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Assam & NE Current Affairs & GK – January 25-27, 2024

( Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for January 25-27, 2024)

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January 25-27, 2024 

PM Young Achievers Scholarship Award Scheme (PM YASASVI)

PM YASASVI is a Scholarship scheme for Other Backward Class (OBCs), Economically Backward Class (EBC) and Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNT) Students. 

The scheme aims to provide scholarships to students from various impoverished classes. The Scheme provides these students with the resources they need to become financially independent and continue their studies.

A total of ₹32.44 Crore has been released for Pre-matric Scholarships and ₹387.27 Crore for Post-Matric Scholarships to States/Union Territories (UTs) under the PM YASASVI scheme.

About PM YASASVI 

• Under this Scheme students can avail Pre-Matric Scholarship from Class 9 to 10 and Post Matric Scholarship for their higher studies at post-matriculation or post-secondary stage. 
• Students who excel in their studies also get an opportunity of Scholarship to study in Top Class Schools and Colleges under the Scheme of ‘Top Class School Education’ and ‘Top Class College Education’. 
• Additionally, hostel facilities are provided for OBC students through a construction scheme. 

Eligibility: 

• Other Backward Class (OBC), Economically Backward Classes (EBC), and Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNT) 
• Parents or guardians annual income is not more than Rs. 2.50 Lakhs. 
• Studying in a Top Class School in Class 9 or 11.

There are five sub-Schemes under the Scheme. 

1. Pre-Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT Students: For students studying in class IX and X on a full-time basis in Government Schools only. Benefit-The students shall be given a consolidated academic allowance of Rs. 4000/- per annum 
2. Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC, EBC and DNT Students. : For students studying at post-matriculation or post-secondary stage to enable them to complete their education. Benefits-allowance from Rs.5000 to Rs.20000 is awarded to students as per category of course. 
3. Top Class School Education for OBC, EBC and DNT Students: For meritorious students belonging to OBC, EBC and DNT categories from Class 9 onwards till they complete Class 12. Benefits-Scholarship is awarded for tuition fee, hostel fee and other charges  subject to a maximum of Rs. 75,000/- per annum per student of class 9 and 10 and Rs. 1,25,000/- per annum per student of class 11 and 12. 
4. Top Class College Education for OBC, EBC and DNT Students: For students belonging to OBC, EBC and DNT categories. Benefits-by providing full financial support that include tuition fee,living expenses,books and stationaries etcs. 
5. Construction of Hostel for OBC Boys and Girls -To provide hostel facilities to students belonging to socially and educationally backward classes, especially from rural areas, to enable them to pursue secondary and higher education in the Govt. schools, universities, institutions and institutes located at a reasonable distance.

Arvind Panagariya Appointed Head Of Sixteenth Finance Commission 

The Government of India has appointed Arvind Panagariya, a renowned trade economist and former Niti Aayog vice chairman, as the chairman of the Sixteenth Finance Commission.

Major Terms of Reference for the 16th Finance Commission: 

• Division of Tax Proceeds: Recommending the distribution of taxes between the Union Government and the States under Chapter I, Part XII of the Constitution. Includes the allocation of shares among the States from these tax proceeds. 
• Principles for Grants-in-Aid: Establishing principles governing grants-in-aid to the States from the Consolidated Fund of India. Determines amounts to be provided to the States as grants-in-aid under Article 275 of the Constitution. 
• Enhancing State Funds for Local Bodies: Identifying measures to enhance the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement resources available to Panchayats and Municipalities. Based on recommendations made by the State’s own Finance Commission. 
• Evaluation of Disaster Management Financing: The Commission may review current financing structures related to Disaster Management initiatives. Examines funds created under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and presents suitable recommendations for improvements or alterations. 

About Finance Commission 

• The Finance Commission (FC) of India was established by the President in 1951 under Article 280 of the Indian Constitution. 

Functions

• Its primary role is to define and regulate the financial relations between the central government and the individual state governments. 
• The Finance Commission (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1951, further outlines the qualifications, appointment, disqualification, term, eligibility, and powers of the Finance Commission. 
• The Fifteenth Finance Commission, made recommendations covering the period of six years commencing on April 1, 2020.

Composition: 

• Appointed every five years, the FC comprises a chairman and four other members. 
• The chairman of the commission is selected from among persons who have had experience in public affairs. 
• Four other members are selected from among persons who: 

1. are, or have been, or are qualified to be appointed as Judges of a High Court; 
2. or have special knowledge of the finances and accounts of Government; 
3. or have had wide experience in financial matters and in administration; 
4. or have special knowledge of economics

Padma Awards 2024

The President has approved conferment of 132 Padma Awards including 2 duo cases (counted as one) for the year 2024.

Padma Awards 2024 List

The list comprises 5 Padma Vibhushan, 17 Padma Bhushan and 110 Padma Shri Awards. 30 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 8 persons from the category of Foreigners / NRI / PIO / OCI and 9 Posthumous awardees.

About Padma Awards 

• The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India. They are announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. These Awards are conferred by the President of India at ceremonial functions which are held at Rashtrapati Bhawan usually around March / April every year.
• The Awards are given in various disciplines / fields of activities, viz.- art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, etc. 
• The Padma Awards are provided in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. 
• The ‘Padma Vibhushan’ is given to people who have done outstanding and remarkable service. 
• The ‘Padma Bhushan’ is awarded for excellent service of a high order. 
• The ‘Padma Shri’ is given to those who have shown great service in different fields. 
• The award contain a Sanad (certificate) signed by the President, medallion and a small replica of the medallion, awardee names are also published in the Gazette of India on the ceremonial day.
• The award does not amount to title and cannot be used as a suffix or prefix to the awardees’ name.

