About Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) scheme:

• IEDSS has been launched from the year 2009-10. This Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC). 
• The aim of this scheme is to enable all students with disabilities to pursue four years of secondary education in an inclusive and enabling environment, after completing eight years of elementary schooling.
• It provides assistancefor the inclusive education of disabled children in classes IX-XII.
• The scheme covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools,with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy, and may eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc.
• Girls with the disabilitiesreceive special focus to help them gain access to secondary schools, as also to information and guidance for developing their potential. 
• Setting up of Model inclusive schools in every State is envisaged under the scheme.
• Components:

o Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery, uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices, boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc.

o Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators, establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc.

Implementing Agency:

o The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies.

o They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.

• Financial Assistance:

o Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis.

o The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarship of Rs. 600/- per disabledchild per annum.

· This scheme now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013. 

Q1: What is the National Trust?

The National Trust is a statutory body of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, set up under the “National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities” Act (Act 44 of 1999).The National Trust works towards providing opportunities for capacity development of Persons with Disability and their families, fulfilling their rights, facilitating and promoting the creation of an enabling environment and an inclusive society.

Source:Five Education Dept. officers suspended for misappropriation of IEDSS scheme grants

About Wheat Blast:

• Wheat blast, caused by the plant fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, is a fast-acting, severedisease of wheat that causes bleaching of the heads.
• Magnaporthe oryzae can infect many grasses, including barley, lolium, rice, and wheat, but specific isolates of this pathogen generally infect limited species; that is, wheat isolates infect preferably wheat plants but can use several more cereal and grass species as alternate hosts.
• It spreads through infected seeds, crop residues, and spores that can travel long distances in the air.
• It thrives in warm and humid conditions, making regions with such climates particularly susceptible.
• The pathogen is also resistant to fungicides.
• The seriousness of the disease is indicated by the fact that crops are burnt to avoid this disease.
• Effects:

o It causes progressive bleaching of the heads,lower yields, and poor seed quality.

o Stems and leaves are discoloured, with dark brown, eye-shaped lesions on leaves.

o Sometimes dark grey spores can be seen.

o It can shrivel and deform the grain in less than a week from the first symptoms.

• History of the Outbreak:

o First found in Brazil in 1985, it spread quickly through South America, infecting around three million hectares of wheat within a decade.

o In 2016, it made it across to Bangladesh, and in 2020, it was confirmed in Africa, in crops in Zambia. 

Q1: What are fungi?

Fungi, along with Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Protista, Archaea/Archaebacteria, and Bacteria or Eubacteria form the six ‘kingdoms’ of biology. They are eukaryotic organisms; i.e., their cells contain membrane-bound organelles and clearly defined nuclei.Fungi usually reproduce both sexually and asexually. They are found in all temperate and tropical regions of the world where there is sufficient moisture to enable them to grow. They help in breaking down dead organic material, they continue the cycle of nutrients through ecosystems.

Source:Researchers: Wheat blast could reduce production by 13%

About Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA):

• It is a Mini Ratna (Category–I) non-banking financial institution under the administrative control of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• It is a Public Limited GovernmentCompany established as a Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFC) in 1987.
• REDA has been notified as a “Public Financial Institution” under Section 4 ‘A’ of the Companies Act, 1956, and registered as NBFC with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• REDA is primarily engaged in promoting, developing and extending financial assistancefor setting up projects relating to new and renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency/conservation.
• IREDA is the single largest "Green Financier" in the country. It caters to all technologies in the renewable energy sector and predominantly provides financing for the sector.
• Motto: ENERGY FOR EVER
• Objectives:

o To give financial support to specific projects and schemes for generating electricity and/ or energy through new and renewable sources and conserving energy through energy efficiency.

o To maintain its position as a leading organization to provide efficient and effective financing in renewable energy and energy efficiency/ conservation projects.

o To increase IREDA`s share in the renewable energy sector by way of innovative financing.

o Improvement in the efficiency of services provided to customers through continual improvement of systems, processes, and resources.

o To strive to be a competitive institution through customer satisfaction.

· Funding: IREDA generates its revenue through the interest and principal repayments from the projects it finances, as well as by raising funds from the market and through borrowings.

