The value of Current Affairs in Civil Service Examinations is enormous. This is the most critical part of both Prelims and Mains Exam. Aspirants should study in depth to understand the significance of current affairs for the Union Public Service Commission. In fact, all the questions in Civil Service Exams are framed around current affairs. Questions are not asked directly for current news and information in the exam. Questions are framed by combining current affairs with practical knowledge. The primary motive behind this type of strategy is to check the ability of correlation a candidate can make to the fact.
Current Affairs
Civil-20 India 2023 Inception Conference
The Civil-20 India 2023 Inception Conference kicked off its first plenary session in Nagpur. The theme of the Conference is “Balancing Development with Environment”. The Civil 20 India 2023 Inception Conference is a meeting for grouping of civil society.
The session covered four working groups of C20 India 2023. They are Integrated Holistic Health: Mind, Body and Environment; Sustainable and Resilient Communities: Climate, Environment and Net Zero Targets; Lifestyle For Environment (LiFE); and Revival of Rivers and Water Management.
The session was chaired by former Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra and included speakers from various fields who addressed the pressing need for a sustainable and environment-centric approach to development.
357 delegates from 26 countries are attending Civil-20 Inception Meet in Nagpur
Tagline of CIVIL 20 India 2023
The logo of the CIVIL 20 India 2023 signifies selfless service and the tagline ‘You are the Light’ urges everyone to make their own path.
The role of civil society is very important.
357 delegates are attending the Inception Conference. There are representatives of 26 countries and 130 international delegates have arrived in Nagpur for the C-20 Inception Meet.
Key Takeaways
- The Civil-20 India 2023 Inception Conference kicked off its first plenary session in Nagpur.
- 357 delegates from 26 countries are attending Civil-20 Inception Meet in Nagpur
- Civil20 is tirelessly working to solve the problems faced by modern society.
Global Conference on Digital Health – ‘Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen’
India’s Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has organized a Global Conference on Digital Health. With the theme “Taking Universal Health Coverage to the Last Citizen,” the conference focused on exploring the potential of digital health solutions to improve healthcare delivery and achieve universal health coverage targets.
The conference lasted from March 20 to March 21, 2023 in New Delhi. The conference was a co-branded event under India’s G20 Presidency organized by WHO – South-East Asia Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India.
The organization of the conference is a step in the direction of harnessing the boundless potential of digital health that can accelerate progress towards universal health coverage (UHC)
Addressing the conference, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, India’s Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, underscored the critical role of digital health in revolutionizing healthcare systems.
The conference was attended by global health experts, policymakers, and leaders from the public and private sectors.
India aims to launch a global initiative on digital health as an institutional framework to converge the global efforts for digital health and scale up digital solutions with the use of cutting-edge technologies.
There is a need to create a global institutional framework to realign the existing digital health efforts.
Key Takeaways
- Digital solutions hold the capacity to revolutionize the healthcare delivery systems.
- India aims to launch a global initiative on digital health as an institutional framework
- Digital health is a great enabler in delivery of healthcare services with a potential to support overall universal health coverage targets
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library’s Digitization Project
Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has launched an ambitious project to digitize its archival materials so they are accessible to people via the internet.
Under this project, the entire India House Collection of the Library will be digitized.
India House Collection of the Library consists of 40,000 books, reports, periodicals (containing around 70,00,000 pages), 55,00,000 pages of archival documents, and of 30,000 microfilms and 57,000 microfiches (consisting of approximately 2.5 crore images) to digital form.
The digitized materials will be put on Internet through a state-of-the-art digital platform, Open Digital Library and Archives (ODLA). This will make all the digitized materials accessible from any part of the world.
This access will benefit the researchers on modern and contemporary India in searching for documents relevant for their research, previewing them, and downloading them after paying service charges.
This will greatly facilitate academic research and dissemination of knowledge about modern and contemporary India especially that based on archival sources as well as newspapers and journals, of which NMML is the largest repository in the country.
The ODLA is likely to be developed by Tata Consultancy Services in collaboration with NMML. It is likely to become operational in the next six months.
Key Takeaways
- Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML) has launched an ambitious project to digitize the research material in its possession.
- The digitized materials will be put on Internet through a state-of-the-art digital platform, Open Digital Library and Archives (ODLA).
- The ODLA is likely to be developed by Tata Consultancy Services in collaboration with NMML.
- t is likely to become operational in the next six months.
ITU opens Area Office and Innovation Centre in New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s Area Office and Innovation Centre in India. ITU is the United Nations' specialized agency for information and communication technologies (ICTs).
