A New Era in Solar Energy: Advancements Through the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
🔹 Global Initiative: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was established in 2015 by India and France during the COP21 summit in Paris to advocate for solar energy as a sustainable solution for energy access and combating climate change.
🔹 First of Its Kind: Headquartered in India, the ISA is the first international organization set up in the country, symbolizing India’s dedication to multilateral partnerships and striving for a carbon-neutral world.
🔹 Widespread Membership: With 120 member and signatory countries, the ISA is instrumental in promoting global cooperation on solar energy, boosting energy security, and facilitating the transition to sustainable and clean energy systems.
🔹 Global Initiative: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was established in 2015 by India and France during the COP21 summit in Paris to advocate for solar energy as a sustainable solution for energy access and combating climate change.
🔹 First of Its Kind: Headquartered in India, the ISA is the first international organization set up in the country, symbolizing India’s dedication to multilateral partnerships and striving for a carbon-neutral world.
🔹 Widespread Membership: With 120 member and signatory countries, the ISA is instrumental in promoting global cooperation on solar energy, boosting energy security, and facilitating the transition to sustainable and clean energy systems.
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Org's And their HQs
• UN-New York
• UNICEF-New York
• UNDP-New York
• WHO-Geneva
• WTO -Geneva
• ILO-Geneva
• UNESCO-Paris
• BRICS-Shanghai
• ADB-Manila
• ASEAN-Jakarta
• NATO-Brussels
• CHOGM-Londan
• OPEC-Vienna
• FAO-Rome
• IMF-Washington
• UNEP-Nairobi
• ICJ-The Hague
• UN-New York
• UNICEF-New York
• UNDP-New York
• WHO-Geneva
• WTO -Geneva
• ILO-Geneva
• UNESCO-Paris
• BRICS-Shanghai
• ADB-Manila
• ASEAN-Jakarta
• NATO-Brussels
• CHOGM-Londan
• OPEC-Vienna
• FAO-Rome
• IMF-Washington
• UNEP-Nairobi
• ICJ-The Hague
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🔆PANCHAYATI RAJ Introduction
✅Term Panchayati Raj – rural local self-governance
✅ Constitutionalised through 73rd CAA,
▪️ 1992 Evolution of Panchayati Raj
1. Balwant Raj Mehta Committee
✅Recommended scheme for democratic decentralisation
✅Rajasthan was the first state to establish Panchayati Raj – 1959.
✅ Followed by Andhra Pradesh-1959
2. Ashok Mehta Committee
✅ Recommended 132 changes to revive the declining PR system
✅Three tier system of PR – replaced by two tier system – Zila Parishad at district and Mandal Panchayat below it.
✅ District should be first point for decentralisation.
✅PR institutions have compulsory powers of taxation and managing on finances
✅Nyaya panchayats are to be kept separate bodies – preside over by qualified judge.
✅ Minister for PR to be appointed and state answer of ministers.
✅Seats for SC/ST reserved on the basis of population
✅ Could not be implemented due to the collapse of Janata government.
3. GVK Rao Committee
4. L M Singhvi Committee
5. Thungon Committee
6. Gadgil Committee
✅Constituted in 1988 – “how best PR institutions could be made effective”
✅Constitutional status bestowed on PR.
✅Three tier system – Village, block and district levels.
✅Fixed term of five years for members – elected directly – reservation for SC/ST/woman
✅ The state finance commission, State election commission for management
▪️73rd CAA 1992
✅ Part 9 to the Constitution – the Panchayats – Article 243 to 243 O
✅ Landmark in evolution of grassroot democracy.
✅ Salient Features:
a. Gram Sabha
b. Three tier system
c. Election of members and chairperson
d. Version of seats.
e. Duration of Panchayat fixed.
f. Disqualification prescribed.
g. State election commission.
h. Finance commission - audits and accounts.
▪️PESA Act, 1996 Provisions of the Panchayats (extensions to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 - Objectives:
✅ Extend provisions of Part 9 to scheduled areas with certain modifications.
✅ Self-rule for the bulk of tribal population.
✅ Safeguard and preserve traditions and customs of tribal communities.
✅ Empower panchayats for tribal requirement
✅ Provide village governance with participated democracy
Reasons for ineffective performance
1. Of adequate devolution.
2. Excessive control of bureaucracy.
3. Tied nature of funds.
4. Overwhelming dependence on government funding.
5. Status of gram Sabha.
6. Creation of parallel bodies.
7. Poor infrastructure
✅Term Panchayati Raj – rural local self-governance
✅ Constitutionalised through 73rd CAA,
▪️ 1992 Evolution of Panchayati Raj
1. Balwant Raj Mehta Committee
✅Recommended scheme for democratic decentralisation
✅Rajasthan was the first state to establish Panchayati Raj – 1959.
✅ Followed by Andhra Pradesh-1959
2. Ashok Mehta Committee
✅ Recommended 132 changes to revive the declining PR system
✅Three tier system of PR – replaced by two tier system – Zila Parishad at district and Mandal Panchayat below it.
✅ District should be first point for decentralisation.
