Category: News

stevie Edward died at 58 by lung cancer

Expressions and CULTURE

Stevie Edwards, Design Originator Who Styled Diana Ross, Kicks the bucket At 58. The Washington Park local concentrated on design at Dunbar Professional Foundation, was found by Dark Magazine matron Eunice Johnson and got one of his greatest breaks from the Oprah Winfrey Show.

Style fashioner Stevie Edwards as of late sent off an internet based mission to assist with clinical expenses as he fights Stage 3 cellular breakdown in the lungs.

Edwards’ sister, Aretha Edwards, said the style creator kicked the bucket calmly Sunday encompassed by friends and family. He’d combat cellular breakdown in the lungs for over two years. The family will design a remembrance to respect him before very long, she said.

NAXALITE ACTIVITIES

As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the State Governments. However, the Government of India (GoI) has been supplementing the efforts of States affected by left wing extremism. To address the issue of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) holistically, a National Policy and Action Plan to address  Left  Wing  Extremism (LWE) was  approved  in 2015. It  envisages    a   multi-pronged     strategy     involving   security    related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities etc. While on security front, the Central Government assists the LWE affected State Government by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, provision of funds through schemes like Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc; on development side, the Central Government has taken various measures including construction of roads, installation of mobile towers, improving network of banks, post offices, health and education facilities in the LWE areas.

Under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme funds are provided to LWE affected states for capacity building of the States through provisions of ex-gratia to the family of civilian/security forces killed in LWE violence, training and operational needs of security forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, community policing, compensation to security force personnel/civilians for property damage by left wing extremists, etc. Under the scheme, funds are not released district-wise but state-wise. Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra are covered under the scheme. Rs.1485 crore have been released to the LWE affected states in last 05 years. This includes Rs.14.05 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs.91.63 crore for Maharashtra.

Under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds are provided to States for the following purposes:

  1. Strengthening of their Special Forces (SFs) Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) for LWE operations only.
  2. Strengthening/construction of Fortified Police Stations.
  3. Strengthening of district police.

Under the scheme, funds are not released district-wise but state- wise. Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra are covered under the scheme. A total of Rs.324.90 crore have been released to the LWE affected states since 2018-19.  This include Rs.0.71 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs.12.85 crore for Maharashtra.

To give further impetus for development in the most LWE affected districts, funds are provided to the States under ‘Special Central Assistance (SCA)’ to fill the  critical  gaps  in  public  infrastructure  and services.  Rs.3120.74 crore  has been released to the States since 2018-19. The details of funds (in Rs.crore) released to the districts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are as under:

StateFunds released
Balaghat (MP)20
Mandla (MP)2.5
Gadchiroli (Maharashtra)69.88

On development front, apart from flagship schemes of Government of India (GoI) has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving Telecom connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion:

  • For expansion of road network, 13234 km roads have been constructed. Of which 250 km of roads in Madhya Pradesh and 869 km in Maharashtra have been constructed.
  • To improve telecom connectivity, 2343 mobile towers are installed in phase-I of the Mobile Tower Project. Of which 22 in Madhya Pradesh     and     65     in     Maharashtra     have     been     installed.
  • Under phase-II of the Mobile Tower Project, 2542 Mobile Towers are under installation. Of these, 23 are for Madhya Pradesh and 125 are for Maharashtra.  In additional to this, 05 more towers have been approved for Madhya Pradesh in May, 2023.
  • For financial inclusion of the local populace in these areas 927 Bank Branches (Maharashtra 81), 944 ATMs (Maharashtra 42) and 27513 Banking Correspondents (Maharashtra 699) in 30 Most LWE Affected Districts since April-2015.
  • 4903 new Post Offices in 90 districts have been opened during last 08 years. Of these 511 are opened in Madhya Pradesh and 829 are opened in Maharashtra.
  • For skill development 43 ITIs (Madhya Pradesh- 01) and 38 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) (Madhya Pradesh- 02) have been made functional in LWE affected districts.
  • For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 125 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) have been made functional in 90 LWE affected districts, of which 11 are in Madhya Pradesh and 09 are in Maharashtra.

Steadfast implementation of this policy has resulted in consistent decline in LWE violence across the nation. The  number  of  LWE related violent incidents have come down by 76% in 2022 in comparison of high of 2010. The number of resultant deaths (Security Forces + Civilians) have also reduced by 90% from all time high of 1005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022. Details of LWE violence in LWE affected States during the last five years (year-wise) are as under: –

Parameter/Year201820192020202120222023(till July 15)
Incidents833670665361*148**413*118**273*63**
Deaths(Civilians & Security Forces)2402021831479879

* Incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists

** Incidents Initiated by Security Forces

From 2022, the data is maintained separately for number of incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists & Incidents initiated by Security Forces.

   The geographical spread of LWE violence has also been constricted and the districts reporting violence also reduced from 96 (2010) to 45 (2022).

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST NARCOTICS

Destruction of seized drugs is a continuous process. NCB, under directions of Ministry of Home Affairs, has initiated a special campaign for destruction of seized drug from 01.06.2022 in collaboration with other Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs). In the said campaign, more than 10,17,523 Kgs of drugs has been destroyed till date including 1,40,969 kgs of drugs destroyed on 17.07.2023.

   The Govt. of India has adopted two pronged strategy to achieve the vision of “Nasha Mukt Bharat”:-

  • Drugs supply reduction initiatives.
  • Drugs demand reduction initiatives.
  1. Some of the drugs supply reduction initiatives taken by the Government are as detailed below:-
  2. Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) – The Government has introduced the NCORD mechanism in 2016 to have effective coordination of actions among various Ministries, Departments, Central and States law enforcement agencies dealing with narcotics. The mechanism was restructured in 2019 into a 4 tier structure as detailed under:-
  • Apex Level Committee (headed by Union Home Secretary)
  • Executive Level Committee (headed by Special Secretary (IS), MHA).
  • State Level Committee (headed by Chief Secretary of the concerned State).
  • District Level Committee (Headed by District Magistrate)

The NCORD mechanism has been further strengthened by addition of new members at different levels to make it more effective and comprehensive.

  1. A Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) was constituted vide MHA’s order dated 19 July, 2019 consisting of Central and State Agencies to monitor investigations in case of large seizure of drugs.
  2. A special Task Force on Dark net and Crypto currency has been constituted to monitor suspicious transactions related to drugs on Darknet.
  3. To prevent smuggling along border areas various border guarding forces like BSF, SSB and Assam Rifles have been empowered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) Act, 1985 to make interdiction of drugs.
  4. To mitigate the problem of drug trafficking through maritime route, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has been empowered under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for making interdiction of narcotic drugs at sea.
  5. Since illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and its abuse is a trans-national problem, Govt. of India has entered into bilateral agreements with 27 countries, Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 16 countries and 02 Agreements on Security Cooperation for preventing illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursor chemicals.
  1. Some of the initiatives taken by the Government for Drugs demand reduction are as follow :-
  1. National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) is an umbrella scheme of Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E) under which financial assistance is provided to State Governments/ Union Territory (UT) Administrations for Preventive Education and Awareness Generation, Capacity Building, Skill development, vocational training and livelihood support to ex-drug addicts, Programmes for Drug Demand Reduction by States/UTs and Non-Governmental Organizations/ Voluntary Organizations for running and maintenance of Integrated Rehabilitation Centers for Addicts (IRCAs), Community based Peer Led Interventions (CPLI) for early Drug Use Prevention among Adolescents, Outreach and Drop In Centers (ODIC) and Addiction treatment facilities (ATFs) in Government Hospitals.
  2. Launching of Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (NMBA) in 372 most vulnerable districts with a massive community outreach programme, involving more than 8000 youth volunteers.
  3. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is also running a National Toll Free Helpline 14446 to provide tele-counseling to drug users and refer them to the nearest de-addiction center.
  4. NCB has also launched awareness campaigns through various social media platforms by way of Audio Video messages of eminent personalities from the field of Politics, Bureaucracy, Sports, Films, Music etc. and also through Telecom Service Providers, FM Radios, Television Channels, etc.

“Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman” to women

Last 9 years the Union Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided “Suvidha, Suraksha, Samman” to women. Thoughtfully planned schemes like Ujjwala for Gas connections, Swachhta for female toilets and Jal Jeevan for tap water in households not only provided Ease of Living to women but also gave them a sense of self-confidence with self-esteem.

This was stated by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh at Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh while addressing a congregation of Modi scheme beneficiaries, majority of whom comprised women.

The Minister said there has been a paradigm shift in Public Service Delivery and the implementation of Government schemes in the last 9 years. “Be it DBT, or provision of basic facilities like electricity, water, toilets to poor people, all these have brought a revolution at the grassroots level,” he said.

Dr Jitendra  Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put Nari Shakti at the forefront of India’s development journey. Mission Shakti comprises two sub-schemes ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya’ for the safety, security and empowerment of women. The impact of this approach has been evident in the outcomes, such as an improved sex ratio at birth which is now for the first time 1020 women per 1000 men, a rise in institutional deliveries, declining infant mortality, and a lower maternal mortality rate.

With a promise to remove drudgery from the daily life of Women, Dr Jitendra Singh said the increased usage of LPG cylinders under the Ujjwala Yojana has saved crores of women from chronic respiratory disorders through smoke-free kitchens. With the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, crores of women are now able to access toilets in their homes without any fear of safety or violation of dignity. Walking long distances to fetch water for daily consumption is becoming a thing of the past as households across the country are getting tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Over 27 crore sanitary pads have been sold at One Rupee at Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

He said Women Empowerment is contingent upon the economic empowerment of women. Programmes such as MUDRA Yojana in which 68% of loans have been extended to more than 27 crore women, have enabled crores of women across the country to pursue micro-level entrepreneurship and become financially independent. 3.18 crore Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts have been created. To promote financial inclusion among women, Mahila Samman Savings Certificate was introduced as part of the Union Budget 2023-24, which is a small savings scheme exclusively for female investors.

Under PM Awas Yojana, women are being made owners of the family home thus becoming active participants in household decision-making. In the 9 years of the Modi government, women have grown from strength to strength. Their success can be seen in the significant increase in the numbers of female police personnel, laurels won by sportswomen for the country and enrolment of women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths.

The government has transformed Women from being targets of welfare to agents of empowerment. “Today it is no longer women development, but women-led development,” he said.

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Enlightening session  on RTI Act, of 2005 organized by Pro Bono Club

Under Department of Justice’s Nyaya Bandhu, the Pro Bono Club of NEHU, Shillong organised an enlightening session on the RTI Act, of 2005. It highlighted the significance of the Act, educating citizens about their right to access vital public information.

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Led by Dr. Ravi Kant Mishra, the esteemed guests Heimonglang Nongpluh & Prof. Prabha Shankar Shukla stressed the importance of employing this right when necessary, empowering individuals, and  promoting awareness in rural Meghalaya. It shed light on the Act’s numerous benefits and  its role in ensuring public authorities’ accountability.

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Swachh Jal Se Suraksha Campaign Report Under Jal Jeevan Mission

The Union Minister For Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today released the report on progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission: Swachh Jal se Suraksha (SJSS) Campaign which was organised from 2nd October, 2022 to 31st March, 2023 to impress upon the States/ UTs to make concerted efforts towards taking up water quality monitoring and surveillance activities as ‘Supply of Safe Water’ has been one of the key considerations under JJM. Under the campaign, several activities had been taken up including Testing of PWS sources in all villages for chemical parameters and bacteriological parameters (post monsoon); Water quality testing at household level in villages; Water quality testing in Schools and Anganwadi Centres; Remedial action taken for contaminated samples; and Training of women for water quality testing using FTK/ H2S vials at village level.

As a result of concerted efforts made by States/ UTs for water quality monitoring and surveillance during campaign period and progress reported on WQMIS portal, the activity-wise overall progress is as under:

Water quality testing has been reported in 5.39 lakh (89.69 %) villages for chemical and in 4.47 lakh (74.46 %) villages for bacteriological contamination (post monsoon).

Drinking water samples were tested in 6.58 lakh (67.63 %) schools and 7.16 lakh (67.43 %) anganwadi centres.

21.80 lakh women have been trained from 4.59 lakh (76.41 %) villages for water quality testing using Field Testing Kits (FTKs).

Remedial action has been taken for 90.34% of contaminated sample reported.

Performance of states/UTs was also measured during the Campaign. The states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh emerged as the best performing states during the Campaign.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was announced by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi on 15 August, 2019 to make provision of potable tap water supply in adequate quantity, of prescribed quality on regular & long-term basis to every rural household. Access to assured and safe drinking water is a basic life need. The Objective of the campaign was to ensure drinking water quality and create awareness among representatives of the Panchayati Raj institutions and rural communities about quality of drinking water in their respective villages, water quality issues, water borne diseases & health impacts and avoiding use of water from quality-affected sources.

The desired outcome of the campaign was wide participation at Village, district and State level for water quality testing, building confidence and create awareness among people about quality of water being supplied through piped water supply. States/ UTs PHE/ RWS Department, being ‘Nodal Department’ implemented Swachh Jal se Suraksha campaign in respective States/ UTs by actively involving all the stakeholders viz. Gram Panchayat and/ or its sub-committees/ local community to take up water quality monitoring and surveillance and awareness activities.

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NHPC and VUCL, Nepal sign MoU for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal

NHPC Limited (A Govt. of India Enterprise) and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal signed an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in New Delhi today for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal. The MoU was signed in the presence of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

Shri R.K. Vishnoi, CMD, NHPC and Shri Surya Prasad Rijal, MD, VUCL, Nepal exchanging MOU documents for development of Phukot Karnali Hydro Electric Project (480MW) in Nepal in  presence of Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and  Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at Hyderabad House, New Delhi.

NHPC Limited, a Schedule ‘A’ Enterprise of the Government of India with ‘MINI RATNA’ status, is a premier PSU in India for development of hydropower and Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL), Nepal is responsible to develop, build, own and operate large-scale hydropower projects in public-private partnership model in Nepal.

The MOU was exchanged by Sh. R.K. Vishnoi, Chairman & Managing Director, NHPC and Shri Surya Prasad Rijal, Managing Director, VUCL. Signing of this MOU is a landmark step towards India-Nepal Joint Vision on Power Sector Cooperation.

The project will use the flow from the Karnali River for power generation and the generated power will be fed into integrated power system of Nepal. The installed capacity of the project shall be 480 MW with average annual generation of about 2448 GWh. The key features of the project are a 109 metre high RCC dam and an underground power house where the 06 turbines of 79 MW each shall be housed. Additionally, to utilize minimum environmental release one Surface Power House of 6 MW capacity i.e. two machines of 3 MW each is also planned. This project is conceived as a Peaking Run-of-River (PRoR) type scheme.

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How to keep yourself mentally fit?

The brain is involved in everything we do and, like any other part of the body, it needs to be cared for too. Research has shown that there are many ways you can hone your mental sharpness and help your brain stay healthy, no matter what age you are. Doing certain brain exercises to help boost your memory, concentration, and focus can make daily tasks quicker and easier to do, and keep your brain sharp as you get older. So, below are some brain exercises that you should possibly be doing.

1) Jigsaw Puzzle

Research has shown that doing jigsaw puzzles recruits multiple cognitive abilities and is a protective factor for visuospatial cognitive aging. In other words, when putting together a jigsaw puzzle, you have to look at different pieces and figure out where they fit within the larger picture. This can be a great way to challenge and exercise your brain. Working on a jigsaw puzzle is an excellent way to strengthen your brain.

2) Cards

Researchers who conducted a study in 2015 on mentally stimulating activities for adults, say a quick card game can lead to greater brain volume in several regions of the brain. The same study also found that a game of cards could improve memory and thinking skills. These games include solitaire, bridge, gin rummy, poker, hearts and crazy eights.

3) Building Vocabulary

Research shows that many more regions of the brain are involved in vocabulary tasks, particularly in areas that are important for visual and auditory processing. To test this theory, you can try this cognitive-boosting activity: #Keep a notebook with you when you read.
down one unfamiliar word, then look up the definition.
#Try to use that word five times the next day.

4) Dance

The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control notes that learning new dance moves can increase your brain’s processing speed and memory.
You can give one of these dance activities a try:
#Take a salsa, tap, hip-hop, or contemporary dance class.
#Try a Zumba or jazz exercise class.
an online video with fun dance moves you’ve always wanted to learn.
#Grab a partner and learn to ballroom dance.
#Gather your friends and go line dancing

5) Using all your Senses

A 2015 research report suggests that using all your senses may help strengthen your brain. To give your senses and your brain a workout, try doing activities that simultaneously engage all five of your senses. You could try baking a batch of cookies, visiting a farmer’s market, or trying a new restaurant while you focus on smelling, touching, tasting, seeing, and hearing all at the same time.

6) Learning a New Skill

Learning a new skill is not only fun and interesting, but it may also help strengthen the connections in your brain. Research from 2014 also shows that learning a new skill can help improve memory function in older adults. Perhaps you’d like to know how to repair your car, use a particular software program, or ride a horse. You now have one more good reason to learn that new skill.

