{"id":14160,"date":"2021-03-02T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/current_affairs\/uncategorized\/02-03-2021\/facts-in-news-89\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T17:03:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T11:33:23","slug":"facts-in-news-89","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/02-03-2021\/facts-in-news-89","title":{"rendered":"Facts in News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Facts in News<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Jim Corbett National Park<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Location:<\/strong> Nainital, Uttarakhand.\n
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    • Spans over an extent of 520 square km<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • The whole area comprises hills<\/strong>, marshy depressions<\/strong>, riverine belts<\/strong>, grasslands<\/strong> and a large lake<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • Rivers:<\/strong> Ramganga, Kosi & Sonanadi.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Established<\/strong> in 1936 as Hailey National Park<\/strong>, Corbett has the glory of being India’s oldest and most prestigious National Park<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • It is a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve<\/strong>, a Project Tiger Reserve.\n
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      • It is honoured as the place where Project Tiger was first launched in 1973<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Flora<\/strong>\n
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        • According to the Botanical Survey of India<\/strong>, Corbett has 600 species of plants<\/strong> comprising trees, shrubs, ferns, grass, climbers, herbs and bamboo.<\/li>\n
        • More than 75% of the total area<\/strong> of the Corbett is dominated by Sal forests<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Fauna<\/strong>\n
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          • Apart from Royal Bengal Tiger<\/strong>, it is also home to a sizable population of the endangered Asiatic elephant<\/strong> and other critically endangered species including the Gharial<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
          • Mammal species include Asiatic Black Bear, Hog Deer, Walking Deer, Sambar, Sloth Bear, etc., a diversity of aqua fauna and birdlife with approximately 600 species including the great pied hornbill, white-Backed Vulture, Hodgson’s bush chat, etc. and reptiles like mugger Crocodiles, the king Cobra, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            <\/p>\n

            (Image Courtesy: Corbett NP<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Launched by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser<\/strong> to the Government of India under its \u201cWaste to Wealth<\/strong>\u201d Mission.\n
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    • Waste to Wealth Mission:<\/strong> One of the nine national missions of the Prime Minister\u2019s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council<\/strong> (PM-STIAC).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Aims<\/strong>\n
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      • To recognise students, community workers\/self-help groups, and municipal\/sanitary workers who are engaged in scientific and sustainable waste management.<\/li>\n
      • To encourage community participation and spread awareness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Three categories of awards<\/strong> under the fellowships\n
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        • Category-A:<\/strong> Open to school students from 9th to 12th standards<\/strong> engaged in waste management community work.<\/li>\n
        • Category-B:<\/strong> Open to college students<\/strong> (UG, PG, research students) engaged in waste management community work.<\/li>\n
        • Category-C:<\/strong> Open to citizens<\/strong> working in the community and through self-help groups (SHGs), municipal or sanitary workers working beyond specifications of their job requirements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          <\/p>\n

          (Image Courtesy: OPSA)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI)<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Statutory body<\/strong> (created by Land Ports Authority of India Act, 2010<\/strong>).<\/li>\n
  • Established in 2012, <\/strong>Headquartered in New Delhi<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Parent ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • Objective<\/strong>: Responsible for creating, upgrading, maintaining and managing border infrastructure<\/strong> in India.\n
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    • Manages several Integrated Check Posts (ICPs)<\/strong> across Indian Borders.<\/li>\n
    • Other Projects\n
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      • Inland Custom Posts<\/li>\n
      • Shri Kartarpur Sahib Corridor<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • It celebrated its 9th Foundation Day on 1 March 2021.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

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5th Asia Economic Dialogue (AED) 2021<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Asia Economic Dialogue(AED) is the flagship geo-economics conference<\/strong> of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs(MEA)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • The dialogue focuses on trade and finance dynamics in Asia<\/strong> and its extended neighbourhood<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • AED was part of a strategic agenda to make it the \u201cDavos of East\u201d<\/strong> on global geo-economics in keeping with the shifting of economic gravity from the West to Asia.<\/li>\n
  • Recently 5th edition of AED 2021 was jointly organized by\n
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    • Ministry of External Affairs(MEA)<\/li>\n
    • Pune International Centre (PIC).<\/li>\n
    • Theme:<\/strong>\n
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      • \u2018Post Covid-19 Global Trade and Finance Dynamics\u2019.<\/li>\n
      • \u2018Building reliable global chains\u2019.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
      • Focus:<\/strong> The dialogue focused on the pandemic\u2019s impact on trade and finance, on the world, and on Asia in particular.\n
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        • It also discussed strategies to deal with this impact.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Different countries including Australia, Bhutan, Maldives and Mauritius, etc took part in the event<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Key Highlights of Inaugural Speech of External Affairs Minister<\/strong><\/p>\n

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          • More government support for domestic businesses especially MSMEs<\/strong> is the need of the hour.<\/li>\n
          • No country can or should attempt to do everything by themselves in a globalised economy but there existed a huge potential for manufacturing which had not been fostered by the right policies at home till now.<\/li>\n
          • Jobless growth<\/strong> was not \u201ca testimony to the policies of a growing country\u201d.\n
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            • A lot more people-centric policies, both at home and abroad, were needed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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St. George\u2019s Orthodox Church<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • Centuries-old St. George\u2019s Orthodox Church at Cheppad, Kerala has faced the risk of demolition for widening of National Highway (NH) 66.<\/li>\n
  • It is now set to be declared a Centrally protected monument of national importance<\/strong> by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  • The church was built in AD 950, but some experts put the year of construction at AD 1050.\n
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    • Though it was rebuilt in 1952, the apse at the eastern end of the church was left intact to preserve the murals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      <\/p>\n

