theIASHub | 14 Jun, 2025 | 31
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Forest Rights Act (FRA): Recently, under the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA), the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has taken key steps to strengthen the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006. It has:
o Sanctioned 324 district-level FRA cells across 18 States and Union Territories, and
o Approved 17 State-level cells to enhance coordination and support.
o The rights to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or common occupation for habitation or for self-cultivation for livelihood,
- Right of ownership: Access to collect, use and dispose of minor forest produce,
- Community rights: such as nistar;
- Habitat rights: For primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities;
- Right to protect, regenerate or conserve or manage: Any community forest resource which they have been traditionally protecting and conserving for sustainable use.
o Criteria to claim of these rights: Any member or community who has for at least three generations (75 years) had occupied forest land before the 13th day of December, 2005.
o Nature of the rights: Such rights shall be heritable but not alienable or transferable and shall be registered jointly in the name of both the spouses
o Objective: Targets long-term sustainability through access to essential services and infrastructure.
Operation Rising Lion: Recently, as part of its ongoing military campaign Operation Rising Lion, Israel launched a second wave of airstrikes, targeting key components of Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.
o Among the most significant strikes was a confirmed explosion at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, a central site in Iran’s nuclear programme..
o Primary Targets: Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including uranium enrichment facilities
- Ballistic missile production sites
- Military command and control centres
- Aimed at weakening Iran’s defence and nuclear capabilities from the outset.
Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis : Recently, scientists confirmed that a previously misidentified fossil from Mongolia belongs to a new dinosaur species, Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, or the “Dragon Prince of Mongolia.”
o This agile predator lived around 86 million years ago, predating Tyrannosaurus rex by approximately 20 million years.
o Timeframe: Lived during the Late Cretaceous period, well before the reign of Tyrannosaurus rex (T. rex.),one of the most well-known and iconic dinosaur species.
o Agility Over Power: Unlike its massive successor, it was built for speed and maneuverability (ability to move quickly and easily, especially when changing direction or navigating tight spaces), with a light frame, long, shallow skull, and tiny vestigial horns.
o Feeding Behavior: Classified as a mesopredator (a mid-ranking predator in the food chain) it likely hunted smaller prey using its agility rather than brute force.
AviList : Recently, the global birding and scientific community marked a major milestone with the launch of AviList—the world’s first unified global checklist of bird species.
→ International Ornithologists’ Union (IOU) → Avibase (Global bird database)
o The checklist unifies globally accepted bird taxonomies, covering 11,131 species, 19,879 subspecies, 2,376 genera, 252 families, and 46 orders in a single comprehensive framework.
o Eliminating taxonomic confusion through the replacement of multiple overlapping checklists with a single, authoritative global list
o Enhancing conservation planning by enabling consistent species prioritization across regions and organizations
o Facilitating seamless data integration across platforms such as eBird, Avibase, and other global biodiversity databases
o Supporting scientific research and policymaking with standardized, reliable taxonomic data
o Promoting collaboration and consistency among birdwatchers, researchers, and conservation professionals worldwide
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Recently, Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), a PSU under the Ministry of Railways, entered discussions with Russia’s state-owned atomic energy firm Rosatom to explore the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
o The aim is to meet the energy needs of four major infrastructure projects, including the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line.
o Key Features of SMRs : Significantly smaller in physical size compared to conventional reactors.
- Designed for factory assembly and easy transport to site, reducing on-site construction time.
o Reactors: Operate on nuclear fission, converting heat into usable energy.
o Compact Design: Their small physical footprint makes SMRs ideal for deployment in remote regions or locations with limited space.
o Cost-Effective: SMRs require lower capital investment compared to large-scale nuclear plants, making them economically attractive.
o Factory-Fabricated: These reactors are built off-site in factories, allowing faster, more efficient, and standardized deployment.
o Flexible Location: Unlike traditional reactors, SMRs can be installed in areas where large nuclear facilities are not feasible.
o Scalable Power Supply: Their modular design allows incremental power additions, aligning with evolving energy demands.
o High Safety Standards: SMRs incorporate advanced safeguards, offering enhanced safety, security, and non-proliferation benefits.
Black Box : Recently, investigators recovered the black box from Air India flight AI171, which crashed while en route to London. This crucial device is expected to help uncover what happened in the final moments before the accident.
o It is a bright orange or yellow box to make it easier to locate after a crash. It’s a highly durable flight recorder designed to capture critical flight data and cockpit audio, playing a key role in investigating air accidents.
o Key Features: Built for extreme conditions: Withstands explosions, deep-sea pressure, and high temperatures.
- Material strength: Constructed from steel or titanium with protective insulation.
- Strategic placement: Usually located in the aircraft’s tail section, which is less prone to severe damage in crashes.
o Types of Black Boxes:
- Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR): Records conversations between pilots, radio communications, cockpit alarms, and engine sounds.
- Flight Data Recorder (FDR): Captures over 80+ flight parameters, including: Altitude, airspeed, and vertical acceleration, Flight direction, pitch, roll and Autopilot engagement and system warnings.
Exercise Shakti : India and France are set to commence the 8th edition of Exercise Shakti at La Cavalerie, France. This joint military exercise is a significant step in enhancing bilateral defence cooperation and operational readiness.
o Frequency: Held biennially, alternately in India and France
o 7th edition (previous edition was hosted in India)
o Reinforces the India-France Strategic Partnership in defence and security
o Contributes to regional and global security architecture through joint preparedness
o Garuda: Joint air exercise between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force, focused on aerial combat and interoperability.
o Varuna: Naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and naval operations.
o Desert Knight-21: Bilateral air exercise held in Jodhpur (Jan 20–24, 2021); unique for featuring Rafale jets from both sides, enhancing air combat tactics.
o FRINJEX-23: The first joint army exercise, conducted at Pangode Military Station, Kerala, focusing on joint humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
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