Daily Prelims 22nd February 2024

Prelims Booster

1. Buddha’s Relics:

• In a historic and momentous event, the revered relics of Lord Buddha, along with those of his esteemed disciples, Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana, are set to embark on a sacred journey to Thailand.  
• This unprecedented exposition marks the first time that the holy relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples will be showcased together. 
• It is another historic milestone in India-Thailand relations and will further boost cultural and spiritual relations between the two countries. 
• Additionally, the holy relics of Arahata Sariputra and Arahata Maudgalayana, currently residing at Sanchi, have been brought to Delhi in preparation for their journey to Thailand, further enriching this sacred expedition.

2. Finance Commission:

• The Sixteenth Finance Commission was constituted on 31.12.2023 with Shri Arvind Panagariya, former Vice-Chairman, NITI Aayog as its Chairman. 
• As per the clause (1) of article 280 of the Constitution, the Finance Commission is to be constituted every fifth year or earlier. 

Terms of Reference for the Sixteenth Finance Commission: The Finance Commission shall make recommendations as to the following matters, namely: 

• The distribution between the Union and the States of the net proceeds of taxes which are to be, or may be, divided between them under Chapter I, Part XII of the Constitution and the allocation between the States of the respective shares of such proceeds; 
• The principles which should govern the grants-in-aid of the revenues of the States out of the Consolidated Fund of India and the sums to be paid to the States by way of grants-in-aid of their revenues under article 275 of the Constitution for the purposes other than those specified in the provisos to clause (1) of that article; and 
• The measures needed to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State to supplement the resources of the Panchayats and Municipalities in the State on the basis of the recommendations made by the Finance Commission of the State.

3. Anoxic Marine Basins :

• An anoxic basin is a body of water without oxygen. 
• Permanent anoxic basins form when there is a strong layering of the water column created in a cup-like formation on the ocean floor. 

• • The layering is caused by density differences due to salt concentration or temperature. 
  • Once stratification occurs, circulation with the rest of the ocean is minimised, and microorganisms consume the oxygen in the water.  

• In most anoxic basins, the water is extremely stagnant and can have mixing times of many thousand years. 
• They range from a few hundred metres to several kilometres across and from 10 metres to 500 metres deeper than the surrounding seafloor. 

• They can’t support animal life and are populated primarily by microbes and some very specialised fungi with different metabolisms than creatures in oxygen-rich environments. 

• • Some of them rely on molecules such as nitrate for respiration, and some get their carbon from gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) instead of eating other organisms or particles of organic matter. 

• Many anoxic basins also contain toxic chemicals, which are produced by geothermal activity or by microbes living in the basins. 
• Some also contain salt domes, big mounds of hardened salt.  
• In some anoxic basins, methane and other gases collect in reservoirs beneath the seafloor. 

• • The gases can percolate upward, pushing up domes of sediment on the seafloor that are called mud volcanoes. 
  • The gases can burst through the soft sediments, creating “mini-eruptions“ of wispy columns of sediment-filled water. 

Places in News 

Brazil :

• Brazil is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. 
• Its capital is Brasília. 
• It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile. 
• Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations, the G20, BRICS, Union of South American Nations, Mercosul etc.