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Time: 45 min Date: 08-12-2021

Defence Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) Syllabus: GS 3/Defence

In News ● The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) tested the

“vertical launch-short range surface-to-air missile”, successfully.

About Vertical Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) ● It is indigenously developed by DRDO and designed for deployment onboard

Indian Naval warships. ● It can engage targets at around 15km ● It is meant for neutralising various aerial threats at close ranges, including sea-

skimming targets, which are assets that fly as close as possible to the sea surface to avoid being detected by the radars onboard warships.

● It is expected to replace the older Israeli-made Barak-1 surface to air missile system.

● VL-SRSAM is based on “Astra Mark 1 air-to-air missile”, comprising of four short-span long-chord cruciform wings.

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Significance ● It will provide the Navy with a 360-degree aerial shield against incoming targets

and further enhance the air defence capability of Indian naval ships against aerial threats.

Other recent Developments of DRDO ● Shakti EW system :

○ Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) System ‘Shakti’ has been designed and developed DRDO for Capital Warships of the Indian Navy for the interception, detection, classification, identification and jamming of conventional and modern Radars.

■ The Shakti EW system will provide an electronic layer of defence against modern radars and anti-ship missiles to ensure electronic dominance and survivability in the maritime battlefield.

● Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon :

○ Two flight tests of indigenously-developed smart anti-airfield weapons have been carried out jointly by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF).

● Agni V Missile

○ It is the most advanced surface-to-surface indigenously built fire and forgets ballistic missile.

○ It was successfully launched from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha

○ The three-stage solid-fuelled engine missile is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 km

● ABHYAS:

○ ABHYAS - the High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) was successfully flight-tested.

○ The air vehicle is launched using twin under-slung boosters which provide the initial acceleration to the vehicle.

○ It is powered by a gas turbine engine to sustain a long endurance flight at subsonic speed.

○ The target aircraft is equipped with a MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) for navigation along with the Flight Control Computer (FCC) for guidance and control.

○ The vehicle can be used as an aerial target for the evaluation of various missile systems.

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● Akash Prime ○ The Akash Prime is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM)

system developed by the DRDO and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).

○ It can be fired from a tank or a wheeled truck. ○ In comparison to the existing Akash System, Akash Prime is equipped with

an indigenous active Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for improved accuracy. ● Air defence missile (MRSAM) System: T

○ The MRSAM (IAF) is an advanced network-centric combat Air Defence System developed jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with the Indian industry comprising private and public sectors including MSMEs.

○ It provides point and area air defence for ground assets against a wide range of threats including fighter aircraft, UAVs, helicopters, guided and unguided munitions, subsonic & supersonic cruise missiles etc.

● Chaff Rocket’ ○ The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has

developed three variants of a ‘Chaff Rocket’.these are ■ Short Range Chaff Rocket (SRCR) ■ Medium-Range Chaff Rocket (MRCR) and ■ Long Range Chaff Rocket (LRCR).

● The chaff system basically comprises multiple barrel launchers (Port and Starboard configuration), with each launcher possessing a built-in stabilization system against roll, pitch and yaw motions.

Defence Research and Development Organisation ● Established in 1958 after combining Technical Development Establishment

(TDEs) of the Indian Army and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science Organisation (DSO).

● It works under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence. ● Objective

○ Establish a world-class science and technology base for India. ○ Provide Indian Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with

internationally competitive systems and solutions. ○ Design, develop and lead to the production of state-of-the-art sensors,

weapon systems, platforms and allied equipment.

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○ Provide technological solutions to the services to optimise combat effectiveness and to promote the well-being of the troops.

○ Develop infrastructure and committed quality manpower and build a strong indigenous technology base.

Source: IE

Polity & Governance Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism Syllabus: GS2/ Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors In News

● The Ministry of Tourism has formulated a Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism to develop and promote local products through tourism.

