UPSC Daily Current Affairs- 23rd January 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly PDF Download

GS-I

Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir

Subject: Art and Culture

Why in News?

Recently, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in Pran Pratishtha  ceremony of Shri Ramlalla in the newly built Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir.

Background:-

• The historic Pran Pratishtha ceremony will be attended by representatives of all major spiritual and religious sects of the country.

About Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir:-

• Tata Consulting Engineers Limited ( TCEL) is the Project Management Company.
• Larsen and Toubro (L&T) is the Construction Company.
• The Sculptors are Arun Yogiraaj (Mysore), Ganesh Bhatt and Satyanarayan Pandey.
• Chandrakant Sompura, and his two sons – Nikhil Sompura and Ashish Sompura are the Chief Architects.
• IIT Guwahati, IIT Chennai, IIT Bombay, NIT Surat, Central Building Research Institute Roorkee, National Geo Research Institute Hyderabad, and the National Institute of Rock Mechanics are the design advisors.
• The construction of the Ram Mandir is being supervised by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.
  • The trust was set up in 2020 after the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case. It is composed of 15 trustees.

Architecture:-

• It is designed in the Nagara Style.
• Gurjara Chalukya architecture is classified as part of the Nagara style of temple architecture.
• The temple will consist of five mandapas in the middle of the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) and on the entryway.
• Ram Lalla Virajman, the infant form of Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is the presiding deity of the temple.
• The temple will have idols each including the incarnations of Shiva, the 10 Dashavataras, the 64 Chausath Yoginis, and the 12 incarnations of the goddess Saraswati.
• The main structure of the temple will be built on a raised platform and will have three storeys.
• The use of Steel or Iron has been completely avoided in the construction of Ram Mandir. Instead, traditional construction materials have been used in its construction to reflect an alignment with traditional building practices

Source: PIB

Batadrava Than: Understanding the Significance and Controversies

Subject: Art and Culture

Why in News?

A politician was recently denied entry to Assam’s Batadrava Than for his political campaigning.

About Batadrava Than

• Location: Situated in Nagaon district, Batadrava Than, also known as Bordowa Than, holds deep significance for Assamese Vaishnavites.
• Birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva: It stands at the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva (1449-1568), a revered Vaishnavite reformer-saint.
• Founder of Kirtan Ghar: Sankardeva established the first-ever Kirtan Ghar at Bordowa in 1494 AD, where he practiced and preached the neo Vaishnavite faith.

Sankardeva’s Philosophy

• Ek Saran Naam Dharma: Sankardeva’s philosophy centered on worship through bhakti (devotion) to Lord Krishna, emphasizing the singing and congregational listening of His name and deeds.
• Society Based on Equality: He advocated for a society free from caste distinctions, orthodox Brahmanical rituals, and sacrifices, promoting equality and fraternity.
• Devotion over Idol Worship: Sankardeva’s teachings favored prayer and chanting (naam) over idol worship.
• Four Components of Dharma: His dharma was founded on four components: deva (god), naam (prayers), bhakats (devotees), and guru (teacher).

Legacy of Sankardeva’s Movement

• Monastic Institutions: Sankardeva’s Neo-Vaishnavite reformist movement led to the establishment of monastic institutions known as Thans/Sattras across Assam.
• Religious, Social, and Cultural Reforms: These Thans/Sattras became centers for religious, social, and cultural reforms in the 16th century.
• “Worship Through Art” Approach: Today, the Sattras propagate Sankardeva’s unique approach of “worship through art” with music (borgeet), dance (xattriya), and theater (bhauna).
• Nucleus of Naamghar: Each Sattra has a naamghar (worship hall) as its nucleus and is led by an influential “Sattradhikar.”

Political Significance and Controversies

• Assamese Identity: Thans/Sattras are integral to Assamese identity, and Batadrava Than is frequently visited by politicians.
• Electoral Issue: The government has highlighted “land grabbing around Sattras by illegal settlers” as an electoral issue.
• Proposed Land Law: The CM has announced plans for a law preventing “non-indigenous people” from buying land within an eight-kilometer radius of Batadrava Than.
• Beautification Project: Home Minister Amit Shah launched a Rs 188 crore beautification project at Batadrava Than in 2021.

