What is the News ?

The Pazhathottam region within Anamudi Shola National Park, close to Munnar in Idukki, has blossomed into a lush paradise bustling with vibrant life.

Facts About:

• Location: Situated in Kerala, India.
• Surrounded by Eravikulam National Park, Pampadum Shola National Park, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, and Mathikettan Shola Park.
• Vegetation: Encompasses southern subtropical hill forests, southern montane wet temperate forests, and moist deciduous forests.
• Unique Features: The dense shola woods here contain stunted trees and are adorned with lush lichen, mosses, and climbers.
• Flora: Houses approximately 174 species of herbs and shrubs, 62 tree species, and around 40 species of climbers, some of which are unique to the region.
• Fauna: Abode to diverse wildlife, including leopards, civet cats, wolves, Indian bison, wild boars, elephants, tigers, panthers, and sloth bears.

What is the News ?

In August, Gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw an impressive inflow of Rs 1,028 crore, marking the highest influx in the past 16 months.

Facts About:

• These are investment funds linked to the value of gold.
• Gold ETFs are passive investments that track the price of gold and invest in physical gold bullion.
• They represent gold in a form that can be paper-based or dematerialized.
• Each unit of a Gold ETF is equivalent to 1 gram of highly pure physical gold.
• Gold ETFs are listed and traded on the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange Ltd. (BSE).
• They offer complete transparency regarding their gold holdings, thanks to direct gold pricing.

What is the News ?

Through the comprehensive SHREYAS program, a total of 1,628.89 crore rupees have been disbursed from 2014-15 to 2022-23, benefiting 21,326 recipients.

Facts About:

• The Ministry of Human Resource and Development has introduced the Scheme for Higher Education Youth for Apprenticeship and Skills (SHREYAS) to align educational programs with the needs of industries and service sectors.
• It also encourages students to gain practical experience while studying.

Objectives:

• Enhance Students' Employability: By providing on-the-job work exposure through the National Apprenticeship Promotional Scheme (NAPS) and the National Career Service (NCS), SHREYAS aims to improve students' employability.
• Bridge the Gap Between Education and Industry: The scheme establishes a strong connection between education and industry.
• Dynamic Skill Development: SHREYAS offers students the opportunity to acquire skills in a dynamic manner.
• arn While You Learn": It introduces an "earn while you learn" system into higher education.
• Facilitate Quality Manpower: The scheme assists industries in recruiting high-quality manpower.
• Connect Students with Employment Opportunities: It links students with the government's employment facilitation efforts.

What is the News ?

The Defense Ministry has recently approved the purchase of a regiment of Pralay tactical ballistic missiles for the Indian Army.

Facts About:

• Pralay is a quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile.
• It can strike targets at distances ranging from 150 to 500 kilometers.
• The missile can carry between 350 and 700 kilograms of high-grade explosives.
• Pralay is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• It uses a solid propellant rocket motor and incorporates advanced technologies.
• The missile features a state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics system.
• Pralay can alter its trajectory during mid-flight.

What is the News ?

The Prime Minister recently opened the first part of the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC) called Yashobhoomi in New Delhi's Dwarka.

Facts About:

• YashoBhoomi,' also known as the India International Convention and Expo Centre (IICC), is a modern and advanced convention center located in Dwarka, New Delhi.
• It's one of the largest places in the world for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

Key features:

• The project covers an area of over 8.9 lakh square meters and costs about Rs 5400 crores.
• The Convention Center is huge, with 15 convention rooms, including the Main Auditorium, the Grand Ballroom, and 13 meeting rooms. It can hold up to 11,000 delegates.
• It has the country's biggest LED media facade.
• The plenary hall in the Convention Center can seat about 6,000 guests.
• There are also large exhibition halls covering over 1.07 lakh square meters for exhibitions, trade fairs, and business events.
• The center is environmentally friendly, with a state-of-the-art wastewater treatment system that recycles 100% of the wastewater and provisions for rainwater harvesting.