Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th September 2024

3rd National Lok Adalat:

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) organised the 3rd National Lok Adalat of the year 2024 in the Taluks, Districts and High Courts of 27 States/UTs.

• It was organised under the stewardship of Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court of India and Executive Chairman, NALSA.

Highlights of the 3rd National Lok Adalat 2024:

• Over 1.14 crore cases were resolved during the 3rd National Lok Adalat 2024. It is a big step towards reducing the burgeoning pendency in courts.
• Of the 1,14,56,529 cases settled in the Lok Adalat, 94,60,864 were pre-litigation cases and 19,95,665 were cases pending in various courts.
• The cases include criminal compoundable offences, traffic challans, revenue cases, bank recovery cases, motor accident claims, cheque dishonour cases, labour disputes, matrimonial disputes (excluding divorce cases), land acquisition cases, intellectual property rights, and other civil cases.
• The approximate value of the total settlement amount in these cases was Rs 8,482.08 crore.
• The event saw overwhelming participation, reflecting strong public trust in Lok Adalats. It aligns with the objectives set out in the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and the National Legal Services Authority (Lok Adalats) Regulations, 2009.

Lok Adalat:

• Lok Adalat, or People’s Court, is a forum designed for settling disputes either pending in court or at the pre-litigation stage through compromise or amicable settlement.

35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj : Collapsed

A 35-foot statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, unveiled at Rajkot Fort in Malvan in Sindhudurg district, collapsed in less than a year.

• It is in contrast with the Sindhudurg Fort, built by Shivaji Maharaj 357 years ago, remains resilient and has played a significant role in military activities such as the Surat raids. A major portion of Sindhudurg Fort was financed by Surat raids.
• Sindhudurg fort’s construction began on 25th November 1664, and was completed on 29th March, 1667.
  The fort was built on the island of Kurte in the Arabian Sea after a thorough examination by Shivaji Maharaj and an expert (Hiroji Indulkar).
• The construction of the fort was estimated at a cost of one crore hons. Hon was a gold coin used as currency during the reign of Shivaji Maharaj in the 17th century.
• Shivaji Maharaj’s vision was to establish maritime control and enhance economic stability through a powerful navy.
• The fort was strategically located to dominate maritime access and defend against foreign powers like the Siddis, Portuguese, and other colonial forces.
• The fort was built with a serpentine wall covering four kilometres, standing ten metres high with 45 stairways, and included facilities for guards and cannons.
• It featured a south-facing statue of Hanuman at the entrance and was complemented by smaller forts like Padmagad, Sarjekot, and Rajkot for additional security.
• Sindhudurg Fort remains an impregnable symbol of Shivaji Maharaj’s military and strategic prowess.
• It stands as a historical testament to Maratha naval strength and fortification techniques.

Invest India:

The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently announced the Centre’s Start-up India initiative will be moved out of the aegis of Invest India to a new non-profit company that could also house the National Start-up Advisory Council.

• Invest India is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India and acts as the first point of reference for investors in India.
• It was set up as a non-profit venture under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
• It facilitates and empowers all investors under the ‘Make in India’ initiative to establish, operate, and expand their businesses in India.
• The agency aims at sector-specific investor targeting and development of partnerships, thereby channelising sustainable investments in the country.
• It is also engaged in developing partnerships with investment promotion agencies and multilateral organisations.
• Its domain and functional experts provide sector- and state-specific inputs and hand-holding support to investors through the entire investment cycle, from pre-investment and decision-making to after-care.
• It provides multiple forms of support, such as market entry strategies, deep dive industry analysis, partner search and location assessment, and policy advocacy with decision makers.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Syntretus perlmani:

Researchers recently discovered a new species of parasitoid wasp named Syntretus perlmani that matures inside living adult fruit flies before bursting out, much like a scene from the Alien films.

• Syntretus perlmani is a new species of parasitoid wasp.
• It is the first wasp found to infect adult fruit flies, a stark contrast to related wasp species that usually target the larvae and pupae stages of flies.
• These fruit fly invaders are considered parasitoids rather than parasites because they always kill their hosts unlike the latter, which generally leave them alive.
• Female S. perlmani wasps use a specialised organ called an ovipositor to inject eggs directly into the abdomen of adult fruit flies.
• Over the next 18 days, the eggs develop into wasp larvae, slowly growing inside the host until they eventually kill the fly by emerging out of its body.
• The research team found evidence of S. perlmani across the eastern United States, including Mississippi, Alabama, and North Carolina

Cellulitis Disease:

Cellulitis disease, which used to affect a few people during the rainy season, is now widespread in the erstwhile Karimnagar district, Telangana.

• Cellulitis Disease is a serious deep infection of the skin caused by bacteria.
• It most commonly affects the lower part of your body, including your legs, feet, and toes.
• However, it can occur in any part of your body. It also commonly appears on your face, arms, hands, and fingers.
• Normal skin can be affected by cellulitis, but it usually happens after some type of injury causes a skin break, including trauma or surgery.
• The infection happens when bacteria, most commonly streptococcus and staphylococcus, enter through a crack or break in the skin.
• The affected skin is swollen and inflamed and is typically painful and warm to the touch.
• Some people develop blisters, skin dimpling, or spots.
• A person may also experience other symptoms of an infection, such as fatigue, chills, cold sweats, shivering, fever, and nausea.

Line of Actual Control

The Union Ministry of External Affairs recently said that about 75% of the “disengagement problems” with China on the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh have been “sorted out”

• Line of Actual Control (LAC) is the demarcation that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
• Although not recognised as an official border, it serves as a de facto border between India and China.
• India considers the LAC to be 3,488 km long, while the Chinese consider it to be only around 2,000 km.
• It is divided into three sectors:
  • the eastern sector which spans Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim
  • the middle sector, in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and
  • the western sector in Ladakh.
• It runs along Tibet and Xinjiang on the Chinese side.
• The LAC has always remained a major cause of tension between India and China. There are areas along the border where India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC.
• Due to both sides undertaking patrolling upto their respective perceptions of the LAC, transgressions do occur.
• India’s claim line is the line seen in the official boundary marked on the maps as released by the Survey of India, including both Aksai Chin and Gilgit-Baltistan. This means LAC is not the claim line for India.
• In China’s case, LAC is the claim line except in the eastern sector, where it claims the entire Arunachal Pradesh as South Tibet.

ICC introduces equal prize money for men’s and women’s cricket World Cups:

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that men’s and women’s cricket teams will receive equal prize money in all World Cup events, starting with the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup.

WPI Inflation Drops to 4-Month Low of 1.31% in August:

India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation fell to a four-month low of 1.31% in August, down from 2.04% in July. This decline is primarily attributed to reduced prices of manufactured products and food items. According to data from the Commerce Ministry, food price inflation decreased to 3.11% in August from 3.45% in July.

Atishi Marlena Set To Be New CM of Delhi:

43 year old, Atishi Marlena from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be the new Chief Minister of state Delhi. She will replace the AAP supremo and party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Decision was taken in the meeting of member of legislative assembly.

India to Host the Formal Meetings of the COP9’s Fund Approval Committee:

India is set to host the 2nd Formal Meeting of the COP9 (Conference of Parties) Bureau and the 3rd Formal Meeting of the Fund Approval Committee under the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) International Convention against Doping in Sport on September 17-18, 2024, in New Delhi.

India’s Exports Shrink 9.3% in August:

India’s exports fell 9.3% in August to $34.7 billion, with the trade deficit hitting a 10-month high of $29.7 billion as imports surged to $64.4 billion. Factors such as softening oil prices, reduced demand from China, and global recession contributed to the slowdown in exports