Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 06 November 2023 | Download PDF

The Union government’s scheme to provide 5 kg of free food grains every month to 80 crore Indians, which is slated to end this December, will be extended for another five years.

Key points

• The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) was introduced in 2020 as a pandemic relief measure, providing 5 kg of free foodgrains per beneficiary a month in addition to the 5 kg of subsidised foodgrains they were entitled to under the National Food Security Act.
• This is now being extended to another 5 years.

• The de-induction of the IL-38 aircraft was done recently.
•  C-295 aircraft in the medium-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) can take its role in the future

About IL-38

• IL-38 is a maritime reconnaissance aircraft that was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1977 and remained a formidable air asset throughout its service life for nearly 44 years.
• It was with the induction of IL 38 aircraft that the Navy moved into the arena of airborne Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance (LRMR) combined with long range anti-submarine search and strike, anti-shipping strike, electronic signal intelligence and distant SAR.
• The IL 38 is an all-weather aircraft with long endurance and substantial operating range. Having clocked nearly 10,000 hours of operational flying.

• The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed its first Consul-General in the U.S. city, Seattle.
• This will be the sixth consulate in the U.S.

Five Karnataka villages come under surveillance after Zika virus outbreak.

About Zika Virus

•  It is a mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in the Zika Forest of Uganda in 1947.
• It is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.
• It can also spread through sexual contact, blood transfusion, and from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy or childbirth.
• This virus infection is usually mild, it can have serious consequences for pregnant women and their babies.
• Infection during pregnancy can lead to birth defects such as microcephaly, as well as other neurological disorders in the baby. 
• It has also been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that can lead to muscle weakness and paralysis.
• Treatment: There is no specific treatment available for Zika virus infection or disease.

In a bid to address voter apathy among young Indians, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) will introduce and update textbooks to include content on electoral literacy

Key points

• The measures are part of a memorandum of understanding signed the Election Commission of India (EC) and the Education Ministry.
• It is aimed at extending the EC’s flagship Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) in schools and colleges.
• The MoU aims to address issues such as voter apathy among urban and young Indians.

Did you know?

 Almost 297 million of the 910 million electors did not vote in the Lok Sabha election in 2019

• A two-step PCR-based assay of a small region of the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria can help detect H. pylori infection and also identify clarithromycin-resistant bacteria and those which are drug-sensitive in six-seven hours 
• This has been developed by a team of researchers from the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED), Kolkata

• Odisha is lagging far behind the other states in the dairy sector.
• NABARD red flags the production.

Key points

• Odisha is among the top 10 states with maximum number of cattle population in the country, yet it was at 18th spot in the list of states as per the volume of milk production in 2021-22.
• The per-capita milk availability(144 gm/day) in the state is quite low compared to the national average (444 g/day) as well as ICMR recommendation of 300 gm/day from the basic nutritional requirement view point.

• The Forest, Environment and Climate Change (FE&CC) department has plans to undertake a massive palm (Tala) plantation drive along the notified forest block to avoid human elephant conflict.

Key points

• A palm tree has multiple benefits. 
• It acts as a lightning arrester alongside securing the forest block boundaries. 
• It also provides fodder to wild animals, especially elephants.

• Will be dedicated to people on Jan 17

Key points:

• It is a redevelopment project of the Odisha government in Puri to create an international heritage site, including the Jagannath temple. Though conceived in 2016, it was unveiled in December 2019.
• Under the umbrella project falls the Shree Jagannatha Heritage Corridor (SJHC) or the Shree Mandira Parikrama Project, for the revamp of the area around the temple.
• The project includes Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) building redevelopment, a 600-capacity Srimandir reception centre, Puri Lake, Musa River revival plan, etc.
• The Odisha government has listed three objectives for the revamp of the area around the temple- the security of the temple, the safety of devotees, and the creation of a religious atmosphere for devotees.
• The government allotted funds for the Project from its Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture at Puri (ABADHA) scheme.
• The ABADHA scheme includes Land Acquisition Charges/Rehabilitation & Resettlement/ Road Improvement for providing better facilities in & around Shree Jagannath Temple.

• Kanakund is a place in Odisha, India that’s known as the “Grand Canyon of Odisha”.
• It’s located in the Balisankara block, on the banks of the Ib River. 
• The Ib River has created beautiful canyons in the area. 
• Kanakund is located in a small village a few kilometers from the Sundargarh District. 
• It’s about 50 km from the town of Sundargarh. 
• The Odisha Tourism Department renamed Kanakund as “KANHAKUND”.

• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday felicitated Asian Para-Games medalists shuttler Pramod Bhagat and blind chess player Soundarya Kumar Pradhan with cash awards. 
• While Pramod received a cash award of Rs 2 crore, Soundarya was given a cheque of Rs 1.5 crore.
• Pramod won three medals in para-badminton including a gold and two bronze. Similarly, Soundarya won a Rapid VI B1 chess team event gold medal and a silver in the same category’s individual event.

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