UTTARAKHAND
Black-bellied Coral Snakes in the Forests of Uttarakhand
Indian researchers have identified Black-bellied Coral snakes in the forests of Uttarakhand for the first time in history.
Highlights:
The snake is associated with the Elapidae family and Sinomicrurus genus. Its scientic name is S. nigriventer.
The snake was observed in the Bhadraj Block of Benog Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mussoorie Forest Division.
At present, there are 107 species of coral snakes in the world. In India, only 7 coral snake species are found.
As per the report by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare on the management of snakebite, there are more than 2000 species of snakes in the world.
About 300 of these species are found in India, of which fifty-two are venomous. Venomous snakes of India belong to three families ‘Elapidae’, ‘Viperidae’ and Hydrophidae’ (sea snakes).
All snakes are protected with the aid of the law. Cobra, Rat snakes, and Checkered keelback are included in Schedule II of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the relaxation are blanketed via Schedule IV.
Snakes are essential for clinical reasons and ecological regions. They maintain the food web in balance and their venoms are used to make antivenoms.
INTERNATIONAL
Proposal to Include The Great Barrier Reef On The World Heritage List In Danger
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee recommends that Australia’s Great Barrier Reef be included in the list of “in danger” World Heritage Sites.
It was suggested that it be added to the list due to the impact of climate change.
It is the world’s most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem, with over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands.
The coral reef is located in the Coral Sea (Northeast Coast) off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
It can be seen from outer space and is the world’s largest single structure composed of living organisms.
This coral reef structure is made up of billions of tiny organisms called coral polyps.
Polyps are microscopic, soft-bodied organisms.
Coral reefs have a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a calicle at their base, which forms the structure of the reef.
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There are tiny algae called zooxanthellae in the tissues of these polyps. Corals and algae have a reciprocal (symbiotic) relationship.
In 1981, it was designated as UNESCO’s World Heritage Site.
Central Advisory Board on Culture – CABC
The Central Advisory Board on Culture (CABC) was established to provide policy advice to the Ministry of Culture on developing programmes that would focus attention on creativity at various levels of Indian society and in different regions, which had previously been neglected or not sustained through existing institutional mechanisms.
Identifying human repositories in various sub-fields, advising on strategies to ensure continuity of transmission, and recommending to the government programmes that will integrate the creativity of these long traditions with development processes.
To investigate the extent and manner in which various aspects of Indian culture are addressed by relevant agencies.
To provide inputs for the development of new, need-based cultural programmes;
To guide the work of the Ministry of Culture’s National Missions.
The Board is presided over by the Minister of Culture of the Government of India.
NATIONAL
Fourth Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan
The Ramgarh Vishdhari wildlife sanctuary was approved by the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) technical committee to become Rajasthan’s fourth Tiger reserve.
The NTCA was established in 2005 in response to the Tiger Task Force’s recommendations.
It is a statutory body of the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change with an overarching supervisory/coordination role, performing functions as specified in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Protection Status of Tiger:
Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
IUCN Red List: Endangered.
CITES: Appendix I.
Rajasthan’s other three tiger reserves are:
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Sawai
Madhopur, Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) in Alwar, and
Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve (MHTR) in Kota.
Investment Promotion Agency 2021 Award – Invest India
Invest India has been awarded the world’s most innovative Investment Promotion Agency 2021 via OCO Global. OCO Global is the main authority on foreign investment and provides a range of financial development services, products, and unique employer assessment tools.
Invest India, established in 2009. It is a non-profit venture under the Dept. for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
It is the national funding merchandising and facilitation agency.
Invest India focuses on sector-specific investor targeting & the new partnerships improvements to enable sustainable investments in India.
In addition to a core crew that focuses on sustainable investments, Invest India also partners with large funding promotion groups and multilateral organizations.
Invest India actively works with countless Indian states to build capacity as well as convey global best practices in investment targeting, advertising and facilitation areas.