Broad Topic: GS 2, Government Policies & Interventions, GS 3, Conservation, Species in

News

Indian Rhino Vision 2020

In News

Recently, the ambitious Indian Rhino Vision 2020 (IRV2020) has come to a close with the

release of two rhinos in Assam’s Manas National Park transported from Pobitora Wildlife

Sanctuary.

About Indian Rhino Vision 2020

● IRV 2020 was designed by Rhino Task Force 2005.

● Aims

○ To increase Assam’s rhino population to 3000 by 2020, which was done by wild-

to-wild translocation from Kaziranga National Park and Pobitora Wildlife

Sanctuary to Manas and Dibru Saikhowa National Parks as well as Laokhowa

and Burachopari Wildlife Sanctuaries.

○ To reduce the risk to the rhino population, mainly from poachers by spreading the

population in multiple parks with enough habitats to encourage population

growth.

○ To secure the long-term survival of wild rhinos in Assam by expanding their

distribution to reduce risks like disease, in-breeding depression and mass

mortality.

● It is a unique programme where the government partnered international, national and

local organisations for the conservation of the rhinos.

● Under it, Manas has received a total of 22 rhinos from other protected areas.

○ Assam had about 2,000 rhinos when IRV2020 began in 2005.

● The rhino census could not be conducted in 2020 because of Covid-19 restrictions

which also delayed the IRV by a year.

● Significance

○ The translocated rhinos helped Manas National Park get back its World

Heritage Site status in 2011.

■ Manas, in focus for the near-extinction of the pygmy hog, lost the tag it

received in 1985 along with Kaziranga from UNESCO.

○ It is also expected to contribute to the mixing of genes from individuals from

Kaziranga and Pobitora and set up a healthy, breeding population of rhinos for

the future of the species.

○ The translocation and e-establishment of a breeding population has made

immense contribution to the conservation of the species.

● The plan to introduce or reintroduce the rhino in three protected areas (Laokhowa,

Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and Dibru-Saikhowa National Park) did not work out for

reasons still not known.

● Now, the IRV2020 is believed to have achieved its target of attaining a population of

3,000 rhinos in Assam.

(Image Courtesy: IRF)

Rhinos in India

● Only the Greater One-Horned Rhino is found in India which is also known as the

Indian rhino and is the largest of the rhino species.

● Features

○ It is identified by a single black horn and a grey-brown hide with skin folds.

○ They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as

leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.

● Threats

○ Habitat loss and fragmentation

○ Poaching (especially for their horns and hide)

○ Reducing population density

○ Decreasing genetic diversity

● Protection

○ IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.

○ CITES: Appendix I.

○ Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

● Other Conservation Efforts

○ New Delhi Declaration on Asian Rhinos 2019: Signed by India, Bhutan, Nepal,

Indonesia and Malaysia to conserve and protect the rhinos.

○ National Rhino Conservation Strategy 2019: Launched to conserve the

greater one-horned rhinoceros.

○ Project to create DNA profiles of all rhinos by the Ministry of Environment

Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

● Assam accounts for its largest population in India and had at least five rhino-bearing

areas till the 1980s.

○ Though rhino numbers in the state have grown from 2000 in 2005 to over 2200 in

2009, more than 90% of these live in just one Protected Area, which is the

Kaziranga National Park.

○ Better conservation efforts helped maintain the population of the one-horned

herbivore in Kaziranga, Orang and Pobitora.

○ However, encroachment and poaching wiped the animal out of Manas and

Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary.

(Image Courtesy: MOI)

Source: TH

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem

(NMSHE)

In News

A team of scientists from the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) has been

awarded for Excellence in Dissemination of agricultural practices and technologies from

Lab to Farm by Agriculture.

● The group worked under the National Mission on Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem

(NMSHE).

About

● The Task Force on Himalayan Agriculture under NMSHE as part of the Climate

Change program of the Department of Science & Technology worked on the six

components such as database development, monitoring, vulnerability assessment,

adaptive research, pilot studies, and organized capacity building/ training

programmes.

● Their work has been recognised for improving livelihood and subsistence production

systems in remote areas like Leh.

● It has been introducing the best agronomic practices and weed management

demonstrations on farmers’ fields with new crops and varietal assessment.

