Facts for Prelims – 1st to 7th March

PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana’ (PM Free Electricity scheme)

Central Financial Assistance (CFA) for Residential Rooftop Solar

1. The scheme provides a CFA of 60% of system cost for 2 kW systems and 40% of additional system cost for systems between 2 to 3 kW capacity. The CFA will be capped at 3 kW. At current benchmark prices, this will mean Rs 30,000 subsidy for 1 kW system, Rs 60,000 for 2 kW systems and Rs 78,000 for 3 kW systems or higher.
2. The households will apply for subsidy through the National Portal and will be able to select a suitable vendor for installing rooftop solar. The National Portal will assist the households in their decision-making process by providing relevant information such as appropriate system sizes, benefits calculator, vendor rating etc.
3. Households will be able to access collateral-free low-interest loan products of around 7% at present for installation of residential RTS systems up to 3 kW.

Other Features of the Scheme

1. A Model Solar Village will be developed in each district of the country to act as a role model for adoption of rooftop solar in rural areas,
2. Urban Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions shall also benefit from incentives for promoting RTS installations in their areas.     
3. The scheme provides a component for payment security for renewable energy service company (RESCO) based models as well as a fund for innovative projects in RTS.

Outcome and Impact

• Through this scheme, the households will be able to save electricity bills as well as earn additional  income through sale of surplus power to DISCOMs. A 3 kW system will be able to generate more than 300 units a month on an average for a household.
• The proposed scheme will result in addition of 30 GW of solar capacity through rooftop solar in the residential sector, generating 1000 BUs of electricity and resulting in reduction of 720 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions over the 25-year lifetime of rooftop systems.
• It is estimated that the scheme will create around 17 lakh direct jobs in manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, sales, installation, O&M and other services.

Theyyam

• Theyyam is a famous ritual art form that originated in North Kerala . It encompasses dance, mime and music. It exalts the beliefs of the ancient tribals who gave a lot of importance to the worship of heroes and the spirits of their ancestors.
• The ceremonious dance is accompanied by the chorus of such musical instruments as Chenda, Elathalam, Kurumkuzal and Veekkuchenda.
• There are over 400 separate Theyyams, each with their own music, style and choreography. The most prominent among these are Raktha Chamundi, Kari Chamundi, Muchilottu Bhagavathi, Wayanadu Kulaven, Gulikan and Pottan.
• Each artist represents a hero with great power. Performers wear heavy make-up and adorn flamboyant costumes. The headgear and ornaments are truly majestic and fill one with a sense of awe and wonder.
• From December to April, there are Theyyam performances in many temples of Kannur and Kasaragod. Karivalloor, Nileswaram, Kurumathoor, Cherukunnu, Ezhom and Kunnathoorpadi in North Malabar are places where Theyyams are performed annually (Kaliyattam) and draw huge crowds

IED

• An IED is basically a home-made bomb. As they are improvised, IEDs can come in many forms, ranging from a small pipe bomb to a sophisticated device capable of causing massive damage and loss of life.”
• IEDs can be deployed using a vehicle, carried, placed, or thrown by a person, delivered in a package, or concealed on the roadside.
• While they have been in used for over a century, the term “IED” first entered common usage during the United States’ Iraq invasion (beginning in 2003), where such bombs were commonly used against US forces.
• Each IED comprises a few basic components, which can come in various forms, depending on resources available to the bomb-maker. These include an initiator or a triggering mechanism, (which sets the explosion off), a switch (which arms the explosive), a main charge (which causes the explosion), a power source (since most IEDs contain an electric initiator, they require an electronic power source), and a container.
• Additionally, IEDs may be packed with additional materials or “enhancements” such as nails, glass, or metal fragments designed to increase the amount of shrapnel released by the explosion — and thus the damage it causes.
• Enhancement may also include hazardous materials such as toxic chemicals, or radio-active circumstances — an IED packed with, say, depleted Uranium will be colloquially called a “dirty bomb”.
• Some common materials used to build IEDs include fertilisers such as ammonium nitrate and urea nitrate, gunpowder, and hydrogen peroxide. The reasons why passengers are not allowed to carry beyond a certain quantity of liquids aboard commercial aircraft is the possibility of creating IEDs on site by mixing some commonly available liquids

