Current Affairs

 

 

Gir and Kankrej cows 

News 

• India has imported 40,000 doses of bull semen from Brazil for the first time to boost milk output via artificial insemination. 

About Gir cow 

• The Gir or Gyr is an Indian breed of zebuine cattle. 
• It originated in the Kathiawar peninsula in the state of Gujarat, and the name of the breed derives from that of the Gir Hills. Other names include Bhodah, Desan, Gujarati, Kathiawari, Sorthi and Surti. 

Features: - 

1. Size- Average weight of Gir Cow is 385 kg with 130 cm in height; Gir bull weighs 545 kg on average, with a height of 140 cm.

2. Harsh Climate adaptability- It is suited to hot and arid climate. 

3. Milk Yield- Indian breed of Gir cows can give 6-10 litres. 

• Population: - They have originated in west India in the state of Gujarat. It has since spread to neighbouring 
• Distribution: - Maharashtra and Rajasthan. 

About Kankrej cow About: - 

• It originated from Southeast Rann of Kutch of Gujarat and adjoining Rajasthan (Barmer and Jodhpur district). It is also called as Wadad or Waged and Wadhiar. 

Features: - 

• Colour- Coat colour of the animal varies from silver grey to iron grey and steel black. Harsh climate adaptability- It is suited to hot and arid climate. 
• Resistance to disease- It is resistant to tick fever, heat stress, very little incidence of contagious abortion and tuberculosis. 

Need to import semen from Brazil

• Brazil has preserved the original breed of Gir cows (the original breed of Gir cows that was gifted by the Maharaja of Bhavnagar to Brazil in the 18th century). This breed has become a high milk-producing breed due to its ability to survive in extreme weather. 
• India is the world’s largest milk producer, contributing 24% to global output, followed by the US and China. However, the demand is going to rise rapidly in future, thus it needs more milk yielding cows.
• The government is targeting to produce 330 million tonnes (mt) of milk per annum by FY34. However, average yield of Indian animals is around 8-10 litres as opposed to Brazilian animals whose average is 20–22 litres per animal. Thus India is targeting animals that have Brazilian genetics with a capacity of producing more than 80 litres of milk per animal.

Mullaperiyar Dam 

• The Mullaperiyar, a 126-year-old dam, is located on the confluence of the Mullayar and Periyar rivers in Kerala’s Idukki district. 
• The dam stands at the height of 53.66 metres and 365.85 metres in length. 
• The dam is owned, operated and maintained by Tamil Nadu. 
• Tamil Nadu maintained it for several purposes, including irrigation, drinking water supply and hydro-power generation. 

Periyar River 

• The Periyar River is the longest river in the state of Kerala with a length of 244 km. 
• It is also known as ‘Lifeline of Kerala’ as it is one of the few perennial rivers in the state. 
• Periyar River originates from Sivagiri hills of Western Ghats, in Tamil Nadu and flows through the Periyar National Park. 
• The main tributaries of Periyar are Muthirapuzha, Mullayar, Cheruthoni, Perinjankutti. 

Dispute 

• In late 1979, after the eruption of the controversy over the structural stability of the dam, it was decided at a tripartite meeting chaired by K. C. Thomas, the then Chairman of the Central Water Commission that the water level be lowered to 136 feet against the full reservoir level of 152 feet so that Tamil Nadu could take up strengthening measures. 
• In 2006 and 2014 the Supreme Court held that the water level be raised to 142 feet, up to which Tamil Nadu stored water even last year (2021). 
• The court’s judgment of 2014 also provided for the formation of the supervisory committee and the completion of the remaining work by Tamil Nadu. But, there has been no end to litigation over the dam with Kerala witnessing landslides in recent years. 
• Though there had been no reports of landslides in the vicinity of the dam site, the events in other parts of the State led to a renewed campaign against the dam. 
• The Kerala government proposed that the existing dam be decommissioned and a fresh one be built 
• These options are not completely acceptable to Tamil Nadu which wants to complete the remaining strengthening work and restore the level to 152 feet. 

