Wildlife lovers are mourning the death of Bhogeshwara, the 70-year-old tusker with the longest tusks among Asian elephants. Social media has been flooded with obituaries and memories of animal lovers.

 

Bhogeshwara, the majestic elephant, was found dead near the Kabini reservoir in Bandipur-Nagarhole Reserve Forest on 11th June 2022. He was known as Mr. Kabini. The elephant was a cynosure of all eyes tourists as it was blessed with the longest tusks in the continent.

 

The forest department is contemplating making Bhogeshwara the icon of the protection and preservation of elephants. The department is also mulling obtaining permission to preserve its tusks at the exhibition center.

 

One of his tusks was 2.54 meters (8 feet) long and the other measured 2.34 meters (7.5 feet). Both the tusks almost touched the ground and watching them roaming in the thick jungle was a visual treat.

 

The elephant was named Bhogeshwara as it was found often near the Bhogeshwara camp near the Kabini backwaters.

 

The forest officers found his carcass near D.B.Kuppe Forest Range in H.D.Kote taluk of Mysuru district.

Source : Times Now

The Karnataka government has launched ‘The Farmer Registration & Unified Beneficiary Information System’ or FRUITS software for Aadhar-based, single-window registration for the schemes. FRUITS software will facilitate single registration using an Aadhar card and Karnataka’s Bhoomi digitized land record system for authenticating ownership.

 

Through the creation of single digital identification through FRUITS, farmers can access benefits of hosts of schemes such as Direct Benefit Transfer under PM Kisan, payment for Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for crops, special financial assistance, caste certificate authentication, and ration cards. 

 

To ensure that the farmers get easy access to benefits distributed under various government schemes, the Karnataka government has launched software for Aadhar-based, single-window registration for the schemes. The state departments of agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, revenue, food, civil supplies and fisheries departments of the state government are covered under the initiative..

Source : Financial Express

India’s rank has dropped to the 101st position among 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021.

 

In 2020, India was placed at 94th spot, out of 107 countries. The 2021 GHI score of India is recorded at 27.5 out of 50, which comes under the serious category. Neighbouring countries like Nepal (76), Bangladesh (76), Myanmar (71) and Pakistan (92) are also in the ‘alarming’ hunger category but have fared better at feeding its citizens than India, according to the report.

 

Top countries in the Index : A total of 18 countries, including China, Kuwait and Brazil, shares the top rank. The GHI score of these 18 nations is less than 5. This means that these countries suffer very less from hunger and malnutrition.

 

About Global Hunger Index : The Global Hunger Index (GHI) measures and tracks hunger at global, regional, and national levels. The index is published jointly by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and Concern Worldwide. Based on current GHI projections, the index states that the world as a whole will not achieve a low level of hunger by 2030.

The Department of Biochemistry and Pathology of National Ayurveda Research Institute for Panchakarma (NARIP), Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur, Kerala has got NABL M(EL)T Accreditation for its clinical laboratory services.

 

NARIP is one of the premier research Institute under the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

This is the first Institute under CCRAS to get NABL accreditation for its clinical laboratory services.

This accreditation of laboratory ensures that citizens get quality health care service especially for those residing in villages, small towns..

Source : PIB

The Union Cabinet approved the signing of a MoU between the S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata and the Leibniz-Institut fur Festkorper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden e.V. (IFW Dresden e.V.), Dresden, Germany for scientific cooperation in the field of “Novel Magnetic and Topological Quantum Materials”.

 

The goal of this joint venture will be to foster Indo-German collaboration in the area of magnetic and topological quantum materials.

The S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) is an Autonomous Research Institute established under the Department of Science and Technology in 1986 as a Registered Society. The Centre was established to honour Professor S. N. Bose who was a colossal figure in theoretical physics.

The IFW is a non-university research institute and a member of the Leibniz Association. IFW Dresden is concerned with modern materials science..

Source : The States Man

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has released the 2nd edition of the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment 2021 (NeSDA 2021) today(13th June 2022).

 

Jammu & Kashmir tops among all the Union territories of India in e-Governance services delivery, which has also enabled it to save around Rs 200 crore annually that was incurred in carriage of physical files during the Annual Durbar move between the two capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar.

 

This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, while releasing the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment report, prepared at the initiative of Department of Administrative Reforms in the Union Ministry of Personnel.

 

The Minister lauded the UT of Jammu and Kashmir for achieving this position with an overall compliance of nearly 90%.

 

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that in the Union Territories category, Jammu & Kashmir was assessed for the first time in NeSDA 2021 and scored the highest amongst all UTs for six sectors. 

 

He said, after coming into force of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 with effect from 31 st October, 2019, J&K became the first UT in the country to have Good Governance Index and was also first to launch District Good Governance Index for 20 Districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in January this year.

 

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the operationalization of two Secretariats in Jammu & Kashmir was possible because of e-Office and that has put an end to Annual Darbar move carrying over 300 truckloads of files between the two capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu. This also saved Rs 200 crore per annum and led to uninterrupted work culture in the entire UT without any official break of six weeks for organization of files in Jammu and Srinagar respectively..

Source : PIB

* The twelfth WTO Ministerial Conference will begin from 12th June 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland after a gap of almost 5 years.

 

* Indian delegation will be led by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal

 

* WTO’s response to the pandemic, Fisheries subsidies negotiations and Agriculture issues including Public Stockholding for Food security.

 

* India is a founding member of the WTO since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 8 July 1948..

Source : Zeebiz

The International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD), annually observed on June 13th, represents the importance and celebration of human rights of people with albinism.

 

Albinism is a non-contagious, genetically inherited ailment that results in the lack of melanin in the skin, eyes, and hair. Due to this, people with albinism are prone to many issues both social and biological. People subject to this drastic difference in pigmentation are prone to skin cancer. Due to the lack of melanin in the eyes, many people often have a permanent visual impairment.

 

In addition to this, a substantial degree of discrimination is also associated with this condition. Because of the lack of understanding of this condition, people with albinism have to suffer a great deal socially and face not one but multiple forms of discrimination, including that on the grounds of disability.

 

2022 Theme : The theme for the International Albinism Awareness Day this year is “United in making our voice heard.” The theme is chosen in an effort to amplify the voices, and highlight the work being done, of and for, the people with albinism.

 

HISTORY : The establishment of the International Albinism Awareness Day was laid down by the United Nations General Assembly on December 18, 2014. It was decided that June 13 will be observed as the IAAD and the first observance was done in 2015..

Source : News18

* Ambassador Rabab Fatima, the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, has been appointed as the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).

 

* On Thursday (June 9th 2022) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced this high-level appointment.

The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has launched a “CiSS application” under the Baal Swaraj portal to help in the rehabilitation process of Children in Street Situations. (CiSS)

 

Baal Swaraj is a portal launched by NCPCR for online tracking and digital real-time monitoring mechanism of children in need of care and protection. 

 

The portal has two functions - COVID care and CiSS. COVID Care link caters to the children who have lost either or both parents due to COVID-19 or otherwise post March 2020.

 

It follows six stages framework for the rehabilitation of children. The first stage is the collection of the child’s details, which is accomplished through the portal. The second stage is Social Investigating Report (SIR) i.e. investigating the child’s background. 

 

This is done under the supervision of the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) by the District Child Protection Officer (DCPO) by conversing and counselling the child. The third stage is formulating an Individual Care Plan (ICP) for the child..

Source : PIB