UPSC QUIZ 09.01.2024

Explanation:

• Union government decided to raise the returns on the Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme (SSAS) from 8% to 8.2%, and on the 3-year Post Office Time Deposit Scheme (POTDS) from 7% to 7.1%, for the first quarter of 2024, while keeping the interest rates unchanged for all other small savings schemes.

Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme

• The Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme (SSAS) is a small deposit scheme by the Ministry of Finance exclusively for a girl child and is launched as a part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign.
• The scheme is meant to meet the education and marriage expenses of a girl child.

Eligibility

• Any girl child who is a resident Indian from the time of opening the account till the time of maturity/closure.
• The account may be opened by one of the guardians in the name of a girl child, who has not attained the age of ten years as of the date of opening of the account.
• A family can open a maximum of two accounts under this scheme for girl children. However, exceptions allow opening more than two accounts for twins or triplets born in the first or second order, supported by an affidavit and birth certificates.

Explanation:

• Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal witnessed the return of a tiger for the second time in two years after a 23-year absence, sparking hope for a flourishing ecosystem and a potential resurgence of tiger populations.

Key Facts About Buxa Tiger Reserve

• Buxa Tiger Reserve and National Park covers 760 square kilometers and is located in North Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
• Buxa is a “low density” reserve and part of a larger tiger territory that stretches to Bhutan.
• The rivers Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, Churnia, Turturi, Phashkhawa, Dima, and Nonani flow through Buxa National Park.

Explanation:

Two-year field experiment on the efficacy of Liquid Nano Urea by scientists from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has found a substantial decrease in rice and wheat yields when compared to conventional nitrogen (N) fertiliser application.The findings emphasize the necessity for further long-term field evaluations spanning 5-7 years to ascertain nano urea's equivalence to conventional urea and its sustainability in maintaining crop yields.

Key Findings about the Efficacy of Liquid Nano Urea

Yield Reduction

• There is a significant decrease in crop yields when nano urea was used compared to conventional nitrogen fertilizers.
• Specifically, there was a 21.6% decrease in wheat yield and a 13% decrease in rice yield.

Grain Nitrogen Content

• The application of nano urea resulted in a decline in grain nitrogen content in both rice and wheat crops.
• There is a 17 and 11.5% decrease in grain N content of rice and wheat, respectively.

Explanation:

• 5 more products from West Bengal got GI tags, including honey, Tangail, and Gorod.
• As a part of the National GI Drive Mission, West Bengal has achieved the Geographical Indication (GI) tag for some products, including Sundarban honey, black Nunia rice, and Tangail, Gorod and Kadiyal sarees.
• The Central Government has already uploaded the names of the products on the designated portal.
• This honey was collected from the Sundarban forest by the 'Mauli' community.
• West Bengal Forest Development Corporation Limited (WBFDCL) has applied for a special GI tag for Sundarban honey.
• WBFDCL collects and processes honey and sells it under the brand name "Mouban".
• Black Nuniya rice is called the “Prince of Rice” and is cultivated in the Jalpaiguri district of the state.
• Kadiyal saree is produced only in Mirzapur in Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Tangail and Gorod sarees are also famous in this region.
• Since 2004, a total of 504 items from different parts of the country have received this tag.
• With the addition of the five new items, a total of 27 items have been registered on the GI portal in West Bengal.

Explanation:

• IIT Madras and IIT Mandi researchers modified plant cells to increase the production of anti-cancer drug camptothecin.
• The anti-cancer drug camptothecin (CPT) is produced from an endangered plant named Nathapodytes nimmoniana.
• Around 1,000 tonnes of plant material is required to produce 1 tonne of CPT.
• The plant population has declined by 20% and it is on the red list of IUCN.
• Researchers from the Plant Cell Technology Lab of IIT Madras have developed a genome-scale metabolic model for N. nimmoniana plant cells.
• This research has been funded by the Science and Engineering Board (SERB) and the Department of Science and Technology.
• This research could pave the way for the drug's effective and efficient commercial production and reduce the need to cut down this endangered plant.