○ The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 120 crores for Rural Circuit. Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism formulated

● Key Strategic Pillars: ○ In order to develop rural tourism in the country, the strategy focuses on the

following key pillars: ■ Model policies and best practices for rural tourism ■ Digital technologies and platforms for rural tourism ■ Developing clusters for rural tourism ■ Marketing support for rural tourism ■ Capacity building of stakeholders ■ Governance and Institutional Framework

● Circuits: ○ Rural Circuit is one of the fifteen thematic circuits under the Swadesh

Darshan Scheme. ○ It aimed at leveraging tourism as a force multiplier for revitalising the rural

economy and for giving both domestic and international tourists a glimpse of the rural aspect of the country.

● Focus on: ○ It focuses on developing and promoting local products through tourism,

subsequently resulting in the generation of income and jobs in rural areas and empowering local communities, youth and women, fulfilling the vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.

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Tourist Circuit ● Tourist Circuit is defined as a route having at least three major tourist

destinations which are distinct and apart. ● Circuits should have well-defined entry and exit points. A tourist who enters

should get motivated to visit most of the places identified in the circuit. ● A Circuit could be confined to a State or could be a regional circuit covering more

than one State/Union Territory. These circuits may have one dominant theme and other sub-themes.

● Projects under the scheme shall be under the following identified themes: ○ Ecotourism, ○ Wildlife, ○ Buddhist, ○ Desert, ○ Spiritual, ○ Ramayana, ○ Krishna, ○ Coastal, ○ Northeast, ○ Rural, ○ Himalayan, ○ Tribal and ○ Heritage.

Rural Tourism ● Rural tourism in India has the following strengths:

○ Indian villages have unparalleled culture, craft, music, dance and heritage to offer to the visitors

○ Expansion of road infrastructure has made most of the rural areas accessible,

○ Well-developed agriculture and farms to provide stay facilities and ○ experiences ○ Beautiful climate conditions and Biodiversity ○ Apart from the mainland rural areas, India has coastal, Himalayan, desert,

forest and tribal areas amongst others for tourists ○ India has huge potential for related areas such as Eco-tourism, Nature

Reserves, Wildlife tourism

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● Rural tourism has the following weaknesses: ○ Lack of prioritisation for rural tourism at the State and National level ○ Poor profiling of rural product offerings ○ Poor tourism supporting infrastructure including ICT in rural areas ○ Lack of tourism awareness and skills in rural areas, ○ Poor resource allocation and lack of inclusive planning and community ○ involvement, ○ Poor coordination of tourism initiatives, ○ Capacity gap at the Panchayati Raj Institutions to promote rural tourism ○ Poor service delivery and lack of implementation

● Rural Tourism offers a wide range of opportunities: ○ Creation of jobs, retention of jobs and new business opportunities ○ Rural tourism can lead the way for sustainable and responsible tourism ○ Sustainable exploitation of untapped rural culture and heritage offerings ○ Unspoilt natural and rural tranquillity,

● Rural tourism also faces the following threats ○ Lack of reliable data and statistics, ○ Lack of well-planned approach, ○ Environmental degradation ○ Social and cultural influences

Swadesh Darshan Scheme ● About:

○ Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2014-15 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India for the integrated development of theme-based tourist circuits.

● Aim: ○ The scheme aims to promote, develop and harness the potential of

tourism in India. ● Finance:

○ Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, the Ministry of Tourism provides Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to State Governments, Union Territory Administrations for the infrastructure development of circuits.

● Synergise with another scheme: ○ This scheme is envisioned to synergise with other schemes like Swachh

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Bharat Abhiyan, Skill India, Make in India etc. with the idea of positioning the tourism sector as a major engine for job creation, the driving force for economic growth, building synergy with various sectors to enable tourism to realise its potential.

Sources: IE + PIB

Welfare Schemes Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Syllabus: GS2/ Government Policies & Interventions, Welfare Schemes

In News ● The Union Minister of State for Labour And Employment replied in the Rajya

Sabha that a total 45, 77,295 unorganised workers have been registered under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) scheme.

○ Unorganised sectors contribute around 50% of India’s GDP.

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Scheme ● About:

○ It is a Voluntary and Contributory Pension Scheme under the purview of the Central Sector Scheme, administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment and implemented by LIC.

