Context: PUSA1121, a popular variety of basmati rice known for its aroma and long grains, and favoured by exporters, will no longer be recommended by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, a top official said. The unit of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) would instead promote a new and improved variety of aromatic rice labelled PUSA1885.
About PUSA1885
It is the new alternative to PUSA1121 as all its characteristics such as aroma, grain length, off-white colour and best cooking results have been retained while adding resistance to pest attacks.
This variety has been developed through molecular marker-assisted breeding incorporation of two genes each for bacterial blight resistance namely, xa13 and Xa21; and blast resistance genes Pi2 and Pi54.
It has semi-tall plant stature with extra-long slender grains.
It will require much fewer agrochemicals and will save farmers as much as ₹3,000 per acre on pesticides, while the yield will be four to seven quintals more.
India exports some ₹40,000 crore worth of basmati every year to North America, Europe and the Middle East.
Two other basmati varieties, PUSA1509 and PUSA1401, have also been replaced by PUSA1847 and PUSA1886.
All three new varieties are resistant to pests and give 20% more yield than their older versions.
About PUSA1847
It is an improvement of the popular Basmati rice variety, Pusa Basmati 1509 with inbuilt resistance to bacterial blight and blast disease developed through molecular marker-assisted breeding.
This variety possesses two genes each for bacterial blight resistance namely, xa13 and Xa21; and blast resistance namely, Pi54 and Pi2.
It is an early maturing and semi-dwarf Basmati rice variety with an average yield.
This variety was released for commercial cultivation in 2021.
Context:Members of United Nations adopted the first ever treaty to protect marine life in the high seas.
UN High Seas Treaty:
The United Nations adopted the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty (BBNJ), also known as the High Seas Treaty, marking the first-ever legally binding international treaty governing the high seas.
The High Seas Treaty was approved by all 193 U.N. member states and aims to establish regulations to protect the environment, prevent conflicts related to natural resources and shipping, and address various issues in waters beyond any country's national jurisdiction.
The treaty introduces a framework for the creation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the high seas, which will complement existing MPAs within national territorial waters.
This initiative is intended to address biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation caused by climate change impacts such as ocean warming and acidification, as well as challenges posed by plastics, pollutants, and overfishing.
Focus areas under High Seas Treaty:
Marine genetic resources (MGRs), including the fair and equitable sharing of benefits.
Area-based management tools (ABMTs), including marine protected areas (MPAs).
Environmental impact assessments (EIAs).
Capacity building and transfer of marine technology (CB&TMT).
Context: Ancient charcoal, a type of charcoal first used by Amazonian tribes thousands of years ago is becoming a key component of net-zero goals set by blue chip companies eager to offset their carbon emissions.
About Ancient Charcoal: Biochar
Known as biochar, this black substance created by heating biomass and other agricultural waste can store carbon for hundreds of years and improve soil quality at the same time.
It is a carbonaceous material derived from waste biomass, of which several key properties, including low bulk density, low thermal conductivity, and the porous nature, have rendered it to present distinguished performance characteristics of the concrete.
How biochar sequesters carbon?
It is produced by heating wood and other biomass in a low-oxygen chamber that limits emissions, in a process known as pyrolysis. The bio-oils and gas produced can be used for power generation.
The resulting char can be mixed with existing soil, acting as a fertilizer and sequestering carbon with a mean residence time of about 2,000 years.
Biochar production and burial remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere through uptake by plants, allowing, in principle, an actual reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
By contrast, conventional carbon capture and storage reduces the carbon dioxide concentrations from exhaust fumes, therefore at best preventing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels from rising further.
Biochar is regarded as an ideal material for reducing CO2 in concrete production.
Benefits of Biochar
Carbon Sequestration: Potential to sequester up to 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide annually by 2050, or almost as much as India emits in a year.
Sound absorption: In addition to its insulation properties, voids and networks of interconnected pores derived from biochar also increase the sound absorption of the concrete.
Cement hydration: The addition of biochar in cement-based composites could increase compressive strength by promoting cement hydration due to its high capacity for water retention.
Used as filler: It usually has a fine particle size; thus, it could be used as filler to fill the micropores in construction materials.
