07 March 2025; Daily Current Affairs Updates

Majuli River Island ; GS-1 (Geography) ▪️Why in the News:

Aaranyak Rhino Research recently conducted a six-day survey that provided insights into the rising human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in Assam's Majuli River Island.

> About:

Majuli Island, situated on the Brahmaputra River in Assam, holds the distinction of being the largest river island globally.

> Geographical Formation: The island is shaped by the Subansiri River in the north and the Brahmaputra River in the south:

> Inhabiting Tribes: Majuli is home to three prominent indigenous tribes:

• Mishing

• Deori

• Sonowal Kachari

• Biodiversity and Agriculture.

• Majuli serves as a habitat for numerous rare and endangered bird species, making it a haven for birdwatchers.

• It features expansive rice fields and flourishing groves of bamboo, banana, and sugarcane.

Rice farming is the primary occupation of the island's residents, with farmers cultivating distinctive rice varieties such as Komal Saul and Bao Dhan.

Dnipro River ; GS-2(IR) ▪️Why in the news:

Russia is sending "suicidal missions' across the Dnipro River to gain a foothold near Kherson. ‣About:

• The Dnipro (Dnieper) River is one of the most significant transboundary rivers in Europe.

• It holds the distinction of being the fourth-longest river on the continent, following the Volga, Danube, and Ural Rivers.

> Geographical Significance:

• The river flows through Eastern Europe, serving as a crucial drainage system for Belarus and Ukraine along with its numerous tributaries.

Historically, it played a key role in dividing Ukraine into right-bank and left-bank regions.

• Course and Basin:

• The Dnipro River originates in Russia, within the Valday Hills, situated to the west of Moscow.

° It stretches 1,368 miles (2,200 km), passing through Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, before emptying into the Black Sea.

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund; GS-3 (Economy) ▪️Why in the news:

Punjab has utilised 100% of the Rs 4,713 crore allocated to it by the Centre under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme.

> Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):

The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) is a financing initiative introduced by the Government of India in July 2020 to support the establishment of post-harvest agricultural infrastructure through medium to long-term funding.

- Objective: The scheme aims to provide financial assistance for projects that strengthen post-harvest management and promote the development of community farming assets.

> Primary Goal: The key objective of AIF is to offer debt financing for sustainable agricultural projects benefiting farmers, agri-entrepreneurs, and farmer groups such as Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), and Joint Liability Groups (JLGs).

> Key Features of AIF:

Loans of up to &2 crore under this scheme qualify for an interest subvention of 3% per annum for a period of up to seven years.

An individual or entity can undertake up to 25 projects in different locations, with each project eligible for a loan of up to 72 crore.

Dragon Copilot ; GS-3 (Science and Technology) ▪️Why in the news:

Microsoft has unveiled new Al assistant 'Dragon Copilot'

> Dragon Copilot:

• Dragon Copilot is an advanced Al-driven healthcare tool integrated into Microso Cloud for Healthcare.

• It is specifically designed to assist doctors and healthcare professionals by transcribing clinical notes, drafting medical documents, and enabling quick access to medical information.

> Key Features of Dragon Copilot:

• The tool utilizes natural language voice dictation and ambient listening technology developed by Nuance, an Al voice company.

• It has been further refined using generative Al and tailored to meet healthcare compliance standards.

• Dragon Copilot builds upon existing Nuance tools such as Dragon Medical One

(DMO) and DAX, enhancing their capabilities for clinical documentation.

• It can generate memos and notes in a customized style and format, streamlining paperwork for medical professionals.