3rd December, 2024 Current Affairs

NATIONAL 
National Mission on Cultural Mapping and Roadmap (NMCMR).
•    To preserve and promote India’s rich cultural heritage, the Ministry of Culture has established the National Mission on Cultural Mapping (NMCM).  Implemented by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the mission aims to document India’s cultural heritage and its potential to revitalize rural economics.
•    As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, NMCM launched Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar (MGMD) portal in June 2023 .This initiative aims to document the cultural heritage of 6.5 lakh villages of India. Currently, 4.5 lakh villages are live on the portal with their respective cultural portfolios.
•    The MGMD portal captures a wide range of cultural elements, including oral traditions, beliefs, customs, historical significance, art forms, traditional food, prominent artists, fairs and festivals, traditional dress, ornaments and local landmarks. NMCM is a significant step towards preserving India’s cultural heritage and empowering rural communities. By documenting and promoting cultural assets, the mission aims to strengthen cultural identity and foster economic development.

SHAKTI Yojana
•    The Government introduced Scheme for Harnessing and Allocating Koyala (Coal) Transparently in India (SHAKTI), 2017, which was issued by the Ministry of Coal on 22.05.2017, followed by amendments in this Policy issued by the Ministry of Coal on 25.03.2019 and 08.11.2023. SHAKTI Policy is a transparent way of allocating coal to Power Sector.

A. Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) and Coal Supply
•    A Fuel Supply Agreement (FSA) may be signed with pending Letter of Assurance (LoA) holders after ensuring that plants are commissioned, milestones are met, and all LoA conditions are fulfilled within the specified timeframe. Existing coal supply to 68,000 MW capacities will continue at 75% of the Annual Contracted Quantity (ACQ), with potential increases based on coal availability.
B. Coal Linkage Allocation Mechanisms
•    Coal linkage allocation mechanisms are outlined as follows:
•    (i) State/Central Gencos/Joint Ventures
•    Coal India Limited (CIL) or Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) may grant coal linkages at notified prices on the Ministry of Power's recommendations.
•    (ii) Independent Power Producers (IPPs) with Long-Term PPAs
•    Linkages will be granted through auctions, where IPPs bid for discounts on tariffs.
•    (iii) IPPs/Power Producers without PPAs
•    Linkages will be allocated through auctions.
•    (iv) Fresh PPAs
•    Coal linkages may be earmarked for fresh PPAs by pre-declaring availability.
•    (v) Aggregated Power Procurement
•    Grouped states' power requirements can be aggregated, and procurement made through tariff-based bidding.
•    (vi) Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPPs)
•    Linkages will be granted for full normative quantity to Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) incorporated by nominated agencies.
•    (vii) Transparent Bidding Process
•    The Ministry of Coal will formulate a methodology for allocating coal linkages to IPPs with PPAs based on imported coal.
•    (viii) Coal Linkage for Power Plants without PPAs
•    Power plants without PPAs will be allowed coal linkage for 3 months to 1 year, provided power is sold through power exchanges or short-term bidding processes.

INTERNATIONAL 
Russian President Putin approves record military spending in 2025 budget.
•    Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the country’s budget for 2025, which includes record-breaking spending on military needs amid Moscow’s ongoing assault against Ukraine.
•    The budget allocates about 126 billion U.S. dollars to national defense, which reportedly amounts to 32.5 percent of the total government spending. This is about 28 billion U.S. dollars higher than the previous record set this year, reportedly over 6 percent of Russia’s total gross domestic product (GDP).
•    However, the new three-year budget projects a slight reduction in military spending for the years 2026 and 2027, with 114.9 billion U.S. dollars allocated for 2026 and 122.4 billion U.S. dollars for 2027. Lawmakers in both houses of the Russian parliament, the State Duma and Federation Council, had already approved the budget plans in late November.

ECONOMY 
Chennai to Host World Maritime Conference 2024
•    The World Maritime Technology Conference (WMTC) is a premier global event held every three years under the auspices of the World Maritime Technology Congress. This prestigious gathering brings together industry leaders, professionals, and experts in maritime technology and allied sectors from across the globe. The 2024 edition of WMTC will be hosted in Chennai, India, from December 4-6, by the Institute of Marine Engineers (India) Chennai Branch.
•    Organized By: World Maritime Technology Congress (WMTC Congress).
•    Frequency: Held once every three years.
•    Participants: 21 member organizations from 17 countries representing professionals in maritime technology and related sectors.

