Wet Leasing of Aircraft

Paper 2 – Governance

Why You Should Know?

In efforts to boost international air traffic, the civil aviation ministry has allowed Indian airlines to take wide-body planes on wet lease for up to one year.

In detail –

What is wet leasing?

• Wet leasing means taking the plane along with operating crew and engineers, while dry leasing refers to taking only the aircraft on rent.
• The technical term for wet leasing is ACMI which stands for aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance.
• These are the aspects of the operation that the wet lease airline takes care of, while the airline client will still be responsible for paying for direct operating costs such catering and fuel as well as fees such as airport fees, ground handling charges and navigation fees.
• Operations of an aircraft on wet lease are more difficult for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to monitor, which is why it is allowed for shorter durations.

Why has govt extended limit now

• The civil aviation ministry’s decision came on a request by the country’s largest airline, IndiGo.
• The relaxation will be available to all Indian carriers and will be granted based on international destinations they wish to operate to.
• With Covid-related restrictions lifting, international travel is lifting up, and the wet leasing will allow airlines to fly more routes and rounds. Wide-body planes can accommodate more passengers, thereby boosting revenue.

Why airlines lease aircraft

• About half the planes used by airlines around the world are not owned but leased.
• Airlines and aircraft operators prefer leasing planes in order to avoid massive lump sum payments that buying them would entail, and to quickly increase capacity, perhaps temporarily, on certain routes or sectors.

Sources – IE

 

Kerala’s SilverLine rail project

Paper 3 –Infrastructure

Why You Should Know?

The central government has issued an official order asking all officials engaged in the K-Rail project to be redeployed to projects of other departments.

In detail –

What is the Silverline project?

• KRDCL, or K-Rail, is a joint venture between the Kerala government and the Union Ministry of Railways created to execute big railway projects.
• The proposed 529.45-km railway line will link Thiruvananthapuram in the south to Kasaragod in the north, covering 11 districts through 11 stations within four hours, at a speed of 200 km/hr.
• On the existing Indian Railways network, it now takes 12 hours.
• The deadline for the project, being executed by the Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL), is 2025.

Need of  K-Rail

• Urban policy experts have long been arguing that the existing railway infrastructure in Kerala cannot meet the demands of the future.
• Most trains run at an average speed of 45 km/hr due to a lot of curves and bends on the existing stretch.
• The government claims the SilverLine project can take a significant load of traffic off, make travel faster for commuters and reduce congestion on roads.
• The line will have stations in Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam (Kakkanad), Cochin Airport, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur before culminating at Kasaragod.
• The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) has already offered 1 acre for the station there.

Current status of the project

• The state government began the process of land acquisition after the state’s cabinet approval in June 2021.
• Out of 1,383 hectares needed to be acquired, 1,198 hectares will be private land.
• The Cabinet has also approved administrative sanction to get Rs 2,100 crore from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), the central investment arm of the government.
• While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting his ‘personal intervention’ to give all necessary clearances, the Centre has only given in-principle approval to the project.

Protests against SilverLine

• Kerala witnessed violent protests in several parts of the state early this year after the Revenue Department started demarcating the proposed project routes for SIA.
• In many places, the survey had to be suspended as a result.
• A petition signed by 17 Opposition MPs from the state said the project was an “astronomical scam in the making” and would sink the state further into debt.
• The petition, addressed to the Union Railways Minister, said the project was financially unviable and would lead to displacement of over 30,000 families.
• Activists have alleged environmental harm as the route cuts through precious wetlands, paddy fields and hills.
• The Kerala Paristhiti Aikya Vedi, a forum of ecology experts, has urged the government to abandon the project and explore sustainable solutions.
• E Sreedharan, former Delhi Metro head said the present proposal needs a lot of correction, including its basic track width.
• In July, the Railway Board informed the Kerala High Court that it has neither approved nor concurred with SIA and the survey was being held by the Kerala government.
• It submitted the affidavit after the High Court directed the Centre to disclose whether Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd had been instructed by the Board not to be part of SIA for the purpose of the project.
• It said when a state government is conducting SIA, the Centre has no role in it. However, if the K-Rail Corporation, being a company, is involved in SIA and spending its funds for the purpose, such expenditure will be at its own risk and responsibility.

