See the sun''s surface rage as solar maximum approaches

About Solar Maximum:

• The sun is a huge ball of electrically charged hot gas. This charged gas moves, generating a powerful magnetic field. 
• The sun goes through a natural solar cycle approximately every 11 years.
• Over the course of 11 years, the magnetic field between the Sun’s northern and southern hemispheres winds up until it becomes so dense that the hemispheres flip. The north hemisphere becomes the south, and vice versa.
• This flipping point marks the Solar Maximum. It occurs approximately halfway through the solar cycle.
• It’s associated with a greater number of sunspots observable on the surface of the sun.
• By contrast, the Solar Minimum, which marks the beginning and end of each Solar Cycle, has fewer sunspots.
• As the sun approaches the solar maximum, we see more brilliant explosions, dark sunspots, loops of plasma, and swirls of super-hot gas.
• Impacts:
• This increased solar activity can cause extreme space weather events, including solar flares and eruptions. 
• It can also disrupt radio communications and the power grid and have serious health consequences for astronauts.

What are Sunspots?

• Sunspots are dark, planet-size regions of strong magnetic fields on the surface of the sun.
• Sunspots form when concentrations of the magnetic field from deep within the sun well up to the surface.
• They consist of a central darker region, known as the umbra, and a surrounding region, known as the penumbra. 
• They can spawn eruptive disturbances such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). 
• These regions of the sun appear darker because they are cooler than their surroundings. 
• The frequency and intensity of sunspots visible on the surface indicate the level of solar activity during the 11-year solar cycle, that is driven by the sun''s magnetic field.

EPFO data breached in 2018 ‘repackaged’ by Chinese cyber agency, probe finds

About the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):

• It is a statutory body that came into existence under the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.
• It is one of the world''s largest social security organisations in terms of clientele and the volume of financial transactions undertaken.
• It is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Labor and Employment. 
• Structure of EPFO:
• The Act and all its schemes are administered by a tripartite board called the Central Board of Trustees.
• The board comprises representatives of the government (both central and state), employers, and employees. 
• The board is chaired by the Union Minister of Labour and Employment, Government of India. 
• The Central Board of Trustees administers a contributory provident fund, a pension scheme and an insurance scheme for the workforce engaged in the organised sector in India, namely the EPF Scheme 1952, the Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS), and the Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI). 
• EPFO is also the nodal agency for implementing Bilateral Social Security Agreements with other countries on a reciprocal basis. 
• Coverage: The schemes offered by EPFO cover Indian workers and international workers (from countries with whom the EPFO has signed bilateral agreements).
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Supreme Court Stays Lok Sabha Privileges Committee Proceedings Against West Bengal Officials On BJP MP''s Complaint Over Sandeshkhali Protest

What is the meaning of Parliamentary Privileges?

• Each House of Parliament and its Committees collectively and members of each House individually enjoy certain rights, privileges, and immunities without which they cannot perform their functions efficiently and effectively.
• The object of parliamentary privilege is to safeguard the freedom, authority and dignity of Parliament.
• They are enjoyed by individual members because the House cannot perform its functions without unimpeded use of the services of its members, and by each House collectively for the protection of its members and the vindication of its own authority and dignity.
• But they are available to individual members only insofar as they are necessary for the House to perform its functions freely without any let or hindrance.
• They do not exempt the members from the obligations to the society which apply to other citizens.
• When any of these rights and immunities, both of the members, individually, and of the assembly in its collective capacity, are disregarded or denied by any individual or authority, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under the law of Parliament.
• Articles 105 and 194 of the Constitution deal with the powers, privileges, and immunities of Members of Parliament and State Legislatures, and their House, Members, and Committees.
• Each House also claims the right to punish actions which, while not breaches of any specific privilege, are offences against its authority or dignity, such as disobedience to its legitimate commands or libels upon itself, its officers, or its members. Such actions, though called ‘breaches of privilege’, are aptly distinguished as ‘contempt’.

