Facts in News

                                   Facts in News

Poshan 2.0

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development.
• First announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget speech of 2021-22.
• Components
  • Supplementary Nutrition Programme (government aims to give hot cooked meals and take home ration at anganwadis).
  • Poshan Abhiyaan (includes influencing behavioural changes and growth monitoring through technology).
• The Poshan Abhiyan was approved in 2017.
• Implementation: District Collectors, as the head of the National Health Mission (NHM), will be the fulcrum of the programme.
• A new software tool called the Poshan Tracker will replace old ICDS CAS (Common Application Software)” to streamline the supply side of the scheme.
• AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) would also be a key part of the reinvented POSHAN.
• Audit by the food regulator, FSSAI will make the programme more efficient.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana

• Launched in 2019 in Jharkhand.
• Motive: To secure the lives of farmers in the country and decrease death rates.
• Benefits: Minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3,000 per month is given to the small and marginal farmers (Upto 2 Ha cultivable land), on attaining the age of 60 years.
  • It is a voluntary & contributory pension scheme.
• Under this scheme, farmers can choose to contribute directly from the benefits received from PM-Kisan.
  • In this way, they will not have to spend any extra money from their pocket.
• Farmers between the age of 18 and 40 years can register..
• Even, farmers enrolled under other saving schemes like Nation Pension Scheme (NPS), Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation or under PM Shram Yogi Maan Dhan Yojana & PM Laghu Vyapari Maan-dhan Yojana are eligible.

Gobi Desert

• It is a great desert and semidesert region of Central Asia.
• The Gobi (from Mongolian gobi, meaning “waterless place”) stretches across huge portions of both Mongolia and China.
• It lies between the Altai Mountains and Hangayn Mountains to the north; the western edge of the Da Hinggan Range to the east; the Yin, Qilian, eastern Altun, and Bei mountains to the south; and the eastern Tien Shan to the west.
• The climate is acutely continental and dry: winter is severe, spring is dry and cold, and summer is warm.
• Fauna is varied, with such large mammals as wild camels, kulan (Equus hemionus), dzheiran gazelles, and dzeren (an antelope).
  • Przewalski’s horse, which once ranged in the western region of the desert, is probably extinct in the wild.

Amicus Curiae

• Amicus curiae, (Latin: “friend of the court”), one who assists the court by furnishing information or advice regarding questions of law or fact.
• He is not a party to a lawsuit and thus differs from an intervenor, who has a direct interest in the outcome of the lawsuit and is therefore permitted to participate as a party to the suit.
• An amicus curiae normally may not participate except by leave of the court, and most courts seldom permit persons to appear in such a capacity.

Chenab Bridge

• World’s highest rail bridge, located over the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Connects the Kashmir valley to the rest of the nation.
• It is 1315m long and has an arch of 467m and is 359m above sea level.
  • 35m higher than the Eiffel Tower.
• Design life of the bridge is estimated to be 120 years.
• Constructed in hostile terrain in young fold mountains of Himalayas and inclement climate.
• Part of Indian Railways’ Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project.
  • Expected to form an important link in the 111 km long stretch present between Katra and Banihal.
• Designed to withstand earthquake forces up to Seismic Zone V.
• Designed to be “blast-proof” in consultation with DRDO.

                                   (Image Courtesy: FE)

Bhaona

• It is a theatrical performance, an indigenous performing art form created by 16th-century Assamese polymath Srimanta Sankardeva.
• It is prevalent in Assam and is always with religious messages.
• These plays are popularly known as Ankiya Nats and their staging is known as Bhaona.
• It is a simple drama which shows the victory of truth at the climax, generally using fictitious or mythological characters.
• In a Bhaona, real men and women play the roles of different characters.
• The dialogues are spoken in Brajawali often in lyrical form which was also created by Sankardeva. Nowadays, it is performed in spoken Assamese language in upper Assam.
• The entire drama is performed in the middle open space of Namghar.
• Different parts of the drama are connected by lyrical songs performed by an anchor called Sutradhar/Sutradhari.
• The day before the Bhaona is called Ganica; characterized by a similar but long instrumental musical.