The Indian tectonic plate is breaking into two. It''s happening beneath Tibet.

• Researchers unveiled new seismic data indicating that the Indian tectonic plate is splitting in two beneath the Tibetan plateau.
• Indian Tectonic Plate is a minor tectonic plate.
• The collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate about 50 million years ago resulted in the erection of the Himalayan Mountains.
• As the Indian plate is still active today and drifts at a velocity of about 5 cm per year, earthquakes occur in the northern part of the plate.
• It is bound by four major tectonic plates. North of the Indian plate is the Eurasian plate; to the south east is the Australian plate; to the south-west is the African plate; and to the west is the Arabian plate.
• As the Indian plate moves northward relative to the Eurasian plate and collides with it, a convergent boundary is created.
• On the opposite side, the Indo-African boundary is divergent.
• The western Indo-Arabian boundary is lateral relative to each other, giving rise to a transform boundary.
• It was previously thought that the Indian and Australian plates formed one single plate as there is no clear type of boundary but recent seismologic evidence suggests that the two plates will have a transform boundary, as the drift velocities of these two plates are different even if the general direction of motion of the two plates is similar.

Are SFIO Officers Police Officers Under Code Of Criminal Procedure? Supreme Court Leaves Question Of Law Open.

• The Supreme Court, while dismissing a petition for quashing a complaint filed by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), has left a crucial question of law open i.e., whether SFIO are police officer(s) under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
• Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is a corporate fraud investigating agency set up by the Government of India.
• The SFIO was established on 21st July, 2015,and operates under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• Section 211 of the Companies Act, 2013, accorded a statutory status to the SFIO.
• Objective: The core objective of the SFIO is to be an investigative and law enforcement agency to detect and prosecute or recommend to prosecute white-collar frauds or crimes.
• Headquarters: The headquarters of SFIO is in New Delhi, with five regional offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
• SFIO can also take up cases on its own only when decided by the Director of the SFIO, and also give the reasons for taking up the case in writing.
• Upon assignment of a case to the SFIO, no other investigative agency can proceed with an investigation for any offence under the Act.
• Types of Investigations: SFIO will usually take up the following types of cases sent by the Central Government:
• Complex cases needing investigation across multi-discipline and inter-departmental affairs.
• Cases with a huge monetary impact on the public.
• Cases where investigation can lead to the cleaning up of systems and the implementation of changes in laws and procedures.
• Serious fraud cases sent by the Department of Company Affairs.
• The Central Government can ask the SFIO to investigate a company in the following cases:
• When it receives a report from the Registrar or Inspector under Section 208 of the Companies Act 2013.
• When the company itself passes a special resolution and requests an investigation.
• Where there is a huge monetary impact on the public or for other large-scale public interest cases.
• When any Central Government or State Government department makes a request for an investigation.

President of India to confer Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar.

• The President of India to confer Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 to 19 children for their exceptional achievement in six categories.
• The awards are given to children in the age group 5 – 18 years for their excellence in seven categories for Bravery, Art & Culture, Environment, Innovation, Science & Technology, Social Service and Sports.
• Objective: Encourage children who had shown exceptional achievement in any field including academics, arts, culture and sports etc.

The two categories covered under these Awards are as follows:

Bal Shakti Puraskar (earlier called National Child Award) –

• These awards are to be given as recognition to children with exceptional abilities and outstanding achievement in the fields of innovation, scholastic achievements, sports, arts & culture, social service and bravery which deserves recognition.
• Each awardee will be given a medal, a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000/-, book vouchers worth Rs. 10,000/-, a certificate and citation.

Bal Kalyan Puraskar (earlier called National Child Welfare Award)

• Individual - These Awards are given as recognition to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution towards service for children in the field of Child Development, Child Protection and Child Welfare for not less than 7 years and have a positive impact on the lives of children.
• The number of awards would be three. The award consists of a cash prize of Rs. 1, 00,000/ - (one lakh), a citation and a certificate to each awardee.
• Institution - These awards are given to institutions who have done exceptional work for the cause of children in any field of child welfare. The number of awards would be three.
• The award for institution consists of a prize of Rs. 5,00,000/ - each and a citation and a certificate.

Japan becomes 5th country to land on the Moon.

• Japan landed a spacecraft called SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) on the lunar surface, becoming the 5th country after the Soviet Union, the US, China and India to achieve a soft landing on the moon.
• SLIM was launched by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in September 2023 aboard the H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima spaceport.
• It aims to demonstrate precision landing within 100 metres through new technologies.
• It also carried two mini robotic rovers developed by Sony and Tomy for reconnaissance.
• The mission aims to revitalise Japan''s space program which suffered setbacks like the failure of the flagship H3 rocket in March 2023.

Objectives:

• The mission aims to observe X-rays coming from deep space and to identify their wavelengths with unprecedented precision.
• It will use state-of-the-art spectroscopy to measure changes in the brightness of celestial objects at different wavelengths.
• It detects X-rays with energies ranging from 400 to 12,000 electron volts. (For comparison, the energy of visible light is 2 to 3 electron volts.)
• This range will provide astrophysicists with new information about some of the universe''s hottest regions, largest structures, and objects with the strongest gravity.

Future Moon Missions:

• ISRO (India): LUPEX with JAXA, Chandrayaan-4
• NASA (USA): Lunar Trailblazer Mission, Viper Rover, Artemis 2-6 (Manned mission).
• ROSCOSMOS (Russia): LUNA 26-28, ORYOL
• CNSA (China): Chang''e 6-8
• JAXA (Japan): Destiny+

What is the Nagara style, in which Ayodhya’s Ram temple is being built

• The Ram temple in Ayodhya will be inaugurated on January 22. The complex is in the Nagara style of temple architecture, designed by 81-year-old Chandrakant Sompura and his 51-year-old son Ashish.
• Nagara architecture is a classical architecture of temple design in northern India, contrasted with Dravida architecture in southern India.
• Nagara temples have a shikhara (mountain peak) over the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), a circumambulatory passage around it, and one or more mandapas (halls).
• Shikhara is a symbolic representation of the cosmic order and the divine presence.
• These modes are scholastic classifications, not rigid categories. There is much variation and innovation within and across these modes.
• There are five modes of shikhara design: Valabhi, Phamsana, Latina, Shekhari, and Bhumija.
  • Valabhi and Phamsana are Early Nagara modes, derived from barrel-roofed wooden structures.
  • Latina is a single, slightly curved tower with four equal sides, dominant for three centuries.
  • Shekhari and Bhumija are composite Latinas with attached sub-spires or miniature spires, creating a complex and ornate appearance.