Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 28th Nov 2023

Guru Nanak Jayanti:

The Prime Minister greeted people on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti.

• Guru Nanak Jayanti is celebrated on the 15th lunar day of the Hindu month of Kartik.
• It is one of the most important days of Sikhism and marks the birth anniversary of the first of the ten Sikh gurus and the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
• The day honours the teachings and wisdom of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and also promotes unity, equality, and selfless service, embodying the core principles of Sikh philosophy.

Guru Nanak:

• Guru Nanak (1469–1539), also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the founder of Sikhism and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• He was born on April 15, 1469, in Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, now Nankana Sahib, Pakistan.
• Guru Nanak Dev spread the message of ‘Ek Omkar’ which means that God is one and is present everywhere.
• He propagated the idea that any person could connect with God by worshipping him with a clean conscience.
• Guru Nanak laid the foundation for the three pillars of Sikhism: Naam Japna (meditating on God’s name), Kirat Karni (honest and truthful living), and Vand Chakna (sharing with others, especially those in need).
• He was a poet, a mystic, a philosopher, and a singer who denounced ritualism as well as discrimination against women and those of lower socioeconomic status.
• Guru Nanak rejected the caste system and promoted the idea of equality among all people, regardless of their background, caste, or gender.
• He introduced the concept of “Sangat” (community), where all could come together to worship.
• All his teachings are composed together to form the sacred book called Guru Granth Sahib, the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism.

e-SCR portal : Hindi Version Launched

A Hindi version of the e-SCR portal was launched recently as part of Constitution Day celebrations.

• e-SCR portal was an initiative by the Supreme Court (SC) of India to provide the digital version of the apex court’s judgements in the same manner they are reported in the official law report.
• It provides free access to about 34,000 judgements of the SC to lawyers, law students, and the common public.
• These verdicts will be available on the apex court website, its mobile app, and on the judgement portal of the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG).
• It is a free service available for lawyers across the country.
• The Supreme Court has developed a search engine with the help of the National Informatics Centre comprising elastic search techniques in the database of e-SCR.
• The search facility in e-SCR provides for free text search, search within search, case type and case year search, judge search, year and volume search, and bench strength search options.

National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal:

• The NJDG portal is a national repository of data relating to cases instituted, pending, and disposed of by the courts across the length and breadth of the country.
• In this portal, one may access case-related information and statistics such as institution, pendency, disposal of cases, case types, and the year-wise break-up of the Supreme Court of India.
• It is a database of orders, judgements, and case details of 18,735 District & Subordinate Courts and High Courts created as an online platform under the e-Courts Project.
• It has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in close coordination with the in-house software development team of the Computer Cell, Registry with an interactive interface and analytics dashboard.
• The entire database will be periodically updatedon the NJDG portal.
• NJDG works as a monitoring tool to identify, manage, & reduce the pendency of cases.
• It helps to provide timely inputs for making policy decisions to reduce delays in disposing of cases and reduce case pendency.

Booker Prize 2023:

Irish writer Paul Lynch won the Booker Prize for fiction for his novel Prophet Song.

• Booker Prize is the world’s leading literary award for a single work of fiction.
• Founded in the UK in 1969, the Booker Prize initially rewarded Commonwealth writers and now spans the globe: it is open to anyone regardless of origin.
• It aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English.
• The Booker Prize awards any novel originally written in English and published in the UK and Ireland in the year of the prize, regardless of the nationality of the author.
• The novel must be an original work in English (not a translation).
• It must be published by a registered UK or Irish imprint; self-published novels are not eligible.
• The winner receives £50,000, and each of the shortlisted authors will be given £2,500.
• The Booker Prize Foundation is a registered charity established in 2002.
• Since then, it has been responsible for the award of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and for the Man Booker International Prize since its inauguration in 2005.

Saurauia Punduana : Recorded For The First Time In Manipur

The Saurauia Punduana plant was recorded for the first time in Manipur’s Tamenglong district.

• Saurauia Punduana is a plant species that belongs to the Actinidiaceae family.
• The flowers of Saurauia Punduana turn white to pink on maturity. Petals are pink, ovate to obovate, curled at the tip.
• Its fruits are spherical, shining white, and are used in veterinary medicine.
• ts flowers are complete, bisexual, i.e., with functional male (androecium) and female (gynoecium),
• It is a critically endangered species as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
• Global Distribution: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, and Myanmar.
• In India, it is found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
• Threats: Saurauia species are susceptible to various insect pests, virus and fungi, affecting leaves, fruits and roots.

International Container Transhipment Port In Great Nicobar Island:

The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) visited the site of the proposed International Container Transhipment Port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar Island.

