w w w. d r i s h ti IA S.

c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 1

RAJASTHAN

MAY
Note:
2024
Content
z Red Alert in Jaipur................................................................................................................................................... 3

z Auction of Mine Blocks in Rajasthan....................................................................................................................... 3

z SC Halts All Mining Activities Around Sariska Tiger Reserve................................................................................... 4

z Rajasthan Mine Collapse......................................................................................................................................... 4

z Admissions of Poor Children on Priority in New Academic Session........................................................................ 5

z Semal Trees............................................................................................................................................................. 6

z IMD Predicts Fresh Heatwave Over Rajasthan........................................................................................................ 7

z Rising Electricity Consumption in Rajasthan........................................................................................................... 7

z Rajasthan’s Digital Healthcare Access System......................................................................................................... 7

z World Migration Report, 2024................................................................................................................................ 8

z Jal Jeevan Mission Scam in Rajasthan..................................................................................................................... 8

z Solar Energy to Meet Power Demand................................................................................................................... 10

z Rajasthan CM Felicitates Candidates Selected in Central Civil Services................................................................ 10

z Kuno Cheetah Captured in Rajasthan.................................................................................................................... 11

z Child Marriages in Rajasthan................................................................................................................................. 13

z Illegal Mining in the Aravalli Range....................................................................................................................... 13

z Vivekananda Scholarship....................................................................................................................................... 14

z Green Lynx Spider.................................................................................................................................................. 15

z Investors’ Summit 2024......................................................................................................................................... 16

z Great Indian Travel Bazaar.................................................................................................................................... 16

z Digital Water Distribution System......................................................................................................................... 16

w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 3
Red Alert in Jaipur Auction of Mine
Why in News? Blocks in Rajasthan
The Jaipur weather office has issued a red alert as Why in News?
temperatures are predicted to exceed 49 degrees in
various parts of Rajasthan, emphasizing the importance The Rajasthan government has decided to expedite
of taking “extreme care for vulnerable individuals.” delineation work for the auction of minor and major
blocks in the state.
Key Points
Key Points
¾ According to the India Meteorological Department
(IMD), the heatwave will continue over the next few ¾ To combat illicit mining activities, the government
days. Severe heat wave conditions will be recorded in will focus on getting ready and selling off numerous
Jodhpur, Bikaner divisions and Shekhawati region. mining sites.
€ To provide some relief from the scorching heat, ¾ The drilling for mineral exploration and analysis of
the Bikaner district administration has started reports will help combat illegal mining of valuable
sprinkling water on the roads in various areas of minerals, leading to increased revenue and job
the city. opportunities in the state.
€ Additionally, the State government has cancelled ¾ The government has asked officials to develop a
the leave of officers and employees of the Water water harvesting system in the offices and areas of
Department to ensure an uninterrupted supply the mineral department.
of drinking water. € Additionally, officials were directed to ensure
India Meteorological Department (IMD) efficient operation of the e-filing system in
¾ About: department offices and reduce processing times.
It is the National Meteorological Service of the
€ ¾ Rajasthan is one of the richest states in availability
country and the principal government agency in and variety of minerals in the country, producing over
all matters relating to meteorology and allied 57 different minerals. The mines department earned
subjects. a revenue of over Rs 7,490 crores during 2023-2024.
€ It is an agency of the Ministry of Earth Sciences,
¾ The mines department has drawn out a plan aimed
Government of India.
at ensuring daily monitoring by preparing a road
¾ Objectives: map for exploration, drilling, preparing blocks and
€ To take meteorological observations and to plots for auction, making an auction calendar, and
provide current and forecast meteorological revenue collection.
information for optimum operation of weather-
sensitive activities like agriculture, irrigation, Illegal Mining
shipping, aviation, offshore oil explorations, etc. ¾ Illegal mining is the extraction of minerals, ores,
€ To warn against severe weather phenomena or other valuable resources from land or water
like tropical cyclones, norwesters, dust storms, bodies without the necessary permits, licenses, or
heavy rains and snow, cold and heat waves, etc., regulatory approvals from government authorities.
which cause destruction of life and property. € It can also involve the violation of environmental,

€ To provide meteorological statistics required labor, and safety standards.

for agriculture, water resource management, ¾ Laws Related to Mining in India:
industries, oil exploration and other nation- € The entry at serial No. 23 of List II (State List)
building activities. to the Constitution of India mandates the state
€ To conduct and promote research in meteorology government to own the minerals located within
and allied disciplines. their boundaries.

