General Studies Classes By Akhilesh Mishra/ Aranya Civil Services

PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention 2023 in Indore today.

Joined by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana as the Chief Guest and President Chan Santokhi as the Special Guest of Honour for the Convention.

Convening physically after a gap of 4 years, PBD 2023 is packed with opportunities to engage and connect with overseas Indians and celebrate their contribution to India’s growth story.

To underline the importance of safe, legal, orderly and skilled migration, PBD 2023 saw the release of a Commemorative Postal Stamp on ‘Suraksh*t Jayen, Prashiksh*t Jayen’.

The World's Longest River Cruise from Varanasi on River Ganga to Dibrugarh on River Brahmaputra.

🚢Boarding : 10th January and will reach Dibrugarh on 1st March.

🛳️The cruise goes via : Patna, Kolkata, Dhaka, Dhubri, Guwahati, Majuli Island.

During the 51 - day itinerary, cruise will sail along three major waterways in the sub-continent: National Waterway 1 over the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River system,the Indo-Bangla Protocol Route from Kolkata to Dhubri, and National Waterway 2 over Brahmaputra.

New format of model question paper for 67th BPSC mains optional paper

Mithila Makhana gets GI Tag

Union government has awarded Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Mithila Makhana. With this move, growers will get the maximum price for their premium produce.

Over five lakh farmers of Mithila region of Bihar will be benefitted from this decision.

In a tweet Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said Mithila Makhana registered with GI Tag, farmers will get profit and it will be easier to earn. Due to Geographical Indication Tag to Mithila Makhana in the festive season, people outside Bihar will be able to use this auspicious material with reverence.

Once a product gets this tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name. This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed.

The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection to that item, prevention against unauthorised use by others, and promoting exports.

About Mithila Makhana:

“Makhana” is derived from the Sanskrit word for grain Mak. Mak is the meaning of sacrifice. Grain that is widely used in sacrifice. “Makhana” is one of the choicest aquatic cash fruit crop of Mithila region of Bihar.In Mithila culture of Bihar, Makhana is known as Makhaan in Maithili. It is an auspicious ingredient in offerings to the Goddesses during festivals and is used to show reverence.

Geographical area of production of “Mithila Makhana” takes place in 21 out of 38 districts, mostly situated in the North of the Bihar state. It is a unique aquatic cash fruit crop in the state mainly grown in Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Sheohar, Purvi Champaran, Paschim Champaran, Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan, Chapra, Samastipur, Begusarai, Khagaria, Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura, Araria, Kishanganj, Purnea and Katihar of Mithila region.

The plant does best in locations with hot, dry summers and cold winters. It is plant of tropical and subtropical climate. The optimum temperature range for its growth and development, the conducive range of air temperature is 20-35°C, relative humidity 65-90% and annual rainfall 100-250 cm.

Makhana, being a popular aquatic fruit crop has a heavy water requirement. Thus, assured availability of irrigation water is the prime need for its cultivation especially in field condition.

Moreover, it also needs permanent standing water throughout its growth period. Seeds are collected in the late summer and early autumn, and may be eaten raw or cooked. The plant is cultivated for its seeds in lowland ponds in India.

Initially, makhana is grown in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, swamps, and ditches but realizing the importance, it has been commercialized as a major aquatic horticultural crop. Now, Makhana cultivation is started in lowlands area in shallow water under field condition. Clay to loam soil is suitable for growing successful makhana crop

It is one of the most common dry fruits utilized by the people due to low fat content, high contents of carbohydrates, protein and minerals. Both raw and fried Makhana are fairly rich in essential amino acids. Edible perisperm constitutes 80 per cent starch.

Makhana is a store house of macroand micro-nutrients. The seeds are eaten raw or roasted. The seeds are sold in market and used as a farinaceous food. A lot of medicinal uses are recommended in the Indian system of medicine.

The different dietary components of the seeds were investigated to assess its nutritional
significance.

What is GI :

Geographical Indication is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory.

Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness which is essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality.

Under Articles 1 (2) and 10 of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property, geographical indications are covered as an element of IPRs. They are also covered under Articles 22 to 24 of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, which was part of the Agreements concluding the Uruguay Round of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) negotiations.

Geographical Indications in India is protected under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999 and the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Rules, 2002.

How is a geographical indication different from a trade mark?

A trade mark is a sign which is used in the course of trade and it distinguishes goods or services of one business with those of other businesses.

A geographical indication is an indication used to identify goods having special characteristics originating from a definite geographical territory.

मुजफ्फरपुर के एलएस कॉलेज की वेधशाला अब यूनेस्को की लुप्तप्राय विश्व विरासत की सूची में

UNESCO has added Muzaffarpur's Langat Singh College astronomical observatory, established in 1916. on its list of important endangered heritage observatories of the world.

Jagdeep Dhankhar elected India's 14th Vice President; defeats Margaret Alva by landslide

India has been elected as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 cycle.

In a series of tweets, Culture Ministry GK Reddy said this is yet another opportunity for India to reinstate the values of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.

The elections for the Intergovernmental Committee took place during the two day General Assembly of the 2003 Convention held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris which began on the 5th of July.

Former Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will be the new Sherpa of G-20.

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal will give up the position as Sherpa of G-20.

With the G-20 presidency coming to India, a full-time Sherpa is required who would be needed to devote a lot of time to meetings that will be held in different parts of the country.

India's largest floating solar power project is now fully operational. NTPC declared commercial operation of the final part capacity of 20 MW out of 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, Telangana with effect from 1st of July. With the operationalisation of 100-MW Solar PV Project at Ramagundam, the total commercial operation of floating solar capacity in the Southern Region rose to 217 MW.

The 100-MW Floating Solar project at Ramagundam is endowed with advanced technology as well as environment-friendly features. Constructed with a financial implication of 423 crore rupees, the project spreads over 500 acres of its reservoir.

An official release said that with the presence of floating solar panels, the evaporation rate from water bodies is reduced, thus helping in water conservation. Nearly 32.5 lakh cubic meters per year water evaporation can be avoided. The water body underneath the solar modules helps in maintaining their ambient temperature, thereby improving their efficiency and generation.