Samadhan 1 - Merged

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INDEX
1 ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1.1 SPECIES in NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 01
1.2 NEW SPECIES/DISCOVERY in NEWS ---------------------------------------------------------------- 04
1.3 CYCLONES in NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 04
1.4 ISLAND, VALLEY and LAKES in NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------- 04
1.5 RIVERS in NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 06
1.6 PROJECTS in NEWS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 06
1.7 PARKS AND SANCTUARIES in NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------- 07
1.8 TRIBES and ETHNIC GROUPS in NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------ 09
1.9 ENVIRONMENT and INDIA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 09
1.10 ENVIRONMENT and WORLD -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
1.11 ENVIRONMENT– Miscellaneous (Logically arranged) ---------------------------------------------- 15
2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
2.1 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – Organisations, Groups in News ------------------------------- 17
2.2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - UN Related International Organizations ---------------------- 19
2.3 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – Conventions, Deals, Conference, Meetings Summits ------ 20
2.4 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS –India and Bilateral Relations ----------------------------------- 22
2.5 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – International Places in News ----------------------------------- 25
2.6 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS – Miscellaneous (Logically arranged) -------------------------- 25
3 SCHEMES
3.1 Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) ----------------------------------------------------- 27
3.2 Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E) ------------------------------------------------ 27
3.3 Ministry of Education (Renamed from Ministry of Human Resource and Development ---------- 27
3.4 Ministry of Science and Technology(MoS&T) ---------------------------------------------------------- 29
3.5 Ministry of Ministry of Jal Shakti ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 30
3.6 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MOEFCC) ----------------------------------- 30
3.7 Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) ----------------------------------------------- 30
3.8 Ministry of Labour-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31
3.9 Ministry of Law & Justice ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 31
3.10 Ministry of Earth Sciences --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 32
3.11 Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises ----------------------------------------------------- 32
3.12 Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) ------------------------------------------- 32
3.13 Ministry of Commerce & Industry ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33
3.14 Ministry of Home Affairs(MoHA) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 33
3.15 NITI Aayog and Related ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 34
3.16 Ministry of Finance ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 35
3.17 Ministry of Road Transport Highways(MoRTH) ------------------------------------------------------- 36
3.18 Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) ---------------------------------------------------------------- 36
3.19 Ministry of Panchayati Raj --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 36
3.20 Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare ----------------------------------------------------------- 37
3.21 Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying ----------------------------------------------- 38
3.22 Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MEITY) --------------------------------------- 38
3.23 Ministry of Parliamentary affairs -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 38
3.24 Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution ------------------------------------------- 38
3.25 Ministry of Defence ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 39
3.26 Ministry of Communications ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 39
3.27 Ministry of Sports ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40
3.28 Ministry of Shipping ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 40
3.29 Ministry of Culture ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 41
3.30 Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers -------------------------------------------------------------------- 41
3.31 Ministry of Urban Development -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41
3.32 Ministry of Power and related ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 41
3.33 Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions ----------------------------------------------- 42
3.34 Miscellaneous ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 42
4 INDEX & REPORTS
4.1 Indices and Reports – International ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 43
4.2 Indices and Reports- India ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 44
5 POLITY
5.1 POLITY – ACT in News ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 47
5.2 POLITY –CASEs in News---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 49
5.3 POLITY –Articles, Provisions and Concepts in News -------------------------------------------------- 49
5.4 POLITY – Committees and Commissions in News ---------------------------------------------------- 52
5.5 POLITY – Bodies in News --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 52
5.6 POLITY –Policies in News --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 58
5.7 POLITY – General ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 59
6 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
6.1 SCIENCE and SPACE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 62
6.2 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 66
6.3 BIO-TECHNOLOGY and HEALTH SCIENCES ------------------------------------------------------ 68
6.4 SCIENCE – ENERGY and FUEL ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 69
6.5 SCIENCE – METALLURGY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 71
6.6 SCIENCE - General -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------72
7 HEALTH
7.1 HEALTH – Disease in News ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 76
7.2 HEALTH – Tests and Vaccines in news ------------------------------------------------------------------ 77
7.3 HEALTH – Initiatives -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 77
8 DEFENCE
8.1 DEFENCE – Exercises ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 79
8.2 DEFENCE – Missiles and Ammunitions ---------------------------------------------------------------- 79
8.3 DEFENCE – Vehicles --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 81
8.4 DEFENCE – General ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 81
9 ECONOMY
9.1 ECONOMY – General -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 82
9.2 ECONOMY – Terms in News ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 83
10 CULTURE
10.1 PERSONALITIES in News -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 89
10.2 HISTORICAL EVENTS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 91
10.3 TEMPLES in News ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 92
10.4 MONUMENTS & ARCHITECTURE in News -------------------------------------------------------- 94
10.5 PLACES in News ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 95
10.6 FESTIVALS in News -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 95
10.7 PRODUCTS& ARTS in News ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 97
10.8 EXCAVATIONS in News --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 98
10.9 LITERATURE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 99
11 MISCELLANEOUS
11.1 AWARDS in News ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 101
11.2 IMPORTANT DAYS in News --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 101
11.3 PLACES in News ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 102
11.4 TERMS in News ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 105
11.5 MISCELLANEOUS – General ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 105
Environment & Ecology
SPECIES IN NEWS
Ø Sloth Bear = Habitat is wet and dry tropical forests, Savannahs, Scrublands, and grassland
below 1500 m on the Indian subcontinent + Found in India, the Southern lowlands of
Nepal, and Sri Lanka + In India, found across Punjab to Arunachal Pradesh + It is an
insectivorous bear species native to Indian subcontinent + Absent in high mountains of
Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir, the north-western deserts of Rajasthan, and a broad
unforested swath in south + WPA: Schedule 1 + IUCN: Vulnerable + CITES: Appendix I
Ø Koala = They are endemic to Australia. They are found in the eucalyptus forests of eastern
Australia + It is listed as ‘Vulnerable’ as per the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species +
Koala is a marsupial which is a mammal with a pouch for the development of offspring +
They have grey fur with a cream-coloured chest, and strong, clawed feet, perfect for living
in the branches of trees + Chlamydia, a bacterial disease, has wrought havoc on koala
populations by forming cysts inside breeding adults, leading to infertility
Ø Indian Gaur = Indian Gaur or Indian Bison (Bos gaurus) is a bovine species native to
South and Southeast Asia + It belongs to the family of wild oxen and is the tallest living
and the second heaviest among oxen. It is considered as the largest living bovine + In the
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southern part of India, they are found abundantly in the Wayanad-Mudumalai-Bandipur-
Nagarhole range and the Nilgiris + Domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun
+ WPA: Schedule I + IUCN: Vulnerable
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Ø Gir Lions/Asiatic Lion = Endangered + Schedule 1 of WPA, 1972 + Appendix-I of CITES
+ lion is one of five pantherine cats inhabiting India, along with the Bengal tiger, Indian
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leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard + Found only in India, in five protected areas
in Gujarat – Gir National Park, Gir Sanctuary, Pania Sanctuary, Mitiyala Sanctuary and
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Girnar + According to recent reports, their numbers have now risen in the Gir forest region
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and other revenue areas of coastal Saurashtra.

Ø Indian Wolf = Indian wolf is a subspecies of grey wolf + It is one of the common large
carnivores found in scrub, grasslands andagro-pastoral regions of semi-arid India + The
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first scientific population estimate of Indian peninsular wolves(Canis lupus pallipes) has
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revealed that only 3,100 members of the species are left in the country + Highest
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concentration is currently in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Rajasthan, Gujarat,

Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh + Schedule I of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 +
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Appendix 1 of CITES + IUCN- Least Concern.

Ø Greater One-Horned Rhinos = Also known as Indian rhino, it is the largest of the rhino
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species + Vulnerable + The species is restricted to small habitats in Indo-Nepal terai and
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northern West Bengal and Assam + In India, rhinos are mainly found in Assam, West
Bengal and Uttar Pradesh + Assam has an estimated 2,640 rhinos in four protected areas,
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i.e. Pabitora Wildlife Reserve, Rajiv Gandhi Orang National Park, Kaziranga National
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Park, and Manas National Park + Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary has the highest density of
one-horned rhinos in the world and second highest number of Rhinos in Assam after
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Kaziranga National Park + As per recent report, The latest census of the UNESCO World
Heritage Site’s flagship animal - greater one-horned or Indian rhinoceros - has revealed
that their population has increased in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (A
similar census was conducted in two more of Assam’s rhino habitats earlier. Orang
National Park recorded an increase of 24 rhinos over the figure of 101 in 2018. Pobitora
Wildlife Sanctuary recorded five more rhinos than in 2018)
Ø Common Leopard = The leopard (Panthera pardus) is one of the five extant species in the
genus Panthera, a member of the cat family, Felida + A nocturnal animal, the leopard hunts
by night + They are distributed across Africa and Asia + Near Threatened on the IUCN
Red List + Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 + Appendix I of CITES.
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Ø White Cheeked Macaque = Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have
found a new mammal species in the country - the White Cheeked Macaque + While the
Macaque was first discovered in China in 2015, its existence was not known in India before
this + Its presence has been discovered in the remote Anjaw district in central Arunachal
Pradesh. Both the Arunachal macaque as well as the White Cheeked Macaque exist in the
same biodiversity hotspot in the eastern Himalayas + This species is not included in the
Wildlife Protection Act of India, which presently doesn’t cover it simply because we didn’t
know it existed in India + Along with White-Cheeked Macaques and Arunachal Macaque
the other species of Macaques are Assamese Macaque (Macaca assamensis ) and Rhesus
Macaque ( Macaca mulatta ) reported from the same landscape
Ø Popa Langur = This monkey was the only new mammal reported among the 224 new
species listed in the WWF’s latest update on the greater Mekong region + It is called the
Popa langur, for it lives on the steep hillsides of the extinct Mt. Popa volcano in Myanmar
+ It is also called Ghostly monkey, as it has ghostly white circles around its eyes + The
monkey is a candidate to be listed as a critically endangered species on the Red List of the
International Union for the Conservation of Nature, since only 200-250 are thought to
survive in the wild
Ø Gee’s Golden Langur/Golden Langur (Trachypithecus geei) = endemic to the semi-
evergreen and mixed-deciduous forests straddling India and Bhutan + An endangered
species of monkey, found only in Assam and parts of Bhutan + The golden langurs in
Assam are hemmed in by three rivers — Brahmaputra in the south, Manas in east and
Sonkosh in west. Their northern limit is the range of hills in Bhutan up to 2,400 metres
above sea level + Schedule I of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 + Appendix 1 of CITES
+ IUCN- Endangered.
Ø Common Babbler = They are found in dry open scrub country mainly in India + The
species is distinctly long-tailed, slim with an overall brown or grayish color, streaked on
the upper plumage and having a distinctive whitish throat + IUCN Red List Status: Least
Concerned.
Ø Black-Necked Crane = The high altitude wetlands of the Tibetan plateau , Sichuan
(China), and eastern Ladakh (India) are the main breeding ground of the species, the birds
spend winter at lower altitudes + In Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh, it only comes during
the winters + IUCN Red List: Near Threatened + CITES: Appendix I + Indian Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I + Its breeding range includes the Himalayan Mountains,
as well as parts of central China and northern India + Black-necked Crane is the only crane
species to migrate between winter and summer grounds.
Ø Dugong = They face threats of habitat loss, entanglement in fishing nets, hunting for meat
and oil etc + Dugongs, also known as Sea Cows, are the only herbivorous marine mammals
and the only member of the family Dugongidae, making it oneof the four surviving species
in the Order Sirenia (other is Trichechidae, or the manatee family) IUCN: Vulnerable +
Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 + CITES: Appendix I + they are mainly
found in shallow areas as they survive mainly on seagrass + They live in groups and come
to the surface to breathe with a distinct dolphin-like tail, and have mammary glands +
Recently, the Tamil Nadu government announced India’s first conservation reserve for
Dugongs in Palk Bay.
Ø Rough-Toothed Dolphin = A Research team of the Department of Environment and
Forest in Lakshadweep has reported the first-ever live sighting of rough-toothed dolphins
(Steno bredanensis) in Indian waters + Found in tropical and warmer temperate waters all
over the world but little is known about them + IUCN: Least Concern + CITES Appendix
II.

Ø Gangetic Dolphin = Popularly known as ‘Susu’ of rivers + Only live in freshwater and are
essentially blind + They are reliable indicator of the health of the entire river ecosystem +
It is also National Aquatic Animal of India + It can be found in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-
Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems of Nepal, India, and Bangladesh + In India,
it covers seven states namely, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar,
Jharkhand and West Bengal + It prefer deep waters, in and around the confluence + Major
threats to dolphins in India include overfishing in the habitat, pollution, infrastructure etc.
+ Gangetic dolphins are one among the 21 species identified under the centrally sponsored
scheme, “Development of Wildlife Habitat” + India’s national aquatic animal (declared in
2009) + IUCN: Endangered + Schedule I of WPA,1972 & Appendix 1 of CITES + The
species is a reliable indicator of the health of the entire river ecosystem + The Gangetic
Dolphin is endemic to the Indian sub-continent and has a fairly extensive distribution
range. It is found in the Ganga -Brahmaputra - Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river
systems of India and Bangladesh, while a few individuals survive in the Karnali, and the
Sapta Kosi Rivers in Nepal + It is blind and finds its way and prey in river waters through
echolocation + Being a mammal, the Ganges River dolphin cannot breathe in water and
must surface every 30-120 seconds + It is one of four freshwater dolphin species in the
world. The other three are:
• 'Baiji' in Yangtze River in China (Functionally extinct since 2006)
• 'Boto' in Amazon River
• 'Bhulan' in Indus River in Pakistan
Ø Olive Ridley Turtles = Vulnerable + Performs Arribada(synchornised, largescale neting)
+ India’s odisha and Andhra pradesh coast are famous for their nesting (Gahirmatha beach
+ rushikulya river mouth etc are some famous sites) + Bahuda river mouth (Odisha) is
another site + smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world, inhabiting
warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans + These turtles, along with their
cousin, Kemps Ridley turtle, are best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada
+ IUCN: Vulnerable + CITES: Appendix 1 + they are carnivores.
Ø Arribadas = Olive Ridley has one of the most extraordinary nesting habits in natural
world, including mass nesting called arribadas + 480-km-long Odisha coast has three
arribada beaches at Gahirmatha, the mouth of the Devi river, and in Rushikulya, where
about 1 lakh nests are found annually + More recently, new mass nesting site has been
discovered in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with more than 5,000 nests reported in a
season.
Ø Mosquitofish or Gambusia Affinis = To check the control the disease-spreading
mosquito menace, they are released into ponds and rural areas, where they feed on
mosquito larvae + It is a species of freshwater fish + According to the National Center for
Vector Borne Disease Control, this particular species has been in use in India since 1928 +
Researchers say that the introduction of Gambusia fish into local waterbodies may actually
be harmful in the long run. The IUCN lists the Gambusia affinis among 100 of the world’s
worst invasive alien species. Introduced as a biological control of mosquitoes initial in the
early last century, it is a pest in many waterways around the world.
Ø Sea Grasses = Seagrasses are flowering plants that grow submerged in shallow marine
waters like bays and lagoons + They have roots, stems and leaves, and produce flowers and
seeds + They are considered to be ‘Ecosystem Engineers’ + They inhabit all types of
substrates (layers) from mud to rock and they are found extensively in muddy and sandy
substrates + Seagrass reproduce through both sexual and asexual methods + Seagrass
reproduce through both sexual and asexual methods + It occurs all along the coastal areas
of India and are abundant in the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu, however
threatened now.

