SUNYA NOTES (February)

l ‘The Hindu’ Coverage is unique feature of our notes which is generally ignored
by Coaching Institutes and is targeted most by UPSC. We search and add every
important ‘term’ mentioned in the newspaper so as to save your time

INDEX
TOPIC Page Number
1) Environment 2
2) Schemes 12
3) International Relations 19
4) S&T 22
5) Polity and Governance 27
6) Economy 32
7) Defence 35
8) Health 36
9) Indices and Reports 37
10) Art and Culture 38
11) Miscellaneous 41
1) ENVIRONMENT
Ø Spotted Deer = The spotted deer, or chital/ cheetal is a deer species native to the Indian
subcontinent + It is the most common deer species in Indian forests + It is widely distributed
in Asia, especially in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and a small group in Pakistan +
Habitat: Subtropical grasslands and forests + IUCN Red List: Least Concern + They mainly
feed on grasses throughout the year + Only males have antlers, and their bodies are larger than
females.
Ø White Rhinos = White Rhinos are also known as the square-lipped rhinoceros due to their
square upper lip + White rhinos are the second largest land mammal after the elephant + There
are two subspecies of white rhino: Northern white rhinos and Southern white rhinos + They
are the only grazer among the five rhino species, feeding almost exclusively on short grasses
+ They have two horns on the end of their nose + Although the Southern white rhino is one of
the more prevalent species (IUCN: Near Threatened), the Northern white rhino is Critically
Endangered with only two individuals left + The Southern white rhino can be found mostly in
South Africa, with smaller translocated populations found in Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe
+ Habitat: Long and short grass Savannahs + Recently, Scientists in Berlin announced the first
successful embryo transfer in a white rhinoceros.
Ø Cantor's Giant Softshell Turtle = It is also known as the Asian giant softshell turtle and the
frog-faced softshell turtle + It is a species known for its rarity and secretive nature + It spends
most of its life buried and motionless, with only its eyes and mouth protruding from the sand
+ These turtles are primarily carnivores + It is found in eastern and southern India, Bangladesh,
Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, eastern and southern China + IUCN:
Critically endangered + CITES: Appendix II + Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.
Ø Olive Ridley Turtles = also known as Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle = The species is the second-
smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world + It is found in warm and
tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the
Atlantic Ocean + Olive Ridley Turtle and the related Kemp's Ridley Turtle are best known for
their unique synchronised mass nestings called arribadas, where thousands of females come
together on the same beach to lay eggs + The olive ridley is predominantly carnivorous + IUCN
Red List: VU + The Gahirmatha Beach in Kendrapara district of Odisha (India), which is now
a part of the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary, is the largest breeding ground for these turtles.
Ø Hawksbill Turtle = One of the smaller sea turtle species + it is the only extant species in the
genus Eretmochelys (In biology, an extant group is one which has survived to the present day,
and so it is a living group. This distinguishes it from an extinct group) + They are most tropical
of all sea turtles. Found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian
Oceans + Typically found around coastal reefs, rocky areas, estuaries, and lagoons + IUCN:
Critically Endangered + WPA: Schedule I + CITES: Appendix I.
Ø Aldabra Giant Tortoise = It is the second-largest species of land tortoise in the world, after
the Galapagos giant tortoise + It can live for 100 years + These are endemic to the Aldabra
Atoll of the Seychelles, an archipelago nation in the western Indian Ocean + IUCN: Vulnerable
+ These are terrestrial and occur in a wide variety of habitats, including scrub forests, mangrove
swamps, and coastal dunes and beaches, each with their respective vegetation. The largest
populations of tortoises are found on grasslands called "platins."
Ø Indian Gharial = Gharials reside exclusively in river habitats + Gharial range spanned to
Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi-Brahmani-Baitrani River systems of India, Bhutan,
Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan + Currently, their major population occurs in three tributaries
of the Ganga River: the Chambal and the Girwa Rivers in India and the Rapti-Naryani River
in Nepal + IUCN: Critically Endangered + Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I +
CITES: Appendix I + Gharials exhibit sexual dimorphism — or differences in characteristics
between males and females of the same species — in both size and appearance + Unlike other
 crocodiles, the gharials feed on warm-blooded species and even the largest gharial adults feed
exclusively on fish + Gharials are not man-eaters. Its jaws make it physically incapable of
devouring any large mammal, including a human being + Recently, After 75 years, officials of
the Forest Department confirmed the presence of Indian Gharial in Greater Kaziranga.
Ø Black-necked Crane = The high-altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau are the main
breeding ground of the species + This species is found in India, China and Bhutan and breeds
in high-altitude wetlands in the Tibetan plateau + IUCN: Near Threatened + The Wild Life
(Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I + CITES: Appendix I + Changthang Sanctuary, Ladakh and
Tso Kar Wetlands Complex, Ladakh are important sites for Black necked Crane
Ø Himalayan Griffon = It is found along the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan region and is
also found in the Central Asian mountains + IUCN: Near Threatened + It is one of the two
largest Old-World vultures and true raptors + These are diurnal and mostly solitary species +
Recently, In the first-ever Tri-State synchronised vulture survey 320 individual vultures were
counted in the seven-protected areas spread over Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and
Himalayan griffon is only reported from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ø Forest Owlet = It is endemic to the forests of central India + It was observed in Odisha,
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, and at a few locations in the Melghat
Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra + The natural ecosystems and habitats of these species include
tropical and subtropical moist lowland woods, dense deciduous woodlands, open dry
deciduous teak woods, and tropical and subtropical dry forests + IUCN Red List: Endangered
+ CITES: Appendix I + It is a typical owlet with a rather unspotted crown, presence of full
throat collar, thickly feathered legs, heavily banded wings, and a tail + These birds are diurnal.
Ø Aldabra Rail = The flightless Aldabra rail went extinct over 130,000 years ago, but the species
then reappeared via iterative evolution + Iterative evolution can be defined as "the repeated
evolution of a specific trait or body plan from the same ancestral lineage at different points in
time." + It lives on a coral atoll off the southeast coast of Africa + It is a subspecies of the
white-throated rail (Dryolimnas cuvieri) and is the only living flightless bird in the Indian
Ocean.
Ø Indian Skimmer = Indian skimmer is found in the coastal estuaries of western and eastern
India. It occurs primarily on larger, sandy, lowland rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes,
estuaries and coasts + It breeds colonially on large, exposed sand-bars and islands + It feeds
on surface-dwelling fish, small crustaceans and insect larvae + IUCN Red List: Endangered +
These skimmer species were distributed in north Indian rivers, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh,
Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam + Now, much of the population is confined to
north Indian River systems and Pakistan. About 20% of the total population nest along river
Chambal.
Ø Cliffside Bambootail = New species of Dragonfly + Found in Kerala + It belongs to a group
called bambootails, so named because of their long abdomen that resembles bamboo stalks +
The discovery is significant because, for over 160 years, the genus Phylloneura was considered
monotypic, with a single described species, the Myristica Bambootail + Myristica Bambootail
is endemic to western ghats and is near-threatened as per the IUCN Red List.
Ø Dusted Apollo = a rare high-altitude butterfly + It has been sighted and photographed for the
first time in Himachal Pradesh + extremely rare butterfly + It is found from Ladakh to West
Nepal and it flies between 3,500 to 4,800 metres in the inner Himalayas + Threats: Apollos are
considered commercially important butterflies and they fetch high prices in the poaching
industry. Most of the Apollo butterflies are now endangered and need immediate attention for
their conservation and protection.
Ø Golden-backed Frog = It is endemic to the Western Ghats of Karnataka and Kerala,
specifically above the Palghat Gap + It is about the size of a human thumb + Recently, scientists
made a surprising discovery where a Bonnet mushroom was growing out of the side of the
 Golden-backed Frog + (Bonnet mushroom = It is commonly found as a saprotroph (an
organism that feeds on non-living organic matter) on rotting wood + It belongs to the Mycena
genus + Mycenas are hard to identify to species and some are distinguishable only by
microscopic features such as the shape of the cystidia. Some species are edible, while others
contain toxins.)
Ø Purple Frog = Recently, the government of Tamil Nadu established the Tamil Nadu
Endangered Species Conservation Fund (TNESCF) to protect the purple frog and other lesser-
known endangered species + Purple Frog is also known as the Maveli frog or Pignose Frog +
It is often called a ‘living fossil’ which belongs to the Nasikabatrachidae family + It is the soil-
dwelling frog endemic to selected habitats in the Western Ghats in Kerala and Tamil Nadu +
Anamalai hill is one of its prime habitats in Tamil Nadu + Tamil Nadu is home to two types of
Purple frogs: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis and Nasikabatrachus Bhupathi + It remains
underground most of the year except for 2-3 weeks during the monsoon when it comes out to
mate + IUCN: Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis (Near Threatened) and Nasikabatrachus bhupathi
(Critically Endangered) + Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Act, 2022: Schedule I.
Ø Common Angelshark = Angelshark is a cartilaginous fish similar to a ray or skate + They are
found in coastal and outer continental shelf sediment habitats in the Mediterranean Sea and
eastern Atlantic. They may also be found in estuaries and brackish water + IUCN: Critically
Endangered + CITES: Appendix I.
Ø Bull Shark = They’re known to be aggressive towards humans and are thought to be one of
the most dangerous shark species in the world + These are frequently spotted in tropical coastal
areas worldwide, including shallower waters along coastlines + Bull sharks have a unique
ability to tolerate freshwater and saltwater habitats, meaning they can sometimes be found
venturing into rivers and travelling great distances upstream + IUCN: Vulnerable.
Ø North Atlantic Right Whales = These are generally restricted to the coastal waters of the East
Coast of the United States and Canada + These whales are migratory animals, spending the
winter in warmer waters and migrating to the poles for cooler waters in late summer. These
whales inhabit the temperate and subpolar waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific
oceans + IUCN: Critically Endangered + Recently scientists have discovered that North
Atlantic right whales are getting smaller, which is impacting their ability to breed.
Ø Trichoglossum = Researchers recently discovered a new fungus species in Kerala named
Trichoglossum syamviswanathii + Trichoglossum is a genus of fungus classified within the
family Geoglossaceae (Ascomycota), commonly known as “hairy earth tongues” fungus due
to their numerous filaments resembling mushrooms + They exhibit saprotrophic behavior but
can also be found as endophytes in plant roots + They are globally distributed in tropical and
temperate forests at least five out of seven continents of the world.
Ø Roen Olmi = Mushroom + It is a mushroom of the Termitomyces species + It grows on termite
hills and is locally known as ‘roen olmi’ in Goa + It is an edible wild mushroom popular among
Goans and consumed during the monsoons + These mushrooms have no independent
existence. They grow only in association with termites + It is endemic to the Western Ghats +
It plays a very important role as a powerful biodegrading fungus in forest and grassland
ecosystems converting 50% of dead plant material on the ground into rich soil +
(Termitomyces Species: All Termitomyces species are edible and have unique food value
attributed to their texture, flavour, nutrient content, and beneficial mediational properties +
Additionally, Termito-myces have been recognized for their ethno-medicinal importance in
various indigenous communities throughout Asia and Africa + Termitomyces species possess
various beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties)
Ø Neem Tree = Scientific name: Azadirachta Indica + Native to Indian sub-continent + It grow
in arid, semi-arid, wet tropical and sub-tropical climates and is tolerant to high temperature up
 to 49 °C + Type: Evergreen tree (deciduous in drier areas) + Recently, The Neem Summit has
been organized by collaboration with lCAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute.
Ø Cuscuta Dodder = Invasive weed + It is native to North America + It is a parasitic vine without
roots + As per reports, it is slowly choking the Chengalpet forests and Vedanthangal Bird
Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu (India’s oldest bird sanctuary) + It is the holoparasitic plant that builds
a canopy on the host plant and casts thousands of tendrils to form a dense spectacle before it
strangles and eventually kills it.
Ø Thrips Parvispinus = It is an invasive pest species + It can also grow and multiply on alternate
hosts like drumstick, pigeon pea, chickpea, papaya, mango and weed species like Parthenium,
Cleome viscosa, Prosopis sp., Lantana camara, Calotropis sp., Tecoma sp. and wild solanum
plants + It has been reported from Thailand, Australia and Europe + In India, this species was
first reported on Papaya from Bengaluru in 2015 + As per recent reports, Thrips Parvispinus,
an invasive pest species, might have dominated or even replaced the native chilli thrips known
as scirtothrips dorsalis in the regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Ø Steinernema Adamsi = new species of nematode that could protect crops without pesticides
+ This new species is a member of a family of nematodes called Steinernema that have long
been used in agriculture to control insect parasites without pesticides + Nematodes are among
the most abundant animals on Earth. They occur as parasites in animals and plants or as free-
living forms in soil, fresh water, marine environments, and even such unusual places as
vinegar, beer malts, and water-filled cracks deep within Earth’s crust.
Ø Sphaerotheca Varshaabhu = new frog species + found in urban landscape of Bengaluru.
Ø Gupteswar Forest = Odisha + Recently, the Odisha government declared the Gupteswar
forest in Koraput district as its fourth Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) + part of Eastern Ghats
+ The limestone caves within the forest are home to eight species of bats, two of which are
under the near-threatened category (Hipposideros galeritus and Rhinolophus rouxii are under
the near-threatened category of the IUCN) + Under the Biological Diversity Act, the State
Governments are empowered to notify in the official gazette, in consultation with ‘local
bodies’, areas of biodiversity importance as Biodiversity Heritage Sites.
Ø Hope Island = located off the coast of Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, in the Bay of Bengal + This
island is young, as it was formed in the late 18th century, by the waters of the Koringa River,
which is a distributary of the River Godavari + Recently, Andhra Pradesh government imposed
a month-long ban on fishing in the 5-km radius of Hope Island to prevent the death of Olive
Ridley turtles off the Kakinada coast
Ø Beyt Dwarka Island = small island off the coast of Dwarka, Gujarat + Located at the mouth
of the Gulf of Kutch + It is believed to be the home of Lord Krishna when he was the king of
Dwarka + Shri Keshavraj Ji Temple is a Lord Krishna temple located on the island. It is an
important site for Hindu pilgrimage. The temple is 500 years old and was built by
Vallabhacharya.
Ø Ken River = It is a tributary of the Yamuna River. The river is the last tributary of the Yamuna
before the Yamuna joins the Ganga + It flows through two states, namely Madhya Pradesh and
Uttar Pradesh + It is one of the major rivers of the Bundelkhand region of central India + It is
known for its rare Sajhar or Dendritic Agate stone + The major tributaries of the Ken River are
Bawas, Dewar, Kaith, Baink, Kopra, and Bearma.
Ø Vaitarna River = West flowing rivers + It originates in the Trimbakeshwar Hills of Nasik
district of Maharashtra + The main tributaries are Pinjal, Ganjai, Surya, Daharji and Tansa +
The catchment area of Vaitarna basin completely lies in Thane and Nasik districts of
Maharashtra.
Ø Sudarshan Setu Bridge = It is India’s longest cable-stayed bridge, at 2.32 km, on the Arabian
Sea, connecting Beyt Dwarka island to mainland Okha in Gujarat's Devbhumi Dwarka district
 + It boasts a unique design, featuring a footpath adorned with verses from the Bhagavad Gita
and images of Lord Krishna on both sides.
Ø Shahpur Kandi Dam Project = Located on the Ravi River + Punjab + It is downstream from
the existing Ranjit Sagar Dam. The water released by Ranjit Sagar Dam is utilized for
generating power from this project + The main purpose behind the construction of this dam is
power generation and irrigation in Punjab and J&K States.
Ø Thanthai Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary = Tamil Nadu + Tamil Nadu government has declared
areas of reserve forests in Bargur Hills in Erode district, as the Thanthai Periyar Wildlife
Sanctuary + It connects the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve with the Cauvery South Wildlife
Sanctuary + The sanctuary is part of the tiger corridor connecting Sathyamangalam Tiger
Reserve, Male Mahadeshwara Hills Tiger Reserve, and Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary.
Ø Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary = Kerala + integral part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve + It
is contiguous to the tiger reserves of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka and Mudumalai of
Tamil Nadu + Kabini River which is a tributary of the Kaveri River flows through the
sanctuary.
Ø Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary = Andhra Pradesh + It lies between the Nallamala and
Yerramalla hill ranges of the Eastern Ghats + Recently, The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has
not been spotted at the Rollapadu Wildlife Sanctuary in Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh
and its surrounding areas for the last couple of years, which is an indication that the bird is at
risk of local extinction + It is the only GIB Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
Ø Papikonda National Park = Andhra Pradesh + The area plays a key role in high precipitation
and the consequent origin of various small streams and rivulets which drain and enrich the
perennial River Godavari + A unique dwarf breed of goat known locally as the “kanchu
mekha” originates in this region + The national park has been recognized as an Important Bird
and Biodiversity Area by BirdLife International.
Ø Bor Tiger Reserve = Maharashtra + smallest tiger reserve in India + It is centrally located
among several other Bengal Tiger habitats. Towards the northeast lies the Pench Tiger Reserve,
towards the east is Nagzira Navegaon Tiger Reserve, and to the southeast is Karhandla Wildlife
Sanctuary. The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is located to the southeast, Melghat Tiger
Reserve stands to the west; Satpura Tiger Reserve lies to the north-west.
Ø Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary = Odisha + It adjoins the Sitanadi and Udanti sanctuaries of
Chhattisgarh.
Ø Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary = Located in Tripura + It is a woodland with an artificial lake
and natural botanical and zoological gardens + It also has two natural lakes, namely Abasarika
and Amrit Sagar + Vegetation: Moist deciduous forest + Clouded Leopard National Park,
established in 2007, is a part of this sanctuary + It gives shelter to about 150 species of birds
and the unique bespectacled monkey, Phayre’s langur.
Ø Shompen Tribe = Shompen are one of the most isolated tribes on Earth + They reside in the
dense tropical rainforest of the Great Nicobar Island of Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands
+ They are one of the least studied Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India +
Though according to the Census (2011), the estimated population of Shompen is 229, the exact
population of Shompen is unknown till today + They are semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers +
Shompen speak their own language, which has many dialects.
Ø Chenchu Tribes = The Chenchus are a Scheduled Tribe in the Indian states of Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Odisha. Many Chenchus live in the dense Nallamala forest
of Andhra Pradesh + They are an aboriginal tribe whose traditional way of life has been based
on hunting and gathering + The Chenchus speak the Chenchu language, a member of the
Dravidian language family + Chenchu's relationship with non-tribal people has been largely
symbiotic.
Ø Nihang Sikhs = Nihangs, originally known as Akalis or Akali Nihangs, are a distinct warrior
order within the Sikh community, known for their martial traditions, unique attire, and
adherence to a specific code of conduct + They are highly skilled in Gatka martial arts and
have historically served as a dedicated and elite force to protect Sikh shrines and communities
+ They are characterised by blue robes, antiquated arms such as swords and spears, and
decorated turbans surmounted by steel quoits + Nihangs had a major role in defending the Sikh
panth after the fall of the first Sikh rule (1710-15) when Mughal governors were killing Sikhs,
and during the onslaught of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Durrani (1748-65).
Ø Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024 = It amends the Water