Fire resistance: Compared to wood-incorporated composites, biochar-modified composites showed relatively high fire resistance due to their stable physiochemical properties.
Construction Industry: Utilised as a renewable resource to replace cement content while making mortar that is being used in the construction industry.
Water retention: Biochar feedstocks, such as poultry litter and pulp and paper mill sludge, play an active role in enhancing water absorption in concrete.
Remediation of Soil: Biochar is often used for the remediation of soil suffering from heavy metal pollution.
Challenges of Biochar
Limit activity of earthworms in soil: Due to the application of biochar in soil, the activity of worms reduces which is essential for soil productivity.
Soil compaction: The frequent application of biochar causes soil compaction which in return decreases crop yield.
Lowers efficiency of pesticides: Biochar also affects the application of pesticides hence reducing the efficiency of pesticides in soil.
About Pyrolysis
It is one of the technologies available to convert biomass to an intermediate liquid product that can be refined to drop-in hydrocarbon biofuels, oxygenated fuel additives, and petrochemical replacements.
It is the heating of an organic material, such as biomass, in low or no oxygen.
Biomass pyrolysis is usually conducted at or above 500 °C, providing enough heat to deconstruct the strong bio-polymers. Because no oxygen is present combustion does not occur, rather the biomass thermally decomposes into combustible gases and biochar.
Thus, pyrolysis of biomass produces three products: one liquid, bio-oil, one solid, bio-char, and one gaseous, syngas.
Context: Around one in every six candidates hired so far under Mission Recruitment or Rozgar Melas, the Government’s bulk recruitment drive to fill 10 lakh posts by 2023 end, were women. Of these, 3,61,763 (84%) recruits were male and 68,783 (16%) women, shows data available from the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
About Rozgar Melas
It is a drive to recruit 10 lakh people, this will be a significant step forward towards fulfilling the continuous commitment of the prime minister to providing job opportunities for the youth and ensuring the welfare of citizens.
The recruitments are being conducted in collaboration with Central Government Departments as well as State Governments and Union Territories.
The new recruits, hailing from various parts of the country, will be joining the Government in departments such as Financial Services, Posts, School Education, Higher Education, Defence, Revenue, Health and Family Welfare, Atomic Energy, Railways, Audit and Accounts, and Home Affairs, among others.
The recruitments are largely in posts of Group B and Group C level, which directly helps these departments to provide a higher quality of service at the cutting-edge level to the citizens.
All the recruitments taking place through the recruitment agencies like Staff Selection Commission (SSC), Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and Railway Recruitment Board(RRBs) in a time-bound and transparent manner
The newly inducted appointees are also getting an opportunity to train themselves through Karmayogi Prarambh, an online module on the Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi portal, where more than 400 e-learning courses have been made available for ‘anywhere any device’ learning format.
Context: As world leaders and finance moguls land in Paris for the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, it’s time to take concrete steps for sustainable finance and not let this be another international summit without substance.
India, the president of the G20 this year, is co-chairing the steering committee of the summit with France and can be counted on to be that voice of the Global South.
About the summit:
What: a new deal to be signed among world leaders to ensure fixed funding amount and mechanism for various developmental issues.
When: on 22-23 June
Initiative: Taken by the French President, Emmanuel Macron
Aims
Aim of the Summit is to lay the groundwork for a new financial system suited to the common challenges of the 21st century, such as fighting inequalities and climate change and protecting biodiversity.
It aims to establish a sufficiently robust international financial architecture to provide greater resources, protect the most vulnerable countries from shocks, help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), restore the long-term trend of poverty reduction, and preserve global public goods such as climate and health.
Aim to “build a new contract with the North and the South”, in order to facilitate the access of vulnerable countries to the financing they need to address the consequences of ongoing and future crises.
Four main objectives
Restore fiscal space to countries facing short-term difficulties, especially the most indebted countries.
Fostering private sector development in low-income countries.
Encourage investment in "green" infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing countries.
Mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change.
High level steering committee composition:
It includes France, Barbados, South Africa, Germany, Brazil, China, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, Senegal, the European Commission, the United Nations Secretariat, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the OECD.
