TNPSC Current Affairs February 08, 2018

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs February 08, 2018 (08/02/2018)

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Topic : India’s Cultural Panorama, Latest Diary of Events, Profile of States

Mahamastakabhisheka

88th Mahamastakabhisheka (head anointing ceremony) of the monolithic statue of Lord Bahubali has begun at Shravanabelagola, Karnataka.

About Mahamastakabhisheka:

The mastakabhisheka is held once in 12 years. One of the biggest festivals for the Jain community, it honors Lord Bahubali, a revered Jain icon.

According to Jain texts, Bahubali attained liberation from the cycle of births and deaths (moksha) at Mount Kailash and is revered as a liberated soul (Siddha) by the Jains.

Bahubali is also called Gommateshwara because of the Gommateshwara statue dedicated to him and as lord “Kammateswara” from an inscription.

The Gommateshwara statue was built by the Ganga dynasty minister and commander Chavundaraya; it is a 57-foot monolith situated above a hill in Shravanabelagola in the Hassan district, Karnataka state, India.

It was built in around 981 A.D. and is one of the largest free-standing statues in the world.

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Topic : Indian Army and Defense activities, Latest Diary of events

Prithvi-II

India has successfully test-fired it’s indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile as part of a user trial by the Army from a test range in Odisha.

About Prithvi-II:

Inducted into the Armed forces of the country in 2003, the nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled Prithvi-II is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is thrusted by liquid propulsion twin engines.

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Topic : Latest Diary of Events, India’s Foreign Policy

Minamata Convention

The Union cabinet has approved a proposal for ratification of the Minamata Convention, a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects of mercury.

After joining the Convention, it will now be easier for India to get technological or financial assistance to address issues related to mercury.

About Minamata convention:

The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a multilateral environmental agreement that addresses specific human activities which are contributing to widespread mercury pollution.

Implementation of this agreement will help reduce global mercury pollution over the coming decades.

The Minamata Convention is named after the Japanese city of Minamata, which experienced a severe, decades-long incidence of mercury poisoning after industrial wastewater from a chemical factory was discharged into Minamata Bay.

The wastewater contained methylmercury, which bioaccumulated in fish and shellfish in the bay.

Local people who consumed seafood from Minamata Bay became very sick, and many died or were left severely disabled.

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Topic : Awards and Honours, Latest Diary of Events

Pudumadam – Best Panchayat in Tamil Nadu – National Award

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has selected Pudumadam, a coastal village panchayat in the district, as one of the best panchayats in the State and for the prestigious ‘Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Sashaktikaran Puraskar (DDUPSP) – 2018’.

The village panchayat in Mandapam block was one among the six panchayats in the State selected for the award.

Key facts:

Pudumadam is a village in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located of National Highway 47 in road Rameshwaram.