Pandavula Gutta designated exclusive Geo-heritage site in Telangana

About Pandavula Gutta:

• It is a geological marvel older than the Himalayan hills. It is located in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district in Telangana is home to many prehistoric habitation sites.
• It is rich in terms of number of paintings, rock shelters and its habitation, right from the mesolithic to medieval times.
• The paintings feature geometrical designs and impressions in green, red, yellow and white pigment colours. These cave paintings offer a rare glimpse into the prehistoric man’s rock art identified on walls and ceilings of caves, rock shelters and isolated boulders.
• The rock art paintings depict wild life like Bison, Antelope, Tiger, Leopard etc. Other shapes like swastika symbol, circles and squares, weapons such as bows, arrows, sword and lancer etc are present in these paintings.

What is a Geo-heritage site?

• “Geoheritage” is a generic but descriptive term applied to sites or areas of geologic features with significant scientific, educational, cultural or aesthetic value.
• Scientifically and educationally significant geoheritage sites include those with textbook geologic features and landscapes, distinctive rock or mineral types, unique or unusual fossils, or other geologic characteristics that are significant to education and research. 
• Culturally significant geoheritage sites are places where geologic features or landscapes played a role in cultural or historical events.
• Aesthetically significant geoheritage sites include landscapes that are visually appealing because of their geologic features or processes.

What''s Model Code of Conduct? How it came into being and what''s allowed and what''s not

About Model Code of Conduct:

• It traces its origins back to the assembly elections in Kerala in 1960.
• It serves as a set of conventions unanimously agreed upon by all stakeholders involved in the electoral process.
• Its primary objective is to ensure that campaigns, polling and counting proceed in an orderly, transparent and peaceful manner.
• Additionally, it serves as a mechanism to curb any misuse of state machinery and financial resources by the ruling party.
• It does not possess any statutory backing but has been upheld by the Supreme Court on multiple occasions.

What Activities Are Prohibited After Implementation of MCC?

• Ministers and other authorities are barred from announcing any financial grants or making commitments once the elections are announced, as per the guidelines of the election panel.
• Once the dates for the Lok Sabha elections are announced, Ministers and other authorities are also restricted from laying foundation stones or initiating projects or schemes of any kind, except civil servants. No project or scheme that may sway voters in favor of the ruling party can be announced after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
• Additionally, ministers are prohibited from using official machinery for campaign purposes. Official visits must not be combined with any electioneering activities after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
• Furthermore, the use of official machinery or personnel for electioneering purposes is strictly forbidden. Ministers and other authorities are not allowed to sanction grants or payments from discretionary funds once the elections are announced.
• Government accommodations should not serve as campaign offices or be used for holding public meetings for election propaganda by any party, as prohibited by the poll body.
• The Election Commission of India (ECI) prohibits the issuance of advertisements at the cost of the public exchequer in newspapers and other media during the election period.
• The misuse of official mass media for partisan coverage of political news and publicity regarding achievements to favor the ruling party should be strictly avoided, as noted in the MCC guidelines.

What is the HbA1C test and why is it used to check for diabetes?

About Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) Test:

• It is one of the most commonly-used tests to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) and to help manage diabetes. It is also known as the glycated haemoglobin or glycosylated haemoglobin test.
• It is an important blood test that gives a good indication of how well your diabetes is being controlled.
• Hemoglobin is the part of your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.

How does the test work?

• Sugar enters your bloodstream from the food you eat. The sugar or glucose, attaches to the haemoglobin in your red blood cells. Haemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen to all the cells of your body.
• Everybody has some sugar attached to their haemoglobin. Those with pre-diabetes and diabetes, however, have more. The HbA1C test measures the percentage of your red blood cells that have sugar-coated, or glycated, haemoglobin.

What is Diabetes?

• It is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas can no longer make insulin, or the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces.
• Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.
• Not being able to produce or use insulin effectively leads to raised glucose levels in the blood, known as hyperglycaemia.
• Over the long-term high glucose levels are associated with damage to the body and failure of various organs and tissues. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke, and lower limb amputation.

