UGC asks universities to hold lectures on loktantra traditions

UGC asks universities to hold lectures on loktantra traditions

• The University Grants Commission (UGC) has urged universities and colleges to hold lectures on themes such as the “ideal king” in Indian philosophy as well as khap panchayat and their “democratic traditions “to celebrate India as the “mother of democracy” on Constitution Day on November 26.
• UGC Chairperson M. Jagadesh Kumar has written to all Governors to “encourage”universities in their States to conduct such lectures.
• The UGC has provided 15 themes on which universities could hold lectures ,and these include the concept of the “ideal king” (rajarsi or seer king or philosopher king) according to Kautilya as well as the Bhagvad Gita, India’s loktantra(self governance),Harappans as the pioneering architects of the democratic system in the world, and khap panchayats and their “democratic traditions”.
• These themes arebased on a book brought out by the Indian Councilof Historical Research (ICHR) on “India: themother of democracy”.

India takes part in Moscow talks on forming ‘inclusive government’ in Afghanistan

• India joined the latest meeting of the ‘Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan’ that was held on Wednesday in the Russian capital.
• The Moscow format —one of the several dialogue platforms on Afghanistan— which began before the Taliban takeover of Kabul, consists of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and India.
• The meeting was announced earlier this month by Zamir Kabulov, Special Representative of the President of the Russiafor Afghanistan. Mr. Kabulov had outlined that the conference would try to discuss some of the negative trends started by the Taliban in the last one year.

India’s G20 presidency will be inclusive, action oriented: Modi

• India’s G20 presidency will be “inclusive, ambitious, decisive, and action oriented”, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who accepted the ceremonial gavel from Indonesian President Joko Widodo during the conclusion of the G20summit in Bali on Wednesday.
• India is taking charge of the G20at a time when the world is simultaneously grappling with geopolitical tensions, economic slowdown, rising food and energy prices, and the long-term ill effects of the pandemic.
• India wouldgive priority to “women led development” on itsG20agenda, which would be driven by the recently unveiled theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
• India is expected to show case it’s geographical and cultural diversity during the year, and will hold approximately 200 G20 meetings at different locations across the country.

At COP27, India and three others oppose‘carbon border tax’

• With the 27th edition of the Conference of Parties(COP) in Sharm El Sheikh nearing its final stages and efforts being ramped up to arrive at a conclusive agreement, a consortium of countries, including India, jointly said on Wednesday that carbon border taxes, which could result in market distortion and aggravate the trust deficit among parties, must be avoided.
• The European Union has proposed a policy called the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to tax products such as cement and steel, which are extremely carbon intensive, with effect from 2026.
• BASIC, a group comprising Brazil, India, South Africa and China, large economies that are significantly dependent on coal, has for several years voiced common concerns and reiterated their right to use fossil fuels during their transition to clean energy.