- Indian Heritage
- Culture
- Modern Indian history
- The Freedom Struggle
- Post-independence
- Indian Society
A. population and associated issues
B. poverty and developmental issues
C.urbanization
7. Geographical features
8.Indian Constitution
9. Polity
10. Governance
A. institutions
B. regulatory
C. Government policies
D. role of NGOs
E. measures
11. Social Justice
A. Welfare schemes
B Health
C. Education
D. Human Resources
E. poverty and hunger
12. International relations
A. India and its neighbourhood
B. groupings and agreements
C.Indian diaspora
13. Economic Development
A. Government Budgeting
B. industrial
initiation of core loading of India’s indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu
Marking a historic milestone in India’s nuclear power programme, Prime Minister will witness the initiation of core loading of India’s indigenous Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor(PFBR) of 500 MWe capacity at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. This PFBR has been developed by BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited).
The reactor core consists of control subassemblies, blanket subassemblies and fuel subassemblies. The core loading activity consists of loading of reactor control subassemblies, followed by the blanket subassemblies and the Fuel sub-assemblies which will generate power.
India has adopted a three-stage nuclear power program with a closed fuel cycle. In the PFBR, marking the second stage of the nuclear program, spent fuel from the first stage is reprocessed and used as fuel in FBR. A unique feature of this sodium cooled PFBR is that it can produce more fuel than it consumes, thus helping in achieving self-reliance in fuel supply for future fast reactors.
With minimised nuclear waste generated from the reactor and advanced safety features, FBRs will provide safe, efficient and clean source of energy and contribute to the goal of net zero. This is an important step for India towards thorium utilisation in the third stage of the nuclear power programme. Once commissioned, India will be the second country after Russia to have commercial operating Fast Reactor.
E.issues
14. Technology
NTPC’s Power Projects
800 MW Unit #2 of NTPC’s Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (Stage-I)
The Prime Minister will dedicate Unit #2 (800 MW) of NTPC’s Telangana Super Thermal Power Project (Stage-I), located in the Peddapalli district of Telangana. With an investment of Rs. 8,007 Crores, this project utilizes Ultra-Supercritical Technology, ensuring optimal power generation efficiency while significantly reducing carbon dioxide emissions. The project will supply 85% power to Telangana and will have the highest power generation efficiency among all power stations of NTPC in India, of approximately 42%. Besides enhancing electricity supply in Telangana, the commissioning of this project will also contribute to the goal of 24×7 availability of affordable, high-quality power nationwide. The foundation stone of the project was also laid by the Prime Minister.The first unit of the project was dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister, on 3rd October, 2023.
660 MW Unit #2 of North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Project (3×660 MW)
The Prime Minister will dedicate Unit-2 (660 MW) ofNorth Karanpura Super Thermal Power Project (3×660 MW), situated in Jharkhand. With an investment of Rs. 4,609 Crores, the project proudly stands as India’s first Supercritical Thermal Power Project equipped with Air Cooled Condenser technology, which results in one-third the water footprint as that of a conventional Water Cooled Condenser (WCC). NTPC had started commercial operation of Unit-1 of the North Karanpura Super Thermal Power Project on 1st March, 2023.
Singrauli Super Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2X800 MW)
On this occasion, the PM will lay the foundation of 2X800 MW Singrauli Super Thermal Power Project, Stage-III. Developed in Sonebhadra, Uttar Pradesh with a total investment of Rs. 17,000 crores, the project highlights India’s strides towards environmental sustainability and technological innovation.
Flue gas CO2 to 4G Ethanol Plant
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Flue Gas CO2 to 4G Ethanol Plant located at Lara Super Thermal Power Station in Chhattisgarh. With an investment of Rs. 294 crores, this innovative plant will draw carbon dioxide from waste flue gas to synthesize 4G-Ethanol, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing towards Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
Sea Water to Green Hydrogen Plant at Simhadri, Visakhapatnam
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Sea Water to Green Hydrogen Plant situated at NTPC Simhadri, Visakhapatnam. With an investment of Rs. 30 crores, the project aims to produce Green Hydrogen from sea water, thereby saving energy in the process.
