PaleoIndia Portal Context: The Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently launched the PaleoIndia Portal. About the PaleoIndia Portal PaleoIndia Portal is a digital platform developed jointly by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Chennai, using dynamic geological maps provided by the Geological Survey of India (GSI). The portal records fossil fauna found across all 28 States and 8 Union Territories of India. It currently contains details of over 5,000 fossil specimens, including: Mammals, Reptiles, Birds,Fishes, Amphibians, Molluscs, Arthropods, Foraminifera, Echinoderms, Ichnofossils (trace fossils) It has a real-time data upload feature, allowing researchers, field scientists, and citizen scientists to add fossil records and help protect India's paleontological heritage. National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) Established: 2011 Set up by: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) Type: Autonomous institution Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu Main Objectives To become a leading knowledge centre for coastal environment, resources, and related research. To promote integrated and sustainable management of India's coastal and marine areas. To improve the livelihood and well-being of coastal and island communities. To provide scientific and policy advice to the Central and State Governments on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). Major Areas of Work Conducts coastal vulnerability assessments. Carries out coastal environmental impact studies. Identifies and maps Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs). Prepares Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plans. Six Research Divisions of NCSCM Geospatial Sciences, Remote Sensing & Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Integrated Social Sciences & Economics Coastal Environmental Impact Assessment Conservation of Coastal & Marine Resources Knowledge, Governance & Policy Futuristic Research and Integrated Island Management Unit. National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) Context: Recently, the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) achieved a major success in conserving the genetic resources of India's wild rice (Oryza rufipogon) in…
TAMIL NADU STATE AFFAIRS
MANAS Helpline Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired the 7th Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) top-level meeting and launches the National Narcotics Helpline ‘MANAS’ in New Delhi. MANAS will include, A toll-free number 1933 A web portal A mobile app UMANG It will help the citizens to connect with (NCB) Narcotics Control Bureau 24x7 for seeking advice on de-addiction and rehabilitation, sharing information on drug trafficking. Note UMANG - Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance is a mobile app to access central and state government services Tamil Nadu’s MMR drops According to the data of Health Management Information System (HMIS), Tamil Nadu’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) recorded a significant drop during 2023-24 with 45.5 per one lakh live Tamil Nadu had achieved the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for maternal mortality which is to reduce global MMR to less than 70 per one lakh live births. Virudhunagar recorded nil maternal deaths from April 2023 to March Nearly 60% to 75% of causes for maternal deaths are connected to four risk factors Pregnancy-induced hypertension Postpartum haemorrhage Sepsis Unmet need for family planning
