Daily Current Affairs 

To The Point Notes

1.Marsyangdi River

Origin:

• Northwest of Annapurna massif at 3,600 meters.
• Confluence of Khangsar Khola and Jharsang Khola.

Course:

• Flows eastward through Manang District.
• Southward through Lamjung District.
• Joins Trishuli River near Mugling.

Significance:

• Part of Gandaki River system (Narayani).
• Tributaries: Nagdi Khola, Dordi Khola, Chepe Khola, Chundi Khola, Daraudi.
• Popular for white-water rafting and kayaking.
• Recent bus accident in Tanahun district highlights safety concerns.

 

 

2.Virupaksha Temple at Hampi

Context:

• Conservation of Hampi crucial after Saalu Mantapa collapse.

About Virupaksha Temple:

• Located in Hampi, Karnataka.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Religious and cultural significance.

Historical Significance:

• Dates back to the 7th century CE.
• Flourished under Vijayanagara Empire (14th-16th centuries).
• Founded by Harihara I of Sangama dynasty.
• Expanded from Tungabhadra River banks.

Architectural Marvels:

• Dravidian-style temples and palaces.
• Towering gopurams, pillared halls, and shrines.
• Vitthala Temple: pinnacle of Vijayanagara architecture.
• Grand bazaar street, stepped tank, and carved mandapas.

Religious Significance:

• Dedicated to Lord Virupaksha (form of Lord Shiva).
• Associated with goddess Pampadevi (linked to Tungabhadra River).
• Continuous worship since the city’s destruction in 1565.

 

3.Philadelphi (Salaheddin) Corridor

• Location & Importance: A 14-km stretch along Gaza’s border with Egypt, crucial in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.
• Historical Context:
  • Built by the Israeli military during Gaza’s occupation (1967-2005).
  • Arose from the U.S.-brokered 1979 Israel-Egypt peace treaty, the first such treaty between Israel and an Arab nation.
• Current Disputes:
  • Israel’s Position: Prime Minister Netanyahu demands permanent Israeli control to prevent Hamas from rearming.
  • Hamas’ Position: Full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, including the corridor.
• Agreements:
  • 2005 Israel-Egypt Agreement: Established the corridor as a buffer zone to control Gaza’s movements and smuggling.
  • Post-2005, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority managed the area, but Hamas took over in 2007.
• Smuggling Issues:
  • The corridor is notorious for smuggling through tunnels, including arms.
  • Egypt has destroyed many tunnels and considers Israeli control a breach of agreements.

 

 

4.PM-WANI Scheme

Overview:

• Launched in 2020 by the Department of Telecommunication.
• Aims to increase public Wi-Fi hotspots for better digital connectivity.
• Encourages local shops to provide Wi-Fi without license or fees.

PM-WANI Ecosystem:

• Public Data Office (PDO): Establishes Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA): Provides authorization and accounting services.
• App Provider: Displays available hotspots.
• Central Registry: Maintains details of PDOs, PDOAs, and App Providers.

Concerns:

• Target of 10 million public Wi-Fi hotspots by 2022 set by National Digital Communications Policy, 2018 and Bharat 6G Vision.
• Current number of PM-WANI hotspots is significantly below the target.

 

 

5.Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana

Overview:

• Launched by the Department of Posts to promote philately among students.
• Provides scholarships of ₹6,000 per annum to meritorious students.

Eligibility:

• Student of a recognized school in India.
• Member of a Philately Club in the school or has a Philately Deposit account.
• Secured at least 60% marks in the last final examination (5% relaxation for SC/ST).

Selection:

• Based on performance in a Philately written quiz.

Scholarships:

• Maximum 40 scholarships per Postal circle (10 each for classes 6, 7, 8, and 9).
• Provided at the All India level.

 

 

6.Subhadra Scheme

Context

• Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi announced the implementation of the Subhadra scheme.

About

• Under the scheme, ₹50,000 will be provided over five years to one crore poor women aged between 21 and 60.
• A total of ₹10,000 per annum will be paid in two instalments of ₹5,000 each on Rakhi Purnima Day and International Women’s Day (March 8).
• Women who are receiving assistance of ₹1,500 or more per month, or ₹18,000 or more per year under any other government scheme, will be ineligible for inclusion under Subhadra.
• The money will be deposited directly into the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-enabled single-holder bank account; A Subhadra Debit Card will also be issued to them.

 

 

7.Pasmanda Muslim

Context

• All India Pasmanda Muslim Mehaz (AIPMM) and other Muslim groups has demanded inclusion of at least 12 Muslim castes among scheduled castes.

About

• Muslims in India are broadly sorted in three categories: the Ashrafs (the ‘noble’ elite or the ‘honourable ones’), the Ajlafs (backward Muslims), and the Arzals (Dalit Muslims).
• ‘Pasmanda’, a Persian word, means the ‘ones left behind’, and is used to describe depressed classes among the Muslims, while underlining their deliberate or conscious exclusion. 
• Pasmanda has become an umbrella identity used by backward, Dalit, and tribal Muslims.
• The term ‘Pasmanda Muslims’ was first used in 1998 by Ali Anwar Ansari when he founded the Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz.
• Pasmanda Muslims say that despite their overwhelming numerical strength within the community, they are under-represented in jobs, legislatures and government-run minority institutions, as well as community-run Muslim organisations.
• The major Pasmanda demands include conducting a caste census, restructuring of the existing reservation categories, and state support for artisans, craftspersons, and agricultural labourers.