Headquartered in Geneva, ITU has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices.
The Prime Minister also unveiled the Bharat 6G Vision Document and launched the 6G R&D Test Bed.
India had signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area Office.
Area Office will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran, enhancing coordination among nations and fostering mutually beneficial economic cooperation in the region.
ITU’s presence in the region will help the introduction of advanced technologies, improve capacity development, and foster entrepreneurship and partnerships while also responding to leads on the ground from digital services, skills, cyber security and digital inclusion.
India signed a Host Country Agreement in March 2022 with ITU for the establishment of Area Office.
The Area Office in India is also envisaged to have an Innovation Centre embedded in it making it unique among other area offices of ITU.
The Area Office, which is fully funded by India, will serve India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan and Iran.
5G services have reached to over 125 cities and 350 districts within a short span of 120 days.
Headquartered in Geneva, it has a network of field offices, regional offices and area offices.
Bharat 6G Vision Document is prepared by Technology Innovation Group on 6G (TIG-6G) that was constituted in November 2021 with members from various ministries/departments, research and development institutions, academia, standardization bodies, telecom service providers and industry to develop road map and action plans for 6G in India.
Narendra Modi also launched ‘Call before u dig’ mobile app.
Key Takeaways
- The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies,
- The ITU opened the ITU Area Office and Innovation Centre today in New Delhi, India.
- The new office in India's capital includes ITU's first centre for innovation, positioning it as a hub for promoting advanced technologies within the region and beyond.
- The office is funded by the Government of India
United Nations World Water Development Report 2023
A new report from the UN says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Painting a stark picture of rising global water scarcity, the World Water Development Report 2023 was released right before the first major UN conference on global water scarcity since 1977. The UN 2023 Water Conference is focussing on progress towards water- and sanitation-related goals.
Delineating the huge gap in the availability of water and its usage across different regions, the report underscores the need to meet UN goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
Findings of the World Water Development Report 2023
• Global:
- Globally, two billion people do not have safe drinking water and 3.6 billion lack access to safely managed sanitation
- More than 70% of water consumption takes place in the agricultural sector.
- About 10% of the global population lives in countries where water stress is considered "high or critical."
- The biggest source of water pollution is untreated wastewater.
- The global urban population facing water scarcity is projected to increase from one-third (2016) to nearly half of the global urban population in 2050, with India projected to be the most severely affected.
• India Highlights:
- 80% of people living under water stress lived in Asia; in particular, northeast China, as well as India and Pakistan.
- The report painted a stark picture of the huge gap that needs to be filled to meet UN goals to ensure all people have access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.
- About 26% of the global population does not have access to safe drinking water and about 46% of people lack access to safely managed sanitation services, according to a new report by the United Nations.
- The report says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project
The report noted that although the Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project (PMP) is long delayed, its benefits are immense in terms of irrigation and flood control and lessening energy shortages. The project, implemented in a sustainable and equitable manner, has the potential of addressing some of the water scarcity issues facing India and Nepal. provided that it is implemented in a sustainable and equitable manner
Key Takeaways
- The UN has released the World Water Development Report 2023, which paints a stark picture of rising global water scarcity.
- The report says 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to basic sanitation.
- Published by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the report says about 26% of the world’s population doesn’t have access to safe drinking water and 46% lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
Centenary Celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha
Vaikom Satyagraha was a famed movement for temple entry and abolition of untouchability. This nonviolent protest took place from 30 March 1924 to 23 November 1925 at Vaikom (a part of the then princely state of Travancore) in the Kottayam district of Kerala.
Led by Congress leaders T. K. Madhavan, K. Kelappan, and K. P. Kesava Menon, the protest earned active support and participation by different communities and activists.
The protest was against the rigid and oppressive caste system prevalent in the region, which forbade lower castes, or untouchables, from entering not just the Vaikom Temple but also from walking on the surrounding roads.
Vaikom Satyagraha and Mahatma Gandhi
TK Madhavan was arrested in 1924 for participating in the Vaikom Satyagraha. He sought the help of Mahatma Gandhi who arrived at Vaikom on March 7, 1925 and camped there with TK Madhavan, helping in the successful completion of Satyagraha.
TK Madhavan
TK Madhavan made his contribution in the field of journalism. From 1917 onwards he was the editor of the Malayalam daily Deshabhimani which he started to educate the people of their rights.
He had participated in the Indian National Congress session of Kanpur in 1925.
TK Madhavan died on April 27, 1930.
Key Takeaways
- Vaikom Satyagraha was a movement in Travancore in Kerala against removal of deep-rooted malaise of untouchability in the society.
