DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS ANALYSIS

10^th January 2022

No.	Topic Name	Prelims/Mains
1.	ABOUT THE HARMONIZED GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY IN INDIA 2021	Prelims & Mains
2.	DETAILS OF THE CASTE CENSUS	Prelims & Mains
3.	ABOUT THE MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT	Prelims & Mains
4.	DETAILS OF THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK	Prelims & Mains
5.	ABOUT THE VEER BAAL DIWAS	Prelims Specific

 

1 – ABOUT THE HARMONIZED GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS FOR UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY IN INDIA 2021:

GS II

Topic – Government Policies and Interventions

• About The Harmonized Guidelines And Standards For Universal Accessibility In India 2021:
• The new universal accessibility rules recently drafted by the Centre include different areas of the built environment, from the design concept to execution.
• In December 2021, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) made the Harmonised Guidelines and Standards for Universal Accessibility in India 2021 available on their website.
• However, a project representative stated that a few small changes were in the works.
• The rules are an update to the CPWD’s Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier-Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly People, which were announced in February 2016 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
• The revised rules, which were drafted by a team from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ National Institute of Urban Affairs, aim to provide a holistic approach.
• Difference from the earlier versions:
• Earlier, the focus was on establishing a barrier-free workplace, but now we will be focusing on universal accessibility.
• The standards state that ramps are critical for offering an accessible mobility alternative, but it’s also important to remember that ramps must follow specific guidelines.
• The rules specify the gradient and length of ramps; for example, a six-metre-long ramp should have a gradient of 1:12.
• According to the rules, a ramp’s minimum clear width should be 1,200 mm.
• Applicability of these guidelines:
• According to related intellectuals, the rules are not only for people with disabilities (PwD), but also for those participating in planning projects ranging from government building construction to city master planning.
• While the standards focus on making public buildings and transportation fully accessible to wheelchair users, other users who may face temporary difficulties have also been considered. Women wearing saris, for example, and parents pulling a child’s pram while carrying groceries or other bags.
• Accessibility symbols for people with disabilities, family-friendly facilities, and transgender people should all be included among the symbols for other user groups, according to the recommendations.
• The rules are intended for use by state governments, government ministries, the commercial sector, and architecture and planning institutes as a reference.
• Source – The Hindu – 10/01/22 – Page Number 8

2 – DETAILS OF THE CASTE CENSUS:

GS II

Topic – Population related issues

• Context:
• The Union government told the Supreme Court recently that the caste-based data from the 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) was “unusable,” but the Registrar-General and Census Commissioner of India told the Standing Committee on Rural Development in 2016 that 98.87 percent of the data on individual caste and religion was “error free.”
• Why is the government claiming that the data is “unusable”:
• According to the government, there were 4,147 castes assessed in 1931, however the SECC numbers reveal that there are more than 46 lakh castes. Even if some castes split into sub-castes, the overall number of sub-castes cannot be exponentially large.
• Because the enumerators used different spellings for the same castes, the entire exercise was tainted. According to the administration, many respondents declined to reveal their castes.
• So far, how have caste details been gathered:
• While the census collects information on SC/STs, the enumerators do not collect information on other castes. Self-declaration to the enumerator is the most common way.
• Until now, backward classes commissions in several states have conducted their own population counts to determine the number of backward castes.
• What kind of caste data does the Census publish:
• Between 1951 and 2011, every census in independent India published data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, but not on other castes. Prior to that, caste data was collected in every census till 1931.
• What is SECC 2011 all about:
• The 2011 Socio-Economic Caste Census was a large-scale effort to collect information on the socio-economic status of various populations.
• It consisted of two parts: a survey of rural and urban families and their ranking based on pre-determined factors, as well as a caste census.
• However, only the specifics of people’s economic situations in rural and urban homes were made public. The caste information has not yet been made public.
• Census vs. SECC: What’s the difference:
• The Census depicts the Indian population, whereas the SECC is a tool for identifying state assistance recipients.
• Because the Census is governed by the Census Act of 1948, all data are considered private, whereas the SECC collects personal information that can be used by government departments to grant or deny benefits to households.
• Caste census advantages:
• The exact population of each caste would aid in tailoring the reservation strategy to guarantee that all of them are fairly represented.
• Associated Concerns:
• It’s possible that it’ll give some people the shivers, leading to demands for greater or separate quotas.
• It has been said that simply labeling people as belonging to a caste helps to maintain the system.
• Source – The Hindu – 10/01/22 – Page Number 4

