UPSC QUIZ 06.06.2024

Explanation:

• The 2024 Heads of State Summit for the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TFCA) took place in Livingstone, Zambia, where member states renewed their calls to withdraw from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
• The call came in backdrop of repeated denying of permission to sell off their abundant ivory and other wildlife products.

Key Issues Discussed at the 2024 Summit

The KAZA-TFCA Initiative

• KAZA-TFCA spans across five southern African nations namely, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe along the Okavango and Zambezi river basins.
• About 70% of KAZA land is under conservation made up of 103 wildlife management areas and 85 forest reserves.
• This region harbours over two-thirds of Africa's elephant population (approx 450,000) with Botswana (132,000) and Zimbabwe (100,000) alone holding significant portions of this population.

Explanation:

AMRUT scheme has garnered attention due to the challenges it is facing in addressing infrastructure issues related to water, mobility, and pollution.

AMRUT Scheme

• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched on 25th June 2015 in 500 selected cities across the country, covering around 60% of the urban population.
• The mission targets enhancing basic infrastructure and implementing urban reforms for selected cities, encompassing water supply, sewerage, drainage, green spaces, non-motorised transport, and capacity building.

AMRUT 2.0 Scheme

• The scheme was launched on 1st October 2021, subsuming AMRUT 1.0 for the period of 5 years i.e. from the financial year (FY) 2021-22 to the FY 2025-26.
• Its objective are universal coverage of water supply from 500 cities to about 4,900 statutory towns in the country and coverage of sewerage/septage management in 500 cities covered in the first phase of the AMRUT scheme.
• AMRUT 2.0 aims to promote the circular economy of water through the development of a City Water Balance Plan (CWBP) by recycling/reuse of treated sewage, rejuvenation of water bodies and water conservation.
• The mission also has a reform agenda on ease of living of citizens through the reduction of non-revenue water, urban planning, strengthening urban finance etc.

Explanation:

• Ministry of Coal has invited proposals from public and private sector participants for coal gasification projects as part of the Rs 8,500 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme. Viability Gap Funding (VGF) is a financing mechanism used to support projects that are economically justified but are not financially viable.

Coal Gasification

• Coal gasification is a process that converts coal into synthetic gas (syngas), a mixture of gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and water vapor (H2O).
• Coal is reacted with controlled amounts of oxygen and steam at high temperatures (typically 1,000-1,400°C).
• Syngas can be used to produce a wide range of fertilizers, fuels, solvents and synthetic materials.

Explanation:

• The city of Hyderabad officially ceases to be the joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh on 2 June 2024.On 2 June 2014, Hyderabad was made the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh and the newly created state of Telangana for ten years. Telangana was created as the 29th state of India by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

Status of Hyderabad

• The state of Telangana was created by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, passed by the parliament under Article 3 of the constitution.
• Under this act, Hyderabad, the capital of united Andhra Pradesh, was given to Telangana. Section 5 (1) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 provided that Hyderabad would remain the common capital of both states for a period of ten years, starting 2 June 2014.
• Section 5(2) of the act provides that a new capital will be established for Andhra Pradesh after this period, and Hyderabad will become the sole capital of Telangana.

Explanation:

• Poet and playwright Siddhalinga Pattanashetti will receive the prestigious Gudleppa Hallikeri Award for 2024 by the Gudleppa Hallikeri Memorial Foundation.
• Prof. Pattanashetti will be the 19th recipient of the award. The award comprises a purse of ₹25,000 and a memento.
• The Gudleppa Hallikeri Award is given to those who have made significant achievements in literature, society, or social service.
• The award will be presented at a function to be held on June 6.
• The award ceremony will be presided over by Chairman of Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti.