16 Jan 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Agnipath Scheme
2. Thiruvalluvar Day
3. Exercise ‘Varuna’

1. Agnipath Scheme

Syllabus – GS2, Government policies and interventions.

Prelims – Agnipath Scheme 

Context – The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the first batch of Agniveers via video conferencing.

Details –

• Shri Narendra Modi addressed the first batch of Agniveers (recruited through Agnipath Scheme) of the three services and congratulated them on being the pioneers of the path-breaking Agnipath Scheme. Shri Modi said that the young Agniveers would make the Armed Forces more youthful and tech-savvy.
• Getting posted in the country’s different regions will give Agniveers an opportunity to get diverse experiences and will make them learn different languages and also learn about different cultures and ways of living. Teamwork and the honing of leadership skills will add a new dimension to their personality.
• On June 14, 2022, India announced the Agnipath scheme replacing the legacy system to lower the age profile of the armed forces, ensure a fitter military and create a technically skilled warfighting force capable of meeting future challenges. The scheme is a pioneering step towards building a strong and prosperous ‘New India’.
• The Agnipath model for short-term induction of soldiers into the three services is a major departure from the military’s decades-old recruitment system which was discontinued when the government announced the new scheme in 2022. It seeks to recruit soldiers for only four years, with a provision to retain 25% of them in regular service.

2. Thiruvalluvar Day

Syllabus – GS1, Important Personalities.

Prelims – Thiruvalluvar Day.

Context – The Prime Minister paid homage to Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day.

Details –

• Thiruvalluvar Day is usually celebrated either on the 15th or 16th of January in the state of Tamil Nadu and is a part of Pongal celebrations.
• Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar was a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher. Thiruvalluvar’s primary work Thirukkural contains 1330 couplets (kurals) that are divided into 133 sections of 10 couplets each. The text is divided into three parts with teachings on dharma, artha, and kama (virtue, wealth and love).
• In the early 16th century, a temple dedicated to Thiruvalluvar was built within the Ekambareswarar temple complex in Mylapore, Chennai. Locals believe that this was where he was born, underneath a tree within the temple complex.
• A 133-foot-tall statue of Thiruvalluvar stands at Kanyakumari.
• In 1976, a temple-memorial called Valluvar Kottam was built in Chennai and houses one of the largest auditoriums in Asia.
• Another statue of the legendary Tamil poet was unveiled in Ulsoor, near Bengaluru, in 2009. A statue of Valluvar was also erected outside the School of Oriental and African Studies in Russell Square, London.

3. Exercise ‘Varuna’

Syllabus – GS3, Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. 

Prelims – Exercise Varuna – Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France.

Context – Commencement of the 21st edition of Exercise Varuna.

Details –

• The bilateral naval exercise between India and France started in 1993 and was named ‘Varuna’ in 2001. 
• The Exercise Varuna, a five-day exercise commenced on the Western Seaboard and over the years has become a hallmark of the India-France strategic bilateral relationship.
• This edition of the exercise will witness the participation of indigenous guided missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and Dornier, integral helicopters and MiG29K fighter aircraft.
• The French Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, frigates FS Forbin and Provence, maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique and support vessel FS Marne.
• This exercise provides an opportunity for both navies to learn from each other’s practices.

Read the previous PIB articles here.

January 16th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here