Art and Culture

Nagaland Village’s King Chilli Festival - Indian Express

Context

• Seiyhama village in Nagaland celebrated the third edition of the Naga King Chilli festival on September 6, 2024.

Naga King Chilli/ Raja Mircha/ Bhoot Jolokia/ Ghost Pepper

• About: A spice renowned globally for its extreme heat, exceeding 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

Significance

• Cultural and economic value: Important to the Naga people.
• GI Tag: Received the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2008.
• Food Preservation: Helps preserve food in Nagaland’s hot, humid climate, extending shelf life and reducing waste.

Harvest

• Peak Harvest: August and September.
• Final Harvest: November and December.

 

Society

NPS Vatsalya - The Hindu

Context

• In line with the July Union Budget 2024 announcement, the Finance Minister recently unveiled NPS Vatsalya, a pension scheme designed for minors.
• The scheme was rolled out across 75 locations nationwide, with over 250 PRANs (Permanent Retirement Account Numbers) allocated to young subscribers.

NPS Vatsalya  Scheme

 

Polity

Logistics of Holding Simultaneous Elections in India: Task Before the ECI - Indian Express

Context

• The Union Cabinet has accepted the recommendations of the High-Level Committee on "One Nation, One Election."
• A roadmap has been laid to hold simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, and eventually urban and rural local bodies.

 

World Affairs

India Should Increase Court System Capacity, Says FATF - The Hindu

Context

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) mutual assessment report on India emphasizes the need for reducing pending trials in money laundering cases.
• Suggested reforms include increasing the capacity of the court system and enhancing the capability of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

 

Opportunities in the Fourth Quad Leaders’ Summit - The Hindu

Context

• The fourth Quad Summit, held in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., on September 21, 2024.
• Participants: Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.
• This summit symbolizes the steady evolution of the strategic Quad partnership.

 

Economy

Why US Fed Cut Interest Rates, How India Could Be Impacted - Indian Express

Context

• The U.S. Federal Reserve announced a 50-basis point cut in its benchmark interest rate.

Impact on India

• More Investment: Encourages global investors to borrow in the U.S. and invest in India.
• Currency Strength: A weaker U.S. dollar might strengthen the Indian rupee, benefiting importers but negatively impacting exporters.

 

Environment

Snow Leopard - Indian Express

About

• Species: Large cat in the genus Panthera, family Felidae, native to Central and South Asia.

Characteristics

• Adaptations for cold, mountainous environments:
  • Ears: Small, rounded ears minimize heat loss.
  • Paws: Broad paws distribute body weight for walking on snow.
  • Tail: Long and flexible, aiding balance on rocky terrain.

Distribution

• Found in the mountainous landscapes of Central Asia, including Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Sikkim.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Vulnerable.
• CITES: Appendix I.
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.

Indian Conservation Efforts

• Flagship species for high-altitude Himalayas.
• GSLEP: Part of Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Programme (2013).
• Project Snow Leopard (PSL): Inclusive approach to conserving snow leopards and their habitat (2009).

Threats

• Loss of natural prey, human conflict, illegal trade in fur and bones.

 

Amur Falcon - Indian Express

About

• World’s Longest Travelling Raptors: Breed in Southeast Siberia and northern China, migrating across India to southern Africa.

Migratory Route

• 22,000 km - one of the longest migrations among avian species.

Stopover in India

• Doyang Lake, Nagaland, known as the “Falcon Capital of the World.”

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Least concern.
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule IV.

Threats

• Illegal trapping, habitat loss due to agriculture and land reclamation.

 

 

Wildlife Board Clears Transmission Lines in Gujarat’s Flamingo Habitat, Goa’s Mollem Forest - Indian Express

Context

• In its first post-election meeting after a gap of five months in July, the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) approved several controversial projects.
• These include:
  • A transmission line in the Little Rann of Kutch, a flamingo habitat.
  • A transmission line project in Goa’s Mollem National Park.
  • Multiple infrastructure projects in tiger corridors of Central India.

National Board for Wildlife (NBWL)

• A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, responsible for approving or rejecting large infrastructure projects in protected areas.

 

Pench Tiger Reserve Faces Habitat Strain Due to Spotted Deer Overpopulation - Indian Express

Context

• Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) is dealing with an overpopulation of spotted deer, which is stressing the grassland habitat.

Pench Tiger Reserve

• Location: Nagpur District of Maharashtra, extending across Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
• River: The Pench River flows through the middle of the park.
• Designation: Declared a National Park in 1975 and a Tiger Reserve in 1998-99.
• Significance: Recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) of India.

Vegetation and Flora

• Vegetation: Southern dry broadleaf teak forests and tropical mixed deciduous forests.
• Flora: Includes shrubs, climbers, trees, and bamboo plantations.

Fauna

• Animals: Sloth bear, jackal, nilgai, wild dog, etc.
• Birds: Peafowl, magpie robin, pintail, drongo, unia, myna, etc.

Spotted Deer (Chital)

• Scientific Name: Axis axis.
• Distribution: Widely found across the Indian subcontinent.
• Coat: Reddish-brown with a white underbelly and small white spots.
• Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger and have antlers.
• Lifespan: 20 to 30 years.
• Social Behavior: Occur in herds of 10-50 individuals, usually one or two males.
• IUCN Status: Least Concern.

 

Science and Technology

How Kerala Reduced Mortality from Amoebic Meningoencephalitis - The Hindu

Context

• Children playing in ponds during summer are common in Kerala, increasing the risk of exposure to Naegleria fowleri, a brain-eating amoeba.

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)

• Cause: Infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba in warm, stagnant freshwater.
• Mortality Rate: Over 97%.
• Transmission: The amoeba enters the brain through the nasal passages but does not spread from person to person or through ingesting contaminated water.
• Symptoms: Headache, fever, nausea, vomiting.
• Treatment: No optimal drug regimen, requires a multidisciplinary approach.
• Prevention: Avoid exposure to stagnant water, use nose plugs, and ensure proper chlorination of swimming pools.

 

After Moon and Mars, India Sights Science Goals on Venus - PIB

Context

• The Union Cabinet approved the Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM), aiming to explore the planet Venus.

Venus Orbiter Mission (VOM)

• About: A scientific mission to orbit Venus.
• Objectives:
  • Study Venus’ surface, subsurface, and atmosphere.
  • Understand the influence of the Sun on Venus.
  • Help in understanding the evolutionary divergence between Earth and Venus.
• Nodal Agency: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• Expected Launch: March 2028.
• Significance: Venus shares some formation conditions with Earth, offering insights into planetary environments.

 

New Re-usable Low-Cost Launch Vehicle for Bharat - PIB

Context

• The Union Cabinet approved the development of the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).

Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV)

• Objective: A critical step towards the government's vision of operating the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and facilitating Indian crewed moon landings by 2040.

 

Cabinet Approves ‘Bio-RIDE’ Scheme - PIB

Context

• The Union Cabinet approved the merger of two umbrella schemes under the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) into one: Biotechnology Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (Bio-RIDE).

Bio-RIDE Scheme

• Components:
  • Includes a new aspect called Biomanufacturing and Biofoundry to boost bio-entrepreneurship and research.