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4 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

€ The entry at serial No. 54 of List I (Central List) Sariska Tiger Reserve
mandates the central government to own the
minerals within the exclusive economic zone
of India (EEZ).
€ In pursuance to this Mines & Minerals
(Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act
of 1957 was framed.
€ The power to frame policy and legislation relating
to minor minerals is entirely delegated to the
State Governments while policy and legislation
relating to the major minerals are dealt by the
Ministry of Mines under the Union Government.

SC Halts All Mining Activities

Around Sariska Tiger Reserve ¾ About:
€ Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in Aravali hills and
Why in News? forms a part of the Alwar District of Rajasthan.
Recently, the Supreme Court halted all mining € Sariska was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955
activities being undertaken around the Sariska Tiger and was declared the tiger reserve later in 1978,
Reserve in Rajasthan. making it a part of India’s Project Tiger.
¾ No mining activity will be permissible within one- € The Reserve houses ruined temples, forts,
kilometre radius of a Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH). pavilions and a palace.
z Kankarwadi fort is located in the centre of the
Key Points Reserve and it is said that Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb had imprisoned his brother Dara
¾ The court asked the Rajasthan government to formulate
Shikoh at this fort in struggle for succession
a closure plan or take necessary steps for compliance
to the throne.
with its orders.
z The Reserve also houses a famous temple
¾ The Rajasthan government told the court that the of lord Hanuman at Pandupole related to
prohibition on mining, as ordered in April 2023, was Pandavas.
applicable to the Eco-Sensitive Zone (of 1 km) from ¾ Flora and Fauna:
National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and it did € The Reserve is immensely rich in flora and fauna,
not apply to Tiger Reserves. and is famous for Royal Bengal Tiger.
€ The judgment of April 2023 stated that mining € The park has populations of leopards, Nilgai,
within the national park and wildlife sanctuary Sambar, chital etc.
and within an area of 1 km from the boundary
of such national park and wildlife sanctuary shall
Rajasthan Mine Collapse
not be permissible.
¾ According to the court, Section 38XA of Wildlife Why in News?
Protection Act 1972 shows that tiger reserves stand Recently, all 15 officials from Hindustan Copper
on a higher pedestal than wildlife sanctuaries and Limited who were trapped in a mine in Rajasthan were
national parks. rescued on 15 th May, 2024.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 5
Key Points € 25% of the seats in the private schools would be
¾ The incident happened at the Kolihan mine when filled up with the students belonging to weaker
a cage carrying the officials down the mine shaft sections of society.
collapsed after a rope snapped. ¾ The Directorate of Elementary Education has made
¾ Rescue efforts continued through the night, and all a provision for RTE admissions to the pre-primary
14 survivors were transported to a hospital in Jaipur classes and Class 1 in the schools, while fixing the
for treatment. age limit for the two categories.
¾ The Kolihan Mine are mechanised underground € The children from three to four years of age are
copper mines in Rajasthan owned by Hindustan admitted to pre-primary classes and those between
Copper Limited. six and seven years are eligible to get admission
¾ The mined ore is treated in the Khetri Copper Complex’s to Class 1.
concentrator plant.
¾ A large number of private schools in the State have
¾ The Kolihan mine is located in the Neem Ka Thana expressed concerns about the admission of students
district and is part of the Khetri Copper Belt’s northern
to the pre-primary classes, as the category was added
tip, covering 162.23 hectares.
in 2023-24 without any clear guidelines for payment
Khetri Copper Complex of fees by the government for three years until a
¾ Khetri is situated at the foothills of the Aravalli student is promoted to Class 1.
Range, which hosts copper mineralisation, giving
Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009
rise to a 80 km long metallogenetic province from
Singhana in the north to Raghunathgarh in the ¾ The Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009 provided free
south, popularly known as Khetri Copper Belt. and compulsory education to children in 2009 and
¾ The belt comprises of tightly folded Proterozoic enforced it as a fundamental right under Article 21-A.
metasediments that rest over basement gneisses ¾ The RTE Act, 2009 aims to provide primary education
and is a part of the North Delhi fold belt. to all children aged 6 to 14 years.
¾ Prominent deposits of the belt are: Khetri, Kolihan, ¾ Section 12(1)(c) mandates that non-minority
Banwas, Chandmari, Dhani Basri, Baniwali Ki Dhani private unaided schools should reserve at least
(Neem Ka Thana, Rajasthan). 25% of seats in entry-level grades for children
€ Other deposits are: Dholamala, Akwali, from economically weaker and disadvantaged
Muradpura - Pacheri (Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan), backgrounds.
and Devtalai (Bhilwara, Rajasthan).
¾ It also makes provisions for a non-admitted child
to be admitted to an age appropriate class.
Admissions of Poor ¾ It also states about sharing of financial and other
Children on Priority in responsibilities between the Central and State
New Academic Session Governments.
€ Education in the Indian constitution is a concurrent
Why in News? issue and both centre and states can legislate
The Rajasthan government has taken up the on the issue.
admissions of children from underprivileged sections ¾ It lays down the norms and standards related to: Pupil
in private schools under the Right to Education (RTE) Teacher Ratios (PTRs), Buildings and infrastructure,
Act 2009 on priority for the next academic session. School-working days, Teacher-working hours.
Key Points ¾ It also provides for prohibition of deployment of
teachers for non-educational work, other than
¾ According to the sources, over 3.08 lakh children had
decennial census, elections to local authority, state
applied for admissions to 31,857 private schools in
the State. legislatures and parliament, and disaster relief.