Challenges in such funding:
1. Demand and Supply gap of funding:
Demand - According to One Planet Lab’s white papers released for the Summit, the scale of investment needed to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, climate COP21 and Biodiversity COP15 objectives set at the global and national levels is to the tune of an additional $4 trillion every year.
Supply - only $204 billions of official development assistance came last year.
2. Regional difference: only 25% of global climate investment goes to South Asia, Latin America, and Africa, which house some of the most vulnerable regions.
3. Not focusing on equal but differentiated responsibility: developed nations despite historically responsible for the emission are not taking responsibility to lead a way and fund more. They demand equal contribution of funds from developing nations like India for being current emitter.
Way forward
Modernising and standardising existing tax structures, clamping down on illegal cross-border money movement, empowering tax administrations and curbing ineffectual fossil fuel subsidies.
At international level, taxing the production of fossil fuels, shipping of goods, and transportation of fossil fuels to raise funds.
Financing novel mechanisms, such as a Global Clean Investment Risk Mitigation Mechanism that pool risks across geographies and lower costs for all. It would help to attract private financing for such needs.
Transparency and real-time data can bridge the psychological and financial divides.
Chart a political pathway that creates time-bound deliverables on climate finance from one summit to another.
Conclusion
The summit must outline the maths of finance, the mechanisms of delivery, and establish the momentum for real investment over the next two years. When we approach the 80th anniversary of the UN in 2025, reformed finance for sustainable development should have formed the basis for renewed and meaningful multilateralism.
Context: Recently a government panel, appointed to examine the contours of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), has recommended a complete overhaul of the scheme to link employment generation efforts with asset creation, largely concentrated in 2,500 water-deficient and 1,000 poverty-ridden blocks of the total 7,245 blocks.
About the Panel
The head of the panel was former rural development secretary Amarjeet Sinha.
The panel's mandate was
to study the factors behind the demand for MGNREGA work,
inter-state variations and the composition of work.
to recommend restructuring the demand-based programme MGNREGA.
Recommendations of the Panel
Link the rural employment scheme with asset creation in the poorest blocks of India.
70% of the MGNREGA funds should be channelised in about 49% of the blocks, including 2,500 water-deficient blocks and 1,000 poverty-ridden blocks.
The remaining 30% of the MGNREGA funds, as per the committee's recommendation, be earmarked for the rest of the state.
The "one size fits all" approach of the programme to be changed to a more targeted approach.
Employment generation under the scheme should be linked to creating assets to replenish water bodies in these 3,500 blocks.
Context: Jagannath Ratha Yatra has begun in Puri in the current month of Ashadh.
About the Jagannath Yatra
The Ratha Yatra, also known as the Ratha Jatra or chariot festival, is a magnificent Hindu celebration held annually in the city of Puri, Odisha, India. It is considered the oldest and largestchariotfestival in the Hindu tradition, taking place during the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh, which typically falls in June or July.
The festival revolves around the worship of LordJagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu or Krishna, and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra. During the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are ceremoniously pulled in massivewoodenchariots from the Jagannath Temple to the GundichaTemple. The deities reside in the Gundicha Temple for a week and then return to their abode in the Jagannathtemple (Bahuda Yatra)
The origins of the Ratha Yatra can be traced back to ancient texts such as the BrahmaPurana, PadmaPurana, SkandaPurana, and KapilaSamhita, which describe the grandeur of the festival. It is believed that participating in the Ratha Yatra and pulling the chariots grants immense blessings and spiritualpurification.
The construction of the chariots is a significant part of the festival. Every year, the three chariots, named Nandighosa, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalana, are built anew using specific types of wood, such as phassi and dhausa. The skilled carpenters responsible for constructing the chariots have hereditary rights and privileges for this sacred task. The logs are collected near Puri after being set afloat as rafts in the river Mahanadi and are then transported by road to the city.
The chariots, adorned with vibrant decorations and intricate designs, stand tall on the BadaDanda, the GrandAvenue, near the eastern entrance of the JagannathTemple. Each chariot has a charioteer, known as Sarathi, and is pulled by devotees with great enthusiasm and devotion. Alongside the chariots, nine Parsvadevatas, painted wooden images representing various deities, add to the grandeur of the procession.