• ICTP is envisioned to be a transformative initiative aligning with the Maritime India vision 2030 as well as one of the key projects in the Amrit kaal Vision 2047.
• The ICTP is a major infrastructure project that aims to facilitate the transshipment of containers between different ports.
• A transshipment deepwater seaport facilitates the handling of large cargo vessels, featuring a deep water channel and expansive berth areas for efficient loading, unloading, and the seamless transfer of goods between ships at the port.
• The proposed ICTP at Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island, is strategically positioned just 40 nautical miles from the International shipping trade route.
• The ICTP aims to become a leading container transshipment port by leveraging its strategic location, natural water depth, and capacity for the transshipment of cargo from nearby ports.
• In India, nearly 75% of transshipped cargo is handled at ports outside the country.
• Colombo, Singapore and Klang handle more than 85% of this cargo with 45% of it handled at Colombo Port alone.
• India is banking on the strategic location of Galathea Bay for export-import trade as it lies on international shipping routes.
• The project is expected to generate forex savings, attract foreign direct investment, and boost economic activity at other Indian ports.
• It will also contribute to enhanced logistics infrastructure, employment generation, and increased revenue share.
• The development of this Mega Container Terminal is a part of the holistic development of Great Nicobar Island.
• The project has received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Stage 1 forest clearance has also been obtained for the project.
• The project is planned to be developed in four phases, with Phase 1 proposed to be commissioned in the year 2028 with a handling capacity of approximately 4 Million (twenty-foot equivalent units)TEUs.
• The handling capacity is expected to increase to 16 Million TEUs in the ultimate stage of development by 2058.

Chair Of The International Sugar Organisation (ISO) For 2024:

India has been designated as the Chair of the International Sugar Organisation (ISO) for 2024, following the announcement made during the 63rd council meeting held in London.

• The International Sugar Organization (founded 1968; HQ: London) is an intergovernmental organization, which was established by the International Sugar Agreement of 1968, as the body responsible for administering the Agreement
• It aimed at establishing an “orderly relationship between the supply and demand for sugar in the world market.
• It has 88 countries as its member.
• Saudi Arabia joined in 2022

Earthquake Of 3.0 Magnitude Hit Haryana’s Sonipat Region:

An Earthquake of 3.0 magnitude hit Haryana’s Sonipat region.

• The epicentre of the earthquake was in Sonipat and occurred at latitude 29.15 degrees north and longitude 76.97 degrees east, at a depth of 5 km.
• An earthquake is the shaking or trembling of the earth’s surface.
• It is caused by the seismic waves or earthquake waves that are generated due to a sudden movement.
• A seismograph, or seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes.
• Hypocentre/Focus: The point where the energy is released.
• Epicentre: The point on the surface directly above the focus.
• Isoseismic line: A line connecting all points on the surface where the intensity is the same.

Malaysia Grants Visa-Free Entry To Indians:

Malaysia is set to grant visa-free entry to Indians for stays of up to 30 days starting December 1, according to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

• India and China are among Malaysia’s top five source markets for tourism.
• According to the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board, the country recorded 91 lakh tourist arrivals until June this year, with around five lakh from China and 2.8 lakh from India.
• Malaysia, positive about its post-pandemic recovery, aims to achieve 1.5 crore foreign tourist arrivals this year, as stated by Malaysian government officials.
• Notably, several West Asian countries, such as Turkey and Jordan, already enjoy a 30-day visa-free entry into Malaysia.
• Malaysia boasts a 29 lakh-strong overseas Indian community, including Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and NRIs.
• Reflecting an upswing in ties between the two nations, Prime Minister Ibrahim is expected to travel to India in the first half of next year.

Anganwadi Protocol For Divyang Children:

The Ministry of Women and Child Development is gearing up for a significant national event to introduce the Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children.

• This initiative is a crucial component of the Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi program, falling under Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0.
• The event, scheduled for November 28, will be chaired by Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The Ministry of Women and Child Development is gearing up for a significant national event to introduce the Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children.
• The event, scheduled for November 28, will be chaired by Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The primary goal of the event is to underscore the importance and feasibility of enhancing children’s well-being through early intervention and specialized support.
• Emphasis will be on infants and young children at risk or with disabilities and/or developmental delays.
• The event aims to advocate for the critical role of the Anganwadi eco-system in reaching over eight crore children aged from birth to six years daily, establishing it as a pivotal access point for securing the future of the country’s children.

Ayushman Bharat Health And Wellness Centres : Renamed As Ayushman Arogya Mandir

The Union Government has announced the renaming of the existing Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) to be called ‘Ayushman Arogya Mandir.’

• The rebranding initiative aims to further the vision of Ayushman India and transition healthcare delivery from illness to wellness.
• The tagline accompanying the new name is ‘Arogyam Parmam Dhanam.’
• While the Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres undergo a name change, the National Health Mission (NHM) logo is to be retained in the rebranded centres.
• This decision ensures continuity and aligns the new identity with the broader health mission objectives
• The rebranding process is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, and States are required to upload photographs of the rebranded primary health facilities onto the AB-HWC portal.
• The estimated funds required for this renaming initiative have been proposed at ₹3,000 per facility.