- Vaikom Satyagraha was a movement to allow temple entry for the avarnas or lower castes
- Vaikom Satyagraha lasted for 18 months during 1924–25,
- On April 1, 2023, the centenary celebrations of Vaikom Satyagraha will begin
- A social reformer and veteran trade union activist, Charles Andrews took active participation in the Vaikom Satyagraha.
World Tuberculosis Day
World Tuberculosis Day is celebrated on 24 March every year to raise awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of Tuberculosis, TB, and its ongoing eradication efforts. TB is a leading cause of death.
The day is observed to commemorate the anniversary of Dr. Robert Koch’s discovery of the tuberculosis-causing bacteria in 1882.
Theme of World TB Day 2023
The theme for World TB Day 2023 is “Yes! We can end TB!” and aims to inspire hope and encourage high-level leadership, increased investments, faster uptake of new WHO recommendations, adoption of innovations, accelerated action, and multisectoral collaboration to combat the TB epidemic.
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease and is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Treatment for Tuberculosis
Treatment for TB involves taking a combination of antibiotics over several months. It is important to complete the full course of treatment.
Tuberculosis in India
The World Health Organization has set a goal to eliminate the global TB epidemic by 2030. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned the resolution of India to eliminate TB by 2025 as against the global target of 2030. India is on the road to ending TB by 2025
On the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day, Prime Minister addressed the One World TB Summit. This summit is organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Stop TB Partnership.
One World TB Summit will provide an opportunity to further deliberate upon the targets as the country moves forward to meet its TB elimination objectives.
It will also be an opportunity to showcase learnings from National TB Elimination Programmes. The summit is being attended by international delegates from over 30 countries.
Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership is an organisation hosted by the United Nations that amplifies the voices of the people, communities, and countries affected by TB.
World Happiness Report 2023
The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network has recently released its annual World Happiness Report.
According to the report, Finland has been named the happiest place in the world for a sixth year running.
The report is based on data from analytics researcher Gallup which asked people in 137 countries to rate their own happiness.
Top 10 Countries in the World Happiness Report
The report ranked the top 10 happiest countries, with Finland topping the chart for the sixteenth term. Denmark, Iceland, Israel, and the Netherlands are the other countries in the top five.
Other European countries such as Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Luxembourg also made the top 10. New Zealand was the only non-European country to make it to the top 10. The rankings are based on a range of factors such as social support, life expectancy, income, health, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
According to the World Happiness Report 2023 Top 10 happiest countries in the world
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Sweden
- Norway
- Switzerland
- Luxembourg
- New Zealand
Least Happy Countries
Afghanistan was the least happy, according to the report by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Countries such as Zimbabwe, Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been highlighted by the report as being among the unhappiest nations, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.
India’s Position in the World Happiness Report
India has been placed in the 126th position on the list of the countries ranked by the UN World Happiness report 2023.
Though position of India in the World Happiness Report has improved from 136 to 126, the country is still behind its neighboring countries such as China, Nepal and Bangladesh. Despite being the world’s fastest-growing economy, India’s ranking in the report has consistently been low, leading some to question how it can be ranked lower than countries in turmoil.
The World’s Least Happy Countries
The World Happiness Report also highlights the least happy countries, with Taliban-controlled Afghanistan ranking as the unhappiest country out of the 137 nations surveyed. The report also highlighted other nations such as Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo as being among the unhappiest countries, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.
About the World Happiness Report
The World Happiness Report is a comprehensive analysis of happiness levels across the world based on various criteria, including both domestic and global factors. The report gauges happiness based on feedback from a nationally representative sample of individuals regarding their current life satisfaction levels. The first report was published in 2012 and has been released annually since then, typically in March.
Russia and Ukraine in the World Happiness Report
Despite the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both countries rank higher than India in the World Happiness Report, with Russia ranked 70th and Ukraine ranked 92nd. The report indicates that both countries experienced increased levels of kindness in 2020 and 2021, but in 2022, Ukraine saw a sharp rise in benevolence while it declined in Russia.
AMRUT 2.0
In order to carry forward the objective of universal coverage of water supply from 500 cities covered under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) to all the statutory towns across the country, AMRUT 2.0 has been launched in October 2021 for a period of 5 years i.e., Financial Year 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched in June 2015 by PM Narendra Modi under the Government of India.
It focuses on making the cities ‘self-reliant’ & ‘water secure’ & providing universal coverage of sewerage & septage management in 500 AMRUT cities.
