National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna Context: The Center for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE), Kochi, Kerala, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), has achieved a landmark milestone in marine conservation. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has officially designated CMLRE’s “Bhavasagara” Referral Centre as a National Repository for Deep-Sea Fauna. This prestigious recognition, conferred under the provisions of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, establishes the Centre as a critical national facility for the preservation, study, and documentation of India's vast deep-sea biological heritage. The “Bhavasagara” Referral Centre currently serves as a vital scientific hub, housing an extensive collection of over 3,500 taxonomically identified and geo-referenced voucher specimens. The collection spans a diverse range of marine life, from invertebrates including cnidarians, annelids, molluscs, arthropods, and echinoderms to vertebrates such as elasmobranchs and teleostean fishes. About CMLRE The Centre for Marine Living Resources & Ecology (CMLRE) is a premier institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, dedicated to the exploration, management, and conservation of marine living resources in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and adjacent deep seas. Current Facts Part V, Article 81- Composition of the House of the People OPU-IVF-ET technique Context: the ICAR–Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, has successfully produced five healthy Sahiwal calves for the first time using the advanced OPU-IVF-ET technique. About ICAR The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), set up in 1929, is an autonomous organization functioning under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. It oversees and coordinates agricultural research and education across the country. About OPU-IVF-ET Technology This is an assisted reproductive method carried out in three stages: Ovum Pick-Up (OPU), In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), and Embryo Transfer (ET). OPU: Eggs (oocytes) are retrieved from high-quality cows using ultrasound technology without intensive hormonal treatment,…
