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By admin: Nov. 30, 2022

17th International Conference on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials to be held in New Delhi

Tags: place in news Summits

17th International Conference on Cement

The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, will organize the 17th International Conference on Cement, Concrete and Building Materials.

The biennial Conference will be held in New Delhi from 6-9 December 2022.

The theme of the Conference is: Moving towards Net Zero Carbon Emission”.

The conference will be inaugurated by Anurag Jain, Secretary to Government of India, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

More than 80 leading equipment manufacturers and service providers of India and the world, will also showcase their technological prowess, new products and services in a Technical Exhibition, in sync with the conference.


India Australia Trade agreement to come into force from 29 December 2022

Tags: Economy/Finance

India Australia Trade agreement to come into force

The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goel has tweeted on 30 November 2022 that the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (“IndAus ECTA”) will come into force from 29 December 2022.

The trade agreement wassigned between the two countries on 2 April 2022 and it was ratified by the Australian Parliament on 22 November 2022. With the completion of the legal and political formalities the government of both the countries has decided to implement the provisions of the trade agreement from 29 December 2022.

Under the trade agreement both the countries will reduce tariffs on agreed goods and services. 

The trade agreement will give a boost to the close economic ties between the two countries. It is expected to boost bilateral trade from the present USD 31 billion to USD 45-50 billion in the next 5 years.


Union Agriculture minister attends the 2nd Sustainable Agriculture Summit & Awards held in New Delhi

Tags: place in news Awards

2nd Sustainable Agriculture Summit & Awards

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was the chief guest of the 2nd Sustainable Agriculture Summit & Awards organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in New Delhi on 30 November 20222.

Speaking on the occasion he said that the educated youth are getting attracted towards the Agriculture sector and the government is continuously encouraging them through various schemes and programmes to join the Agriculture sector.

According to FICCI the objective of these awards is to recognize and showcase programs that promote sustainable agriculture development and those that focus on improving farmers’ income.

Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)

It is a business lobby group of top business houses in India which was founded by Ghansyham Das Birla.

It was set up in 1927

It articulates the views and concerns of industry and tries to influence the government to make policy which is in favour of the industry and business.

Headquarters: New Delhi

President: Sanjiv Mehta 


Electronic and BPO sector can create more than 10 million new jobs in the next two years: Ashwini Vaishnav

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Electronic and BPO sector can create more than 10 million new jobs

The Union minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnav said that the electronics sector alone could create additional jobs between 2.5 - 3 million and the BPO sector could make available 8 million jobs in the coming two years.  

He was speaking after inaugurating the National Level Start-up Initiative organized by the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) and Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC), in New Delhi on 30 November 2022. 

The National Level Start-up Initiative has been organised to select 40 start-ups that will participate at the US exposure meeting for building industry linkages, interface with venture capitalists.

The meeting will be held in the United States of America on 10-11 January 2023.


Manthan Platform of the government bags NSEIT Best Tech Initiative Award

Tags: Awards

Manthan Platform bags NSEIT Best Tech Initiative Award

The Manthan platform conceptualized and implemented by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India has won the NSEIT Best Tech Initiative of the Year at the Dun & Bradstreet Business Excellence Awards 2022. The award was conferred at a ceremony held on 29 November 2002 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. 

The award was presented for building the technology infrastructure to support Manthan, a platform that promotes collaboration at scale between industry and the scientific research and development ecosystem. 

Manthan is aimed at promoting collaboration between industry and the scientific research and development ecosystem. Launched on India’s 76th Independence Day, Manthan empowers multiple stakeholders to collaborate for co-creating solutions aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our national scientific missions.

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay K. Sood 

Dun & Bradstreet Business Excellence Awards 2022:

Dun & Bradstreet is an American Multinational company. It is a global provider of B2B data, insights, and AI-driven platforms for organizations around the world. The Dun & Bradstreet SME and Mid-Corporate ‘Business Excellence Awards 2022’ covers 23 categories largely based on business performance parameters. 

About NSEIT:

NSEIT is a subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India. It is a global technology enterprise focused on delivering excellence in a complex digital environment, primarily in the banking, insurance, and capital market ecosystem.


