Mohiniyattam
- Classical dance form from Kerala.
- Named after Mohini, the enchanting avatar of Vishnu.
- Rooted in Natya Shastra, follows the Lasya style (delicate, erotic, feminine).
- Traditionally a solo dance performed by women after extensive training.
- Repertoire includes Carnatic music, singing, and acting a play through dance.
Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme
- Key part of Australia’s carbon market.
- Encourages emission reduction/storage projects (individuals, businesses).
- Projects earn ACCUs (1 per tonne of CO₂-e) for emissions avoided/sequestered.
- ACCUs can be sold on the secondary market or to the Australian Government.
Criticism:
- Study found underperformance in native forest projects.
- Questionable carbon credits earned despite stagnant/shrinking woodlands.
T+0 Settlement Cycle
- Stock market trades settled on the same day (vs. T+1 – next day).
- Applies to specific trades between 9:15 AM and 1:30 PM initially.
- Phased implementation:
- Phase 1: Settlement by 4:30 PM for trades executed by 1:30 PM.
- Phase 2: Extends trading time to 3:30 PM, discontinuing Phase 1.
Benefits:
- Increased liquidity for investors and traders.
- More trading opportunities and reduced settlement risks.
- Faster access to 100% of cash for sellers.
RBI Norms for Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)
- Privately pooled investment funds (domestic/foreign).
- Regulations address concerns about misuse by lenders (evergreening loans).
New Norms:
- REs provision for investments based on AIF’s investment in debtor’s company, not entire AIF scheme.
- Downstream investments exclude equity shares in debtor company, include other investments (hybrid instruments).
Mushk Budji Rice
- Aromatic indigenous rice variety from Kashmir.
- Faced threats of extinction due to disease, low yield, and profitability.
- Revival program launched in 2007 by SKUAST scientists.
- Awarded Geographical Indication Tag in 2023 (Anantnag District, J&K).
- Study (Nature Scientific Reports) highlights the role of altitude and temperature in aroma development.
Global Trade Update Report
- Global Trade:Down 3% in 2023.
- Goods Trade:Down 5% in 2023.
- Services Trade:Up 8% in 2023.
- India’s Services Exports:Grew 14% in 2023.
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development):
- Established in 1964 to promote trade, investment, and development.
- Permanent UN organ with 190+ members.
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
- Functions: Addresses development challenges, integrates developing countries into trade, and promotes economic diversification.
H5N1 Bird Flu
- Bird flu (avian flu):Infectious viral illness affecting poultry and wild birds.
- H5N1:Highly pathogenic strain posing a threat since 2020.
- “H” & “N”:Hemagglutinin & neuraminidase – proteins on the virus surface for entering/exiting host cells.
Krishi Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC)
Background:
- A significant leap forward in using technology for agriculture.
What is it?
- Tech-based solution with multiple IT applications for informed decision-making.
- Housed in the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
- Uses AI, remote sensing, GIS to collect and process agricultural data.
Functionalities:
- Data Visualization:Presents data on:
- Crop yields, production
- Drought situations
- Cropping patterns (geographic & year-wise)
- Trends, outliers, KPIs
- Agriculture schemes & initiatives
- Data Sources:
- Remote sensing data
- Soil survey data
- Weather data (IMD)
- Sowing data (Digital Crop Survey)
- Farmer data (Krishi MApper)
- Market intelligence (UPAg)
- Yield estimation (GCES)
- Future Potential:
- Individual farmer advisories through apps like Kisan e-mitra.
- Customized advisories based on mobile number/Aadhaar data.
Benefits (Examples):
- Farmer’s Advisory:Provides customized advice on crops, water & fertilizer requirements based on soil data & weather.
- Drought Actions:Helps understand reasons for yield increase/decrease and enables proactive decisions.
- Crop Diversification:Identifies regions with potential for diversified cropping.
- Farm Data Repository:Creates a central repository for agriculture data (Krishi Decision Support System).
Critical Tech Sectors
What are Critical Tech Sectors?
- Technologies identified by the government as crucial for:
- Economic growth
- National security
- Technological advancement
- Often involve cutting-edge research, innovation, and strategic importance.
- Examples: AI, Quantum computing, IoT, Blockchain
Significance:
- Promotes technological leadership & cooperation.
- Deters foreign economic espionage.
- Drives innovation, competitiveness, job creation, and GDP growth.
- Enhances enterprise security and protects critical infrastructure.
Issues/Challenges:
- Skill gap between graduates and industry needs.
- Brain drain in AI and related fields.
- Need for increased R&D funding and investment.
- Competition from other countries like China and USA.
- Addressing energy consumption, e-waste management, and sustainable practices.