Financial Intelligence Unit

• Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU- IND)
• Financial Intelligence Unit – India was set by the Government of India 18th November 2004 as the central national agency responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing and disseminating information relating to suspect financial transactions.
• FIU-IND is also responsible for coordinating and strengthening efforts of national and international intelligence, investigation and enforcement agencies in pursuing the global efforts against money laundering and related crimes.
• FIU-IND is an independent body reporting directly to the Economic Intelligence Council (EIC) headed by the finance minister.
• The functions of FIU-IND are:
  • Collection of Information: FIU-IND is the nodal agency for receiving the following reports from various reporting entities.
    • Cash Transaction reports (CTRs)
    • Non-Profit Organisation Transaction Reports (NTRs)
    • Cross Border Wire Transfer Reports (CBWTRs)
    • Reports on Purchase or Sale of Immovable Property (IPRs)
    • Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs)
  • Analysis of Information: to uncover patterns of transactions suggesting suspicion of money laundering and related crimes.
  • Sharing of Information: with national intelligence/law enforcement agencies, national regulatory authorities and foreign Financial Intelligence Units.
  • Act as Central Repository: to maintain the national data base on the basis of reports received from reporting entities.
  • Coordination: Coordinate and strengthen collection and sharing of financial intelligence through an effective national, regional and global network to combat money laundering and related crimes.
  • Research and Analysis: Monitor and identify strategic key areas on money laundering trends, typologies and developments.
  • Punitive Action: The agency can also take punitive action for violations of the PMLA

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• IBCA will be headquartered in India
• India has already committed ₹150 crore [for five years] and will lead initiatives to disseminate good practices in conserving big cats
• Globally, the ‘big cats’ include the tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah. Barring the puma and jaguar, the rest are found in India, with the latest – the cheetah – having been translocated under an experimental programme from Africa to Kuno in Madhya Pradesh.
• There is currently a gap in many ‘big cat’ countries in availing resources, and in the optimal use of practices and processes. There is no international body addressing the conservation challenges of big cats across their range of habitats. The pioneering and long-standing tiger and other big cat conservation good practices which have been evolved in India may be replicated in many other range countries.
• So far, 16 countries have given their written consent to be part of the IBCA. There are 96 countries that harbour ‘big cats’ and the alliance is also open to other countries, conservation organisations, scientific organisations, businesses, and corporates interested in supporting ‘big cats.’
• The advantages of membership are a central common repository for technical know-how and a corpus of funds. The alliance will strengthen existing species-specific intergovernmental platforms, networks, and transnational initiatives on conservation and protection. Frontline staff in member-countries will be trained in eliciting local support for big-cat conservation, and research and development in wildlife monitoring. Local communities living in the vicinity of the forests will also be encouraged and trained in developing eco-tourism and livelihood opportunities.

Buxa Tiger Reserve

• Buxa Tiger Reserve is situated in the Alipurduar Sub-division of Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal
• The forests of the reserve can be broadly classified as the ‘Moist Tropical Forest’.
• Buxa Tiger Reserve or Buxa National Park set up at the north-eastern corner of West Bengal bordering Bhutan and Assam in the Alipurduar District is a protected Forest Reserve of Dooars. Buxa Tiger Reserve was created in 1983 as the 15th tiger reserve in India.
• Before getting the status of National Park, the dense forest of Buxa was once well-known for dolomite mining in the North Bengal Region.
• Buxa derived its name from the famous Buxa Fort.
• Buxa Fort is a historic fort sited midst the dense forest used by the British rulers of India as a high security prison and detention camp in the 1930s.
• Buxa National Park has a great collection of rare orchids and medicinal plants making it a must visit places in Dooars for the botany enthusiast traveling in North Bengal region.
• The diversity of mammals in Buxa Tiger Reserve ranks second highest among all the Tiger Reserves of India. Apart from Bengal Tiger, there many exquisite wild animals like leopard, Wild Dogs, Malayan Giant Squirrels, Mongooses, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Hog Deer, Wild Buffalo, 3 varieties of Pythons, Monitor Lizard and different species of land tortoises in Buxa National Park