The Indian economy grew by 6.3% in the second quarter (July-September) of the financial year 2022-23

Tags: Economy/Finance

The Indian economy grew by 6.3% in the second quarter

The Indian economy grew by 6.3% in the second quarter (July-September 2022) of the 2022-23 financial. The Indian economy grew by 13.5% in the first quarter (April to June 2022). The latest data means India's GDP has grown by 9.7 percent in the first half of 2022-23.

The sharp fall in GDP growth in July-September was due to the fading away of a favourable base effect. 

Problem in Industrial sector 

The Agriculture and Service sector did well but the Industrial sector has shown a negative growth. 

The manufacturing sector showed a negative growth of 4.3 per cent in the July-September quarter, compared to 5.6 per cent growth in the previous quarter.

Mining sector showed a negative growth of 2.8 per cent as against 14.5 per cent growth a year earlier. 

However the construction segment registered a growth of 6.6 per cent in July-September.

The latest economic data was released on 30 November 2022 by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 

GDP growth rate at constant price (2011-12 base year) 

Sector of Economy

Growth rate of GDP in Q1(April-June)  2022-23

Growth rate of GDP in  Q2 (July-September)  2022-23

Agriculture 

4.5%

4.6%

Industry

8.5%

-0.8%

Service sector 

17.6%

9.3%

GDP

13.5%

9.7%

Gross value Addition (GVA) 

12.7%

5.6%

GVA=GDP + subsidies on products – taxes on products.

Nominal GDP

The Nominal GDP at Current Prices in Q2 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 65.31 lakh crore, as against Rs 56.20 lakh crore in Q2 2021-22, showing a growth of 16.2 percent.

 While calculating the nominal GDP the market price of goods and services are included. It makes no adjustment for inflation 

GDP at Constant Price or Real GDP

The Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at Constant Price (2011-12) in Q2 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 38.17 lakh crore, as against Rs 35.89 lakh crore in Q2 2021-22, showing a growth of 6.3 percent.

While calculating the GDP at constant price the price rise in the goods and services due to inflation is not counted. Prices are fixed to a base year. It measures the actual increase in the production of goods and services. 

GDP at constant price is the best indicator to measure the growth of an economy.

Expected GDP growth rate in fiscal year 2022-23

 The Growth of the Indian economy is expected to slow down sharply in the second half of the year.  

RBI has predicted that Indian economy is expected to grow by 4.6 percent in both October-December 2022 and January-March 2023 quarter.

For the full year, RBI has forecasted a growth rate of 7 percent.


South Korea to provide Rs 1495 crore loan for an Intelligent Transport System in Maharashtra

Tags: Economy/Finance

Intelligent Transport System on Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project.

The  South Korean government signed an agreement with the Government of India on 30 November 2022 to provide a loan of Korean Won 245.081 billion (approx. Rs. 1,495.68 crore) for Establishment of Intelligent Transport System on Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway Project. 

This is the first project in India to be funded by an EDCF loan. India was made an Official Development Assistance (ODA) partner for development cooperation in October, 2016 by South Korea. 

The objectives of the project are to enhance the efficiency in traffic management through establishment of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) and traffic centre, and to improve the efficiency in toll management through the establishment of the Toll Collection System (TCS).

 Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF)

The Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) was set up by the Government of South Korea on June 1, 1987 with the purpose of promoting economic cooperation between Korea and developing countries. The EDCF assists partner countries by providing funding for their industrial development and economic stability.


Agnikul inaugurates India’s first private space vehicle launchpad in Sriharikota

Tags: Science and Technology

India’s first private space vehicle launchpad

Chennai-based space tech startup Agnikul Cosmos launched India’s first private launchpad and mission control centre at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota on 28 November.

Important facts

  • The facility was inaugurated by ISRO chairman S Somanath.

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has supported the private Company AgniKul Cosmos for setting up the launchpad. 

  • The Company has planned a tech demonstration mission.

  • This facility has two parts—the Agnikul launchpad and the Agnikul mission control centre—which are four kilometres apart.

  • The launchpad is designed to accommodate and support liquid stage-controlled launches. 

  • The Chennai-based startup Agnikul Cosmos plans to launch its Agnibaan rocket from this launchpad.

About Agnibaan Rocket

  • Agnibaan is a highly customizable two-stage rocket from Agnikul, capable of carrying a payload of up to 100 kg in orbit (low-Earth orbit) at an altitude of about 700 km with a plug-and-play configuration.

