September 18, 2025

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Artemis 1 Mission

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

NASA’s Orion capsule splashed down back to Earth on Sunday, December 11. The Orion’s landing in the Pacific Ocean marked the end of the inaugural Artemis 1 lunar mission exactly 50 years after Apollo’s final moon landing.

  • The gumdrop-shaped Orion capsule, carrying a simulated crew of three mannequins wired with sensors”, landed in the Pacific Ocean, off Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. 
  • It also performed a new landing technique called ‘skip entry’, designed to help the spacecraft accurately splash down at the landing site. 
  • Orion entered the Earth’s upper atmosphere and used the atmosphere and its lift to “skip” back outside the atmosphere only to re-enter once again.

What is the Artemis 1 Mission?

  • Artemis 1 was essentially an experimental mission, to check if the capsule can be trusted to ferry humans to the moon and back in future missions. Thus, safe re-entry was critical to the success of the whole initiative.
  • Named after the sister of Apollo in Greek mythology, it is NASA’s successor to the Apollo lunar missions from fifty years ago.
  • Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions to build a long-term human presence at the Moon for decades to come.
  • The primary goals for Artemis I are to demonstrate Orion’s systems in a spaceflight environment and ensure a safe re-entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis II.
  • It is only a lunar Orbiter mission even though, unlike most Orbiter missions, it has a return-to-Earth target.
  • Artemis I is the first step into that new space age of achieving the promise of transporting humans to new worlds, of landing and living on other planets, or maybe meeting aliens.
  • As it hurtled towards Earth, Orion experienced such friction and pressure that its forward-facing surface could have generated temperatures likely to reach around 3,000C. 
  • It’s essentially like throwing a football 300 yards and hitting a penny Eric Coffman, Orion propulsion senior manager at Lockheed Martin Corp, which built Orion under contract with NASA.

Aims of Artemis 1

  • Artemis 1 is being seen by NASA as a stepping stone to much greater things.
  • It is the first in a series of missions that are planned to not only take humans back to the Moon, but to also explore the possibilities of extended stay there, and to investigate the potential to use the Moon as a launch pad for deep space explorations.

Artemis II

  • It will take off in 2024.
  • Artemis II will have a crew aboard Orion and will be a test mission to confirm that all of the spacecraft’s systems will operate as designed when it has humans on board.
  • But the Artemis II launch will be similar to that of Artemis I. A crew of four astronauts will be aboard Orion as it and ICPS orbit the Earth twice before moving to the direction of the Moon.

Artemis III

  • It is scheduled for 2025, and is expected to ferry astronauts to the moon for the first time since the apollo missions.

Question: What is the Artemis Mission? How it will help human in space exploration.

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Delegates from 196 countries — Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) — are meeting in Montreal, Canada from December 7-21 with the aim to hammer out a new global agreement on halting environmental loss.

  • Many of the 24 conservation targets under discussion at the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) aim to avoid past mistakes and improve on the world’s last set of conservation goals — the Aichi Biodiversity Targets that expired in 2020. 
  • No single country met all 20 Aichi Targets within its own borders, according to a September 2020 UN assessment.

What were the Aichi Targets?

  • The Aichi Targets, adopted during the 2010 CBD summit in Nagoya, located in Japan’s Aichi prefecture, included goals such as reducing deforestation by at least half during the coming decade and curbing pollution so that it no longer harmed ecosystems.
  • India is also a party to the Convention.
  • The convention is legally binding on its signatories.
  • Only two member states of the United Nations are not Parties to the CBD, namely: the USA and the Vatican.
  • The most notable Aichi objective and one of the few to include a numerical goal — aimed to protect or conserve 17% of all land and inland waters and 10% of the ocean by the end of the decade.
  • Today about 15% of the world’s land and 8% of ocean territories are under some form of protection, though the level of protection varies.
  • About 10% of the targets saw no significant progress, the assessment found. 
  • Six of the targets, including the land and ocean conservation target, were deemed “partially achieved”.
  • The Global Environment Facility, the primary source of financing for international biodiversity protection, has collected around $5 billion from 29 countries for the funding period from 2022 to 2026.
  • The Aichi Targets also failed to garner buy-in from governments beyond the environmental ministers who brokered the deal.

Reasons for the failure of Aichi Targets

  • A lack of clearly defined metrics by which to gauge progress made the Aichi goals tough to implement, experts say.
  • Aichi was made of aspirational targets, which was great for…enabling people to do a lot, but not great for communication.

Global Environment Facility

  • The GEF was established in 1991 by the World Bank in consultation with UNDP and UNEP, to provide funding to protect the global environment. 
  • World Bank serves as the GEF trustee, administering the fund.
  • GEF Funds are available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet the objectives of the international environmental conventions and agreements.

