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About TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India):

• It is a national-level cooperative body under India's Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India.
• It is dedicated to the socio-economic development of tribal communities through the marketing development of tribal products.
• It was established in 1987 and registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984.
• Mandate: Bringing about the socio-economic development of the tribals of the country by institutionalizing the trade of Minor Forest Produce (MFP) & Surplus Agricultural Produce (SAP) collected/cultivated by them.
• TRIFED has been entrusted by the Government of India to implement its proposed Minimum Support Price Scheme for Minor Forest Produce.
• TRIFED has its head office in New Delhi and 14 regional offices across the country.
• Objectives:
  • To develop the socio-economic welfare of the tribal community.
  • To act as a facilitator and service provider for the tribal community to uplift production.
  • Provide training to enhance artistic skills with modern technology to meet the requirements of the global market.
  • To increase the promotion of tribal art and crafts for a stable livelihood.
  • To identify target groups to monitor and evaluate the process and activities and provide input to the Ministry.
  • The approach involves capacity building of the tribal people through sensitization, formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs), and imparting training to them for undertaking a particular activity, exploring marketing possibilities in national as well as international markets, creating opportunities for marketing tribal products on a sustainable basis, and creating a brand.
• Retail Marketing:
  • TRIFED has been doing the retail marketing of tribal products under the brand name of TRIBES INDIA.
  • TRIFED promotes and creates a sustainable market through retail outlets, exhibitions such as Aadishilp, Aadichitra, OCTAVE; international fairs; and e-marketing.

What is the PM Vishwakarma Scheme?

• It is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in 2023.
• It aimed at providing holistic and end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople through access to collateral-free credit, skill training, modern tools, incentives for digital transactions, and market linkage support.
• Objective: Promoting the socio-economic empowerment of artisans, strengthening traditional crafts, and ensuring sustainable livelihoods.
• Time period: Five years (FY 2023-24 to FY 2027-28).
• Implementing Agency: The scheme is conjointly implemented by the following Ministries/Departments:
  • Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME).
  • Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
  • Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF).
• Eligibility and Coverage:
  • The applicant should be an artisan or craftsperson working with hands and tools.
  • The applicant should be engaged in an unorganized sector on a self-employment basis.
  • The applicant should be engaged in one of the 18 family-based traditional trades mentioned in the scheme, such as Boat Maker, Armourer, Blacksmith, Hammer and Tool Kit Maker, etc.
  • The minimum age of the applicant should be 18 years.
  • The applicant should not have availed loans under similar credit-based schemes in the past 5 years.
  • Exclusions: A person in government service and their family members shall not be eligible.
• Features:
  • Recognition: Recognition of artisans and craftspeople through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.
  • Skill Upgradation: Basic Training of 5-7 days and Advanced Training of 15 days or more, with a stipend of R 500 per day;
  • Toolkit Incentive: A toolkit incentive of upto Rs. 15,000 in the form of e-vouchers at the beginning of Basic Skill Training.
  • Credit Support: Collateral-free ‘Enterprise Development Loans’ of upto Rs. 3 lakh in two tranches of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh at a concessional rate of interest fixed at 5%.
  • Incentive for Digital Transaction: ₹ 1 per transaction for a maximum of up to 100 transactions (monthly)
  • Marketing Support: The National Committee for Marketing (NCM) will provide services such as Quality Certification, Branding and Promotion, e-commerce Linkage, Trade Fair Advertising, Publicity and Other Marketing Activities.

About Bherjan-Borajan-Padumoni Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is a protected area situated in the Tinsukia district in the eastern part of Assam.
• It is part of the Indo-Chinese tropical moist forest biome.
• It comprises three separate forest blocks named Bherjan, Borajan, and Padumoni.
  • The three areas are disjunct and separated by tea gardens and human habitations.
  • These are entirely on the flat plains of the Brahmputra Valley.
• The terrain is mostly flat with some scattered hillocks.
• The sanctuary enjoys the typical humid subtropical climate of the Northeast Indian region, receiving heavy rainfall, which significantly influences its dense vegetation growth.
• Flora: The vegetation of the sanctuary is almost tropical wet evergreen rainforest.
• Fauna:
  • It holds the highest concentration of primates on the Indian subcontinent, including hoolock gibbons (only species of apes found in India), langurs, and macaques.
  • The sanctuary also hosts mammals such as leopards, wild pigs, and giant flying squirrels.
  • There are many species of birds, including Osprey, Indian Pied Hornbill, Kingfisher, Woodpecker, Lined Barbet, Common Myna, Drongo, Bulbul, Magpie Robin, Wagtail, and many more varieties of woodland birds.