7) Teaching a new skill to someone else

One of the best ways to expand your learning is to teach a skill to another person. After you learn a new skill, you need to practice it. Teaching it to someone else requires you to explain the concept and correct any mistakes you make.

8) Listening to or playing Music

According to a 2017 study, listening to happy tunes helps generate more innovative solutions compared to being in silence. Which means, cranking up some good music can help boost your creative thinking and brain power. And if you want to learn how to play music, now is a great time to start because your brain is capable of learning new skills at any point in your life. That’s why you’re never too old to start playing an instrument like the piano, guitar, or even the drums.

9) Take a New Route

Don’t get stuck in a rut when it comes to your daily tasks. Instead, be willing to try new ways to do the same things.
Choose a different route to get to work each week or try a different mode of transport, like biking or using public transport instead of driving. Your brain can benefit from this simple change, and you might be surprised by how easy it is to change your thinking.

10) Meditation

Daily meditation can calm your body, slow your breathing, and reduce stress and anxiety. But did you know that it may also help tune your memory and increase your brain’s ability to process information? Yes, so find a quiet spot, close your eyes, and spend five minutes meditating each day.

In conclusion, focusing on your brain health is one of the best things you can do to improve your concentration, focus, memory, and mental agility, no matter what age you are. By incorporating brain exercises into your everyday life, you will be able to challenge your mind, sharpen your cognitive skills, and possibly learn something new and enriching along the way, too.

AI is here to improve our lives

Artificial Intelligence is one of the most exciting creations of the modern world. Recently, Satya Nadella said that AI will help to get people together. He said so while giving a session during the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.

The advancements which we see around us in various fields will get even more advanced with the new improvements. Some of those we can already see in the form of ChatGPT. 

In recent times, AI has been able to change our surrounding in various ways. Various websites now have a bot that can talk to us and resolve our queries. The number of automated systems around us has also increased to a large extent. Automated systems are being used in various fields and places. 

There is also automation even in our house. The various IoT devices that we are buying are also communicating with us with the help of AI. The various assistants are answering our questions with the help of an AI. 

AI as a whole is making various sectors completely independent and the dependence on people is decreasing. Also, tech-related jobs are increasing. So indirectly AI is creating jobs in various fields. 

 AI has been able to make changes to the medical field also. Now, several robots help in performing complex surgeries which are generally difficult for surgeons. The diagnosis of diseases is also getting easier due to AI.

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Now we even have several robots that help us in keeping our homes clean. The various cars are also having AI assistance in terms of self-driving technology. In the future, we will also see self-driving vehicles that will take us from one place to another.

AI has also done justice to the security sector. As of now, we have face recognition that scans and notifies the concerned authorities of any findings. The use of AI is now also helpful in terms of various fields like content writing and even coding. Now, computers are capable of writing codes and even rectifying errors in a completed program.

The use of AI has also helped in highly sensitive manufacturing sectors. For example, robots are being used in the automotive painting industry. It helps in removing the smallest of errors and the results are excellent. 

So, the upcoming decade is going to be more interesting. If we consider the fact that the last decade was the one in which technology simply exploded. Now, we have devices in our respective homes that are remote-controlled and can be operated from any were in the world. The Internet has pushed the boundaries with the things that we can do now with our gadgets. Now, we can even take consultations with a doctor over a video call.

The improvements in the features that technology offers us are automated, but there are still improvements that we need. There also needs to be clear that AI is not destroying jobs. The number of fields that get affected by AI also needs to ensure that the people who are using should also depend less on machines.

Hockey World Cup gives hope to the Indian Hockey Team

In the ongoing Hockey World Cup, India is performing well. They have been able to win their first match against Spain. In their second game, India managed to draw the game against England. 

They are being hopeful that they will likely break the 48 years of drought. For that, they will have to win the match against Wales on 19th January. But for this win, they will have to take a big lead. 

In this edition of the World Cup, there are 16 teams. Those have been divided into a group of 4. So, there are four groups namely A to D. India is in group D along with England, Spain and Wales. 

On the competitive front, Belgium and Australia are the favourites to lift the cup in this edition. The tournament is being played for the second time in a row in India. Bhubaneswar and Rourkela are the cities, which are hosting the games.

Currently, on the points table, India and England have 4 points each. But England is on top as they have won the match by a bigger margin.

For this tournament, Odisha has spent an amount of 10.98 billion rupees for the financial year 2022-23. This money has been used to build a new stadium in Rourkela and a facelift to the existing one in Bhubaneswar.

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The amount has been used to also beautify the two cities. For the unknowns, the stadium that has been built in Rourkela is the biggest Hockey stadium in the world. The stadium can accommodate 20,000 people at the same time.

The matches in the tournament are also going completely packed. The matches are also getting attention on the live telecast the last time India won the Hockey World Cup was in 1975. During that tournament, the final was between India and Pakistan. 

But this time, India has performed well in the Olympics also. They have been previously the Olympic Gold medallist for 8 times. So, the Indian Hockey team is going to give a tough fight to whichever team they will face in the tournament. 

On the player’s front, Hardik Singh did encounter an injury during the match against England. But there is nothing to worry and coach Reid did ensure that he is alright. 

In recent times, the Indian government is also putting in the effort to promote various games other than cricket. States especially, Odisha have been able to promote the hockey game to a great extent. It has also been able to present itself as a state that has given sports equal importance as any other field like education. There have also been good players in the Indian Hockey team from Odisha at a regular pace. 

So, now we will need to patiently wait for the finals to see whether the Indian team manages to lift the World Cup this time or not. The tournament can end in favour of any team, but this event will surely make India a worthy contender for the future several tournaments in various other sports.

Automobile sales are going back to normal in India

The automobile sector is slowly climbing in India. According to the latest reports, sales in India will get back to the pre-COVID level soon. This has been due to the rising popularity of SUVs. The sales of SUVs are on the rise.

Recently, the UV category has also seen various new entries in the segment. The various new launches from the companies are also making it possible for people to get their hands on their choice of car. The multiple options which are available for the models in the market are also a big plus for the people.

There is also an advantage of incentives from the government. On various electric vehicles, the government is giving incentives to the people.

The pressure of environmental health is playing a role in this high sale. Many people are now opting for changing their current vehicle to an electric one. The lucrative case of less expenditure on charging and electric service is also making it possible for various companies to attract more customers towards electric vehicles.

In terms of companies, Maruti Suzuki is still the king as it has been able to sell the maximum number of vehicles. This number one position for Maruti is due to the various launches like Brezza, XL6 and the new Grand Vitara. On the other hand, Mahindra has been able to sell close to 60000 units in the last year.

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Among all this, Tata is also putting a good effort into their new models. Tata Nexon has been able to do well in both forms. Nexon is being offered in electric as well as in the classic fossil fuel options. Now, when it comes to international companies, then they have also been able to perform well in India.

During the pandemic, luxury companies have been able to register unimaginable sales in India. This has been noted that people have been spending heavily since the pandemic. The higher sales are making luxury brands more eager to launch more models in the country. The Make-in-India incentives are also making it possible for people to get their favourite vehicle at a cheaper rate. The biggest example has been the S- Class from Mercedes that is now being assembled in India. 

The rapid expansion of electric vehicle infrastructure in the country along with the introduction of new models in the country is going to push the automobile sale in the country further. The damage to the environment due to the internal combustion engine vehicle is also forcing the government to force out the older vehicles faster and direct people to buy new and cleaner and greener vehicles. 

The improvement in the road condition in the country in various parts and the expansion of companies like Uber and Ola are also pushing up the sales of vehicles in the country. In the future as vehicles will become more affordable and as the second-hand car market will increase, car ownership will propel vehicle sales even further. All of these will also increase vehicle ownership in the country, which is quite low currently.

The air travel sector is going to see a sea change in India

Airlines in India are going to have a tough time in the next few years. The airlines will likely face a large population, who will likely prefer air transport in the future. This trend has been going on for the last few years. This has resulted in profits at a consistent pace or the last few years also.

But the trend is going to increase a lot as people have started to prefer air transport more. The pandemic also assisted this trend, as air transport was more secure and well-regulated.

As a result, there is also speculation that there will be an increase in aircraft acquirement by the airlines every year. The speed of acquiring will be around 100 on average. Several of these aircraft will most probably be a replacement for the existing ones.

On the other hand, there is also speculation that Air India is going to place an order for 500 aircraft. This order will likely improve the service and most importantly the quality of travel for the passengers.

The number of aircraft will likely grow at a fast pace. In the last decade, the number of aircraft increased from 300 in 2013 to 700 in 2020. The number of aircraft is likely to be around 1000 in the year 2027. There is also an assumption that the number of passengers, who will use air travel, will be around 350 million this year. Or the next year the number will increase to around 400 million.

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To support all this rush, airports are also getting some facelifts. The number of airports is also increasing in numbers all over the country. The Airports Authority of India is also putting in an effort that the number of airports is sufficient in the country to cater to the increase in passengers. The number of airports was 74 in 2014 and it is around 141 in 2022.

The airports are also making it possible for a large population to access different parts of the country. The central government is also putting in efforts in terms of made-in-India aircraft, which will reduce the cost expenses which airlines bear while maintaining an aircraft.

The introduction of various new airlines is also increasing the options for passengers. This is creating a competitive market for the airlines which are local and have been providing service to the people. The increasing competition is also pushing the airlines to provide even better service. It will ensure that people have the best options on offer and can enjoy their travel at a competitive price.

These points are hinting the progress that the air travel sector is going to experience in India. The increasing spending capability of the people is also making it possible for the general population to travel to their destination by air. But increasing rush in a sector also hints at the points like the maintenance that the airlines authorities, as well as the airport authorities, will have to be up to the mark all the time. So, it will be a challenge for everyone involved in this industry.   

Rights that Indian women should be aware of:

  Regarding rights in the modern era, every Indian woman needs to be aware of a few legal rights. There are plenty of laws protecting women in India. For the protection and advancement of women, our constitution grants them exclusive rights.

Indian women rights history:

During the early Vedic era, women and men were treated equally in all aspects of their lives. Women may have received an education during the early Vedic era, according to the writings of ancient Indian grammarians like Patanjali and Katyayana. In a practise known as swayamvar or a live-in relationship known as Gandharva marriage, Rigvedic verses imply that women married at an advanced age and were likely free to choose their own husbands.

The modern laws to look in today’s world are:

Right to maintenance

As long as she doesn’t remarry, a married woman is entitled to get maintenance from her ex-husband, which includes the necessities of life like food, clothing, shelter, and access to healthcare. Except when the wife is living in adultery or refuses to live with her husband without a good reason, Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, requires the husband to support his divorced wife.

Right to equal pay

Our laws are now gender-neutral. Equal remuneration for equal work is due to both men and women. The same is provided for by the Equal Remuneration Act. It guarantees equal pay for equal work for both male and female employees. There won’t be any gender discrimination in the context of hiring practises or working conditions.

Right to dignity and decency

Women’s rights include decency and dignity. Anyone who tries to harm her modestly is regarded as a sinner, and the law very good mandates punishment for such behaviour. Each and every woman has the right to live in dignity, free from intimidation, compulsion, violence, and prejudice. The criminal code outlines the penalties for offences against women such as sexual harassment (Section 354), assault with the intent to strip her naked or violate her sense of modesty (Section 354), voyeurism (Section 354), stalking (354D), etc.

Rights at workplace

You have a right to have a female restroom where you work. At places, with more than 30 female workers, providing facilities for care and feeding of children is mandatory. Further, the Supreme Court and the Govt. had put in to ensure the safety of women at workplaces. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Vaisakha v. State of Rajasthan, had laid down exclusive guidelines for protection of women from Sexual Harassment at workplace, following which, the Govt. in 2013, has enacted an exclusive legislation- The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (PREVENTION, PROHIBITION and REDRESSAL) Act, 2013 for that end. So, if any person at your workplace, asks you for sexual favours, or makes sexually coloured remarks and whistles looking at you or sings obscene songs looking at you, touches you inappropriately, or shows pornography, then all that will constitute Sexual Harassment and you may complain to the Internal complaints committee which is required to be constituted by the employer at each office or branch with 10 or more employees. The District Officer is also required to constitute a Local Complaints Committee at each district, and if required at the block level. Apart from this, IPC also, penalizes Sexual Harassment under 354A by providing an imprisonment of 1-3 years.

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Right of private defence/ self-defence

It is a right of defence. When defending your body or the body of another person from the attacker, you run the risk of causing serious harm, severe harm, or even death. However, you can only kill the attacker without drawing liability or punishment if certain conditions are met. For example, if you believe the attacker is about to rape, kill, or kidnap you, lock you in a room, or throw or attempt to throw acid at you, you can kill that person and the law will protect you.

India wins the 2nd ODI and series against Sri Lanka

In the ongoing series India again displayed a noteworthy performance. The 2nd match of the ODI series was being played at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

After winning the toss, the Sri Lankan team choose to bat first. In the first innings, they posted a total of 215. In their inning, Nuwanidu Fernando scored the highest run of 50. From the Indian side, Kuldeep Yadav took 3 wickets.

In the second innings, India started on a strong note but lost Rohit Sharma and Shuman Gill in quick succession. After the fall of both the openers, India was at 41. Then came Virat Kohli, who lost his wicket at a score of 4 and India was at 62 at that moment. Then Shreyas Iyer tried to steady the ship with K L Rahul. Shreyas fell at a personal score of 28 when India was at 86. Then a partnership was built by K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya. They both took India to a respectable score of 161, which kept India in the hunt for the win. Then Hardik Pandya fell for a personal score of 36. After that Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav also came in to take India home. Axar Patel continued his good form and scored 21 at a run-a-ball pace, which also had a six and a four. Kuldeep on the other hand scored 10 runs in 10 balls and made sure that India made it home with 219 on board in 43.2 overs and 4 wickets in hand. Along with this win, India secured another ODI series victory over their home turf. They are now head of Sri Lanka with a 2-0 lead.

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In the second innings, Sri Lanka also performed well in the beginning. They were able to remove both openers in quick succession. Then, Viral Kohli also rapidly returned to the pavilion. But after that, K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya built a partnership that made sure that India won the match and also the series. In the bowling department, Chamika Karunaratne along with Lahiru Kumara took 2 wickets each. Also, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva was the most economical bowler and gave away just 28 runs in his quota of 10 overs.

With this series win Indian cricket team put their foot forward on a positive note in the new year.  This win will also help them in some way in their preparation towards the ODI World Cup, which will be played this year in India itself. It was an important series as Sri Lanka is the current champions of Asia after they won the Asia Cup in 2022. This series will also give them the confidence to face the next series. The next series for the Indian team will be against New Zealand, which is currently playing against Pakistan.NZ is also currently the winner of the ODI series against Pakistan with a lead of 2-1.

In the upcoming series against NZ, India will be playing 3 ODIs and 3 T20s. New Zealand will be touring India for this series, they will also have a chance to flex their muscle. In the last World Cup in 2019, New Zealand was unlucky to lose against England in the final.    

Mercedes announces the car launch date for the 2023 season

The year 2022 was a year filled with ups and downs for various teams in Formula 1. The 2022 season gave us the best competitive racing which we hope for. Now, all the fans of the popular sports are waiting for the announcement of the cars which the teams will be using for this year’s season.

Mercedes has now announced that they will launch the car W14 on February 15. This time they are hoping to get back to winning ways and get their hands on the title again. During the last decade, they won 7 driver’s championships and 8 constructors titles between 2013 and 2021.

The various other teams are also trying their level best to get to the podium. The changes in rules and regulations in the past year have made it difficult for various teams. Mercedes faced the same fate. But lately, they were able to finish on the podium in some of the last few races. This happened, thanks to the good performance of George Russell.

It has been surprising since last year that Lewis Hamilton has not been able to get ahead of the grid. The same has happened with some other teams that showed promise at the beginning of the season. One of the examples has been Ferrari. Ferrari showed promising performance in the first few races, but later on, they started to face issues.

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But Red Bull was the one which performed well. They managed to win the driver’s championship as well as the constructor’s championship for the year 2022. This year too, they will try to repeat the performance that they showed last year.

In the case of drivers, Mercedes is allowing Mick Schumacher to be their reserve driver. This gives a new lease of life for the driver with an iconic name. On the other hand, Daniel Riccardo has also been lucky by becoming the third driver for the Red Bull team.

Also, there have been changes to the top management too for some of the teams. This year Ferrari will have a new team principal. Frederic Vasseur has been promoted to Ferrari from being the team principal of Alfa Romeo. Now, if we take a look at the past then the French team principle has been extremely successful for Ferrari. So, we will have to wait until the end of the season to see whether the speculations become correct for the team.