Fly Ash Based FALG Aggregate Plant established at Korba Super Thermal Power Station, Chhattisgarh
The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Fly Ash Based FALG Aggregate Plant at Korba Super Thermal Power Station, Chhattisgarh. With an investment of Rs. 22 Crores, the project will demonstrate conversion of Fly Ash into value-added Building Material – coarse aggregates, thus strengthening the commitment towards environment protection.
15. Environment
What is World Wildlife Day?
On 20 December 2013 at the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), March 3 was declared United Nations World Wildlife Day (WWD). This day holds significance as the day that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed in 1973. The UNGA Resolution designated the CITES Secretariat as the facilitator for the global observance of this special day for wildlife on the UN calendar. UN World Wildlife Day has now become the global annual event dedicated to wildlife.
People everywhere rely on wildlife and biodiversity-based resources to meet our needs – from food, to fuel, medicines, housing, and clothing. For us to enjoy the benefits and the beauty that nature brings us and our planet, people have been working together to make sure ecosystems are able to thrive and plant and animal species are able to exist for future generations. So, let’s celebrate wildlife and the important conservation work being done around the world!
For World Wildlife Day 2024, we are exploring digital innovation and highlighting how digital conservation technologies and services can drive wildlife conservation, sustainable and legal wildlife trade and human-wildlife coexistence, now and for future generations in an increasingly connected world.
We are in the midst of a global digital revolution that is breaking down barriers to people-centered digital governance and to equal opportunities for all to unleash the power of digital transformation. The ‘digital divide’ is slowly narrowing, with better connectivity and Internet access reaching 66 per cent of our global population. However, around 2.7 billion people of our global population are still not online. On average, only 36 per cent of the populations in the least developed countries and landlocked developing countries are online. Women and young people are more likely to experience gaps in Internet access and/or job-ready digital skills.
Technological innovation has made research, communication, tracking, DNA analysis and many other aspects of wildlife conservation easier, more efficient and accurate. Yet, uneven access to these new tools, environmental pollution and unsustainable applications of certain technologies remain critical issues for achieving universal digital inclusion by 2030.
World Wildlife Day 2024 is a platform for intergenerational exchange and youth empowerment through art, presentations and conversations on the opportunities ahead for our shared sustainable future in digital wildlife conservation. WWD2024 offers a jumping off point for exploring what digital innovations are available now, what intersectional discrepancies we are facing and how we want our digital connectivity to evolve for all people and planet.
This year, the CITES Secretariat has teamed up with the United Nations Development Programme, WILDLABS, Jackson Wild (host of the World Wildlife Day Showcase) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) (host of the World Wildlife Day Youth Art Contest).
While WWD2024 will be celebrated on 3 March 2024, the United Nations (high-level) event will take place on 4 March 2024 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, NY, United States of America and will be livestreamed on United Nations WebTV.
MISSION LiFE – LiFEStyle For Environment
This word is LiFE, which means ‘LiFEStyle For Environment’. Today, there is a need for all of us to come together and take LiFEStyle For Environment forward as a campaign. This can become a mass movement towards an environmentally conscious lifestyle.
dia has already updated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) on 3rd August 2022 ‘LIFE’– ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ as under:
“To put forward and further propagate a healthy and sustainable way of living based on traditions and values of conservation and moderation, including through a mass movement for ‘LIFE’– ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ as a key to combating climate change”
Top Bird Sanctuaries in India
There are certain Bird Sanctuaries which are famous in India and become one of the most visited tourist spots due to the great number of bird species it attracts. Let’s know about some of such bird sanctuaries in detail –
1. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
It was created in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, during 1726 to 1763 when a large area with a natural depression was flooded after the Ajan Bund was built by the then King of the Bharatpur state, Maharaja Suraj Mal.
Now known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, was named after the local temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which is locally known as Keoladeo Temple.
