Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 06 December 2024 | Download PDF

• Despite China’s increasing involvement in financing and infrastructure development, India continues to hold a significant position as one of Nigeria’s key partners in West Africa.

Key Points:

Strategic objectives of India in West Africa:

• • Strengthening Bilateral Relations: India aims to enhance its strategic partnership with Nigeria, which is pivotal as Nigeria is both the largest economy and democracy in Africa. This partnership is expected to extend beyond Nigeria, influencing broader regional dynamics in West Africa.
  • Focus on Security Cooperation: Given the challenges of terrorism, piracy, and drug trafficking in Nigeria, India seeks to bolster security cooperation. This includes defence collaboration and joint efforts in counterterrorism operations against groups like Boko Haram.
  • Development Partnerships: India positions itself as a development partner by providing concessional loans and capacity-building programs, demonstrating a commitment to supporting Nigeria’s socio-economic growth.
  • Promotion of Global South Aspirations: Both India and Nigeria share common goals as leaders of the Global South, aiming to amplify their voices in international forums like the UN Security Council.
• Economic and Strategic Partnership:
• Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and democracy, critical for West Africa and African Union engagements.

• • Stronger ties bring economic and geopolitical advantages for India.

About Nigeria:

• It is a country located on the western coast of Africa. It is often called the “Giant of Africa.” 
• Boundaries: It is bordered to the north by Niger, to the east by Chad and Cameroon, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Benin. 
• It achieved independence from Britain in 1960. 
• It is also Africa’s most populous country.
• Capital: Abuja
• Language: English is Nigeria’s official language, although many local languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ijaw are also spoken.

• The Parliament passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak Bill, 2024, which is expected to provide some relief to aviation personnel in their licensing processes.
• The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on Thursday. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on July 31, and was passed by the Lower House on August 9.

Key Points:

• The proposed legislation will bring the Radio Telephone Operator Restricted (RTR) Certificate and Licence testing process from the Department of Telecom (DoT) to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
• This would ease the process for pilots as they can secure all their certificates from one authority.
• Empower the Central Government –
  • To make rules to implement the Convention relating to international civil aviation and other matters relating to civil aviation security.
  • To issue orders in emergencies in the interest of public safety or tranquility.
  • Provide for payment of compensation for loss or damage in such manner as provided under the Act.
  • Provide for appeals against matters relating to compensation, licenses, certificates, or approvals, and adjudication of penalties.
  • Provide for imprisonment, fines, or penalties for contravention of the provisions of the Act or the rules made thereunder.

• Justice Manmohan was sworn in as a Supreme Court Judge, with Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna administering the oath in the Chief Justice’s courtroom.

Key Points:

• The Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President under clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution.
• The President consults with judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts to make informed appointments.
• The Collegium system is a system for the appointment and transfer of judges in the Supreme Court and High Court.
• It is not rooted in the Constitution. Instead, it has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court.
• Under the system, the Chief Justice of India (CJI), along with four senior-most Supreme Court judges, recommends the appointment and transfer of judges.
• A High Court Collegium, meanwhile, is led by the incumbent Chief Justice and the two senior most judges of that court.
• The government can also raise objections and seek clarifications regarding the Collegium’s choices, but if the Collegium reiterates the same names, the government is bound to appoint them to the post.

• The Prime Minister extended his congratulations to the people of Nagaland on the 25th anniversary of the Hornbill Festival.

Key Points:

• • The first festival was held in 2000. 
  • Venue: It is held at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama which is about 12 km from Kohima in Nagaland.
  • Organizers:It is organized by the State Tourism and Art & Culture Departments of the Government of Nagaland.
  • Objective:To encourage inter-tribal interaction and to promote cultural heritage of Nagaland.
• Key highlights of festival:

• • • Festival highlights include the traditional Naga Morungs exhibition and the sale of arts and crafts, food stalls, song and dance shows, indigenous games etc.
    • One of the major highlights of this festival is the Hornbill International Rock Festival where local and international rock bands perform.
• Nomenclature:

• • • The festival is named after the bird “Indian hornbill”, which is displayed in the folklore of most of the state’s tribes.
    • There are 9 hornbill species in India of which Great Hornbill is the most famous.
    • It is also called the ‘Festival of Festivals’.
• Conservation:

• • IUCN Status: Near Threatened.
  • It is listed in Appendix I of CITES.

• • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided by a majority of 4:2 to keep the policy repo rate unchanged at 6.50% for the eleventh consecutive time.
• Impact on Other Rates:

• • The Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate remains at 6.25%.
  • The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and Bank Rate remain at 6.75%.
  • The RBI has slashed the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) by 50 basis points to 4%.

Key Points:

• • Monetary policy is the macroeconomic policy laid down by the central bank, involving management of money supply and interest rate.
  • It is the demand side economic policy used to achieve macroeconomic objectives like inflation, consumption, growth and liquidity.
• Instruments of Monetary Policy:

• • Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF): It allows banks to borrow money through repurchase agreements (repos) or to make loans to the RBI through reverse repo agreements.
  • Repo Rate: The repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends money to banks to meet their short-term funding needs.
  • Reverse Repo Rate: The interest rate at which the Reserve Bank absorbs liquidity from banks against the collateral of eligible government securities under the LAF.
  • Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): It is the minimum percentage of deposits that a commercial bank has to maintain in the form of liquid cash, gold or other securities.
  • Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) Rate: It is the penal rate at which banks can borrow, on an overnight basis, from the RBI by dipping into their SLR portfolio.
  • Bank Rate: The Bank Rate acts as the penal rate charged on banks for shortfalls in meeting their reserve requirements (cash reserve ratio and statutory liquidity ratio).
  • Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): CRR is a percentage of total deposits that the banks have to maintain as liquid cash with the RBI.
  • Open Market Operations (OMOs): These include outright purchase/sale of government securities by the RBI for injection/absorption of durable liquidity in the banking system.

• Odisha will be honoured in seven categories at the National Panchayat Awards 2024, presented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India.

Key Points:

• Under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar, Ganjam district’s Keluapalli and Sahapur will receive the Sustha Panchayat Puraskar and Swabalambi Bhitibhumi Panchayat Puraskar, respectively. 
• Additionally, Ganjam’s Chhatrapur Panchayat Samiti will be awarded the Shrestha Block Panchayat Puraskar, and the Koraput Zilla Parishad will be honoured as the Shrestha Zila Panchayat under the Nanaji Deshmukh Sarvottam Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar category.
• In Sundargarh district, Kasir Gram Panchayat will be awarded the Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar, while Kenjrikela Gram Panchayat will be honoured with the Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar.
• Moreover, Odisha’s Rajya Gramya Unnayan & Panchayatiraj Pratisthan has been selected for the Panchayat Kshamta Nirmaan Sarvottam Sansthan Puraskar for its outstanding work in capacity building and training of Panchayati Raj Institutions across the state.

• Raimati Ghiuria, a renowned social worker and millet promoter from Odisha, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the President of India. 
• This prestigious honor recognizes her tireless efforts in promoting millets and sustainable agriculture.

Key Points:

• Ghiuria has been instrumental in reviving traditional millet cultivation practices and encouraging farmers to adopt climate-resilient farming techniques. 
• Her work has not only benefited local communities but has also contributed to global food security and sustainable agriculture

About:

• India has been the largest producer of millets in the world
• It has 19 percent of the global area under millet cultivation 
• India produces 11 out of 18 millets cultivated in 131 countries around the world. 
• Millets could help prevent heart ailments, colon cancer, and type-2 diabetes
• It could also aid in weight loss
• Millets are gluten-free food which is good for pregnant and lactating mothers and prevents malnutrition in children.

• The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) has taken a significant step towards promoting inclusivity by translating the Indian Sign Language (ISL) dictionary into 10 additional regional languages, including Odia. 
• This initiative aims to make sign language accessible to a wider audience, particularly those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

About:

• Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) is an autonomous organization established under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, (Registration Number S/1440/2016), under the aegis of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, New Delhi. 
• It was established on 28th September 2015.
• It plays a vital role:
  • Research
  • Training
  • Curriculum Development
  • Resource Development
  • Advocacy

• Dr. Surendra Nath Senapati has been elected as the President of the Asian Rural Organization (AROI).
• She is the Professor and Head of the Radiation Oncology Department at Acharya Harihar Post Graduate Institute of Cancer, Cuttack

About:

• The Asian Rural Organization (AROI) is a regional intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting rural development in Asia and the Pacific. 
• It was established to address the challenges faced by rural communities in the region, such as poverty, food insecurity, and environmental degradation.

Key objectives of AROI:

• Promoting rural development
• Capacity building
• Knowledge sharing
• Policy advocacy

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