World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025

Context:

India will host the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) for the first time next year from 5-9 February 2025.

World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 

• It is the world’s first convergence event for the entire Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector. 
• It will be a key forum for promoting collaboration, innovation, and discussions among various stakeholders in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry.
• It aims to propel India's Media & Entertainment (M&E) industry to even greater heights.
• The summit will promote India as a one-stop destination for content creation, Investment destination and leverage ‘Create in India’ opportunities as well as for global outreach. 
• Earlier in August 2024, 25 Challenges was launched as part of the ‘Create in India Challenge - Season 1’ for the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES)

Key Pillars of the WAVES

• Broadcasting & Infotainment
• Digital Media & Innovation
• AVGC-XR (Augmented Reality/ Virtual Reality-Metaverse & Extended Reality
• Films

813th Urs of Sufi saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti

Context: 

The 813^th Urs of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, commemorating his death anniversary began with the customary flag ceremony on 28th December at Ajmer, Rajasthan. 

Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti

Moinuddin was born in Sistan in modern-day Iran in 1141 A.D. He is said to have been a descendant of Prophet Muhammad. 

By the age of 20, Moinuddin had travelled far and wide studying theology, grammar, philosophy, ethics, and religion in seminaries at Bukhara and Samarkand. 

He became the Murid (disciple) of Usman Harooni, a revered Sufi master of the Chishti order, near Herat (present-day Afghanistan). 

He was initiated into the Chishti silsila (chain of spiritual descent), after which his mentor left and set Moinuddin on his own path.

• The Chisti order was founded by Abu Isaq Shami in Chisti, in Herat present-day western Afghanistan. 

He came to India at the time of the Ghori conquest and finally settled in Ajmer around 1206.

Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti introduced Chishti Silsila in India which was one of the popular Sufi orders (Silsila) in India.

His generosity and amazing acts of selflessness earned Muinuddin the title of Gharib Nawaz, or friend of the poor. 

The successor of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti in Delhi was Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.

Some of the books of the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti:

• Anis al-Arwah: Deals with the Islamic code of living
• Dalil al Arifin: Deals with Islamic code of living

Rajasthan’s M-sand Policy 2024

Context:

Recently, the Rajasthan government introduced the M-Sand Policy 2024 to support the manufactured sand (M-sand) industry.

M-sand

• M-Sand is produced through the crushing of rocks, overburden and construction waste using shaping, screening, and classifying methods.
• It offers an eco-friendly, high-quality construction material that meets the demands of the industry without putting undue strain on river ecosystems.
• It offers a simple and affordable substitute for river sand. 
• It will minimize harm to river ecosystems by managing the use of river sand judiciously and decreasing reliance on it. 

Rajasthan M-sand Policy 2024

• The policy aims to increase M-sand production to 30 MT annually by 2028-29 (currently state produces only around 13 million tonnes per annum).
• The total demand for river sand in Rajasthan currently stands at approximately 70 million tonnes (MT) per annum.
• The policy aims to incentivize M-Sand units, simplify regulations, and promote quality standards.

Government initiative for M-sand

• A minimum of 25% of the quantity of sand used in various construction works carried out by the State Government, financed by the State Government will have to be M-Sand. It will be increased to 50% in a phased manner by 2028-29.
• As one-time assistance, the state will bear 50 per cent of a manufacturer’s fundraising effort and up to a maximum of Rs 5 lakh.
• It also offers stamp duty exemption up to a limit and full exemption on electricity duty for seven years.
• M-Sand units will also receive a 75% reimbursement of state tax due for 10 years.

SVAMITVA Scheme

Context:

Recently, the Prime Minister of India e-distributed over 58 lakh SVAMITVA Property Cards through video conferencing.

Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) Scheme

• This Central Sector scheme was launched on 24th April 2020 (on the National Panchayati Raj Day) for implementation during 2020-21 in 9 states.
• Later, on 24th April 2021, this scheme was extended to all the remaining states of India.
• It is implemented with the collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Department, State Panchayati Raj Department and Survey of India (SoI).
• It aims to provide rural people with the “Record of Rights” of their residential properties so that they can use their property for economic purposes.
• Under this scheme mapping of land parcels using drone technology is done by the Survey of India.

Benefits:

• The scheme fosters property monetization, facilitates access to bank loans, minimizes property disputes, and promotes comprehensive village-level planning.