There will also be a lot of doubts related to the cars that the teams will launch for the season. The budget for a team for an entire season will also be under check as last season several teams had to take various engines and damages during the season. The drivers will also have to become comfortable with the cars as several drivers have changed their teams during this season. The change will also likely affect the performance of a team as the teams are still dealing with the rule changes and drivers will also be new for the teams.     

Google Play Movies will become free for viewers

Streaming services have been able to get the maximum profits during the pandemic. They have been a lifesaver for several people. As a result, several OTT platforms stream some of the best series for us. But there have been some issues for the users. One of those problems has been the subscription service that platforms have. It is sometimes difficult for the users to shell out money every month for the subscription.

So, there has been a revelation by XDA Developers that there are chances that Google will introduce ad-based movie streaming on Google Play Movies. It has been done to make the platform more popular. It has been revealed after an analysis of the APK of the app. It is similar to the feature that YouTube provides.  

In the entertainment market, online streaming platforms have been the king for the last couple of years. Several movies and shows are being released especially for the OTT platform. As a result, several big production houses like Bollywood, Hollywood and various others all around the world are creating content for the OTT platform.

As a result, platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix and many others are already gaining users and popularity. But Google Play Movies has been on the back foot in this case. The content that is available on this platform is paid. Due to that, the users are finding it difficult to use the platform as they will have to pay individually for each content.

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So, now Google might launch this service for its users. But there is no clarity that which content will be free and which will not. Once, the confusion is clear then it will be better for the users. 

On the other hand, mobile networks are also making users in India stream more content over the internet. The decrease in internet costs in the country is also making it possible for users to consume more data. All of these changes were made possible by the introduction of the JIO 4G network in the country.

Now, there is another point for streamers to take advantage of. The feature is that of the higher penetration of smart devices in various households. The pandemic pushed several people to buy devices or upgrade their existing one. This was done to complete the various tasks that people need a device for. Also, the new devices helped various people beat their boredom by watching content online. 

The higher usage and the slow but steady expansion of devices that support streaming platforms are also making it easier for people to stay UpToDate with their favourite shows. It is due to the support that various devices like tablets, smartphones and many more have. The continuous software support which is currently being provided by the major smart device companies is also helping in making various devices eligible for use by the users. The constant support is also making the various streaming platforms push out an update for their apps so that they can work on various devices. 

So all of these points are going to help google play movies get more viewers after they release the ad-free support for the users. But for the time being this news must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Qualcomm plans to launch an exciting new feature for Android users

Qualcomm Snapdragon has been on a roll lately. Various devices are being launched in India daily that have 5G capability. The new device is getting positive reviews due to its efficiency and good performance. As a result, Snapdragon chipsets in mobile devices are getting positive feedback.

This year Snapdragon is preparing to launch new features on its flagship chipset. One of those features is satellite communication. Recently, some devices have been launched with the current flagship chipset Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. 

It has also been revealed that the devices that have the flagship chipset will have satellite communication features. The feature will enable people to communicate in areas where there is a weak or no mobile network.  

The new chipsets are blurring the lines between what a smartphone can do and what it cannot do. The new features that are being introduced in the latest and the most eye catchy devices are noteworthy. The implementation of Qualcomm chipsets in various devices like smartwatches, and even laptops are making it more relevant that Snapdragon is going global in every way. The new devices that have Snapdragon chipsets already do have a great battery life that is making the Snapdragon a better choice for device manufacturers. 

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Other than that, it is also facing stiff competition from Media Tek. There is also some serious heat from the likes of Apple, who are now trying to manufacture chipsets for their devices. The same has been the case with Google which now has its chipset for the Pixel line of mobile devices. Samsung is another company which already has a chipset for the devices. There are other Chinese manufacturers also like Huawei that also have chipsets for their devices. So, competition is tough for Snapdragon. 

The chipset is also gaining importance due to the popularity of electric vehicles and the implementation of internet-related services in various vehicles. This is also creating a lot of buzz in the chip market and is also increasing demand for chips.

Shortly, there is also a rumour that Apple will move away from Qualcomm chips. This is also bad news for Qualcomm, as Apple is one the biggest users of its modems on Apple devices. In the future, if the trend goes on then Qualcomm will have to rethink its business strategy. It is because all the companies will probably have their chip for their respective devices. 

The devices in the future will need chips. Qualcomm, being a major chip manufacturer, needs to stick to its position, if it wants to stay relevant in the field. The implementation of 5G and 6G in quick succession, and that of many other technological revolutions is making it dissect for such big companies to implement such changes so quickly.

Now, we will have to wait for a few years before we can see the effect Qualcomm will have on the 5G and the 6G network era. The new networks are going to bring new challenges for Snapdragon. So, these steps may bring along good results for Qualcomm.

Apple prepares physical stores in India

Apple has been able to get the attention of Indian customers for a long time. But they are yet to make their presence in the physical form among the people. The pandemic also slowed the plans for any physical expansion of the company in India.

Now, as the pandemic is under control so Apple is going to open its physical stores in various cities in India. It is not yet clear which cities will get the iconic store. But it is speculated that the journey of physical Apple stores will start from Delhi and Mumbai. 

These stores will have all the features and facilities which are present in their stores worldwide. The stores are likely to open to the general public this year. This news is also relevant from the fact the hiring for the stores has already going on LinkedIn. The store was previously planned to open in 2021.

But now, the stores will remove a big problem for the company as they will directly sell the products to the customers. It will also remove the dependence on third-party stores that are currently selling Apple products.

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Recently, there have also been some recent developments for Apple iPhone users. Those who are planning to get their battery replaced will have to pay more if their device is older than iPhone 14. So, iPhone repair will cost more for a few. On the other hand, there is also increased pressure from governments of various countries that electronic devices need to have a common charging technique. In the case of smartphones, it is USB type-C. At first, the EU declared to the world that smartphones, tablets and laptops will have USB type-C charging. Later on, India also declared that devices will have USB type-C. But Apple is in conflict as most of its devices have a lightning USB cable.

Along with all of the above, there is also speculation that there will be no iPhone SE in 2023. This news does not come as a surprise as Apple has been launching the compact version of its iPhone at irregular intervals. 

But there is excitement around the next iteration of iPhones as they will bring about some new changes for the users. The device will likely be accompanied by a new version of iOS along with some other gadgets. The new gadgets may include AirPods, iPad and even MacBooks. 

All of the above changes are making the year ahead look good for Apple users. The new year looks promising for Apple on paper, but we will have to wait for the annual Apple event to get to know more about the devices and the software changes that the existing iPhone users will receive. The hardware changes will not be major in the new iPhones, but the changes will enhance the experience of the users.  Most interesting will be to see what Apple does to the charging port problem which is bound to be followed by the mod-2025 in many major countries. Along with that Apple will also eagerly wait for the response for users towards brick-and-mortar stores. 

Apple cancels the next iPhone SE

Apple has been trying to woe the customers who love the small form – factor for quite some time now. The company has also launched some small iPhones. But the effect has been very minimal on the minds of the users. The devices are also not selling in high – numbers. So, Apple generally reduces the production of its SE models after a few days of its launch. Similar was the case when Apple launched the iPhone the last time around.

 But now there is speculation that Apple is not going to launch the successor of its SE in 2024. This is because the device has not able to get profits for the company until now. The device has also served as a testing track for the company when it comes to network modems. So, this is a kind of good news for companies like Qualcomm, which has been able to partner with Apple as a modem supplier until now.

The SE models have been in the limelight for nostalgia reasons. The devices have generally been used by those who love the form factor or are not comfortable with big-size screens. The device has nothing inferior when compared to its bigger counterparts. The SE devices also have powerful hardware and can do all the powerful stuff which you expect from an iPhone device. Even the support for such devices is like other iPhones. The device also has bells and whistles and even supports the latest tech that Apple launches for its flagship iPhones.

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The iPhone SE have been launched previously on an arbitrary gap of time. There is no regular launch of the iPhone SE right from the beginning. The second iteration of the iPhone SE was launched 4 years after the first one. The third one was launched 2 years after the second version. So, there is not even an approximate timeline that when the next iteration of the iPhone SE will be launched.

For the unknown, the iPhones will have a tough time for the next few years. It is because governments in various countries are implementing universal charging rules for various handheld devices. Even iPhones are included in the list of devices facing the blunt. But Apple is raising concerns about this as it says that there will be a large amount of electronic waste in the form of lightning cables that users are currently using with their devices, as they will upgrade their iPhones.

Now, there is confusion that what will happen to the charging option in an iPhone. There is also increasing demand for the 14 Pro model and the difficulty in keeping the price down for the SE model is making the cancellation legit.

Now, we will have to wait and see until the next few years, until the launch of a new generation of SE models. The next generation of devices will clear up the air about the future of the small and compact iPhones. In the meantime, Apple will launch some new products for users every year.

Motorola ThinkPhone breaks cover

Motorola has been the talk of the town. It has now unveiled the ThinkPhone at CES 2023. This has been planned by keeping in mind the needs of the enterprise users. The feature set of the device is for the ones who like their device up and running all the time.

On the hardware side, the device is likely to have a sturdy body. The phone is expected to take a hit of up to 1.5 meters. The device is also going to have Gorilla Glass Victus protection. The device is also likely to have some features that are exclusive to ThinkPad devices.

The device is likely to have a special red button that will provide you with the necessary apps in the time emergency. The device is also likely to have military-grade certifications to survive the accidents that it may encounter in a working environment. 

On the specs sheet also, the device looks strong. It is likely to have 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM. It will also support the 5G networks in the supported countries. The device is also going to have the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. The device will be powered by a 5000 mAh long-lasting battery. The storage will be taken care of by a 128 GB internal storage capacity, at the very least.

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The software part will be taken care of by Android 13 OS. The display section will have pOLED and will support 144 Hz. There will also be Dolby Atmos support on the device. the device will also have 8K video recording support through its 32 MP camera at 30fps. 

After taking a look at the specifications of the device, it is bound to create some noise in the corporate world. Businessmen and working-class people will love the unique features of the device. There is no information whatsoever regarding the availability of the device. But there is speculation that the device will be available across America, Latin America, the Middle East and some Asian countries.

Now, we will have to wait for the official launch of the device in the future. The device will also likely have a hefty price tag, as is obvious from the feature set. But it remains to be seen in which category Motorola puts the device. 

The device will be one of the launches for Motorola this year. One of the other devices from Motorola for this year is the new member of the Moto Edge series. This device will be the next flagship from the famous company, which now lies under the ownership of Lenovo. There are also some other budget segment devices planned by Motorola. These budget devices will also likely be launched within the next few months, to compete against the growing competition from the Chinese counterparts. The devices will likely put forward a stronger foot for Motorola and will likely improve the foothold of the once iconic company in markets all around the globe. The devices will also play a crucial role for the company as users are currently transitioning towards 5G networks within various parts of the world.

Chinese Smartphones are losing their shine

Chinese manufacturers are facing the heat, especially smartphone manufacturers. It has happened rapidly after the pandemic. Now various departments in India are putting in efforts to evaluate and analyze the steps and activities of various Chinese smartphone manufacturers in India. 

This will now affect the grip of Chinese smartphone makers in India. It has been due to some major steps from some powerful government departments. First of all, there has been a ban on some Chinese apps due to suspicion of surveillance. There has also been a collection of data from such apps without any prior knowledge of the user. There has been a notice against Vivo India of 2217 crore rupees. There is also a customs duty evasion of 4389 crore rupees from Oppo. The Enforcement Directorate has also taken control of 456 crore rupees of Vivo India, due to money laundering issues.

There are also a lot of restrictions on Xiaomi. The company has faced the seizure of all of its assets in the country due to foreign exchange regulation violations. It is also facing a notice of around 3700 crore rupees. 

Now, all of these steps will give a push to some other companies who are trying to capture more market space in our country. They will now have some celebratory moments when they will be able to get some more users for their devices. It has been done last year when Samsung managed to do well with the M series lineup.

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Now Apple, Nokia and many others will have a chance to show that their devices also have some potential. This year Samsung also going to launch its next flagship within the next few months. Recently, it also launched Galaxy F04, which is a budget device. 

Based on some previous year’s data from Tech Arc and Counterpoint Research, the share of Chinese smartphones has been on the decline for the last two years. The focus will also be on how Indian brands like Lava, do in the market. The slide in the market share of the Chinese players has also been because they are shifting their focus away from the budget segment. 

Now, it remains to be seen how the smartphone market reacts to these speculations in India. The chances of these events being true are high. There is also a high expectation from the consumers that they want to try out something other, than the one that they are already using. This opportunity is also beneficial for other non – Chinese companies, who want to make it large in the Indian market. Recently, the Indian Government also emphasized the use of non – Chinese equipment for the implementation of 5G in the country. The changes are also giving rise to Indian companies that are trying to become big. Several local companies along with Make in India initiative are also making it possible for users to get their hands on some good products at a reasonable rate in the stores around us. Now, we will have to wait and watch for the actual results.  

Pele leaves behind a legacy

Pele was one the greatest. He pushed football to new heights. But now we have a void which can never be filled. The place which he had in the football world and among his fans, will become sacred.

Days after Argentina lifted the World Cup and the football world was basking in the success of the glorious tournament, Pele left us with just his memories. 

Pele always wanted to be the best in the world. The most beautiful game on the planet gave him the respect that he deserved. He was always eager to put his family name on the top, especially his father’s. his father was also a player and loved the sport a lot. But he didn’t get the popularity or the recognition that he wanted. So, Pele fulfilled his wish and became the best football player in the world. Pele, started his career at the age of just 17 at the World Cup, in the year 1958.

 He was one of a kind, whose most of his career was during the radio era. After the arrival of television, he played for some time and gave a glimpse of his greatness to the world. The moves and the technique he had, were one of a kind. He was the one, who despite being a legend, treated everyone around him with respect.

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He even showed the world that anyone can connect with the entire world at one point without taking into consideration, caste, religion or skin colour. The mere mention of his name made sure that everyone was glued to the presence he had on the field. His style of play was magical. He was one of a kind, who can never be replicated. His entire charisma was the benchmark for future generations.

The people of his generation made sure that no one ever forgets the player, who gave the world one big reason to love the game of football. The sheer magnitude with which people loved him and his style, was proof that his name will remain in the history books forever.

He also made sure that even after he retired from the sport, he was still in touch with the game. The love he had for the game never fainted and always praised any perfect moment in any match. The sheer pleasure he experienced in watching the magical game, brought him closer to the hearts of his fans. 

He was the one who loved every instance and even the changes to the game. The implementation of technology is also good for the game, as even he realized the importance and the positive effects on the game. But the various advancements were never able to explain or overshadow the pure brilliance with which he played the game. All the other greats of his time were in agreement that he was the one who made sure that others who didn’t love the game, also kept an eye on the most popular sport. So, he was, is and will remain the best in the world.

Samsung prepares to launch its new devices

Samsung has been able to get the attention it deserves after every flagship launch. It has also been able to launch devices that cater to the needs of the people. Now, they are already making plans for 2023.

They are planning to launch their next flagship on February 1, 2023. Within the next few days, they are going to even launch a budget device for the market. The device specifications have been leaked and the pricing is also out.

The budget device is named Galaxy F04. It will be launched at an approximate price of 7500 rupees. It will likely have a memory of 8 GB. It will also have various models and will be available in two different colours purple and green and will be available for sale on Flipkart.

The specifications of the device also look impressive on paper. The device is speculated to have a Mediatek chipset. The display segment has a 6.8-inch HD + screen. The display will also have a refresh rate of 60 Hz. The device has a battery power of 5000 mAh.

It appears to be an upgrade for the Galaxy A04e model. In terms of the camera, it appears to have a 13 MP main camera. There will also be a depth 2 MP camera. The device will have Android 12 out of the box. 

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On the other hand, S23 Ultra will also launch with some bells and whistles. It will be a worthy successor to the S22 Ultra. The new flagship is likely to have a better zoom quality. The smartphone will likely have the same shooter as the S22 Ultra.   

These devices are also going to have satellite communication. There are also rumours of an increase in battery capacity in some models of the S23 series. Along with these, there seem to be very slight changes to the design of the device. 

There will also be some drastic improvements in terms of the performance of the device as the devices will have the latest Snapdragon chipset. The chipset will be top-of-the-line. The new chipset will also help in providing better battery life to the device along with a smooth performance. 

In terms of colour, the devices are going to be available in beige, light pink and black colour. These colours are the probable ones and can also be different in the final product. 

Now, it remains to be seen whether these devices will perform well or not for Samsung in the market. But next year Samsung is also going to reduce its production. It is being done to clear out the current stock which has piled up over time. Apart from that, there is also stiff competition from Chinese players. The devices are now being launched with at least one USP by all the companies. The intense competition is keeping all the players on their toes. The devices need to be competitive to stay relevant in the market. Now, various devices can compel any other company to be the number one or number two smartphone maker in the world, in terms of popularity. So, Samsung needs to be careful now.