  • The Agnibaan rocket will be powered by the company’s 3D-printed Agnilet engines.

  • The Agnibaan rocket is a “semi-cryogenic” engine that uses a mixture of liquid kerosene and supercold liquid oxygen to propel itself.


100 national monuments to be illuminated to mark India’s assumption of G -20 Presidency on 1 December 2022

Tags: National

100 national monuments to be illuminated

The Government of India has decided to illuminate 100 monuments in the country with the G20 logo on 1 December 2022 to mark the first day of India’s Presidency of the G-20 group.

During the G-20 Bali Summit in Indonesia, the Indonesian President Joko Widodo handed over the presidency to Prime Minister Modi symbolically, on 16 November 2022. But officially India will take over the G-20 presidency on 1 December 2022.   India will be holding the G-20 presidency from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023.

During the course of its Presidency, India will be holding about 200 meetings in 32 different sectors in multiple locations across the country. 

The 18th G-20 Leaders' Summit at the level of heads of state/government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi.

Logo 

The G20 Logo draws inspiration from the vibrant colours of India’s national flag – saffron, white and green, and blue.

It juxtaposes planet Earth with the lotus, India’s national flower that reflects growth amid challenges. The Earth reflects India’s pro-planet approach to life, one in perfect harmony with nature.

Below the G20 logo is “Bharat”, written in the Devanagari script.

Theme 

The theme of India’s G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth One Family One Future” - is drawn from the ancient Sanskrit text of the Maha Upanishad

Essentially, the theme affirms the value of all life, human, animal, plant, and microorganisms and their interconnectedness on the planet Earth and in the wider universe.

Message of the Logo and Theme 

The logo and the theme together convey a powerful message of India’s G20 Presidency, which is of striving for just and equitable growth for all in the world, in these turbulent times, in a sustainable, holistic, responsible, and inclusive manner. 

For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022,

Group of 20 or G-20 is a multilateral organisation of 19 countries and the European Union was set up in 1999.India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999.


International Jaguar Day

Tags: Important Days

International Jaguar Day

International Jaguar Day is observed every year on 29 November worldwide to raise awareness about the increasing threats facing the jaguar and the critical conservation efforts ensuring its survival from Mexico to Argentina. 

Important facts

  • The day is celebrated as a symbol of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and the centuries-old cultural heritage of Central and South America.

  • International Jaguar Day was celebrated on 29 November by the National Zoological Park, New Delhi (Delhi Zoo) in India.

  • Jaguar is the third largest Cat Predator in the World and an important species of the Amazon Rainforest.

  • It is the largest wild cat in America.

  • The day aims to draw attention to the need to conserve jaguar corridors and their habitats as part of efforts to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Background of the day

  • In March 2018 representatives from 14 range countries gathered in New York at United Nations’ Headquarters for the Jaguar 2030 Forum. 

  • The Forum resulted in the Jaguar 2030 Statement, which outlined a wide range of internationally collaborative jaguar conservation initiatives.

  • Several countries, including Brazil, are also celebrating National Jaguar Day, which has recognized the jaguar as a symbol of biodiversity.

  • Among those seeking to celebrate Jaguar Day were Dr. Alan Rabinowitz, co-founder and former CEO and chief scientist of Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organisation.


SBI to issue Rs 10,000 crore infrastructure bonds in 2022-23

Tags: Economy/Finance

SBI to issue Rs 10,000 crore infrastructure bonds in 2022-23

India’s largest commercial bank State Bank of India’s board on 29 November 2022 has approved a proposal to raise Rs 10,000 crore through issuance of infrastructure bonds during 2022-23.

The bank said that it will issue infrastructure bonds up to an amount of Rs 10,000 crore (including a green shoe option of Rs 5,000 crore) through a public issue or private placement, during 2022-23.

The capital raised through the infrastructure bonds will be used to provide loans to companies in the infrastructure sector.

Earlier the SBI board in May had approved raising up to $2 billion (about Rs 15,430 crore) from the overseas market during the 2022-23 financial year to fund foreign business growth.

Green Shoe Option 

Green shoe option means the company has the option to over allot the bonds or shares if there is demand in the market. For example SBI comes in the market and says that it will sell 10 bonds worth Rs 100 each with a green shoe option of Rs 200. The total issue of bonds here is Rs 1000. 

