Prelims in Focus, an IAS Abhiyan Initiative to quickly navigate through the important facts, current affairs, static portion to enrich aspirant’s knowledge base along with conceptual clarity. Our Prelims in Focus initiative will surely be an added advantage for UPSC Prelims Examinations. This initiative will help the aspirants to focus to the main points of a topic quickly at the same time. In this initiative, we will cover 10-15 important facts on a daily basis. Click here to Join our Telegram Channel to read these articles.  We will continue our Monthly Pre-Bits Flash Liner along with this initiative. 

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Prelims in Focus-Part-16

1. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act is a product of Vishaka v. Rajasthan.
2. 🔹In Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.🔹It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts. The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.
3. Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
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   ➖Proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified.➖In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process.

   ➖All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer.

   ➖This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.

   ➖The support of central government for PDPS will be given as per norms.

4. 📌 Tortoises differ from turtles on account of being terrestrial animals.➖Among the 29 species of turtles around the world, there are 20 in Assam alone.“With this discovery, the count goes up to 21 in the Northeast region: 20 in Assam, and one in Arunachal Pradesh
5. 📌 India was known to be the home of only the Asian Forest Tortoise (Manouria emys) until the discovery of the Impressed Tortoise.➖The Asian Forest Tortoise, the largest in mainland Asia, is found only in the northeast.
6. Race to National Butterfly
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   ➖Krishna Peacock, a flagship species for biodiversity and conservation , is generally found in large numbers in the Himalayas. Possessing a peculiarly large swallowtail, its iridescent green scales diffract light to coat itself in radiance.➖Orange Oakleaf is commonly known as ‘dead leaf’ for its ability to camouflage as a dry autumn leaf while striking a stationary pose with its wings closed. The masquerade enables the species to prevent it from being devoured by birds in the moist forests of northern Western Ghats, central, northern and northeastern parts of India where they are generally found.

   ➖Oakleaf is also known to exhibit polyphenism as it assumes specific colour and size during dry and wet seasons.

   ➖Blessed with a vibrant colour pattern, including vermilion (haldi – kumkum) , the Indian Jezebel (or Common Jezebel) is known to deter its predators with its flashy wing colours.

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   Note: Krishna Peacock (Papilio krishna), Indian Jezebel (Delias eucharis), and Orange Oakleaf (Kallima inachus) are the frontrunners to get tag for National Butterfly.

7. 📌 Most coal plants in India are lacking in flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) technology, which is necessary to scrub emissions clean off sulphur.
8. 🔹In 2019, India emitted 21% of global anthropogenic (human-made) SO2 emissions — or about 5,953 kilotons a year — nearly double that of second-ranked global emitter, Russia at 3,362 kt/year. China occupied the third position at 2,156 kt per annum.➖India continues to occupy the top spot among emitters for the fifth consecutive year.

   ➖For the first time in four years India’s sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions recorded a significant decline of approximately 6% in 2019 compared to 2018, the steepest drop in four years, according to a report from Greenpeace India and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

9. 📌Agricultural soils contributed to over 70% of N2O emissions from India in 2010, followed by waste water (12%), and residential and commercial activities (6%).➖Since 2002, N2O has replaced methane as the second largest greenhouse gas from Indian agriculture.
10. 📌 Indian Nox (nitrous oxides) emissions grew at 52% from 1991 to 2001 and 69% from 2001 to 2011, the INA had reported in 2018.