• The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Eighth Amendment) Bill, 2023, or Women Reservation Bill links women’s reservation to the contentious delimitation process.
• It states that women’s reservation “shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first Census taken after the commencement of…” this Bill.

ABOUT DELIMITATION

• Delimitation means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body.
• Article 82 of the Constitution provides for the readjustment of the constituencies (number and boundaries) of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies after every Census.
  • Under Article 170, States also get divided into territorial constituencies as per Delimitation Act after every Census.
• The 42^nd Amendment froze this delimitation exercise until the first Census after 2000 is published.
• In 2001, this was further extended for 25 years. So now, delimitation would happen on the results of the first Census after 2026.
• The delimitation exercise will require a consensus among states.
• Article 368(2) of the Constitution requires that any change to the representation of States in Parliament will have to be cleared by a special majority of not less than two-third members of that House present and voting, and needs to be ratified by at least half of the states.

DELIMITATION COMMISSION

• The Commission is appointed by the President of India and works in collaboration with the Election Commission of India.
• Composition:
  • Retired Supreme Court judge
  • Chief Election Commissioner
  • Respective State Election Commissioners
• The Delimitation Commission in India is a high-power body whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.

• The alliance includes- US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
• These partner countries share a broad range of intelligence with one another in a unified multilateral arrangement

• World Alzheimer’s Day is observed annually on September 21^st.
• It is a global initiative aimed at increasing awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and reducing the stigma associated with it and other forms of dementia.
• The theme for Alzheimer’s Day 2023 is ‘Never Too Early, Never Too Late”, which emphasises the crucial importance of identifying risk factors and taking proactive steps to reduce those risks.

ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

• Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent type of dementia, accounts for 60-70% of dementia cases.
• It is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, cognitive function, and behavior, gradually impacting an individual’s daily life.

• A high-altitude village in Arunachal Pradesh, known for a 1962 war memorial, has added a first-of-its-kind parlour for milk from a bovine animal that’s often called ‘the ship of the Himalayas’.
• The village, at about 2,800 metres above sea level, now sports the Nyukmadung Dairy at the farm of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research-National Research Centre on Yak, or NRC-Y.
• The yak (Poephagus grunniens) is the lifeline of highland ethnic communities living in the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan regions in conditions not favourable for any type of agrarian activities.
• The animal sustains the livelihood of the highlanders by yielding milk, meat, fibre, hide, and dung apart from being used for transportation.
• Yak milk is creamy white, thick, sweetish, fragrant, and richer in protein, fat, lactose, minerals, and total solids than cow milk.
• In general, yak milk is considered naturally concentrated milk enriched with a higher nutrient density and loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, amino acids, and antioxidants.
  • It also has vitamins and minerals.

• The military leaders of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger signed a mutual defence pact.
• The Liptako-Gourma Charter establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
• The charter binds the signatories to assist one another — including militarily — in the event of an attack on any one of them.
• It also binds the three countries to work to prevent or settle armed rebellions.
• Its aim is to “establish an architecture of collective defence and mutual assistance for the benefit of our populations”.
• The Liptako-Gourma region — where the Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger borders meet — has been ravaged by jihadism in recent years.
  • All three countries have undergone coups since 2020.

• Three British citizens have been infected with Brucella canis.

ABOUT BRUCELLA CANIS

• It is an infectious and highly contagious disease among dogs caused by the bacteria Brucella canis.
• It is an incurable dog disease previously unseen in UK canines.
• This bacterial infection can cause infertility, mobility issues, and discomfort in affected dogs.
• Transmission:
  • Dogs typically contract Brucella canis through contact with infected body fluids, such as urine, vaginal discharge, or reproductive fluids, from other infected dogs.
  • It can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected bodily fluids.
• For humans, effective treatment is available through an extended regimen of antibiotics.

• The government recently unveiled a manual of the Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS)
  • The portal was launched in July 2023 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
  • It leverages advanced weather data analytics to provide stakeholders with actionable insights on weather for informed decision-making in agriculture.
• This comprehensive manual also provides stakeholders with an in-depth understanding of the portal’s functionalities, data interpretation, and effective utilisation, empowering farmers, policymakers and various agricultural entities to make well-informed choices.
• The portal also addressed the need of parametric crop insurance scheme of the ministry, in addition to non-scheme parametric insurance programmes for crop risk mitigation and disaster risk reduction and mitigation being run by the insurance industry.

• The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has launched the Joint Call to Action for Forests towards 2030.
• They aim to highlight the need for increased action and political commitment to implement forest solutions in pursuit of the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
• The Call to Action for Forests Towards 2030 has four focal areas:
  • Implementation and action;
  • data, science and innovation;
  • finance for forests; and
  • communication and awareness-raising.

ABOUT COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP ON FORESTS

• Collaborative Partnership on Forests is an innovative voluntary interagency partnership of 16 global organisations chaired by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
• Established in 2001 by Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC)
• Mission– to enhance the contributions of forests to the Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Forest Goals and other international commitments.
• The core functions of the CPF are to:
  • support the work of UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) and its member countries;
  • provide scientific and technical advice to the Forum and governing bodies of other CPF members, at their request;
  • enhance coherence, cooperation as well as policy and programme coordination at all levels
  • promote the implementation of the UN Forest Instrument and the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests as well as the contribution of forests and trees to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other major forest-related agreements.

• The Pazhathottam area in Anamudi Shola National Park, near Munnar, in Idukki has transformed into a green heaven teeming with life, thanks to an initiative by the Forest department.
• Munnar Wildlife Division converted a park filled with exotic species of trees into 50 hectares of forest land.
• The project was implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It was started in 2019 and completed in 2022.

ABOUT ANAMUDI SHOLA NATIONAL PARK

• It is a protected area located along the Western Ghats of Idukki district in Kerala state.
• It is surrounded by Eravikulam National Park, Pampadum Shola National park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and Mathikettan Shola Park.
• It was declared as a National Park in the year of 2003.
• It consists of three Shola Reserve Forests – Pannavan shola, Pullaradi shola and Indivara shola.
• Vegetation consists of southern subtropical hill forests, southern montane wet temperate forests and moist deciduous forests.
• Fauna includes Elephant, Tiger, Panther, Indian Bison, Nilgiri tahr, Gaur, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Giant Grizzled Squirrel, Common Langur, Sloth Bear, Flying Squirrels etc.

ABOUT SHOLAS

• Shola forests are tropical Montane forests found in the valleys separated by rolling grasslands and only in the higher elevations.
• They occur only in the valleys where there is least reach of the fog and mist.
• They are found only in South India in the Southern Western Ghats high altitude mountains in the states Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
  • Nowhere else in the world exists such a kind of forests.

• Samvatsari was observed on September 20, 2023.
• Samvatsari is considered to be one of the most auspicious day for Jain community people.
• This day is celebrated by the Jain community people with great happiness and joy.
• Samvatsari or Kshmavani is the last day of Paryushan festival.
• These people say “Michami Dukkadam” to all their beloved people and seek forgiveness from them.
  • Forgiving other people and seeking forgiveness is the main purpose of celebrating this festival.

ABOUT PARYUSHAN PARV

• Shwetambars celebrate this festival for eight long days while Digambar celebrate this for 10 days.
• It is also called Das Lakshan Parv by Digambar Jains.
• It is observed as the period of daily fasting, confession and inner reflection.
• The five main vows are emphasized during this time- Ahiṃsā(Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya (Non-stealing), Brahmacharya (Chastity), Aparigraha (Non-possession).