CURRENT AFFAIRS - 26 DEC 2024

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has told the

Supreme Court that two structures inside the
Mehrauli Archaeological Park in Delhi bear religious
significance as devotees visit daily to the Ashiq Allah
Dargah and Chillagah of Baba Farid, the revered 13th
century Sufi saint.

About Ashiq Allah Dargah -

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation The Ashiq Allah Dargah, located in Mehrauli, Delhi, is a
stone for the Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya revered Sufi shrine dedicated to Sheikh Shahabuddin,
Pradesh’s Khajuraho, aimed at solving the water woes of also known as Ashiq Allah. Established in 1317 by
the Bundelkhand region, spread across parts of Uttar Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji, the dargah is
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The project is estimated to situated near the Shahi Eidgah, adjacent to the Sanjay
cost around ₹45,000 crore. Van forest

• The Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP) is the river interlinking About Baba Farid -
project that aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken
River in Madhya Pradesh (MP) to Betwa in Uttar Pradesh
(UP) to irrigate the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.
○ The region spread across the districts of two states
mainly Jhansi, Banda, Lalitpur and Mahoba districts of UP
and Tikamgarh, Panna and Chhatarpur districts of MP.

• The project involves building a 77-metre tall and a 2-km

wide Dhaudhan dam (to be built within Panna Tiger
Reserve) and a 230-km canal. • Baba Farid, also known as Farīduddīn Masʿūd
Ganjshakar, was a prominent Punjabi Sufi saint.
• Ken-Betwa is one of the 30 river interlinking projects He was a leading figure in the Chishti Sufi order
conceived across the country. and is celebrated for his spiritual teachings and
literary contributions.
• The National River Linking Project (NRLP) formally known
as the National Perspective Plan, envisages the transfer of • He was a disciple of Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar
water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding, Kaki, who in turn was a disciple of Khwaja
to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity, Moinuddin Chishti, the founder of the Chishti order
through inter-basin water transfer projects. in the Indian subcontinent.

READ - Nagapattinam’s journey of resilience (Pg. 6) • After Khwaja Qutbuddin's passing, Baba Farid
became his spiritual successor, further propagating
READ - The lessons from a spectrum of areas (Pg. 6) the Chishti teachings. His disciples included
prominent saints like Nizamuddin Auliya, under
whom the Chishti order reached significant
prominence in Delhi.
Context: U.S. and China renewed their Agreement on Co-
operation in Science and Technology (S&T) for five years,
• A significant number of his hymns are incorporated
starting August 27, 2024. The renewal comes with
into the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of
amendments addressing researcher safety, data reciprocity,
Sikhism, reflecting his profound influence on the
and intellectual property concerns.
region's spiritual landscape.
• Historical Background:
• First signed in 1979 between Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy
Carter, focusing on agriculture and technology
cooperation. Context: The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill,
• Renewed every five years, adapting to advancements in 2024, raises concerns as it removes important
science and technology. provisions for participatory governance,
accountability, and efficiency from the Disaster
• Importance of Bilateral S&T Agreements: Management Act (DMA), 2005.
• Facilitates collaborative research, knowledge exchange,
and innovation. Key Concerns and Criticisms:
• Enhances mobility of researchers and boosts
infrastructure for scientific instruments. 1. Semantics and Terminology:
• Allows countries to monitor advancements and secure ○ The Bill uses top-down language like 'monitor'
intellectual property rights. and 'guidelines' instead of participatory terms
like 'supervision' and 'direction,' weakening
• Challenges and Concerns: community trust and involvement.
• Intellectual Property (IP) Violations: Over 400 patents
linked to Chinese commercialization raised security 2. Local Community Role Undermined:
concerns. ○ It neglects the critical role of local communities,
• Data Reciprocity: Ensures fair data-sharing practices. NGOs, and panchayats as 'first responders'
• Researcher Safety: Addresses safety measures for during disasters, which was emphasized in
researchers involved in collaborative projects. global frameworks like the Yokohama Strategy.

