Daily Current Affairs: 26th November 2022 | UPSC Prelims Bits

Read today’s important Daily Current Affairs For UPSC Prelims Examination 2023. Today i.e on 26th November 2022, we are covering some important UPSC Prelims Bits which are important for UPSC Prelims and other prestigious competitive examinations.

Indian Army’s Pioneer Corps

Why in news?

• The Indian Army is commemorating the 81st raising day of Pioneer Corps today (November 25).
• On this day in 1941, the corps was re-designated as the Auxiliary Pioneer Corp.

Know about the Pioneer Corps

• The Pioneer Corps was founded in Madras in 1758 when the first Pioneer Companies were established. The history of the Pioneer Corps is closely linked with India’s long-standing struggle for independence.
• The historic corps saw its re-organization as it was re-raised during the Second World War. After being re-designated as the Auxiliary Pioneer Corp, its strength was 1,99,420 men towards the end of the war, the third biggest in the Indian Army.
• Post World War-II, the Pioneer Corps were posted for service in Rajasthan’s dry desert and Leh/Ladakh’s high-altitude regions.
• The corps actively participated in ‘OP Polo’, ‘OP Pawan’ and ‘OP Vijay’. They have also been actively employed in Counter Insurgency operations in Jammu & Kashmir and the Northeast.
• The Pioneers’ commitment and dedication have always been commendable, and each time they have proven their mettle by rising to the challenges.

Leith’s Soft-shelled Turtle

Why in news?

• India’s proposal for transferring Leith’s Softshell Turtle (Nilssonia leithi) from Appendix II to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES) has been adopted by the Conference of Parties (CoP) to CITES in its 19th Meeting at Panama.
• The 19th meeting of the CoP to CITES is being held in Panama from 14th to 25th November 2022.

Know about Leith’s Softshell Turtle

Leith’s Softshell Turtle is a large fresh water soft-shelled turtle which is endemic to peninsular India and it inhabits rivers and reservoirs.

• Threat: The species has been subject to intensive exploitation over the past 30 years. It has been poached and illegally consumed within India. It has also been illegally traded abroad for meat and for its calipee.
• Declining Population: The population of this turtle species is estimated to have declined by 90% over the past 30 years such that the species is now difficult to find.
• IUCN Classification: It is classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN.
• Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 Classification: The species is listed on Schedule IV of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, which gives it protection from hunting as well as trade.

Also Read:

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC- 21 November 2022 | Prelims Bits

Satellite Anand

Why in news?

• Today, i.e. on November 26, 2022, Bengaluru-based satellite start-up Pixxel to launch its third hyperspectral satellite ‘Anand’ into space.
• This earth imaging satellite will be launched into space on the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s workhorse, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from the national space agency’s spaceport at Sriharikota off Andhra Pradesh coat.

Know about ‘Anand’

• Anand is a hyperspectral microsatellite that weighs under 15 kilos and has a total of over 150 wavelengths that will enable it to capture Earth in a lot more detail than non-hyperspectral satellites with less than 10 wavelengths.
• Hyperspectral imaging analyses a wide spectrum of light instead of just assigning primary colors red, green or blue to each pixel.
• The light striking each pixel is broken down into several spectral bands to gather more information on the imaged object.
• The satellite can detect gasses, methane leaks, underground oil, pest infestations and crops diseases early on.
  (In April, Pixxel became the first Indian company ever to launch a commercial satellite. Satellite ‘Shakuntala’ was launched using SpaceX’s Falcon-9 rocket.)

Also Read: 

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC- 25 November 2022| Prelims Bits

Network Readiness Index 2022

Why in news?

India has improved its position by 6 slots and ranked 61st as per the Network Readiness Index 2022 report.

Know about Network Readiness Index 2022

• Network Readiness Index is Prepared by ”Portulans Institute”, an independent non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington DC.
• The NRI Report maps the network-based readiness landscape of 131 economies.
• In the NRI 2022, the United States and Singapore ranks 1st and 2nd respectively.
• The report covers a total of 58 variables which are based on their performances in 4 different pillars:
  • Technology
  • People
  • Governance
  • Impact

Also Read:

Leith’s Soft-shelled Turtle | India’s Proposal Adopted at Wildlife Summit in Panama

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