Ottawa Convention
NATO members Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia plan to withdraw from the Ottawa convention owing to military threat from Russia.
- Officially known as – Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction
- Enforced in 1999.
- Objective –
- Puts obligations on State parties to not use, develop, stockpile anti-personnel mines under any circumstances.
- Also obligates them to destroy such mines.
- India is not a signatory
Muzhara Movement
Recently, the anniversary of the Muzhara movement was observed on March 19.
- Originated in the erstwhile princely state of Patiala, around 1930s.
- Origin – Tenant farmers (Muzharas) of Punjab demanded land ownership rights from the biswedari system under which biswedar (landlord) had share in the land cultivated by the muzharas
- Notable Leaders – Buta Singh, Kirpal Singh, etc.
Sahyog Portal
Central and State governments are issuing orders to block online content through Sahyog portal.
- Mission – Establish an effective system for the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes in India.
- Ministry – Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Features –
- Streamlines the process of sending notices to intermediaries, as per the IT Act, 2000, by the Government or its agencies.
- Enables authorities to remove or disable access to any information, data, or links used for illegal purposes.
- Connects all Authorized Agencies and intermediaries across the country on a single platform to improve efficiency.
Proof of Origin
Ministry of Finance has notified the Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Amendment Rules, 2025.
- Importers now need to submit proof of origin instead of certificate of origin to avail preferential duty rates under trade agreements.
- Ensures that the goods in a shipment are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured, or processed in the exporting country.
- Benefits –
- Indian customs officers can demand additional evidence beyond the provided proof, ensuring greater control and scrutiny.
- Aims to prevent misuse of trade agreements by routing imports through countries like ASEAN, Sri Lanka, UAE, particularly targeting goods from China, to avoid higher tariffs and trade restrictions.
National Board of Accreditation
Madras high court granted an interim stay, restraining National Board of Accreditation (NBA) from publishing the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranking for 2025.
- Established in 1994, under AICTE Act, 1987.
- Made an autonomous institution in 2010.
- Individuals, courses, and institutions are not accredited.
- NBA only accredits programs in Engineering, Computer Application, Pharmacy, Management, Hotel Management and Catering Technology.