30 Jun 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Guidelines on Information Security Practices
2. Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project
3. Hul Diwas
4. International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS)
5. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas
6. Durand Cup

1. Guidelines on Information Security Practices

Syllabus: GS-3, Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security

Prelims: Cert-In, Guidelines on Information Security Practices 

Mains: Aspects of cyber security

Context:

Cert-In to issue Guidelines on Information Security Practices.

Background:

• India’s digital landscape has witnessed tremendous growth, with over 80 crore Indians actively utilizing the Internet and cyberspace.
• Citizens are increasingly relying on the Internet to cater to their daily requirements, including aspects such as business, education, finance, and availing digital government services.
• Taking cognisance of the growing cyber threats and recognising the importance of a secure and trustworthy digital environment, the government has formulated policies aimed at ensuring a safe, trusted and secure cyberspace for its users.

Cert-In’s Guidelines on Information Security Practices:

• To further address the goal of safe cyberspace, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has released guidelines on information security practices.
• The guidelines were issued under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
• They apply to all Ministries, Departments, Secretariats, and Offices specified in the First Schedule to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961, along with their attached and subordinate offices.
• They also include all government institutions, public sector enterprises, and other government agencies under their administrative purview.
• The guidelines include various security domains such as network security, identity and access management, application security, data security, third-party outsourcing, hardening procedures, security monitoring, incident management, and security auditing.

Significance of the guidelines:

• These guidelines are a roadmap for Government entities and industries to reduce cyber risk, protect citizen data and continue to improve the cyber security ecosystem in the country. 
• They will serve as a fundamental document for audit teams, including internal, external, and third-party auditors, to assess an organisation’s security posture against the specified cybersecurity requirements.
• For desktop/laptop/printer security in offices, the guidelines suggest to “Use only Standard User (non-administrator) account for accessing the computer/ laptops for regular work. Admin access to be given to users with approval of CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) only”.
• The guidelines also recommend the use of complex passwords with a “minimum length of 8 characters”, using a combination of capital letters, small letters, numbers and special characters; never storing any usernames and passwords on the Internet browser; and do not store any payment related information on the Internet browser.

2. Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project

Syllabus: GS-3, Infrastructure

Prelims: Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, National Green Tribunal

Context:

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project Achieves Construction of Dam till Top Level.

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a 2,000 Mega Watt hydel project located in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• The project is under construction and electricity generation is expected to begin by the end of the financial year 2023-24.
• On completion, the project will generate approximately 7,500 million kilowatt-hours of power annually, in a 90%-dependable year.
• The construction work of the project was started in 2005 by NHPC Ltd after obtaining forest clearance. However, due to objections from local stakeholders, the project construction work was stalled from December 2011 to October 2019. 
• The project construction resumed in October 2019 after clearance by the National Green Tribunal.

3. Hul Diwas

Syllabus: GS-1, History, Freedom Movement

Prelims: Santhal Revolt

Mains: Tribal uprisings against the British

Context:

PM pays tributes to martyrs of Adivasi society on the occasion of Hul Diwas.

Hul Diwas:

• Hul Diwas is the day observed in remembrance of the Santhal Rebellion or Santhal Hul that was led by two Santhal brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu who organised 10,000 Santhals and proclaimed a rebellion against the British on 30th June 1855.

Read more about the Santhal Revolt in the linked article.

4. International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS)

Syllabus: GS-2, International relations

Prelims: International Tracked Packet Service, India Post

Mains: India – Canada relations

Context:

International Tracked Packet Service between India Post and Canada Post.

Details:

• India Post entered into an agreement with Canada Post to introduce International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) between the two countries to facilitate e-commerce exports. 
• The service will be operational with effect from July 01, 2023.
• The ITPS is a competitive service for the transmission and delivery of packets and has been designed to meet the cross-border shipping requirements of e-commerce exporters including MSMEs, small businesses, merchants, etc. to promote exports of their products using local post offices. 
• India Post already provides this service with 38 partner countries and Canada will be the 39th. 
• The ITPS rates are very economical in comparison to International EMS (Speed Post) and other market products. 
  • The postage for the first 50 gm would be Rs 400 and Rs 35 for every additional 50 gms. 
  • This will provide an affordable shipping solution for up to 2 kg to exporters along with the pick-up and volume-based discount to contractual customers.

5. Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

Syllabus: Syllabus: GS-3, Security

Prelims: Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

Context:

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas completes seven years in Indian Air Force service.

LCA Tejas:

Image source: PIB

• Christened Tejas in 2003, the aircraft is a multi-role platform that ranks amongst the best in its class. 
• It has been designed to undertake Air Defence, Maritime Reconnaissance and Strike roles. 
• The inherently unstable Tejas offers carefree handling and enhanced manoeuvrability. This capability is further enhanced with its Multi-Mode Airborne radar, Helmet Mounted Display, Self-protection suite and Laser Designation Pod.

Know more about LCA Tejas in the linked article.

6. Durand Cup

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Prelims: Durand Cup

Context:

Durand Cup flagged off by the three service chiefs.

About the Durand Cup:

• It is India’s oldest football tournament and this is the 132nd edition of the tournament.
• It is also Asia’s oldest football tournament and top Indian football clubs from across the country participate in it.
• Organised by the Indian Armed Forces, the Durand Cup has been the breeding ground for India’s best footballing talent over the years. 
• The inaugural edition took place in Shimla in 1888, when it started off as an Army Cup, open only to the British Indian Army troops in India, but soon opened up to civilian teams as well. 
• The Durand Cup tournament is unique where in the winning team walks away with three trophies, i.e the Durand Cup (a rolling trophy and the original prize), the Shimla Trophy (also a rolling trophy and first given by the residents of Shimla in 1904) and the President’s Cup (for permanent keep and first presented by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, in 1956). 
• The 132nd edition of the tournament will witness the participation of 24 teams including teams from Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh; the foreign teams are taking part in the tournament after a gap of 27 years. 

Read the previous PIB articles here.

June 30th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here