Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

About

• The Indian Atomic Energy Commission was first setup in August 1948 in the Department of Scientific Research, which was created a few months earlier in June 1948.
• The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) was setup on August 3, 1954 under the direct charge of the Prime Minister through a Presidential Order.
• Subsequently, in accordance with a Government Resolution dated March 1, 1958, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) was established in the Department of Atomic Energy.

What are the functions of the Atomic Energy Commission?

• Conduct research concerning atomic science in the country.
• Train atomic scientists.
• Encourage nuclear research in the Commission’s laboratories.
• Take on potential exploration for atomic minerals in India and extract minerals so that they can be used on the industrial scale.
• It also provides financial assistance to various autonomous national institutes that are involved in research in the field and has many organizations under it.

Where are the research centres located?

The Atomic Energy Commission’s Five Research Centres

1. Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai
2. Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu)
3. Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore
4. Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata
5. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Hyderabad.

Source: PIB

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India

What is IBBI?

• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India was set up on 1st October 2016 under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (Code).
•  It is a unique regulator: regulates a profession as well as transactions.
  • It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals, Insolvency Professional Agencies, Insolvency Professional Entities and Information Utilities. (Profession)
  • It writes and enforces rules for processes, namely, corporate insolvency resolution, corporate liquidation, individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code. (Transactions)

What are its Functions?

• It has regulatory oversight over the Insolvency Professionals, Insolvency Professional Agencies and Information Utilities.
• It writes and enforces rules for transactions, namely, corporate insolvency resolution, corporate liquidation, individual insolvency resolution and individual bankruptcy under the Code.
• It is a key pillar of the ecosystem responsible for implementation of the Code that consolidates and amends the laws relating to reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms and individuals.
• This is done in a time bound manner for maximization of the value of assets of such persons, to promote entrepreneurship, availability of credit and balance the interests of all the stakeholders.
• Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, while exercising the powers under this Code, the Board shall have the same powers as are vested in a civil court

 What is the Organizational structure of IBBI?

The IBBI has a ten-member board including a Chairman. Following is the structure of the IBBI:

• One Chairperson.
• Three members from Central Government officers not below the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent.
• One nominated member from the RBI.
• Five members nominated by the Central Government; of these, three shall be whole-time members.

Source: PIB

Coral Reef

How is a Coral Reef formed?

• Coral reefs are built by and made up of thousands of tiny animals—coral “polyps”—that are related to anemones and jellyfish.
• Polyps are shallow water organisms which have a soft body covered by a calcareous skeleton. The polyps extract calcium salts from sea water to form these hard skeletons.
• The polyps live in colonies fastened to the rocky sea floor.
• The tubular skeletons grow upwards and outwards as a cemented calcareous rocky mass, collectively called corals.
• When the coral polyps die, they shed their skeleton on which new polyps grow.
• The cycle is repeated for over millions of years leading to accumulation of layers of corals.
• These layers at different stages give rise to various marine landforms. One such important landform is called coral reef.
• Small marine plants (algae) also deposit calcium carbonate contributing to coral growth.

What are the different forms?

The corals occur in different forms and colours, depending upon the nature of salts or constituents they are made of. Broadly they are of three main types

• Fringing Reefs
• Barrier Reefs
• Atolls

What are the features of the different forms of Coral Reef?

Fringing Reefs

• Fringing reefs are reefs that grow directly from a shore. They are located very close to land, and often form a shallow lagoon between the beach and the main body of the reef.
• A fringing reef runs as a narrow belt. This type of reef grows from the deep sea bottom with the seaward side sloping steeply into the deep sea. Coral polyps do not extend outwards because of sudden and large increase in depth.
• The fringing reef is by far the most common of the three major types of coral reefs, with numerous examples in all major regions of coral reef development.
• Fringing reefs can be seen at the New Hebrides Society islands off Australia and off the southern coast of Florida.

Barrier Reefs

• Barrier reefs are extensive linear reef complexes that parallel a shore, and are separated from it by lagoon.
• This is the largest (in size, not distribution) of the three reefs, runs for hundreds of kilometres and is several kilometres wide. It extends as a broken, irregular ring around the coast or an island, running almost parallel to it.
• Barrier reefs are far less common than fringing reefs or atolls, although examples can be found in the tropical Atlantic as well as the Pacific.
• The 1200-mile long Great Barrier Reef off the NE coast of Australia is the world’s largest example of this reef type.
• The GBR is not actually a single reef as the name implies, but rather a very large complex consisting of many reefs.