● Eligibility: ○ The scheme is open for Unorganised Workers. ○ They should not be engaged in the Organized Sector (member of

EPFO/NPS/ESIC) or an income taxpayer. ○ They should be aged between 18-40 years when registering. ○ Their monthly income should be equal to or less than Rs 15,000 per month.

● Features: ○ Assured Pension of Rs. 3000/- month after attaining the age of 60 years.

After the death of a subscriber, the spouse will get 50% of the pension as a family pension.

○ Matching Contribution by the Government of India. ○ In case of permanent disability, subscribers can continue or exit with the

contributed amount. ○ After the death of the subscriber and his or her spouse, the corpus shall be

credited back to the fund. ○ In case the contribution has not been made continuously, the subscriber is

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allowed to regularise it after payment of outstanding dues, penalty charges, if any, decided by the government.

Significance of this scheme ● It will provide an assured retirement pension and a sense of economic security. ● Improve social security. ● Boost overall economic growth.

Other government interventions for Unorganised Workers ● Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana ● NPS Swavalamban

Source: PIB

International Relations Russia-Ukraine Conflict Syllabus: GS2/ Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests

In News ● Recently, a report stated that the tension on the Russia-Ukraine border represents

a major security crisis for the region.

About ● The crisis has the potential to convert into a broader conflict. ● Ukraine says that Russia has amassed around 90,000 troops at the border, and US

intelligence reports say that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is possible as early as next month.

Image Courtesy: Economist, BBC

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Cause of Conflict ● Shared history:

○ Ukraine and Russia share hundreds of years of cultural, linguistic and familial links.

○ As part of the Soviet Union, Ukraine was the second-most powerful Soviet republic after Russia, and was crucial strategically, economically and culturally.

● Emotional Exploitation of People: ○ For many in Russia and in the ethically Russian parts of Ukraine, the shared

heritage of the countries is an emotional issue that has been exploited for electoral and military purposes.

● Balance of Power: ○ Ever since Ukraine split from the Soviet Union, both Russia and the West

have vied for greater influence in the country in order to keep the balance of power in the region in their favour.

● Acts as a buffer: ○ For the United States and the European Union, Ukraine is a crucial buffer

between Russia and the West. ○ As tensions with Russia rise, the US and the EU are increasingly determined

to keep Ukraine away from Russian control.

Euromaidan Movement ● Origin:

○ November 2013 saw the start of mass protests across Ukraine, but particularly in Kiev's Maidan, or central square.

● Protest: ○ Protesters were angry at Ukraine’s then pro-Russia President Viktor

Yanukovych’s decision to join the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union instead of the EU.

○ The protests, known as the Euromaidan movement, saw massive clashes between the protesters and security forces that reached their peak in February 2014 and led to the ouster of Yanukovych.

● Russia’s reaction: ○ Attacking Ukraine and annexing Crimea:

■ Amid fears of growing Western influence in Ukraine, Russia decided to take action by invading Crimea, which was a part of Ukraine.

■ It also began fomenting a separatist movement in eastern Ukraine, which is home to many who are ethnically Russian.

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○ Result of this annexation: ■ The invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea have given

Russia a maritime upper hand in the region. ■ It also gave Russia’s President a significant boost in popularity

ratings inside Russia. ○ Criticism received globally:

■ It was widely condemned by world powers and resulted in the US and EU imposing sanctions on Moscow.

■ It also resulted in a strengthened commitment by both the US and the EU to protect the integrity of Ukraine’s borders.

Current Situation ● Russia is seeking assurances from the US that Ukraine will not be inducted into

NATO. However, the US is not prepared to give any such assurance. ● This has left the countries in a stand-off, with tens of thousands of Russian troops

ready to invade Ukraine. ● Russia is keeping the tensions high at the Ukraine border in order to get sanctions

relief and other concessions from the West. ● Any kind of military action by the US or EU against Russia would precipitate a

major crisis for the whole world, and has so far not been mooted by any of the parties involved.

India’s Stand ● During a UNSC meeting in May 2021, India signalled its backing for traditional

partner Russia on the Ukraine issue. ● India has advocated political and diplomatic solutions that protect the legitimate

interests of all countries in the region and ensure long term peace and stability in Europe and beyond. The path forward can only be through peaceful dialogue for a lasting solution acceptable to all concerned.