As the chariots begin their journey towards the GundichaTemple, the air is filled with excitement and religious fervor. Devotees from all walks of life come together to pull the massive ropes, chanting the names of the deities and seeking their blessings. The procession moves along the badadanda, a two-mile stretch leading to the Gundicha Temple.
During the procession, the chariot of LordJagannath, Nandighosa, makes a significant stop near the crematorium of BhaktaSalabega, a Muslim devotee. This pause symbolizes the harmony between different faiths and pays tribute to the devotion of Salabega. It serves as a reminder of the all-encompassing nature of the divine.
On the return journey from the Gundicha Temple, the deities make a special halt near the MausiMaaTemple, also known as Aunt'sabode. They receive an offering of PodaPitha, a type of pancake believed to be Lord Jagannath's favorite delicacy. This act of offering food to the deities signifies the bond between the devotees and the divine, fostering a sense of love and devotion.
The Ratha Yatra is not just a one-day event but a culmination of various rituals and festivities that span a period of 42 days known as ChandanYatra or Sandalwood Festival. During this time, preparations for the chariot construction commence. The festival is divided into two halves - BaharChandan and BhitarChandan. Bahar Chandan involves colorful processions of representative images.
Context:World Refugee Day (June 20) is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
World Refugee Day
The number of people affected by forced displacement due to conflicts and unrest worldwide is 103 million.
The presence of global conflicts, such as the ongoing wars in Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, and other regions, as well as the prolonged situations in Afghanistan and Somalia, poses an unparalleled challenge.
The issues of displacement are not limited to specific regions, as South and Southeast Asia also face these challenges.
In India, around 250,000 individuals have been forcibly displaced, with women and children comprising half of this population.
Challenges Faced by Refugees
Forced displacement: Refugees have been forced to flee their home countries due to conflict, persecution, or violence.
Legal obstacles: Many refugees face legal challenges in obtaining official recognition and documentation in their host countries. This lack of legal status can limit their access to basic rights, services, and opportunities.
Access to essential services: Limited resources, language barriers, and unfamiliar systems can hinder their ability to meet basic needs and rebuild their lives.
Discrimination and xenophobia: Refugees may face discrimination and xenophobia in their host communities, which can lead to social exclusion and marginalization.
Economic challenges: Refugees face economic difficulties, including limited job prospects, low wages, and financial instability.
What is the Global Compact on Refugees?
It establishes a framework aimed at achieving more predictable and fair burden-sharing, acknowledging that effective and sustainable resolutions to refugee situations require international cooperation.
It serves as a guide for governments, international organizations, and other relevant stakeholders, outlining strategies to ensure that host communities receive the necessary support and that refugees are able to lead productive lives.
The GCR focuses on four primary objectives
Alleviating pressures on host countries: The compact aims to provide assistance and resources to host countries facing the strain of hosting large numbers of refugees.
Enhancing refugee self-reliance: The GCR emphasizes the importance of empowering refugees to become self-reliant by providing them with access to education, employment, and skills training.
Expanding access to third-country solutions: The compact seeks to broaden opportunities for refugees to find durable solutions by facilitating their resettlement in third countries.
Supporting conditions in countries of origin for safe and dignified return: The GCR recognizes the significance of addressing the root causes of displacement by supporting conditions in countries of origin and the reintegration of returning refugees with safety.
How did the Global Compact on Refugees develop?
New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants marked a significant milestone in fostering global solidarity and enhancing refugee protection during a period of unprecedented displacement.
Adopted by UN Member States in September 2016, its Annex I, known as the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF), was implemented.
Simultaneously, UNHCR led extensive consultations involving Member States, international organizations, refugees, civil society, the private sector, and experts.
These consultations aimed to learn from the application of the CRRF and gather valuable insights.
This inclusive two-year process culminated in the recognition and endorsement of the Global Compact on Refugees by UN Member States in December 2018.
The UN Convention on Refugees
Adopted in 1951 and in force since 1954, is an international treaty that focuses on global refugee protection. It is also known as the Geneva Convention.
Context:The Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 24 footwear products, including rubber hawai chappal, and formal and sports shoes will be implemented from July 1, 2023. The QCOs will be also implemented for large and medium enterprises and small and micro units under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Certification Scheme.
