G.I. Tag 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-1-Geography 

Why in News?

· Seven products from across India has received the G.I. Tag.

 · They include: · The Jalesar Dhatu Shilp- a metal craft from Uttar Pradesh.

 · Goa Mankurad Mango which was named by Portuguese from Goa. 

 · Gaon Bebinca- a type of pudding and a traditional Indo-Portugues dessert.

 · Udaipur Koftagari metal craft, Bikaner Kashidakari craft, Jodhpur Bandhej craft and Bikaner Usta Kala crafts from Rajasthan. 

 Geographical Indication Tag: 

 · It is an indication which is used to identify the goods that have special characteristics originates from a definite geographical territory. 

 · It is mainly an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product. 

 Validity: 

 · It is valid for a period of 10 years from which it can be renewed. 

 G.I. Registration: 

 · The G.I. Registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods Act 1999. 

 · It came into force from the year 2003. 

 · The first product of India which received the G.I. Tag was Darjeeling tea.

FAME INDIA Scheme 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-2-Important Policies 

Why in News?

The Ministry of Heavy Industries have received complaints against 17 OEMs under the FAME India Scheme Phase-II. 

 FAME India: 

 · It is the part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan. 

 · Its main aim is to encourage the electric vehicles by providing the subsidies. 

 · It has two phases: 

 · Phase-I was started in 2015 and ended in 2019

· Phase-II was started in 2019 and extended till 2024 from 2022. 

 · It mainly focusses on four areas. They are: a) Technology Development b) Demand creation c) Pilot Projects d) Charging Infrastructure 

 Objectives: 

 · To encourage the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles.

 · To establish a necessary charging infrastructure 

 · To reduce the environmental pollution 

 Features of Phase-II:

 · It promotes electrification of the public transportation

 · It supports subsidies to approximately 7000 e-Buses, 5 lakh e-3 Wheelers, 55000 e-4 wheelers and 10 lakh e-2 wheelers.

· It establishes new charging stations 

 · It encourages advanced technologies.

Meri Maati Mera Desh 

 Syllabus: Prelims-Important Policies

Why in News?

Prime Minister of India has said that the Meri Maati and Mera Desh campaign will be launched to honour our martyred brave heart men and women 

 Meri Maati Mera Desh: 

 · It will be launched as a part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav 

 · It is aimed to develop a garden called as Amrit Vatika along with Kartavya Path in Delhi. 

 · Under this, soil will be collected from the different parts of the country in August.

 · Events are planned at the Panchayat, village, urban local body and state and national levels.

 · It contains five-point agenda the includes-Shilaphalakam-which contains the names of those who have made the supreme sacrifice. 

 · The work under Shilaphalakam will be executed through the MGNREGA, leveraging local materials. 

 · Vasudha Vandhan which includes every gram panchayat or village renewing Mother Earth by planting 75 saplings of local species and developing an Amrita VATIKA. 

 · Soil will be collected from every panchayat/ village by volunteers and bring it to the block, from where Mitti Kalash will be transported to Delhi. 

 · Events will be organized at local bodies, notified area councils and town panchayats from August 9 and 15. 

 · In Bigger Municipalities and Municipal corporations the from August 16 to 20.

Wilful Defaulters and Fugitive Economic Offender 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-3-Economy

Why in News?

· India’s top 50 wilful defaulters owed banks as much as 87,295 crores by the March 31^st, 2023.

 · The largest borrower is Geetanjali Gems Ltd which is owned by Mehul Choksi who is the uncle of fugitive economic offender Nirav Modi.

 Wilful Defaulters: 

 · Wilful Defaulters are those who have not paid their loans back despite having the ability to repay them. 

 · They may also diverted the loan for purposes other than those mentioned in the loan agreement.

 · They may also sold off the funds without the knowledge of the bank/lender. 

 Fugitive Economic Offender:

 · A fugitive economic offender are those who has committed one or more scheduled crimes involving 100 crores or more. 

 · They either fled India or refuses to return in order to evade or face criminal punishment. 

 · To deal with these persons, Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 was introduced. 

 · It aims to help confiscate high-value economic offenders absconding from India till they submit to the jurisdiction.

 · A special court issues a notice for the person after filling an application in a special court. 

 · The person should appear at a specified place and date at least six weeks form the issue of notice.

 · The proceedings will be terminated if the person appears.

 · If the person does not appear then he would be declared as a Fugitive Economic Offender. 

 · Then the person should challenge the proclamation in the High Court within 30 days of such declaration.

Aspartame 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-3-Science & Technology

Why in News?

 · WHO recently declared aspartame, an artificial sweetener used in the food industry, as possible as carcinogen. 

 · Substance which causes cancer are known as carcinogens. 

 · But it is still safe to be used as a food additive in various products in reasonable quantities.

