1. CHITALA FISH (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, the Union Minister for Fisheries, Livestock and Dairying announced that river ranching of the Uttar Pradesh state fish Chitala will be carried out to increase its population in natural water sources like the Ganga.

Chitala Fish

• Chitala fish is an obligate, typically nocturnal predator that primarily feeds on smaller fishes.
• Distribution: The species is commonly reported to have a range throughout most of southern Asia, but it is likely restricted to the Indian subcontinent.
• Its distribution includes Pakistan, India (specifically states like Manipur, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar), Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Habitat: Chitala fish is mostly found in major river channels and freshwater lakes but has also been observed in swamps.
• It is particularly prevalent in the Indus, Ganges-Brahmaputra, and Mahanadi river basins in India.
• IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Significance of Chitala's River Ranching

• The initiative of Chital a’ River Ranching has multiple objectives, including:
• Balancing the aquatic ecosystem.
• Increasing the income of fish farmers.
• Providing a protein-rich diet to the public.

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2. BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci & Tech)

Context: The Union Cabinet Approved a ₹3,760 crore viability gap fund(VGF) grant aimed at enhancing the viability of infrastructure projects—for battery energy storage systems (BESS), in a boost for the renewable energy sector .Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

• BESS is a technology developed for storing electric charge by using specially developed batteries.
• They enable energy from renewables like solar and wind to be stored and released on demand later.
• It typically utilizes an electrochemical solution.
• BESS has an advantage over other storage technologies as it has a small footprint and no restrictions on geographical locations where it could be located.

Battery Storage Project in Ladakh

• The Government of India has planned to build 10 GW of large green energy capacity projects in the Ladakh region.
• It will comprise both solar and wind projects.
• The BESS will be used to store the electricity to supply to the rest of the country through a transmission link.

Need for BESS in India

• As per the Central Electricity Authority, India’s power requirement will be 817 GW by 2030, with more than half the share of clean energy.
• The solar and wind energy generated will require a storage mechanism to balance the national electricity grid.
• It is estimated that there will be a need for a 27 GW grid-scale battery energy storage system by 2030 with four hours of storage.

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3. ZERO DRAFT TREATY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: The second meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) was recently held. It has concluded with the member states mandating the INC secretariat to develop a zero draft for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution including in the marine environment.

Zero Draft Treaty

• About: It is an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution including in the marine environment.
• Negotiators: 10 placeholders to discuss issues like the preamble, definitions, principles, and scope, in addition to the institutional arrangements The zero draft has and the final provisions.
• Member states such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China at INC-2 stressed the importance of defining the scope of the legally binding instrument. India had agreed with this proposal. 
• The submission by New Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) to the INC secretariat points out that the phraseology “full life cycle of plastic” is used by various stakeholders and is open to interpretation subject to the interests of the stakeholders.

Plastic Pollution

• As per reports from the CPCB, plastic waste accounts for 8% of the overall solid waste, with Delhi being the largest contributor, followed by Kolkata and Ahmedabad. 
• India produced more than 3 million tons of plastic waste and but recycling rate for the total plastic waste stands at just 30%.
• The majority of India's plastic waste, approximately 67%, finds its way into the environment or is deposited in open dumpsites.
• About 20% of this plastic waste is directed towards end-of-life solutions such as co-incineration, plastic-to-fuel processes, and road construction, while a smaller portion, around 12%, undergoes recycling.

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4. MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT BANKS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: A road map to regulate cryptocurrency, along with a path to reform multilateral development banks, is expected to figure prominently at the G20 Summit, with the leaders expected to provide guidance on the future course of action.

Multilateral Development Banks

• Meaning: It is an international financial institution established by two or more countries with the aim of promoting economic development in less affluent nations.
• Function: MDBs extend financial support to their member nations through loans and grants, which are utilized for projects that foster social and economic development, such as constructing infrastructure or providing clean water to communities.
• Origin: The roots of MDBs can be traced back to the post-World War II era when they were created to reconstruct war-torn countries and stabilize the global financial system.
• Objectives: Unlike commercial banks that prioritize profit generation from loans and financial services, MDBs focus on offering grants and low-interest loans to enhance the economic well-being of underprivileged or developing countries.
• Major Multilateral Development Banks: World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank, New Development Bank, etc.