● Last November India voted against a Ukraine-sponsored resolution in the UN that condemned alleged human rights violations in Crimea thereby backing old ally Russia on the issue.

Concerns ● Efforts to induct Ukraine into NATO have been ongoing for many years and seem

to have picked up pace recently. Russia has declared such a move a “red line”, with Moscow worried about the consequences of the US-led military alliances expanding right up to its doorstep.

● It is not easy to know about the intentions of Russia and stop it from pursuing those.

● Putting sanctions on Russia may not be enough to deter her.

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● A major blockage has been Russia’s insistence that it is not a party to the conflict and therefore is not bound by its terms mentioned in the Minsk 2 Agreement.

Way Ahead ● International cooperation is needed to solve the ever-increasing conflict between

Russia and Ukraine. ● Both the countries should restrain from any move leading to escalation of the

tension.

Minsk Agreements ● MINSK I:

○ Ukraine and the Russian-backed separatists agreed on a 12-point ceasefire deal in the capital of Belarus in September 2014.

○ Its provisions included: ■ prisoner exchanges, ■ deliveries of humanitarian aid and ■ the withdrawal of heavy weapons

○ The agreement quickly broke down, with violations by both sides. ● MINSK II:

○ Representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the leaders of two pro-Russian separatist regions signed a 13-point agreement in February 2015 in Minsk.

○ The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine gathered there at the same time and issued a declaration of support for the deal.

○ The 13 points were, in brief: ■ An immediate and comprehensive ceasefire ■ Withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides ■ Monitoring and verification by the OSCE ■ To start a dialogue on interim self-government for the Donetsk and

Luhansk regions, in accordance with Ukrainian law, and acknowledge their special status by a resolution of parliament.

■ A pardon and amnesty for people involved in the fighting ■ An exchange of hostages and prisoners. ■ Provision of humanitarian assistance. ■ Resumption of socio-economic ties, including pensions. ■ Restore full control of the state border by the government of

Ukraine.

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■ Withdrawal of all foreign armed formations, military equipment and mercenaries.

■ Constitutional reform in Ukraine including decentralisation, with specific mention of Donetsk and Luhansk.

■ Elections in Donetsk and Luhansk on terms to be agreed with their representatives.

■ Intensify the work of a Trilateral Contact Group including representatives of Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ● It is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 countries across the

world. ● Established in: 1949 ● Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium ● India is not a member country of NATO.

Source: IE

Health World Malaria Report 2021: WHO Syllabus: GS 2/Health

Context ● Global efforts to tackle malaria suffered due to the COVID-19 in 2020, according

to the World Malaria Report 2021.

World Malaria Report ● The World Health Organization releases the World Malaria Report every year. ● It provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of trends in malaria

control and elimination across the globe. ● The 2021 report is based on information received from malaria-endemic

countries in all WHO regions.

Major Findings ● Total Cases and Deaths: There were an estimated 241 million malaria cases and

627 000 malaria deaths worldwide in 2020. ○ This represents about 14 million more cases in 2020 compared to 2019, and

69 000 more deaths. ○ Causes: Approximately two-thirds of these additional deaths (47 000)

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were linked to disruptions in the provision of malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment during the pandemic.

● Most of the increase came from countries in the WHO African Region ○ Six countries — Nigeria (27 per cent); the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(12 per cent); Uganda (5%); Mozambique (4%); Angola (3.4%) and Burkina Faso (3.4%) — accounted for about 55 per cent of all cases globally.

● India accounted for 83 per cent of cases in the WHO South-East Asia Region. ● Sri Lanka was certified malaria-free in 2016 and remains malaria-free.

○ China and El Salvador were certified by WHO as malaria-free in 2021, and the Islamic Republic of Iran attained 3 consecutive years of zero indigenous cases in 2020.

Issue ● If expeditious action is not taken, the world is in danger of seeing an immediate

resurgence of the disease, particularly in Africa.