 Star campaigner

• A recognised political party can have 40 star campaigners and an unrecognised (but registered) political party can have 20.
• The list of star campaigners has to be communicated to the Chief Electoral Officer and Election Commission within a week from the date of notification of an election.
• The expenditure incurred on campaigning by such campaigners is exempt from being added to the election expenditure of a candidate. However, this only applies when a star campaigner limits herself to a general campaign for the political party she represents.
• If a star campaigner campaigns specifically for one candidate – : If a candidate or her election agent shares the stage with a star campaigner at a rally, then the entire expenditure on that rally, other than the travel expenses of the star campaigner, is added to the candidate’s expenses. Even if the candidate is not present at the star campaigner’s rally, but there are posters with her photographs or her name on display, the entire expenditure will be added to the candidate’s account. This applies even if the star campaigner mentions the candidate’s name during the event. When more than one candidate shares the stage, or there are posters with their photographs, then the expenses of such rally/meeting are equally divided between all such candidates.
• Removal from the star campaigner’s list does make campaigning difficult. This is because whichever constituency they now hold their election meeting or rally at, irrespective of whether they limit themselves to general party propaganda or not, the entire expenditure of the event will be added to the account of the candidate contesting from that seat. Since candidates cannot afford to breach their expenditure limit they would not want such campaign in their constituency.

Kashmiri Stag

• It is also called as Kashmiri Hangul
• IUCN Red list Status – Critically endangered
• State Animal of Jammu and Kashmir
• Mainly found in Dachigam Sanctuary
• It is the only surviving species of the of the European red deer family in Kashmir
• The male deer has impressive antlers and long hair on neck. Hides and antlers of Hangul are considered of high value in international market. Unlike its European cousin, its coat is not red, but dark grey and dark brown.
• The local name, ‘hangul’, is said to have come from either the preferred food of the animal — the Indian horse chestnut also known as ‘Han Doon’ — or its antlers (known as ‘heng’ in the local dialect)
• Threats – Poaching for ‘trophies’ and its meat, the 30-year-long insurgency and border conflict between India and Pakistan is another major threat to its survival. Militant and Indian Army movements, often with dogs accompanying a patrol party, are chasing the hangul away from its natural habitats and into human populated areas even in Dachigam.
• In 1980 Project Hangul was implemented by J&K, IUCN & WWF to provide protection for the animal but the success of the project was shortlived

Dachigam National Park  

• Dachigam National Park is a national park is located in Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India on the east side of Dal Lake.  
• The name literally stands for ‘ten villages’, which could be in memory of the ten villages that were relocated in order to create the park. 
• Dachigam was initially established to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to Srinagar city. A protected area since 1910, it was declared as a national park in 1981.  
• The park is best known as the home of the hangul, or Kashmir stag. It is the only area  where Kashmir stag is found.  
• Dachigam National park is located in the Zabarwan Range of the western Himalayas   
• Flora- The mountain sides below the tree line are wooded. Most of this coniferous forest consists of broad leaf species. Interspersed between these are alpine pastures, meadows, waterfalls and scrub vegetation with deep gullies, locally known as Nars, running down the mountain face.   
• Fauna- Musk deer, Snow Leopard, Himalayan serow, Kashmir grey langur, Kashmir stag, Leopard cat, Himalayan black bear 

 Press Sewa Portal

• Press Sewa Portal is an online system for facilitating the registration of newspapers and other periodicals in the country.
• The new system replaces the existing manual, cumbersome processes involving multiple steps and approvals at various stages which were causing unnecessary hardships to the publishers.

