Daily UPSC Current Affairs: 13th January 2022

Prelims Specific Analysis: 13th January 2022

The Hindu, PIB, IE and Others

Index
  • A) Indices, Reports, Surveys, Committees and Organisations
  • Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) (PIB)
  • B) Schemes, Policies, Initiatives, Awards and Social Issues
  • Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (PIB)
  • 25th National Youth Festival (TH, pg 5)
  • C) Economic Developments: India and World
  • Consumer Price Index (CPI) (TH, pg 1)
  • D) Polity, Bills, Acts and Judgments
  • Inter-state border disputes in India (TH, pg 5)
  • E) Art, Culture and History
  • Ganga Sagar Mela (TH, pg 5)
  • F) Clever Picks (Miscellaneous)
  • Africa50 (PIB)
  • Harvest Festivals (PIB)
  • Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) (PIB)

 

  • A) Indices, Reports, Surveys, Committees and Organisations
  • Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) (PIB)
  • Context:  The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the aegis of Ministry of Corporate Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). The objective for signing the MoU is to achieve the mandate of Investor Education, Awareness and Protection by utilizing the tele-lecturing facility of Gyan Darshan Channel.
Analysis
Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)
For administration of Investor Education and Protection Fund, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has established Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority under the Companies Act, 2013.
  • The main objective of the authority includes to promote Investor Education, Awareness & Protection, and to refund unclaimed shares, dividends and other amounts transferred to it to the rightful claimants.
  • Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) has been established under provision of the Companies Act, 2013.
  • The amounts such as dividends, applications money, matured deposits etc, which have remained unpaid or unclaimed for a period of 7 years are required to be transferred to the IEPF.
  • The Amounts credited to IEPF are maintained under the Consolidated Fund of India (Article 266 of the Constitution).
  • The Fund is also utilised for distribution of any disgorged amount among eligible applicants for shares or debentures, shareholders, debenture-holders or depositors who have suffered losses due to wrong actions by any person, in accordance with the orders made by the Court.
  • When a person or entity in the securities market makes a profit by fraudulent means, a ‘disgorgement’ order is issued to repay those gains to affected investors with interest.
  • Hisaab Ki Kitaab
  • Six modules of short films of Investor Education & Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) titled “Hisaab Ki Kitaab” has been launched.
  • The various modules of these films highlight the importance of budget, saving, importance of insurance schemes, various social security schemes of the government etc.
  • B) Schemes, Policies, Initiatives, Awards and Social Issues
  • Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (PIB)
  • Context: Minister of State for Education launched Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) 2021 – 2022.

Analysis

  • In order to create self-motivation and awareness about sanitation the Swachh Vidyalaya Puraskar (SVP) was first instituted by the Department of School Education and Literacy, in 2016-17.
  • The SVP 2021-22 is open to all categories of schools,e. Government, Government aided and Private schools in both rural and urban areas.
  • The schools will be assessed in 6 sub-categories: Water, Sanitation, Hand Washing with soap, Operation and Maintenance, Behaviour Change and Capacity Building and the newly added category on COVID-19 Preparedness and Response.
  • Schools shall be awarded at the District, State and National level based on an internationally recognized five star rating system.
3.  25th National Youth Festival (TH, pg 5)
Context: The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 25th National Youth Festival in Puducherry.
Analysis
National Youth Festival is celebrated every year from 12th to 16th January.
  • 12th January being the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, is observed as National Youth Day.
  • The objective of the National Youth Festival is to bring youth of the country together to showcase their talents; provide them an arena, by creating a mini-India, where youth interact in formal and informal settings and exchange their social and cultural uniqueness.
  • It is also to promote national integration, spirit of communal harmony, brotherhood, courage and adventure.
  • The basic aim is to propagate the spirit, essence and concept of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
  • The theme for National Youth Day 2022 is “It’s all in the mind,” a key teaching of Swami Vivekananda.
  1. C) Economic Developments: India and World
  2. Consumer Price Index (CPI) (TH, pg 1)
  • Context: The National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is releasing All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Base 2012=100 and corresponding Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for Rural (R), Urban (U) and Combined (C) for the month of December 2021 (Provisional).
Analysis
  • Consumer Price Index (CPI)
  • Consumer Price Index is an index measuring retail inflation in the economy by collecting the change in prices of most common goods and services used by consumers.
  • Figures of CPI-based inflation are issued every month in India.
  • The index assigns different weights to various goods and services in the basket and tracks the movement of their prices.
  • It also tracks the price movement of the entire basket on a pan-India level to calculate the overall inflation figure or CPI inflation.
  • While CPI is the most relevant index for the consumer as it shows the increase in their actual outgo, it is not a completely accurate cost of living indicator since it focuses on certain goods and services more than others.
  • CPI is not the cost of living index, and is, therefore, not an accurate reflection of consumer spending.
  • The weightage of food in the CPI is close to 50%, but most households don’t spend nearly that much of their overall expenditure on food. What we spend more on are services such as education, health care and transportation, where inflation levels are much higher.
  • How does Consumer Price Index help?
  • The Reserve Bank of India and other statistical agencies study CPI so as to understand the price change of various commodities and keep a tab on inflation.
  • CPI is also a helpful pointer in understanding the real value of wages, salaries and pensions, the purchasing power of a country’s currency; and regulating prices.
  • Two Ministries – Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) and Ministry of Labour and Employment (MOLE) are engaged in the construction of different CPIs for different groups/sectors.
  • CPI inflation is also called as ‘retail inflation’ as the prices are quoted from retailers.
  • Apart from measuring inflation in retail prices, the CPI-IW was used to regulate the DA of government employees and industrial workers, as well as fixing and revising minimum wages in scheduled employments.
  • Table: Different Price Indices in India
Index Agency Base Year
WPI Office of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Commerce and Industries 2011-12
CPI All India, CPI -Urban and Rural CSO, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation 2012
CPI-AL  

Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment

1986-87
CPI-RL 1986-87
CPI-IW 2016
  • CPI for Industrial Workers (IW),
  • CPI for Agricultural Labourers (AL),
  • CPI for Rural Labourers (RL) and
  • CPI for Urban Non-Manual Employees (UNME). 
  1. D) Polity, Bills, Acts and Judgments
  2. Inter-state border disputes in India (TH, pg 5)
  • Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to seal the final agreement to end the dispute in six areas of the Assam-Meghalaya boundary ahead of Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood Day celebration on January 21.
Analysis
  • Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra’s borders were specified in the State Reorganisation Act of 1956. But Karnataka and Maharashtra disagree, with the latter wanting Marathi-speaking border areas.
  • Karnataka and Kerala have a dispute over Kasargod district in Kerala.
  • Belagavi is a district in Karnataka, which borders Maharashtra’s Kohlapur district and the people living in Belagavi, also known as Belgaum, comprises both Kannada and Marathi speakers.
  • After India became independent of the British rule, these areas around Belagavi became a part of Karnataka, when the state was formed in 1956. The area has been under dispute since then.
  • The state of Maharashtra then petitioned the Centre, which in 1966 constituted the Mahajan Commission led by a retired judge which in 1967 recommended that some villages that are under Karnataka be given to Maharashtra. However, it left the city of Belagavi, then known as Belgaum, out and retained it in Karnataka.
  • It also additionally stated that Sholapur in Maharashtra and Kasaragode, which is in Kerala, be given to Karnataka. Its verdict was not accepted by Karnataka.
  • The inter-state boundary between Bihar and Uttar Pradesh continued to fluctuate due to the frequent change in the course of rivers, “giving rise to problems in the field of revenue administration and law and order.”
  • Likewise, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh’s fluctuating boundary was sought to be solved in the 1970s.
  • But some private parties have been approaching the courts over cases pertaining to tenancy disputes.
  • Between Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, the boundary dispute relates to 63 villages falling presently in Orissa. But neither government has asked for Central intervention.
  • Similarly, Orissa and Jharkhand have a boundary dispute relating to seven villages of Mayurbhang and Keonjhar districts.
  • Orissa has claimed territories in the former princely states of Seraikela and Kharsuan, now in Jharkhand.
  • Orissa is locked with Chhattisgarh over three villages of Naupada
  • Orissa and West Bengal are also stalemated over five villages of Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts of Orissa.
  • In the northwest, Punjab and Haryana are locked over the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab, and part of Fazilka sub-district of Punjab to Haryana.
  • Himachal Pradesh is contesting Uttarakhand over six places of Dehradun district, adjoining its Shimla district.
  • Arunachal Pradesh claims territory in Assam on the basis of history.
  • In September 2006, the Supreme Court appointed a local commission headed by retired judge SN Variava to identify the boundary there.
  • Assam and Meghalaya don’t have a major boundary dispute.
  • Langpih, a border village, is claimed by both Assam and Meghalaya.
  • Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram were carved out of Assam.
  • Nagaland claims 5,000 sq miles of territory in Assam “on historical grounds”.
  • Mizoram used to be the Lushai Hills district of Assam before being made a Union Territory in 1972 and a State in 1987.
  1. E) Art, Culture and History
  2. Ganga Sagar Mela (TH, pg 5)
  • Context: Thousands of pilgrims on Wednesday started arriving in West Bengal for the annual Ganga Sagar Mela even as the COVID-19 infections continued to mount and remained a cause of concern in the State.
  • Sagar Island is the westernmost island of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta, West Bengal state, India.
  • It lies at the mouth of the Hugli (Hooghly) River, an arm of which separates it from the mainland to the east.
  • Situated at a point where the Ganges (Ganga) River once met the Bay of Bengal, the island is held to be particularly sacred and is a noted Hindu pilgrimage centre.
  • A three-day bathing festival and large fair are held annually.
  1. F) Clever Picks (Miscellaneous)
  2. Africa50 (PIB)
  • Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform to continue to develop the Kenya Transmission Project on a public-private partnership basis.
  • Africa50 is an infrastructure investment platform that contributes to Africa’s economic growth by developing and investing in bankable infrastructure projects, catalyzing public sector capital, and mobilizing private sector funding, with differentiated financial returns and impact.
  1. Harvest Festivals (PIB)

  1. Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) (
  2. The President of India has greeted his fellow citizens on the eve of Lohri (which falls on 13th January, 2022), Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Bhogali Bihu, Uttarayan and Paush Parva (which fall on 14th January, 2022).
  3. The festivals of Lohri (Punjab), Makar Sankranti, Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Bhogali Bihu (Assam), Uttarayan (Gujarat) and Paush Parva, mark the harvesting season of crops as the winter season ends and ushers in the spring.
  4. PIB)
  • An Early Harvest Scheme (EHS) is an agreement between two states (or regional trading blocs) which liberalizes tariffs on certain goods preceding the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
  • India is particularly fond of such EHS arrangements, and has used them in the past as a trust building measure along the path to the negotiation of an FTA.

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