● The NMSHE work done has helped in the improvement of livelihood and profitability

in subsistence production systems of the Leh region.

National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE)

● It is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change

(NAPCC).

● NMSHE is a multi-pronged, cross-cutting mission across various sectors.

● It contributes to the sustainable development of the country by enhancing the

understanding of climate change.

● Its likely impacts and adaptation actions required for the Himalayas- a region on which

a significant proportion of India’s population depends for sustenance.

● The Ministry of Science and Technology has been given the nodal responsibility of

coordinating this mission.

● However, the mission involves valuable cooperation of Indian Himalayan States, the

Planning Commission and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to

achieve its goals.

● Aims

○ It seeks to facilitate the formulation of appropriate policy measures and time-

bound action programmes to sustain ecological resilience and ensure the

continued provisions of key ecosystem services in the Himalayas.

○ It intends to evolve suitable management and policy measures for sustaining

and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystem along with developing capacities

at the national level to continuously assess its health status.

About Himalayas

Meaning

● The word Himalaya comes from two Sanskrit words: Him (snow) and Aalay (abode).

● Geographical coverage and composition: The Himalayas are home to the world’s

largest mountains, including the highest peak – Mount Everest, standing at an incredible

8,848m tall.

● This incredible mountain range is a result of tectonic plate movement that

collided India into Tibet and stretches for 2,400km in length between the Indus

and the Brahmaputra river systems.

● The Himalayas, passing through India, Pakistan, Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal.

● There are the Outer Himalayas, the Lower Himalayas, the Tibetan Himalayas,

the Trans-Himalayas and the Great Himalayas.

Diverse Ecosystem

● The beauty of the Himalaya, which is one of the youngest chains of mountains in the

world harbouring a diverse ecosystem, lies in its intriguing complexity.

● The region is among the 36 world biodiversity hotspots.

● They are home to the highest mountains, deepest gorges and the greatest biodiversity

on the planet including the majestic snow leopard.

● The Himalaya is characterized by a complex geologic structure, snow capped peaks,

large valley glaciers, deep river gorges and rich vegetation.

Importance of Himalayas

● Strategic position: The Himalayan ecosystem is vital to the ecological security of the

Indian landmass and occupies the strategic position of the entire northern boundary

(NorthWest to North-East) of the country.

● A reliable source of clean energy: The immense hydropower potential of the

Himalayas which could make it a reliable source of clean energy thus reducing the

carbon emissions.

● Maintaining whether: These mountain ranges guard our country against the cold and

dry winds coming from Central Asia the absence of these mountains, India would have

been a dry desert.

○ They also cause most of the rainfall in northern India by acting as a barrier for the

monsoon winds.

● Source of water and Forest: These mountains are the source for 10 major river

systems in Asia, a lifeline for almost half of humanity.

○ This is important not only for Himalayan states but for the future of all North

Indian states dependent on rivers originating from there.

○ Local communities are dependent on forests for their agriculture and basic

needs.

● Cultural Importance: From the story of Lord Shiva and Parvati to Bhagavad Gita and

almost all Indian cultural and traditional books, there is mention of the importance of the

Himalayas.

Several challenges and Concern

● The major challenges facing the Himalayas are increasing population, rampant

urbanisation, unchecked deforestation, melting of glaciers, construction of roads, the

establishment of hydroelectric projects, etc.

● Unscientific disposal of plastic and other human activities were harming the Himalayas

● Frequent natural calamities are a result of our carelessness towards nature

● Demographic shifts, weak institutional capacity, poor infrastructure, and a paucity of

adequate information on mountain-specific climate change pose challenges to capacity-

building in the region.

Steps were taken

● National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem- It aims to understand

scientifically the complex processes affecting this ecosystem and evolve suitable

management and policy measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan

ecosystem including Himalayan glaciers.

● SECURE Himalaya project- SECURE Himalayas project is spread over 6 years. The

objective of the project is to secure people’s livelihood, restore, conserve and use

sustainably the high range ecosystems of the Himalayas.

○ The key focus of the project is on improving the enforcement to ensure the

reduction in wildlife crime, protection of snow leopard and other endangered

species and ensuring a secure livelihood to the people in the region.

National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)

● The Government of India has launched eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) for assessment of the impact and actions required to address climate change.

● It was launched in 2008.