Ø Fusobacterium = Fusobacterium species is a genus of anaerobic, elongated, Gram-

negative, non-sporeforming bacteria, similar to Bacteroides + They are common obligately
anaerobic bacteria of the oral cavity that may act as a bridge between early and late
colonizing bacteria in dental plaque and have a role in oral and extra-oral infections + There
are multiple species of Fusobacterium, but the one most associated with human disease is
F. Necrophorum + F. Necrophorum is a cause of periodontal disease, tonsillitis,
peritonsillar abscess, and thrombophlebitis of the jugular vein (Lemierre syndrome) +
Fusobacterium nucleatum has a crucial role in oral biofilm structure and ecology, as
revealed in experimental and clinical biofilm models + Recently, Several groups have
corroborated the finding that oral tumours among Indian patients are not driven by HPV
infection but by the Fusobacterium.
NEW SPECIES/ DISCOVERY IN NEWS

Ø Crytodactylus Exercitus = A team of herpetologists have recorded a new species of bent-
toed gecko + Meghalaya + Its scientific name is Crytodactylus exercitus and English name
is Indian Army’s bent-toed gecko + India is now home to 40 species of the bent-toed gecko
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with the northeast accounting for 16 of them.
Ø Pola Vatta = Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute has identified a new species of
fish carangid (Vatta) species from the Indian coast + Locally known as pola vatta, fish
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belongs to ‘queen fish’ group and is available across coasts in the country.
Ø Syllipsimopodi Bideni = Newly discovered fossilized vampire squid + The fossil was
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discovered from the Mississippian Bear Gulch Lagerstätte of Montana(USA) + It has been
name after Joe Biden.
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CYCLONES IN NEWS
Ø Asani Cyclone = First cyclone of 2022 named Asani: A low pressure area that formed over
the southwest Indian Ocean + The name was suggested by India’s southern neighbour Sri
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Lanka + It is expected to travel along and off the coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Ø Tropical storm Megi = Philippines

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ISLANDS, VALLEYS AND LAKES IN NEWS

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Ø Char Chinar = The iconic island Char Chinari in the middle of Dal Lake (Srinagar, Jammu
and Kashmir) + The 2014 floods left two mighty chinars damaged + The island owes its
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name to chinar trees, as Char Chinari means four Chinars.

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Ø Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands = They are a volcanic archipelago in the Russian Far East
+ The islands have been under Russian administration since their 1945 Invasion by the
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Soviet Union at the end of World War II + Japan claims the four southernmost islands + A
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set of four islands situated between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean near the north
of Japan's northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido are under dispute as both Moscow and
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Tokyo claim sovereignty over them. But they have been under Russian control since the
end of World War II
Ø Zoji La Pass = Kargil district, Ladakh + It is the strategic link connecting Ladakh to
Srinagar and the rest of India + To provide all-weather connectivity to Ladakh, the Zojila
Tunnel is being constructed + Once completed, at 14.15 km, it will be India’s longest road
tunnel, and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel
Ø Ketti Valley = One of the largest valleys in the world, the 7,000-ft-deep Ketti Valley
extends from the plains of Coimbatore to the Mysore Plateau + Also known as Switzerland
of Nilgiris, the Ketti Valley is the largest valley in the Nilgiris + From Kattery dam, it flows
through the Kattery falls and eventually drains into Bhavani River downstream + Ketti

stream, which flows through the Ketti valley, is getting choked with plastic waste and glass
bottles being thrown into it.
Ø Karewas = Famous in Kashmir Valley region + Karewas are thick lacustrine deposits
(deposits in lake) of glacial clay and other materials embedded with moraines + During the
Pleistocene Period (2.6 million years to 11,700 years ago), due to the rise of Pir Panjal,
drainage was impounded and a lake (about 5000 sq. km) area was developed, forming a
basin in the Kashmir Valley. Subsequently, the lake was drained through Bramulla gorge,
leaving behind karewa deposits.
Ø Attappady Hills = Several prehistoric artifacts and archaeological remains have been
found on the banks of three rivers flowing through the Attappady hills in Kerala and Tamil
Nadu + The archaeological discoveries were made from different places along the banks
of the rivers Bhavani, Siruvani, and Kodumkara Pallam or Anaikatti recently + Prehistoric
humans discovered many stone tools, inhabited caves, menhirs, cisterns or burial chambers,
stone circles, burial urns, black and red pottery, terracotta images, stone carvings, and
granite inscriptions in the tribal area of Attappadi.
Ø Parasnath Hills = It is located towards the eastern end of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the
Giridih district of Jharkhand + The hill is named after Lord Parshvanatha, the 23rd
Tirthankara + At 1365 m Parasnath is the highest mountain peak in the state of Jharkhand.
Ø Aravalli Range = The Aravalli Range, an eroded stub of ancient mountains, is believed to
be the oldest range of fold mountains in India + The Aravalli Range is arguably the oldest
geological feature on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era + Approx 670 km
mountain range in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern
Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Gujarat + The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount
Abu at 1,722 metres + Rivers: Banas, Luni, Sakhi and Sabarmati + The Aravalli Range is
rich in natural resources (including minerals) and serves as check to the growth of the
western desert + The Aravalli Mountains consist of the Aravalli and Delhi fold belts, and
are collectively known as the Aravalli-Delhi orogenic belt + Aravalli Craton (Marwar-
Mewar Craton or Western Indian Craton): Covers Rajasthan as well as western and
southern Haryana + Malani Igneous Suite is the largest in India and third largest igneous
suit in the world
Ø Gulf of Mannar = It is a large shallow bay forming part of the Laccadive Sea in the Indian
Ocean. It lies between the southeastern tip of India and the west coast of Sri Lanka, in the
Coromandel Coast region + The chain of low islands and reefs known as Adam's Bridge
(aka Rama Sethu), which includes Mannar Island, separates the Gulf of Mannar from Palk
Bay, which lies to the north between India and Sri Lanka + The estuaries of Thamirabarani
River and Vaippar River of South India drain into the Gulf + The dugong (sea cow) is
found here + (Adam's Bridge / Rama's Bridge / Rama Setu = It is a chain of natural
limestone shoals, between Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, off the
south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu. It separates the Gulf of Mannar (southwest) from the
Palk Strait (northeast))
Ø Pensilungpa Glacier = located in Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley + It is retreating due to
increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters, a recent study has
found + Since 2015, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) at Dehradun, an
autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology, has been working on
various aspects on glaciology – glacier health (mass balance) monitoring, dynamics,
discharge, past climatic conditions, speculation for future climate change and its impact on
glaciers in this region.
Ø Chilika Lake = Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda, and
Ganjam districts of Odisha, at the Mouth of the Daya River + It is the biggest lake in India
after Vembanad Lake + This lake is the largest coastal lagoon in India and the largest

brackish water lagoon in the world after The New Caledonian barrier reef + It is the largest
saltwater lake in India + In 1981, Chilika Lake was designated the 1st Indian wetland of
international importance under the Ramsar Convention + In 2002, Chilika was taken out
of the Montreux Record, in light of the improved conditions of the lake + Nalbana Island /
Bird Sanctuary is the core area of the Ramsar designated wetlands of Chilika Lake + The
Irrawaddy dolphin is the flagship species of Chilika lake + The rare and threatened animal
species identified are green sea turtle (EN), dugong (VU), Irrawaddy dolphin (EN), Spoon-
billed sandpiper (CR), Chilika limbless skink (CR), and fishing cat (VU)
Ø Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar Lake = Himayat Sagar is an artificial lake near
Hyderabad City in Telangana. It lies parallel to a larger artificial lake Osman Sagar + The
Himayat Sagar dam and Osman Sagar reservoirs provided continuous water supply to the
twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad until recently + Osman Sagar was created by
damming the Musi River in 1920 + Both lakes was constructed during the reign of the last
Nizam of Hyderabad State, Osman Ali Khan.
RIVERS IN NEWS
Ø Saryu River = Originates at a ridge south of Nanda Kot mountain in Bageshwar district in
Uttarakhand and discharges into the Sharda River at Pancheshwar at the India-Nepal border
+ Sharda river (also known as Kali river) then flows into Ghaghara river in Sitapur District,
Uttar Pradesh + Lower Ghaghara is also popularly known as Sarayu in India. Especially
while it flows through the city of Ayodhya.
Ø Lidder River = It is a river situated in the Kashmir Valley of J&K + It originates from the
Kolahoi Glacier and feeds the Jhelum River.
Ø Chenab River = It is formed by the union of 2 headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise
in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India +
Chenab flows through the Jammu region of J&K into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before
ultimately flowing into the Indus River + The waters of the Chenab were allocated to
Pakistan under the terms of the Indus Waters Treaty. India is allowed non-consumptive
uses such as power generation + Dams on Chenab River: Baglihar Hydroelectric power
project, Salal Dam, Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant and Ratle Hydroelectric Plant.
PROJECTS IN NEWS
Ø Siruvani Dam = It is located in Palakkad District, Kerala + Built across the Siruvani river,
a tributary of Bhavani River which forms part of the Cauvery basin + It was constructed in
1984 for supplying drinking water to the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu + The

catchment is in the reserve forests of both Kerala and Tamil nadu. Muthikulam hill is
situated on the eastern side of the dam.
Ø Mekedatu Dam Project = Mekedatu is a deep gorge situated at the confluence of the rivers
Cauvery and Arkavathi river, about 100 km from Bengaluru, Karnataka + Mekedatu,
meaning goat’s leap, is a deep gorge situated at the confluence of the rivers Cauvery and
its tributary Arkavathi + In 2013, then Karnataka announced the construction of a multi-
purpose balancing reservoir project for drinking water needs and electricity generation +
The project aims to store and supply water for drinking purposes for the Bengaluru city
and generate power + Tamil Nadu objected against the project saying that the project would
affect the flow of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu and also said that the project was in
violation of the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal.
Ø Manchanabele Dam = built across the Arkavathi river in Karnataka + The Arkavati river
originates from Nandi Hills of Chikkaballapura district. It is a tributary of the Kaveri
Ø Ken Betwa Link Project = This project involves transfer of water from the Ken river to
the Betwa River + It aims to address the perennial water scarcity in the parched regions of
Bundelkhand region, spread across the states of MP and UP + Concerns: Daudhandam, to
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be built on the Ken River will involve a submergence of about 7.6% of the total Panna
Tiger Reserve area.
Ø Pancheshwar Project = between India and Nepal + multi-purpose hydro-electric project
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+ It will submerge areas of Uttarakhand and Nepal + The project is to come up near the
Pancheshwar temple, 2.5 km downstream of the confluence of the Mahakali and Sarju
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rivers + The project will have two dams for India and Nepal working in tandem.
Ø Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) = It aims to harvest surplus water available
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during rainy season in rivers in Southern Rajasthan such as Chambal and its tributaries,
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including Kunnu, Parvati, Kalisindh, and use this water in 13 south-eastern districts that
face scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation purposes + ERCP is planned to meet
drinking and industrial water needs of the southern and south eastern Rajasthan, for humans
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and Livestock till the year 2051 + Recently, Rajasthan demanded National project status
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foe ERCP + The main advantage of a project which has received national project status is
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that 90% of the funding for the project will be given by the central government.
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PARKS AND SANCTUARIES IN NEWS

Ø Kawal Tiger Reserve = Telangana + This sanctuary is catchment for the rivers Godavari
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and Kadam + The sanctuary is one of the richest teak forests in the state, with dense pristine
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areas free of human disturbance.

Ø Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) = Located in the southern region of the Western Ghats in
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Tamil Nadu and Kerala + It was declared as a Sanctuary in 1950 and declared as Tiger
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Reserve in 1978 + River Periyar has its origin inside the reserve + Mullaperiyar Dam is
located within the PTR + The vegetation comprises of Tropical evergreen forests, semi-
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evergreen forests, Moist deciduous Forests, Transitional fringe ever green forests, grass
lands and eucalyptus plantations + In addition to Tiger, Periyar is an important elephant
habitat + Tribes - Paliyans, Mannans, Malayarayans, Mala Pandarams, Uralis and
Ulladans.
Ø Sariska Tiger Reserve = Rajasthan + It is famous for the Royal Bengal Tiger. Other
important fauna includes Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Hyena etc + It is a wildlife
sanctuary and a tiger reserve + It is also famous for Kankarwadi fort, Neelkanth temple
and Pandupol hanuman temple.
Ø Buxa Tiger Reserve = Buxa Tiger Reserve lies in Alipurduar district of West Bengal +
The northern boundary of Buxa Tiger Reserve runs along the international border with
Bhutan + The Sinchula hill range lies all along the northern side of Buxa National Park and

the Eastern boundary touches that of the Assam State. National Highway No.31 C roughly
runs along its southern boundary + It was created in 1983 as the 15th tiger reserve of India
+ The main rivers flowing across the Tiger Reserve are Sankosh, Raidak, Jayanti, Churnia,
Turturi, Phashkhawa, Dima and Nonani +The fragile “Terai Ecosystem” constitutes a part
of this reserve. The forests of the reserve can be broadly classified as the ‘Moist Tropical
Forest’ + Fauna: Some important species found in the reserve are Indian Tiger (Panthera
tigris tigris), Leopard (Panthera pardus), Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Hog
badger (Arctonyx collaris), Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) etc + Other Protected Areas in West
Bengal: Gorumara National Park, Sundarbans National Park, Neora Valley National Park,
Singalila National Park, Jaldapara National Park.
Ø Jayamangali Conservation Reserve = This area is a part of the plains of Deccan plateau
and borders Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh + It is a patch of grassland with
Eucalyptus and Acacia auriculiformis + It has the largest contiguous population of
blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) in Karnataka, apart from Ranibennur Blackbuck
Sanctuary.
Ø Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary = Located in Tamil Nadu + There are about 28,000 land
and water birds visiting this prestigious wetland sanctuary. It is home to migratory birds
such as pintail, garganey, grey wagtail, blue-winged teal, common sandpiper and the like.
It is the oldest water bird sanctuary in the country + Vedanthangal in Tamil language means
‘hamlet of the hunter’ + The sanctuary was notified as RF (Reserve Forest) in 1963 under
the Madras Act 1882. Finally in 1998, the sanctuary was notified under section 26(i) of the
Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
Ø Mouling National Park = Arunachal Pradesh + It is located in the right bank of river Siang
+ This park has been recognized as one of the 18 biodiversity hotspots + Dabung Waterfall
and Nirbung Waterfall are two of the many attractive waterfalls inside the sanctuary +
Many endangered species like takins, snowclouded leopard, golden languor, hornbill,
monal scalater, serrow are spotted here.
Ø Manas National Park = Assam + It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tiger Reserve,
Elephant Reserve, Biosphere Reserve, National Park and also a Wildlife Sanctuary +
Located in the Himalayan foothills, it is contiguous with the Royal Manas National Park
in Bhutan + It spans the Manas River and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan
+ Manas river is a major tributary of Brahmaputra River, which passes through the national
park.
Ø Ranebennur Wildlife Sanctuary = Karnataka + Declared as a sanctuary mainly to protect
blackbucks. It comprises two unconnected portions, an eastern and a western bit. The area
is covered mainly by scrub forest and Eucalyptus plantations. Agricultural fields surround
the sanctuary + The sanctuary is also inhabited by the highly endangered great Indian
bustard and the wolf. However, the great Indian bustard has not been sighted in the
sanctuary since around 2002 and may be locally extinct.
Ø Desert National Park (DNP) = It is situated near Jaisalmer and Barmer district of
Rajasthan + Sand dunes comprise about 20% of the park + It is an excellent example of the
ecosystem of the Thar Desert + The region is a haven for migratory and resident birds of
the desert. Many eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards, kestrel and vultures are spotted here +
Sand grouse are spotted near small ponds or lakes + The Great Indian bustard (IUCN CR)
is a magnificent bird found in relatively fair numbers.
Ø Barbara Forest = Located near Chilika Lake in Odisha + Dubbed as Asia’s largest teak
and sal forest, the Barbara forest in Odisha is perhaps the only forest in India guarded by
the jawans of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) + Giant squirrels are found in great
numbers in the thick forests of Barbara, making it a major contender to become a sanctuary
for giant squirrels.

