6 February 2024

• Polity: Controversy over Constitution copies distributed to Parliament members that omitted the words "Socialist" and "Secular" from the Preamble revived the debate over the 42nd Amendment.
• Culture: The Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati received a foundation stone for major infrastructure work under PM-DevINE.
• Economy: UPI was launched at the Eiffel Tower in Paris during Republic Day events, expanding rupee payment options for Indian tourists abroad.
• Space: NASA announced plans for a small nuclear fission reactor to power long-duration Moon missions.

GS area: Polity (Indian Constitution, Preamble)

A controversy arose when Parliament members received copies of the Constitution that reproduced the original 1949 Preamble, which did not include the words "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity." These three words were inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1976 during the Emergency period.

The Preamble in its current form reads: "We, the People of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens..."

Key points for prelims:

• Preamble adoption: The Preamble was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
• 42nd Amendment 1976: Inserted "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity" into the Preamble. This is the only amendment that has changed the Preamble.
• "We the People": The phrase signifies that the Constitution derives its authority from the people, not from any external body or colonial grant.
• Is the Preamble justiciable? The Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati (1973) held that the Preamble is part of the Constitution and can be used to interpret its provisions. It is not directly enforceable but forms the interpretive backdrop.
• Secularism in practice: Articles 14, 15, 19, 25, 29, and 30 give substantive content to the secular character of the republic.

Static linkage: Polity (Constitution, Preamble, 42nd Amendment, Emergency period).

GS area: Art and Culture, Governance

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for infrastructure enhancement at the Kamakhya Temple complex in Guwahati, Assam.

• Kamakhya Temple: One of the most important Shakti Peethas in India. Located on Nilachal Hill in Guwahati, it is the seat of the goddess Kamakhya. The temple is a major pilgrimage site and a centre of Tantric traditions.
• PM-DevINE: The project is funded under the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North-East Region (PM-DevINE), a central sector scheme announced in the Union Budget 2022-23. It targets connectivity, social development, and livelihood generation in the eight northeastern states.
• PM-DevINE outlay: 6,600 crore rupees for 2022-23 to 2025-26.

Static linkage: Culture (Shakti Peethas, pilgrimage sites, Northeast India), Governance (PM-DevINE, North-East development).

GS area: Economy (Digital Payments)

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) was officially launched at the Eiffel Tower in Paris during India's Republic Day reception, enabling Indian tourists and NRIs to make rupee-denominated payments at merchant locations in France.

• UPI: Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016. It is a real-time interbank payment system that works over mobile phones. Regulated by the Reserve Bank of India.
• Global expansion: India has expanded UPI acceptance to Singapore, France, UAE, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and other countries. RuPay debit cards have also been launched in many of these markets.
• Strategic significance: Internationalisation of the rupee through payment systems reduces transaction costs for the Indian diaspora and businesses while expanding India's financial-system influence.

Static linkage: Economy (digital payments, UPI, NPCI, rupee internationalisation).

GS area: Economy (Maritime, Digital Governance)

The SagarSetu platform, also known as the National Logistics Portal (NLP-Marine), was launched with two key modules:

• Maritime Single Window (MSW): A unified portal for all maritime documentation, from vessel entry to cargo clearance. Reduces vessel waiting time by up to 40 per cent.
• Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) module: Digitises seafarer certification and documentation.
• Alignment: Part of Maritime India Vision 2030, which targets India's rise as a global maritime hub. India has 12 major ports and around 205 minor and intermediate ports.

Static linkage: Economy (maritime, logistics, trade facilitation, Maritime India Vision 2030).

GS area: Environment (Biodiversity)

The Dusted Apollo butterfly (Parnassius stenosemus) was photographed for the first time in Chamba District of Himachal Pradesh. The species was first described in 1890 and is known from the inner Himalayas.

• Altitude range: 3,500 to 4,800 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest-dwelling butterflies in India.
• Habitat: Alpine meadows and rocky terrain in the inner Himalayan zone.
• Genus Parnassius: A group of montane and alpine butterflies found across the Himalayas, Central Asia, and Europe. Several species in the genus are protected because of habitat loss from climate change and collection pressure.
• Why it matters for prelims: New species records from India are frequently tested. The high altitude and inner Himalayan habitat are specific facts examiners use.

Static linkage: Environment (Western and Eastern Himalayas, biodiversity, species records).

GS area: Governance (Digital Services, Labour Welfare)

The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) developed the C-CARES portal for the Coal Mines Provident Fund Organisation (CMPFO). The portal enables online processing of provident fund and pension claims for coal sector workers.

• CMPFO: Manages provident fund and pension benefits for employees of nationalised coal companies. It functions separately from the EPFO (Employees' Provident Fund Organisation), which covers workers in other industries.
• C-DAC: An autonomous scientific society under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Known for developing the PARAM supercomputer series.

Static linkage: Governance (digital services, labour welfare, coal sector).

• Ergosphere of a black hole: A region surrounding a rotating (Kerr) black hole, lying between the event horizon and the outer stationary limit. Within the ergosphere, space-time itself is dragged along by the black hole's rotation, so nothing can remain stationary relative to a distant observer. The Penrose process allows energy to be extracted from a rotating black hole via the ergosphere.
• Lunar nuclear reactor: NASA's project to develop a small fission reactor for the lunar surface. A fission reactor generates heat by splitting heavy atoms (uranium); that heat drives a turbine. It operates independently of sunlight, making it suitable for lunar nights (which last about 14 Earth days) when solar panels are ineffective.