Suppose the SBI receives applications from 15 investors worth Rs 1500.  In the market language it will be said that the SBI issue has been oversubscribed.

Which investor will be allotted the bonds will be decided by lottery.

Now SBI has two options. It can keep Rs 1000 and refund the Rs 500 amount to the investors.

Another option for SBI is that it will exercise the green shoe option. Here the green shoe option is Rs 200 so SBI keeps Rs 200 and refunds the rest Rs 300 to the investors.  

State Bank of India (SBI) is an Indian multinational, public sector banking and financial services company. . As of 30 September 2022, the Government of India held 57.52% stake in the bank.

Chairman of the Bank: Dinesh Kumar Khara

Headquarters: Mumbai 


BIS signs MoU with top six engineering institutes of India

Tags: National National News

BIS signs MoU with top six engineering institutes of India

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has signed MoUs with six engineering institutes to implement Indian Standards as part of their curriculum.

Important facts

  • This initiative is towards institutionalising engagement of BIS with the eminent institutes for securing active participation of academia.

  • BIS has signed an Agreement with the following engineering Institutes-

  1. Indian Institute of Technology BHU, 

  2. Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, 

  3. Indian Institute of Technology Indore, 

  4. Indian Institute of Technology Patna, 

  5. Indian Institute of Technology Madras 

  6. National Institute of Technology Trichy

  • The MoU is for establishment of ‘BIS Standardization Chair Professor’ at these institutes.

  • It will promote excellence and leadership in teaching, research and development in the field of science and various disciplines in the respective institutions.

  • Under the agreement, technology innovation and standards development will be linked together to promote the development of technology oriented products and services.

About Bureau of Indian Standards 

  • Bureau of Indian Standards is the national standards body of India under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.

  • Headquarters- Manak Bhawan, Old Delhi

  • Director General- Pramod Kumar Tiwari

  • Established- 23 December 1986


Israeli ambassador to India apologizes on remarks of Nadav Lapid on Kashmir Files

Tags: National

Israeli ambassador to India apologizes on remarks of Nadav Lapid on Kashmir Files

Israel ambassador to India, Sri Lanka and Bhutan Naor Gilson has apologized for the comment made by an Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid on the film Kashmir files.  

Israel film maker Nadav Lapid who headed the  jury in the 53rd International Film Festival of India held at Goa criticized the Kashmir Files film as  ‘propaganda and vulgar’ that had no place at a film festival at the closing ceremony on 28 November 2022. 

Nadav Lapid was heavily criticized for his comment in India.

The Kashmir Files film is based on events in 1990 when more than 2 lakh Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) fled from Jammu and Kashmir. It was the start of the Pakistan sponsored militancy in Jammu and Kashmir which took an Islamist colour and Kashmiri pandits were threatened to either leave Kashmir or convert to Islam. Kashmiri pandits were selectively killed by the Islamic militants to scare the community.

The film has been directed by Vivek Agnihotri and Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Pallavi Joshi, Mithun Chakraborthy have acted in the movies.

The film has become controversial as the film portrays the killing of Kashmiri pandits as a genocide and the critic accuses the film of increasing Islamophobia.


Stephanie Frappart of France to be first woman referee at men's World Cup

Tags: Sports Person in news

Stephanie Frappart of France to be first woman referee at men's World Cup

FIFA has announced on 29 November 2022 that Stephanie Frappart of France will be the first woman to referee a men’s’ World Cup match. She will officiate the match to be played between Germany and Costa Rica in Group E on 2 December 2022.

France's Stephanie Frappart is one of three women referees among the 36 selected for the tournament in Qatar, alongside Rwandan Salima Mukansanga and Japan's Yoshimi Yamashita.

She was the first woman to referee in France's domestic Ligue 1 in 2019, the same year she took charge of the women's World Cup final in her home country.

Frappart also officiated the 2019 UEFA Super Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea, before refereeing the Champions League in 2020 and then the French Cup final last season.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 is being held in Qatar from 20 November to 18 December 2022.


India witnesses significant decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)

Tags: Reports National News

India witnesses significant decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)

As per a report released by the Registrar General of India on 30 November India has witnessed a significant decline in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)  from 130 in 2014-16 to 97 in 2018-20 on per lakh live births.  

