UPSC Daily Current Affairs | Prelim Bits 25-04-2020

National Panchayati Raj Day

National Panchayati Raj Day is the national day of India celebrated by Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24th April annually.
The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 came into force with effect from 24th April, 1993.
It has institutionalized Panchayati Raj through the village, Intermediate and District level Panchayats.
Union government has launched e-GramSwaraj portal, and Swamitva scheme on National Panchayati Raj Day.

e-GramSwaraj Portal

The e-GramSwaraj helps prepare and execute Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP).
The portal will ensure real time monitoring and accountability.
The portal is a major step towards digitization down to the Gram Panchayat level.

Swamitva Scheme

The Swamitva scheme which is launched in pilot mode in 6 states helps to map rural inhabited lands using drones and latest survey methods.
The scheme will ensure streamlined planning, revenue collection and provide clarity over property rights in rural areas.
This will open up avenues for applying for loans from financial institutions by the owners.
Disputes related to property would also be settled through the title deeds allotted through this scheme.
Objectives of the scheme are as follows

The scheme is piloted by the Panchayati Raj ministry.
Property card for every property in the village will be prepared by states using accurate measurements delivered by drone-mapping. These cards will be given to property owners and will be recognized by the land revenue records department.

World Immunization Week

It is celebrated in the last week of April between 24 to 30 April.
It aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.

The theme this year is #VaccinesWork for all and the campaign will focus on how vaccines and the people who develop, deliver and receive them are heroes by working to protect the health of everyone, everywhere.
The main goal of the campaign is to urge greater engagement around immunization globally and the importance of vaccination in improving health and wellbeing of everyone, everywhere throughout life.
Given that WHO has designated 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, WHO will highlight nurses and midwives for their crucial role as early vaccine champions for new parents and parents-to-be.

International Delegate’s Day

International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of the San Francisco Conference, also known as the United Nations Conference on International Organization.
On 25 April 1945, delegates from fifty countries came together for the first time in San Francisco.
Coming together after the devastation of the Second World War, their aim was to set up an organization that would restore world peace and impose rules on the post-war world order.
Two months after the first meeting, on 26 June 1945, the Charter of the United Nations was signed by representatives of the 50 countries that attended the conference.
The agreement resulted in the creation of the United Nations.
The 2020 International Delegate’s Day is special for two reasons.

First, 25 April 2020 is the first time that International Delegate’s Day is observed.
Second, the 2020 observance also marks the milestone seventy-fifth anniversary of the San Francisco Conference, an event that laid the foundations of the United Nations.

National Board for Wild Life

NBWL is a statutory body as it has been constituted under Section 5 A the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
It is the apex body to review all wildlife-related matters and approve projects in and around national parks and sanctuaries i.e. Protected Areas.
In 2003, NBWL was constituted its term lapsed in 2013, In 2014 it was reconstituted (was notified on July 22, 2014).
It is a 47-member board (including the chairman) which usually meets once a year - It is chaired by Prime minister.
The environment ministry has delegated all powers of the NBWL to a compliant Standing Committee which regularly meets and clears projects in Protected Areas.
The National Board may, at its discretion, constitute a Standing Committee under sub-section (1) of Section 5B to be chaired by Union Minister in charge of Forests and Wildlife.

Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve

Saleki is a part of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve that includes the Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary covering 111.19 sq km of rainforest and several reserve forests in Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.
It is a part of the elephant reserve in Assam adjoining Arunachal Pradesh’s Deomali Elephant Reserve with “a sizeable population of elephants.”
Recently National Board for Wild Life (NBWL) has recommended coal mining in a part of Dehing Patkai elephant reserve in Assam.

Source: PIB, WHO, the Hindu