Atolls

• An atoll is a roughly circular oceanic reef system surrounding a large central lagoon.
• The lagoon has a depth 80-150 metres and may be joined with sea water through a number of channels cutting across the reef.
• Atolls are located at great distances from deep see platforms, where the submarine features may help in formation of atolls, such as a submerged island or a volcanic cone which may reach a level suitable for coral growth.
• Atolls are far more common in the Pacific than any other ocean. The Fiji atoll and the Funafuti atoll in the Ellice/Island are well known examples of atolls. A large ‘number of atolls also occur in the Lakshadweep Islands.
• In the South Pacific, most atolls occur in mid-ocean. Examples of this reef type are common in French Polynesia, the Caroline and Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and the Cook Islands.
• The Indian Ocean also contains numerous atoll formations. Examples are found in the Maldives and Chagos island groups, the Seychelles, and in the Cocos Island group.

What is Coral Bleaching?

Source: PIB

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

About

•  
• Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai.
• He completed his law studies in 1913 and came back to India and started his law practice.
• For his Excellencies in Law, Vallabhbhai was offered many lucrative posts by the British Government but he rejected all.

Participation in Freedom movement

•  
• Later, inspired by Gandhi’s work and philosophy Patel became a staunch follower of him.
• In 1917, Sardar Vallabhbhai was elected as the Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha. The next year, when there was a flood in Kaira, the British insisted on collecting tax from the farmers. Sardar Vallabhbhai led a massive “No Tax campaign” that urged the farmers not to pay their land.
• The peaceful movement forced the British authority to return then land taken away from the farmers. His effort to bring together the farmers of his area brought him the title of ‘Sardar’ to his name.
• In 1928, the farmers of Bardoli faced a similar problem of “tax-hike”. After prolonged summons, when the farmers refused to pay the extra tax, the government in retaliation seized their lands.
• Under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel the agitation took on for more than six months and after a deal struck between the government and farmer’s representatives, the lands were returned.
• In 1930 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was imprisoned for participating in the famous Salt Satyagraha called by Mahatma Gandhi.
• His inspiring speeches during the “Salt Movement” transformed the lives of numerous people, who later played a major role in making the movement successful.
• Sardar Patel was freed in 1931 following an agreement signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India. The treaty was popularly known as the Gandhi-Irwin pact.
• In 1931 Patel was elected as the president of Indian National Congress Party for its Karachi session. In the Karachi session, the Indian National Congress Party committed itself to the defence of fundamental rights and human rights and a dream of a secular nation. An agreement regarding this was also sanctioned.
• In 1934, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel led the all-India election campaign for the Indian National Congress. Though he did not contest a seat for himself, Sardar Patel helped his fellow party mates during the election.
• He rose to the leadership of the Indian National Congress, organising the party for elections in 1934 and 1937 while promoting the Quit India Movement.

Contributions to Independent India

1. Unification of a diverse nation into a single entity which in itself was a mammoth task.
2. Responsible for steel framework of India i.e. the all India services IAS and IPS that provided continuity to administration immediately after Independence.
3. Swift action in case of Kashmir and Lakshadweep thereby forcing back the kabailis and Pakistani forces from Kashmir and integrating Lakshadweep in India.
4. A major role in drafting of Fundamental Rights and Minority rights as he headed the advisory committee on them.
5. Promoted capitalist class, helped in establishing Kheda milk cooperative society and promoted liberalized Industrial Policy resolution of 1948 thus focusing on economic self reliance.
6. Acted as a balancing wheel to Nehru's over emphasis on Sino-Indian relations as he foresaw the dangers of Chinese occupation of Tibet.

Patel is sometimes criticized for promoting the capitalist class, opposing Nationalization of industries and even inciting Partition of the country for his harsh attitude while dealing with Muslim leaders. But this doesn't take away the credit of his dedication towards the cause of the nation. He was one of the real architects of modern India.

Source: PIB