Source: Indian Express

GS-III

Oil Prices and India

Subject: Indian Economy

Why in News?

Recently, Oil Prices dropped by 0.93% Amid Geopolitical Tensions in West Asia.

Background:-

• In intra-day trade, Brent crude was trading 0.93 per cent lower at 77 dollars and 56 cents per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was also trading three per cent lower at 71 dollars and 91 cents per barrel when reports last came in.

About Oil Prices and India:-

• India is the third-largest oil consumer and imports more than 80% of its total crude oil
• India imports roughly 70% of its crude from the OPEC members.
• On a decadal comparison, the imports have reduced drastically from 87% to 70% in 2021-22. However, OPEC still accounts for the majority of India’s oil imports.
• OPEC is a permanent, intergovernmental organization, which aims to manage the supply of oil in an effort to set the price of oil in the world market.

Factors that affect Oil Prices:-

• Supply and Consumption.
• Government regulation.
• Geo-Politics
• Financial Markets.

Impacts of Oil Prices drop on India:-

• Decreased Imported Inflation. 
• Higher Economic Growth.
• Lower Fiscal Deficit.
• Lower External Vulnerability

Source: AIR

Sanatan Khadi Vastra

Subject: Economy

Why in News?

Recently, Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) launched a new range of ‘Sanatan Khadi Vastra’.

Background:-

• KVIC Chairman Manoj Kumar launched Sanatan Vastra made from Khadi clothes at the flagship Khadi Bhawan in Connaught Place in Delhi.

About Sanatan Khadi Vastra:-

• By: Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
• The design of Sanatan clothing has been prepared at the Khadi Centre of Excellence located at NIFT.
• The creation of Khadi involves no mechanical or chemical processes, distinguishing Sanatan textiles for adhering to traditional Indian methods.
• To celebrate the launch, KVIC offered a special 20% discount on ‘Sanatan Vastra’ and 10% to 60% on other Khadi and village industry products from January 17 to 25, 2024.

Significance:-

• ‘Sanatan Vastra’ embodies a fusion of India’s rich heritage and contemporary fashion trends.
• It holds a broader significance in enhancing the livelihoods of countless rural artisans.
• This initiative contributes significantly to the economic empowerment of these communities.

 Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)

• Establishment:
• Ministry:Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• It is a statutory bodyestablished under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, of 1956.
• Objectives of KVIC:-
  • To boost employment in the country.
  • To promote the promotion and sale of Khadi articles.
  • To cater to the self-reliance doctrine of the country by empowering underprivileged and rural sections of society.
• Function: The KVIC is charged with the planning, promotion, organization and implementation of programmes for the development of Khadi and other village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.

Source: AIR

SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)

Subject: Science and Technology

Why in News?

 Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully landed on the moon recently.

Background:-

• SLIM landed on the moon surface on January 20, 2024, at 0:20 am (JST).
• Communication with spacecraft has been established after the landing.

About SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon):-

• Launch Date: September 7, 2023
• Launch Location: Yoshinobu Launch Complex at the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center.
• Launch Vehicle: H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 47.
• Agency: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
• SLIM is Japan’s first lunar surface mission. 
• The SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon) project is a mission for researching the pinpoint landing technology necessary for future lunar probes and verifying this on the surface of the moon with a small-scale probe.
• SLIM is lighter because it carries much less fuel.
• It utilized earth gravity to build kinetic energy, eventually aligning its trajectory with the moon for a slower approach and capture.
• Once it gets close to the moon, it will get deflected into the deeper space by the combined forces of Earth and Moon.
• This larger, more loopy path was designed to bring it back near the moon after it had slowed down further, allowing it to get captured by the Moon’s orbit.
• Upon soft landing, SLIM will deploy two small rovers called Lunar Excursion Vehicle (LEV) 1 and 2.
• They will study the lunar surface near the landing point, collect temperature and radiation readings, and attempt to study the moon’s mantle.

Source: The Hindu

Andrographis theniensis

Subject: Environment and Ecology

Why in News?

A new plant species has been discovered in Theni district of Tamil Nadu in the Western Ghats by a research student from Wanaparthy.