Source – IE

 

Adani group’s Vizhinjam port project

Paper 3 –Environment, Infrastructure

Why You Should Know?

Fishermen are continuously protesting against Adani Group’s Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited in Kerala.

In detail –

What is the Adani Vizhinjam port project

• Then foundation stone of the the Rs 7,525 crore port, being built under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with Adani Ports Private Limited at Vizhinjam on near Thiruvananthapuram, was laid by then Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in December 2015.
• The port is to have 30 berths, and will be able to handle giant “megamax” container ships.
• The Adani Group has said the ultramodern port, located close to major international shipping routes, will boost India’s economy.
• Its location is also of strategic importance. The port is expected to compete with Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai for a share of trans-shipment traffic.
• the port’s advantages are “availability of a 20m contour within one nautical mile from the coast; minimal littoral drift along the coast, hardly any maintenance dredging required; links to national/regional road, rail network; and proximity to international shipping routes.

Why fisherfolk are protesting

• Fisherfolk have been protesting against the project for the past four months, alleging that its construction is causing massive sea erosion, taking away their livelihood and dwellings.
• They want an impact study conducted and the project to remain suspended until the study report comes out.
• The project construction resumed Saturday after a Kerala High Court order allowed it to, causing the standoff that led to Sunday’s violence.
• The fishing community has also put forward six other demands which are –
• rehabilitation of families who lost their homes to sea erosion,
• effective steps to mitigate coastal erosion,
• financial assistance to fisherfolk on days weather warnings are issued,
• compensation to families of those who lose their lives in fishing accidents,
• subsidised kerosene, and
• a mechanism to dredge the Muthalappozhi fishing harbour in Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district.
• The kerosense subsidy has been demanded by claiming that because of the project, fishermen have to venture deeper into the ocean for catch, increasing the fuel cost burden.
• The government has conceded all demands except the kerosene subsidy and halting the construction of the port.

What the govt has said

• The government claims that the port will not cause coastal erosion.
• On Monday, Kerala Port Development Minister Ahamed Devarkovil said an all-party meeting would be held over the issue.
• The district collector was asked to convene an all-party meeting to ensure peace in the region. He would also hold discussions with the agitators.
• The issue is coming up before the high court on Monday. The government would also consider the outcome from the high court before deciding further action.
• The agitators had given an assurance at the high court that they would not obstruct the construction. Now, that assurance to the court has been breached.

Source – IE

 

Aircrafts at risk from 5G internet

Paper 3 –Science & Tech

Why You Should Know?

The aviation and telecom departments will shortly roll out a plan to ensure safe flight operations around airports with 5G airwave infrastructure.

In detail –

What is the threat to planes from 5G?

• The spectrum required for 5G internet service is based on the C band, which occupies the 3.7-3.98 gigahertz (GHz) range of the spectrum.
• On the other hand, to measure the height of an aircraft from the ground, during flight, altimeters are used which operate at 4.2-4.4 GHz.
• Airlines say that since the spectrum band prescribed for 5G internet service will be around the spectrum band required for the operation of the altimeter, the accurate operation of the altimeter may be disturbed.
• Secondly, the altimeter is used not only in measuring the height of the planes but also in automatic landing. Also, it helps in detecting dangerous currents known as wind shear.
• A radio altimeter is an instrument that provides direct height-above-terrain information to various aircraft systems.
• For telecom service providers, the C-Band presents a sweet spot for rolling out 5G services, ensuring coverage as well as high bandwidth, resulting in faster internet speeds.
• For aircraft operations, the use of altimeters in this band ensures highly precise measurements of the plane’s altitude.
• 5G terrestrial signals typically operate at a very heavy power level compared to flight altimeters.

