1) Convention on International Transport of Goods Under Cover of TIR Carnets (TIR Convention, 1975): Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs is canvassing support for India’s candidature for TIR Executive Board.
- Objective of TIR Convention: Facilitate international transit through a simplified Customs transit procedures and an international guarantee system.
- It involves common customs document, a common guarantee system, mutual recognition of customs controls and secured vehicle containers.
- It is the only universal Customs transit system in existence.
- India is one of the Contracting Parties
2) Sammakka-Sarakka: PM announced that Central Tribal University will be established in Mulugu district (Telangana), named after tribal goddesses Sammakka- Sarakka.
- Sammakka and Saralamma (or Sarakka), a mother-daughter duo, fought against levy of taxes on tribal people during drought conditions by the then Kakatiya rulers in 12th century.
- Sammakka Saralamma Jathara (State Festival of Telangana) is largest tribal religious congregation in country, held every two years (biennially), in Telangana.
3) 15-minute cities: It is an urban planning concept that advocates putting essential services within walking or biking distance of residents to reduce pollution.
- It is a spatial development model to help foster a more local, healthy, equitable and sustainable way of life
4) Operation “Kachchhap”: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) saved 955 live baby Gangetic turtles in a crackdown on illegal wildlife trade in multicity Operation “Kachchhap”.
- India is one of the world’s hotspots for turtle diversity, representing 29 species of tortoises and freshwater turtles.
- The Ganges river system is home to 13 such species.
- DRI, under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Ministry of Finance, is the apex agency of the Indian Customs in the field of anti-smuggling in India
Places in News:
1) Maldives (Capital: Male)
- Mohamed Muizzu is elected as New Maldives President.
- Political Boundaries:
- The northernmost atoll is about 370 miles south-southwest of the Indian mainland.
- The central area, including the capital island of Male is about 400 miles southwest of Sri Lanka.
- Geographical features:
- The Maldive Islands are a series of coral atolls built up from the crowns of a submerged ancient volcanic mountain range.
- All the islands are low-lying, none rising to more than 6 feet above sea level.
- Barrier reefs protect the islands from the destructive effects of monsoons.
- The atolls have sandy beaches, lagoons, and a luxuriant growth of coconut palms
