1. Madhukar Gupta Committee on border protection submitted its report to the Union Ministry Home Affairs (MHA).
AIM -To suggest recommendations for strengthening border protection and addressing the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing along India-Pakistan Border.
Key Facts
-The committee has examined security mechanisms of all four Indian states sharing border with Pakistan keeping in mind challenges of different climate and topography.
- It has given separate recommendations for four states as each of them has different topography and problems.
-It has flagged gaps and vulnerabilities in border fencing and suggested use of technology and heightened vigil on riverine frontiers.
-It has expressed displeasure over not installing laser walls in many infiltration-prone areas due to treacherous and marshy terrain.
---> 4 Indian states share 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan. Of this 1,225 km falls in Jammu and Kashmir (including Line of Control), 1,037 km in Rajasthan, 553 km in Punjab and 508 km in Gujarat.
Background
-The MHA had constituted this committee in April 2016 to suggest ways to address the issue of gaps and vulnerability in border fencing.
-It was constituted three months after the terror attack on Pathankot IAF base in January 2016 by Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists from Pakistan.
-These terrorist had infiltrated into India by beaching the India-Pakistan border (through porous border) in Punjab especially from the riverine stretch.
2. PM Modi launched the first phase of SAUNI (Saurastra Narmada Avataran Irrigation) Yojana at Sanodara of Jamnagar district of Gujarat.
SAUNI Yojana is multipurpose project.
-AIMS: To solve the water problems of a parched Saurashtra region of Gujarat.
Key Facts Technically, SAUNI is a ‘linking’ project where the water will be filled in irrigation dams that are already equipped with canal network.
Under this project, 115 dams in the Saurashtra region will be filled with excess water from the Sardar Sarovar dam.
-In the first phase, around 10 dams and reservoirs of Rajkot, Jamnagar and Morbi districts will be filled with water from Narmada River for irrigation and drinking purposes.
-SAUNI project involves making pipe canals instead of the conventional open canals which has led to no acquisition of land for the project.
-This network of canals will comprise 1,125-km network of pipelines that will help to channel water into farms. Background Saruashtra region of Gujarat comprises 11 districts.
-These districts faces drought like situation often and has been reeling under severe water scarcity due to scanty rainfall.
-The SAUNI Yojana was announced in 2012 when PM Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat
3. The second 1,000 MW capacity reactor of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) was successfully synchronized to the southern power grid.
-This marks the generation of electricity and its supply to the grid by the second reactor of KKNPP.
-The plant had attained criticality in July 2016.
-Besides with this synchronisation, the total atomic power generation capacity of Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) crossed 5,000 MW.
4. India and the United States signed Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
-It will enable both countries to use each other’s bases for repair and replenishment of defence supplies.
-The logistics agreement signed was based on the memorandum in principle reached between two leaders in April 2016.
What is LEMOA Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement ?
-LEMOA is another name for Logistics Support Agreement (LSA), an agreement that US has signed with many of its allies.
- It allows defence forces countries to avail defence logistics support facilities such as fuel, spare parts, mechanics, etc. during joint training, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and port calls. Besides, it also lays out the procedure for billing for these facilities as part of a larger accounting transaction and details are contained in clarifying protocols annexed to LEMOA.
- LEMOA is facilitating agreement that establishes basic terms, conditions, and procedures for reciprocal provision of Logistic Support, Supplies, and Services (LSSS).
-LSSS include food, billeting, water, medical services, transportation, petroleum, oils, lubricants, clothing, communication services, storage services, training services, spare parts and components, repair and maintenance services and port services.
- Reciprocal logistic support would be used exclusively during authorized port visits, joint training, joint exercises, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts.
-Provision of LSSS from one Party to the other would be in return for either cash payment or the reciprocal provision of Logistic Support, Supplies, and Services. Logistics support for any other cooperative efforts will only be provided on a case-by-case basis through prior mutual consent of both countries
Note
LEMOA does not create any obligations on either Party to carry out any joint activity. It does not provide for the establishment of any bases or basing arrangements.
It will significantly help to enhance the operational capacity of the Indian Armed Forces, including in their response to humanitarian crises or disaster relief.
LEMOA is one of the three foundational agreements that guide US high technology cooperation in defence sector with other countries.
Other two are Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) and Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-spatial Cooperation (BECA).
What is CISMOA?
CISMOA will allow the US to supply India with its propriety encrypted communications equipment and systems. Thus, it will allow to secure peacetime and wartime communication between high-level military leaders on both sides.
-CISMOA will also extend this capability to Indian and US military assets, including aircraft and ships. So far US has blocked sale of some of its advanced technologies and sensitive equipments to India on account of non-signing this agreement.
What is BECA?
BECA would facilitate exchange of geospatial information between India and US for both military and civilian use.
5. Eminent Dogri language Poetess and novelist Padma Sachdev was awarded the prestigious Saraswati Samman for the year 2015.
-She was bestowed with this prestigious award for her autobiography ‘Chitt-Chete’ (published in 2007) written in Dogri language.
-She was felicitated by Delhi’s Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in New Delhi.
-Padma Sachdev is first modern woman poet of Dogri language.
-Saraswati Samman is an annual literary award bestowed upon Indian citizen for his outstanding literary work written in any Indian language. These literary works should be in Indian languages that are mentioned in Schedule VIII of Constitution and published during last 10 years.
-Established: 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation. Award Carries: Monetary award of 15 lakh rupees, a citation and a plaque.
6.India and Myanmar have signed four Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and bilateral relations between the two countries.
President Kyaw was on a four day visit to India from 27 August to 30 August 2016. He is the first democratically elected President of Myanmar to visit India.
Signed Agreements are
-MoU on cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy.
-MoU on cooperation in the construction of 69 Bridges
-MoU on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine.
-MoU on cooperation in the construction and upgradation of the Kalewa – Yagyi Road Section.
