Table of Contents

1. National & Defense

2. International

3. Sports

4. Science & Technology

5. Economy

6. Environment & Ecology

2
National & Defense

1. Nagaland Orange Festival

• Nagaland Fruit Festival is being organized in the state to praise the hard work
of orange growers.
• The most popular fruit festivals in the world are the Pineapple Festival of
Thailand, the Pumpkin Festival in Germany, the Mango Festival of India, the
Cranberry festival in Canada, the Marino Grape Festival of Italy, the Orange
Festival of Amsterdam, etc.
• International Fruit Day is celebrated on July 1.

Nagaland Fruit Festival

• The festival is to be celebrated in Rusoma village near Kohima. The 2023
Nagaland Fruit festival is the third edition.

Why Horticulture and not agriculture?

• Cultivation of fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, flowering plants,
medicinal, and aromatic plants are grouped under horticulture. It is a subset
of agriculture. So, you can term orange cultivation under agriculture as well.
But you cannot term paddy, wheat, and other crop cultivation under
horticulture!

Other Fruit Festivals in India

• The Banana Festival: Kerala
• Pineapple Festival: Manipur
• Mango Festival: Delhi and different parts of India
• Jack Fruit Festival: Kerala
• International Orange Festival: Nagpur
• Konkan Fruit Festival: Goa
• Strawberries Fruit Festival: Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra

2. New integrated Food Security Scheme

• The Central Government of India recently announced the launch of a new
integrated food security scheme, which will provide free food grains to 81.35
crore beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for the year
2023.
 • The Cabinet has decided to implement this central sector scheme in order to
fulfill the vision of “One Nation-One Price-One Ration” under Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
• Under the scheme, the government will provide free food grains to all NFSA
beneficiaries, including Antyodaya Ann Yojana households and Priority
Household persons, for one year through the network of 5.33 lakh fair price
shops across the country.
• The new integrated scheme will subsume two current food subsidy schemes
of the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD): the food subsidy to
the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the NFSA, and sops for decentralized
procurement states, which deal with the procurement, allocation, and delivery
of free food grains under the NFSA.

3. Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM)

• PMNAM offers a unique opportunity for local youth to shape their careers
through apprenticeship training.
• Participating businesses will have the chance to meet potential apprentices on
a single platform and choose applicants on the spot, providing them with an
opportunity to strengthen their livelihood and learn new skills.

4. Draft Regulation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants Rules,

2022
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on January
04, 2023, issued Draft Regulation of Common Effluent Treatment Plants Rules,
2022.
• These regulations aim to ensure that adequate upstream and downstream
conveyance linkages/channels are in place for the proper carriage of effluent,
as well as to provide guidelines for the management of Common Effluent
Treatment Plants (CETPs).

5. Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY)

• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) is an integrated food
security scheme launched by the Central Government of India in January 2023.
• The scheme aims to provide free foodgrains to more than 80 crore poor people
across the country.

4
 • The Central Government decided to subsume PMGKAY into two existing food
subsidy schemes. The new integrated food security scheme, named Pradhan
Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), came into force from January 1,
2023.

Implementation
• Under the new scheme, free foodgrains will be provided to the poor
beneficiaries as per the entitlement under the National Food Security Act
(NFSA).
• The entitlement of foodgrains per person per month is 5 kg for priority
households’ category and 35 kg per family per month for Antodaya Anna Yojna
(AAY) families.
• Until December 2022, the NFSA beneficiaries were getting their foodgrains
entitlement at a highly subsidised rate of ₹1, ₹2, and ₹3 per kg for coarse
cereals, wheat and rice, respectively. However, from January 2023, the
beneficiaries will get it for free.

6. Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and

Sanitation (SPM-NIWAS)
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi, has given ex post facto approval for renaming the National Centre for
Drinking Water, Sanitation and Quality in Joka, Kolkata, to the “Dr. Syama
Prasad Mookerjee National Institute of Water and Sanitation” (SPM-NIWAS).

7. What is “Womaniya” initiative?

• The Government e Marketplace (GeM) has launched a new initiative called
“Womaniya on GeM” to empower women entrepreneurs and women self-help
groups (WSHGs) to sell their products directly to various government
ministries, departments, and institutions.
• The initiative aims to develop women entrepreneurship on the margins of
society to achieve gender-inclusive economic growth.
• It will spur hyper-local economic opportunities for women entrepreneurs and
address the goals and objectives of United Nations Sustainable Development
Goal 5.
• The initiative is represented by artist Anukta M Ghosh’s artwork “Magan”, an
illustration of women empowerment and grace.

5
8. Performance Assessment Review and Analysis of Knowledge
for Holistic Development (PARAKH)
• The Government of India recently launched PARAKH to assess the
performance of secondary and higher secondary students.
• Different states in the country are following different assessment procedures
to evaluate their students. Because of the variations, students are facing
difficulties during their college admissions. PARAKH will bring uniformity to the
analysis procedures.

PARAKH – A part of NCERT

• PARAKH is to function under NCERT. NCERT is the National Council of
Education Research and Training. In fact, PARAKH was launched by NCERT.

What will PARAKH do?

• PARAKH will release guidelines to the state and central boards
• It will remove the disparities in scoring school students from different states
• PARAKH Will provide new assessment patterns to the state boards
• PARAKH is to function in three major areas namely examination reforms,
school-based assessments, and large-scale assessments
• It will work with international organizations and education boards
• PARAKH will conduct National Achievement Survey

9. She Feeds the World Programme

• CARE is an international organization fighting against poverty. Frito-Lay, Pepsi,
and Cola companies merged together and formed Pepsico in 1965. Today
Pepsico is a food and beverage company with leading products such as Quaker,
Lays, Pepsi, Cola, etc.
• The philanthropic foundation of PEPSICO and CARE joined together and
launched the “She Feeds the World” program in India. The program is to
empower women in the agriculture sector. The program will mainly focus on
small-scale women producers.

