About Barda Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Barda Hills of Gujarat, near the coastal city of Porbandar.
• Known locally as Jam Barda, it was once a private hunting ground for the royal families of Jamnagar and Porbandar.
• It is surrounded by agricultural fields, wastelands, and forest, and the terrain of Barda is almost hilly.
• Rivers: There are two waterways, the Bileshvary River and the Joghri River, and two dams, Khambala and Fodara.
• Tribes: Ethnic races such as Maldharis, Bharvads, Rabaris, and Gadhvis live in this region.
• The sanctuary is a significant biodiversity hotspot and a key area for the conservation of Asiatic Lions.
• To develop Barda as the second home for the Asiatic lion, the state government implemented the ‘Gir-Barda Project’ in 1979.
• It is the first fully protected satellite lion habitat in Gujarat.
• Flora:
  • About 650 plant and tree species constitute the flora of the park, and that includes trees and plants like Babul, Bamboo, Amli, Jamun, Dhundhlo, Ber, Gorad, Rayan, Dhav, etc.
  • Medicinal plants of great use grow profusely within the forested belt of the sanctuary.
• Fauna:
  • It shelters species like leopards, wolves, sambar deer, chinkara, hyenas, and blue bulls (nilgai).
  • The sanctuary is also a paradise for bird watchers, with numerous resident and migratory birds such as eagles, owls, crested serpent eagles, and partridges found here.

About Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC):

• It is an emergency declaration formally announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to a crisis of international proportions that can affect people’s health.
• It is the WHO’s highest level of global health alert.
• Such a declaration may require immediate action at a global level against the international spread of disease.
• A PHEIC is subject to the International Health Regulations (IHR), which require those states involved to promptly respond to the crisis at hand.
• PHEICs are decided upon by a governing body of international experts known as the IHR Emergency Committee, a group formed in the aftermath of the 2002–2004 SARS outbreak.
• The declaration is reviewed on a tri-monthly basis and renewed as needed.
• However, certain disease outbreaks can be declared a PHEIC without the approval of the IHR.
• Alongside infectious disease, a PHEIC can also be declared in response to outbreaks of public health hazards such as chemical agents or radioactive materials.

Key Facts about International Health Regulations (IHR):

• The IHR was adopted by the Health Assembly (decision-making body of WHO) in 1969 in an effort to prevent the spread of disease across national borders.
• Following the chaotic global outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that lasted between 2002 and 2004, revisions were made to the IHR to account for such global emergencies.
• A new IHR was adopted at the 58th World Health Assembly in May 2005.
• The IHR 2005 was an international agreement among 196 countries committed to upholding global health security.
• WHO was deemed the coordinating body of this agreement. 

About Matua Community:

• The Matua community, a marginalized Hindu sect with roots in the 19th century, holds a significant socio- religious presence in the Bengal region, particularly across Bangladesh and West Bengal.
• Founded by Harichand Thakur in the 1860s, the Matua movement arose as a response to the deep-seated caste discrimination present within Hindu society at the time.
• Religious Beliefs:
  • As followers of the Matua faith, the community primarily belongs to the “Namashudra” caste, traditionally regarded as a lower-caste group within Hinduism.
  • Harichand Thakur’s teachings centered on principles of social equality, human dignity, and the empowerment of marginalized groups through education and religious reform, making the Matua movement a powerful counterforce to caste oppression.
  • The Matua sect is monotheist. It does not follow Vedic rituals, and singing hymns in praise of the deity is their way of prayer and meditation.
  • They believe that salvation lies in faith and devotion. Their ultimate objective is to attain truth through meditation and worship.
  • The Matua have no distinctions of caste, creed, or class. They believe that everyone is a child of God.
  • Shrishriharililamrta is a principal religious scripture of the Matua.
• Following the partition of Bengal in 1947, the Matua community experienced profound socio-political shifts.
• Many Matua families migrated to India to escape religious and political persecution, although a large portion of the community remained in what later became Bangladesh.
• Today, Matuas constitute the second largest SC population of West Bengal.

About IN–SPACe:

• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) is a single-window, independent, nodal agency that functions as an autonomous agency in the Department of Space (DOS).
• It is formed following the Space sector reforms to enable and facilitate the participation of private players.
• IN-SPACe is responsible to promote, enable, authorize and supervise various space activities of non-governmental entities (NGEs) including
  • building launch vehicles & satellites and providing space-based services;
  • sharing space infrastructure and premises under the control of DOS/ISRO; and
  • establishing of new space infrastructure and facilities.
• The agency acts as an interface between ISRO and NGEs and assesses how to utilize India’s space resources better and increase space-based activities.
• It also assesses the needs and demands of private players, including educational and research institutions, and explores ways to accommodate these requirements in consultation with ISRO.
• Headquarters: Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Three Directorates, Promotion Directorate (PD), Technical Directorate (TD) and Program Management and Authorization Directorate (PMAD) are carrying out the functions of IN-SPACe.