DoT recommendation

• The aviation and telecom departments will shortly roll out a plan to ensure safe flight operations around airports with 5G airwave infrastructure.
• The plan includes telecom companies setting up infrastructure powering 5G networks in the country away from the flight path around airports, carrying low power signals in such areas and a plan to upgrade the altimeter of all aircraft operating in the country by August 2023.
• These are expected to be part of an operational guidelines that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is currently preparing, after India’s aviation regulator flagged concerns about interference that 5G signals could cause, potentially posing a challenge to safe airline operations.
• In June, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) announced a plan that involved these aspects to ensure safe airline operations.
• The DoT is almost ready with an SOP for 5G networks around airports and has indicated that it will address all of DGCA’s concerns.
• It is expected to include setting up 5G establishments a bit further away from airports and lowering the power of 5G signals emitted by these establishments so that there is no interference with flights’ altimeters.
• Airline companies will also be required to upgrade altimeters used in some aircraft being flown in India.
• the company that manufactures it has sought for time till August 2023 to upgrade these devices.

Global Issue

• While the 5G network in India is still in its early days, US aviation authorities have reported about 85 cases of 5G waves impacting flight operations near the airport.
• The DGCA’s issues were in line with concerns raised by the US FAA over the last one year since telecom operators in the US, such as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile etc, began rolling out 5G services.
• In the US, an agreement between the FAA and the telecom operators resulted in a delay in rollout of 5G services in the C-Band near airports that were assessed to be difficult for pilots to make visual approaches.
• Earlier this year, Air India had to cancel some of its flights to the US as airlines globally scrambled to reschedule flights amid concerns that the rollout of 5G mobile services in the US could potentially interfere with aircraft navigation systems.
• Since then, the FAA has issued several directives to airlines to install certain filters or modify their equipment to ensure that 5G airwaves do not interfere with their navigation systems.

Sources – IE

Bluebugging

Paper 3–Science & Tech

Why Should You Know?

Through a process called bluebugging, a hacker can gain unauthorised access to samart phones and laptop devices and control them as per their wish.

In details –

What is bluebugging?

• It is a form of hacking that lets attackers access a device through its discoverable Bluetooth connection.
• Once a device or phone is bluebugged, a hacker can listen to the calls, read and send messages and steal and modify contacts.
• It started out as a threat for laptops with Bluetooth capability. Later hackers used the technique to target mobile phones and other devices.

How does bluebugging hack devices?

• Bluebugging attacks work by exploiting Bluetooth-enabled devices.
• The device’s Bluetooth must be in discoverable mode, which is the default setting on most devices.
• The hacker then tries to pair with the device via Bluetooth.
• Once a connection is established, hackers can use brute force attacks to bypass authentication.
• They can install malware in the compromised device to gain unauthorised access to it.
• Bluebugging can happen whenever a Bluetooth enabled device is within a 10-metre radius of the hacker.
• However, according to a blog by VPN service provider NordVPN,  hackers can use booster antennas to widen the attack range.

How can one prevent bluebugging?

• Turning off Bluetooth and disconnecting paired Bluetooth devices when not in use, updating the device’s system software to the latest version, limiting the use of public Wi-Fi, and using VPN as an additional security measure are some of the ways to prevent bluebugging.
• Most devices make Bluetooth discoverable by default, leaving your devices susceptible to unsolicited connections. So, the first step would be to make your Bluetooth devices undiscoverable from Bluetooth settings. This will keep them invisible to hackers, thereby not letting them pair with the device.
• Users must also watch out for suspicious activities on their devices, NordVPN suggested. If your phone is suddenly disconnecting and reconnecting calls, or if you notice messages that haven’t been sent by you, it could indicate that someone is controlling your device.
• Reset the device to its factory settings or uninstall any apps you don’t recognise.
• One should also monitor sudden spikes in data usage. If the amount of data used suddenly spikes beyond reason, someone could be controlling the device as part of a botnet that eats up data.
• Modern anti-virus softwares can also help thwart such attacks. The new-age antivirus softwares are helping users to detect strange and spam-like content by filtering, blocking and consistently reminding people to be alert.

Which devices are most susceptible to such attacks?