Padma Vibhushan 2024 

Name                                   Field                State/ Region 

1. Ms. Vyjayantimala Bali           Art                      Tamil Nadu 
2. Shri Konidela Chiranjeevi      Art                      Andhra Pradesh 
3. Shri M Venkaiah Naidu      Public Affairs     Andhra Pradesh
4. Shri Bindeshwar Pathak    Social Work           Bihar

(Posthumous)  

1. Ms. Padma Subrahmanyam    Art                 Tamil Nadu

Padma Bhushan Awardees 2024 

Name                                   Field           State/Country 

1. Ms. M Fathima Beevi   Public Affairs       Kerala 
2. Shri Hormusji N Cama Literature & Education Maharashtra
3. Shri Mithun Chakraborty Art West Bengal 
4. Shri Sitaram Jindal Trade & Industry Karnataka 
5. Shri Young Liu Trade & Industry Taiwan 
6. Shri Ashwin Balachand Mehta Medicine Maharashtra 
7. Shri Satyabrata Mookherjee Public Affairs West Bengal 8. Shri Ram Naik Public Affairs Maharashtra 
8. Shri Tejas Madhusudan Patel Medicine Gujarat 
9. Shri Olanchery Rajagopal Public Affairs Kerala 
10. Shri Dattatray Ambadas Mayaloo alias Rajdutt Art Maharashtra 
11. Shri Togdan Rinpoche Others – Spiritualism Ladakh 13. Shri Pyarelal Sharma Art Maharashtra 
12. Shri Chandreshwar Prasad Thakur Medicine Bihar 
13. Ms. Usha Uthup Art West Bengal 
14. Shri Vijaykanth Art Tamil Nadu 
15. Shri Kundan Vyas Literature & Education – Journalism Maharashtra

Padma Awards 2024

The Padma Shri Awards 2024 have been announced, honouring 110 distinguished individuals across various fields for their exceptional service. 

Individual/s has been awarded with the Padma Shri Awards 2024 from Assam

1. Assam’s first female elephant mahout, Parbati Baruah, is recognized for her commitment to mitigating human-elephant conflict.
2. Sarbeswar Basumatary  also known as “Chirang ke Krishi Chiraag,” is a farmer whose innovative approach to farming, incorporating various technologies, has not only transformed his own agricultural practices but has also garnered attention at the national level.
3. Folk artiste from Assam Drona Bhuyan, an exponent of Ojapali and Deodhani dancer

Sapinda Marriage

Delhi High Court recently rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of Section 5(v) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 (HMA), which prohibits marriage between Hindus if they are “sapindas” of each other.

About Sapinda Marriage

• A sapinda marriage is one between individuals who are related to each other within a certain degree of closeness. 
• Sapinda relationships for the purposes of the HMA are defined in Section 3 of the Hindu Marriage Act. 
• Under section 3(f)(ii) of the act, two persons are said to be sapindas of each other if one is a lineal ascendant of the other within the limits of sapinda relationship, or if they have a common lineal ascendant who is within the limits of sapinda relationship with reference to each of them. 
• Under the provisions of the Hindu Marriage Act, on the mother’s side, a Hindu individual cannot marry anyone who is within three generations of them in the line of ascent.
• On the father’s side, the same prohibition applies to anyone within five generations of the individual.

Exceptions to the Prohibitions Against Sapinda Marriages

• The Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) provides an exception to the prohibition against sapinda marriages.
• This exception applies when the customs of each individual involved permit such marriages.
• According to Section 3(a) of the HMA, a custom must be continuously and uniformly observed for an extended period to gain legitimacy.
• For a custom to be valid, it must be certain, not unreasonable, and in line with public policy. Additionally, if the custom applies only to a specific family, it should not have been discontinued by that family.

Cabinet approves the scheme for promotion of Coal/Lignite

Union Cabinet approved the scheme for promotion of Coal/Lignite Gasification Projects of Government PSUs and Private Sector with an outlay of Rs.8,500 crore towards incentive for coal gasification projects under three categories.

The cabinet has approved the scheme as follows: 

Total outlay of Rs.8,500 crore will be provided as financial assistance for coal gasification projects under three categories. 

Finance under 3 categories

• In category I, Rs.4,050 crore provisioned for Government PSUs in which upto 3 projects will be supported by providing lump-sum grant of Rs.1,350 crore or 15% of capex, whichever is lower.
• In category II, Rs.3,850 crore provisioned for private sector as well as Government PSUs in which lump-sum grant of Rs.1,000 crore or 15% of capex, whichever is lower provided for each project. At least one project will be bid out on tariff-based bidding process and its criteria will be designed in consultation with NITI Aayog. 
• In category III, Rs.600 crore provisioned for demonstration Projects (indigenous technology) and/or small-scale product-based Gasification Plants under which lump-sum grant of Rs.100 crore or 15% of capex, whichever is lower, will be given to the selected entity who will have a minimum Capex of Rs. 100 Crore and minimum production of 1500 Nm3/hr Syn gas.

Project Veer Gatha

The third edition of Project ‘Veer Gatha’, a joint initiative of Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Education as part of Republic Day celebrations, has witnessed an overwhelming pan India response.

About Project Veer Gatha

• Project Veer Gatha was initiated under the Gallantry Awards Portal (GAP) in 2021 with the primary goal of raising awareness about the brave actions of Gallantry Awardees and sharing their life stories with students.
• It aims to inspire patriotism and civic values among the youth.
• It aims to disseminate the details of acts of bravery of the Gallantry Awardees and the life stories of these brave hearts among the students. 
• The order of precedence for Gallantry awards – Param Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Vir Chakra, Shaurya Chakra.