TNPSC Current Affairs 2017 March 1 (All)

TNPSC Current Affairs March 2017
1.India, Oman to hold counter-terror exercises- Al Nagah-II 2017.

India and Oman armies are scheduled to conduct their 2^nd bilateral military exercise, Al Nagah-II 2017 from March 6.

About the Exercise

The 14 Day joint military exercise “Al Nagah-II between India and Oman Army from Mach 6-19 is an effort to build and promote bilateral Military-to-Military relation and enhance interoperability while exchanging skills and experiences between India and Oman Army.

The Exercise will be held in the Dhauladhar ranges at Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh. Sixty troops from both the countries will participate in the Exercise.

This is the second joint military exercise between both countries in defence arena, the first one was held in Oman in January 2015.

India and Oman already have extensive cooperation in the defence arena (Maritime domain). The Navies of both the countries have been holding bilateral maritime exercise Naseem Al Bahr since 1993.

2. Fourth India CLMV Business Conclave Inaugurated

The fourth India CLMV (Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam) business conclave inaugurated by Union minister of Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday at Jaipur, Rajasthan.

The business conclave has focused on manufacturing, renewable energy, agriculture and skilling among others.

This will provide a platform for foreign delegates to highlights their requirements for investment and for the India n companies to know about the opportunities for trade and investment in those four countries. For Government side it will show their initiatives to enhance economic engagement with the region.

3. Three Forest Research Institutes Develop Twenty High-Yielding Varieties of Plant Species

Three Institutes of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun includes Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding (IFGTB) Coimbatore and Tropical Forest Research Institute Jabalpur, has developed the Twenty High-Yielding Varieties of plant species.

The Variety Releasing Committee of ICFRE has granted approval for the release of these plant species.

The forest Research Institute (FRI) , Dehradun has worked on 10 improved varieties of Melia dubia and 3 clones of Eucalyptus tereticornis, the timber which has high demand in industry.

The released cultivars of Melia, also  known as Dreake, or Malabar Neem, not only have a high productivity per unit area, with an average of 34.57 cubic metre per hectare per annum but also have bole form which is desirable for plywood industry. 

The development of five inter-specific hybrids of Casuarina equisetifolia and Casuarina junghuhniana for use as timber has developed by Institute of Forest and Tree Breeding , Coimbatore and two varieties of medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentine developed by Tropical Forest Research Institute, Jabalpur.

About ICFRE

ICFRE) (Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education), Dehradun is an autonomous body under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, carries out the holistic research on forestry species. The nine Institutes under ICFRE are  engaged in improvement of plantation tree species to improve yield, quality and productivity to meet the demand for domestic consumption.

ICFRE released 27 high-yielding clones in 2010, 2011 and 2014 of Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus Hybrid, Casuarina equisetifolia, Casuarina junghuhniana and Dalbergia sissoo and are in commercial production now.

On these 27 varieties, 25 varietiesa are developed by Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, and remaining varieties of Dalbergia sissoo and Eucalyptus Hybrid were developed by Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.

4.12^th Century Chera era Check Dam discovered in Palani, Tamil Nadu.

The 12^th Century Chera Era check dam has been discovered by Archaeological team near Palani, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu.

The check dam was found across the Amaravathi River at saminathapuram n Palani block, it is described as an “Engineering marvel “.

It was constructed by residents of Kadathur village during reign of Cher King Veera Naryanan in 1157 AD, as per a stone inscription on the check dam.

It is constructed to divert surplus water from Amaravathi to kadathur for irrigation.

About Amaravathi River:

It is a tributary of River Cauvery, which originates in Western Ghats in Manjampatti valley between Anamalai and Palani Hills. It runs for 282 km and confluences at Thirumukkoodal near KArur to River Cauvery.