Q1: What is a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC)?

An NBFC is a company registered under the Companies Act 1956engaged in the business of loans and advances, acquisition of shares/stocks/bonds/debentures/securities issued by the Government or local authority or other marketable securities of a like nature. They offer various banking services but do not have a banking license. They provide banking services like loans, credit facilities, TFCs, retirement planning, investing and stocking in the money market. NBFCs are regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central bank of India.Generally, these institutions are not allowed to take traditional demand deposits. NBFCs do not form part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on itself

Source:IREDA holds Strategic Meet, outlines plans for Business Expansion and Cost Reduction

About Cygnus X-1:

• It was discovered over four decades ago.
• It is one of the first confirmed black hole systems in our galaxy.
• The black hole in Cygnus X-1 is 20 times heavier than the Sun, and has a companion - a heavy supergiant star (40 times more massive than the Sun) in a binary system.
• It is located at a distance that is about 400 times more than the distance between Earth and Sun.
• Due to the gravitational pull of the black hole, material from the supergiant falls and spirals in towards the black hole.
• This process leads to the formation of a thin accretion disk which is responsible for soft X-rays.

Significance of X-ray Polarisation

• Normal X-ray measurements only reveal the energy or intensity of the radiations.
• Polarisation characteristics of X-rays, which tells about the orientation of the oscillating electric field, holds clues on the geometry and other properties of the black hole.
• This measurement of high polarization in this source in the 100-380 keV implies that radiation emitted from the source at energies above 100 keV, is likely to have originated at the black hole jet
• Polarization is one of the properties that a photon carries from the celestial objects in the sky. 

Q1: What are X-rays?

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation, similar to visible light. Unlike light, however, x-rays have higher energy and can pass through most objects, including the body. Medical x-rays are used to generate images of tissues and structures inside the body.

• 
  source:AstroSat detects polarised high energy X-rays for first time from a black hole

About GHAR Portal:

• It is a portal to digitally monitorand track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocols under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and Rules thereof. 
• It has been developed and launched by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
• The following are the salient features of the portal:

o Digital tracking and monitoringof children who are in the Juvenile Justice system and have to be repatriated to another Country/State/District.

o Digital transfer of cases of children to the concerned Juvenile Justice Board/Child Welfare Committee of the State. It will help in the speedy repatriation of children.

o Where there is a requirement of a translator/interpreter/expert, request will be made to the concerned State Government.

o Child Welfare Committees and District Child Protection Officers can ensure proper restoration and rehabilitation of children by digitally monitoring the progress of the case.

o A checklist format will be provided in the forms so that the children who are being hard to repatriate or children who are not getting their entitled compensation or other monetary benefits can be identified.

o List of Government implemented schemes will be provided, so that at the time of restoration, the Child Welfare Committees can link the child with the schemes to strengthen the family and ensure that the child remains with his/her family.

Key Facts about NCPCR:

• It has been constituted by the Government of India under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, and is mandated to function for theprotection and promotion of child rights.
• It has the following functions:

o Examine and review existing safeguards for the protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.

o Report annually and at other intervals to the central government on the effectiveness of these safeguards.

o Investigate violations of child rightsand recommend legal proceedings in appropriate cases.

o Review existing policies, programs, and activities related to child rights and make recommendations for their improvement.

o Promote research in the field of child rights.

o Raise awareness of child rights and available safeguards through various means, such as publications, media, and seminars.

o Inspect institutionswhere children are detained or reside, including juvenile homes, and recommend remedial action if necessary.

o Investigate complaints and take suo motu notice of issuesrelatedto the deprivation and violation of child rights and the non-implementation of laws protecting and developing children.

• The Commission, while investigating, shall have all the powers of a civil court.
• The Commission is further mandated tomonitor the proper and effective implementation of

o Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

o Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

o Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. 

Q1: What is the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012?

In order to effectively address the heinous crimes of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children through less ambiguous and more stringent legal provisions, the Ministry of Women and Child Development championed the introduction of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. The Act has been enacted to protect children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography and provide for establishment of Special Courts for trial of such offences and related matters and incidents. The Act was amended in 2019, to make provisions for enhancement of punishments for various offences so as to deter the perpetrators and ensure safety, security and dignified childhood for a child.

