The Odisha Forest and Environment Department is starting ecotourism packages for tourists to islands inside the Hirakud reservoir Cattle island, one of three islands in the Hirakud reservoir, has been selected as a sightseeing destination. Important points: It is located in one of the extreme points of Hirakud Reservoir. It is completely inhabited by wild animals, and without any trace …

Recently, a group of botanists has discovered an algal species with an ‘umbrella head’ from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are home to Coral Reefs and are rich in marine biodiversity. In March 2021 two new red algal Seaweed species were discovered along India’s coastline. Algae Algae are defined as a group of predominantly …

Recently, the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh which was installed in 2019, vandalised by a member of radical outfit Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a religious organisation at the Lahore Fort in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Important points: He was born on 13th November, 1780 in Gujranwala, now in Pakistan. He was the only child of Maha Singh, on whose death in …

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled the first composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index). The annual FI-Index for the financial year ended March 2021 crossed the halfway mark to 53.9, as compared to 43.4 for the year ended March 2017. Important points: The index has been conceptualised as a comprehensive index incorporating details of banking, investments, insurance, postal …

Unregulated inflow of relief to the Sundarbans has resulted in a new crisis in the cyclone-battered region as plastic has been accumulated in the area. The threat posed by plastic is so great for the Sundarbans because the region is witnessing frequent tropical storms, which lead to devastation. Important points: Plastic pollution is caused by the accumulation of plastic waste in …

India is water-stressed due to changing weather patterns and repeated droughts And the worst sufferers of this crisis are mostly women. Water scarcity in India is expected to worsen as the overall population is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2050. Important points: Although India has 16% of the world’s population, the country possesses …

Recently, a former militant of the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), was killed in a police encounter that has led to a crisis in Meghalaya. The encounter was reportedly carried out by the police team of East Khasi Hills and East Jaintia Hills. Important points: Meghalaya shares a border with Bangladesh and …

Recently, some environmentalists demanded that Tamil Nadu’s Kadavur Reserve Forest be declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in order to conserve Slender Loris (Loris tardigradus). The wildlife census conducted during 2016-17 showed an appreciable population of 3,500 slender loris in the Karur Reserve Forest. Important points: The slender lorises (Loris) are a genus of loris native to …

The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has set a target to provide employment opportunities to 7 lakh 50 thousand artisans, craftsmen through 75 “Hunar Haat”. To be organised across the country, the 75 Haats will be a part of the ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ and will mark 75 years of India’s Independence Also, 75 “Amrit Mahotsav Parks” will be constructed …

Recently, the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment has launched an online portal TAPAS (Training for Augmenting Productivity and Services). The idea of TAPAS was conceptualised at a time when exploring the online medium for work and education had become imperative due to the outbreak of Covid 19 pandemic Important points: It offers various courses in …