Daily Prelims 18th January 2024

1) MPLADS (Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) e-SAKSHI Mobile Application: It was launched by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) that allows MPs to propose, track, and oversee projects under MPLAD Scheme.  

• Central Sector Scheme under MoSPI.  
• MPLADS funds used for creation of durable community assets in areas of drinking water, primary education, etc.  
• Atleast 15 percent of MPLADS entitlement allocated for areas inhabited by Scheduled Caste population and 7.5 percent for areas inhabited by ST population.  
• Funds are non-lapsable i.e. if money is not utilised, it gets carried to next year.  
• District authority must inspect atleast 10% of all work under implementation every year. 

2) Chittorgarh Fort: Supreme Court has put a hold on use of explosives for mining of minerals in five-kilometre radius of Chittorgarh Fort.  

• Longest fort in India.  
• One of the six hill forts of Rajasthan, which are part of UNESCO World Heritage Site.  
• Other five include Kumbhalgarh, Sawai Madhopur, Jhalawar, Jaipur, and Jaisalmer.  
• Constructed by Chitrangada of Mori dynasty.  
• Seven gateways built by Rana Kumbha with Ram Pol as final gate.  
• Monuments: Vijaya Stambha, Kirti Stambha, Rana Kumbha’s Palace, Rani Padmini’s Palace.  
• Every year, Jauhar Mela is held in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. 

3) Global Cooperation Barometer 2024 (GCB): Developed by World Economic Forum and McKinsey & Company, GCB 2024 which measures current state of global cooperation along five pillars.  

• Trade and Capital: Cooperation grew through pandemic disruption but slowed in 2023.  
• Innovation and Technology: Flows of data, intellectual property and international students increased cooperation until 2020.  
• Climate and Natural Capital: Rising steadily due to increase in commitments.  
• Health and Wellness: Rose swiftly in response to pandemic.  
• Peace and Security: Declined since 2016 and plummeted recently 

4) Housing Finance Companies (HFCs): RBI issued draft circular on Review of regulatory framework for HFCs and harmonisation of regulations applicable to HFCs and NBFCs.  

• They are corporate entities that operate under the Companies Act 2013.  
• They are NBFC whose financial assets, in the business of providing finance for housing, constitute at least 60% of its total assets.  
• While they were initially regulated by the National Housing Bank (NHB), the responsibility of handling HFCs was transferred to RBI in 2019.