10. International Year of Millets (IYM) 2023

• The Government of India has sponsored the proposal for the International Year
of Millets (IYM) 2023, which has been accepted by the United Nations General
Assembly (UNGA).

6
 What are Millets?
• Millets are small-seeded grasses that are often referred to as “Nutri-cereals”.
Some common types of millets include sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra),
finger millet (ragi), little millet (kutki), foxtail millet (kakun), proso millet
(cheena), barnyard millet (sawa), and kodo millet (kodon).
• These grains are a staple cereal crop for millions of smallholder dryland
farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and offer a variety of benefits such as
nutrition, income, and livelihood for farmers. They can also be used for food,
feed, fodder, biofuels, and brewing.

India’s Prioritization of Millets

• In April 2018, millets were rebranded as “Nutri Cereals” in India, and the year
2018 was declared as the National Year of Millets with the goal of increasing
promotion and demand for these grains.

11. Manipur Gaan Ngai festival

• The Gaan Ngai festival is a major event in the state of Manipur, celebrated by
the Zeliarong community every year after the harvest season.
• The Zeliarong community, made up of the Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme
tribes, is one of the most prominent tribal communities in the state.
• The Gaan Ngai festival, also known as the Chakan Gaan-Ngai or festival of
winter, is an important occasion for the Zeliarong people, as it allows them to
come together and celebrate their heritage.

12. Arunachal Pradesh Siyom bridge

• Defence minister Rajnath Singh recently inaugurated the Siyom bridge in
Arunachal Pradesh, along with 27 other infrastructure projects completed by
the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Located on the Along-Yinkiong Road, the Siyom bridge will greatly enhance the
speed of troop deployment, as well as the transportation of heavy equipment
and mechanized vehicles to forward areas in the Upper Siang district, Tuting,
and Yinkiong regions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

13. Ganga Vilas River cruise

• On January 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to flag off the world’s
longest river cruise, “Ganga Vilas,” from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh.

7
 • The luxury vessel, which can accommodate 80 passengers, will take 50 days to
complete its journey, covering 3200 km and passing through 27 river systems
in India and Bangladesh.

14. Varanasi Cantt railway station bags ‘Eat Right Station’

Certification
• Indian Railways’ Varanasi Cantt Railway Station has been awarded a 5-star “Eat
Right Station” certification for providing high-quality, nutritious food to
passengers.
• This certification is granted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) to railway stations that adhere to standard food storage and hygiene
practices.
What is the “Eat Right Station” Certification?
• The “Eat Right Station” certification is awarded by FSSAI to railway stations
that set benchmarks in providing safe and wholesome food to passengers.
• A third-party audit agency, empaneled by FSSAI, conducts the certification
process and rates the stations on a scale of 1 to 5.
• A 5-star rating indicates full compliance by the station to ensure safe and
hygienic food is available to passengers.

What is the “Eat Right India” Movement?

• The “Eat Right Station” certification is part of the “Eat Right India” movement,
a large-scale effort by FSSAI to transform the country’s food system to ensure
safe, healthy, and sustainable food for all Indians.

15. World’s first Palm-leaf Manuscript Museum in Kerala

• The recently opened Palm Leaf Manuscript Museum in Thiruvananthapuram
has added to the cultural and intellectual life of the state of Kerala.
• The museum, which is the world’s first of its kind, contains 187 manuscripts
and other artefacts related to the former Travancore kingdom from 650 AD
until the end of the 19th century. It also has documents from the regions of
Kochi and Malabar.

16. Cherchera Festival of Chhattisgarh

• Chhattisgarh,recently celebrated the Cherchera festival at the Dudhadhari
Math in Raipur.

8
 • The festival, which takes place on the full moon night of the Paush Hindu
calendar month, is a celebration of the happiness and joy brought about by the
cultivation and harvesting of crops.

17. Odisha wins World Habitat Award 2023 for JAGA Mission
• Odisha has been recognized by the United Nations-Habitat (UN-Habitat) for its
efforts to empower the lives of slum dwellers and create a slum-free state in
India through its 5T initiative, Jaga Mission.
• Jaga Mission is the world’s largest land titling and slum upgrading program. It
aims to upgrade all 2,919 slums in the state of Odisha, under the leadership of
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

18. NHA Initiative to Grade Hospitals

• The National Health Authority (NHA) in India is introducing a new system to
measure and grade hospital performance under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan
Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) scheme, with the goal of shifting the
focus of hospital performance measurement from the volume of services
provided to the value of healthcare services.
• The new initiative will introduce the concept of “value-based care,” where
payment will be outcome-based and providers will be rewarded based on the
quality of treatment they deliver.

Performance Indicators and Public Dashboard

• Under the value-based care system, the performance of AB PM-JAY empaneled
hospitals will be measured based on five performance indicators: Beneficiary
Satisfaction; Hospital Readmission Rate; Out-of-Pocket Expenditure;
Confirmed Grievances; and Improvement in Patient’s Health-Related Quality
of Life.

19. Prajjwala Challenge

• It was launched, by Ministry of Rural Development, to invite ideas, solutions
and actions that can transform rural economy.
• Ideas are invited from individuals, Social Enterprises, start up, Private Sector,
Civil Society, etc. into several categories.
• It is launched under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods
Mission (DAY-NRLM).

9
 • DAY-NRLM aims at mobilizing rural poor households into SHGs and provide
them long-term support such that they diversify their livelihoods, improve
their incomes etc.

20. Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development

(BIND) Scheme
• Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved BIND Scheme up to 2025-
26.
• BIND is a Central Sector Scheme to bring modernisation to public broadcaster
Prasar Bharati i.e. All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan (DD).
• It would provide necessary financial support to improve infrastructure to
increase public broadcasters reach and develop high-quality content.
• AIR FM (Frequency Modulation) transmitters coverage to reach 80% of
geographical area from 66%.
• Free distribution of 8 lakh DD Free Dish Set-top Boxes to people living in
remote, tribal, LWE (Left Wing Extremism) and border areas.

