According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD): Status of monsoon as on 30th June 2021 and forecast upto 7th July Southwest monsoon 2021 so far covered most parts of the country except parts of Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. The northern Limit of southwest …

Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has moved Blue-finned Mahseer from Endangered to the Least Concern’ status on its Red List. Important points: The Mahseer belongs to the genus Tor, of which there are several subspecies to be found in India and in other range countries in South Asia. The Blue-finned Mahseer or Tor Khudree is one …

Recently, the Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region has asked for suggestions for the Devika River project in Udhampur, J&K. This project is compared with the Namami Gange Project. Important points: This is a Rs. 190 crore Project. The work on the project was started in March 2019 under the National …

Recently, the Union Minister for Food Processing Industries virtually inaugurated the Indus Best Mega Food Park at Raipur, Chhattisgarh. It is built under the Mega Food Park Scheme. By this food park, about 5000 people will get employment and about 25000 farmers will be benefited. Important points: It was launched in 2008-09 to give a major boost …

Recently, China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) achieved a peak temperature of 288 million degrees Fahrenheit, which is over ten times hotter than the sun. China is not the only country that has achieved high plasma temperatures. In 2020, South Korea’s KSTAR (Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research) reactor set a new record by maintaining a plasma temperature of over 100 …

According to an estimate, 1,250 satellites will be launched annually this decade, with 70% of them for commercial purposes. Various private companies are aiming to deliver broadband satellite Internet around the world through their fleet of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. The idea of a space internet system is not new. It is being used through Geostationary Satellite for selective …

Recently, India and the UK have launched a new workstream to promote industrial energy efficiency under Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Industrial Deep Decarbonization Initiative (IDDI) coordinated by UNIDO (United Nations Development Industrial organisation). It was launched in the ongoing 12th CEM (CEM12) Meeting, which is virtually hosted by Chile.  Important points: The objective is to …

According to a recent report, as much as 40% of the world’s agricultural crops are lost to pests each year. The United Nations declared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health, which has been extended until 1st July, 2021. Important points: Half of all emerging plant diseases are spread by global travel and trade, which have tripled in …

Recently, the third edition of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index and Dashboard 2020–21 was released by NITI Aayog. The SDG India Index 2020–21 is developed in collaboration with the United Nations in India. Important points: The NITI Aayog launched its index in 2018 to monitor the country’s progress on the goals through data-driven assessment, and foster a competitive spirit among the …