Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 27 September 2024 | Download PDF

• On World Tourism Day (27th September 2024), the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India launched the Incredible India Content Hub on the revamped Incredible India digital portal (www.incredibleindia.gov.in).
• This initiative aims to offer a digital repository of high-quality tourism-related content, enhancing accessibility for a wide range of stakeholders.

Features of the Incredible India Content Hub:

• The Content Hub serves as a comprehensive digital repository featuring:
  • High-quality images
  • Films
  • Brochures
  • Newsletters related to Indian tourism.
• Intended for use by tour operators, journalists, students, researchers, filmmakers, authors, influencers, content creators, government officials, and ambassadors.
• The platform contains around 5,000 content assets, developed through collaboration with multiple organizations such as:
  • Ministry of Tourism
  • Archaeological Survey of India
  • Ministry of Culture, among others.

• Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated three PARAM Rudra Supercomputers to the nation via video conferencing.
• These supercomputers, developed under the National Supercomputing Mission (NSM), are deployed in Pune, Delhi, and Kolkata.

Applications of PARAM Rudra in Research:

• The Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune will use the supercomputers for studying Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena.
• The Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) in Delhi will boost research in material science and atomic physics, while the S.N. Bose Centre in Kolkata will drive advancements in physics, cosmology, and earth sciences.

High-Performance Computing (HPC) System for Climate Research:

• Alongside the supercomputers, PM Modi inaugurated a High-Performance Computing (HPC) system worth ₹850 crore, designed for weather and climate research.
• The HPC system will operate from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune and the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (NCMRWF) in Noida.
• This system, named ‘Arka’ and ‘Arunika’, will enhance forecasting accuracy for extreme weather events like cyclones, thunderstorms, heatwaves, and droughts.

• The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has approved the Spices Board’s initiative titled ‘Sustainability in Spice Sector through Progressive, Innovative and Collaborative Interventions for Export Development’ (SPICED).

About:

• This scheme will be implemented until 2025-26.

Objectives of SPICED:

• Cardamom Expansion and Productivity: Expand cultivation areas and increase the productivity of small and large cardamom crops.
• Export Enhancement: Generate a surplus of high-quality cardamom for export.
• Value-Added Spices: Increase the proportion of value-added spices in India’s export portfolio.
• Compliance and Standards: Ensure that exported spices meet international quality and safety standards.
• Capacity Building and Skill Development: Empower farmers, exporters, and other stakeholders through skill development and capacity-building programs.

• On September 25, 2024, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, Girish Chandra Murmu, officially took over the chairmanship of the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) for the term 2024-2027.

About:

• ASOSAI(Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions) is one of the Regional Groups of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions(INTOSAI). Other Regional Groups are AFROSAI, ARABOSAI, CAROSAI, EUROSAI, OLACEFS and PASAI.
• ASOSAI was established in 1979 with 11 members.

• The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, declared the winners of the Best Tourism Villages Competition 2024 on 27th September 2024, coinciding with World Tourism Day.

Categories and Winning Villages

1. Adventure Tourism

• Dhudmaras, Chhattisgarh
• Aru, Jammu & Kashmir
• Kuthlur, Karnataka
• Jakhol, Uttarakhand

2. Agri Tourism

• Kumarakom, Kerala
• Karde, Maharashtra
• Hansali, Punjab
• Supi, Uttarakhand
• Baranagar, West Bengal

3. Community-Based Tourism

• Chitrakote, Chhattisgarh
• Minicoy Island, Lakshadweep
• Sialsuk, Mizoram
• Deomali, Rajasthan
• Alpana Gram, Tripura

4. Craft

• Sualkuchi, Assam
• Pranpur, Madhya Pradesh
• Umden, Meghalaya
• Maniabandha, Odisha
• Nirmal, Telangana

5. Heritage

• Hafeshwar, Gujarat
• Andro, Manipur
• Mawphlang, Meghalaya
• Keeladi, Tamil Nadu
• Pura Mahadev, Uttar Pradesh

6. Responsible Tourism

• Dudhani, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
• Kadalundi, Kerala
• Tar Village, Ladakh
• Sabarvani, Madhya Pradesh
• Ladpura Khas, Madhya Pradesh

7. Spiritual and Wellness Tourism

• Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh
• Bandora, Goa
• Rikhiapeeth, Jharkhand
• Melkalingam Patti, Tamil Nadu
• Somasila, Telangana

8. Vibrant Village

• Harsil, Uttarakhand
• Gunji, Uttarakhand

• • Six faculty members from IIT Bhubaneswar are being recognized as part of the top 2% of scientists worldwide. 
• This prestigious recognition was awarded by Stanford University and published by Elsevier

• The recognised faculty members for the year 2024 are:
  • Prof. Subhransu Ranjan Samantaray, School of Electrical and Computer Sciences
  • Prof. Rajan Jha, School of Basic Sciences; 
  • Prof. P. Dinakar, School of Infrastructure; 
  • Prof. Manas Mohan Mahapatra, School of Mechanical Sciences
  • Dr. Pattabhi Ramaiah Budarapu, School of Mechanical Sciences
  • Dr. Barathram Ramkumar, School of Electrical and Computer Sciences.   

• The Odisha government has granted habitat rights over forests to the primitive and vulnerable tribal group (PVTG) Mankidia.

Mankidia Tribe:

• • It is a semi-nomadic community known for their traditional skill of rope making, trapping and eating monkeys.
  • The Mankidia community is an Austro-Asiatic community of Birhor that ekes out a living mainly from the forests.
• The community speaks a form of Mundari language and some of them are also conversant in Odia. 
• They believ in Logobir and Budhimai as their supreme deities.
• They also worship their ancestors for the purpose of enjoying health and achieving success in hunting and collecting forest produce.

Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006

• The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 is a landmark legislation in India that aims to recognize and protect the rights of forest-dwelling tribal and other traditional forest dwellers. 
• It seeks to correct historical injustices inflicted on these communities due to colonial-era forest laws.

• Odisha has been selected as one of the first four states by the Government of India, alongside Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Meghalaya, to participate in a study aimed at bolstering private investment in infrastructure.
• The study is to be conducted in collaboration with the World Bank (WB).
• The study aimed to identify the key challenges and opportunities for private sector participation in infrastructure development in these states.

• The Odisha government has approved a proposal from Zoho Corporation to set up a semiconductor fabrication unit (fab) in the state. 
• The proposed fab is expected to be worth ₹3,000 crore and will create around 10,000 jobs. 
• This is a significant development for Odisha as it is the first semiconductor fab to be set up in the state. The fab is expected to be operational by 2026.

• The state of Odisha has secured the second position in the World No Tobacco Fortnight activities.
• This achievement highlights Odisha’s effective implementation of anti-tobacco measures, including awareness campaigns, smoking bans, and health education initiatives. 
• The state’s efforts to combat tobacco use have contributed significantly to improving public health outcomes and reducing the burden of tobacco-related diseases.

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