21. INS VAGIR

• Fifth Scorpene-class submarine INS Vagir was commissioned into Indian Navy.
• INS Vagir, launched in 2020, is among the six submarines being built in India
under Indian Navy's Project-75 at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in
Mumbai under collaboration with Naval Group, France.
• Also called 'Sand Shark', INS Vagir represents ‘Stealth and Fearlessness’.
• Vagir can undertake multifarious types of missions i.e., anti-surface, anti-
submarine, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance, etc.
• Project-75, signed in 2005, includes indigenous construction of six submarines
of Scorpene (diesel electric) design.
• Four of them, Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, and Vela have already been delivered
to Navy and commissioned.
• INS Vagsheer will be commissioned in late 2023.

22. PRITHVI-II
• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carried out a
successful test launch of tactical ballistic missile Prithvi-II.
• Missile, which is powered by light propulsion twin engines, has a range of
around 350 km and can carry 500-1,000 kg of warheads.

10
 • It uses an advanced inertial navigation system to strike the set target.
• Prithvi was developed by DRDO under Integrated Guided Missile Development
Programme (conceived by Dr A P J Abdul Kalam).
• Other missiles under this program: Agni, Trishul, Akash, Nag.

23. Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV)

• DRDO tested the HSTDV, powered by a scramjet engine.
• HSTDV will serve as a critical building block for hypersonic weapons (Speed > 5
mach or 5 times speed of sound).
• Scramjet engine (supersonic-combustion ramjet) is one which can operate at
hypersonic speeds.
• Like ramjet engine, scramjet uses atmospheric air for oxidizer and compresses
incoming air before it enters combustion chamber.

24. Exercise In News

• Veer Guardian 2023: It is bilateral Air exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF)
and Japan Air Self Defence Force (JASDF).
• Varuna: It is a Bilateral Naval Exercise between India and France.
• Cyclone – I: It is the first joint exercise between the special forces of the Indian
Army and the Egyptian Army.
• TROPEX: It is Indian Navy’s major maritime exercise that is conducted
biennially and also witnesses participation of Indian Army, Indian Air Force and
Coast Guard assets.
• AMPHEX 2023: It is a biennial Tri-Services Exercise aimed at joint training of
elements of all three services.
• Tarkash 2023: It is the 6th Edition of Counter Terrorism Exercise between
India’s NSG (National Security Guard) and US Special Operations Forces (SOF).
• Topchi 2023: Indian army carried out the annual exercise named ‘Exercise
Topchi’. Focus of the exercise was to showcase indigenous capabilities and
strides made in achieving self-reliance in defense sector.

25. Sammed Shikhar And Shetrunjay Hill

• The Jain community has been protesting against the Jharkhand government's
tourism policy which intended to develop Sammed Shikharji in Parasnath hills
as a tourist destination.

11
 • Also in 2019, Parasnath hill was declared as an eco-sensitive zone by the Union
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Ministry planned to
develop eco-tourism over here.

Sammed Shikhar
• Also known as Sammet Shikharji (literal meaning is venerable peak) or
Shikharji.
• It is also called ‘Siddha Kshetra’ and ‘Tirtharaj’ in Jainism, which means, ‘King
of Pilgrimages’.
• It is situated on the Parasnath hill in Jharkhand.
• It has been named after the 23rd Jain tirthankara ‘Parshvanatha’.
• It is believed that 20 of the 24 Jain Tirthankars (Except bhagvan Rishabdev,
bhagavan Vasupujaya, bhagvan Nemihatha and bhagvan Mahavira) have
attained salvation (“moksha” after meditating) at this Shikhar.
• Tirthankara means “full moon”, which is a metaphor for Keval Gnan.
• A Tirthankar is not an incarnation of the God.
• He is an ordinary soul that born as a human and attains the states of a
Tirthankar as a result of intense practices of penance, equanimity and
meditation.
• Shikharji is worshiped by both the Digambaras and the Svetambaras.
• Shikharji is also part of ‘Svetambara Pancha Tirth’ (five principal pilgrimage
shrines), the other four are Ashtapad, Girnar, Dilwara Temples of Mount Abu
and Shatrunjaya.

Shetrunjay hill
• It is situated at Palitana in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat.
• It is also known as Pundarikgiri (named after Pundarika, grandson of Adinath).
• It is situated on the banks of the Shetrunji River.
• It rises at Chachai hills in Gir Forest of Junagadh district.
• It is an east flowing river and empties into the gulf of Cambay.
• Adinath or Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankara delivered his first sermon at
this hill.
• The temples over the hill were built in the eleventh and twelfth century.

26. Inland Waterways In India

• Recently, Prime minister unveiled inland waterways projects worth over Rs
1000 crore to increase transport, trade & tourism in eastern India.

12
 • Haldia Multi-Modal Terminal in West Bengal was inaugurated under Jal Marg
Vikas Project with cargo handling capacity of around over 3 Million Metric
Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA).
• Maritime Skill Development Centre for the Northeast was inaugurated in
Guwahati.

Jal Marg Vikas project (JMVP)

Implemented by:
1. Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
2. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) with support of the World
Bank.

• Aims: To develop the stretch between Varanasi to Haldia (on National

Waterway 1) for navigation of large vessels weighing up to 1500-2000 tonnes.

Other features:
• IWAI came into existence in 1986, primarily for the development and
regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
• Multi-Modal Terminals are a part of Jal Marg Vikas project (JMVP).
• Haldia MMT is one of the three Multi-Modal Terminals being constructed on
Ganga, 2 other MMTs constructed in Sahibganj and Varanasi under the project.

27. All India Survey On Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021

• Ministry of Education (MoE) released All India Survey on Higher Education
(AISHE) 2020-2021.
• AISHE has been conducted since 2011 by MoE covering all higher educational
institutions located in country.
• It collects detailed information on different educational parameters.
• For the first time, Survey collected data using an entirely online data collection
platform through Web Data.

