19-20-02-23 Daily-Odisha-OPSC Current Affairs

While Odisha has vast reservoirs of mineral wealth, gold reserves have now been detected in three districts of the State, informed Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallik on Monday. Replying to a query by Dhenkanal MLA Sudhir Kumar Samal in the State Assembly, Mallik said presence of gold has been detected in Deogarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts following surveys by the Directorate of Mines and Geology and the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

In Mayurbhanj district, Jashipur, Saraguda, Ruansi, Idelkucha, Badampahar and Suleipat (Dhusura Hill) were found to have reserves of gold. In the Idellucha-Maredihi-Badampahar area, the survey found 0.1-2.6 gram of gold per 1 tonne of auriferous lode (rocks containing the Metal). In Suleipat, the Mines and Geology Directorate detected 0.1 0.8 gram of gold per 1 tonne of rock spread across 2.3 km in conglomerate horizon of Dhusura Hill in 1970-71.

Similarly, in Deogarh districts Adas, 1,685 kg of gold was detected in copper Ore. Along with gold, 6.67 million tonne copper, 0.638 million tonne silver and 0.10 million tonne nickel were found in the area.

In Keonjhar district, areas like Gopur, Gajipur, Kusakala, Adal and Saleikana, Dimirimundaand Karadanga of Telkoi were found to be in possession of the precious metal reserves. Between 1977 and 1983, geologists found 1 gram of gold per tonne in two quartz veins in Telkoi tehsil. In Gopur, a 60-metre-long and 1-metre-wide quartz vein contained 2.5-10 gram of gold per tonne.

An official announced that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharajs 393rd birthday celebration will take place in the Diwan-e-Aam area of the Agra Fort. The 17th-century Maratha emperor, also known as Shivaji Bhonsale I, was born on February 19, 1630.

It is being put on by the social and cultural organization Ajinkya Deogiri Pratisthan in coordination with the Maharashtra Ministry of Culture Affairs.

India has set a target of achieving $14 billion in exports of marine products by 2025 and efforts are being made to achieve the target, said Anupriya Patel, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industrysaid.

The seafood export sector is showing a positive trend during this year as well, showing a Growth of 3 per cent, the Minister said at the inaugural function of the 23^rdIndia International Seafood Show 2023 at Kolkata.

India is holding the Presidency of theG20from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023. During India’s time as president, the country is committed to maintaining its focus on Food Security.

Towards this goal, India plans to propose the launch of a global initiative to encourage Millets consumption and production known as– Millet International Initiative for Research and Awareness also known as MIIRA.

The UN‘s declaration as the International Year of Millet 2023 has been instrumental for India to be at the forefront in celebrating the millet year. MIIRA is in line with this declaration. The MIIRA secretariat will be in Delhi.

Besides setting up a web platform to connect researchers and holding international research conferences, the plan is also to promote millet consumption by raising awareness.

The government is targeting close to 21 million tonne (MT) of millet production in 2022-23; this stood at 14.5 MT in 2015-16. Indias exports stood at 159,332 tonne in FY22 versus 147,501 tonne in FY21.

In an effort to boost bilateral DEFENCE ties between the two countries, the fourth edition of the 14-day-long joint military exercise DUSTLIK between the Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army commenced on Monday in Foreign Training Node, Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand).

The joint exercise will focus on joint counter-terrorist operations in mountainous and semi-urban scenario under United Nations(UN) mandate and will include field training exercises, combat discussions, lectures, demonstrations and culminate with a validation exercise, they said.

Both sides will jointly train, plan and execute a series of tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats, while Learning to exploit new generation equipment and technology for conducting joint operations.