• Recently, the government  has accorded the status of Classical Language to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages on October 03, 2024, thus bringing the total number of classical languages to 11.
• Six Indian languages namely Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia were earlier  accorded the status of Classical Language. 

Additional Information

Why is a language declared as Classical?

• The designation of a language as classical is intended to recognize its historical significance and its role as a guardian of Bharat’s rich cultural and intellectual heritage. 
• These languages have been essential in preserving and transmitting India’s ancient knowledge systems, philosophies, and values across generations for thousands of years.
•  By recognizing these languages as classical, the government acknowledges their deep-rooted antiquity, vast literary traditions, and their invaluable contribution to the cultural fabric of the nation.
•  This recognition highlights the significant cultural and linguistic contributions these languages have made to India’s heritage.
•  It will not only elevate their stature but will also facilitate efforts toward the promotion, preservation, and further research of these languages, ensuring their continued relevance in the modern world

• High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500- 2000 years.
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a heritage by generations of speakers.
• Knowledge texts, especially prose texts in addition to poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional evidence.
• The Classical Languages and literature could be distinct from its current form or could be discontinuous with later forms of its offshoots.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs initially granted the status to Tamil and Sanskrit, and the Ministry of Culture took over the responsibility for further implementations and future recognitions. 
• The Ministry of Culture established the Linguistic Experts Committee (LEC) on November 1, 2004, to assess future proposals for the recognition of classical languages.

Explanation

•  Switzerland and Italy have decided to redefine a portion of their territorial boundaries due to melting Alpine glaciers caused by anthropogenic climate change.
• Large areas of the boundary between Italy and Switzerland are marked by “the watershed or ridge lines of glaciers, firn, or perpetual snow,” according to the Swiss authorities. However, as global warming accelerates glacial melting, these ridge lines shift, disrupting the existing border.
• The border between the two countries is being redrawn beneath the renowned Matterhorn, one of Europe’s tallest peaks that has long drawn alpinists and mountaineers.
• Switzerland and Italy have agreed on revisions to the Plateau Rosa, Carrel refuge, and Gobba di Rollin landmarks. This is where Switzerland’s Zermatt region meets Italy’s Aosta valley. The region is home to various ski resorts, which contribute to both countries’ economies.
• Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Additional Information

• The meetings of the Monetary Policy Committee is held at least 4 times a year.
• The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (RBI Act) has been amended by the Finance Act, 2016 to provide for a statutory and institutionalized framework for an MPC.
• Function: The MPC is entrusted with the task of fixing the benchmark policy rate (repo rate) required to contain inflation within the specified target level. 
  • MPC has six members: the RBI Governor (Chairperson), the RBI Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, one official nominated by the RBI Board, and the remaining three members would represent the Government of India.
  • The external members hold office for a period of four years.
• The quorum for a meeting shall be four Members, at least one of whom shall be the Governor and, in his absence, the Deputy Governor, who is the Member of the MPC.
• The MPC takes decisions based on a majority vote.In case of a tie, the RBI governor will have the second or casting vote.
• The decision of the MPC would be binding on the RBI.

Additional Information

• As per the National Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016), issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, land within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries is to be notified as eco-fragile zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ).
• While the 10-km rule is implemented as a general principle, the extent of its application can vary.
• Areas beyond 10-km can also be notified by the Union government as ESZs, if they hold larger ecologically important “sensitive corridors”.
• It acts as buffer zones around Protected Areas — national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, tiger reserves, etc. — so that the wildlife has a transition zone around them.
• Activities Around ESZs:
  • Prohibited Activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc), establishment of major hydroelectric projects (H
  • EP), commercial use of wood.
  • Regulated Activities: Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system, e.g., adoption of heavy technology, pesticides etc, widening of roads.
  • Permitted Activities: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming, use of renewable energy sources, adoption of green technology for all activities.

Additional Information

Types of Iron Ore

• Haematite, Magnetite, Limonite & Siderite.

Haematite

• Reddish; best quality; 70 per cent metallic content.
• Found in Dharwad and Cuddapah rock systems of the peninsular India.
• 80 per cent of haematite reserves are in Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
• In the western section, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa have this kind of ore.

Magnetite

• Black ore; 60 to 70 per cent metallic content.
• Dharward and Cuddapah systems.
• Magnetic quality.
• Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Limonite

• Inferior ores; yellowish in colour; 40 to 60 per cent iron metal.
• Damuda series in Raniganj coal field, Garhwal in Uttarakhand, Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh and Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh.
• Advantage == open cast mines == easy and cheap mining.

Siderite

• ‘Iron carbonate’; inferior quality; less than 40 per cent iron.
• Contains many impurities {previous post}; mining is not economically variable.
• However, it is self-fluxing due to the presence of lime.

Iron Ore Distribution in India

Which type of iron ore is abundant in India?

1.   Haematite

2.   Magnetite

Jharkhand 26%

Chhattisgarh 18%

Rest in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, MP, Rajasthan, UP

Andhra Pradesh 14%

Rajasthan 5%

TN 4.9%

Rest in Assam, Bihar, Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, MH, Meghalaya and Nagaland