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¾ It provides for the appointment of teachers with Semal trees

the requisite entry and academic qualifications.
¾ It prohibits
€ Physical punishment and mental harassment.
€ Screening procedures for admission of children.
€ Capitation fee.
€ Private tuition by teachers.
€ Running of schools without recognition.
¾ It focuses on making the child free of fear, trauma
and anxiety through a system of child friendly and ¾ Also known as the silk cotton tree and Bombax
child centered learning. Ceiba, the Semal tree is a large, fast-growing tree
native to India.
Semal Trees ¾ It is known for its distinctive, spiky red flowers and
its fluffy seed pods, which contain a cotton-like
substance that was once used for stuffing pillows
Why in News?
and mattresses.
Semal trees are disappearing from south Rajasthan, ¾ The tree is prized for its ornamental value and is
launching a cascade of adverse consequences for forests often grown in parks and gardens.
and people in the area.
Indian Crested Porcupine
Key Points
¾ Large quantities of semal are cut in southern Rajasthan,
in places like Bhil and Garasia, and sold in Udaipur.
¾ The cutting violates many laws, from the Rajasthan
Forest Act, 1953 to the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.
¾ Semal is an integral species that holds the forest
ecosystem together. The rock bees nestle on its
branches because the tree’s spikes keep its predator,
the sloth bears, away. ¾ Scientific Name: Hystrix indica
¾ Geographical Range: It is found throughout southeast
€ Members of tribal communities consume the
and central Asia and in parts of the Middle East,
tree’s reddish root for food during the monsoons.
including such countries as India, Nepal, Bhutan,
Larvae of the moth Bucculatrix crateracma feed Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Israel, Iran, and
on its leaves. Saudi Arabia.
€ The golden-crowned sparrow weaves the lining of ¾ Behaviour:
its nests with white cotton from its seeds. € Nocturnal creatures that spend around 7 hours

€ The Dysdercus bugs, the Indian crested porcupine, foraging every night.
Hanuman langurs, and some other species feast € Live in natural caves or excavated burrows.

on the nectar in its flowers. € Predators include large cats, wolves, hyenas,

¾ The Garasia tribe in the area also believe they are and humans.
descended from semal trees. The Kathodi tribe use ¾ Conservation Status:
its wood to craft musical instruments while those of € IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC)

the Bhil use it to make utensils. € Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule IV

