• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs recently released data related to the PM SVANidhi scheme, which aims to provide micro-credit support to street vendors to alleviate the pandemic-induced economic stress.
• The data reveals that out of 42.7 lakh loans disbursed under the scheme, amounting to ₹5,152.37 crore, only 9.3% were given to street vendors from minority communities.
• Additionally, the share of loans given to minority street vendors has declined steadily from 10.23% in 2020-21 to an all-time low of 7.76% in 2022-23.
• The disbursal of loans across states appears to be aligned with the population of each state, with Uttar Pradesh disbursing the highest number of loans and Sikkim disbursing only one loan. Uttar Pradesh also gave the highest number of loans to minority street vendors at 95,032.

About PM SVANidhi Scheme

• The scheme was announced as a part of the Economic Stimulus-II under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• It has been implemented since 1st June 2020, for providing affordable working capital loans to street vendors to resume their livelihoods that have been adversely affected due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
• A total of 13,403 vending zones have been identified so far.
• 42 lakh street vendors are to be provided benefits under PM SVANidhi Scheme by December, 2024.
• It is a Central Sector Schemee., fully funded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs with the following objectives:
  • To facilitate working capital loan;
  • To incentivize regular repayment; and
  • To reward digital transactions

• International Conference On Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) is an annual international conference by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)
  • Disaster resilient infrastructure include vital buildings, public communal facilities, transit systems, telecommunications, and power systems that are strategically designed to withstand the impact of a natural disaster like a flood, earthquake, or wildfire.
• It could bring down the economic cost of rebuilding the whole infrastructure after natural disasters.
• Assist in achieving targets pertaining to a reduction in mortality due to disasters.
• Help in non-disruption of Energy, transportation, and telecommunications for an effective post-disaster response.
• Initiatives
  • India announced the creation of a CDRI after the Asian Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (2016).
  • Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) identifies investing in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) for resilience and to “build back better” in reconstruction as priorities
  • Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund was announced in 2023 acts as a financial resource and is key to the success of initiatives.
  • Inclusion of the CDRI in working groups of G20.

About Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

• A global partnership of national governments, UN agencies and programmes, private sector, and academic and research institutions, launched in 2019 by Indian Prime Minister at UN Climate Action Summit (New York).
• Objective: To promote resilience of infrastructure systems to climate and disaster risks, thereby ensuring sustainable development.
• Membership: Currently, it has 31 Countries (including India), 6 International Organisations and 2 private sector organisations as members.
• HQ- New Delhi

It’ll work at intersection of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and Paris Climate Agreement.

• Recently, the world-famous Basohli Painting which is popular for its miniature art style from Kathua district of Jammu has obtained the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag.
• It is the first independent GI-tagged product from the Jammu region.
• It is considered the first school of Pahari paintings.
• These are painted on paper, cloth, or wood using natural pigments and dyes.
• Themes: The portraits of local rulers, Radha-Krishna, and Madhava-Malati love themes and themes from the Bhagavata Purana.
• The colours are always brilliant, with ochre yellow, brown, and green grounds
• The Basholi painting style flourished during the 17th and 18th centuries under the patronage of local rulers and wealthy merchants.

• India’s quality control orders (QCOs) were flagged as an area of concern by Canada, Japan, the UK and the EU recently as non-compliant with Agreement on Technical Barriers.
• India has recently stepped up imposition of QCOs in order to ensure that cheap imports from China do not flood the Indian market.
• Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade
  • It provides regulations on technical standards including packaging, labeling requirements, and often environmental quality standards to be kept during the trade.
  • The WTO prescribes that members shall not adopt unnecessary obstacles to international trade while following these measures.
  • It harmonized the international standards of trade, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures.
• About QCOs
  • The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), is the certifying authority for the QCOs.
  • The main aim of the QCO is to control the import of sub-quality and cheaper items and to ensure that customers get quality products.
  • They are applicable for International as well as domestic products.
• As per India, all orders are completely in line with WTO norms and all countries have standards to ensure the safety of goods that are consumed.
  • Each country can have its separate standards, despite international norms.

About World Trade Organisation (WTO)

• It is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.
• It covers over 98% of world trade.
• Ministerial conferences assemble every 2 years.
• HQ- Geneva, Switzerland
• General Council is the top day-to-day decision-making body.

• A recent study shows that prosopis chilensis, an alien invasive plant, is threatening to pulverize native vegetation across 21 islands in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve (GoMBR).

About Prosopis chilensis

• It is a drought-resistant plant native to the arid regions of four South American countries– Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru.
• It is a small to medium-sized legume tree that grows up to 12 m in height and 1 m in diameter.
• The Prosopis chilensis is also known as Chilean mesquite.

About Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve

• The GoMBR, India’s first marine biosphere reserve, is one of the important habitats for coastal birds migrating from the Arctic Circle.
• It is the also the first Marine Biosphere Reserve in South and South East Asia.
• This Biosphere Reserve encompasses a chain of 21 islands and adjoining coral reefs off the coasts of the Ramanathapuram and the Tuticorin districts.

• An ancient idol was found in Bhalthi Narayan temple in the Lug valley region during excavation in Kullu district.
• Kahika festival is to be organised in the temple this year after 30 years.
• The work of constructing the retaining wall and renovating the temple premises was underway when the idol was found.
• It is said that such an idol is also present in the religious town of Manikaran, which dates back to the 16th century.
• This idol is believed to be of the deity Bhalthi Narayan from the 16th century.
• There are hundreds of temples of Gods and Goddesses in Kullu and sculptures and artefacts are found during excavation around these temples.
• Some temples here are believed to have been constructed by the Pandavas during the period of their exile.
• About two months ago, an ancient idol was found from the temple premises of the deity Jwani Mahadev in Neuli in Kharal valley, adjacent Kullu town.

• Recently, Israel successfully launched a new spy satellite, named Ofek-13, into orbit.
• The satellite, Ofek-13, launched from the Palmachim Airbase in central Israel, is intended to provide advanced intelligence capabilities to the Israeli military and intelligence agencies.

• International Conscience Day is celebrated on April 5^th to promote peace.
• To lead a conscientious life, one must respect human rights and dignity as well as protect other living beings.
• The International Day of Conscience has been established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019.

• Recently, a butterfly subspecies (Caltoris bromus sadasiva) from the fringes of Akkulam and Vembanad lakes in Kerala has been discovered.
• It belongs to the skipper butterfly family of Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies).
• It is the first documented subspecies of the Bromus swift ( Caltoris bromus) butterfly in the Western Ghats and Peninsular India.
• The discovery of Caltoris bromus sadasiva brings the count of butterfly species in the Western Ghats to 336 and the count of skipper butterflies to 83, with the last skipper butterfly discovery being almost 75 years ago.

• The Air Forces of India and the U.S. are set to conduct the Cope India exercise from April 10 to 21 at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal, with Japan as an observer.
• Cope India Exercise is a bilateral combined training session involving the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the US Air Force (USAF).
• Cope India started out as a fighter-training drill in 2004.
• Other joint defence exercises between India and the US include
  • Yudh-Abhyas (Military Exercise),
  • Vajra Parhar
  • And a Trilateral Maritime Exercise Malabar is scheduled between the navies of India, Japan, and the USA.