Under AMRUT, 500 cities were selected covering 60% of urban population of the country including all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with a population of one lakh or more as per Census 2011, all other capital cities of States/ Uts, all Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) cities as well as identified cities on the stem of the main rivers, from hill States, islands and tourist destinations.
Under AMRUT, States have been empowered to select, apprise, propose and after approval from Apex Committee of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), implement projects within the broad framework of AMRUT Mission. Mission is being implemented accordingly in all AMRUT cities and has been progressing well.
Sir M Visvesvaraya
Recently Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Chikkaballapur.
Chikkaballapur also comes lauded as a place where Sir M Visvesvaraya was born on September 15 in 1861. Sir Visvesvaraya is known for making innovations and developijng new engineering projects for the farmers and the general populace.
Full name of M Visvesvaraya is Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya who is considered as nation builder. ,
Every year, September 15 is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in the country in recognition of his contribution towards nation building.
Engineers’ Day
On his birthday, September 15, Engineers’ Day is celebrated.
Sir M Visvesvaraya served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955.
He designed and constructed several dams in India, including famed the Krishna Raja Sagara dam near Mandya. He earned a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree from the University of Madras. He later studied at the College of Engineering, Pune.
Visvesvaraya played a pivotal role in the development of the earstwhile Kingdom of Mysore (in present-day Chikkaballapura district state of Mysore), Mysore Iron & Steel Works in Bhadravathi,
Facts about Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya
- Sir M Visvesvaraya was born on September 15 in 1861.
- From 1912 to 1918, M. Visvesvaraya was appointed as the Diwan of Mysore.
- September 15 is celebrated as Engineer’s Day in India to commemorate his contribution towards nation building.
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, in 1955.
International
Tanzania Reports its First-Ever Outbreak of Ebola-like Marburg Virus
Marburg virus has killed five people in Tanzania's north-western Kagera region, On 21 March 2023, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the United Republic of Tanzania declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country.
Tanzania has recently confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease ((MVD), which killed five people in country’s north-western Kagera region. Marburg is a deadly Ebola-like virus.
The Marburg virus is a cousin of the equally deadly Ebola virus.
According to World Health Organisation, it kills on average half of those infected.
In the African continent hundreds of people have died from the Marburg virus in the past.
The Marburg virus was first identified in 1967 in Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany and Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia).
Since then, there have been outbreaks in Guinea, Uganda, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and South Africa, the WHO reports.
Western African country of Equatorial Guinea reported its first outbreak in February.
Symptoms of Marburg disease
High fever is a common symptom of Marburg disease, often followed by bleeding and organ failure.
Patients suffering from the disease experience fever, muscle pains, diarrhoea vomiting, and stomach pain. Also, there is extreme bleeding in severe cases.
• a fever
• severe headache
• muscle pains
• watery diarrhoea
• stomach pain
• nausea
• vomiting
An e-bola-related virus is causing the disease. The Spread of the disease is epidemic; meaning the disease is widespread. The virus is transmitted to people from fruit bats. It spreads between humans through the transmission of bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
What is the Marburg virus?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Marburg virus is a cousin of the equally deadly Ebola virus. It was first identified in 1967 in:
• Marburg and Frankfurt, Germany
• Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)
The Egyptian rousette fruit bat often carries the Marburg virus, but African green monkeys and pigs can also harbour it.
How can it be treated?
• There are no specific treatments or a vaccine for the virus. No anti-viral treatments or vaccines have been approved so far to treat the virus.
• But symptoms can be alleviated by giving patients plenty of oral or intravenous fluids and replacing lost blood.
Key Takeaways
• The Marburg virus was first detected in the city of Marburg in Germany in 1967
• Marburg is highly infectious
• The Marburg virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness with symptoms including headache, fever, muscle pains, vomiting blood and bleeding.
• No treatment yet exists for Marburg
• Drinking plenty of water and treating specific symptoms improves a patient's chances of survival.
• The Marburg virus killed more than 200 people in Angola in 2005, the deadliest outbreak on record according to the global health body.
Science & Technology
ISRO to conduct young scientist programme YUVIKA
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is organising a young scientist programme, Yuva VIgyani Karyakram (YUVIKA). This has being done to impart basic knowledge on space technology, space science and space applications to students of Class IX.
The registration for the programme has started.
ISRO said that it is also expected to encourage more students to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based research and careers.
The YUVIKA programme will be conducted between May 15 and 26 at seven centres
- ISRO-Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) Dehradun
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) Thiruvananthapuram
- Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) Sriharikota
- U. R. Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) Bengaluru
- Space Applications Centre (SAC) Ahmedabad
- National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) Hyderabad
- North-Eastern Space Applications Centre (NE-SAC) Shillong
According to ISRO, a minimum participation will be ensured from each State and Union Territory.