Source:GHAR (GO Home and Re-Unite) Portal for Restoration and Repatriation of Child launched by NCPCR

About Law Commission of India:

• It is a non-statutory body and is constituted by a notification of the Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice.
• It is constituted with definite terms of reference to carry out research in the field of law and the Commission makes recommendations to the Government (in the form of Reports) as per its terms of reference.
• It functions to the Ministry of Law and Justice as an advisory body.
• History ofLaw Commission of India

o The first pre-independence law commission was established in 1834 by the British Government in India.

o It was established by the Charter Act of 1833 and was chaired by Lord Macaulay.

o The first Law Commission of independent India was established in 1955 under the chairmanship of the former Attorney General for India M. C. Setalvad.

o This Commission was created for a period of three years and this practice has persisted ever since then, resulting in the reconstitution of Law Commissions every three years via executive orders.

• The executive orders that constitute the Law Commissions also specify their scope and purpose, and thus these fluctuate periodically.
• Since then, twenty one more Law Commissions have been constituted, each with a three-year term and with certain terms of reference.
• The Law Commission has taken up various subjects on references made by the Department of Legal Affairs, Supreme Court and High Courts.
• The Twenty Second Law Commission has been notified with effect from 21st February, 2020 for a term of 3 years. 

Q1:What is a statutory body?

It is a body set up by law that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being empowered or delegated to set rules in their field.

Source:Retain defamation as offense in criminal law: Law Commission Report

About Exercise Vayu Shakti-24:

• The Indian Air Force is slated to carry out three large scale war games on February 17, namely, Vayu Shakti, Gagan Shakti and Tarang Shakti.
• It will be a riveting demonstration of the offensive and defensive capabilities of the IAF, spanning across day and night.
• The exercise will also showcase joint operations with the Indian Army.
• Exercise Vayu Shakti

o The IAF will first undertake the major "Vayu Shakti" firepower demonstration, which is held once every three years, with 135 fighters, aircraft, helicopters and drones at the Pokhran field firing ranges.

Gagan Shakti’

o The second mega exercise will be ‘Gagan Shakti’.

o In this, almost the entire air fleet race would be activated from north to south, and from west to east to test integrated war fighting strategies and tactics with the other two forces and other stakeholders.

o All the potent weapon systems like the Rafale fighter aircraft and the S-400 air defense systems would be participating in the ‘Gagan Shakti’ exercise.

o The exercise, which is held once in five years, is also going to be the biggest ever of the series with active participation from other two services.

Tarang Shakti

o The third major exercise, Tarang Shakti, would be the first ever multinational exercise to be held in the country.

o This will see aircraft from friendly air forces like the US, Germany, France, Australia and neighbouring and other friendly countries taking part in it. 

 Q1:What is the S-400 Air Defence Missile System?

The S-400 is a mobile, surface-to-air missile system. It is one of the world’s most advanced air defence systems that can simultaneously track numerous incoming objects.It was developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau of Russia.

Source:EXERCISE VAYUSHAKTI-2024

About C- CARES Portal:

• It is developed and designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
• The portal will allow CMPF subscribers and coal companies to login and perform various functions tailored to their needs.
• While the subscribers can access and view their individual details and subscription status, the coal management can submit contribution details, subscribers’ particulars and claims for online settlement and payment through the portal.
• It will also ensure paperless working, timely and accurate settlement of claims, reduction in processing time and grievance redressal.
• The portal being a public service platform is intended to benefit the CMPF subscribers who are working in the coal sector as well as its pensioners.

Key facts about the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization

• It is an autonomous organization under the aegis of Ministry of Coal established in the year 1948.
• It was established for administering Provident Fund and Pension schemes for the purpose of providing social security to the coal sector workers. 

Q1:What is coal?

Coal is a sedimentary deposit composed predominantly of carbon that is readily combustible. Coal is black or brownish-black, and has a composition that (including inherent moisture) consists of more than 50 percent by weight and more than 70 percent by volume of carbonaceous material.

Source:Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi launches C-CARES, web portal of CMPFO