TNPSC Current Affairs August 25, 2020

www.tnpsc.academy – TNPSC Current Affairs August 25, 2020 (25/08/2020)

Topic: Profile of States

Odisha’s Bonda Tribe

Recently, four people from the Bonda tribal community have tested positive for the Covid-19.

Bondas are one of the 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) found in Odisha. There are a total of 75 PVTGs in India.

Austroasiatic Tribes:

Bondas are members of a group of Austroasiatic tribes, they are believed to be part of the first wave of migration out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. They are the first forest settlers in India.

Topic: Latest Diary of Events

Glanders Disease

The Delhi High Court has asked municipal bodies to take steps to prevent spread of glanders disease in animals including horses and issued notice to the Delhi government and others on an application filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India.

What’s the issue?

In its application, the PETA has sought directions to implement the provisions of the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Disease in Animal Act, 2009 and National Action Plan for control and eradication of glanders in horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys in the national capital.

About Glanders: It is an infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.

Who can get infected?

While people can get the disease, glanders is primarily a disease affecting horses. It also affects donkeys and mules and can be naturally contracted by other mammals such as goats, dogs, and cats.

Transmission:

Transmitted to humans through contact with tissues or body fluids of infected animals. The bacteria enter the body through cuts or abrasions in the skin and through mucosal surfaces such as the eyes and nose. It may also be inhaled via infected aerosols or dust contaminated by infected animals.

Topic: Latest Inventions on Science and Technology

Process to make bricks on lunar surface

Team of researchers of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, Karnataka and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) developed a sustainable process for making brick-like structures named “Space Bricks” on the surface of the moon.

The process uses the lunar soil, bacteria and guar beans to make the space brick.

The process uses the Urea – sourced from human urine and lunar soil as the raw materials for the construction on the lunar surface which reduces the overall expenditure.

Need for Space Brick:

The cost of transporting one pound of construction material from earth to moon takes around Rs.7.5 lakhs. Since the transportation of bricks from earth is not viable the space bricks are developed.

Uses: These bricks can be used to construct the habitation structures on the lunar surface in the future.

Topic: Discovery of Rare Species

Rare fish called “Mahseer” sighted in Sileru river

A team of researchers from Andhra University sighted a rare fish called “Mahseer” in the Sileru river. The fish is listed as Endangered in IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) list.

Mahseer:

Mahseer is commonly found in the Himalayan rivers that are running in cooler regions. This includes Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bhutan, Nepal. It is a large fresh water fish. They mostly inhabit the fast-moving waters such as hill streams with rocky and stony substrates. There are 47 species of Mahseer in the world. Out of these, 15 are found in India.

Hump Backed Mahseer:

Recently, in 2019, the IUCN changed the conservation status of Hump Backed Mahseer to Critically Endangered. They are found only in River Cauvery in India and nowhere in the world.

Sileru River:

It is a tributary of Sabari river. It originates in Andhra Pradesh and merges with Sabri in Andhra Pradesh. After collecting waters from Sileru, the Sabari river merges with Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh.

Topic: Welfare Oriented Govt Schemes and their Utilities

MUDRA loan: Tamil Nadu Women top the list

According to the data provided by Ministry of Finance to Rajya Sabha, Tamil Nadu topped the list in availing loans to women. It was followed by West Bengal and Karnataka.

According to the data produced by the Ministry of Finance, around 15 crore loans amounting to Rs 4.78 lakh crores were disbursed to women borrowers since the inception of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.

As of March 31, 2020. Tamil Nadu had availed Rs 58,227 crores. The loans provided by other states are as follows

West Bengal: Rs 55,232 crores

Karnataka: Rs 47,714 crores

Bihar: Rs 44,879

Maharashtra: Rs 42,000 crores

All the above states have received 52% of MUDRA loans for women. The loans were availed to activities allied to agriculture, services, trading, processing, manufacturing, etc.

Of the total number of loans provided under MUDRA scheme, 70% borrowers were women.

Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana:

It was launched in 2015 to provide loans to non-corporate, small and micro enterprises. Under the scheme, loans up to Rs 10 lakhs are provided. The loans are given by Regional Rural Banks, Commercial banks, Small Finance Banks, Non-Banking Financial Corporations, Micro-Financial Institutions.