● The eight missions are: ● National Solar Mission ● National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency

● National Mission on Sustainable Habitat ● National Water Mission ● National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem ● National Mission for A Green India ● National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture ● National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change

Aims and Objectives

● Its major focus is on keeping the emissions intensity lower than the developed

countries at all times.

● It aims to balance the economic growth with India’s commitments towards the

improvement of the global environment.

Source :PIB

Tags:GS 1/Art & Culture

Various Traditional Festivals

In News

The Vice President of India greeted the people on festivals ‘Chaitra Sukladi, Gudi Padwa,

Ugadi, Cheti Chand, Vaisakhi, Vishu, Puthandu, and Bohag Bihu’.

Gudi Padwa

● It is celebrated in the first month of Chaitra, Gudi Padwa is primarily celebrated by the

people in Maharashtra and Goa.

● The festival derives its name from two words — ‘gudi’ which is the flag of Lord Brahma

and ‘padwa’ which signifies the first day of the phase of the moon.

● The festival signals the onset of the warmer days and the spring season.

● The festival is observed with colourful floor decorations called rangoli, a special

Gudhi flag (garlanded with flowers, mango and neem leaves, topped with upturned

silver or copper vessel), street processions, dancing and festive foods.

Ugadi

● Ugadi, also known as Yugadi, is celebrated as New Year's Day by the people of Andhra

Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.

● Ugadi is festively observed in these regions on the first day of the Hindu lunisolar

calendar month of Chaitra.

● The vibrant festival of Ugadi is celebrated to welcome abundance, prosperity, and

happiness in the new year.

● The festival also holds a special place for the region as it marks the beginning of

nature’s annual cycle and the onset of the spring season.

Chaitra Sukladi

● It is the New Year in the traditional Hindu calendar based on the beginning of the new

moon.

● Shukladi is one of the methods by which a lunar month is determined.

● It is the first day during the waxing phase (in which the visible side of the moon is

getting bigger every night) of the moon in the Chaitra (the first month of the Hindu

calendar).

Cheti Chand

● Cheti Chand is observed by the Sindhi community and is celebrated on the Pratipada

Tithi (first day) of Chaitra, Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of the Moon).

● Cheti Chand also marks the emergence of Jhulelal

○ Cheti Chand (also known as Jhulelal Jayanti) is observed by the Sindhi

community on the Pratipada Tithi (first day) of Chaitra, Shukla Paksha (waxing

phase of the Moon).

○ It is celebrated when the crescent appears after the New Moon day (Amavasya).

On this day, Sindhis celebrate their New Year as well as the birth anniversary of

Jhulelal.

Baisakh

● It is also called Vaisakhi, and is known as the harvest festival of Punjab.

● It is celebrated by people across religions. Other than marking the season of harvest,

Baisakhi also has religious significance for the Sikhs. Baisakhi marks the beginning of

the Sikh New Year.

● Baisakhi is an important festival as the day marks the new spring year and also the

formation of Khalsa Panth under the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1699.

● This holiday is also known as Vaisakha Sankranti and celebrates the Solar new year,

based on the

Vishu

● The festival of Vishu heralds the beginning of the Malayalee New Year and the festival

is celebrated in a big way in Kerala and the adjoining areas of Tamil Nadu.

● Vishu day marks the Sun’s transit to the zodiac MeshaRashi as per the Indian

Astrological calculations.

● The festival marks the first day of Medam, the ninth month in the solar calendar

followed in Kerala.

● It therefore always falls in the middle of April in the Gregorian calendar on 14th or

15th April every year.

Puthandu

● This is also known as Puthuvarudam or Tamil New Year, is the first day of the year on

the Tamil calendar and traditionally celebrated as a festival.

● The festival date is set with the solar cycle of the lunisolar Hindu calendar, as the first

day of the Tamil month Chithirai.

● It therefore falls on or about 14th April every year on the Gregorian calendar.

Bihu

● It is also called Rongali Bihu and Bohag Bihu is Assam’s harvest festival which marks

the beginning of the Assamese New Year

● The word Bihu is taken from the Sanskrit word Bishu meaning "to ask blessings and

prosperity from the Gods" during harvesting season.

● Bihu, in Assam, is of three types: Rangoli Bihu, Magh Bihu and Maghar Domahi.

