Tribal Arts

The exhibition ‘Tribes India’ pavilion is a part of the G-20 Leaders' Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi that is being conducted by TRIFED to showcase a wide range of traditional tribal arts

• ‘Tribes India’ pavilion is exhibition to showcase a wide range of traditional tribal art, artifacts, paintings, pottery, textiles and organic natural products.
• ‘Tribes India’ pavilion was hosted by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Ltd (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• Pithora Art – They are ritual paintings, characterized by animated figures and lavish use of colour, propagated by the Rathwa, Bhilala, Naik and Bhil tribes of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
• Gond painting from Madhya Pradesh.
• Saura painting by artisans from Odisha.
• Angora and Pashmina shawls from the high altitudes of Leh-Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, woven by the Bodh and Bhutia tribes.
• Maheshwari silk sarees from Madhya Pradesh.
• Eri or “Millenium Silk” made by Bodo tribe from Assam.

Suicide Loss Survivors forum

Recently the first session of the forum was held on the NIMHANS’s institute, ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on September 10

• Suicide Loss Survivors forum is an interactive platform for care and support.
• It is an initiative of National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).
• It aims to decrease stigma and provide Postvention care and support to the families of those who lost their lives to suicide.
• Postvention refers to interventions for bereaved survivors, community members, caregivers and health care providers to destigmatize suicide, assist with the recovery process.
• Postvention helps these survivors of suicide loss to address this predicament that they are going through.
• The voices of suicide survivors are essential for raising awareness, reducing stigma, providing support and ultimately preventing suicide.
• The forum will offer guidance on navigating these challenging emotions.
• The forum will emphasise the importance of community in the healing process.
• Information on available resources, including therapy, support groups, and helplines, will be provided to attendees to help them access the assistance they need.
• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report 1, 64,033 suicides were reported in India in 2021.

Banglar mati, Banglar jol

Recently the West Bengal Assembly passed a resolution making Poila Baishakh (April 15) as the statehood day and declaring Rabindranath Tagore’s Banglar mati, Banglar jol as the state anthem

• Banglar mati, Banglar jol is a prayer for Bengali unity and harmony which was written by Rabindranath Tagore in the context of Viceroy Lord Curzon’s partition of Bengal in 1905.
• The song became an anthem for those fighting against Britain’s divide and rule policy during Bengal partition.
• Banglar mati, Banglar jol is the state anthem of Bangladesh.
• Amar sonar Bangla (My golden Bengal) written by Rabindranath Tagore is the national anthem of Bangladesh.

Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR)

Recently RBI have decided to discontinue the I-CRR in a phased manner since it was adopted as temporary measure to absorb excess liquidity from the banking system

• The I-CRR was introduced on August 10, 2023, by the RBI to absorb the surplus liquidity generated by various factors, including the return of Rs 2,000 notes to the banking system.
• The level of surplus liquidity in the system surged because of the return of Rs 2,000 banknotes to the banking system, RBI’s surplus transfer to the government, pick up in government spending and capital inflows.
• Excessive liquidity can pose risks to price stability and also to financial stability.
• The banks are mandated to maintain an I-CRR of 10% on the increase in their net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) between May 19, 2023, and July 28, 2023.
• NDTL refers to the total demand and time liabilities (deposits) of the public that are held by the banks with other banks.
• I-CRR measure is expected to absorb above Rs 1 lakh crore of excess liquidity from the banking system.
• The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the minimum amount of the total deposits which banks have to maintain as cash reserve with the Reserve Bank of India.

Pearl Millet

According to recent study India’s core pearl millet or bajra production zone has shifted to 18 districts spread across eastern Rajasthan and Haryana between 1998 and 2017

• Pearl millet is also called, as bajra in India, is suited to soils of low fertility and limited moisture.
• It is a popular food crop in India and Africa.
• It is a rainfed Kharif crop of dry and warm north-western and western parts of the country.
• It is a hardy crop which resists frequent dry spells and drought.
• Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), which has stalks 1.5 to 3 metres (5 to 10 feet) tall and about 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick.
• Pearl millet is the major millet occupying first position among all the millets in India followed by Sorghum and Ragi.
• It is termed as “nutricereal” as it is a good source of energy, carbohydrate, protein, fat, ash, dietary fiber, iron and zinc.
• India classifies pearl millet cultivation zones based on rainfall patterns and soil types.
• The arid regions of Rajasthan, which receive less than 400 millimetres (mm) of rainfall, are categorised as Zone ‘A1’.
• Semi-arid regions in north and central India, including southern Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, which receive more than 400 mm of rainfall per year, form Zone ‘A’.
• Semi-arid regions with heavy soils in southern India and central western India with over 400 mm of rainfall form Zone B.
• The 3 subzones of zone ‘A’ are ‘G’, ‘AE1’ and ‘AE2’.
• Zone ‘G’ covers Gujarat while AE1 covers eastern Rajasthan and Haryana. Zone ‘AE2’ covers 12 districts spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• ‘AE1’ is the India’s core pearl millet production area with 39% production.
• The zone ‘AE2’ is characterised by the lowest pearl millet price.
• The study was conducted by
  1. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and
  2. Indian Council of Agricultural Research – All India Coordinated Research Project on Pearl Millet (ICAR-AICRP).