• Strategic Implications: 3. Key Definitions Lacking Depth:

• Prevents technological isolation, especially in critical ○ Words like 'hazard' and 'resilience' are loosely
areas like emerging technologies and quantum defined without accounting for community-
research. driven disaster responses, as seen during
• Strengthens nonzero cooperation by maintaining open Cyclone Aila (2009) and Kerala floods (2018).
dialogues while monitoring China’s advancements.
4. Intersectional Discrimination Ignored:
○ The Bill overlooks vulnerabilities faced by
marginalized groups (disabled, LGBTQ+, and
women), weakening inclusivity in disaster
management.

5. Accountability Issues:
○ Omits performance evaluation mechanisms for
district authorities and accountability measures
for failed preparedness, leading to political
misuse.

6. Excludes 'Law and Order':

○ While it removes 'law and order' from disaster
causes, it paradoxically includes the State Police
in committees, creating ambiguity.

7. Weakened Relief Provisions:

○ Sections 12, 13, and 19 of the DMA, 2005—
Context: Four years after the Union government launched covering minimum disaster relief standards and
the Svamitva scheme to digitise property records in rural support for vulnerable groups—are omitted.
areas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute 58 lakh
property cards providing a “record of rights” to owners. 8. Speciesism and Animal Welfare Neglected:
○ No measures to address animal deaths during
The Svamitva scheme of the Panchayati Raj Department disasters, contrasting with recent Animal Birth
was launched in April 2020 with the objective of recording Control Rules, 2023.
property rights. The scheme is aimed at facilitating
monetisation of properties, helping the owners get bank 9. Urban Disaster Authority Introduced:
loans, reducing property disputes and aiding in village-level ○ Suggests an Urban Disaster Management
planning. The officials said that the property cards were Authority (UDMA) but fails to clarify its purpose
now being recognised by banks for providing loans. In many when municipal bodies already handle urban
cases, it has also helped women establish their ownership. infrastructure.

The scheme has also aided in identifying open spaces, 10. Regional and Global Collaboration Ignored:
facilitating better planning for community development. • Omits international cooperation frameworks
(SAARC, BRICS) for managing cross-border disasters
92% of the drone mapping has been done covering around and zoonotic diseases.
3.17 lakh of the over 3.44 lakh villages targeted. The
scheme’s targets are likely to be achieved by 2026.

The Swadesh Darshan Scheme is a central sector initiative

launched by the Ministry of Tourism in 2014-15, aiming to
develop theme-based tourist circuits across India. Its
primary objective is to promote, develop, and harness the
potential of tourism in the country by creating world-class
infrastructure that enhances tourist experiences and fosters
economic development.

Theme-Based Circuits: The scheme identifies and develops

tourist circuits based on specific themes to showcase the
diverse cultural, heritage, and natural attractions of India.
Fifteen such circuits have been identified, including the
Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, and
Desert Circuit, among others.

100% Central Funding: The scheme is entirely funded by the

central government, ensuring uniform development across
various states and regions. It also leverages voluntary
funding available through Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) initiatives of Central Public Sector Undertakings and
the corporate sector.

Integrated Development: Focuses on the holistic

development of tourism infrastructure, including facilities
like tourist information centers, way-side amenities, and • The Free Movement Regime (FMR) between India
last-mile connectivity, to provide a seamless travel and Myanmar was a bilateral arrangement that
experience for tourists. permitted residents within 16 kilometers of the
border to travel freely into each other's territories
Swadesh Darshan 2.0: In 2022, the Ministry of Tourism without a visa.
revamped the scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0,
emphasizing sustainable and responsible tourism. This • Implemented in 2018 as part of India's Act East Policy,
iteration adopts a destination-centric approach, aiming to the FMR aimed to facilitate cultural and economic ties
develop tourism and allied infrastructure, enhance human among border communities.
capital, and promote destination management backed by
policy and institutional reforms. • Key Features of the FMR:
• Visa-Free Travel: Allowed border residents to cross
up to 16 km into the neighboring country without a
visa, fostering people-to-people connections.
Cultural Integration: Acknowledged the shared
ethnic and familial ties among border communities,
promoting social cohesion.
• Economic Interaction: Encouraged local trade and
business activities, enhancing the economic well-
being of border residents.
• In early 2024, the Indian government decided to
terminate the FMR to address security concerns and
maintain demographic stability. This decision was
influenced by issues such as illegal immigration, drug
peddling, and arms smuggling.