• Any Bluetooth-enabled device can be bluebugged. Wireless earbuds are susceptible to such hacks.
• Apps that enable users to connect to their TWS (True Wireless Stereo) devices or earbuds can record conversations.
• The apps of these TWS devices can record conversations.
• Once hacked, the attacker can make and listen to calls, read and send messages, and modify or steal your contacts.
• Apple also acknowledged earlier that wireless earbuds can record conversations. “An app may be able to record audio using a pair of connected AirPods,” Apple said on its support page while releasing the fixes to the issue.
• However, smartphones are more vulnerable to this type of hacking as most of the users leave their Bluetooth on in public places, where hackers may be lurking.
• Today, several smartphones have their Bluetooth settings on discovery mode, making it easy for hackers to access the phones when they are within 10 metres from the device.
• Some earlier models of Bluetooth phones were vulnerable to bluebugging, but have since been corrected.
• However, devices with short PINs for a password can be easily cracked with brute-force computing and can also be vulnerable to these attacks.

Sources – TH

Harike wetland

Paper 3 – Environment

Why You Should Know?

Migratory birds from different countries have started arriving at Punjab’s Harike wetland, with around 40,000 winged visitors reaching the northern India’s largest wetland so far.

In detail –

• More than 90,000 migratory birds of over 90 different species from different countries, including Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia and other parts of the world arrive at the Harike wetland every year after water bodies get frozen in their native places in winter.
• Harike wetland, spread over 86 square kilometers in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Kapurthala districts, serves as a home to rare species of migratory water birds during the winter season.
• The wetland is situated on the confluence of Sutlej and Beas rivers.
• According to an official of Punjab’s wildlife preservation department, around 40,000 migratory birds have so far arrived at Harike wetland, which is also known as ‘Hari Ke Pattan’.
• The number of migratory birds is expected to rise in the coming weeks, said the official.
• Winged guests like spoonbills, painted storks, coots, common pochard, ruddy shelduck, gadwall, bar headed geese, greylag geese and common teal have arrived, said Gitanjali Kanwar, coordinator, World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) India.

About Harike wetland

• Harike Wetland also known as “Hari-ke-Pattan”, with the Harike Lake in the deeper part of it.
• It is the largest wetland in northern India in the border of Tarn Taran Sahib district and Ferozepur district  of the Punjab state in India.
• The wetland and the lake were formed by constructing the headworks across the Sutlej river in 1953.
• The headworks is located downstream of the confluence of the Beas and Sutlej rivers just south of Harike village.
• it was accorded to this wetland in 1990, by the Ramsar Convention, as one of the Ramasar sites in India, for conservation, development and preservation of the ecosystem.
• The wetland was declared a bird sanctuary in 1982 and named as Harike Pattan Bird Sanctuary with an extended area of 8600 ha.
• Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) carried out research and a bird ringing programme during the period 1980–85.

What is Ramsar recognition?

• Ramsar Sites are wetlands of international importance that have been designated under the criteria of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands for containing representative, rare or unique wetland types or for their importance in conserving biological diversity.
• Ramsar recognition is the identification of wetlands around the world, which are of international importance, especially if they provide habitat to waterfowl (about 180 species of birds).
• There is international interest and cooperation in the conservation of such wetlands and a judicious use of their resources.
• The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (‘Ramsar Convention’ or ‘Wetlands Convention’) was adopted in Ramsar, Iran in February 1971 and came into force in December 1975.
• It provides the only international mechanism for protecting sites of global importance and is thus of key conservation significance.
• The Convention covers all aspects of wetland conservation and ‘wise use’. It has three main ‘pillars’ of activity:
• the designation of wetlands of international importance as Ramsar Sites;
• the promotion of the wise use of all wetlands in the territory of each country; and
• international co-operation with other countries to further the wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Note -Sundarbans in West Bengal is the largest Ramsar site in India.

Sources – TH

Jeypore Ground Gecko

Paper 3 – Environment

Why You Should Know?

