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Definitions under Bill<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Data <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>means a representation of information, facts, concepts, opinions or instructions in a manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing by humans or by automated means.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Data Fiduciary<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> means any person who alone or in conjunction with other persons determines the purpose and means of processing of personal data.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Data Principal <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>means the individual to whom the personal data relates and where such individual is a child includes the parents or lawful guardian of such a child.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
Internationalisation of Rupee<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Indian Economy<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Inter-Departmental Group of RBI<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> has released the r<\/span><\/span><\/span>eport & recommendations for Internationalisation of rupee.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
What is an International Currency?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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A currency can be termed “international” if it i<\/span><\/span><\/span>s widely accepted worldwide as a medium of exchange.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Just like a domestic currency, an international currency performs the three functions of money \u2013 <\/span><\/span><\/span>as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, and a store of value.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
An international currency is used and held beyond the borders of the issuing country for transactions between <\/span><\/span><\/span>residents and non-residents, and between residents of two countries other than the issuing country.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What is Currency Internationalization?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Currency internationalization is the <\/span><\/span><\/span>use of a currency outside the borders of its country of issue.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The level of currency internationalization for a currency is determined by the <\/span><\/span><\/span>demand that users in other countries have for that currency.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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This demand can be driven by the use of the currency to settle international trade, to be held as a reserve currency or a safe-haven currency, or in general use as a medium of indirect exchange in other countries’ domestic economies via currency substitution.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
The <\/span><\/span><\/span>US dollar<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> has been the <\/span><\/span><\/span>dominant global currency<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for the better part of the last century.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Its position is supported by a range of factors, including the size of the US economy, the reach of its trade and financial networks, the depth and liquidity of US financial markets, and a history of macroeconomic stability and currency convertibility.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Benefits of Currency Internationalization<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Limit Exchange Rate Risk: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>As the internationalisation of a country\u2019s currency broadens and deepens its financial market, domestic firms may be able to invoice and settle their exports\/imports in their currency, thus s<\/span><\/span><\/span>hifting exchange rate risk to their foreign counterparts.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Access to international financial markets:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> It permits domestic firms and financial institutions to <\/span><\/span><\/span>access international financial markets<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> without assuming exchange rate risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
New opportunities:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> It offers<\/span><\/span><\/span> new profit opportunities<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to financial institutions, although this benefit may be offset in part by the entry of foreign financial institutions into the domestic financial market (to the extent that the government permits it).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Boost capital formation:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> A larger, more efficient financial sector may serve the domestic non-financial sector better by <\/span><\/span><\/span>reducing the cost of capital<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and widening the set of financial institutions that are willing and able to provide capital. This would <\/span><\/span><\/span>boost capital formation<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the economy thereby <\/span><\/span><\/span>increasing growth and reducing unemployment.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Finance Budget Deficit of Government:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Currency internationalisation may, of course, allow a country\u2019s <\/span><\/span><\/span>government to finance part of its budget deficit<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> by issuing domestic currency debt in international markets rather than issuing foreign currency instruments.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Foreign exchange reserves:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> The internationalisation of a currency reduces the requirement for the authorities to <\/span><\/span><\/span>maintain and depend on large foreign exchange reserves in convertible currencies to manage external vulnerabilities.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Repay external sovereign debt:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> At the macroeconomic level, internationalisation of a currency results in <\/span><\/span><\/span>lowering the impact of sudden stops<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and reversals of capital flows and enhances the ability to repay external sovereign debt.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Challenges<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Conflict with domestic monetary policy: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>The obligation of a country to supply its currency to meet the global demand may come in<\/span><\/span><\/span> conflict with its domestic monetary policies,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> popularly known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Triffin dilemma.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Highlight external shocks: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>The internationalisation of a currency may accentuate an external shock, given the open channel of the flow of funds into and out of the country and from one currency to another.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Exchange rate volatility:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> The costs also emanate from the additional demand for money and also an increase in the volatility of the demand. With the advances in statistical reporting, most central banks can separate foreign demand for money, but with regard to some components, such as cash, uncertainty remains.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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The main costs of allowing greater international use of the currency emerge from the possible increased volatility in the exchange and money markets, thus making the conduct of monetary policy more complex.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Can the Rupee become an International Currency?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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During the last two decades, India has emerged as<\/span><\/span><\/span> one of the world\u2019s fastest growing economies<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and also a preferred destination for global investors. The Indian economy has also shown remarkabl<\/span><\/span><\/span>e resilience against adverse global developments,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
