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Current Affairs 20th Aug 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam

Waggle Dance

Context: Two scientists have raised concerns about “problematic behaviour” in papers on honeybee communication co-authored by Dr. Mandyam Srinivasan (Neuroscientist).

About Waggle Dance

  • The waggle dance is a form of communication used by the honeybees (Apis mellifera)
  • It is used to convey information about the location of resources like food, water, or nesting spots to other members of their colony.
  • It is one of the most intricate forms of bee dance communication, which communicates the bearing, distance as well as the quality of a resource.
  • Duration of waggle run indicates distance to the food source.
  • Angle of waggle run shows direction relative to the sun.

Current Affairs 20th Aug 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam_4.1

 

Do you Know?
Round Dance of Bees

  • The round dance is used for food sources 25-100 metres away from the hive or closer.
  • Scout bee of the colony performs the circular dance.
  • In a round dance, the forager bee first circles to the right and then to the left.
  • The round dance does not give directional information.
  • Bees watching the dance detect the fragrance of the flower left on the dancing bee.

Current Affairs 20th Aug 2024 for UPSC Prelims Exam_5.1

 

UPSC PYQ
Q. Which of the following organisms perform waggle dance for others of their kin to indicate the direction and the distance to a source of their food? (2023)

(a) Butterflies
(b) Dragonflies
(c) Honey Bees
(d) Wasps

Answer: C

Alternate Investment Fund

Context: In a recent notification SEBI allowed Category I, and II AIFs to borrow

About Alternate Investment Fund (AIF)

  • AIFs are funds that pool capital from investors to invest in asset classes such as real estate, venture capital and private and public equity.
  • An AIF under the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012 can be established or incorporated in the form of a trust a company or a limited liability partnership or a body corporate.
    • Most of the AIFs registered with SEBI are in trust form.

Under SEBI Guidelines, AIFs Operate in 3 Categories

  • Category I: AIFs invest in start-up or early-stage ventures or other areas which the government considers as economically desirable.
    • Examples: Startups, MSMEs, Infrastructure funds.
  • Category II: AIF includes real estate funds, private equity funds, and funds for distressed assets. Such funds are prohibited from raising debt except for meeting day-to-day requirements.
  • Category III: AIFs are those investing with a view to make short-term returns and include hedge funds.
Minimum Number of Investors
  • No scheme of an AIF (other than an angel fund) shall have more than 1000 investors.
  • In the case of an angel fund, no scheme shall have more than forty-nine angel investors.

Chaudhary Kumbharam Lift Canal

Context: The Yamuna River water is expected to arrive soon in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region.

  • The Chaudhary Kumbharam Lift Canal at present supplies 1,500 cusecs of water to some areas of Shekhawati.

About the Chaudhary Kumbharam Lift Canal

  • Inaugurated: July 15, 2013.
  • Purpose: To deliver fresh water from the Himalayas to Rajasthan.
  • Developed: As part of the Indira Gandhi Nahar Project.
  • Beneficiary Districts: The districts benefiting from the project are Hanumangarh, Jhunjhunu, and Churu.

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