Exhibition ‘Dandi Yatra’ as part of 150th birth anniversary celebrations of the Mahatma Gandhi

         Highlights:

• This exhibition is part of  the celebrations of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, to propagate his message of peace. 
• This exhibition showcases the unseen drawings of artist Chhaganlal Jadav and also the master works of NGMA’s collection of contemporaneous artists to Gandhi ji like Nandlal Bose, Upendra Maharathi and Ram kinkar Baij, etc, who also gave their impressions on this great event.
• Exhibition showcases historical drawings of the journey of the Salt March from Sabarmati Satyagraha Ashram, Kochrab to Dandi, a small coastal village in Gujarat. The journey, covering 240 miles took 12 night halts and was witness to the breaking of the British law for salt.
• An unsung Satyagrahi and artist Chhaganlal Jadav, in his tiny drawing book, had captured some known/unknown faces from amongst the participants of this epic journey towards Swaraj.

         About Dandi March:

1. The Salt March began on March 12, 1930 and continued till April 6, 1930. It was a 24-day non-violent march led by Mahatma Gandhi.
2. During that time, the British had prohibited Indians from collecting or selling salt. Indians were also forced to buy the staple diet ingredient from the British, who, not only exercised monopoly over its manufacture and sale but also levied a heavy salt tax. The Salt March was a collective beginning of a mass resistance movement against the British tyranny.
3. Upon reaching the seashore in Dandi, Mahatma Gandhi broke the law by producing illegal salt. This later turned into a mass civil disobedience movement throughout India as millions broke salt laws by either making salt or buying illegal salt.
4. The Salt March began with around 80 people, but as more and more people joined in for the 390 km-long journey, it grew into a strong force of 50,000 people.
5. The Salt March got national and international recognition and shook the Britishers with its non-violent nature. It got massive press coverage and drew the world's attention towards the Indian Independence Movement.

India submits Sixth National Report to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD)

        Some of Key Facts:

• India is among the first five countries in the world, the first in Asia and the first among the biodiversity rich mega diverse countries to have submitted NR6 to the CBD Secretariat.
• While globally, biodiversity is facing increasing pressure on account of habitat fragmentation and destruction, invasive alien species, pollution, climate change and oversuse of resources, India is one of the few countries where forest cover is on the rise, with its forests teeming with wildlife.
• Submission of national reports is a mandatory obligation on Parties to international treaties, including CBD.
• The NR6 provides an update of progress in achievement of 12 National Biodiversity Targets (NBT) developed under the Convention process in line with the 20 global Aichi biodiversity targets. 
• Briefly, the Report highlights that while India has exceeded/overachieved two NBTs, it is on track to achieve eight NBTs and in respect of the remaining two NBTs also, India is striving to meet the targets by the stipulated time of 2020.    
• With well over 20 percent of its total geographical area under biodiversity conservation, India has exceeded the terrestrial component of 17 percent of Aichi target 11, and 20 percent of corresponding NBT relating to areas under biodiversity management.
• Similarly, India has also made noteworthy achievement towards NBT  relating to access and benefit sharing (ABS) by operationalising the Nagoya Protocol on ABS.
• Having published the first internationally recognized certificate of compliance (IRCC) under the Protocol in 2015, India has since published nearly 75%  of the IRCCs published so far on ABS Clearing House. Thus, in respect of these two NBTs (6 and 9), the progress made by India has exceeded the targets.
• India has done well on raising awareness about biodiversity, which is an important thrust area in several programmes of the Government. 
• As a megadiverse country harbouring nearly 7-8% of globally recorded species while supporting 18% of the global human population on a mere 2.4% of the world’s land area, India’s quest for inclusive economic development while maintaining integrity of its natural capital is being pursued through various programmes and strategies.
• Measures have been adopted for sustainable management of agriculture, fisheries and forests, with a view to provide food and nutritional security to all without destroying the natural resource base while ensuring intergenerational environmental equity.
• India has been investing a huge amount on biodiversity directly or indirectly through several development schemes of the Central and State Governments, to the tune of Rs 70,000 crores per annum as against the estimated annual requirement of nearly Rs 1,09,000 crores.
• India has nearly two third of the population of wild tigers in the world.  The population of lion has risen from 177 in 1968 to over 520 in 2015, and elephants from 12,000 in 1970s to 30,000 in 2015.  One-horned Indian Rhino which was on the brink of extinction during the early 20th century, now number 2400. 
• Further, while globally over 0.3 % of total recorded species are critically endangered, in India only 0.08% of the species recorded are in this category. India is committed to protecting its rich heritage of biodiversity which are so vital to our economic and social development.

         About Convention of Biological Diversity:

        The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals including:

1. the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity);
2. the sustainable use of its components; and
3. the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.

• CBD's objective is to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. It is often seen as the key document regarding sustainable development.
• The Convention was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro on 5 June 1992 and entered into force on 29 December 1993. CBD has two supplementary agreements - Cartagena Protocol and Nagoya Protocol.
• The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another. It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September 2003.
• The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol on ABS was adopted on 29 October 2010 in Nagoya, Japan.
• Its objective is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.