About Andrographis theniensis:

• It is a plant, which was named ‘Andrographis theniensis’ after the location (Theni).
• The new plant resembles Andrographis megamalayana.
• It has glabrous leaves and stems, a nine-veined lower lip, pale yellowish sparse hair on the middle lobe of the lower lip and yellow anther.
• Andrographis is a tropical Asian genus native to Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the West Himalaya.
• However, a majority of Andrographis taxa are distributed in southern India and Sri Lanka, particularly in Western and Eastern Ghats.
• There are nearly 25 Andrographis species in India.
• Uses: This genus is traditionally used to treat various ailments such as cold, cough, fever, jaundice, diarrhoea, cardiovascular and hepatic diseases in both codified and non-codified medicinal systems.

Source: Times of India

Exercise Cyclone

Subject: Defense and Security

Why in News?

The Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel reached Egypt to take part in the India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE.

About Exercise Cyclone:

• It is the 2nd edition of the Exercise Cyclone which will be conducted at Anshas, Egypt from 22nd January to 1st February 2024. 
• The first edition of the exercise was conducted last year in India.
• The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Egyptian contingent comprising 25 personnel is being represented by Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon.
• Aim of the Exercise is to acquaint both the sides with each other’s operating procedures in the backdrop of Special Operations in desert/ semi desert terrain under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter. 
• Exercise CYCLONE is designed to develop bilateral military cooperation and strengthen bond between two armies through conduct of discussions and rehearsal of tactical military drills.
• It will involve planning and execution of special operations in sub conventional domain and conducted in three phases.
• While the first phase will include Military Exhibitions and Tactical Interactions, second phase will focus on training on Improvised Explosive Device (IED), counter IED and Combat First Aid. The third and final phase will encompass Joint Tactical Exercise based on Fighting in Built-up Area and Hostage Rescue Scenarios.
• The Exercise will provide an opportunity to both the contingents to strengthen their bond and share best practices.
• It will also act as a platform to achieve shared security objectives and foster bilateral relations between two friendly nations.

Source: PIB

Cannabis and Antibiotic Resistance: A Promising Solution

Subject: Science and Technology

Why in News?

To combat the menace of growing antibiotic resistance, scientists at CSIR-Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, have made a groundbreaking discovery.

• They found that phytocannabinoids, compounds found in the cannabis plant, possess previously untapped antibiotic properties.

Understanding India’s AMR Challenge

• Escalating AMR Threat: AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antibiotics, leading to increased disease risk and treatment complications.
• Alarming Statistics: In 2019, India reported 2.97 lakh deaths attributed to AMR and 10.42 lakh linked to AMR-related factors.
• Contributing Factors: Overuse of antibiotics, misuse in animal husbandry, and inadequate waste disposal practices are exacerbating AMR, potentially making India the “AMR capital of the world.”

Cannabis Unveils Antibiotic Potential

• Phytocannabinoid Research: IIIM researchers explored the antibiotic properties of tetrahydrocannabidiol (THCBD), a semisynthetic phytocannabinoid derived from cannabis.
• Fighting MRSA: THCBD exhibited remarkable efficacy against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a highly resistant strain of bacteria responsible for numerous deaths worldwide.
• Synergy with Existing Antibiotics: THCBD complemented or showed indifference to common antibiotics like mupirocin, penicillin G, and ciprofloxacin, suggesting potential combinatory treatments.

Overcoming Cannabis Research Challenges

• Legal Constraints: Cannabis research faces legal constraints due to its intoxicating properties, making collaboration with other institutes challenging.
• Policy Advocacy: The research project aims to advocate for a unified national policy for cannabis research, highlighting its antibacterial potential and transforming it into a valuable resource.

Future Prospects for THCBD

• Collaborative Efforts: IIIM researchers seek collaborations to expedite their progress in developing THCBD as a potential drug.
• Addressing Solubility Challenge: Ensuring THCBD’s solubility is a critical step. The molecule leans slightly towards lipophilicity, requiring optimization for proper absorption in biological systems.
• Healthcare Impact: This research not only promises significant contributions to the healthcare system but also offers economic benefits by establishing related industries and creating sustainable job opportunities.

Source: The Hindu