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- The Rajasthan College Education Commissionerate has instructed 20 government colleges to repaint the front facades and entrance halls of their buildings in orange as part of the Kayakalp Scheme.
- About the Kayakalp Scheme:
- The Kayakalp Scheme was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on May 15, 2015, as a part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Its goal is to promote cleanliness and improve the quality of healthcare facilities across India.
- Objectives of the Scheme:
- To encourage cleanliness, hygiene, infection control, and environmentally sustainable practices in Public Health Facilities (PHFs).
- To recognize and reward PHFs that demonstrate outstanding adherence to cleanliness and infection control standards.
- To foster a culture of continuous evaluation and peer review regarding hygiene, cleanliness, and sanitation practices.
- To promote and share best practices for maintaining cleanliness that lead to better health outcomes.
- The Kayakalp assessment follows a three-tier process: internal, peer, and external evaluations. At the start of each financial year, healthcare facilities are assessed, scored, and documented using a standardized tool.
- Performance Evaluation Criteria:
- Facility and hospital upkeep
- Sanitation and hygiene standards
- Waste management protocols
- Infection control practices
- Support services
- Promotion of hygiene
- To acknowledge the exceptional efforts of healthcare centers, the scheme provides five awards:
- Two awards for the best district hospitals
- Two awards for the best community health centers or sub-district hospitals
- One award for the best primary health center in each district
- Winners are granted cash prizes and citations based on their performance according to the established criteria.
- In a significant breakthrough for Indian entomology, researchers have discovered a new species of aphid wasp, Arpactophilus pulawskii, in the Khuzama district of Nagaland.
- About Arpactophilus pulawskii:
- Arpactophilus pulawskii is a newly identified species of aphid wasp that preys on aphids.
- The species was discovered in the Khuzama district of Nagaland, located at an altitude of over 1,800 meters.
- The genus Arpactophilus is primarily found in the Australasian region.
- Wasps of this genus exhibit remarkable morphological diversity, including variations in body size, head shape, and modifications in head features.
- What makes these wasps particularly intriguing is their social behavior, as they are among the few wasp species known to display complex social structures.
- They also have distinctive nesting habits, with females using silk produced from their abdomens to build protective cells within old termite galleries or mud nests.
- This discovery marks the first documented occurrence of the Arpactophilus genus outside of Australasia.
- Arpactophilus pulawskii can be distinguished by its square-shaped head, featuring an inverted V-shaped uplifted clypeus, and its rust-colored body markings. The species also has a uniquely textured thorax that further differentiates it from other wasps.
- China has recently disclosed the geographic coordinates defining baselines around the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
- About Scarborough Shoal:
- The Scarborough Shoal (also known as Scarborough Reef) is an oceanic coral atoll that formed on top of a seamount, taking a triangular shape in the eastern part of the South China Sea.
- Located approximately 220 kilometers west of the Philippines' Luzon Island, it is the largest atoll in the South China Sea, submerged during high tide, with only a few rocks visible above sea level.
- This atoll stretches 18 kilometers along its northwest-southeast axis and spans 10 kilometers along its northeast-southwest axis.
- The surrounding deep waters of the shoal make it a rich and productive fishing zone, teeming with marine life. The lagoon is also home to commercially valuable shellfish and sea cucumbers.
- Scarborough Shoal has been at the center of an ongoing territorial dispute between China and the Philippines. Both countries claim the shoal as part of their sovereign territory and assert exclusive rights to its surrounding waters.
- While there are no built structures on the shoal, it is effectively controlled by China, which has maintained a permanent coast guard presence there since 2012.
- China, referring to the feature as Huangyan Island, justifies its claim with a historical argument, tracing ownership of the area back to the Yuan Dynasty of the 1200s.
- The Philippines, on the other hand, bases its claim on geographic proximity, as the shoal lies much closer to Luzon, the Philippines' main island and the site of its capital, Manila, while being over 500 miles away from China. The shoal is also considered within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
- The Toto tribe, one of the smallest and most endangered communities in the world, is grappling with issues of identity and struggling with poor infrastructure.
- About the Toto Tribe:
- The Toto tribe is an indigenous Indo-Bhutanese group primarily residing in the village of Totopara, located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
- Totopara is situated on the southern edge of the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, close to the border between Bhutan and West Bengal, along the Torsa River.
- Anthropologically, the Totos are classified as part of the Tibetan-Mongoloid ethnic group.
- With a population of just over 1,600 individuals, the Toto tribe is one of the most at-risk communities, often described as a "vanishing tribe" on the brink of extinction. They are officially recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
- Toto Language: The Toto people speak a Sino-Tibetan language, which is written in the Bengali script.
- The tribe is endogamous, meaning members marry within the community, but they follow a system of 13 exogamous clans, which govern their marriage practices.
- A unique feature of their culture is the tradition of monogamy, with strong opposition to dowry practices, unlike neighboring tribes.
- Their traditional homes are bamboo huts raised above the ground, with thatched roofs.
- Beliefs: The Totos identify as Hindus but also have strong animistic beliefs and worship nature as an integral part of their spiritual life.
- Economy:
- Historically, the Totos were food gatherers and practiced slash-and-burn farming techniques. Over time, their lifestyle has shifted, and they have become settled agriculturists.
- In addition to farming, many Toto families supplement their income by working as porters, transporting oranges from Bhutanese gardens to Totopara. The diversification of occupations has allowed the tribe to adapt to changing economic circumstances, but infrastructure challenges continue to hinder their development.
- Despite their resilience, the Toto tribe remains at a crossroads, struggling with the preservation of their cultural identity while seeking better infrastructure and social recognition.