World's largest Grain storage Plan in cooperative sector
Review meeting on the plan aims to increase the income of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) as well as create rural employment opportunities.
About Scheme:
- Ministry: Ministry of Cooperation.
- Implementing Agencies: National Cooperative Development Corporation, NABARD, Food Corporation of India, Central Warehousing Corporation, etc.
- Significance
- Food Security: Decentralized storage will reduce food grain wastage, enhancing national food security.
- Access to credit: Farmers will be able to store their produce in godown constructed at PACS & avail finance for the next cycle of crop.
- Tags :
- Rural Employment
- PACS
- Food Grains
Articles Sources
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
At ECOWAS’s 50th anniversary; UN and global diplomats hail ECOWAS as Africa’s model for regional integration.
About ECOWAS:
- Origin: In 1975, 15 States signed Lagos Treaty
- Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria.
- Members: Benin, Cabo Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo.
- Aim: To promote cooperation and integration for establishment of an economic union in West Africa in order to:
- Raise the living standards of its peoples,
- To maintain and enhance economic stability,
- Foster relations-among Member States and
- contribute to the progress and development of the African continent.
- Tags :
- Africa
- Ecowas
Shangri-La Dialogue
The annual Shangri-La Dialogue is being held in Singapore.
About Shangri-La Dialogue
- Genesis: Inspired by post–Cold War multilateralism and evolving defence diplomacy post-9/11, the dialogue was established in 2002.
- Naming: After the Shangri-La hotel where the 1st summit took place
- Organised by: International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), London, with support from the Singapore government.
- Format: A “1.5 Track” multilateral defence dialogue (mix of official and unofficial participation)
- Purpose: It enables government ministers, defence chiefs and policy makers from Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe and the Middle East to discuss the regional security issues and to share policy responses.
- Tags :
- Cold War
- Shangri-La dialogue
- 1.5 Track Diplomacy
Kheer Bhawani Temple
The Kheer Bhawani festival, celebrated annually on the Jyeshta Ashtami, is being held at the Kheer Bhawani temple in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir.
About Kheer Bhawani Temple
- Location: Near Srinagar
- Prime Goddess: Dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
- Built by Maharaja Pratap Singh around 1912, which was later embellished and renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.
- A hexagonal spring is present at the centre of the temple, known for its sacred water.
- The temple and festival are named after the sweet dish ‘kheer’, distributed as prasad to the devotees.
- Tags :
- Kheer Bhawani Festival
- Goddess Ragnya Devi
- Maharaja Pratap Singh
- Maharaja Hari Singh
Phytoplankton
A study finds that excess iron stimulates phytoplankton blooms, increasing the rate of nutrient consumption and leading to a faster transition to nutrient-poor conditions in the oceans.
About Phytoplanktons
- They are microscopic organisms that live in both salty and freshwater environments.
- Contain chlorophyll and require sunlight and inorganic nutrients like iron, nitrates, phosphates, sulfur to live and grow.
- Types: Bacteria, protists, single-celled plants (Cyanobacteria, diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae, etc.)
- Significance:
- Food Chain: Act as primary producers.
- Biological carbon pump: Responsible for most of the transfer of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the ocean.
- Risks: Overgrowth may lead to harmful algal blooms (red tides), releasing toxins that are dangerous to both marine and human life.
- Tags :
- Phytoplankton
- Cyanobacteria
- Microscopic Organisms
- Diatoms
- Primary Producers
Mount Etna
Recently, Mount Etna volcano located on Sicily island, Italy erupted.
About Mount Etna
- It is the highest Mediterranean island mountain, the most active stratovolcano in the world and Europe’s largest active volcano.
- Stratovolcanoes (composite volcanoes) are formed by lava cooler and more viscous than basalt, leading to more explosive eruptions.
- Features: Summit craters, cinder cones, lava flows and the Valle de Bove depression.
- One of the world's longest documented records of historical volcanism (~2700 years).
- It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Tags :
- Mount Etna
- Volcano
National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR)
The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE) has invited proposals to set up District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs) in underserved districts under the NAPDDR.
About NAPDR
- Objective: To address substance abuse through prevention, de-addiction, and rehabilitation.
- Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme
- Key Strategies
- Preventive education and awareness
- Treatment and rehabilitation for addicts and families
- Capacity building at various levels
- Financial Support Provided To:
- States/UTs – for awareness and capacity-building programs
- NGOs/VOs – to run:
- Integrated Rehabilitation Centres (IRCAs)
- Community Peer-led Interventions (CPLI)
- Outreach and Drop-in Centres (ODIC)
- District De-Addiction Centres (DDACs)
- Govt. Hospitals – for setting up Addiction Treatment Facilities (ATFs)
- Tenure: 2018-2025
- Tags :
- District De-Addiction Centres
- NAPDDR
- Ministry of Social Justice
United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Mission
Border Security Force (BSF) contingent comprising 25 women personnel deployed with the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo.
What is UN Peacekeeping?
- Genesis: UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in the Middle East to monitor ceasefires.
- Three basic principles: Consent of the parties, Impartiality, Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.
- Components of UN Peacekeeping include Facilitating Political Processes, Protecting Civilians, election support, etc.
- Since the 1950s, India has sent over 290,000 peacekeepers to more than 50 missions worldwide, making it the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts.
- Tags :
- UN peacekeeping Mission