GEF serves as a “financial mechanism” to five Conventions:

  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
  • United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
  • Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
  • UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
  • Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Question: What were the Aichi Targets? Give the reasons countries could not achieved their target under it.

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022, which seeks to to strengthen the protection of endangered species and enhance punishment for illegal wildlife trade, was passed in the Rajya Sabha.

  • As India was a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora that required certain legislative actions to obligate the convention.

About Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972

  • The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 provides a legal framework for the protection of various species of wild animals and plants, management of their habitats, regulation and control of trade in wild animals, plants and products made from them.
  • The act also lists schedules of plants and animals that are afforded various degrees of protection and monitoring by the government.

Proposed Amendments

  • This amendment proposed a new schedule for species listed in the Appendices under CITES.
  • Section 6 has been amended to constitute Standing Committee to exercise such powers and duties as may be delegated to it by the State Board for Wildlife.
  • Section 43 of the act amended which permitted the use of elephants for ‘religious or any other purposes’.
  • To enable the Central government to appoint a Management Authority Section 49E has been inserted.
  • To allow the Central Government to appoint a Scientific Authority to provide guidance on matters relating to the impact on the survival of the specimens on being traded.
  • The Bill also empowers Central government to regulate and stop the import, trade or possession of invasive plant or animal alien species.
  • The Bill also enhances the penalties prescribed for violation of provisions of the Act.
  • For ‘General violations’, maximum fine is increased from 25,000 to 1 lakh.
  • In case of Specially protected animals, the minimum fine of Rs. 10,000 has been enhanced to Rs. 25,000.

The Concerns Associated with the Bill

  • Phrase “any other purpose” is vague and has potential of encouraging commercial trade of elephants.
  • Some important issues regarding Human-Wildlife conflict, Eco-sensitive zone rule, etc., has not been addressed.
  • According to the report provided by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, species listed in all three schedules of the Bill are incomplete.
  • The scientists, botanists, biologists are short in number and needed greater inclusion of them to accelerate the process of listing all existing species of wildlife.

About the Elephant Protection

  • In 1897, the Elephants Preservation Act prohibited the killing or capture of wild elephants unless in self-defense or to protect property and crops, or under a license issued by the district collector.
  • In 1927, the Indian Forest Act listed the elephant as ‘cattle’, prescribing the highest fine of Rs 10 for every impounded jumbo — in comparison, a cow attracted a fine of Re 1 and a camel of Rs 2.
  • The Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA),1972 identified the elephant along with the bullock, camel, donkey, horse, and mule, as a “vehicle”. Given the highest legal protection in 1977, the elephant was the only animal in WLPA’s Schedule-I that can still be owned legally by means of inheritance or gift.
  • In 2003, WLPA was amended to prohibit trade in all captive wildlife and any (non-commercial) transfer across state boundaries without permission from the concerned chief wildlife warden.
  • Now, the Wildlife Protection Bill,2022 permits the transfer or transport of a captive elephant for a religious or any other purpose by a person having a valid certificate of ownership.

What are the objections to the present amendment? 

  • The sweeping ambit of “any other purpose” in the present amendment will empower elephant traders, put wild populations at greater risk of capture and defeat the very purpose of WLPA. Instead, the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommended that it should be limited to temple elephants kept for religious purposes.
  • However, there is also a counter view that prohibition on commercial transfer only drove the live elephant trade underground as traders switched to dressing up commercial deals as gift deeds to bypass the 2003 amendment.

What is the stand of the new Bill on Vermin Species?

  • The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022 makes a significant amendment as it reduces the number of schedules from six to four. The Bill seeks to do away with Schedule V for vermin species entirely.
  • This gives the Centre direct power to declare any species to be ‘vermin’ and make way for them to be freely hunted. Thus, declaring any species as vermin becomes easier.
  • In recent years, however, the Centre has started using its powers under Section 62 to issue sweeping orders declaring species as vermin at even state levels, often without any credible scientific assessment.
  • For example, Nilgais were declared as vermin across 20 districts in Bihar for a year in 2015.
  • The Centre cited “large-scale destruction of agriculture” as the ground for declaring monkeys (Rhesus macaque) vermin in Shimla municipality in 2019.
  • The issue has since entered the realm of centre-state politics. Since last year, Kerala’s requests for declaring wild boars as vermin have been turned down repeatedly by the Environment ministry.

Question: Discuss the key amendments introduced under The Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2022.