BigBasket goes offline in Hyderabad

BigBasket is going to become a supermarket. After the acquisition by Tata in 2021, it has experimented in different ways. Earlier, it also tried self- services to fruit and vegetable outlet in Bangalore. But this time, it is going to do so in the form of a supermarket in Hyderabad. 

It is also planning to expand in this physical space. It is going to open 3 more supermarkets in Hyderabad, 5 in Kolkata and 15 more in Bangalore. After that, it also plans to open 400 more such stores across the top 10 cities of the country. It will cater to those users, who are more comfortable with physical stores. 

On the online front, BigBasket has a user base of 15 million. It is also making a profit of around $ 1 billion. Now, there is also one additional app that Tata has launched for use by the users of BigBasket. It is a total of all the apps that belongs to the companies owned by Tata Group.

Now, there are some drastic changes that Tata Group is going through. For the last few years, it has been on a purchasing spree. It now owns some companies from the tech world like 1mg and BigBasket. It also has an airline named Air India. So, Tata has lined up major expansion plans for the future. For the time being it needs to invest some more resources in these companies to make them capable competitors in the market. After that, companies like BigBasket will also make it to the IPO listing by 2025. 

From the business point of view, BigBasket did serve its customers well. The highest order on its online platform was from Karnataka. On the popularity front, the tomato was the top choice of the customers on the platform. In the entire year, BigBasket delivered around 400 kgs of coriander also, which was also one of the most popular items.

On the offers front, users also saved around 1500 crore rupees from various offers and coupons. The orders were mostly during the rush hours of 7 pm and 9 pm. The platform is also planning to expand to 20 more cities. This expansion will take the total count of cities from 55 to 75 for BigBasket service. 

Now, BigBasket also needs to take care of the fact that it needs to tackle the competition from platforms like Jio. The competition is also from some physical platforms that do support the flexibility of shopping by looking at the actual product. There are still several users who love the offers and the variety of products that stress like DMart offers. There are also some competitive moves from Flipkart and Amazon. These e-commerce giants are also putting in efforts to score big in one of the world’s fastest-growing online markets.

These changes will surely put smiles on the face of those who love to buy milk from the supermarket while coming back from morning exercise. The further increase in the valuation of BigBasket at $3.2 billion also makes it a top contender to become one of the best platforms for groceries and fresh veggies for a long time and with a bright future.

New Vande Bharat trains are on the cards

Indian Railways has been consistently putting in efforts in improving the condition of railways in our country. The main reason for that has been the general people of the nation who use it daily. The railways are the main commuter of the general middle public of the country. So, recently Railways has been trying to improve the experience of the people by introducing trains like Vande Bharat. There have also been efforts to run this train on multiple circuits. 

Until now, 6 Vande Bharat trains are running in our country. The trains have been introduced for the people with some attractive features. One of the prominent features has been the ability of the train to run at a top speed of 160 mph. But due to the outdated infrastructure, the trains at running at a much-reduced speed. 

Now, Indian Railways is planning to introduce Vande Bharat 2.0. In this train, there will be an increase of top seed by 20 kmph. But still, there is doubt that whether it will happen in the real world or not.

So, to improve the condition of the infrastructure. The government is planning to invest 17000 crore rupees in the Delhi to Kolkata circuit. This will improve the performance of the Vande Bharat train on the route drastically. But apart from that, there have also been questions regarding the safety of the train. It is because there have been various cattle-related incidents with trains. This has raised various questions related to safety. To counter these discussions are being made that will reduce such incidents in the future. There is also work in progress related to the implementation of Kavach in all the trains. This technology will specially be incorporated into the Vande Bharat trains. This technology will improve the capability of locomotives to avoid train collisions. 

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There are also efforts to manufacture sleeper coaches for the Vande Bharat trains. The new version of the prestigious Made in India train will also have a more compact 75-seater chair car coach. These trains are also being considered as a replacement for the ageing Shatabdi trains. It also acts as a flag bearer for the faster future of the Indian Railways. The trains also ensure safe travel for the passengers as they have automatic doors that can only be opened and closed from the locomotive. 

In recent times, there have also been some positive changes in the Indian Railways. The first one is the implementation of electric locomotives all over the country. Now, there are only a very few challenging routes where environmental hurdles are making it difficult. Now, there is also an implementation of 3AC economy class in some trains. This new class will make the journey more comfortable for the public as the new coaches have better seats and better air conditioning. There is also better waste management in these new coaches and there is also a greater number of seats in these coaches.

For a change, there is also a plan for developing various railway stations all across the country. The new railway stations especially in the bigger cities will likely provide an airport-like experience for the passengers. In the end, these passengers will bring about some much-needed freshness to the Indian Railways, the lifeline of the country.

Yezdi brand name ownership is in doubt

Jawa motorcycles have been successful right from its launch. There have also been frequent launches. Various models are now available from Jawa and cater to the different needs of a user. The various models are from different categories. The best thing is that bikes are for every budget and are also getting popular among bike enthusiasts. The popularity is also due to the nostalgia factor, which is playing a role in today’s modern world.

Now, Jawa is also planning to launch more models. More so, it also revived a popular brand by name of Yezdi. But recently there has been an astonishing by the Honorable High Court in Karnataka. In the statement, the High Court stated that the ownership of the name Yezdi is still with Ideal Jawa. This company has been under liquidation since 1991. The statement also pointed out that the ownership of these names does not belong to Boman R. Irani and Classic Legends. The court further said that the name is not for sale as it has not been renewed by Ideal Jawa. 

In the past, the company Ideal Jawa was started by Farokh Irani, who is the father of Boman R. Irani. The company sold Jawa motorcycles in 1960 and then Yezdi motorcycles in 1973. But this did not give the right of ownership of Yezdi to Boman R. Irani.

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But the honourable court said that all the trademarks that Ideal Jawa owned will remain with the court under the liquidation is finished. The company Classic legends and Boman R. Irani has also been ordered to pay 10 lakh rupees to the liquidator. Along with that, Classic Legends have also been directed to pay all the profits to Ideal Jawa, which have been made by the use of the Yezdi name till now.

But apart from all this the sale and the normal business of Yezdi motorcycles will continue till further notice. Also, in response to these orders, Classic Legends and Boman R. Irani are planning to take some legal advice and take the necessary actions.

Now, we will have to wait and see whether the owner of the Yezdi name is given to Classic Legends or not. in terms of competition, Yezdi is facing stiff competition from Hero and some other companies who are building and even planning to introduce bikes similarly. This segment is bound to grow as more people are choosing such bikes. 

Royal Enfield on the other hand is the biggest competitor that Jawa has in the market. For a very long time, RE ruled the segment with its popular models. But now things have changed. Now, there is a growing challenge for these companies. The challenge is that of the electric two-wheelers. Electric vehicles are slowly gaining popularity. The increasing environmental issues are making it difficult for companies to continue with traditional vehicles. The newer two-wheelers are also gaining more features and capabilities. There is also a challenge for the right pricing of the two-wheelers. As more electric two-wheelers are being manufactured, their price is also becoming more challenging for the petrol heads.

USB type – C will be available in all laptops and smartphones

Electronic devices are back in demand. They can get huge profits from various companies. Consumers are now trying to utilize the various benefits of technological advancements. As a result, many companies are trying to find out ways that can reduce electronic waste.

The waste that is getting generated due to rapid technological change is creating problems for the environment. Electronic devices are getting older and obsolete very quickly. This is creating problems for people also. They need to buy new devices now and then. The worst situation is in the case of the accessories. Things like chargers are the worst hit. There are various types of chargers for different types of electronic devices. This creates a lot of problems for the environment and the public.

But to reduce this issue, the government is discussing following the footsteps of the European Union. The European Union EU decided earlier this year that there will be a USB type – C charging feature for all consumer electronic devices like laptops and mobile phones. It will reduce electronic waste and will also enable people to charge any device using the same cable. 

Now, this step has been directed to all consumer electronic device manufacturers. They have been given a deadline of December 28, 2024. The Indian government is also planning to set the same deadline for the companies in India. It will give some relaxation to the companies to reset the systems for the manufacturing of their devices. Other than that, there will also require some planning in terms of the devices that will be exported to other countries.

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Now, the biggest problem, in this case, will be Apple. It is because Apple is the only company which has not been able to provide the USB type – C charging option in its iPhones, which is the major seller. It says that if it does so, then there will be a huge amount of waste because people will then throw away their lightning cables, which will be bad for the environment.

On the other hand, all the Android manufacturers are almost transitioned to USB type – C charging features. It also enables their device to have a faster-charging speed which is not possible in micro-USB cable after a certain extent. Another advantage of USB type – C cable is the ease of use. 

Now, these changes will make sure that there will also be further fewer accessories in the electronic packaging. Just like the phase we are facing right now, in which companies are slowly removing the chargers from their package. But there will be phased implementation of this plan in India. It will enable the users to transition to the new norms smoothly. 

These changes will pave the way for a universal experience for the users. The new rules will also enable that the devices in the future like smartphones and laptops will become more compatible with the advancement that is being implemented in charging technology. These changes will slowly reduce some pressure from the environment also.  

Electric two-wheelers are getting the push for support

The electric two-wheeler market is one of the fastest-growing markets in our country. This segment is also gaining popularity among the public in a rapid manner. The large number of companies that are currently providing options in this segment are trying their level best to attract more customers to his segment.

But due to some glitches, the segment has been under the scanner for some time now. There have been cases recently that involved some two-wheelers burning up right after coming out of the showroom. So, to make the segment better in terms of quality, the government has released some new rules which need to be followed by the manufacturers. The new features can improve the user experience and can also ensure that the vehicles are safer for general users.

There have been rising concerns regarding the environmental damage that general vehicles are causing. This has caused the general public to steer away from fossil fuels. As a result, electric vehicles are getting more attention. The other reason has been the fewer emissions that electric two-wheelers have. They do not pollute the environment with smoke and keep the environment clean. 

As a plus point, there has been also an increase in the number of charging stations all over the country. There were 1000 charging stations all over the country. Currently, there are around 2000 charging stations. There have also been incentives from the government for EVs and all the other equipment related to it. The equipment includes chargers/ charging stations and the parts that are used in the manufacturing of an electric two-wheeler. 

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But some hurdles need some treatment. The hurdles are like involving the real-estate tycoons to enable the charging options in their skyscrapers. There is also a requirement for charging stations in the residential complexes as well as in the commercial complexes in the parking areas. This will enable more people to adopt electric vehicles in the future.

Now, after looking at all of the above points it is evident that electric vehicles are the future. But the hurdles are still there. There still needs to be some changes in the system that is controlling the entire electric vehicle field. For example, we will be able to see electric two-wheelers that will be fireproof.

There are also some recent efforts from the governments in different states and even the central government. The efforts have resulted in more use of electric public transport vehicles in different cities. The vehicles like electric buses and even the Indian Railways are now trying to promote more use of electric vehicles for transport. This will in turn help in improving the quality f the air that we breathe in. 

In the end, there are several other campaigns like Switch Delhi that are trying to attract people towards electric vehicles. This will ensure that the capital of our country remains clean and safe for living in the future.  So, the various efforts will surely help in reducing global warming which is creating several problems like untimely natural calamities and even the disruption of the natural season cycle in nature. Also, people need to support such initiatives and help the government in making more such efforts to allow electric vehicles to rule our roads. 

Users are getting advertisements based on their phone conversations

Today we are living in an era in which there is constant surveillance on us through various sources. Among these, there are satellites and various other electronic equipment that we use daily. Some of those apps collect our data in the background.

The Internet has oven us many things but along with that, there are also some scary consequences. Among those consequences, there is also a breach of our privacy. Especially, smart devices are the main culprits that help in such breaches of trust. We are using them daily. We are also giving consent to various apps to access our microphones as well as our contact list as a whole. This data is then sold to advertising companies, who then show advertisements relevant to us on our devices.

These findings have been proved recently by some recent research. During the research, the users were asked whether they see advertisements based on their conversations or not. In return, several users admitted to getting ads based on their conversations, during phone calls. Several users even admitted to getting emails with the relevant products of their choice. On the other hand, some users did not see any such advertisements. Then some users had no opinion on such matters and some did get such ads some and some very times.

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The above problem now needs some strict rules or regulations. This can only happen when the government will pass the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019. Once this will gets passed then people will have control over their privacy. The bill will also ensure that the apps need to specify the data which they are accessing. There also needs to be some clarification about the collection of data and their transactions with third parties.

These changes will make sure that the companies whose apps we are using are alert to the way our data is being used by them. They will also need to be careful with the way they handle our data. Then our data will get some protection om the wrong hands. These changes will also bring about some much-needed changes in the data field. The companies will focus more on the protection of the privacy of data. The data will also need some serious protection from outer elements. It is because various attacks are happening nowadays which are affecting various big organizations. In recent times, AIIMS servers were also hacked and there is a demand for 200 crore rupees in cryptocurrencies from hackers to give back control of servers to the major medical organization.

The recent attacks on the data of such major organizations are also asking for some data-related laws in the country. The changes will pave way for the implementation of some better rules for future generations so that their privacy remains in their own hands. These data-related issues will also safeguard the future of the country. Nowadays, data is the real gold. Data now paves the way for development shortly as technology is getting more dependent on the data being collected from users like us.

Google RCS gets a new update

Google is trying to make its RCS functionality better. It is trying to implement some well-deserved features that are otherwise available in other instant messaging services.    

For the unknown, the features include the option to reply to any message with an emoji. This feature has been created to tackle the similar feature that is present in Apple iPhone iMessages users.

But this feature is still in the testing phase, as it is available for very few users currently. This feature will gradually make it to your phone if you are using the RCS feature. But there are still some disruptions that can be due to some bugs. The disruptions are in the sense that responses from some iPhone users will still show up as a separate message in the chat history.

Google has been trying to make RCS the default choice for its users for quite some now, but it has not been able to succeed in its efforts. The main reason for such a situation is the fact that other instant messaging services can implement any new feature very quickly. There is also the introduction of new features for the engagement of users regularly on other instant messaging platforms.

On the contrary, there have been some drastic changes to social media websites, especially Twitter after the famous billionaire Elon Musk took over its top position. There will be some changes in the social media company also. Now, various ex-employees have been fired right after Musk took over the office. These layoffs are being seen as a sign of some difficult times ahead for the social media company.

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These layoffs are also being followed by some employees being called back to the office. So there is much confusion regarding the current scenario of the jobs in the tech field. 

On the other hand, there is also speculation that Google will lay off 10000 employees from its team. All of these changes are being seen as steps to tackle the slowdown.

Apart from all this, there are also changes in the Pixel line-up which are witnessed in the market. First of all, the Google flagship lineup has changed from Qualcomm chipset to its very own Tensor chipset.

This has created questions in various minds that what will be the next step that will make Google more independent of its suppliers. The in-house development also means that future google products will make them more Google-centric. The devices will have more professional support. The ecosystem that Google is struggling to maintain within itself will become possible as more devices will fall in line with Google guidelines.

All of these changes are going to bring about some much-needed change in the Google ecosystem. The software part of the Google Android OS will become better. The software part will become more user-friendly. The changes will keep on improving as more updates arrive, and it may also encourage more users to accept the RCS as a new member of the technology world. It can also make the SMS chapter more interesting for the users.

Relevance of cricket throughout the year

Gone are the days when we had the opportunity to watch our favourite national cricket team play a game or a series in a year. Now, we have cricket throughout the year. Teams visit different countries and play several series in a year. Now the series also have various duration. Some are very short and some are of very long duration. It appears as if cricket has lost its shine.

Now, players play throughout the year. If they are free, then they take part in some domestic tournaments all over the globe. IPL has been one of the biggest influencers in such a manner. It gives the players a platform to showcase their skills and also provides them with a chance to earn big amounts. They are also paid handsomely in such tournaments and sometimes. Even get recognition in their respective countries. 

But all of this is slowly creating problems. Now, the question arises that how can this round-the-clock behaviour be stopped. Is there any way that can ensure that cricket stays relevant for a longer duration? The new format of T20 is also taking the shine off the test matches.

With the exit of India, in T20 World Cup the talks are on several sections of society giving their opinion. The team reached the semi-final and then aced a 10- wicket defeat from the England cricket team.

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After this defeat, questions are raised about the performance of the team. A blame game is also going on. Some blame the batsmen, some blame the bowlers, some blame the lack of experience and some even blame the coach.

But at the core, there is also some positive result in this year’s performance. The younger lot of the team has performed well to some extent. The team did reach the semi-final and this is a good sign. It can give some confidence to the team before they proceed to the ODI World Cup in 2023. 

For the preparation part, the Indian team which is playing in NZ currently, has some changes. For starters, Dravid has been replaced by Laxman as the new head coach of the Indian cricket team.

For the time being, the team has been able to win the T20 series against the NZ team. There were three matches, out of which the first one was washed out. The second one was won by the Indian team. Then the third match ended in a tie. So, this results in the Indian team winning the series. Now, it’s time for the ODI series. The series will better prepare the team for the next year’s ODI World Cup. 

