NEPAL
News – Nepal’s pro-monarchy party protests near PM’s house, seeks a ‘Hindu state’
- Nepal is a landlocked country in South Asia
- Bordered by – India and China
- Capital: Kathmandu
- Religion: Predominantly Hindu
- Birthplace of – Lord Buddha in Lumbini
- Home to – Mount Everest – world’s highest peak
- Roti-Beti ka Rishta with India: Symbolizes close familial and social ties
- Bilateral Relations founded upon – Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950)
- Boundary disputes: Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Susta
NCW
News – Women suffered the most in Murshidabad, says NCW
- NCW – “National Commission for Women”
- Constituted in – 1992
- Under – National Commission for Women Act, 1990
- Nature – Statutory Body
- Composition – 1 Chairperson, five members, and a Member Secretary
- Functions-
- Reviews legal safeguards for women
- Investigates complaints and takes suo moto notice
- Enjoys powers of a civil court
- Issue – Its decisions are NOT binding on the govt
CIVIL SERVICES
News – Civil Services – The Pillars of Indian Governance
- National Civil Services Day on – April 21
- On this day – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed the probationers of the Administrative Services
- Civil servants are referred as – “Steel Frame of India“
- Lord Cornwallis – “Father of Civil Services in India”
- Awards – PM’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration
- Top Civil Servants who made Historic Contribution –
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- Ajit Doval – 2016, 2019 surgical strikes
- S.R. Sankaran – abolishing bonded labor
- Armstrong Pame – Constructed 100 km motorable road in Manipur without government funds
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CLOUDBURSTS
News – Five feared dead in J&K as cloudbursts wreak havoc
- Defn – A cloudburst is a sudden and intense rainfall event over a small area
- Usually – exceeding 100 mm/hour within a short duration
- Mechanism –
- Occurs when warm, moist air rapidly rises
- moisture condenses to form clouds
- Then release rain suddenly due to temperature differneces
- Impact – Flash floods, landslides, and mudflows
- Occurrence – Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir
HEATWAVES
News – Tackle heatwaves with short- and long-term measures
- About – A heat wave is a period of abnormally high temperatures, exceeding the normal maximum temperature for a region.
- Defined by – Indian Meteorological Department
- Plains: Max temperature exceeds 40°C
- Hilly regions: Max temperature exceeds 30°C
- Or if temperatures reach 45°C or more
- Causes-
- Hot and dry air, absence of moisture
- Urbanization, deforestation, and global warming
- Core Heatwave Zone – states like Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Odisha
CHEETAH
News – Two cheetahs shifted to Gandhi Sagar sanctuary
- The word “Cheetah” originates from the Sanskrit word “Chitraka” (meaning “spotted one”)
- Global Conservation Status–
- African Cheetah – Vulnerable
- Asiatic Cheetah – Critically Endangered
- Project Cheetah-
- Launched in – 2022
- Aims – to reintroduce African Cheetahs into India
- Chosen Location – Kuno National Park
- Cheetahs transferred from – Namibia and South Africa
MCQs
1. Capital of Nepal is?
A. Thimphu
B. Rangoon
C. Ho Chi Minh
D. Kathmandu
2. “National Commission for Women” is a what type of body?
A. Constitutional Body
B. Judicial Body
C. Statutory Body
D. Voluntary Body
3. Who is referred as the “Father of Civil Services”?
A. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
B. Lord Cornwallis
C. Pt. Nehru
D. Lord Wellesley
4. Who defines Heatwave in India?
A. Min. of Environment
B. World Health Organization
C. Central Water Commission
D. Indian Meteorological Dept.
5. What is the IUCN status of Asiatic Cheetah?
A. Vulnerable
B. Critically Endangered
C. Least Concern
D. Unknown