TNPSC Current Affairs January 05, 2019

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs January 05, 2019 (05/01/2019)

Topic: Places in News, Latest Diary of Events

Panj Tirath Hindu religious site declared as national heritage

The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in northwest Pakistan has declared the ancient Hindu religious site of Panj Tirath in Peshawar as national heritage.

The government also announced a fine of up to Rs 2 million and five years’ imprisonment for anyone found guilty of damaging the historic site.

About Panj Tirath:

Panj Tirath, which got its name from the five pools of water present there, also contains a temple and a lawn with date palm trees.

It is believed that Pandu, a mythical king in the Mahabharata, belonged to this area and Hindus used to come to these pools for bathing during the month of Karteek and worship for two days under the trees.

The site was damaged during the reign of the Afghan Durrani dynasty in 1747, however it was restored by local Hindus during the period of Sikh rule in 1834 and worship started again.

Topic: General Administration, Profile of States

Appointment of Lokpal

The government recently informed the Supreme Court that a eight-member search committee has been constituted in September 2018 for zeroing in on eligible candidates for Lokpal and the anti-corruption authority will frame its own rules of functioning. The panel is led by former Supreme Court judge, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai.

Background:

A contempt petition has been filed in the court against the government for not appointing Lokpal despite an April 2017 judgment by the Supreme Court. The court has for the past several months been constantly urging the government to complete the Lokpal appointment.

Highlights of the Lokpal Act of 2013:

The Act allows setting up of anti-corruption ombudsman called Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta at the State-level.

The Lokpal will consist of a chairperson and a maximum of eight members.

The Lokpal will cover all categories of public servants, including the Prime Minister. But the armed forces do not come under the ambit of Lokpal.

The Act also incorporates provisions for attachment and confiscation of property acquired by corrupt means, even while the prosecution is pending.

The States will have to institute Lokayukta within one year of the commencement of the Act.

The Act also ensures that public servants who act as whistle blowers are protected.

Powers:

The Lokpal will have the power of superintendence and direction over any investigation agency including CBI for cases referred to them by the ombudsman.

As per the Act, the Lokpal can summon or question any public servant if there exists a prima facie case against the person, even before an investigation agency (such as vigilance or CBI) has begun the probe. Any officer of the CBI investigating a case referred to it by the Lokpal, shall not be transferred without the approval of the Lokpal.

An investigation must be completed within six months. However, the Lokpal or Lokayukta may allow extensions of six months at a time provided the reasons for the need of such extensions are given in writing.

Special courts will be instituted to conduct trials on cases referred by Lokpal.

Topic: Govt., Oriented Schemes and their Utilities, General Administration, Latest Diary of Events

Atal Solar Krishi Pump Yojana

To reduce losses due to non-payment of electricity bills and also promote solar energy, Maharashtra state government has launched Atal Solar Krishi Pump Yojana.

Atal Solar Krishi Pump Yojana:

Under the scheme, the government of Maharashtra has decided to give two LED bulbs, a DC fan and a mobile charging socket as freebies to farmers.

The scheme provides a subsidy of up to 95% on solar pumpsets. The State plans to install one lakh solar pumps.

Topic: New inventions on Science and Health, Latest Diary of Events

Indian Science Congress 2019

106th ‘Indian Science Congress (ISC)’ session is being held at Jalandhar, Punjab.

Theme – Future India: Science and Technology.

Background:

Indian Science Congress is organised by the Indian Science Congress Association every year in the first week of January.

About Indian Science Congress Association:

The Indian Science Congress Association was started in the year 1914 in Kolkata and has a membership of more than 30,000 scientists.

Topic: International Organizations, Latest Diary of Events

Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2019

The 2019 edition of the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) has been released.

About CCPI:

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an instrument covering 58 countries and supposed to enhance transparency in international climate politics.

Its aim is to encourage political and social pressure on those countries which have, up to now, failed to take ambitious actions on climate protection as well as to highlight countries with best-practice climate policies.

Highlights of the report:

Only few countries have started working towards limiting global warming below 2°C or even at 1.5°C. Globally, Sweden is in top position, followed by Morocco and Lithuania in the CCPI 2019.

The bottoms five in the list are Saudi Arabia, U.S., Iran, South Korea and Taiwan.

India’s Performance:

India ranks 11th in this year’s CCPI, improving its standing by three places compared to the previous edition.

Topic: India and Its Neighbouring countries, Latest Diary of Events

China develops its own ‘Mother of All Bombs’

China has developed a massive bomb, said to be the country’s answer to the US-built ‘Mother of All Bombs’, the most powerful non-nuclear weapon.

It is dubbed as the Chinese version of the “Mother of All Bombs” due to its huge destruction potential that is claimed to be only second to nuclear weapons.

Background:

Last year, while waging war against militants in Afghanistan, the US military dropped a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) weapon, more commonly known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” on the Islamic State.

Although China is using the same nickname for its bomb, said to weigh several tonnes, the Chinese weapon is smaller and lighter than its American counterpart.

Mother of all Bombs:

The Moab or GBU-43/B is the world’s largest non-nuclear weapon. It is designed to destroy heavily reinforced targets or to shatter ground forces and armour across a large area.

Its blast is equivalent to 11 tons of TNT. By comparison, the nuclear weapon dropped on Hiroshima had a blast yield of 15 tons of TNT.

While it has a blast radius that stretches a mile in each direction the bomb leaves no lasting radiation effect because it is non-nuclear.

Father of all Bombs:

To match the U.S. weapon, Russia developed the “Father of All Bombs” which is both bigger and thermobaric, meaning it uses gas to create a huge fireball rather than a shockwave.