After this series, there is also a series against the Bangladesh team in Bangladesh. It will also be helpful as the series will be played in friendly conditions. Another plus point is that as the next year’s World Cup will be played in India, so familiar conditions will give more exposure to the youngsters to play in the single-day format of the popular game.

Air India introduces new flights

Air India is one of the most talked about airlines in India. After the takeover by the Tatas, the airline is being put on a road to revival.

The first signs regarding the recovery of this airline are showing up. In October, the airlines got the top spot in terms of punctuality. Tata has three airlines all of which are occupying the top three slots in the punctuality index. Other than that, AI Express is not on the chart because it generally operates on international routes.

In recent developments, Air India is also planning to introduce some international flights to some important destinations.

Flights to New York, Paris and Frankfurt have already been announced. These flights were new on the route chart. Other than these, some non-flights have been introduced on other routes also Vienna, Milan and Copenhagen.

All the new flights are taking the tally of regular flights between India and the US to 47 and it will be around 79 to European countries and including Britain.

The new flights have been introduced and they will be using the new Dreamliners from Boeing. These introductions will ensure that the major cities in India get more connectivity with the other major cities of the world. It will also give people from other countries the to experience the hospitality and the friendly nature that Indians have.

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Apart from all these, there has also been some news that Air India is also planning to hire more foreign pilots to fly its fleet of Boeing 777. It has come as a setback for the Indian-origin pilots who claim that India has sufficient skilled widebody aircraft pilots. A senior pilot also argued that India has no scarcity of able pilots and the pay the Indian pilots get is also lower than the global average.

The new hiring offer is also going to be costlier for the airlines as the foreign pilots usually get 40% extra that their Indian counterparts. According to the latest developments, the offer will be $11500 for a month of service. There will also be an extra payment of $134 for every hour flown above the stipulated limit of 70 hours on ultra–long–haul flights.

It has come at a point when Air India is planning to acquire more flights on lease from other airlines. These flights will ensure to fulfil of the long-haul-flight plans of the Maharaja. There are also some speculations that the prestigious airline is also on the lookout for some well-trained cabin crew for its long-haul- flights.

All of these are coming as a welcome change for the Maharaja. The airlines are currently going through a transition phase. The changes have been planned by keeping in mind a 5-year cycle. These changes will bear fruits for the airline in the long run. But in recent times. These changes will be difficult for some. There have also been some positive changes. For example, the airline is planning to retain some of these experienced pilots for a longer duration. Currently, their pilots retire at the age of 58. But some will be offered to extend their services until the age of 65.

Apple iPhone will get the largest manufacturing unit in India

iPhones have been able to grab eyeballs everywhere. They have the best hardware for all users. For convenience, various form factors are available for the users. Every year, new iPhones give users something new to experience.

But pandemic has been able to affect the overall manufacturing of the iPhones worldwide. It has been mainly due to the disruption at the China plant. China has the largest iPhone manufacturing plant. It was due to the lockdown due to the COVID pandemic. The plant is the Zhengzhou plant.

On the positive side, India has started to gain due to this loss. Now, there is positive information that Hosur near Bangalore, will get the largest iPhone plant in the country. Now, iPhones will be manufactured at the new plant where approximately, 60000 people will get to work with new iPhones. Among these 60000 workers, 6000 are tribal women from the areas of Ranchi and Hazaribagh. These women have been trained to manufacture the latest iPhones. The new plant is under the control of Tata Electronics. Other than this, Apple also has other manufacturers in the country namely Foxconn, Wistron and Pegatron.

To reduce the stress on the parts supplier, Apple has given a contract to LG as a new display supplier. This will ensure that Samsung will have less burden in terms of display supply during and after the pandemic period.

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This new change has some major effects on the overall supply of the latest iPhones. The new devices will not face supply chain disruptions anymore. It will also ensure that India will be one of the major suppliers or exporters of iPhones to other markets.

But there have also been rumours that iPhones can get a price cut in India. But this is not true. As there will be no reduction in the prices of the iPhones in India. But there will be some relief to the availability of parts in our country. If the need arises, then there can also be a great market for refurbished iPhones. It will help in increasing the number of iPhone users in our country.

iPhones are also facing a little bit of a slowdown in terms of sales. This can be due to the weak financial conditions of several sections of society. So now, this kind of effect has also been seen in companies like Samsung. Samsung is currently planning to reduce the production of mobile phones by 30 million. The reduction of production will also enable the unnecessary stacking up of inventory in various warehouses.

All the above points depict that iPhones will have a great future. India will also play an important part in making a more user-friendly iPhone. The device will be more easily accessible to general users. Maybe there can also be a reduction in the prices of the iPhones. The newer models will also get the opportunity to be assembled or manufactured in countries like India. It will also help in increasing employment in the manufacturing field. The number of skilled people will also increase in terms of electronic manufacturing in our country.

India is moving towards a faster decade

With the introduction of 5G in Hyderabad and Bangalore, India has been able to get into the era of 5G. It is going to be a major change in the technological advancement in India. 

On the network front, the trials are still going on for 5G in some other parts of our country. There will be an introduction of 5G in the rest of the country also. The introduction will happen very soon. The telcos are currently busy giving the final ok to the network performance for a better experience for the public. 

Among all this, companies like BSNL have not been able to launch even 4G in our country. As the latest development, the contract has been given to TCS for the installation of the towers and the technology which will be taking care of the entire system. It will be the biggest order for a home-grown technical implementation in India. 

Now, the next phase for BSNL will be to launch the 5G services along with 4G as soon as possible. For that, the work is going on. It is expected that BSNL will launch 4G by December or January and 5G will be rolled out by August next year.

On the private telcos front, Jio is the one which has launched 5G in Hyderabad and Bangalore. Airtel is also working hard to launch the latest 5G network in the market. 

In the field of internet-related technology and especially equipment, there are some companies which are considered the world leader. The companies are Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei. 

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So, if India becomes successful in developing the technology for implementing such revolutions in a country like India. Then, India will be one of the few countries that have been able to implement indigenous built technology in the country.

For those, who are not in touch with such development, the private telcos are planning to launch the services in the metro cities at first. After that, the rest of the country will be able to experience it. 

In case of advantages, 5G has better speeds than 4G. The network also provides a greater number of devices to be connected. The new network will also provide better stability than the previous generations.

These new implementations will also likely increase job opportunities in the tech field.

The new launch will also initiate more locally made technologies in the future. In recent times, even Tata has been able to get the opportunity to make iPhones in India.

There is also an initiative which will allow some companies to manufacture chips in our country. It is necessary as there is a shortage of chips in India. All of these changes will surely improve the scenario of the tech world in India.  There will also be some challenges to the implementation that the companies will have to tackle. It will also reveal some underlying concerns regarding the networks and the possible issues that the beta users will generally face during the trials. All of these factors will slowly disappear. Now, we will see how the 5G changes the face of our country. 

Pixel 4 gets its last system update

Pixel devices are one of the popular devices that have been able to grab right from their launch. This year Google launched its Pixel 7 series of smartphones. 

There are various reasons that people prefer Pixel devices. There is the safety of regular software updates. The devices are always top-of-the-line. The device line-up consists of devices for different categories also. These are known for their pure Android experience and put forward, the latest and the best from Google every year. 

But there are times when these devices get less attention. This happens when they lose the software’s regular update support cycle. It happens after every approximately 3 or 4 years. Last month, Pixel 4 lost its regular update after getting the last monthly update for October 2022. So, it makes them old and time for some to upgrade their device.

For the unknown, Google launched the Pixel 7 series this year. It will also be offered this year on the Black Friday sale. The special offer will be available on the official website of the company. Special offers will include a special price for the entire new line-up. 

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During the offer, the price of the Pixel 7 will be $499, and for the Pixel 7 Pro, it will be $749. But the device which will be the cheapest is the Pixel 6a at $299. Along with these, there will also be offers for the Pixel Buds.

So, now you can get the devices at a cheaper rate and even get the latest from Google. But on the bright side, you will be able to get more security for your data. The bugs will also be absent from your device. 

But for Pixel 4 lovers, it is the end of the road for the motion sensor features. The Pixel 4 device was the first and the last one with the feature. But the two devices of the line-up Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, will get support from open-source developers. 

Popular ones like Lineage OS will provide the latest OS for the device for a longer duration. For that, you will need to visit the XDA developer’s website and follow the instructions to install the OS on your device. but the point to be noted here is that you will not get any support from Google. You will also need to unlock the bootloader of your device. along with all this, your device will sometimes also face some bugs and reduced performance, if there are any bugs in the OS. 

So, Pixel 4 users will need to be extra careful as they will need to avoid any malware-infected sites and also some doubtful apps from installing on their device. as these can cause some errors in your device. But those who are extra careful with their device can extend one or two more years from their device, before finally bidding goodbye to the device. 

But apart from all this, there are still Pixel 5 series devices that you can still buy at a cheaper rate than the flagship devices. Some websites and shops will even allow you to exchange your device for a new Pixel device at an even cheaper rate.

Netflix gives a reason to cheer for some of its viewers

Netflix is now providing one more option for American users. Now, some users have the option of taking up the lowest subscription available with ads. This subscription is available for a price of $6.99 a month and comes with ads in between the shows.

This subscription also makes some of the content unavailable to the viewers. To check the blocked content, you will have to get the no ads subscription. If the content has a red lock in the top right corner, then assume that such content is blocked.

This offer was on the cards for quite some time. So, after some trial, now the offer is available for some. This offer now makes the most popular streaming site, more attractive to viewers. It also enables the viewers to experience their favourite content, but with some ads. There is also a restriction in terms of the resolution, which is restricted to 720p.

On the official part, Netflix clarifies that there will ads of 15 to 20 seconds in duration. You cannot skip them, but you can pause them. The ads are the general ads that you see on the internet or YouTube. So, now we can choose one of the cheaper options from Netflix and keep using it. It will reduce piracy to some extent. It will also reduce the sharing of accounts which has been the case with many, for the last few years.

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Recently, there have been speculations of various changes in the Netflix plan. So there have been some for the last few months. It is one of them. The other changes include the introduction of restrictions that will stop people from sharing passwords of their accounts with their friends and family.

But there is also content on the platform which will not show you any ads. It is difficult to predict as no list or indication will indicate which content has ads and which does not.

Now, if we consider different platforms, then there are a few changes that point to this new subscription option. In the case of iOS, there is an indication that people can select an ad-supported option, but there are no links, that can point you in the right direction. On the other hand, there are links on the website that will direct you to the page, that will let you choose the ad option.

So, now these changes will be bad news for some. As people expect to see ads in a free version of any service. But, here the viewers will have to watch ads even after paying a certain amount for a subscription. Only time will tell whether viewers like this plan or not. But for beginners there is one plus point, there is an even cheaper version of Netflix for the viewers. For the unknown, there will also be less requirement for some to share their login details as more viewers will be able to afford Netflix. Netflix will also be hoping that more subscribers use its streaming service.

Twitter is going through a transition period

Twitter has been able to create a lot of buzzes lately. It has a new owner now, named Elon Musk. This change has taken place after several ifs and buts. But a decision has been made.

Now, if we take a look at the previous actions related to this matter. Then we can safely conclude that there have been various changes to the multimillion-dollar deal. At first, it was declared that Musk will buy the company. But later on, he demanded to disclose the number of fake accounts. Then it was declared that he was cancelling the deal. After that, Twitter did question the fact that someone cannot cancel a deal after having a look at some confidential data.

So now the $44 million deal is done. It also avoids Elon Musk from facing a court case, which Twitter was planning to put against the famous billionaire. As a result of the deal, several top executives have been removed from their places. There have also been layoffs to reduce the number of employees.

Now, when it comes to Twitter as a platform, then there will be some changes to the social media platform. The first one is the fact that the blue tick will now cost $8 for a month. So, this is the beginning of a new future for Twitter.

Now, there are also speculations that Elon Musk will be making a lot of changes within the Twitter platform. Some of them can be seen on the official Twitter account of the famous billionaire. All of these changes will be seen shortly.

https://unsplash.com/photos/cJDwJ4X2IrQ

https://unsplash.com/photos/cJDwJ4X2IrQ

Among all this, there have been various speculations that the employees of Twitter are going to sue it for the mass firing act. To remove the spotlight from the mass layoff, there are also complaints from Elon Musk that the advertisers are fleeing the platform.

There is also speculation by Twitter users that there will now be strict rules and regulations that will shape a different future for Twitter. All of these also point out that Elon Musk is desperately waiting for Twitter to start making money.

After the layoffs, Jack Dorsey has also taken the responsibility for the layoffs. The layoffs have come as a setback for several employees. But there is also speculation that after the layoffs, some employees are being requested to come back.

This layoff has mainly affected India. The maximum workforce of the company has been fired in India, and now very few have been retained.  

All of these events have given very bold and harsh indications to the entire world. As Elon Musk is the CEO, so he will now be taking a lot of steps towards changing the company. The steps will bring about some more surprises, as has been depicted by the above incidents. But the effects will also be there. The recent rapid steps have not been accepted positively by the public. So, it remains to be seen, what more will make the headlines for the social networking site. After all this, the future is exciting for Twitter. 

HAMARI PEHCHAN NGO

Hamari Pehchan NGO is a non-governmental organisation with the main motive of improving and changing the lives of people and leading them towards a better and happier life. It provides a platform for different people across the country as well as the society to show their skillsets and develop a unqiue niche for themselves. Through this NGO, many underprevlideged have been able to improve their livelihood and have also been able to overcome the fear of living their lives in jeopardy.

The NGO continuously thrives in changing the lives of people who are deprived of the basic essentials and are unable enjoy their company. Hamari Pehchan is not just limited to a specific gender, age group or a particular methodology for conditioning the advancement of the society. Whether it is about women, children, older people, it tries to reach out to everybody and every section of society. The main motto as earlier stated is always to help all the underprevildged ones and provide them an essential platform to showcase their skills and expertise.

Mission-

Seeking a world of hope, tolerance and social justice where poverty has been eradicated and all people live with dignity and security.

Vision-

 To help everyone in creating their own ‘Pahchan’ and live a life with dignity.

Values driven-

Believing in urgent action, innovation and the necessity of transformation—within the world and our own organization.

The NGO has created almost 390+ campaigns throughout the country to spread awareness regarding the donation programs and making lives of the underprivledged much better. And not just this, it has also helped almost 10,000+ people across the country in create their own niche and live their lives with dignity. The organization has been up and running for the past 5 years. With collaboration and support of the Delhi police, School Teachers, Advocates, experienced Doctors and especially the school and college youth, the organization has come a long way with now over 5000 active members working relentlessly to support various causes.

Help is the most expensive gift, so be Rich by heart- Tarun Mathur

Premium subscribers only get to watch 4k content on YouTube

Google has been able to acquire the best of the best in almost all sections of the technology world. YouTube has been one of its prized possessions. But at the end of the day. There are some demerits of every app.
In the latest development, some YouTube users are getting a new option in their apps. Some users are getting a premium sign alongside the 4k video resolution option in their video settings. It means that 4k resolution will only be available for premium subscribers.
This particular change will help Google in getting more subscribers and will also increase its revenue. But it is not confirmed, as the trial is still going on and the decision will be taken after some time. Until now, there is still no update from Google regarding this change.
In the recent past, Google has been trying to increase its revenue through different methods. One of them has been evident with the trial that is going on with the several ads for the free account users.
Google also shut down its Stadia gaming platform to redirect the revenue flow. It will also increase their focus on the selective few options, that are the real money maker for them.

https://unsplash.com/photos/31OdWLEQ-78


Now, there have also been speculations that Google is trying various things to increase its user base for subscriptions. It is due to lesser revenue this year than last year. But on the bright side, the number of subscriptions is increasing on various platforms for Google. One of them is YouTube music.
Now, on the evidence part, users are posting screenshots of the new premium option on Reddit. In return, Google has confirmed that some of the users are getting such options as a part of the trial program. It will let them analyze whether users are willing to pay for such options or not.
Now, it remains to be seen whether users will accept such a change or not. On the contrary, users can also look at a future where there will be two different options. Users can experience so on various platforms like YouTube, YouTube Music, and many others.
A bigger subscriber base here does not mean that it is the end for the free account users because there are quite a few free account users. Google will support the free users also as it is the first reason that users are using YouTube in the first place. The other reason is the rapidly increasing traffic on the internet. It is for the content that allows the users to learn various things, that are related to various fields.
With 5G, taking on the world in different parts of the world, at a fast pace. As the network coverage will improve, the users will be willing to experience better and more advanced features. They will like to experience a video in 4k resolution. So, in return, it might help Google in getting more subscribers. On the other hand, it might not help Google as people may get comfortable with 2k or even Full HD. All of these, are just speculations, and the future is uncertain but exciting.

Shadow Puppetry in India;Gender role & Divisions

Shadow Puppetry

In India Puppetry has been one of the most ancient folk skill forms of traditional entertainment and has the richest variety of types and styles of shadow puppets.