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      • Church is one of the rarest in Kerala, having traditional Kerala church architectural patterns with rare and beautiful mural paintings on the walls of the altar.\n
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        • Forty-seven murals are arranged in three rows on three walls of the church.<\/li>\n
        • The paintings include those of\n
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          • St. Paul with a sword,<\/li>\n
          • the birth of Jesus Christ,<\/li>\n
          • resurrection of Lazar by Christ,<\/li>\n
          • the kiss of Judas,<\/li>\n
          • the Last Supper,<\/li>\n
          • Christ bearing the cross and being flogged by soldiers,<\/li>\n
          • other scenes from crucifixion,<\/li>\n
          • Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, and<\/li>\n
          • Noah\u2019s Ark.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • These paintings, a blend of Persian art and Kerala\u2019s mural artwork, have drawn enthusiasts from far and wide.<\/li>\n
          • Besides, Philipose Mar Dionysius, Malankara Metropolitan during the 19th Century, was buried in a sepulchre attached to its sanctuary.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Rashtriya Uchchtar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • It was launched in 2013<\/strong> under the erstwhile Ministry of Human Resource Development<\/strong> (now Ministry of Education<\/strong>).<\/li>\n
  • Aims<\/strong>\n
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    • To work with 300-plus state universities and their affiliated colleges to raise the bar of campus life.<\/li>\n
    • To provide strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • Funding<\/strong>\n
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      • It is a centrally sponsored<\/strong> programme.\n
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        • The central funding (in the ratio of 60:40 for general category states<\/strong>, 90:10<\/strong> for special category states<\/strong> and 100% for UTs<\/strong>) is based on norms <\/strong>and is outcome dependent<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Funds flow from the central ministry through the state governments\/UTs to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions.<\/li>\n
        • Funding to states would be made on the basis of the critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans<\/strong>, which would enlist each state\u2019s strategy<\/strong> to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
        • Functions<\/strong>\n
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          • Improve access, equity and quality in higher education through planned development of higher education at the state level.<\/li>\n
          • Create new academic institutions, expand & upgrade the existing ones, develop institutions that are self-reliant in terms of quality education.<\/li>\n
          • Provide students with an education that is relevant to them as well as the nation as a whole.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
          • Guiding Principles:<\/strong> Research, Funding, Incentivising, Decision, Autonomy, Governance & Development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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National Green Tribunal<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • It was established in 2010 under the NGT Act of 2010 as a statutory body.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • It is a specialised body for effective<\/strong> and expeditious disposal of cases<\/strong> relating to environmental protection and conservation<\/strong> of forests and other natural resources.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by principles of natural justice.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • New Delhi is the Principal Place of Sitting of the Tribunal and Bhopal, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai shall be the other four places of sitting of the Tribunal.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Composition <\/strong>–<\/p>\n

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    • It consists of a Chairperson, the Judicial Members and Expert Members. They shall hold office for a term of five years and are not eligible for reappointment.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • The Chairperson is appointed by the Central Government<\/strong> in consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI). <\/strong><\/li>\n
    • There are at least 10 and a maximum of 20 full-time Judicia<\/strong>l members and Expert Members in the tribunal. <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Mandate <\/strong>–<\/p>\n

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      • \u00a0It is mandated to make disposal of applications or appeals finally <\/strong>within 6 months of the filing of the case. <\/strong><\/li>\n
      • It deals with civil cases<\/strong> under the seven laws related to the environment<\/strong>.\n
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        • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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          • The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act, 1977,<\/li>\n
          • The Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980,<\/li>\n
          • The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981,<\/li>\n
          • The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986,<\/li>\n
          • The Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 and<\/li>\n
          • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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PMI Index<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) <\/strong>is an index of the prevailing direction of economic trends <\/strong>in the manufacturing and service sectors.<\/strong><\/li>\n
  • It is an economic indicator,<\/strong> which is derived after monthly surveys of different companies. <\/strong><\/li>\n
  • There are two types of PMI \u2014 Manufacturing PMI and Services PMI.<\/strong>\n
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    • A combined index is also made using both manufacturing PMI and services PMI.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • \u00a0The purpose of the PMI is to provide information about current and future business conditions<\/strong> to company decision-makers, analysts, and investors<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • The index helps in determining whether the market conditions, as seen by purchasing managers, is expanding, contracting or staying<\/strong> the same.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Sugamya Bharat App<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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  • The Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment<\/strong> launched \u201cSugamya Bharat App\u201d<\/strong> and a handbook entitled \u201cAccess – The Photo Digest\u201d. <\/strong><\/li>\n
  • It is a Crowdsourcing Mobile Application that has been developed as a means to sensitise and enhance the accessibility <\/strong><\/li>\n
  • It provides for five main features of which four are directly related to enhancing accessibility<\/strong>.\n
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    • They include registration of complaints of inaccessibility across the broad pillars of the built environment, transportation sector and\u00a0 Information <\/strong>and Communication Technology (ICT) ecosystem<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
    • The fifth feature is a special feature meant only for Divyangjan for COVID related issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
    • The handbook is envisaged as a tool and guide to sensitise <\/strong>stakeholders about 10 basic features of accessibility and related good-bad practices<\/strong> in easy to understand pictorial form.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Bir Chilarai Divas<\/h3>\n<\/td>\n

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