Dr. B R AMBEDKAR IAS ACADEMY

2021-05-13 07:04:01 The Special Drawing Rights (SDR); nicknamed as paper gold, is an international reserve asset created by the IMF in 1969 to supplement the existing hard currencies of member countries.
● SDRs are allocated to member countries in proportion to their IMF quotas.
● In addition to its role as a supplementary reserve asset, the SDR serves as the unit of account of the IMF and some other international organizations.
● Member countries can use SDRs to purchase currencies of other countries. Its value is based on a basket of selected currencies. Open / Comment

2021-05-13 06:49:01 Railways target to complete 100% electrification of broad gauge routes by 2023

Around 63 per cent broad gauge lines have already been electrified out of a total 63,631 route kilometers as on 1st of April this year.

A total of 23,765 route kilometre lines are yet to be electrified in the country. Open / Comment

2021-05-13 06:43:01 Osaka Track

Osaka Track is a process which demonstrates the commitment to promote international policy discussions, inter alia, international rule-making on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce at the WTO. Open / Comment

2021-05-12 18:38:22 Institutions of Eminence Scheme

It is a government's scheme to provide the regulatory architecture for setting up or upgrading of 20 Institutions (10 from public sector and 10 from the private sector) as world-class teaching and research institutions called ‘Institutions of Eminence’.

Objectives:
Excellence and Innovation: To provide for higher education leading to excellence and innovations in such branches of knowledge as may be deemed fit at post-graduate, graduate and research degree levels.

Specialization: To engage in areas of specialization to make distinctive contributions to the objectives of the university education system.

Global Rating: To aim to be rated internationally for its teaching and research as a top hundred Institution in the world over time.

Quality teaching and Research: To provide for high quality teaching and research and for the advancement of knowledge and its dissemination.

Benefits:
Autonomy: Institutes with IoE tag will be given greater autonomy and freedom to decide fees, course durations and governance structures.

Grant: The public institutions under IoE tag will receive a government grant of Rs 1,000 crore, while the private institutions will not get any funding under the scheme. Open / Comment

2021-05-12 18:34:18 Rhine River
The Rhine River is the second-longest river in Central and Western Europe after the Danube and originates in the Swiss Alps (in Switzerland). Open / Comment

2021-05-12 18:31:33 Dibru-Saikhowa National Park

Dibru-Saikhowa is a National Park as well as a Biosphere Reserve situated in the south bank of the river Brahmaputra in Assam.
It is one of the 19 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
The forest type of Dibru-Saikhowa comprises semi-evergreen forests, deciduous forests, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.
It is the largest swamp forest in north-eastern India.
It is an identified Important Bird Area (IBA) notified by the Bombay Natural History Society.
It is most famous for the rare white-winged wood ducks as well as feral horses. Open / Comment

2021-05-12 18:17:53 Environmental Conservation Programmes in India

Climate Change: National Action Plan on Climate Change
Desertification: National Action Programme to Combat Desertification
Pollution Control: National Clean Air Program
Environmental Impact Assessment: Environment Management Plan
Forest Protection: National Afforestation Programme
Animal Conservation: Project Elephant, Project Tiger Open / Comment

2021-05-12 17:43:35 Environmental Performance Index

EPI is a biennial index prepared by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.
It offers a scorecard that highlights leaders and laggards in environmental performance and provides practical guidance for countries that aspire to move toward a sustainable future.
This index was first published in 2002 designed to supplement the environmental targets set forth in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Open / Comment

2021-05-12 17:34:18 sixth mass extinction

Recently, the researchers have observed that the ongoing sixth mass extinction is one of the most serious environmental threats to the existence of civilisation.

Mass extinction refers to a substantial increase in the degree of extinction or when the Earth loses more than three-quarters of its species in a geologically short period of time. Open / Comment

2021-05-12 17:32:10 e-Diplomacy (electronic diplomacy) is the use of technology by nations to define and establish diplomatic goals and objectives and to efficiently carry out the functions of diplomats.
These functions include representation and promotion of the home nation, establishing both bilateral and multilateral relations, consular services and social engagement. Open / Comment