POLICIES
MARITIME INDIA VISION 2030
The Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 is a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming India into a leading maritime nation. The vision outlines 150 initiatives across 10 interconnected themes, including:
1.    Port infrastructure development
2.    Enhancing logistics efficiency
3.    Improving Indian shipbuilding tonnage
4.    Increasing coastal and waterway traffic
5.    Fostering technology innovation and policy support
6.    Promoting sustainability
7.    Global collaboration

Progress Made
Over the past three years, significant progress has been made in various areas:
•    Major Port Capacity: Increased from 1598 MMTPA in FY 2022 to 1630 MMTPA in FY 2024.
•    Vessel Turn Around Time (TAT): Reduced from 53 hours in FY 2022 to 48 hours in FY 2024.
•    Ship Berth Day Output: Increased from 16,000 MT in FY 2022 to 18,900 MT in FY 2024.
•    Global Rankings: 2 Indian Ports featured in the global top 30 Ports, and India's ranking in World Bank's International shipment Logistics Performance Index (LPI) improved from 44 in 2018 to 22 in 2023.
•    Cargo Volume: Increased in National Waterways (NWs) from 108 MMT in FY 2022 to 133 MMT in FY 2024, and coastal tonnage increased from 260 MMT in FY 2022 to 324 MMT in FY 2024.
•    Capital Expenditure: Increased by 37% to Rs. 7571 crore in FY 2024, with a 54% increase in Gross Budget Support (GBS) to Rs. 1687 crore in FY 2024.

Employment Opportunities
The growth in maritime trade has significantly boosted employment opportunities across the sector, including:
•    Logistics
•    Shipping
•    Port operations
•    Shipbuilding
•    Related industries
•    Cruise tourism
•    Maritime services

Monitoring and Evaluation
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has established a robust mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the progress made with respect to MIV 2030, including:
•    Sagarmanthan Portal: A comprehensive portal that provides visibility into the progress made by organizations and wings under the Ministry.
•    Functional Cells: Viksit Bharat Sankalp (ViBhaS) at the Ministry level and Neel Arth Vision Implementation Cells (NAVIC) at the organization level to facilitate tracking progress and driving ideation and innovation.

MCQ’S 

1.    What is the primary objective of the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030?
A) To increase India's maritime trade
B) To develop India's ports and shipping infrastructure
C) To transform India into a leading maritime nation
D) To promote sustainable maritime practices

Answer: C) To transform India into a leading maritime nation

2.    How many initiatives are outlined in the Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030?
A) 100
B) 150
C) 200
D) 250

Answer: B) 150

3.    What is the name of the portal developed by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to monitor and evaluate the progress made with respect to MIV 2030?
A) Sagarmanthan Portal
B) Maritime India Portal
C) Ports and Shipping Portal
D) India Maritime Portal

Answer: A) Sagarmanthan Portal

4.    What has been the increase in Major Port Capacity from FY 2022 to FY 2024?
A) 10 MMTPA
B) 20 MMTPA
C) 32 MMTPA
D) 1630 MMTPA

Answer: C) 32 MMTPA

5.    What is the ranking of India in the World Bank's International shipment Logistics Performance Index (LPI) in 2023?
A) 10
B) 22
C) 30
D) 40

Answer: B) 22

6.    What has been the increase in cargo volume handled by National Waterways (NWs) from FY 2022 to FY 2024?
A) 10 MMT
B) 20 MMT
C) 25 MMT
D) 133 MMT

Answer: C) 25 MMT

7.    What is the name of the functional cells established by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to facilitate tracking progress and driving ideation and innovation?
A) Viksit Bharat Sankalp (ViBhaS)
B) Neel Arth Vision Implementation Cells (NAVIC)
C) Maritime India Cells
D) Ports and Shipping Cells

Answer: A) Viksit Bharat Sankalp (ViBhaS) and B) Neel Arth Vision Implementation Cells (NAVIC)

8.    What has been the increase in coastal tonnage from FY 2022 to FY 2024?
A) 10 MMT
B) 20 MMT
C) 64 MMT
D) 324 MMT

Answer: C) 64 MMT