About the Committee of Privileges in Parliament:

• This committee consists of 15 members in Lok Sabha(10 in the case of Rajya Sabha) nominated by the Speaker (Chairman in the case of Rajya Sabha).
• In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges.
• Powers and Functions:
• The committee examines every question involving a breach of privilege of the House, or of the members, or of any Committee thereof referred to it by the House or by the Speaker/Chairman. 
• It also determines, with reference to the facts of each case, whether a breach of privilege is involved and makes suitable recommendations in its report.
• It also states the procedure to be followed by the House in giving effect to its recommendations.
• When a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the House, the report of the Committee is presented to the House by the Chairman or, in his absence, by any member of the Committee.
• Where a question of privilege is referred to the Committee by the Speaker, the report of the Committee is presented to the Speaker, who may pass final orders thereon or direct that it be laid on the table of the House.
• The Speaker/Chairman may refer to the Committee any petition regarding the disqualification of a member on the grounds of defection for making a preliminary inquiry and submitting a report to him.
• The procedure to be followed by the Committee in these cases is, so far as may be, the same as that applicable to questions of breach of privilege.

Will the ‘Paruveta Festival’ celebrated in Andhra’s Ahobilam get UNESCO recognition?

About Paruveta Festival:

• The festival, also known as the ‘mock hunting festival’, is celebrated at the Sri Narasimha Swamy temple in the town of Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh.
• It is celebrated by all sections of people, irrespective of their caste.
• It is a festival of communal harmony, as devotees from other religious communities like Muslims also offer prayers to the Lord.
• Origin:
• According to folklore, Lord Vishnu, upon his incarnation as a man-lion (Narasimha) in Ahobilam, married Maha Lakshmi, born as a tribal girl Chenchulakshmi.
• The Kurnool District Gazetteers, published by Government Press in 1881, record several beliefs of the Chenchu tribes, including their reverence for Ahobila Narasimha as their brother-in-law and inviting him home for Makar Sankranti.
• While Paruveta rituals are commonly observed in many temples during Vijayadashami or Sankranti, at Ahobilam, it is conducted for a ‘mandala’ (forty days).
• Activities:
• During the festival, the deity from the temple''s inner sanctum is taken to the 32 Chenchu tribal villages surrounding Ahobilam town for a duration of 40 days.
• The spiritual sojourn starts with the tribals aiming their bow and shooting two arrows at the palanquin, not only as a mark of reverence but also to show that the deity is under their protective cover.
• Chenchus take ‘Narasimha Deeksha’ by wearing yellow robes and ‘Tulasi Mala’ and observe celibacy during this period.
• The temple staff stay in these hamlets for the entire period, indicating the presence of a casteless society in the past with no hint of untouchability.

Key Facts about Chenchu Tribes:

• They live in the hills of southern India, primarily in the state of Andhra Pradesh. 
• Other Chenchu communities can be found in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Orissa. 
• Their native language (also called Chenchu) belongs to the Dravidian language family. Many also speak Telugu.
• Many Chenchu have been forced out of their traditional wandering, food-gathering lives by the growing number of peasant farmers. They now work as farmers or forest labourers.
• They live in hive-shaped houses made of wattle thatch (poles intertwined with twigs, reeds, or branches).
• Chenchu society consists of clans (extended family units), local groups, and families.
• They are exogamous, which means that they do not allow marriage within the same clan.
• They are also patrilineal, tracing the line of descent through the males.

The rise of smishing: How scammers are targeting your smartphone with deceptive texts

About Smishing:

• It is a form of phishing that targets individuals through text messages or SMS.
• It is just like phishing emails, smishing messages aim to trick you into divulging personal information or downloading malware onto your device.
• It is done in through following ways:
• Fake alerts and warnings: Scammers send texts pretending to be from legitimate institutions like banks, government agencies, or delivery services. They''ll claim there''s a problem with your account or a package delivery, prompting you to click on a link for more information.
• Urgent requests: Smishers play on your emotions by creating a sense of urgency. They might promise prizes, warn of impending legal action, or claim your account is compromised, pressuring you to act quickly without thinking.
• Exploiting current events: During tax season, scammers might pose as the income tax officers, offering tax refunds or threatening penalties if you don''t respond immediately. Similarly, they might capitalise on natural disasters or health crises to solicit donations or spread misinformation.
• How to identify and stay safe from smishing?
• Poor grammar and spelling: Many smishing messages contain grammatical errors or spelling mistakes, indicating that they may not be from a legitimate source.
• Unsolicited requests for personal information: Be wary of messages that request sensitive information like passwords, Social Security numbers, or banking details. Legitimate organisations typically won''t ask for this information via text message.
• Suspicious links: Hover over any links in the message (without clicking them) to see the URL. If it looks suspicious or doesn''t match the purported sender, it''s likely a smishing attempt.
• Verify the sender: Before clicking on any links or providing sensitive information, verify the sender''s identity. Contact the institution directly using official contact information to confirm the legitimacy of the message.
• Keep software updated: Ensure your smartphone''s operating system and security software are up to date to protect against malware and other threats. Consider installing reputable antivirus apps for an added layer of protection.