About Red Sand Boa:

• The Red Sand Boa, commonly called the Indian Sand Boa, is a non-venomous snake species found throughout the dry parts of the Indian subcontinent.
• Scientific Name: Eryx johnii
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • The species is endemic to Iran, Pakistan, and India.
  • These snakes prefer dry, sandy, and loose soil environments that support their fossorial lifestyle.
  • It is ovoviviparous and nocturnal and spends the majority of its time underground.
• Appearance:
  • Unlike most snakes, the tail is almost as thick as the body and gives the reptile the appearance of being “double-headed”.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

About PM SHRI Scheme:

• The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme is a centrally sponsored initiative launched by the Government of India under the guidance of the Ministry of Education.
• It aims to transform school education across the nation by developing over 14,500 model schools that reflect the spirit and vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• These schools will be managed by the Central Government, State and Union Territory Governments, local bodies, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).
• Key Features of PM SHRI Schools
  • Enhanced infrastructure: Labs, libraries, art rooms.
  • Integration of technology: Smart classrooms and digital learning tools.
  • Holistic learning approach: Play-based learning in the early years, with flexible teaching methods.
  • School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF): Regular evaluation to maintain high standards.
  • Time Period: 5 years (2022-23 to 2026-27).
• Funding Pattern:
  • For General States and UTs with Legislature: The funding ratio is 60:40, where 60% of the funds are provided by the Central Government and 40% by the State or UT Government.
  • Northeastern and Himalayan States, including Jammu & Kashmir: The funding ratio is 90:10, with the Centre contributing 90% of the total cost.
  • For Union Territories without a Legislature: The scheme is fully funded by the Central Government (100%).

About National One Health Mission:

• It was launched in 2024.
• It is a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that unites human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
• It recognizes the interconnectedness of these domains, aiming to optimize health outcomes and address challenges across the sectors.
• It was launched to safeguard national health by unifying human, animal, and environmental surveillance systems to ensure robust pandemic preparedness and integrated disease control.
• Nodal Agency: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA).
• Governance of the National One Health Mission:
• It is two tiered:
  • Executive Committee: It is chaired by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) with Principal Scientific Adviser as vice chair and Member Health, NITI Aayog is a permanent invitee.
    • Secretaries of various stakeholder departments and two states (on rolling basis) are members.
    • The committee provides overall policy guidance for the progress of the mission and its associated activities.
  • Scientific Steering Committee: It is chaired by the PSA and has Secretaries/DGs of all stakeholder departments and two states (on rolling basis) as members.
    • It provides overall scientific direction, oversight and guidance to the National One Health Mission.

About Zimbabwe:

• It is a landlocked country in southern Africa.
• Bordering Countries: It shares its borders with four countries: Mozambique to the northeast and east, South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest and west, and Zambia to the northwest.
• Capital City: Harare
• Geographical Features of Zimbabwe:
  • Topography: Zimbabwe is characterized by a high plateau, known as the highveld, or grassland, which covers roughly one-quarter of the country's area.
  • Climate: It is completely within the tropics but enjoys subtropical conditions because of its high average elevation.
  • Highest Peak: Mount Nyangani
  • Lakes:Lake Kariba, sits on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border.
  • Major Rivers: The major rivers of Zimbabwe include the Zambezi, Limpopo, Sabi, and Runde.
  • It includes parts of the Kalahari Desert.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of coal, chromium ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum etc.

About Jaggery:

• It is commonly known as gur and is a traditional, unrefined, natural sweetener.
• It is produced by concentrating sugarcane juice without the use of chemicals.
• It retains essential minerals and micronutrients that are typically lost during the sugar-refining process.
• Minerals: It retains minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese.
  • It also contains trace amounts of vitamins, including folic acid and B-complex vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C, D, and E.
• Production:
  • India accounts for over 70 percent of global jaggery production. This makes it the world’s largest jaggery producer. 
  • Uttar Pradesh contributed 48.5 percent of total production, followed by Maharashtra (24.1 percent) and Karnataka (10.5 percent). 
• Geographical Indication (GI) Tagged Jaggery Varieties in India:
  • Kolhapur Jaggery (Maharashtra): It is valued for its golden colour and high sucrose content. 
  • Muzaffarnagar gur (Uttar Pradesh): It is export-oriented and made from high-quality cane.
  • Marayoor and Central Travancore jiggery (Keralam): These are recognized for their purity, medicinal value, traditional processing and regional distinctiveness.