Assam and North East Current Affairs & GK- August 13-15, 2024
(Covers all important Current Affairs & GK topics for August 13-15, 2024)
New Orchid Species Discovered in Sikkim
A unique orchid species- Gastrodia indica, was recently discovered in Fambonglho Wildlife Sanctuary, Sikkim, by botanist Madhusudan Khanal.
About Gastrodia indica:
- Gastrodia indica was found at an altitude of 1,950 to 2,100 meters.
- It is the first orchid from India that never opens its flower.
- This is the first cleistogamous species of the genus Gastrodia discovered from India.
- The Gastrodia genus is known for terrestrial, herbaceous, and holomycotrophic orchids.
- Cleistogamous plants are highly specialized, as they do not depend on external pollinators like insects or wind for reproduction.
- Gastrodia indica is a holomycotrophic plant, meaning it depends entirely on fungi for its nutrients because it lacks chlorophyll.
- It grows in moist, decaying leaf litter and is found near tree species like Magnolia doltsopa and Acer campbelli.
- Gastrodia indica faces potential threats due to its limited population and specific habitat requirements.
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): 2024
Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024.
National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 were released for 16 categories this year, three more than last year, with open universities, skill universities, and State public universities being the three new categories.
NIRF Ranking 2024:
- Engineering Institutes: IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay
- Universities: IISc, Bengaluru JNU, New Delhi, JMI New Delhi
- Overall Institutes: IIT Madras, IISc, Bengaluru, IIT Bombay
- Management Institutes: IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kozhikode
- Medical Colleges: AIIMS, New Delhi PGIMER, Chandigarh Christian Medical College, Vellore
- Colleges: Hindu College, Delhi Miranda House, Delhi St. Stephen’s College, Delhi
- State Universities: Anna University, Chennai Jadavpur University, Kolkata Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
- Law Institutes: National Law School of India University, Bengaluru National Law University, Delhi NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad
- Architecture and Planning Institutes: IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur, NIT Calicut
- Open Universities: IGNOU, Netaji Subhash Open University, Kolkata Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, Ahmedabad
- Innovation: IIT Bombay IIT Madras IIT Hyderabad
- Agriculture and Allied Sectors: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi ICAR- National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
- Research Institutes: IISc, Bengaluru IIT Madras IIT Delhi
- Medical: AIIMS Delhi topped the category.
- Dental: Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, and Manipal College of Dental Sciences retained the top two positions. Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi, secured third position.
About NIRF:
- Introduced by: Ministry of Education, Government of India, in 2015
- Aims to provide a fair and transparent assessment of higher education institutions in India.
- Evaluation Parameters: NIRF evaluates institutions based on five broad categories.
- Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR)
- Research, Professional Practice, and Collaborative Performance (RPC)
- Graduation Outcomes (GO)
- Outreach and Inclusivity (OI)
- Perception (PR)
Gallantry Awards 2024
President Smt Droupadi Murmu has approved 103 Gallantry awards to Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces personnel on the eve of Independence Day 2024.
These are: four Kirti Chakras including three posthumous; 18 Shaurya Chakras including four posthumous; one Bar to Sena Medal (Gallantry); 63 Sena Medals (Gallantry) including two posthumous; 11 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry); and six Vayu Sena Medals (Gallantry).
Gallantry Awards
Kirti Chakra
- Total Awards: 4 (including 3 posthumous)
- Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-II, renamed Kirti Chakra in 1967.
- Awarded for conspicuous gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy.
- The medal is circular in shape, made of standard silver. The obverse features an embossed replica of the Ashoka Chakra surrounded by a lotus wreath.
- The ribbon is green, divided into three equal parts by two orange vertical lines.
Shaurya Chakra
- Total Awards: 18 (including 4 posthumous)
- Instituted in 1952 as Ashoka Chakra Class-III, renamed in 1967. Awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy. The medal is circular in shape with the Ashoka Chakra in the center, surrounded by a lotus wreath.
