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Posted 12 Sep 2024
8 min read
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan resumed work on TAPI Gas-Pipeline Project.
About TAPI Gas Pipeline Project (Peace Pipeline)
- Aim: To export up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually through a proposed 1,814-kilometer pipeline from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
- Gas extracted from Galkynysh gas field in southeast Turkmenistan.
- Financing: Asian Development Bank which is also acting as transaction adviser for development.
- Impact: Reduced greenhouse gas emissions resulting from substitution of heavy fossil and solid fuels by cleaner natural gas.
- Tags :
- TAPI pipeline
- Galkynysh gas field
- Asian Development Bank
Salt Pan Lands
Centre approved transfer of 256 acres of salt pan land in Mumbai to Dharavi Redevelopment Project Pvt Ltd.
About Salt Pan Lands
- They comprise parcels of low-lying lands where seawater flows in at certain times, and leaves behind salt and other minerals.
- This ecosystem is instrumental in protecting the city from flooding.
- They are spread across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Gujarat, and Karnataka.
- According to Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017, salt-pan land is deleted from wetland definition.
- They are protected under Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
- Tags :
- Coastal Regulation Zone rules
- Salt Pan Lands
National Florence Nightingale Award
The President of India presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards for the year 2024.
About National Florence Nightingale Award
- This award is given as a mark of recognition for the meritorious services rendered by the nurses and nursing professionals to the society.
- It was instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 1973.
- Each award consists of a Certificate of Merit, Cash Award of Rs.1,00,000/- and a medal.
Florence Nightingale was a British nurse, statistician, and social reformer who was the foundational philosopher of modern nursing.
- Tags :
- National Florence Nightingale Awards
- Florence Nightingale
Articles Sources
Saarthi App
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) in collaboration with Bhashini have launched Saarthi reference app to make e-commerce inclusive.
- Bhashini (2022) under National Language Technology Mission, aims to provide technology translation services in 22 scheduled Indian languages.
About Saarthi app:
- It aims to assist businesses in building buyer apps with multilingual features.
- It initially supports Hindi, English, Marathi, Bangla and Tamil, with plans to scale up to all 22 languages.
- Features: real-time translation, transliteration, and voice recognition
- Tags :
- Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC)
- Saarthi app
- Bhashini
Trade Connect e-Platform
It was launched by Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It will aid in achieving $1 trillion merchandise and $1 trillion services export target by 2030.
About Trade Connect e-Platform
- It is a single window initiative aimed at facilitating international trade by Indian exporters, especially MSMEs by providing real-time access to trade-related information.
- Developed in collaboration with Ministry of MSME, EXIM Bank, Department of Financial Service, and Ministry of External Affairs.
- It simplifies complexities of international trade, including - Product and Country guides for comprehensive market insights, Trade Agreements and Tariff explorer to unlock benefits of Free Trade Agreements etc.
- Tags :
- Export
- Trade Connect e-Platform
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Articles Sources
Myristica Swamp Forest
Researchers have discovered a sacred grove- a Myristica swamp forest in Kumbral (Maharashtra), which is protected by the local community.
- Dominated by Myristica magnifica, an endangered species native to Karnataka and Kerala.
- Sacred groves are preserved natural areas with spiritual and ecological values due to local taboos and sanctions
About Myristica swamp forest
- Tree-covered wetlands found within the evergreen forests in the Western Ghats, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Meghalaya.
- These forests of the Western Ghats are considered one of the primaeval ecosystems.
- Significance: Provides ecosystem services like groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, natural barrier against flood, etc.
- Tags :
- SACRED GROVES
- Myristica Swamp Forest
- Myristica magnifica
Inner Line Permit (ILP)
State government of Nagaland has approved the implementation of ILP in Chumoukedima, Niuland, and Dimapur districts.
About Inner Line Permit (ILP)
- It’s an official travel document issued by government that allows Indian citizens to travel into protected areas for a limited period.
- ILP system aims to regulate movement near India's international borders.
- ILP is officially used to protect tribal cultures in north-eastern India.
- Genesis: Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations of 1873.
- There are different types of ILPs: One for tourists and others for long-term stays (often for employment purposes).
- States under ILP: Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur.
- Tags :
- Inner Line Permit
- Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations of 1873
Bhadra Tiger Reserve
Mikania micrantha weed is rapidly spreading BTR and threatening its biodiversity.
About Bhadra Tiger Reserve
- Location: Western Ghats of Karnataka, spreading over Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts.
- Corridor: Bhadra Tiger Reserve, Kudremukh National Park and Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary are part of same landscape.
- Drained by: River Bhadra (Tungabhadra River tributary).
- In 1998, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary was included in Project Tiger Network.
- Forest types: Tropical Moist Mixed Deciduous; Tropical Dry Deciduous;, Semi-Evergreen Forest.
- Fauna: Tiger, Leopard, ungulates like Gaur, Sambar and Barking Deer, etc.
About Mikania micrantha
- Perennial climber, originally from tropical America.
- It is a major invasive in several parts of south-east Asia and Pacific islands.
- Tags :
- Bhadra Tiger Reserve
- Mikania micrantha
- Project Tiger Network
- River Bhadra
News Today (Sep 12, 2024)