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5. GRIHA NORMS (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: The Indian Army’s new Thal Sena Bhawan (TSB) is coming up with GRIHA-IV (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) norms.

GRIHA Norms

• About: GRIHA stands for Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment. The term "GRIHA" is derived from Sanskrit, meaning 'Abode.'
• Purpose: GRIHA serves as a rating tool designed to help individuals and organizations assess their building's performance against nationally accepted benchmarks.
• Holistic Evaluation: GRIHA evaluates a building's environmental performance throughout its entire life cycle, establishing a clear standard for what qualifies as a 'green building.'
• Developed By: GRIHA was developed by TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute), a renowned research organization.
• Adopted By: Government Adoption: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
• Criteria: GRIHA assesses a building based on 34 specific criteria, awarding points on a scale of 100 and providing star rating from 1 to 5.

o Minimum Requirement: To qualify for GRIHA certification, a project must achieve a minimum of 50 points.

o Mandatory Criteria: Certain criteria and sub-criteria are mandatory, meaning they must be met for a project to be eligible for rating under GRIHA.

Project Scoring

• 1-Star Rating: Buildings scoring between 50-60 points are certified as 1-star GRIHA-rated buildings.
• 2-Star Rating: A score of 61-70 points earns a building a 2-star GRIHA rating.
• 3-Star Rating: Buildings achieving a score of 71-80 points are recognized as 3-star GRIHA-rated buildings.
• 4-Star Rating: A 4-star GRIHA rating is awarded to buildings scoring between 81-90 points.
• 5-Star Rating: The highest rating, 91-100 points, results in a 5-star GRIHA-rated building.

Thal Sena Bhawan 

• Area: 143,450 sq. m.
• It has been designed to be earthquake-resistant.
• The complex is designed to cater to the needs of 5,600 personnel.
• It will bring together the Indian Army Headquarters currently split into eight pockets across Delhi, including South Block, Sena Bhawan, Hutments Area, R. K. Puram, and Shankar Vihar.
• Thal Sena Bhawan adheres to GRIHA-IV specifications and criteria.

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6. MARATHA RESERVATION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, in response to the Maratha reservation protesters' demands, the Maharashtra government has opted to issue Kunbi caste certificates to all Marathas hailing from Marathwada who can produce Nizam-era documents recognizing them as Kunbis.

Maratha Reservation

• Background: In 2018, the Maharashtra government formed a nine-member State Backward Class Commission, led by Justice M.G. Gaikwad, which recommended reservation status for the Maratha community.
• In the same year (2018), the Maharashtra government passed a law that allocated 16 percent reservation in employment opportunities and educational admissions to the Maratha community.
• This law categorized the Maratha community as a socially and educationally backward class (SEBC).
• Judgment of Supreme Court: The court held that the 2018 act goes against Articles 14 and 15 of the Indian Constitution. It exceeds the ceiling of 50% reservation set by the 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment.

Kunbi Community

• The Kunbi community in Maharashtra is associated with agriculture-related occupation and are grouped under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category in the state.
• Giving Marathas Kunbi caste certificates would mean that Marathas would be counted as OBCs and would get the benefit of reservation that OBCs get.

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7. MAHARISHI (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, an Indian G20 delegate mentioned, "China has raised objections to the Sanskrit short form of the millets initiative (MAHARISHI), even though it doesn't have a problem with the proposal itself."