Dam Safety Act About: 

• The Dam Safety Act, 2021 came into force in December 2021. 
• The act is aimed at addressing the long-felt need for addressing issues concerning the safety of major dams all over the country. 
• It provides for surveillance, inspection, operation, and maintenance of certain dams for prevention of disasters related to dam failure, apart from institutional mechanisms to ensure their safe functioning. 
• The Act covers those dams having a height of over 15m and between 10m and 15m with certain stipulations. 

Create two National Institutions: 

• National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS): It seeks to evolve dam safety policies and recommend necessary regulations, and the,
• National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA): It seeks to implement policies and address unresolved issues between the two States. The NDSA will be the regulatory body. 

Create two State Level Institutions: 

• The legislation also envisages the formation of State Dam Safety Organisations and State Committees on Dam Safety. 
• Dam owners will be held responsible for the construction, operation, maintenance, and supervision of dams.

Gender Equity in Education and Need to Focus on Early Childhood Education

• The article discusses the status of gender equity in education in India. It also suggests steps to tackle the various issues. 

Background: 

• The 2023 Annual Status of Education Report shows that while girls and boys from rural India equally aspire to become doctors or engineers, when it comes to choosing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses, it is boys who take up STEM courses more than girls. 

Current Status of Gender Equity in Education in India 

1. Gender Equity in Learning Outcomes: 

• National Achievement Survey (2017) shows parity in learning levels between boys and girls in elementary and secondary classes across the country. 

2. Gender Gap in Mean Years of Schooling: 

• Over the past two decades, the mean years of schooling for girls has almost tripled from just 1.7 years in 1990 to 4.7 in 2018, while for males from 4.1 to 8.2 years. The gender gap has increased from 2.4 years to 3.5 years. 

3. Widening Gender Gap with Level of Education: 

• Girls have higher dropout rates compared to boys as the level of education increases. This is due to greater barriers to schooling for girls due to social norms and gender stereotypes correlated with female adolescence. 

4. Gender Gap in Enrolment in Private Schools: 

• More boys than girls tend to be enrolled in private institutions. Girls’ enrolment is free government schools highlights societal gender biases in exercising school choice. 

The Way Forward Focus on early childhood education (ECE):

• Focus should be shifted to early childhood education (ECE) where the roots of the gender gap in education lie. This is because gender norms, biases and stereotypes are ingrained in early childhood. 

Addressing Structural Challenges: 

• The lack of a regulatory framework, inadequate funding, poor quality and no legislation for universal access to early childhood education must be addressed urgently. 

Eliminating Gender Stereotypes: 

• Early childhood education should also focus on imparting education that eliminates gender stereotypes and helps erase the gender gap. 

Government Schemes: 

• Schemes such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and the new National Education Policy places importance on ECE and hence, should be implemented at the earliest in mission mode.

News– 

• Recently, Canada has decided to cap the number of international student visas for a two-year period. It will begin with the upcoming academic session. This article explores the various implications of this decision. 

Decisions have been taken by the Canadian Government 

• Foreign students visa cap– It has announced a 35% reduction in the number of new international student permits (as compared to 2023) for the academic session starting on September 1, 2024. 2) 
• PGWP modifications– It has also announced modifications to the Post Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP). PGWP enabled international students to work in Canada upon finishing their studies. 
• Restriction on spousal work permits– Work permits for spouses of international students will no longer be issued, except for those enrolled in master’s and doctoral programs. 
• Note– A review will take place at the end of this year to determine the number of study permits for 2025. 
• The limit on permits is temporary. 

The implications of this decision for foreign students, especially for Indians 

• The two-year cap on student permits applies only to undergraduate courses. Masters, PhD, and elementary/secondary school courses are exempted. 
• The restrictions will apply to only new applicants. Current international students in Canada, whether in undergraduate or other programs, remain unaffected. 
• The visa cap will hit Indian students. As per data from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the majority of student visas are granted to applicants from Asia, with India ranking as the top country on the list (followed by China).

 

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