Source :PIB

Broad Topic: GS 1, Modern Indian History, Personalities, GS 2, Indian Constitution

Bhim Rao Ambedkar Jayanti

In News

Every year, 14th April is observed as Ambedkar Jayanti to celebrate Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s

birthday.

● The year 2021 marks his 130th birth anniversary.

About Dr BR Ambedkar

● Birth: In a Dalit (Hindu Mahar) family on 14th April 1891 in a small town at Mhow Cantt

in erstwhile Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh).

● Often termed as the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution’, he always worked for the

welfare of the poor, Dalits and deprived sections.

○ He was a social reformer, jurist, economist, author, scholar and thinker.

○ He envisioned a better and just society and fought for it throughout his life and

wanted to create a modern India where there would be no prejudice based on

caste or any other reason, where women and communities subjected to

backwardness for centuries would enjoy equity of economic and social rights.

○ He considered the Right to Constitutional Remedy (Article 32) as the soul of

the constitution.

● Major Contributions

○ 1920: Started a fortnightly newspaper, the ‘Mooknayak’ (Dumb Hero), with the

support of Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur.

○ 1924: Founded the Bahishkrit Hitakarini Sabha also known as Outcastes

Welfare Association, with an aim to spread education and awareness among

the dalits.

○ 1927: Led the Mahad Satyagraha in Maharashtra to challenge the regressive

customs of the Hindu.

○ 1929: Decided to cooperate with the British Simon Commission, which drew

sharp criticism from Congress.

○ 1930: Started Kalaram Satyagraha in Nashik, which was a temple entry

movement for the untouchables.

○ 1932: He, on behalf of untouchables, signed the Poona Pact with Mahatma

Gandhi, who was representing Congress.

■ The pact provided the provisions for reserved seats for the depressed

class instead of separate electorate in the regional legislative

assemblies and Central Council of States.

■ He participated in all the three Round Table Conferences in 1930,

1931 and 1932, voicing for untouchables and the depressed class.

○ 1936: Formed the Independent Labor Party, which was later transformed into

the Scheduled Castes Federation.

○ 1937: Contested for the Central Legislative Assembly from Bombay.

○ 1939: During the Second World War, he called upon Indians to join the Army

in large numbers to defeat Nazism, which in his opinion, was another form of

Fascism.

○ 1942-46: Worked as Minister of Labour in the Viceroy’s Executive Council.

○ 1947: Worked as the first Law Minister of India in Jawahar Lal Nehru’s cabinet

and was also made the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constitution.

○ 1955: Founded the Bharatiya Bauddha Mahasabha.

○ 1956: Embraced Buddhism along with many of his followers in a public

ceremony in Nagpur.

● Major Literary Works

○ The Untouchables: Who Were they and why they Became Untouchables?

○ Who were the Shudra?

○ Mr. Gandhi and the Emancipation of the Untouchables

○ Annihilation of Caste

○ Pakistan or the Partition of India

○ The Buddha and His Dhamma

○ What Congress and Gandhi Have Done to the Untouchables

● Death: In New Delhi on 6th December 1956.

○ In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna (highest civilian

honour of India).

Provisions of the Constitution for Vulnerable Section Upliftment

● Article 15(4): It empowers the State to make special provisions for the advancement

of any socially and educationally backward class of the citizens and for SCs.

● Article 17: It abolishes untouchability in any form and its practice is forbidden in

totality.

● Article 19: The citizens of the country have freedom of speech, assembly, movement

and residence under the Constitution.

● Article 39: Ownership and control of material resources of the community are so

distributed as best to subserve the common good.

● Article 49: This article enjoins the government to protect every monument or place of

artistic or historical importance.

● Article 51A: Fundamental Duties for the citizens enshrined in the Constitution.

● Article 330 and 332: It provides provision reservation of seats for the Scheduled

Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in the House of the People and state assemblies.

● Article 243D: It mentions reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the

Scheduled Tribes in every Panchayat.

Source: IE

Broad Topic: GS 3, Health, International Organisations & Groupings, United Nations, its

Bodies & Agencies

Risk Reduction Guidelines on Zoonosis

In News

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO), World Organization for Animal Health

(OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have laid down fresh

guidelines for governments to reduce the risk of transmission of zoonotic pathogens to

humans in food production and marketing chains.