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 + Application: Currently, the Water
Amendment Act 2024 will apply to Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan (both passed resolution to
amend the Act) and the Union territories + Water is a state subject . However, Article 252 of
Constitution empowers Parliament to legislate on any matters with respect to which it lacks
legislative power + It specifies that the central government, in consultation with the CPCB,
may exempt certain categories of industrial plants from obtaining such consent + The central
government will prescribe the manner of nomination and the terms and conditions of service
of the chairman of SPCB (State PCB) + Act decriminalises several violations, and instead
imposes penalties between ₹10,000 and ₹15 lakh.
• Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 = The Act provides for the
prevention and control of water pollution, and for the maintaining or restoring of
wholesomeness of water in the country + The original Act is applicable in 25 States + This
was amended twice in 1988 and 2003 + Regulatory bodies: Creation of the Central
Pollution Control Boards (CPCB) and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCB) + Approval:
Mandatory for industrial units to get permission from their respective State boards before
setting up factories.
• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) = CPCB is a statutory organisation which was
constituted in 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 + It
was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act, 1981 + It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to
the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986 + Principal Functions of the CPCB, as spelt out in the Water (Prevention and
Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act,
1981 + It aims to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States
by prevention, control and abatement of water pollution. It aims to improve the quality of
air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country.
Ø Greenwashing = Greenwashing refers to the practice of making false or exaggerated claims
about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or company in order to present a
misleading image of sustainability or eco-friendliness.
• Draft Guidelines to Prevent Greenwashing = Advertising Standards Council of India
(ASCI) proposed Draft Guidelines for Environmental/Green Claims in Advertising to
make advertising free of Greenwashing + ASCI was formed in 1985 as a self-regulatory
organization by professionals from the advertising and media industry to keep Indian ads
decent, fair, and honest + Greenwashing (also called green sheen) is a deceptive practice
of making misleading environmental claims.
• Greenwashing TechSprint = Greenwashing TechSprint is organized by the Global
Financial Innovation Network (GFIN), a consortium of over 80 international organizations
committed to supporting financial innovation for the benefit of consumers + The GFIN is
currently chaired by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), a leading regulatory body in
the United Kingdom + TechSprint aims to develop a tool or solution that can effectively
help regulators and the market tackle the risks of greenwashing in financial services +
 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will be among 13 international regulators taking part in the
Global Financial Innovation Network's (GFIN) first-ever Greenwashing TechSprint.
Ø GROW Portal = by NITI Aayog + The "Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with
Agroforestry (GROW)-Suitability Mapping" portal allows universal access to state and
district-level data + GROW initiative aligns with national commitments, aiming to restore 26
million hectares of degraded land by 2030 and create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3
billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent + The initiative, led by NITI Aayog, involved a
collaborative effort from multiple institutions and employed advanced technologies such as
remote sensing and GIS to assess agroforestry suitability across all districts in India.
Ø Status of Leopards in India, 2022 Report = Recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and
Climate Change (MoEFCC) released the ‘Status of Leopards in India, 2022’ Report + Fifth
cycle leopard population estimation (2022) was carried out by National Tiger Conservation
Authority (NTCA) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) + Madhya Pradesh houses the largest
population of leopards followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu + Tiger Reserves
with highest leopard population: Nagarajunasagar Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana)
followed by Panna and Satpura (Madhya Pradesh) tiger reserves.
• Leopard = The leopard is the smallest of the Big Cat family (of genus Panthera namely
the Tiger, Lion (Panthera leo), Jaguar, Leopard, and Snow Leopard) + nocturnal animal +
It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in small parts of Western and Central Asia,
on the Indian subcontinent to Southeast and East Asia + IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
Ø Status of Snow leopards in India = Recently, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) released the report on Status of Snow leopards in India + Report is result
of Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) programme which was carried out
between 2019 and 2023 + It is the first-ever scientific exercise estimating snow leopard
population + Wildlife Institute of India (WII) is the National Coordinator for this exercise.
• Snow Leopard = IUCN: Vulnerable + CITES: Appendix I + Wildlife (Protection) Act,
1972:- Schedule I + It inhabits the Himalayas at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 m
across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and
Arunachal Pradesh + Habitat: Cold High Mountains + In Uttarakhand, snow leopards are
found in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, Gangotri National Park, Askot Wildlife
Sanctuary and other places of altitude between 3000-4500 meters + Snow leopards are
found in 12 countries—including China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Russia, and Mongolia + Snow Leopard capital of the world: Hemis, Ladakh + Hemis
National Park is the biggest national park in India and also has a good presence of Snow
Leopard + It is declared State animal of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh + Snow Leopard
Breeding Project at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling is one of the
most successful and breeding programme of species in South East Asia.
• Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme: The GSLEP
is a high-level inter-governmental alliance of all the 12 snow leopard range countries + The
snow leopard countries namely, India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan + It majorly focuses on
the need for awareness and understanding of the value of Snow Leopard for the ecosystem.
• Living Himalaya Network Initiative: Living Himalayas Initiative (LHI) is established as
one of WWF’s global initiatives to bring about transformational conservation impact across
the three Eastern Himalayan countries of Bhutan, India (North-East) and Nepal +
Objectives of LHI include adapting to climate change, connecting to habitat and saving
iconic species.
• Project Snow Leopard: Project Snow was launched in 2009 to safeguard and conserve
India’s unique natural heritage of high-altitude wildlife populations and their habitats by
promoting conservation through participatory policies and actions.
 • International Snow Leopard Day: Established in 2014, it is celebrated on October 23
every year to raise awareness for its conservation and protection.
Ø Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) = annual event + It was launched in 1998 by the
Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society + It was established to help
researchers learn more about how birds are doing and how to protect them and the environment
+ It engages bird enthusiasts of all ages around the world in counting birds to create a real-time
snapshot of where the birds are + Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count,
from beginner bird watchers to experts. One can participate from his/her backyard, or
anywhere in the world + Indian birders have participated in the GBBC since 2013. In India,
GBBC is coordinated by the Bird Count India (BCI) collective, a coming-together of a number
of groups and organisations that are interested in birds, nature, and conservation.
Ø Biodiversity-Heritage Site (BHS) = BHS are well defined areas that are unique, ecologically
fragile ecosystems - terrestrial, coastal and inland waters and, marine having rich biodiversity
+ Under Section 37 of Biological Diversity Act, 2002, State Government in consultation with
local bodies may notify areas of biodiversity importance as BHS + Also, State Government in
consultation with Central Government may frame rules for management and conservation of
BHS + National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) advices the State Government in the selection
and management of heritage sites under section 37 + As per National Biodiversity Authority
(NBA), India has a total of 45 BHS as of February 2024 + [What is Criteria for identification
of BHS -> Refer STATIC Section]
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) = NBA is an Autonomous and Statutory Body
of MoEFCC + NBA (Headquartered in Chennai) was established in 2003 by Central
Government to implement India’s Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) = Under Section 41(1) of the Biological
Diversity Act, 2002, every local body in the State shall constitute a Biodiversity
Management Committee within its area of jurisdiction + BMC is a 7-member committee
which is elected in the general body meeting of that local body + It must include least at
least 1/3rd women and at least 18% Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes + It prepares a
Peoples’ Biodiversity Register (PBR) in consultation with local people + It facilitate access
and benefit sharing in line with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol + BMCs are
empowered to levy charges, by way of collection fees from any person, for accessing/
collecting any biological resource for commercial purposes for areas falling within its
territorial jurisdiction.
Ø New Ramsar Sites = 5 more sites added to the list, making total sites to 80.
• Ankasamudra Bird Conservation Reserve = Karnataka + man-made Village Irrigation
Tank + It supports more than 1% of the biogeographic population of Painted Stork and
Black-headed Ibis.
• Aghanashini Estuary = Karnataka + It is formed at the confluence of the Aghanashini
River with the Arabian Sea + brackish water + The wetland helps in traditional fish farming
in the estuarine rice fields (locally known as Gazni rice fields).
• Magadi Kere Conservation Reserve = Karnataka + man-made wetland + The wetland
harbours two vulnerable species, namely the Common pochard and River tern and four
near-threatened species, namely the Oriental Darter Black-headed Ibis Woolly-necked
Stork and Painted Stork + It is also one of the largest wintering grounds for the Bar-headed
goose.
• Karaivetti Bird Sanctuary = Tamil Nadu
• Longwood Shola Reserve Forest = Tamil Nadu + It derives its name from the Tamil
word, "Solai", which means a ‘tropical rainforest + These forested wetlands serve as
habitats for the globally endangered Black-chinned Nilgiri Laughing thrush, Nilgiri Blue
Robin and vulnerable Nilgiri Wood-pigeon.
Ø Sub-national Climate Fund (SCF) = Recently, Goa became the 1st state to get the World
Bank backed Sub National Climate Resilient Green Fund + The model is designed to attract
public and private investment and to deliver certified climate and Sustainable Development
impacts and Nature-based Solutions + This fund is managed by Pegasus Capital + The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is responsible for the Technical
Assistance component of SCF + Anchor investor of this fund is Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Ø Nagoya Protocol = Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and
Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation (the Protocol) is a legally binding
global agreement that implements the access and benefit-sharing obligations of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD) + It was adopted by the CBD in Nagoya, Japan, in 2010 and
entered into force in 2014 + It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective
implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of
benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
Ø UN World Restoration Flagships = World Restoration Flagship are part of the UN Decade
on Ecosystem Restoration – led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food
and Agriculture Organization + It aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of
ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean + The award conferred by the UNEP and
FAO of the UN makes the initiatives eligible for technical and financial support from the
organisation + Recently, Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) recognized as the United Nation World
Restoration Flagship.
• Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) = Extend over 900 km from the Bagmati River (Nepal) in
the east to the Yamuna River (India) in the west + Terai Arc Landscape (TAL) is a
transboundary biodiversity hotspot launched in 2001. It aims to conserve critical habitats
for tigers, rhinos, elephants, etc., covering ecosystems of the Terai and Churia hills.
Ø International Single Species Action Plan = It is the key instrument developed under the
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) +
Objective is to implement coordinated measures to restore migratory waterbird species to a
favourable conservation status + The 14th Conference of the Parties(CoP) on the CMS which
recently held at Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has recently adopted the Single Species Action Plan
for conservation of the Hawksbill Turtle.
• Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA)
= It is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds
and their habitats + It is developed under the framework of the Convention on Migratory
Species (CMS) and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
+ The Agreement area stretches from the northern reaches of Canada and the Russian
Federation to the southernmost tip of Africa. It covers 119 Range States from Africa,
Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia and Canada + It covers 255 species of migratory
waterbirds.
• Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species = It also known as the Bonn
Convention, is an environmental treaty under the aegis of the United Nations Environment
Programme + It provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of
migratory animals and their habitats + It is the only global and UN-based
intergovernmental organisation established exclusively for the conservation and
management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range +
Activities by CMS Parties may range from legally binding treaties(called Agreements) to
less formal instruments, such as Memoranda of Understanding + It has 2 appendix +
Appendix I lists endangered migratory species and includes prohibitions regarding the take
of these species + Appendix II lists species that have an ‘unfavourable conservation status’
(as per the conditions set out in the Convention) and encourages range states to draft range-
wide agreements for the conservation and management of these species.
Ø STAR Metric = Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) Metric + STAR metric,
developed by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in partnership with other
organizations and experts + It was first unveiled in 2021 for use in terrestrial areas and recently
it has been expanded for use in marine areas + The STAR metric utilizes existing data from
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to quantify extinction risks and threats faced by species.
o STAR assesses the potential of specific actions at specific locations to contribute to
international conservation targets + STAR estimates the contribution of two kinds of action –
threat abatement and habitat restoration.
Ø International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) = It was launched by India on April 9, 2023, for the
conservation of seven big cats, namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar,
and Puma harbouring our planet + It is open to 97 'range' countries, which contain the natural
habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organizations, etc +
It will provide a platform for the member nations to share knowledge and expertise and extend
support to recovery efforts in potential habitats + Funding: After the first five years, which will
be supported by India's 'total grant assistance' of $100 million, the IBCA is expected to sustain
itself through membership fees and contributions from bilateral and multilateral institutions
and the private sector.
Ø Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) = CCAC, founded in 2012, is the only
international body working to reduce short-lived climate pollutants – methane, black carbon,
hydrofluorocarbons– that drive both climate change and air pollution + India is a CCAC
Partner since 2019 + It is a voluntary global partnership of governments, intergovernmental
organizations, businesses, scientific institutions, and civil society organizations working to
reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) that have a significant impact on climate change
and public health.
• Short Lived Climate Pollutants = Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) are a group of
greenhouse gases and air pollutants that have a near-term warming impact on climate and
can affect air quality + SLCPs include black carbon, methane, ground-level ozone, and
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) + They are also known as Super Pollutants + Short lived
climate pollutants are responsible for up to 45% of current global warming.
• Climate and Clean Air Conference 2024 = Annual meeting + held on sidelines of 6th
session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) + took place in Nairobi,
Kenya.
Ø Brumation = Researchers have observed instances of brumation in various reptilian species
across habitats + It is the name to describe a period of dormancy or slowed activity in reptiles,
much like hibernation in mammals + It typically occurs during colder months, when
temperatures drop and food becomes scarce + During brumation, reptiles may retreat to
underground burrows, rock crevices or other sheltered areas where temperatures are relatively
more stable. Their metabolism slows significantly, allowing them to go weeks or even months
without eating. This period of reduced activity allows reptiles to conserve energy and minimise
their resource requirements.
Ø Atmospheric Rivers = Recently, California (the USA) has been hit by two back-to-back
Atmospheric River storms + Atmospheric Rivers indicate narrow, elongated corridors of
concentrated moisture transport associated with extra-tropical cyclones + Typically located
within low-level jet, an area of strong winds in lower levels of atmosphere, ahead of cold front
in an extra-tropical cyclone + These are largest transport mechanisms of freshwater on Earth
+ Strong landfall by interacting with topography, can deposit significant amounts of
precipitation in short periods of time leading to flooding and mudslides.
Ø El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) = ENSO is a naturally occurring large-scale climatic
phenomenon involving fluctuating ocean temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial
Pacific (referred as El Niño and La Niña), coupled with changes in the overlying atmosphere
 (referred to as Southern Oscillation) + ENSO has 3 phases + El Niño: A warming of the ocean
surface or above-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical
Pacific Ocean. It leads to drought and deficient rainfall in Asia. Due to it, recently global
monthly mean ocean temperatures has raised at an all-time high relative to temperatures since
records started to be kept + La Niña: A cooling of the ocean surface or below-average sea
surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean + Neutral: Neither
El Niño or La Niña. Often tropical Pacific SSTs are generally close to average.
• Triple dip La Niña = A triple-dip La Niña is a rare event that occurs when the La Niña
effect lasts three years in a row + La Niña is a phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation
(ENSO) + The recent triple-dip La Niña conditions (2020–2023) had widespread impacts
on the ocean and climate across the globe.
Ø Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) = AMOC is a large-scale oceanic
circulation system that transports warm surface waters from the tropics to the northern latitudes
and returns cold, deep waters from the North Atlantic back towards the equator + AMOC
transports warm, salty surface waters from the tropics to the northern regions. These warm
waters carry heat energy, contributing to the warming of regions like Europe + Without a
proper AMOC and Gulf Stream, Europe will be very cold + It is driven by differences in
temperature and salt content + It plays a critical role in redistributing heat and regulating
weather patterns around the world + Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is
at risk of imminent collapse, with recent studies indicating that anthropogenic emissions could
expedite this between 2025 and 2095 + Implications of AMOC collapse: Rise in Atlantic Sea
levels; Flipping of wet and dry seasons in the Amazon; More erratic fluctuations in
temperatures; warmer southern hemisphere.
Ø Rip Currents = These are a strong flow of water running from a beach back to the Open
Ocean, sea, or lake + They can be more than 45 meters (150 feet) wide, but most are less than
9 meters (30 feet). They can move at 8 kilometers (5 miles) per hour + Rip currents are one of
the most dangerous natural hazards in the world + They are formed by a beach topography.
They can occur in areas with hard-bottom (rocky) or soft-bottom (sand or silt) beach
topography. They can form in a gap between sandbars, piers, or parts of a reef + Recently,
Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) and Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) have embarked on a project to continuously monitor and issue operational
forecast alerts of rip currents.
• Undertows and Rip currents = Rip currents are sometimes confused with undertows +
Undertows are also currents, but they run along the ocean floor and can pull beachgoers
beneath the waters surface + Rip currents run along the surface of the water, and do not
pose the same hazard.