Ø New Ramsar Sites = Recently, two new Ramsar sites added to India’s list + Now, there
are total 49 Ramsar sites + New sites added are:
• Khijadia Wildlife Sanctuary: freshwater wetland + Located near the coast of the
Gulf of Kutch (Gujarat) + It provides habitat for endangered Pallas’s fish-eagle,
vulnerable common pochard, Dalmatian pelican, greylag goose, and common
crane.
• Bakhira Wildlife Sanctuary: a freshwater marsh + Located in the Sant Kabir
Nagar district (UP) + It is an “eco-sensitive zone”, protected under the Wildlife
Protection Act (1972) + It provides habitat for endangered Egyptian vulture,
vulnerable greater spotted eagle, common pochard, wamp francolin, woolly-necked
stork.
Ø Gandhi Green Triangle = A “Green Triangle” named after Mahatma Gandhi was jointly
inaugurated in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo + This naming was done as part of the
‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ to commemorate India’s 75th year of independence + This
“Gandhi Green Triangle” would create the maximum green space in the capital city of
Madagascar, Antananarivo.
Ø Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary = Karnataka + Lies on the bank of River Cauvery.
TRIBES AND ETHNIC GROUPS IN NEWS

Ø Gorias = They are a category of Assamese Muslims + Goriyas can trace their lineage back
to the time of the 13th-century Ahom kings. Many came with Muslim armies and were
captured in warfare + Language- Assamese
Ø Kuki Tribe = Kuki people are an ethnic group native to the Mizo Hills (formerly Lushai)
in Mizoram + In northeast India, they are present in all states except Arunachal Pradesh +
Kuki Rising, 1917-1919’ — also seen as the anti-colonial freedom struggle of the Kukis
— was fought against the British to preserve their land. During WWII, the Kukis joined
the Indian Army to fight the British again.
Ø Vanniyars = Recently, SC refuses to refer to larger bench appeals against HC order
quashing 10.5 per cent Vanniyar quota, a Most Backward Community (MBC) in Tamil
Nadu, in government jobs and admission to educational institutions + Vanniyars are one
of the largest and most consolidated backward communities in Tamil Nadu + They had
raised massive protests in the mid-1980s demanding 20% reservation in the state, and 2%
in central services. Their movement was backed by the Justice Party as well as the Self-
Respect Movement
Ø Narikorava/Kurivikkar communities = The Narikuravas (jackal catchers) and
Kuruvikaras (bird eaters) are nomadic tribal communities from Trichy and
Villupuram(Tamil Nadu) that pride themselves on the traditional occupations of hunter-
gathering and making and selling bead necklaces. Not included in SC/ST yet.
ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA
Ø Ken Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) = Centre has constituted a KBLPA and a
national steering committee for interlinking the two rivers + KBLPA has been constituted
as a vertical of National Water Development Agency + It will comprise of secretaries from
ministries of environment, power and tribal affairs + All central funds for the project will
be routed through KBLPA + Steering committee will be chaired by Jal Shakti Ministry
secretary.
Ø National Water Development Agency(NWDA) = NWDA is the agency of the Union
Ministry of Water Resources + It was set up in July, 1982 as autonomous society under the
Societies Registration Act, 1860 + It was established to carry out the water balance and
other studies on a scientific and realistic basis for optimum utilisation of Water Resources

of the Peninsular rivers system + Functions of NWDA have been further modified and the
work of preparation of detailed Project Reports (DPR) of various link proposals and Pre-
feasibility Reports. It has been also entrusted to prepare feasibility reports of intra-State
links as proposed by the States + Recently, the Centre has set in motion the process of
creating the exclusive body, National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA). It will
replace the existing National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and will function as
an umbrella body for all river linking projects.
Ø Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) = It was founded in 1916 (Kolkata) by the Government
of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as the premier
Indian organisation in zoological research and studies to promote the survey, exploration,
and research of the fauna in the country + The history of ZSI begins from the days of the
Asiatic Society of Bengal founded by Sir William Jones in 1784 + Founder Director:
Thomas Nelson Annandale + Indian Gaur is the mascot of ZSI
Ø Groundwater Extraction in India = India uses the most groundwater in the world,
accounting for approximately 25% of the global groundwater extraction + Ground water
extraction in India is primarily for irrigation in agricultural activities, accounting for 90%
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of the annual ground water extraction + Industrial use accounts for about 5% of the annual
ground water extraction and the remaining 5% of extraction is for drinking & domestic
purposes.
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National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (2015) = National Adaptation Fund for
Climate Change (NAFCC) is a Central Sector Scheme which was set up in the year 2015-
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16 + NAFCC is implemented in project mode and till date, 30 projects are sanctioned in
27 States and UTs + National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is
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the National Implementing Entity (NIE) for NAFCC + The projects related to adaptation
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in sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, water, forestry, tourism etc. are eligible
for funding under NAFCC.
Ø National River Conservation Plan(NRCP) = The National River Conservation
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Directorate (NRCD) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is

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implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of National River Conservation Plan

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(NRCP) and National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems’(NPCA) for

conservation of rivers, lakes and wetlands in the country + NRCD is only providing
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financial assistance under the National River Conservation Plan to the State Governments/
local bodies to set up infrastructure for pollution abatement of rivers in identified polluted
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river stretches based on proposals received from the State Governments/ local bodies +
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The pollution abatement works taken up under the NRCP include: Interception and
diversion works/ laying of sewerage systems; Setting up of Sewage Treatment Plants
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(STPs); Construction of Low Cost Sanitation Toilets; Construction of Electric Crematoria

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and Improved Wood Crematoria; River Front Development works, such as improvement
of bathing ghats. Etc + Please Note: Ministry of Environment is presently implementing
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the works for pollution abatement of rivers, other than Ganga and its tributaries + Since
2014, all works relating to Ganga and its tributaries have been transferred to the
Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of
Jal Shakti. Presently NRCP (excluding Ganga and its tributaries) has covered polluted
stretches of 33 rivers.
Ø Hornbill Nest Adoption Program (HNAP) = HNAP is a community-based conservation
initiative, through which local tribal villagers protect nest trees of hornbills in forests
around villages on the fringe of the Pakke Tiger Reserve, Arunachal Pradesh + It is led by
hunter-turned-protectors from the Nyishi tribe + It was launched in 2011 + Recently, the
Hornbill Nest Adoption Program of Arunachal Pradesh celebrated a decade of successful
conservation.

Ø Lakshya Zero Dumpsite = It is one of the aims under Swachh Bharat Mission - Urban 2.0
+ It seeks to remediate approx. 16 crores metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste has covered
around 15000 acres of prime land across the nation + It will help in furthering the vision
of resource recovery and principles of the circular economy
Ø National Wetland Inventory And Assessment-2006-07 And 2017-18 = also known as
National wetland decadal change Atlas + It is prepared by the Space Applications Centre
(SAC) of ISRO, highlighting the changes which have happened in Wetlands across the
country in the past decade + The original Atlas was released by SAC in 2011 and has over
the years been used extensively by all the State Governments also in their planning
processes.
Ø “Species richness” Survey = Every year, the Wildlife Department of Forests and Wildlife
Preservation, Punjab, conducts waterbirds census exercise in six major and most biodiverse
wetlands, which include the Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary, the Ropar Conservation Reserve,
the Harike Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kanjli Wetland, the Keshopur-Miani Community
Reserve and the Ranjit Sagar Conservation Reserve + However, the census could not be
done this year on account of dense fog conditions. Instead a “species richness” survey was
conducted by the Department of Forests and Wildlife Preservation with the support from
the WWF-India + The species of high conservation significance recorded during the survey
include: Bonelli’s Eagle, Greater Spotted Eagle, Northern Lapwing, Peregrine Falcon,
Steppe Eagle, Western Black-tailed Godwit, Black-headed Ibis, Sarus Crane, Painted
Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Common Pochard, Common Crane, Ferruginous Pochard,
Pallid Harrier, River Tern, Indian Spotted Eagle, River Lapwing, Oriental Darter, and
Eurasian Curlew.
Ø World Air Quality Report 2021 = Released by IQAir, a Swiss group that measures air
quality levels based on the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 + Bangladesh was
the most polluted country in the world in 2021. Earlier, in 2018, 2019 and 2020 also
Bangladesh was found to be the most polluted country in the world + All over the world,
93 cities reported PM 2.5 levels at 10 times the recommended level + Among the cities,
Dhaka was the second most polluted city in the world after Delhi
Ø State Energy and Climate Index 2022 = Published by NITI Aayog + It is the first index
that aims to track the efforts made by states and UTs in the climate and energy sector +
The State Energy and Climate Index (SECI) ranks states and UTs on six parameters:
Discoms' (Power distribution companies) Performance, Access Affordability And
Reliability Of Energy, Clean Energy Initiatives, Energy Efficiency, Environmental
Sustainability, New Initiatives + Based on the outcome of SECI scores, states and union
territories have been categorised into three groups -- front runners, achievers, and aspirants
+ (Top performer: Gujarat(large states) + Goa(small states) + Chandigarh(UT))
Ø Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) = Indian National Center for Ocean Information
Services (IN-COIS), under MoES, has prepared and published an atlas of Coastal
Vulnerability Index (CVI) maps for the entire coastline of India + In terms of percentage,
West Bengal, located on the eastern coast of the country, suffered Maximum erosion along
the coast over the period from 1990 to 2018. This is followed by Kerala on the west coast
+ Please Note: National Center for Coastal Research (NCCR), Chennai, an attached office
of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), is monitoring shoreline erosion since 1990 using
remote sensing data and GIS mapping technique.
ENVIRONMENT IN WORLD
Ø UN Environment Programme(UNEP) = established in 1972 as an outcome from the
United Nations Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm Conference, 1972) +
Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya + It works under the umbrella of the UN 2030 Agenda for

Sustainable Development + It sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent
implementation and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment + UNEP
depends on voluntary contributions for 95% of its income + It administers, or provides
secretariat functions for many multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and other
entities: CITES (1973), Bonn Convention (1973), Vienna Convention (1985), Basel
Convention (1989), CBD (1992), Rotterdam Convention (1998), Stockholm Convention
(2001) and Minamata Convention (2013) + Reports: Global Environment Outlook (GEO)
Report, Adaptation Gap Report, Triple Emergency and Cooling Emissions And Policy
Synthesis Report, Frontiers, Invest into Healthy Planet etc.
Ø United Nations Environment Assembly(UNEA) = United Nations Environment
Assembly (UNEA) is hosted by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) every
two years + Created in 2012 to replace the Governing Council, the UNEA is the governing
body of the UNEP + It brings together representatives of the 193 Member States of the
UN, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders to agree on policies to address the
world’s most pressing environmental challenges + All the members of the United Nations
General Assembly (UNGA) are members of the UNEA + Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya
+ It releases the Global Environment Outlook report (GEO)
Ø UN Environment Assembly(UNEA) = 2012 + It is the world’s highest-level decision
making body on the environment + It is the governing body of UNEP + It meets biennially
to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental
law + Recently, the 5th UN Environment Assembly concluded with 14 resolutions to
strengthen actions for nature to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The overall
theme for UNEA-5 was “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals”, which was hosted by the UN Environment Programme + The
Assembly will be followed by "UNEP@50", a two-day Special Session of the Assembly
marking UNEP's 50 anniversary where member states are expected to address how to build
a resilient and inclusive post-pandemic world, as well as to endorse a draft Political
Declaration.
Ø Fire Ready Formula = United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its report on
wildfire called on global governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula’ + The “Fire
Ready Formula” was recommended by the UNEP as it warned that the incidences of
wildfires would rise in the future. This formula envisages that 66% (two-third) of spending
must be devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness and recovery. The remaining 34%
(one-third) can be spent on response.
Ø End Plastic Pollution Resolution = Representatives from 175 nations endorsed the
resolution at UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in Nairobi to End Plastic Pollution
and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024 + Resolution is based on
three initial draft resolutions of Peru, Rwanda and Japan. It addresses the full lifecycle of
plastic, including its production, design and disposal + It establishes an Intergovernmental
Negotiating Committee, which will begin its work in 2022, with the ambition of completing
a draft global legally binding agreement by the end of 2024.
Ø One Ocean Summit = One Ocean Summit was recently organised by France in Brest,
France in cooperation with the United Nations and the World Bank + India also participated
in the event + The goal of the One Ocean Summit is to raise the collective level of ambition
of the international community on marine issues + Please Note: United Nations has
designated the decade between 2021 and 2030 as the ‘Decade of Ocean Science for
Sustainable Development’, in a bid to restore declining marine life and raise awareness +
Also, At One Ocean Summit (OOS), UNESCO has announced that at least 80% of the
seabed will be mapped by 2030, compared to 20% currently.