WHO Updated Strategy ● The WHO updated the WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016–2030

this year, incorporating lessons learned from the global malaria response during 2016–2020.

● WHO’s malaria strategy called for tailoring malaria responses to local settings, harnessing innovation, strengthening health systems and ensuring robust global malaria funding.

● Reaching the 2030 goals of the WHO malaria strategy, including a 90% reduction in global malaria incidence and mortality rates by 2030, will require new approaches, new tools and the better implementation of existing ones.

○ Meeting global targets will also require robust funding.

Malaria ● It is a mosquito-borne blood disease caused by plasmodium protozoa.

○ The parasites spread through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

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Courtesy: IndiaToday

● Disease Prevalence ○ It is predominantly found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa,

South America as well as Asia. ● Symptoms

○ Fever and flu-like illness, including shaking chills, headache, muscle aches, and tiredness.

● Prevention and Cure ○ It is preventable as well as curable but can be fatal in case of late or no

treatment. ○ Vector control is the main way to prevent and reduce malaria

transmission. ○ Antimalarial medicines are used to prevent malaria e.g.

Chemoprophylaxis, Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT). ○ Recent developments: In October 2021, WHO recommended RTS, S for

children living in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.

■ RTS, S is the first vaccine ever to be recommended by WHO against a human parasite.

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Initiatives related to Malaria ● Initiatives of WHO

○ Celebration of World Malaria Day on 25th April every year. ■ The 2021 theme is “Reaching the Zero Malaria target".

○ ‘E-2025 Initiative’ ■ The WHO has also identified 25 countries with the potential to

eradicate malaria by 2025 under its ‘E-2025 Initiative’. ● Indian Initiatives

○ 5 year National Strategic Plan for Malaria Elimination ■ Launched in 2017 ■ It shifted focus from Malaria control to elimination. ■ It provided a roadmap to end malaria in 571 districts out of India’s

678 districts by 2022. ○ Malaria Elimination Research Alliance-India (MERA-India)

■ Established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) ■ It is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control.

Source: DTE

Indian Economy World Inequality Report 2022 Syllabus: GS3/ Indian Economy & related issues, inclusive growth

In News ● India has emerged as the most unequal country with the top 1% of the population

holding more than one-fifth of the total national income in 2021. ● The report is released by Paris-based World Inequality Lab, a global

research initiative.

Major Highlights of the Report ● Contemporary income and wealth inequalities are very large:

○ The average annual national income of the Indian adult population is Rs 2, 04,200 in 2021.

○ The bottom 50 per cent earned Rs 53,610, while the top 10 per cent earned over 20 times more (Rs 11,66,520)

○ The top 10% of the population holds 57% of the total income while the bottom 50% share has gone down to 13%.

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○ The average household wealth in India is Rs 9, 83,010, with the bottom 50 per cent owning almost nothing, with an average wealth of 6 per cent of the total Rs 66,280.

● Gender inequality: ○ Further, the report underscores the gender inequality in the country. ○ It is observed that the female labour income share is equal to 18%, one of

the lowest in the world, slightly higher than the Middle East (15%). ○ Women’s share of total incomes from work (labour income) was about 30

per cent in 1990 and is less than 35 per cent now. ● The rise has not been uniform:

○ Certain countries have experienced spectacular increases in inequality (including the US, Russia, and India) while others (European countries and China) have experienced relatively smaller rises.

● Drop-in global income: ○ The report has also flagged a drop in global income during 2020, with about

half of the dip in rich countries and the rest in low-income and emerging regions.

○ This is attributed primarily due to the impact of “South and Southeast Asia, and more precisely” India.

● India’s middle class: ○ India’s middle class is relatively poor with an average wealth of only Rs

7,23,930 or 29.5 per cent of the total national income, as compared with the top 10 per cent and 1 per cent who own 65 per cent (Rs 63,54,070) and 33 per cent (Rs 3,24,49,360), respectively.

● Pre-tax national income: ○ The share of top 10 per cent and bottom 50 per cent in pre-tax national

income has remained broadly constant from 2014 onwards. ● Global scenario:

○ The poorest half of the global population “barely owns any wealth” possessing just 2 per cent of the total, whereas the richest 10 per cent of the global population own 76 per cent of all wealth.