A reptile endemic to India, the Jeypore Ground Gecko (Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis), has been included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

In detail –

• The animals listed under Appendix II may not necessarily be threatened with extinction, but trade in such species should be controlled to ensure it does not threaten their existence.
• The proposal to include the gecko in Appendix II was made by India at the recently-concluded 19th Conference of Parties (COP19) to CITES in Panama City. The proposal was adopted by the members of the Working Group.
• In 2019, the Jeypore Ground Gecko was assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species and was listed as ‘endangered’.
• The species is rare and was first described by British officer and amateur naturalist Colonel Richard Henry Beddome in 1878 and rediscovered by a team of researchers led by Ishan Agarwal in 2010 and 2011, after a gap of over 130 years.

Habitat

• The wild reptile species is found in the Eastern Ghats and is known to be present in four locations including southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh.
• Its occurrence is estimated in less than 5,000 square kilometres of fragmented geographical area.
• The species resides below rock boulders in high forested hills at an altitude of 1,100-1,400 metres.
• Surveys indicate a declining trend in the species’ population according to the proposal tabled at COP19.
• A team of researchers tracking the species in the Galikonda and Aaraku valleys of Andhra Pradesh found no individuals, after they visited in 2021, compared to another team which found the species in 2012.
• Also, six individuals that had been spotted earlier near the hill station of Paderu had been reduced to one in 2021.

Illegally trafficked

• the species looks handsome and docile making it a good candidate for the pet trade. The reptile is popular among breeders in and outside India. The international pet trade market makes it increasingly vulnerable for its survival.
• The proposal document also notes habitat loss and degradation, forest fires, tourism, quarrying and mining activity among other reasons for the species’ decline.
• it is very likely that the species is being illegally trafficked. There are no actual figures or volumes of trade market known about the species.

The Working Group proposal

• The Working Group proposal also observed that though there is no official report of live trade in the Jeypore Ground Gecko, its availability with breeder and pet trader communities outside India indicates that the endemic species is likely to be illegally exported out of India from its native habitat in the Eastern Ghats.
• Moreover, the species does not occur in the protected areas described under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, thereby making it highly vulnerable to habitat loss and poaching for domestic and international trade.
• The CITES proposal noted that the species may actually qualify for inclusion in Appendix I, which lists species threatened with extinction.
• However, the listing in Appendix II could be a start to impose regulations on international trade in the species and incurring penalties to prevent illegal export and control the activities in India.
• It also aims to generate data about the international trade demand for the species which, at present, is absent.
• The listing of the species means that the regulation of the illegal trade will hopefully help prevent the gecko from being included in Appendix I in the near future.

Appendix of CITES

• CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls.
• The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need

Appendices I

• Appendix I includes species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

Appendix II

• Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival.

Appendix III

• This Appendix contains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade. Changes to Appendix III follow a distinct procedure from changes to Appendices I and II, as each Party’s is entitled to make unilateral amendments to it.

Sources – DE

 

“Harimau Shakti -2022”

Paper 2 – International Relations

Why You Should Know?

India – Malaysia joint military Exercise “Harimau Shakti -2022” commenced at Pulai, Kluang, Malaysia on 28th November and will culminate on 12th December 22.

In detail –

• Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI is an annual training event between the Indian and Malaysian Army which is being conducted since 2012.
• Combat-experienced troops of the GARHWAL RIFLES Regiment of Indian Army and the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army are participating in the exercise this year to share experiences gained during operations in order to enhance inter-operability in planning & execution of various operations in jungle terrain.

Activities

• The scope of this exercise involves a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain.
• The joint exercise schedule includes the establishment of a joint command post, joint surveillance centre, sharing expertise in employment of aerial assets, technical demonstrations, casualty management & casualty evacuation apart from planning logistics at the Battalion level.
• Joint field training exercises, joint combat discussions and joint demonstrations will culminate with a two-day validation exercise, where special emphasis will be on enhancing tactical skills and enhancing inter-operability between the forces and to promote Army to Army relations.

Significance

• “Exercise HARIMAU SHAKTI” will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and the Malaysian Army, which in turn will further foster the bilateral relations between the two nations.

