National
26th November: Constitution Day
The ‘Constitution Day’ of India is being observed on 26th November to spread awareness of Indian Constitution and its architecture Dr. B R Ambedkar.
Significance of the Day: On the day in 1949, constitution of India was adopted which came into force on January 26, 1950 marking the beginning of a new era in the history of free India.
Key facts
2015 Constitution Day is the first edition of this day and part of year-long nationwide celebrations of 125th birth Anniversary of Dr. B R Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constituent Assembly.
Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) is the nodal Ministry for celebration of Constitution Day.
It has organised number of activities on the occasion of the first Constitution Day in order to spread awareness the supreme law of the country and living document which makes the government system work effectively.
Background: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared 26 November as Constitution Day after laying the foundation stone of Dr Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mills Compound in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 12 October 2015.
26 November: National Milk Day
Every year 26 November is being observed as National Milk Day (NMD) to mark birth anniversary Father of the White Revolution Dr.Verghese Kurien.
Background: The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day observed on June 1 under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The first NMD was observed on 26 November 2014 by all Indian diary sector majors including National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), IDA along with around 22 state level milk federations.
About Dr.Verghese Kurien
Verghese Kurien was born on 26 November 1921 in Calicut in then Madras Presidency of British India. He had died on 9 September 2012.
Operation Flood: As a social entrepreneur he had started billion-litre idea-Operation Flood which was the world’s largest agricultural development programme.
Operation had helped to transform India from a milk-deficit country into the world’s largest milk producer.
Milk Co-operatives Movement: He had founded around 30 cooperative institutions of excellence (like AMUL, GCMMF, IRMA, NDDB) which are owned, managed by farmers and run by professionals.
As the founding chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Dr. Kurien was pioneer in establishment and success of the Amul brand of dairy products.
Milk powder: Under his chairmanship, Amul achieved key invention of milk powder processed from buffalo milk.
Awards and Honours: Ramon Magsaysay Award (1963), World Food Prize (1989), Padma Shri (1965), Padma Bhushan (1966) and Padma Vibhushan (1999).
2019 new deadline for completion of PMGSY
Union Government has reduced the deadline for completion of flagship Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) for rural connectivity through all- weather roads from 2022 to 2019.
The annual allocation of the Central release for PMGSY works during year 2015-16 also has been increased by 5,000 crore rupees. With this, the total Central allocation to states under PMGSY would now be 15,100 crore rupees.
Key facts
By providing enhanced financial allocation through a modified funding pattern in the PMGSY scheme, Government is seeking to accelerate the implementation of rural connectivity.
It is also considering giving financial incentives to the states achieving the targets allocated to them under the PMGSY.
Government also has accepted the recommendation of the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored on modified sharing pattern.
Recommendations: The sub group has recommended that fund sharing pattern of PMGSY between the Centre and States for all states will be in the ratio of 60:40.
But for all land locked 8 North Eastern states and 3 Himalayan states, the fund sharing pattern of PMGSY between the Centre and States will be in the ratio of 90:10.
About Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)
PMGSY was launched in year 2000 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
Objective: To provide single all-weather road connectivity to all eligible unconnected rural villages (habitations).
Nodal Authority: Union Ministry of Rural Development. It was fully funded by the central government.
Implantation: Under phase I of PMGSY, 1,78,184 unconnected habitations were identified.
So far, 1,12,550 identified habitations which accounts for 63 per cent of the target have been connected with the PMGSY roads.
Presently, about 37 per cent of identified habitations as per the mandate of the scheme are yet to be connected with the PMGSY roads.
International
Japan successfully launches its first commercial satellite
Japan has successfully launched its first commercial satellite on 24 November 2015 as part its national space programme.
Japanese H-IIA rocket carrying Canadian TELSTAR 12V communications and broadcasting satellite for operator Telesat was successfully lifted off from Tanegashima Space Centre (TSC).
With this, Japan is entered into the commercial satellite launch business which is mainly dominated by European and Russian companies.
Key facts
The first commercial satellite launch was overseen by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Japan is aiming to become a major player in the commercial satellite launching business which is worth 2.5 billion dollars a year.
In this regard, it has tried to improve its H-IIA rocket in order to cut the cost of each launch to make its programme competitive.
Some Facts: India had launched its first commercial satellite successfully in 2007 using Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carrying Italian satellite AGILE for space exploration.
With this, India had joined the elite club of nations comprising US, Russia, China, Ukraine and European Space Agency (ESA) having capacity to deploy their space exploration resources for commercial use. Antrix Corporation Limited (ACL) is the marketing arm of ISRO. It oversees commercialization of space exploration resources for commercial use developed by ISRO.
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