Shadow puppets are made up of leather that has been carved into flat figures.

The audience is seated in front of the screen, and shadow puppets are pressed up against the screen with a powerful source of light behind it. The interaction between the light and the screen creates vibrant shadows for the audience. Popular regions for these puppets include Orissa, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.

Indian shadow puppetry examples include: 

Togalu Gombeyatta (Karnataka),

Tholu Bommalata (Andhra Pradesh), 

and 

Ravanachhaya (Odisha)

Togalu Gombeyatta: 

Togalu Gombeyatta is the name of Karnataka’s shadow theatre. 

Most of these puppets are small in size. 

However, the puppets’ sizes vary according to their social standing; for example, kings and religious figures are larger than ordinary people or servants, who are smaller.

Tholu Bommalata:

The majority of it comes from the state of AP. The puppets have jointed shoulders, elbows, and knees and are quite huge. On both sides, they are colored. As a result, these puppets cast colorful shadows on the screen. The Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas are used as the inspiration for the puppet plays’ themes, and the music is mostly influenced by local classical music.

Ravanachhaya, Orissa:

This is a type of puppet from that state. There are no joints and the puppets are in one piece. Since they lack color, they cast opaque shadows on the screen. Along with the usage of human and animal characters, several props are also employed, including trees, mountains, chariots, etc. Despite being smaller in size—the tallest Ravanachhaya puppets are less than two feet tall and lack jointed limbs—they cast incredibly tender and lyrical shadows.

Gender role and division on Shadow puppetry in India:

For a long time, this art has hampered the involvement of women in taking part in the playing role of puppets. Women are mostly hidden or invisible in play and men’s roles are exclusively visible. A study conducted on the role of women in the traditional puppeteer family in India on
two major forms of puppetry-‘String puppetry and Leather- Shadow puppetry which shows women are not involved in making puppets even in South India that are made of wood called string marionettes.

Women are mostly involved in the fabrication of natural dyes and colors, such as those made from dirt, mud, leaves, tree bark, seeds, and charcoal, on cloth, the preparation of appam (Wall putty) utilizing soft lay, tamarind seeds, and traditional glue, and the designing and dressing of costumes are all more commonly done by women. puppets that are stitched using a needle and thread.

What studies say?

Traditional puppeteers did not allow women to take part actively as in Kerala, Shadow puppetry and the place and performance going on are like a temple and puppets are made of Gods and goddesses to be played on stage where they are not allowing women for the reason by the Custom or their menstruation. Only Male members are allowed to connect the profession and play roles.

What’s now?

Nevertheless, Today Women from Traditional families and women who are interested in puppetry come under an umbrella called Contemporary puppeteers. As a result, women in puppetry are using puppetry to revive the art form,  to address some of India’s most pressing social problems, to impart education, awareness campaign, in theatre, and also as therapeutic value. 

Women artists today not only contribute to this rich art form, but they also hold their own as equal puppeteers and performers. The evident cultural rebirth can be seen in the appropriation of traditional art, modifications, exploration of interconnection, artistic and creative modules connecting the international models, for teaching, education, social cause, campaign, and lastly to entertain with a message.

Reference:

Many Voices, One World (1982). New Delhi: Oxford, IBH.
Melkote, S.R. (1991). Communication for Development in the Third World: Theory and Practice. New Delhi: Sage.
Mukhopadhyay, D. (1994). Folk Arts and Social Communication, New Delhi: Publications Division.

Cyber Crime

N kavya

Cybercrime is any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device, or network. cybercrimes are carried out to generate profit for the cybercriminals, some cybercrimes are carried out against computers or devices directly to damage or disable them. Others use computers or networks to spread malware, illegal information, images, or other materials. Some cybercrimes do both — i.e., target computers to infect them with a computer virus, which is then spread to other machines and, sometimes, entire networks. A primary effect of cybercrime is financial. Cybercrime can include many types of profit-driven criminal activity, including ransomware attacks, email and internet fraud, identity fraud, and attempts to steal financial accounts, credit cards, or other payment card information. Cybercriminals may target an individual’s private information or corporate data for theft and resale. As many workers settle into remote work routines due to the pandemic, cybercrimes are expected to grow in frequency in 2021, making it especially important to back up the data.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DDJ) divides cybercrime into three categories :
1. Crimes in which the computing device is the target
2. Crimes in which the computer is used as a weapon
3. Crimes in which the computer is used as an accessory to a crime

Cybercriminal activity may be carried out by individuals or groups with relatively little technical skill, or by highly organized global criminal groups that may include skilled developers and others with relevant expertise. Cybercriminals often choose to operate in countries with weak or non-existent cybercrime laws to further reduce the chances of detection and prosecution.

Types of Cybercrime -:

1. Cyberextortion: A crime involving an attack or threat of an attack coupled with a demand for money to stop the attack.
2. Crypto-jacking: An attack that uses scripts to mine cryptocurrencies within browsers without the user’s consent.
3. Identity Theft: An attack that occurs when an individual accesses a computer to glean a user’s personal information, which they then use to steal that person’s identity or access their valuable accounts, such as banking and credit cards.
4. Credit card Fraud: An attack occurs when hackers infiltrate retailers’ systems to get their customers’ credit card and/or banking information.
5. Cyber espionage: A crime involving a cyber-criminal who hacks into systems or networks to gain access to confidential information held by a government or other organization.
6. Software-Piracy: An attack that involves the unlawful copying, distribution, and use of software programs with the intention of commercial or personal use.
7. Ransomware attacks are similar, but the malware acts by encrypting or shutting down victim systems until a ransom is paid.
8. Phishing: The most common type of cybercrime as reported to the U.S. Internet Crime Complaint Centre was phishing and similar fraud.
9. Website Spoofing & IOT Hacking.

Cybercrime & Its Impact on Society – : On an individual level, a cyber-attack can lead to a variety of consequences, ranging from theft of personal information to extortion of money or loss of valuable data, such as family photos. Society and systems depend on critical infrastructures, such as power plants, hospitals, and financial services companies. The protection of these and other organizations is essential for the maintenance of our society and support of the relations between countries and international organizations.

How to prevent Cyber Crime –:

Backup all data, system, and considerations: This enables data stored earlier to assist businesses in recovering from an unplanned event.


• Enforce concrete security and keep it up to date: Choose a firewall with features that protect against malicious hackers, malware, and viruses. This enables businesses to identify and respond to threats more quickly.


• Never give out personal information to a stranger: They can use the information to commit fraud.


• Check security settings to prevent cybercrime: A cyber firewall checks your network settings to see if anyone has logged into your computer.


• Using antivirus software: Using antivirus software helps to recognize any threat or malware before it infects the computer system. Never use cracked software as it may impose the serious risk of data loss or malware attack.


• When visiting unauthorized websites, keep your information secure: Using phishing websites, information can easily bypass the data.


• Use virtual private networks (VPNs): VPNs enable us to hide our IP addresses.


• Restriction on access to your most valuable data: Make a folder, if possible, so that no one can see confidential documents.

SALIENT FEATURES OF INDIAN SOCIETY

Indian society is known for its ability of tolerance and acceptance, and social cohesion making it unique in sustaining its culture. The importance of fraternity enshrined in the Preamble of the constitution makes it a duty of every citizen.
Indian society is extensively diverse in cultural and regional aspects and it is pertinent that it is posited in each individual the realization of ideas and objectives in the Preamble concerning every other individual.
India from ancient times has thrived to create a nationality that is neither governed by universalism nor by exclusivity to its interest groups. The multi-cultural conundrum is a salient feature of Indian society that has been a boon and a bane over the history of the country.

SALIENT FEATURES OF INDIA:
• Multi-Ethnic Society
• Multi-Lingual Society
• Multi-Class Society
• Patriarchal Society
• Unity In Diversity
• Tribes
• Family
• Kinship System
• Balance between spiritualism and materialism
• Balance between Individualism and collectivism
• Co-existence of traditionalism and modernity

The multi-ethnic Indian society
Multi-ethnicity is a major salient feature of Indian society. An ethnic group or ethnicity is a category of people who identify with each other, usually based on a common language or dialect, history, society, culture, or nation.
A society with the co-existence of a wide variety of racial groups is a Multi-ethnic society. India is home to almost multiple racial profiles like Nordic, Dinaric, Proto-Australoid, Mongolian, etc.
Multilingualism- salient feature of Indian society
India is home to many native languages, and it is also common that people to speak and understand more than one language or dialect, which can entail the use of different scripts as well.
India’s 2011 census documents that 121 languages are spoken as mother tongues, which is defined as the first lan¬guage a person learns and uses.
Of these languages, the Constitution of India recognizes twenty-two of them as official or “scheduled” languages. Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution of India, titled the Eighth Schedule, recognize the following languages as official languages of the states of India:
• Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Six languages also hold the title of classical languages (Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu), which are determined to have a history of recorded use for more than 1,500 years and a rich body of literature.
Multi-religious society
India is a cradle of world religions whose ancestors have preached and practiced almost all major religions of the world giving rise to worldly beliefs, practices, rites, rituals, ceremonies, and institutions.
The co-existence of all the religions and variety of faiths has been a shining example of religious pluralism and tolerance.
• The principle of secularism despite several conflicts and riots has been upheld by our citizens time and again.
• Indian Constitution has rightly reflected the idea of multi religions. It states that “every citizen has a right to freely practice, preach, profess and propagate any religion or faith”.
• A secular state has been defined as a “state in which all religions and citizens irrespective of their faith would be treated impartially”.
• Apart from the major religions, several tribal religions are coexisting in Indian society.
UNITY IN DIVERSITY:
“Unity in Diversity” is a phrase implying unity among people with diverse cultural, religious, and other demographic differences. It denotes the sense of oneness and we-ness .In India, people of different religions have continued to respect the ideals and values of people of other religions, and hence, India has always stood up as an integrated nation ready to put its arms around everybody in this world.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION


DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENT: The environment can be defined as a sum total of all the living and non-living elements and their effects which influence human life. While all living or biotic elements are animals, plants, forests, fisheries, and birds, etc. The non-living or abiotic elements include water, land, sunlight, rocks, and air, etc.
The environment offers resources for production which includes both renewable and non-renewable resources. The environment includes the sun, soil, water, and air, which are essential for human life. It sustains life by providing genetic and biodiversity. The environment enhances the quality of life.

DEFINITION OF POLLUTION: Pollution introduces us to the world of hazardous products. These hazardous materials are called Pollutants. Pollutants, such as volcanic ash, may be normal. Human activity such as garbage or runoff created by factories may also generate them. The quality of air, water and land are impaired by contaminants.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION: Environmental pollution occurs when in due course of time, the environment is unable to absorb and neutralize toxic byproducts of human activities. Environmental Pollution is not a new phenomenon, yet it remains one of the greatest threats to the health and well-being of humanity and one of the major environmental causes of death and morbidity.
In environmental pollution, pollutants originate from a source, are transported by air or water, and are dumped into the soil by human beings.

The long-term impacts of pollution are still being felt despite global attention to the issue. Day by day, our atmosphere is becoming more and more polluted due to anthropogenic activities. It is usually due to the pollutants released into the air, water, soil, etc., through many human activities.
Types of Environmental Pollution
Based on the part of the environment that is polluted, Pollution is of the following types:
1. Air Pollution
2. Water Pollution
3. Soil Pollution
4. Noise Pollution
5. Radioactive Pollution

AIR POLLUTION: Air Pollution occurs due to undesirable changes in the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics of air that exert harmful effects on all living beings. Harmful effects caused by air pollution depend on the Concentration of pollutants, Duration of exposure to the pollutants and Type of the organism it affects.
Effects of Air Pollution:
An increased risk of heart disease, wheezing, coughing, and respiratory problems and skin, nose, and throat irritation can be caused by high levels of air pollution. Air Pollution affects human health in different ways, Air pollution may also cause heart attacks, asthma, and other respiratory complications. Like humans, animals can also suffer from a variety of health problems because of air pollution, including birth defects, reproductive failure and diseases.
Besides the impact on humans and livestock, air pollution causes a variety of environmental effects. Acid rain includes high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids that are formed by the burning of fossil fuels by the oxides and sulfur oxides released into the air. Acid rain kills trees and acidifies soils and bodies of water, making survival difficult for fishes and other marine organisms.

WATER POLLUTION:
Water Pollution is defined as any undesirable change in physical, chemical, or biological properties of water that may affect living beings adversely. Due to human activities, ponds, rivers, oceans, and estuaries are getting polluted in several parts of the world.
Effects of Water Pollution:
The consequences of water pollution depend on where contaminants are dumped. Water pollution is a significant danger to humans, animals and marine life. Water sources near urbanized areas tend to be highly contaminated by the legal and illegal dumping of waste and chemicals by industrial facilities, health centres and individuals.
The death of marine animals, which can destroy the whole food chain, is by far the greatest consequence of water contamination. In drinking water supplies, fertilizer contamination can cause toxic algae blooms that destroy fish and other aquatic animals. Direct exposure to this poisonous algae causes significant human health issues, including neurological symptoms, breathing problems and stomach and liver diseases.
When disinfectants used to treat drinking water enter water contaminated with toxic algae and respond to the production of dioxins, a consequential problem is developed.

SOIL POLLUTION:
Soil Pollution is the build-up of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or disease-causing agents in the soil, which have adverse effects on plant growth and animal health.
Effects of Soil Pollution:
For humans, plants, microorganisms and marine life, land and soil contamination have significant implications. Different skin problems, respiratory problems and even various types of cancers may result from polluted land and soil. These poisonous substances come into direct contact with the human body by eating fruits and vegetables grown in polluted soils, direct contact with the skin and breathing in air polluted by particles and dust.

NOISE POLLUTION:
The unpleasant, discomfort-causing sound from any source is called noise. The sustained presence of harmful, unwanted, or annoying noise in the environment is called noise pollution. Any object that produces noise is a potential source of noise pollution. Examples are television and radio (when played at a loud volume), air coolers, automobiles, blaring loudspeakers, and air conditioners.
Effects of Noise Pollution:
Noise has a jarring effect on us. One should not underestimate the impact of noise pollution on people. Some of the harmful effects of noise pollution are Irritation and loss of concentration, Sleep disturbance and stress (which can lead to high blood pressure) and Ear damage and loss of hearing.

RADIO POLLUTION:
It is the release of radioactive waves into the environment which are harmful for the environment. This is considered one of the most dangerous pollution because of its permanent effects. It can cause cancer, infertility due to exposure, congenital disabilities, and blindness. It can permanently change the soil, air, and water. It can even cause mutation in species which can propagate for ages.

GLOBAL WARMING

Global Warming Definition:
“Global warming is a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature generally due to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, CFC’s, and other pollutants.”



The Earth is warming up, and humans are at least partially to blame. The causes, effects, and complexities of global warming are important to understand so that we can fight for the health of our planet.
Global warming is the long-term warming of the planet’s overall temperature. Though this warming trend has been going on for a long time, its pace has significantly increased in the last hundred years due to the burning of fossil fuels. As the human population has increased, so has the volume of fossil fuels burned. Fossil fuels include coal, oil, and natural gas, and burning them causes what is known as the “greenhouse effect” in Earth’s atmosphere.
The greenhouse effect is when the Sun’s rays penetrate the atmosphere, but when that heat is reflected off the surface cannot escape back into space. Gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels prevent the heat from leaving the atmosphere. These greenhouse gasses are carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide.
The excess heat in the atmosphere has caused the average global temperature to rise overtime, otherwise known as global warming.

Global warming has presented another issue called climate change. Sometimes these phrases are used interchangeably, however, they are different. Climate change refers to changes in weather patterns and growing seasons around the world. It also refers to sea level rise caused by the expansion of warmer seas and melting ice sheets and glaciers. Global warming causes climate change, which poses a serious threat to life on earth in the forms of widespread flooding and extreme weather. Scientists continue to study global warming and its impact on Earth.

LAND REFORMS

What are Land Reforms?
Land Reforms refer to the redistribution of Lands from the rich class to the poor class. It includes operations, leasing, regulations of ownership, sales, and the inheritance of Land since Land redistribution requires legal changes.


In an agrarian economy like India with massive inequalities of wealth and income, great scarcity and an unequal distribution of land, coupled with a large mass of people living below the poverty line, there are strong economic and political arguments for land reforms.Due to all these compelling reasons, Land reforms had received top priority by the governments at the time of independence. The Constitution of India left the adoption and implementation of the land reforms to the state governments. This has led to a lot of variations in the implementation of land reforms across states.

