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 The Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act introduces reservations for economically weaker sections (EWS). This amendment provides reservations in central government and private educational institutions (except minority educational institutions) for admission and recruitment in central government jobs. 

Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019

 

Eastern Economic Forum (EEF)

Source: Flickr

India - Eastern Economic Forum :

India has signed a number of agreements with Russia and other countries at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). Some of the key agreements that have been signed between India and the EEF include:

1. Investment cooperation agreement: In 2018, India and Russia signed an agreement to cooperate on investment projects in various sectors, including energy, infrastructure, and industrial development.
2. Energy cooperation agreement: In 2019, India and Russia signed an agreement to cooperate on energy projects, including the development of renewable energy sources.
3. Cooperation in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises: In 2017, India and Russia signed an agreement to cooperate in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises, with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and innovation.

These agreements demonstrate the strong economic ties between India and Russia, and the importance of the Eastern Economic Forum as a platform for cooperation and collaboration between the two countries.

UPSC Conducts the Civil Services exam in three stages. While selecting the Optional Subjects which form a part of the Mains Exam (Second stage) many aspirants get confused about choosing the right one. Still, it is pretty natural to get confused given the nature of the UPSC Exam. This article may act as a helping hand in the process of Choosing the one Optional which is going to play a crucial role in clearing the Examination.

1. Agriculture 

 Agriculture is one of the preferred optional subjects in the UPSC Civil services Mains Exam. Candidates from Agriculture, Botany, and Zoology backgrounds prefer to select it due to its Scoring Nature. Paper 1 covers Ecology, Agronomy, Weed Science, Forestry, Soil Science and nutrient management, soil and water conservation, Agriculture economics and Agricultural Extension. 

While paper 2 covers cell Biology, Plant Breeding, Seed production and technology, Plant Physiology, Horticulture and landscape gardening, food production and nutrient management.

Image Depicting Agriculture Sucess rates over Past UPSC Exams

2. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science

    Animal Husbandry is nothing but taking care of Farm animals by Humans. Veterinary Science is the treatment of Animals by Humans. People with veterinary science as a background with an Interest in Biology mostly Choose Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science as an Optional Subject.

Paper 1 of the optional Subject deals with Animal Nutrition, Animal Physiology,  Animal reproduction, Livestock production and management, genetics and animal breeding, and Extension. While paper 2 deals with Anatomy, Pharmacology and Hygiene, animal diseases, Veterinary Public health, Milk and Milk products Technology, meat Hygiene and technology.

Before discussing National Human rights Commission let's dive to know the meaning of the word Human rights. Going as per Official UN definition, "Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings - they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental -the right to life -to those that make life worth living, such as the right to food, education, work, health, and liberty".

National Human Rights Commission

• The NHRC is a statutory body established in 1993 under the 'Protection of Human Rights Act'. Later it got amended in 2006. It is an important non-constitutional body.
• Human Rights are essential parts of the society and they are been watched by NHRC. NHRC acts as watch dog of human rights in the country.
• It checks over the rights that are related to life, liberty, equality and dignity of the individual that are defined in section 2(1) of the PHR Act.
• It was established in accordance with the Paris Principles of Human Rights, 1991 approved by the United Nations at its General Assembly of 1993.

  Terms of the chairperson and Members:

• The Amendment act, 2019 reduces the term from five to three years or till the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier and shall be eligible for re-appointment.

Working and Functions of the commission:

• It is vested with the power to regulate its own procedure
• It has all the powers of civil court and its proceedings have a judicial character
• The commission has its own nucleus of investigating staff for investigation and complaints of violation of human rights.
• It can look into a matter within one year of its occurrence.

• Concerned government or authority to make payment of compensation or damages to the victim
• Concerned government or authority the Initation of proceedings for prosecution or any other action against the public servant
•  Concerned government or authority for the grant of immediate interim relief to the victim.
•  It may approach the Supreme Court or High Court concerned for the necessary directions, orders or writs.

Appointment and Removal:

   Rapid climate change has the potential to strongly influence the physiology, behaviour and breeding success of animals. Research frequently point to the fact that increasing temperatures, for instance, are having negative effect on animals. These range from mass die-off events during heat waves to less obvious problems like difficulty in finding food.

   For birds like hornbills in Arid Zones, rising temperatures pose a significant problem. Birds in these dry zones usually breed in response to rainfall, which often occurs during the hottest time of the year. Research suggests that high temperatures over a few days or weeks can have negative effects on foraging and body mass. This can lead to reducing the condition of offspring or the probability that young birds will survive to adulthood and breed. Recent Researches see the connection between effects in air temperatures and the breeding output of southern yellow-billed hornbills.

Kalahari Desert (Src: Encyclopaedia)

Desert Temperatures and breeding birds :

• Studies claim that the temperature in the Kalahari region have risen from about 34°C to about 36°C from the mid 1990's to the present day. This equates to a warming rate of about 1°C per decade, a rate five times faster than the worldwide average of about 0.2°C per decade.
• It was found that breeding output of hornbills was negatively correlated with increasing air temperatures and the occurrence of drought within the breeding season. Breeding attempts all failed when average daily maximum air temperatures exceeded 35.7°C. And the effects of high air temperatures were present even in non-drought years.
• Considering the strong negative correlation between high air temperature and breeding output, Scientists argue that global warming has likely been the primary driver of the recent, rapid collapse in breeding success of the bird population studied. 

Southern yellow-billed hornbill

•   Overall, though this study is specific to southern yellow-billed hornbills, scientists suggest that the findings are likely applicable to a range of species.

Way forward

In the short term, there are options such as providing water and insulated nest boxes. But in the Long-term, it would be necessary to preserve habitats which warm less rapidly or which can buffer the effects of climate change on biodiversity.

  மத்திய சுற்றுச்சூழல், வனம் மற்றும் காலநிலை மாற்றம் அமைச்சகம், அண்மையில் வெளியிடப்பட்ட சுற்றுச்சூழல் செயல்திறன் குறியீடு 2022-க்கு மறுப்பு தெரிவித்துள்ளது. சுற்றுச்சூழல் செயல்திறன் குறியீடு 2022 அடிப்படை ஆதாரமற்ற மற்றும் அறிவியல்பூர்வமற்ற முறையிலும், வெற்று யூகங்களின் அடிப்படையிலும் வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளதாக தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

  புதிய குறியீடு, மிகக்குறைந்த கரியமில வாயு உமிழ்வு தொடர்பான வரலாற்று தரவுகளை மறைத்துள்ளது. விவசாயிகள் அதிகம் உள்ள வளரும் நாடுகளுக்கு, மண் ஆரோக்கியம், வேளாண் பல்லுயிர், உணவு இழப்பு மற்றும் கழிவுகள் உள்ளிட்டவை முக்கியமானவை. இவை புதிதாக வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ள, சுற்றுச்சூழல் செயல்திறன் குறியீடு 2022 சேர்க்கப்படவில்லை.

மேற்கூறிய பல்வேறு காரணங்களால், சுற்றுச்சூழல் செயல்திறன் குறியீடு 2022-க்கு, மத்திய சுற்றுச்சூழல் வனம் மற்றும் காலநிலை அமைச்சகம் மறுப்பு தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

செய்தி மூலம்: PIB