Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire Current Affairs
- 15 Jul 2023
- 5 min read
MoD & FSSAI Promote Millets & Healthy Eating in Armed Forces
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote the use of millets and healthy eating practices among the armed forces.
Millets are small-seeded annual grasses that are rich in nutrients, drought-resistant, and suitable for semi-arid regions. India is the largest producer of millets in the world, and contributes to 20% of global production. India’s Millet Revolution is a movement that seeks to increase awareness of the health and environmental benefits of millets, promote traditional agricultural practices, and support small-scale farmers.
Read more:Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), India’s Millet Revolution
Rural and Urban India Almost Equally Affected by PM 2.5
An analysis by Climate Trends revealed that rural and urban areas in India experienced equally poor levels of ultrafine particulate matter (PM) 2.5 in 2022. This questions the government's focus on urban areas for controlling air pollution. The study also highlighted the higher impact of PM 2.5 on rural populations in terms of reduced lifespan. The National Clean Air Plan (NCAP) primarily invested in urban areas, neglecting rural regions without pollution monitoring or mitigation measures. Experts emphasize the need for a wider monitoring network and policies to address pollution in rural India.
PM 2.5 is an atmospheric particulate matter of diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, which is around 3% the diameter of a human hair. It causes respiratory problems and reduces visibility.
Read more: Air Pollution in India & NCAP, particulate matter (PM) 2.5
New saline-tolerant plant species found in Kutch
Gujarat Ecological Education and Research (GEER) Foundation, located in Gandhinagar, has made an exciting discovery. The researchers has identified a previously unknown species of saltwort named Salsola Oppositifolia Desfontainia . This particular saltwort is a perennial shrub that thrives in salty, dry to semi-dry habitats within the Kutch district. This species belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. This species is succulent shrub that can grow one to two metres tall and have a smooth, cylindrical, woody base.
According to the recently published Plant Discoveries 2022, which was released in June 2023, a significant report states that the species Salsola oppositifolia Desfontainia, previously found in Italy, Northern Africa, Palestine, Spain, and Western Sahara, has been discovered in India for the first time. This discovery was made based on specimens collected from Khadir Bet, located in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
IFSCA and IIML-EIC Collaborate to Support Financial Innovation
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the International Financial Services Centers Authority (IFSCA) and IIML-EIC (Enterprise Incubation Centre) at the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIML) to establish a collaborative framework between IFSCA and IIML-EIC to support and facilitate FinTech and TechFin entities.
IFSCA, as the regulatory authority, holds the responsibility for the development and regulation of international financial services within the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC). This specialized financial jurisdiction is considered distinct from the rest of India. The IFSCA has been established in 2020 under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019. It is headquartered at GIFT City, Gandhinagar in Gujarat
IIML-EIC is a not-for-profit organization, registered. It was established with an objective to nurture high-performance start-ups, especially in the fields of Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, etc.