Ø Pacific Islands Forum = Pacific Islands Forum, formerly (1971–2000) South Pacific
Forum, organization established in 1971 to provide a setting for heads of government to
discuss common issues and problems facing the independent and self-governing states of
the South Pacific + It comprises 18 members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga,
Tuvalu, and Vanuatu + In 2000 Forum leaders adopted the Biketawa Declaration, which
was a response to regional political instability and which put forward a set of principles
and actions for members to take to promote open, democratic, and clean government, as
well as equal rights for citizens regardless of gender, race, colour, creed, or political belief.
Ø C40 Cities Network = Found in 2005, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is an
association of 97 cities from around the world C40 + It is a global network of mayors aimed
at fighting climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, thus mitigating climate
risks + The group represents one-twelfth of the world population and a quarter of the global
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) + The goal of the C40’s initiative is to reduce the emissions
of its member cities to half within a decade + Membership to the group comes from
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performance-based requirements, not membership fees + C40’s Leadership Standards set
the minimum requirements for all member cities and ensure the integrity of C40 as a
network of climate leaders + Five Indian cities are currently a part of the C40 network.
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These are Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai.
Ø Global Peatlands Initiative = It was launched at United Nations Climate Change
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Conference in Marrakech (2016) as an international partnership to save peatlands as the
world’s largest terrestrial organic carbon stock + The mission of the Initiative is to protect
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and conserve peatlands as the world's largest terrestrial organic carbon stock and to prevent
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it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

Ø Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) / Washington Convention = It's A multilateral treaty to protect endangered
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plants and animals + It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting
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of members of the IUCN. CITES entered into force in 1975 + Location: Geneva,
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Switzerland + The Conference of the Parties (CoP) is held once every 3 years + The last
CoP 18 was held in Geneva, Switzerland in 2019 + CITES Appendices:
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• Appendix I: Species that are threatened with extinction and are or may be affected by
trade. Commercial trade in wild-caught specimens of these species is illegal (permitted
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only in exceptional licensed circumstances)

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• Appendix II: Species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may
become so unless trade in specimens of such species is subject to strict regulation in
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order to avoid utilization incompatible with the survival of the species in the wild
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• Appendix III: Species that are listed after one member country has asked other CITES
Parties for assistance in controlling trade in a species. The species are not necessarily
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threatened with extinction globally

Ø Adaptation Fund (AF) = It was established in 2001 + AF was established to finance
concrete adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change + It is
financed with a share of proceeds from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project
activities and other sources of funding. The share of proceeds amounts to 2% Â of certified
emission reductions (CERs) issued for a CDM project activity + The Adaptation Fund is
supervised and managed by the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB). The AFB is composed of
16 members and 16 alternates and meets at least twice a year
Ø Seabed 2030 Project = In 2017, UNESCO joined with Nippon Foundation, Japan’s private
foundation to launch Seabed 2030 Project + The Project aims to bring together all available

bathymetric data to produce the definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030 and make
it available to all + It is carried out in collaboration with General Bathymetric Chart of the
Oceans, the only intergovernmental organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean
floor + Seafloor mapping, also called seabed imaging, is the measurement of water depth
of a given body of water. Bathymetric survey measures the depth and map the underwater
features of water body.
Ø Global Water System Project = Global Water System Project (GWSP) was launched in
2003 as a core project of Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) + ESSP was formed in
2001 by joining the four Global Environmental Change Programmes (DIVERSITAS,
IGBP, IHDP, and WCRP) + GWSP aims to understand the complex global water systems
with its interactions between natural and human components and their feedback + Water
Future has evolved from GWSP, based on the recommendations outlined in the Bonn
Water Declaration + Bonn Declaration on Global Water Security addressed the institutions
and individuals focused on science, governance, management and decision-making
relevant to water resources. The declaration called for joint global action to develop a broad
community consensus for a multi-perspective and multi-scale knowledge-to-action water
agenda based on these recommendations.
Ø Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas = Maintained by IUCN + It is a
programme of certification for protected and conserved areas – national parks, natural
World Heritage sites, community conserved areas, nature reserves etc. that are effectively
managed and fairly govern + It is the first global standard of best practice for area-based
conservation + It aims to increase the number of natural areas delivering long-lasting
conservation results for people and nature + Presently, 59 sites in 16 countries have made
it to the list + No Indian site is currently part of this list + IUCN Green List Standard is
organized into 4 components: Good Governance; Sound Design & Planning; and Effective
Management.
Ø Green Status of Species = IUCN officially launched its “green status” — the first global
standard for assessing species recovery + It aims to complement the IUCN Red List by
providing a tool for assessing the recovery of species’ populations and measuring their
conservation success + It is based upon green score ranging from 0-100%, which shows
how far a species is from its "fully recovered" state + A value of 0% means the species is
Extinct or Extinct in the Wild, and 100% means it is Fully Recovered + The significance
of the Green Status is its potential to tell the story of a species by calculating Green Scores
at different time intervals.
Ø Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM) Site Tag = Tag is issued
by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) + OECM tag is conferred upon
areas of rich biodiversity, outside of protected areas like national parks and sanctuaries, for
effective in-situ conservation + Recently, Aravali Biodiversity Park in Gurugram was
declared as India’s first OECM site. The Biodiversity Park in Aravali range was once a
mining site, left wasted and scarred after mindless quarrying. It was later rehabilitated with
govt, people, corporates support.
Ø Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) = The GBBC is a global event entailing backyard
bird count and is being held for four days across the world from February 18 to 21 and the
data uploaded will be harnessed for conservation + It is an online citizen science or
community science project that was first launched in 1998 by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
and National Audubon Society + It is being coordinated in India by e-bird India and
Birdcount-India + The exercise helps to provide a “snapshot” of the bird population and
throws light on the ecosystem supporting it.
Ø Star Rating System for SEIAA = Recently, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC),

introduced a star-rating system to assess the performance of each State Environment

Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) based on the time taken to process the
environmental clearance applications + The move has aimed at encouraging the efficiency,
transparency and accountability in the functioning of SEIAAs without diluting any
regulatory safeguards + The ranking system is based on the provisions of EIA
(Environment Impact Assessment) Notification 2006 and various guidelines issued by
ministry without diluting any regulatory safeguards + There is no negative marking
proposed for not meeting the criteria for ranking.
Ø Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) Part II = The second part of the IPCC’s Sixth
Assessment Report was released recently + This second part of the report is about climate
change impacts, risks and vulnerabilities, and adaptation options + Sixth Assessment
Report (AR6) of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
is the sixth in a series of reports intended to assess scientific, technical, and socio-economic
information concerning climate change. This report evaluates the physical science of
climate change – looking at the past, present, and future climate. It reveals how human-
caused emissions are altering our planet and what that means for our collective future +
The Assessment Reports, the first of which had come out in 1990, are the most
comprehensive evaluations of the state of the earth’s climate. So far five reports have been
released (1990, 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2015) + The latest report has, for the first time, made
an assessment of regional and sectoral impacts of climate change. It has included risks to,
and vulnerabilities of, mega-cities around the world. For example, it has said Mumbai is at
high risk of sea-level rise and flooding, while Ahmedabad faces serious danger of heat-
waves + For the first time, the IPCC report has looked at the health impacts of climate
change.
Ø Earth Day = It is now globally coordinated by EARTHDAY.ORG, which is a non profit
organisation. It was formerly known as Earth Day Network + Earth Day is an annual event
on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection + It was first held on April
22, 1970 + The official theme for 2022 is “Invest In Our Planet”.
ENVIRONMENT - MISCELLANEOUS
Ø Marine Heatwaves = Marine heat waves (MHW) are the heatwaves that form on oceans.
These are periods of extremely high temperatures over-seas and oceans. Such heat waves
are caused by an increase in the heat content of oceans, especially in the upper layers +
During an MHW, the average temperatures of the ocean surface (up to a depth of 300 feet)
go 5-7 degrees Celsius above normal + Findings: The Western Indian Ocean region
experienced the largest increase in marine heatwaves at a rate of about 1.5 events per
decade, followed by the north Bay of Bengal at a rate of 0.5 events per decade + Marine
heatwaves in the Western Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal has increased drying
conditions over the central Indian subcontinent. Correspondingly, there is a significant
increase in the rainfall over south peninsular India in response to the heatwaves in the north
Bay of Bengal + MHW phenomenon is impacting the Indian monsoon, mainly the
southwest monsoon.
Ø Urban Heat Island Effect = ‘Urban heat islands’ occur when cities replace natural land
cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and
retain heat + This effect increases energy costs (e.g., for air conditioning), air pollution
levels, and heat-related illness and mortality + Climate changes will likely lead to more
frequent, more severe, and longer heat waves during summer months + Rapid urbanisation
combined with changes in land use pattern leads warming of urban spaces compared with
surrounding non-urban areas this is called the urban heat island effect + Urban migration,

concrete jungles, decrease in dense vegetation and cultivable land area, encroachments in
water bodies will influence urban heat islands.
Ø Wetlands = Wetlands can be termed as unsung heroes of our planet + Wetlands store more
carbon than any other ecosystem, with peatlands alone storing twice as much as all the
world’s forests + Wetlands are home to over 100,000 freshwater species of amphibians,
reptiles and migratory birds + This year, for the first time since it was established by the
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in 1972, World Wetlands Day (February 2) is being
observed as a United Nations international day.
Ø Blue Blob = Blue Blob is an unusually cold patch located south of Iceland and Greenland
in the North Atlantic Ocean + A recent study theorises that the Blue Blob could slow glacial
melting until 2050 by temporarily stalling the melting of Arctic sea ice + The cold patch
was most prominent during the winter of 2014-2015 when the sea surface temperature was
about 1.4 degrees Celsius colder than normal + Before the Blue Blob (2011), a long-term
cooling trend called the Atlantic Warming Hole occurred in Iceland. This Warming Hole
reduced the sea surface temperatures by 0.4 to 0.8 degrees Celsius during the last century
and may continue to cool the region in the future. A possible explanation for the Warming
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Hole is that the climate change has slowed the Atlantic Meridional Overturning
Circulation.
Ø Permanent Permafrost = Areas with ground temperatures that remain below zero degrees
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Celsius for more than two years are called permafrost + These are found in mountains as
well as high latitude Tundra and Taiga regions + Peatlands are a class of wetlands. Term
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'peatland' refers to the peat soil and the wetland habitats growing on the surface + Some
peatlands are buried under frozen ground or permafrost and exist as permafrost peatlands.
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They are found in the northern parts of Alaska, Canada, Russia and parts of northern
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Europe + Peatlands occupy only 3 per cent of the global land surface but store twice as
much carbon as all the world’s forests.
Ø Greenhouse Horticulture = Greenhouse Horticulture is also known as protected cropping.
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It is the production of horticultural crops within, under or sheltered by structures for

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providing modified growing conditions and/or protection from adverse weather, pests, and
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diseases + (India is the 2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world after China
+ Horticultural crops constitute about 28% of the Agricultural GDP)
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Ø Carbofuran = It is a pesticide that is widely used to control insects and nematodes on a

variety of agricultural crops + Its extensive use for agricultural and non- agricultural
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purposes has been directly responsible for the environmental contamination and human
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health issues.
Ø Climate Emergency = A climate emergency declaration is an action taken by governments
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and scientists to acknowledge humanity is in a climate emergency + In 2019, the Welsh

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Government declared a climate emergency, which was subsequently passed by its

parliament. It became the first in the world to officially declare a climate emergency.
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International Relations
ORGANISATIONS, GROUPS IN NEWS

Ø Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation
(BIMSTEC) = BIMSTEC is an inter-regional grouping that seeks to foster regional and
economic cooperation among its 7 member nations in the littoral and adjacent areas of the
Bay of Bengal — India, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan +
The Bay of Bengal (BoB) region is home to 1.68 billion people, accounting for almost 22
percent of the world population, with a combined GDP of US$ 3.7 trillion + Objectives of
BIMSTEC: enabling environment for rapid economic development, active collaboration
and mutual assistance, provide assistance to each other in the educational, professional and
technical spheres, maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and
regional organizations + Recently, 5th summit of the regional grouping, the Bay of
Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC),
held virtually in Colombo.
Ø SASEC Program = It brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar,
Nepal, and Sri Lanka for project-based partnership + The member countries share common
aspirations of economic growth, economic diversification, inclusive growth and
sustainability, and energy access and security + Aim: To promote regional prosperity,
improve economic opportunities, and build a better quality of life for the people of the sub-
region + SASEC Operational Priorities Sector: Transport, Trade Facilitation, Energy and
Economic Corridor Development + Asian Development Bank (HQ: Metro Manila,
Philippines) serves as SASEC secretariat + As of March 2022, SASEC member countries
have signed and implemented 72 ADB-financed investment projects worth over $17.28
billion in priority sectors.
Ø League of Arab States = League of Arab States (LAS) is a regional organization of Arab
states in the Middle East and North Africa + It was formed in Cairo on March 22, 1945,
following adoption of the Alexandria Protocol in 1944 + Administration Center: Cairo,
Egypt + Aim is to be a regional organization of Arab states with a focus on developing the
economy, resolving disputes and coordinating political aims + The founding member states
were Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Transjordan (now Jordan), Saudi Arabia, and Yemen +
Currently, the League has 22 members, but Syria's participation has been suspended since
November 2011 + Each member has one vote on the League Council, decisions being
binding only on those states that have voted for them.
Ø North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) / North Atlantic Alliance = It is an
intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states, of which 28 are in Europe
and the other 2 in North America + Established in the aftermath of World War II, the
organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in 1949 + NATO constitutes a
system of collective security + The NATO headquarters is located in Brussels, Belgium +
The most recent member state to be added to NATO was North Macedonia in 2020 + An
additional 20 countries participate in NATO's Partnership for Peace programme.
Ø Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) = US has designated Qatar a MNNA + MNNA is a
designation given by the United States government to close allies that have strategic
working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) + Nations with MNNA designation are eligible to, among
other things, host U.S. war reserve stockpiles of material inside their countries + While
MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any
commitments to the designated country + India is not a MNNA of US.
Ø Bucharest Nine(B 9) = B9 is a group of 9 NATO countries in Eastern Europe that became
part of the US-led military alliance after end of Cold War + It was founded in 2015, and
takes its name from Bucharest, the capital of Romania + All members of B9 are part of
European Union (EU) and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) + B9 members are