Capture Format (DCF)

• DCF was developed by Department of Higher Education through the National
Informatics Centre (NIC)

13
28. Annual Status Of Education Report (ASER) 2022
• Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 was released by NGO Pratham.
• ASER (first conducted in 2005) is an annual, citizen-led household survey to
understand whether children in rural India are enrolled in school and whether
they are learning.
• Whereas, National Achievement Survey (NAS) is undertaken by Ministry of
Education. It provides structured feedback on student learning levels at
District, State, and national levels.
• ASER 2022 is first field-based 'basic' nationwide ASER since 2018.
• In ASER 2022, around 7 lakh children in age group of 3 to 16 years were
surveyed to record their schooling status and assess their basic reading and
arithmetic skills.

29. SMART PROGRAM

• SMART (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching
Professionals) program has been launched by National Commission for Indian
System of Medicine (NCISM) and Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic
Sciences (CCRAS) under Ministry of Ayush (MoA).
• It is aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas like
Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Obesity, etc. through Ayurveda colleges and
hospitals.

About NCISM
• Statutory body established under MoA through NCISM Act, 2020 for regulating
medical education.

About CCRA
• Autonomous body of MoA.
• Apex body for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing and
promoting research on scientific lines in Ayurvedic Sciences.

30. THULLAL
• Ottanthullal (or Thullal) is a recite-and-dance art-form of Kerala that is famous
for its humour and social satire.
• It was introduced in 18th century by legendary poet Kunchan Nambiar.
• It is marked by its simplicity as opposed to more complex dance-forms like
Kathakali and Koodiyattam.

14
• Thullal performer is supported by a singer who repeats the verses and is
accompanied by an orchestra of mridangam or thoppimaddalam (percussions)
and cymbals.
• It has spawned into three separate versions which include Ottanthullal,
Seethankan thullal and Parayan thullal.

15
International

31. Chris Hipkins – New Zealand’s Next Prime Minister

32. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi – Chief Guest of

Republic Day
Why the Egyptian President?
• 5th India – Egypt Joint Trade Committee meeting held in late 2022.
Trade between India and Egypt increased by 75% in the past year.
• Egypt in 2020-21 became one of the largest investment destinations of
India. The Indian investments in the country amount to 3 billion USD.
• Defense ties between the countries are growing stronger. Defence
Minister Rajnath Singh visited the country in 2022 and signed an MoU.
• Cyclone I military exercise was recently conducted between India and
Egypt.
• Egypt agreed to import wheat from India in 2022

33. UK to be country Partner for BioAsia 2023

What is Bio Asia?
• It is a forum that connects biotech industry stakeholders. The forum is an
opportunistic platform for biotech leaders to learn about the latest
technological advancements in the field.
• Bio Asia is the Life Science and Health care Forum.
• The theme of the 2023 Bio Asia Forum ‘Shaping the Next Generation:
Advancing for ONE’.
• ‘O’ in ONE stand for One Health. It aims to integrate different ecosystems with
the aim of safeguarding the future
• ‘N’ in ONE stand for Next Generation Health. Under this, the forum will aim to
use disruptive technologies in the biotech field. The disruptive technologies
are Artificial Intelligence, Block Chain, and data science
• ‘E’ in ONE stand for Equity: Here, the aim is to provide quality health care for
all.

16
34. Henley Passport Index: India Ranks 85th on the Henley
Passport Index
• The Henley Passport Index is prepared by London-based Henley and Partners,
a global citizenship and residence advisory firm.
• The index claims to be the “original ranking of all the world’s passports”, and
is updated quarterly according to countries’ visa policy changes.
• It gathers data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which
manages inter-airline cooperation globally.
• The index covers 227 destinations and 199 passports, and compares the visa-
free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations.
• If no visa is required, then a score with value = 1 is created for that passport.
The same applies if you can obtain a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an
electronic travel authority (ETA) when entering the destination.

35. India Assumes Chairmanship of Wassenaar Arrangement

• The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), a voluntary export control regime that
monitors the transfer of conventional weapons and dual-use goods, has
announced that India will assume the chairmanship of its plenary for the next
year.
• The 26th annual plenary of the WA, held in Vienna on November 30 and
December 1, saw Ireland’s ambassador Eoin O’Leary hand over the
chairmanship to India’s ambassador Jaideep Mazumdar, the permanent
representative to the UN and international organizations in Vienna. India
joined the WA in December 2017 as its 42nd participating state.

36. Croatia’s switch to Euro

• Croatia has taken two major steps towards further integration with the
European Union (EU) by adopting the euro and joining the Schengen zone.
• The country officially became the 20th member of the eurozone on January
1st, and the removal of land border controls with neighboring Slovenia and
Hungary marks its inclusion in the Schengen zone.

37. India’s Stand on Implementation of 13A in Sri Lanka

• In 1987, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement to implement the 13th
amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution.

17
 • According to the agreement, the Sri Lankan Government will provide powers
to the Tamil community in the country.
• Recently, External Affairs Minister Jai Shankar declared that India ponders the
implementation of 13A “CRITICAL”.
• According to India, 13A is essential for the Sri Lankan Government to reconcile
with the Tamil community in the country.

What is 13A?
• 13A is the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution. It will give
more power to the Tamil people in the country.
• Tamilians are the minority in the country of Sri Lanka. The Tamil
community in the country is demanding a separate state.
• In 1987, with the Indian Union Government’s efforts, the Sri Lankan
Government agreed to increase the powers of Tamilians in the country
through 13A. However, 13A was not implemented.

38. Rule Of Law Index

• After improvement in World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings, now
government has turned its attention to scoring better in Rule of Law Index.
• Index is published by the World Justice Project (WJP), a US based civil society
group.
• In 2022, India was ranked 77th out of 140 countries.
• Eight factors that the Rule of Law Index measures: Constraint on government
powers, Absence of corruption, Open government, Fundamental rights, Order
and security, Regulatory enforcement, Civil justice, Criminal justice.

39. Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU)

• India will take over the charge of Secretary General of APPU for a tenure of 4
years.
• APPU is an intergovernmental organization of 32-member countries of the
Asian-Pacific region.
• Goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal relations between
member countries and to promote cooperation in the field of postal services.
• It is the only Restricted Union of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in the region,
which is a specialized agency of UN. Headquarter: Bangkok, Thailand.

18
40. World Economic Forum (WEF) Releases Global Risk
Report 2023
• Report is published annually based on Global Risks Perception Survey. It
highlights key risks across five categories: Economic, Environmental,
Geopolitical, Societal and Technological.
• Global risk is defined as possibility of occurrence of an event or condition
which, if it occurs, would negatively impact a significant proportion of global
GDP, population, or natural resources.
• Top 5 risks for India are Digital inequality, Geopolitical contest for resources,
Cost-of-living crisis, Debt crises, Natural disasters, and Extreme weather events
over short and medium term.

19
Sports

41. Sania Mirza to Retire from Professional Tennis

• The 36-year-old has had a successful career, won six Grand Slam doubles titles
and became the first Indian to win a WTA singles title when she won the
Hyderabad event in 2005. Mirza reached a career-high ranking of world
number 27.

42. Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium

• Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated the world’s largest dedicated
hockey stadium in Rourkela, Odisha.
• The Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium (BMHS) was built at a cost of over Rs 260
crore in a record 15 months and has the capacity to host over 20,000
spectators.
• The BMHS will host 20 of the 44 matches of the Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup,
which is set to begin on January 13. The remaining matches will be held at the
Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

43. 122-Foot-Tall Polo Player Statue Unveiled in Manipur

• A 122-foot-tall statue of a polo player astride a Manipur Pony was unveiled in
Imphal, Manipur as part of Home Minister Amit Shah’s programme in the state.
• The Marjing Polo Complex, which has been in the works for several years, aims
to conserve the Manipur Pony breed, which is indigenous to the region and
holds significant cultural importance for Manipuri society.
• Modern polo is believed to have originated from Sagol Kangjei, a sport
indigenous to Manipur in which players ride the Manipur Pony.

44. Dexa: BCCI’s new selection criteria for Indian players

What is Dexa?
• Dexa, also known as the bone density test, is an X-ray technology that
measures bone strength.
• It can help identify if a person has a risk of breaking or losing bones, and can
be used to determine if a player is at risk of fracturing any body parts.
• Dexa can also measure body composition and record body fat and muscle
mass.

20
 What is DEXA Test?
• DEXA, or dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, is a method of determining bone
mineral density using spectral imaging.
• Two X-ray beams at different energy levels are directed at the bone, and the
resulting chart shows the current bone density and mineral content of the
bone.

Why is DEXA Test Important for Injured Players Making a Return?

• The DEXA Test is important for injured players aiming to return to the Indian
national team because it can help determine their bone strength and mineral
density.
• When players are injured, their bone mineral density can decrease
significantly.
• The DEXA Test can be used as a precautionary measure to ensure that injured
players are fully fit and not at risk of re-injury when they return to the team.

21
Science and Technology

45. Garuda Aerospace and Union Bank Collaborate to Boost

Agriculture with Drones
• Garuda Aerospace has partnered with the Union Bank of India.
• 150 Garuda Agri Kisan drones have received a loan under the Kisan Pushpak
Scheme.
• The drone loan will help farmers to digitize land record operations for crop
production and spraying of fertilizers, chemicals, and pesticides with the help
of drones.

46. Skyhawk: India’s first 5G enabled drone

• Startup firm IG Drones, which was born out of Veer Surendra Sai University of
Technology (VSSUT) campus in Odisha’s Sambalpur has developed a 5G-
enabled drone that is capable of vertical take-off and landing.
• The drone, named Skyhawk, can be used in defence and medical applications,
among other sectors.

47. JUICE Space Mission of Europe

• The European Union is to launch the JUICE Spacecraft in April 2023. The
spacecraft is to explore the moons of Jupiter.
• Specifically, the mission is to study the three major moons of Jupiter namely
Ganymede, Europe, and Callisto.
• Out of the 80 moons of the planet, these three were selected for their large
oceans.
• The satellite is to be launched from French Guiana. Ariane 5 will carry the
satellite. JUICE is the first satellite from the earth to enter the orbit of
Ganymede.

About JUICE
• JUICE stands for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer. The satellite was developed by
Germany and tested by France.
• The main objective of the mission is to study the microbial life on the icy moons
of the planet. It will also study the polar regions and the magnetosphere of the
planet.

22
48. What is Immune Imprinting?
• Immune imprinting is a phenomenon occurring in the human body. Scientists
recently found that this phenomenon may make the COVID boosters less
effective.
• Bivalent, Mono Valent, boosters, and variant-specific boosters are to go
powerless due to the immune imprinting phenomenon.
• Immune imprinting is the human body replicating its immune system. During
immune imprinting, rather than producing new and more powerful antibodies
(cells that fight viruses), the immune system creates “cross-reactive”
antibodies. These cross-reactive antibodies are not effective.

49. CERVAVAC: Cervical Cancer Vaccine

• The cervix is the lowermost part of the uterus.
• Tumour in the cervix is generally referred to as cervical cancer.
• A vaccine to cure cervical cancer was recently launched by the Serum Institute
of India.
• The name of the vaccine is CERVAVAC. This is the first time India is producing
a vaccine for cervical cancer. The vaccine was launched during National Girl
Child Day. India celebrates National Girl Child Day on January 24.

50. Aditya – L1 Solar Mission

• The Indian Space Research Organization is working on a space project that will
study the sun.
• The Aditya spacecraft will study solar magnetic storms and the impact of the
solar atmosphere on the earth.

