TNPSC Current Affairs February 02, 2021

Topic: Places in News, Profile of States

Vaghai-Bilimora Heritage Line

The Western Railway has decided to not stop the services of three trains, including the 107-year-old narrow gauge heritage train between Vaghai and Bilimora, in Gujaratpermanently.

Other two narrow gauge trains run between Miyagam, Choranda and Malsar, and Choranda junction and Moti Karal. In rail transport, track gauge or track gage is the spacing of the rails on a railway track.

Background:

The Ministry of Railways, previously issued a letter to the Western Railway ordering permanent closure of 11 “uneconomic branch lines” and narrow gauge sections of the Western Railway, including three from Gujarat.

About the Vaghai-Billimora Train:

It started in 1913, was a remnant of Gaekwad dynasty who ruled the princely state of Baroda. Tribal people from the interior commute by this train regularly. The train covers a distance of 63 kilometres.

At the instance of Gaekwad rulers, the British laid railway tracks and it was operated by Gaekwad Baroda State Railway (GBSR) owned by Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

The Gaekwad jurisdiction was spread across parts of Saurashtra, Mehsana in north Gujarat, and Bilimora in South Gujarat.

The founder of the dynasty was Damaji I who had risen to power by 1740. The last Gaekwar, Sayaji Rao III, died in 1939. For about 24 years the train was run by a steam engine, which was replaced by a diesel engine in 1937.

In 1994, the original steam engine was put on the display at Churchgate Heritage Gallery in Mumbai.

This was much before the Western Railway came into existence in 1951 with the merger of the Bombay, Baroda & Central India Railway, the Saurashtra, Rajputana and Jaipur state Railways.

The 63-km Billimora-Vaghai and the 19-km Choranda-Moti Karal routes are among those five routes the Indian Railways had proposed to be preserved as “industrial heritage” in 2018.

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Topic: International Events

Military seizes power in Myanmar coup

The military of Myanmar has taken control of the country and a one-year state of emergency has been announced. Further, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and other government leaders have been detained.

Why emergency has been announced?

The state emergency was announced because the November Elections in 2020 were postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the government was failed in tackling the situation.

So, the military took over in the country in accordance with the Article 417 of the Myanmar’s constitution. Article 417 gives power to the military to take over in times of emergency.

The military had framed the constitution of Myanmar in 2008 and retains power under the charter at the expense of democratic, civilian rule.

Military highlights that, there were millions of irregularities in the voter lists in the November 2020 elections in which Suu Kyi’s party had won 396 out of 476 seats. However, the election commission had rejected the claims of military.

Implications of the military control:

Now in Myanmar, telecommunications have been halted. Internet and phone access have also been blocked. Social media accounts of many people have been temporarily suspended. Barbed wire road blocks were set up and the military units have overtaken the government buildings.

Further, there is a fear of crackdown on human rights defenders, journalists, and others critics of the military because, even before the military takeover, journalists, free speech advocates and critics of the military have faced legal actions many times.

About Myanmar:

It is a country in Southeast Asia which is bordered by Bangladesh and India in the northwest, China in the northeast, Laos and Thailand in the east and southeast while Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal in the south and southwest.

It is the largest country in Mainland Southeast Asia while it is the 10th largest in Asia by area. The capital city of the country is Naypyidaw.

Yangon (Rangoon) is the largest city of Myanmar. Myanmar have border with the Indian States of Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

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Topic: Latest inventions on Science and Health

What is Stardust 1.0, the first rocket to run on biofuel?

Stardust 1.0 was launched on Jan 31st from Loring Commerce Centre in Maine, US. It has become the first commercial space launch powered by biofuel, which is non-toxic for the environment as opposed to traditionally used rocket fuels. Stardust 1.0 is a launch vehicle suited for student and budget payloads.

What are Biofuels?

Any hydrocarbon fuel that is produced from an organic matter (living or once living material) in a short period of time (days, weeks, or even months) is considered a biofuel. Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.

Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure.

Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel.

Gaseous: Biogas.

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Topic: Economical Policies in India, Latest Diary of Events

Union Budget 2021-2022- Summary

The 2021-22 Union Budget was presented amid the COVID-19 pandemic on February 1, 2020. Since the 2020 budget, the Indian economy have reduced from 2.24 lakh crore nominal GDP to Rs 1.94 lakh crore.

This reduction in the size of the economy was due to the lower revenue growth and higher expenditure in the year 2020 because of coronavirus pandemic. The fiscal deficit for 2021-2022 was estimated to be 6.8% of the GDP.

6 PILLARS of the Budget:

Health and Wellbeing

Physical & Financial Capital, and Infrastructure

Inclusive Development for Aspirational India

Reinvigorating Human Capital

Innovation and R&D

Minimum Government and Maximum Governance

EXPENDTIURE & DEFICIT:

Estimates of Rs. 34.83 lakh crore BE for expenditure in 2021-2022 including Rs. 5.54 lakh crore as capital expenditure, rest is revenue expenditure. The fiscal deficit in BE 2021-2022 is estimated to be 6.8% of GDP.

