Prelim Snippets – 19.02.2020

1.Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses

Why in News?
  • Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses has been renamed as Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.
  • Manohar Parikkar was India’s Defence Minister from November 2014 to March 2017.
Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA):
  • An autonomous body under the Ministry of Defence, IDSA was established as a registered society in New Delhi in 1965, dedicated to objective research and policy-relevant studies on all aspects of defence and security.
  • Its aim is to promote national and international security through the generation and dissemination of knowledge on defence and security-related issues.
  • To achieve its goals, the institute undertakes scholarly research, policy-oriented research, dissemination of research findings, training and capacity building and public education.
  • The IDSA has a well-qualified multi-disciplinary research faculty drawn from academia, defence forces, etc., representing a diversity of views.
  • Research at the Institute is driven by a comprehensive agenda and the need to provide impartial analyses and policy recommendations.
  • Since its inception, IDSA has served as a forum to debate important aspects of national and international security.
  • The institute conducts several national and international conferences every year and regularly holds round tables and workshops on Important Developments.

2.United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)

UNPFII:
  • The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) is a high- level advisory body to the Economic and Social Council.
  • The Forum was established on 28 July 2000 with the mandate to deal with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and Human Rights.
  • The first meeting of the Permanent Forum was held in May 2002, with yearly sessions thereafter. The Forum usually meets for 10 days each year, at the UN Headquarters in New York.
  • In addition to the six mandated areas (economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights), each session is thematically focused on a specific issue.
  • The Permanent Forum is one of three UN bodies that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples’ issues. The others are the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples.
The Permanent Forum:
  • provides expert advice and recommendations on indigenous issues to the Council, as well as to programmes, funds and agencies of the United Nations, through ECOSOC;
  • raises awareness and promotes the integration and coordination of activities related to indigenous issues within the UN system;
  • prepares and disseminates information on indigenous issues;
  • promotes respect for and full application of the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and follow up the effectiveness of this Declaration (Art. 42 UNDRIP).
Functioning:
  • The Permanent Forum’s engagement and role in promoting indigenous peoples’ rights are made possible through the Trust Fund on Indigenous Issues, which overall facilitates follow-up to the Forum’s recommendations, awareness raising and outreach on indigenous issues as well as representation and participation of Permanent Forum members at international meetings of significance for its mandate.
  • In addition, the trust fund provides support for the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  • DESA is charged with the overall management of the Trust Fund, which is placed under the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch-Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

3.Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

Why in News?
  • The Selection Committee has recently finalised the CVC chief.
About Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):
  • It is an apex Indian governmental body created in 1964 to address governmental corruption. In 2003, the Parliament enacted a law conferring statutory status on the CVC.
  • It has the status of an autonomous body, free of control from any executive authority, charged with monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government of India.
  • It advises various authorities in central Government organizations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
  • The Prime Minister heads the Selection Committeefor choosing the CVC chief.
  • The Home Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha or the leader of the largest Opposition party.

4.E-MASIHA

Why in News?
  • The Ministry of Minority Affairs has recently informed that India has made the Haj 2020 process completely digital.
About E-MASIHA (E-Medical Assistance System for Indian Pilgrims Abroad)
  • It is an online system to create and maintain the complete health database of Indian pilgrims.
  • It also provides doctors’ prescriptions, medical treatment as well as medicine disbursals, and has been developed to deal with any emergency in Makkah-Madinah.
  • The online facilities include application procedure, E-Visa, Haj mobile app, “E-MASIHA” health facility and “E-luggage pre-tagging” providing all information in India itself regarding accommodation/transportation in Makkah-Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

5.Jamshedpur City

Why in News?
  • Recently, Jamshedpur City is celebrating the completion of 100 years.
Key Points:
  • Jamshedpur is one of the industrial planned cities of India and the most populous urban agglomeration in Jharkhand.
  • It is originally a village called Sakchi, was renamed as Jamshedpur by then Viceroy of India Lord Chelmsford (1916-21) in 1919 in the honour of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, founder of the Tata group.
  • It is located in Chota Nagpur plateau, surrounded by the Dalma Hills and at the confluence of Kharka and Subarnarekha
  • Subarnarekha(Line of gold) river flows through the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. Its major tributaries are Kanchi River and Kharkai river

6.Arab First Nuclear Power Plant

Why in News?
  • The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently issued an operating licence for the Arab first nuclear power plant.
Key Points:
  • The Barakah Nuclear Power Plantin Abu Dhabi is being built by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), was originally due to open in 2017.
  • It will have four reactors with a total capacity of 5,600 Megawatts.
  • It will be almost a Fifthof the country’s current installed generating capacity.
  • It is located on a sparsely populated strip of desert on the Persian Gulf coast.
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