Top News Highlights- 1 August 2024

Table of Contents

Massive Landslides in Wayanad, Kerala

Cause: Extremely heavy rain triggered landslides.
Region: Wayanad district in the Western Ghats, the second most vulnerable region to landslides in India.
Impact: High soil depth and steep slopes in the Western Ghats contribute to frequent landslides during the monsoon.
Statistics: Approximately 0.42 million sq. km (12.6% of India’s land area) is prone to landslide hazards (Geological Survey of India).

Key Principles: Economic efficiency, environmental considerations, equity, and human health.
Strategic Actions: Pre-fire actions, planned fire, awareness programs, and knowledge transfer.
Initiatives: The National Landslide Risk Management Strategy and the National Landslide Forecasting Centre.

Location: Near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
Purpose: Facilitates rapid movement of Chinese troops between the North and South banks of Pangong Lake.
Border Dispute: India and China have differing perceptions of the LAC length (3,488 km vs. 2,000 km).

Objective: Ensure a transparent procedure for classifying borrowers as wilful defaulters.
Statistics: 16,883 accounts involving Rs 3.5 lakh crore classified as wilful defaulters as of March 2023.
Measures: Criminal proceedings, denial of additional credit, and preventive measures for credit appraisal and fund use monitoring.

Need: Address excessive speculative trading and increased retail participation.
Proposals: Increase in minimum contract value and limit strike prices to prevent scattering of trading activity.
Statistics: Household savings loss through derivatives trading is estimated at ₹50,000–₹60,000 crore.

Location: Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
Significance: The 500 MWe sodium-cooled Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) marks the start of stage II of India’s nuclear power program.
Technology: Utilizes Uranium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel and breeds more fuel through nuclear transmutation.

Objective: Facilitate registration and application for apprenticeships.
Features: Offers practical training for 6 months to 1 year with a reimbursable stipend.
Outcome: Apprentices receive a Certificate of Proficiency upon completion.

New Additions: Moidams from Assam added to the World Heritage List.
India’s Contribution: Pledged $1 million to UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
Cultural Agreement: India and the US signed the first ‘Cultural Property Agreement’ to prevent antiquities trafficking.

National Landslide Risk Management Strategy: A comprehensive plan by NDMA for managing landslide risks.
National Landslide Forecasting Centre (NLFC): Launched to operationalize Landslide Early Warning Systems nationwide by 2030.
Integrated Fire Management (IFM): A strategy by FAO for managing wildfire risks, focusing on economic, environmental, equity, and health aspects.
Wilful Defaulter: A borrower who defaults despite having the capacity to pay, diverts or siphons off funds, or fails to infuse equity.