DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 30th July 2021
International Tiger Day Celebrated
- India is home to 51 tiger reserves spread across 18 states.
- The last tiger census of 2018 showed a rise in the tiger population. 1411 in 2006 to 2967 in 2019.
- India achieved the target of doubling of tiger population 4 years ahead of schedule of the St. Petersburg Declaration (2010) on tiger Conservation.
- The theme for this year International Tiger Day is- “Their Survival is in our hands”.
- India’s strategy of tiger conservation attaches topmost importance to involving local communities. We are also inspired by our century’s old ethos of living in harmony with all flora and fauna with whom we share our great planet.
India’s 14 Tiger Reserves get Global CA/TS recognition for good Tiger Conservation
- The 14 tiger reserves which have been accredited are Manas, Kaziranga and Orang in Assam, Satpura, Kanha and Panna in Madhya Pradesh, Pench in Maharashtra, Valmiki Tiger Reserve in Bihar, Dudhwa in Uttar Pradesh, Sundarbans in West Bengal, Parambikulam in Kerala, Bandipur Tiger Reserve of Karnataka and Mudumalai and Annamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
- Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards (CA|TS) has been agreed upon as accreditation tool by the global coalition of Tiger Range Countries (TRCs) and has been developed by tiger and protected area experts.
- Launched in 2013, it sets minimum standards for effective management of target species and encourages assessment of these standards in relevant conservation areas.
First Anniversary of National Education Policy 2020
- This is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the thirty-four-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986.
- PM Modi launched multiple key initiatives in the anniversary event.
- PM Modi launched multiple key initiatives in the anniversary event. National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) and National Education Technology Forum (NETF), which are among the ambitious programs of the NEP 2020, would be launched.
- A website dedicated to Artificial Intelligence was launched in the event.
- Among other initiatives is Academic Bank of Credit that will provide multiple entry and exit options for students in Higher education, 1st Year Engineering Programmes in Regional Languages and Guidelines for Internationalization of Higher Education.
- Vidya Pravesh, a three month play based school preparation module for Grade 1 students will be released along with SAFAL (Structured Assessment for Analysing Learning Levels), a competency-based assessment framework for Grades 3, 5 and 8 in CBSE schools.
Earth Overshoot Day, 2021
- The day marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources (fish and forests, for instance) and services each year exceeds what the Earth can regenerate in that year.
- According to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), humanity has again used up all biological resources that our planet regenerates during the entire year by 29th July 2021.
- Humanity currently uses 74% more than what the planet’s ecosystems can regenerate — or 1.7 Earths.
- From Earth Overshoot Day until the end of the year, humanity operates on ecological deficit spending.
- The concept of Earth Overshoot Day was first conceived by Andrew Simms of the UK think tank New Economics Foundation, which partnered with Global Footprint Network in 2006 to launch the first global Earth Overshoot Day campaign.
Space Activities Bill is under Active Consideration: Ministry of S&T
- Space Activities Bill is under active consideration of the Government which will include aspects pertaining to regulation and promotion of private players in space sector.
- Government of India has announced space sector reforms in June 2020.
- The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) was created as an independent nodal agency under the Department of Space with the mandate of promoting, handholding, licensing, authorization, and monitoring of private space activities in India.
- Access to Department of Space (DOS) facilities and expertise are extended to private entities to support their space activities.
780 New Air traffic routes Approved under UDAN scheme
- Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia informed the Lok Sabha that 359 routes have become functional in the country after the inception of the scheme, 59 new airports have been established.
- He said during the Covid pandemic period cargo handling through air routes was also increased to 19 percent from 2 percent. And the number of cargo operators has been increased to 28 in the country.
Govt Announces 27% reservation for OBCs, 10% for EWS in Medical Courses
- The All-India Quota scheme was introduced in 1986 under the direction of the Supreme Court to provide for domicile-free merit-based opportunities to students from any state so that they could aspire to study in a good medical college located in another State.
- Initially, there was no reservation in the AIQ Scheme up to 2007. However, in 2007, the apex court introduced a reservation of 15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs under the scheme after which the clamor had grown for also benefiting the OBC students under the provision.
- Under the AIQ scheme, 15% seats at the under-graduate level and 50% seats at the post-graduate level are kept domicile free in government medical and dental colleges.
- The newly approved quotas will be applicable from the current academic session, 2021-22 and would benefit nearly 1500 OBC students in MBBS and 2500 OBC students in PG while it will also impact around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1000 EWS students in PG medicine.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Nature world’s leading conservation organization was established in?
- 1958
- 1961
- 1965
- 1971
ANSWER: B
- HQ of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is at?
- France
- Germany
- USA
- Switzerland
ANSWER: D
- Which of the following report is released by Worldwide Fund for Nature?
- Living Planet Report
- Global Environment Outlook
- Adaptation Gap Report
- Environmental Health Report
ANSWER: A
- Global Environment Outlook is released by?
- WWF Nature
- United Nations Environment Program
- World Economic Forum
- IUCN
ANSWER: B
- Global Footprint Network is an international nonprofit organization founded in the year?
- 2001
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
ANSWER: C
- Ministry of Civil Aviation celebrates ________ as UDAN Day on which the scheme document was first released.
- 21st Oct
- 21st Sept
- 21st June
- 21st July
ANSWER: A
- The International Air Transport Association is a trade association of the world’s airlines founded in_____.
- 1945
- 1956
- 1961
- 1977
ANSWER: A
- The first education policy in India was released in.
- 1958
- 1968
- 1978
- 1988
ANSWER: B
- _______is the largest tiger reserve in India.
- Pench
- Kanha
- Jim Corbett
- Nagarjuna Sagar – Srisailam
ANSWER: D
- _______ is the smallest tiger reserve in India.
- Bor Tiger Reserve
- Bandipur National Park
- Periyar National Park
- Bandhavgarh National Park
ANSWER: A
