- Working Mechanism of Sonobuoys
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- Naval aircraft, such as helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft, drop sonobuoys in a pre-determined pattern.
- Sonobuoys are contained in canisters and deploy automatically when they hit the water.
- A radio-transmitting inflatable system stays on the surface for communication with the aircraft or ship tracking it.
- Below the surface, the sensors descend to a designated depth, where they collect acoustic information and relay it back to monitoring units.
- Tracking: Multiple sonobuoys deployed in a specific pattern can locate submarines, enabling further tracking by other naval systems.
- Types of Sonobuoys
- Active Sonobuoys: Emit sound energy, listen for the echo, and send information back to the aircraft based on the detected sound.
- Passive Sonobuoys: Only listen for sounds from ships or submarines and transmit these sounds back to the aircraft.
- India and US
- Manufacturing Agreement: India and the U.S. have agreed to co-manufacture sonobuoys for the Indian Navy, ensuring they meet U.S. Navy standards under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
- Co-production Collaboration: U.S.-based Ultra Maritime and India’s defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) will work together in producing these sonobuoys.
- Technology Transfer: Ultra Maritime will transfer the necessary technology to BDL to facilitate this process.
- Production Facility: The sonobuoys will be manufactured at a facility in Visakhapatnam, which is expected to be operational by 2027.
- Purpose: These sonobuoys will support the Indian Navy’s P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, which already operates 12 such aircraft, in their anti-submarine warfare operations.
