Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 03 November 2023 | Download PDF

A tiny, fragile-looking mushroom sporting a honey-yellow ‘cap’ found on the campus of the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) at Palode in Thiruvananthapuram has been identified as a new species.

Key points

• The new species belongs to the genus Candolleomyces.
• The new species has been named Candolleomyces albosquamosus – ‘albosquamosus’ for the white woolly scale-like structures on its pileus or cap. 
• Delicate in build, the mushroom grows to a height of just about 58 mm.

Did you know?

The discovery of a new species of the genus Candolleomyces in India is special given that there are only 35 species in this genus worldwide

The much-awaited Akhaura-Agartala rail link will be inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina

Key points

• The rail link is 12.24 km, with a 6.78-km dual gauge line in Bangladesh and 5.46 km in Tripura. 
• This rail link is being seen as a first step to connect Tripura to Kolkata through Bangladesh.
• The link will significantly reduce the time and distance needed to reach Tripura, southern Assam, and Mizoram from Kolkata. 
• It will also help boost India-Bangladesh trade in agriculture products, tea, sugar, construction items, iron and steel, consumer items, besides people-to-people ties.

Prime Minister paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Narmada,Gujarat, on the birth anniversary of India’s first Home Minister, which is celebrated as National Unity Day.(31st October)

Key points

• He launched several development projects at the Statue of Unity, which has emerged as a major tourism hub. 
• Statue of Unity is the world’s tallest statue with a height of 182 metres. Over three million visitors visit the site annually.
• Mr. Modi witnessed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) parade.

About Aarambh

• PM addressed the officer trainees of the 98th Common Foundation Course at the culmination of the fifth edition of “Aarambh” in which 560 trainees from Indian civil services and three from Bhutan civil services participated.
• The 5th edition of the “Aarambh” programme was held on the theme of ‘Harnessing the Power of Disruption’.
• The course provides a first-hand introduction to the ideas, challenges and responsibilities of governance in a large and diverse country.

• The central government’s fiscal deficit touched 39.3% of the full year target in the first half of the current financial year, slightly higher than 37.3% recorded in the year-earlier period.
• In the Union Budget, the government projected to bring down the fiscal deficit to 5.9% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the 2023-24 financial year.
• Tax revenue was at ₹11.60 lakh crore or 49.8% of the annual target. During April-September 2022, net tax collection was 52.3% of Budget Estimate.

• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first-ever “Keraleeyam” festival on Kerala’s foundation day.
• It a week-long event showcasing the richness of the region’s ethnic traditions and the complexity of its evolution as a modern State.

Key points

• Keraleeyam is the “mahotsavam” (great festival) that celebrates the spirit of the southern State.
• The event would be held every year from November 1 as part of the State formation day celebrations. 
• The event would be held annually for all the people who are proud of themselves as Keralites, to share their happiness in it with others, and to announce this to the world.

Prime Minister dedicated a slew of infrastructure projects worth ₹5,950 crore in Gujarat during his two-day visit to his home State.

Key points

• He inaugurated railway projects, such as new sections of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and doubling of the Viramgam-Samakhiali rail line,
• He also inaugurated initiatives to recharge lakes, construct a barrage on the Sabarmati river, and set up drinking water and sewage treatment facilities.
• The projects will come up in the districts of Mehsana, Ahmedabad, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha, Mahisagar, Gandhinagar, and Patan.

A pair of wild dogs, often referred to as Dholes, made a rare appearance in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha’s Bargarh district.

About Dhole

• It is a wild canid found in the forests of central, south, and southeast Asia. 
• Other Names: Indian wild dog, whistling dog, red wolf, red dog and mountain wolf.
• They are found throughout Eastern and Southeastern Asia. 
• They can be seen as far north as Siberia, as far south as some Malaysian islands, and as far west as the Indian peninsula. 
• They are found in three clusters across India, namely the Western and Eastern Ghats, the central Indian landscape and North East India. The Western and Eastern Ghats is a stronghold region for dholes.
• Habitat:  Dholes are animals that inhabit dense jungles, steppes, mountains, scrub forests, and pine forests. 

• Dholes are highly social animals, and they frequently hunt in packs of 5 to 12. These clans may grow to as many as 30 or 40 members. 
• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• The Wildlife Protection Act 1972: Schedule II
• CITES: Appendix II

Odisha has recorded the fourth highest ever collection of net GST (OGST + IGST Settlement) with a collection of Rs 1853.98 crore during October, 2023.

Odisha government clamped a seven-month-long prohibition on sea fishing activity within 20 km of the coast at the mouths of rivers Dhamara, Devi and Rusikulya 

Key points

• This is to ensure the safety of marine animals like Olive Ridley turtles during their mating and breeding season.
• It is in accordance with the provisions of  the Orissa Marine Fishing Regulation Act (OMFRA), 1982 and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

• The Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• They are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.
• They are carnivores and get their name from their olive-colored carapace, which is heart-shaped and rounded.
• They are mainly found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
• Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world’s largest rookery (a colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
• IUCN Red List:Vulnerable
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• CITES Appendix I

Chief Justice of India Dr Justice DY Chandrachud will present the prestigious Prativa Patnaik Woman Achiever Award to Dr Silpi Sahoo, 

Key points

• The award is being given by the NGO Capital Foundation Society. 
• The NGO brings together persons of thought and learning to deliberate and articulate public opinion on vital issues. 
• The award is being given on the occasion of the Capital Foundation Annual Lecture and Award, 2023, function 

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