World Puppetry Day
Syllabus: GS1/Culture
Context
- India Habitat Centre (IHC) has organized special performances to commemorate World Puppetry Day.
About
- Every year on March 21st, World Puppetry Day seeks to recognize puppetry as a global art form.
- It’s also a day to honor puppeteers around the world.
- The art of puppetry includes the making and manipulation of puppets for use in some kind of theatrical performance, for stage, television, or film.
- A puppet is a figure—human, animal, or abstract in form—that is moved by human effort, not mechanical aid.
Puppetry in India
- Puppetry is an ancient performing art, used for storytelling, entertainment, and social commentary.
- Major Types:
- String Puppets (Kathputli): Popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat, controlled by strings.
- Shadow Puppetry: Leather puppets used to cast shadows, popular in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
- Rod Puppetry: Puppets controlled with rods, found in West Bengal and Assam.
- Glove Puppets: Worn on the puppeteer’s hand, notably in Kerala (Pavakathakali).
Source: AIR
‘Squad’ Alliance
Syllabus: GS2/IR/Regional Groupings
Context
- India has been invited to join the multilateral alliance Squad to prevent China’s influence in the South China Sea.
About
- The Squad is an informal alliance formed in 2024 with countries such as Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States.
- The group now plans to invite India and South Korea to join it.
- The defence forces of this alliance have conducted joint maritime activities in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in the South China Sea.
- Aim: The Squad’s joint maritime activities are aimed at providing strategic responses to tensions in the Philippines’ waters in the South China Sea.
- Currently, India is a part of Quad, an alliance of the US, Japan, and Australia, which informally tries to keep a check on China’s dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The Quad is a tactical grouping that operates at a higher, more strategic level, across the Indo-Pacific.
Source: LM
APAAR ID
Syllabus: GS2/ Education
Context
- Activists and parents have raised concerns over the rapid push by schools to create APAAR IDs, despite it being voluntary.
What is the APAAR ID?
- APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID is a unique 12-digit code that will help students to digitally store, manage, and access all their academic credits, including Score card, marksheets, gradesheet, degrees, diplomas, certificates & co-curricular accomplishments.
- This initiative is part of the ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ program launched by the Ministry of Education, aligning with the new National Education Policy of 2020.
- The ID is generated through the Unified District Information System For Education Plus (UDISE+) portal, which contains regional academic statistics and data on schools, teachers and students.
Source: TH
Revised National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)
Syllabus: GS 3/Economy
In News
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD) to strengthen the dairy sector.
- The revised NPDD allocates an additional ₹1000 crore, bringing the total outlay to ₹2790 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).
About the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)
- It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2014 (revised in 2021) aims to modernize and expand dairy infrastructure, ensure sustained growth and productivity, and enhance farmers’ income.
- Component A: Dairy Infrastructure Enhancement:
- Focus: Strengthening core dairy infrastructure, particularly in underserved regions.
- Methods: Supporting the creation of Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCSs) and Milk Producer Companies (MPCs).
- Examples: Funding milk chilling plants, milk testing labs, and quality certification systems.
- Component B: Dairying Through Cooperatives (DTC):
- Focus: Sustainable development of dairy cooperatives.
- Collaboration: Implemented with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
- Scope: Enhancing production, processing, and marketing infrastructure.
- Area: Implemented in 9 states.
Achievements
- The NPDD has benefited over 18.74 lakh farmers, created over 30,000 jobs, and increased milk procurement capacity.
- Under the revised programme, 10,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies and two Milk Producer Companies will be formed, generating 3.2 lakh new jobs and advancing technology use in the sector.
Source: PIB
Implementation of Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission
Syllabus :GS 3/Economy
In News
- The Union Cabinet approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) with an additional allocation of ₹1,000 crore, bringing the total budget to ₹3,400 crore for the 2021-2026 period under the 15th Finance Commission.
Rashtriya Gokul Mission
- It was launched in December 2014 with a view to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds.
- The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing the Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
- It focuses on the development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic upgradation of the bovine population, and enhancing milk production and productivity, thereby making dairy farming more profitable for farmers.
| Major Components – Nationwide Artificial Insemination Program: It aims to boost the milk production and productivity of bovines, including indigenous breeds. – Progeny Testing and Pedigree Selection: It aims to produce high genetic merit bulls, including bulls of indigenous breeds. – Implementation of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Technology: The technology has an important role in genetic upgradation of bovine population in single generation. – Sex-Sorted Semen Production: The Department has established sex sorted semen production facilities at 5 government semen stations located in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. – Multi-purpose Artificial Insemination Technicians in Rural India (MAITRIs): Under the scheme MAITRIs are trained and equipped to deliver quality Artificial Insemination services at farmers’ doorstep. |
Latest Revisions
- The revised mission will be implemented as a Central Sector component of the Development Programmes scheme
- It introduces two new initiatives and here first will provide 35% capital assistance for establishing Heifer Rearing Centres .
- Second will offer a 3% interest subvention on loans for purchasing High Genetic Merit (HGM) IVF heifers.
- Core activities, including strengthening artificial insemination networks, supporting breed improvement programs, and establishing Centres of Excellence, will continue.
Achievements
- The mission has led to a 63.55% increase in milk production over the past decade and a rise in per capita milk availability from 307 grams/day in 2013-14 to 471 grams/day in 2023-24.
- The Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) has covered over 8.39 crore animals, benefiting 5.21 crore farmers.
- RGM has introduced advanced breeding technologies, including 22 IVF labs, resulting in 2,541 high-genetic-merit calves.
- The development of Gau Chip and Mahish Chip for indigenous bovines and Gau Sort technology highlights India’s progress in self-reliance for dairy technology.
Source :PIB
Ashwini Radar
Syllabus: GS3/ Defence
In News
- The Ministry of Defence has signed a capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of the Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR) ‘Ashwini’ for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
About Ashwini Radar
- Designed and developed by Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), DRDO.
- Uses state-of-the-art solid-state technology for superior performance.
- Capable of detecting and tracking targets up to 200 km.
- Can track high-speed fighter jets as well as slow-moving aerial threats like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters.
Source: TH
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