- Ribbon is green divided by three vertical lines. Bars are awarded for subsequent acts of gallantry.
Sena Medal (Gallantry)
- Total Awards: 64 (including 2 posthumous and 1 Bar).
- Awarded to personnel of the Indian Army for acts of bravery or exceptional service.
- The Bar recognizes additional acts of bravery.
Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry)
- Total Awards: 11
- Gallantry award for the Indian Navy, recognizing exceptional devotion to duty or courage.
Vayu Sena Medal (Gallantry)
- Total Awards: 6
- Instituted in 1960 to recognize exceptional devotion to duty or acts of courage by Air Force personnel.
- Includes awards for individual acts of bravery and devotion to duty.
Mention-in-Despatches
The President has also approved 39 Mention-in-Despatches, including to Army Dog Kent (posthumous) for their significant contributions in different military operations.
The operations include Operation Rakshak, Operation Snow Leopard, Operation Sahayata, Operation Hifazat, Operation Orchid and Operation Katchal.
- Operation Rakshak: Ongoing counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operation in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Operation Snow Leopard: Response to standoff with Chinese forces along the LAC in Ladakh.
- Operation Sahayata: Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
- Operation Orchid: Counter-insurgency in the Naga Hills and Tuensang area of Nagaland.
- Operation Hifazat: Counter-insurgency in the Nagaland-Manipur-Arunachal Pradesh area.
Police Medals President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG)
President’s Medal for Gallantry (PMG): The highest police decoration for bravery, awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in saving life and property, preventing crime, or arresting criminals.
1 PMG awarded to Shri Chaduvu Yadaiah, Head Constable of Telangana Police, for his extraordinary bravery during a violent confrontation with criminals involved in chain-snatching and arms dealing.
Medal for Gallantry (GM): 213 GMs awarded for acts of gallantry, with categories including decorations for firefighters and civil defence personnel.
President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM): 94 President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM) awarded for exceptional and distinguished service in police work.
Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM): 729 Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM) were awarded for valuable service characterized by resourcefulness and devotion to duty.
Three new wetlands added to the list of Ramsar sites
The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed that three more wetlands from India have been added to the list of Ramsar sites. This makes the total Ramsar sites count in India to 85.
The new sites are the Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and the Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.
About the newly designated Ramsar Sites:
Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):
- Nanjarayan Tank Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Tiruppur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
- It is a home to species like the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck, and various herons.
Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu):
- Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary is a protected area and bird sanctuary located in Villupuram district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
- The sanctuary has the brakish shallow Kazhuveli lake, which is connected to the Bay of Bengal by the brackish Uppukalli creek and the Edayanthittu Estuary.
Tawa Reservoir (Madhya Pradesh):
- Tawa Reservoir is located in Itarsi of Narmadapuram District of Madhya Pradesh state, above Betul district.
- The reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam. The dam provides for irrigation to several thousand hectares of farming land in Narmadapuram and Harda districts.
- Tawa Reservoir forms the western boundary of Satpura National Park and Bori Wildlife Sanctuary.
One India-One Ticket Initiative
Indian Railways and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have partnered to promote the ‘One India-One Ticket’ initiative, to enhance the travel experience for passengers on Indian Railways and Namo Bharat Trains.
Key Points
- This initiative will enable a unified booking system, allowing commuters to seamlessly travel between Indian Railways and RRTS services.
- It will allow passengers to book Namo Bharat tickets through IRCTC platform with flexible cancellation and payment.
- RRTS ticket booking options will appear on the PNR confirmation page and within the user’s booking history.
- Passengers can generate Unique QR code for Namo Bharat train ticket. The code will be valid for 4 days around the journey date options.
- Namo Bharat tickets can be booked up to 120 days in advance, aligning with the current Railway reservation window.
Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumes charge as Indian Ambassador to US
Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the United States. Kwatra succeeds Taranjit Singh Sandhu.
