About Indian Painted Frog:

• It is a species of narrow-mouthed frog that is part of the Microhylidae family.
• Scientific Name: Uperodon taprobanicus
• Distribution: It is found in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, southern and eastern India, and Nepal up to an altitude of about 1300 metres.
• It is most common in Sri Lanka. In India, it is found in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, and is most common in the southern areas of the Western and Eastern Ghats.
• Features:
  • It can grow to an adult length of up to 75 millimetres (7.5 cm) from snout to vent with females being slightly larger than males. 
  • This species is notable for its striking appearance, characterized by its smooth, rounded body and distinctive colouration, which often includes shades of brown, with patches of brighter colours such as orange or yellow.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Key Facts about Kawal Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in northeastern part of Telangana (Old Adilabad district), with the Godavari River on one side and the Maharashtra border on the other.
• It forms part of the Deccan peninsula-central highlands.
• Rivers: The reserve is the catchment for the rivers Godavari and Kadam, which flow towards the south of the sanctuary.
• Corridor: It has connectivity to the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra in the north and to the Indravati Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh towards its north-eastern side.
• Habitat: It has diverse habitats comprising dense forests, grasslands, open areas, rivers, streams, and water bodies.
• Vegetation: Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.
• Flora:
  • Teak is found extensively, along with Bamboo.
  • As many as 673 plant species have been recorded, and the important ones are Anogeissus latifolia, Mitragyna parviflora, Terminalia crenulata, Terminalia arjuna, Boswellia serrata, etc.
• Fauna:
  • It has a faunal diversity which is typical of the Deccan Plateau.
  • The major wild animals include: nilgai, chousinga, chinkara, black buck, sambar, spotted deer, wild dog, wolf, jackal, fox, tiger, leopard, and the jungle cat.

Q1: What are Deciduous Forests?

A deciduous forest is a type of forest dominated by trees that lose their foliage at the end of the growing season. This is in contrast to an evergreen forest where a majority of the trees remain “green” throughout the year because they shed leaves not seasonally but at various periods of the year. In a deciduous forest, there is a complete seasonal loss of leaves followed by the production of new foliage. The term deciduous means “temporary” or “tending to fall off”.

Source: Rare Indian Painted Frog spotted at Telangana tiger reserve

About India’s External Debt:

• At end-March 2024, India’s external debt was US$ 663.8 billion, an increase of US$ 39.7billionover its level at end-March 2023.
• The external debt-to-GDP ratio declined to 18.7 percent end-March 2024 from 19.0 percent at end-March 2023.
• The Valuation effect due to the appreciation of the US dollar vis-à-vis the Indian rupee and other major currencies such as the yen, euro, and SDR amounted to US$ 8.7 billion.
  • Valuation effects are the change in value of assets held abroad with regard to the value of domestic assets held by foreign investors.
  • Excluding the valuation effect, external debt would have increased by US$ 48.4 billion instead of US$ 39.7 billion at end-March 2024 over end-March 2023.
• At end-March 2024, long-term debt (with an original maturity of above one year) was placed at US$ 541.2 billion, recording an increase of US$ 45.6 billion over its level at end-March 2023.
• The share of short-term debt (with an original maturity of up to one year) in total external debt declined to 18.5 percent at end-March 2024 from 20.6 per cent at end-March 2023. 
• Similarly, the ratio of short-term debt (original maturity) to foreign exchange reservesdeclined to 19.0 percent at end-March 2024 (22.2 per cent at end-March 2023).
• US dollar-denominated debt remained the largest component of India’s external debt, with a share of 53.8 percent at end-March 2024, followed by debt denominated in the Indian rupee (31.5 percent), yen (5.8 percent), SDR (5.4 percent), and euro (2.8 percent).
• Outstanding debt of both government and non-government sectors increased at end-March 2024 over the level a year ago.
• The share of outstanding debt of non-financial corporations in total external debt was the highest at 37.4 percent, followed by deposit-taking corporations (except the central bank) (28.1 percent), general government (22.4 percent) and other financial corporations (7.3 percent).
• Loans remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 33.4 percent, followed by currency and deposits (23.3 percent), trade credit and advances (17.9 percent) and debt securities (17.3 percent).

Debt service (i.e., principal repayments and interest payments) increased to 6.7 percent of current receipts at end-March 2024 from 5.3 percent at end-March 2023, reflecting higher debt service.

Q1: What is Foreign Exchange Reserve?

Foreign Exchange Reserves (also called Forex Reserves) are reserve assets held by a central bank in foreign currencies. Foreign assets comprise assets that are not denominated in the domestic currency of the country. These may include foreign currencies, bonds, treasury bills, and other government securities. Reserves are denominated and expressed in the US dollar, which is the international numeraire for the purpose. RBI is the custodian of the foreign exchange reserves in India.

