- Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) scheme is approaching 200,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide.
- About PM-WANI Scheme:
- Department of Telecommunication (DoT) initiated this scheme in December 2020.
- Its aim is to deliver affordable, high-speed internet connectivity to rural and remote areas. The goal is to establish a public Wi-Fi network throughout the country by creating Wi-Fi Access Points (WAPs) managed by public data offices (PDOs).
- Wildlife authorities in Himachal Pradesh's high-altitude, cold desert district of Lahaul & Spiti have initiated surveys as part of a census to estimate the population of blue sheep (bharal) and Himalayan ibex, the primary prey of the iconic snow leopard.
- About Bharal:
- The bharal, also known as the blue sheep, is a caprine species native to the high Himalayas.
- Scientific Name: Peudois nayaur
- Genus: Pseudois (the only member)
- Distribution:
- Bharal are found in India, Bhutan, China (in Gansu, Ningxia, Sichuan, Tibet, and Inner Mongolia), Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan.
- Recently, scientists have announced the discovery of a new plant species, Emblica chakrabartyi, found in Adichilthotti within the Edamalayar forest range of Kerala.
- About Emblica chakrabartyi:
- Belonging to the gooseberry (Phyllanthaceae) family, this species has been named in honor of Tapas Chakrabarty, a former scientist at the Botanical Survey of India, for his significant contributions to the study of Phyllanthaceae.
- Features:
- Height: The plant grows to approximately 2 meters tall.
- Leaves: Large, shiny, and elongated oval-shaped, reaching up to 13 cm in length.
