DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 17 December 2021
Durga Puja on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Durga Puja in Kolkata has been inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.
- It is the first festival in Asia to achieve recognition as UNESCO ICH of Humanity.
- Earlier, UNESCO announced the Harappan city of Dholavira in Gujarat as India’s 40th world heritage site.
- Durga Puja is a five-day festival which begins on the fifth night of the nine-day Navratri festival and ends on the tenth day, which is Dashami.
- During this time, people collectively worship and invoke Goddess Durga, who is regarded as the feminine energy of the cosmos, also known as ‘Shakti’.
- It is one of the largest cultural carnivals and street art festivals of the country.
Vijay Diwas 2021
- This year marks the 50th anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which saw the creation of Bangladesh. India declared victory over Pakistan on December 16, 1971, after the Pakistani armed forces surrendered. Since then, this day has been commemorated as Vijay Diwas to remember the sacrifices of defence forces.
- The 1971 war not only liberated Bangladesh, but it also dealt Pakistan a crushing blow. The signing of the ‘Instrument Of Surrender’ by Pakistan Army Major-General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi to the Indian Army and Bangladesh’s Mukti Bahini was a defining image that cemented India’s leadership in the subcontinent. Major-General Niazi surrendered with his 93,000 troops before Lt General Jagjit Singh Aurora, then General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of India’s Eastern Command. This was the largest military surrender since World War II.
- The 1971 war was a result of the Pakistan military’s ill-treatment of the Bengali-speaking majority in East Pakistan. Following the electoral triumph of the East Pakistan-based Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in the 1970 elections, the Pakistani military used force to try to sway the outcome. This resulted in a mass outflow of people from Bangladesh, forcing India to intervene.
- The war began after Pakistan launched pre-emptive airstrikes on Indian Air Force stations on December 3, 1971. A day later, India decided to support Bangladeshi nationalist groups and launched Operation Trident and successfully targeted the Karachi Port in the West Pakistan. On the eastern flank, Mukti Bahini guerrillas joined hands with Indian forces against Pakistani troops.
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled an India Post special day cover and a commemorative stamp marking the golden jubilee of India’s victory during the 1971 Indo-Pak War, in New Delhi today. The day is the culmination of year-long ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ celebrations, which began in December last year. December 16 is celebrated as ‘Vijay Diwas’ each year to mark the day of surrender and decisive victory of Indian Armed Forces Over Pakistani Armed Forces.
- The historic victory of 1971 was achieved through the valour, gallantry, and professionalism of the commanders and troops and was result of meticulous planning, dynamic leadership, and innovation at multiple echelons.
National Conclave on Natural Farming
- In his first interaction with farmers after the repeal of three farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that the Centre has introduced several reforms in the agricultural sector in seven years and urged farmers to switch to organic farming to grow their produce.
- Addressing the National Conclave on Natural Farming being held in Gujarat via video-conference, Modi said this is the right time to take big steps before the issues related to farming become severe.
- Highlights:
- “Now our journey till the 100th year of independence is to adapt our agriculture according to new requirements, new challenges”
- “We have to take our agriculture out of the lab of chemistry and connect it to the lab of nature. When I talk about nature’s laboratory, it is completely science-based”
- “We need not only to re-learn the ancient knowledge of agriculture but also to sharpen it for modern times. In this direction, we have to do research afresh, mould ancient knowledge into the modern scientific frame”
- “Those who will benefit the most from natural farming constitute about 80% of the farmers of the country”
- “India and its farmers are going to lead the global mission for ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ i.e., LIFE in the 21st century”
- “ In this Amrit Mahotsav, efforts should be made to associate at least one village of every panchayat with natural farming”
- “Let’s take a pledge to make Maa Bharati’s land free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence”
All India Mayors’ Conference to be Inaugurated
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate and address the All India Mayors’ Conference, being organised by the Department of Urban Development, Uttar Pradesh in Varanasi on 17 December 2021 at 10:30 AM via video conferencing. Mayors from various states across the country will participate in the conference. The theme of the Conference is “New Urban India”.
