In News:

• Deal for 26 Rafale-M jets nearing completion, with final formalities expected to be completed by January 2025.
  • These jets are designed for naval operations and will be deployed on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
  • Rafale-M Features: Multi-role, advanced avionics, AESA radar, and armaments like Meteor, MICA, SCALP, EXOCET.
• Three Scorpene Submarines: Additional three Scorpene-class submarines to be procured from France.
  • These are part of a repeat order to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), with five of the earlier six already inducted into service.

Nuclear Capabilities:

• INS Arighaat: Successfully fired a Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), marking a significant milestone for India's nuclear deterrence.
• Indigenous Nuclear Attack Submarine (SSN): India’s first indigenous SSN expected by 2036-37.

Strategic Maritime Engagement:

• Indian Ocean Region (IOR): Active monitoring of maritime activities, especially of China's PLA Navy and Chinese research vessels.
• Pakistan Navy Expansion: Acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to become a 50-ship Navy, including the acquisition of 8 Chinese submarines. Indian Navy is adapting its plans to address this.

Nuclear Submarine Program (SSBN):

• INS Arihant: Conducted multiple deterrence patrols.
• INS Arighaat: Ongoing trials including the recent K4 SLBM test, with a range of 3,500 km.

Naval Vision 2047:

• Navy Chief released Vision 2047 document, outlining the future direction and growth of the Indian Navy.

Bilateral and Multilateral Engagements:

• Participation in various bilateral and multilateral exercises, including RIMPAC 2024 (Hawaii) and Russian Federation Navy’s Raising Day (St. Petersburg).

In News:

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, a landmark symbol of French Gothic architecture, is set to reopen on after undergoing extensive renovations following a devastating fire in April 2019.

Historical and Architectural Significance:

• Location: Situated on Île de la Cité in the Seine River, Paris.
• Construction: Began in 1163 under Bishop Maurice de Sully and completed in 1260, showcasing a blend of early Gothic to Rayonnant Gothic styles.
• Key Features: The cathedral is renowned for its rib vaults, flying buttresses, stained-glass windows, and sculpted gargoyles.
• Cultural Importance: It has been a stage for significant historical events, including Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation in 1804. It also houses the Holy Crown of Thorns and relics from the crucifixion of Jesus.
• Literary Legacy: Featured in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame" (1831), which drew attention to its architectural and historical significance.

Modern History and Renovation:

• The cathedral endured historical events such as the French Revolution, World War II, and attacks during the Protestant Reformation.
• In April 2019, a fire severely damaged the roof and spire, sparking an international outpouring of support for its restoration.
• Renovation efforts began soon after, involving more than 1,000 craftspeople, with President Emmanuel Macron calling it “the project of the century.”

Construction and Modifications Over Centuries:

• The Notre-Dame was a model for early Gothic architecture and has undergone multiple renovations, including the addition of flying buttresses and other structural changes during the 13th and 14th centuries.
• Modifications continued through the Renaissance and Classical periods, reflecting changing artistic styles and the political moods of the time.

Significance in French History:

• Witness to History: The cathedral has been central to 800 years of French history, serving as a backdrop for both brilliant and tumultuous events.
• Religious and Political Symbolism: It was the heart of Paris' religious and political life, acting as a symbol of the intertwined relationship between the church and the monarchy.

In News:

Recently, the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh was officially declared a Tiger Reserve, making it the 8th such reserve in the state. This declaration follows approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

Key Details:

• Core Area: 763.8 sq. km
• Buffer Area: 507.6 sq. km
• Total Area: 1,271.4 sq. km
• Ratapani Tiger Reserve is located in the Raisen and Sehore districts, within the Vindhya hills, and is home to approximately 90 tigers.
• It also forms a crucial part of Madhya Pradesh’s tiger habitat and serves as a migration corridor from the Satpura ranges.

Economic and Ecotourism Benefits:

• The designation will boost ecotourism, generating employment and improving livelihoods for local communities.
• Eco-development programs will support residents, providing new opportunities and addressing the balance between conservation and human interests.

Wildlife Conservation and Management:

• The reserve will focus on habitat management, wildlife protection, and community engagement.
• The core area has been recognized as a critical tiger habitat under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Efforts will include strengthening anti-poaching measures, improving surveillance, and enhancing prey base restoration.

