Daily Current Affairs 23 October 2023 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 23 October 2023 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

Manual Scavenging in India

Source: The Hindu

GS II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. What is Manual Scavenging?
3. Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013

Why in the News?  

The Supreme Court’s claims of fraternity, equality, and dignity among citizens remain a mere illusion if a sizeable section of society is forced to enter sewers for a living and die trapped in them even a decade after the outlawing of the inhuman practice of manual scavenging.

News in Brief

• A Bench in SC held the Union and the States dutybound to the pledge to completely eradicate manual scavenging.
• Through the stringent implementation of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013.
• This population, who have remained unseen, unheard and muted, in bondage systematically trapped in inhuman conditions
• The court enhanced the compensation payable for sewer deaths to ₹30 lakh from the earlier ₹10 lakh.
• The case was listed on February 1, 2024, for further monitoring.

What is Manual Scavenging?

• Manual scavenging refers to the practice of manually cleaning, handling, and disposing of human and animal waste, typically from dry latrines, sewers, septic tanks, and open drains.
• This hazardous occupation involves individuals, often from the most marginalized and oppressed communities.
• They come into direct contact with human excreta without any protective gear or sanitation equipment.
• Manual scavengers, who are mostly from lower castes, are subjected to inhumane and degrading working conditions.

What are the concerns of Manual Scavenging in India?

• Unsafe Working Conditions
  • Manual scavengers work without adequate protective gear or equipment, making them vulnerable to various health risks.
  • This risk includes exposure to harmful pathogens and toxic gases.
• Health Hazards
  • Exposure to human waste increases the risk of diseases and infections.
  • Many manual scavengers suffer from respiratory issues, skin problems, and other health complications.
• Social Stigma
  • Manual scavengers often face severe social discrimination and marginalization due to the nature of their work.
  • This leads to their isolation from mainstream society.
• Death
  • Continued deaths in sewers, even after the introduction of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993.

How is Manual Scavenging Controlled in India?

• Legal Prohibitions
  • Manual scavenging is illegal in many countries, including India.
  • However, it continues to persist due to the lack of enforcement of existing laws and deep-rooted social issues.
  • Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 is one of the measures.
• Mechanization
  • The practice continues due to the lack of proper sanitation infrastructure and the absence of modern technology in some regions.
  • Mechanization and modernization of sewage and waste disposal systems are essential to eliminate manual scavenging.
• National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)
  • NAMASTE, the government has developed the NAMASTE scheme—to clean septic tanks and sewers.
  • A joint project of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
  • Capital subsidies of up to ₹5 lakh on sanitation machinery cost up to ₹15 lakh.
  • Interest subsidies on loans, where interest rates will be capped between 4-6% for the beneficiaries.
• Swachhta Udyami Yojana
  • Launched on the 2nd October, 2014.
  • Cleanliness and providing livelihood to Safai Karamcharis.
  • Liberated Manual Scavengers to achieve the overall goal of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
  • National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC) will provide skill development training to the beneficiaries.
• National Commission for Safai Karmacharis
  • Constituted on 12th August 1994 as a statutory body by an Act of Parliament, the ‘National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993.
  • The commission is acting as a Non-Statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment currently.
  • Mandated with specific programmes of action towards elimination of inequalities in status, facilities and opportunities for Safai Karamcharis.

Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013

• No person, local authority or any agency shall, from such date as the state government may notify, which shall not be later than one year from the date of commencement of this Act, engage or employ, either directly or indirectly, any person for hazardous cleaning of a sewer or a septic tank.
• According to section 6, any contract, agreement or other instrument entered engaging or employing a person for the purpose of manual scavenging be terminated and void.
• Prohibition of insanitary latrines and employment and engagement of manual scavengers under Section 5.
  • Insanitary latrine means a latrine which requires human excreta to be cleaned or otherwise handled manually, either in situ, or in an open drain or pit into which the excreta is discharged or flushed out

Punishment

• Violation of Section 5 or Section 6
  • The first contravention with imprisonment may extend to one year or with a fine may extend to fifty thousand rupees or with both.
  • Subsequent contravention with imprisonment extended to two years or with a fine extended to one lakh rupees, or with both.
• Violation of section 7
  • First contravention with imprisonment for a term extended to two years or with a fine extended to two lakh rupees or with both.
  • Subsequent contravention imprisonment may extend to five years or with a fine which may extend to five lakh rupees, or with both.