3 – ABOUT THE MEKEDATU DAM PROJECT:

GS I/II

Topic – Water Conservation/Federalism

• Background:
• The Centre recently assured Karnataka that construction on the Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery river will not begin until the Cauvery Water Management Authority approves the project’s Detailed Project Report (DPR) (CWMA).
• There are also disagreements between the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the proposed project.
• What is its location:
• The deep gorge of Mekedatu, which means “goat’s leap,” is located at the junction of the Cauvery and its tributary Arkavathi rivers.
• Concerns about the Mekedatu project include:
• The project’s goal is to conserve and supply water for the city of Bengaluru’s drinking needs. The project is also expected to generate around 400 megawatts (MW) of electricity.
• Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, opposed, claiming that the project would disrupt the flow of Cauvery water into the state. Tamil Nadu further claims that the project violates the Supreme Court’s decision in the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT), which said that no state can claim exclusive ownership of interstate river resources or assert rights to deprive other states of those waters.
• About River Cauvery:
• The Brahmagiri Hill in the Western Ghats in south-western Karnataka is the source of the river.
• Tamil Nadu, with 43,868 square kilometers, Karnataka, with 34,273 square kilometers, Kerala, with 2,866 square kilometers, and Puducherry, with 2,866 square kilometers, make up the river basin.
• Hemavati, Lakshmantirtha, Kabini, Amaravati, Noyil, and Bhavani rivers are important tributaries.
• The Kaveri continues via a series of twisted wild gorges till it reaches Hogenakal Falls when it enters Tamil Nadu.
• Dams: In Tamil Nadu, the Mettur Dam was built for irrigation and hydel power.
• Source – The Hindu – 10/01/22 – Page Number 4

4 – DETAILS OF THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK:

GS II

Topic – International Relations

• What exactly is AIIB:
• The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is an international development bank tasked with improving social and economic results in Asia and beyond.
• The Bank’s Membership is made up of the parties to the agreement (57 founding members).
• Beijing is the bank’s headquarters.
• It first opened its doors in January of 2016.
• Aim:
• It seeks to connect people, services, and markets that will influence billions of lives and build a better future by investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive industries now.
• Membership:
• There are now over 100 members.
• France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom are among the 14 G-20 countries that are members of the AIIB.
• Right to vote:
• China is the bank’s largest stakeholder, with 26.61 percent of voting shares, followed by India (7.6%), Russia (6.01%), and Germany (6.01%). (4.2 percent ).
• Regional members have 75 percent of the Bank’s total voting power.
• AIIB organs include:
• Board of Governors: Each member country appoints one Governor and one Alternate Governor to the Board of Governors. Governors and Alternate Governors serve at the discretion of the member who appoints them.
• Board of Directors: The Bank’s general operations are directed by a non-resident Board of Directors, which exercises all powers given to it by the Board of Governors.
• The Bank has formed an International Advisory Panel (IAP) to advise the President and Senior Management on the Bank’s strategy and policies, as well as basic operational matters.
• Source – The Hindu – 10/01/22 – Page Number 8

5 – ABOUT THE VEER BAAL DIWAS:

Prelims Specific Topic

• On the occasion of Guru Parv, the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh ji, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi made a major statement on Sunday, January 9, 2022.
• From this year onwards, he stated, ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ would be observed on the 26th of December every year.
• The day will be remembered as an homage to the courage of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s four sons, the 4 Sahibzades, who were martyred in the 17th century.
• PM Modi made the announcement on the Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, or the birth anniversary of the Sikhs’ 10th guru and the founder of the Khalsa community, on January 9, 2022.
• About Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji:
• At the early age of 6 and 9 years, Sahibzada Zorawar Singh Ji and Sahibzada Fateh Singh Ji (the younger pair of Sahibzade) reached martyrdom after being sealed alive in a wall.
• At the ages of 18 and 14, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Ji and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh Ji (the older pair of Sahibzade) died battling the enemy in battle at Chamkaur Sahib on December 21, 1705.

• Source – The Hindu – 10/01/22 – Page Number 8