Steering committee on Indus Water Treaty meets
The Steering Committee on the Indus Water Treaty recently held a meeting to discuss issues related to the sharing of river waters between India and Pakistan. The treaty, signed in 1960, regulates the distribution of water from the Indus River system between the two countries.
During the meeting, the committee reviewed the progress of various projects under the treaty, including the construction of the Shahpur Kandi Dam and the Ujh Multipurpose Project. They also discussed the implementation of the treaty's provisions and the exchange of information on water flows and infrastructure developments.
Both India and Pakistan reiterated their commitment to the treaty and agreed to continue their engagement in the spirit of goodwill and cooperation. The next meeting of the committee is expected to be held soon to further advance the discussion on Indus water sharing.
Chhattisgarh’s amended quota provisions in 9th schedule of Constitution
The state of Chhattisgarh recently amended its quota provisions and added them to the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. The move is aimed at protecting the state's reservation policy from legal challenges.
The Ninth Schedule provides immunity to laws placed under it from judicial review. By adding its quota provisions to the schedule, Chhattisgarh hopes to safeguard its reservation policy for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
The state government had earlier faced legal challenges to its reservation policy, with several petitions filed in the courts. However, with the new amendment, the state hopes to overcome such hurdles and ensure that its reservation policy remains in force.
The move has been welcomed by various political parties and social groups in the state. They see it as a significant step towards protecting the interests of marginalized communities and ensuring their representation in government jobs and educational institutions.
G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers issue Communiqué after Sapporo meeting
The Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries recently issued a communiqué following their meeting in Sapporo, Japan. The communiqué outlined the ministers' commitments to addressing climate change and environmental issues.
The ministers emphasized the need to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and agreed to work towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or around 2050. They also pledged to increase climate finance to support developing countries in their efforts to tackle climate change.
The communiqué also highlighted the need to protect biodiversity and tackle other environmental challenges, such as marine litter and plastic pollution. The ministers called for greater international cooperation in these areas and committed to taking action at the national level.
The meeting in Sapporo took place ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which is scheduled to take place in November 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. The G7 ministers expressed their support for a successful outcome at COP26 and committed to working together to achieve ambitious climate targets.
NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft Spots Jupiter’s Trojan Asteroids for the First Time
NASA's Lucy spacecraft has recently made a groundbreaking discovery by spotting Jupiter's Trojan asteroids for the first time. On April 12, 2021, the spacecraft successfully flew by Jupiter and collected crucial data and images of the Trojan asteroids.
The Trojan asteroids are a group of asteroids that share Jupiter's orbit around the Sun and were named after the heroes of the Trojan War in Greek mythology. These asteroids are considered important targets for scientific study as they are believed to hold valuable information about the early formation of our Solar System and the evolution of planets.
Launched in October 2021, the Lucy spacecraft is on a mission to visit multiple Trojan asteroids and explore their physical and chemical properties. During the recent flyby, the spacecraft used its high-tech instruments and cameras to capture detailed images and other crucial data about the Trojan asteroids.
This discovery marks a significant achievement for the Lucy mission and planetary science as a whole. Scientists are hopeful that the new insights gained from the data collected by the spacecraft will help to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding the formation and evolution of the Solar System.
Lucy is now headed towards its first destination, the asteroid Eurybates, which it is scheduled to reach in 2027. The spacecraft will continue its mission until 2033, visiting other Trojan asteroids along the way and providing valuable data for scientific study. Click for more about Current Affairs for UPSC of 20 April/2023.
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