The spacecraft is to study the following:

• Solar Winds: These winds are created due to the expansion of the sun’s plasma
• Photosphere and Chromosphere of the sun
• Corona of the sun
• Energetic particles of the sun

51. Samudrayaan Mission

• Union ministry of earth sciences recently shared details of Samudrayaan
Mission.

23
• Samudrayaan Mission is aimed to develop a self-propelled manned
submersible (MATSYA 6000) to carry three human beings to a water depth of
6,000 meters for deep ocean exploration.
• MATSYA 6000 is being developed by National Institute of Ocean Technology,
Chennai.
• It has developed 6000m depth rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and
various other underwater instruments such as Autonomous Coring System
(ACS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) and Deep-Sea Mining System
(DSM) for the exploration of deep sea.
• It has an endurance of 12 hours of operational period and 96 hours in case of
emergency. It is being developed under Deep Ocean Mission (DOM).

24
Economy

52. Economic Survey 2023

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman represents the country’s annual pre-
budget economic survey at Parliament on January 31, 2023.
• According to the Economic Survey 2022-23, the following fiscal year will see
real GDP growth of 6.5 percent.
• The Indian Economy would also increase by 7% for 2023-24. This growth also
depicts that India has become the world's fifth-largest economy.

Key Highlights
• Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey in both Parliament
Houses ahead of the Union Budget.
• According to the survey, the Indian economy would increase by 7% in real
terms in the current fiscal year. It also stated that India will continue to be the
world's fastest-growing major economy.
• According to the poll, India has become the world's fifth-largest economy, with
a nominal GDP of roughly 3.5 trillion US dollars in March 2023.
• According to the poll, the growth in consumer prices has slowed significantly.
According to the poll, the annual rate of inflation is less than 6%, and wholesale
prices are growing at less than 5%.
• Exports of products and services increased by 16% in the first nine months of
the current fiscal year.

Highlights of President’s Speech

• India is in a better position as compared to other countries due to the decision
of the government for the national interest.
• The government e-marketplace has witnessed transactions worth over Rs
3lakh crore.
• GST, Ayushman Bharat are boons for India.
• The government has passed legislation to tackle fugitive economic offenders.
• The Centre is working for women's empowerment.
• Taxpayers are receiving refunds within a few days of filing IT returns.
• 11 crore small farmers are the government’s priority.
• 36,000 Adivasi families have been covered under Adivasi Ekta Mission.
• Government praise people who support fighting against corruption.

25
 What is an Economic Survey?
• The economic survey is an annual report of the Ministry of Finance,
Government of India.
• Every year the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance introduces
the survey in the parliament prior to the Union Budget.
• The Budget is prepared under the guidance of the Chief Economic Adviser of
India. The economic survey is presented to both the Parliament House during
the Budget session.

What are the contents of the Economic Survey?

• The economic survey contains the Ministry’s view on the economical state of
the country.
• It represents the development in the Indian economy over the past financial
years and exhibits the country’s performance on essential development
programs, highlighting the policy initiatives of the government and the
economic prospects in the short to medium term.

Economic Survey 2023: Significance

• The Economic Survey represents the country’s economic trends and ensures a
better appreciation of the resource mobilization and their allocation in the
Union Budget. It analyzes the agricultural, industrial, employment, import, and
export trends in the country.
• The survey also directs the Gross Domestic Product for the coming financial
year and comprises insights into India’s economic growth.

Who Publish the Economic Survey?

• The survey is prepared by the Economics Division of the Department of
Economic Affairs under the guidance of the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA). The
current CEA of India is Dr. V Anantha Nageswaran.
• The first Economic Survey of India was prepared by the Finance Ministry in
1950-51. At that time, the survey was represented along with the Union
Budget. However, later it was de-linked from the budget in 1964 and unveiled
priorly to provide a context of the latter.

Economic Survey 2023: Theme

• Every year the theme of the Economic Survey is different. The theme for the
Economic Survey 2023 is likely to take note of inflation levels, likely pressure
on the Indian Rupee due to RBI’s tightening of monetary policy, employment

26
 conditions, pick-up in private investment, infrastructure spending, and
improvement in the financial growth of the Indian banking sector.

53. Six years of ‘Bharat Interface for Money’

What is BHIM?
• BHIM is a mobile payment app developed by the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI).
• It is based on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which allows for electronic
payment directly through a bank.
• The app is available for use on all mobile devices, including smartphones and
feature phones, and can be used with or without an internet connection.
• According to data from the NPCI, the value of UPI transactions processed
through BHIM in November 2021 was INR 11.9 lakh crore (approximately $162
billion), with a volume of 7.3 billion transactions.

54. Kerala Becomes Country’s First Fully Digital Banking State

• Kerala has become the first state in India to enable digital banking in all eligible
accounts.
• According to the State-Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC), the state now has at
least one product enabled digitally in 3.76 crore accounts.
• The state government, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, has implemented
this move under the ‘Expanding and Deepening of Digital Payments Ecosystem’
scheme of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• In 2021, Thrissur became the first district in Kerala to implement digital
banking under the scheme.
• The state government has been working on the Kerala Fiber Optic Network
(KFON) project, which is aimed at providing cost-effective internet access to
the public.

55. BharatPe Gets Nod for ePayment Aggregator Licence

• Fintech unicorn BharatPe recently announced that it has received in-principal
approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment
Aggregator.
• The approval was granted to the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Resilient
Innovations Private Ltd.
• Payment aggregators are entities that facilitate e-commerce sites and
merchants to accept various payment instruments from customers.

27
 • They do not require merchants to create a separate payment integration
system of their own.

56. Davos 2023: World Economic Forum

• The 53rd edition of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Kicks Off in Davos,
Switzerland.
• The theme for this year’s meeting is ‘Cooperation in a Fragmented World’ and
will conclude on January 20.

