About Panna Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is a critical tiger habitat located in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh.
• Standing over an area of 542 sq.km., it is the only Tiger Reserve in the entire Bundhelkhand region.
• It was declared a Project Tiger Reserve by the Government of India in 1994. 
• Landscape:
  • It is characterized with a 'Table Top' topography.
  • It consists of extensive plateaus and gorges.
• River: Ken River flows from south to north through the reserve.
• The reserve is also dotted with two-thousand-year-old rock paintings.
• Flora:
  • The dominant vegetation type is dry deciduous forest interspersed with grassland areas.
  • In the north, it is surrounded by teak forest, and in the east, it is surrounded by Teak-Kardhai mixed forest. It is the northernmost boundary of natural distribution to teak (Tectona grandis).
  • The tree species Acacia catachu dominates the dry, steep slopes of the plateaus here.
• Fauna:
  • It supports a sizable population of Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, and Striped Hyena.
  • Other prominent carnivores are Jackal, Wolf, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, and Rusty Spotted Cat.
  • The NE-SW running Vindhya Hill ranges link the eastern and western population of wild animals.

Key Facts about Canine Distemper:

• It is a contagious and serious disease caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV).
• The virus attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems of dogs.
• All dogs are at risk of canine distemper. Those at particular risk include puppies younger than four months and dogs that have not been vaccinated against CDV.
• In addition to dogs, CDV can infect ferrets as well as a wide range of other mammals, especially carnivores.
• Transmission: Infection is transmitted mainly via aerosol droplet secretions from infected animals. Some infected dogs may shed virus particles for several months.
• Coughing is the most common symptom. They usually develop fever and discharge from the eyes and/or nose.
• Treatment:
  • There is no cure, and no antiviral drugs have been approved to combat the infection. 
  • The best way to prevent canine distemper is through vaccination.

Q1: What is a gorge?

A gorge is a narrow valley with steep, rocky walls located between hills or mountains. The term comes from the French word gorge, which means throat or neck. A gorge is often smaller than a canyon, although both words are used to describe deep, narrow valleys with a stream or river running along their bottom.

Source: MP: Canine Distemper Virus Infection Looms in Panna Tiger Reserve

About General Provident Fund (GPF):

• It is a savings scheme introduced in 1960 that is available only for government employees in India. 
• The primary objective of GPF is to provide a dependable source of income after retirement to government employees.
• With a GPF account, all the government employees can contribute a certain percentage of their salary to the GPF.
• Unlike the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the contributions toward the GPF are made only by the employee.
• The total amount that is accumulated throughout the employment term is paid to the employee at the time of retirement.
• As per the GPF rules, the following are eligible to subscribe to a GPF account:
  • All temporary government servants who have given their service for continuously one year.
  • All re-employed pensioners (except those eligible for admission to the contributory provident fund).
  • All permanent government servants.
• Contribution:
  • It is a mandatory scheme for government employees, requiring them to contribute a certain percentage of their salary towards the fund. 
  • The contributions are deducted from the employee's monthly salary, and the amount earns interest at a predetermined rate.
  • The amount for GPF subscription is fixed by the subscriber only. The minimum contribution is 6%of the salary, while the maximum can go up to 100%.
• Withdrawal:
  • Employees can withdraw their savings from the fund upon retirement or resignation from service.
  • A GPF is flexible, allowing employees to withdraw money from the fund for various reasons, such as marriage, education, and medical emergencies.
  • Employees can also take out loans against their GPF account, subject to certain conditions.
  • Employees who transfer to another government department or leave their job can withdraw their GPF balance or transfer it to their new employer.
  • The GPF sum will be paid to their nominee if the employee passes away.
• Interest rates on GPF are revised periodically according to the government’s issued notifications. 
• The GPF scheme is administered by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, falling under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
• This scheme offers several benefits to government employees, including tax savings, low-risk investments, and guaranteed returns.

Q1: What is the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS)?

The scheme makes provisions for employees working in the organized sector for a pension after their retirement at the age of 58 years. The benefits of the scheme can be availed only if the employee has provided a service for at least 10 years. Under Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme(EPF), both the employer and employee contribute 12% each of the employee’s pay towards Employees Provident Fund (EPF). While the employee’s entire share is contributed towards EPF, 8.33% of the employer’s share goes towards the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) and 3.67% goes towards EPF contribution every month.