Significance for Madhya Pradesh:

• This move places Madhya Pradesh as the "Tiger State of India", with significant conservation focus on the Ratapani and Madhav National Park (also in the process of becoming a tiger reserve).
• Madhya Pradesh now hosts 8 tiger reserves, contributing significantly to the country's overall tiger conservation efforts.

In News:

• On December 1, 2024, the Uttar Pradesh government declared the MahaKumbh Mela area as a temporary district for four months.
• The new district will be known as the MahaKumbh Mela District, to streamline management for the 2025 MahaKumbh.
• Over 5,000 hectares of land will be part of this district, including 66 revenue villages from four tehsils: Sadar, Sorav, Phulpur, and Karchana.

Key Administrative Changes:

• Mela Adhikari (Kumbh Mela Officer) will act as the District Magistrate (DM) and will hold powers of Executive Magistrate, District Magistrate, and Additional District Magistrate.
• The Mela Adhikari will have authority under the Indian Civil Defense Code, 2023, and the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code, 2006.
• The Mela Adhikari can appoint an Additional Collector for the district.

MahaKumbh Mela Overview:

• The Kumbh Mela is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• It is the largest peaceful congregation of pilgrims, with participants bathing in sacred rivers at locations including Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik.
• The PrayagrajKumbh takes place at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers.
• The event spans over a month and includes religious, cultural, and social activities, along with massive infrastructural setup including tented townships, civic facilities, and security measures.

In News:

• The International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), observed annually on December 3, celebrates the resilience, contributions, and leadership of persons with disabilities (PwDs) worldwide.
• Theme: “Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future”

History

• Proclamation: Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities (PwDs).
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Adopted in 2006, further advanced the rights and well-being of PwDs and supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Initiatives

Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities

• In order to give focused attention to policy issues and meaningful thrust to the activities aimed at the welfare and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), a separate Department of Disability Affairs was carved out of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on May 12, 2012.
• The Department was renamed the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on December 8, 2014.
• The Department acts as a nodal agency for matters pertaining to disability and persons with disabilities, including effecting closer coordination among different stakeholders: related Central Ministries, State/UT Governments, NGOs, etc., in matters pertaining to disability.

Accessible India Campaign

• The Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan), launched on December 3, 2015 aims to achieve universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) across India.
• The key focus areas include improving Built Environment Accessibility in public spaces, enhancing Transportation Accessibility for independent mobility, creating an accessible Information and Communication ecosystem, and expanding Sign Language Access through interpreter training and better media support.

Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme (DDRS)

• DDRS is a central sector scheme to provide grant-in-aid to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for projects relating to the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal, physical, sensory, intellectual, psychiatric, or socio-functional levels. 

District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC)

• The District Disability Rehabilitation Centre (DDRC) aims to address the needs of persons with disabilities through a multifaceted approach.
• Its objectives include early identification and intervention, raising awareness, and assessing the need for assistive devices along with their provision and fitment, arrangement of loans for self-employment and more. Additionally, it acts as an outreach center for services provided by National Institutes and works to promote a barrier-free environment for individuals with disabilities.

Assistance to Persons with Disabilities for Purchase/Fitting of Aids/ Appliances (ADIP) Scheme.

• The main objective of the Scheme is to provide grants-in-aid to the various implementing agencies (National Institutes/Composite Regional Centers/Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India.

Schemes For Implementation Of Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act 2016 (SIPDA)

• The Scheme for Implementation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (SIPDA) is a comprehensive "Central Sector Scheme" that encompasses 10 sub-schemes following its revision during the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) meeting on 11th August 2021.
• This revised scheme, approved by the Hon'ble Finance Minister, is designed to operate from 2021–22 to 2025–26. 

Divya Kala Mela

• The Divya Kala Mela is a national-level fair dedicated to Divyangjan and represents a significant milestone in India’s journey toward inclusivity and empowerment of the Divyangjan, or differently-abled individuals.

PM-DAKSH

• PM-DAKSH (Pradhan Mantri DakshtaAurKushaltaSampannHitgrahi) Yojana is a one-stop destination for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), skill training organizations, and employers across India to be a part of the National Action Plan for Skill Development of Persons with Disabilities implemented by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). Under this portal, there are two modules:
  • Divyangjan Kaushal Vikas: Skill training is conducted for PwDs through the portal across the country.
  • Divyangjan Rozgar Setu: The platform aims to act as a bridge between PwDs and employers having jobs for PwDs. The platform provides geo-tagged based information on employment/earning opportunities within private companies as well as PwDs across India.