Kwatra has held various positions in many of India’s missions abroad and in India, bringing with him nearly 32 years of experience across a range of assignments.
Kwatra has previously served at the Ministry of External Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office as Joint Secretary. He also served as Minister (Commerce) at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C., from May 2010 to July 2013.
He headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between July 2013 and October 2015, and later served as the head of the Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry, where he managed India’s relations with the United States and Canada.
Huge reservoir of water under Mars, seismic data indicates
Scientists have discovered a reservoir of liquid water deep under Mars’ surface, based on seismic data from NASA’s InSight mission.
The study, ‘Liquid water in the Martian mid-crust’, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). It was conducted by a team from the University of California San Diego, led by scientists Vashan Wright, Matthias Morzfeld, and Michael Manga.
Key Points
- This finding has big implications for understanding how water cycles and climate on Mars have changed over time.
- Water is located 10-20 km deep, believed to have seeped from the surface billions of years ago. If widespread, this water could fill an ocean 1-2 km deep across Mars.
- The existence of liquid water raises the tantalizing possibility of discovering a habitable environment on Mars.
- This discovery could redefine the search for life on Mars, shifting the focus to deep underground environments. It also suggests that Mars may have vast reservoirs of water that could have shaped its geological history.
Australia, U.S., U.K. Sign Nuclear Transfer Deal for AUKUS Submarines
Australia has signed an important deal with the US and the UK to share nuclear secrets and materials. This agreement is a key step toward giving Australia nuclear-powered submarines, as part of the AUKUS security pact.
About AUKUS
It is a trilateral security partnership between Australia, US and UK signed in 2021 to strengthen security and defence interests.
It aims to build nuclear-powered submarines for Australia
and to develop new military technologies together.
Key highlights of the deal
- Under the deal, the United States intends to sell Australia three US Virginia class nuclear-powered submarines, in the early 2030s, with an option for Australia to buy two more if needed.
- The multi-stage project would culminate with British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class – SSN-AUKUS.
- SSN-AUKUS will be a trilaterally developed vessel based on Britain’s next-generation design. It would be built in Britain and Australia and include cutting edge U.S. technologies.
- Britain would take delivery of its first SSN-AUKUS submarine in the late 2030s, and Australia would receive its first in the early 2040s.
Impact of this deal
For Australia: Australia will join a small group of countries with nuclear-powered submarines, improving its naval power in the Pacific.
Australia is committed to not using these submarines for nuclear weapons.
For U.S.: This is only the second time the U.S. has shared nuclear submarine technology, the first being with the U.K. in 1958.
For U.K.: The SSN-AUKUS will be built in the U.K. and Australia, using advanced U.S. technology.
First units will be delivered to the U.K. in the late 2030s and to Australia in the early 2040s.
For India: It can be a tool in strengthening India’s idea of ‘strategic autonomy’ in Indo-Pacific and can complement Quad grouping.
For France: France is not happy with the deal and has termed this deal a “stab in the back” because Australia canceled a previous contract for French submarines.
For Indo-Pacific Region: Under this partnership, technology, scientists, industries and defence forces of these three countries will work together to deliver a safer and more secure region. Some analysts feel that this partnership will lead to intensified arms race in the region.
Govt Issues Guidelines for Model Solar Village Scheme
The Government has issued operational guidelines for the implementation of Model Solar Village under PM-Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana.
Key Highlights of the Draft Guidelines
- Under the scheme component ‘Model Solar Village’, emphasis has been made on creating one Model Solar Village per district across India, with the goal of promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs.
- Funding: A total financial outlay of ₹800 crore has been allocated for this component, providing ₹1 crore per selected Model Solar Village.
Criteria:
- In order to be considered a village under the competition mode, a village must be a revenue village with a population size above 5,000 (or 2,000 for special category states).
- The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity installed 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by District Level Committee (DLC).
