IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-01

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Haryana: Ancient city in Sirsa, under a mound & 50,000 people

News:

A mound in Sirsa indistinguishable from the dusty background of most Haryana small towns could hold clues to the ancient city of ‘Sarishika’.

Beyond News:

Falling on the old route to Takshashila, the 6th-5th century BC city found mention in the Mahabharata, Panini’s Ashtadhyayi and the Buddhist text Divyavadana.

However, before the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) can confirm the historicity of the site, it has to convince the nearly 50,000 people living on the identified 82 acres to move. With 788 families forcibly rehabilitated three years ago following a high court order still struggling for basic amenities, the residents, many of whom settled here following Partition, are not willing to move.

More facts to know:

• The Gupta period (mid-to-late 3rd century CE to 543 CE) is considered a Golden Age and covered much of the Indian subcontinent.
• The High Court got into the picture after a plea was filed in 1997, and in successive orders, directed the Centre as well as Punjab and Haryana to submit a list of their protected monuments, while asking the ASI and respective deputy commissioners to retrieve these from encroachers. In 2016, the court stalled a bid by Haryana to “de-notify” the Ther land as protected.

Taj Mahal’s tombs cleaned for first time in 300 years for Donald Trump

Points to ponder: Its not just about visit BUT about taj mahal. Read more about Taj mahal, Shah Jahan and Mughal empire..

News:

After building a wall in Ahmedabad to hide slums, India is undertaking another project before US President Donald Trump’s visit: The replicas of two graves inside the Taj Mahal, India’s most famous monument, are being given a clay-pack treatment.

Beyond News:

• This is the first time the replicas of the graves are being cleaned since their installation more than 300 years ago.
• The treatment involves the application of a thick layer of clay, followed by a wash with distilled water.
• The clay pack is originally inspired from a traditional face pack Indian women apply to appear fairer. The Taj Mahal itself has been cleaned with a clay pack treatment five times, but the replicas of the graves were not cleaned. The real graves of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal are in a chamber below the replicas.

Donald Trump, Melania spin charkha at Sabarmati Ashram, pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi

Points to ponder: Go beyond visit-  Read more about gandhi’s role as a Significant personality in GS 1 .Further principles, lessons from his life for GS4.

News:

In a first for any incumbent American president, Donald Trump along with First Lady Melania Trump Monday visited Sabarmati Ashram.

Beyond News:

At the Ashram, the Trumps paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi and also tried their hands at spinning the ‘charkha’ (spinning wheel).

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-02

At ‘Namaste Trump’ event, US President announces $3 billion defence deal with India, calls PM Modi ‘tough negotiator’

Points to ponder: Read more about major India-US deals till now for international relation & six nuclear power reactors for technology part.

News:

• Massive bonhomie was at display at the ‘Namaste Trump’event in Ahmedabad on Monday as both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump heaped praises on each other.

Beyond News:

• Calling PM Modi a “tough negotiator”, Trump also announced that both the countries are chalking out “the biggest ever trade deals” on his visit to India.
• An announcement on a “project proposal” for the setting up of six nuclear power reactors in collaboration with Westinghouse Electric Company is expected during US President Donald Trump’s visit this week.
• The project is planned to be set up at Kovvada on the eastern Andhra coast, about 260 km from Vishakhapatnam, and will comprise six AP-1000 reactor units of 1208 MWe (mega watt electric) capacity each. The cost and schedule will emerge upon finalisation of the proposal and the administrative approval and financial sanction by the government.
• In a bid to tide over the issue of high project costs — the biggest hurdle for US reactors — the Indian side focused on bringing down the interest burden to ensure that the price of the AP-1000 series of reactors matches with the two new ‘VVER’ series reactor units being set up by the Russians at Kudankulam (Units 3 and 4).
• The nuclear power push comes amid the government’s plans to triple the country’s nuclear capacity by 2024 to lower the contribution of fossil fuels in India’s energy mix, alongside a pronounced renewable energy push.

10 years on, Punjab brings one-time settlement scheme for pending water, sewerage bills

News:

• To recover dues of over Rs 1000 crore, the Punjab Local Bodies department has launched a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for pending water and sewerage bills.

Beyond News:

• The pending amount relates to 13 municipal corporations in Punjab.
• The pending dues can be paid back by defaulters till May 31, 2020 without the interest amount that will be waived off.

PM to celebrate one year of PM-Kisan in UP on Feb 29

News:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 29 will celebrate one year of implementation of the government’s ambitious PM-Kisan scheme in Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh.

Beyond News:

• At present, all states except West Bengal are implementing the scheme. So far, 9.74 crore farmers are registered under the scheme, of which 8.45 crore farmers have received the payment so far after the data verification by state governments, according to the official data.

Banks at district level will distribute the credit cards to PM-Kisan beneficiaries on that day, he said, adding that farmers can avail short term loan using these cards.

The Prime Minister will also unveil setting up of 10,000 farmers producers companies (FPOs) announced in the budget. The Centre will provide fund of Rs 15 lakh to each FPO.

The minister said the government has taken several steps for achieving the target of doubling farmers income by 2022. The launch of PM-Kisan, ensuring credit and empowering farmers to pool together to form a company for better realisation — all these are step towards increasing farmers income.

Points to ponder: Read more about PM-Kisan scheme

IASTODAY DAILY CAPSULES -General Studies-03

Kerala police, NIA probe into recovery of ‘Pak-made’ bullets

Points to ponder: Read more about Security challenges from china & Pakistan.

News:

Central and state security agencies have begun a probe into recovery of live bullets — suspected to have been made in Pakistan and China.

Beyond News:

• The bullets were found at a roadside by local people under Kulathupuzha police limits in Kollam district on Saturday.
• Intelligence sources said that of the 14 bullets, two were made in China in 1972. The rest, which have imprint of POF — or Pakistan Ordinance Factory — on them, were of 1972, 1975 and 1982 make.
• “All rounds are of 7.62 mm, which can be used in long-range firearms. Initial probe has revealed that the bullets were dropped, deliberately or by mistake, within last 15 days at the spot,’’ a source said.
• Intelligence officials are looking at possibilities. “They might have been used by Pakistani terrorists who may have infiltrated or Sri Lankan militants as Kulathupuzha, where the bullets were found, has settlements of Lankan refugees. As Pakistani terrorists normally use Chinese weapons, we are mainly looking at the Lankan angle,’’ a source said. The sources said that the NIA too has begun its probe into the incident.