There is some anecdotal evidence that INR is accepted to some extent in <\/span><\/span><\/span>Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Kingdom (UK),<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> among others, while it is <\/span><\/span><\/span>legal tender in Nepal and Bhutan.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Looking ahead, the conditions seem opportune for the emergence of INR as an international currency. It is argued that the<\/span><\/span><\/span> bilateral currency swap arrangements may provide a blueprint<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for reducing the dependence on the US dollar for settling trade transactions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Interestingly, <\/span><\/span><\/span>China has followed a similar approach by using a large number of bilateral swaps and Lines of Credit (LoC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to encourage the use of the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Renminbi for international trade transactions.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Recommendations as per the Report<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The recommendations have been divided as per the<\/span><\/span><\/span> expected time required for implementation.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The timeframe of these recommendations has been determined based on the <\/span><\/span><\/span>institutional capacity, macroeconomic priority and suitability of accompanying prerequisites.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Short Term<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Designing a template and adopting <\/span><\/span><\/span>a standardised approach<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for examining the proposals on <\/span><\/span><\/span>bilateral and multilateral trade arrangements <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>for invoicing, settlement and payment in INR and local currencies.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Making efforts to<\/span><\/span><\/span> enable INR as an additional settlement currency<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in existing multilateral mechanisms such as Asian Clearing Union (ACU).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Facilitating <\/span><\/span><\/span>Local Currency Settlement (LCS) framework<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for bilateral transactions and operationalising bilateral swap arrangements with the counterpart countries in local currencies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Encouraging opening of <\/span><\/span><\/span>INR accounts for non-residents<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (other than nostro accounts of overseas banks) both in India and outside India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Integrating Indian payment systems with other countries <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>for cross-border transactions.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Strengthening financial markets by fostering a<\/span><\/span><\/span> global 24×5 INR market<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and promoting India as the hub for INR transactions and price discovery.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Providing <\/span><\/span><\/span>equitable incentives<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to exporters for INR trade settlement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Medium Term<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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A review of taxes on <\/span><\/span><\/span>Masala bonds<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (Masala bonds are rupee-denominated bonds issued outside India by Indian entity).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
International use of<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> for cross border trade transactions and inclusion of INR as a direct settlement currency in the Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) system.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Examination of taxation issues in financial markets<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to harmonise tax regimes of India and other financial centres.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Allowing <\/span><\/span><\/span>banking services in INR outside India <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>through off-shore branches of Indian banks.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Long Term<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Over the long term, India will achieve higher levels of trade linkages with other countries and improved macro-economic parameters, and INR may ascend to a level where it would be widely used and preferred by other economies as a <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u201cvehicle currency\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Thus, the IDG recommends that in the long run, efforts should be made for inclusion of <\/span><\/span><\/span>INR in the IMF’s Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Way Ahead<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Overall, the benefits of internationalisation in terms of limited exchange rate risk, lower cost of capital due to better access to international financial markets, and reduced requirement of foreign exchange reserves far outweigh the concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Further, as the i<\/span><\/span><\/span>nternationalisation of a currency is a long-drawn process<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> involving continuous change and incremental progress, it would enable timely redressal of the associated concerns and challenges as we move forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Source: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>News on Air<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
Ambergris\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Syllabus: GS3\/Environment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Ambergris worth Rs 4 crore has been found in the s<\/span><\/span><\/span>tomach of a dead sperm whale<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in Canary Island of La Palma, Spain.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
What is Ambergris?<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Ambergris means <\/span><\/span><\/span>grey amber in French<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>waxy substance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> that originates from the <\/span><\/span><\/span>digestive system<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of sperm whales.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
While it is incorrectly referred to as <\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2018whale vomit,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u2019 one of the theories about its formation suggests that it is produced in the <\/span><\/span><\/span>gastrointestinal tract of some sperm<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/span>whales <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>for the passage of hard, sharp objects that are ingested when the whale eats large quantities of marine animals.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The ambergris is said to be <\/span><\/span><\/span>passed like faeces<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and has a <\/span><\/span><\/span>very strong faecal odour<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> combined with a strong marine odour.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The freshly passed ambergris is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>light yellowish substance and is fatty<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> but as it ages it<\/span><\/span><\/span> turns waxy and gets red-brownish,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> sometimes with shades of grey and black in colour and attains a mild, earthy, sweet smell but still with notes of mild marine odour.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Due to its high value in the market, ambergris is often called the \u2018<\/span><\/span><\/span>floating gold\u2019 and \u2018treasure of the sea\u2019.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Why is it so expensive?\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Ambergris is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>rare substance<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>, which contributes to its high demand and high price in the international market.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Traditionally, it is used to <\/span><\/span><\/span>produce perfumes <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>which have <\/span><\/span><\/span>notes of musk.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
While there are records of it being used to flavour food, alcoholic beverages and tobacco in some cultures in the past, i<\/span><\/span><\/span>t is rarely used for these purposes presently.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