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The Malampandaram Tribe

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The pilgrimage season at Sabarimala also marks a crunch time for the forests around the hillock. Pilgrims keep moving along the roads here without a break, the impact of which can be far from ethereal.

  • But thanks to a community initiative by the Forest department, an indigenous community collective is helping the authorities keep the forest roads here clean. 
  • The collective, called eco-guards, comprises about 25 members including women from the Malampandaram tribe, a nomadic community living inside the Sabarimala forests.
  • Deployed between Laha and Chalakkayam along the main trunk road to Sabarimala, they keep walking constantly along the route throughout the day and collect plastic waste littered on both sides of the road. 
  • The eco-guards also assist the elephant squads of the Forest department to prevent the wild elephants from entering the road here and block traffic.

The Malampandaram Tribe

  • This is the name of a small, nomadic community living in the remote forest.
  • Fishing and collecting fruits and other edibles from the forest are the main occupations of this community that depends on the forest for all their needs.
  • The Malai Pandaram or otherwise termed as Hill Pandaram is a scheduled tribe.
  • They are mainly distributed in the high range areas of Kollam and Pathanamthitta Districts. The 2011 Census recorded their population as 2,422.
  • In the Travancore region they have a patios referred by others as Pandaram Basha. With others they converse in Malayalam and educated use the Malayalam script for writing.
  • The major traditional occupation is hunting and gathering.
  • They continue to be engaged in their traditional occupation of making and selling of rudrakshamala, tulasimala, glass beads necklace and bangles.
  • Some of them have traditional knowledge in herbal medicines.
  • The medicinal herbs are collected from forests of Sabarimalai, Irali (Idukki) and Wayanad.

Question: Write a note on the Programme on Integrated Tribal Development Projects (ITDP).

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Oil companies are threatening two of Africa’s most iconic biodiversity hotspots in an effort to drill for oil that will ultimately make its way to a global elite and won’t benefit Africans.

  • ReconAfrica, a Canadian company, has been drilling for oil in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Nature Conservation Area (KAZA).
  • KAZA is the second-largest nature and landscape conservation area in the world. It is spread across the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
  • More than 200,000 people live in the area that falls under ReconAfrica’s exploration licenses.

The Okavango delta

  • The Okavango delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Africa.
  • The delta is also the homeland of indigenous people like the San.
  • The Okavango delta is formed by the Okavango river, which originates in the highlands of Angola. 
  • It flows into the Kalahari desert of southern Africa and spreads out, forming what is called a ‘fan’.
  • The Okavango’s waters make the otherwise dry area a waterlogged wetland that provides vital water resources for animals, plants and over one million people.
  • The delta is home to Africa’s Big Five wildlife species: Savanna elephants, Cape buffaloes, rhinos, lions and leopards. 
  • There are also giraffes, zebras, antelopes, pangolins, 400 bird species and over 1,000 plant species.

Threats to Okavango delta:

  • Oil spill could pollute the Okavango River and the Okavango delta.
  • Noise, infrastructure construction, toxic chemicals

Murchison Falls

  • Murchison Falls became one of Uganda’s first national parks in 1952
  • At Murchison Falls, the Nile squeezes through an 8m wide gorge.
  • The northern section of the park contains savanna and Borassus palms, acacia trees, and riverine woodland. 
  • The south is dominated by woodland and forest patches
  • Murchison Falls National Park lies at the northern end of the Albertine Rift Valley, where the sweeping Bunyoro escarpment tumbles into vast, palm-dotted savanna. 
  • First gazetted as a game reserve in 1926, it is Uganda’s largest and oldest conservation area.
  • The park is bisected by the Victoria Nile, which plunges 45m over the remnant rift valley wall, creating the dramatic Murchison Falls, the centerpiece of the park and the final event in an 80km stretch of rapids. 
  • The mighty cascade drains the last of the river’s energy, transforming it into a broad, placid stream that flows quietly across the rift valley floor into Lake Albert. 
  • This stretch of river provides one of Uganda’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles.
  •  Regular visitors to the riverbanks include elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes; while hippos, Nile crocodiles, and aquatic birds are permanent residents.
  • Murchison Falls is notably blessed with over 144 mammals,556 bird species,51 reptiles, and 51 Amphibians. 
  • With a great number of  African elephants, Murchison falls is impressive all year round. 

Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Nature Conservation Area (KAZA)

  • KAZA is the second-largest nature and landscape conservation area in the world.
  • It is spread across the borders of Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
  • The KAZA TFCA is enormous, larger than Germany and Austria combined and nearly twice as large as the United Kingdom. 
  • Jewels in the crown of this spectacular array of protected areas are the 15,000 km2 Okavango Delta, an explosion of green and blue in parched landscape – the world’s largest inland delta, and the awe inspiring tumbling cataracts of the Victoria Falls, a World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
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PM SVANIDHI SCHEME

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

The Government of India has extended the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme beyond March, 2022 with the following provisions:

  • Extension of lending period till December 2024;
  • Introduction of 3rd loan of upto ₹50,000 in addition to 1st & 2nd loans of ₹10,000 and ₹20,000 respectively.
  • To extend ‘SVANidhi Se Samriddhi’ component for all beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi scheme across the country.

About the PM SVANidhi 

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi(PM SVANidhi).

  • To provide a user-friendly digital interface for lending institutions (LIs) and their field functionaries for sourcing and processing loan applications of street vendors under the PM SVANidhi scheme.
  • It is a Central Sector Scheme to facilitate street vendors to access affordable working capital loan for resuming their livelihoods activities after easing of lockdown.

Eligibility Criteria 

  • Initial working capital of up to 10,000/.
  • Interest subsidy on timely/ early repayment @ 7%.
  • Higher loan eligibility on timely repayment of the first loan.

Beneficiaries: 

  • Street vendors/ hawkers vending in urban areas as on or before March 24,2020 including the vendors of surrounding peri-urban and rural areas.
  • Street vendors in possession of Certificate of Vending/Identity Card issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
  • The vendors, who have been identified in the survey but have not been issued Certificate of Vending/Identity Card; Provisional Certificate of Vending would be generated for such vendors through an IT based Platform.

Lending Institutions: 

  • Scheduled Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks, Small Finance Banks, Cooperative Banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies, Micro-Finance Institutions and SHG Banks.

Question: What are the objectives of the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) Scheme? 

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj convened a consultation meeting on ‘Cactus Plantation and its Economic Usage’ today in New Delhi. 

  • India has approximately 30% of its geographical area under the category of degraded land.  
  • Department of Land Resources DoLR has been mandated to restore degraded lands through its Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY).  
  • Plantations of various kinds constitute one of the activities which help in restoration of degraded lands. 
  • Various options for taking up Cactus plantation on degraded land should be explored for realising the benefits of its usage for bio-fuel, food, fodder and bio-fertiliser production for the larger benefit of the country.  
  • Bio-fuel production will reduce the fuel import burden of the country apart from contributing towards employment and income generation for the poor farmers of these areas.
  • Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Land Areas (ICARDA) are being roped in for setting up a pilot project in Amlaha Farm of ICARDA in Madhya Pradesh. 
  • Ministry of Petroleum has been requested to provide necessary technical assistance in this venture. 

About the Cactus

  • Cactus is a Xerophytic Plant which though grows relatively at a slower pace has an immense potential as stated above.  
  • A cactus is a member of the plant family Cactaceae.
  • Although some species live in quite humid environments, most cacti live in habitats subject to at least some drought.
  • Many live in extremely dry environments, even being found in the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth.
  • Because of this, cacti show many adaptations to conserve water.
  • For example, almost all cacti are succulents, meaning they have thickened, fleshy parts adapted to store water.
  • Unlike many other succulents, the stem is the only part of most cacti where this vital process takes place.
  • Most species of cacti have only spines, which are highly modified leaves.
  • Spines help prevent water loss by reducing air flow close to the cactus and providing some shade.
  • In the absence of true leaves, cacti’s enlarged stems carry out photosynthesis.
  • Moreover, it will help in achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the country as well. 
  • The Department is of the view that cactus plantation will be picked up by the farmers of degraded land areas, if the benefits outweigh their existing level of incomes.  
  • Experiences of countries like Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Morocco and various others are being explored which will be of great help for realisation of the objective.

Uses

  • Cactuses are known for their nutrients as well as their medicinal value.
  • Both cactus pads and cactus fruit can help fight infections and ease the symptoms of anything from hangovers to high cholesterol.
  • Both the cactus pad and the cactus fruit are high in fiber, which can lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
  • used as ornamental plants
  • used for fodder or forage,
  • Cactus fruits in particular are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is one of the best immune boosters.
  • Regular doses of vitamin C increase the production of white blood cells, which can make us less likely to catch an illness — and help your body fight off viruses if infected.
  • Nutrition: Cactus fruits and pads offer a dose of vitamins and nutrients that have anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce the risk of serious health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

Question: Write a note on semi arid and arid vegetation of India.

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed an MoU with Social Alpha, a multistage innovation curation and venture development platform for science and technology start-ups, to launch SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN).