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 7
IMD Predicts Fresh € With temperatures on the rise in India, failure by
the energy department to make arrangements may
Heatwave Over Rajasthan lead to power shortages for consumers, impacting
industrial output significantly.
Why in News?
¾ More than 2,450 lakh units of electricity were used
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has
in the state in April 2023. This number rose to over
predicted a fresh heatwave over northwest India with
conditions expected in West Rajasthan, West Uttar 2,700 lakh units in April 2024 and further increased
Pradesh and South Haryana. to 2,900 lakh units in the first week of May 2024.
€ Expectations indicate an 8-10% rise in electricity
Key Points consumption in 2024.
¾ As per the Regional Met Centre (RWFC) Delhi, a ¾ The state has a total power generation capacity of
heatwave is also predicted at isolated places in Punjab, over 24,000 megawatt (Mw), around 58% comes
Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh, East from coal-fired power plants and around 10-12% is
Uttar Pradesh, West Rajasthan and East Rajasthan.
generated by solar plants.
¾ Amidst the fourth phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024,
the Election Commission of India stated that the
weather forecast indicates that the Parliamentary Rajasthan’s Digital
Constituencies going for polls are likely to experience
normal to below normal temperatures and there Healthcare Access System
will be no heat wave-like conditions in these areas
on the polling day. Why in News?
India Meteorological Department The Rajasthan government is set to implement a new
integrated health management system with digitalisation
¾ IMD was established in 1875. It is the National
to provide easy access to healthcare services.
Meteorological Service of the country and the
principal government agency in all matters relating
Key Points
to meteorology and allied subjects.
€ It works as an agency of the Ministry of Earth ¾ The new online system will strengthen health services
Sciences of the Government of India. and create the facilities of electronic health records
¾ It is headquartered in New Delhi. and single window procedures.
¾ IMD is also one of the six Regional Specialised € The project would be completed at the earliest and
Meteorological Centres of the World Meteorological the departments and agencies concerned would
Organisation. work with full coordination to ensure its success.
¾ As part of the online system, the common people and
Rising Electricity patients approaching the health facilities would get
the facilities of electronic health records, digi-health
Consumption in Rajasthan locker, freedom from queue, unified digital survey,
key performance indicators (KPI)-based dashboard,
Why in News?
telemedicine intensive care unit, geotagging-based
Recently, Increasing temperatures are leading to a
hospital map, and single window procedures for
rise in electricity usage in Rajasthan, causing concern for
health-related licences and no-objection certificates.
the state’s power sector.
¾ The agencies involved in the new system’s
Key Points implementation include the National Health Mission,
¾ To meet the increasing demand, Rajasthan buys Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation, State Health
electricity from other states at increased costs Insurance Agency and the Department of Information
annually. Technology.

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8 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

National Health Mission (NHM) € India hosts the world’s largest number of
international migrants (18 million) residing in
¾ It was launched by the government of India in
UAE, USA and Saudi Arabia.
2013 subsuming the National Rural Health Mission
(Launched in 2005) and the National Urban Health € In 2022, India remained the top remittance
Mission (Launched in 2013). destination, receiving more than USD 111 billion,
¾ The main programmatic components include Health the first country to reach and surpass the USD 100
System Strengthening in rural and urban areas billion mark.
for - Reproductive-Maternal- Neonatal-Child and International Organization for Migration
Adolescent Health (RMNCH+A), and Communicable ¾ About:
and Non-Communicable Diseases.
€ It originated in 1951 as the Provisional
¾ The NHM envisages achievement of universal
Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement
access to equitable, affordable & quality health
of Migrants from Europe (PICMME) after World
care services that are accountable and responsive
War II’s upheavals.
to people’s needs.
€ It underwent name changes from PICMME

Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation (RMSCL) to the Intergovernmental Committee for

¾ It was incorporated on 4th May, 2011 as a Public European Migration (ICEM) in 1952, to the
Limited Company under The Companies Act, 1956. Intergovernmental Committee for Migration
¾ It has been established as a centralized procurement
(ICM) in 1980, and finally to the International
agency for procuring generic medicines, surgical Organisation for Migration in 1989, reflecting
& sutures and medical equipments for the its evolution into a migration agency.
department of Medical, Health and Family welfare z In 2016, IOM entered into an agreement

department, medical Education department and with the United Nations, becoming a related
other departments. organization.
¾ Members: It currently has 175 Member States and

World Migration Report, 2024 8 states with Observer status.

€ India became an IOM Member State on 18th

Why in News? June 2008.