About Kilauea Volcano:

• It is located in the island of Hawaii (Big Island), Hawaii State, United States.
  • Hawaii is the southernmost and largest of the island chain located in the Pacific Ocean, which owes its existence to the very active Hawaiian hotspot.
• Kilauea is located within the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It is renowned for being one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
• It is a shield volcano characterized by its broad, gently sloping profile.

About Central Bureau of Narcotics:

• It is a central government organization dealing with the international trade of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and Precursor Chemicals.
• It works under the ambit of various United Nations Conventions and the provisions of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
• Nodal Ministry: It works under the Department of Revenue (DoR), Ministry of Finance.
• Headquarters: Gwalior
• Organization Structure:
  • The Narcotics Commissioner is the head of the Central Bureau of Narcotics.
  • A Deputy Narcotics Commissioner is in-charge of each of the three opium growing States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
  • The Deputy Narcotics Commissioner is assisted by the Assistant Narcotics Commissioner and District Opium Officers.
  • The District Opium Officer issues licences for cultivation of opium poppy as per the General Licencing Conditions notified by the Central Government.

Functions of Central Bureau of Narcotics:

• Supervision over licit cultivation of opium poppy in India
• Preventive and enforcement functions especially in the three poppy growing States.
• Investigation of cases under the NDPS Act, 1985 and filing of complaint in the Court.
• Issue of licences for manufacture of synthetic narcotic drugs.
• Issuance of Export Authorisations/ Import Certificate for export/ import of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
• Issuance of No Objection Certificate (NOC) for import/ export of a select number of Precursor Chemicals.

About Begonia Siangensis:

• It is the new species of wild flowering plant discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The plant’s scientific name, Begonia siangensis, honours the Siang River Valley in Arunachal Pradesh, the river canyon where it was originally found.
• It belongs to the diverse Begonia section Platycentrum and closely resembles another regional species called Begonia iridescens,
• It has been assessed as ‘Data Deficient’ (DD), pending comprehensive assessment in the future.

About Bahamas:

• Location: It is an archipelagic country comprising coral islands, islets and cays situated in the northwest of West Indies in West Atlantic Ocean.
• Capital City: Nassau
• Geographical Features of Bahamas:
  • Topography: The islands were mostly created by the disintegration of coral reefs and seashells, and low scrub covers much of their surfaces.
  • Climate: The Bahamas has a subtropical marine climate characterized by year-round warm temperatures, moderate rainfall, and cooling trade winds.
  • Islands: New Providence, San Salvador and Great Inagua
  • Mountain: Mount Alvernia, also known locally as Como Hill, is the highest point
  • Strategic Significance: The strategic location of the islands commands the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the entire Central American region.

About Exercise Rahat Mitra:

• It is the first bilateral Tri-Services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise conducted between India and Myanmar.
• Theme: ‘Together for Humanity, Stronger through Partnership’
• Aim: The exercise aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation, foster mutual trust and enhance coordination between the Defence Forces of both nations.
• Participating Contingents: It brings together personnel from all three services of both countries, reflecting their shared commitment to humanitarian cooperation and regional disaster response.
• It is coordinated under the aegis of the Indian Navy.
• It provides an important platform for the Indian and Myanmar Defence Forces to engage in professional exchanges, share experiences and enhance interoperability in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations.
• Significance: The exercise reflects India’s commitment to its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and the strategic vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).

About Kochon Prize:

• It was established in 2006.
• It is presented by the Kochon Foundation, an independent Korean non-profit foundation, in partnership with the Stop TB Partnership.
• It recognises individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions to the fight against TB. 
• It consists of cash prize of US$ 65,000.
• Previous winners from India include S. Chauhan (2006), head of the Revised National TB Control Programme, the Indian Council of Medical Research (2017) and Molbio Diagnostics (2024). 

Key Facts about Tuberculosis

• Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other body parts such as the abdomen, glands, bones, and nervous system.
• Transmission: It spreads through airborne transmission, mainly inhaling tiny droplets released from the coughs or sneezes of an infected person.
• Treatment & Prevention
  • BCG Vaccine: The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine provides moderate protection, mainly for severe TB in infants and children.

About Chinar Tree:

• It is also known as Oriental plane tree, maple tree and locally it is called Boueen.
• Chinar is a distinctive feature of Kashmir’s landscape and is found in almost every part of the Valley.
• The tree is believed to have been introduced in Kashmir from Persia.
• Habitat: Chinar trees characteristically grow in Eastern Himalayas. It spreads wide across a region of cool climate with sufficient water.

Key Facts about the Geotagging of Chinar

• A QR-based digital plate has been affixed to each identified Chinar using a specialised spring-enabled metal mechanism.
• By scanning the QR code, a person can get required information about the Chinar tree including its location, health, age and other relevant characteristics.
• The Chinar tree is a protected species under J&K Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969 and even pruning requires official approval.