25 June 2024, The Hindu
Kerala House passes resolution to rename the State ‘Keralam’
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GS 2: Parliament and State Legislatures- structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges
- The Kerala Legislative Assembly, in a unanimous decision on June 24, passed a resolution proposing a Constitutional amendment to change the name of the State from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’.
- The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, called for invoking Article 3 of the Indian Constitution to effectuate this change in the First Schedule.
- This resolution mirrors a previous attempt from last year, which was sent back by the Central government due to procedural issues.
Kuki-Zo groups take out rallies in Manipur seeking Union Territory
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GS 2: Indian Constitution: features, amendments, significant provisions
- The Kuki-Zo tribal bodies took out rallies across the hill districts of Manipur calling for the Centre to carve out a Union Territory (UT) for the community, to end the ongoing ethnic conflict in the State.
- They said a UT with a legislature, as provided under Article 239A of the Constitution, was the solution to the crisis.
Srinagar’s ‘World Craft City’ tag will promote global links
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GS 1: Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture
- Srinagar has earned the World Craft City (WCC) tag from the World Crafts Council (WCC), a non-government organisation working to empower artisans and safeguard craft heritage globally.
- This is likely to reopen Kashmir’s centuries old linkages with craft centres in Central Asia and Iran.
- The executive board of the WCC, in a formal communication to officials of J&K, said on Sunday that Srinagar city has earned the designation of WCC-World Craft City, from members of the Council’s sub-committee after a detailed tour of craft centres earlier this year.
The Court spells the way in Himalaya’s development
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GS 3: Environment- Conservation
- It is a well-established fact that the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) is both India’s water tower and also the critical provider of invaluable ecosystem goods and services.
- Despite this understanding, there has always been dissonance between the special development needs and the development model being pursued in the IHR.
- As the economy of the region is dependent on the health and the well-being of its natural resources, plundering the same in the name of development will inevitably and surely lead the IHR towards its economic ruin
From China tilt to a balancing with Beijing and Delhi
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GS 2: International Relations- India and its neighbourhood
- From calling India a “bully” to visiting New Delhi as an invitee to the swearing-in of Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of India for a third term, in June 2024, Mohamed Muizzu’s India policy is one of blowing hot and cold.
- Ever since his swearing-in in November 2023 as the President of the Maldives, Mr. Muizzu has embraced a “pro-Maldives” policy that reduces his country’s dependence on India, increases relations with China, and diversifies its foreign policy with others.
- More than six months after his swearing-in and impairing Male’s ties with India, his foreign policy is now seeing some recalibration.
Nicobar triangle
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GS 3: Environment- Conservation
- The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry will be looking into the forest clearance paperwork of the ₹72,000-crore infrastructure project on Great Nicobar Island, a major initiative of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram told this newspaper.
- This is a significant step for the government, in its third term, as it brings to the surface the contentious and difficult choices that governments face while addressing the trilemma of infrastructure development, preserving pristine biodiversity respect and, being sensitive to the rights of the indigenous inhabitants, and tribals.
- The Great Nicobar Project involves developing a trans-shipment port, an international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar-based power plant on the island.
Human dignity versus religious practices
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GS 1: Society: Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
- On May 17, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court allowed the resumption of “annadhanam” (offering free food) and “angapradakshanam” (circumambulation) at the final resting place of Nerur Sathguru Sadasiva Brahmendral on the eve of his Jeeva Samathi day.
- The practice of doing ‘angapradakshanam’ by rolling on the plantain leaves left behind by devotees after eating food from them, in the belief that it would offer spiritual benefit, had been in vogue for over 100 years.
- However, it was halted by a Division Bench order in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition in 2015.
The NITI Aayog’s project in Great Nicobar
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GS 3: Environment- Conservation
- On June 17, the Congress party demanded an “immediate suspension” of all clearances granted to NITI Aayog’s mega project on Great Nicobar island in the light of “violations of due process, legal and constitutional provisions protecting tribal communities, and the project’s disproportionate ecological and human cost.”
- The party also demanded a “thorough impartial review of the proposed project, including by the parliamentary committees concerned.”
- Other political parties have also raised concerns about the project. In its 2024 election manifesto, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) promised to “scrap the environmentally disastrous and pro-corporate Islands Development Plan for Andaman and Nicobar”.
- The Tribal Council of Great Nicobar and Little Nicobar and a host of environmentalists, wildlife conservationists, and tribal rights groups have also opposed the project.
How the PESA has boosted forest conservation in India
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GS 3: Environment- Conservation
- The policy approach to conservation in India has long grappled with two kinds of conflicts: conservation versus resource extraction by local communities, and conservation versus ‘economic development’.
- The state has tended to follow a piecemeal approach, at times leaning one way, at other times the other, with the direction determined by competition between sections of the political elite at the national, state, and local levels.
India, Pak. delegations reach J&K to inspect power projects under Indus Water Treaty
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GS 2: International Relations- India and its neighbourhood
- A five-member Pakistani delegation was flown to Jammu’s Kishtwar on Monday to inspect power projects set up on the rivers covered under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) of 1960.
- It is the first such visit since Jammu & Kashmir’s special status was scrapped in 2019.
- An official said the delegation reached Kishtwar district on Monday “to inspect two hydroelectric power projects under the IWT”.
- The Pakistani delegates had arrived on Sunday evening.
