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51st Maitiri Diwas’ Marking Recognition of Bangladesh by India Celebrated in Dhaka

 

Why In  News

 

The 51st  anniversary of ‘Maitri Diwas’ marking the recognition granted to Bangladesh by India in 1971 was celebrated in Dhaka on 6th December.


Key Points


Liberation war fighters, Parliamentarians, members from civil society, media, dignitaries,  and other prominent people took part in the event organised by the High Commission of India in Dhaka. Minister for Liberation War Affairs of Bangladesh A.K.M Mozammel Haque  was the Chief Guest on the occasion.

Minister Mozammel Haque thanked India for its support extended to the people of Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971. He said that the support of India to the liberation war fighters of Bangladesh and providing shelter to close to 10 million refugees is gratefully acknowledged by the country. He said, without India’s active support the war of liberation could not have been won in just about 9 months.

High Commissioner Pranya Verma said that the decision to observe December 6 as ‘Maitri Diwas’ was taken  by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the state visit of Prime Minister Modi to Bangladesh in March 2021. He said that the day gives an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past 51 years of India- Bangladesh partnership and the promise for the future.


The Indo-Bangla Relation :


High Commissioner Verma described India-Bangladesh friendship as rooted in the shared sacrifices of 1971 and fostered by strong ties of history, language and culture. He reiterated that India accords the highest priority to its relationship with Bangladesh, and will always stand ready to walk together with the people of Bangladesh on the road to greater prosperity and success.

Bangladesh which was known as East Pakistan was liberated on 16 December when the Pakistani forces led by Lt.Gen Niazi surrendered to a combined force of the Indian Army led by Lt. General Jagjit Singh Arora and Mukti Bahini  (Bangladeshi freedom fighters). As many as 93,000 Pakistani troops laid down their arms on 16-17 December 1971 in Bangladesh. It was the largest surrender in war after the Second World War.

Out of 110 nations, India tops the global minority index

A Patna-based research institute, the Centre for Policy Analysis (CPA) has put India on top of the ‘global minority index’ in its Global Minority Report tabulating 110 countries.

Key Findings of the Report:

  • India remains on top of the index, followed by South Korea, Japan, Panama, and the US.
  • Maldives, Afghanistan, and Somalia figured at the bottom of the list.
  • The UK is ranked 54, and the UAE 61.
  • The ranking approach has been mathematical and the grading of countries was done based on the approach of the State towards minority religions, and the extent of their inclusiveness.
  • This report only takes into account ‘macro parameters’ to analyse the status of religious minorities in a country, and the approach of a state towards them.
  • The parameters that have been taken into account to assess the status of religious minorities include;
  • Constitutional provisions,
  • Policies of a government, and
  • Broader indicators, such as the laws of the land.
Minority community in India:

In 1993, the first Statutory National Commission was set up and five religious communities Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
In 2014, Jains were also notified as a minority community.
The population of Muslims is 14.2%; Christians 2.3%; Sikhs 1.7%, Buddhists 0.7%, Jain 0.4%, and Parsis 0.006%.
As per the Census 2011, the percentage of minorities in the country is about 3% of the total population of the country.









RBI Allows Blocking of Funds for Multiple Auto-debits in UPI

National News

 

 

RBI Allows Blocking of Funds for Multiple Auto-debits in UPI

 

Why In News

 

 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) enhanced the capabilities of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) by introducing a ‘single-block-and-multiple debits’ functionality, which allows a customer to enable a payment mandate against a merchant by blocking funds for specific purposes in his/her bank account which can be debited, whenever needed.

Key Points


The single-block-and-multiple debits feature is expected to have multiple use cases in various segments, such as e-commerce transactions, investment in the secondary market and purchase of government securities using the RBI’s Retail Direct scheme. The RBI will issue instructions to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which runs and manages UPI, on this functionality shortly.

This new functionality will play a key role in building the framework for blocking money for secondary market trades, a mechanism called Application Supported by Blocked Amount (ASBA), which the capital market regulator is planning to implement.
With the single-block-and-multiple debits capability, a customer will be able to block an amount for a specific merchant, who can keep debiting from the same blocked amount until it gets exhausted.

The RBI said the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) will now include a wider variety of recurring and non-recurring payments. According to the RBI, this feature will build a higher degree of trust in transactions as merchants will be assured of timely payments, while the funds remain in the customer’s account until delivery of goods or services.

“When it comes to e-commerce, there is a prepaid model and there is a postpaid model, which is cash on delivery. Now, with this feature on UPI, another mode of payment has been introduced. A customer can give a mandate to an e-commerce merchant whereby a certain amount will be blocked for buying goods and once the goods get delivered, the money will be debited,” a source aware of the development said.

Scientist K.V. Suresh Kumar appointed as Chairman & MD of BHAVINI

Scientist K.V. Suresh Kumar appointed as Chairman & MD of BHAVINI

 

Why In News

 

Distinguished Scientist of Department of Atomic Energy, K.V. Suresh Kumar has assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of BharatiyaNabhikiyaVidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI).

Key Points


Distinguished Scientist of Department of Atomic Energy, K.V. Suresh Kumar has assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director of BharatiyaNabhikiyaVidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) on 2nd December 2022 at Kalpakkam. His tenure will be for three years. Suresh Kumar is a graduate in Chemical Engineering and joined Department of Atomic Energy at BARC Training School in Mumbai (29th batch) in1985.

 Basic Points about the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI):

The Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) is a wholly owned Enterprise of Government of India.

Under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy incorporated on 22 October 2003 as Public Limited Company under the companies act, 1956.

With the objective of constructing and commissioning the first 500 MWe Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu and to pursue construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of subsequent Fast Breeder Reactors for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of Government of India under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.

BHAVINI is currently constructing a 500MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, 70 km from Chennai.

Once the first fast breeder reactor, called Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor goes into commercial power production, BHAVINI will be the second power utility in India after Nuclear Power Corporation of India, to use nuclear fuel sources to generate power.

India’s Coal Production Increased By 11.66 % in November

India’s Coal Production Increased By 11.66 % in November

Why In News


 India’s total coal production went up by 11.66 per cent to 75.87 million tonnes in November 2022 from 67.94 million tonnes recorded during the corresponding period of last year.

Key Points

 

According to the coal ministry data, in November 2022, Coal India Ltd (CIL) registered a growth of 12.82 per cent, whereas Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) and other captive mines registered a growth of 7.84 per cent and 6.87 per cent respectively.

Production: Out of the top 37 mines in coal production as many as 24 mines produced more than 100 per cent and production of five mines stood between 80 and 100 per cent in terms of output. The power utilities dispatch also increased by 3.55 per cent to 62.34 million tonnes during November as compared to 60.20 million tonnes in the corresponding period of last year.

Power Generation:Coal-based power generation also registered a growth of 16.28 per cent in November as compared to last year, while overall power generation in November was 14.63 per cent higher than the power generated in November 2021.

Target:Union Minister of State for Coal Raosaheb Danve Patil said that India is planning to increase its annual coal production to 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030 to meet its increasing fuel demand.

“Our total dispatch in 2013-14 was 572 million tons, last year it was 817 million tonnes, this year it will be 900 million tonnes. Despite this, domestic production will not be able to fulfil full coal demand,” the minister said.

As the country is aiming to become self-reliant in the coal sector, deliberations are in progress on how the country can perform sustainable coal mining, said the Coal Minister.