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) to be Conducted Nationwide Under ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram

About ULLAS Initiative:

• The Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) initiative is poised to revolutionise education and literacy across the nation.
• It is done by fostering a learning ecosystem that reaches every individual, bridging the gaps in basic literacy and critical life skills.
• It imparts basic education, digital and financial literacy and critical life skills to citizens aged 15 and above who lost on the opportunity to go to school. It is being implemented through volunteerism.
• Its objective is to impart not only Foundational Literacy and Numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of 21st century such as 
• Critical Life Skills(including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare); 
• Vocational Skills Development(with a view towards obtaining local employment); 
• Basic Education(including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency)
• Continuing Education(including engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, such as more advanced material on critical life skills).
• The ULLAS app can be used for registration of learners and volunteers either through self-registration or by surveyors. It will serve as a digital gateway for learners to engage in diverse learning resources through the DIKSHA portal of NCERT.

MHA ranks among 10 top ministries in grievance redressal assessment index

About Grievance Redressal Assessment Index:

• It was conceptualised and designed by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India.
• Objective: To present an organisation-wise comparative picture and provide valuable insights about strengths and areas of improvement regarding the grievance redressal mechanism.
• It is based on a comprehensive index in the dimensions of Efficiency, Feedback, Domain and Organisational Commitment. It uses data from the Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Management System (CPGRAMS).

Key facts about CPGRAMS

• It is an online platform available to the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to the public authorities on any subject related to service delivery. It is a single portal connected to all the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and States.
• The status of the grievance filed in CPGRAMS can be tracked with the unique registration ID provided at the time of registration of the complainant.
• It also provides an appeal facility to the citizens if they are not satisfied with the resolution by the Grievance Officer.

SEBI approves launch of beta version of T+0 settlement from March 28

About T+0 Settlement:

• It means that the funds and securities for a transaction will be settled on the day the trade was entered.
• At present, the Indian securities markets operate on a T+1 settlement cycle, where the settlement happens on the next day of trade. 
• In 2002, the regulator cut down the settlement period from T+5 to T+3, and in 2003, SEBI further reduced it to T+2. In 2021, the T+1 settlement started and was gradually implemented, with the final phase completed in January 2023.
• Advantages:
• Instant receipt of funds and securities to the investor.  It will eliminate the risk of any kind of settlement shortage and give greater control over funds and securities to the investor.
• There is expected to be lower counterparty risk and increased liquidity in the market.
• The Moscow Exchange (MOEX), Korea Exchange (KRX), Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE), and Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) offer T+0 settlements for certain types of trades and transactions.

CAG alert on unacceptable pollution of Kshipra River in Madhya Pradesh

About Shipra River:

• The Shipra, also known as the Kshipra, is a river in Madhya Pradesh state. It is a perennial river and is considered as sacred as the Ganga River by the Hindus. 
• Course:
• Origin: It originates in the Vindhya Range from a hill called Kakri-Tekdi, which is in the north of Dhar and situated at a distance of 11km from Ujjain. 
• It flows across the Malwa Plateau to join the Chambal River.
• Religious Significance:
• The Puranas, or ancient Hindu texts, put forward that the Shipra originated from the heart of Varaha, Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as a boar.
• Also on the banks of the Shipra is Sage Sandipani’s ashram or hermitage, where Krishna, Lord Vishnu’s eighth incarnation, had studied.
• It finds mention not only in ancient Hindu texts but also in Buddhist and Jain scriptures.
• The holy city of Ujjain is located on the right bank of the Shipra River. The famous Kumbha Mela takes place in the ghats of this city, once every 12 years, a yearly celebration of the river goddess Kshipra.
• Major Tributaries: Khan and Gambhir

This new trade route could revolutionize Russia-India trade and strategic partnership

About Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC):

• It is a proposed sea route between the Indian port of Chennai and the Russian port of Vladivostok.
• Once complete, it will take 24 days, down from presently over 40 days, to transport goods from India to Far East Russia.
• The EMC will cover a distance of about 5,600 nautical miles, which is significantly shorter than the current route via the Suez Canal.
• For India, it will provide a shorter and more efficient route to access the markets of the Far East, such as China and Japan.

