1.NATIVE OR INDIGENOUS TREE SPECIES IN MUMBAI

Over the past few days, Mumbai has witnessed a high number of tree-fall incidents due to Cyclone Tauktae, leading to suggestions that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) should plant only indigenous species in the city.

About:

• Native species should not be confused with old trees or trees that are widely present. Over at least three decades, the government has imported exotic species, and new tree species were planted across the city for beautification.
• For example, Gulmohar or Rain trees are widely found in Mumbai, however, they are not native species.
• By definition, a “native” plant is living, growing, and reproducing naturally in a particular region.
• The BMC has prepared a list of 41 native trees that can be planted in Mumbai and are part of the trees in the Konkan belt.
• These are Wad, Pimpal, Umber, Kanchan, Kadamba, Gunj, Palas, Nim, Mahogany, Moh, Bahawa, Sag, Arjun, Ain, Kinjal, Sita Ashok, Undal, Nagkeshar, Champa, Shivan, Shirish, Karanj, Bakul, Bell, Taman, Hirda, Behda, Coconut, Amla, Khair, Tetu, Mango, Putranjiva, Wild Almond, Bibba, Parijatak, Rita, Sandalwood, Phanas and Chafa.

Source : Indian Express

 2.NATIONAL DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE ACADEMY (NDRFA)

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for creation of one post of Director in Senior Administrative Grade (SAG), at National Disaster Response Force Academy, Nagpur.

About:

• National Disaster Response Force Academy was established in year 2018 at Nagpur by merging with it National Civil Defence College (NCDC). The main campus of the Academy is under construction, till then it is functioning from the existing campus of NCDC.
• The Academy presently imparts training to National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)/ State Disaster Response Force (SDRF)/ Civil Defence volunteers and other stakeholders and is envisaged to grow into a premier training institution of international repute.
• It will also provide specialized training to disaster response personnel of SAARC and other countries.
• With the creation of the post of Director, NDRF Academy, the command and control of the organisation will be entrusted to a senior and experienced officer, who can steer the institution as per the intended objectives. 

Source : PIB

3.INDIA-MALDIVES RELATION

The Union Cabinet has approved the opening of a new Consulate General of India in Addu City, Maldives in 2021.

About:

• Cabinet approves Opening of a new Consulate General of India in Addu City, Maldives
• Posted On: 25 MAY 2021 1:13PM by PIB Delhi
• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity. Maldives occupies an important place in the 'Neighbourhood First Policy' and the 'SAGAR’ (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision of the Government of India.
• Opening of a Consulate General in Addu City will help augment India's diplomatic presence in Maldives.

Source : PIB

4.EXPERT COMMITTEE ON INVESTMENT FUNDS

The International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has constituted an Expert Committee on Investment Funds to recommend to IFSCA on the road map for the funds industry in the International Financial Service Centres (IFSCs) in India.

About:

• The Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Mr. Nilesh Shah, MD, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co. Ltd.
• The Committee comprises of leaders from the entire Fund Management ecosystem including from areas such as technology, distribution, legal, compliance, and operations.
• Terms of reference of the Expert Committee:
• To recommend IFSCA on long term vision for operations of Investment Funds in IFSC.
• To make recommendations with respect to structure of Investment Funds in IFSC.
• To identify issues that may be critical for development of the Investment Funds industry at IFSCs including inter-regulatory issues.
• Any other relevant item on building the ecosystem inter-alia on asset managers, hedge funds, PE, VC, sovereign funds, family offices, and the accompanying professional services. 

Source : PIB

5.NATIONAL MISSION ON USE OF BIOMASS IN THERMAL POWER PLANTS

Ministry of Power has decided to set up a National Mission on use of Biomass in coal based thermal power plants.

Mission objectives:

• To increase the level of co-firing from present 5% to higher levels to have a larger share of carbon neutral power generation from the thermal power plants.
• To take up R&D activity in boiler design to handle the higher amount of silica, alkalis in the biomass pellets.
• To facilitate overcoming the constraints in supply chain of bio mass pellets and agro- residue and its transport upto to the power plants.
• To consider regulatory issues in biomass co-firing.

Features:

• The Mission would have a Steering Committee headed by Secretary (Power) comprising of all stakeholders including representatives from Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) etc.
• The Executive Committee would be headed by Member (Thermal), CEA.
• The duration of proposed National Mission would be a minimum 5 years.

Important Info :

• Significance of the Proposed Mission
• It would address the issue of air pollution due to farm stubble burning and to reduce carbon footprints of thermal power generation.
• This would further support the energy transition in the country and our targets to move towards cleaner energy sources.
• It will also contribute in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).

Source : PIB

6.UDHAMPUR-SRINAGAR-BARAMULLA RAIL LINK PROJECT (USBRL)

Minister for Railways reviewed the progress of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL).