Apart from the exotic avifauna species such as native water birds, migratory winter birds, waterside birds, etc., the dense forest of the sanctuary is also home to the various species of Deer – Chital, Sambar, Spotted Deer as well as Wild Boar and Nilgai.
The hundreds of exotic migratory birds are the prime attractions for the bird-loving tourists visit the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.
The prime species of the migratory bird that visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary are different species of Cranes, Geese, Pelicans, Ducks, Hawks, Eagles, Shanks, Stints, Warblers, Wagtails, Wheatears, Pipits, Larks, Flycatchers, Buntings, etc.
2. Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Kerala
The Thattekkad bird sanctuary aka Dr Salim Ali bird sanctuary, which is the first bird sanctuary in Kerala, is located on the banks of the Periyar river, about 12 km from Kothamangalam, in Kerala.
It is named after Dr Salim Ali, the best-known ornithologist in India. He is also referred to as “the bird man of India” as he was the first Indian to conduct scientific avian surveys across India.
Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary has a rich and varied birdlife(280 + species)and wildlife.
Several species of forest birds, water birds and migratory birds visit the sanctuary.
3. Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary
Soor Sarovar Bird Sanctuary is more popularly known as Keetham Lake, after the lake and the surrounding area which constitutes the sanctuary.
Keetham Lake, a haven for waterfowl, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1991.
It is a bird sanctuary near Agra that is home to nearly two dozen types of migratory and resident birds.
This sanctuary has been added to the list of Ramsar sites in 2020.
4. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary
Located on Chorao island along the Mandovi River, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is one of Goa‘s smallest protected reserves, but it is also one of the most delicate ones.
The sanctuary is named after the pre-eminent Indian ornithologist Dr Salim Moizzudin Ali, so naturally, the place is a haven for some of the rarest birds in the country.
Named after Dr Salim Ali, the famous Indian ornithologist, the sanctuary attracts a wide variety of migratory birds every winter.
Goa is home to 450 species of birds of the 1,349 species found across India, and some that have been observed at this sanctuary include the long-legged striated heron, western reef heron, wading little bittern, black bittern with its yellow neck sides, migratory shoreline-dwelling red knot, marsh-dwelling jack snipe, large black and white pied wetland-dwelling avocet, several species of kingfishers, white egrets, purple herons, cormorants, eagles, kites, woodpeckers, and mynahs.
5. Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary (also known as Vembanad Bird Sanctuary) is situated at Kumarakom in the Indian state of Kerala, on the banks of Vembanad Lake.
The sanctuary was formerly known as Baker’s Estate after the name of Englishman George Alfred Baker
It is one of the favourite haunts of migratory birds in the state.
The sanctuary is home to almost 25,000 birds that belong to 180 species.
The main attractions are local birds like the waterfowl, cuckoo, owl, egret, heron and water duck, as well as the migratory Siberian cranes. Parrots, teal, larks, flycatchers, wood beetle, and other birds are seen here during their respective migratory seasons.
16. Security
MH 60R ‘SEAHAWKS’ TO BE COMMISSIONED INTO THE INDIAN NAVY AS THE INAS 334 SQUADRON
The Indian Navy will commission the newly inducted MH 60R Seahawk (a maritime variant of the Blackhawk helicopter) multi-role helicopter on 06 Mar 2024 at INS Garuda, Kochi marking a pivotal moment in India’s Defence modernisation journey. The Seahawks squadron will be commissioned in the Indian Navy as INAS 334. The helicopters are a part of the 24-aircraft FMS contract signed with the US government in Feb 2020.
The Indian Navy is set to witness a significant surge in its maritime prowess with the induction of the Seahawks. The helicopter is designed for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP). The helicopter has been rigorously tested in Indian Reference Atmosphere (IRA) conditions and is fully integrated into the Fleet. The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the Seahawks ideal for the Indian Navy’s maritime security needs, offering enhanced capabilities for both conventional as well as asymmetric threats.
The MH 60R helicopter would enhance India’s blue-water capabilities, extending the operational reach of the Navy and supporting sustained naval operations across spectrums and over vast maritime domains. The Seahawk’s deployment in the
17. Disaster Management