There is a <\/span><\/span><\/span>ban<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> on the possession and trade of ambergris in countries like the USA, Australia and India but in several other countries it is a tradable commodity, though with limitations in some of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About Sperm Whale<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Name:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus).<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Sperm whales got their name because the <\/span><\/span><\/span>semi-liquid, waxy substanc<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>e in their head was <\/span><\/span><\/span>first believed to be sperm.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Distribution:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> The sperm whale occurs throughout the world’s oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Appearance:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> The sperm whale is a large, dark-colored, toothed whale with a massive, square-shaped head that can make up more than a third of its body length.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Sperm whales are the largest of the toothed whales.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Life Span: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Sperm whales have a lifespan similar to humans, living about 70 years. Males do not reach full size until they are about 50.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Threats: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Deep-sea oil and gas exploration can cause multiple issues for sperm whales such as loss of hearing, water pollution from hydrocarbons, and increased risk of being hit by ocean vessels.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Conservation Status:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> IUCN Vulnerable.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Sperm whales are a protected species <\/span><\/span><\/span>under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and possession or trade of any of its by-products, including Ambergris and its byproducts, is<\/span><\/span><\/span> illegal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> under provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Sperm Whales are listed in <\/span><\/span><\/span>Appendix I of the CITES<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). However, ambergris is not covered in CITES provisions as it is considered a <\/span><\/span><\/span>naturally excreted waste<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> product and trade of which is legal in many countries.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Chinkara<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Recently a sessions court in Rajasthan has ordered the payment of half of the fine amount, in a chinkara killing case, t<\/span><\/span><\/span>o the informer as a prize. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Chinkara(Indian Gazelle)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>chinkara<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Gazella bennettii<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>), also known as the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Indian gazelle<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, is a gazelle<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>species<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> native to India,Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
State animal<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>:Rajasthan.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Habitat: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Arid plains and hills, deserts, dry scrub and light forests. They inhabit more than 80 protected areas in India.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Diet: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>They are herbivores (folivores, frugivores). They feed on grasses, different leaves, and fruits (melon, pumpkin).\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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These gazelles can go without water for many days and can get fluids from plants <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>they feed on and dew.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Most active time: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Chinkara prefer<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to feed at nighttime<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and are <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>most active just before the sunset and during the night.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Population:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> In India (in 2011) there were more than 100,000 animals with 80,000 animals living in the <\/span><\/span><\/span>Thar Desert.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Threat: Over hunting<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for meat and habitat loss due to agricultural and industrial expansion, and overgrazing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Conservation Status: IUCN – Least Concern (LC)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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It is\u00a0 protected under<\/span><\/span><\/span> Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Verdict and Justification:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The court fined the convict under the <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for killing a chinkara. The act declares the hunting of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>scheduled species<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of wild animals a serious offense.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Section 55(c)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the Wildlife Protection Act empowered the court to take cognisance of an offense on the complaint of a private person.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Article 51A (g)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the Constitution had laid down that the protection of wildlife and having compassion for living creatures was a <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>fundamental duty<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of the citizens.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Scheduled species under Wildlife Protection Act<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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The act has six schedules which give varying degrees of protection to the species of animals and plants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Schedule I<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and part II of <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Schedule II <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>provide absolute protection – offenses under these are prescribed the highest penalties.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Species listed in <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Schedule III <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Schedule IV <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are also protected, but the penalties are much lower.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Animals under <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Schedule V,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>e.g. common crows, fruit bats, rats and mice, are legally considered <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>vermin <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and may be hunted freely.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The specified endemic plants in <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>Schedule VI <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>are prohibited from cultivation and planting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Source:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>TH<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and <\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span>Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
