Centre Sets up Radha krishnan Committee for Higher Educational Institutions

Centre Sets up Radha krishnan Committee for Higher Educational Institutions

• The Ministry of Education has set up a high-level panel to strengthen the assessment and accreditation of higher educational institutions, on November 4, 2022. 
• The panel will be headed by Dr K Radhakrishnan, Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIT Kanpur. He is also the chairperson of the Standing Committee of IIT Council.
• The mandate of the committee includes strengthening the assessment and accreditation processes and preparing a road map for the National Accreditation Council envisioned in the National Education Policy, 2020. India has one of the largest and diverse education systems in the world.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister launches Lakhpati Didi Yojana

• Uttrakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ fair at the survey of India Maidan, Hathbarkala in Dehradun. The fair is part of an initiative undertaken by the BJP government to empower women in the state. 
• The Rural Development department of the Uttrakhand government has made preparations to make 1.25 lakh women from self-help groups ‘Lakhpati’ by 2025.
• The CM launched the ‘Lakhpati Didi Yojana’ to make 1.25 lakh women from self-help groups ‘Lakhpati’ by 2025.1.25 lakh of the 3.67 lakh women belonging to self-help groups will become ‘Lakhpati’ under the targeted livelihood initiative.
• Under the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ scheme women belonging to self-help groups (SHGs) will be encouraged to take up micro-enterprises with skill development.
• The government will tie up e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Government e-Market place so that the SHG products get national and international markets.

“Niveshak Didi” programme launched in order to promote financial literacy

• In order to promote financial literacy “By the women, for the women,” India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) organised India’s First Floating Financial Literacy Camp in Srinagar, J&K. 
• The Niveshak Didi Initiative is founded on the principle of “women for women,” as rural women are better at ease discussing their concerns with another woman.
• The Niveshak Didi programme launched under the direction of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), the IPPB in conjunction with the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) launched it.

First time CRPF names two female cadre officers as IG of RAF

• After their entrance into the CRPF in 1987, two female officers have recently been appointed as Inspectors General (IG). The Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot force, has appointed Annie Abraham as its IG. As the new Bihar sector IG, Seema Dhundia has been appointed.
• Both female officers were among the first group of female officers to join the paramilitary organisation in 1987.
• Additionally, they have led an all-female Indian police contingent at the UN.
• During their service, they received the “Ati Utkrisht Seva Padak,” the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service. 

Camera traps renew hope for snow leopard in Kashmir

• The first­ever recording of the snow leopard from the Baltal­Zojila region has renewed hopes for the elusive predator in the higher altitudes of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Camera trapping exercises by researchers from Nature Conservation Foundation (India), partnering with J&K’s Department of Wildlife Protection, and also raised hopes for other important and rare species such as the Asiatic ibex, brown bear and Kashmir musk deer in the upper reaches of the northern most part of India.
• The Snow Leopard Population Assessment of India (SPAI) has been concluded so far in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The estimated population of the great cat is 50 and100, respectively, in these two States.

Indian black honey bee is a Western Ghats discovery

• A new species of endemic honey bee has been discovered in the WesternGhats. The new species has been named Aliskiren jodi and given the common name Indian black honey bee.
• The finding has been published in the September issue of Entomon, apeer­reviewed journal brought out by the Association for Advancement of Entomology.
• It is after a gap of more than 200 years that a new species of honey bee has been spotted in the Western Ghats. The last honey bee described from India was Apis indica in 1798 by Fabricius.