PIB Summary- 16th November, 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Guru Nanak

Context

Guru Nanak Jayanti in 2024 is celebrated on November 15, coinciding with Kartik Purnima in the Hindu calendar. This auspicious day, observed on the full moon of Kartik, includes various rituals and festivities, especially within Sikh communities worldwide.

About Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji

• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) was born in a village, Talwandi Rai Bhoe, near Lahore (it was renamed later as Nankana Sahib).
• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji initiated inter-faith dialogue way back in the 16th century and had conversations with most of the religious denominations of his times.
• The Guru Nanak Dev Ji, also referred to as Baba Nanak, was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi i.e October – November.
• His written compositions were included in the Adi Granth compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606), the fifth Sikh guru.
• This came to be known as Guru Granth Sahib after the additions made by the 10th Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708).
• In compiling the Adi Granth, Guru Arjan showed a remarkable commitment to pluralism while retaining the unity of thought initiated by Guru Nanak Dev.
• He advocated Nirguna Bhakti.
• He firmly repudiated practices of religions around him like sacrifices, ritual baths, idol worship, austerities, and scriptures of both Hindus and Muslims.
• He appointed Angad to succeed him as the Guru.
• He never wished to establish new religion, but after his death his followers consolidated his practices and distinguished from both Hindus and Muslims by calling themselves ‘Sikhs’.

5 teachings of Guru Nanak Ji

The One God

• The Guru Nanak ji said “I am neither hindu nor Muslim, I am follower of God”, which actually spoke about his belief in one God. In Sikhism, the god is omnipresent, shapeless, timeless and sightless. (Nirankar, akar, alakh)

No Discrimination

• The Guru Nanak Ji was strongly against all artificially created divisions and all discriminations, both in word and deed.

Stay Away         

• The Guru Nanak ji asked his followers to shun five evils of Ego, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Lust and adopting five virtues Truth, Compassion, Contentment, Discipline and Contemplation

Importance of Guru

• The Guru Nanak Ji laid great emphasis on having the importance of Guru in one’s Life.

Sewa is the Key to Humanity

• As Said by Guru Nanak Ji “In the midst of this world, do Sewa and you shall be given a place of honor in the court of the Lord”.

National Mission for Clean Ganga

Context

The 58th Executive Committee meeting of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved several pivotal projects aimed at Ganga River conservation, addressing environmental challenges. 

National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG):

• NMCG was officially registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, on August 12, 2011.
• Initially, it functioned as the implementation body of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), which was established under the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act (EPA), 1986.
• In 2016, NGRBA was dissolved and replaced by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection, and Management of River Ganga.

Objective:

• The primary objective of NMCG is to combat pollution and facilitate the restoration of the Ganga River to its pristine state.
• The “Namami Gange” program is a flagship initiative of NMCG, aimed at the comprehensive cleaning and restoration of the Ganga.
• Achieving this objective involves promoting intersectoral coordination, comprehensive planning and management, and maintaining a minimum ecological flow in the river to ensure water quality and environmentally sustainable development.

Organizational Structure:
The Act envisages a five-tier structure at the national, state, and district levels to take measures for prevention, control, and abatement of environmental pollution in river Ganga as below:

• National Ganga Council: Chaired by the Prime Minister of India, it serves as the highest-level decision-making body.
• Empowered Task Force (ETF): Headed by the Union Minister of Jal Shakti (Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation), ETF plays a crucial role in the mission’s execution.
• National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
• State Ganga Committees: These committees operate at the state level, contributing to pollution control and river management efforts.
• District Ganga Committees: Operational at the district level, these committees play a role in managing pollution and river conservation efforts within their respective districts, particularly those adjoining the Ganga River and its tributaries.

Challenges Faced by NMCG

• Delayed Commissioning of Treatment Plants: The commissioning of sewage treatment plants has been delayed due to issues with land acquisition, which has hindered the timely execution of projects.
• Revisions in Detailed Project Reports: Many projects have required revisions in their Detailed Project Reports, which outline project execution steps and agency roles, causing delays and administrative challenges.
• Misconception Regarding Responsibilities: State governments have sometimes assumed that building treatment plants is solely the responsibility of the central government, leading to coordination challenges.
• Waste Management at the Source: Effective waste management, particularly the segregation and recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW), is most efficient when handled at the source. Implementing this approach has been challenging.
• Volunteer Cadre Implementation: Plans to create a cadre of volunteers at the village and town levels to monitor water quality and support local bodies have faced challenges in effective implementation.
• Funding Allocation: While NMCG is a ₹20,000 crore mission, in-principle approval has been given for projects worth ₹37,396 crore, with only ₹14,745 crore released to states for infrastructure work as of June 2023, indicating challenges in fund allocation.
• Municipal Solid Waste Management: The mission has faced criticism for not adequately addressing the issue of municipal solid waste entering the Ganga. Many towns and cities along the river lack proper waste treatment infrastructure, allowing untreated waste to enter the river.
• Limited Sewerage Network: A substantial portion of India’s urban population resides outside sewerage networks, leading to a significant amount of waste not reaching sewage treatment plants (STPs).
• Improper Waste Disposal: Studies have revealed that rubbish heaps are commonly found near ghats in numerous towns along the river, indicating improper waste disposal practices that threaten the cleanliness of the Ganga.