 Aspartame:

 · Aspartame is a low-calorie artificial sweetener.

 · It is approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. 

 · It is a white and odourless powder. 

 · It is used in 5000 food products globally. 

 · Scientists had found that it cause malignant tumours in rats and mice in the year 2007. Artificial Sweeteners:

 · They are substitutes for sugar.

 · They are chemically synthesized and provides a sweet taste without any high calorie content. 

 · They are mainly used in food and beverage products. 

 · Examples: Aspartame · Acesulfame · Sucralose · Neotame etc. 

 Benefits:

· Weight management 

 · Controls diabetes 

 · Prevents tooth decaying etc. 

 Negative Impacts: 

· Health effects

 · Digestive issues

Voyager 2 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-3-Science & Technology 

 Why in News? 

Voyager 2 has lost track of Earth. 

 Voyager Mission:

· It was launched by NASA.

 · It was launched to explore the outer planets. 

 · Voyager 2 was launched first on August 20, 1977. 

 · Voyager 1 was launched on September 5, 1977. 

 · Voyager 2 is considered to be the NASA’s longest running-mission.

 · Its main objective is to extend the NASA exploration of the solar system beyond the neighbourhood of the outer planets to the outer limits of the Sun’s sphere of influence.

 · The Voyager spacecraft is considered to be the third and fourth human spacecraft to fly beyond all the planets in our solar system.

 Accomplishments: 

 · Voyager-2 is the first to study the Neptune and Uranus during the planetary flybys. 

 · It is the second man-made object which had left our planet. 

 · It is the only spacecraft which have visited all four gas giant planets such as Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune.

· It had discovered the 16 moons. 

 · It had even found the phenomenon of Neptune’s mysteriously transient Great Dark Spot.

· It had found about the ring features of the planet

Scrub Typhus 

 Syllabus: GS Paper-3-Science & Technology 

Why in News?

Alert issued against the Scrub Typhus in Kerala 

 Scrub Typhus:

· It is also known as bush typhus.

· It is caused by a bacteria known as Orientia tsutsugamushi. 

 Transmission: 

 · It spreads to people through the bites of infected chiggers (larval mites)

 · Chigger mites infect the human skin through the areas of contact with the vegetation.

 · It may be transmitted when you are playing outdoor games or walking in the park.

 Symptoms: 

 · Fever

 · Headache 

 · Body Aches 

 · Dry Cough

 · Skin rashes

 · Red eyes 

 · Confusion

 · Some times it even leads to Coma 

 Vaccination: 

 · Currently there is no vaccination for this disease

 Medication: 

 · The antibiotic known as Doxycycline is used. 

 Prevention: 

 · It can be prevented by wearing fully covered clothes before entering the shrubby areas.

 · It will be prevented by not drying the clothes on grass or ground 

 · Shrubs should be removed or cleaned in your surroundings.

Practice Questions

1.Consider the following statements regarding G.I. Tag: 

 1.It came into force from the year 2001. 

 2. The first product of India which received the G.I. Tag was Darjeeling tea. 

 Which of the above statements are correct? 

 a) Only 1

 b) Only 2

 c) Both 1&2 

 d) Neither 1 nor 2

2.Consider the following statements regarding FAME India Scheme: 

 1. It is the part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan 

 2. Its main aim is to encourage the electric vehicles by providing the subsidies 

 3. Phase-II was started in 2019 and ended in 2022 

 How many of the above statements are correct?

 a) Only One

 b) Only two 

 c) Only three 

 d) None

3.Meri Maati Mera Desh is related to which of the following? 

 a. Agriculture

 b. Fertilisers 

 c. Independence Day 

 d. Disaster Management

4.Consider the following statements regarding Wilful defaulters: 

 1. A wilful defaulter is who has committed one or more scheduled crimes involving 100 crores or more. 

 2. They divert the loan for purposes other than those mentioned in the loan agreement 

 Which of the above statements are incorrect? 

 a. Only 1

 b. Only 2 

 c. Both 1&2 

 d. Neither 1 nor 2

5.Consider the following statements regarding Aspartame: 

 Statement-I: It is an artificial sweetener which is carcinogenic 

 Statement-II: It is still safe to be used as a food additive in various products in reasonable quantities

 Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? 

 a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I. 

 b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I. 

 c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

 d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

6.Consider the following statements regarding Voyager 2: 

 Statement-I: Voyager 2 was launched first than Voyager 1 

 Statement-II: Voyager 1 is considered to be the NASA’s longest running-mission 

 Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? 

 a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

 b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I. 

 c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect 

 d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

7.Consider the following statements regarding Scrub Typhus: 

 1. It is a viral disease 

 2. It is mainly caused by bushes. 

 3. Currently there is no vaccination for this disease 

 How many of the above statements are correct? 

 a) Only One

 b) Only two 

 c) Only three 

 d) None