About Bhavanisagar Dam:

• Bhavanisagar Dam and Reservoir, also called Lower Bhavani Dam, is located on the Bhavani River (a major tributary of the Cauvery River) in Tamil Nadu.
• It is one of the world's largest earthen dams.
• It is a Multi-Purpose Dam.
  • It is used to store water for irrigation, generate electricity, supply drinking water, control floods, and control the silt formation in the downstream river.
  • The dam feeds the Lower Bhavani Project Canal and is the second largest dam in Tamil Nadu.
  • It forms the tail end of the long river chain on the eastern side of the Western Ghats in Nilgiris.

About Snow Leopard:

• It is a large wild cat native to the high-altitude mountain ranges of Central and South Asia.
• It is popularly known as the “Ghost of the Mountains” because of its elusive nature and excellent camouflage.
• Scientific Name: Panthera uncia
• Formerly classified as Leo uncia, the snow leopard has been placed with the lion, tiger, and other big cats, in the genus Panthera.
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • They inhabit the highlands of central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, ranging from the Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Plateau of Tibet in the south to the Altai Mountains and highlands, west of Lake Baikal in Russia.
  • They are found in rocky, shrub-dominated, and grassy habitats occurring between 500 and 5,800 meters.
  • India is home to the snow leopards spread across the Himalayas and Trans-Himalayan region.
  • It is the state animal of Himachal Pradesh.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.

About Green Keelback:

• It is a non-venomous, semi-aquatic snake that is native to South and Southeast Asia.
• Scientific Name: Macropisthodon plumbicolor
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is found in parts of South and Southeast Asia, including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and parts of Indonesia.
  • It prefers wetlands, including ponds, rivers, streams, rice fields, and marshy areas.
  • It is often found in areas with abundant vegetation where it can hide and hunt in the water and on land.
• Features:
  • Keels: The term "keelback" comes from the pronounced ridges or "keels" along the scales of their bodies. These keels provide texture and grip, assisting the snake in climbing and swimming.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

About Gomti River:

• It is a tributary of the Ganges (Ganga) River, flowing entirely through the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• The river is also known by the names Gumti or Gomati.
• Course:
  • It originates from Gomath Tal (Fulhar Jheel) near the town of Madho Tanda in the Pilibhit district which lies within the Pilibhit Tiger Reserve.
• The entire Gomti basin is underlain by thick alluvial sediments of the Quaternary age.
  • The alluvial sediments consist of boulders, pebbles, gravel, sand, silt, clay, and kankars.
  • The unconsolidated unit may be further subdivided into younger alluvium and older alluvium.
  • The younger alluvium occupies the present-day flood plains, while the older group occupies elevated portions, mainly the doab portions.
  • The older alluvium is characterized by kankar nodules at depth otherwise it is similar to the younger alluvium.
• It is a perennial river. The river is characterised by sluggish flow throughout the year, except during the monsoon season, when heavy rainfall causes a manifold increase in the runoff.
• Major Tributaries: Sai River, Chowka River, Kathina River, and Saryu River.
• There are various cities that are situated on the banks of River Gomti, such as Sultanpur, Lucknow, Jaunpur, and Lakhimpur Kheri.
• Over the years, Gomti has become one of the most polluted rivers in Uttar Pradesh.

About Folsomia ciega and Folsomia unioculata:

• They are two new species of tiny soil-dwelling creatures called springtails.
• They were discovered in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats.
• Both species belong to the genus Folsomia.
• Folsomia ciega, named after the Spanish word for ‘blind’, lacks eyes entirely.
  • It is a small, pale, and elongated springtail and is distinguished by the arrangement of bristles and a two-pronged tail structure called a mucro.
• Folsomia unioculata, meaning ‘one-eyed’ in Latin, has a single eye on each side of its head.
  • It differs from related species that either have multiple eyes or are completely blind.

What are Springtails?

• Springtails (Collembola) are tiny insect-like creatures.
• They are one of the world’s tiniest arthropods.
• They lack wings, and the body is divided into three parts: head (with short antennae), thorax, and abdomen.
• They are creamy white or grey in colour, with some having yellow, orange, metallic green, or red scales.
• Their skin has comb-like hexagonal or rhombic granules that are water repellent and self-cleaning.

About National SC-ST Hub Scheme:

• It was launched in October 2016.
• It is one of the flagship schemes of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises.
• It is aimed at capacity enhancement of Schedule Caste – Schedule Tribe entrepreneurs and promoting “entrepreneurship culture” amongst the SC-ST population.
• Implementation: It is implemented by the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd. (NSIC).
• The NSSH scheme supports purchase of plant & machinery/equipment; capacity building & training, market linkage, facilitation for participation in exhibitions, credit, Udyam registration and GeM onboarding.
  • One of the major components of NSSH is the Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS).
  • Under the scheme, new and existing SC/ST-owned MSEs can receive a 25 per cent capital subsidy, capped at ₹25 lakh, for investment in plant, machinery and equipment financed through institutional credit.
• Functions of the scheme:
  • To encourage SC/ST owned units to be part of 4% of total procurement being made by Central/State Governments, CPSEs and other government agencies
  • To prepare strategy for intervention through industry associations to sensitize, encourage and enable the SC/ST owned units for participation in Public Procurement Process
  • Facilitating SC/ST Entrepreneurs to be part of vendor development programs and mentoring support by specific CPSE matching the products/services of such entrepreneurs
  • Capacity building of existing and prospective SC/ST entrepreneurs through skill development programs
• Significance: These initiatives are fostering inclusive economic growth, promoting self-reliance and strengthening the MSME ecosystem by creating greater opportunities across India.