The pattern of agriculture is always irregular in India. In the pre-independence era, tenants, peasants, and small farmers suffered a lot due to the revenue systems of Mahalwari, Zamindari, ryotwari. One of the major reasons was the unequal distribution of land. Landholdings were concentrated in few hands. The majority of farmers were being exploited. The struggle of class between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat was not a new thing. After independence, it was pivotal and need of an hour to focus upon land distribution checks. Especially, it was the rural population that was facing the maximum hindrance in socio-economic development.India under the British Raj had witnessed a lot of such atrocious regulations that exploited the poor and helpless in many aspects. Among them, land ownership contributed significantly to preventing the socio-economic growth of the backward population.The government of independent India came up with acts and laws to establish equal rights and ownership of land, which now constitutes a crucial episode of India’s economy. In the following lesson, you will come across a detailed discourse on land reforms in India after independence and their importance.
The instruments that are visualized for social justice are known as Land Reforms. Land Reforms refer to the redistribution of Lands from the rich class to the poor class. It includes operations, leasing, regulations of ownership, sales, and the inheritance of Land since Land redistribution requires legal changes.
After independence in 1947, an inadequate agricultural output was apparent. In order to fix this situation, the Indian government took measures to alter existing regulations for a better outcome.

These acts formed agrarian reforms in India after independence.
he Land Reforms in post-independent India had various components:
• Abolition of Intermediaries: The first step taken by the Indian government under land reforms post-independence was passing the Zamindari Abolition Act. The abolition of the zamindari system was done that removed the layer of intermediaries who used to stand between the state and the cultivators. In many areas, superior rights were taken away from the zamindars and weakened their economic and political power.
The primary reason of a backward agrarian economy was the presence of intermediate entities like, jagirdars and zamindar who primarily focussed on collecting sky-rocketing rents catering to their personal benefits, without paying attention to the disposition of farms and farmers. Abolition of such intermediaries not only improved conditions of farmers by establishing their direct connection with the government but also improved agricultural production.

• Regulation of Rents
This was in direct response to the unimaginably high rents which were charged by intermediaries during British rule, which resulted in a never-ending cycle of poverty and misery for tenants. Indian government implemented these regulations to protect farmers and labourers from exploitation by placing a maximum limit on the rent that could be charged for land.

• Tenancy Reform: The tenancy Reform led to the introduction of regulation of rent, providing security tenure, and conferring ownership to the tenants. In the pre-independence period, the rent which was paid by the tenants was exorbitant producing 35% to 75% of gross throughout the country. The primary attempt of the Reform was either to regulate rents and give some security to the tenants or outlaw tenancy altogether.
Legislations were passed in all states of the country to grant tenants with permanent ownership of lands and protection from unlawful evictions on expiry of the lease. This law protects tenants from having to vacate a property immediately after their tenure is over unless ordered by law. Even in that case, ownership can be regained by tenants with the excuse of personal cultivation.

• Ceilings on Landholdings- This Reform referred to the legal stipulation of maximum size after which no farm household or farmer can hold any Land. By the year 1961-62 the government of all states passed the Land ceiling acts and in order to bring uniformity across states, a totally new ceiling policy was evolved in 1971. This law was enacted to prevent the concentration of land ownership in a few hands. It placed an optimum limit on the total measure of land which an individual or a family can hold. Along with fixation of land ceilings, this rule enables the government to take ownership of the additional or extra amount of land, which in turn, is given to minor tillers or farmers with no land. With the help of these Reforms, the states were able to identify and take possession of Lands exceeding the ceiling limits from the households and redistribute them to the Landless families.

• Consolidation on Land Holdings- The term consolidation referred to the redistribution or reorganization of the fragmented Lands into one single plot. The trend of the fragmentation of Land increased because of the growing population and fewer work opportunities and this fragmentation made the personal supervision and the irrigation management tasks very difficult. Therefore, the act of Landholdings consolidation was introduced which states that if there are few plots of Lands of a farmer then those Lands were consolidated in one bigger piece which was done by the process of exchanging or purchasing.

A major problem of the agrarian structure of India is land fragmentation, which hinders large-scale farming and production. This problem was solved with this regulation which permitted farmers to consolidate minor fragments of land owned by them into a singular piece of land. This enabled tenants to carry out agricultural operations in a larger field, which could be done by exchanging land or purchasing additional pieces.

HISTORY OF TAJ MAHAL

Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders in the world .Taj Mahal History has its own interesting story behind its inspiration and construction. The Taj Mahal is one of the best mausoleums of all times. It is a monument built with ivory-white marble located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture.

In the sixteenth century, the tomb was built by a Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (son of Mughal Emperor Jahangir), for his wife as a tribute to her after her demise. Shah Jahan, at the age of 14, married a Persian princess, Mumtaz Mahal. He had many wives but was intensely in love with Mumtaz and she too returned the same. Mumtaz was known for her mesmerizing beauty and grace. In 1632, unfortunately, after giving birth to their 14th child, a baby girl, Mumtaz Mahal passed away. The last wish to Shah Jahan was, he would not marry again and would build a palace (Mahal) as an essence of their infinite love. It was the same year when Shah Jahan started building the monument for his beloved wife. Further moving on in the history of Taj mahal its construction took many years. Several laborers, masons, artisans, in layers, painters, stone-cutters and calligraphers were called from not only different parts of the country but also from all over Asia and Iran. Around Twenty two thousand laborers worked extremely hard for making this white castle. Most of the white marble was brought from Rajasthan, India. The construction was completed in 1653 as mentioned in the Taj Mahal History. It is said that after the construction Shah Jahan had cut the hands of all the laborers so that they cannot make such a beautiful monument again.
Shah Jahan had for sons, among whom was Auarangzeb. Shah Jahan wanted his eldest son to become his heir but Aurangzeb, in the greed of the thrown, overthrew and imprisoned Shah Jahan and had a conflict with his brothers for the sake of the thrown. Shah Jahan could not bear all this and died in 1666 as per the history records. Then, he was also buried alongside of Mumtaz Mahal under the dome of the palace. By the late 19th century, parts of the buildings had fallen badly into disrepair. During the time of the Indian rebellion of 1857, the Taj Mahal was defaced by British soldiers and government officials, who chiseled out precious stones and lapis lazuli from its walls.

At the end of the 19th century, British viceroy Lord Curzon ordered a massive restoration project, which was completed in 1908. He also commissioned the large lamp in the interior chamber, modeled after one in a Cairo mosque. During this time the garden was remodeled with British-style lawns that are still in place today.After Independence ,our government took measures to protect to protect the Taj Mahal. Taj Mahal is one of the wonders that brings proud due to its marvellous.

SECURITY BREACH OF NASA

What is Data Breach? A data breach is a security violation, in which sensitive, protected or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen or used by an individual unauthorized to do so. Other terms are unintentional information disclosure, data leak, information leakage, and data spill.

What is Security Breach? A security breach is any incident that results in unauthorized access to computer data, applications, networks or devices. It results in information being accessed without authorization. Typically, it occurs when an intruder is able to bypass security mechanisms.

SECURITY BREACH OF NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION(NASA):
NASA has hacked in 1999 which made 21 days shut down of the computer which had direct connection with the satellites in space. It was hacked by 15 year old Jonathan James. He was the first person to carry out attack against American space agency. He hacked the computers by U.S. Department of Defense division’s computer and installed backdoor on its servers. He intercepted more than 1000 government emails including their username and password. This helped him to steal a piece of NASA software and crack the computers that support the International Space Station which cost space exploration agency $41,000. At first the NASA were not aware of their computers being hacked ,later few days they found their computers have been hacked which lead to the shut down of computers in NASA which leads to loss of million cost and arrested James.

Shillong The Natural Beauty

N kavya

Shillong the capital of Meghalaya is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. Known as the ‘Scotland of the East, if one wants to see the natural charm of the North East then there are numerable places to visit in Shillong, the breathtaking greenery, swaying pine trees, cascading waterfalls, azure lakes, botanical gardens, and museums displaying the enriched culture of the Khasis, all make Shillong a perfect holiday destination. Although you can visit the place all through the year, the best time is considered between October to march.

5 Amazing reasons to consider Shillong you’re next holiday destination

1. Visit the mesmerizing waterfalls & lakes

  • umiam lake was initially established as a dam or a reservoir. It is quite popular among tourists and is a perfectly picturesque location to enjoy the stunning views. To the adventure activities that one can do here such as boating, kayaking, etc.
  • Meghalaya is the home to several beautiful cascading waterfalls. The Elephant waterfalls and the Bishop and Beadon waterfalls at Shillong are one of the most beautiful ones. On the outskirts of the city, is a gushing waterfall that looks like an eagle with its wings spread to Eagle Falls. You can even visit the nearby waterfalls such as The Seven Sister Falls, Dainthlein Falls, and Krang Suri.
  • Ward’s lake, locally known as pollock lake or Nan Polok, is an artificial lake in Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

2. Appetizing cafes and cuisines to warm you’re heart and enjoy the incredible Khasi folk tales and cultures

  • • Shillong has an array of appetizing cuisines starting from lip-smacking street food to mouth-watering Khasi dishes. Shillong also has some best and most wonderful cafes where you can have your coffee. Khasis was the worshipper of nature and almost anything related to nature has an interesting folk tale behind it. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian restaurants here offer delicious food.
  • • Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous cultures provides a very comprehensive overview of the many tribes indigenous to North-East India.
  • • The police Bazar is the most colorful place in Shillong. It has modern shops as well as an array of traditional shops selling exquisite handicrafts from Meghalaya. You can also dress up in traditional Khasi costumes and click some pictures.

3. The Intriguing Living Root Bridges

  • • Once you are in the Shillong and are heading to places like Cherrapunjee or Mawlynnong, the scenic beauty of the roads is unmatched. Deep in the tropical forests of Meghalaya shrouded in rain and cloud, lies these root bridges. These are the roots of ancient rubber trees or Ficus Elastica that have been trained by the Khasi tribesmen to grow in a tangled mess, and then they were intertwined to form single and double-decker root bridges. Mawlynnong is considered to be Asia’s cleanest village.

4. Visit the laitlum canyons and The. Shillong peak

  • • The laitlum canyons are a delight to the eyes, at great heights, it is an edge of the hill surrounded by greenery all around. Our eyes will witness stretches of green all around and laters of rocky hills.
  • • Shillong peak is the highest point in Shillong at a height of 6449ft. you will get a panoramic view of the city from Shillong peak.

5.The ultimate experience of caving & visit the sacred groves

  • Meghalaya has the longest system of caves in the Jaintia Hills. The Mawsmai caves near Cherrapunjee consisting of amazing stalactites and stalagmites are quite a famous tourist spot. Arwah caves for a surreal experience.
  • The Mawphlang Sacred Forest lies around 25km from Shillong. This grove is nature’s museum with rare and amazing plants, orchids, flowering trees, and butterflies.

To reach Shillong the nearest airport and railway station is in Guwahati. Then you can hire a cab as it takes around 2-3 hours to reach there. Enjoy the mesmerizing art work created by mother nature itself.

India and its neighborhood- relations

India shares geographical boundary with eight countries namely Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Since the inception of our foreign policy, India has aimed at building trust with its neighbors. It aims at peaceful friendly relations and mutual economic development by enhanced trade and investments.

•Pakistan: Improving relations with Pakistan has been among top priorities in Indian foreign policy. After the visit of Pakistan former Prime Minister Parvez Musharaff in 2004, there has been a vacuum in our talks. It seems that radical groups in Pakistan took undue advantage of this vacuum and consequently there has been increased reports of cross-border terrorism activities. 26/11 attack is an unwashable strain on the fabric of friendship between India and Pakistan. But as it is said that ‘time heals all wounds’. The recently elected Narendra Modi led National Democratic alliance government’s attitude is worth appreciation. Indian Prime minister invited his Pakistani counterpart in his swearing in ceremony in New Delhi. This is a clear indication that both Nations are willing to take their relations on newer heights. In this aspect changed outlook India should try to adopt a sustainable foreign policy towards Pakistan. Smaller initiatives like Indo-Pak trade fair at Jalandhar, Punjab (India) needs to be encouraged. Healthy trade relations will help both sides equally.

•Nepal: Since the birth of democratic institution in Nepal, India has increasingly tried to have good relations with Nepal. Currently a joint hydro power project is being built on Sharda River. This power plant is thought to mutually help both India and Nepal with respect to electricity production and irrigation facilities. From the environmental perspective, there are a number of Tiger reserves along Indo-Nepal border. Both countries have identified their importance and are helping each other to sustain the existing ones and creating new ones. •China: China being manufacturing hub of world, is strategically very important to India. In fact China has become a role model for development. India needs to build strong trade relations with China. Increasing Foreign Direct Investment caps in various sectors has been one such step of India to invite investors from abroad.Apart from these bilateral relations, India has been active on various other forums as well which provides for greater engagement with its neighbors. For example India has been one of the pioneering advocate of TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India). This project aimed at bringing gas from Gulf countries and distribute it in TAPI countries.

India is an active member in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India China and South Africa). BRICS is emerging a one of the significant union in world. BRICS nations represent 40 per cent of world population and has approximately sixteen trillion dollars as its Nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP). BRICS nation contributes around eighteen per cent of world economy. The recent BRICS summit held at Brazil in July 2014.
One of the German intellectual has rightly said that ‘For economic development of a nation, peace with its neighbors is a pre-requisite’. India not only recognizes this statement but also conforms to it. Going by the mood of current Indian government in India, Union government too knows the importance of its neighbors. If India wants to be a super-power then maintaining friendly relations with its neighbors is a first step of ladder in this direction.

India has always wanted friendly ties with its neighbours, there can be no debate around it. We want to live in harmony and peace.

-Narendra Modi

Role of civil services in a democracy .

In the process of governance, which involves several sets of activities to deliver effective services to people, civil services play a pivotal role in providing shape to policies that reflect people’s needs and put their suggestive, analytical and informative roles to implement the
policies. It is recognized that civil services play a crucial role in all societies. In the modern administrative state, public administration has become so significant that our development, upliftment and progress depend mainly upon the efficient functioning of civil services that are
the bedrock of public administration. Civil services have assumed more important role in democracy to ensure good governance, both in developing and developed countries. Civil Services form a part of bureaucracy, wherein the roles of civil servants are determined by
written rules. It’s an impersonal system operating on the basis of calculable rules and staffed by full time appointed officials. Usually, the civil servants are selected on basis of their technical
qualifications, receive fixed salaries, have a defined sphere of competence and work under a clearly defined hierarchy of offices.

The role of Civil Servants across the domains of policy making and policy implementation is critical to the development process. They assist in identifying major policy areas such as preparing major policy proposals, analyzing various alternatives and solutions to societal problems requiring urgent attention, dividing the major policies into sub-policies, determining
program of action and suggesting modification in the existing policy on the basis of its experience on the implementation front.Civil services carry on the governance when governments change due to elections etc. Ramsay
Muir has remarked that while governments may come and go, ministers may rise and fall, the administration of a country goes on forever. It is needless to say that civil services form the backbone of administration. E.g. In India, when the President’s Rule is imposed in a state, the
Governor runs the state through the Chief Secretary and other civil servants.The civil servants are responsible to the ministers of the departments in which they serve. The ministers are accountable to the people through the Parliament or State Legislatures, and the civil servants are accountable to the ministers. They should ideally serve the elected government of the day, as government policies are the functions of the civil services. However, an impartial civil servant is also accountable to the Constitution of India on which he has taken an oath of allegiance.

In India, bureaucracy or civil services is permanent and does not change with the government. The recruitment is based on merit and through competitive exams. This is in contrast to the system followed in the US, where civil servants, especially in the higher echelons, change with the government. This is called the spoils system where people who are close to the government of the day get posts.

With bad laws and good civil servants it’s still possible to govern. But with bad civil servants even the best laws can’t help.

   -Otto von Bismarck.

Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is defined as fabrication of devices with atomic or molecular scale precision. Devices with minimum feature sizes less than 100 nanometers (nm) are considered to be products of nanotechnology. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter (10-9 m) and is the unit of length that is generally most appropriate for describing the size of single molecules.The nanoscale marks the nebulous boundary between the classical and quantum mechanical worlds; thus, realization of nanotechnology promises to bring revolutionary capabilities. Fabrication of nanomachines, nanoelectronics and other nanodevices will undoubtedly solve an enormous amount of the problems faced by mankind today.Nanotechnology is currently in a very infantile stage. However, we now have the ability to organize matter on the atomic scale and there are already numerous products available as a direct result of our rapidly increasing ability to fabricate and characterize feature sizes less than 100 nm. Mirrors that don’t fog, biomimetic paint with a contact angle near 180°, gene chips and fat soluble vitamins in aqueous beverages are some of the first manifestations of nanotechnology. However, immenant breakthroughs in computer science and medicine will be where the real potential of nanotechnology will first be achieved.