Source: No Explicit Option For CPF Means Automatic Transition To GPF Scheme: Madras HC Upholds Pension Rights Of KV Teachers

About Press Council of India:

• It was first set up in 1966 by the parliament on the recommendations of the First Press Commission under the chairmanship of Justice J.R Mudholkar.
• The present council functions under the Press Council Act 1978.
• It is a statutory, quasi-judicial body that acts as a watchdog of the press in India.
• Composition:
  • It consists of a Chairman and 28 other members.
  • The Chairman is nominated by a committee consisting of Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Speaker of Lok Sabha, and one representative of the council member.
  • The Chairman, by convention, has been a retired judge of the Supreme Court.
  • The term of the Chairman and the members of the Council is 3 years.
• Primary Function: To check the media practice and to keep an eye on the freedom of the press.
• Other Functions:
  • Helping newspapers to maintain their independence;
  • Building up a code of conduct for journalists and newspapers according to high professional standards;
  • Reviewing any development which is likely to restrict the supply and dissemination of news of public interest and importance;
  • Reviewing such cases where assistance has been received by any newspaper or news agency in India from foreign sources, as referred to it by the Central Government;
• It adjudicates the complaints either against the Press for violation of journalistic ethics or by the Press for interference with its freedom.

Q1: What is a statutory body?

It is a non-constitutional body which is set up by a parliament. Statutory bodies are authorized to pass the law and take the decision on the behalf of the state or country. Statutory body has official permission for Legislation i.e. process of enacting laws. 

Source: Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

About Senna tora Plant: 

• It is a native species of Central America.
• Habitat: It is an annual, perennial or subshrub and grows primarily in the wet tropical biome.
• It is emerging in drier areas and germinates after the southwest monsoon and gradually withers by the end of the year.
• Uses: It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Key facts about Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR)

• Location: It is located in the Nilgiris District of Tamil Nadu state at the tri-junction of three states, viz, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• The name Mudumalai means the ancient hill range because it is as old as 65 million years when the Western Ghats were formed.
• It has a common boundary with Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) on the West, and Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) on the North.
• The Theppakadu elephant camp is a popular tourist attraction.
• Vegetation: A variety of habitats ranging from tropical evergreen forest, moist deciduous forest, moist teak forest, dry teak forest, secondary grasslands and swamps are found here.
• Flora: The Reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as “Elephant Grass”, Bamboo of the giant variety, valuable timber species like Teak, Rosewood, etc.
• Fauna: Elephants, Gaur, Tiger, Panther, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Porcupine etc. 

Q1: What is an invasive species?

It is non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and, whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.

Source: How T.N. Forest Dept. is tackling Senna tora plants, an emerging threat to Mudumalai’s native ecology

About Red-Headed Vulture: 

• This is one of the 9 species of Vulture which are found in India.
• It is also called the Asian King vulture or Pondicherry Vulture.
• Appearance: It is a dark, medium-sized vulture with a bare reddish head and loose flaps on the side of the neck.
• It weighs around 5 kg and averaging over 80 cm in length, the vulture is primarily solitary, often seen alone or with a mate.
• Its black plumage is marked by a distinctive white patch on the abdomen, which becomes more prominent during flight.
• Distribution: The Red-Headed Vulture is typically found in Central India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
• Breeding: Breeding typically takes place between November and January.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• Issue: It was extensively found in India but its numbers drastically reduced after diclofenac poisoning.

Q1: What is diclofenac?

It is a drug used in the treatment and management of acute and chronic pain associated with inflammatory conditions, especially those involving the musculoskeletal system.

Source :In a first, rare Red-Headed Vulture spotted in Kasaragod

About Bodoland Mahotsav: 

• It is a mega event on language, literature, and culture to sustain peace and build a Vibrant Bodo Society. 
• Theme: The theme for the Mahotsav is ‘Peace and Harmony for Prosperous Bharat’ with a focus on the rich culture, language and education of the Bodo community along with other communities from the Bodoland Territorial Region.
• It aims to capitalise on the richness of cultural and linguistic heritage, ecological biodiversity and touristic potential of Bodoland.
• It is also about celebrating the remarkable journey of recovery and resilience ever since the signing of the Bodo Peace Accord in 2020.

Key facts about Bodo Tribe

• They are the earliest known ethnic group to inhabit to Assam (erstwhile Pragjyotishpur and Kamrupa) with their distinctive culture and linguistic traits belong to the Mongoloid stock of the Indo-Mongoloids or Indo-Tibetans.
• Linguistically the Bodos include a large group of people who are the speakers of the Tibeto-Burman Speeches of the North and East Bengal, Assam and Burma.
• They are the Bodos or Boros of the Brahmaputra Valley, they are known as Meches in Lower Assam, West Bengal and Nepal. 

Q1: Who is known as a tribe?

A tribe is a collection of families bearing a common name, speaking a common dialect, and occupying or professing to occupy a common territory. 