Recently, the International Organization for ¾ Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland.
Migration (IOM) launched the World Migration Report
2024. Jal Jeevan Mission
Key Points Scam in Rajasthan
¾ The Report reveals significant shifts in global migration
patterns, including a record number of displaced people Why in News?
and a major increase in international remittances. Recently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
€ With an estimated 281 million international has registered an First Information Report (FIR) in the
migrants worldwide, the number of displaced centrally-funded Jal Jeevan Mission scheme scam case
individuals due to conflict, violence, disaster, in Rajasthan.
and other reasons has surged to the highest
levels in modern-day records, reaching 117 Key Points
million, underscoring the urgency of addressing ¾ According to the officials, Jaipur-based contractors
displacement crises. used fake completion certificates purportedly issued
¾ In India, strong influence of climate impacts on by Indian Railway Construction International Limited
internal migration from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (IRCON) to get tenders from the Public Health
and Madhya Pradesh. Engineering Department of the state.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 9
¾ The CBI action came after the conclusion of an eight-month-long preliminary enquiry registered in August 2023.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) First Information Report (FIR)

¾ It is the premier investigating police agency in India. ¾ It is a written document prepared by the police when
€ It provides assistance to the Central Vigilance they receive information about the commission of
a cognizable offence.
Commission and Lokpal.
¾ It is a report of information that reaches the police
¾ It functions under the superintendence of the
first in point of time and that is why it is called the
Deptt. of Personnel, Ministry of Personnel, Pension First Information Report.
& Public Grievances, Government of India - which ¾ It is generally a complaint lodged with the police by
falls under the prime minister’s office. the victim of a cognizable offence or by someone on
€ However, for investigations of offences under his/her behalf. Anyone can report the commission
the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 its of a cognizable offence either orally or in writing.
superintendence vests with the Central Vigilance ¾ The term FIR is not defined in the Indian Penal
Commission. Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC),
1973, or in any other law.
¾ It is also the nodal police agency in India which
¾ However, in police regulations or rules, information
coordinates investigations on behalf of Interpol recorded under Section 154 of CrPC is known as
Member countries. First Information Report (FIR).
¾ Its conviction rate is as high as 65 to 70% and it is ¾ There are three important elements of an FIR:
comparable to the best investigation agencies in € The information must relate to the commission
the world. of a cognizable offence,

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10 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

€ It should be given in writing or orally to the PM Surya Ghar Yojana

head of the police station, ¾ It is a pioneering government initiative aimed at
€ It must be written down and signed by the installing rooftop solar power systems in one crore
informant, and its key points should be recorded households across the nation.
in a daily diary.
¾ Rooftop solar panels are photovoltaic panels installed
on the roof of a building that is connected to the
Solar Energy to main power supply unit.
It reduces the consumption of grid-connected
Meet Power Demand ¾
electricity and saves electricity costs for the
Why in News? consumer.

The Rajasthan government is looking to increase € Surplus solar power units generated from the
dependence on solar energy from the current 12-14% rooftop solar plant can be exported to the grid
to over 40% of consumption by 2030 to bridge the power as per the metering provisions.
gap. € The consumer can receive monetary benefits for
the surplus exported power as per the prevailing
Key Points regulations.
¾ With urbanisation and industrial growth, electricity
demand in the state may increase by 8 to 10% every
Rajasthan CM Felicitates
year.
€ In the next five years, the scheme for promoting Candidates Selected in
solar production centres among the government
and private sector and the rooftop solar plants
Central Civil Services
scheme will be promoted.
Why in News?
€ These efforts will also reduce dependence on
coal-based plants. Recently, Rajasthan Chief Minister felicitated
¾ According to the plan, subsidised rooftop systems are candidates from the State selected in the Central Civil
to be installed at 500,000 houses in the first phase Services after passing out the 2023 Union Public Service
of PM Suryaghar Yojana in the state. Commission’s examination.
€ In 2023-24, Rajasthan’s commissioned solar capacity ¾ He greeted the young officers at a function in Jaipur by
was over 1,296 megawatt (Mw), according to the dressing them in turbans and shawls, and presenting
state’s renewable energy website, with the best mementos to them.
year being 2021-2022 when the commissioned
solar energy was over 5,398 Mw. The state had Key Points
over 15,195 Mw of aggregate solar capacity till
¾ The Chief Minister called upon the youths to work
December 2023.
with honesty and dedication in all positions where
¾ Rajasthan’s solar energy generation potential has
they are appointed.
been assessed at 142 Gw.
¾ The young officers who attended the function at
€ The state has vast untapped potential in terms of
intense solar radiation with one of the highest the Chief Minister’s official residence shared their
number of sunny days in a year and availability views on issues such as women’s empowerment,
of vast unutilised government and private land. improving the education system, promoting tourism
€ This has the potential to make Rajasthan a highly in Rajasthan, and improving the State’s ranking in the
preferred destination for solar energy production. Centre’s Swachh Survekshan or cleanliness survey.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 11
Swachh Survekshan (SS) 2023 Kuno Cheetah
¾ It was introduced by the Ministry of Housing and Captured in Rajasthan
Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in 2016 as a competitive
framework to encourage cities to improve the Why in News?
status of urban sanitation while encouraging large
One of the Cheetahs from Kuno National Park in
scale citizen participation.
Madhya Pradesh wandered around 50km and ended up
€ Over the years, Swachh Survekshan has emerged
in Karauli, Rajasthan.
as the largest Urban sanitation survey in the
world. ¾ However, it was tranquilized and safely returned the
same evening.
¾ In SS 2023, additional weightage has been given
to source segregation of waste, enhancement of
Key Points
waste processing capacity of cities to match the
waste generation and reduction of waste going to ¾ According to forest department officials, the cheetah
the dumpsites. may have followed a route along the Chambal river,
€ Indicators have been introduced with additional
which flows through Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan’s
weightage on emphasizing the need for phased Karauli.
reduction of plastic, plastic waste processing, € Chambal river is one of the most pollution-free

