ODISHA
Rs 903-cr Action Plan for 2021-22 approved
Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra on Sunday directed to increase green coverage on bald hills through plantation and regeneration activities during the year 2021-22.
He also directed to create digital database of all the forest assets and upload those on public domain with regular updating.The Department of Forest and Environment (DoFE) was asked to put in place a robust system for ground level monitoring and public disclosure. Further, Mohapatra asked the DoFE to create a land bank for compensatory afforestation and protect the identified land from human intervention so as to allow natural regeneration on that land.The DoFE was also asked to prepare a three-year action plan for making the forest roads motorable at least for easy availability of health and emergency services at the remote villages.
Mohapatra also directed to do solar fencing along the forest boarders involving the people of the adjoining human habitation for preventing the man-animal conflict. In another applaud to State, the India State Forest Report of 2019 has projected Odisha as a “Lead State” in different parameters of afforestation and forest management through application of technology. The State’s initiative for DGPS survey of the entire forest land of 60,991 km with latest techniques has proved to be very useful in monitoring of forest area, wild life and maintenance of different assets.
The method has been accepted as a best practice at national level. This was known from the State Level Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) meeting held under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary recently wherein CEO CAMPA Uma Nanduri outlined the issues for discussion. Development Commissioner Pradeep Jena advised to do third party assessment of the pre and post green cover density against each plantation project.
INTERNATIONAL
At 18 million, India has largest diaspora in the world: UN
The Indian diaspora is the largest in the world, with 18 million people from the country living outside their homeland in 2020.
The United Arab Emirates, the US and Saudi Arabia host the largest numbers of migrants from India.
Other countries with a large diaspora included Mexico and Russia (11 million each), China (10 million) and Syria (8 million).
India’s large diaspora is distributed across a number of major countries of destination, with the UAE (3.5 million), the US (2.7 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.5 million) hosting the largest numbers of migrants from India.
Other countries hosting large numbers of migrants from India included Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and the UK.
NATIONAL
Third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana launched in 600 districts across country
The third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 3.0 launched in 600 districts across the country.
Spearheaded by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, this phase will focus on new-age and COVID-related skills.
The third phase of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana envisages training of eight lakh candidates over a scheme period of 2020-2021 with an outlay of 948.90 crore rupees.
Skill India Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 has gained tremendous momentum through the launch of its flagship scheme PMKVY to unlock the vision of making India the Skill Capital of the world.
PM Modi to interact with startups and address ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with startups and address ‘Prarambh: Startup India International Summit’ through video conferencing.
The two day Summit is being organized by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
It is being organised as a follow up of the announcement made by the Prime Minister at the fourth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu in August 2018 wherein India committed to host the BIMSTEC Startup Conclave.
The Summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Startup India initiative, launched by the Prime Minister on 16 January, 2016.
The objective is to focus attention on global capital for startups in India, mobilize domestic capital, provide opportunities for accessing international markets to our startups and evolve enabling policy provisions.
Govt brings forward target of 20% ethanol-blending with gasoline by 2025
India plans to achieve 20% ethanol-blending with gasoline by 2025, five years ahead of its previous target, to help reduce its dependence on costly oil imports.
In 2020, the government had set a target of reaching 10% ethanol-blending by 2022 – meaning 10% of ethanol mixed with 90% of gasoline – and 20% by 2030.
India relies on foreign suppliers to meet more than 80% of its demand.
Archaeologists Discovered the Worlds Oldest Cave Art
Archaeologists discovered the oldest cave art in the world. It is a life-size photo of a wild boar, which was painted in Indonesia at least 45,500 years ago. The photo was found in Leang Tedongnge cave in a remote valley in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Sulawesi Warthog painting can be traced back at least 45,500 years ago.
It shows a pig with short upright hair on the top of the head and a pair of horn-shaped warts in front of the eyes, which are characteristic of adult male Sulawesi warthogs.
The Sulawesi Warthog is the most commonly depicted animal in the island’s ice age rock art, which shows that they have long been regarded as food and the focus of creative thinking and artistic expression.
The pig was painted with red stone paint and seems to be observing the fighting or social interaction between the other two warthogs.
Gk bit: Cave Paintings in India:
Ajanta Cave is located in the Aurangabad area of Maharashtra. Ajanta’s famous murals are of dying princesses, flying fairies and missionary Buddha.
Ellora is located in the Aurangabad region of Maharashtra. This cave is popular for the largest monolithic excavation in the world-the great Kailasa.
Elephanta is located on the Elephanta Islands in Mumbai. The Elephanta team has excavated 7 caves.
Bhimbetka is located between Hoshangabad and Bhopal, at the foot of Vindhya Mountain. It has one of the oldest paintings in India and the world.
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