Indian Railways initiatives to enhance safety

Enhanced Safety

Safety continues to be the foremost priority of Railways and is accorded the greatest consideration. During the current year, MoR launched following four safety drives on all Zonal Railways with a view to preventing accidents and strengthening safety on Indian Railways:-

• All zonal railways were advised to launch a one month safety drive particularly focusing on strict observance of shunting practices with compliance of rules/instructions contained in G&SR etc.
• All zonal railways were advised to launch a 30 days safety drive specially targeting safety at manned/unmanned level crossings.
• All zonal railways were asked to launch a safety drive to prevent accident due to cyclonic storm, heavy rains, landslides etc. during monsoon season.
• Zonal Railways were advised to launch a special safety drive for a period of fifteen days with special emphasis on safety of work sites, stacking and handling of railway material near track and maintenance of points & crossings.

Some of the significant steps taken to enhance safety are:

1. Induction of technology for safety improvements – Smart Coach

• Smart coach with diagnostic system monitor bearing vibrations provides advance information on health of bearing wheel & track. 
• In addition, coach has been provided with wheel slip protection monitoring.  Further improvements are being brought about to provide fire safety through fire and smoke detection unit integrated with passenger announcement and information system for emergency evacuation and video analytics with phased detection and unusual occurrence features to further enhance safety and security.

2. On-line Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS)

• Implementation of OMRS is the first step towards predictive maintenance for its Rolling Stock.
• OMRS monitors the health of each rolling stock and identifies the defective bearings and wheels.
• Real time alarm is generated to take corrective action before the line failure of the rolling stock.
• OMRS equipment will also trend the condition of bearing when implemented in whole rail network of IR.

3. Complete switchover to LHB:

• Indian Railways have decided to completely switch over to manufacture of LHB design main line coaches from 2018-19 onwards.
• The production of LHB coaches in Production Units has continuously increased over the years Production of LHB coaches from 2004-05 to 2013-14 was 2327 coaches, whereas 5548 coaches were produced from 2014-15 to 2017-18. During 2018-19, it is proposed to manufacture 4016 coaches.

4. Elimination of Level Crossings

• 3478 unmanned LC gates have been eliminated during the current year so far.
• In effect, all unmanned level crossings on broad gauge over Indian Railway have been eliminated except one.  This will also be eliminated in the current financial year.
• Out of 16, total 15 Zonal Railways are now unmanned level crossing free on broad gauge.
• Accidents on unmanned level crossings have reduced from 20 in 2017-18 to 3 in the current year upto Dec., 2018.

5. New Initiatives In Track Maintenance

• Highest ever rail renewal of 4405 km was carried out in 2017-18 and 5,000 km has been planned during the current year with outlay of 11,450 crores. 2812 km has been completed during the current year so far.
• Exclusive RRSK fund amounting to Rs 1 lakh crore for safety related works including Track Renewal for a period of 5 years, with Annual Budgetary Outlay of Rs 20,000 crore has been created in 2017.
• Trial of Ultrasonic Broken Rail Detection System for detection of Rail/Weld breakage has been started on NR and NCR on 25 km track length each. After successful completion of trials, the system will be utilized over Indian Railway for timely detection of Rail/Weld fractures.
• GPS based trackers have been provided to Keymen and Patrolmen to get real time information of any untoward incidents/emergencies to avert derailments.
• Trials for VHF based Approaching Train Warning System to pre-warn the Trackmen working on running line, for any approaching train have been completed on five Zonal Railways and instructions have been issued for providing the system on Golden Quadrilateral and its diagonal routes over Indian Railways. This will help in ensuring personal safety of Track Maintainers while working on track.

6. Mechanization of Inspection, Monitoring And Maintenance Of Track

• Highest ever sanction of Track Machines : Average sanction of machines per year for complete mechanization has been increased to 117 costing about 1547 cr during 2014-18 compared to 63 nos costing about 560 cr prior to 2014. Highest ever 538 machines costing Rs. 7268 cr were sanctioned in the current year Budget to give fillip to mechanization.
• Seven numbers of High Output Integrated Track Machines, giving 60% more output in the same duration of effective block hours, were inducted for the first time in Indian Railways Maintenance Fleet. 
• Order for 22 more such machines were placed and for 24 more machines will be placed in the current year to cover entire high density routes. This will result in better utilization of traffic blocks on busy routes for improved safety and economy in machines working for track maintenance.
• High output BCM (HOBCM) with double the output of present machine along with stabilizer and ballast regulating system is planned for commissioning by March, 2019 for the first time over IR. This will improve safety and economy in track maintenance along with better utilization of maintenance slots on busy routes.
• A new 3D state-of-the-art tamping simulator for practical hands-on training for operating advanced track maintenance machines has been installed and commissioned for the first time at Indian Railway Track Machine Training Centre Allahabad (IRTMTC) for skill development of track machine operator’s. This type of advanced technology simulator is now available only in five countries including India.
• This will result in improved training for better utilization & maintenance of state of art tamping machine.

