Another Tiger Reserve to come up in Maharashtra
Maharashtra will have its fifth tiger reserve in Nagzira as the National Tiger Conservation Authority has given nod to the development of the conservation zone. The tiger reserve will be set up between Bhandara and Gondia districts.
The Nagzira-Navegaon tiger reserve will be established to conserve tigers wandering outside the Tadoba reserve territory. The Nagzira sanctuary, which was of 150 square kilometer and the Navegaon National Park, was of 130 square kilometer, which has been increased to 700 square kilometer to form a new tiger reserve.
Where are the other four tiger reserves in Maharashtra?
The other four tiger reserves in Maharashtra are in:
Melghat
Tadoba
Pench
Sahyadri
About National Tiger Conservation Authority:
The Centrally Sponsored Scheme “Project Tiger” was launched in April, 1973 with the objective “to ensure maintenance of a viable population of Tigers in India for scientific, economic, aesthetic, cultural and ecological values, and to preserve for all times, areas of biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit, education and enjoyment of the people.”
The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 was amended keeping in view the needs of the Project Tiger for providing enabling provisions for constitution of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau.
So, the National Tiger Conservation Authority was constituted from September 4, 2006 to strengthen tiger conservation. The functions are as follows:
Ensuring normative standards in tiger reserve management
Preparation of reserve specific tiger conservation plan
Lay down annual/ audit report before Parliament
Instituting State level Steering Committees under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister and establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
According approval for declaring new Tiger Reserves.
The NTCA has constituted a multidisciplinary Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau (Wildlife Crime Control Bureau) with effect from 6.6.2007. The WCCB comprises the officers from Police, Forest, Customs and other enforcement agencies to effectively control illegal trade in wildlife.
Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF)
The announcement for creation of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) was announced by the Finance Minister in Budget speech of 2008. A onetime grant of Rs. 50 Crore was provided to the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) for raising, arming and deploying a Special Tiger Protection Force for 13 tiger reserves. The rest of the reserves were taken up later.
Satyananda Mishra is the new chairman of Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX)
Ex- Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) Satyananda Mishra has been appointed as the chairman of Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX) board.
The Forward Markets Commission (FMC) also approved the appointment of Satyananda Mishra as the independent Director of MCX’s board.
The position of the chairman was vacant since previous chairman, Venkat Chary, resigned in August 2013 on account of the new guidelines of Forward Markets Commission (FMC) which stated that the age limit of people on the board should not be more than 70 years.
About Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX)
The MCX is country’s first listed commodity futures exchange that facilitates online trading, and clearing and settlement of commodity futures transactions, thereby roviding a platform for risk management. It began functioning in November 2003 and operates within the regulatory framework of the Forward Contracts Regulation Act, 1952 (FCRA, 1952).
Panipat gets India’s first Synthetic Rubber Plant
India’s first “Synthetic Rubber Plant” was unveiled at Panipat in Haryana.
The plant has been set up by Indian Synthetic Rubber Ltd (ISRL) which is a joint venture promoted by Indian Oil, TSRC Corporation, Taiwan, and Marubeni Corporation, Japan.
The plant will be the country’s first unit to produce e-SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber) whose output will be 120 kilo tonnes synthetic rubber annually. The rubber produced would be used in industrial units for manufacturing automobile and daily need products. The project, which is estimated to cost Rs. 958 crore, has been financed through debt raised from Japan Bank for International Cooperation and Mizuho Corporation Bank.
What is SBR (Styrene-butadiene or Styrene-Butadiene Rubber)?
Styrene-butadiene or Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) describes families of synthetic rubbers derived from styrene and butadiene. These materials have good abrasion resistance and good aging stability when protected by additives. About 50% of car tires are made from various types of SBR.
RBI permits banks to pay interest at shorter intervals
RBI has decided allow banks decide on the periodicity of interest payment on rupee savings and term deposits keeping in view that the banks are functioning on core banking platform.
Banks are now allowed to pay interest on rupee savings and term deposits at intervals shorter than quarterly intervals. The step may trigger intense competition among banks to attract deposits.
The central bank has also extended the period for banks to exercise freedom to offer interest rates on incremental NRE (Non-Resident External) deposits with maturity of 3 years and above without any ceiling in order to pass on the benefit of exemption provided on such deposits from CRR (Cash Reserve Ratio) and SLR (Statutory Liquidity Ratio) requirements. The banks could have this freedom till January 31, 2014.