● The call for action comes as the world grapples with a resurgence of Covid-19.

About the Guidelines

● Emergency regulations to suspend live wild animal sales.

○ Suspend the trade in live caught wild animals of mammalian species for food or

breeding in traditional food markets, also known as “wet markets”.

○ Close sections of food markets selling live caught wild animals of mammalian

species as an emergency measure unless demonstrable effective regulations

and adequate risk assessment are in place.

● Improving standards of hygiene and sanitation.

○ Strengthen the regulatory basis for improving standards of hygiene and

sanitation in traditional food markets to reduce the risk of transmission of

zoonotic diseases.

○ During this pandemic, additional measures for crowd control and physical

distancing as well as education on respiratory hygiene should be introduced to

limit the possibility of person-to-person transmission of disease.

● Controlling the farming and sale of wild animals intended for human consumption.

○ Conduct risk assessments to provide the evidence base for developing

regulations to control the risks of transmission of zoonotic microorganisms from

farmed and caught wild animals intended for breeding or human consumption.

○ Regulations should address the traceability of farmed wild animals to ensure that

they are distinguished from caught wild animals and should include strict

biosecurity measures.

● Training of food and veterinary inspectors.

○ Ensure that food inspectors are adequately trained to ensure that businesses

comply with regulations to protect consumers’ health and are held accountable.

○ Competent authorities should be adequately resourced, so that regulations are

consistently enforced.

● Strengthening surveillance systems for zoonotic pathogens.

○ Strengthen animal health surveillance systems for zoonotic pathogens and

include both domestic and wild animals.

■ This will provide an early warning for pathogen emergence and provide

the evidence base for the development of controls to prevent risks to

human health, in association with public health surveillance systems.

● Food safety information campaigns.

○ Develop and implement food safety information campaigns for market traders,

stall holders, consumers and the wider general public.

○ These should communicate the principles of food safety and the risks of

transmission of zoonotic pathogens and the risks associated with the

consumption and trade of wildlife.

○ These should also disseminate information to all stakeholders about the

importance of biodiversity and the need for any use of wildlife to be legal,

sustainable, safe and responsible.

Zoonosis

● It is an infectious disease caused by a pathogen that originated in animals but

jumped to humans directly or through an intermediary species, food, water and the

environment.

● The World Zoonoses Day is observed on 6th July every year.

● Concerns

○ Animals have played an essential role in maintaining zoonotic infections,

bacterial, viral or parasitic, in nature.

○ There is a risk of exposure to the mucus, saliva, urine and other bodily

fluids of the infected animals.

○ There is also the risk of becoming infected in areas where animals are

housed or from contact with objects as well as surfaces that have been

contaminated.

● Growth Factors

○ Intensive livestock farming and agriculture are among the many reasons

that have disrupted the human-animal-environment interface.

○ High stocking density of genetically similar breeds (poultry, pigs, dairy and

fish) aimed at productivity, confined living conditions and limited focus on

animal husbandry act as hotspots for infection causing bacteria or virus to

multiply and spread.

○ Routine use of chemicals or drugs such as antibiotics to prevent infections

and as a substitute to hygiene and sanitation, exacerbates antimicrobial

resistance (AMR), a global public health threat and a pandemic of chronic

nature.

○ Other factors such as growing population, international trade of exotic

animals, loss of natural wildlife habitats owing to deforestation for

urbanisation or agriculture have expedited pathogen spillover from animals

to humans.

● Prevention

○ The solutions align to key stages of the trade chain such as supply

(production and sourcing), transaction (transport and sale), and demand

(consumption), however, need to be assessed in regard to the local,

regional and international context before implementation.

■ Supply-side Interventions: Increased focus on improving animal

health and hygiene standards in farms by reducing stocking density and

ensuring access to veterinary care, preventing mixing of domesticated

animals with those of wild origin and improving biosecurity of farming

practices.

■ Transport and Sale Aspect: Reducing risk of disease transmission

during transport and also during slaughter, processing or sale.

■ Demand-side Interventions: Increased awareness and promotion of

voluntary behaviour change in consumers, coupled with options for

increasing cost of purchasing or consuming high-risk products.

○ Implementation of these approaches will also need the right enablers such as

capacity, resource, laws and regulations.