57. Loan-Loss Provisions (LLPS)

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has floated a discussion paper (DP) that seeks
to move banks towards an expected loss-based approach or Expected Credit
Loss (ECL) regime for provisioning.

About Loan Loss provisions (LLPs)

• To take potential loan defaults into account, banks set aside a proportion of
the loan described as Loan-Loss Provisions (LLPs).
• LLPs, therefore, are an income statement expense set aside by banks to cover
the loan losses either completely or partially.
• Since not all loans become impaired, LLPs (as a credit risk management tool)
are used by banks to mitigate expected losses on bank loan portfolio.

58. Securitization Of Stressed Assets Framework (SSAF)

• Recently, RBI floated a discussion paper on Securitization of Stressed Assets
Framework (SSAF).

About Securitization and SSAF

• Securitization refers to a process that involves pooling of loans and then selling
them to a Special Purpose Entity (SPE), which then issues securities backed by
the loan pool.
• SPE, also called as Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) represents a company, trust
or other entity organized for a specific purpose.
• Securitization involves transactions which redistribute credit risk in assets by
repackaging them into tradable securities with different risk profiles.

28
59. Domestic Systemically Important Banks (D-SIBS)
• SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank have continued to remain Domestic Systemically
Important Banks (D-SIBs).
• D-SIBs are those interconnected entities, whose failure can impact the whole
of the financial system and create instability i.e., they are ‘too big to fail’.
• D-SIBs are designated on basis of their Size; Interconnectedness; Lack of readily
available substitutes or financial institution infrastructure; and Complexity.
• In order to be listed as D-SIB, a bank needs to have assets that exceed 2 percent
of national GDP.

60. World Employment And Social Outlook: Trends 2023

Report
• It is an annual report of International Labour Organisation (ILO) that provides
labour market projections for 2023 and 2024 and presents trends in labour
productivity growth.
• Global employment will grow by just 1 percent in 2023, and global
unemployment rate has been pegged at 5.8 percent.
• Emerging geopolitical tensions, recovery from pandemic, and issue in supply
chains fueled conditions for labour market deterioration.
• Labour force participation rate (LFPR) of women stood at 47.4 percent in 2022,
compared with 72.3 percent for men.
• Africa and Arab states to witness employment growth of around 3% or more
in 2023 with declining unemployment rate.
• ILO is a specialized agency of United Nations headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland.
• It is the only tripartite U.N. agency that brings together governments,
employers and workers of 187 member states to set labour standards for
promoting decent work for all women and men.
• It was created in 1919 as part of Treaty of Versailles.
• It was awarded Noble Peace Prize 1969 for promoting fraternity among nations
by ensuring social justice.
• Other reports released by ILO: Global Wage Report, and World Social
Protection Report.

29
Environment and Ecology

61. Assam Achieves Zero Poaching of Endangered Rhinos

• For the first time in nearly 45 years, Assam recorded zero poaching of
endangered rhinos in 2022.
• Assam is home to nearly 2,900 one-horned rhinos, making it the largest habitat
for this vulnerable species.
• According to the State of the Rhinos Report 2022, the total population of one-
horned rhinos, found only in India, Nepal, and Bhutan, is 4,012.

62. Silent Valley Bird Survey

• A recent bird survey conducted at Silent Valley National Park in Kerala
identified a total of 175 species, with 17 of those being newly recorded.
• During the survey, a variety of species were spotted, including the Brown wood
owl, Banded bay cuckoo, and Malabar woodshrike.
• The number of identified species has increased from 139 in 2006 and 142 in
2014.
• Endemic species, such as the Nilgiri laughingthrush and Nilgiri flowerpecker,
were also identified in the high elevation areas of the park.

Silent Valley National Park

• Located in the Nilgiri hills on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Silent Valley
National Park is a protected area.
• The park, which is surrounded by a buffer zone of 148 km2 (57 sq mi), is located
within the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, a rich area of biodiversity that also
includes the Karimpuzha Wildlife Sanctuary, New Amarambalam Reserved
Forest, and Nedumkayam Rainforest in Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram district,
Attappadi Reserved Forest in Mannarkkad Taluk of Palakkad district, and
Mukurthi National Park of Nilgiris district.
• Silent Valley National Park is home to a variety of rare flora and fauna, and was
first explored by botanist Robert Wight in 1847.
• The park is located in the vicinity of the Mukurthi peak, the fifth-highest peak
in South India, and the Anginda peak.
• The Bhavani River, a tributary of the Kaveri River, and the Kunthipuzha River,
a tributary of the Bharathappuzha river, both have their origins in the area
around Silent Valley. The Kadalundi River also has its origin in Silent Valley.

30
63. Joshimath ‘Sinking Zone’
• The primary cause of the land subsidence in Joshimath is believed to be the
National Thermal Power Corporation’s Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro Power
Project, though climate change is also a contributing factor.
• Climate scientist Anjal Prakash, one of the authors of the latest report from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stated that the project has
contributed to the caving incident in Joshimath and highlighted the
importance of careful planning in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem.
• Prakash also emphasized the role of climate change as a force-multiplier, citing
the increased frequency of disaster events in Uttarakhand in recent years.
• Joshimath is situated in middle slopes of a hill bounded by: Karmanasa and
Dhaknala streams on west and east and Dhauliganga and Alaknanda rivers on
south and north.
• Joshimath sits on a fault line (Vaikrita Thurst) and is close to another two (Main
Central Thrust and Pandukeshwar Thrust) which makes it highly vulnerable to
sinking because of tectonic activity.
• Further, city has been built on an ancient landslide material i.e rests on a
deposit of sand and stone, not rock, which doesn’t have high load-bearing
capacity.

Construction projects near Joshimath

• Tapovan Vishnugad Hydro-electric Project: It is a 520MW run-of-river project
being constructed on Dhauliganga River.
• BRO’s Helang-Marwari bypass project: A 6-km long bypass construction from
Helang to Joshimath to Marwari to reduce the distance to Badrinath.
• Badrinath Highway in Chardham Project: It is a part of the construction of the
Chardham Project.
• Chardham Railway and Tunnel Project: The 125 km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag
Railway line in Uttarakhand requires the construction of at least 17 tunnels
with an escape and main tunnel, ballastless tracks, and 35 bridges.