The cost of the course material, lodging and boarding etc., during the entire course will be borne by ISRO.
Interested students studying in Class 9 as on 1 January 2023 within India are eligible to apply at www.isro.gov.in/YUVIKA.html. The last day for registration is April 3.
Environment
Cyrtopodion Vindhya
A new species of naked-toed gecko (Cyrtopodion) has been discovered in Gujarat.
The Palearctic naked-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtopodion are a group of gekkonid lizards distributed across the arid regions of north Africa, Arabia, and Central Asia to northwestern India.
Wildlife researchers Harshil Patel, Tejas Thackeray, Zeeshan A Mirza and Raju Vyas.have discovered a new species of naked-toed gecko, named Cyrtopodion Vindhya, in the Dahod and Panchmahals districts of Gujarat.
The findings have been named ‘Cyrtopodion Vindhya’ and it is the fifth endemic species of reptile described in the last fifteen years from the state of Gujarat.
This recent discovery brings the number of endemic reptile species described in Gujarat to five in the last 15 years. The study highlights the significance of the region’s rich and unique fauna.
There are 23 known species of genus Cyrtopodion genus of the Gecko family. These wildlife researchers have discovered the twenty-fourth one.
Key Takeaways
- A new species of naked-toed gecko (Cyrtopodion) has been discovered in Gujarat
- The new species is named after the Vindhya hill ranges in the westernmost part of Gujarat
- The Palearctic naked-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtopodion are a group of gekkonid lizards distributed across the arid regions of north Africa, Arabia, and Central Asia to northwestern India.
- India has emerged as a hotspot of gecko diversity
- Gujarat is very rich in habitat diversity.
World Meteorological Day
The World Meteorological Organization celebrates World Meteorological Day on March 23rd.
The Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization came into force on 23 March 1950. Hence the celebration.
Theme of World Meteorological Day 2023
Each year, the WMO selects a theme for World Meteorological Day that reflects current weather and climate issues.
WMO Executive Council has selected the following theme for the upcoming celebrations of World Meteorological Day:
- 2023: The Future of Weather, Climate and Water across Generations
This theme aims to highlight the impact of changing weather patterns on the environment and future generations.
WMO’s 150th anniversary
This year the World Meteorological Day takes place during WMO’s 150th anniversary. The predecessor of the World Meteorological Organization is the International Meteorological Organization which was established in 1873.
World Meteorological Day is an important day for weather enthusiasts, meteorologists and anyone interested in weather and climate patterns. This day seeks to raise awareness about the importance of meteorology and weather forecasting and the role of the World Meteorological Organisation in promoting international cooperation in these fields.
Key Takeaways
- The theme of this year's day is 'The Future of Weather, Climate, and Water across Generations.
- World Meteorological Day 2023 takes place during WMO’s 150th anniversary
- The WMO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WMO began operations in 1951.
Gaj Utsav 2023 – 30 Years of Project Elephant
As part of the celebrations of the successful completion of 30 years of Project Elephant, President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate a two-day "Gaj Utsav" on April 7 in Assam's Kaziranga National Park.
A government sponsored initiative, Project Elephant was launched in 1991-92 with a view to promoting elephant conservation, protecting their habitat and corridors, and preventing human-elephant conflicts.
Inauguration and Venue
Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Gaj Utsav 2023 on April 7 at Kaziranga National Park in Assam. This event is significant as Kaziranga is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the highest density of tigers in the world.
About Kaziranga National Park
Located in the state of Assam, the Kaziranga National Park is an entrancing preserve for the one-horned rhinoceros.
A World Heritage Site, the Kaziranga National Park was proclaimed a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.
It will also ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India.
The Wild Life Preservation Act of 1972 lists elephants as a Schedule I national heritage animal. More than 60% of the world's wild elephant population is in India. They are primarily found in the southern and north-eastern areas of India as well as the east-central and northern regions
Project Tiger
Project Tiger was started in 1973 to promote conservation of the tiger. It is India’s homegrown initiative to protect the tigers’ dwindling numbers.
Key Takeaways
- Project Elephant is a government sponsored initiative.
- The initiative was launched in 1991-92 with a view to promoting elephant conservation, protecting their habitat and corridors, and preventing human-elephant conflicts.
- President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate the Gaj Utsav 2023 on April 7 at Kaziranga National Park in Assam.
- The Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage Site,