Cyclone Tej

Source: PIB

GS II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Overview

1. News in Brief
2. What is a Tropical Cyclone?
3. How is a cyclone named?

Why in the News?  

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that Cyclone Tej, a depression gathering force in the Arabian Sea, intensified into an extremely severe cyclonic storm near the coasts of Oman and Yemen.

News in Brief

• Intensified to ESCS moved NW at 0830 hrs IST of 22 Oct about 160 km E-SE of Socotra (Yemen), 540 km S-SE of Salalah (Oman) & 550 km SE of Al Ghaidah (Yemen).
• Likely to move NW and cross coasts between Al Ghaidah & Salalah around noon of 24 Oct as a very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS).

About Cyclone Tej

• Cyclone Tej was named by India.
• It is formed along with Cyclone Hamoon and is considered a rare phenomenon in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal in which they both experience cyclonic storms.
• IMD began monitoring the potential for the formation of cyclonic circulation in the Arabian Sea.

What is a Tropical Cyclone?

• A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure centre, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain.
• Tropical cyclones typically form over large bodies of relatively warm water.
• They derive their energy through the evaporation of water from the ocean surface, which ultimately recondenses into clouds and rain.
• The strong rotating winds of a tropical cyclone are a result of the conservation of angular momentum imparted by the Earth’s rotation as air flows inwards toward the axis of rotation.
• Tropical cyclones are typically between 100 and 2,000 km (62 and 1,243 mi) in diameter.
• Wind blowing counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The opposite direction of circulation is due to the Coriolis effect.

How is a cyclone named?

• Who/Authority: World Meteorological Organisation, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (WMO/ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones (PTC).
• Why name Cyclone?
  • Avoid confusion if two or more cyclones are occurring simultaneously over the region.
  • Naming helps in future reference.
• Who are the member countries? : India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Maldives, Oman, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
• Naming from the list
  • With 8 countries in 2004, there was a list of 64 names eight names from each country.
  • In later years the member countries increased to 13 combined releasing 169 names of cyclones with 13 names from each country.
• Conditions for naming :
  • Names of the cyclones should be short, simple and easily understood.
  • Culturally sensitive or convey any inflammatory meaning.
• India has, so far, proposed the names Gati (speed), Tej (speed), Marasu (musical instrument in Tamil), Aag (fire), Jhar (storm), Ghurni (whirlpool), Vega (speed) and Neer (water).

PM- AJAY Scheme (Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana)

Source PM- AJAY Scheme: PIB
GS I: Social Justice; GS II: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;

Overview

1. About PM- AJAY Scheme
2. What are the objectives (Quantifiable)?
3. How do Grants-in-aid work?

Why in the News?

Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana (PM- AJAY) is a merged scheme of 03 Centrally Sponsored Scheme.

Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhuyday Yojana

• PM- AJAY is a merged scheme of 03 Centrally Sponsored Schemes namely
  1. Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY)
  2. Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan ( SCA to SCSP)
  3. Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana(BJRCY).
• It has been implemented since 2021-22.
• The scheme was implemented in 28 States/UTs.
• Its aim is to reduce poverty in the SC communities.
  • Achieved by the generation of additional employment opportunities through Skill development, income-generating schemes and other initiatives.
  • Also to improve socioeconomic developmental indicators by ensuring adequate infrastructure and requisite services in the SC-dominated villages.
• The scheme has three components
  1. Development of SC-dominated villages into an Adarsh Gram.
  2. Grants-in-aid for District/State-level Projects for the socio-economic betterment of SCs
  3. Construction of Hostels in higher educational institutions which are top-ranked as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Government of India.

What are the objectives (Quantifiable)?

• Adequate infrastructure, All requisite infrastructure necessary for socio-economic development needs are to be provided under the Scheme.
• Improvement in Socio-Economic Indicators.
• BPL SC families should have food and livelihood security.
• All SC children should complete education at least up to the secondary level.
• All factors leading to maternal and infant mortality are addressed.
• The incidence of malnutrition, especially among children and women, is eliminated.

How do Grants-in-aid work?