Source: Cultural Festival In National Capital To Showcase Vibrant Bodo Society

About Carbon Dioxide: 

• It is a colourless gas having a faint sharp odour and a sour taste.
• It is an important heat-trapping gas, also known as a greenhouse gas.
• It comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and natural gas), from wildfires, and natural processes like volcanic eruptions.
• It is one of the most important greenhouse gas (GHG) in the atmosphere and is the primary driver of anthropogenic climate change.
• The presence of the gas in the atmosphere keeps some of the radiant energy received by Earth from being returned to space, thus producing the so-called greenhouse effect.
• Carbon dioxide is used as a refrigerant, in fire extinguishers, for inflating life rafts and life jackets, blasting coal, foaming rubber and plastics, promoting the growth of plants in greenhouses, immobilizing animals before slaughter, and in carbonated beverages.
• Studies have shown that CO2 has contributed more than any driver to climate change.
  • It is much more abundant in the atmosphere compared to CH4 and HFCs.
  • CO2 remains in the atmosphere longer than the other major GHGs emitted due to human activities.
  • After a pulse of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere, 40% will remain in the atmosphere for 100 years and 20% will reside for 1000 years, while the final 10% will take 10,000 years to turn over,” a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), a US-based non-profit organisation

Q1: What is the greenhouse effect?

It is the process through which heat is trapped near Earth's surface by substances known as 'greenhouse gases.' 

Source: Why CO2 is the primary driver of climate change

Why in News?

• It is India’s first military technology transfer pact with Japan.
• The pact came nine years after New Delhi and Tokyo signed an agreement on the “transfer of defence equipment and technology” to deepen the strategic ties between the two nations.
• The stealth mast was one of the key Japanese military technologies that the Indian Navy was eyeing at besides US-2 amphibian aircraft.

About Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN):

• It is a state-of-the-art integrated antenna system.
• It is a mast with integrated communication systems that help improve the stealth characteristics of ships.
• Developed jointly by three Japanese companies (NEC Corporation, Sampa Kogyo K.K., and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.), these antennas are currently fitted on Mogami-class frigates of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence force.
• Unlike the conventional masts, UNICORN consolidates various antennas that are attached to multiple points on a mast into a single radar dome, known as a radome.
  • This innovation significantly reduces the cross-section of naval platforms, thereby enhancing their stealth characteristics and enabling them to operate with reduced electronic signatures. 
• In addition, the optimal placement of the antennas improves the maximum detection distance of radio waves emitted from outside and simplifies maintenance and installation processes.

Q1: What is an Antenna?

An antenna is a specialized transducer that converts electric current into electromagnetic (EM) waves or vice versa. Antennas are used to transmit and receive non ionizing EM fields, which include radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation (IR) and visible light.

News: India, Japan sign agreement for UNICORN masts for Indian naval warships

About Lake Kariba:

• It is a lake in central Africa, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
• It is positioned 810 miles upstream from the Indian Ocean.
• It is the world's largest man-made lake. It covers an area of 2,000 square miles (5,200 square km).
• It was formed by damming the Zambezi River in the Kariba Gorge, where the river narrows between hills of hard rock 250 miles (400 km) below Victoria Falls.
  • The Kariba Dam consists of a double-arch wall. It is 128 meters in height, 617 meters in length, 13 meters wide at its top, and 24 meters wide at the base.
  • It provides considerable electric power to both Zambia and Zimbabwe and supports a thriving commercial fishing industry.
• The lake encompasses a total of 102 islands, including well-known ones like Chete Island and Spurwing Island.
  • The Chete Island boasts the world's largest expanse of protected, undeveloped wetlands and hosts the largest single population of African elephants. 

Q1: What is an Arch Dam?

Arch dams are curved in plan, and most of their water load is carried by the abutment of the arch horizontally. The amount of water load it can withstand is determined by its arch or curvature.

Source: ‘Levels are dropping’: drought saps Zambia and Zimbabwe of hydropower

About Leucism:

• It is an abnormal condition of reduced pigmentation affecting various animals (such as birds, mammals, and reptiles) that is marked by overall pale color or patches of reduced coloring.
• It is caused by a genetic mutation which inhibits melanin and other pigments from being deposited in feathers, hair, or skin.
• In birds, leucism affects only the bird’s feathers, this means they do not have the normal, classic plumage colors.
  • They may have white patches where the bird should not have any, or their overall plumage may look pale or bleached out.

Albinism vs. Leucism:

• Albinism is a rare genetic mutation with a complete absence of (or very little) melanin production.
  • Melanin is a natural pigment in the skin, hair, eyes, and even brain tissue.
  • The type and amount of melanin in animals determine the colour of the skin, hair, and eyes.
• With the lack of melanin production, albinos have white or pinkish coloured skin and red eyes due to the underlying blood vessels showing through from behind the eyes.
• With leucism, there is only a partial loss of melanin production and/or distribution.
  • The animal can have white or patchy coloured skin, hair, and/or feathers. The pigment cells in the eyes, legs, and bills of birds, however, are not affected.

Q1: What is a Gene?

A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes are made up of DNA. Some genes act as instructions to make molecules called proteins, which are needed for the body to function. However, many genes do not code for proteins, instead they help control other genes. 

Source: Rare ‘white’ peacock rescued in Coimbatore; to be treated for leg injury