MAHARISHI (Millets And Other Ancient Grains International Research Initiative)

• India's Group of Twenty (G20) millets initiative, MAHARISHI, aimed at strengthening research collaboration for millets, has encountered a Chinese roadblock, hindering its inclusion in the G20 declaration.
• Purpose: Research and awareness about agro-biodiversity, food security, and nutrition aligning with the International Year of Millets 2023
• Secretariat: Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR), Hyderabad
• Focus: Nutri-cereals or superfoods, mainly grown on marginal land in dry areas of temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical regions
• Priority Areas: Food Security and Nutrition; Building resilience and sustainable agriculture through approaches of climate resilient agriculture and One Health; Digitalization for Agricultural Transformation; Public-Private Partnerships for Research and Development

About MACS

• The G20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists (MACS) involves the meeting of ministries or governmental bodies responsible for agricultural research in the respective G20 states as well as leading research institutions that strategically advise these decision-makers. 
• The first meeting of MACS was held in Mexico in 2012.
• Members: Ministries or governmental bodies responsible for agricultural research in the respective G20 states as well as leading research institutions that strategically advise these decision-makers.

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8. ASEAN (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The Prime Minister of India has recently said that Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an “important pillar” of India’s Act East policy during 20th ASEAN-India and 18th East Asia summit.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN):

• Established: In 1967, by the Bangkok Declaration.
• Type:  A political and economic union of 10 member statesin Southeast Asia.
• Members: Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
• Objective: It promotes inter-governmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and socio-cultural integration between its members and countries in the Asia-Pacific.
• Secretariat: Jakarta, Indonesia.

East Asia Summit:

• Initiated in: 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Objective: It is as a premier Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on broad strategic, political, and economic issues of common interest and concern with the aim of promoting peace, stability, and economic prosperity in Indo-Pacific region.
• Members: 18 members, the ten ASEAN Plus Six mechanism (Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea) along with, Russia and the United States, both were added in 6th summit, 2011. 

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9. SAND WATCH (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: “Around six billion tonnes of sand is being extracted annually from the floor of the world’s oceans, causing irreparable damage to benthic life,” according to a data platform, Marine Sand Watch.

Key Points

• The new data platform, Marine Sand Watch, has been developed by GRID-Geneva, a Centre for Analytics within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). 
• The platform will track and monitor dredging activities of sand, clay, silt, gravel, and rock in the world’s marine environment, including hotspots like the North Sea, Southeast Asia, and the East Coast of the United States.
• The platform has estimated that between four and eight billion tonnes of sand are being dredged from the ocean floor every year. 
• The extraction of sand increases the turbidity of water. It changes nutrient availability and causes noise pollution, thus affecting marine organisms greatly.
• Some countries including Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia have banned marine sand export in the last 20 years, while others lack any legislation and /or effective monitoring programmes.

Marine Sand Watch

• The new data platform, Marine Sand Watch, tracks and monitors dredging activities of sand, clay, silt, gravel, and rock in the world’s marine environment, including hotspots like the North Sea, South East Asia, and the East Coast of the United States.
• Developed by: GRID-Geneva a Centre for Analytics within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the platform uses Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals from vessels and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify the operations of dredging vessels.

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10. MALAVIYA MISSION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Govt Scheme)

Context: The Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship launched the Malaviya Mission.

Malaviya Mission 

• Aim: To provide specialized and tailored training programs for teachers, to equip educators with the latest knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to excel in their roles and capacity building of faculty members in higher educational institutions.
• Launched by: The University Grants Commission (UGC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.
• Duration of program: Two weeks and will be delivered online.
• Structure: The curriculum of the program is structured around eight distinct themes identified for faculty capacity building.
• 8 Themes: Holistic and Multidisciplinary Education, Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), Academic Leadership, Governance and Management, Higher Education and Society, Research and Development, Skill Development, Student Diversity and Inclusive Education, and Information and Communication Technology.
• Other information: In order to facilitate registration for these capacity-building programs, the UGC has established a dedicated online portal for faculty members.

o Additionally, it has been announced that the Human Resource Development Centres (HRDCs) will be renamed as Madan Mohan Malaviya Teachers Training Centre as part of this initiative.

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