2) SCHEMES
Ø SAMAR Assessment Certificates = System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and
Rating (SAMAR) certificate is a benchmark to measure the competency of defence
manufacturing enterprises + It is an outcome of the collaboration between DRDO and the
Quality Council of India (QCI) to strengthen the defence manufacturing ecosystem in the
country + All defence manufacturing enterprises, both MSME and Large enterprises, are
eligible to apply for this certification + It is valid for a period of 2 years from the date of
issuance of the certificate.
Ø DigiReady Certification = Recently, the Quality Council of India (QCI) and Open Network
for Digital Commerce (ONDC) announced the launch of the DigiReady Certification (DRC)
portal + In this initiative, QCI, in conjunction with ONDC, aims to assess and certify digital
readiness of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) entities + By leveraging this
online self-assessment tool, MSMEs can evaluate their preparedness to seamlessly onboard as
 sellers on the ONDC platform, thereby expanding their digital capabilities and business
potential.
• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) = It is an open-source network set up to
enable buyers and sellers to transact with each other irrespective of the e-commerce
platform on which either of them are registered + It will enable local commerce across
segments, such as mobility, grocery, food order and delivery, hotel booking and travel,
among others, to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled application + It is an
initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under
the Ministry of Commerce and Industry + It comprises of buyer-side apps where consumers
can place orders, seller-side apps that onboard merchants and display their listings, and
logistics platforms that handle deliveries + Aim: To promote open networks for all aspects
of exchange of goods and services over digital or electronic networks + It offers small
retailers an opportunity to provide their services, and goods to buyers across the country
through an e-commerce system.
Ø PM MITRA Parks Scheme = PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA)
Parks Scheme is inspired by 5F vision (Farm to Fiber to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) + The
parks will be set up by 2026-27 + It will offer the opportunity to create an Integrated Textiles
Value Chain + PM MITRA Park will be developed by a Special Purpose Vehicle which will
be owned by the Central and State Government and in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Mode
+ Ministry of Textile + Government of India has planned to establish these parks in Tamil
Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Ø Rashtriya Udyamita Vikas Pariyojana = Launched by Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship + Scheme is tailored specifically for beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi (Street
Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi) scheme + + It focuses on reskilling and upskilling employees +
Offers individuals with comprehensive entrepreneurship training (over a period of 22 weeks)
combining theoretical knowledge with practical exposure + Training will be conducted
through offline, online and hybrid modes, with certificates awarded upon completion.
Ø StartupShala = Launched by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT) + Startup India’s flagship accelerator program + It aims for sector-specific initiative
for existing entrepreneurs to provide them access to knowledge, network, funds, and guidance
required to scale up + Three-month long accelerator program.
Ø Central Processing Centre (CPC) = Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Operationalizes
Central Processing Centre to facilitate Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) + CPC is established
for centralised processing of regulatory compliance forms filed under Companies Act and
Limited Liability Partnership Act + It will process applications in time bound and faceless
manner on lines of Central Registration Centre (CRC) and Centralized Processing for
Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) + Please Note: CRC provides services for speedy
incorporation of companies whereas C-PACE provides centralised processing of applications
for voluntary closure of companies.
Ø SWAYAM Plus Platform = Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship launched the SWAYAM Plus platform, in collaboration with industry
leaders such as L&T, Microsoft, and CISCO + Operated by the Indian Institute of Technology,
Madras (IIT Madras), the platform aims to offer courses focusing on employability and
professional development, covering sectors like manufacturing, energy, computer science,
engineering, IT, management studies, healthcare, hospitality, and tourism + SWAYAM Plus
combines academic rigour with real-world expertise from industry partners to enhance the
employability of college students and lifelong learners.
• SWAYAM = the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platform providing educational
opportunities for a vast number of learners + was launched by the Ministry of Education
 in 2017 + The objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best
quality higher education at the affordable cost.
• SWAYAM Prabha = Ministry of Education + Aims to provide 32 High Quality
Educational Channels through DTH across the length and breadth of the country on 24X7
basis + It has curriculum-based course content covering diverse disciplines + This is
primarily aimed at making quality learning resources accessible to remote areas where
internet availability is still a challenge + The DTH channels are using the GSAT-15 satellite
for programme telecasts.
Ø One Stop Centre Scheme = Ministry of Women + Centrally Sponsored Scheme + Aims to
provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence, both in private and
public spaces under one roof + It supports all women including girls below 18 years of age
affected by violence, irrespective of caste, class, religion, region, sexual orientation or marital
status + The Scheme will be funded through the Nirbhaya Fund. The Central Government will
provide 100% financial assistance under the Scheme + The day-to-day implementation and
administrative matters would be the responsibility of the District Collector/District Magistrate.
Ø SWATI Portal = Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India launched “Science
for Women-A Technology & Innovation (SWATI)” Portal + It is aimed at creating a single
online portal representing Indian Women and Girls in STEMM (Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine) + The Portal is a complete interactive database; and
the first of its kind in India which is developed, hosted and maintained by the National Institute
of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi.
Ø Young Scientist Programme (YUVIKA) = two-week residential programme by ISRO + for
School Children + "Young Scientist Programme", or "YUva VIgyani KAryakram" YUVIKA,
is a learning and awareness-creating programme of the ISRO to impart basic knowledge on
Space Technology, Space Science, and Space Applications to younger students with a
preference for rural areas + Those who have finished class 8 and are currently studying in class
9 can apply for the programme + Three students from each state/Union Territory will
participate in this programme every year, covering CBSE, ICSE, and state-board syllabus.
Ø Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) Scheme = IEDSS has been
launched from the year 2009-10 + The aim of this scheme is to enable all students with
disabilities to pursue four years of secondary education in an inclusive and enabling
environment, after completing eight years of elementary schooling + It provides assistance for
the inclusive education of disabled children in classes IX-XII + The scheme covers all children
studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Government-aided schools,
with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the
National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII + Setting up of Model inclusive schools in
every State is envisaged under the scheme + School Education Department of the State
Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations are the implementing agencies + This
scheme now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013.
Ø Support to Students for Participating in Competitions Abroad (SSPCA) Initiative = It is
an initiative of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) aimed at bolstering the
global competitiveness of Indian students in technical education + It is designed to financially
support students aspiring to compete in international scientific events + Under the SSPCA
scheme, individual students or student teams are eligible to receive travel grants to partake in
international competitions + Eligibility extends to students enrolled in diploma, B.E./B. Tech,
integrated M. Tech, and M./M. Tech programs in AICTE-approved institutions.
Ø Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme = Union Minister of Education and Skill Development
& Entrepreneurship launched the EdCIL Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme + Vidyanjali
Scholarship Programme aims to revolutionize access to quality education and higher education
institutions + The beneficiaries of the Vidyanjali programme in its initial phase will be students
 of grades XI and XII studying in Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country + It provides
financial support to meritorious students from Navodaya Vidyalayas who lack means, thereby
promoting educational equity and inclusion + The Vidyanjali programme intends to garner
assistance and funding from non-government partners and private sources such as CSR grants,
national and international donors, and impact investors.
Ø GHAR Portal = GHAR - GO Home and Re-Unite Portal have been developed and launched
by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) + It is a portal to digitally
monitor and track the restoration and repatriation of children according to the protocols under
the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 + NCPCR is a statutory body
under Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
Ø C- CARES Portal = Recently, the Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs
launched a web portal of Coal Mines Provident Fund Organization (CMPFO) namely C-
CARES + It is developed and designed by the Centre for Development of Advanced
Computing (C-DAC) + The portal, will allow CMPF subscribers and coal companies to login
and perform various functions tailored to their needs + (Coal Mines Provident Fund
Organization = It is an autonomous organization under the aegis of Ministry of Coal
established in the year 1948 + It was established for administering Provident Fund and Pension
schemes for the purpose of providing social security to the coal sector workers.)
Ø InTranSE Program = It is an initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & IT + The Intelligent
Transportation System Endeavor (InTranSE) is a revolutionary collaborative research and
development programme + The initiative is aimed at undertaking R&D projects collaboratively
with IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore and C-DAC to synergize the transformation of
Intelligent Transportation System(ITS) with more energy and pace.
Ø PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells = The scheme is called National Programme on
Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage + Indian government aims to promote the
manufacturing of technology-agnostic ACCs within the country, aligning with its commitment
to fostering innovation and self-reliance in the renewable energy sector + Ministry of Heavy
Industries + The scheme envisages setting up of a cumulative ACC manufacturing capacity of
fifty (50) GWh for ACCs and an additional cumulative capacity of (5) GWh for Niche ACC
Technologies. The manufacturing facility as proposed by the beneficiary firm would have to
be commissioned within a period of 2 years. The subsidy will be disbursed thereafter over a
period of 5 years.
Ø PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana = In this scheme, the central government will provide
300 units of free electricity per month to its beneficiaries by investing worth ₹75,000 crores +
It aims to light up 1 crore households + Under the scheme, Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats
shall be incentivised to promote rooftop solar systems in their jurisdictions + Central
Government will guarantee no financial burden on the people by providing significant
subsidies directly to their bank accounts and offering highly concessional bank loans +
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Ø Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) = 2000 + Ministry of Consumers Affairs Food and Public
Distribution System + Beneficiary: AAY ration card holders + States/UTs identify the
households under AAY as one crore poorest of the poor families from amongst the Below
Poverty Line (BPL) families and issue ration cards to eligible households + AAY households
receive 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month free of cost under Pradhan Mantri Garib
Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for a period of 5 years with effect from 1st January, 2024.
1 kg of sugar per family per month through the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)
+ Provide them grains at a highly subsidised rate of Rs. 2 per kg for wheat and Rs. 3 per kg for
rice and Re. 1 for coarse grains + Central Government, through the Food Corporation of India
(FCI), is responsible for procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of food grains
to the State Government + All costs related to distribution, transportation, and also margins of
 dealers had to be borne by States/UTs + Eligibility Criteria: Initially launched for one crore
poorest of the poor families, then expanded coverage thrice to include Landless agriculture
labourers, marginal farmers, Rural artisans/craftsmen, Slum dwellers, All primitive tribal
households, All eligible Below Poverty Line (BPL) families of HIV positive persons.
Ø Swachhata Green Leaf Rating = A government-initiated rating system for the hospitality
sector + The objective is to prevent pollution in water bodies and keep the environment clean
+ The ranking scheme was launched in November 2023 by the Union Tourism Ministry in
collaboration with the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
Ø Smart Cities Mission (SCM) = Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs + Centrally Sponsored
Scheme + 2015 + Objective: To promote cities that provide core infrastructure, clean and
sustainable environment and give a decent quality of life to their citizens through the
application of ‘smart solutions’ + 100 cities have been selected for development as smart cities.
The timeline of five years for completion of the projects was set between 2019 and 2023.
However, the Mission is now extended to June 2024 + Central Government gives financial
support to the extent of Rs.48,000 crore over 5 years i.e. on an average Rs.100 crore per city
per year. An equal amount on a matching basis is being provided by the State/Urban Local
Bodies (ULBs), apart from 13 Himalayan and North-eastern States where the sharing ratio has
been revised to 90:10 + Emphasis has been given on the participation of private sector through
PPP + Implementation at the city level will be done by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) created
for the purpose + Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC): ICCCs are built to provide
centralised monitoring of various functions of the city and use of digital technology for faster
and improved decision-making.
Ø Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana = SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine
Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) was approved in 2017 + Central
Sector Scheme + Ministry of Food Processing + It is a comprehensive package of component
schemes, which is aimed at the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain
management from farm gate to retail outlet.
Ø Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana = 2020 + It aims to bring Blue Revolution in
fisheries sector + being implemented by the Department of Fisheries (DoF), Ministry of
Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (FAHD) + It is being implemented in all the States
and Union Territories for a period of 5 years from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 with investment
of Rs. 20,050 crore + It is designed to address critical gaps in the fisheries value chain from
fish production, productivity and quality to technology, post-harvest infrastructure and
marketing.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) = The scheme is
under the Central Sector Component of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada (PMMS) +
It aims for gradual formalization of the unorganised fisheries sector by facilitating
institutional finance and Insurance + The scheme will be implemented for 4 years from FY
2023-24 to FY 2026-27 across all the States and UTs + Funding: 50% will come from
public finance including the World Bank and the AFD (French Development Agency)
external financing and, 50 % will be contributed by the beneficiaries from the private
sector.
• Aquaculture in India = India is 2nd largest aquaculture nation + India is 3rd largest fish
producer + India is 4th largest fish exporting country + Farmed shrimp accounts for 70%
of India’s seafood exports + 75% of fish production by Inland fisheries + India has recently
overtaken China to become the largest contributor of inland capture water fisheries, thereby
emerging as one of the top three fish-producing countries in the world.
Ø Smart Food Grain Storage System (SAFEETY) Technology = SAFEETY, developed by
the Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER) an
autonomous R&D institution under MeitY, boasts cutting-edge features such as conveyorized
 loading and unloading of grain bags with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for
traceability, online weight and moisture measurement, and Radio Frequency Based Removal
of Moisture from Grain + Meity has recently transferred the technology to the industry.
Ø National Livestock Mission (NLM) = Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
+ The scheme was implemented as a sub scheme of White Revolution – Rashtriya Pashudhan
Vikas Yojana since 2019 + Both Centrally Sponsored and Central sector + Implemented all
over India from 2021-22 + It is a government scheme designed to enhance both the quantity
and quality of livestock production systems. It focuses on improving the availability of quality
feed and fodder + Sub-Missions under this are: Sub-Mission on Breed improvement of
Livestock and Poultry; Sub-Mission of Feed & Fodder and Sub-Mission on Innovation and
Extension.
Ø Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) = Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
(PMFBY) is a crop insurance scheme launched in 2016 to provide financial support and risk
coverage to farmers against crop losses due to natural calamities, pests, and diseases + All
farmers growing notified crops in a notified area during the season who have insurable interest
in the crop are eligible + Coverage of Crops: State government notifies major crops for the
Rabi and Kharif seasons[So, NOT for all crops] + Farmers pay just 1.5% premium for rabi,
2% premium for kharif and 5% for commercial crops + all farmers in a particular area must
pay the same premium and have the same claim payments + It aims to prevent sowing/planting
risks, loss to standing crop, post-harvest losses and localised calamities (no revenue protection)
+ Recently Ministry of Agriculture has launched few initiatives under PMFBY in order to
provide crucial weather-related information to farmers:
• Krishi Rakshak Portal and Helpline (KRPH) 14447 = To provide multilingual support,
transparent communication and real-time grievance resolution.
• SARTHI Portal = To extend coverage to health, life, home, shop, agriculture implements,
motor, and parametric products + SARATHI is a digital insurance platform launched in
collaboration with UNDP India.
• Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) Portal = A centralized platform
that hosts, manages, and processes hyper-local weather data collected by Automatic
Weather Stations and Rain Gauges at Taluk/Block and Gram Panchayat levels + It will
enhance risk assessment and decision-making in crop insurance, agriculture advisories, and
disaster mitigation.
• YES-TECH (Technology-based Yield Estimation System) Manual = A technology-driven
yield estimation system, offering methodologies, best practices, and integration insights
for accurate yield assessments at the Gram Panchayat level.
• AIDE (App for Intermediary Enrolment) Mobile App = App ensures a seamless and
transparent process, making crop insurance more accessible and convenient for farmers.
Ø National Generic Document Registration System = It is a project initiated by the Department
of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India + It is a common,
generic application developed for registration departments across the country under the One
Nation One Software initiative + The NGDRS application is developed by the National
Informatics Centre, Pune + It is a common, generic and configurable application developed for
registration departments across the country. The application is specifically designed for the use
of sub-registrars, citizens and apex users from registration departments.
Ø SARTHI Portal = Sandbox for Agricultural and Rural Security, Technology and Insurance
(SARTHI) is the comprehensive digital insurance platform launched in collaboration with
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India + Ministry of Agriculture + The portal
will be a single-window platform for viewing, purchasing, and availing insurance products like
PMFBY, geared specifically for farmers and rural populations in India.
Ø Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) Portal = Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers Welfare have initiated the Weather Information Network and Data
System (WINDS) to generate long-term, hyper-local weather data + It set up a robust
mechanism to integrate weather data, pooled from different weather observation systems in the
country, into a single national level WINDS portal.
Ø Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) = Ministry of Jal Shakti +
Centrally sponsored Scheme + FMBAP aims to supplement the efforts of the State
Governments to protect human life, land and property from flood fury by providing technical
guidance and financial assistance + Flood Management Programme (FMP) covers critical
works related to flood control, anti-erosion, drainage development and anti-sea erosion, etc. +
Recently, Union Cabinet approves continuation of Flood Management and Border Areas
Programme (FMBAP). FMBAP continuation has been approved for period of 5 years from
2021-22 to 2025-26
Ø National AYUSH Mission (NAM) = Launched by the Ministry of Ayush in 2014 to focus on
developing, educating, and propagating India’s traditional medical systemsAyurveda, Yoga &
Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) + centrally sponsored
scheme + Tenure: Till 2026 + The scheme involves expansion of the AYUSH sector to promote
holistic health of Indians. The Mission addresses the gaps in health services through supporting
the efforts of State/UT Governments for providing AYUSH health services/education in the
country, particularly in vulnerable and far-flung areas.
Ø e-Jagriti Portal = It is an initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of
Consumer Affairs + It is a portal for consumer commissions + It provides a simple, fast, and
cost-effective consumer dispute redressal software solution at all levels + It is envisaged to
integrate consumer grievance platforms, namely, the Online Case Monitoring System
(OCMS), E-Daakhil, the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) Case
Monitoring System, CONFONET website, mediation application, on a single platform.
Ø e-Courts Project = e-Courts Mission Mode Project, is a Pan-India Project, monitored and
funded by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice + As part of the National
eGovernance Plan, the e-Courts Project is under implementation since 2007 for ICT
enablement of the Indian Judiciary + Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Digital Courts 2.0 = Application is a recent initiative under the eCourts project to make
court records available to the Judges of the district courts in electronic form.
Ø Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme = Swadesh Darshan Scheme was launched in 2015 by the
Ministry of Tourism + 100% centrally funded scheme + Under the scheme, the Ministry of
Tourism provides financial assistance to State governments, Union Territory Administrations
or Central Agencies for development of tourism infrastructure in the country + Operation &
Maintenance (O&M) of the projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan Scheme is the
responsibility of the respective State Government/UT Administration + Ministry of Tourism
has revamped its Swadesh Darshan scheme as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) for development
of sustainable and responsible tourist destinations covering tourism and allied infrastructure +
The objective for the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme envisage increase in private sector
investment in tourism & hospitality + It may help in increasing Public Private Partnerships
(PPP) in the field of tourism and operation and maintenance of the created assets under the
scheme.
Ø Mera Gaon Meri Dharohar Programme = It is a pan-India initiative of the Ministry of
Culture under the National Mission on Cultural Mapping + Launched in 2023 + The main
objective of the project is to culturally map India's 6.5 lakh villages, spanning 29 States and 7
Union Territories, on a comprehensive virtual platform + It seeks to compile comprehensive
information detailing the life, history, and ethos of Indian villages and to make the same
 available to virtual and real-time visitors + Through MGMD, people will get an opportunity to
immerse themselves in the diverse and vibrant cultural heritage of India.
Ø Sangam: Digital Twin Initiative = Launched by Department of Telecommunications (DoT),
Ministry of Communications + Digital Twin technology offers a solution by creating virtual
replicas of physical assets, allowing for real-time monitoring, simulation and analysis for
experimental iterations and feedback loops to adapt to the changes to achieve the best outcomes
+ Sangam: Digital Twin symbolises a collaborative leap towards reshaping infrastructure
planning and design, combining the prowess of 5G, IoT, AI, AR/VR, AI native 6G, Digital
Twin and next-gen computational technologies with the collective intelligence of public
entities, infrastructure planners, tech giants etc.
Ø NaViGate Bharat Portal = The ‘National Video Gateway of Bharat (NaViGate Bharat) is
developed by the New Media Wing of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting + It is a
unified bilingual platform which hosts videos on the entire gamut of Government’s
development-related and citizen welfare-oriented measures + It empowers citizens by
providing a single platform with an interactive user interface to search, stream, share, and
download videos related to various Government schemes, initiatives, and campaigns, with a
filter-based advanced search option + The portal eliminates the hassle of searching for official
and reliable information from multiple sources, providing a one-stop platform for media and
the general public.
Ø Digital Detox Initiative = Karnataka Government announced Digital Detox Initiative in
collaboration with All India Game Developers Forum (AIGDF) and NIMHANS + Digital
Detox is a period of time during which one intentionally reduces amount of time spent online
on electronic devices, like mobiles, laptops, etc.
Ø Investor Information and Analytics Platform = Recently, the Union Minister of State for
Electronics and IT, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship launched the ‘Investor
Information and Analytics Platform.’ + It acts as a one-stop shop for startups to seamlessly
access Venture Capitalists (VCs) and investor networks, Govt schemes and several other
components of the startup landscape for all stakeholders + This platform has been developed
by the Researchers at the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST) of IIT
Madras.
Ø AICTE Investor Network = Ministry of Education launched MoE-AICTE Investor Network
jointly established by AICTE and MoE’s Innovation Cell (MIC) + It aims to bring students,
faculty, investors and market on one platform to strengthen culture of innovation and address
issue of start-up funding + It will provide crucial financial support, mentoring, and strategic
guidance to early-stage student or faculty-led startups.

3) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Ø UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) = Established as a
subsidiary organ of United Nations General Assembly in 1949 + To provide assistance and
protection to Palestine refugees registered with UNRWA + Its mission is to help Palestine
refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem
achieve their full human development potential + Funded almost entirely by voluntary
contributions from UN Member States.
Ø Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) = International food safety and quality standard-
setting body + It was created by the World Health Organisation(WHO) and Food and
Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in May 1963 + It consists of 189 member
countries + Codex Alimentarius, or "Food Code" is a collection of standards, guidelines and
codes of practice adopted by the CAC + Codex standards are Voluntary + Membership of the
Commission is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO which
 are interested in international food standards + The Commission meets in regular sessions once
a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome + The programme of work of the Commission
is funded through the regular budgets of WHO and FAO, with all work subject to the approval
of the two governing bodies of the parent organisations + The Commission works in the six
official languages of the UN.
• Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) = It was established as one
of the Commodity Committees under the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) in 2013
+ India hosts CCSCH since the beginning and Spices Board India (Ministry of Commerce
and Industry) serves as the Secretariat organization + In CCSCH 7th session quality
standards for 5 spices, namely small cardamom, turmeric, juniper berry, allpice and star
anise were finalised.
• Codex Standards = These are international food texts, i.e. standards, codes of practice,
codes of hygienic practice, guidelines and other recommendations + Nature: Codex texts
are voluntary and do not have binding effect on national food legislation.
Ø G-33 = G33 (or the Friends of Special Products in Agriculture) is a coalition of developing
and least-developed countries + Despite the name, there are currently 47 member nations.
Some of the main countries include India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, Philippines,
Turkey, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Korea + It was established prior to the 2003 Cancun
ministerial conference that was coordinated during the Doha Round of World Trade
Organization (WTO) negotiations, specifically in regard to agriculture + Dominated by India,
the group has "defensive" concerns regarding agriculture in relation to WTO negotiations, and
seeks to limit the degree of market opening required of developing countries + The group has
advocated the creation of a "special products" exemption, which would allow developing
countries to exempt certain products from tariff exemptions, and also a "special safeguard
mechanism" which would permit tariff increases in response to import surges.
Ø African Union (AU) = African Union (AU) is a continental body consisting of the 55 member
states that make up the countries of the African Continent + It was officially launched in 2002
and replaced its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which was founded in
1963 + It aims to strengthen political, economic, and social integration among African
countries, with a vision of achieving an integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa +
Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia + African Union (AU) has been made a permanent
member of the G20 + Recently, at the 37th African Union Summit member countries took the
initiative of forming Africa Club.
• Africa Club = It is the Alliance of African Multilateral Financial Institutions (which are
African-owned and controlled) launched at the African Union summit + The initiative aims
to amplify Africa's influence in the global financial system by aligning its functions with
the SDGs and the African Union's Agenda 2063 + It seeks to introduce innovative financial
instruments, provide a venue for debt management discussions and foster collaborative
efforts to address the specific needs of African countries + Its members include the African
Export-Import Bank, Trade and Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, African
Reinsurance Corporation, African Trade and Investment Development Insurance, Shelter
Afrique Development Bank and ZEP – RE (PTA Reinsurance Co).
Ø NB8 or Nordic-Baltic Eight(NBE) = It is a regional cooperation format that brings together
five Nordic countries and three Baltic countries in order to discuss important regional and
international issues in an informal atmosphere + In 2000, it was decided that the Nordic-Baltic
cooperation format would be called the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) + Member countries:
Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania + Nordic
countries are members of the European Union (except Iceland and Norway which are members
of EFTA).
Ø South Asia Sub Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) = 2001 + South Asia
Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka in a project-based partnership that aims to
promote regional prosperity and improve economic opportunities + Asian Development Bank
(ADB) serves as the SASEC Secretariat + It aims to increase intraregional trade and
cooperation in South Asia and develop connections with Southeast Asia, China, and the global
market.
Ø BRICS = British economist Jim O’ Neill coined and used the acronym ‘BRICs’ for the first
time in 2001 + BRIC started functioning as a formal grouping on the margins of G8 Outreach
Summit in 2006 + First BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg (Russia) in 2009 + BRIC
became BRICS with the inclusion of South Africa in 2010 + The BRICS grouping aims to
promote peace, security, development and cooperation in the world + The notion behind the
coinage of BRICS was that the nations' economies would come to collectively dominate global
growth by 2050 + BRICS was having members as Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa. Recently, five new members namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the
United Arab Emirates have joined BRICS as full time permanent members. However,
Argentina has withdrawn.
Ø International Astronomical Union (IAU) = The IAU is a senior body governing international
professional astronomical activities worldwide + Established in 1919 + . Headquarters: Paris,
France + Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects,
including research, communication, education, and development, through international
cooperation + It is the only organization recognized professionally for the naming of
astronomical bodies + The IAU holds a general assembly every three years + The IAU also
works to promote research, education, and public outreach activities in astronomy for the
public.
Ø World Government Summit (WGS) 2024 = It was established in 2013 under the leadership
of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE + It is annually held in Dubai, UAE +
The Summit, in its various activities, explores the agenda of the next generation of
governments, focusing on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges
facing humanity + It is an annual global gathering that brings together world leaders,
policymakers, experts, and thought leaders from various fields to discuss and address pressing
global issues + 2024 theme was: “Shaping Future Governments” + The Indian Prime Minister
will attend the World Government Summit 2024 as a guest of honour in the UAE.
Ø World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) 2024 = It is the annual flagship event of
the Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) + Instituted in 2001, the Summit series has a legacy
of over two decades of making ‘sustainable development’ a globally shared goal + It is the
only independently convened international summit on sustainable development and
environment, based in the Global South + WSDS strives to provide long-term solutions for the
benefit of global communities by assembling the world’s most enlightened leaders and thinkers
on a single platform + WSDS 2024 is the 23rd edition of the summit + WSDS 2024 will take
place on the theme ‘Leadership for the Sustainable Development and Climate Justice’.
Ø Munich Security Conference (MSC) = It is the world's leading forum for debating
international security policy + It has been held in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, since 1963 +
The conference is held annually in February + It brings together security experts, politicians,
military leaders, and the defence industry from around the world.
Ø Raisina Dialogue = It is an annual conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics, which aims
to address the most challenging issues faced by the world + It is held annually since 2016 in
New Delhi + The conference is attended by people from political, business, media, and civil
society backgrounds + It is organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in
partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India + The theme of the
 2024 edition, which was 9th edition of the Raisina Dialogue is “Chaturanga: Conflict, Contest,
Cooperate, Create,”.
Ø INDUS-X Summit = Launched in 2023 + Objective: To expand strategic technology
partnerships and defence industrial cooperation between governments, businesses, and
academic institutions in India and the US + INDUS X will be a defence innovation bridge,
which will inter-alia, include Joint Challenges, Joint Innovation Fund, Academia engagement,
Industry-startup connect, investment by private entities in defence projects etc + India’s
Innovations for Defense Excellence (iDEX) and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD),
US, are leading INDUS-X activities.
• iDEX Initiative = 2018 + Ministry of Defense + Aim: To achieve self-reliance and foster
innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries
including MSMEs, start-ups etc + iDEX will be funded and managed by a ‘Defence
Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has been formed as a ‘not for profit company as per
Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 by the two founder members, i.e. Defence Public
Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) - HAL & BEL + iDEX will function as the executive arm
of DIO + Under iDEX, financial support is provided to Start-ups/MSMEs/individual
innovators and Partner Incubators through DIO.
Ø Free Movement Regime (FMR) = It was formalized in 2018 as part of India’s Act East Policy
+ Under the FMR, all the hill tribes, whether they are citizens of India or Myanmar, can travel
within 16 km on either side of the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) + They can cross the border
by producing a border pass with a one-year validity issued by the competent authority and can
stay up to two weeks per visit + FMR is implemented by both governments for the people
living along the IMB + Recently, Union Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to scrap Free
Movement Regime (FMR) between India and Myanmar.
Ø One Future Alliance (OFA) =Announced by India at G20 summit in New Delhi + It is an
alliance of countries to be formed to leverage technology for the betterment of people's lives.
It aims to enable like-minded nations to collaborate and use technology to drive Social,
Economic, and Sustainable Development + The alliance seeks to build upon the open-source
customizable stacks that are already available and encourage countries to innovate and
customize these solutions for their specific needs.
Ø IBSA Fund = The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and
South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange + The IBSA Fund is a special
feature of IBSA collaboration + The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue
Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) in 2003 and
issued the Brasilia Declaration + IBSA does not have a headquarters or a permanent executive
secretariat + India has contributed $ 1 Mn to the IBSA Fund.
Ø The Energy Charter Treaty = The UK, along with France, Germany, Spain, and the
Netherlands, is withdrawing from the Energy Charter Treaty, which allows fossil fuel
companies to sue governments over climate policies + The Energy Charter Treaty provides a
multilateral framework for energy cooperation that is unique under international law + It
entered into legal force in 1998 + It is designed to promote energy security through the
operation of more open and competitive energy markets while respecting the principles of
sustainable development and sovereignty over energy resources + Currently, there are 53
Signatories and Contracting Parties to the Treaty.

