Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 17 May 2024 | Download PDF

• The Supreme Court has taken a significant step to protect private property from arbitrary state takeover for a “public purpose”.
• It held that compulsory acquisition without following mandatory procedures and without a grant of compensation to the owners will not make the accession constitutional.

Key points:

• The right to property is protected as a constitutional right and has even been interpreted to be a human right.
• This declaration was made by a Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Aravind Kumar in a judgment.

About Right to property:

• Originally, the Right to Property was a fundamental right under Article 31 of the Indian Constitution.
• It guaranteed citizens the right to acquire, hold, and dispose of property.
• The 44th Amendment Act of 1978 removed the Right to Property from the list of fundamental rights (Article 19).
• It was moved to Article 300A as a constitutional/legal right.
  • It states that “No person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law.”
• This amendment was made to ensure that the government could implement land reform policies and redistribute land to the landless without facing legal hurdles.

• According to the Global Report on Internal Displacement 2024 (GRID-2024), the number of internally displaced people globally increased to 75.9 million in 2023.
• The report was released by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

About Global Report on Internal Displacement 2024

• The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), based in Geneva, publishes an annual report.
• This report records internal displacements worldwide.
• The causes of these displacements include conflict, violence, and disasters.

• Recently, archeologists have discovered evidence of a lost landscape, known as Sahul in ancient times.
• Sahul played a significant role in helping humans travel across continents.

About Sahul:

• Sahul can be termed as a supercontinent that was exposed on the Earth’s surface during the last ice age.
• The ice age led to glaciation of water levels on the planet, exposing parts of land like Sahul.
• Present region of Australia to Papua New Guinea in the north and Tasmania in the south is connected to Sahul.
• It helped humans in ancient times to cross continents from Asia to Australia almost 7,000 decades ago.

• Insurance companies have issued approximately 700 insurance surety bonds.
• This action was taken after the Centre equated these instruments with bank guarantees for all government procurements.

About Insurance Surety Bonds:

• An insurance surety bond is a financial instrument.
• In this arrangement, insurance companies act as the ‘Surety’.
• The Surety provides a financial guarantee that the contractor (or principal) will fulfill its obligations as per the agreed terms.
• This setup is a risk transfer mechanism.
• If the principal fails to fulfill his promise, the insurer pays a monetary compensation to the obligee.

• Kanwar Lake was once a paradise for migratory birds, and is currently struggling for its survival.

About Kanwar Lake:

• Kanwar Lake, also known as Kabartal Jheel, is Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake.
• It is located in northern Bihar, covering the majority of the Indo-Gangetic plains.
• The lake is a residual oxbow lake, formed due to the meandering of the Gandak river, a tributary of the Ganga.
• It is a rainfed lake and an important stopover along the Central Asian Flyway.
• The wetland is used by 58 migratory waterbirds to rest and refuel.
• Five critically endangered species inhabit the site. These include three vultures – the red-headed vulture, white-rumped vulture, and Indian vulture – and two waterbirds, the sociable lapwing and Baer’s pochard.
• Major threats to the site include water management activities such as drainage, water abstraction, damming, and canalization. 

• Directorate of Horticulture partners with APEDA to enhance market linkage for farmer producer organisations (FPOs) in Odisha and access global markets.

Key points:

• This collaboration, supported by Palladium as the technical support unit, aims to integrate Odisha’s premium mangoes and fresh vegetables into global markets.
• The first commercial shipment of fresh produce from Odisha was sent via Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) on May 15.
• Approximately 0.75 tonnes of fresh produce were exported to Dubai, resulting in a 20 to 30 per cent increase in price realization for the farmers.

APEDA:

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is a statutory body established under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985, by the Government of India.
• It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, with its headquarters located in New Delhi.

• A study indicates that coral reefs are facing extinction due to shifting ocean currents and rising temperatures.

Key findings:

• The warming of ocean currents has led to severe coral bleaching, particularly in areas like the Caribbean, Mexico, Fiji, Central America, and Eastern New Guinea. 
• This bleaching is linked to high sea surface temperatures. 
• The study highlights the role of ocean currents in heat distribution globally, with warm currents carrying heat from the tropics to the poles and cold currents bringing cooler water towards the equator. 
• The Northern Hemisphere experienced the worst coral bleaching in 2023, and similar trends are being observed in the Southern Hemisphere in 2024.

Do you know?

• • Odisha has deployed artificial reefs to enhance fish production, biodiversity, and restore degraded marine ecosystems. 
  • These reefs also aid in carbon dioxide sequestration and provide wave action protection to the coastline.
  • The reefs also help restore degraded marine ecosystems and provide wave action protection to the coastline.
  • Odisha’s 480km coastline is a potential site for artificial reef deployment, which can provide habitat to marine species and protect the coast against cyclonic storms.
• Artificial reefs also promote carbon dioxide sequestration and enhance fisheries production, creating more jobs for coastal communities.

• Seaweeds, grown as part of underwater forests in the Bay of Bengal, can sequester 4-5 times more carbon dioxide than land plants, aiding in climate change mitigation.

• The Odisha government is gearing up to present its demands to the 16th Finance Commission, led by Arvind Panagariya, to address tax devolution issues and boost local body resources.

Key points:

• All departments have been directed to identify areas requiring intervention and submit proposals by May 20 for sector-specific grants for 2025–30.
• Odisha’s proposals are expected to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore, surpassing the Rs 83,820 crore demand made to the 15th Finance Commission.
• Previous demands included funds for piped water supply, flood management, and cyclone-resilient infrastructure, among others.
• The 15th Finance Commission had recommended grants for various sectors, including health, agriculture, and education, based on state requests.
• The Centre has granted the 16th Finance Commission flexibility in defining its scope and approach, seeking public opinion before setting terms of reference.

16th Finance Commission:

• The Sixteenth Finance Commission was constituted on 31.12.2023 with Shri Arvind Panagariya, former Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog as its Chairman.
• The Sixteenth Finance Commission has been requested to make its recommendations available by October, 31, 2025, covering an award period of 5 years commencing 1st April, 2026.

• Niladri Mahodaya, the foundation day of the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, was celebrated with traditional fervor and adherence to the shrine’s guidelines. 

Key points:

• This day marks the consecration of the Srimandir, as per the ‘Madala panji’, with the installation of idols of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra on the Ratnasimhasan.
• It is one of the 12 important festivals in the temple.

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