Alpha Fold: A tour de force in science Subject :Science and Technology Section : Awareness in IT DeepMind, a company owned by Google, announced this week that it had predicted the three-dimensional structures of more than 200 million proteins using AlphaFold. What is AlphaFold? AlphaFold is an AI-based protein structure prediction tool. It […]
Peace parks as a transboundary approach to conservation Subject :Environment Section :Biodiversity Conflicts over disputed borders, increasingly exacerbated by climate change, are putting some of the world’s key biodiversity hotspots at risk. Even in countries that have avoided border wars, a global campaign of fence building — aimed at keeping out human migrants […]
Illegal mining of beach sand minerals Subject : Geography Section: Economic Geography Ministry of Mines has invited comments/suggestions of the stakeholders viz, Central Government Ministries/Departments, States Governments and Union Territories, mining industry stake-holders, industry associations, general public, and other persons and entities concerned on the proposal to remove certain atomic minerals including beach […]
Is India’s biodiversity getting exploited without benefits to communities? Subject :Environment Section : Biodiversity Data on the website of the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) shows that as much as 56.1 per cent of applications approved by the Authority under the access and benefit sharing regime since 2006 were between financial years 2020-2021 […]
7 new districts in West Bengal — how and why are districts created or abolished in India? Subject :Polity Section : Federalism Context :The West Bengal cabinet has approved the creation of seven new districts in the state. This will take the number of districts in West Bengal to 30 from the existing […]
Fairs Subject :History Section : Art and Culture PM mentioned fairs in his Mann Ki Baa Name State Salient features Minjar Mela Chamba, Himachal Pradesh. Minjar is the most popular fair of Chamba which is attended by a large number of people from all over the country. This mela is held on the […]
Flood management in North East region Subject: Environment Section: Context: State-wise details of damage caused by hydro-meteorological calamities like floods during 2022-23 in the states of North Eastern Region is assessed/reported by the Disaster Management Division. Concept: Flood management comes under the purview of the State Governments, and the schemes for flood control, etc. […]
Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region Subject :Polity Section :National organisation Concept: The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Regionis a Government of India ministry, established in September 2001. It functions as the nodal Department of the Central Government to deal with matters related to the socio-economic development of the eight States of NortheastIndia: ArunachalPradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripuraand Sikkim. It acts […]
Office of Coal Controller (earlier Coal Commissioner) Subject :Polity Section :National organisation Concept: It was established in 1916, is one of the oldest offices in Indian Coal sector. Main aim behind setting up this office was to have Government control to adequately meet the coal requirement during First World War. Acute scarcity of […]
Rat Hole Mining Subject: Geography Section: Economic Geography Context: As per information received from Coal Controller Organization (CCO), no coal production has been reported during last 4 years from the State of Meghalaya. Concept: Rat hole mining involves digging of very small tunnels, usually only 3-4 feet high, which workers (often children) enter […]