4) S&T
Ø Mimas = It is the smallest and innermost of the major regular moons of Saturn + The surface
is icy and heavily cratered + The most striking feature of this small moon is a gigantic crater
known as Herschel. This crater measures 80 miles (130 km) across.
Ø Cygnus X-1 = black hole system + AstroSat, India’s first, dedicated multi-wavelength
astronomy mission, accomplished the difficult task of measuring the X-ray polarisation of the
Cygnus X-1 black hole system + It is located at a distance that is about 400 times more than
the distance between Earth and Sun.
Ø Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) = Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are astronomical
phenomena that occur when a star passes close enough to a supermassive black hole and is
pulled apart by the black hole's tidal forces, causing the process of disruption + Such tidally
disrupted stellar debris starts raining down on the black hole and radiation emerges from the
innermost region of accreting debris, which is an indicator of the presence of a TDE + An
international team of astronomers recently conducted multi-wavelength observations of AT
2023clx—the closest to Earth tidal disruption event (TDE).
Ø eROSITA = eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is a
wide-field X-ray telescope on board the Russian-German "Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma"
(SRG) observatory + It is a sensitive X-ray telescope capable of delivering deep, sharp images
over very large areas of the sky + Recently, the German eROSITA consortium has released the
data for its share of the first all-sky survey by the soft X-ray imaging telescope.
Ø Iris and Massalia = Asteroids named Iris and Massalia (rich in silicate) were found to emit
the unique wavelength that “unambiguously” indicated the presence of water molecules +
Discovery was made by studying SOFIA's observations. SOFIA was NASA’s airborne
astronomical observatory that was retired in 2022.
Ø PACE Satellite = Plankton, Aerosol, Climate, Ocean Ecosystem (PACE) + by NASA + It was
successfully launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rock + placed in sun-synchronous orbit + PACE
aims to study how climate change impacts ocean phytoplankton blooms, which are crucial for
the marine food web. Additionally, it will investigate the influence of airborne particles on
cloud formation and the Earth’s temperature regulation.
Ø Cartosat-2 = Recently, ISRO confirmed successful de-orbiting and atmospheric re-entry of
Cartosat-2 at its end-of-life + Launched in 2007 + Placed in Sun-synchronous orbit + Advanced
remote sensing satellite capable of providing scene-specific spot imagery.
Ø Kulasekarapattinam Spaceport = New Spaceport @ Tamil Nadu + It will be second after
the space agency’s existing Satish Dhawan Space Centre, founded in Andhra Pradesh’s
Sriharikota in 1971, with two launch pads + It will focus on the launch of Small Satellite
Launch Vehicles (SSLVs) on a commercial basis + It would have the capacity to launch 24
satellites per year using a mobile launch structure.
Ø India’s first Hypervelocity Expansion Tunnel Test Facility = The Indian Institute of
Technology Kanpur (IIT-K) has successfully established and tested India’s first Hypervelocity
Expansion Tunnel Test Facility recently + It was indigenously designed and developed over
three years with funding and support from the Aeronautical Research and Development Board
(ARDB), the Department of Science and Technology (DST), and IIT Kanpur + It is capable of
generating flight speeds between 3-10 km/s, simulating the hypersonic conditions encountered
during the atmospheric entry of vehicles, asteroid entry, scramjet flights, and ballistic missiles.
Ø Genie AI Model = Recently, Google DeepMind has just introduced Genie, a new model that
can generate interactive video games from just a text or image prompt + It is a foundation
world model that is trained on videos sourced from the Internet. The model can “generate an
endless variety of playable (action-controllable) worlds from synthetic images, photographs,
and even sketches.”
Ø Hanooman = BharatGPT group unveils ‘Hanooman’ + It is a series of large language models
(LLMs) that can respond in 11 Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi, with plans to
expand to more than 20 languages + It is a multimodal AI tool, which can generate text, speech,
videos and more in multiple Indian languages + (BharatGPT Ecosystem = It is a research
 consortium led by IIT Bombay with seven other IITs. It is backed by the Department of Science
and Technology, SML and Reliance Jio.)
Ø Garbhini-GA2 = It is the first India-specific artificial intelligence (AI) model to precisely
determine the age of a foetus in a pregnant woman in the second and third trimesters + It has
been designed by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the
Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad + It is part of an
interdisciplinary group for advanced research on birth outcomes – the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT) India initiative (GARBH-Ini) programme.
Ø Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) = It is a system that determines functional intent - the
desire to change, move, control, or interact with something in our environment - directly from
brain activity + BCIs allow controlling an application or a device using only our mind +
Neuralink, an Elon Musk company has successfully installed a wireless brain-computer
interface (BCI) implant in a human patient. In 2023, Neuralink was granted permission by the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human trials. It aims to build a next-generation
brain implant with at least 100 times more brain connections than devices currently approved
by FDA.
Ø Island On The Air (IOTA) Programme = It is a pioneering programme that connects radio
amateurs worldwide with stations on islands + It was established in 1964 + It is managed by
IOTA Ltd in collaboration with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), categorising
islands into groups for communication.
• Amateur Radio (HAM Radio) = Amateur radio is a popular hobby involving the use of
radio frequency spectrum for non-commercial purposes + HAM radio operators
communicate using designated radio frequencies, engaging in diverse activities like
contests, emergency communication support etc + In India, as per the Indian Wireless
Telegraphs (Amateur Service) Amendment Rules, 1984, Any citizen of India who is above
12 years of age can become a ham by qualifying in the Amateurs Station Operators’
examination (ASO) and obtaining a valid Amateur wireless telegraph station licence.
Ø Nano DAP = It is a unique liquid fertilizer product that contains nanoparticles of Diammonium
Phosphate (DAP) + It is a source of nitrogen and phosphorus + Unlike conventional DAP,
which comes in granular form, IFFCO’s Nano DAP is in liquid form + It has an advantage in
terms of surface area to volume, as its particle size is less than 100 Nanometre (nm) + Nano
DAP has advantages like higher crop yield, quality food, reduction in chemical fertiliser usage
and is environment friendly + Please Note: DAP, or di-ammonium phosphate, is the second
most commonly used fertiliser in India after urea. It is high in phosphorus (P) that stimulates
root establishment and development — without which plants cannot grow to their normal size,
or will take too long to mature.
Ø Micellar Water = Micellar water products contain something called micelles – clusters of
molecules that are very effective at removing oily substances + The micelles in micellar water
are formed by special molecules known as surfactants + It is a commonly used skin care
product that helps remove impurities and makeup from your skin. It’s a very gentle solution
that contains a very mild detergent.
Ø Forever Chemicals = PFAS (Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), also known as the
Forever Chemicals, are a large chemical family of over 4,700 highly persistent man-made
chemicals + These were first developed in the 1940s and are now found in a variety of
consumer products, including nonstick pans, water-resistant textiles, and fire suppression
foams, due to their ability to repel both grease and water + PFAS are the most persistent
synthetic chemicals to date. They hardly degrade in the natural environment and have been
found in the blood of people and animals all over the world, and are present at low levels in a
variety of food products.
Ø MXenes = MXenes, family of 2D transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides, first
discovered in 2011, are ceramics that comprise one of the largest families of two-dimensional
(2D) materials + Unlike most 2D ceramics, MXenes have inherently good conductivity and
excellent volumetric capacitance because they are molecular sheets made from the carbides
and nitrides of transition metals like titanium + Among various types of MXenes, titanium
carbide (Ti3C2Tx) is the most widely used + Some potential applications of MXenes include
energy storage (such as lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors) due to their high
conductivity and large surface area, electromagnetic interference shielding, catalysis, sensors,
and water purification, among others.
Ø MnBi2S4 = Multiferroic material + Researchers have identified a unique mechanism of
electric polarisation via magnetic ordering in a novel mineral named “MnBi2S4”, which can
be useful for energy-efficient data storage + It is also known as mineral graţianite and belongs
to the ternary manganese chalcogenide family + Magnetoelectric multiferroics are a special
class of materials popular among the research fraternity for their rarity and unique properties.
Interestingly, these materials can exhibit both magnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously.
Ø Rhodamine-B = It is a water-soluble chemical compound + While it appears green in powder
form, it turns vivid fluorescent pink when it comes in contact with water + It is a chemical
commonly used for dyeing in the textile, paper, leather, and paint industries as a colouring
agent that helps in attaining the red and pink spectrum + As per the Food Safety Standards Act,
2006, preparation, packaging, importing, selling and serving food items with Rhodamine-B in
wedding ceremonies and other public events is a punishable offence + It is an industrial dye
which is not allowed in food anywhere in the world as it is toxic.
Ø Radon Gas = It is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium,
which are radioactive metals, break down in rocks, soil, and groundwater + It is an inert,
colourless, and odourless gas + Radon gas usually exists at very low levels outdoors, but the
gas can accumulate in areas without adequate ventilation, such as underground mines + Radon
can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes and build up in the air + As we
breathe, these particles are deposited on the cells lining the airways, where they can damage
DNA and potentially cause lung cancer. It is the second-most important cause of lung cancer
after smoking.
Ø Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) = Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is a clear, colourless, nontoxic
liquid that forms when natural gas is cooled to the liquid state, at about -162 degrees Celsius
for shipping and storage + LNG is a compressed fossil fuel, which is constituted almost wholly
of methane + Recently, NITI Aayog launched LNG as a Transportation Fuel in Medium and
Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV).
Ø Methane = Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four
hydrogen atoms (CH4) + It is flammable and is used as a fuel worldwide + Methane is a
powerful greenhouse gas (GHG), which has an atmospheric lifetime of around a decade and
affects the climate for hundreds of years + The common sources of methane are oil and natural
gas systems, agricultural activities, coal mining and wastes + It is the second largest contributor
to climate change after carbon dioxide + The majority of human-driven methane emissions
come from three main sectors: Agriculture (40%), Fossil fuels (35%); Solid waste and
wastewater (20%).
• Methane Emissions Monitoring = Recently, ISRO scientists released a first-of-its-kind
comprehensive analysis paper on the methane emissions over multiple Indian locations
using satellite data + The study employed data from NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust
Source Investigation (EMIT) and European Space Agency’s Sentinel-5P TROPOMI + The
EMIT instrument measures surface mineralogy, targeting the Earth's arid dust source
regions + The TROPOMI instrument is a space-borne, nadir-viewing, imaging
 spectrometer covering wavelength bands between the ultraviolet and the shortwave
infrared.
Ø Anti-hydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy (AEgIS) = It is an
experiment approved by CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) with the goal
of studying antihydrogen physics + The primary goal of AEgIS is the direct measurement of
the Earth's gravitational acceleration, g, on antihydrogen + AEgIS is a collaboration of
physicists from a number of countries in Europe and from India + In a first, an international
team of physicists from the Anti-hydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy
(AEgIS) collaboration has achieved a breakthrough by demonstrating the laser cooling of
Positronium.
• Antimatter = Antimatter is the same as ordinary matter except that it has the opposite
electric charge. It is also known as “mirror” matter + The antimatter particles
corresponding to electrons, protons, and neutrons are called positrons, antiprotons, and
antineutrons; collectively they are referred to as antiparticles + Matter and antimatter
cannot coexist at close range for more than a small fraction of a second because they collide
with and annihilate each other + These anti-particles can combine to form anti-atoms and,
in principle, could even form antimatter regions of our universe + Antimatter was created
along with matter after the Big Bang + Humans have created antimatter particles using
ultra-high-speed collisions at huge particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider,
which is located outside Geneva and operated by CERN (the European Organization for
Nuclear Research). There are also naturally produced antiparticles made sporadically
throughout the universe.
• Positronium = Positronium is a short-lived hydrogen-like atom, which consists of an
electron and its antimatter equivalent, a positron (rather than an electron and a proton) +
Due to its very short life, it annihilates with a half-life of 142 nano-seconds + This
hydrogen-like system is a great contender for attempting laser cooling and thereby
performing tests of fundamental theories in physics + Positronium can generate huge
amounts of energy + It can shed light on 'antimatter' which existed at the beginning of the
Universe.
Ø Proton Improvement Plan (PIP-II) Project = Fermilab’s Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) is
a project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of Fermilab’s particle accelerators, particularly
the proton beamlines + PIP seeks to improve the intensity, quality, and reliability of the proton
beams produced at Fermilab, enabling a wide range of scientific experiments and research,
including studies on neutrinos and other fundamental particles + The Proton Improvement Plan
II (PIP-II) marks the first particle accelerator in the U.S. constructed with substantial
contributions from global partners + Collaborating institutions from India (through the
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)), France, Italy, Poland, and the UK are involved + PIP-
II’s primary purpose is to build a superconducting linear accelerator at Fermilab and generate
the world’s most high-energy neutrino beam for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment
(DUNE) at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF).
Ø GRAPES-3 Experiment = Gamma Ray Astronomy PeV EnergieS phase-3 (GRAPES-3) is
designed to study cosmic rays with an array of air shower detectors and a large area muon
detector + It is located in Ooty, India + It aims to probe the acceleration of cosmic rays in
different astrophysical settings.
Ø Stratospheric Aerosol Intervention (SAI) = Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, is a
geoengineering or climate engineering approach that uses tiny reflective particles or aerosols
to reflect sunlight into space in order to cool the planet and reverse or stop global warming +
It aims to mimic the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions by injecting Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
directly into the stratosphere, where it forms sunlight-reflecting sulphate aerosols + It is
believed that as more radiation is scattered in the stratosphere by aerosols, less would be
 absorbed by the troposphere, the lower level of the atmosphere where weather primarily occurs
+ The production of such an artificial aerosol layer could be accomplished by shooting Sulphur
particles into the stratosphere with cannons or dispersing them from balloons or other aircraft.
Ø Maglev = Maglev is a system in which the vehicle runs levitated from the guideway
(corresponding to the rail tracks of conventional railways) + In Maglev, superconducting
magnets suspend the train above a U-shaped concrete guideway + Like ordinary magnets, these
magnets repel one another when matching poles face each other + Produce no emissions as
they lack engine + No friction between wheels and rail enables higher speeds + Any two trains
travelling the same route cannot catch up and crash into one another.
Ø C- bot = Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography has launched an autonomous
underwater vehicle called Cbot + C- bot is a robot with advanced features for increased
surveillance over coral reefs + It can travel to a depth of 200 metres underwater + It will help
Indian Navy perform bathymetry studies (mapping of sea floor) to help plot navigation
channels.
Ø E-Ink Display = E-Ink also known as electrophoretic ink is a specific type of E Paper display
+ E Paper is a broad term for any display designed to mimic the appearance of real paper + It
utilizes the same ink used in the printing industry today and mimics the appearance of ordinary
ink on paper + Originally, E-Ink was only available in monochrome, but colour E-Ink became
available in 2010 + The screens work using tiny microcapsules filled with positively charged
white particles and negatively charged black ones suspended in fluid inside the display + It
was originally developed in the 1990s at MIT and is now owned by E Ink Corporation +
Applications: In cell phones, signs, and e-readers like the Amazon Kindle + Working of other
display technologies.
• Liquid Crystal Display (LCD): An LCD consists of a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched
between two transparent electrodes. When an electric current is applied, the crystals align
to control the amount of light passing through them, creating the image you see on the
screen.
• Light-emitting diode (LED): It is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric
current is passed through it.
• Organic LED (OLED): OLED is a flat light emitting technology, made by placing a series
of organic thin films between two conductors. An OLED display follows the same principle
as a LED display, but operates in a slightly different manner + A LED panel requires a
dedicated backlighting setup to produce light. However, an OLED panel can produce its
own light.