Centre increases Fair and Remunerative Price of sugarcane; will be in force from October 1

About Fair and Remunerative Price:

• It is the price declared by the government, which mills are legally bound to pay to farmers for the cane procured from them.
• Who determines it? The FRP is fixed by the Union government (Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)) on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
• The payment of FRP across the country is governed by the Sugarcane Control Order, 1966 which mandates payment within 14 days of the date of delivery of the cane.
• Mills have the option of signing an agreement with farmers, which would allow them to pay the FRP in instalments.
• Delays in payment can attract an interest of up to 15 per cent per annum, and the sugar commissioner can recover unpaid FRP as dues in revenue recovery by attaching properties of the mills.
• The amended provisions of the Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966 provide for fixation of FRP of sugarcane having regard to the following factors: -
• cost of production of sugarcane
• return to the growers from alternative crops and the general trend of prices of agricultural commodities
• availability of sugar to consumers at a fair price
• price at which sugar produced from sugarcane is sold by sugar producers;
• recovery of sugar from sugarcane;
• the realisation made from the sale of by-products viz. molasses, bagasse and press mud or their imputed value
• reasonable margins for the growers of sugarcane on account of risk and profits

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurates the Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana under the Skill India Mission

About Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana:

• It is tailored specifically for beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi scheme, this unique National Entrepreneurship Development Project underscores the government''s steadfast commitment to nurturing job providers across the nation. 
• Aim: It aims to equip individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training, creating job providers rather than job seekers.
• This initiative focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees to enhance their competitiveness and adaptability in an era of disruptive technology.
• It will offer comprehensive entrepreneurship training over a period of 22 weeks, combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure through experiential learning.
• The training will be conducted through offline, online and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion, enhancing the course''s credibility and value.
• The Government of India has partnered with Flipkart to skill street vendors and small shopkeepers.
• Under the pilot program, street vendors in 10 big cities of the country will be given a stipend along with training to expand their businesses.

The new protocol can reduce the breeding cycle of pigeon pea by 3-5 years, important for nutritional security in drylands

About Pigeon pea:

• It is also called arhar and tur in India.
• It is an important legume crop and protein-rich food which is primarily consumed as dal in India.
• It is predominantly a crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated in semi-arid regions of India.
• Climatic conditions
• Rain: It requires 600-650 mm of annual rainfall along with moist conditions for the initial eight weeks and dry conditions during its flowering and pod development phase.
• Temperature: It can be grown with a temperature ranging from 26⁰C to 30⁰C in the rainy season and 17⁰C to 22⁰C in the post-rainy (November to March) season.
• Soil: It can be grown on all types of soil; however, sandy loam or loam soil is most suitable for its cultivation.
• It is very sensitive to low radiation at pod development, therefore flowering during the monsoon and cloudy weather, leads to poor pod formation.
• It is commonly intercropped with a wide range of crops. In India, it was estimated that 80 - 90 % of the pigeon pea were intercropped.
• The important diseases of Pigeon pea are Wilt, Sterility mosaic disease, Phytophthora blight, Alternaria blight and Powdery mildew etc.
• Concern: The Pigeon pea’s long growth cycle and sensitivity to day length have hindered breeding efforts, with only about 250 varieties released globally over six decades.
• Health benefits: It has a low glycaemic index and is rich in thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, folate, vitamin A, calcium, zinc, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.
• Major Pigeon pea-producing states: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand.

New protocols of ICRISAT

• The new convention promises to substantially cut the time required to develop new Pigeon pea lines with desirable traits, effectively bringing food to dryland communities faster.
• The new protocol shortens the breeding and control over factors like photoperiod, temperature, humidity, and breeding cycle to 2 to 4 years while the traditional Pigeon pea breeding takes up to 13 years.