○ The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are the most unequal regions in the world, whereas Europe has the lowest inequality levels

○ In Europe, the top 10 per cent income share is around 36 per cent, whereas in MENA it is 58 per cent. In East Asia, the top 10 per cent makes 43 per cent of total income and in Latin America, the share is 55 per cent.

● Nations have become richer, but governments have become poor: ○ Even as countries have become richer over the last 40 years, their

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governments have become significantly poorer, a trend which has been magnified due to the pandemic.

○ The share of wealth held by public actors is close to zero or negative in rich countries, meaning that the totality of wealth is in private hands.

Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) ● As per the recent Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) prepared by Niti

Aayog, one in every four people in India was multidimensional poor. ● Bihar has the highest proportion of people (51.91 per cent of the state’s

population) who are multidimensionally poor, followed by Jharkhand at 42.16 per cent and Uttar Pradesh at 37.79 per cent.

Issues ● Deregulation and liberalization policies: Since the mid-1980s, deregulation and

liberalization policies have led to one of the most extreme increases in income and wealth inequality in the world.

● Unequal benefits out of economic reforms: While the top 1 per cent has largely benefited from economic reforms, growth among low and middle-income groups has been relatively slow and poverty persists.

● Globalization: After three decades of trade and financial globalization, global inequalities remain extremely pronounced.

● The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic crisis: Hit all world regions, but it hit them with varying intensity. Europe, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia recorded the largest drops in national income in 2020 while East Asia succeeded in stabilizing its 2020 income at the level of 2019.

● Unemployment: The main reason for the low level of income of the majority of Indian people is unemployment and underemployment and the consequent low productivity of labour. Low la-bour productivity implies a low rate of economic growth which is the main cause of poverty and inequality of the large masses of people.

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● Inflation: Another cause of inequality is inflation. During inflation, few profit earners gain and most wage earners lose. This is exactly what has happened in India. Since wages have lagged behind prices, profits have increased. This has cre-ated more and more inequality.

● Tax Evasion: In India, the personal in-come tax rates are very high. High tax rates en-courage evasion and avoidance and give birth to a parallel economy. This is exactly what has hap-pened in India during the plan period.

● Regressive Tax: The indirect taxes give maximum revenue to the government. But they are regressive in nature. Such taxes have also cre-ated more and more inequality over the years due to the growing dependence of the Government on such taxes.

Suggestions ● A wealth tax on multimillionaires: The report has suggested levying a modest

progressive wealth tax on multimillionaires. “Given the large volume of wealth concentration, modest progressive taxes can generate significant revenues for governments.

● Investment in various sectors: In our scenario, we find that 1.6 per cent of global incomes could be generated and reinvested in education, health and the ecological transition.

● Ceiling on Land Holding: A ceiling on landholdings has been imposed in the rural areas. Each household (or family) is allowed to hold a certain amount of land. Any surplus above this is taken over by the Government and is redistributed among the landless workers and marginal farmers.

● Self-Employment Projects: Various self-employment projects have been taken both in rural and urban areas to solve the growing unemployment problem.

● Transfer Payments: Various types of transfer payments (such as unemploy-ment, compensation, soft loans, pensions to free-dom fighters, concessions to senior citizens, etc.) have been made for improving the welfare of cer-tain weaker sections of the society.

Source: IE

Science & Technology Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Syllabus: GS3/ Space

In News ● NASA launched its new Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD).

○ It is NASA’s first-ever laser communications system — from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

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What is Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD)? ● About:

○ It will help NASA to test optical communication in space. ○ LCRD is a technology demonstration that will pave the way for future

optical communications missions. ○ The LCRD payload is hosted onboard the US Department of Defense’s

Space Test Program Satellite 6 (STPSat-6). ○ It will be in a geosynchronous orbit, over 35,000km above Earth. ○ Currently, most NASA spacecraft use radio frequency communications to

send data. Optical communications will help increase the bandwidth 10 to 100 times more than radio frequency systems.

