National
“Smuggling in India Report 2021-22”
⇒ Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman released the “Smuggling in India Report 2021-22” during the 65th Foundation Day of DRI in New Delhi on 05 December 2022.
- Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is the apex anti-smuggling intelligence and investigation agency functioning under the aegis of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
About Report:
- Smuggling in India Report 2021-22 analyses trends such as Smuggling of Gold, Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, wildlife etc., Commercial Frauds and International enforcement operations & cooperation.
- The report brings together the trends in the field of anti- smuggling and commercial fraud and DRI’s performance and experience over the last financial year.
Download ‘Smuggling in India Report 2021-22’ (Official Link)
On the occasion of 65th Foundation Day of DRI, the Union minister of Finance also presented the DRI Award:
DRI Bravery Award 2022:
The ‘DRI Bravery Award for the year, 2022’ was bestowed upon Ms Mishal Queenie D’Costa, Deputy Director, DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit and Shri Bipul Biswas, Senior Intelligence Officer, DRI, Kolkata Zonal Unit for their exemplary act of bravery.
DRI Utkrisht Seva Samman 2022:
DRI ‘Utkrisht Seva Samman, 2022’ was awarded to Shri R. Gopalnathan, an officer of the 1964 batch of the Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Central Excise) for his distinguished and committed service.
NHAI and Maha Metro create Guinness Book of World Record
⇒ The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Maharashtra Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MAHA-METRO) have created a Guinness Book of World Record for constructing the longest Double Decker Viaduct with Highway Flyover and Metro Rail Supported on single column.
About Double-decker viaduct:
- The length of the Double Decker Viaduct is 3.14 km.
- Double-decker viaduct is on the Wardha Road in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
- Double decker viaduct carries highway flyover at the first level and Metro Rail at second level making it a three-tier transportation system with the existing highway at ground level.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari in a series of tweets conveyed his heartiest Congratulations to Team NHAI and Maha Metro on achieving the Guinness Book of World Record. Shri Gadkari said the project has already bagged records from Asia Book and India Book.
BHU Central Library Exhibits Rare Tamil books and Palm-leaf manuscripts
⇒ Padma Shri Chamu Krishnashastri, President of Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti and Chief Convener of Kashi Tamil Sangam, inaugurated the Rare Tamil Books and Manuscripts Exhibition in Banaras Hindu University Central Library, Varanasi.
Organized by:
This exhibition was organized by the Sayaji Rao Gaekwad Central Library as part of the Kashi Tamil Sangam in the University campus.
- The exhibition of these precious collections was held at the Manuscripts and Rare Documents Section adjacent to the Central Hall of the Central Library for 12 days from 5th to 16th December 2022.
Featured Books:
- The Central Library exhibited the various Tamil texts from the 1890s onwards and 12 manuscripts written in the Tamil Granth script in the 17th and 18th centuries.
- Among them are the first copies of early Tamil dramas and books gifted to Annie Besant, a book explaining Tamil musical techniques, books by Kumaragurubara, books on Saiva philosophy, Bharati books, translations of Ramayana, Mahabharata, etc.
Important Day
65th Founding Day of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
⇒ The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) celebrated its 65th Founding Day on December 5-6, 2022.
» Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the 2-day event along with the Union Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary.
- The current edition of “Smuggling in India Report 2021-22” was released by Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister on this occasion.
- The report brings together the trends in the field of anti- smuggling and commercial fraud and DRI’s performance and experience over the last financial year.
About DRI:
- DRI is the premier intelligence and enforcement agency on anti-smuggling matters under the aegis of Central Board of Indirect taxes & Customs (CBIC), Government of India.
- It came into existence on 4th December 1957.
- The DRI with its Headquarters at New Delhi has 12 Zonal Units, 35 regional Units and 15 Sub-regional units, with a working strength of about 800 officials.
- For more than six decades, DRI with its presence across India and abroad has been carrying out its mandate of preventing and detecting cases of smuggling of narcotic drugs & psychotropic substances, gold, diamonds, precious metals, wildlife items, cigarettes, arms, ammunitions & explosives, counterfeit currency notes, foreign currency, SCOMET items, hazardous & environmentally sensitive materials, antiques etc. and taking punitive action against the organised crime groups engaged therein.
- DRI is also engaged in unearthing commercial frauds and customs duty evasion.
International Cheetah Day and Wildlife Conservation Day
⇒ National Zoological Park, New Delhi (Delhi Zoo) celebrated “International Cheetah Day” and “Wildlife Conservation Day” on 04 December 2022 in collaboration with Central Zoo Authority.
- The purpose behind the celebration of “International Cheetah Day” and “Wildlife Conservation Day” was to spread awareness among present generation about the Wildlife Conservation.
International Cheetah Day:
International Cheetah Day is celebrated every year on 4 December since 2010.
History:
- In 2010, Dr. Laurie Marker designated December 4th as International Cheetah Day.
- The annual celebration was set in remembrance of a cheetah cub named Khayam, that she raised at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon.
- Dr. Laurie Marker is the founder of Cheetah Conservation Fund.
About Cheetah:
- The cheetah is the world’s fastest land animal. They can run 70 mph (or 110 kph), which is as fast as cars drive on the highway. The cheetah can reach its top speed in just 3 seconds.
- There are fewer than 7,500 cheetahs left in the wild, making the cheetah Africa’s most endangered big cat.
World Wildlife Conservation Day:
World Wildlife Conservation Day is observed every year on 4 December since 2012.
- Wildlife Conservation Day seeks to spread awareness about the conservation and protection of the natural world and its inhabitants.
History:
- World Wildlife Conservation Day came out of a pledge by the US State Department to protect wild animals by encouraging the conservation of species throughout the world.
- A call to action was put out by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2012 to raise awareness and engage conservationists on Wildlife Conservation Day.
- During the “Wildlife Trafficking and Conservation: A Call to Action”, Secretary Clinton outlined the White House’s strategy to address the global problem of wildlife trafficking.
World Wildlife Day:
World Wildlife Day is observed globally on 3 March every year.
- World Wildlife Day (WWD) is an opportunity to celebrate the many beautiful and varied forms of wild fauna and flora and to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits that their conservation provides to people.