About Slaty Egret:

• It is a small, shy water bird mainly found in Botswana’s Okavango Delta.
• Appearance:
  • It features a slender form with long legs and neck, distinctive of egrets.
  • It exhibits slaty gray plumage with a subtle purple tint, giving it a unique coloration.
• Habitat: It is usually found in seasonal wetlands and floodplains.
• Distribution: The slaty egret lives in south-central Africa. The largest populations are found in Zambia and Botswana.
• Behavior: It is a fishing maestro, known for its unique "foot-ruffling" technique—stirring up the water with its feet to flush out tasty fish.
• Nesting Preference: It typically breeds in colonially dense vegetative areas on islands or marshlands, usually away from potential predators.
• Diet: The Slaty Egret is known for its diverse diet primarily consisting of fish, amphibians, and aquatic invertebrate.
• Threats: It is highly dependent on wetlands, which makes it vulnerable to habitat loss due to agricultural expansion and changes in water management.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable

About Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards:      

• It is a global framework designed to assess the effectiveness of tiger reserve management and protection.
• It was launched at the 1st Asian Parks Congress in Japan in 2013.
• CA|TS is a global certification system that ensures effective management specifically of tiger conservation areas.
• It sets benchmarks for protection, habitat management, community involvement, and wildlife monitoring.
• CA|TS helps identify strengths and improvement areas within reserves, supporting efforts to create safe, sustainable environments for tigers and preserve global biodiversity.
• Structure:
  • CA|TS consists of seven pillars (Importance and status, Management, Community, Tourism (optional), Protection, Habitat management, Tiger populations) and 17 elements with standards and criteria for managing tiger conservation areas.
  • Five of these pillars are applicable to conservation area management in general and represent the Conservation Assured (CA) aspect of the scheme; the two final pillars focus specifically on management issues related to tiger conservation – the Tiger Standards (TS).
• The Global Tiger Forum (GTF) and World Wildlife Fund India are the two implementing partners of the National Tiger Conservation Authority for CA|TS assessment in India. 
• The list of 15 Tiger Reserves who received CA|TS accreditation:
  • Kaziranga, Manas, Orang and Nameri Tiger Reserve, Assam
  • Sundarbans, West Bengal
  • Valmiki Tiger Reserve, Bihar
  • Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Uttar Pradesh
  • Kanha, Panna and Satpuda Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh
  • Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra
  • Anamalai and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu
  • Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Kerala
  • Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka.

About Ghana:

• Location: It is located in West Africa.
• Bordering Countries: It shares its borders with three countries: Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east.
• It is situated on the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in the subregion of West Africa. 
• The Prime Meridian passes through  it.
• Capital:
• Geographical Features of Ghana:
  • Climate: Generally, the country has a tropical, warm and humid climate.
  • Topography: In Ghana Kwahu Plateau and Gambaga Scarp form major uplands and escarpments.
  • Mountains: Mount Afadjato , Mount Djebobo, Mount Torogbani , all situated east of the Volta River near the Togo border. 
  • Lakes: Lake Volta which is created by the Akosombo Dam and considered as one of the largest artificial lakes globally
  • Rivers: The drainage system is dominated by the Volta River basin, which includes Lake Volta and the Black Volta, White Volta, and Oti rivers. 
  • Natural Resources: Gold, cocoa and more recently oil form the cornerstone of Ghana’s economy and have helped fuel an economic boom.

About PRASHAST Portal:

• PRASHAST (Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool) is a school-based disability screening tool.
• It is used for identifying children with probable disability conditions (21) covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016.
• It serves as an initial screening and referral mechanism.
• It is designed for use by regular teachers, special educators, counsellors, and school heads involved in the screening and support of students.
• Structure:
  • PRASHAST consists of two parts:
    • Part-1: Initial screening conducted by regular teachers.
    • Part-2: Validation of observations and tentative identification of disability categories by special educators or counsellors.
  • Process:
    • Teachers should observe students for a minimum period of 1–2 months in various settings such as classrooms, playgrounds, co-curricular activities, and social interactions before recording their observations.
    • After screening, the observations are validated through the second-level screening process.
    • If required, the child may be referred for detailed assessment and certification by competent authorities.
  • Significance: The initiative is part of the Ministry of Education’s continued efforts to strengthen equitable, accessible and inclusive education , in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 and the RPwD Act, 2016 .