Indo–Lanka Accord (1987)
Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations
Context
- Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka have urged India to sustain pressure for full implementation of the Indo-Lanka Accord.
Indo–Lanka Accord (1987)
- The Indo-Lanka Accord was a bilateral agreement signed in July 1987 between Rajiv Gandhi and J. R. Jayewardene
- Mandate – to address the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.
- Objectives: The Accord aimed to resolve the long-standing conflict between the Sinhalese-majority government and Tamil minorities.
Key Provisions:
- It sought to ensure the devolution of political powers to provinces in order to provide greater regional autonomy.
- It granted official status to the Tamil language alongside Sinhala.
13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution (1987)
- The 13th Amendment was enacted in 1987
- Objective – to operationalise the provisions of the Indo–Lanka Accord and provide a constitutional framework for devolution.
Key Features:
- The Amendment established Provincial Councils in all nine provinces to facilitate decentralised administration.
- It introduced a three-fold distribution of powers through the Provincial List, Reserved List, and Concurrent List, broadly resembling the Indian federal structure.
- It enabled the transfer of several functional subjects such as education, agriculture, health, and local governance to the provincial level.
National Medical Commission (NMC)
Syllabus: GS2/ Governance
Context
- The National Medical Commission (NMC) has proposed amendments to the Registration of Medical Practitioners and Licence to Practice Medicine (Amendment), Regulations, 2026, aiming to expand medical education capacity while strengthening quality standards.
National Medical Commission (NMC)
- It is India’s apex statutory body responsible for regulating medical education, professionals, and institutions.
- It was established in 2020, under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI) to streamline governance and improve the quality of healthcare nationwide.
It operates through four autonomous boards;
- Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB)
- Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB)
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB)
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB)
Structure of NMC: The NMC consists of;
- A Chairperson.
- 10 ex-officio members (including representatives from ministries and institutions).
- 22 part-time members (including State representatives and experts).
Odisha: 1st State to Launch Marine Spatial Plan
Syllabus: GS3/Environment
Context
- The Odisha government recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Centre for Coastal Research under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences to launch a Marine Spatial Plan (MSP) in the state for integrated coastal and marine planning.
About
- The plan covers Odisha’s 550+ km coastline, aiming to balance economic activities with the protection of ecologically sensitive zones like Chilika Lake, Bhitarkanika, and Gahirmatha.
Core Objectives
- Blue Economy Growth: Promoting sustainable development in sectors like fisheries, tourism, ports, and renewable ocean energy.
- Conflict Resolution: Reducing overlap and disputes between different stakeholders, such as traditional fishing communities and industrial port developers.
- Climate Resilience: Strengthening the protection of coastal ecosystems that serve as natural buffers against frequent cyclones and sea-level rise.
- SDG Alignment: Supports Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).
Lumpongdeng Island
Syllabus: GS1/Geography
Context
- After protests by conservation groups, the Meghalaya government dropped the proposed luxury resort project on Lumpongdeng Island.
Lumpongdeng Island
- Location – It is located in Umiam Lake, a manmade reservoir formed in the early 1960s by damming the Umiam River for a hydroelectric project, about 20 km from Shillong.
- The island is characterised by coniferous vegetation and lies near the centre of the lake.
Leave a Reply