Current Affairs Topics for civil services Exams( IAS, OAS) From The New Indian Express, 2nd April,2023

The New Indian Express, 2nd April,2023

Twin City Metro Project

1. On Utkal Divas, 2023, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced the twin city metro project connecting Bhubaneswar, cuttack, & puri.

2. Equipped with the state-of-the-art facilities, the metro will not only offer world-class and environment-friendly urban transport for an emerging and aspirational Odisha but also spur economic activities and accelerate expansion of the urban city cluster covering Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, & Khurda.

3. The emergence of a modern and planned city cluster will attract people, investments, trade, & tourism.

(Note- This will help in GS-3, Infrastructure Topics)

Kotia Villages Issues with Andhra Pradesh

1. Kotia cluster of Villages is a dispute between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh Kotia Panchayat belongs to Odisha.

2. Andhra pradesh Govt’s move to create 13 more districts is causing unease among Odisha politicos after AP placed the disputed kotia villages in a new district with its headquarters much closer to the disputed territory.

3. AP has put the 21 villages, to which both Odisha andAndhra  Pradesh stake claim in the newly carved Parvathipuram Manyam district, whose headquarters Parvathipuram is within 40 km of the various villages of Kotia. Earlier, it was part of Vizianagaram district with the headquarters 90 km to 100 km away. In Odisha, these villages are part of Koraput district with the district headquarters more than 60 km away 

4. After chief minister Naveen Patnaik and his Andhra counterpart Jagan Mohan Reddy met in November last year, the two states had formed chief-secretary level committees for dialogue on the inter-state border dispute centring Kotia.

5. Jayaram Pangi, a former MP of Koraput and native of Kotia panchayat, feels AP has done a smart move to gain over the people. “The people in Kotia may find AP administration more accessible. The neighboring state may use the same to alienate them from Odisha,” said Pangi, who has been demanding a Union Territory (UT) to be named Dandakaranya Parbatamala Autonomous Region comprising the disputed parts, besides more areas from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

6. The dispute over 21 of Kotia panchayat’s 28 villages dates back to the 1960s. The Supreme Court on March 30, 2006, had disposed of a suit filed by Odisha in 1968, holding that Parliament alone is authorised to determine the territorial limits of states and had ordered status quo till then.

7. In an affidavit filed before the apex court, the State government made a prayer that the disputed villages of Kotia be declared part and parcel of Odisha and within its territory. Odisha has the absolute right to possess and administer the area, it added. It sought a decree of injunction seeking a restraint on Andhra Pradesh and its representatives from intruding or interfering in future in possession and administration of Odisha in the disputed area.

8. It stated that AP government is consistently trying to encroach upon the villages in question which are an integral part of Odisha and the latter is undertaking various development work since inception by giving additional attention. Over `150 crore worth of development works have been executed by the State government in the Kotia group of villages.

9. The affidavit further said that the adjacent district administration of Andhra Pradesh, however, is consistently attempting to conduct local body elections in the disputed villages and every time such moves have been opposed by the State. The Odisha government submitted that the disputed villages were included in Pottangi taluk of Koraput district in the 2011 Census of India.

10. Tax collection register of Pottangi gram panchayat in 1966 and land revenue collection receipts of Fagusinery and Patusineri villages in 1963-64, 1966-67, 1967-68 and 1968- 69 also prove that the Odisha government is collecting land revenue and other taxes from the villages. Besides, the disputed areas are under judicial control of the subordinate judiciary of Odisha since inception. The State government had also established a police station at Kotia by bifurcating the Pottangi police station on February 28, 2009 to maintain law and order in the disputed villages

11. This apart, the Revenue department has established offices of the sub-registrar under provisions of Indian Registration Act, 1908 to facilitate registrations of various documents, the affidavit said. Last year, the Odisha government deployed police and erected barricades at the disputed Kotia gram panchayat after the AP administration attempted to launch several schemes in the area claimed by both states.

