BharatNet:

NOFN

• The National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) aims to connect all the 2,50,000 Gram panchayats in the country and provide 100 Mbps connectivity to all gram panchayats (GPs).
• To achieve this, the existing fibres of PSUs (BSNL, Railtel and Power Grid) were utilised and incremental fibre was laid to connect to Gram Panchayats wherever necessary.
• Based on NOFN experiences, newer, updated and upgraded version - BharatNet was conceived as a nation-wide broadband network.

About

• BharatNet is a project of national importance to establish, by 2017, a highly scalable network infrastructure accessible on a non-discriminatory basis, to provide on demand, affordable broadband connectivity of 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps for all households and on demand capacity to all institutions, to realise the vision of Digital India, in partnership with States and the private sector.
• The entire project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up for improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country.
• The objective is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and other services to the rural India.

Competition Act, 2002

The Monopolistic and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969, was enacted

• To ensure that the operation of the economic system does not result in the concentration of economic power in hands of few.
• To provide for the control of monopolies.
• To prohibit monopolistic and restrictive trade practices.

The Competition Act has replaced MRTP Act.

What are the features of the Competition Act?

• Prohibition of anti-competitive agreements.
• Prohibition of abuse of dominant position.
• Regulation of combinations.
• A quasi-judicial authority named ‘Competition Commission of India’ will be constituted.
  • The Commission will consist of judicial as well as non-judicial persons to give Competition Commission of India (CCI) an overall perspective.
  • On receipt of complaint or reference, CCI can issue order to Director General to investigate. His report will then be considered by CCI.
  • The CCI will hear the concerned parties and then pass necessary orders. CCI will sit in benches.
  • Each bench will consist of at least one judicial person of rank of Judge of High Court.
  • CCI is empowered to recommend division of dominant enterprises. It can order de-merger in case of merger/amalgamation that adversely affects competition.
  • Suitable powers are given to Commission and penalties are prescribed to ensure that orders of Commission are obeyed.
• Jurisdiction of Civil Court is barred and only appeal to Supreme Court only if substantial question of law are involved.

‘Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana’ (Saubhagya)

What is it About?

• Awards would be provided for achieving 100 per cent household electrification at DISCOM/Power Department level of the States.
• Eight States which have already achieved more than 99 per cent household electrification prior to launch of Saubhagya (Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab and Tamil Nadu), are ineligible for participation under the award scheme.
• All the remaining States and their Discoms are eligible for the award.

Why it was Launched and what are its Objectives?

• Government of India launched ‘PradhanMantriSahajBijliHarGharYojana’ (Saubhagya) in Sept. 2017 to achieve the goal of universal household electrification in the country by 31st March 2019.
• The scheme envisages providing last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all remaining households in rural as well as urban areas.
• With the support of State Power Departments and DISCOMs more than 1.65 Crore households have already been connected since the launch of scheme.
• All the States have shown confidence in achievement of the target much before the targeted timelines.

Pandit Lachhu Maharaj

About

• Pandit Lachhu Maharaj (1907–1978) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer of Kathak.
• He came from a family of illustrious Kathak exponents in Lucknow, and also worked as film choreographer, Hindi cinema, most notably Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Pakeezah (1972).
• He was awarded the 1957 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama.

Kathak Dance

Origin and evolution

• The word Kathak has been derived from the word Katha which means a story.
• Kathakars or story-tellers, are people who narrate stories largely based on episodes from the epics, myths and legends.
• It probably started as an oral tradition. Mime and gestures were perhaps added later on to make the recitation more effective.
• Thus evolved a simple form of expressional dance, providing the origins of what later developed into Kathak as we see it today.

 What are the influences and themes in the act?

• The Vaishnavite cult which swept North India in the 15th century and the resultant bhakti movement contributed to a whole new range of lyrics and musical forms.
• The Radha-Krishna theme proved immensely popular alongwith the works of Mirabai, Surdas, Nandadas and Krishnadas.
• The emergence of Raslila, mainly in the Braj region (Mathura in Western U.P.) was an important development. It combined in itself music, dance and the narrative.
• Dance in Raslila, however, was mainly an extension of the basic mime and gestures of the Kathakars or story-tellers which blended easily with the existing traditional dance.

How did Mughals influence Kathak?

• With the coming of the Mughals, this dance form received a new impetus.
• A transition from the temple courtyard to the palace durbar took place which necessitated changes in presentation.
• In both Hindu and Muslim courts, Kathak became highly stylised and came to be regarded as a sophisticated form of entertainment.
• Under the Muslims there was a greater stress on nritya and bhava giving the dance graceful, expressive and sensuous dimensions.

How did the concept of Gharanas and Unique stylisation evolve in Kathak?

• The nineteenth century saw the golden age of Kathak under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Oudh.
• He established the Lucknow gharana with its strong accent on bhava, the expression of moods and emotions.
• The Jaipur gharana known for its layakari or rhythmic virtuosity
• The Benaras gharana are other prominent schools of Kathak dance.
• The technique of movement in Kathak is unique to the Gharanas.

What are the body movements specific to Kathak?

• The weight of the body is equally distributed along the horizontal and vertical axis.
• The full foot contact is of prime importance where only the toe or the ball of the foot is used, their function is limited.
• There are no deflections and no use of sharp bends or curves of the upper or lower part of the body.
• Torso movements emerge from the change of the shoulder line rather than through the manipulations of the backbone or upper chest and lower waist muscles.
• In the basic stance, the dancer stands straight, holds one hand at a level higher than the head and the other is extended out on the level of the shoulder.

Does Kathak comprises of both Nritta and Nritya?

• Pure dance (nritta) is all important where complex rhythmic patterns are created through the use of the flat feet and the control of sound of the ankle bells worn by the dancer.
• In the mime portions (nritya or abhinaya), words are not used in simple numbers called the gata, which is performed in a lyrical manner to gentle rhythm.

Sikkim, the world's first 100% organic state

Why Sikkim became Organic State at a very Fast pace?

• Very low consumption of chemical fertilizers and pesticides (Average Fertilizer consumption - 7kgs/ha and negligible pesticide consumption)
• About 15,000 Ha area under cardamom where fertilizer has never been applied
• Tourism spin off -To promote Tourism through Organic Village concept
• Only 10.20% of the total geographical area of the state is under agriculture and 89.80 % of the area has not been touched and therefore free from chemical affects
• Create niche market for Organic Cardamom and ginger which is very profitable