PIB Summary- 22th October, 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

International Abhidhamma Divas

Context

Recently, India’s Prime Minister addressed a ceremony in celebration of International Abhidhamma Divas (IAD) and recognition of Pali as a classical language. It was organised by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) and the Ministry of Culture. 

International Abhidhamma Divas

• Abhidhamma Divas celebrates Lord Buddha’s return from the celestial realm of the thirty-three divine beings (Tāvatiṃsa-devaloka) to Sankassiya (Sankisa Basantapur, Farrukhabad) in Uttar Pradesh.
• The significance of the location is marked by the presence of the Asokan Elephant Pillar.

Abhidhamma’s Origins

• According to the Pali texts, Buddha first preached the Abhidhamma to the gods of Tavatimsa heaven, including his mother.
• Upon returning to Earth, Buddha relayed the teachings to his disciple, Sariputta.

Cultural and Religious Observances

• Abhidhamma Divas aligns with the conclusion of the Vassa, the annual three-month monastic retreat observed during the monsoon season primarily in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
• Pavāraṇā Festival: This festival marks the end of Vassa and involves a communal gathering where monks confess faults and invite critique, fostering a spirit of moral accountability and community. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the 11th lunar month, typically occurring in October.

Pali Language

• Pali is part of the Indo-European language family, which encompasses a diverse group of languages spoken across Europe and Asia.
• Initially believed to be identical to Magadhi, the language of ancient Magadha (now modern-day Bihar, India), recent research indicates that Pali shares more similarities with the Prakrit languages of Western India.

Cultural and Historical Significance

• Pali has been recognized as a classical language by the Union Cabinet of India, alongside other languages such as Prakrit, Marathi, Assamese, and Bengali.
• Emperor Ashoka’s inscriptions, particularly in modern-day Uttar Pradesh, were composed in Pali, underscoring its historical importance.

Connection to Buddhism

• Sacred Texts: Pali is the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism and is used in the canonical texts known as the Tipitaka, which includes the Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka.
• Religious Influence: As Buddhism spread across Asia, Pali was adapted to various local scripts, such as Brahmi and Kharosthi initially, and later scripts like Sinhalese (Sri Lanka), Burmese (Myanmar), Thai (Thailand), and Khmer (Cambodia), facilitating its dissemination and the spread of Buddhism.

Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN)

Context

The Prime Minister commemorated the 8th anniversary of UDAN (Ude Desh ke Aam Nagrik) scheme that has revolutisioned India’s avitation sector. 

About Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN):

• It is a regional airport development and “Regional Connectivity Scheme” (RCS) of the Union Government of India.
• The scheme envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through the revival of existing airstrips and airports.

Objective:

• To create affordable yet economically viable and profitable flights on regional routes so that flying becomes affordable to the common man even in small towns.
• To stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to the masses.
• The scheme envisages providing connectivity to un-served and underserved airports of the country through the revival of existing air-strips and airports. The scheme is operational for a period of 10 years.
• UDAN is a market driven ongoing scheme where bidding rounds are conducted periodically for covering more destinations/stations and routes under the scheme.
• Interested airlines assess the demand on particular routes connecting these airports and submit their proposals at the time of bidding.

UDAN 1.0

• Under this phase, 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)

UDAN 2.0

• In 2018, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced 73 underserved and unserved airports.
• For the first time, helipads were also connected under phase 2 of UDAN scheme.

UDAN 3.0
Key Features of UDAN 3 included:

• Inclusion of Tourism Routes under UDAN 3 in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism.
• Inclusion of Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes.
• Bringing in a number of routes in the North-East Region under the ambit of UDAN.

UDAN 4.0:

• The 4th round of UDAN was launched in December 2019 with a special focus on North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands.
• The airports that had already been developed by Airports Authority of India (AAI) are given higher priority for the award of VGF (Viability Gap Funding) under the Scheme.
• Under UDAN 4, the operation of helicopter and seaplanes is also been incorporated.

UDAN 5.1 Scheme
The UDAN 5.1 scheme is an extension of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) called Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN), initiated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in India. It aims to enhance connectivity to remote areas and achieve last-mile connectivity through helicopters. Here are the main features of the

• Expanded Operations: The scheme allows operators to fly routes where one of the origin or destination locations is in a priority area, increasing the scope of operations. Previously, both points had to be in priority areas.
• Reduced Airfare Caps: Airfare caps for helicopter flights have been reduced by up to 25%, making flying in helicopters more affordable for passengers.
• Increased Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Caps: VGF caps for operators of both single and twin-engine helicopters have been substantially increased. This increase aims to enhance the financial viability of operating the awarded routes.
• Existing Helicopter Routes: Previous rounds of the UDAN scheme have already made 46 helicopter routes operational, benefiting hilly and North-East states. The current round aims to cover an even larger number of routes, expanding the reach of air connectivity.