encourage waste to wonder parks and zero rivers of India.

waste events. € It’s 960 km. long river that originates at the Singar
¾ Ranking of Wards within the cities is also being Chouri peak in the northern slopes of the Vindhya
promoted through SS 2023. mountains (Indore, Madhya Pradesh). From there,
¾ The cities would also be assessed on dedicated it flows in the North direction in Madhya Pradesh
indicators on the issues of ‘Open Urination’ (Yellow for a length of about 346 km and then follows a
Spots) and ‘Open Spitting’ (Red Spots), being faced north-easterly direction for a length of 225 km
by the cities. through Rajasthan.
¾ MoHUA will be promoting cleaning of back lanes € It enters UP and flows for about 32 km before
of the residential and commercial areas. joining the Yamuna River in Etawah District.

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12 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

€ It is a rainfed river
and its basin is
bounded by
t h e V i n d hya n
mountain ranges
and the Aravallis.
The Chambal and
its tributaries drain
the Malwa region
of northwestern
Madhya Pradesh.
€ Tributaries: Banas,
Kali Sindh, Parbati.
€ Main Power
Projects/ Dam:
Gandhi Sagar Dam,
Rana Pratap Sagar
Dam, Jawahar
Sagar Dam, and
Kota Barrage.
€ The National
C h a m b a l
Sanctuary is
l o c ate d a l o n g
river Chambal on
the tri-junction
of Rajasthan,
Madhya Pradesh
and Uttar Pradesh.
It is known
for critically
endangered
gharial, the red-
c ro w n e d ro o f
turtle, and the
endangered
Ganges river
dolphin.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 13
Child Marriages in Rajasthan Illegal Mining in
Why in News? the Aravalli Range
The Rajasthan High Court directed the state Why in News?
government to ensure that no child marriages are
Recently, The Supreme Court verbally stated that
solemnised in the state and that village heads and
illegal mining in the Aravalli range in Rajasthan should
panchayat members would be held accountable if such
be stopped.
marriages happened.
Key Points
Key Points
¾ According to the court’s amicus curiae (impartial
¾ The court’s order came ahead of the Akshay Tritiya adviser), the Rajasthan government tried to deceive
festival on 10th May 2024, as several child marriages the court by recognizing only mountains that were
were solemnised on Akshay Tritiya in Rajasthan. at least 100 meters high as belonging to the Aravalli
¾ The court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation Range, while not including shorter hills in the range.
(PIL) by Just Rights for Children Alliance seeking the € Aravalli is the only geographical feature that stops
court’s intervention to prevent child marriages, noted dry winds from coming to the Gangetic Plains that
that despite the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act come from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
2006, child marriages are still taking place in the state. € Aravalli is a natural barrier. Losing it will transform
€ Under Section 11 of the Prohibition of Child our weather into the arid, dry climate.
Marriage Act 2006, Sarpanch and Panch will be ¾ The court in November 2023 had taken note of
held responsible if they negligently fail to prevent palaeolithic findings in the Aravalli and directed
child marriages from being solemnised. the Archaeological Survey of India to protect the
¾ As per Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Rules 1996, a duty site, which could even be part of national heritage.
is cast upon Sarpanch to restrict child marriages. Aravalli Range
Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 ¾ The Aravallis of Northwestern India, one of the
¾ This Act replaced the Child Marriage Restraint Act, oldest fold mountains of the world, now form
1929 which was enacted during the British era. residual mountains with an elevation of 300m.
¾ It defines a child to mean a male below 21 years to 900m. They stretch for a distance of 800 km.
and female below 18 years. from Himmatnagar in Gujarat to Delhi, spanning
Related Initiatives: Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi, the 692
kilometre (km).
¾ Dhanalakshmi Scheme: It is a conditional cash
transfer scheme for a girl child with insurance ¾ The mountains are divided into two main ranges
coverage. – the Sambhar Sirohi Range and the Sambhar
€ It also aims to eliminate child marriage by offering Khetri Range in Rajasthan, where their extension
parents insurance coverage of medical expenses is about 560 km.
and encouraging the education of the girl child. ¾ These are fold mountains of which rocks are formed
¾ Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): It aims to empower primarily of folded crust, when two convergent
girls through education, health and protection, and plates move towards each other by the process
discourage child marriage. called orogenic movement.