About the SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN)

  • SpIN is India’s first dedicated platform for innovation, curation, and venture development for the burgeoning space entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  • The space agency said that the tie-up is a one-of-a-kind public-private collaboration for start-ups and SMEs in the space industry.
  • This novel partnership is a significant step forward in providing further stimulus to India’s recent space reform policies and will work towards identifying and unleashing the market potential of the most promising space tech innovators and entrepreneurs in India
  • SpIN will primarily focus on facilitating space tech entrepreneurs in three distinct innovation categories: 
  • Geospatial Technologies and Downstream Applications 
  • Enabling Technologies for Space & Mobility
  • Aerospace Materials, Sensors, and Avionics.

Significance of the programme

  • Space applications cut across various domains from earth to sky. Innovative technologies are expected to bring a paradigm shift in utilising the space applications to maximise the economic, social, and environmental benefits for the larger society.
  • SpIN has launched its first innovation challenge. 
  • Early-stage start-ups for developing solutions in areas of maritime and land transportation, urbanisation, mapping, and surveying, disaster management, food security, sustainable agriculture, environmental monitoring, and natural resources management, among others are encouraged to apply.
  • The selected start-ups and innovators will be able to access both Social Alpha’s and ISRO’s infrastructure and resources as per the prevailing guidelines.
  • They will be provided active hand-holding in critical areas, including access to product design, testing and validation infrastructure, intellectual property management, go-to-market strategy, and access to long-term patient capital, among other technical and business inputs.

Question: What are the major objectives of the SpaceTech Innovation Network (SpIN) launched by ISRO and Social Alpha? 

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Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 was announced on 27 October 2021 enhancing the existing provisions, mainly focusing on transporting perishable food products from the hilly areas, North-Eastern States and tribal areas. 

  • For facilitating and incentivising movement of agri-produce by air transportation, Airports Authority of India (AAI) provides full waiver of Landing, Parking, Terminal Navigational Landing Charges (TNLC) and Route Navigation Facility Charges (RNFC) for Indian freighters and P2C (Passenger-to-Cargo) Aircraft. 
  • The scheme primarily covers around 25 airports focusing on North Eastern, Hilly and Tribal region besides 28 airports in other regions/areas. 
  • After evaluation of Krishi Udan 2.0, five more airports have been included making it to total 58 airports.
  • Krishi Udan Scheme is a convergence scheme where eight Ministries/Departments namely Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region would leverage their existing schemes to strengthen the logistics for transportation of Agri-produce.

The main objective of the Krishi Udan Scheme 2.0 is 

  • To increase share of air carriage in the modal mix for transportation of Agri-produce, which includes horticulture, fishery, livestock and processed products. 
  • The scheme assists farmers in transporting agriculture products so that it improves their value realisation.
  • The Scheme aims to ensure seamless, cost-effective, time bound, air transportation and associated logistics for all Agri-produce originating especially from North-East, hilly and tribal regions of the country. 
  • Facilitating and incentivizing movement of Agri-produce by air transportation: The scheme will provide a full waiver of landing, parking, Terminal Navigation and Landing Charges and Route Navigation Facilities Charges for domestic airlines.
  • Strengthening cargo-related infrastructure at airports and off airports: The Ministry will facilitate the development of a hub and spoke model and freight to transport perishable products.
  • Concessions sought from other bodies: The Ministry has asked states to reduce sales tax on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to 1 percent for airlines under Krishi UDAN 2.0.
  • Resources-Pooling through establishing convergence mechanism: Collaboration with other government departments and regulatory bodies.
  • Focus Routes: Seven focus routes and the agro products to be flown from there have been identified under the scheme.

Implementing Agency

  • The enhanced version of the Krishi UDAN scheme was formulated with support from AAI Cargo Logistics and Allied Services Company Limited (AAICLAS) – a 100% subsidiary of the Airports Authority of India and Invest India, India’s national Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Question: Explain Krishi Udan Scheme and also highlights its major objectives.

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Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

An 18-member herd of all female elephants from the forests of Gudiyattam and Pernambattu of Tamil Nadu are currently on the prowl in the Koundinya wildlife sanctuary zone in Chittoor district, apparently “in search of mates”.

About Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

  • Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and an elephant reserve situated in Andhra Pradesh.
  • It is the only sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh with a population of Asian elephants.
  • The sanctuary has dry deciduous forests with thorny scrubs interspersed with trees.
  • These forests have the Kaindinya and Kaigal tributaries of Palar River.
  • Kalyana Revu Waterfalls (also called Kalyan Drive Falls) and Kaigal Waterfalls are located in the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • The sanctuary is primarily an elephant reserve and is home to about 78 Indian elephants.
  • The vulnerable yellow-throated bulbul is present in the sanctuary.

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