Leveraging technology for reducing reliance on human interface - Selected best available technology to improve safety by reducing reliance on human interface and efficient allocation of resources. Induction and proliferation of following new technologies have been decided for improved track inspection, maintenance and monitoring.

Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) for monitoring health of track ballast bed ( Clear ballast cushion, Caked up ballast & ballast penetration in formation) and to prioritize deep screening of track in place of present practice of periodic screening every 500GMT or 10 Yrs.

Axle Box Mounted Accelerometers on pilot basis in 40 rakes in fastest train on selected high density trunk routes to monitor track requiring urgent attention and generate alerts to maintain organization on daily basis.

Track Component Condition Monitoring System with Machine vision is planned to be fixed on 16 LHB based OMS Coaches for intermediate inspection by Zonal Railways to get defect list of track components to reduce reliance on human inspection.

Rail Grinding Machines with complementary Switch Grinding Machines and RIV are planned to cover entire Indian Railway track for maintenance of rails to control fracture due to rolling contact fatigue. It will improve reliability of asset by reduction in fractures. Order for 2 nos. Switch rail Grinding Machine (SRGM) & 2 nos. Rail Inspection Vehicle (RIV) have been placed for the first time on IR.

Long Rail Panel Handling:- State-of-the-art mechanized system for loading/unloading of long rail panels for safe handling of long rail to improve in service performance of rail has been sanctioned.

Vehicular USFD (SPURT Cars) to cover entire Indian Railways network for monitoring and identification of propagation of rail/weld defects for improving safety of track has been sanctioned.

Laser based Integrated Track Recording Cars with facility of Component Monitoring, Axle box acceleration measurement and Clearance measurement System, to cover entire Indian Railway network has been sanctioned.

75th anniversary of Hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil by Netaji

        Key Facts about Netaji's action by Hoisting of Tricolour on Indian soil:

• Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was an Indian nationalist whose defiant patriotism made him a hero in India.
• The honorific Netaji, the name granted to him in the early 1940s by the Indian soldiers of the Indische Legion and by the German and Indian officials in the Special Bureau for India in Berlin, was later used throughout India.
• Bose had been a leader of the younger, radical, wing of the Indian National Congress in the late 1920s and 1930s, rising to become Congress President in 1938 and 1939.
• However, he was ousted from Congress leadership positions in 1939 following differences with Mahatma Gandhi and the Congress high command.
• He was subsequently placed under house arrest by the British before escaping from India in 1940.
• Bose arrived in Germany in April 1941, where the leadership offered unexpected, if sometimes ambivalent, sympathy for the cause of India's independence, contrasting starkly with its attitudes towards other colonised peoples and ethnic communities.
• With Japanese support, Bose revamped the Indian National Army (INA), then composed of Indian soldiers of the British Indian army who had been captured in the Battle of Singapore.
• To these, after Bose's arrival, were added enlisting Indian civilians in Malaya and Singapore. The Japanese had come to support a number of puppet and provisional governments in the captured regions, such as those in Burma, the Philippines and Manchukuo.
• Before long the Provisional Government of Free India, presided by Bose, was formed in the Japanese-occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Bose had great drive and charisma—creating popular Indian slogans, such as "Jai Hind,"—and the INA under Bose was a model of diversity by region, ethnicity, religion, and even gender. However, Bose was regarded by the Japanese as being militarily unskilled and his military effort was short-lived.
• When Japan attacked India's North East, The INA's first commitment was in the Japanese thrust towards Eastern Indian frontiers of Manipur. INA's special forces, the Bahadur Group, were extensively involved in operations behind enemy lines both during the diversionary attacks in Arakan, as well as the Japanese thrust towards Imphal and Kohima, along with the Burmese National Army led by Ba Maw and Aung San.
• The Japanese also took possession of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in 1942 and a year later, the Provisional Government and the INA were established in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with Lt Col. A.D. Loganathan appointed its Governor General. The islands were renamed Shaheed (Martyr) and Swaraj (Independence).
• On 29th December 1943, Netaji accompanied by Sarvashri Anand Mohan Sahay, Captain Rawat - ADC and Col. DS Raju, the personal physician of Netaji, landed at the Port Blair aerodrome in the Andamans. He was received by the Japanese admiral at Port Blair. The enthusiastic Indians and Burmese also accorded a warm reception to him.
• On this day in the year 1943, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted the National Flag for the first time at the Gymkhana Ground (present Netaji Stadium) in Port Blair. He also announced the Islands, the first Indian Territory freed from the British rule.
• The island at the time was liberated from British rule by Japan which captured it during the World War -II.
• By hoisting the Azad Hind flag, Bose, the head of Provisional Government of Azad Hind also fulfilled his promise that INA would stand on the Indian soil by the end of 1943.