Melanochlamys droupadi

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has named a new marine species of head-shield sea slug with ruby red spot which was discovered from West Bengal and Odisha coast after President of India Droupadi Murmu.
• This species belonging to Melanochlamys genus was discovered from Digha of West Bengal coast and Udaipur of Odisha coast. The new species of head-shield sea slug, which is found nowhere else in the world, has been named Melanochlamys droupadi.
• According to ZSI, species of this group are generally distributed in temperate regions of the Indo-Pacific Oceanic realm but three species are truly tropical distributed, Melanochlamys papillata from the Gulf of Thailand, Melanochlamys bengalensis from West Bengal and Odisha coast and the present species.

Rupa Tarakasi

• The famous Rupa Tarakasi, or silver filigree work of Odisha’s Cuttack, has received the geographical indication (GI) tag.
• The Odisha State Cooperative Handicrafts Corporation Limited (Utkalika) had applied for the tag.
• A GI tag is conferred upon products originating from a specific geographical region, signifying unique characteristics and qualities. Essentially, it serves as a trademark in the international market
• Odisha’s Cuttack is known for its silver filigree work, of intricate design and fine craftsmanship. In Odia, “tara” means wire and “kasi” means to design. Thus, as part of Rupa Tarakasi, silver bricks are transformed into thin fine wires or foils and used to create jewellery or showpieces
• While the exact origin of the filigree art in Cuttack is not clear, it is known to have existed as far back as the 12th century. The art form received considerable patronage under the Mughals. Over the years, as Cuttack transitioned through the hands of different rulers, the silver filigree took on a new form with each.
• Document submitted by the Odisha government before the GI registry said: “The silver filigree work in which the people of Cuttack have attained such surprising skill and delicacy is identical in character with that of Arabia, Malta, Genoa, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, and with the filigree work of ancient Greece, Byzantium, and Etruria, and was probably carried into the West by the Phoenicians and Arabs, and into Scandinavia by the Normans and in the course also of the medieval trade between Turkestan and Russia.

Chakshu

• The department of telecommunication’s new platform, Chakshu, simplifies reporting on fraud calls and messages, and allows for real-time intelligence-sharing among several stakeholders
• Chakshu facilitates citizens to report the suspected fraud communications with the intention of defrauding telecom service users for cyber-crime, financial frauds, non-bonafide purpose like impersonation or any other misuse through Call, SMS or WhatsApp.
• Once such information is received, the platform will trigger re-verification, and failing re-verification the number will be disconnected
• Few examples of suspected fraud communications are communication related to Bank Account / Payment Wallet / SIM / Gas connection / Electricity connection / KYC update / expiry / deactivation, impersonation as Government official / relative, sextortion related etc.

Bhavini

• Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) is a Government Company under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) incorporated on 22nd October 2003 as Public Limited Company under the Companies Act, 1956 with the objective of constructing and commissioning the first 500 MWe Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamilnadu and to pursue construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of subsequent Fast Breeder Reactors for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of Government of India under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act,1962.
• BHAVINI is currently constructing a 500MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, 70 Kms away from Chennai.
• The PFBR is the forerunner of the future Fast Breeder Reactors and is expected to provide energy security to the country. The PFBR is being built with the design and technology developed at the Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR) located at Kalpakkam.

Very Small Aperture Terminal 

• A very small aperture terminal (VSAT) is a two-way ground station that transmits and receives data from satellites.  
• A VSAT is less than three meters tall and is capable of both narrow and broadband data to satellites in orbit in real-time. The data can then be redirected to other remote terminals or hubs around the planet. 
• VSAT is a technology that represents another option for Internet connectivity in extremely remote areas and distant field locations because there are very limited choices for telecommunications and Internet connectivity.  
• It is used for communication at seas, and in distant locations such as on oil rigs and utility services.   
• VSAT terminals are used by Armed forces located in remote mountainous regions or by the Navy while operating in seas. 
• Can be used for disaster relief operations, as well as industrial applications, or even for communication while carrying out scientific studies in remote locations like Antarctica or in Oceans.