Romania, Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and three Baltic republics
of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
Ø Five Eyes Countries = The Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence alliance comprising
Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States + These
countries are parties to the multilateral UKUSA Agreement, a treaty for joint cooperation
in signals intelligence + The origins of the FVEY can be traced to informal secret meetings
during World War II between British and American code-breakers, which started before
the U.S. formally entered the war, followed by the Allies' 1941 Atlantic Charter that
established their vision of the post-war world.
Ø Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) = multilateral development bank with a
mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia and beyond + The Parties (57
founding members) to agreement comprise the Membership of the Bank. There are more
than 100 members now + HQ: Beijing + China is the largest shareholder with 26.61 %
voting shares in the bank followed by India (7.6%), Russia (6.01%) and Germany (4.2 %).
The regional members hold 75% of the total voting power in the Bank
Ø New Development Bank (NDB) = In 2014-2015 formed by BRICS under the Fortaleza
Declaration + formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank + is a multilateral
development bank established by the BRICS states (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South
Africa) + headquartered in Shanghai, China + bank’s primary focus of lending will be
infrastructure projects + Unlike the World Bank, which assigns votes based on capital
shares, here each participant country will be assigned one vote, and no country will have
veto power + Bank shall support public or private projects through loans, guarantees, equity
participation and other financial instrument + first regional office of the NDB will be
opened in Johannesburg, South Africa + Recently, Egypt is the fourth new member
admitted into NDB, after Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Uruguay,
further expanding the bank's global outreach.
Ø Asian Development Bank (ADB) = It is a regional development bank established in 1966
+ headquartered at Manila, Philippines + official United Nations Observer ‘Developing
Asia’ refers to a group of over 40 countries(number of countries may vary) that are
members of the ADB + India is a member.
Ø SWIFT = Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication + EU based +

secure electronic messaging service and common standards to facilitate cross border
payments + generally, a swift message has to go through a 3 layer security system: a maker,
a checker and a verifier + HQ @ Brussels, Belgium + group of 15 countries and 239 banks
+ SWIFT is merely a platform that sends messages and does not hold any securities or

money + SWIFT is overseen by the G- 10 central banks (Belgium, Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, and
Sweden), as well as the European Central Bank, with its lead overseer being the National
Bank of Belgium + Recently, few Russian banks have been disconnected from SWIFT
amidst Russia-Ukraine crisis + If a country is excluded from SWIFT, its foreign funding
would take a hit, making it entirely reliant on domestic investors. A SWIFT ban would
make exports and imports from and to Russia almost impossible, and Russia would have
to look for alternative means to transfer money.
Ø Inter Parliamentary Union(IPU) = Global organization of national parliaments + Began
in 1889 as a small group of parliamentarians, dedicated to promoting peace through
parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue + Slogan is “For democracy. For everyone.” + HQ:
Geneva, Switzerland + Financed primarily by Members out of public funds + India is a
member + Last year, Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Girish Chandra Murmu,
has been elected External Auditor of Inter Parliamentary Union, Geneva, for a three-year
term.
Ø Arctic Council = It was established by eight Arctic States through the Ottawa Declaration
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of 1996. These are— Canada, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands),
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and United States. (India has Observer Status.)
+ It is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and
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interaction among Arctic States, indigenous peoples on issues of sustainable development
and environmental protection in the Arctic + All decision-making happens through
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consensus between eight members, and in consultation with permanent participants + The
Council does not prohibit the commercial exploitation of resources in the Arctic + It not a
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treaty-based international legal entity like UN bodies or trade, military or regional

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groupings like WTO, NATO, or ASEAN + (Arctic = It is northernmost Polar region on

Earth, an icy ocean surrounded by land. (Antarctica is land surrounded by ocean.) + Primary
residents of Arctic include the Eskimos (Inuits), Saami and Russians)
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Ø International Committee of the Red Cross = Is a humanitarian organization based in

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Geneva, Switzerland, and a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. State parties (signatories) to
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the Geneva Convention of 1949 and its Additional Protocols of 1977 (Protocol I, Protocol
II) and 2005 have given the ICRC a mandate to protect victims of international and internal
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armed conflicts. Such victims include war wounded persons, prisoners, refugees, civilians,
and other non-combatants + The ICRC is part of the International Red Cross and Red
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Crescent Movement, along with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red
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Crescent Societies (IFRC) and 192 National Societies + It is the oldest and most honoured
organization within the movement and one of the most widely recognized organizations in
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the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes (in 1917, 1944, and 1963).
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UN RELATED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AGREEMENTS,

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Ø UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) = It is a United Nations body whose mission is to

promote and protect human rights around the world + The Council has 47 members elected
for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis + The headquarters of the Council
are in Geneva, Switzerland + The Council was established by the United Nations General
Assembly in 2006 to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights + The
Council works closely with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR) + It presents The Global Report.
Ø UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) = It is the food-assistance branch of the United
Nations + It is the world's largest humanitarian organization focused on hunger and food
security, and the largest provider of school meals + Founded in 1961, it is headquartered
in Rome + WFP is an executive member of the UN Sustainable Development Group, a

consortium of UN entities that aims to fulfill the 17 SDGs, with a priority on achieving
SDG 2 for "zero hunger" by 2030 + WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 for
its efforts to provide food assistance in areas of conflict and to prevent the use of food as a
weapon of war and conflict.
Ø United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) = It provides
a legislative framework that can be adopted by countries with modifications to suit the
domestic context of the enacting jurisdiction + It has been adopted by 49 countries,
including Singapore, UK, US and South Africa + UNCITRAL allows foreign professionals
and creditors direct access to domestic courts and enables them to participate in and
commence domestic insolvency proceedings + It allows recognition of foreign proceedings
and enables courts to determine relief accordingly.
Ø International Labour Organisation (ILO) = Established as an agency for the League of
Nations following World War I + Established by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 + It
became the first specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) in the year 1946 + It got
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969 + It is the only tripartite U.N. agency + It brings together
governments, employers and workers + Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland + Key reports:
World Employment and Social Outlook, Global Wage Report.
Ø Article 19 of the WHO = Article 19 of the WHO Constitution gives the WHA the authority
to adopt conventions or agreements on matters of health + A two-third majority is needed
to adopt such conventions or agreements + The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control was set up under Article 19 and it came into force in 2005.
CONVENTIONS AND DEALS CONFERENCE, MEETINGS & SUMMITS

Ø World Sustainable Development Summit = It is the annual flagship event of The Energy
and Resources Institute (TERI) + 21st edition of the event was inaugurated recently. It is
being held in virtual format + Theme: Towards a Resilient Planet: Ensuring a Sustainable
and Equitable Future + It is the sole Summit on global issues taking place in the developing
world. It provides a platform for global leaders and practitioners to discuss and deliberate
over climatic issues of universal importance. It strives to provide long-term solutions for
the benefit of the global community by assembling the world’s most enlightened leaders
and thinkers on a single platform. It is continuing the legacy of Delhi Sustainable
Development Summit (DSDS) which was initiated in 2001 with the aim of making
‘sustainable development’ a globally shared goal.
Ø 12th Ministerial Conference = World Trade Organization's 12th Ministerial Conference
(MC12), a forum to ensure trade rules will take place from 30 November to 3 December
2021 + WTO is an inter-governmental organization for negotiating trade agreements,
settling trade disputes, monitoring trade policies and delivering technical assistance on
trade to developing countries + Ministerial Conference is the highest decision making body
of the WTO + Trade ministers generally meet at the Ministerial Conference every two
years, but MC12 was postponed due to COVID-19.
Ø Most Favoured Nation(MFN) Status = While the term suggests special preference for
the country given MFN status, it actually means it would be treated equally as all others +
According to the World Trade Organisation(WTO) rules, countries cannot normally
discriminate between their trading partners. If one country is granted a trade concession
such as, for example, lower import duties, then all WTO members must be extended the
same concessions. This principle is known as the Most Favoured Nation treatment + United
States, the European Union, Britain, Canada and Japan are planning to move jointly to
revoke Russia’s “most favoured nation” (MFN) status over its invasion of Ukraine.
Ø Montreux Convention = Montreux Convention of 1936 Regarding the Regime of the
Straits is an international agreement governing the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits in

Turkey + This pact says that Turkey has control over both the Black Sea Straits + Also
known as the Turkish Straits, the Black Sea Straits are the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits.
These straits connect the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea via the Sea of Marmara. It is the
only passage through which the Black Sea ports can access the Mediterranean and beyond.
Ø Geneva Conventions = Geneva Conventions of 1949 are a set of four treaties, formalised
in 1949, and three additional protocols, the first two of which were formalised in 1977 and
the third in 2005 + Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols codify the widely
accepted ethical and legal international standards for humanitarian treatment of those
impacted by any ongoing war + The focus of the Conventions is the treatment of non-
combatants and prisoners of war. But, not the use of conventional or biological and
chemical weapons, the use of which is governed respectively by the Hague Conventions
and the Geneva Protocol + While the Fourth Convention protects civilians, the other
Conventions are concerned mainly with combatants rather than civilians + The Geneva
Conventions have been ratified by 196 states, including all UN member states + Four
conventions and first two protocols of the Geneva Conventions were ratified by the Soviet
Union, not Russia.
Ø Convention on Cluster Munitions = 2008 + Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) is
an international treaty that prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of cluster
bombs, a type of explosive weapon which scatters submunitions ("bomblets") over an area
+ Cluster munitions are non-precision weapons that are designed To injure or kill human
beings indiscriminately over a large area, and To destroy vehicles and infrastructure such
as runways, railway or power transmission lines + They are dropped from aircraft or fired
from the ground or sea, opening up in mid-air to release tens or hundreds of submunitions
or bomblets + India is NOT a party to this + To date, the United States and Russia have not
signed this convention.
Ø Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) = Responding to the Ukraine crisis, EU Member
States made the unprecedented decision to activate the European Union’s Council
Directive 2001/55/EC of 2001, known as the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) +
During the 1990s, conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, in Kosovo and elsewhere
demonstrated the need for special procedures to deal with mass influxes of displaced
persons + The 2001 Temporary Protection Directive provides a tool for the EU to address
such situations + TPD describes “Temporary protection” as an exceptional measure to
provide immediate and temporary protection to displaced persons from non-EU countries
and those unable to return to their country of origin.
Ø Munich Security Conference (MSC) = MSC is, world's leading forum, an annual
conference on international security policy that takes place in Munich, Germany since 1963
+ “Turning the Tide. Unlearning Helplessness” is the conference motto and the title of
Munich Security report + The conference takes place every year in February in Munich,
Germany.
Ø Basel Norms = Basel norms are the norms issued by the Basel committee on Banking
supervision(BCBS) for the international banking regulations + Basel is a city in
Switzerland. It is the headquarters of the Bureau of International Settlements (BIS), which
promotes cooperation among central banks with a common goal of financial stability and
banking regulatory standards. Every two months, the BIS hosts a meeting of the governors
and senior officials of member countries' central banks + Stages are:
• Basel I Norms: Issued in 1998 to provide for the first time, a global standard on
capital requirements for banks
• Basel II Norms: Introduced in 2004 + This called for a minimum Capital Adequacy
Ratio(CAR) which all banks with an international presence were to maintain.

• Basel III Norms: Emphasised on capital adequacy to protect stakeholders and
customers risks and set norms for Tier I and Tier II capital + Tier I capital consists
mainly of share capital and disclosed reserves. It is deemed to be of the highest
quality because it is fully available to cover losses. Hence, It is also termed as core
capital + Tier II Capital, also known as supplementary capital, consists of certain
reserves and specific types of subordinated debt. Tier II’s capital loss absorption
capacity is lower than that of Tier I capital.
INDIA AND BILATERAL RELATIONS

Ø Indus Water Treaty (IWT) = signed in 1960, between India and Pakistan + brokered by
the World Bank + It covers the water distribution and sharing rights of six rivers of Indus
river system viz, Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. The treaty specifies that
waters from three western rivers viz. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab are reserved for Pakistan,
while waters from eastern rivers viz. Ravi, Sutlej and Beas are for reserved for India +
Projects allowed - While Pakistan has rights over the waters of the western rivers, the IWT
allows India to use them for certain agricultural uses. IWT allows India to build ‘run of the
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river’ hydropower projects, which doesn’t require live storage of water. It also allows
Pakistan to raise objections over such projects being built by India, if it does not find them
to be compliant with the specifications + The IWT also provides a three step dispute
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resolution mechanism, by resolution, Through the Permanent Commission or at the inter-
government level, Neutral Expert (NE) of the World Bank, and In the end, through the
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Court of Arbitration + It established Permanent Indus Commission(PIC) + The
Commissioners must meet at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan + Last
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year, 116th Meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held after a gap of more than two
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and half years between Indian and Pakistani delegations + Recently, A 10-member
delegation from India visited Pakistan to attend the 117th meeting of the PIC.
Ø India- UAE relations = Relations were upgraded to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
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+ In 2020, UAE was the 3rd largest source of India’s oil imports (22 million tonnes) +
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UAE is already India’s third-largest trading partner with bilateral trade in 2019-20 valued
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at $59 billion + India ranks as the UAE’s number one trading partner for non-oil exports +
UAE is the second largest export destination of India (after US) + Defense exercises:
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Desert Eagle bilateral exercise between air forces of both countries & Gulf Star-1(joint
naval exercise) conducted in 2018 + Recently, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). With the conclusion

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of the CEPA, India and UAE aim to increase bilateral goods trade over the next five years
to $100 billion + Around 90% of products exported from India to UAE will attract zero
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duty and UAE will also offer 1.4 million work visas for highly skilled professionals from
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India + CEPA also has stringent 'rules of origin' reflecting requirements for substantial
processing of up to 40% value addition. Rules of origin (ROOs) are used to determine if
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products are eligible for duty-free or reduced duties under the FTA rules.
Ø Trade Agreements (TAs) and CEPA = Trade Agreement (TA) is an arrangement through
which countries provide preferential treatment to each other. It helps them in ease-of-trade
by eliminating tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, movement of capital and of labor +
CEPA, i.e., Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement is a comprehensive TA
covers: Negotiations on trade tariff and Tariff rate quotas (TQR) rates; Trade in services
and investment; Other areas of economic partnership such as customs cooperation,
competition, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR); including the regulatory aspects of
trade + India has already signed a CEPA with Japan and South Korea + The landmark
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was recently signed between
India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is a landmark agreement because it's the

UAE's first comprehensive strategic partnership with any country, and it is India's first Free
Trade Agreement (FTA) in a decade.
Ø Bilateral Swap Arrangement = Bilateral Swap Arrangement is a two-way arrangement
where both authorities can swap their local currencies in exchange for the US Dollar + It
aims to strengthen and complement other financial safety nets + It will further deepen
financial cooperation between the two countries and contribute to regional and global
financial stability + Recently, Japan and India renews Bilateral Swap Arrangement of up
to $75 billion.
Ø 14th India Japan Annual Summit = Recently held in New Delhi + Also, year 2022 marks
the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations + Both countries are
part of the Quad, G-20 and G-4 + Japan is the largest Official Development Assistance
(ODA) partner for India + In 2020, India was the 18th largest trading partner for Japan,
and Japan was 12th largest trading partner for India + Both countries engage in bilateral
exercises- Dharma Guardian (Army), Shinyuu-Maitri (Airforce), JIMEX (Navy). Since
2015, in Malabar exercises, Japan has also become a permanent participant along with India
and US + Some Initiatives and Cooperation between India-Japan:
• Clean Energy Partnership (CEP): Launched under the overall ambit of the 'India-
Japan Energy Dialogue' established in 2007 for cooperation towards achieving
sustainable economic growth, addressing climate change and ensuring energy
security
• Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM): Established for implementation of Article 6
of the Paris Agreement related to private capital flow to developing countries.
• LeadIT (Leadership Group for Industry transition): Japan would be joining
the Indian-Swedish climate initiative LeadIT to promote heavy industry transition
+ LeadIT (Leadership Group for Industry transition) is a voluntary initiative for
promoting low- carbon transition especially in the hard-to-abate sectors like Iron &
Steel, Aluminium, etc
• Sustainable Development Initiative for the Northeastern Region of India:
Indian and Japan agreed to launch ‘Sustainable Development Initiative for the
Northeastern Region of India’ which includes both ongoing projects and
possible future cooperation in connectivity, healthcare, new and renewable
energy, as well as initiative for strengthening bamboo value chain
• Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC): between both countries is characterized
as a response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
• Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA): Both countries signed
Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) to exchange supply and
services during bilateral exercises and training, UN Peacekeeping Operations, and
other Humanitarian activities.
• Currency Swap Agreement: signed in 2018 + One country exchanges its national
currency for that of another or even a third one + India can acquire yen or dollar
upto $75 billion in exchange for rupees. The exchange has to be reversed after on
agreed period + The facility is entered between central banks of Both the countries.
Ø 2nd India-Australia Virtual Summit = Recently, held between India’s and Australia’s
Prime Minister + Both countries agreed to establish annual summits between PMs under
CSP + In 2020, Bilateral relations have been elevated to Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership (CSP) + Both countries agreed to increase cooperation between India's
National Investment and Infrastructure Fund and Australia's Future Fund, which is a
sovereign wealth fund + Australia is 17th largest trading partner of India, while India is
Australia's 9th largest partner + India has committed to invest $6 million jointly with
Australian government as it explores lithium and cobalt mines in Australia. The move helps