Project background:

• Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link Project (USBRL) having length of 272 Km long Railway Line from Udhampur to Baramulla joining the Kashmir valley with rest of the country and has been declared as National Project in 2002.
• Out of 272 Km of USBRL Project, work has been completed on 161 Km and commissioned.
• Completion date of the project is April-2023.
• Status of work sub-divided under it is as under:
• Udhampur - Katra -25km (commissioned in July 2014)
• Quazigund - Baramulla – 118km (commissioned in Oct., 2009)
• Banihal - Quazigund – 18km (commissioned in June 2013)
• Katra to Banihal- 111km in progress (Target 2022-23)

Important Info :

• Katra- Banihal Section of USBRL Project
• The work on intervening stretch of Katra-Banihal section (111 km) is in progress and this section predominantly involves tunnelling i.e. 97 Km out of 111 Km (i.e. 87%) of length of Katra-Banihal section is in tunnels and maximum length of tunnel T-49 is 12.75 Km.
• There are 27 Main tunnel and 37 Bridges.
• These bridges include the iconic Chenab Bridge which will be the highest railway bridge in the world. Arch Launching of Chenab bridge was completed on 05.04. 2021.
• Indian railway’s first cable-stayed bridge is also being constructed on Anji Khad. Ancillary viaduct portion of Anji khad Bridge has been completed.

Source : PIB

7.SUPERMOON

The Moon will have the nearest approach to Earth on May 26, and therefore will appear to be the closest and largest Full Moon or “supermoon” of 2021. This celestial event coincides with this year’s only total lunar eclipse, the first since January 2019. Significantly, a supermoon and a total lunar eclipse have not occurred together in nearly six years.

About:

• A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest to the Earth at the same time that the Moon is full.
• As the Moon orbits the Earth, there is a point of time when the distance between the two is the least (called the perigee when the average distance is about 360,000 km from the Earth) and a point of time when the distance is the most (called the apogee when the distance is about 405,000 km from the Earth).
• Now, when a full Moon appears at the point when the distance between the Earth and the Moon is the least, not only does it appear to be brighter but it is also larger than a regular full moon.
• According to NASA, the term supermoon was coined by astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979.
• In a typical year, there may be two to four full supermoons and two to four new supermoons in a row.

Source : Indian Express

8.ICoAl; ICSI

The Union Cabinet has granted ex-post facto approval to the MoUs entered into by Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICoAl) and Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) with various Foreign Countries/Organisations.

About:

• The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICoAl) was established by a Special Act of Parliament, namely, the Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959 as a statutory professional body for the regulation of the profession of Cost Accountancy. It is the only recognised statutory professional organisation and licensing body in India specialising exclusively in Cost Accountancy.
• Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament of India, i.e. The Company Secretaries Act, 1980, to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries in India.

Source : All India Radio

9.HATE SPEECH

A panel constituted by the Union Home Ministry to suggest reforms to the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC) is likely to propose a separate Section on “offences relating to speech and expression.”

About:

• As there is no clear definition of what constitutes a “hate speech” in the IPC, the Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws is attempting for the first time to define such speech.
• The committee is expected to submit its report soon. The suggestions received by the Committee for Reforms in Criminal Laws will be examined by the Ministry before the changes are adopted.
• Bureau’s definition: The Bureau of Police Research and Development recently published a manual for investigating agencies on cyber harassment cases that defined hate speech as a “language that denigrates, insults, threatens or targets an individual based on their identity and other traits (such as sexual orientation or disability or religion etc.).”

Important Info :

• Viswanathan committee?
• Earlier in 2018, the Home Ministry had written to the Law Commission to prepare a distinct law for online “hate speech” acting on a report by a committee headed by former Lok Sabha Secretary General T.K. Viswanathan who recommended stricter laws.
• The committee was formed in the wake of Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, that provided punishment for sending offensive messages through communication services being scrapped by the Supreme Court in 2015.

Source : The Hindu

10.VESAK

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a key-note address at the international event organised to mark Buddha Purnima Diwas. The event is being organised by the Ministry of Culture and International Buddhist Confederation.

About:

• Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists around the world.
• Other names: It is also known as Buddha Purnima and Buddha Day.
• Significance: The day commemorates birth, enlightenment and Death (or Parinirvana) of Lord Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, all of which is said to take have taken place on the same day.
• Date of observance: Vesak, falls on the full moon day (Purnima) of the month Vaishakha (May), hence the occasion is referred to as Buddha Purnima in India.
• Recognition by United Nations (UN): The General Assembly, by its resolution in 1999, recognized internationally the Day of Vesak. It was done to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism made to humanity.

Source : All India Radio