The farmers in Maharashtra and Karnataka have mentioned two \u2018mosaic\u2019 viruses namely <\/span><\/span><\/span>CMV and ToMV for the loss of tomato crops.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Family: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>It belongs to the<\/span><\/span><\/span> Virgaviridae family <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>and is closely related to the<\/span><\/span><\/span> tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>. ToMV was <\/span><\/span><\/span>first reported in the United State<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>s in 1909.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Hosts: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Tomato, tobacco, peppers, and certain ornamental plants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Spread:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> ToMV spreads mainly through infected seeds, saplings, agricultural tools and often, through the hands of nursery workers who have failed to sanitize themselves properly.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Effect:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> It causes foliage of plants to show alternating yellowish and dark green areas, which often appear as blisters on the leaves.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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It also causes distortion of leaves and twisting of younger leaves.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
The fruit develops necrotic spots, which leads to overripening.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Younger plants are dwarfed, and fruit setting is affected.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Family: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>It belongs to the<\/span><\/span><\/span> Bromoviridae family<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> and was identified in cucumbers in <\/span><\/span><\/span>1934.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Host: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot, lettuce, celery, cucurbits (members of the gourd family, including squash, pumpkin, zucchini, some gourds, etc.), and some ornamentals.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Spread: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>CMV is spread by aphids, which are sap-sucking insects. CMV too can spread through human touch, but the chances of that are extremely low.<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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Conditions of <\/span><\/span><\/span>high temperature<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> followed by intermittent rain, which allow aphids to multiply, are conducive to the spread of CMV.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Effect: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>CMV too causes distortion of leaves, but the pattern is different. Often leaves at the top and bottom are distorted while those in the middle remain relatively blemish-free.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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While specific effects vary depending on the host, overall, CMV causes stunting and lower production.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
In cucumber, the virus causes a <\/span><\/span><\/span>mosaic-like pattern<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> of alternating yellow and green spots. In tomatoes, fruit formation is affected, and in some cases the fruit is distorted and small.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Prevention<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Following <\/span><\/span><\/span>biosafety standards<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> in nurseries, and <\/span><\/span><\/span>compulsory seed treatment<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> to stop the spread of ToMV.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Fields must be <\/span><\/span><\/span>cleared of weeds and plant material<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> before fresh planting as ToMV can remain dormant in weeds and plant remains around the field, and come back later.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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To control CMV the best way is to <\/span><\/span><\/span>stop the aphids,<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> by spraying quick acting insecticides or mineral oils on the plants.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>IE<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
Facts In News<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n
Santa Fe frog<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Syllabus :GS 3\/Species In News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Argentinian scientists have discovered a\u00a0 frog named the Santa Fe frog.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
About Santa Fe frog<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Scientific Name<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> : Leptodactylus laticeps<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It is a rare species and a\u00a0 leopard-print frog.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Distribution: <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>It occurs in the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
IUCN status <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>: Near Threatened<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The Gran Chaco\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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It is the largest dry forest globally and the second-largest forest biome in South America, after the Amazon.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It largely consists of shrubs and hardwood trees that provide habitat for thousands of plant species and hundreds of animal species.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Burmese Peacock Softshell Turtle\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Syllabus :GS 3\/Species In News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Recently ,conservationists at Indawgyi Lake captured the first known videos of rare Burmese peacock turtles hatching.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
About Burmese Peacock Softshell<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Scientific Name<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>: Nilssonia formosa<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It is a highly aquatic turtle that is associated with large rivers with a sandy substrate.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Distribution<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>:It is endemic to Myanmar, where it is found in three main rivers:<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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\u00a0the Ayeyarwady River, the Chindwin River and the Sittaung River.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
IUCN status<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> :\u00a0 Critically Endangered<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Blue Pansy\u00a0<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n
Syllabus :GS 3\/Species In News<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
In News<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\u00a0The Jammu and Kashmir government has officially declared the Blue Pansy\u00a0 as the official butterfly of the union territory.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
About Blue Pansy<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Scientific Name<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span> : Junonia orithya\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It is a species of vibrant blue butterflies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
It is known for its territorial nature and\u00a0 these butterflies exhibit 26 local subspecies across their range.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Distribution :\u00a0 <\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span>Various parts of Southeast Asian countries, Australia, and Africa.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span>\n
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With its presence in the Himalayan region, the Blue Pansy contributes to the pollination process and plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem’s health.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
IUCN status : Least Concern.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
<\/body><\/html><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
International Conference on Women In Physics (ICWIP) Syllabus :GS 1\/Women Empowerment\/GS3\/Science and Technology\u00a0 In News The eighth edition of the International Conference on Women In Physics (ICWIP) will be the first to be organised in India when it happens next week on July 10-14. About ICWIP The conference is an event of The International Union […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[76],"class_list":["post-1764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs","tag-gs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2023\/07\/5911289images.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1764","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1764"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1764\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1765"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}