India to secure supplies of key minerals for its electric vehicle plans + Defence exercises:
AUSTRAHIND, AUSINDEX etc + Other Initiatives:
• Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA): It was signed recently
and is first free trade agreement (FTA) of India with a developed country after more
than a decade + It will boost bilateral trade in goods and services to $45-50 billion
over five years, up from around $27 billion, and generate over one million jobs in
India.
• SAIEP (Study Australia Industry Immersion Program): Launched by
Australian Trade and Investment Commission for current Indian students at
Australian universities to enhance their employability
• Maitri Scholars Program: Announced by Australian Foreign Minister to provide
over USD 11 million for four years to support Indian students to study in Australia's
world-leading universities.
• India - Australia Grains Partnership: announced in 2021, to use Australia’s
expertise in post- harvest management to strengthen rural grain storage and supply
chains so as to reduce losses and wastage.
• Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI): In 2021, both countries along with
Japan have launched Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) for sustainable,
balanced and inclusive growth in the region.
• Comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA): The negotiation for
CECA between both countries was started in 2011 to provide fillip to trade and
investments between the countries. Still, both sides are ‘too far apart’ to conclude
bilateral CECA in near term.
Ø India Australia ECTA = India and Australia signed an Economic Co-operation and Trade
Agreement (ECTA) with an eye on doubling bilateral trade to $50 billion in five years and
easing the movement of people, goods and services across borders + The India-Australia
ECTA is the first trade agreement of India with a developed country after more than a
decade + The Agreement encompasses cooperation across the entire gamut of bilateral
economic and commercial relations between the two friendly countries and covers areas
like: Trade-in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Dispute Settlement, Movement of
Natural Persons, Telecom, Customs Procedures, Pharmaceutical products, and
Cooperation in other Areas. Eight subject-specific side letters covering various aspects of
bilateral economic cooperation were also concluded as part of the Agreement + As regards
trade in services, Australia has offered wide-ranging commitments in around 135 sub-
sectors and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) in 120 sub-sectors which cover key areas of
India’s interest like IT, ITES, Business services, Health, Education, and Audiovisual. Some
of the key offers from Australia in the services space include: Quota for chefs and yoga
teachers; Post-study work visa of 2-4 years for Indian students on reciprocal basis; mutual
recognition of Professional Services and Other licensed/regulated Occupations; and Work
& Holiday visa arrangement for young professionals + On the other hand, India has offered
market access to Australia in around 103 sub-sectors and Most Favoured Nation in 31 sub-
sectors from the 11 broad service sectors such as ‘business services’, ‘communication
services’, ‘construction and related engineering services, and so on + Both sides have also
agreed to a separate Annex on Pharmaceutical products under this agreement, which will
enable fast track approval for patented, generic and biosimilar medicines + Please Note: In
February, India signed an FTA with the UAE and is currently working on FTAs with Israel,
Canada, UK and the European Union.
Ø India's Arctic Policy = Ministry of Earth Science (MoES) has released the India's Arctic
policy titled 'India and the Arctic: building a partnership for sustainable development’ +

The policy will involve multiple stakeholders, including academia, research community,
business, and industry + National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa,
an autonomous institute under MoES, is the nodal institution for India’s Polar research
programme, which includes Arctic studies.
Ø Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) = It was
launched in 2015 after the failure of agreement on regional MVA among South Asian
Association Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in 2014 due to concerns associated with
Pakistan + In 2017, Bhutan opted out temporarily as its parliament didn’t ratify the
agreement due to environmental and project sustainability concerns + BBIN provides for
regulation of passenger, personal and cargo vehicular traffic + Each country will bear its
own costs arising from implementation of agreement + Once implemented, it will provide-
Safe, Economical, Efficient and Environmentally sound road transport in the region.
INTERNATIONAL PLACES IN NEWS

Ø Uthuru Thila Falhu(UTF) Atoll = Maldives + India has signed agreement with Maldives
for developing Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour at Sifvaru –Uthuru
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Thilafalhu (UTF).
Ø Port city of Mariupol = It is a city in southeastern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Sea
of Azov at the mouth of the Kalmius river.
Ø Lviv = Lviv is a city in western Ukraine
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Ø Donbas / Donbass = It is a historical, cultural, and economic region in southeastern

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Ukraine + Parts of the Donbas are controlled by separatist groups as a result of the Russo-
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Ukrainian War: the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic + The
word Donbas is a portmanteau formed from "Donets Basin", an abbreviation of "Donets
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Coal Basin"
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Ø Luhansk / Lugansk = The city and its surrounding areas have been one of the main sites
of fighting in the Donbas war between Russia and Ukraine
MISCELLANEOUS (LOGICALLY ARRANGED)

Ø Global Financial Messaging System (GFMS) = created by bank of Russia in 2019 +
for safeguard against entire states being weaned off from SWIFT.
Ø Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act = USA + US President recently signed into
law a bill titled, “Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act”, to recognise the Ghost
Army + Ghost Army was the first mobile tactical deception unit of the US Army deployed
during World War II.

Ø Country of Particular Concern (CPC) = It is a designation by the United States Secretary
of State (under authority delegated by the President) of a nation guilty of particularly severe
violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of
1998 + Observing that religious freedom conditions in India had “significantly worsened“
in 2021, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a
bipartisan independent body, has recommended, for the third year in a row, that India be
designated a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC).
Ø Houthi = Formed by Zaidite scholars, a Shia sect who had lived in Yemen for over a
thousand years and also ruled the country for several centuries + Their rebellion against
the Saudi-backed government began about a decade ago + U.S. is about to review Houthi
terrorist label.
Ø Rwanda Deal / U.K. and Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership = It
is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the governments of the U.K.
and Rwanda in April 2022 + Under this deal, Rwanda will commit to taking in asylum
seekers who arrive in the U.K. on or after January 1, 2022, using “illegally facilitated and
unlawful cross border migration.” + An asylum-seeker is a person who has left their
country and is seeking protection from persecution and serious human rights violations in
another country, but who hasn't yet been legally recognized as a refugee and is waiting to
receive a decision on their asylum claim + A refugee is a person who has fled their own
country because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and persecution there.

Schemes
MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (MOHUA)

Ø Lakshya Zero Dumpsites (LZD) = LZD under SBM-U 2.0 seeks to remediate 16 crore
metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste dumpsites that occupy nearly 15,000 acres of city land
+ Legacy dumpsites pose a major threat to the environment and contribute to air pollution
and water pollution + Recently, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs approved ₹ 235
crore Legacy Waste Remediation Proposal of Andhra Pradesh with goal of LZD.
Ø India Water Pitch Pilot Scale Start-up Challenge = Ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs launched the Challenge under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban
Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 + Under this, Government will select 100 start-ups across
the country to empower sustainable economic growth and generate employment
opportunities in the water or used water sector.
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT (MOSJ&E)

Ø Smile Scheme = Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise
Scheme + Central Sector scheme + Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment + It is
designed to provide welfare and rehabilitation to Transgender community and people
engaged in the act of begging + The scheme will be implemented from 2021-22 to 2025-
26 + Two sub-schemes of SMILE scheme are ‘Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive
Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons’ & Comprehensive Rehabilitation of
persons engaged in the act of Begging.
Ø Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana(RVY) = Department of Social Justice & Empowerment
launched a Central Sector Scheme namely “Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana” (RVY) in 2017 +
This is a Central Sector Scheme, fully funded by the Central Government + RVY provides
Physical Aids and Assisted-living Devices for Senior citizens (aged above 60 years)
belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category and suffering from any of the age related
disability/ infirmity + The expenditure for implementation of the scheme will be met from
the "Senior Citizens' Welfare Fund" + Scheme will be implemented through the sole
implementing agency - Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation (ALIMCO), a PSU
under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment + 30% of beneficiaries in each
district shall be women + Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
Ø Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) = It is to be an umbrella scheme
for empowering Denotified, Nomadic and Semi Nomadic Communities (DNTs, NTs,
SNTs. + Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment + The major component of the SEED
scheme are: Educational empowerment- Free coaching to students from these communities
for Civil Services, entry to professional courses like medicine, engineering, MBA, etc;
Health Insurance through PMJAY of National Health Authority; Livelihoods to support
income generation, and Housing (through PMAY/IAY)
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (NOW RENAMED AS MINISTRY OF HRD)

Ø New India Literacy Programme = Ministry of Education (MoE) + Ministry of Education
(MoE) has approved the ‘New India Literacy Programme’ for the period FYs 2022-2027,
to cover all the aspects of Adult Education to align with the National Education Policy
(NEP) + The ‘New India Literacy Programme’ will cover non-literates of the age of 15
years and above in all state/UTs in the country + Objectives of the scheme is to impart not
only foundational literacy and numeracy but also to cover other components such as
commercial skills; Vocational skills; Basic education etc + The scheme will be
implemented via online mode through volunteerism + The students of the schools
registered under Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) and around
50 lakh teachers of government, aided and private schools will participate as volunteers.

Schemes
Ø Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) = 2013 + Centrally sponsored scheme

+ Scheme seeks to provide strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions
+ Under the new phase, RUSA aims to reach out to unserved, underserved areas; remote
and rural areas; LWE (left-wing extremism) areas; aspirational districts, tier-2 cities, etc +
Grants will be provided to strengthen both accredited and non-accredited universities and
colleges for undertaking various activities including teaching-learning in Indian language
+ Recently, Ministry of Education has approved the continuation of the RUSA scheme till
March 31, 2026
Ø Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas
(SHRESTHA) = Ministry of Education has joined hands with Ministry of Social Justice
and Empowerment for SHRESTHA + It aim to enhance reach of development Intervention
of the Government and fill the gap in service deficient SCs dominant areas.
Ø National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme(NMMSS) = 2008 + Ministry of
Education + Scheme awards scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker
sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue the study at
secondary stage + Under the Scheme Rs.12000 per annum per student are awarded to
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selected students of class IX every year and their continuation/renewal in classes X to XII
for study
Ø Bhasha Certificate Selfie campaign = Ministry of Education has launched a campaign
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‘Bhasha Certificate Selfie to encourage cultural diversity and promote mulitlinguism and
to foster the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat + The initiative aims to promote the
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Bhasha Sangam mobile app, developed by Ministry of Education and MyGov India +
Using the app, people can learn 100+ sentences of daily use in as many as 22 scheduled
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Indian languages + The initiative, under the aegis of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat will aim
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to ensure that people acquire basic conversational skills in Indian languages.

Ø Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat Scheme = By MHRD (Now Ministry of Education) + Ek
Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme aims to enhance interaction & promote mutual
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understanding between people of different states/UTs through the concept of state/UT

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pairing + The states carry out activities to promote a sustained and structured cultural
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connect in the areas of language learning, culture, traditions & music, tourism & cuisine,
sports and sharing of best practices, etc + The idea of a sustained and structured cultural
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connect between people of different regions was mooted by PM Narendra Modi during the
Rashtriya Ekta Divas held on 31st October, 2015, to commemorate the birth anniversary
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of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

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Ø Pradhan mantri e-VIDYA Initiative = In 2020, the PM eVIDYA initiative was launched
by the Central government as part of the Aatma Nirbhar Apna Bharat program + It will
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unify all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education + Under the PM e-Vidya

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programme, there will be 12 DTH channels introduced as part of the ‘One Class, One TV
channel initiative’, with one each dedicated to classes 1 to 12 + Under this, for digital
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education under which top 100 universities of the country will be allowed to start online
courses without UGC license + Under the PM eVIDYA scheme, two portals were provided.
They are, Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) and National Initiative
for School Head’s and Teacher’s Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA).
Ø NISHTHA = Launched under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in
2019- 20 + Ministry of Education + National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers'
Holistic + advancement (NISHTHA) + Programme to train teachers + launched to improve
learning outcomes at the elementary level + More than 42 lakh teachers and principals of
primary and elementary-age.
Ø Common University Entrance Test (CUET) = Envisioned in National Education
Policy(NEP) 2020 + National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts entrance tests such

Schemes
as JEE (Main) and UGC-NET, will also conduct CUET for all central universities + CUET,
a computerized exam, will test a candidate on a language of her choice, domain-specific
knowledge and general test + CUET will be conducted in 13 languages: English, Hindi,
Gujarati, Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu
and Urdu.
Ø DIKSHA Platform = Ministry of Education + DIKSHA stands for Digital Infrastructure
for Knowledge Sharing + It is a National Teacher Platform which is currently being used
by teachers and students across the nation to provide school education through distance
mode + DIKSHA is 100% free to use, and owned and operated by the Ministry of
Education (MoE) + Under the DIKSHA portal, students from classes 1 to 12 were provided
with portals which could be accessed with QR codes and contained NCERT, CBSE and
NIOS related online books + NISHTHA portal was for teachers in order to help them in
training for digital delivery of classes so that the learning outcomes of students could be
improved.
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MOS&T)

