1) Environment Performance Index: EPI is a biennial index prepared by Yale University and Columbia University in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.
- Using 40 performance indicators across 11 issue categories, EPI ranks 180 countries on climate change performance, environmental health, and ecosystem vitality.
- With a rank of 180, India has been ranked last from 168th rank in 2020.
2) Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment, and technology that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons.
- NSG consists of 48 members which include the five nuclear weapon states US, UK, France, China, and Russia.
- It is not a formal organization, and its guidelines are not binding.
- Decisions, including on membership, are made by consensus. India is not a member.
3) Reintroduction of Cheetah: ‘Reintroduction’ of a species means releasing it in an area where it is capable of surviving.
- Assessed sites-Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve and Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kuno National Park, Madhav National Park and Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
- Kuno National Park is identified for the relocation.
- This is the first time in the world that a large carnivore will be relocated from one continent to another.
4) Cheetah: The cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus, is one of the oldest of the big cat species, with ancestors that can be traced back more than five million years to the Miocene era.
- The cheetah is also the world’s fastest land mammal.
- It is listed as vulnerable in IUCN red listed species.
- The country’s last spotted feline died in Chhattisgarh in 1947. Later, the cheetah — which is the fastest land animal — was declared extinct in India in 1952.
- The Asiatic cheetah is classified as a “critically endangered” species by the IUCN Red List, and is believed to survive only in Iran.
5) National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd. (NARCL): NARCL is a special purpose asset reconstruction company for taking over the large value NPA accounts (above 500 crore) from banks.
- Its formation was announced in the Union Budget for 2021-22, is intended to resolve stressed loans amounting to about 2 lakh crore, of which fully provisioned assets of about 90,000 crore are expected to be transferred to it from lenders in the first phase.
- NARCL has shareholding from 15 Indian lenders and Canara Bank is the sponsor of this Asset Reconstruction Company (ARC).
Leave a Comment