• Comprehensive Livelihood Projects like Skill development, Grants for creation/acquisition of assets and Infrastructure development.
• Various other infrastructure development projects in SC majority villages.
• Financial assistance towards loans taken by beneficiaries for acquisition/creation of assets required for livelihood generation etc.
• Special Provisions and allocations
  • Upto 15% of the total Grants exclusively on viable income-generating economic development schemes/programmes for SC Women.
  • Upto 30% of the total Grants are utilized for infrastructure development.
  • At least 10% of the total funds for skill development.
  • Promote SC Women Cooperatives engaged in the production and marketing of consumer goods and services.

HARIMAU SHAKTI-2023

Source: PIB
GS II: Internal Security

Overview

1. About HARIMAU SHAKTI-2023
2. What is the Aim of Exercise?
3. Need for Exercise

Why in the News?

Joint bilateral training exercise “Exercise Harimau Shakti 2023”

About HARIMAU SHAKTI-2023

• Joint bilateral training exercise Exercise Harimau Shakti 2023 between Indian & Malaysian Army in Umroi Cantonment, India.
• The Malaysian Army contingent comprises troops from the 5th Royal Battalion of the Malaysian Army.
• The Indian contingent is being represented by a Battalion of THE RAJPUT REGIMENT.
• The last edition of the Exercise was conducted in Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia in November 2022.
• Ex Harimau Shakti, scheduled till 5th November 2023, will engage approximately 120 personnel from both sides.

What is the Aim of Exercise?

• It is aimed at enhancing military capability for the conduct of Multi Domain Operations in a sub-conventional scenario.
• To enhance the level of defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army, which will also foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.
• During the exercise, both contingents will establish a Joint Command Post & establish an integrated surveillance grid, and a Joint Surveillance Centre.
• Both sides will rehearse the employment of joint forces in jungle/semi-urban / urban environments.
• In addition, intelligence collection, collation and dissemination drills will also be rehearsed.
• The Exercise will also witness the employment of Drones/UAVs and helicopters. Two sides will also practice casualty management and evacuation drills. Both the contingents will discuss logistics management and practice survival training at the Battalion level.
• The training will focus primarily on a high degree of physical fitness, conduct of drills at the tactical level and sharing of best practices with each other.
• The Exercise will culminate with a 48-hour validation exercise in a semi-urban area.

Need for Exercise

• Decided based on the nature and requirement of specific exercise.
• Expenditure incurred also varies
• Helps in constructive engagements in operational terms and enhances the skills of our armed forces.
• This is a continuous process relevant steps are taken from time to time to engage friendly countries and to enhance the scope of exercises based on the principle of mutual benefit and our own strategic requirements.

Prelims

Sahyadri Tiger Reserve

News: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) recently approved the reintroduction of eight tigers into Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR), which currently has no tigers.

• Spreads across four districts of Maharashtra namely, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Ratnagiri.
• Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary and Chandoli National Park are a part.
• Evergreen and semi-evergreen trees, moist deciduous forests and 400 Medicinal Plants like Anjani, Jambhul, and Pisa.
• Hornbill, River tern, endangered butterflies, tiger, leopard, wild dog, sambhar, etc. are fauna.
• Tigers have been rarely recorded there and one of the five reserves in India where tigers are currently absent.

IMPHAL’ – Third Stealth Destroyer

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) has delivered the Third Stealth Destroyer of Project 15B Class Guided Missile Destroyer i.e. Yard 12706 (IMPHAL) to the Indian Navy.

• The Project is a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in the last decade.
• This is the third ship in the series of four Project 15B destroyers being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)
• Powered by a Combined Gas and Gas propulsion set.
• It is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.
• It has BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, a highly capable and versatile weapon system.

Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple

News: Opening the Ratna Bhandar of the Jagannath Temple is growing louder again which has not been unlocked for three decades.

• It is a place inside the temple where the ornaments given by the devotees of Deities are kept.
• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the custodian of the temple.
• It has two chambers
  • Bhitar Bhandar as inner chamber: Not been opened in the past 38 years.
  • Bahara Bhandar as outer chamber: Opened regularly to fetch ornaments for the deities during important rituals and festivals.
• Why demanding to unlock?
  • Cracks in its walls could endanger the priceless ornaments stored within.
• Jagannath Temple
  • Located in Puri, Odisha.
  • Constructed by a famous king of the Ganga Dynasty Ananta Varman Chodaganga Deva in the 12th century.
  • Widely considered as an example of Kalinga architecture.

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