30 Jan 2024: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Bharat 5G Portal
2. Snow Leopards in India
3. Khelo India Winter Games 2024

1. Bharat 5G Portal

Syllabus: GS-2, Governance; GS-3, Science & Technology

Prelims: Bharat 5G Portal, 5G

Mains: Rollout of 5G in India

Context:

The Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications launched the Bharat 5G Portal.

Bharat 5G Portal:

• The portal was launched on the sidelines of the Bharat Telecom 2024, an expo.
• The Bharat 5G Portal acts as a one-stop solution for all quantum, IPR, PoCs/Pilot, 5G and 6G-related works, capturing academic R&D developments, industry standards, OEMs, startups/MSMEs, and subject matter experts. 
• It aims to propel India’s 5G capabilities, and foster innovation, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing within the telecom sector.

2. Snow Leopards in India

Syllabus: GS-3, Environment & Ecology, Conservation

Prelims: Snow Leopards in India

Mains: Conservation of Snow Leopards in India

Context:

Union Environment Minister released the report on the status of snow leopards in India during the National Board for Wildlife meeting held in New Delhi.

Details:

• The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program is the first-ever scientific exercise that reports the snow leopard population of 718 individuals in India. 
• The national coordinator of this exercise was the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) which partnered with all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru and WWF-India.

Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Details:

• The SPAI systematically covered over 70% of the potential snow leopard range in the country, involving forest & wildlife staff, researchers, volunteers, and contributions from knowledge partners.
• The SPAI was carried out from 2019 to 2023 spanning 120,000 sq. km of snow leopard habitat across the trans-Himalayan region, including the UTs of Ladakh and J & K, and states such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Based on data analysis, the estimated population in different states are as follows: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9).

3. Khelo India Winter Games 2024

Syllabus: Miscellaneous, Current Affairs

Prelims: Khelo India Winter Games

Context:

Mascot of the Khelo India Winter Games 2024 revealed.

Details:

• The Khelo India Winter Games 2024 is the fourth edition of the annual event in the Khelo India calendar.
• The UTs of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir are hosting the 2024 games in February 2024.
• The games were held in J&K from its inception in 2020 while Ladakh is hosting for the first time.
• While Ladakh will conduct ice Hockey and speed skating, Jammu and Kashmir will conduct ski mountaineering, Alpine skiing, snowboarding, Nordic skiing and gondola.

Read previous PIB articles here.