What is the News ?

In recent discoveries, two new spider species, named Palpimanus Godawan and Palpimanus Maldhok, were identified within the conservation areas of Rajasthan Desert National Park and Solapur.

Facts About:

• These two spider species, Godawan and Maldhok, have been named in tribute to the local name of the Great Indian Bustard.

Features of these Spiders:

• These spiders are quite reserved and tend to seek shelter under rocks or in crevices when they feel disturbed.
• They exhibit a maroon coloration, a distinctive characteristic shared with the other two recognized species within the Palpimanidae genus.
• Being ground-dwelling creatures, they possess relatively robust bodies, which restricts their ability to disperse in the typical spider fashion through ballooning or shooting webs to move from place to place.
• They tend to remain within a limited area.

What is the News ?

During recent archaeological excavations at the megalithic dolmen site near Moodbidri in Dakshina Kannada, researchers discovered terracotta figurines in various states of preservation that are quite distinct.

Facts About:

The Megalithic culture in India is renowned for its various burial practices and the use of iron.

• One of these practices involves the construction of dolmens.

Characteristics:

• Dolmens consisted of large stone slabs, known as orthostats, placed in a clockwise arrangement, forming a square chamber.
• This square chamber was sealed by another massive stone slab acting as a capstone.
• Typically, an entrance, often circular or U-shaped, known as a port hole, was created on the Eastern slab.

In South India, it was known by various names such as Kalmane, Pandavara Mane, Moriyara Mane, and Moriyara Betta, highlighting its popularity among the local population.

Significance:

• The presence of cow bovines in these dolmens assists in establishing their historical timeline.

The discovery of terracotta artifacts within megalithic burials provides valuable insights into the Bhoota cult or Daiva Aradhane in coastal Karnataka.

Similarities with cow goddess figures are observed in the megalithic terracotta figurines of Malampuzha in Kerala and even in Egypt.

What is the News ?

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala chaired a National KCC Conference in Mumbai on 4th September 2023 to boost Kisan Credit Card (KCC) saturation among animal husbandry and dairy farmers.

Facts About:

Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Historical Background: Introduced in 1998 to simplify and streamline access to timely credit support for farmers. Expanded in 2004 to include allied and non-farm activities. Extended to fisheries and animal husbandry in the Budget-2018-19.

Objectives:

• Meet short-term credit needs for cultivation.
• Cover post-harvest expenses.
• Fulfill household consumption needs.
• Implementing Agencies: Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks, Cooperatives.

Salient Features:

• Offers an ATM-enabled RuPay Card.
• Requires one-time documentation.
• Allows for cost escalation in the limit.
• Permits multiple withdrawals within the limit.
• Covers post-harvest expenses, produce marketing loans, and household consumption.
• Repayment period aligned with crop harvesting and marketing.
• Maximum short-term loan tenure: 1 year, long-term loan: 5 years.
• Interest subvention scheme of 2% for short-term crop loans up to Rs. 3 lakh.
• Additional 2% interest subvention and 3% prompt repayment incentive.
• Simple interest for prompt payments; compound interest for delays.

Benefits:

• Interest rates as low as 2.00%.
• No security required for loans up to Rs. 1.60 lakh.
• Crop insurance coverage against various calamities.
• Insurance coverage for permanent disability, death, and other risks provided to farmers.

What is the News ?

President Droupadi Murmu recently launched the First Global Symposium on Farmers' Rights in New Delhi.

Facts About:

• Location: ICAR Convention Centre, National Agricultural Science Centre, New Delhi. from September 12 to 15, 2023.
• Historical Background: The concept of hosting the inaugural GFSR was proposed by the Government of India during the Ninth Session of the Governing Body (GB9) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty) in September 2022.

                 This proposal received approval from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization).

• Organized by: The Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (International Treaty) under the umbrella of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) based in Rome.
• Hosted by: The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, in collaboration with the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPVFR) Authority, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), and ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR).
• Objective: The primary aim is to address crucial issues concerning farmers' rights and their pivotal role in global food security and agriculture.
• Distinguished scientists and experts from 59 countries around the world will participate.
• They will engage in discussions on how to acknowledge and compensate the significant contributions made by local and indigenous communities, as well as farmers from all corners of the world, in preserving and advancing plant genetic resources (PGR).

What is the News ?

The Kerala health department sent out a warning in Kozhikode because they suspected that two individuals who passed away from unusual causes in the district might have contracted the Nipah virus (NiV).

Facts About:

Nipah virus infection is an illness that can be passed from animals to humans.

• The virus responsible for Nipah Virus encephalitis is an RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxoviridae family and Henipavirus genus.
• It is closely related to the Hendra virus.

This virus first emerged in Malaysia and Singapore in 1998 and 1999.

• Initially, it was detected in domestic pigs but has since been found in various domestic animals, including dogs, cats, goats, horses, and sheep.

Transmission:

The disease is transmitted through fruit bats, often referred to as 'flying foxes,' specifically those belonging to the Pteropus genus.

• These bats are natural hosts for both Nipah and Hendra viruses.
• The virus is present in bat urine and, potentially, in bat feces, saliva, and birthing fluids.

Symptoms:

• Typically, when humans become infected, they experience symptoms resembling encephalitis, which include fever, headaches, drowsiness, confusion, disorientation, coma, and sometimes even death.

Treatment: Currently, there is no specific treatment available for this virus.