Ø Accelerate Vigyan Scheme = launched by Science and Engineering Research Board
(SERB) to push scientific research + Two Components of AV scheme are :
• ABHYAAS = To enable and groom potential PG/PhD students by developing their
research skills in selected areas across different disciplines + It has two
components: High-End Workshops (KARYASHALA) & Research Internships
(VRITIKA)
• SAMMOHAN programme = To encourage and consolidate all scientific
interactions in the country under one common roof + It has two parts:
‘SAYONJIKA’ to catalogue capacity building activities in science & technology
supported by all government funding agencies and ‘SANGOSHTI’ to facilitate the
scientific community to establish an interaction with other individuals & research
groups for knowledge exchange
Ø Safforn Bowl Project = It aims to expand India’s saffron cultivation from Kashmir to
different parts of India + India is the second largest producer of saffron after Iran + Saffron
is a plant whose dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the flower) are used to make saffron
spice + India cultivates about 6 to 7 tonne of saffron while the demand is 100 tonne + To
meet the growing demand of saffron the MoS&T through the Department of Science and
Technology (DST), is now looking at extending its cultivation to some states in the
Northeast, because there is a huge similarity of climate and geographical conditions
between Kashmir and few regions of Northeast + Sikkim was first to implement the pilot
project, and later it will be extended to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh + Efforts are
being made by North East Centre For Technology Application & Reach (NECTAR) to
expand saffron bowl of India (earlier confined to Kashmir) to parts of the North East. Plants
from seeds transported from Kashmir to Sikkim and acclimatized there are now flowering
in Yangyang in the Southern part of the North-East state + Please Note: Lat Year, Kashmir
saffron got Geographical Indication (GI) tag status.
Ø Purple or Lavender Revolution = It was launched by the Ministry of Science &
Technology through the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Aroma
Mission, which aimed at increasing lavender cultivation in Jammu and Kashmir +
Lavender cultivation is practiced in almost all the 20 districts of J&K. However, the crop
is native to Europe + Lavender water, which separates from lavender oil, is used to make
incense sticks + Hydrosol, which is formed after distillation from the flowers, is used to
make soaps and room fresheners + Aroma Mission is envisaged to bring transformative
change in the aroma sector through desired interventions + During Phase-I of the Mission,

Schemes
CSIR helped cultivate 6000 hectares of land and covered 46 Aspirational districts. o Phase-
II proposed to engage over 45,000 skilled human resources and benefit more than 75,000
farming families.
Ø Dare2eraD TB = Union Minister of Science & Technology announced the launch of Data-
Driven Research to Eradicate TB- “Dare2eraD TB” by the Department of Biotechnology,
M/o Science & Technology, on the occasion of World TB Day (March 24) + Dare2eraD
TB will be the umbrella TB program of DBT comprising of following key initiatives:
InTGS – Indian Tuberculosis Genomic Surveillance Consortium; InTBK Hub- Indian TB
Knowledge Hub- Webinar Series and Host Directed therapies against TB and developing
an evidence-based regimen for treating extra-pulmonary Tuberculosis.
Ø Swachhta Saarthi Fellowship 2022 = Launched in 2021 + It is announced by Office of
Principal Scientific Adviser under its Waste to Wealth Mission, one of the nine national
missions of Prime Minister’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-
STIAC) + Aims to recognize students, community workers/self-help groups (SHGs), and
municipal workers who are engaged in tackling waste management, scientifically and
sustainably + It is aimed at amplifying the role of young students and citizens in sensitizing
the society towards waste management and offer innovative solutions for conversion of
waste to value.
MINISTRY OF MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI

Ø Nal Se Jal Yojana = Launched in 2019. Nodal Agency + Ministry of Jal Shakti + Aim: To
provide piped drinking water to every rural home by 2024 + It is a component of the
government’s Jal Jivan Mission + The scheme is based on a unique model where paani
samitis (water committee) comprising villagers will decide what they will pay for the water
they consume. The tariff they fix will not be the same for everyone in the village. Those
who have large households will pay more, while poor households or households where
there is no earning member, will be exempted.
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT FOREST & CLIMATE CHANGE (MOEFCC)

Ø Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project = Nodal Agency is Society of
Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) + Assisted by: The World Bank + At the
National level, it has the objective to establish and support an appropriate national
institutional structure for guiding and coordinating coastal zone management + At the State
level, objective is to develop and empower state-level authorities to adopt appropriate
ICZM approaches consistent with national strategies.
MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (MOWCD)

Ø Childline 1098 = Childline 1098 is a 24x7 emergency, free phone outreach for children in
dis-tress. It is started as a project by Jeroo Billimoria at Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(TISS) in Mumbai + CHILDLINE India Foundation is the nodal agency appointed by the
Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) to manage CHILDLINE helpline
1098 + Recently, it was proposed to be merged with emergency helpline 112 + Universal
emergency helpline 112 of the Ministry of Home Affairs provides assistance with services
related to police, health and women’s safety.
Ø ‘Kanya Shiksha Pravesh Utsav’ Scheme = Launched by the Women and Child
Development Ministry in partnership with the Education Ministry + This scheme will fulfil
the target of Right To Education act that says to bring out-of-school girls back to the
education system.
Ø Stree Manoraksha Project = Launched by Ministry of Women and Child Development
(MoWCD) in collaboration with National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences

Schemes
(NIMHANS) + It is aimed at extending mental health training to 6000 One-Stop Center

(OSC) functionaries across India.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
Ø Donate a Pension Scheme = Ministry of Labour and Employment launched the “donate a
pension” scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Scheme + “Donate a
pension” scheme allows a citizen to “donate the premium contribution of their immediate
support staff such as domestic workers, drivers, helpers, care givers, nurses, in their
household or establishment. The donor can pay the contribution for a minimum of one year,
with the amount ranging from Rs. 660 to Rs. 2,400 a year, depending on the age of the
beneficiary. The premium amount can be paid through maandhan.in or by visiting a
Common Service Centre anywhere in the country.
Ø Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Scheme(PM-SYM) Scheme = 2019 + It is a
50:50 voluntary and contributory pension scheme for the workers of the unorganised sector
for their old age protection and social security + This pension scheme allows the
unorganised sector workers between the age of 18 and 40, who earn up to Rs. 15,000 a
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month, to enroll by paying a premium amount between Rs. 55 and Rs. 200, depending on
their age + The beneficiary should pay the premium amount till the age of 60. This premium
amount would be matched by the government too + Eligibility - The unorganised workers
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mostly engaged as home based workers, street vendors, mid-day meal workers, etc whose
monthly income is up to Rs 15,000/ per month. These workers must also belong to the
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entry age group of 18-40 years. They should not be covered under New Pension Scheme
(NPS), Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) scheme or Employees’ Provident
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Fund Organisation (EPFO). Further, he/she should not be an income tax payer + Each
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subscriber under the PM-SYM shall receive minimum assured pension of Rs 3000/- per
month after attaining the age of 60 years. During the receipt of pension, if the subscriber
dies, then their spouse shall be entitled to receive 50% of the pension received by the
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beneficiary as family pension. Family pension is applicable only to spouse + Labour

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Ministry will oversee PM-SYM, which will be implemented by Life Insurance Corporation
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of India (LIC) and CSC eGovernance Services India Limited (CSC-SPV).

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MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE

Ø e-Courts Projects = e-Courts Mission Mode Project, is a Pan-India Project, monitored and
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funded by the Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice for the District Courts
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across the country + e-Courts project will be housed within the Home Ministry under the
Interoperable Criminal Justice System(ICJS) + The e-Committee of the Supreme Court
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recently released its draft vision document for Phase III of the e-Courts project. Phases I
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and II had dealt with digitisation of the judiciary. It is felt that Phase III should harness
technology for service delivery without increasing surveillance risks.
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Ø e-Committee of Supreme Court = e-Committee is governing body charged with

overseeing e-Courts Project conceptualized under “National Policy and Action Plan for
Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian
Judiciary- 2005” + e-Courts is a pan India project to transform the judicial system of the
country by ICT enablement of courts.
Ø FASTER Platform = A digital platform recently launched by the Supreme Court for fast
and secured delivery of urgent court orders in encrypted electronic format to the
stakeholders, as well as live streaming of court proceedings + Under the FASTER system,
courts can send e-authenticated copies of bail orders, stay orders, interim orders and
proceedings through secured electronic communication to duty officers at prisons

Schemes
MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

Ø Polar Science and Cryosphere Research (PACER) Scheme = PACER scheme
comprises the Antarctic program, Indian Arctic program, Southern Ocean program and
Cryosphere and Climate program + Implemented through National Centre for Polar and
Ocean Research (NCPOR), an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Earth Sciences
+ PACER scheme has been approved for continuation during 2021-2026 + some
achievements of PACER Scheme: Executed 39th & 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to
Antarctica (41st ongoing); Automatic Weather Station (AWS) systems installed at
Baralacha La, in the Spiti region; IndARC mooring system was deployed in Kongsfjorden,
Svalbard; Executed 11th Indian Southern Ocean Expedition
MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES & PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

Ø Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector-
Phase II = Ministry of Heavy Industries + It aims for providing assistance to Common
Technology Development and Services Infrastructure + Objective of Phase II: To expand
and enlarge the impact created by the Phase I pilot scheme, thereby providing greater
impetus through creation of a strong and globally competitive capital goods sector.
MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES & PUBLIC ENTERPRISES

Ø Blending Hydrogen into CGD Network = In line with National Hydrogen Mission, GAIL
has commenced India's first-of-its-kind project of mixing hydrogen into the natural gas
system to establish the techno-commercial feasibility of blending hydrogen in City Gas
Distribution (CGD) network + Government is planning to blend 15% green hydrogen with
piped natural gas (PNG) for domestic, commercial and industrial consumption.
MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (MSME)

Ø CHAMPIONS Portal = Launched by Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) in 2020 + Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for
Increasing the Output and National Strength (CHAMPIONS) portal + To assist Indian
MSMEs march into the big league as National and Global CHAMPIONS by solving their
grievances and encouraging, supporting, helping and hand holding them + It is fully
integrated on a real time basis with the Government of India’s main grievances portal
Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) and the
Ministry’s other web based mechanisms
Ø Micro Small Enterprises - Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP) = MSME +
The scheme aims at the growth of MSEs by addressing advancements in sustainable &
green manufacturing technology, market access, skills & quality, etc. Creating
infrastructural facilities in existing Clusters of MSEs and Industrial Areas.
Ø MSME Innovative Scheme (Incubation, Design and IPR) = Launched by MSME + The
scheme is a holistic approach that combines innovation in incubation, design intervention
and protect IPR to create awareness amongst MSMEs about India’s innovation and
motivate them to become MSME Champions + It is the combination of existing sub-
schemes around incubation, design, and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) for MSMEs +
For this, a separate corpus will be created and managed by SIDBI (Small Industries
Development Bank of India) as the fund manager.
Ø Zero Defect Zero Effect Scheme(ZED Certification Scheme) = Launched in 2016 by the
Ministry of MSME, the scheme is an integrated and comprehensive certification system +
Its mission is to develop and implement the ‘ZED’ culture in India based on the principles
of Zero Defect & Zero Effect + The scheme accounts for productivity, quality, pollution

Schemes
mitigation, energy efficiency, financial status, human resource and technological depth
including design and IPR in both products and processes.
Ø SAMARTH Drive = Launched by Minister of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises + It
aims to provide women an opportunity to be self-reliant and independent by undertaking
self-employment opportunities + Under Samarth, following benefits will be available to
women entrepreneurs: 20% Seats in free Skill Development Programs will be allocated for
Women; Special Drive for registration of women-owned MSMEs under Udyam
Registration; 20% of MSME Business Delegations sent to exhibitions under schemes for
Marketing Assistance will be dedicated to women owned MSMEs.
Ø RAMP Programme = Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the “Raising and
Accelerating MSME Performance” (RAMP) scheme which would commence in FY 2022-
23 + It is in line with the recommendations made by U K Sinha Committee, KV Kamath
Committee and Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (PMEAC) + RAMP
Programme is a World Bank assisted Central Sector Scheme, supporting various
CoronaVirus Disease 2019 (Covid) Resilience and Recovery Interventions of the Ministry
of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) + Aimed at: Improving access to
market and credit; Strengthening institutions and governance at the Centre and State;
Improving Centre-State linkages and partnerships and Addressing issues of delayed
payments and greening of MSMEs + Important component of RAMP is preparation of
Strategic Investment Plans (SIPs), in which all states/UTs will be invited.
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

Ø Indian Footwear and Leather Development Programme (IFLDP) = It aims at
development of infrastructure for leather sector address environmental concerns specific
to leather sector, facilitate additional investments, employment generation and increase in
production + Ministry of Commerce & Industry + Leather industry in India accounts for
around 13% of the world's leather production of hides/skins. India accounts for 9% of the
world's footwear production.
MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (MOHA)

Ø Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) = Ministry of Home Affairs + Inter-
operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) is an ambitious project aiming to integrate the
Crime and Criminals Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project with the e-courts
and e-prisons databases, as well as with other pillars of the criminal justice system such as
Forensics, Prosecution, and Juvenile homes in a phased manner + Invested under the
CCTNS project of the MHA, the ICJS enables a nation-wide search on police, prisons &
courts databases across all States/ UTs in the country + National Crime Records Bureau
will be responsible for the implementation of ICJS in association with National Informatics
Center, in collaboration with States and UTs + Recently, Ministry of Home Affairs has
approved implementation of ICJS project Phase II during 2022-23 to 2025-26.
Ø Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) = Ministry of Home
Affairs + CCTNS was conceptualized by the Ministry of Home Affairs in detailed
consultation with all stakeholders and is being implemented as a “Mission Mode Project
(MMP)” since 2009 + CCTNS aims at creating a comprehensive and integrated system for
enhancing the efficiency and effective policing at all levels and especially at the Police
Station level through adoption of principles of eGovernance.
Ø Modernisation of Police Forces (MPF) Scheme = Centrally sponsored scheme + Initiated
in 1969-70 + Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is responsible for its implementation + Its
objective is to reduce dependence of State Governments on Army and Central Armed
Police Forces.

