NEO-IAS-Daily-Newsletter-30Th-AUGUST-2019
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NEO IAS Daily Newsletter TARGET PRELIMS 2020 (TPS 2020) Daily Prelims Current Affairs 30th AUGUST, 2019 | Prelims Countdown: 274 Days Join our ECONOMY Prelims Telegram Channel: https://t.me/NEOIASECONOMYPRELIMS Join our Prelims Telegram Channel for Regular Updates: https://t.me/NEOIASPRELIMS Subscribe our YouTube channel for daily current affairs videos: www.youtube.com/neoias TABLE OF CONTENTS Geography Par-Tapi-Narmada river-interlinking project Government Interventions North East Rural Livelihood Project Environment Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): CAMPA Permafrost Current Affairs Capsules For any further enqueries, kindly Werewolf Syndrome contact us on: 9446331522, 9188152205 GI tag Note: We attempt to cover new issues Gymnothorax andamanensisand Gymnothorax smithi every day and drop the issues which are Map aidede programme already covered. Therefore aspirants Anamalai Tiger Reserve are advised to regularly follow NEO Previous Year Question IAS daily current affairs material and video for a guaranteed success in Prelims 2020. NEO IAS daily current GEOGRAPHY affairs stands out from other daily current affairs by its exclusive UPSC PAR-TAPI-NARMADA RIVER-INTERLINKING PROJECT prelims focus on aspects that lie in and Why in news? beyond current affairs. Protests have started in the tribal-dominated districts of Dang, Tapi and Valsad against the interlinking of the Par-Tapi-Narmada river basins in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Par-Tapi-Narmada river-interlinking project: The project envisages transfer of surplus water of rivers in Maharashtra and south Gujarat to feed the command area of the Miyagam branch of Narmada canal. It will save water in Narmada dam, which will be taken to Saurashtra and Kutch. NEO IAS 0484-4030104, 9446331522 www.neoias.com|https://www.youtube.com/neoias Page 1 of 6 The project is aimed at diverting "surplus" water from parts of west flowing rivers like Par, Nar, Ambika and Auranga basins in Maharashtra. Damanganga-Pinjal river-linking project: The Damnganga-Pinjal river linking project is expected to fulfill Mumbai’s water needs till 2060. The government of Maharashtra’s Damanganga-Pinjal river linking project proposes to divert excess water from reservoirs in the Damanganga basin to Mumbai through the Pinjal dam, built on the Pinjal river in Vaitarna basin. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS NORTH EAST RURAL LIVELIHOOD PROJECT Why in news? Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region chairs meeting to review ongoing projects of North East. North East Rural Livelihood Project: The North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) has empowered rural poor and improved livelihoods of about 300,000 rural households. It is a World Bank aided, multi-state livelihood project under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), launched in 2012. The project has been implemented in 11 districts of Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. The project aims “to improve rural livelihoods especially that of women, unemployed youth and the most disadvantaged, in four North Eastern States”. The project also works in partnerships with expert organizations to focus on cluster development through value chains. The project has focussed on five development strategies, namely, social empowerment, economic empowerment, partnership development, project management and livelihood & value chain developments. These include community projects executed by 1114 Community Development Groups (CDGs) and 176 rural infrastructure projects under the Model Livelihood Cluster and Value Chain Development. Community Development Group (CDG): Community Development Group formed per village, comprising of three members of every family with the major role to develop Community Development Plan (CDP) with project funding of up to Rs.10 Lakhs. The activities under CDP include reclamation of wasteland, construction of check-dams, plantation, horticulture projects, provision of village electrification through hydrogen, provision of solar lighting, spring water harvest to mitigating water needs for homestead farming, animal rearing, health and sanitation. Across the project districts, livelihood activities pursued by Self Help Group (SHG) members have increased, thus increasing family incomes. NEO IAS 0484-4030104, 9446331522 www.neoias.com|https://www.youtube.com/neoias Page 2 of 6 ENVIRONMENT CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF WILD FAUNA AND FLORA (CITES): Why in news? The 18th Conference of the Parties (CoP18) of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was recently concluded in Geneva, Switzerland. Highlights of COP18 CITES: Star tortoises (Geochelone elegans), the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) and small-clawed otters (Anoyx cinereus) have been listed under Appendix I of CITES and will now enjoy the highest degree of protection as there will be a complete international ban enforced on their trade. Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) included in Appendix II of CITES. CITES Appendices: The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need. Appendix I include species threatened with extinction. Trade in specimens of these species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances. Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival. Appendix IIIcontains species that are protected in at least one country, which has asked other CITES Parties for assistance in controlling the trade. Indian star tortoise: The Indian star tortoise is a threatened species of tortoise which found in dry areas and scrub forest of India and Sri Lanka and also inPakistan. The species has been placed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. IUCN status: Vulnerable CITES: Appendix I Smooth-coated otter (Lutra perspicillata): Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List CITES: Appendix I The species has been placed under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. Smooth-coated otter is distributed throughout India from the Himalayas and to the south in India. It is sympatric with other otter species in the Western Ghats and the northeast India. Note: Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) - CITES Appendix I; Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 Schedule II; IUCN status: Near Threatened. Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus) - CITES Appendix I; Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972Schedule I; IUCN status: Vulnerable. Tokay geckos: IUCN: Least Concern CITES: Appendix II NEO IAS 0484-4030104, 9446331522 www.neoias.com|https://www.youtube.com/neoias Page 3 of 6 CAMPA Why in news? In a major boost towards promoting afforestation and achieving green objectives of the country, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, handed over Rs.47,436 crores of CAMPA funds to various states. Compensatory afforestation: Compensatory afforestation means afforestation done as a replacement for the diversion of forest land for non-forest use in some other area. CAMPA Act 2016: For the effective management of compensatory afforestation activities, the parliament enacted the The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016. It provides for the establishment of Compensatory Afforestation funds under National and state level. Major part of the these funds shall be used to restock and improve quality of degraded forests, which constitutes more than 40 % of the total forest cover of the country CAMPA funds are used for: o Artificial regeneration (plantations) o Natural regeneration o Catchment Area Treatment o Soil and Moisture Conservation Works o Protection of forests o Forest related infrastructure development o Wildlife protection It also provided for a constitution of an authority at national level and at each of the State level (state CAMPAs) for administration of the funds. Background of CAMPA: In the recent draft National Forest Policy 2018, the government aims to bring 33% of the total geographical area under forest or tree cover. A company diverting forest land must provide alternative land for taking up compensatory afforestation. For the afforestation purpose, the company should pay for planting new trees in the alternative land provided to the state. In 2001, the Supreme Court of India observed that collected funds for afforestation were underutilised by the states and it ordered for centrally pooling of funds under ad hoc Compensatory Afforestation Fund. In 2009, states also had set up State CAMPAs that receive 10% of funds from National CAMPA to use for afforestation and forest conservation. However, in 2013, a CAG report identified that the funds continued to be under utilised. Then the parliament enacted the the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016. NEO IAS 0484-4030104, 9446331522 www.neoias.com|https://www.youtube.com/neoias Page 4 of 6 PERMAFROST Why in news? Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special “report on oceans and Earth's frozen zones” says rising global ocean waterline could displace 250 million people by year 2100. Key findings: Without deep cuts to manmade emissions, at least 30% of the northern hemisphere’s surface permafrost could melt by century’s end, unleashing billions of tones of carbon, and accelerating global warming even more. By 2050, many low lying megacities and small island nations will experience “extreme sea level events” every year, the report concludes