Current Context : Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun, an organization under the Ministry  of forest released Forest cover report 2021. The total forest cover of the country is 7,13,789 square kilometer which is 21.71% of the geographical area of the country. The tree cover increased by 721 square kilometer during 2019 to 2021. There is no loss of tree cover during 2019 and 2021. Maximum forest area State - Madhya Pradesh has the forest cover in state with 77,493 square kilometres, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. Among the Union Territories, Chandigarh had the least area under....Read More

Current Context : Ministry of Coal is working to ensure the disposal and repurposing of Fly Ash generated by thermal power plants. The Ministry of Coal, in collaboration with the Central Mine Planning and Design Institute (CMPDI), is in the process of developing a portal to manage the application process for the allocation of mine voids to Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) for fly ash backfilling activities. This portal aims to streamline operations and ensure transparency and efficiency ABOUT FLY ASH Fly ash is a byproduct from burning pulverized coal in thermal power generating plants. As per the Ministry of Environment,....Read More

Current Context : The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 11 new biosphere reserves, recognizing their importance for conserving biodiversity and cultural heritage. The new designations are in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Gambia, Italy, Mongolia, Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Spain. ABOUT BIOSPHERE RESERVE : Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the States where they are located. They are designated by UNESCO following an intergovernmental designation process the under the Man and Biodiversity (MAB) Programme. The new reserves bring the World Network of Biosphere Reserves up to 759 sites....Read More

General Studies Paper -3 Context: The government is bringing into effect a policy that will discourage solar power project developers from relying on imported panels. About Solar Energy Sector Solar energy is the most abundant & cleanest energy resource on earth. India is endowed with vast solar energy potential. Solar energy can be used mainly in three ways one is direct conversion of sunlight into electricity through PV cells, the two others being concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar thermal collectors for heating and cooling (SHC). What is driving India’s solar power plan? India gets around 250 to 300 days....Read More

Current Context : Odisha will plant around 1.9 million Palm trees to reduce casualties from lightning strikes. ABOUT PALM TREE Belongs to Tropical Forest Ecosystem. Varieties : Coconut, Oil Palm, Arecanut, Palmyrah etc. Palmyrah variety of Palm is declared as State Tree of Tamil Nadu. It act as natural conductors during lightning strikes and prevent loss of lives. Male palm tree produces only flowers, while female tree produces fruits as well. Benefits: Palm leaf is common writing medium extensively used in Southeast Asian countries. Uses : Leaves of tree are used as construction materials for fences, walls, and roofs.Read More

Current Context : Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) issued guidelines for Utilization and Processing of Steel Slag in Road Construction. ABOUT STEEL SLAG It is a by-product of smelting ores and recycled metals. It is mainly a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. It is a solid waste generated during the conversion of iron into steel in a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) or during the melting of scrap to make steel. Key Applications: Road base course material (Steel Slag Road Technology (SSRT)), Blending material for Portland cement, Fertilizer and soil improvement etc. Benefits of Steel Slag Road Technology :....Read More

Current Context : South India’s first and the country’s largest third leopard safari was opened at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP). About Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP): Location : South of Bengaluru city, Karnataka. It was declared a National Park in 1974. It has been an integral part of Bannerghatta National Park and emerged out as an independent Establishment in 2002. It has different units such as Zoo, Safari, Butterfly Park, and Rescue Centre (Conservation of Captive animals). It is the first biological park in India to have a fenced, forested elephant sanctuary. In 2006, India's first butterfly enclosure was inaugurated....Read More

Current Context : Recently, a rare Indian Painted Frog was spotted at Telangana's Kawal Tiger Reserve. ABOUT INDIAN PAINTED FROG It is also known as 'Sri Lankan bullfrog' or 'painted globular frog'. It is a narrow-mouthed frog that is part of the Microhylidae family. Scientific Name: Uperodon taprobanicus Distribution: It is found in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, southern and eastern India, and Nepal up to an altitude of about 1300 metres. In India : West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. IUCN Red List: Least Concern ABOUT KAWAL TIGER RESERVE: Location : Northeastern part of Telangana....Read More

Current Context : Uttar Pradesh will establish World’s first Asian king vulture Conservation & Breeding Centre in Maharajganj. It will improve the population of critically endangered species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list since 2007. The centre is named as Jatayu Conservation and Breeding Centre. Objective : to ensure the good health of growing vultures and provide them with a pair. ABOUT ASIAN KING VULTURE It is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India. It is also known as the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture. IUCN Red List: Critically....Read More

General Studies Paper-3  Context: Government enhanced allocation for the Fertilizer Sector under SIGHT Programme of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). About National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) The Union Cabinet has approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January in 2023 and the initial outlay for the Mission is 19,744 crore, including an outlay of Rs.17,490 crore for the SIGHT programme, Rs.1,466 crore for pilot projects, Rs.400 crore for R&D, and Rs. 388 crores towards other Mission components. The Mission will result in the following likely outcomes by 2030: Development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT....Read More