The winning village in each district, with the highest RE capacity, will receive a central financial assistance grant of ₹1 crore.
Implementation: The implementation of this scheme will be done by State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency under the supervision of District Level Committee (DLC).
About PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana
- It is a central scheme to promote the adoption of solar rooftop systems by providing substantial financial subsidies and ensuring ease of installation.
- It aims to provide free electricity to one crore households in India, who opt to install roof top solar electricity units.
- The scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27.
Release of Publication “Women and Men in India 2023
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Government of India, released the 25th issue of its publication titled “Women and Men in India 2023”.
The publication is a comprehensive and insightful document that attempts to bring a holistic view of the situation of women and men in India and provides data on a wide range of topics such as Population, Education, Health, Participation in Economy, Participation in Decision making etc. among others.
Key Highlights of the Publication
- Population: By 2036, population of India is expected to reach 152.2 Crore, with a slightly improved female percentage of 48.8% as compared to 48.5 percent in 2011.
- Age Demographics: The proportion of individuals under 15 years is projected to decrease from 2011 to 2036, likely due to declining fertility. Conversely, the proportion of the population aged 60 years and above is anticipated to substantially increase during this period.
- Sex Ratio: India’s population in 2036 is expected to be more feminine compared to the 2011 population, as reflected in the sex ratio which is projected to increase from 943 in 2011 to 952 by 2036, highlighting a positive trend in gender equality.
- Age-Specific Fertility Rates: It is evident that from 2016 to 2020, Age Specific Fertility Rate in the age group of 20-24 and 25-29 has reduced from 135.4 and 166.0 to 113.6 and 139.6 respectively.
The ASFR for the age 35-39 for the above period has increased from 32.7 to 35.6 which shows that after settling in the life, women are thinking of expansion of family.
- Adolescent Fertility Rate was 33.9 for illiterate population whereas 11.0 for the literate in 2020. This rate considerably lower for even those who are literate but without any formal education (20.0) as compared to illiterate women reemphasizing the importance of imparting education to women.
- Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): India has made notable progress in reducing MMR, achieving a rate of 97 per lakh live births for the period 2018-20. This is a significant step towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 70 by 2030.
- Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has decreased for both genders, with the rate for females equalizing with that of males at 28 per 1,000 live births in 2020. The Under-5 Mortality Rate has also reduced, indicating improvements in child health. Infant mortality rate (IMR) measures the number of deaths of infants under one year of age per 1,000 live births.
- Labour Force Participation: The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for both genders has increased.
For men, it rose from 75.8% to 78.5% between 2017-18 and 2022-23, while for women, it increased from 23.3% to 37% during the same period. This indicates greater female involvement in the workforce. Voter Turnout
- Election Participation: Women’s voter turnout has increased over the years. In the 2019 elections, women’s participation reached 67.2%, surpassing men’s turnout for the first time. This reflects growing political engagement among women.
- Women Entrepreneurs: The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has recognized a total of 1,17,254 start-ups between 2016 and 2023.
Among these, 55,816 start-ups are led by women, constituting 47.6% of the total recognized start-ups.
CSIR-NPL Launches Certification Process for Continuous Emission Monitoring
The Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) is crucial for tracking pollution in India’s industries. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) made it mandatory to install CEMS in 2014.
To address concerns over the reliability of these systems, the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) launched a certification process to ensure CEMS meet national and international standards.
The certification process includes four levels of quality assurance (QAL-1 to QAL-3) along with yearly checks to keep CEMS functioning well. QAL-1 focuses on proving the equipment’s suitability through thorough testing and audits.
To further improve the quality of CEMS data, CSIR-NPL is working with the CPCB to develop additional quality assurance procedures, aiming to create a complete framework.
About CSIR-NPL
- The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL) was set up in 1947.
- It focuses on measuring and setting standards.
- It helps industries by making sure their measurements are correct.
- The lab has advanced research facilities for many scientific areas.