31 August 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

Read the daily PIB update and stay up-to-date on current affairs for the UPSC exam.

August 31st, 2019 PIB:-Download PDF Here

Vice President has described India’s longest electrified railway tunnel as an Engineering Marvel

Context:

The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu visited India’s longest electrified tunnel between Cherlopalli and Rapuru railway stations in Andhra Pradesh.

Details:

• The 6.7- km long tunnel provides viable rail connectivity between Krishnapatnam Port and its hinterland for goods train services and facilitates seamless freight transport.
• This newly commissioned line of 112 km reduces the travel time to five hours as compared to the 10 hrs earlier for a goods train from Krishnapatnam Port to Obulavaripalli.
• It also reduces the distance by 72 kms for the trains coming from Guntakal Division to Krishnapatnam.
• It will facilitate operating freight trains on Obulavaripalli-Venkatachalam-Krishnapatnam Port while providing the shortest path between Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Mumbai rail routes.

 ‘Gallery of Confiscated and Retrieved Antiquities’ inaugurated at Purana Qila

Context:

‘Gallery of Confiscated and Retrieved Antiquities’  was inaugurated at Purana Qila in New Delhi The Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (Independent charge), Shri Prahlad Singh Patel.

Details:

• The Gallery is located in the arched cells of Purana Qila.
• It is curated by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
• It displays confiscated and retrieved antiquities to public.
• It was revealed during the inauguration that the number of antiquities recovered in the last five years is the highest ever.
• Improving cultural relations with various countries of the world is believed to be the reason for the recent success.
• ASI, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) , DRI among others (DRI) among others have worked tirelessly in retrieving antiquities.

Gallery of Confiscated and Retrieved Antiquities:

• The ‘Gallery of Confiscated and Retrieved Antiquities’ showcases a part display of 198 confiscated and retrieved antiquities belonging from ancient to modern period from the Central Antiquity Collection.
• The exhibition also sensitizes the visitors about the illegal trade of precious heritage items and process and regulations for retrieving them.
• The display in the gallery ranges from proto-historic to modern period and affiliated to different provenances.
• The wide range of retrieved or confiscated antiquities includes stone and metal sculptures, coins, paintings, ivory and copper artifacts, architectural panels, etc.
• Some of the exclusive exhibits showcased in the gallery are
  • Bronze sculptures of Parvati and Sridevi of Chola Period (brought back in 2016),
  • Standing Buddha (returned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the year 1999),
  • Terracotta Mother Goddess of Mauryan period (brought back in the year 2016),
  • Brahma-Brahmani (confiscated by Central Bureau of Investigation),
  • Mithuna (seized in New York and brought back in the year 2010)
  • Kashmiri Harwan tile (returned to India by Consulate General of India, New York in the year 2016).

Conclusion:

In the past, many of valuable antiquities, artifacts and sculptures have been stolen from India and are sold in foreign countries. As per the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act, 1972 and rules 1973, it is the duty of Archaeological Survey of India to stop theft, illegal export and regulates domestic trade of antiquities.

Fit India Movement

• The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched the Fit India Movement at a ceremony in New Delhi on the occasion of National Sports Day.
• The Fit India Movement aims to encourage people to inculcate physical activity and sports in their everyday lives.
• A committee, headed by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and comprising government officials, members of Indian Olympic Association (lOA), national sports federations, private bodies and fitness promoters, has been formed to take the movement forward.
• The movement is not just central government’s but of all state governments, panchayats and local bodies.

Nila Gumbad

Context:

Minister of State for Culture & Tourism (Independent charge),  Shri Prahlad Singh Patel has opened the entry for Nila Gumbad at Humayun Tomb Complex for general public

Details:

• The Nila Gumbad is one of the earliest Mughal era structure and was Built in the 1530’s.
• This was built on an island in the Yamuna, and later, just abutting to it, when Humayun’s Tomb was built in the year 1569-70, Nila Gumbad and other adjoining structures were incorporated in the complex.
• In 2017, Nila Gumbad was declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Monument as part of the extended Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site.
• Nila Gumbad was one of the earliest buildings built during the Mughal reign, before Mughal architecture became influenced by local styles.
• Nila Gumbad derives its name from the turquoise blue tiles that cover its dome.

Visit of Indian Naval Ships to Laem Chabang, Thailand

Context:

As part of Indian Navy’s Overseas Deployment to South East Asia and Western Pacific, Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Kiltan are making a port call at Laem Chabang, Bangkok.

Details:

• Indian Navy ships Sahyadri and Kiltan are part of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet under the Operational Command of Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, based at Visakhapatnam.
• IN Ships Sahyadri and Kiltan are the latest, indigenously designed and built multi-role Guided Missile Stealth Frigate and Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette respectively.
• The two ships are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors.
• They can carry multi-role helicopters.
• They represent the ‘coming of age’ of India’s warship building capabilities.
• On completion of the visit, Indian Navy and Royal Thai Navy ships would be undertaking a Passage Exercise at sea, to further build on the levels of interoperability between the navies to ensure peaceful and secure seas for all.

The port call is a demonstration of India’s warm ties with Thailand.

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