It is observed on 10 August

• Aim : to spread awareness about unconventional sources of fuels that could work as an alternative to fossil fuels.
• The day also commemorates the successful operation of an engine on peanut oil by German engineer Sir Rudolf Diesel on August 9, 1893.

ABOUT BIO FUEL :

The fuel derived from the biomass of plants or animal wastes is known as biofuel. It is commonly produced from corn, sugarcane and animal waste like cow dung.

TWO MOST COMMON BIOFUELS :

• Ethanol: It is produced by fermentation of residues of crops like corn and sugarcane.
• Biodiesel: It is produced from used cooking oil, yellow grease or animal fats. During its production, cooking oil or fat is burned with alcohol in the presence of a catalyst, which produces Biodiesel.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND POLICIES ON BIOFUELS

• National Policy on Biofuel
• National Policy on Biofuel
• Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana

Celebrated on 10 August

• Aim : to raise awareness about the conservation of lions and their habitats, highlighting the threats they face and the importance of protecting these majestic animals.
• World Lion Day was started in 2013 by Dereck and Beverly Joubert of Big Cat Rescue, the world’s biggest recognised lion sanctuary.

It is observed on 12 August annually

Aim : to raise awareness about the conservation of elephants and to promote efforts to protect these majestic animals.

GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE ON ELEPHANT CONSERVATION :

• Project Elephant (India) : launched: In 1992 to protect elephants and their habitats, prevent poaching, and mitigate human-elephant conflicts.

INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS :

• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora): To regulate international trade in elephant ivory and other products.
• Asian Elephant Conservation: aimed at conserving Asian elephants, including habitat preservation and conflict mitigation.

Celebrated on 12 August

• Aim : to focus on the development and protection of youth in society.
• Theme: From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.”
• It was first designated by the United Nations in 1999, with the aim of raising awareness about youth issues and promoting their engagement in various spheres of society.

Current Context : Government will allow 35% bio-bitumen mixing in petroleum-based bitumen, a large part of which is imported from other countries to save ₹10,000 crore of foreign exchange outflows.

 ABOUT BITUMEN :

• Bitumen is a black substance produced through the distillation of crude oil and is widely used for making roads and roofs.
• It is commonly known as asphalt when used in road construction.
• Obtained through mining or surface mining techniques.
• It is known for its adhesive properties.
• Applications: Paving roads, water proofing etc.

ABOUT BIO-BITUMEN :

• It is a form of bitumen produced from renewable biological materials such as plant oils, algae, or biomass. It includes agricultural residues, forestry residues, algae, or other organic materials.
• It can be used as an addition to bitumen or to reduce the quantity of bitumen in the binder mixture.

Benefits: Reduced imports, address the issue of stubble burning, boosting Bio-economy etc.

Current Context : IIT Indore has developed footwear for military personnel based on Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG) technology.

ABOUT TENG TECHNOLOGY:

• It converts mechanical energy into electrical energy through the triboelectric effect, which is the generation of electric charge from friction or contact between two different materials.
• The triboelectric effect refers to a charge of electricity generated by friction.
• It is considered as a portable and renewable energy source.
• The stored energy can power small electronic devices , wearable devices, IoT (Internet of Things) devices, medical devices etc.

Current Context : Indian Railways to launch Kavach on Mumbai-Delhi-Kolkata routes by March 2025,

• It will be operational on the 3,000-km Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi-Kolkata rail routes by March 2025.
• The advanced Kavach version 4.0 was approved by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).
• It is designed to address communication challenges across various geographical conditions, including hilly, forested, coastal, and desert areas.
• The Railway Ministry has also sanctioned the installation of Kavach on 10,000 locomotives over the next two years, with another 10,000 to follow in phases.

ABOUT KAVACH

• Kavach is an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system developed by Indian Railways.
• Aim : to prevent train accidents by automatically controlling train movements and ensuring safety in various operational scenarios.

Current Context : Indian Army and Sri Lankan Army will begin their 10th edition of joint exercise “Mitra Shakti” at Maduruoya in Sri Lanka’sfrom August 12.

• Objective : to improve the operational proficiency of both armies by facilitating the exchange of skills, experiences, and best practices.
• The 10th edition of the wargame will be focusing on joint operations in semi-urban environments.
• The first iteration took place in 2012 as part of the broader Indo-Sri Lankan defense cooperation efforts.

VARIOUS DEFENCE EXERCISES WITH SRI LANKA :

• Exercise SLINEX (Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise) : Bilateral naval exercise started in 2012 with focus on Maritime security, anti-piracy operations, and naval interoperability.

Current Context : Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren launched the ‘Upasthiti (attendance) Portal’ to monitor daily attendance of health department staff.

• Aims to enhance healthcare facilities and make district hospitals operational 24/7. Cross-verification of biometric data will be implemented to ensure accountability.

ABOUT JHARKHAND

• It was carved out from the southern part of Bihar on November 15, 2000.
• Located in eastern India is bordered by Bihar to the north, West Bengal to the east, Odisha to the south, and Chhattisgarh to the west.
• It is the 15th largest state by area, and the 14th largest by population.
• Capital : Ranchi
• Major Cities : Jamshedpur ( known as Steel City) home to the Tata Steel plant, Dhanbad: Known for its coal mining activities.
• Tribal communities : the Santhals, Mundas, and Oraons.
• Languages: Hindi , local languages such as Santali, Mundari, and Ho.
• Festivals and Traditions: Sarhul, Makar Sankranti, and Dasai.
• Minerals: Rich in resources like coal, iron ore, bauxite, and mica. Jharkhand is a major producer of coal in India.
• Religious places : Parasnath, Baidyanath Dham, Maa Dewri Temple and Chhinnamasta Temple.

National Park : Betla National Park and Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary.

Current Context : The Centre has appointed Challa Sreenivasulu Setty as the chairman of State Bank of India (SBI) for a period of three years.

• Setty will replace current chairman Dinesh Kumar Khara on August 28.

ABOUT STATE BANK OF INDIA (SBI) :

• It is the largest and one of the oldest banking institutions in India.
• Established in 1806 as the Bank of Calcutta, which was later renamed the Bank of Bengal.
• It became the State Bank of India on 01 July 1955, following the merger of the Imperial Bank of India with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.