About Quality Control Orders
To achieve the twin objectives of development of a robust quality ecosystem in the country and providing consumers with quality goods meeting the global benchmark.
The Central Government, after consulting BIS, publishes the QCOs under BIS Act, 2016 thereby bringing the products under BIS Mandatory Certification.
Through the issuance of QCOs, the notified products have to conform to the requirements of the relevant Indian standard and the manufacturers of these products have to compulsorily obtain certification from BIS.
After the date of commencement of the QCO, no person shall manufacture, import, distribute, sell, hire, lease, store or exhibit for sale any product(s) covered under the QCO without a standard mark except under a valid certification from BIS.
As the QCOs are equally applicable to Indian manufacturers as well as foreign manufacturers, Indian consumers are assured of the quality of such products manufactured in India as well as imported to the country.
Some of the recent examples are toys (both electric and non-electric), helmets for two-wheeler riders, and domestic appliances like air-conditioners, refrigerators, domestic cookers, and LPG gas stoves, among other products.
QCOs are issued by various Line Ministries (Regulators) under the Central Government depending upon the product(s)/ product categories.
Any person who contravenes the provisions of the Order shall be punishable under the BIS Act, 2016 with imprisonment or with fine or with both.
Any exemptions like non-applicability of the Order on specific product(s), product(s) meant for export, etc. come under the purview of the Line Ministry (Regulator) who has issued the QCO. Wherever exemptions are permitted, these are clearly brought out in the respective QCO itself.
If any person is having issues/queries/clarifications related to the applicability of QCO they may approach the concerned Line Ministry/Department of the Central Government that has issued the QCO.
If any person is having queries/clarifications related to coverage of any product under Indian Standard covered under QCO, they may approach BIS.
About Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Certification Scheme
The BIS certification scheme is voluntary in nature but the Centre can make compliance with Indian Standards compulsory for various products under various considerations viz. public interest, protection of human, animal, or plant health, safety of environment, prevention of unfair trade practices, and national security.
For such products, the Central Government directs mandatory use of Standard Mark under a Licence or Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from BIS through the issuance of QCOs.
About BIS
It is the National Standards Statutory Body of India under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India.
It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.
Context:Reports surfaced stating that a Telegram bot was able to retrieve and display identification numbers from vaccination documents, including Aadhaar. Similarly, in 2021, a bot on the platform was discovered selling phone numbers extracted from Facebook. According to security researchers, a network of deep fake bots was identified on the platform, generating nonconsensual images using images of individuals submitted by users.
What are Bots?
A bot refers to a computer program designed to carry out tasks automatically.
Its primary purpose is to gather information from the internet or execute repetitive tasks at a much faster pace.
Applications of Bots
Ranging from malicious bots that carry viruses to search engine spiders.
Chatbots are capable of engaging in conversations with users to accomplish specific objectives. Example: Hi Poncho chatbot available in Facebook Messenger tells you the weather around you.
Web spidering, where an automated script fetches, analyzes, and organizes data from web servers at a speed far exceeding human capability.
Automated tasks such as setting alarms, providing weather updates, or conducting online searches. Examples: Siri and Cortana; Microsoft's Clippy.
One app with multiple bots can help with different tasks, like ordering food or checking sports scores.
Artificial intelligence-based bots are increasingly being used by organizations and entities to provide customer care, and sales and marketing services.
Two sides to bots
Beneficial purposes: information gathering, automated interaction through instant messaging or web interfaces, and dynamic engagement with websites.
However, Norton defines malicious bots as self-propagating malware that infects a host and establishes connections with central servers.
Can perform actions such as collecting passwords, logging keystrokes, acquiring financial information, distributing spam, and exploiting vulnerabilities created by viruses and worms.
Bots associated with automated accounts on Twitter and Facebook, spread misinformation on these platforms.
Use of Bots for malicious purposes
Bot attacks have impacted over 94.2% of websites. These attacks involve various types of malicious bots and botnets, including:
Spambots that harvest email addresses from contact
Downloader programs that suck bandwidth by downloading entire websites
Viruses and worms
DDoS attacks: distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network
Bots are used to increase traffic counts on analytics reporting to extract money from advertisers.
