Rapid Fire Current Affairs

• 04 Aug 2023

Great Nicobar Island Project

The Government's Great Nicobar Project may require the felling of 9.64 lakh trees, higher than the earlier estimate of 8.5 lakh trees. The project has faced challenges from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the issue of deforestation.

• The Great Nicobar Island (GNI) Project is a mega project to be implemented at the southern end of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The project includes an international container transshipment terminal, a greenfield international airport, township development, and a 450 MVA gas and solar based power plant over an extent of 16,610 hectares in the island.

Read More: Great Nicobar Island Project

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Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

Since the launch of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in 2020, only 15% of the Rs 1 lakh crore aimed at developing post-harvest infrastructure, has been distributed.

• AIF aims to provide all-around financial support to the farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, farmer groups like Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) etc. and many others to create post-harvest management infrastructure and build community farming assets throughout the country.
• It provides support of 3% interest subvention, credit guarantee support through the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) scheme for loans of up to Rs. 2 crore and facility of convergence with other Central and State Government schemes.

Read More: Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) & Post Harvest Management

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Gukesh D Overtakes Viswanathan Anand in FIDE Rankings

Gukesh D, a protege of five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, will become the top-ranked Indian in the International Chess Federation (FIDE) monthly rating list for classical chess, surpassing Anand after 36 years. He will also break into the top 10 rankings for the first time, making him the third Indian to achieve this feat.

He became the youngest player to defeat World No. 1 chess player, Magnus Carlsen.

• FIDE is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. It's constituted as a non-governmental institution.

Viswanathan Anand

• The most successful Indian chess player, who won the FIDE World Chess Championship in 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
• He also won the World Rapid Chess Championship in 2003 and 2017, and the World Blitz Chess Championship in 2000 and 2017. He is the only player to have won the world title in all three formats of chess.

Read More: The Rising Popularity of Chess in India, FIDE

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Western Tragopan

The Western Tragopan (Tragopan melanocephalus), Himachal Pradesh's state bird, has faced habitat loss but has shown a gradual increase in population at the Sarahan pheasantry due to conservation efforts.

• The western tragopan, also known as the western horned tragopan, is amongst the rarest of all living pheasants.
• Due to its beautiful plumage and large size, this bird is locally known as ‘jujurana’ or ‘king of birds’.
• It is endemic to the northwest Himalaya, within north Pakistan through Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, to the western part of Garhwal.
• They feed mostly on leaves, shoots and seeds, but also consumes insects and other invertebrates.
• IUCN Status: Vulnerable