5) POLITY & GOVERNANCE

Ø Article 142 = It provides the apex court with a special and extraordinary power and is meant
to provide justice to litigants who have suffered traversed illegality or injustice in the course
of legal proceedings + It deals with the Supreme Court's power to exercise its jurisdiction and
pass an order for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it + The Court
said it could use Article 142 to quash pending criminal or legal proceedings, be it over domestic
violence or dowry, against the man or woman + While powers under Article 142 are sweeping
in nature, SC has defined its scope and extent through various judgments + The Supreme Court
recently nullified the outcome of the Chandigarh Mayor election, exercising its power under
Article 142 of the Constitution to ensure "complete justice".
Ø Right to adopt Children = Delhi High Court said that Right to adopt children is not a
fundamental right within Article 21 and the prospective adoptive parents do not have any right
to choose who to adopt + HC upheld Regulation 5 (7) of Adoption Regulations 2022 + Under
Regulation 5 (7) couples with two or more biological children shall only be considered for
special needs children and hard-to-place children (applicable retrospectively) + Under
 Regulation 5 (2) Other PAPs, irrespective of marital status, with or without a biological child
(son or daughter) can go for adoption subject to following: Married couple need consent of
both spouses; Single female can adopt a child of any gender and Single male shall not adopt a
girl child + The 2022 Regulations are issued under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection
of Children) Act or JJ Act of 2015.
Ø Electoral Bonds (EB) = Recently scrapped by Supreme Court + Union Budget 2017-18
introduced EBs as interest-free bearer instruments to cleanse the system of political funding in
the country + they can only be issued by notified bank and can be brought with cheque or
digital payments + given to political party for fixed period of time + political party using their
notified bank account can convert these bonds into money + all political party are required to
notify their bank accounts to EC + bonds will be like bearer’s cheque which will facilitate
donor’s anonymity to promote transparency in funding and donation received by political
parties + short maturity period + bearer instrument + It can be bought for any value and has a
life of only 15 days + Bonds will be available for purchase only for 10 days in designated
months + political parties are legally bound to submit their income tax returns annually under
Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961. However, the electoral bonds have also been
exempted from IT Act.
Ø General Diary (GD) = also called Station Diary or Daily Diary in some States, is maintained
under the provisions of Section 44 of the Police Act, 1861 + it shall be the duty of every officer
in charge of a police station to keep a general diary in such form as shall, from time to time,
be prescribed by the State Government + It is a record of all important transactions/events
taking place in a police station, including the departure and arrival of police staff +
Additionally, the GD summarizes each First Information Report (FIR) registered at the police
station.
• First Information Report (FIR) = It is a written document prepared by a Police officer
based on information given by an aggrieved person + The investigation is started only after
the filing of the FIR + An FIR can only be lodged in cases of cognizable offences. + Anyone
who knows about the commission of a cognizable offence can file an FIR. It is not
necessary that only the victim of the crime should file an FIR.
• General Diary (GD) vs. First Information Report (FIR) = A copy of each FIR is sent
to the superior officers and to the concerned Judicial Magistrate + A copy of GD is not sent
to the Judicial Magistrate, though its copy is sent to a superior police officer + The general
diary is an internal police record, while in the case of F.I.R., a copy of these will be
provided to the complainant.
Ø Nazool Land = Nazool land is owned by the government but is most often not directly
administered as state property + The state generally allots such land to any entity on lease for
a fixed period, generally between 15 and 99 years + The government is free to either renew the
lease or cancel it, taking back Nazool land + In almost all major cities in India, Nazool land
has been allotted to different entities for a variety of different purposes.
Ø Pandaram Lands = Pandaram lands is a form of land ownership. According to the agreement
signed in 1884, the Pandaram land was handed over to them and if they continued to possess
them for 40 years, then the ownership of these Pandaram land would pass on to the islanders
+ Over 60% of the land in Lakshadweep, falls under the Pandaram lands. This land covers
parts of Androth, Kalpeni, Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands, as well as six uninhabited
islands + Laccadive Minicoy and Amini Islands Land Revenue and Tenancy Regulation, 1965
defines Pandaram lands as land in which Government has, a proprietary right immediately
before the commencement of this Regulation and includes any land in which government may
acquire such rights under this Regulation or under any other law.
Ø New Service (NS) and New Instruments of Service (NIS) = Public Accounts Committee
(PAC) approved revision of financial limits for ‘New Service (NS)’ and ‘New Instruments of
 Service (NIS)’ + This limit is applied whenever expenditure provisions are augmented through
appropriation of funds from the savings available within the same sections of
Grants/Appropriation + Expenditure beyond financial limits can be done through
supplementary proposals (from ministries/ departments) for which parliamentary approval is
necessary + New Service (NS) refers to expenditure arising out of a new policy decision, not
brought to the notice of Parliament earlier, including a new activity or a new investment. New
Instrument of Service (NIS) refers to relatively large expenditure arising out of important
expansion of an existing policy.
Ø Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) = Statutory body established under the provisions of
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) Act, 1992 + It hears and disposes appeals
against orders passed by SEBI, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority
(PFRDA) and Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) + The Presiding
Officer and Judicial Members are appointed by the Central Government in consultation with
the Chief Justice of India or his/her nominee while Technical members are appointed on
recommendation of a Search-cum-Selection Committee.
Ø Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) = 1941 + It specialises in dealing with appeals under
the Direct Taxes Acts + It hears income tax appeals from taxpayers against orders passed by
the Income Tax Authorities. The orders passed by the ITAT are final, an appeal lies to the High
Court only if a substantial question of law arises for determination + Presently ITAT has 63
Benches in 27 different states covering almost all the cities having a seat of the High Court.
The ITAT is headed by a President, who is appointed by the Central Government + ITAT is
referred to as the 'Mother Tribunal' being the oldest tribunal in the country.
Ø T.K.Vishwanathan Committee = Constituted by Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
(IBBI) + Aims is to examine the scope of using mediation in various processes under the IBC
2016.
Ø Dr. Radhakrishnan Committee = Radha Krishna Commission was established to investigate
the situation of Indian university education and make recommendations for improvements + It
submitted the report in 2023.
Ø Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) = Extra-constitutional body + CCS is headed by the
Prime Minister + The Committee discusses, debates, and is the apex body when it comes to
the appointments of the officials in the national security bodies + It also makes all the important
decisions on defence policy and expenditure and, generally, all matters of India’s security +
Members: Prime Minister of India, Union Minister of Defence, Union Minister of Home
Affairs, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Union Minister of External Affairs.
Ø National Commission for Protection of Child Rights(NCPCR) = Set up in March 2007
under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 + It works under the
administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child + The Child is defined as a person
in the 0 to 18 years age group + This commission has a chairperson and six members of which
at least two should be women. All of them are appointed by the Central Government for 3
years. The maximum age to serve in commission is 65 years for Chairman and 60 years for
members + The Commission's mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programmes, and
administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the child rights perspective as enshrined in
the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child + It inquires
into complaints relating to a child's right to free and compulsory education under the Right to
Education Act, 2009 + It monitors the implementation of Protection of Children from Sexual
Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Ø National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) = Constitutional body under Article
338 + under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment + It was
established to provide safeguards against the exploitation of Scheduled Castes and Anglo-
Indian communities to promote and protect their social, educational, economic, and cultural
 interests, special provisions were made in the Constitution + The Commission shall consist of
a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three other Members + The Chairperson, Vice-
Chairperson, and other Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the President by
warrant under his hand and seal. The conditions of service and tenure of office of the
Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and other Members so appointed shall be such as the President
may, by rule, determine.
Ø Law Commission of India = non-statutory body + constituted by a notification of the
Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice + It functions to the Ministry of Law and
Justice as an advisory body + The first pre-independence law commission was established in
1834 by the British Government in India. It was established by the Charter Act of 1833 and
was chaired by Lord Macaulay. The first Law Commission of independent India was
established in 1955 under the chairmanship of the former Attorney General for India C.
Setalvad + Since then, twenty one more Law Commissions have been constituted, each with a
three-year term and with certain terms of reference + The Twenty Second Law Commission
has been notified with effect from 21st February, 2020 for a term of 3 years.
Ø National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) = NALSA, or the National Legal Services
Authority, is an apex organization established under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
+ It oversees the implementation of legal aid policies and programs and monitors legal aid
activities across India + The core principle of NALSA in India is to ensure that the
impoverished and underprivileged have access to justice through the provision of free legal
services + The legal aid under it is applicable to Courts, tribunals, and other bodies with judicial
or quasi-judicial powers + It also promotes Settlement of Disputes through Alternate Dispute
Resolution (ADR) Mechanisms + Central Government allocates annual funds to NALSA,
distributed to State and District Legal Services Authorities.
Ø National Council for Transgender Persons (NCTP) = Statutory body constituted under the
Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 + It is responsible for monitoring and
evaluating the implementation of the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of
Rights) Act, 2019 and making recommendations to the government on measures to promote
and protect the rights of transgender persons + The Union Minister of Social Justice &
Empowerment is the Chairperson (ex-officio) + The Union Minister of State for Social Justice
& Empowerment is the Vice-Chairperson (ex-officio) of the council + It advises the Central
Government on the formulation of policies with respect to transgender persons along with
monitoring, reviewing and coordinating government programs + It also redresses the
grievances of transgender persons.
Ø National Judicial Academy (NJA) = NJA, established in 1993 under the Societies
Registration Act, 1860, is an independent society, fully funded by the Government of India,
and works under the directions of the Supreme Court of India + Mandate: Strengthening the
Administration of Justice through Judicial Education, Research, and Policy Development + It
organises training to aid the judges in their judging roles and in the performance of court
administration work + The Chief Justice of India (CJI) is the Chairman of the General Body
of NJA as well as the Chairman of the Governing Council, the Executive Committee, and the
Academic Council of NJA.
Ø AICTE = statutory body + national-level council for technical education in the country + It
was set up in 1945 as an advisory body and later, in 1987, given statutory status by an Act of
Parliament + It grants approval for starting new technical institutions, for the introduction of
new courses, and for variations in intake capacity in technical institutions + The technical
institutions under the AICTE include post-graduate, undergraduate, and diploma programs in
the whole spectrum of technical education, covering engineering/technology, pharmacy,
architecture, hotel management and catering technology, management studies, computer
applications, and applied arts and crafts + The AICTE has its headquarters in New Delhi.
Ø Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) = Statutory body under Electricity
Regulatory Commissions Act, 1998 + CERC is the Central Commission for the purposes of
the Electricity Act, 2003, which has repealed the ERC Act, 1998 + Commission consists of a
Chairperson and four other members including the Chairperson, Central Electricity Authority,
who is an ex-officio Member of the Commission + Commission intends to promote
competition, efficiency, and economy in bulk power markets, improve the quality of supply,
promote investments, and advise the government on the removal of institutional barriers to
bridge the demand supply gap and thus foster the interests of consumers.
Ø National Startup Advisory Council (NSAC) = The Department for Promotion of Industry
and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had constituted the National Startup Advisory Council, in 2020, to
advise the government on measures needed to build a strong ecosystem for nurturing
innovation and startups in the country to drive sustainable economic growth and generate large
scale employment opportunities + Headed by Union Ministry of Commerce and Indurty +
Besides the ex-officio members, the council has non-official members, representing various
stakeholders such as founders of successful startups, veterans who have grown and scaled
companies in India, persons capable of representing interests of investors, incubators and
accelerators into startups, representatives of associations of stakeholders of startups and
representatives of industry associations.
Ø Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Policy = 2010 + Aims to provide fertilizers to the farmers at
the subsidized prices + It has been framed under Fertilizer (Control) Order (FCO), 1985 issued
under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 + NBS is applicable for 25 grades of P&K fertilizers
namely, Di Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), Mono Ammonium
Phosphate (MAP), Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), etc. Government announces a fixed rate of
subsidy (in Rs. Per Kg basis), on each primary nutrient of subsidized P&K fertilizers, namely
Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S), on annual basis + NBS fertilisers —
unlike urea, whose MRP is fixed by the government — are technically decontrolled. Under
NBS scheme, their MRPs are supposed to be market-determined and set by the individual
companies selling them.
Ø FDI in Space Sector = Government recently relaxed rules to allow 100% foreign direct
investment (FDI) in space sector + Earlier, FDI was permitted in the establishment and
operation of Satellites through the Government approval route only + 100% FDI is allowed in
space sector in line with the vision and strategy under the Indian Space Policy 2023 + Steps
taken by India to support private sector in Space:
• Indian Space Association (ISpA) = ISpA is an apex, non-profit industry body exclusively
working towards the successful exploration, collaboration, and development of the private
and public Space Industry in India + It was set up in 2021 + Acts as a bridge between
Government and Private Industry.
• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) = a public sector unit set up in 2019 under the
Department of Space as the commercial arm of ISRO to replace the now defunct Antrix +
As ISRO’s commercial arm, NSIL will become the interface for interacting with the
industry, undertake commercial negotiations and provide handholding support to ensure
smooth and efficient transfer of technologies + Satellites could be self-owned, procured or
leased; communication services could be over India or outside; and remote sensing data
could be disseminated in India or abroad.
• Antrix Corporation Limited = Incorporated as a marketing arm of ISRO + It handles
ISRO’s commercial deals for satellites and launch vehicles with foreign customers.
• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) = An
autonomous nodal agency to facilitate private sector engagement in space activities.
Ø Food safety regulations in India = Recently, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) tried to simplify food safety regulations with recent amendments + Food businesses
 would not have to go to different authorities for mandatory certification + Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) or AGMARK certification will not be required for food products + Food
Safety and Standards Act, 2006: Overarching regulation on food safety establishing FSSAI as
the primary food safety authority + Food Safety and Standards Regulations, 2011: Contains
labelling requirements and standards for packaged food, permitted food additives,
microbiological requirements etc.
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) = FSSAI is an autonomous
statutory body established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, of 2006 + The Act of
2006, consolidates various laws related to food, such as the Prevention of Food
Adulteration Act, 1954, the Fruit Products Order, 1955, the Meat Food Products Order,
1973, and other acts that were previously handled by different ministries and departments
+ The Act also aims to establish a single reference point for all matters relating to food
safety and standards, by moving from multi-level, multi-departmental control to a single
line of command + FSSAI is responsible for protecting and promoting public health by
regulating and supervising food safety and quality in India, operating under the Ministry
of Health & Family Welfare + FSSAI has a headquarters in New Delhi and regional offices
in eight zones across the country + The Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI,
appointed by central government. The Chairperson is in the rank of Secretary to the
Government of India.
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) = Standards Development process in India is largely
government led with BIS acting as National Standard Body + Established under BIS Act
2016 + Involved in harmonious development of activities of standardization, marking and
quality certification + Administered by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution with its Minister being President of BIS
• AGMARK = AGMARK is a certification mark for agricultural produce, assuring that they
conform to a grade standard notified by Directorate of Marketing & Inspection (DMI)
under Agricultural Produce (Grading Marking) Act, 1937 + Nature: Agmark certification
scheme is essentially voluntary, except few items mandated by FSSAI + Ministry: Ministry
of Agriculture and Farmers’ welfare.
• Quality Council of India (QCI) = It was established in 1997 jointly by the Department
for Promotion of Industry & Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
and the Indian industry + It is registered as a non-profit organization under the Societies
Registration Act XXI of 1860 + It is operated through the constituent Boards of QCI,
primarily the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB), and the
National Accreditation Board for Testing & Calibration Laboratories (NABL) + It is
governed by a Council of 38 members with equal representations of government, industry
and consumers + The Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the
recommendation of the industry to the government.

