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Daily Current Affairs for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, BPSC, MPPSC, RPSC and All State PCS Examinations

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BRU Refugees

Why in NEWS ?

• Members of Joint Movement Committee (JMC) has submitted a memorandum relating to ‘site proposals for Mizoram Bru Settlement and its justifications.

About

• JMC identified a total of six places in Kanchanpur and Panisagar sub-divisions for Bru settlement; these are Bandarima- Pushporampara, Sakhan Hills, Chaigarhpur, Subalbari, Kalarambari-Bandarima and Kukinala.
• Bru re-settlement ran into rough weather due to stiff opposition of JMC groups and other community members due to alleged involvement of Bru people in several kinds of vandalism, looting etc.

About BRU Refugees and the crisis

• Also known as Reangs, they are ethnically different from the Mizos, with their own distinct language and dialect and form one of the 21 scheduled tribes of Tripura.
• They are recognised as the 75 primitive tribes in India. Reang first comes from Shan State of upper Burma (now Myanmar) to the Chittagong Hill Tracts and then to the Southern part of Tripura
• The Bru tribes are found in Tripura, Mizoram, Assam, Manipur, and Bangladesh, are the most populous tribe in Tripura.
• Dance is an integral part of their life. The most attractive form of dance is Hozagiri with melodious tune of flute.
• They are divided into two major clans namely Meska and Molsoi.
• They speak "Kaubru" language which is broadly a Kok-Borok dialect.
• For their livelihood they pursue Hilltop Jhum Cultivation, several activities of food gathering including collection of jungle fruits, leaf, plants, fishing, hunting etc.
• They are nomadic tribes.
• In 1997, roughly half the Bru population fled to Tripura, following violent clashes with the Mizo population, which led to the Brus’ demand for an Autonomous District Council (ADC), under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, in western Mizoram, where they were the more dominant lot, outnumbering the ethnic Mizo population.
• Displaced Bru tribals from Mizoram, living as refugees in Tripura since 1997, were allowed to permanently settle in Tripura because of the agreement that is signed on 17 January 2020 between the Government of India, the two State Governments, and representatives of Bru-Reangs. They will get all the facility of the schemes of Central and State government like other people of Tripura.

China’s Mars Mission

Why in NEWS ?

• China has launched its first independent mission to Mars as it aims to catch up with India, US, Russia and European Union to reach the red planet.

About

• The Chinese Mars probe named Tianwen 1 or Quest for Heavenly Truth 1.
• If succeed it will be the first to fulfil three scientific objectives in single launch: orbiting the red planet for comprehensive observation, landing on Martian soil and sending a rover to roam the landing site.
• A Long March-5 rocket, China’s largest and most powerful launch vehicle, carrying the spacecraft with a mass of about five tonnes, soared into the sky from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on the coast of southern China’s island province of Hainan.

Other Recent Mars Mission

• A United Arab Emirates spacecraft to go to Mars was launched from Japan on July 20, is the Arab world’s first interplanetary mission.
• The launch of the spacecraft named Amal, or the ‘Hope Probe’, marks the start of the seven-month journey to the red planet.
• The US space agency (NASA) aims to despatch its next-generation rover, Perseverance, on July 30.

India and Mars Missions

• The US, Russia, India and the EU have succeeded in sending missions to Mars regarded as the most complex space mission.
• India became the first Asian country to have successfully launched its Mars orbiter mission Mangalyaan which entered the orbit of the red planet in 2014.
• India also became the first country to have entered the Martian orbit in its first attempt while China’s Mars probe is the second such mission.
• Mars Orbiter Mission 2 (MOM 2) also called Mangalyaan 2 is India's second interplanetary mission planned for launch to Mars by the ISRO in the 2021–2022 time frame. It will consist of an orbiter, and may include a lander and a rover.

Expert Committee invites Public Comments on Non-Personal Data Framework

IN NEWS

• The Expert Committee on Non-Personal Data Governance Framework briefed, on various aspects of Data Governance – Non Personal through a virtual press conference recently?

ABOUT

• The expert committee on Non-Personal Data (NPD) framework has invited public comments on its draft report, even as it envisages data as a market to be a huge economic growth driver for the country.
• The panel headed by Kris Gopalakrishnan, former co-chairman of Infosys, shared insights of the regulatory aspects of NPD, harnessing the economic value of data and various legal aspects related to the digital regulatory framework to promote the use of NPD to benefit Indian people and society.
• The report, has made a case for regulating NPD, defining it under three main categories- (a)public non-personal data, (b)community non-personal data and (c)private non-personal data.
• It has further outlined the need for defining a new category or taxonomy of business called data business.

ADVANTAGES

• Data market will become a $500 billion industry in India over the next five years.
• Proactivity and anticipating needs.
• Personalisation and service.
• Optimising and improving operational efficiency.
• Mitigating risk and fraud.

CONCERN

• Industry experts opine that there were a lot of policy gaps that need attention such as proposed restrictions on international data transfers and requirements of local data storage.
• Cross-border data transfers have become essential to secure the benefits of a vibrant global digital economy.

CURRENT REGULATION IN INDIA

1. General Application: Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011
2. Govt. Collection of Data: Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016; Aadhaar (Data Security) Regulations, 2016
3. Banking Sector: Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005; Credit Information Companies Regulations, 2006; circulars of Reserve Bank of India including KYC circulars; Master Circulars on credit cards, etc.; Master Circulars on Customer Services; Code of Bank's commitment to Customers
4. Telecom Sector: Unified License Agreement issued to telecom service providers by the Department of Telecommunications; Telecom Commercial Communication Preference Regulations, 2010
5. Healthcare Sector: Clinical Establishments (Central Government) Rules, 2012; Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002

H-CNG as Automotive Fuel

IN NEWS

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sought suggestions from the general public and stakeholders for amendment in Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1979 for inclusion of Hydrogen enriched CNG as automotive fuel.

CNG & H-CNG

• CNG is compressed natural gas. With natural gas mainly composed of methane, CNG emits less air pollutants — carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter — than petrol or diesel.
• H-CNG is a blend of hydrogen and CNG, the ideal hydrogen concentration being 18%. Compared to conventional CNG, use of H-CNG can reduce emission of carbon monoxide up to 70%, besides enabling up to 5% savings in fuel, tests by the Automotive Research Association of India and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) have found.
• The National Fire Protection Association presently covers CNG and hydrogen fueling stations.

ADVANTAGES OF H-CNG:

• CO₂ emission in HCNG is less by 70%
• Savings in fuel by 5%
• Future Hydrogen economy will be boosted.
• Lower amounts of NO in calibrated engine.
• Better combustion due to higher Octane rating of H₂.

CONCLUSION:

• Due to issues like changing climate and exploitation of fuel like petrol, coal etc, and exploring new fuels like HCNG is a sustainable initiative.