Key Facts About Vladivostok:

• It is a major city in Russia, located in the Far East of the country.
• It is located on the Golden Horn Bay, north of North Korea, and a short distance from Russia’s border with China.
• It is the largest port on Russia’s Pacific coast, and home to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Navy.
• It is the eastern railhead of the legendary Trans-Siberian Railway, which connects the Far East of Russia to the capital Moscow, and further west to the countries of Europe.

India extends ban on de-oiled rice bran export by four months

About Rice Bran:

• It is one of the main byproducts in the process of rice milling. It is the outer brown layer of brown rice and is separated during the milling process.
• The bran fraction contains 14-18% oil. 
• Rice bran oil is popular as a "healthy oil" in Japan, Asia, and particularly India.
• It is a pale yellow, odourless, nutty-flavoured oil with a sweet taste.
• It is a good source of unsaturated fats, vitamin E and other important nutrients. 
• The nutrient composition of rice bran depends on the rice variety and the efficiency of the milling system. It is currently mostly used as animal feed. The oily nature makes bran an excellent binder for animal feeds. 
• Health Effects:
• It has anti-diabetic, lipid-lowering, hypotensive, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, while its consumption also improves bowel function.
• It contains substances that might decrease how much cholesterol the body absorbs. It might also decrease calcium absorption, which might help prevent certain types of kidney stones from forming.

No Anticipatory Bail To Accused Against Whom Non-Bailable Warrant & Proclamation Under Section 82 CrPC Are Pending: Supreme Court

About Section 82 of Cr.P.C:

• It provides for the issuing of a proclamation in a case where the court has reason to believe that the person has concealed himself or has absconded in order to evade the execution of warrants issued against him.
• The court may form its opinion suo motu from the material on a record or on the presentation of evidence by the prosecution.
• Through a written proclamation, the court orders the accused to appear at a specific place, and a specific time should be given; it should not be less than 30 days from the date of publishing of the proclamation.
• The provisions under this section are not for punishing the accused but have the sole purpose of compelling him to appear before the court. Therefore, a proclamation cannot be issued without first issuing a warrant. 
• The issuing of the proclamation cannot be done in an arbitrary manner, but there should be reasons recorded by the court to substantiate the order of the proclamation.
• Subsection (2) of Section 82 deals with the procedure through which a proclamation is issued. The provision provides that the proclamation shall be published as follows:
• It is read in some conspicuous place in the town or village where the accused person ordinarily resides.  
• It is affixed at some conspicuous part of the house where such a person ordinarily resides. It can also be fixed in some conspicuous part of town or village. 
• The proclamation can also be circulated through a daily newspaper circulated in the place where the person ordinarily resides.
• Proclaimed Offender:
• A person who is accused of serious offences under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, if he fails to appear as per the requirements of the proclamation, the court can declare him a proclaimed offender after inquiring into the matter.
• A police officer can arrest a person who has been declared a proclaimed offender without any warrant. Even a private person can arrest a proclaimed offender and present him to the nearest police station.
• The title of proclaimed offender ceases to exist as soon as the person is arrested or otherwise becomes capable of being presented before the court.
• A proclaimed offender shall be liable for a term of imprisonment that may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to a fine in tandem with such a punishment. 

Difference between Proclaimed Offender and Proclamation:

• A proclamation is a notice to the accused, who is believed by the court to have absconded or concealed himself to evade execution of warrants, whereas, proclaimed offender is a title that is conferred upon a person against whom a proclamation has been published and also who have committed a serious offence.
• The title of a proclaimed offender is declared after an inquiry is conducted by the court, in which the court has to confirm that such a person has been intentionally in hiding to evade the execution of warrants. 
• The title of proclaimed offender opens up the person to penal liabilities and also to other disqualifications.