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14 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) € Instead, students falling into the higher income
brackets, with family earnings ranging from Rs
¾ ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, is the premier
organisation for the archaeological research and 8 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, and those exceeding Rs 25
protection of the cultural heritage of the nation. lakh, will now have to pay 15% and 30% of the
tuition fee, respectively.
€ Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites
and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958 governs the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
functioning of ASI. rankings
¾ It administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, ¾ About:
archaeological sites and remains of national € The NIRF is a methodology to rank institutions
importance. across the country based on various parameters.
¾ Its activities include carrying out surveys of
€ NIRF was approved by the Ministry of Education
antiquarian remains, exploration and excavation of
(Erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource
archaeological sites, conservation and maintenance
of protected monuments etc. Development) and launched on 29th September
¾ It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham- 2015.
the first Director-General of ASI. Alexander € It is the first-ever effort by the government to
Cunningham is also known as the “Father of Indian rank Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in
Archaeology”. the country.
¾ Parameters for NIRF Ranking: The weightage for
Vivekananda Scholarship each parameter varies depending on the category
of the institution.
Why in News?
Rajasthan has chosen to reduce the funding for the
Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Academic Excellence,
originally established by the former government as the
Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship for Academic Excellence.

Key Points
¾ Students with a yearly family income exceeding Rs
8 lakh will now need to pay a part of the tuition fee
starting from the next academic session.
¾ The scholarship covered the full tuition fees for 500
talented students from different income groups. It
consisted of 300 scholarships for students studying
overseas and 200 scholarships for those joining the
top 50 institutes in the National Institutional Ranking
Framework (NIRF) rankings.
€ Even though the higher education department
suggested that students from economically
disadvantaged backgrounds should pay 10% of
the tuition fee, the finance department rejected
this proposal.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 15
QS World University Rankings ¾ This spider is found on the green leaves of the Vachellia
¾ About: nilotica (babul) tree. Their green hue aids in blending
within surroundings and ambushing prey, while their
€ The NIRF is a methodology to rank institutions
across the country based on various parameters. long legs allow them to move quickly.
€ NIRF was approved by the Ministry of Education € This spider is nocturnal and feeds on small insects.
(Erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource The climatic conditions in the sanctuary area are
Development) and launched on 29th September extreme, with very hot summers and very cool
2015. winters.
€ It is the first-ever effort by the government to € They are significant insect predators in low shrubs
rank Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in and herbaceous plants, being crucial for controlling
the country. plant-damaging insects and forest ecosystem pests.
¾ Parameters for NIRF Ranking: The weightage for
€ The spiders prey on various types of moths and
each parameter varies depending on the category
their young, such as bollworm moth, leafworm
of the institution.
moth, and looper moth.
¾ QS World University Rankings are released annually
by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
¾ The rankings evaluate the performance and quality
of universities worldwide.
¾ The methodology considers indicators such as academic
reputation, faculty-student ratio, employer reputation,
sustainability, employment outcomes, international
research network, citations per faculty, international
faculty ratio, and international student ratio.
¾ They provide rankings by subject, region, student
city, business school, and sustainability.