12. AP had said that Odisha’’s action was in clear violation of the Supreme Court directive to both sides to maintain the status quo. The dispute over the ownership of 21 of the 28 villages under Kotia panchayat had first reached the Supreme Court in 1968. In 2006, the apex court held that inter-state boundaries did not fall within its jurisdiction and only the Parliament could resolve them. The court imposed a permanent injunction on the disputed area.

13. Odisha’s arguments in affidavit filed before SC -Odisha has the absolute right to possess and administer the area. The disputed villages should be declared as part of Odisha The disputed villages were included in Pottangi taluk of Koraput district in the 2011 census of India Odisha is collecting land revenue and other taxes from the villages

(Note- This will help in GS-2, Odisha and its Neighbourhood relation topic)

International Trade in Indian Rupee

1. Trade between India and Malaysia can now be settled in Indian Rupee in addition to the current modes of settlement, the foreign office announced on Saturday. This follows a decision by the Reserve Bank of India in July last year to allow the settlement of international trade in Indian currency.

2. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the RBI's initiative is aimed at stimulating the interest of the global trading community in the Indian Rupee by weaning them off the US dollar. India International Bank of Malaysia, based in Kuala Lumpur, has operationalised it by opening a Special Rupee Vostro Account through its corresponding bank in India, which is the Union Bank of India.

3. This new mechanism is also aligned with Malaysia’s foreign exchange policies (FEP) as part of which Malaysian banks are allowed to undertake the settlement of international trade in goods or services in any foreign currency, subject to the rules and regulations of Bank Negara Malaysia

(Note- This will help in GS-3, Economic Development topics)

Debrigarh’s Green Village to curb forest dependence

1. From installing solar lights to providing fuel efficient chullahs, Hirakud wildlife division is helping villagers transform Dhodrokusum into a green village. This will reduce their dependence on forest and thereby, man-animal conflicts.

2. Debrigarh wildlife sanctuary’s first ‘green village’ is taking shape in Dhodrokusum village near Hirakud wetland. To reduce man-animal conflict in the region, people of 48 households of the village are taking small steps in reducing their dependency on the forest and shifting to eco-friendly ways of living including choosing fuel-efficient chullahs over firewood.

3. Helping them in the initiative is the Hirakud wildlife division. Debrigarh sanctuary records high density of wildlife and due to its proximity to Hirakud reservoir, animals mostly move through the village. The division aims at bringing about behavioural changes among the villagers beginning with preventing open defecation.

4. Toilets have been constructed in all 48 households to prevent the residents from venturing into the forest for defecating in the open. Similarly, to stop villagers from practicing haphazard dumping of garbage in the forest or Hirakud wetland, earthen reusable dustbins have been provided to all households. As animals enter the village at night, solar street lights have been installed to light up the village after sunset.

5. Likewise, fuel-efficient chullahs have been supplied to all households. Those who are capable of affording LPG have also been provided with a gas connection. This will further reduce use of firewood and collection of wood from the Debrigarh sanctuary on a large scale and all women have been trained in using them.

6. As animals like Sambar, Indian Gaur, deer and peacocks are seen grazing in the periphery of Dhodro Kusum, a plastic and garbage free village area will create cleaner space for them. It will also inculcate eco-friendly habits among neighboring villages.

7. The villagers pledged to set an example in wildlife conservation. In the long run, women SHGs and village eco-development committee will maintain the village under the guidance of Hirakud wildlife division.

(Note- This will help in GS-3, Environment and Biodiversity topics)

Govt bridges Schooling Gap for Migrant children at brick Kilns( Bricks to Books)

1. A drive by the School and Mass Education dept in collaboration with Aide et Action is helping children of migrant families escape the drudgery at kilns and get back to schools.

2. Established in France in 1981, Aide et Action International (AEAI) is a charitable organization that works towards making education accessible to all. AEAI envisions a world where Quality Education will be Accessible to All as the basis for mutual understanding, personal empowerment, and equitable societies throughout the world.

