TITBITS :
1. India is the 2nd largest Aluminium producer, 3rd largest lime producer and 4th largest iron ore producer in
the world.
2. According to the Travel and
Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024 report published by the World Economic
Forum (WEF), India is ranked 39th among 119 countries.
3. The Supreme Court of
India has made a landmark decision allowing the sub-categorization of Scheduled
Castes (SCs) in reservations. This decision came from a 6:1 verdict by a
seven-judge Constitution bench. The ruling permits states to provide more
nuanced protection to underrepresented groups within the broader SC category,
acknowledging that SCs are not a homogeneous group.
4. The Indian government is
set to introduce the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in
the Lok Sabha.
- The bill aims to create a comprehensive
disaster database at national and state levels and establish an Urban
Disaster Management Authority for state capitals and major cities with
Municipal Corporations.
- Disaster Database: This database will
include disaster assessments, fund allocation details, expenditure
reports, preparedness and mitigation plans, and a risk register
categorized by type and severity of risk.
5. A new project has been
launched to accelerate the development and availability of H5N1 avian
influenza mRNA vaccines for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
6. India has been elected as
the Vice Chair of the Supply Chain Council under the Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).