About Jiyo Parsi Scheme:

• It is a unique Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairsfor arresting the population decline of the Parsi Community in India.
• The scheme was launched in 2013-14.
• The objective of the scheme is to reverse thedeclining trend of the Parsi population by adopting scientific protocols and structured interventions to stabilize their population in India.
• The scheme has three components: Medical Assistance, Advocacy, and Health of Community.
  • Under the Medical Component of the scheme, financial assistance is provided to Parsi Couples for medical treatment under standard medical protocol.
  • Under the Health of Community Component, financial assistance is provided to Parsi Couples for child care and assistance of elderly people.
  • Under the Advocacy Component, advocacy/outreach programmes are conducted to generate awareness among the Parsi population.

Q1: What is a central sector scheme?

Central Sector Schemes are those that are implemented by a central agency and 100% funded by the center on subjects within the union list.

Source: Kiren Rijiju launches portal for Jiyo Parsi Scheme

About Dysbiosis:

• Dysbiosis is an imbalance within a community of microorganisms living together — a microbiome.
• Our bodies are host to several distinct microbiomes — communities of microorganisms that live with us and assist us in various ways.
• A balanced microbiome is one where there’s a healthy diversity of microorganisms, where no single bacteria, virus or fungus dominates. 
• Dysbiosis means there’s alack of diversity and balance. When they’re imbalanced, it changes how they function in your body.
• Dysbiosis typically occurs when the bacteria in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract — which includes your stomach and intestines — become unbalanced.
• Cause: It can arise from infections, antibiotic use, or some aspects of a person’s diet.
• How does dysbiosis affect us?
  • In any microbiome, a lack of diversity and balance can pave the way for one type of microorganism to take over.
  • Dysbiosis makes us more vulnerable to infections from germs living inside and outside of our bodies.
  • It can also interfere with other important services that our microbiomes normally provide for us. 
• Symptoms: Though it is sometimes asymptomatic, dysbiosis may manifest in abdominal pain, bloating, and vomiting.
• Dysbiosis is also common on your skin. It can be caused by exposure to harmful bacteria or an overgrowth of a single type of bacteria.
• Treatment:
  • The main premise of treatment is to increase gut microbiome biodiversity. Scientists have developed several ways of treating dysbiosis, including:
• Fecal microbiota transplantation
• Probiotic therapy
• Microbial metabolic pathway therapy
  • If an underlying disease or condition causes it, you’ll need specific treatment for that condition.

Q1: What are antibiotics?

Antibiotics are medicines that fight bacterial infections in people and animals. They work by killing the bacteria or by making it hard for the bacteria to grow and multiply.

Source: Hidden dangers of irrational use of antibiotics on microbiome

About Gurmar Plant:

• It is a perennial plant and known as anti-diabetic herb. 
• Common names: Gymnema, Australian cowplant, and Periploca of the woods. 
• Distribution:
  • It is a tropical plant that is indigenous to India and grows wild in the tropical forests of central, western and southern parts of the country.
  • The medicinal herb also grows in the tropical areas of Africa, Australia, and China. 
• Properties
  • It is rich in several active compounds like gymnemic acid, gymnemasides, anthraquinones, flavones, hentriacontane, pentatriacontane, phytin, resins, tartaric acid, formic acid etc.
  • It is known for its unique ability to reduce blood sugar levels due to the presence of gymnemic acid which works by occupying receptor sites in the outer lining of the intestine, thereby curbing cravings for sweetness.
  • In addition, the plant contains flavonoids and saponins, which help regulate lipid metabolism. Flavonoids have antioxidant properties, while saponins help lower cholesterol levels.
• Applications
  • It was used to develop anti-diabetic drug BGR-34 by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Q1: What is Insulin?

It is a hormone that regulates blood glucose. Not being able to produce or use insulin effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood, known as hyperglycaemia. Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues.

