NATIONAL:
1. Prevention of Blindness Week 2023
Why in news – It was organised from April 1-7 to raise awareness about the causes and prevention of blindness.
Key Points –
• Aim of National Programme for Control of Blindness (1976) - to reduce the prevalence of blindness from 1.4% to 0.3%.
• Causes of blindness - trachoma, vitamin A deficiency, glaucoma, and malnutrition.
• Rajasthan - First State to implement a policy to control blindness to ensure the “right to sight”.
• The National Society for the Prevention of Blindness (1960) –
(a) Registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
(b) Founders - Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur.
2. GI Tag
Why in news – Jammu's Basholi painting and Ladakh wood carving got GI tag.
Key Points –
Basholi Painting –
• First independent GI tagged product from Jammu region.
• Miniature art style from Kathua district.
• Features - Vibrant color, intricate details and depictions of Hindu mythology and legends.
• Earliest examples of Pahari paintings.
• Multiple figures and scenes depicted in a single painting.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. International Conference on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Co-Existence
Why in news – The conference was held in Oxford (the United Kingdom) from March 30-April 1, 2023.
Key Points –
• Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework - Effective management of human-wildlife interactions.
• IUCN SSC Guidelines on Human-Wildlife Conflict and Co-existence was published at the event.
• Organised by –
(a) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
(b) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
(c) UN Development Program (UNDP).
SCIENCE – TECHNOLOGY:
1. Artemis 2 Mission
Why in news - NASA has announced the 4 astronauts that would go to the lunar orbit and come back with the Artemis 2 mission.
Key Points –
• Members - Reid Wiseman (mission commander), Victor Glover (pilot), Jeremy Hansen (Canadian) and Christina Koch.
• Lunar free return trajectory - Earth’s gravity would naturally pull the Orion Spacecraft back home after flying by the Moon without any propulsion at all.
About Artemis Mission –
• Aim - To land humans on the moon by 2024 and it also plans to land the first woman and first person of colour on the moon.
• Spacecraft used – Orion.
• Rocket used - SLS (Space Launch System) rocket.
• Space agencies involved – NASA (USA), ESA (Europe), CSA (Canada) and JAXA (Japan).
2. MF Hydra
Why in news - The world's first liquid hydrogen-powered ferry was launched by the Norwegian company Norled.
Key Points –
• The ferry can decrease its yearly carbon emissions by up to 95%.
• The hydrogen systems were supplied by the German company Linde Engineering.
• Dane Ballard invented fuel cells that use hydrogen to generate power.
• Only Norled and the space industry presently use liquid hydrogen as fuel.
• To exist as a liquid, H₂ must be cooled below its critical point of 33K.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. 50 years of Project Tiger
Why in news – Bandipur Tiger Reserve, located in Karnataka, completed 50 years as a Project Tiger Reserve on April 1, 2023.
Key Points –
About Project Tiger –
• Initiated on April 1, 1973 in Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand.
• Centrally Sponsered Scheme under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Implementing authority - National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) (Established - 2005, HQ -New Delhi).
• NTCA - Statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, of 1972.
• Members of NTCA - Union Minister of the MoEFCC (as Chairperson)+ the Minister of State in the MoEFCC (as Vice-Chairperson)+ 3 MPs, Secretary, MoEFCC.
• States Covered - 18 States with 54 Tiger Reserves (Latest - Guru Ghasidas National Park and the Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh).
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. The "Order of White Eagle"
Why in news – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been awarded Poland's highest order, called the "Order of White Eagle".
Key Points –
• Poland has provided refuge to millions of Ukrainian citizens and has assisted the Kyiv government with vital weaponry.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. Mahavir Jayanti 2023
Why in news – April 4 marked the birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, the 24th and the last Tirthankara of Jainism.
Key Points –
• It falls on the 13th day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Chaitra (late March or early April).
About Lord Mahavir –
• Born - 599 BCE in Vaishali, Bihar.
• Kevalya - At the age of forty-two he attained Kevalya (omniscience) through right knowledge, right faith and right conduct (3 Jewels of Jainism).
• He added Brahmacharya (chastity) to the four great vows from the time of Lord Parshvanath.
• Jain Philosophy – Anekantavada and Syadvada.
• Sects of Jainism –
(a) Digambar (leader – Bhadrabahu, South)
• Major sub-sects – Bisapantha, Terapantha, Taranapantha or Samaiyapantha.
• Minor sub-sects – Gumanapantha and Totapantha.
• Yapaniya sect existed in western Karnataka at least from the 5th to the 14th century. It is now extinct.
(b) Shwetambar (leader – Sthulabhadra, North)
• Main sects - Murtipujaka, Sthanakvasi and Terapanthi.
POINTERS:
• Former Indian all-rounder Salim Durani has died at the age of 88. He was born in which country – Afghanistan.
• World Bank reduced India's GDP forecast for the new financial year - 6.3%.
• Who has won the bid to host the third edition of the ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels – UAE.
• Which neighboring country of Russia has officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – Finland.
• In which state did Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated Gorata Shaheed Smarak and memorial of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel – Karnataka.
• Who has become the first Indian bowler to take 300-wickets in T20 matches - Yuzvendra Chahal.
• Who has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India - Neeraj Nigam.
• Which company has recently acquired Karaikal Port - Adani Group.
• Which state government issued 'hue and cry notice' against Khalistan supporter Amritpal Singh – Punjab.
• Nevado del Ruiz volcano is located in which country – Colombia.