Chang’e-3: China’s lunar probe carrying ‘Jade Rabbit’ moon buggy lifts off
In an attempt to carry out its first ever ‘soft landing’ on moon, China launched its lunar mission-Chang’e-3 which is carrying country’s first moon rover marking a major milestone for China’s space programme.
Soft Landing: A landing by a spacecraft on the moon or a planet at a sufficiently low velocity for the equipment or occupants to remain unharmed.
About Chang’e-3 lunar probe
China’s first lunar rover mission aimed at exploring the Moon’s surface and looking for natural resources such as rare metals.
Launching Site: Xichang Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China’s southwestern Sichuan province
Launched on: December 2, 2013
Carrier: Long March-3B
Key Payload: Six-wheeled robotic rover called Yutu (or Jade Rabbit) and a landing module.
Expected landing: In the Moon’s northern hemisphere in mid-December.
Note: If the lunar mission is successful, China will become the third country, after the United States and the former Soviet Union, to soft-land on the moon.
India among countries exempted from Iranian oil sanctions by the US
As stated by the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, India is once again among a small list of countries that qualifies for an exemption from unilateral sanctions imposed by the US on countries importing oil from Iran.
Under Section 1245 of the U.S.’ 2012 National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), the exception granted to India, along with China, South Korea, Malaysia, South Africa, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan, was based on India’s additional significant reductions in the volume of their purchases of Iranian crude oil. It is the fourth time when India has qualified for a NDAA exception.
Though, a major breakthrough interim deal was struck during the recent talks between P5+1 and Iran on limiting Iran’s nuclear programme but the US has cautioned that this would not offer relief from sanctions with respect to any increases in Iranian crude oil purchases by existing customers or any purchases by new customers, and the sanctions will continue to be enforced over the next six months.
MOM enters Mars trajectory: ISRO
In a historic development, India’s first Mars mission- the Mars Orbiter Mission’s (MOM) spacecraft’s was propelled into the Mars Transfer Trajectory freeing it from the influence of Earth’s gravity. ISRO successfully conducted the Trans Mars Injection (TMI) operations to put MOM on course to the Red Planet with the help of spacecraft’s 440 Newton liquid engine which was fired for about 22 minutes providing a velocity increment of 648 metres/second to the spacecraft. With this, the Earth orbiting phase of the spacecraft ended and is now on path to Mars.
The spacecraft is being continuously monitored from the Spacecraft Control Centre at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bangalore with support from Indian Deep Space Network (IDSN) antennae at Byalalu.
About India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) ‘Mangalyan’:
The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) has been named ‘Mangalyan‘
Launched onboard PSLV C25 on November 5, 2013 at 14:38 hours from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre atSriharikota.
India’s first interplanetary mission to planet Mars with an orbiter craft designed to orbit Mars in an elliptical orbit.
It will reach Martian transfer trajectory in September 2014. Subsequently, it is planned to enter into a 372 km by 80000 km elliptical orbit around Mars.
Objectives of India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) ‘Mangalyan’:
To showcase India’s technological prowess to send a satellite to orbit around Mars and conduct important experiments such as looking for signs of life, take pictures of the red planet and study Martian environment.
To develop the technologies required for design, planning, management and operations of an interplanetary mission.
Design and realisation of a Mars orbiter with a capability to survive and perform Earth bound manoeuvres, cruise phase of 300 days, Mars orbit insertion or capture.
Deep space communication, navigation, mission planning and management.
Incorporate autonomous features to handle contingency situations.
Exploration of Mars surface features, morphology, mineralogy and Martian atmosphere by indigenous scientific instruments.
Key Payloads on PSLV C25:
Lyman Alpha Photometer (LAP)
Methane Sensor for Mars (MSM)
Mars Exospheric Neutral Composition Analyser (MENCA)
Mars Colour Camera (MCC)
Thermal Infrared Imaging Spectrometre (TIS)
RBI makes punching PIN mandatory for debit card transactions done every time
With an aim to minimize frauds, RBI has made it mandatory for debit card holders to punch in their PIN numbers every time they use the card. In June 2013, the central bank had extended the deadline for implementation of mandatory PIN punching at Point-of-Sales (PoS) and merchant outlets till November 30, 2013 following representation of banks.
Why this step by the RBI to make punching PIN mandatory for debit card transactions done every time?
The PIN functions as another layer of security for the debit card which reduces the chances of fraud. While using it at PoS, merchants will first swipe the cards at a PIN enabled PoS terminal and punch in the transaction amount. That will be followed by customers punching their PINs to complete the transaction.
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