Source: Anti-diabetic herb Gurmar found on Gaya’s Brahmayoni Hill

About St Martin’s Island: 

• It is located in the northeastern region of the Bay of Bengal, close to the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• It is nine kilometres away from the southern tip of Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf peninsula.
• Geography: It is mostly flat and sits at an elevation of 3.6 metres above the mean sea level. It is Bangladesh’s only coral island — there are reefs from 10-15 km to the west-northwest — and is also a breeding ground for sea turtles.
• What is the history of the island?
  • The island was once part of the Teknaf peninsula (around 5,000 years ago) but gradually got submerged into the sea.
  • Around 450 years ago, the southern suburbs of present-day St Martin’s Island resurfaced — the northern and rest of the parts of the island rose above sea level in the following 100 years.
  • The Arab merchants were among the first ones to settle on the island. They began to arrive there in the 18th Century.
  • The merchants initially named the island “Jazira” (meaning “the island” or “the peninsula”) and later changed it to “Narikel Jinjira” or “Coconut Island”.
  • In 1900, British India annexed the island during a land survey. By then, some fishermen had settled on the island — they were either Bengali or from the Rakhine community (who were based in present-day Myanmar).
  • During the British occupation, the island came to be known as St Martin’s Island, named after then Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Martin.

Q1: What are Corals?

Corals are essentially animals, which are sessile, meaning they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor.Corals share a symbiotic relationship with single-celled algae called zooxanthellae.

Source: What is Bangladesh’s St Martin’s Island, under spotlight after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation?

About Chandaka wildlife sanctuary: 

• Location: It is located in Khurda district of Odisha represents the north-eastern limits of Eastern Ghats. 
• It is also a home to a number of threatened wild animals and birds.
• This landscape got sanctuary status in 1982.
• Climate: The climate of the area is tropical with three distinct and well marked seasons i.e. summer, Rainy season and winter.
• Vegetation: Flora is moderately diverse with an intimate mixture of evergreen and deciduous elements. The area comes under semi-evergreen forest zone but the interplay of biotic factors has changed the original character of the vegetation.
• Flora: Dhaman (Grewia Tiliaefolia), Bankapasia (Kydia calycina), Jamu (Syzyggium Cuminii), Gandhana (Premna mucronata), Kansa (Hymenodictyon excelsum), Kusum (Schleichera oleosa), Marua (Vitex pinnata), Sidha (Lagerstroemia parviflora), Karanja, Thorny bamboo etc.
• Fauna: Elephants, Chital, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Rhesus Monkey, Pangolin, Sloth Bear, Indian Wolf, Hyena and other mammals.

Q1: What are Deciduous trees?

These are trees that lose their leaves seasonally. They are found in temperate and tropical regions all over the world. Deciduous trees have broad flat leaves that catch a lot of light and require a great amount of water. India has a rich diversity of deciduous trees, with over 2,000 species found across the country.

Source: Sambar, barking deer to be released in Chandka on I-Day

About FloodWatch India: 

• It gives information related to the flood situation and forecasts up to 7 days on a real-time basis to the public.
• The in-house developed user-friendly app has readable and audio broadcast and all the information is available in 2 languages, viz. English and Hindi.
• Another feature of the app includes real-time flood monitoring where users can check up-to-date flood situations throughout the country.
• It utilizes near real-time river flow data from various sources.
• It also provides flood forecasts at the nearest location where users can check the flood advisory at the station nearest to them on the Home Page itself.
• The app will also provide State-wise/Basin-wise Flood Forecast (up to 24 hours) or Flood Advisory (up to 7 days) which can be accessed by selecting specific stations, state wise or basin wise from the dropdown menu.
• This app utilizes advanced technologies such as satellite data analysis, mathematical modelling, and real-time monitoring to deliver accurate and timely flood forecasts.

New features in FloodWatch India 2.0

• It provides current information at additional 392 flood monitoring stations, taking up the total number of stations to 592, thus imparting users with an extensive and detailed overview of flood conditions across the country.

It also provides additional information regarding the storage positions of 150 major reservoirs in the country which shall help in better understanding of the possible flood situation in their downstream areas.

Q1: What is the Central Water Commission (CWC)?

Central Water Commission (CWC) is a premier technical organization in India in the field of water resources. It is presently functioning as an attached office of the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India.

Source: Union Minister Shri C.R. Paatil launches Version 2.0 of ‘FloodWatch India’ mobile app; to enable extensive and detailed overview of flood conditions across the country