Green Lynx Spider The Tal Chhapar Sanctuary

¾ It is situated on the border of the Great Indian
Why in News?
Thar Desert.
Recently, Green Lynx Spider was discovered in Tal ¾ Tal Chhapar is a distinctive shelter of the most
Chhapar, Rajasthan. The spider species has been named
graceful Antelope seen in India, “the Blackbuck”.
Peucetia chhaparajnirvin.
¾ It was given the status of a sanctuary in 1966.
Key Points € Tal Chhapar was a hunting reserve of the erstwhile
royal family of Bikaner.
¾ The spider was found in Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary
in Churu district during fieldwork by Nirmala Kumari. ¾ The “Tal” word is a Rajasthani word meaning
¾ The specimens have been deposited in the entomology plane land.
lab at the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. ¾ This Sanctuary has nearly flat territory and a
¾ The species was identified and described in the Spider combined thin low-lying region. It has open and
Research Lab at JD Patil Sangludkar Mahavidyalaya, wide grasslands with spread Acacia and Prosopis
Daryapur, in the Amravati district. plants that offer it a look of a characteristic Savanna.

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16 State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 www.d rish t i I A S . c o m

Investors’ Summit 2024 € A ‘Wed in India Expo’ will take place on the first
day of the event with the objective to encourage
Why in News? tourists from India and abroad to get married in
The Rajasthan government is planning to host a three- Rajasthan.
day Investors’ Summit in December 2024. The state € On the second and third day of the event, business-
government plans to organise these summits annually to-business meetings will be organised with foreign
to speed up industrialization. tour operators. They will also be offered tours
across Rajasthan.
Key Points
¾ According to the general secretary of All Wedding
¾ The business sector in the state believes that the Industries Federation, Rajasthan, 1.5 to 2 million
regular occurrence of such incidents could potentially weddings take place every year in Rajasthan.
draw attention, effort, and funds away from the € If efforts are made by the tourism industry and
industries department’s other responsibilities, as the state government collectively, Rajasthan can
organising these events involves extensive year-round be promoted as a destination wedding spot. This
planning and preparation. may increase destination weddings by 5-10%.
¾ The task of providing an industry-friendly environment € This will provide new employment opportunities
rigorous engagement starting from policymaking to lakhs of people. The government will also get
to implementation, infrastructure development, revenue and people associated with the hotels
administration and monitoring, dispute resolution and tourism sector will get good business.
and host of other responsibilities.
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce &
¾ The main emphasis should be on developing an
Industry (FICCI)
attractive industrial policy to attract investments from
¾ FICCI is a non-government, not-for-profit organisation
other states to the region. established in 1927.
¾ It is the largest and oldest apex business organisation
Great Indian Travel Bazaar in India whose history is closely interwoven with
India’s struggle for independence, its industrialization,
Why in News? and its emergence as one of the most rapidly growing
The tourism department of Rajasthan will host the global economies.

13 Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) in Jaipur from 5th

th

to 7th May, 2024 to promote tourism in the state. Digital Water

Key Points Distribution System
¾ The department is organising the event jointly with Why in News?
the Centre’s tourism ministry and Federation of
A unique digital water distribution system for
Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci). agricultural fields has been launched in Rajasthan’s
€ The state would showcase cultural events based Sriganganagar district to facilitate the supply of irrigation
on art, tourism and history of Rajasthan. water.

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w w w. d r i s h ti IA S. c om State PCS CA Consolidation MAY 2024 17
Key Points National Informatics Centre (NIC)
¾ The new system, evolved by the National Informatics ¾ NIC provides network backbone and e-Governance
Centre (NIC), Jaipur, will enable the farmers to know support to the Central Government, State
of the status of water reaching their fields and Governments and UT Administrations.
minimise the scope for human error often reported
¾ NIC has been closely associated with the Government
in the manual system.
in different aspects of Governance besides
€ The digital platform would enhance transparency
establishing a Nationwide State-of-the-Art
in distributing water from Gang Canal and Indira
Gandhi Canal to all farmers in the district, resolving information and communication technology (ICT)
issues related to water availability. Infrastructure.
¾ According to the Water Resources Department, the ¾ It has also built a large number of digital solutions
heads of water user associations would enter the to support the government at various levels, making
information about farmers in their respective areas the last-mile delivery of government services to
on the portal only once. After this, the farmers will the citizens a reality.
automatically get their irrigation turn slips online. ¾ It is under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics
€ The online ‘barabandi’ (fixed turn) could be and Information Technology.
expanded and implemented as an equitable water
¾ It was established in 1976 and its headquarters is
distribution system for the benefit of farmers in
other districts of the State as well. located in New Delhi.


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