○ Reducing dependence on intensive systems and considering more

sustainable systems of producing food will not only allow for reduced

emergence of zoonotic diseases, but also make way for preserving human

health and environment.

Source: DTE

Facts in News

Kunpengopterus antipollicatus (Monkeydactyl)

● It is a species of pterosaur, which were reptiles, close

cousins of dinosaurs and the first animals after insects to

evolve powered flight.

● A new pterosaur fossil has been discovered in the Tiaojishan

Formation of Liaoning, China, and is thought to be 160

million years old.

● “Antipollicatus” in ancient Greek means “opposite thumbs”,

and it was attached to the name because the researchers’

findings could be the first discovery of a pterosaur with an

opposed thumb.

○ Opposability of the thumb is defined as being able to

“simultaneously flex, abduct and medially rotate the

thumb” in a way that one is able to bring the tip of the

thumb to touch the tips of the other fingers.

● They suggest that K. antipollicatus could have used its hand for

grasping, which is likely an adaptation for arboreal life.

(Image Courtesy: IE)

Mental Health and Normalcy Augmentation System (MANAS) App

● It is a comprehensive, scalable and national digital

wellbeing platform and an app developed to augment

mental well-being of Indian citizens.

● It integrates the health and wellness efforts of various

government ministries, scientifically validated indigenous tools

with gamified interfaces developed/researched by various

national bodies and research institutions.

● It was endorsed as a national programme by the Prime

Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory

Council (PM-STIAC).

● It was initiated by the Office of the Principal Scientific

Adviser to the Government of India, jointly executed by the

National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences

(NIMHANS) Bengaluru, the Armed Forces Medical College

(AFMC) Pune and the Centre for Development of Advanced

Computing (C-DAC) Bengaluru.

Currency Chest

● It is a place where the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) stocks

the money meant for banks and ATMs.

● These chests are usually situated on the premises of

different banks but administered by the RBI.

● Representatives of the RBI inspect currency chests time-to-

time, and update their senior officers about it.

● The money present in the currency chest belongs to the RBI

and the money, kept in the strong room outside the currency

chest belongs to the bank.

● As per the set guidelines, the bank, in which the currency

chest is situated is liable to fulfill the loss of the currency

chest.

○ Regarding any crime, the banks concerned are also

bound to submit a Fraud Monitoring Report (FMR) to

the RBI.

● The security of currency chests is the subject of the bank in

which chests are situated. The RBI reimburses the security

expenses to the bank as per the set norms.

Aahaar Kranti

● Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan launched “Aahaar Kranti".

● It is a mission aimed at spreading the message of the need for a nutritionally balanced diet and to understand the importance of accessibility to all local fruits and vegetables.

● Vijnana Bharati (Vibha) and Global Indian Scientists' and Technocrats' Forum (GIST) have come together to launch the mission with the motto of “Good Diet-Good Cognition".

● The Aahaar Kranti movement is designed to address the peculiar problem being faced by India and the world called “hunger and diseases in abundance".

● It will renew the focus on nutritionally balanced diets (Uttam Evam Santulit Aahaar) replete in locally sourced fruits and vegetables.

● The programme will focus on training teachers, who, in turn, will pass on the message to the multitudes of students, and through them to their families and finally the society at large.

● The United Nations has also declared 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables, which vibes very well with Aahaar Kranti.

● It will seek to promote better awareness, better nutrition and better agriculture.

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S)

● It is a colourless chalcogen hydride gas with a characteristic foul odour.

● It is very poisonous, corrosive, and flammable. ● It dissolves in water and oil, and it may be released when these

liquids are heated, depressurized, or agitated. Because it is heavier than air, it may settle in low spots.

● H2S is the primary gas produced from the microbial breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen, and this necessitates easy detection of its emission from sewers and swamps.

● It occurs naturally in crude petroleum, natural gas, volcanic gases, and hot springs.

National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC)

● The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) was set up under Article 338 of the Constitution of India .

● It consists of: ○ Chairperson. ○ Vice-chairperson. ○ Three other members. ○ They are appointed by the President by warrant under

his hand and seal. ● Objectives

○ To investigate and monitor all issues pertaining to the safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes under any law for the time being in force or under any order of the Government of India.

○ The Commission also enquires into specific complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards provided for the Scheduled Castes.