✅PR institutions have compulsory powers of taxation and managing on finances
✅Nyaya panchayats are to be kept separate bodies – preside over by qualified judge.
✅ Minister for PR to be appointed and state answer of ministers.
✅Seats for SC/ST reserved on the basis of population
✅ Could not be implemented due to the collapse of Janata government.
3. GVK Rao Committee
4. L M Singhvi Committee
5. Thungon Committee
6. Gadgil Committee
✅Constituted in 1988 – “how best PR institutions could be made effective”
✅Constitutional status bestowed on PR.
✅Three tier system – Village, block and district levels.
✅Fixed term of five years for members – elected directly – reservation for SC/ST/woman
✅ The state finance commission, State election commission for management
▪️73rd CAA 1992
✅ Part 9 to the Constitution – the Panchayats – Article 243 to 243 O
✅ Landmark in evolution of grassroot democracy.
✅ Salient Features:
a. Gram Sabha
b. Three tier system
c. Election of members and chairperson
d. Version of seats.
e. Duration of Panchayat fixed.
f. Disqualification prescribed.
g. State election commission.
h. Finance commission - audits and accounts.
▪️PESA Act, 1996 Provisions of the Panchayats (extensions to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 - Objectives:
✅ Extend provisions of Part 9 to scheduled areas with certain modifications.
✅ Self-rule for the bulk of tribal population.
✅ Safeguard and preserve traditions and customs of tribal communities.
✅ Empower panchayats for tribal requirement
✅ Provide village governance with participated democracy
Reasons for ineffective performance
1. Of adequate devolution.
2. Excessive control of bureaucracy.
3. Tied nature of funds.
4. Overwhelming dependence on government funding.
5. Status of gram Sabha.
6. Creation of parallel bodies.
7. Poor infrastructure
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Longest Road Bridge-:Bhupen Hazarika Setu (Assam)
Largest Animal Fair; Sonpur (Bihar)
Highest Tower ;Fateh Burj
(Punjab)
Highest gravitational dam; Bhakra Dam (Punjab)
Largest Desert ;Thar (Rajasthan)
Largest Cave ;Temple Kalash Temple (Ellora, Maharashtra)
Largest Zoo; Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Chennai)
Largest Masjid; Taj-ul- Masjid (Bhopal) Sonpur
The Highest Peak; Godwin Austin (K - 2)
The Longest Tunnel ;(Road) Chenani - Nashri tunnel (9.28 km) Jammu - Kashmir
Longest Tunnel (Railway) :Pir Panjal (11.215 km) Jammu Kashmir
The Largest Delta Sundarbans Delta (West Bengal)
The Largest State of Forests Madhya Pradesh
The Largest Corridor Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameswaram Tamil Nadu)
Largest Animal Fair; Sonpur (Bihar)
Highest Tower ;Fateh Burj
(Punjab)
Highest gravitational dam; Bhakra Dam (Punjab)
Largest Desert ;Thar (Rajasthan)
Largest Cave ;Temple Kalash Temple (Ellora, Maharashtra)
Largest Zoo; Arignar Anna Zoological Park (Chennai)
Largest Masjid; Taj-ul- Masjid (Bhopal) Sonpur
The Highest Peak; Godwin Austin (K - 2)
The Longest Tunnel ;(Road) Chenani - Nashri tunnel (9.28 km) Jammu - Kashmir
Longest Tunnel (Railway) :Pir Panjal (11.215 km) Jammu Kashmir
The Largest Delta Sundarbans Delta (West Bengal)
The Largest State of Forests Madhya Pradesh
The Largest Corridor Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameswaram Tamil Nadu)
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Seaplane Routes in News
🛩 Prakasam Barrage to Srisailam
The swift 45-minute service will enhance tourism, employment, and improve access to destinations like Srisailam’s ancient Shiva temple, Tiger Reserve, and the iconic dam
🛩 Kochi to Mattupetty Dam (Idukki)
It will reduce the travel time to Munnar and is located near many designated Eco sensitive zones like,
🛩 Anamudi Shola National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park and Kurinjimala Sanctuary
🛩 Kanan Devan Hills Reserve Forest also extends into the area, providing a habitat for endangered wildlife such as wild elephants, a Schedule I protected species under Indian law.
🛩 The project was inaugurated under UDAN Seaplane Component under Ministry of Civil Aviation
🛩 Prakasam Barrage to Srisailam
The swift 45-minute service will enhance tourism, employment, and improve access to destinations like Srisailam’s ancient Shiva temple, Tiger Reserve, and the iconic dam
🛩 Kochi to Mattupetty Dam (Idukki)
It will reduce the travel time to Munnar and is located near many designated Eco sensitive zones like,
🛩 Anamudi Shola National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park and Kurinjimala Sanctuary
🛩 Kanan Devan Hills Reserve Forest also extends into the area, providing a habitat for endangered wildlife such as wild elephants, a Schedule I protected species under Indian law.