Internet trolls: Bots may be used on Internet forums to automatically post inflammatory or nonsensical posts to disrupt the forum and anger users.
What is Telegram?
Telegram, introduced in 2013, is a messaging platform service that provides an API for developers to create their applications and utilize the free API to develop specialized tools like bots, enabling seamless integration of services.
It ranks among the top 10 most downloaded apps globally and is recognized for its capacity to facilitate file sharing of up to 2GB.
It ensures the privacy of conversations by safeguarding them against unauthorized access from entities such as officials, marketers, and advertisers.
It does not handle any requests related to group chats or private conversations among participants.
Telegram bots
Telegram bots possess the capability to host complete web applications, enabling the provision of a wide range of services, from online stores to arcade games.
Some bots have the potential to collect user data, including personal information and chat history.
They can be specifically designed to facilitate convenient access to information stored in extensive databases that they are connected to.
Security concerns regarding telegram bots
Certain bots may possess security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by threat actors, compromising the security of users.
Threat actors can create malicious bots that contain harmful content, such as links to phishing websites or malware.
These threat actors may distribute bots with the intention of scamming users, enticing them with promises of rewards or discounts to trick them into divulging their personal information.
Introducing a bot into a secure Telegram chat may potentially weaken the level of encryption.
Wired reported that some bots do not employ Telegram's encryption protocol, which scrambles and renders messages illegible during transit.
Precautions and remedies
Anti-bot technique: Use of CAPTCHA, which is a form of Turing test used to distinguish between a human user and a less-sophisticated AI-powered bot, by the use of graphically-encoded human-readable text. However, Captchas are not foolproof in preventing bots as they can often be circumvented by computer character recognition and security holes.
Anti-malware software: All software should be updated and system updates should not be ignored.
To understand how individual bots handle user data, it is advisable for users to carefully review the terms of service and privacy policy associated with each bot.
Traditionally, the coastal wetlands in many parts of India have been used for sequential paddy-fish cultivation under different forms of institutional structures. In Kerala it is called Pokkali. In the recent years there’s a decline in Pokkali cultivation.
Pokkali rice is a saline-tolerant, indigenous rice variety grown in the Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala.
This lesser-known rice variety is developed in low-lying coastal areas and employs one of the oldest organic farming techniques.
Pokkali is a system in which the farming alternates between rice and prawn; the fields are used alternately for rice farming and prawn and shrimp cultivation.
Pokkali is cultivated with no fertilisers, be it chemical or organic, as it is grown in waterlogged areas.
This organically-grown rice is famous for its medicinal qualities and peculiar taste and has high protein and fibre content.
Due to its geographical specificity, Pokkali was conferred a geographical indication (GI) tag in the year 2008.
Challenges faced:
A shortage of skilled labour, the lack of technology that suits a soggy soil, low crop prices and the disturbance to and encroachment of the marine and estuarine ecosystems are the main factors for the decline of this sustainable farming practice.
Note:
In West Bengal, this agriculture-fisheries integration is known as bheries, in Karnataka it is called gajani, in Goa and Maharashtra it is called khazaan and in Kerala it’s pokkali.
Kuttanad below-sea level farming system has been recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). It is unique as it practices rice cultivation below sea level.
Kuttanad is a region covering the Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta Districts, in the state of Kerala
Context: Recently, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty scripted history by winning the men’s doubles title at the Indonesia Open; becoming the first pair from the country to claim a Super 1000 badminton event.
About The Super 1000: A Badminton tournament
Super 1000 is the best BWF World Tour circuit level, offering the highest points and prize pool.
The Super 1000 consists of four tournaments:
1. All England Open Badminton Championship,
2. China Open,
3. Indonesia Open, and
4. Malaysia Open.
The Super 1000 tournaments offer minimum prize money of US$1,250,000 (2023).
There are no qualifying rounds in a Super 1000 tournament, and the entries will be closed 42 days before the tournament date.
The main draw for all disciplines is 32, and the tournament will be held in six days
Players from the same nation are not separated in the main draw of the Super 1000 events.
The top fifteen singles players and top ten doubles pairs in the BWF World Ranking will be required to play all Super 1000 tournaments as well as all Super 750 and two Super 500 tournaments.
