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THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. INDIAN POWER PROJECTS REPLACE CHINESE VENTURES IN SRI LANKA

THE CONTEXT: New Delhi and Colombo signed hybrid power projects on three islands off Jaffna along with cooperation on developing fisheries harbours in Sri Lanka. The agreements effectively replace the Chinese projects that were okayed by Colombo in 2021.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The MoU for the project was among those signed during a meeting between visit of External Affairs Minister (EAM) and his Sri Lankan counterpart.
• It is the third Indian energy project coming up in Sri Lanka’s north and east, after the recent agreements for National Thermal Power Corporation’s solar venture in the eastern Sampur town, and the Adani Group’s renewable energy projects in Mannar and Pooneryn in the north.
• In January 2021, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet decided to award renewable energy projects in Nainativu, Delft or Neduntheevu and Analaitivu islands to Chinese company Sinosoar-Etechwin, following an Asia Development Bank-backed competitive bid.
• India was quick to express concern to the Sri Lankan side over the Chinese project coming up in the Palk Bay, barely 50 km off Tamil Nadu. New Delhi offered to execute the same project with a grant rather than a loan. Unable to pick a side for over a year, Colombo kept the project in suspension, apparently putting off China.

India and Sri Lanka have also signed the agreement to set up a Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) with the involvement of the defence sector PSU Bharat Electronics Limited. The cooperation in the defence sector may be viewed against the backdrop of increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

THE ENVIRONMENT, ECOLOGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

2. RHINO POPULATION UP BY 200 IN KAZIRANGA

THE CONTEXT: The population of Assam’s iconic one-horned rhino at Kaziranga National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has increased by 200 in the last four years.

THE EXPLANATION:

• According to the census of the animal at the park, it has estimated number at 2613.
• In the last headcount in 2018, the rhino population in the population in the park, which is spread over 859.98sq km, was 2413. The census in 2015 had counted 2401 rhinos in the

ABOUT ONE-HORNED RHINOS:

• Only the Great One-Horned Rhino is found in India.
• Also known as the Indian Rhino, it is the largest of the rhino species.
• It is identified by a single black horn and grey-brown hide with skin folds.
• They primarily graze, with a diet consisting almost entirely of grasses as well as leaves, branches of shrubs and trees, fruit, and aquatic plants.
• Conservation status:

• CITES Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

Types of Rhinos:

The Greater One-Horned Rhino is one among the five different species of Rhino. The other four are:

1. Black Rhino: Smaller of the two African species. (IUCN: Critically Endangered)

1. White Rhino: Recently, researchers have created an embryo of the northern white Rhino by using In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) process. (ICUN: Near Threatened)
2. Javan Rhino: Critically endangered in IUCN Red List.
3. Sumatran Rhino: Recently gone extinct in Malaysia, but Critically Endangered in IUCN Red List.

Kaziranga National Park:

• It was declared as a National Park in 1974.
• It has been declared a tiger reserve since 2007. It has a total tiger reserve area of 1,030 sq km with a core area of 430 sq. km.
• It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985
• It is recognized as an Important Bird Area by Bird Life International.
• The National Highway 37 passes through the parking area.
• The park also has more than 250 seasonal water bodies, besides the Diphlu River running through it. Also it is home to elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.

Value Addition:

 3. MASSIVE FIRE IN SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

THE CONTEXT: According to Rajasthan Forest officials a massive fire has broken out in the Sariska Tiger Reserve and Air Force helicopters equipped with water sprays are battling to bring it under control.

THE EXPLANATION:

According to the forest officials Sariska has a total of 27 tigers. Around nine tigers including four adult tigers and tigress and five cubs/sub-adults are known to move around in the area in Akbarpur where the fire has broken out. Some of the tigers that move around in the area include tigers ST-14, ST-17 and ST-23”.

ABOUT SARISKA TIGER RESERVE

• Sariska Tiger Reserve is located in the Alwar District of Rajasthan in the lap of Aravali hills. Sariska Tiger Reserve or Sariska National Park was a hunting reserve area for Alwar state. It got the status of a wildlife reserve in the year 1955 and in the year 1978, it became Sariska Tiger Reserve.
• It covers an area of 866 sq km. The Wildlife 0f Sariska Park includes Royal Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Jungle Cat, Caracal, Striped Hyena, Golden Jackal, Chital, Sambhar, Blue Bull, Chinkara, Four Horned antelope.
• Flora of Sariska is found as Dhok tree, Salar, Kadaya, Dhak, Gol, Ber, Khair, Bargad, Arjun, Gugal and Bamboo etc.
• The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and grasses.
• The park is home to numerous carnivores including Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Civets Hyena, Jackal, and Tiger.

THE SECURITY AFFAIRS

4. EXPLAINED: ARTICULATED ALLTERRAIN VEHICLE

THE CONTEXT: The Indian Army has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the supply of Articulated All-Terrain Vehicles to be deployed in Ladakh and Kutch.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are Articulated All-Terrain Vehicles?

