Context
- Based on the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat address the month of June has been designated a landmark period for India’s aviation and defence sectors due to key milestones in indigenous manufacturing and flight testing.
1. Defence & Aerospace Manufacturing
C-295 Transport Aircraft Project
- Milestone: The first made-in-India C-295 transport aircraft completed its maiden flight.
- The Deal: The Indian Air Force is procuring 56 aircraft under a ₹21,935-crore contract.
- Manufacturing Partnership: 40 of these aircraft are being manufactured domestically by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in partnership with Airbus at a dedicated facility in Vadodara, Gujarat.
- Strategic Impact: It provides a significant boost to India’s MSMEs and domestic aerospace ecosystem.
Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM)
- Development: Successfully flight-tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Indigenization: All major subsystems of the cruise missile have been developed indigenously.
Naval Inductions
- New Warships: The Indian Navy recently inducted INS Dunagiri, INS Shanshak, and INS Agrya.
- Origin: These warships were entirely designed and built in India.
2. Environment, Culture, and Biodiversity
Greater Adjutant Stork (Hargila)
- Context: Efforts by biologist Purnima Devi Barman were highlighted for changing public perceptions and conserving Assam’s hargila bird (Greater Adjutant).
| About Hargila (Greater Adjutant Stork) Scientific Name: Leptoptilos dubius; a large stork species. Habitat: Wetlands, shallow lakes, drying lake beds, and freshwater flooded forests. Distribution: Found in Assam and Bihar (India) and Cambodia. Behaviour: Usually solitary or in small groups; breeds in winter in colonies. Diet: Omnivorous—mainly scavenges but also feeds on frogs, insects, birds, reptiles, and rodents. The greater adjutant is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. |
Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya
- Status: Indigenous community initiatives continue to preserve these ecological wonders.
- Global Recognition: India has formally sought UNESCO World Heritage status for these living root bridges.
Waste Management (Eco-Bricks)
- Grassroots Initiative: Women in the Rajgarh district of Madhya Pradesh are actively converting plastic waste into “eco-bricks” to beautify local public spaces.
3. Local & Sports Initiatives
- Nagaland’s ‘Baby League’: A grassroots grassroots football development initiative specifically designed for young children aged 5 to 12.
With reference to the Greater Adjutant Stork (Hargila), consider the following statements:
1. Its scientific name is Leptoptilos dubius.
2. It is found in Assam, Bihar, and Cambodia.
3. It is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: A
Explanation:
• Statement 1 is correct: Its scientific name is Leptoptilos dubius. It belongs to the stork family (Ciconiidae).
• Statement 2 is correct: Historically distributed widely across South and Southeast Asia, its global breeding populations are now severely restricted and found only in three pockets: Assam (Brahmaputra Valley) and Bhagalpur (Bihar) in India, and Cambodia.
• Statement 3 is incorrect (Recent Update): For decades, the bird was classified as Endangered (and at times Critically Endangered) due to rapid population decline. However, owing to highly successful community-led conservation efforts (such as the "Hargila Army" led by Dr. Purnima Devi Barman in Assam and conservation initiatives in Bihar), the global population stabilized and increased. Consequently, the IUCN Red List officially downlisted the species from Endangered to Near Threatened.