DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Dec. 7, 2024

World’s smallest gull spotted in Gurugram.

Tags: Environment

World’s smallest gull spotted in Gurugram.

Why in the news?

• Birders  made a rare, exciting sighting in Gurugram, spotting a little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) near Chandu-Budhera, with experts stating that this is possibly only thethird recorded sighting of the bird in the National Capital Region (NCR).

About little gull:

• The little gull, the world’s smallest gull species, is a shore bird that tends to migrate along the coasts of the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian seas.
• Birders said itsforay into India, that too as deep inland as NCR, is a rarity.

Important points:

• The species was spotted byAkshit Dua, when a group of birders set out to try and locate a slender-billed gull in the Chandu-Budhera area.
• The last known sighting of alittle gull in NCR was in 2014, at the Okhla bird sanctuary.
• Prior to that, it was spotted in 1992, so this could possibly be the third such sighting in the region.

'Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav'

Tags: Festivals

'Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav'

Why in the news?

• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the ‘Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav' of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Ahmedabad on 07 December 2024..

About The Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav:

• The Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav is a celebration of the compassionate teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and a tribute to decades of selfless service that have transformed the lives of crores.

Important points:

• It celebrates both the 103rd birth anniversary of Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the ‘Karyakar Suvarna Mahotsav' of BAPS. 
• The BAPS organization, which started from Lord Swaminarayan, has not only focused on devotion but has also integrated social service into society.
•  Today, over 1,200 Swaminarayan temples across the globe are lighting the lamp of spirituality in people's lives.
• The greatest contribution of the Swaminarayan institution has been its emphasis on values and character-building
•  The organization has freed many individuals from addictions, thereby relieving them and their families from stress and worry.

Centre approves 12 new industrial smart city projects.

Tags: Government Schemes

Centre approves 12 new industrial smart city projects.

Why in the news?

• The Government of India has approved 12 new industrial smart city projects with a total project cost of Rs. 28,602 crore (including land cost) for development of trunk infrastructure packages.

Important points:

• As per the approved institutional & financial framework of Industrial Corridor Programme,State Govt provides land and Government of India through National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT) provides the equity for development of internal trunk infrastructure components.
• Each industrial city/area/node under the National Industrial Corridor Development Program is managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
•  SPV may have suitable representation from the private sector wherever the State Government decides to involve the private sector.
•  It is also authorized to leverage innovative infrastructure funding and delivery tools such as user fee funding, pricing innovations, and delivery through various PPP arrangements for development of industrial smart cities. 
• The State Government, as deemed appropriate, may also seek bi-lateral/multilateral funding for this purpose.
• Focus sectors are defined differently for different industrial smart cities. The process involves preparation of a market demand assessment report for defining focus sectors. 
• Some of the focus sectors are Heavy Engineering, Auto & Ancillaries, General manufacturing, Pharma & Bio Tech, Electronics Industries, IT& ITES, Agro, Food processing, Computer, Electronic & Optical Products, Aerospace, Rubbers & Plastic, Fabricated Metal Products, R&D, ICT, Electronics Industries, Fabrications (semiconductors), Nanotechnology & Opto electronics.

Community, individual rights accorded to tribal settlements in Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

Tags: State News

Community, individual rights accorded to tribal settlements in Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

Why in the news?

• Coimbatore District Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati on Friday accorded community forest rights under theForest Rights Act, 2006, tothree tribal settlements in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR).

About Anamalai Tiger Reserve:

• It is a protected area located at an altitude of 1400 m in theAnamalai Hills of Pollachi and Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu.
• It lies south of the Palakkad gap in the Southern Western Ghats. 
• It is surrounded by the Parambikulum Tiger Reserve on the east, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Eravikulum National Park on the southwestern side.
• The reserve is also surrounded by the Nenmara, Vazhachal, Malayattur, and Marayur reserved forests of Kerala.
• It was declared atiger reserve in the year 2007.

India Wins ISSA Good Practice Award 2024.

Tags: Awards

India Wins ISSA Good Practice Award 2024.

Why in the news?

• India has recently received theISSA Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024, which was presented at the Regional Social Security Forum inRiyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Important points:

• The 'Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024' was presented by Mohammed Azman, President of ISSA (International Social Security Association), at the Regional Social Security Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
•  TheEmployees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) received five certificates of merit for communication channels,E-proceedings: A case on use of information and communication technology in justice delivery, district outreach programme (Nidhi Aapke Nikat), multilingual call centres, and Prayaas -- an initiative of handing over pension payment orders (PPO) to retiring members of the Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 on the day of retirement itself.
• The awards were received by Ashok Kumar Singh, DG, ESIC, on behalf of EPFO.
• These awards recognise the efforts undertaken by EPFO to reform and adopt good practices in line with changing economic and social milieu, the statement said.

About International Social Security Association:

• The ISSA Good Practice Award is a celebration of hard work and success in improving the ways of working of social security organizations, in order to achieve excellence in delivering social security.
• The Award recognizes good practices in the administration of social security carried out by ISSA member organizations, and provides a unique opportunity for institutions to present their significant administrative initiatives and innovative solutions to a global audience.
• Since its launch in 2008, the competitions have attracted good practices from all over the world that showcase an impressive range of operational and administrative achievements by member organizations in all regions.

​​​​Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav.

Tags: National News

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurates the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav.

Why in the news?

• The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on December 6,2024.

About Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav:

• Ashtalakshmi Mahotsav is a three-day cultural festival, being celebrated for the first time from 6th to 8th December at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. 
• It highlights the vastcultural tapestry of Northeast India, bringing together an array of traditional arts, crafts, and cultural practices.

Important points:

• To promote economic opportunities in areas such as traditional handicrafts, handlooms, agricultural products, and tourism, the Mahotsav features a variety of events.
•  The festival also hasartisan exhibitions, Grameen haats, state specific pavilions and technical sessions on key areas crucial to the development of the northeastern region.
• Key events include Investors Roundtable and buyer-seller meets designed to be a unique opportunity to build and strengthen networks, partnerships, and joint initiatives boosting economic growth of the region. 
• The Mahotsav has Design conclave and Fashion shows displaying the rich handloom and handicraft traditions of Northeast India at the national stage.
•  Highlighting the region's rich cultural heritage, the festival also showcases vibrant musical performances and indigenous cuisines of Northeast India.