Important facts

  • As per the report MMR has improved further by a spectacular six points and now stands at 97 per lakh live births. 

  • The MMR  is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time period per one lakh live births. 

  • India has thus met the National Health Policy target of an MMR of less than 100 per lakh live births and is on course to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of an MMR of less than 70 per lakh live births by 2030.

Three highest MMR State

  • Assam has the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR) at 195, followed by Madhya Pradesh at 173 and Uttar Pradesh at 167 (per lakh live births).

States with lowest MMR

  • Kerala has the lowest MMR of 19 per lakh live births, followed by Maharashtra 33 and Telangana 43.

States which have achieved Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target

  • Kerala (MMR 19), followed by Maharashtra (33), Telangana (43), Andhra Pradesh (45), Tamil Nadu (54), Jharkhand (56), Gujarat (57) and Karnataka (69).


National Security Adviser Ajit Doval highlights role of Ulema in countering radicalization

Tags: National National News

Ajit Doval highlights role of Ulema in countering radicalization

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval participated in a conference on 'Role of Ulema in promoting a culture of interfaith peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia', in New Delhi on 29 November.

Important facts

  • He said that cross-border terrorism and ISIS-inspired terrorism continues to pose a threat.

  • He said, India and Indonesia are victims of terrorism and separatism. 

  • He said scholars of Islam and Islamic law have a “vital role” to play in countering radicalisation and extremism by propagating progressive ideas and thought.

  • Role of Ulema in promoting a culture of interreligious peace and social harmony in India and Indonesia - will help bring scholars together to promote tolerance, harmony and peaceful co-operation and strengthen the fight against violent extremism, terrorism and radicalism.

  • The ulemas have a “leading role in educating the people on the original tolerant and moderate principles of Islam”.

  • Both countries need to build a consensus on de-radicalisation, and institutions need to come together to identify and address potential negative impacts.

  • The Indonesian delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Mohd Mahfud MD is on a three-day visit to India.

About Indonesia

  • Indonesia is located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

  • It is the world's largest island country with more than 17,000 islands, it is the fourth most populous country in the world.

  • Indonesia ranks first, Pakistan second and India third in terms of Muslim population in the world.

  • The world's most populous island is Java, it is in Indonesia.

  • Indonesia was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement along with India.

  • Currency - Indonesian rupiah

  • President - Joko Widodo


Government removes export ban on organic non-basmati rice

Tags: Economy/Finance

Government removes export ban on organic non-basmati rice

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industries has issued a government notification allowing the export of organic non-basmati rice, including broken rice, on 29 November 2022.  The move is expected to boost the export of rice from India.

Organic rice means chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not used by the farmer while cultivating the rice. 

The government in September this year had banned the export of broken rice with an aim to increase domestic availability. It also imposed a 20% export duty on the export of non-basmati rice.

The price of rice has increased marginally in the domestic market and the government is confident that there is no possibility of a sharp increase of rice in the domestic market. Hence it has allowed the export of organic non-basmati rice, including broken rice.

Export of Rice from India

According to the Union Ministry of Commerce the rice export from India during April-September 2022 was USD 5.5 billion

The country exported 21.2 million tonnes of rice in 2021-22, of which 3.94 million tonnes were basmati rice. It exported non-basmati rice worth USD 6.11 billion in the same period and the total export of rice was USD 9.7 billion.

India is the largest exporter of rice in the world with a 40% share in the world rice market. Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan are the other major exporters of rice in the world.


Adani Group bags Dharavi Redevelopment Project as highest bidder

Tags: Economy/Finance Government Schemes State News

Adani Group bags Dharavi Redevelopment Project

Gautam Adani-led Adani Properties on 29 November bagged the Dharavi redevelopment project, Asia's second largest slum colony, as the highest bidder.

Important facts

  • Adani Properties, the highest bidder offered Rs 5,069 crore as its investment in the project.

  • The Adani group quoted Rs 5,069 crore for this project, followed by Rs 2,025 crore quoted by the DLF group. 

  • Dubai-based infrastructure firm Seclink Technologies Corporation turned out to be a successful bidder in January 2019 against Adani.

  • Dharavi redevelopment will involve a massive investment of money upfront, amid tricky complications of land acquisition and rehabilitation. 

What is the Dharavi redevelopment project?

