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1. India has significantly increased its pulse imports, reaching 4.65 million metric tons in 2023-24, the highest since 2018-19. The value of these imports surged by 93% to USD 3.75 billion. Major suppliers include Mozambique and Malawi for Tur dal (pigeon pea), and Canada for red lentils. India has MoUs with Mozambique and Malawi for assured supplies. Despite high imports, India remains the largest global producer, consumer, and importer of pulses, with key growing states being Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Karnataka. Pulses, particularly Tur dal, are crucial for protein and thrive in tropical and semi-arid regions with specific climatic and soil requirements.
2. In July 2024, the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed a Donor Agreement at WHO Headquarters in Geneva. This agreement outlines India's commitment to donate USD 85 million over ten years (2022-2032) to support the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The GTMC, the only global office dedicated to traditional medicine, aims to advance evidence-based Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) for global health. India’s donation will help fund the Centre’s operations and its mission to enhance health and well-being through traditional medicine practices, which include Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, Yoga, Naturopathy, and Homeopathy.
3. Recently, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government granted proprietary rights to West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) and those displaced during the 1965 India-Pakistan war. WPRs, who migrated from West Pakistan to J&K during the 1947 partition, primarily settled in Jammu, Kathua, and Rajouri. This decision, made ahead of the Supreme Court's deadline for conducting Assembly elections by 30th September 2024, provides these individuals with rights to state land and aligns their status with those displaced from Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). Previously, WPR families were deemed "non-state subjects" and lacked voting rights, but they were granted domicile status and voting rights following the abrogation of Article 370 on 5th August 2019.
4. In Quarter 1 of FY 2024-25, the Ministry of Mines released data showing that iron ore (275 MMT) and limestone (450 MMT) together accounted for approximately 80% of total mineral production value in FY 2023-24. India ranks as the second largest aluminium producer, third largest limestone producer, and fourth largest iron ore producer globally. China leads in aluminium and limestone production, while Australia is the top iron ore producer. In India, Odisha is the largest producer of aluminium ore and iron ore, and Rajasthan leads in limestone production. The majority of mineral production value, about 97.04%, comes from seven states: Odisha (44.11%), Chhattisgarh (17.34%), Rajasthan (14.10%), Karnataka (13.24%), Jharkhand (4.36%), Madhya Pradesh (2.44%), and Maharashtra (1.45%). The remaining 12 states contribute less than 3% of the total value.
5. Acharya Prafulla Chandra Ray (1861-1944), known as the "Father of Indian Chemistry," was a pioneering Indian scientist and educator. Trained at the University of Edinburgh, he worked extensively at Presidency College and Calcutta University. Ray is renowned for discovering the stable compound Mercurous Nitrite in 1895 and for his role in founding the Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works in 1901, a major advancement for Bengali enterprise. A fervent nationalist and supporter of the Swadeshi Movement, Ray viewed the use of foreign goods as a betrayal of India. He also championed social reform and opposed the caste system. His contributions earned him honors from the British Government, including the Companion of the Indian Empire (CIE) and a knighthood in 1919. He was elected General President of the Indian Science Congress in 1920. To commemorate his legacy, India Post issued a postage stamp in his honor on 2nd August 1961, his birth anniversary.