64. White tufted royal butterfly

• It is a rare butterfly species that was spotted recently at Kalliyad (Kerala).
• It was earlier spotted in Agasthyakoodam and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary.
• It is protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Butterflies, along with the moths and the skippers, make up the insect order
Lepidoptera. Lepidopteran life cycle has four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar),
pupa (chrysalis), and adult (imago).

31
65. Greater Scaup
• It is a rare species of duck (locally known as Sadangman) that was recently
sighted in Loktak lake (Manipur) after a gap of over 90 years.
• Loktak lake is famous for Keibul Lamjao National Park and Sangai the dancing
deer.
• Greater Scaup is a migratory bird widely distributed across Arctic and Subarctic
regions where it mainly nests in coastal tundra habitats.
• It belongs to the family of Anatidae.
• IUCN status: Least Concern

66. What is a Heat Dome?

• A heat dome is an area of high-pressure that traps warm air over a region for
an extended period of time, similar to a lid on a pot.
• The longer the air remains trapped, the more the sun works to heat it, resulting
in warmer conditions. Heat domes can last for a few days or even weeks,
potentially leading to deadly heat waves.
• When high pressure forces air to sink, it gets compressed and becomes even
warmer. Additionally, as the air sinks, it becomes drier, further raising the
temperature of the area.

Heat Domes and the Jet Stream

• The formation of heat domes is related to the behaviour of the jet stream, a
fast-moving area of air in the atmosphere with a wave-like pattern that moves
from north to south and back again.
• When these waves become bigger and elongated, they can slow down or
become stationary, leading to the formation of a high-pressure system and a
heat dome.

67. What is the “Pineapple Express” Phenomenon?

• “Pineapple Express” is a specific example of a common atmospheric
phenomenon known as atmospheric rivers.
• These rivers in the sky, also known as “rivers in the sky” according to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are long, narrow regions in
the atmosphere that transport most of the water vapor outside the tropics.
• They carry a lot of moisture – enough water vapor to equal or sometimes
exceed the average flow of the Mississippi River at the point where it flows
into the Gulf of Mexico.

32
68. The Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022
• Recently, the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 was enacted to
amend the WLPA, 1972 to incorporate more species protected under the law.
Protection of wild animals and birdsis a subject under Concurrent List.

About Wildlife (Protection) Act (WLPA), 1972

• The act provides for the protection of wild animals, birds, and plants with a
view to ensuringthe ecological and environmental security of the country.
• It empowers the State to declare protected areas, under four categories-
National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves and Conservation
Reserves.
• Important bodies established under the act includes National Board for
Wildlife, National Tiger Conservation Authority & Central Zoo Authority.
• The Act has created 6 schedules for specially protected plants (one), specially
protected animals (four) and vermin species (one), which gave varying degrees
of protection to classes of flora and fauna.

About the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act (WLPA), 2022

• 2022 act seeks to conserve and protect wildlife through better management
of protected areas and implement the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

69. Sustainable Aquaculture In Mangrove Ecosystem (SAIME)

Initiative
• New initiative of sustainable shrimp cultivation provides hope for mangrove
restoration in Sundarbans. SAIME is a community-based pilot project in West
Bengal under which farmers are planting mangrove trees around shrimp
ponds.
• Generally, mangrove forests are cleared to cultivate shrimps in the areas.
• It is being conceived by Nature Environment and Wildlife Society (NEWS),
Global Nature Fund and others.
• It is expected to restore the mangroves.
• Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs that live in coastal intertidal zone.
• They prevent erosion and absorb storm surge impacts during extreme weather
events.

33
70. Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes Kunthiana)
• Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has listed
Neelakurinji under Schedule III of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including it
on list of protected plants.

About Neelakurinji
• It is a shrub that grows in the shola forests of Western Ghats in South India.
• Neelakurinji flowers bloom once every 12 years.
• Plant is named after the famous Kunthi River which flows through Kerala’s
Silent Valley National Park, where plant occurs abundantly.
• Eravikulam National Park, near Munnar, is known for widespread blooming of
kurinji.
• Blue colour of Kurinji has given Nilgiri hills its name, literally meaning Blue
Mountains.

71. Dark Sky Reserve

• Talacauvery in Kodagu District, Karnataka has emerged as South India's Hanle.
• Hanle (in Ladakh) is India’s first Dark Sky Reserve.
• Dark Sky Reserve is a designation given to a public or private land with
exceptional or distinguished quality of starry nights, and nocturnal
environment that is specifically protected for its scientific, natural,
educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment.
• Dark Sky location depends on light pollution which is measured on Bortle Scale.
• Bortle Scale measures night sky’s brightness on a nine-level numerical scale
with lesser numerical scale representing darkness.

72. Lakes In News

Lake Victoria (also called as Victoria Nyanza)
• Recently Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment released
a report on managing Lake Victoria water quality in Tanzania.
• Lake Victoria is largest lake in Africa and chief reservoir of Nile.
• It is shared by three countries, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.
• Among freshwater lakes of world, it is exceeded in size only by Lake Superior
in North America.

Lake Chad
• Recently, a report highlighted Climate change fuelling conflict in Lake Chad
Basin.

34
 • It is freshwater lake located in Sahelian zone of west-central Africa at
conjunction of Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, Niger.

73. Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano

• Hawaiian volcano kilauea erupted again recently.
• Kilauea volcano is active shield volcano (erupts magma of low viscosity and
hence less steep) located on the Hawaiian island.
• Hawaii, USA is a group of 8 volcanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean
stretching in a crescent from Kure Island in west to Hawaii in east.
• Volcanoes make up 51% of Hawaii Island landmass.

35
36
37