TAX DISPUTES

Reducing tax Disputes, Simplifying Settlement: Time limit for re-opening cases reduced to 3 years from 6 years. Serious tax evasion cases, with evidence of concealment of income of Rs. 50 lakh or more in a year, to be re-opened only up to 10 years, with approval of the Principal Chief Commissioner.

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Topic: International Events

SpaceX announced First All-Civilian Mission to Space

The SpaceX of Elon Muskhas recently announced to launch its first all civilian mission to the space. The SpaceX is planning for the launch of Inspiration4 on Falcon 9. This would be the first all-commercial astronaut mission in the world.

The spacecraft will start orbiting in the fourth quarter of this year. The mission will be launched from the Launch Complex 39A at the NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

About the mission:

The mission has been named as Inspiration4. The name recognises the four-person crew’s mission that inspire the support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It also seeks to send a humanitarian message of possibility.

Jude’s multi-billion-dollar expansion aims to accelerate the research advancements and save children worldwide. The commercial astronaut training will be provided to the Inspiration4 crew on the Falcon 9 launch vehicle by the SpaceX.

They will also be provided training on Dragon spacecraft by the orbital mechanics, zero gravity, operating in microgravity and other stress testing. This mission will orbit the Earth every 90 minutes along a customized flight path.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX):

It is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services. SpaceX is headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk. It was founded with the objective of reducing the space transportation costs in order to enable the colonization of Mars. It has developed several launch vehicles, Dragon cargo spacecraft and Starlink satellite constellation. It has also flown humans to the International Space Station on the SpaceX Dragon 2.

SpaceX Dragon:

It is also known as Dragon 1 or Cargo Dragon. It is a reusable cargo spacecraft developed by SpaceX. The Dragon 1 spacecraft was launched into orbit by the Falcon 9 launch vehicle so as to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).

World Space Record:

SpaceX recently broke a world space record by launching 143 satellites. It beat India’s record of deploying 104 satellites in February 2017. The launch vehicle for the SpaceX flight was the Falcon 9. The mission was designated as Transporter-1. The launch marks the first dedicated mission for SpaceX’s SmallSat Rideshare Program. With the launched satellites, SpaceX aims at providing near-global broadband internet coverage all over the world by 2021.

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Topic: Profile of States

Pattachitra Art

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded a girl from Odisha named Bhagyashree in his mann ki baat programme. The girl has mastered the art of creating Pattachitra on various themes using the soft stones. The girl boosted her skill during the lockdowns and created pattachitra art works on unused bottles, electric bulbs and various glass and plastic materials.

About Pattachitra:

Pattachitra or Patachitra term generally used for the traditional, cloth-based scroll painting. The art form is based in the states of Odisha and West Bengal. The art form is known for the intricate details and the mythological narratives and folktales inscribed in it. This is an ancient art form in Odisha which is created for ritual use and as souvenirs for pilgrims to temples.

Theme of the paintings: The paintings are based on Hindu mythology.

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Topic: Books and Authors

The Little Book of Encouragement book by Dalai Lama

The Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama have recently launched his new book “The Little Book of Encouragement”. The book comprises of 130 quotes. The book has been edited by Renuka Singh while published by Penguin Random House.

Key facts:

The Dalai Lama while launching the book highlighted that, he is one among more than seven billion human beings who are alive today amid the COVID-19 pandemic. So, he has committed to promote the human happiness.

He further highlights that; we think happiness comes from money and power. But little we know the role of the mind or that the key to happiness is inner peace.

He has asked the readers to discuss the thoughts from the books with friends and put these thoughts in day-today life practice.

He further termed the climate change and global warming as very serious issue, apart from the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Topic: Awards and Honours

Youngest Bal Puraskar winner

The youngest awardee this year was Kumari Prasiddhi Singh. She is a 7-year-old social volunteer from Chengalpattu district. She is the founder of Prasiddhi Forest.

She has been in the India Book of Records for being the youngest fruit forest creator in the country.She created eight fruit forests in government schools and public places and planted over 9,000 trees.

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Topic: Awards and Honours, Profile of States

Bihar’s ‘Cycle girl’

Bihar’s Jyoti Kumari (16-year-old) was awarded the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar. She is known as Bihar’s ‘Cycle girl’.

She had pedalled all the way from Gurugram to Bihar during the nationwide lockdown. She did so to help her father reach their hometown during lockdown.

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Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Indian Coast Guard Day – February 01

The Indian Coast Guard is an armed force of India. It protects maritime interests and enforces maritime law. Indian Coast Guard was raised on February 1, 1977. But it was formally established on 18 August 1978 by the Coast Guard Act -1978 as an independent armed force.