Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL)

• BBSSL will undertake production, procurement & distribution of quality seeds.
• The distribution of seeds takes place under single brand through network of cooperatives to improve crop yield and develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds.
• BBSSL was set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 by the Ministry of Cooperation. (Statement 3 is incorrect)
• BBSSL will help in increasing the seed replacement rate and varietal replacement rate by ensuring the role of farmers in production of certified seeds.
• BBSSL will help in increasing the production of quality seeds in India through cooperatives.
• BBSSL is promoted by the following:
  • Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO),
  • Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO),
  • National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED),
  • National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and
  • National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
• BBSSL has a full-time resource based in Patna and Bhagalpur.
• The cooperatives of all levels from primary to apex can become members of BBSSL.

CHARAK

Recently, the Singrauli-based Coal India arm Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) in Madhya Pradesh, has rolled out the ‘CHARAK’ scheme.

• CHARAK – It is an innovative health-centric Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a corporate company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public.

• Objectives – To provide free treatment for patients suffering from identified Life-Threatening diseases belonging to economically weaker section of people in the Singrauli region.
• To ensure access to quality healthcare while easing the financial and emotional burden on affected families.
• Free treatment – At NCL’s dedicated hospital (NSC) or at specialised empanelled hospitals across the country.
• Eligibility – Residents of Singrauli and Sonbhadra districts having annual family income below Rs. 8 Lakhs from all sources will be eligible for benefit under this scheme.
• Diseases covered – It includes Tuberculosis (TB), HIV, Cardiovascular diseases, Organ Transplant, Multisystem disorders, Connective Tissue disorders and sudden vision loss etc.

Springs in Himalayas

• Springs occurs when water pressure causes a natural flow of groundwater onto the earth's surface.
• Springs get water from aquifers deep in the ground.
• The Hot springs of the Himalaya are located in the zones of deep faults that define tectonic boundaries.
• In Himalayan region, springs serves 64% of the cultivable land for irrigation.

Around three million springs flow across the Indian Himalayan region.

• Natural recharge area – Area from which the water seeps into the ground and emerges elsewhere through springs.
• Natural springs acts as a source of water for both drinking and irrigation.
• Cause of decline of Spring:
  • Rising temperatures
  • Altered precipitation patterns
  • Decreasing snowfall and rainfall
  • Change in land cover and land use
  • Reduction in the long-term rainfall in the region
  • Landslides
  • Rain-related drought
• Impacts of declination – Several such areas in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and northeastern states have been affected by the causes that lead to drying up of springs.
• The rural communities will face shortages in drinking water, agriculture, and daily household needs.
• To know more about the springs in Himalayas click here

Santa Ana Winds

• Santa Ana Winds occur when air from a region of high pressure over the dry, desert region of the south-western U.S. flows westward towards low pressure located off the California coast.
• This creates dry winds that flow east to west through the mountain passages in Southern California.
• These winds are most common during the cooler months of the year, occurring from September through May.
• Santa Ana winds typically feel warm (or even hot) because as the cool desert air moves down the side of the mountain, it is compressed, which causes the temperature of the air to rise.
• These strong winds can cause major property damage.
• They also increase wildfire risk because of the dryness of the winds and the speed at which they can spread a flame across the landscape.

“Waste to Worth: Managing India’s Urban Water Crisis through Wastewater Reuse” Report

• The report Waste to Worth: Managing India’s Urban Water Crisis through Wastewater Reuse, released jointly by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG).
• The report, unveiled at a national workshop co-organised by CSE and NMCG under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources).
• The report highlights the potential of wastewater reuse to mitigate water scarcity caused by rapid urbanisation, industrial expansion and climate change.

India currently treats only 28% of the 72,000 million litres of wastewater generated daily.

• Regional disparities in wastewater treatment and reuse make the process challenging.
• Uttar Pradesh leads in untreated wastewater volumes, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana.
• The report underscored the need to view treated wastewater not as a waste product but as a valuable resource critical to India’s water security.