What is a joint military exercise?

• When two or more troops of the army or the forces of two or more countries unite together to conduct military tests, then it is called joint military exercise.
• Such joint military exercises are conducted specifically for military strategies, training and sharing of military resources as well as to ensure combat readiness of the deployment forces and the security of the country.
• Such exercises are conducted under a number of circumstances during a joint operation with the objective of understanding each other’s institutional structure and war processes, resulting in a high level of partnership.
• It is also a demonstration of the country’s military might, and tries to send messages to other countries. It is also a form of diplomacy, often referred to as military diplomacy. They can be divided into two types-
• Bilateral Exercise – As the name suggests, bilateral exercise is a military exercise taking place between two countries. Example: Indra exercise between India and Russia.
• Multilateral exercise- As the name suggests, it involves the army and army of more than two countries. Example – TSENTR exercise which  was held in Russia between China, Tajikistan,  India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Source – PIB

India-France Annual Defence Dialogue

Paper 2 – International Relations

Why Should You Know?

Recently Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held the 4th India-France Annual Defence Dialogue with Minister of Armed Forces of the French Republic Mr Sebastien Lecornu in New Delhi.

In detail –

• The meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. A wide range of bilateral, regional, defence and defence industrial cooperation issues were discussed in the dialogue.
• The Ministers reviewed the ongoing military-to-military cooperation which has increased substantially in the recent years.
• They discussed means to strengthen maritime cooperation and increase the scope and complexity of bilateral exercises.
• They noted with satisfaction that India and France recently held their bilateral Air Exercise ‘Garuda’ at Air Force Station, Jodhpur successfully.
• During the dialogue, one of the key areas of discussion was defence industrial cooperation with a focus on ‘Make in India’.
• Future collaborations and potential co-production opportunities were discussed. The Ministers agreed that the technical groups from both the countries should meet early next year and take the key cooperation issues forward.
• The Ministers recognised their convergences on number of strategic & defence issues and shared the commitment to work together on enhancing cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
• France is the current chair of Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and both countries cooperate closely in these fora.
• France is one of India’s most trusted strategic partners and both countries look forward to celebrating 25 years of their strategic partnership in 2023.

Sources – PIB

 

Shilp Guru and National Awards

Paper 1 – Art & Culture

Why Should You Know?

Recently 30 Shilp Guru Awards and 78 National Awards for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 were presented to outstanding craftsmen in New Delhi.

In detail –

• The main objective of the awards is to give recognition for their excellence in craftsmanship and valuable contribution to Indian Handicrafts and textiles sector.

About The Shilp Guru Awards

• The Shilp Guru Awards are given to legendary master craftspersons in recognition of excellent craftsmanship, product excellence and the role played by them as gurus in the continuance of crafts to other trainee artisans as a vital part of traditional heritage.
• The Awards were started in 2002, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the resurgence of Handicrafts in India.
• The Award consists of a gold coin, Rs.2.00 lakhs prize money, a Tamrapatra, a shawl and a certificate.
• 30 Shilp Gurus have been selected for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 out of whom 24 are male and 06 are female.

About The National Awards

• The National Awards are being awarded since 1965 for outstanding craftsmanship in different craft categories.
• The main crafts for which the Awards have been given are Metal Engraving, Chikan Hand Embroidery, Khurja Blue Pottery, Mata Ni Pachedi Kalamkari, Bandhani, Tie & Dye ,Hand Block Bagh Print, Warli Art, Stone Dust Painting , Sozni Hand Embroidery, Terracotta, Tanjore Painting, Sholapith, Kantha Hand Embroidery, Palm leaf Engraving, Brass wire inlay on wood, Wood Tarkashi, Madhubani Painting, Gold Leaf Painting , straw craft etc.
• The Award consists of Rs.1.00 lakh prize money, a Tamrapatra, a Shawl and a certificate. 
• 78 craftspersons have been selected for the National Awards for the year 2017, 2018 and 2019 including 02 design innovation awards where a designer and artisan collaborate to create a unique product.

Sources – PIB