Source: India’s external debt stands $663.8 billion at end-March 2024, rise of $39.7 billion from year before

About African Swine Fever (ASF):

• ASF is a highly contagious viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, whose mortality rate can reach 100%.
• The ASF virus is a large, enveloped, double-stranded DNA virus that is the sole member of the genus Asfivirus within the family Asfarviridae.
• Symptoms: The clinical symptoms can look very much like those of classical swine fever: fever, weak pigs, lack of appetite, inflamed eye mucous membranes, red skin, (bloody) diarrhea, and vomiting. 
• ASF can be spread through:
  • Direct contact with infected animals
  • Indirect contact through the ingestion of products from infected animals, contact with contaminated clothing, vehicles, or equipment
  • Bites by infectious soft ticks (where present)
• The ASF virus is able to survive for long periods in pork and pork meat products.
• It is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa but has spread to many other regions of the world, including Asia and Europe.
• In India, it was first confirmed in Arunachal Pradesh and Assamin February-March 2020.
• It is not a danger to human health. Meat or other products from pigs do not pose any food safety risks for humans. But it has devastating effects on pig populations and the farming economy.
• There is no cure or precaution available for the infection, and there is no approved vaccine. So, the only way to stop it from spreading is by culling the animals.

Q1: What is a Virus?

A virus is an infectious microbe consisting of a segment of nucleic acid (either DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protein coat. A virus cannot replicate alone; instead, it must infect cells and use components of the host cell to make copies of itself. Often, a virus ends up killing the host cell in the process, causing damage to the host organism. Well-known examples of viruses causing human disease include AIDS, COVID-19, measles and smallpox.

Source: 3,350 pigs killed by African Swine Fever disease mizoram aizwal animal husbandry veterinary

About Indian Army’s Skin Bank:

• It was launched to help treat severe skin burn injuries and other skin-related conditions for service personnel and their families.
• The first-of-its-kind facility established in the Armed Forces Medical Services is staffed with trained medical professionals, including plastic surgeons, tissue engineers, and specialised technicians.
• It will serve as a centralised hub for the collection, processing, storage, and distribution of skin grafts, providing a "critical resource" for military medical centres across the country.
• What is a Skin Bank?
  • A skin bank is a facility where skin is taken from an eligible donor, and processed, and stored under appropriate temperature for up to five years.
  • Skin from a deceased person can be donated within six hours after death.
  • Anyone can donate skin, irrespective of sex and blood group. The donor's minimum age should be 18 years.
  • The skin of persons suffering from AIDS, Hepatitis B & C, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Skin Cancer, Active skin Disease and Septicemia are considered unfit for donation.
  • This donated skin is then collected and processed over five to six weeks and frozen until it's needed.
  • The skin is generally preserved in 85% glycerol solution. It is stored between 4-5 degrees Celsius for up to 5 years.
  • When a burn victim requires skin for their injuries, a surgical procedure called skin grafting is conducted.
• What is Skin Grafting?
  • It is a simple process when a piece of healthy skin is transplanted to a different area of the body where the skin is damaged or missing. 
  • There are two main types of skin grafts: autograft (skin is taken from another part of the patient's own body) and allograft (skin is taken from a donor, often sourced from a skin bank).
  • Any skin can be used on anybody, and within two to three weeks post-grafting, the doctors can determine whether the patient is accepting it or not.

Q1: What is glycerol?

Glycerol is a naturally occurring alcohol. It is an odorless liquid that is used as a solvent, sweetening agent, and also as medicine. When glycerol is in the intestines, it attracts water into the gut, softening stools and relieving constipation. When glycerol is in the blood, it attracts water so that the water stays in the body longer. This might help an athlete exercise for longer. People use glycerol for constipation, improving athletic performance, and for certain skin conditions.

Source: Indian Army launches skin bank for burn victims: All you need to know

About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):

• JJM is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) by 2024 to all households in rural India. 
• JJM will be based on a community approach to water and will include extensive Information, Education and communication as key components of the mission.
• The Mission was launched on August 15, 2019.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Components:
  • Development of in-village piped water supply infrastructure to provide tap water connections to every rural household.
  • Bottom-up planning: Community engagement in planning, implementation and Operation and Maintenance (O&M)
  • Women empowerment: Involvement of women in planning, decision-making, implementation, monitoring, and O&M
  • Focus on future generations: Provision of tap water supply to schools, tribalhostels, and anganwadi (daycare) centers
  • Skill development and employment generation: Local people are skilled for building and maintaining water supply structures
  • Greywater management: Reuse and recycle waste water for source sustenance
  • Source sustainability: Promote groundwater recharge and water conservation
  • Water Quality: Ensure safe drinking water to reduce water-borne ailments
• The Mission will converge with other Central and State Government Schemes to achieve its objectives of sustainable water supply management across the country.
• Funding Pattern: The fund sharing pattern is in the proportion of:
  • 50:50 between Centre and States
  • 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
  • In case of UTs, 100% of the funding is provided by the Central government

Q1. What is Greywater?

Greywater is wastewater from non-toilet plumbing systems such as hand basins, washing machines, showers and baths. When handled properly, greywater can be safely reused for the garden.