3. In Khurda, Cuttack and Balasore districts that are the major destination districts for brick kiln workers, the department has been mainstreaming these vulnerable children in regular schools for elementary education (Class 1 to 8) as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act mandate. The department calls it a bridge course.

4. The Commissionerate Police of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack is coming up with a 'code of conduct' for brick kiln owners in Khurda and Cuttack under which they are required to ensure that all children coming to the kilns are admitted to the local government schools.

5. “It is the duty of brick kiln owners that no children will be engaged in labour works as per the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016 and kiln operators have to declare the premise as a child labour free zone,” reads the draft code of conduct.

(Note- This will help in GS-2, Social Justice, Welfare Schemes for vulnerable sections of Population)

HLCA nod for 25k crore solar equipment factory

1. Ahead of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s week-long visit to Japan seeking investments for Odisha, the high level clearance authority (HLCA) of the state government on Saturday approved five mega industrial projects entailing a total investment of about Rs 35,760 crore.

2. The approved industries in green energy equipment, steel, chemicals, textile and IT and electronics system design and manufacturing (ESDM) sectors are proposed to be set up in Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Keonjhar and Bhadrak districts. The big projects cleared by the HLCA headed by the CM would generate over 38,000 employment opportunities for the people of the state.

3. The committee gave a go-ahead to two projects in steel, one each in green energy and equipment, IT and ESDM, chemicals and technical textile sectors.

4. The HLCA has approved the proposal of WAAREE Energies Limited entailing an investment of Rs 25,000 crore to set up an integrated solar equipment manufacturing complex at Neulopoi in Dhenkanal district. The company will come up with a 50,000 MT polysilicon and 10,000 MW each of ingot, wafer, solar cells and solar module unit.

5. Dubbed as the largest manufacturing facility in eastern India, this project will develop an ecosystem for further investment in the sector.It is expected to provide employment opportunities to about 14,000 people.

6. The committee also cleared the Super Smelters Limited’s proposal to set up an integrated steel plant of 1.8 MTPA capacity in Keonjhar district with an investment of Rs 5,436.1 crore having employment potential for about 19,000 people.

7. Another steel project by Kashvi Power and Steel Private Limited also got HLCA nod. The company will set up an integrated steel plant in Keonjhar district with an investment of Rs 1,600 crore. This 0.55 MTPA capacity plant will provide employment to more than 3,500 people.

8. In the technical textile sector, the committee approved a project by MCPI Private Limited at Bhadrak textile park. With an investment of Rs 2,223.25 crore, the company will set up a manufacturing unit of high modulus low shrinkage (HMLS) polyester-based tyre cord fabrics, high tenacity low elongation (HTLE) yarns, high IV and CP chips. It will provide employment to more than 1,150 people.

9. Similarly, the proposal of IVL Dhunseri Petrochem Industries Ltd for a bottle grade PET resin plant with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore also received approval. The company will set up a 60,000 MT per annum capacity unit at Paradip.

(Note- This will help in GS-3, Industrialisation in Odisha topic)

Include tribal languages in Central university of Odisha curriculum

1. Pradhan said the Central government is keen to ensure development of local languages and make education accessible for students residing in remote areas.

2. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday stressed the need for conducting research on Koraput’s local language ‘Kui’ and making it accessible to local students. 

3. Speaking at a meeting organized at Central University of Odisha in Sunabeda, the Union Minister asked academicians and authorities of the university to add tribal languages to the university’s curriculum. He also approved the establishment of  Bhima Bhoi Chair in the university.

4. Pradhan said the Central government is keen to ensure development of local languages and make education accessible for students residing in remote areas. He asked the management of the university to include local languages spoken by people residing in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Rayagada in BEd and Odia courses.  “The Centre is working to ensure local languages of aspirational districts are used to preserve culture, arts and history of the regions through the university,”

(Note- This will help in GS-2, Vulnerable Section topics)