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One Liners 20-03-2025
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Economy
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Manganese Ore (India) Limited (MOIL)
During financial year 2023-24, MOIL Ltd. has produced 1.76 million tonne of manganese ore which is 52% of total domestic production of 3.37 million tonne of manganese ore in India.
- It is a Schedule “A” Miniratna Category-I Company.
- Set up in – 1896 as Central Provinces Manganese Ore Company Limited (CPMO), a British Company incorporated in the UK.
- Indian incorporation in – 1962, as Manganese Ore (India) Limited which was renmed as MOIL Limited during the financial year 2010-11.
- Administrative control by – Ministry of Steel.
- Shareholding pattern – Government of India (53.35%), Government of Maharashtra (5.96%) and Government of Madhya Pradesh (5.38%) and Public (35.31%).
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National Cooperative Database (NCD)
- Launched in – 2024.
- Developed by – Ministry of Cooperation, with the support of States / UTs.
- Data collection to & updating by – Nodal officers appointed by all the States/ UTs for this purpose.
- Data coverage – Location, membership, economic activities, and linkages of cooperatives.
- Open access at – URL: https://cooperatives.gov.in.
- Usage – A single-point access information on over 8.25 lakh cooperatives across the country.
- Significance – It aids in identifying gaps in the geographical spread of cooperatives, including both covered and uncovered gram panchayats.
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Grameen Credit Score
- Announced in – The Union Budget 2025-26.
- It is a framework to be developed by public-sector banks.
- Need – The current credit scoring mechanism used by Credit Information Companies (CICs), by design, generic to all individual borrowers with no specific consideration for the rural sector.
- Objectives – To enable mechanisms for credit assessment of SHG borrowers, and the rural population.
- To improve access to formal credit for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and for the rural population, including farmers and marginalised communities.
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Seaweed Production in India
Recent data – It was 72,385 tonnes (wet weight) in 2023, as reported by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (ICAR-CMFRI).
- Cultivated species – Kappaphycus alvarezii and Gracilaria edulis.
- Application – They are widely used for carrageenan, agar production and utilized in food, biofertilizers, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, and biofuels.
- Government initiatives – Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to improve production and establishment of a Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu.
- Mandapam Regional Centre of ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has been designated as a Centre of Excellence for seaweed development.
- The Lakshadweep Islands has been designated as a Seaweed Cluster.
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Agriculture
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National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM)
- It is an institute of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
- Location – Hyderabad
- Autonomous organization – Under Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- Role – It promotes sustainable and organic farming practices.
- It organizes capacity building programs for officers and farmers of different states like training & demonstration of bioinputs under Soil and Root Health Management scheme.
- Activities – Initiatives for improvement of Plant Protection Technology, Plant quarantine and Biosecurity.
- Management of Maize Fall Army Worm.
- Survey and field evaluation of Sterile Insect Technique for the management of Oriental fruit fly.
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Science
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Starship Spacecraft
Recently, 8th testing of Starship spacecraft was launched from its launch pad in US.
- It is SpaceX’s next generation spacecraft.
- Future mission – It will leave for Mars at the end of 2026 with Tesla humanoid robot Optimus onboard.
- Its modified version is to be used for NASA’s Artemis program as a lunar lander, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.
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Kyasanur Forest Disease
Woman dies of Kyasanur Forest Disease in Chikkamagaluru.
- It is a viral infection.
- It is also known as monkey fever, as monkeys also get infected.
- Causal agent – Single stranded RNA virus named, Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFDV).
- Transmission – It spreads through infected ticks.
- Human infection – Humans, who visit forest areas to graze cattle or to collect firewood, are vulnerable to the infection.
- Treatment – No specific treatment available but it can be prevented using vaccine and tick bite avoidance.
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S N Bose Building for Nuclear Research
- It is named in honour of the eminent Indian physicist Dr. Satyendra Nath Bose.
- Located at – Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan in New Delhi.
- Aim – To serve as an advanced hub for research and training in nuclear science and technology.
- Facilities – It houses state-of-the-art laboratories catering to GCNEP’s specialised schools, enhancing its capabilities in nuclear security, reactor technology, radiation safety, nuclear material characterisation, and radioisotope applications.
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Index
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Farmers Distress Index
Systemic assessment of Farmers’ Distress Index (FDI) is not available for the whole country.
- Farmers’ Distress Index – The index will anticipate farmers distress and prevent its spread from a few farmers to the village or block.
- Developed by - Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA).
- Coverage – It covers multiple causes of distress ranging from climate variability to price volatility and the low risk-bearing ability of farmers etc.
- Aim – To develop an early warning system for farm distress and provide policy support about the severity of farmer distress based on 7 key parameters.
- Importance – It targets to recommend a location-specific distress management package.
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