Source: Jal Shakti Ministry conceives ‘new project’ to fix water deficit in flagship Jal Jeevan Mission

About Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX):

• It is the flagship initiative of the union Ministry of Defence.
• It aims to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia.
• It has partnered with leading incubators in the country to provide handholding, technical support and guidance to the winners of iDEX challenges.
• Funding:
  • iDEX will be funded and managed by a ‘Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has been formed as a ‘not for profit company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 by the two founder members, i.e. Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) - HAL & BEL.
  • It functions as the executive arm of DIO, carrying out all the required activities, while DIO will provide high-level policy guidance to iDEX. 
  • Under iDEX, financial support is provided to Start-ups/MSMEs/individual innovators and Partner Incubators through DIO.
• It has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge and recently unveiled the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies. 

It was the recipient of the Prime Minister Award for Public Policy in Innovation Category in 2021 and is currently engaged with over 400 start-ups and MSMEs.

Q1: What is ADITI Scheme?

Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) is a scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies. It aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe.

Source: Defence Ministry signs 350th contract under iDEX for miniaturised satellite

About Saipan Island:

• It is located in the Western Pacific Ocean.
• It is the capital of the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI), a US commonwealth in the western Pacific which beginsroughly 70 km (44 miles) north of Guam and stretches across 14 islands.
• It was a colony of Spain, Germany and then Japan, the United States took control of the island in World War Two.
• Like territories such as Guam or Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands are part of the US without the full status of a state.
• In 1975 residents of this island voted to join the United States as a territory. The territory has a permanent delegate in the US House of Representative, although they cannot vote.
• Highest point: Mount Tapochau
• Economy: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy and it is popular with Korean and Chinese tourists.
• It is the only part of the United States that Chinese citizens can enter without a visa.

Q1: What is an Island?

Any area of land smaller than a continent and entirely surrounded by water is called an Island. Islands may occur in oceans, seas, lakes, or rivers. A group of islands is called an archipelago.

Source: Why is Julian Assange flying to the remote Pacific island of Saipan?

About Ambubachi Mela:

• It is an annual Hindu fair held at the historic Kamakhya Temple.
• It is celebrated during the monsoon season that happens to fall during the Assamese month Ahaar, around the middle of June.
• It is the celebration of the yearly menstruation course of goddess Maa Kamakhya.

Key facts about Kamakhya temple

• It is situated on Nilachal Hill and adjoining the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati.
• It is one of the most revered centres of Tantric practices.
• It is regarded as one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India.
• Temple Architecture:
  • It had been modelled out of a combination of two different styles namely, the traditional nagara or North Indian and Saracenic or Mughal style of architecture.
  • This combination has been named the Nilachala Style of Architecture.
  • It consists of five chambers, garbhagriha or sanctuary, antarala or vestibule, Jagan Mohan or principal chamber, bhogmandir or ritual chamber and natmandir or opera hall for performing traditional dance and music associated with sukti temples.
  • It is interesting to note that the superstructure of each of the above chambers exhibits different architectural features.
  • While the main temple contains a modified Saracenic dome, the antarala carries a two-roofed design, the bhogmandir (also called pancharatna) with five domes similar in appearance to the main temple and the natmandir having a shell-roof with apsidal end similar to some of the impermanent namghars or prayer halls found in Assam.

Q1: What is Nagara architecture?

It is a classical architecture of temple design in northern India, contrasted with Dravida architecture in southern India. Nagara temples have a shikhara (mountain peak) over the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum), a circumambulatory passage around it, and one or more mandapas (halls).

Source: Assam news: Devotees throng to Guwahati to offer prayers in Maa Kamakhya temple amid ongoing Ambubachi Mela

About Srikakulam: 

• It is a district place located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
• It is home to numerous prominent Buddhist sites, Neolithic-era caves, and some of the oldest temples in the State.
• History
  • It was once part of the Kalinga Dynasty. Later it came under the rule of the Gajapati Kingdom during the medieval period, followed by the Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi. The area was a part of the Kakatiya and Vijayanagara empires as well.
• Buddhist sites (Dantapuri and Salihundam)
  • Salihundam has four stupas, relic caskets, sculptures of Buddhist deities Mareechi and Tara.
  • All the remnants were believed to be built between 2nd century BC and 12th century AD.
  • It is believed that Buddhism spread to Sumatra and other far-eastern countries from here.
• Jainism sites : Tangamayyakonda and Rottavalasa villages.
• Famous temples of Srikakulam
  • Arasavalli: The Sri Suryanarayana Swamy Temple, dedicated to the sun god, located in Arasavalli, is one of the two temples of its kind, the other being the most popular and magnificent Konark Sun Temple in Odisha.
  • Srimukhalingam: This temple, built in the Kalinga architectural style, is located by the Vamsadhara River and is dedicated to lord Srimukha Lingeswara. 

Q1: What is the Stupa?

The stupa is a symbol of the Buddha's enlightenment and his teachings. It represents the path to enlightenment, with the circular base representing the cycle of birth and death and the pinnacle representing the attainment of Nirvana.

Source: Scholars, historians on a mission to illuminate Srikakulam’s forgotten heritage