🛩 The project was inaugurated under UDAN Seaplane Component under Ministry of Civil Aviation
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ALL NOBEL PRIZES IN 2024
☘️ PHYSICS
- 2024 Laureates: John J Hopfield
- Geoffrey E Hinton
- Awarded for: foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks
☘️ CHEMISTRY
- 2024 Laureates: David Baker (For computational protein design)
- Demis Hassabis & John M Jumper (For protein structure prediction)
☘️ PHYSIOLOGY or MEDICINE
- 2024 Laureates: Victor Ambros & Gary Ruvkun
- Awarded for: for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation
☘️ LITERATURE
- 2024 Laureates: Han Kang (South Korean writer)
- Awarded for: for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life
☘️ NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
- 2024 Laureates: Nihon Hidankyo (Japanese organization)
- Awarded for: for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again
☘️ ECONOMIC SCIENCES
- 2024 Laureates: Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, James A Robinson
- Awarded for: for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity
☘️ PHYSICS
- 2024 Laureates: John J Hopfield
- Geoffrey E Hinton
- Awarded for: foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks
☘️ CHEMISTRY
- 2024 Laureates: David Baker (For computational protein design)
- Demis Hassabis & John M Jumper (For protein structure prediction)
☘️ PHYSIOLOGY or MEDICINE
- 2024 Laureates: Victor Ambros & Gary Ruvkun
- Awarded for: for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation
☘️ LITERATURE
- 2024 Laureates: Han Kang (South Korean writer)
- Awarded for: for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life
☘️ NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
- 2024 Laureates: Nihon Hidankyo (Japanese organization)
- Awarded for: for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again
☘️ ECONOMIC SCIENCES
- 2024 Laureates: Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, James A Robinson
- Awarded for: for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity
👍19❤3🔥2
1. First Buddhist Council (483 BCE, Rajagaha)
- Held shortly after Buddha's death (Mahaparinirvana)
- Convened by King Ajatashatru under Elder Mahakassapa's leadership
- Main purpose: To preserve Buddha's teachings by compiling the Vinaya (monastic rules) and Suttas (discourses)
- Ananda recited Buddha's discourses (Sutta Pitaka)
- Upali recited the monastic rules (Vinaya Pitaka)
2. Second Buddhist Council (383 BCE, Vaishali)
- Held 100 years after the first council
- Main issue: Dispute over monastic rules and practices
- Addressed the "Ten Points" controversy about rules for monks
- Led to the first major split in Buddhist Sangha between:
* Sthaviravada (traditionalists)
* Mahasanghika (progressives)
3. Third Buddhist Council (250 BCE, Pataliputra)
- Convened by Emperor Ashoka
- Presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa
- Purpose: To purify the Sangha and resolve doctrinal disputes
- Resulted in the compilation of Abhidhamma Pitaka
- Led to the dispatch of Buddhist missionaries to different regions
- Established the Kathavatthu (Points of Controversy)
4. Fourth Buddhist Council (72 BCE, Kashmir)
- Conducted under Kushan King Kanishka's patronage
- Presided over by Vasumitra and Ashvaghosa
- Focus: Synthesis of various Buddhist schools
- Led to the rise of Mahayana Buddhism
- Resulted in Sanskrit commentaries on the Tripitaka
- Marked the spread of Buddhism into Central Asia
Key Impacts:
- Helped preserve and systematize Buddhist teachings
- Led to the emergence of different Buddhist schools
- Facilitated the spread of Buddhism beyond India
- Contributed to the development of Buddhist literature and philosophy
- Held shortly after Buddha's death (Mahaparinirvana)
- Convened by King Ajatashatru under Elder Mahakassapa's leadership
- Main purpose: To preserve Buddha's teachings by compiling the Vinaya (monastic rules) and Suttas (discourses)
- Ananda recited Buddha's discourses (Sutta Pitaka)
- Upali recited the monastic rules (Vinaya Pitaka)
2. Second Buddhist Council (383 BCE, Vaishali)
- Held 100 years after the first council
- Main issue: Dispute over monastic rules and practices
- Addressed the "Ten Points" controversy about rules for monks
- Led to the first major split in Buddhist Sangha between:
* Sthaviravada (traditionalists)
* Mahasanghika (progressives)
3. Third Buddhist Council (250 BCE, Pataliputra)
- Convened by Emperor Ashoka
- Presided over by Moggaliputta Tissa
- Purpose: To purify the Sangha and resolve doctrinal disputes
- Resulted in the compilation of Abhidhamma Pitaka
- Led to the dispatch of Buddhist missionaries to different regions
- Established the Kathavatthu (Points of Controversy)
4. Fourth Buddhist Council (72 BCE, Kashmir)
- Conducted under Kushan King Kanishka's patronage
- Presided over by Vasumitra and Ashvaghosa
- Focus: Synthesis of various Buddhist schools
- Led to the rise of Mahayana Buddhism
- Resulted in Sanskrit commentaries on the Tripitaka
- Marked the spread of Buddhism into Central Asia
Key Impacts:
- Helped preserve and systematize Buddhist teachings
- Led to the emergence of different Buddhist schools
- Facilitated the spread of Buddhism beyond India
- Contributed to the development of Buddhist literature and philosophy
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