Current Affairs 14.01.2022

 Current Affairs 14.01.2022

Current Affairs 14.01.2022 pdf

1. India State of Forest Report-2021

- The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the India State of Forest Report-2021.

- In October, 2021 an amendment was proposed by MoEFCC to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 to bring significant changes to forest governance in India.

- It is an assessment of India’s forest and tree cover, published every two years by the Forest Survey of India.

- The first survey was published in 1987, and ISFR 2021 is the 17th.

- India is one of the few countries in the world that brings out such a survey every two years, and this is widely considered comprehensive and robust.

- The ISFR is used in planning and formulation of policies in forest management as well as forestry and agroforestry sectors.

- Three categories of forests are surveyed – very dense forests (canopy density over 70%), moderately dense forests (40-70%) and open forests (10-40%).

- Scrubs (canopy density less than 10%) are also surveyed but not categorised as forests.

- It has for the first time assessed forest cover in tiger reserves, tiger corridors and the Gir forest which houses the Asiatic lion.

- The forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves.

- Forest cover has increased in 20 tiger reserves in these 10 years, and decreased in 32.

- Buxa (West Bengal), Anamalai (Tamil Nadu) and Indravati reserves (Chhattisgarh) have shown an increase in forest cover while the highest losses have been found in Kawal (Telangana), Bhadra (Karnataka) and the Sunderban reserve (West Bengal).

- Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.

2. NATO-Russia Council Talks

- The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Russia discussed the ongoing situation in Ukraine and its implications for security in Europe at the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) in Brussels.

- Talks between representatives of NATO and Russia concluded without a clear outcome.

- NRC was established at the NATO-Russia Summit in Rome (Rome Declaration) on 28 May 2002.

- It replaced the Permanent Joint Council (PJC), a forum for consultation and cooperation created by the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act on Mutual Relations.

- The NRC is a mechanism for consultation, consensus-building, cooperation, joint decision and joint action, in which the individual NATO member states and Russia work as equal partners on a wide spectrum of security issues of common interest.

3. NEAT Initiative

- the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has announced a new National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT 3.0) to use technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education.

- Model of NEAT Scheme: It is based on a Public-Private Partnership model between the Government and the Education Technology (Ed-Tech) companies of India.

- Objective: The objectives of NEAT are to bring the best technological solutions in education pedagogy on a single platform for the convenience of Economically and Socially weaker sections of society.

- Target Areas: Technology solutions using Artificial Intelligence for customized learning or e-content in niche areas having highly employable skills are being identified for showcasing on the portal.

- Modus Operandi: Under this, the government plans to distribute free coupons for an array of courses offered by ed-tech companies.

- Implementing Agency: All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

4. New ISRO Chairman S. Somanath

- S. Somanath, an eminent rocket scientist has been appointed as the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Space Secretary.

5. India- UK Free Trade Agreement

- India and the UK have launched the formal Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, that both countries envisage concluding by the end of 2022.

- Until then, both countries are contemplating an interim free trade area, which will result in reducing tariffs on most of the items.

- Both countries agreed to an early harvest scheme or a limited trade agreement to lower tariffs on a small set of goods apart from easing rules for select services.

- Further, they agreed to avoid “sensitive issues” and focus on areas where there is more complementarity.

- The agriculture and dairy sectors are considered sensitive sectors for India in trade talks.

- Also, a target of doubling the trade between India and the United Kingdom (UK) by 2030 has also been set.

6. Assam-Meghalaya Border Dispute

- Ahead of Meghalaya’s 50th Statehood Day celebration on 21st January, the Home Minister is expected to seal the final agreement to end the dispute in six areas of the Assam-Meghalaya boundary.

- Assam and Meghalaya share an 885-km-long border. As of now, there are 12 points of dispute along their borders.

- The Assam-Meghalaya border dispute are the areas of Upper Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, Khanduli and Retacherra.

- Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged, leading to disputes.

7. Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge

- the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying In association with Startup India, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry inaugurated the Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge.

- The challenge has been launched with an objective to provide a platform to start-ups within the country to showcase their innovative solutions within the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector.

- The solutions should be devised for resolving issues across the fisheries value chain for increasing aquaculture productivity from the current national average of 3 tons to 5 tons per hectare, doubling exports earnings and reducing post-harvest losses from 25% to 10%.

- The challenge is expected to foster start-up culture within the sector and to establish a strong foundation of the entrepreneurial model, the Department of Fisheries has earmarked funds to the tune of Rs. 3.44 Crore for the challenge.

8. Solar Waste

- According to a report by the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), India could generate over 34,600 tonnes of cumulative solar waste in India by 2030.

- India does not have a solar waste management policy, but it does have ambitious solar power installation targets.

- NSEFI is an umbrella organisation of all solar energy stakeholders of India. Which works in the area of policy advocacy and is a National Platform for addressing all issues connected with solar energy growth in India.

- Solar wastes are the electronic waste generated by discarded solar panels. They are sold as scrap in the country.

- It can increase by at least four-five-fold by the next decade. India should focus its attention on drafting comprehensive rules to deal with solar waste.

9. Kathak

- The famous Kathak dancer Pandit Munna Shukla died.

- His most noted works include the dance-drama Shan-e-Mughal, Inder Sabha, Ameer Khusro, Anga Mukti, Anvesha, Bahar, Tratak, Kraunch Badh, Dhuni, among others.

- His contribution to the world of dance was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2006), Sahitya Kala Parishad Award (2003) and the Saraswathi Samman (2011).

Current Affairs 14.01.2022 pdf

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