Foundation Stone for Project Parasol:
The integrated Solar Dryer and Pyrolysis pilot plant`s foundation stone was recently laid in Chennai.
Highlights:
♦ The pilot is part of the Indo-German `Pyrasol` challenge, which aims to transform urban natural waste into biochar and electricity in smart cities.
♦ With the help of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre, it was given to CSIR-CLRI.
♦ The aim of the project is to develop technology for the joint processing of fibrous organic waste (FOW) and sewage sludge (SS) from Indian smart cities into hygienic and particularly valuable biochar that can be used for power generation, carbon sequestration, and environmental improvement.
Project Pyrasol:
With an integrated and interactive approach, the project focuses on managing and organising collection, care, and disposal systems of city wastes in Indian Smart Cities as well as other city centres.
About Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (STC):
Founded by India and Germany to promote Indo-German R&D collaboration with a focus on enterprise participation, applied research, and technology growth. IGSTC`s flagship initiative, "2+2 Ventures," catalyses innovation-centric R&D projects by combining the strengths of Indian and German research and educational institutions, as well as public and private industries.
J&K Government Employees Will Be Monitored by a Special Task Force:
The government of J&K formed a Special Task Force (STF) to identify and investigate government officials who are involved in any cases involving threats to national security or anti-national activities.
Highlights:
♦ The chairman of the Special Task Force will be the ADGP (CID), J&K, and members will include representatives from the Home Department, Law Department, Justice Member, Parliamentary Affairs, and the concerned department.
♦ The STF will investigate employees accused of engaging in activities that include action under Indian Constitution Article 311(2)(C).
♦ The STF has been charged with gathering such personnel`s records and working with other Terror Monitoring Group (TMG) contributors to identify such individuals.
♦ The cross comes when a number of government officials have been seen in public sharing their political views on the Kashmir dispute in the past.
###National Commission for Minorities
The Delhi High Court has ordered the Centre to fill the vacant positions of chairperson and five other members of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) by July 31, 2021.
Highlights:
♦ In 1978, the Ministry of Home Affairs Resolution called for the establishment of the Minorities Commission (MC).
♦ In 1984, the MC was separated from the Ministry of Home Affairs and placed under the newly formed Ministry of Welfare, which in 1988 removed linguistic minorities from the Commission`s jurisdiction.
♦ The MC became a legislative body in 1992, when the NCM Act was enacted, and it was called the NCM.
♦ The first Statutory National Commission was established in 1993, and five non-secular groups were designated as minority communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Zoroastrians (Parsis).
♦ Jains were officially recognised as a minority group in 2014.
Composition:
NCM is made up of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and five individuals, all of whom must come from minority communities. The Central Government must appoint a total of seven people from among people of eminence, capacity, and dignity.
Tenure:
From the date of assumption of office, each Member is assigned to a workplace for a period of three years.
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