25 October 2019: PIB Summary & Analysis

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

October 25th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

NAM Summit

Context:

The Vice President at the 18^th NAM Summit at Baku, Azerbaijan hit out at Pakistan for misusing the NAM summit “to justify its longstanding policy of conducting cross-border terrorism” against its neighbours.

18^th NAM Summit has been covered in 23^rd October PIB. Click here to read.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa

Context:

The President of India addressed the commemoration of Golden Jubilee of Vishwa Shanti Stupa in Rajgir, Bihar.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa:

• Vishwa Shanti Stupa or the World peace pagoda constructed atop the Ratnagiri Hill is the world’s highest peace pagoda.
• It was conceptualised by renowned Buddhist monk Nipponzan Myohoji and built by Japanese monk Fujii Guruji.
• The stupa is built completely with marble.
• It comprises of four golden statues of Lord Buddha with each representing his life periods of birth, enlightenment, preaching and death.
• In 1965, the then President Dr Radha Krishnan had laid the foundation stone for this stupa, which was eventually inaugurated by President V V Giri in 1969.

Shanti Stupas:

There are 7 Shanti Stupas in India, other famous Stupas are Global Vipassana Pagoda Mumbai, Deekshabhoomi Stupa Nagpur and Buddha Smriti Park Stupa Patna.

Rajgir:

• The city of Rajagriha (present day Rajgir) was the first capital of the kingdom of Magadha, a state that eventually evolved into the Mauryan Empire.
• It was the ancient capital city of the Magadh rulers until the 5th century BC when Ajatashatru moved the capital to Pataliputra.
• Rajgir is also known as Panchpahari as it is surrounded by five holy hills.
• The first Buddhist Council, immediately after the Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha, was convened at this place (Rajagriha) which presently is called Rajgir. It was held under the patronage of king Ajatshatru with the monk Mahakasyapa presiding over the council.
• It was at the Gridhakuta, the hill of the vultures, where Buddha made Mauryan king Bimbisara convert to Buddhism.
• The legend has it that the ancient city Rajagriha existed even before Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.
• Rajgir is sacred to memory of the founders of both the religions: Buddhism as well as Jainism.
  • It was here that Gautam Buddha spent several months meditating and preaching at Gridhakuta.
  • Lord Mahavira spent 14 years of his life at Rajgir and nearby areas, spending chaturmas (four months during monsoon) at a single place in Rajgir and the rest in the places in the vicinity. It is an important religious place for Jains.

National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA)

Context:

The President of India will present the National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA) to select companies for their outstanding contribution in area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

National Corporate Social Responsibility Awards (NCSRA):

• The National CSR Awards has been instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to recognize corporate initiatives in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to achieve inclusive growth and inclusive and sustainable development.
• These awards are the highest recognition in the domain of CSR by the Government of India.
• The Awards were instituted in 2017 subsequent to the recommendations of the High Level Committee on CSR.

Objectives of the award:

• To increase competition in various categories of companies to infuse excellence in their CSR activities.
• To encourage companies to spend the entire amount i.e. eligible CSR amount.
• To recognise the impact, innovation, usage of technology, gender and environment issues, sustainability, scalability and replicability of CSR activities.
• To channelise CSR activities of corporate so that the benefits of their activities reach the marginalised sections of society and in remote areas of the country.

Appointments Committee of the Cabinet 

• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet(ACC) decides appointments to several top posts under the Government of India.
• The committee is composed of the Prime Minister of India (who is the Chairman), the Minister of Home Affairs.
• The Establishment Officer’s Division (EO Division) processes all proposals for senior appointments in the Government of India that require approval of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet under the Government of India Transactions of Business Rules, 1961.
• This Committee decides on all important empanelment and shift of officers serving on Central deputation.

The committee makes appointments to posts of:

• Chiefs of three services
• Director General of Military Operations
• Chiefs of all Air and Army Commands
• Director General of Defence Intelligence Agency
• Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister
• Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services
• Director General of Ordnance Factories (DGOF) & Chairman OFB
• Director General of Defence Estates
• Controller General of Defence Accounts
• Director of Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
• Solicitor-General of India
• Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
• Chairman and Members of the Railway Board
• Chief Vigilance Officers and directors of the board in Public Sector Undertakings
• Secretariat posts of and above the rank of Joint Secretary in the Central Government

Read more about the Cabinet Committees. Click Here.

DEFCOM 2019

• DEFCOM is a seminar jointly organised by the Corps of Signals and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• It has evolved over the years to become a landmark conference for collaboration between the Indian armed forces, academia, research and development organisations, and the Industry on aspects pertaining to Information and Communications Technology.
• The theme for DEFCOM 2019 is “Communications as a Decisive Catalyst for Jointness”.

Vigilance Awareness Week

Context:

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) will observe the Vigilance Awareness Week from 28^th October to 2^nd November, 2019.

Vigilance Awareness Week:

• Vigilance Awareness Week is observed every year during the week in which the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31^st October) falls.
• The awareness week campaign affirms CVC’s commitment to promotion of integrity and probity in public life through citizen participation.
• “Integrity- A way of life” has been chosen as the theme for the Vigilance Awareness Week 2019.
• The Commission believes that the theme would help draw the attention of all sections of society especially the youth to the significance of ethical conduct in the building of an honest, non-discriminatory and corruption free society.

Details:

• The establishment of ‘Integrity Clubs’ in schools and colleges is an initiative to cultivate ethical values in the leaders of tomorrow.
• “Awareness Gram Sabhas” are organized for dissemination of awareness in Gram Panchayats (in rural and semi-urban areas) to sensitize the rural citizens about the ill-effects of corruption.
• Seminars, discussions and other outreach events will be organized involving the private sector, professional associations, trade unions and associations for wide participation of all sections of civil society.

CSIR conducts Whole Genome Sequencing of over 1,000 Indians for Biomedical Applications

Context:

The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has conducted Whole Genome Sequencing of 1,008 Indians from different populations across the country.

This topic has been covered in 26^th October Comprehensive News Analysis. Click here to read.

“Akashvani Samachar Bharati” dedicated to 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

Context:

All India Radio News has released the 8th edition of in-house magazine ‘Akashvani Samachar Bharati’.

Details:

• News Services Division (NSD) of All India Radio has dedicated the 8^th edition of Akashvani Samachar Bharati to the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma and his thoughts of
  1. Sewa (social service)
  2. Samarpan (personal sacrifice)
  3. Swadeshi (indigenous)
  4. Swavalamban(self-sufficiency)
  5. Sahyog( cooperation)
  6. Swachhata (cleanliness)
• This edition reflects upon how Gandhi made Swachchata his mission.
• Another attraction is the story on Gandhi District which was recently in the news during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Houston, USA.
• The Mahatma Gandhi District is an ethnic enclave in Houston, Texas, United States, named after Mahatma Gandhi, consisting of predominantly of Indian and Pakistani restaurants and having a large South Asian population.

Related Links:

October 25th, 2019 PIB:- Download PDF Here

Read more PIB articles here.