Prelim Bits 02-12-2019

Inner Line Permit

Inner Line Permit is a document that allows an Indian citizen to visit or stay in a state that is protected under the ILP system.
The system is in force today in three North-Eastern states, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram and no Indian citizen can visit any of these states unless he or she belongs to that state, nor can he or she overstay beyond the period specified in the ILP.
The three states that have seen the highest migration, but don’t require an ILP are Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya.
The concept comes from the colonial area, Under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873, the British framed regulations restricting the entry and regulating the stay of outsiders in designated areas.
This was to protect the Crown’s own commercial interests by preventing “British subjects” (Indians) from trading within these regions.
In 1950, the Indian government replaced “British subjects” with “Citizen of India”.
This was to address loval concerns about protecting the interests of the indigenous people from outsiders belonging to other Indian states.
An ILP is issued by the state government concerned and it can be obtained after applying either online or physically.
It states the dates of travel and also specifies the particular areas in the state which the ILP holder can travel to.

Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB)

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill aims to make it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to obtain Indian citizenship.
If it is implemented with provisions for excluding from its ambit the states under the ILP regime, it means that beneficiaries under CAB will become Indian citizens but will not be able to settle in these three states.
As a matter of fact, the same restriction applies to existing Indian citizens.

PM YUVA Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Yuva Udyamita Vikas Abhiyaan (PM YUVA) Yojana aims to create an enabling ecosystem for Entrepreneurship Development through entrepreneurship education and training across the Country.
It will be implemented through the Institutes in the Skill Ecosystem of the Ministry i.e.

Consumer Expenditure Survey

Consumer Expenditure Survey is quinquennial (recurring every five years) survey conducted by the National Statistical Organization (NSO), Under MoSPI.
The survey collects information on the consumption spending patterns of households across the country, both urban and rural.
It reveals the average expenditure on goods (food and non-food) and services.
It helps to generate estimates of household Monthly Per Capita Consumer Expenditure (MPCE) as well as the distribution of households and persons over the MPCE classes.
The CES can be used to rebase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and other macro-economic indicators

Less Methane Emitting Sheep Breed

Methane, which is produced by cattle and sheep, as also by decaying organic matter, fires, coal mines, and factories producing natural gas, is a major greenhouse gas.
It is a much more potent contributor to atmospheric warming than carbon dioxide. (Even though methane does break down more easily than carbon dioxide.)
Emissions, or put less politely, farts and burps, from ruminants such as sheep and cows, are a major contributor to methane in the atmosphere.
Scientists have been working on ways to tweak the animals’ food so they emit a little less, including feeding them things like garlic that intervene in the microbiomes in their guts to reduce the formation of methane.
This, however, works only in farms where the animals’ feed can be regulated, and not with free ranging animals.
To address this New Zealand has started the world’s first genetic programme to breed sheep that emit lower amounts of methane.

Operation Clean Art

It was the first pan India operation to crackdown on the smuggling of mongoose hair in the country.
It was conceived by Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) with the singular aim of ensuring that the mongoose hair brush trade should be closed down across the country.
Recently, there has been a widespread crackdown on factories making paint brushes with mongoose hair across the country under this operation.

Mongoose

Mongoose is listed in Schedule II Part 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and any smuggling or possession of its body part is a non-bailable offence.

According to IUCN Red List status it is Least Concerned.
All six species are listed on CITES Appendix III with a zero quota for commercial trade.
There are six species of mongoose found in India- Indian grey mongoose, Small Indian mongoose, Ruddy mongoose, Crab-eating mongoose, Stripe-necked mongoose and Brown mongoose.
The Indian grey mongoose is the most commonly found species and also the most hunted.
Brushes made of mongoose hair are preferred because they are superior and hold colour better.

Source: PIB, Indian Express, The Hindu