Cultural Property Agreement (CPA)

India and the United States of America signed the first ever 'Cultural Property Agreement' recently on the side-lines of the 46th World Heritage Committee at New Delhi.

• Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) aims to prevent illegal trafficking of cultural property and retrieval of antiquarian objects to their place of origin.
• India and the United States of America signed the first ever 'Cultural Property Agreement' to prevent and curb the illicit trafficking of antiquities from India to the USA.
• The CPA restricts the importation into the United States of certain archaeological material ranging in date from 1.7 million years ago through 1770 CE.
• It also restricts certain ethnological material ranging in date from 2nd century BCE to 1947 CE.
  • Ethnological material includes categories of civic, religious, and royal architectural material, religious material and ceremonial items and manuscripts.
• It was signed recently on the sidelines of the 46th World Heritage Committee, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• CPA is aligned with the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, to which both countries are States party.
• The antiquities that have been smuggled out of India before the ratification of 1970 UNESCO Convention are housed at various museums, institutions and private collections across the world.
• India has repatriated 358 antiquities since 1976, out of these 345 have been retrieved since 2014.
• The Kashi Culture Pathway is a document that was unanimously endorsed by the G20 Culture Ministers' meeting in Varanasi in August 2023.
• India’s support for culture on the global stage is grounded in its rich heritage and demonstrated commitment to holistic sustainability.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port

Union ministry of Shipping has recently allocated funds for the development of integrated agri-export facility project at Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai.

• India's first integrated agri-export facility to come up at Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai.
• The facility will cater to exports of items such as non-basmati rice, maize, spices, onion and wheat.
• This facility will address inefficiencies in logistics, reduce multiple handling and exporters, stimulate demand and foster rural development.
• JNPA is the dominant gateway for frozen meat products and a major gateway for marine products.
• Expected benefits include better prices for agricultural goods, job creation, and overall growth in the agricultural sector.
• It will empower farmers and exporters, stimulate demand, and foster rural development.
• JNPA is the first major port of the country which is 100% Landlord port having all berths being operated on PPP model.
• In the state of Maharashtra, MoPSW is also developing one of the biggest port in the Country, the Vadhavan Port.
• Agriculture Export Facilitation Center (AEFC) – It aims to boost Maharashtra's agricultural and food exports by disseminating need-based information, providing timely guidance and organizing training courses for all the stakeholders.
• It will support capacity building by providing expert guidance on a range of topics such as:
  • Orchard Management, Minimum Residue Level (MRL), Branding and Marketing,
  • Packhouse & Special Export Treatments, Country-wise Protocols and Quality Parameters and
  • Advance Export Certifications, Government Export Schemes and others.
• It was launched by the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), in association with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

E-Upahaar Portal

The portal was recently launched by the President of India.

• Rashtrapati Bhavan will auction selected gift items, presented to the President and former Presidents on various occasions, through an online portal called E-Upahaar.
• The portal was launched by the President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu.
• In the first phase, around 250 exquisite gifts will be auctioned.
• The aim of this initiative is not only to increase citizen engagement but also to support noble cause.
• All proceeds from the auction will be donated to help children in need.
• The gift items up for auction will be available for public viewing at Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum.

Polyoxometalates (POM)

Researchers have recently found a new way to utilise carbon dioxide CO2 in ambient reaction conditions with help of Polyoxometalates (POM).

• Polyoxometalates (POM) area a class of synthesised nanomaterials, consisting three or more transition metal linked together by shared oxygen atoms.
• POM are anionic oxo-clusters of early transition metals in their high oxidation states.
• They display unique chemical and physical propertiesbased on their structures, composition, sizes, rich redox chemistry and charges.
• Unique features – They can easily give and take electrons, which is important for many chemical reactions.
• They behave a bit like semiconductors, materials used in electronics.
• Scientists can change how they absorb light by using different metals in their structure.
• They have high-efficiency catalytic sites and exhibit extraordinary thermal stability and redox ability.
• POMs can act as photocatalysts.
• The light absorption properties of it can be finely tuned by incorporating different transition metals, which makes them candidates for photocatalytic conversion.
• It converts amines to N-formamides using CO2 under ambient conditions.
• POMs activate CO2 molecules and promote their reaction with amine substrates.
• Photocatalytic activity initiates and accelerates chemical reactions under light irradiation.
• Tackling climate change – One of the most exciting uses for POMs is in helping to fight climate change.
• They show promise in an area of carbon capture and utilization (CCU).
• It can take harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and turning it into useful materials.
• Recent Breakthroughs – Scientists in India have recently found a new type of POM that can help turn CO2 and amines (a type of chemical compound) into useful products called formamides.
• This process happens under normal conditions, not the harsh conditions needed before.
• This could be a big step towards more environmentally friendly ways of making important chemicals.
• Significance – They offer a way to use CO2, potentially helping to reduce this greenhouse gas in our atmosphere.
• They work with just light, making them a "green" option for chemical processes.
• They're relatively cheap and easy to make.
• They open up new possibilities for making useful chemicals in more sustainable ways.

Cassava Plant

Compostable bioplastic bags made from Cassava starch is expected to boost local economy in Nagaland.

• Cassava Plant is a perennial woody shrub with an edible root.
• It is drought tolerant, easy to grow and simple to harvest.
• It grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and all parts of the cassava plant are valuable.
• Cassava originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa in the Congo basin by the Portuguese around 1558.
• Presently, it supports the livelihood of over 300 million Africans.
• It is rich in carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins B and C, and essential minerals.
• High-quality cassava flour is made within a day of harvesting the root.
• It is very white, has low fat content and is not sour like traditional, fermented cassava flour.
• It does not give a bad smell or taste to food products and can mix very well with wheat flour for use in bread or cakes.
• Compostable bioplastic bags can be made from Cassava starch.
• North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) has supported this initiative to manufacture Compostable Bioplastic Bag from Cassava Starch (Manihot esculenta).
• Women SHGs (Self Help Groups) operating in all the targeted villages are also being strengthened and encouraged to take up cassava cultivation as their IGA (Income Generation Activities).