6) ECONOMICS
Ø Disinflation = Disinflation is a decrease in inflation rates + In simple terms, a decline in the
rate of increase in the general price level of goods and services in the gross domestic product
(GDP) of a country over time is called disinflation + Unlike inflation and deflation, which refer
to the direction of prices, disinflation refers to the rate of change in the rate of inflation +
Disinflation is not considered problematic because prices do not actually drop, and disinflation
does not usually signal the onset of a slowing economy.
Ø Additional Tier-1 (AT-1) Bonds = AT-1 bonds are perpetual bonds with no maturity date +
Investors in these bonds do not get their principal back + However, the interest continues
forever. AT-1 bonds have a higher interest rate than other bonds + Due to the perpetual nature
of AT-1 bonds, these are often treated and viewed as equity, not debt + AT-1 bonds are issued
 by banks in accordance with the directions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Financial
institutions usually issue such bonds to fulfil their capital adequacy requirements (CAR) +
These bonds are contingent convertible bonds (CoCos), a type of debt instrument that the bank
can convert into equity if its capital levels fall below the specified levels. This helps the bank
reduce debt while managing capital + AT-1 bonds have a call option, which allows the banks
to buy back the bonds from the investors + Investors cannot return their bonds to the bank as
there is no put option against these bonds. However, these bonds are listed on the stock
exchanges, so the investor can liquidate them whenever needed.
Ø Input Service Distribution (ISD) = ISD is a mechanism (office) that allows billing of
common input services to one location of the company and permitting it to distribute it to its
branches with separate GST registration + Interim budget has proposed to mandatorily register
for ISD for companies with branches in multiple cities to claim input tax credit. Input Tax
Credit is the tax that a business pays on a purchase and that it can use to reduce its tax liability
when it makes a sale.
Ø State Government Guarantee = A ‘guarantee’ is a legal obligation for a State to make
payments and protect an investor/lender from the risk of default by a borrower + Article 292
of the Constitution of India extends the executive power of the Union to the giving of
guarantees on the security of the Consolidated Fund of India, within such limits, if any, as may
be fixed by Parliament. Similar powers are given to States under Article 293 + State
Governments often issue guarantees on behalf of various PSEs/ Cooperative Institutions/Urban
Local Bodies, etc. to various banks/financial institutions for financing developmental
schemes/projects + State-wise guarantee data for the period 2018-21 suggests that outstanding
guarantees constituted less than 10 % of their GSDP for the majority of the states. It has,
however, been rising over the years for most of the states.States with a relatively higher
outstanding guarantee levels include Sikkim (12.0%), Telangana (12.0%), Andhra Pradesh
(10.4%), and Uttar Pradesh (8.8%).
• Guarantee Redemption Fund (GRF) = GRF has been established in the Public Account
of India for redemption of guarantees given to Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs),
Financial Institutions, etc., by the Central Government + It is funded through budgetary
appropriations, under the head 'Transfer to Guarantee Redemption Fund' through the
Demands for Grants of the Department of Economic Affairs.
Ø Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) = autonomous and
statutory body established under the IRDA Act 1999 + apex body that supervises and regulates
the insurance sector in India + Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Finance + Headquartered at
Hyderabad + IRDAI is a 10- member body- a Chairman, five full-time members, and four part-
time members appointed by the Government of India.
• Insurance Sector = 10th Largest market globally + Insurance penetration increased from
2.71% in 2001-02 to 4.2% in 2021-22. The global average was 7% in 2021-22 + Insurance
density has increased from $11.5 in 2001-02 to $91 in 2021-22. The global average was
$874 in 2021-22.
• Insurance Penetration = Ratio of total insurance premiums to gross domestic product in
a given year.
• Insurance Density = Ratio of total insurance premiums to whole population of a given
country in a given year.
• Insurance Information Bureau of India(IIB) = It was established by IRDAI in 2009 + It
is registered as an independent society under Andhra pradesh societies registration act,
2012 + It acts as a single platform maintaining a repository and analytics of insurance sector
related information in India.
Ø Card Network Market in India = Card networks are developed to utilize one mode of
payment to pay for goods and services at multiple merchants and avoid carrying cash around
 + A fee is charged to the businesses by companies that process its debit and credit card
transactions (known as Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)) + Banks typically dominate the
choice of card networks that will be issued to their customers while providing a Debit or Credit
Card and the customers have little choice in the matter. However, RBI has asked card issuers
to provide customers the option to choose from multiple card networks from October 1, 2023
+ Authorised card networks in India: Visa, Mastercard, RuPay, Diners Club, and American
Express + RuPay is India’s indigenous payment network launched by NPCI to facilitate India’s
entry into the global payments market. To ensure greater acceptability of the RuPay cards in
foreign markets, NPCI has partnered with Discover Financial Services (DFS) USA and Japan
Credit Bureau (JCB) Japan + Visa and Mastercard dominate the credit card market. Together
they own 90 % of India’s credit card market. The credit card portfolio of RuPay network is yet
to see a spike.
Ø National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) = It is an initiative of Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) and Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and
Settlement Systems Act, 2007 + It is an umbrella organisation for operating retail payments
and settlement systems in India + It has been incorporated as a “Not for Profit” Company under
Companies Act 1956 (now Companies Act 2013) + NPCI is promoted by ten major banks,
including the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Citibank, Bank of Baroda, and HSBC
+ Headquartered in Mumbai + Payment systems that the NPCI can operate include National
Financial Switch (NFS), Immediate Payment System (IMPS), Aadhaar-enabled Payments
System (AEPS) and National Automated Clearing House (NACH) + Services Offered by
NPCI: Bharat Bill Payment Interface (BBPI), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), RuPay,
USSD Services, BHIM and UPI.
Ø NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) = NIPL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) + NIPL strives to assist other countries in
establishing their own cost-efficient, and secure payment systems + Recently, India UAE Sign
Rupay Domestic Card Scheme (DCS) Agreement, where NPCI International Payments
Limited (NIPL) and Al Etihad Payments (AEP) signed a strategic partnership agreement for
implementation of DCS in the UAE.
Ø Payments Bank = A payments bank is a differentiated bank, offering a limited range of
products. It can accept demand deposits only that is savings and current accounts, not time
deposits + Payment banks are restricted to holding a maximum balance of Rs. 2,00,000
(Rupees Two lakh only) per individual customer + Payment Banks cannot accept Non-
Resident Indian (NRI) deposits + The Payment Banks cannot set up subsidiaries to undertake
non-banking financial services activities + It is a scheduled payment bank offering range of
products like savings and current accounts, remittances and money transfer, Aadhar Enabled
Payment System etc .
Ø Unified Payments Interface (UPI) = UPI powers multiple bank accounts into a single mobile
application (of any participating bank), merging several banking features e.g., transfer of funds,
etc + It was developed by NPCI in 2016 and built over Immediate Payment Service (IMPS)
infrastructure + It is the most successful real-time payment system globally, providing
simplicity, safety, and security in person-to-person (P2P) and personto-merchant (P2M)
transactions in India + It is designed to enable peer-to-peer inter-bank transfers through a single
two-click factor authentication process + Recenty, UPI services were rolled out in Sri Lanka
and Mauritius.
Ø Fund of Funds Scheme = Established in 2016 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore + Under FFS,
the Scheme does not directly invest in startups, instead provides capital to SEBI-registered
AIFs, known as daughter funds, who in turn invest money in growing Indian startups through
equity and equity-linked instruments + Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
 has been given the mandate of operating this Fund through selection of suitable daughter funds
and overseeing the disbursal of committed capital.
Ø Flue-Cured Tobacco = Curing is a process by which the harvested tobacco leaf is made ready
for the market + There are three types of tobacco curing methods traditionally used: Air-Cured,
Fire-Cured, and Flue-Cured + Each of the different curing methods results in a tobacco product
that is distinguishable by both its nicotine content and its aroma + Flue-cured Virginia (FCV)
Tobacco is predominantly cultivated in India, primarily in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka +
FCV tobacco is an important commercial crop grown during kharif as rainfed crop
predominantly on red sandy loam soils. The FCV tobacco cultivated in Karnataka Light Soils
is known as ‘Mysore style tobacco’ + India is world's second-largest producer and exporter of
tobacco + Recently, Government of India approves interest free Loan to FCV Tobacco growers
in Andhra Pradesh.

7) DEFENCE
Ø Patriot Missile = It is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the U.S.
arsenal + PATRIOT (Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target), is a theater-wide
surface-to-air missile defense system + built by Raytheon Technologies Corp (RTX.N).
Ø ABHYAS-HEAT = High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) + Indigenously developed
by the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) + It is designed for
autonomous flying with the help of an autopilot indigenously made by the ADE. It has a radar
cross-section and a visual and infrared augmentation system required for weapon practice.
Ø MQ-9B Sky Guardian Drones = Recently, the US State Department has approved a possible
foreign military sale of 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian to India + MQ-9B Predator drone is an
unmanned aerial vehicle + MQ-9B drones are also known as "Predators" + They are High
Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones that can fly for over 40 hours using a satellite.
Ø High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite vehicle (HAPS) = It is a new-age unmanned aerial vehicle
(UAV) + Recently, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru completed the
first test of a solar-powered high-altitude pseudo satellite vehicle.
Ø INS Sandhayak = Largest survey vessel ever built in India + It is fully designed and built by
the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) + It is the first in the series of four
Survey Vessels (Large), or SVLs, being built by GRSE + It is a 110-metre-long ship propelled
by two marine diesel engines combined with fixed-pitch propellers. It is fitted with bow and
stern thrusters to help the ships manoeuvre at low speeds during surveys.
Ø Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) = Anti-satellites (ASATs) are weapons designed to destroy
or disable satellites in orbit. They can be ground-based, air-based, or space-based. ASATs can
use various methods to attack satellites, including kinetic impact, lasers, and directed energy
weapons + Besides India, three other countries have successfully demonstrated anti-satellite
(ASAT) technology in tests; the United States, Russia, China, and India + In March 2019, India
successfully conducted Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite missile test, making India the fourth
country in the world to have demonstrated the ability to destroy a satellite in orbit.
Ø Exercise Vayu Shakti-24 = Conducted by Indian Air Force + held once every three years + It
will be a riveting demonstration of the offensive and defensive capabilities of the IAF,
spanning across day and night. The exercise will also showcase joint operations with the Indian
Army + Vayu Shakti, Gagan Shakti and Tarang Shakti are three large scale war games by IAF.
• Gagan Shakti = held once in five years + In this, almost the entire air fleet race would be
activated from north to south, and from west to east to test integrated war fighting strategies
and tactics with the other two forces and other stakeholders + All the potent weapon
systems like the Rafale fighter aircraft and the S-400 air defense systems would be
participating in the ‘Gagan Shakti’ exercise.
 • Tarang Shakti = first ever multinational exercise to be held in the country + This will see
aircraft from friendly air forces like the US, Germany, France, Australia and neighbouring
and other friendly countries taking part in it.
Ø Exercise Dosti = It is a trilateral coast guard exercise between India, Sri Lanka, and the
Maldives + It is a biennial exercise + It was first conducted in 1991 between the Indian and
Maldives Coast Guards + Sri Lanka joined the exercise for the first time in 2012.
Ø Exercise Dharma Guardian 2024 = 5th edition + Annual joint military exercise and is
conducted alternatively in India and Japan + The aim of the Exercise is to foster Military
Cooperation and enhance combined capabilities to execute joint operations in the semi-urban
environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter + Other Exercises between India
and Japan: Malabar: It is a multinational naval exercise in which India, Japan, the United States
and Australia participate; JIMEX(naval) and SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force).
Ø Steadfast Defender 2024 = NATO’s most extensive military exercise + The purpose of
Steadfast Defender 2024 is to put NATO's new regional defense plans to the test.

8) HEALTH
Ø Wheat Blast = caused by the plant fungus Magnaporthe oryzae + severe disease of wheat + It
spreads through infected seeds, crop residues, and spores that can travel long distances in the
air + It thrives in warm and humid conditions + The pathogen is also resistant to fungicides +
Researchers who have modeled for the first time how wheat blast will spread in the future
found the fungal disease could reduce global wheat production by 13% until 2050.
Ø Bluetongue Disease (BT) = non-contagious, viral disease + Affecting domestic and wild
ruminants (primarily sheep and including cattle, goats, buffalo, antelope, deer, elk and camels)
+ It is transmitted by insects, particularly biting midges of the Culicoides species + It has a
significant global distribution in regions where the insect vector is present, including Africa,
Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and several islands in the tropics and subtropics.
Ø Diphtheria = contagious bacterial infection of the nose and throat + It is caused by strains of
bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae that make a toxin + It can spread from person to
person (usually through respiratory droplets, like from coughing or sneezing) + In patients with
suspected or confirmed diphtheria, WHO recommends using macrolide antibiotics
(azithromycin, erythromycin) in preference to penicillin antibiotics.
Ø Dracunculiasis or Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) = It is an infection caused by parasite
Dracunculus medinensis + Spread by drinking water containing Guinea worm larvae + o It is
one of the Neglected Tropical Diseases + There is no vaccine and drug to prevent the disease
and treat patients + India successfully eradicated GWD in 2000 + It affects people in rural,
deprived, and isolated communities who depend mainly on open stagnant surface water sources
like ponds.
Ø Kala Azar = It is also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis and is a protozoan parasitic disease +
Causing agent: Infected female phlebotomine sandfly + Symptoms: Irregular fever, weight
loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia + The disease is endemic in Bihar,
Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal + Areas infected: Brazil, East Africa, and India.
Ø Haemophilia A = It is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s ability to form blood clots +
It is a rare disorder in which the blood doesn't clot in the typical way because it doesn't have
enough blood-clotting proteins + It is a sex linked disorder. The gene for haemophilia is carried
on the X chromosome + It is caused by a mutation or change, in one of the genes, that provides
instructions for making the clotting factor proteins needed to form a blood clot. This type is
caused by a lack or decrease of clotting factor VIII + Males are much more likely to have
haemophilia than are females
Ø Edwards Syndrome & Down Syndrome = Edwards syndrome is a genetic condition that
occurs when a baby is born with three copies of chromosome 18 instead of two. It causes
 physical growth delays during fetal development. It is also known as trisomy 18 + Down
syndrome is a genetic condition that occurs when a person has an extra copy of chromosome
21. It's the most common chromosomal anomaly in humans and can cause intellectual
disabilities and health issues + Recently, Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome found in ancient
individuals from prehistoric skeletal remains.
Ø Vaccine Safety Net = It is a global network of websites, established by the World Health
Organization that provides reliable information on vaccine safety + It is a network of a diverse
group of digital information resources (websites and social media), VSN members, located in
countries around the world + It is continuously expanding and to date, 110 websites from 45
countries provide vaccine safety information in 43 languages + A key player in the Project is
the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS), established by WHO in 1999,
to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues of potential
global importance + Recently, Healthy Indian Project (THIP), a health information platform
in India, is included as a member of the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Safety Net
(VSN).
Ø International Health Regulations (IHR) = It was adopted by the World Health Assembly in
1969 and revised in 2005 + It is an overarching legal framework for public health events and
emergencies that have the potential to cross borders + It is legally-binding on 196 countries,
including the 194 WHO Member States + Create rights and obligations for countries, including
the requirement to report public health events + Outline the criteria to determine whether or
not a particular event constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern”.
Ø Industrially Produced Trans-Fat (iTFA) Elimination = Trans-fats are unsaturated fats
produced from vegetable oils + There are two forms of trans-fat i.e. Naturallyoccurring trans-
fats (dairy and meat products), Industrially produced trans-fat (packaged foods, cooking oils
etc.) + They are source of non-communicable disease and associated with increased risk of
heart attacks + Recently, WHO has awarded first-ever validation certificates to Denmark,
Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand in eliminating industrially-produced transfatty
acids iTFA + WHO criteria for Best practices in iTFA elimination policies: Mandatory national
limit of 2 grams of iTFA per 100 grams of total fat in all foods; Mandatory national ban on
production or use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHO- major source of trans-fat) as an
ingredient in all foods and; Combination of PHO ban and iTFA 2% limit.
Ø Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) Initiative = The initiative was announced at the
G20 meeting in India + GIDH will be a WHO Managed Network of stakeholders to address
challenges such as duplication of efforts and “products-focused” digital health transformation
+ GIDH Secretariat will be hosted in WHO Headquarters (Geneva) + GIDH will align efforts
to support of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025 + GIDH will support countries
in three ways by listening to their needs, by aligning resources to avoid fragmentation and
overlap, and by providing quality-assured products.

