Prelim Bits 18-04-2018

Simultaneous elections

A draft white paper was released recently by the Law Commission of India recommended holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, possibly in 2019.
It suggests amending the Constitution to realize this objective.
The commission says simultaneous elections were held in the country during the first two decades after Independence up to 1967.
Dissolution of certain Assemblies in 1968 and 1969 followed by the dissolution of the Lok Sabha led to the disruption of the conduct of simultaneous elections.

It recommends that simultaneous elections may be restored in the nation by amending the Constitution, Representation of the People Act of 1951 and the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha and Assemblies.
Former Supreme Court judge Dr.B.S.Chauhan is the chairman of the present 21^st Law Commission.

DARPAN-PLI App

Minister of Communications launched the DARPAN-PLI App recently.
It will help in collection of premium for Postal Life Insurance and Rural Postal Life Insurance policies at Branch Post Offices anywhere in India, with online updation of the policies.
Department of Posts has launched Digital Advancement of Rural Post Office for a New India (DARPAN) Project.
The project aims at connecting all 1.29 lakh Rural Branch Post Offices in the country to enable them to do online Postal and Financial Transactions.
The Hand-held devices are installed under DARPAN Project SIM connectivity and solar power backup at all Branch Post Offices.
It will ensure improvement in the quality of Postal services being offered in remote rural areas.
Postal Life Insurance is the oldest Life Insurance in the country.
Rural Postal Life Insurance, in fact, is meant for anyone who has a rural address, for instance rural migrant workers.

UN ECOSCO Elections

India has won an election to a crucial non-governmental organization committee in the United Nations.
The U.N’s Economic and social council focuses on advancing the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic, social and environmental.
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations is a standing committee of ECOSOC.
Its main tasks include consideration of applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by NGOs and consideration of quadrennial reports submitted by NGOs in General and Special categories.
India was also elected to the Commission on Population and Development, Commission for Social Development and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

Commission on Population and Development- the Commission is to assist the Council by arranging for studies and advising the Council on population issues and trends, integrating population and development strategies and population and related development policies and program.
Commission for Social Development- the Commission’s purpose was to advise ECOSOC on social policies of a general character and, in particular, on all matters in the social field not covered by the specialized inter-governmental agencies.
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice - The Commission acts as the principal policymaking body of the U.N. in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice.

The other functional commissions of the ECOSCO are Statistical Commission, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, United Nations Forum on Forests.
India was also elected by the Council to the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL)

Atal Innovation Mission is paying tribute to the late Dr. B.R. Ambedkar by hosting its nationwide Atal Community Day Initiative on 14th April, 2018.
Atal Tinkering Labs, under the Atal Innovation Mission of the NITI Aayog, were envisioned as innovative marker spaces, setup across India, in every school, accessible to every child.
The ATL Community Day initiative is an effort to spread awareness as well as engage the local communities in the neighborhood of an Atal Tinkering Lab.
The Annual Community Day was held across India, over the course of April 13 – 16, with the larger theme of Ambedkar Jayanti.
Atal Tinkering labs are equipped with modern technologies to help navigate and impart crucial skills in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

World Heritage day

Every year, 18th April is celebrated worldwide as World Heritage Day to create awareness about Heritage among communities.
It is also called as International Monument and Sites Day.
Theme 2018: Heritage for Generations.
World Heritage Sites will celebrate World Heritage Day by undertaking various activities to foster fruitful dialogue between generations.
In India, National Rail Museum, New Delhi is also celebrating World heritage day.
Indian Railways are the proud owner of 04 UNESCO World Heritage Sites viz. Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Nilgiri Mountain Railway, Kalka Shimla Railway and Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Mumbai.
In 1982, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) announced, 18 April as the International Monument and Sites Day approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.

Geomagnetic imprinting

According to a new study, sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic fields to navigate back to the area where they were born decades earlier.
The new study used loggerhead turtle genetics to investigate their travels.
Geomagnetic imprinting is the ability of turtles to learn their home beach’s distinctive magnetic signature.
The turtles can perceive both the magnetic field’s intensity and its inclination angle.
Inclination angle is the angle that the magnetic field lines make with respect to the Earth’s surface.
The variation in Earth’s magnetic field around the nesting area seems to really predict genetic differentiation much better than geographic distance.
The current study is based on genetic data, not experimental evidence.

Map of the Day

India – States

Andhra Pradesh and Telegana

Andhra Pradesh

The state has the second longest coastline among all the states of India.
One of the major rice producers in the country.
Andhra Pradesh is well known globally for its variety of rocks and minerals and is called Ratna Garbha.
The state has the largest deposits of quality chrysotile asbestos in the country

Telegana

The region is drained by two major rivers, with about 79 per cent of the Godavari river catchment area and about 69 per cent of the Krishna river catchment area.
Most of the land is arid due to higher elevation of most of the state compared to rivers.

Karnataka

Source: PIB, The Hindu, Business Standard