- It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to ensure ease of living in urban areas. The government has launched multiple schemes and initiatives to address the issues of dilapidated urban infrastructure and lack of amenities. A special focus of these efforts has been the state of Uttar Pradesh, which has witnessed tremendous progress and transformation of the urban landscape, especially in the last five years.
- An exhibition is also being organized from 17 to 19 December to showcase the key achievements of the Government of India and Government of Uttar Pradesh in the sphere of urban development.
- Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs will also be present on the occasion.
36,500 KMs of National Highways to be constructed in next three years
- About 36 thousand 500 kilometers of National Highways will be constructed in the next three years. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, the Government has fixed the target of construction of 12 thousand kilometers in the current financial year.
- Replying to another query, the Minister said, several steps have been taken by the Government to monitor and check the construction quality and work progress of National Highways. He said, the Government holds regular review meetings with State Governments and concerned agencies to ensure completion of projects within stipulated time.
Putin Affirms to Attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing
- Putin has pledged to attend the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He becomes the first major western leader to indicate his attendance. His remarks came in a video call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said he looked forward to a get-together.
- It comes as a growing number of countries have joined a diplomatic boycott of the Games. This is due to alleged human rights abuses in China, which Beijing denies.
- The US, UK, Australia and Canada have said their high-level officials will not be attending the winter Games, which will take place in February, as a result. However, athletes from these countries will still be in attendance. Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also added that he had no plans to attend the Games now.
IAEA and Iran Reach Agreement
- United Nations’ nuclear watchdog and Iran have reached a deal to reinstall cameras damaged at an Iranian site that manufactures centrifuge parts. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said it has been given access once again by Iran to a centrifuge parts manufacturing facility in Karaj to replace cameras that were damaged or destroyed when the site was targeted by a sabotage attack in June this year.
- IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said, this is important for verification under the Iran nuclear deal, and work will continue to address other outstanding safeguards issues.
- The IAEA said the cameras would be reinstalled at Karaj in the coming days. The agency and Iran will continue to work on remaining outstanding safeguards issues with the aim of resolving them.
- As part of today’s deal, the IAEA would make available a sample camera and related technical information to Iran for analysis by its relevant security and judiciary officials, in the presence of the agency inspectors. However, Iran still will keep all recordings from the cameras – part of another ongoing dispute between the agency and Tehran sparked by the nuclear deal’s collapse.
- Negotiations continue in Vienna over trying to restore the nuclear deal. The US has remained outside of direct talks since abandoning the accord.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- It Recently Became the 40th world heritage site in India
- Dholavira
- Sutkagendor
- Chanhudaro
- Kalibangan
ANSWER: A
- It Recently Became the 39th world heritage site in India
- Ramappa Temple
- Virupaksha Temple
- Madurai Temple
- Tanjore Temple
ANSWER: A
- Recently which city was stripped of its world heritage site Status
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- London
- Glasgow
ANSWER: A
- In 2019, the _____ and _____ formally quit UNESCO.
- USA, Israel
- Israel, Pakistan
- Israel, Palestine
- Myanmar, South Sudan
ANSWER: A
- PM of Pakistan in 1971 War
- Nurul Amin
- Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
- Feroz Khan Noon
- Ayyub Khan
ANSWER: A
- It was a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972.
- New Delhi Treaty
- Karachi Treaty
- Islamabad Treaty
- Shimla Treaty
ANSWER: D
- The Karachi Agreement was signed between India & Pakistan post
- Indo-Pak War 1947
- Indo-Pak War 1965
- Indo-Pak War 1971
- Indo-Pak War 1999
ANSWER: A
- He was the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)
- Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto
- Liaqat Ali Bhutto
- Benazir Bhutto
- Ashraf Ali Bhutto
ANSWER: A
- Current President of Islamic Republic of Iran
- Ali Khamenei
- Ebrahim Raisi
- Mohammad Mokhber
- Mohammad Bagher
ANSWER: B
- Takht-e Suleyman, a world heritage site is in
- Iraq
- Iran
- India
- Saudi Arabia
ANSWER: B
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