Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 24 June 2024 | Download PDF

• The Forest Department in Gujarat has begun translocating spotted deer and sambars from Gir Forest to Barda Wildlife Sanctuary to enhance the long-term conservation of Asiatic lions.

About Barda Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: Gujarat
• Rivers: Bileshvary River, Joghri River
• Dams: Khambala Dam, Fodara Dam
• Ethnic Communities:
  • Maldharis
  • Bharvads
  • Rabaris
  • Gadhvis
• Gir-Barda Project: Initiated in 1979
• Aim: Develop Barda as the second home for the Asiatic lion
• Flora:
  • Rich in floral diversity
  • Over 650 plant species
  • Includes medicinal plants
  • Common species: Rayan, Babul, Ber, Jamun, Amli, Gorad, Bamboo, Dhav, Dhudhlo
• Fauna:
  • Leopard
  • Hyena
  • Wild boar
  • Wolf
  • Jackal
  • Blue bull
  • Rare and endangered birds: Spotted eagle, Crested hawk eagle

• The Fast Track Immigration Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

About FTI-TTP:

• Initiative – Central Government 
• Designed for faster, smoother, and safer immigration clearance.
• Objective: Reduce congestion at airports by offering expedited emigration and immigration clearance for pre-verified travelers.
• Collaborating Ministries:
  • Ministry of Home Affairs
  • Ministry of Civil Aviation
  • Bureau of Immigration
• Comparison: Similar to the Global Entry Program of the United States.
• Mechanism:
  • Operates on e-gates or automated border gates to minimize human intervention.
  • Phase 1: Covers Indian citizens and OCI cardholders.
  • Phase 2: Includes foreign travelers.
• Enrollment Process:
  • Through an online portal managed by the Bureau of Immigration.

• The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) recently published the World Investment Report 2024.

About World Investment Report 2024:

• Global FDI Trends (2023): Decreased marginally by 2%.
• FDI in Developing Countries:
  • Fell by 7% to $867 billion.
  • Notable 8% decrease in developing Asia.
• China’s FDI Inflows:
  • Experienced a rare decline.
  • Remains the second largest FDI recipient globally.
• FDI and Sustainable Development Goals: International investment in sectors relevant to Sustainable Development Goals in developing countries declined in 2023.

• Nine Indian ports have been ranked in the global top 100 in the latest Container Port Performance Index.

About Container Port Performance Index 2023:

• Purpose:
  • Assess the performance of ports based on productivity, efficiency, and reliability.
  • Serves as a reference for stakeholders in trade, logistics, and supply chain services.
• Released by:
  • World Bank
  • S&P Global Market Intelligence
• Highlights of CPPI 2023:
  • Top Ports:
    • Yangshan port (China)
    • Salalah port (Oman)
  • Indian Ports in Top 100:
    • Visakhapatnam Port: Rank: 19 (up from 115 in 2022)
    • Mundra Port: Rank: 27 (up from 48 in 2022)
  • Other Indian Ports in Top 100:
    • Pipavav: Rank 41
    • Kamarajar: Rank 47
    • Cochin: Rank 63
    • Hazira: Rank 68
    • Krishnapatnam: Rank 71
    • Chennai: Rank 80
    • Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA): Rank 96

• Air pollution is increasingly impacting human health and is now the second leading global risk factor for death, according to the fifth edition of the State of Global Air (SoGA) report.

About State of Global Air (SoGA) report:

• Released by: Health Effects Institute (HEI) in partnership with UNICEF.
• Scope: Provides an analysis of air quality and health impacts globally.
• Air Pollution Definition:
  • Complex mixture of particles and gasses.
  • Varies in sources and composition over space and time.
• Key Findings:
  • Global Risk Factor:
    • Air pollution is the second-leading global risk factor for death.
    • Surpasses tobacco and diabetes; only hypertension is higher.
  • Disease Burden:
    • Non-communicable diseases account for nearly 90% of the disease burden from air pollution.
    • Includes heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Deaths Attributed to Air Pollution:
  • Total Deaths (2021):
    • 8.1 million global deaths.
    • India accounts for 25% of these deaths.
  • Major Pollutants:
    • PM2.5 particles: Cause 60% of deaths due to air pollution.
    • Ozone and household air pollution: Account for 38% and 6% of deaths, respectively.
• Regional Impact:
  • India and China together account for 54% of the global disease burden due to air pollution.
  • India: 21 lakh (2.1 million) deaths.
  • China: 23 lakh (2.3 million) deaths.

• In a significant development, the Deputy Chief Minister and Women & Child Development Minister, Pravati Parida, announced that all women in Odisha will be included under the state government’s Subhadra scheme.

Key points:

• Under this scheme, each woman in the state will receive a cash voucher worth Rs 50,000, which can be encashed within two years.

Objective of Subhadra Yojana:

• The Subhadra Yojana aims to enhance the financial stability and improve the living standards of financially unstable female citizens in Odisha. 
• By providing financial assistance, the scheme seeks to elevate the social status of these women.
• The scheme is inclusive, ensuring that all female citizens in Odisha can benefit from this financial aid.
• Through the Subhadra Yojana, the state aims to empower women and promote their economic well-being.

• Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has declared an additional Rs 50 crore for the development of the renowned Maa Tarini Temple in Keonjhar district.

About:

The Maa Tarini Temple in Ghatgaon, Odisha, is a revered Hindu shrine dedicated to Goddess Maa Tarini. 

Temple Architecture:

• The Maa Tarini Temple showcases the Kalinga style of architecture. 
• Built with laterite stones and lime mortar, the temple comprises three main parts: the deul (sanctum sanctorum), the jagamohana (porch), and the natamandapa (hall). 
• The deul, with a lotus-bud-shaped roof, features floral, geometric, and animal motifs. 
• The jagamohana has a pyramidal roof with intricate moldings and spacious halls for pilgrims. 
• The natamandapa, connected to the jagamohana, is adorned with sculptures of musicians, dancers, and celestial beings.

The Sanctum Sanctorum:

• The most sacred part of the temple, the sanctum sanctorum, houses Maa Tarini’s black stone idol. 
• The idol, about 2 feet high, depicts the goddess with large eyes, a central mark, and adorned with a crown of flowers and jewels. 
• Accessible only to priests, devotees can view Maa Tarini through a silver-screened window.

• The district of Angul in Odisha is on high alert following the tragic death of a child from Japanese Encephalitis (JE). 
• This incident involved two suspected cases of the viral infection.

About:

• • Japanese encephalitis virus JEV is the most important cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. 
• It is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, and belongs to the same genus as dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses.

• The first case of Japanese encephalitis viral disease (JE) was documented in 1871 in Japan.
• Most JEV infections are mild (fever and headache) or without apparent symptoms, but approximately 1 in 250 infections results in severe clinical illness.
• Severe disease is characterized by rapid onset of high fever, headache, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, seizures, spastic paralysis and ultimately death.

Treatment:

• There is no antiviral treatment for patients with JE. Treatment is supportive to relieve symptoms and stabilize the patient.

• The Law Minister of Odisha, Prithviraj Harichandan, announced that the process to appoint a full-time Chief Administrator for the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has commenced. 

Key points:

• In November 2019, the Supreme Court issued an interim order mandating several directions to the state government, including the appointment of a full-time chief administrator to manage the 12th-century shrine in Puri. Since the administrative reforms of the early 2000s, senior IAS officers appointed as chief administrators have typically held additional responsibilities.

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