9) INDICES & REPORTS

Ø Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) = It is released by the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI) + ASI is the principal source of Industrial Statistics in
India. It is conducted under the Collection of Statistics (COS) Act, 2008 + It covers all factories
registered under the Factories Act, 1948. Also, covers unit under the Bidi and Cigar Workers
(Conditions of Employment) Act 1966 etc + Defence establishments, oil storage and
distribution depots, etc. are not covered under ASI + Important rankings are:
• Gross Value Addition: Gujarat remained at the top, followed by Maharashtra, Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
• Employment: The top five states in terms of employment are Tamil Nadu, Gujarat,
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
 Ø National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) Way Forward Report,
2023 = Annual + Report released by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (DARPG) highlights initiatives taken towards enhancing e-Service delivery.
Ø Household Consumption Expenditure Survey = For the first time in about 11 years, the
government released the broad findings of the All India Household Consumption Expenditure
Survey carried out between August 2022 and July 2023 + It is usually conducted by the
National Statistical Office (NSO) every five years + This survey aims at generating estimates
of household Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) and its distribution
separately for the rural and urban sectors of the country, for States and Union Territories, and
for different socio-economic groups + It reveals a 33.5% increase in MPCE in urban
households since 2011-12, reaching ₹3,510, while rural India's MPCE increased by 40.42% to
₹2,008 + Among the States, the MPCE is the highest in Sikkim for both rural (₹7,731) and
urban areas (₹12,105). It is the lowest in Chhattisgarh, where it was ₹2,466 for rural households
and ₹4,483 for urban household members.

10) ART & CULTURE

Ø Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati (1824-1883) = Recently, 200th birth anniversary of renowned
social and religious reformer Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati was commemorated + His
childhood name was Moola Shankar, he was also called Dayaram + Dayananda’s views were
published in his famous work, Satyarth Prakash (The True Exposition) + He considered Vedas
as rock-bed of Hinduism and infallible, being the inspired one of God. His aim was to re-
establish the teachings of the Vedas + He advocated for Suddhi movement to reconvert the
other sects to Hindu order + He established Arya Samaj (1875) as a reformist organization.
The first Arya Samaj unit was formally set up at Mumbai (then Bombay) and later headquarter
was established at Lahore + He criticized the activities like superstition, etc. Many of these
elements are still being performed + In 19th century he promoted the idea of widow remarriage
which is still not accepted by large number of people + He introduced a complete overhaul of
the education system and is often considered as one of the visionaries of modern India. The
DAV (Dayanand Anglo Vedic) schools came into existence in 1886 to realize the vision of
Swami Dayanand Saraswati. The first DAV School was established at Lahore with Mahatma
Hansarj as the headmaster + Literary Work: Satyarth Prakash; Sanskarvidhi, Yajurved
Bhashyam, Veda Bhashya Bhumika etc. Edited journal named Arya Patrika edited by him also
reflects his thought.
Ø S. N. Bose (1894-1974) = Referred as "Father of the God Particle" + The fundamental particle
‘Bosons’ were named after him + Rabindranath Tagore dedicated his only book on science –
‘Vishwa Parichay’ to SN Bose + Bose-Einstein Condensates (BEC): It is a quantum
phenomenon predicted by Bose and Einstein (1925). It is a state of matter created when
particles are cooled to near absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius/0 Kelvin) + His teachers
included Prafulla Chandra Ray and Jagadish Chandra Bose. It is referred to as the 'fifth state
of matter', it was proved experimentally by Weimann, Cornell and Ketterle for which they
received Nobel prize in 2001.
Ø Rani Chennamma = Born in Kittur, Karnataka + Commemorating 200 years of Rani
Chennamma’s rebellion against the British East India Company, several social groups across
India have organised a national campaign, Naanoo Rani Chennamma (I am Rani Chennamma
too) on 21st February + Rani Chennamma adopted a a child, Shivalingappa + British East India
Company refused to recognise Shivalingappa (adopted heir of Rani chennamm) as the
successor of the kingdom under the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ + John Thackery, the British official
at Dharwad, launched an attack on Kittur in October 1824 + Despite her capture and
imprisonment in Bailhongal Fort (Belagavi, Karnataka), Rani Chennamma’s spirit remained
 unbroken. Her rebellion inspired countless others to stand up against British rule. She became
a symbol of courage and defiance.
• Kittur Revolt (1824) = It is regarded as the first Indian armed rebellion against British
EIC. Also, one of the earliest woman led anti-colonial struggles + In the first battle, in
October 1824, British forces lost heavily + The British army attacked the Kittur Fort and
captured it. She and her family were imprisoned and jailed at the fort in Bailhongal, where
she died in 1829. Her lieutenant, Sangolli Rayanna played key role.
Ø Kotravai Sculpture = Archaeologists recently discovered an eighth-century Kotravai
sculpture, an artifact that dates back to the Pallava period, near Ulundurpet, Tamil Nadu +
Pallava Dynasty was a famous power in South India that existed between the 3rd and 9th
Centuries. They ruled the northern parts of Tamil Nadu, parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh,
and Telangana, with Kanchipuram as their capital. The Pallavas supported Buddhism, Jainism,
and the Brahminical faith and were patrons of music, painting, and literature + They adopted
the local religion Shaivism, and became Dravidians + The Pallava Dynasty was typically
distinguished for their benefaction of Dravidian architecture. They were the most noted for
temple architecture. They were instrumental in the transition from rock-cut architecture to
stone temples + The rise of Rashtrakutas had seen the decline of the Pallava Dynasty.
Vijayalaya, the Chola King, completely overpowered Aparajitavarman, the last Pallava King,
in 897 AD. [Read more about Pallavas from your Static Notes]
Ø Martand Temple = Martand Temple was built by King Lalitaditya of Karkota Dynasty of
Kashmir (724 to 761 CE) in honour of Sun or Martand in the 8th century + It is one among the
oldest sun temples such as Konark, Almora, Modhera and Borsad Sun Temple + It is
considered as an example of Kashmiri architectural skills built in a square field using limestone
and pillars in Greek Pattern + In 15th century it was destructed on order of Muslim ruler
Sikander Butshikan + Today, it has been tagged as a site of national importance (protected by
ASI).
Ø Maa Kamakhya Temple = Assam + Ambubachi fair is celebrated here. The festival marks
the annual menstruation of the presiding Goddess in the Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati, Assam
+ Kamakhya Temple is located atop the Nilachal Hill, by the banks of the Brahmaputra river
+ Kamakhya is one of 51 shakti peethas or holy sites for the followers of the Shakti cult, each
representing a body part of the Sati, Lord Shiva’s companion + Legends say the temple was
built by the demon king Narakasura. But records are available only from 1565 when Koch king
Naranarayana had the temple rebuilt + Nilachal Style of architecture is used in the
reconstruction of the temple. It is a combination of two different styles namely, the nagara style
(North Indian) and Saracenic style (Mughal). The dome made of bricks is a sixteen-sided
polygon decorated with horizontal bands.
Ø Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir = first Hindu
temple in Abu Dhabi + BAPS is a socio-spiritual Hindu faith with its roots in the Vedas + It is
based on the Vedic teachings propagated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830 CE) + No
Alcohol, No Addictions, No Adultery, No Meat, No Impurity of body and mind are the five-
lifetime vows of BAPS followers + BAPS is an NGO with a Consultative Status with the
Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
Ø Aadi Mahotsav = It is organised by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation
of India Limited (TRIFED) under the aegis of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and will showcase
the rich diversity of India's tribal heritage + TRIFED is a national-level organisation under the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs. It is primarily engaged in the development and marketing of tribal
handicrafts and natural products. It came into existence in 1987 and got registered under the
Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 (now the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act,
2002). It has been entrusted by the Government of India to implement its proposed Minimum
Support Price Scheme for Minor Forest Produce.
Ø Paruveta Festival = The festival, also known as the ‘mock hunting festival’, is celebrated at
the Sri Narasimha Swamy temple in the town of Ahobilam, Andhra Pradesh + It is celebrated
by all sections of people, irrespective of their caste + It is a festival of communal harmony, as
devotees from other religious communities like Muslims also offer prayers to the Lord + The
Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) is making efforts to secure
UNESCO recognition for the annual 'Paruveta' festival + The festival coincides with the
Sankranti festival, which is celebrated on the day the deity reaches each Chenchu hamlet.
Ø MakhaBucha Day = MakhaBucha Day (Magha Puja) is a religious celebration marking Lord
Buddha’s teachings to his disciples + It is celebrated according to the traditional lunar calendar,
on the day of full moon of the third lunar month + It is the first important religious festival in
the Buddhist calendar, takes place in nations including Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, where
the majority of Buddhists practice Theravada Buddhism, also known as “Buddhism of the
south”.
Ø Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara = Country’s largest Tribal festival + also known as Medaram
Jatara + It is a tribal festival honouring the goddesses celebrated in the state of Telangana +
Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya,
the largest surviving forest belt in Mulugu, Telangana.
Ø Hori Habba = Hori Habba also known as Hatti Habba, is a bull-taming rural sport held in
Karnataka + Other Animal Sports in India:
• Jallikattu: Bull-taming sport held during Pongal in Tamilnadu.
• Kambala: A traditional buffalo race from coastal Karnataka
• Rooster fight (Cockfight): It is associated with gambling in many states including Andhra
Pradesh.
• Bulbul fights: Held in Assam during Magh Bihu.
• Bullock Cart Race: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu etc.
Ø Subika Painting = Manipur + It is a style of painting which is intricately linked to the Meitei
community’s cultural history through its six surviving manuscripts: Subika, Subika Achouba,
Subika Laishaba, Subika Choudit, Subika Cheithil and Thengrakhel Subika + The paintings
are done on handmade paper, and the materials for manuscripts, such as handmade paper or
tree bark, are prepared locally.
Ø Dokra Metalcraft = The word "Dhokra" is believed to be derived from the Dhokra Damar
tribes, who are the traditional metal smiths of Central India + The origins of Dhokra Shilpkala
can be traced back to the tribal communities residing in the regions of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
West Bengal, and Odisha, where it evolved as an integral part of their cultural and religious
practices + It involves using the lost wax casting method, also known as cire perdue + The
dancing girl of Mohenjo-Daro (Harrapan Civilization) is one of the earliest dhokra artefacts
that is now known.
Ø Kaji Nemu = Assam + Got GI tag in 2019 + Recently, the Assam government declared the
GI-tagged ‘Kaji Nemu’ (Citrus Limon) as the State Fruit + It is elongated and oblong compared
to other lemon varieties + With its unique aroma and antioxidant properties, the Assam lemon
enriched the local cuisines + It is grown in almost all the districts of the state, is available
throughout the year.
Ø Maratha Military Landscapes = Maratha Military Landscapes will be India’s nomination for
recognition as UNESCO World Heritage List for the year 2024- 25 + It was included in
Tentative List of World Heritage sites in 2021 + It is nominated in the category of cultural
criteria + The inception of the Maratha Military ideology dates back to 17th Century during
the reign of the Maratha King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It continued through subsequent
rules until Peshwa rule till 1818 CE + It covers forts from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu + It is
a result of integrating the landscape, terrain and physiographic characteristics distinctive to the
 Sahyadri mountain ranges, the Konkan Coast, Deccan Plateau and the Eastern Ghats in the
Indian Peninsula.
Ø Morodharo = Archaeologists recently discovered a Harappan-era fortified settlement named
Morodharo + It is a fortified settlement dating back to the Harappan era + Location: Kutch
District, Gujarat + The settlement looks mature (2,600-1,900 BCE) to late (1,900-1,300 BCE)
Harappan.
Ø Chettimedu Pathur Excavation = Located in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu + Recently,
unearthed an ancient burial site of a child with a pot beside it likely dating back to the neolithic
period which is between 5000-1500 BCE + The Neolithic Period, also called the New Stone
Age, is the final stage of cultural evolution or technological development among prehistoric
humans + The Neolithic Period, also called the New Stone Age, is the final stage of cultural
evolution or technological development among prehistoric humans. The term Neolithic is most
frequently used in connection with agriculture, which is the time when cereal cultivation and
animal domestication were introduced. It is characterized by the beginning of a settled human
lifestyle. The Neolithic stage of development was attained during the Holocene Epoch (the last
11,700 years of Earth’s history).
Ø Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) = It is a non-profit
charitable organisation registered under the Societies' Registration Act, 1860 + It was founded
in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in
India + It has pioneered the conservation and preservation of not just our natural and built
heritage but intangible heritage as well + In 2007, the United Nations awarded INTACH a
special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

11) MISCELLANEOUS
Ø Papua New Guinea = It is an island country that lies in the south-western Pacific + It includes
the eastern half of New Guinea(the world’s second-largest island) and many small offshore
islands + Neighbours: Indonesia to the west, Australia to the south, and the Solomon Islands
to the southeast.
Ø Mekong River = The Mekong River is a significant transboundary river in East and Southeast
Asia, ranked as the world's twelfth-longest and Asia's third-longest + Originating from the
Tibetan Plateau, it flows through 6 countries: Southwest China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand,
Cambodia, and southern Vietnam + The river drains into the South China Sea + The Mekong
creates a huge delta, or triangular piece of land, in southern Vietnam. The delta has rich soil
and is one of the world’s great producers of rice.
Ø Mission Aspides = It is a European Union (EU) naval mission to protect cargo ships in the
Red Sea from attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels + It will send European warships and
airborne early warning systems to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters.
Ø Weimar Triangle = Weimar Triangle is a regional group created in 1991, to develop a shared
vision for Europe and forge closer ties between these three countries’ societies + The Triangle
was initially the key forum for supporting German-Polish reconciliation after World War II +
The group takes its name from the city of Weimar, Germany, where the initial meeting took
place + Foreign Ministers of Germany, Poland, and France have met recently to revive the
Weimar Triangle.
Ø Volt Typhoon = state-sponsored hacking group based in China + The group typically focuses
on espionage and information gathering.
Ø International Mother Language Day = observed globally every year on February 21 +
According to UNESCO, International Mother Language Day was recognised on the initiative
of Bangladesh and has been observed throughout the world since the year 2000 + The theme
for 2024 is "Multilingual education is a pillar of intergenerational learning".
Ø National Science Day 2024 = It is celebrated every year on February 28 to mark the
contributions of scientists towards the development of the country + On this day, in 1928,
Indian Physicist Sir CV Raman made an important discovery in the field of spectroscopy,
which was later named after him: the Raman Effect. For this discovery, he was also awarded
the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 + Theme for this year: Indigenous Technologies for Viksit
Bharat.
Ø Aegis Graham Bell Awards = It was initiated in 2010 by the Aegis School of Data Science
(Mumbai) + It is a tribute to the father of telephony and great innovator, Alexander Graham
Bell + This award in India is supported by the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY), Skill India and the National Informatics Centre.
Ø National Creators Award = Spearheaded by: MyGov India + 1st such edition + Award aims
to celebrate diverse voices and talents shaping India’s growth and cultural narrative, driving
positive social change, etc., in India’s Digital Creator Economy.
Ø Jnanpith Award = Instituted in 1961, the Award has been given by Bharatiya Jnanpith
annually since 1965 for outstanding contributions to Indian literature + Bharatiya Jnanpith,
formally established in 1944, is one of the premier literary organizations and publication
houses in India + Recognized as the highest literary award + Conferred for literature in Indian
languages and English + Presented by Presidents, Prime Ministers and international celebrities.