● Working: ○ LCRD has two optical terminals: One to receive data from a user spacecraft,

and the other to transmit data to ground stations. ○ The modems will translate the digital data into laser signals. This will then

be transmitted via encoded beams of light. These capabilities make LCRD NASA’s first two-way, end-to-end optical relay.

Advantages over Laser System ● Laser communications and radio waves use different wavelengths of light. ● The laser uses infrared light and has a shorter wavelength than radio waves. This

will help the transmission of more data in a short time. ○ It would take roughly nine weeks to transmit a completed map of Mars

back to Earth with current radio frequency systems. With lasers, we can accelerate that to about nine days.

● Optical communications systems are smaller in size, weight, and require less power compared with radio instruments.

● A smaller size means more room for science instruments. Less weight means a less expensive launch. Less power means less drain on the spacecraft’s batteries.

Source: IE

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Facts In News Polity and Governance

Jnanpith Award Syllabus: GS 2/Education

In News ● Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr won the 56th Jnanpith Award and Konkani

novelist Damodar Mauzo won the 57th Jnanpith Award.

About Jnanpith Award ● It is the highest literary award in India and is given annually for the best creative

literary writing to writers in any of the 22 “scheduled languages” recognized in the Indian Constitution.

● It is sponsored by the cultural organization Bharatiya Jnanpith. ● It was instituted in 1961, and the first award was given in 1965. ● The prize carries a cash award, a citation, and a bronze replica of Vagdevi

(Saraswati), the goddess of learning.

Another Literary Award ● The Sahitya Akademi award established in 1954, is a literary honour.

○ It is conferred by Sahitya Akademi which is India’s National Academy of Letters.

○ The Sahitya Akademi Award prizes the most outstanding books of literary merit published in any of the major Indian languages recognised by the Akademi.

Source: IE

Modern History Raigad Fort Syllabus : GS 1/Modern History

In News ● Recently, the President of India visited the Raigad Fort in Maharashtra and paid

tribute to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. ○ The Maharashtra government is now seeking the World Heritage Site tag

for the Raigad fort, along with 13 other sites related to the era of Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Web: www.nextias.com 21 Mob.: 8081300200

About Raigad Fort ● Location: Raigad is a hill fort situated about 25 km from Mahad in the Raigad

district and stands 2,851 feet above sea level. ● The fort was known to early Europeans as the Gibraltar of the East. Its decisive

feature is a mile and a half flat top which has adequate room for buildings. In its prime, the fort had 300 stone houses and a garrison of 2,000 men.

● Historical link : ○ The fort, which was earlier called Rairi, was the seat of the Maratha clan

Shirke in the 12th century. ○ Many dynasties ruled the fort from the dynasty of Bahaminis to the Nizam

Shahis and then the Adil Shahis. ○ In 1656, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj captured it from the More’s of Javli

who were under the suzerainty of the Adilshahi Sultanate. ○ The fort’s name was changed to Raigad by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in

1662, and he also added a few structures. ■ The Raigad fort became the seat of Chhatrapati’s government by

1664. ● The fort not only helped Shivaji challenge the supremacy of

the Adil Shahi dynasty but also opened up the routes towards Konkan for the extension of his power.

Source: IE

Defence PANEX-21 Syllabus: GS 3/Defense

In Context ● A curtain-raiser for the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise,

PANEX-21 is being held in New Delhi. ○ It is planned from 20 December to 22 Dec 2021 at Pune.

About PANEX-21 ● It is a multi-nation disaster management exercise with a special focus on relief in

the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. ● It will involve Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and

India—BIMSTEC countries. ○ Last BIMSTEC exercises: BIMSTEC Disaster Management Exercises

(DMEx-2017 at Delhi and DMEx-2020 at Puri)

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● Highlights: The exercise will look at analyzing capabilities of member states and share best practices, review existing procedures for notification, preparedness and response and recommend the evolution of an organized structure with mechanisms for response to disasters including capability development, training, the regional pool of experts.

● Aim: To foster joint planning and build regional cooperation for responding to natural disasters.

Source: PIB