  • Dharavi is only a short drive from India's richest business district, the Bandra-Kurla Complex, which has the largest concentration of commercial offices in the country.

  • The slum, spread over 2.8 sq km, is home to an informal leather and pottery industry that employs over a lakh people.

  • The state government had envisaged to convert this slum area into a cluster of skyscrapers with better urban infrastructure.

  • It entailed resettling 68,000 people, including slum dwellers and those with commercial establishments.

  • In 1999, the BJP-Sena government first proposed to redevelop Dharavi. 

  • Thereafter, the Maharashtra government in 2003-04 decided to redevelop Dharavi as an integrated planned township, and an action plan for this was approved.


Jeypore Ground Gecko included in Appendix II of the CITES

Tags: Environment

Jeypore Ground Gecko included in Appendix II of the CITES

The Jeypore ground gecko (Cyrtodactylus jeyporensis), an endemic reptile of India, has been included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

About Jeypore Ground Gecko

  • It is a wild reptile species endemic to India.

  • It is a rare species and was first described in 1878 by Colonel Richard Henry Beddom, a British officer and naturalist.

  • It was rediscovered by a team of researchers in 2011 after a gap of over 130 years.

  • It is found in the Eastern Ghats and is known to be present in four locations including southern Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh.

  • The inclusion of this species in Appendix II was proposed by India at the recently concluded 19th Conference of the Parties (COP19) to CITES in Panama City.

  • IUCN Status: Endangered

Threats to this species

  • Habitat loss and degradation, poaching for domestic and international trade, forest fires, tourism, quarrying and mining activity. 

  • This species is not included in the protection list mentioned under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.


Agra, Ghaziabad and Prayagraj get first Police Commissioners

Tags: State News

Agra, Ghaziabad and Prayagraj get first Police Commissioners

The Uttar Pradesh government issued an order on November 29, 2022, appointing the first police commissioners in three districts of Uttar Pradesh, Agra, Ghaziabad and Prayagraj.

Important facts

  • The Uttar Pradesh government on 25 November decided to introduce the police commissionerate system in Agra, Ghaziabad and Prayagraj after it was implemented in Noida, Varanasi, Lucknow and Kanpur.

  • The cabinet declared these three districts as metropolitan cities as per the rules of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) before the commissionerate system was introduced.

  • Agra has been included in the list considering its growing population, its significance in terms of national and international tourism. 

  • Ghaziabad has been included keeping in view its growing population, it being a busy district of the National Capital Region and its new industrial scenario.

  • Prayagraj has been included because of its population and religious and cultural significance.

What is a Commissionerate System?

  • Various committees to suggest police reforms have recommended the introduction of a police commissionerate system in cities that have witnessed rapid urbanisation and have a population of more than one million.

  • Under the Commissionerate system the Commissioner of Police exercises the powers and duties of a District Magistrate.

  • These powers are also available to any officer under the commissioner who is not below the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Police.

  • This means that such police officers now have the powers of preventive arrest by invoking section 144 of the CrPC Act.

  • According to the commissionerate system the commissioner of Police will directly report to the government, in place of District Magistrate.


4 US soldiers promoted high up on Nanda Devi during India-US military exercise

Tags: Defence International News

India-US military exercise

For the first time, four US Army officers from the 11th Airborne Division have been promoted to India's second highest Himalayan peak Nanda Devi during the 18th edition of Indo-US joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas' in Uttarakhand.

Important facts

  • Capt. Cerruti, Lt. Russell, Lt. Brown and Lt. Hack became the first four USArmy Officers to be promoted in the Himalayas during Yudh Abhyas Exercise. 

  • US soldiers from the 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and Indian Army soldiers from the Assam Regiment are participating in a two-week joint military exercise.

  • Yudh Abhyas is conducted annually between India and the US with the aim of exchanging best practices, tactics, techniques and procedures between the armies of the two nations.

  • The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and share expertise in peacekeeping and disaster relief operations between the two armies.

  • The joint exercise will also focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations. 

Nanda Devi Peak

  • Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India, after Kangchenjunga, and located entirely within India (Kangchenjunga is on the border of India and Nepal). It is in the state of Uttarakhand (Chamoli district).

  • It is the 23rd-highest peak in the world.

  • The Nanda Devi Peak is a part of the Garhwal Himalayas.


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