National Campaign for Updation and Verification of People’s Biodiversity Register (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- Recently, the National Campaign for Updation and Verification of People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) was launched in Goa, marking a significant step towards the documentation and preservation of India's rich biological diversity.
- The function wasorganized by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, in association with the Goa State Biodiversity Board, the National Biodiversity Authority, and the Government of Goa.
Key Highlights:
- Conserving biodiversity is key to maintaining balance in nature. The need for people's participation in achieving success in implementing the provisions of the Biodiversity Act 2002 is of utmost importance.
- So far 2,67,608 People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBR) have been prepared in the country, by Biodiversity Management Committees entrusted with the crucial task of documenting natural resources and traditional knowledge associated with them.
- The significance of the concept of "Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) was highlighted. It was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow on November 1, 2021.
- This concept calls upon individuals and institutions globally to promote mindful and deliberate utilization of resources to protect and preserve the environment.
About People’s Biodiversity Register:
- The People’s Biodiversity Register serves as a comprehensive record of various aspects of biodiversity, including the conservation of habitats, preservation of land races, folk varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals, micro-organisms, and the accumulation of knowledge related to the area's biological diversity.
- As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) are created for “promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity” by local bodies across the country.
- BMCs have been constituted by the local bodies in the States and Union Territories and are entrusted with preparation of the People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), in consultation with local communities.
Indian Railways hands over 20 Broad Gauge Locomotives to Bangladesh
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Why in news?
- To further strengthen bilateral relationship, 20 Broad Gauge (BG) locomotives were virtually flagged off to Bangladesh in a handing over ceremony at Rail Bhavan New Delhi, recently.
Key Highlights:
- The handing over of these diesel locomotives, under grant assistance from the Government of India, fulfills an important commitment made during the visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India, in September 2022.
- In keeping with the requirements of Bangladesh Railway, the locomotives have been suitably modified by the Indian side. These locomotives will help handle the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations in Bangladesh.
Broad Gauge (BG) connectivity:
- Indian Railways are also playing a vital role in improving and strengthening rail connectivity across the border and improving trade between both the countries.
- As of now, five BG connectivity are operational, namely Geda- Darsana, Benapol- Petrapol, Singhabad- Rohanpur, Radhikapur- Birol and Haldibari-Chilahati.
- Work on two more cross border rail connectivities, Akhaura-Agartala and Mahihasan-Shahbazpur are progressing well and are likely to be completed and commissioned shortly.
Passenger trains:
- To enhance people to people contact, presently three pairs of passenger trains between India and Bangladesh, namely, Kolkata-Dhaka Maitree Express, Kolkata-Khulna Bandhan Express and New Jalpaiguri- Dhaka Mitali Express are running.
Bilateral Trade:
- Trade between both the countries via rail have seen consistent growth with interchange of close to 100 cargo trains per month and approximately 2.66 MT cargo was sent to Bangladesh in 2022.
- The export commodities are Stone, DOC, Foodgrains, China Clay, Gypsum, Maize, Onion and other essential items, as and when required, from India.
- Since 2020 permission has been given to operate parcel container and NMG rakes which normally carry agricultural products, fabrics, finished goods, light commercial vehicles and tractors. A new traffic of geo-synthetic bags has just started and 3 Parcel trains have been sent from Gujarat.
Background:
- In line with Indian commitment to improve Rail service in Bangladesh, 10 BG Diesel locomotives were handed over to Bangladesh on grant basis in July 2020.