Nanoscience is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to bring about mature nanotechnology. Focusing on the nanoscale intersection of fields such as physics, biology, engineering, chemistry, computer science and more, nanoscience is rapidly expanding. Nanotechnology centers are popping up around the world as more funding is provided and nanotechnology market share increases. The rapid progress is apparent by the increasing appearance of the prefix “nano” in scientific journals and the news. Thus, as we increase our ability to fabricate computer chips with smaller features and improve our ability to cure disease at the molecular level, nanotechnology is herestorage (or other uses) is enormous. As first described in a lecture titled, ‘There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom’ in 1959 by Richard P. Feynman, there is nothing besides our clumsy size that keeps us from using this space. In his time, it was not possible for us to manipulate single atoms or molecules because they were far too small for our tools. Thus, his
speech was completely theoretical and seemingly fantastic. He described how the laws of physics do not limit our ability to manipulate single atoms and molecules. Instead, it was our lack of the appropriate methods for doing so. However, he correctly predicted that the time would come in which atomically precise manipulation of matter would inevitably arrive.Nanomachines can also be incorporated into various materials to make those materials respond to their environment, or to outside commands. Examples of such materials would be “smart” fabrics that respond to the environment to become warmer or cooler, or walls and furniture that can move or change shape on command. Nanomachines could also be used as tools both in industry and by consumers. Such tools could cut apart or glue together material far more efficiently than anything large-scale that is used today. Nanomachines could also repair cars, furniture, applicances, or almost anything else quickly and efficiently. Or these objects could be designed with nanomachines to repair themselves should the need arise. Life would be greatly simplified by relieving people of the need to repair objects at home or at work.

In thinking about nanotecnolog today, what’s most important is understanding where it leads, what nanotechnology will look like after we reach the assembler breakthrough.

-Eric Drexler

Demography

Demography is the study of human population dynamics. Population is shaped by a number of factors including fertility, mortality, migration and urbanization. Significant demographic changes have been shown in many parts of the world. The world population growth has been decelerating since 1970s. Fertility rates in more developed countries (MDCs) have been showing a declining trend, whereas an increasing one in the less developed countries (LDCs). Mortality rates have gone down in both MDCs and LDCs due to medical advancement. Consequently, the population of the countries with low fertility rates aged more quickly, and the world population growth will be concentrated in those developing countries where fertility rates remain high. Uneven population growth among nations accelerated the migration of people across nation borders and the growth of cities. The changes of these interrelated factors with their causes and problems of each of the factors will be discussed, followed by some possible plans and opportunities that may benefit from these changes.Human birth rate (natality) is the fertility expressed as the average number of live births per thousand populations per year. Since not all age groups in a population have equal fertility, demographers often use more specialized measures of birth rates that relate to age groups.Human mortality rate is the average number of individuals who die per thousand populations per year.

Again, demographers often use more sensitive measures, for different mortality rates. Both the very young and the very old segments of the population have higher mortality rates than are found in other age groups.Human population shows uneven or clumping pattern of distri­bution on earth. The density of human population in a village, district, city, province, country or any area can be obtained by di­viding the total number of persons living in the given region by the total land area of that region.The average number of people per square unit of land area tells us how dense or sparse is the popu­lation in a giver, area. The average population density of the world is calculated about 27 persons per square kilometre.insurance agents to determine life insurance rates.

These early demographic studies were mostly concerned with mortality. However, in the 19th century, studies showed that there was a decline in the number of births, and researchers began to study fertility as well as mortality. These studies led to the idea of “differential fertility.” Differential fertility suggests that different groups within a population have different numbers of children due to factors, such as religion, cultural attitudes, poverty, and employment. Migration of people is the last main factor in demographic studies. It is these three variables (mortality, fertility, and migration) that contribute to population change.Demographers gather data mainly through government censuses and government registries of births and deaths. However, these sources can be inaccurate depending on the precision of government records. Demographers also gather data indirectly through surveying smaller groups within a population. These samples are then examined using statistical models to draw conclusions about the whole population.

Demography is changing us as we are older societies, we’re living longer. How the generations balance each other out, how that affects education and health care.

God and Faith

The spiritual teachings in today’s life were not getting much attention in people’s minds. Everything man wished for was manifested by God, but without faith in God we feel better in our well-being but the result was violence. Peace is a gift of God when we want peace in our life, we should get into spiritual worship to god.

There are so many scientific proofs there about trust in spiritual powers. we will feel better when we are on that frequency of spiritual power. All the things around us came from that power.

The real thing that matters is when we are going ahead in life, all our sins will become come back to us without any doubt. What a man gives out will gradually come back to his own life. There are so many incidents to prove that our faith will keep up with our existence. Faith Faith Faith, everything belongs to faith.

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS AN INSURENCE BUYER

We often find ourselves asking whether purchasing insurance policies is really that important? What do we stand to lose if we do not buy insurance policy of any kind? By purchasing an insurance cover, one can not only protect one’s family from unforeseen situations financially but can also ensure that the goal of the family is not compromised and life goes. Most insurances offer several sub-plans under different conditions. we should read the policy very carefully.

GOVERNMENT ASSAULT ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN INDIA

By Moksha Grover

The year 2021 has shown catastrophic effects on India so far. The country has witnessed a devastating second wave of covid-19 which continues to rage on with the official death toll being over 3,50,000[1]. Hospitals in India run out of beds and medical oxygen because of the country’s paralyzed healthcare infrastructure. But the most important point to be noted here is that India increased its oxygen exports by 734 percent in January 2021, and exported around 193 million doses of vaccines[2]. Justifying the export to other countries, union health minister Harsh Vardhan claimed that the country was in a virus endgame. However, at the end of April 24, the total confirmed cases of coronavirus stood beyond 16 million with less than 2 percent of the population fully vaccinated[3].  When the people started questioning the government, the government in response reportedly directed Twitter and other social media platforms to remove over 100 posts and URLs criticizing India’s handling of its second nationwide COVID-19 wave[4].

It forced social media companies, especially Twitter, to stifle expression, and if the companies don’t obey they face the threat of punishment from the government. This is one example of the recent case of assault followed by the Indian government in relation to the freedom of speech in India.

IMPORTANCE OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION

Freedom of speech and expression as regarded by Mahatma Gandhi

“the two lungs that are absolutely necessary for a man to breathe the oxygen of liberty”. Article 19 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948, states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”[5]

The Indian Constitution provides for the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a).[6] This right can be restricted on the basis of grounds provided in Article 19(2), which are: in the interests of sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offense [7]. The right to articulate opinions without fear of retaliation, censorship, or punishment carries significance in the life of every human being, thus making the right to expression important for all human beings. Freedom of speech is an important right because a person’s voice is sometimes all that person has. To take away a person’s thoughts and opinions is to strip their life away.

THE CRISIS OF FREE SPEECH                        

   In the last few months alone, Delhi Police has made international headlines for visiting Twitter’s India offices to “routinely” investigate its policies on tagging content as manipulated media. The Union Government has strongly instructed Twitter to remove all the tweets critical of Prime Minister Narendra covid response. Many activists have been arrested by the government for mobilizing support for the farmers’ protests. Multiple FIRs have been filed against journalists for reporting on Covid deaths and oxygen shortages. Last year, two Malayalam news channels were suspended for 48 hours by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for reporting the Delhi riots. This year, a comedian also got arrested and spent the whole of January in prison for the jokes he never cracked. The latest illustration of the assault on free speech is the government’s response to protests against the new farm laws. Instead of allowing peaceful assembly, the government in Delhi started building barriers on protest sides with nail beds or concrete walls. They blocked the protests. Many protesters were arrested. Violence erupted on many occasions and the farmers traveling to Delhi were placed under house arrest in Agra to cut at the root of the protest. Also Recently, three FIRs have been filed against union minister Narayan Rane for his remarks against Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while giving a speech in Raigad district on Monday. His support in Mumbai also clashed and two of his supporters and two policemen were injured in the clash. Furthermore, in an English weekly, Organizer, was said to be publishing communal writings and was ordered by the Chief Commissioner of Delhi to submit all materials for prior censorship There are numerous other cases that depict the crisis of free speech in India.

IS THE ASSAULT FOLLOWED BY THE GOVERNMENT TENABLE?

The failure of the government to control the covid-19 cases in India and handle the pandemic has resulted in us bearing the worst covid surge in the world. However, instead of being accountable for its lapses and listening to its citizens, the government is prohibiting people from even talking about it. It is trying to suppress the voices of all the people who have been affected by the wrong decisions of the government. Such attacks on free speech end in the tipping away of balance from constitutional freedom; of late, the higher judiciary seems to be complicit in this absurd process[8]. One must realize that liberty once lost is lost forever and censorship is undoubtedly against the very foundation of a free society.

THE TWO MAJOR FREE SPEECH CHALLENGES FACED BY THE WORLD

There are mainly two major free speech challenges faced by the world, Today. In most developing countries like ours, the legal system isn’t strong enough to guarantee freedom of speech and needs to be revised. In other developed countries like the U.S free speech is increasingly being mixed up with absolute speech. In developed countries, the fight for freedom of speech has shifted to normalizing hate speech’s and to

 Silence minorities. As said, words always have consequences. One such example was a surge in anti-Muslim attacks in the UK after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called women in burqas “bank robbers”, and similar incidents happened everywhere[9]. In India, the government keeps suppressing its critics and agrees to give a free pass to all those who abide by its values. Hate speeches are allowed to be shown on national television considering, that these hate speeches are directed toward minority communities. Even by the American standard of “imminent lawless action”, chanting “Desh ke gaddaro ko, goli maaro saalo ko” at rallies would be considered wrong, and yet it seems to be acceptable here[10].

PROTECTING AND PROMOTING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Social Media has given a voice to almost everyone. But the digital world, like our real world, is not a level-playing field and those with power quickly learned how to use it to their advantage. In India, along with direct suppression, indirect suppression is also being followed through the way of troll armies that abuse people and flooding tactics (fake news, propaganda bots, paid commentators) that drown out real voices. Sticks and stones have always broken bones but words hurt twice as much. Social Media companies need to develop good terms and conditions to tackle all the misinformation and hate speeches. Online platforms should make it harder for people to share misinformation. Since women and children are mostly targeted online, companies should ensure to make their platforms a space to share ideas and not to harass people by employing sufficient moderators. We should keep fighting for the right to expression in India but at the same time keep in mind that our right to express opinions should not stifle the voices of other people or put them in danger.

[1] Jacob Mchangama and Raghav Mendiratta, ‘Supporting free speech, but not a criticism of government’, The Indian Express (June 25,2021) <https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/supporting-free-speech-but-not-criticism-of-government-7376023/> accessed 26th August 2021

[2] MD Tasnimul Hassan,’ Latest salvo in the crisis of free speech in India’, The Leaflet ( 27th April 2021) < https://www.theleaflet.in/latest-salvo-in-the-crisis-of-free-speech-in-india/&gt; accessed 26th August 2021.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Sourabh Yadav, ‘Right to free speech is democracy’s precious gift, but not when it stifles others’ voices’, The Print (December 2,2021) < https://theprint.in/campus-voice/right-to-free-speech-is-democracys-precious-gift-but-not-when-it-stifles-others-voices/555715/> accessed 26th August,2021

[10] Ibid.

HOW WILL ASSET MONETISATION HELP THE GOVERNMENT?

By Moksha Grover

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Monday that the Indian Government intends to monetize ₹6 lakh crore worth of state-owned assets over the next four years under its asset monetization pipeline. The union government has said that they’ll allow the private sector to bid for operating the assets for 25 years, and with a lump sum payment upfront, but without giving away title to the underlying assets. The Centre aims to sell off gas pipelines, roads, railway assets, and warehousing facilities among a host of other assets with the help of the National Monetisation pipeline (NMP).  The private sector can operate these assets for 25 years but they have to calculate what they can earn from it in various ways, over the next 25 years; discount that cash flow to its ‘present value (PV), deduct from that their profit margin, and pay the balance amount as an upfront rental to the government[1].

Lets us assume the value of the said asset is Rs 100. And return to the asset in real terms is 4% per annum (net of inflation)[2]. The present value of the 4% earnings, discounted at the real rate of interest to such an operator, assuming it is 6%, (again real as opposed to nominal rate) would be Rs 51.3[3]. Let us round it off to 50. Rs 50 represents the PV of an annuity of Rs 4, over 25 years, discounted at 6% per annum[4]. In effect for every Rs 100 of assets monetized, the cash flow yield from the asset that the operator can expect is Rs 50[5]. From this, he must deduct the return that he expects from his investment, the risk premium attached to the earning, and the general uncertainty of dealing with a capricious government[6]. Assume the operator wants a minimum of 50% return on his equity[7]. He will then be willing to pay Rs 35 (rounding off the calculation) for the Rs 100 assets[8]. One doesn’t know if the Rs 6 trillion number is indeed the market value of the assets[9]. But assuming it is, then the total value of upfront rental it can expect from such monetization will be in the region of Rs 2.1 trillion or less[10]. In fact, given normal discounting rates of 50% in such cases (100% return on capital), the government should expect no more than Rs 1.5 trillion[11].

WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT DOING THIS?

The Indian government has been facing a silent budgetary crisis. This crisis resulted because of disasters like demonetization, tax cuts for corporates, and GST made by Modi. Because of these serial disasters, the GDP growth of the country has fallen drastically. As a result of GDP falling, Modi had to steeply hike the prices of inelastic commodities like petroleum products to pay for corporate tax cuts. The price hike and hike in direct taxes burden the lower and middle-class people, indirectly, and hence, they have to reduce their consumption. So their consumption falls dragging GDP growth down even further. As a result of all these events, the economy tanked by sinking GDP by 28% in one quarter[12]. The GDP for the full year fell by 7%, the highest of any major economy[13]. All the government revenues are left plummeting and deficits soaring, thus necessitating record borrowings to pay for government expenses. Presently, the government debt as a percentage of GDP now stands in the region of 90%[14]. Government tax and non-tax revenues are expected to be 22.7% of GDP, and the combined government deficit is projected at 6.3%[15]. So, the government was left with no choice introduced asset monetization to fill its coffers. As and when, asset monetization will take place it will add up to the non-tax revenues of the government. All this trickery comes in the backdrop of India’s worsening credit ratings, which are just about a notch above junk, with a negative outlook.

FEW POINTS TO KNOW ABOUT ASSET MONETISATION

  1. Asset monetization involves monetizing brownfield assets and does not include the selling of land.
  2. “Ownership of assets will remain with the government and there will be a mandatory hand-back,” as said by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman[16].
  3. The infrastructure line ministries included the pipeline—Roads, Transport and Highways, Railways, Power, Pipeline and Natural Gas, Civil Aviation, Shipping Ports and Waterways, Telecommunications, Food, and Public Distribution, Mining, Coal and Housing, and Urban Affairs—along with Secretary (Department of Economic Affairs) and Secretary (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management)[17].
  4. The estimated value corresponds to 14 percent of the proposed outlay for the Centre under the National Infrastructure Pipeline ( ₹43 lakh crore)[18].
  5. Asset Monetisation aims at tapping private sector investment for new infrastructure creation.
  6. Asset Monetisation is important for employment opportunities and generation, which will further help in accelerating economic growth and public welfare of the country.
  7.  The top 5 sectors (by estimated value) capture ~83% of the aggregate pipeline value. These top 5 sectors include: Roads (27%) followed by Railways (25%), Power (15%), oil & gas pipelines (8%) and Telecom (6%)[19].
  8. In terms of annual phasing by value, 15% of assets with an indicative value of ₹0.88 lakh crore are envisaged to be rolled out in the current financial year (FY 2021-22)[20]. However, the aggregate, as well as year-on-year value under NMP, is only an indicative value with the actual realization for public assets depending on the timing, transaction structuring, investor interest, etc[21].
  9. A range of instruments is identified through which assets and transactions identified under the NMP are expected to be rolled out[22]. These include direct contractual instruments such as public-private partnership concessions and capital market instruments such as Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) among others[23].
  10. Union Budget 2021-22 had identified monetization of operating public infrastructure assets as a key means for sustainable infrastructure financing[24].

EFFECTS OF ASSET MONETISATION

Privatization of assets will lead to the following outcomes: –

  • Through the way of consumption or investment, privatization will lead to paring down of government instead of a further increase in government expenditure.
  • Efficacy of asset use is improved through lower real interest rates to spur private investment.
  • All the money that comes from asset monetization will go back to the government via a circuitous route.
  • Asset monetization will not result in any addition to the gross domestic in the economy, either by bringing in foreign savings or by attracting a significant synergy premium.
  • Asset monetization doesn’t add up to the share of resources available to the private sector and does not contribute to the growth of the private sector even by a penny.

In conclusion, the idea of selling existing government funds to create new ones is excellent. But in the current situation, there is no such thing, and speaking of the economy as a whole, there will be no other changes except transaction costs go up, and a severely limited government bandwidth is further stretched thin over needless paperwork.

[1] Sonali Ranade, ‘How Will Asset Monetisation Help the Government?’, The Wire (August 26,2021) < https://thewire.in/economy/how-will-asset-monetization-help-the-government> accessed 27th August 2021.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] there will be no other changes except e, th of the private secto even by a penny.  Ibid.

[13] Ibid.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid.

[22] Ibid.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Ibid.