• Articulated All-Terrain Vehicle is a twin cabin, tracked, amphibious carrier for off road mobility. The special design of this equipment exerts low ground pressure on the soil and a pull-push mode of locomotion between two cabins facilitates mobility over varied terrains like snow, desert and slush. A ballistic protection in the cabin body ensures protection to troops travelling in it from small arms fire.
• These vehicles are very useful to move troops or supplies in snow-bound terrains and in marshy/sandy environments. They can reach where wheeled vehicles cannot due to deep snow, slush or marshy terrain and can be very effective for patrolling and rapid deployment in operational situations.

What are the requirements of the Army from the vehicles?

• As per the specifications in the RFI, the vehicle should be able to perform at heights of 18,000 feet in glaciated and snow bound conditions and in salty/dry marshes.
• The vehicles should be able to seat 10 soldiers with full combat load (excluding the crew) and should have inbuilt ballistic protection. It should have an operating range of not less than 150 kms in cross country terrain in plains and at an altitude of 15,000 to 18,000 feet in the mountains. The vehicles should have a service life of at least 15 years.

Who manufactures such vehicles?

• There are several Western manufacturers of Articulated All-Terrain Vehicles including Canada and Finland. The NASU vehicle of Finland is used by the Finnish, French, Belgian and US Armies among others.
• The Bandvagn 206 is used by the Swedish Army and was developed by a Swedish Company which is now part of BAE Systems, Platforms and Services. The British and US militaries also use the Bandvagn 206. The Russian Army uses the DT-30 Vityaz vehicle and GAZ 3344 manufactured in the country.

5. ASSAM, MEGHALAYA INK PACT TO END BORDER ROW

THE CONTEXT: Assam and Meghalaya signed an agreement to resolve their five-decade-old border dispute in six of the 12 locations.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister and the chief Minsters of the two states. The pact will resolve the protracted dispute in six of the 12 places along the 884.9 km border between the two states.

History Behind Border Demarcation

• During the British rule, Assam consisted of the present-day Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, besides Mizoram, which later became separate states.
• However, the long-standing dispute between Assam and Meghalaya began in 1972 when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam under the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, a law that it challenged.

Major Point of Contention

• Since 1993, twelve (12) areas of differences have evolved between the two states. The said areas are: Upper Tarabari, Gazang reserve forest, Hahim, Langpih, Borduar, Boklapara, Nongwah, Matamur, Khanapara-Pilangkata, Deshdemoreah Block I and Block II, Khanduli and Retacherra.
• In August 2021, the governments of Assam and Meghalaya had formed a committee to resolve the border rows in a phased manner in six (6) of the 12 disputed sites (Hahim, Gizang, Tarabari, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilingkata, Ratacherra).
• The proposed recommendations for the 36.79 square km of land said that Assam would keep 18.51 square km, while Meghalaya would get the remaining 18.28 square km.

What is the Next Step?

• The Survey of India (SoI) will delineate and demarcate the boundary in the presence of representatives of both governments. It will then go to Parliament for approval and will likely take a few months.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS: BUDGET SESSION 2022

6. RASHTRIYA GOKUL MISSION

THE CONTEXT: According to the information given by the Ministry of fisheries, Animal husbandry and dairying.

As per the revised and realigned scheme, under Rashtriya Gokul Mission 2021-2026, the following tentative targets have been set for the next 5 years:-

• 165 million animals to be covered under the Nationwide Artificial Insemination.
• 40,000 Multi-Purpose Artificial Insemination Technicians for Rural India (MAITRIs) to be established to provide doorstep AI service.
• 4700 High Genetic Merit Bulls (HGM) to be produced under the Progeny Testing and Pedigree Selection.
• 44 existing semen stations to be strengthened to meet demand of semen doses and to improve quality of semen doses.
• 1,15,000 assured pregnancies to be established through IVF technology.
• 51 lakh assured pregnancies to be established through use of sex sorted semen doses.
• 125 number of Breed Multiplication farms preferably of indigenous breeds to be established.
• A sum of Rs. 2316.15 crore has been released to all the States/UTs under Rashtriya Gokul Mission during the last 5 years and current financial year including a sum of Rs. 39.75 crore released to the State of Karnataka.
• Benefit of the scheme has been accruing to all 8 crore farmers engaged in dairying in terms of enhancement in milk production and productivity of bovines. Under the component of Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) 1.92 crore farmers have been benefited and their data has been uploaded on Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health (INAPH) data base.

 THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 30^TH MARCH  2022

Q1. Nainativu, Neduntheevu and Analaitivu, recently seen in news are-

a) Islands of India off the coast of Tamil Nadu

b) Islands of India off the coast of Kerala

c) Islands of Sri Lanka near Jaffna Peninsula

d) Islands of India in Lakshadweep Archipelago

ANSWER FOR 29^TH MARCH 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

• Zozila pass located in Zaskar range and connects Srinagar to Leh.