Schemes
Ø Scheme of Border Infrastructure & Management (BIM) = Recently, Government

announced to continue central sector umbrella scheme of Border Infrastructure &
Management (BIM) from 2021-22 to 2025-26 + Ministry of Home Affairs + BIM scheme
will help in the creation of infrastructure such as border fence, border flood lights,
technological solutions, border roads and Border Outposts (BOPs) and company operating
bases to secure India's borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Bhutan and
Myanmar + India’s border in terms of length: Bangladesh > China > Pakistan > Nepal >
Myanmar > Bhutan > Afghanistan.
Ø Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana = Ministry of Home Affairs has approved
continuation of Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojanya (SSSY) for Financial Years 2021-22
to 2025-26 + Swatantrata Sainik Samman Yojana (SSSY) is a monthly Samman Pension
to freedom fighters and their eligible dependents + Central Scheme launched in 1972 + On
the demise of the freedom fighters, the pension goes to their eligible dependents viz.
spouses and thereafter, unmarried and unemployed daughters and dependent parents + This
grant of Pension is provided from the Central Revenues. The Samman Pension can be
drawn from the Public Sector banks. The amount of pension has been revised from time to
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time and Dearness Relief is also given since 2016.
Ø Border Area Development Programme(BADP) = launched in the year 1986-87 for
balanced development of border areas of States bordering Pakistan, namely, Jammu &
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Kashmir, Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan and subsequently it was extended to all the land
borders + centrally sponsored scheme + Funds are provided to the states as a non-lapsable
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special central assistance for the execution of projects + Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA)
Ø Civil Registration System (CRS) in India = In 1886 a Central Births, Deaths and
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Marriages Registration Act was promulgated to provide for voluntary registration

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throughout British India + Post-independence, the Registration of Births and Death Act
(RBD Act) was enacted in 1969 to promote uniformity and comparability in the registration
of Births and Deaths across the country and compilation of vital statistics based thereon +
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With the enactment of the Act, registration of births, deaths and stillbirths has become
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mandatory in India + The Registrar General, India (RGI) at the Central Government level
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coordinates and unifies the activities of registration throughout the country. However,
implementation of the statute is vested with the State Governments + Directorate of Census
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Operations are the subordinate offices of the Office of the Registrar General, India and
these offices are responsible for monitoring the working of the Act in their concerned
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State/UT + The Civil Registration System has been linked to the NPR (National Population
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Register)
Ø Village Defence Groups (VDGS) = Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has
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given a nod to the formation of village defence groups (VDGs) in Jammu and Kashmir +
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In past, VDCs were constituted in 1995 in 10 districts of the Jammu region to fight militants
in far-off places. Most of the VDCs were disbanded by the previous governments following
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allegations of misuse of weapons in several cases + The members of the Village Defence
Groups will be designated as Village Defence Guards + People will work as soldiers
without uniforms on the ground.
NITI AAYOG AND RELATED

Ø Community Innovator Fellowship(CIF) = Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) in
collaboration with UNDP has launched the Community Innovator Fellowship (CIF)
marking the “International Day of Women & Girls in Science” + The fellowship is
developed as a pre-incubation model that aims to provide youth with an opportunity to
establish their social enterprise focusing on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) based
solutions for solving community issues + The fellowship will be one year long + It would

Schemes
mainly focus on facilitating knowledge and capacity building among aspiring community
innovators
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
Ø e-Bill Facility = Finance Minister unveiled a new e-bill facility for government suppliers
+ The e-Bill facility is the new ‘faceless’ and ‘paperless’ bill submission and processing
system + It has been developed by the Public Financial Management System (PFMS)
Division in the office of the Controller General of Accounts in the Department of
Expenditure, Ministry of Finance + Implementation - Ministry of Finance + E-bill system
is part of the ‘Ease of Doing Business and Digital India eco-system’ to bring in broader
transparency and expedite the payment process + The objectives of the e-Bill facility are
to Provide convenience to all vendors/suppliers of the government to submit their
bills/claims online digitally, Eliminate physical interface between suppliers and
government officers, Enhance efficiency in processing of bills/claims, Reduce discretion
in processing of bills through “First-In-First-Out"(FIFO) method.
Ø Atal Pension Yojana = APY is a pension scheme that focused on the unorganized sector
workers + Under the APY, the minimum guaranteed pension of ₹ 1,000/- or 2,000/- or
3,000/- or 4,000 or 5,000/- per month will start after attaining the age of 60 years depending
on the contributions by the subscribers for their chosen pension amount + An aadhaar
Number is compulsory for joining the scheme + A subscriber can open only one APY
account + Any Citizen of India can join the APY scheme + Nominee will be eligible for
return of pension wealth accumulated till age 60 years of the subscriber, upon the death of
both the subscriber and spouse + Voluntary exit under APY before 60 years of age is
permitted + The following are the eligibility criteria:
(i) The age of the subscriber should be between 18 and 40 years
(ii) He / She should have a savings bank account/ post office savings bank account
NRI in the age group 18-40 years of age having a bank account with APY POP is eligible
to open an APY account
Ø National Pension System(NPS) = Introduced with effect from January 2004 (except for
armed forces) + It seeks to provide retirement benefits to all citizens of India, even from
the unorganized sectors + Implemented & regulated by PFRDA (Statutory Authority) +
The NPS has been gradually growing in size and now manages ? 5.78 crore of savings and
4.24 crore accounts in multiple savings schemes + Structure: The scheme is structured into
two tiers:
• Tier-I account: This is the non-withdrawable permanent retirement account into
which the accumulations are deposited and invested as per the option of the
subscriber.
• Tier-II account: This is a voluntary withdrawable account that is allowed only when
there is an active Tier I account in the name of the subscriber. The withdrawals are
permitted from this account as per the needs of the subscriber as and when claimed
Ø Minimum Assured Return Scheme(MARS) = Pension Fund Regulatory and
Development Authority (PFRDA) is preparing to launch Minimum Assured Return
Scheme (MARS) + MARS is a guaranteed return scheme that can offer a guaranteed
minimum rate of return to NPS subscribers. The actual returns will depend on the market
conditions. The actual returns will depend on the market conditions [Currently, the NPS
gives returns annually, based on prevailing market conditions] + MARS will provide savers
and people from the salaried class an option for their investments.

Schemes
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT HIGHWAYS (MORTH)

Ø e-DAR Portal = Developed by Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) +
Digitalised Detailed Accident Reports (DAR) will be uploaded on the portal for easy access
+ e-DAR portal to speed up accident compensation claims + It will be linked to other
databases for instant information.
Ø Parvatmala Scheme = National Ropeways Development Programme – “Parvatmala” +
announced recently by the Union Finance Minister in the Union Budget for 2022-23 to
improve connectivity in hilly areas + This will be a preferred ecologically sustainable
alternative in place of conventional roads in difficult hilly areas + The scheme is being
presently started in regions like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Jammu &
Kashmir and the other North Eastern states + Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
(MORTH) will have responsibility for development of ropeway and alternative mobility
solutions technology, as well as construction, research, and policy in this area.
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MORD)

Ø Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana(Gramin) = Ministry of Rural Development + 2016 + To
help rural people below the poverty line (BPL) in construction of dwelling units and
upgradation of existing unserviceable kutcha houses by providing assistance in the form of
a full grant + Beneficiaries are people belonging to SCs/STs, freed bonded labourers and
non-SC/ST categories, widows etc + SECC,2011 data is used to select beneficiaries +
project will be implemented in a span of three years and expected to boost job creation in
rural areas.
Ø Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) = Implemented by Deendayal
Antyodaya Yojana –National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) , Ministry of
Rural Development, as a sub-scheme since 2016 + Focus of the scheme: Providing self-
employment opportunities with financial assistance and training in business management
and soft skills while creating local community cadres for promotion of enterprises +
Around, 2,000 trained cadre of Community Resource Person-Enterprise Promotion (CRP-
EP) are providing services to rural entrepreneurs and, around 100,000 enterprises are
supported by them + Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad
is the technical support partner of SVEP + SVEP promotes both individual and group
enterprises, set-up and promote enterprises majorly on manufacturing, trading and service
sectors.
Ø REWARD Project = The Government of India, the State Governments of Karnataka and
Odisha and the World Bank have signed a $115 million REWARD Programme +
REWARD stands for Rejuvenating Watersheds for Agricultural Resilience through
Innovative Development + The project aims to help national and state institutions adopt
improved watershed management practices to help increase farmers’ resilience to climate
change, promote higher productivity and better incomes + Watershed management refers
to implementing land use practices and water management practices to protect and improve
the quality of the water and other natural resources within a watershed.
Ø Ombudsperson App = Launched by Ministry of Rural Development and Panchyati Raj +
It aims to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of MNREGA +
Smooth reporting of complaint related to issues of MNREGA will be a part on this App.
MINISTRY OF PANCHAYATI RAJ

Ø Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) = Recently, Cabinet Committee on Economic
Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister approved a proposal to continue the Rashtriya
Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA), a scheme for improving the governance capabilities of
Panchayati Raj institutions, till 2025-26 + Ministry of Panchayati Raj + Revamped RGSA

Schemes
will comprise Central and State components. The Central Components of the scheme will
be fully funded by the Government of India + This scheme extends to all States and UTs
of the country and will also include institutions of rural local government in non-Part IX
areas, where Panchayats do not exist.
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

Ø Pradhan Mantri Kisan ManDhan Yojana = It is an old age pension scheme for all land
holding Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) in the country + It is a voluntary and
contributory pension scheme for the entry age group of 18 to 40 years will help small and
marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of ₹3,000 per month, on attaining the
age of 60 + Farmers who are currently between 18 and 40 years of age can apply for the
scheme + Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare + LIC will be the pension fund
manager + Farmers who are not eligible for the scheme will be SMFs covered under any
other statuary social security schemes such as National Pension Scheme (NPS),
Employees’ State Insurance Corporation scheme, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan
Yojana (PM-SYM) etc + central sector scheme.
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Ø Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) = 2016 + It is in line with the One Nation
– One Scheme theme- It replaced National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) and
Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS) + It aims at supporting
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sustainable production in agriculture sector by way of: Providing financial support to
farmers suffering crop loss/damage rising out of unforeseen events, Stabilizing the income
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of farmers to ensure their continuance in farming, Encouraging farmers to adopt innovative
and modern agricultural practice and Ensuring flow of credit to the agriculture sector
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+ PMFBY fails to cover sharecropper and tenant farmers + envisages a uniform premium

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of only 2% to be paid by farmers for Kharif crops, and 1.5% for Rabi crops + mandatory
for farmers who have taken institutional loans from banks + Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare.
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Ø Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Scheme = Central Sector Scheme + The scheme was
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launched in 2010 when the prices of Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) fertilizers were
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decontrolled (price of urea fertilizer is still controlled) + Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of
P&K fertilizers is decontrolled and fertilizer manufacturers / marketers are allowed to fix
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the MRP at reasonable price. The Centre provides a fixed rate of subsidy (in Rs. Per Kg
basis) on each nutrient + These nutrients include Primary nutrients: Nitrogen (N),
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Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Secondary Nutrient-Sulphur (S) + Additional subsidy for
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micronutrients namely Boron and Zinc is also provided + 22 grades of P&K fertilizers
namely DAP, MAP, TSP, MOP, Ammonium Sulphate, SSP and 16 grades of NPKS
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(Nitrogen (N), Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Sulphur (S) Ammonium Phosphate fertilizers
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are covered under the scheme.

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Schemes
Ø Green-Ag Project = The project aims to catalyse transformative change of India’s

agricultural sector to support achievement of national and global environmental benefits
and conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes. It supports harmonisation
between India's agricultural and environmental sector priorities + Green-Ag Project is
funded by the Global Environment Facility, while the Department of Agriculture,
Cooperation, and Farmers’ Welfare (DAC&FW) is the national executing agency. Other
key players involved in its implementation are Food and Agricultre Organization (FAO)
and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) + Pilot
Project being implemented in Mizoram, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and
Uttarakhand.
MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

Ø Sagar Parikrama = being organised by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and
Dairying + Sagar Parikrama program is proposed to be celebrated in all coastal states/UTs.
MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

Ø National eVidhan Application (NeVA) or e-Vidhan MMP = It is a Mission Mode
Project that comes under the Digital India Programme + NeVA aims to make the
functioning of all the Legislative Houses in the country digital and paperless + Since, the
processes involving the functioning of all Legislatures are similar except some minor
variations, the NeVA can be incorporated into the two Houses of Parliament also NeVA is
Unicode compliant software having provision for easy access to various documents like
List of Questions, List of Business, Reports etc. bilingually viz. English and any regional
language + NeVA is a work-flow system deployed on NIC Cloud, MeghRaj + It has been
developed on the theme of ‘One Nation-One Application’ with the objective of Cloud First
& Mobile First to serve Members’ FIRST + The ‘Nodal Ministry’ to implement the NeVA
in all the States/UTs with Legislatures is the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MoPA)
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

Ø Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) = PM-GKAY is a food
security welfare scheme announced by the Government of India in March 2020, during the
COVID-19 pandemic in India + The program is implemented by the Department of Food
and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public

Schemes
Distribution + PM-GKAY is a scheme as part of AtmaNirbhar Bharat to supply free food

grains to migrants and poor + The objective of the Scheme is to support the poorest citizens
of India by providing grain through the Public Distribution System + The scale of this
welfare scheme makes it the largest food security program in the world + PMGKAY
provides 5 kg of rice or wheat (according to regional dietary preferences) per person and 1
kg of pulses to each family holding a ration card + Recently, The Union Cabinet extended
the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) by another 6 months till
September 2022 + Beneficiaries:
• Families belonging to the BPL, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority
Households (PHH) categories will be eligible for the scheme. PHH are to be
identified by State Governments/Union Territory Administrations as per criteria
evolved by them.
• Households headed by widows or disabled persons or persons aged 60 years or
more with no assured means of subsistence or societal support.
• All primitive tribal households
• Landless agricultural labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans/craftsmen such as
potters, tanners, weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters, slum dwellers, and persons
earning their livelihood on daily basis in the informal sector like porters, coolies,
rickshaw pullers, hand cart pullers, fruit and flower sellers, snake charmers, rag
pickers, cobblers, destitutes and other similar categories in both rural and urban
areas.
• All eligible Below Poverty Line families of HIV positive persons.
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
Ø Services e-Health Assistance and Teleconsultation (SEHAT) = Ministry of Defence +
home delivery of medicines for veterans and serving military personnel in Delhi, seeking
healthcare services under an online medical consultation platform + SeHAT stay-home
OPD is a patient-to-doctor system where the patient can consult a doctor remotely through
the internet using his Smartphone, laptop, Desktop or Tablet.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
Ø Bharat Net Project = Ministry of Communication + was originally launched in 2011 as
the National Optical Fibre Network(NOFN) and renamed as Bharat-Net in 2015 + It seeks
to provide connectivity to 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) through optical fibre + It is a
flagship mission implemented by Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. (BBNL) + The objective
is to facilitate the delivery of e-governance, e-health, e-education, e-banking, Internet and
other services to rural India + Vision of the project is to establish a highly scalable network
infrastructure, provide on demand connectivity of 2 Mbps to 20 Mbps for all households
and institutions; and to realise the vision of digital india, in partnership with states and the
private sector + The project is a Centre-State collaborative project, with the States
contributing free Rights of Way for establishing the Optical Fibre Network + The entire
project is being funded by Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF), which was set up
for improving telecom services in rural and remote areas of the country + Recently, the
Union Cabinet approved a Viability Gap Funding support of up to Rs. 19,041 crore (Out
of the total expense of Rs. 29,430 crore) for the implementation of the BharatNet project
through Public-Private Partnership model.
• Bharat Broadband Network Ltd. (BBNL):BBNL is a Special Purpose Vehicle
(SPV) set up by the Government of India under the Companies Act, 1956 with an
authorized capital of Rs 1000 crore

Schemes
• Universal service Obligation Fund (USOF): 2002 + Funds come from the
Universal Service Levy (USL) of 5% charged from all the telecom operators on
their Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) which are then deposited into the
Consolidated Fund of India, and require prior parliamentary approval to be
dispatched + It is headed by the USOF Administrator who reports to the Secretary,
Department of Telecommunications (DoT) + USOF is a ₹55,000-crore state reserve
+ It provides subsidies to ensure telegraph services are provided to everyone across
India, especially in the rural and remote areas + The USOF works through a bidding
process, where funds are given to the enterprise quoting the lowest bid. However,
the funds for NOFN were made an exception to this process since BBNL was the
sole party involved in the implementation having being specifically created for it
MINISTRY OF SPORTS
Ø Khelo India Scheme (KIS) = It is the flagship Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Youth
Affairs & Sports + KIS aims at infusing sports culture and achieving sporting excellence
in the country + Promotion of rural and indigenous/tribal games’ component of KIS is
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specifically dedicated to the development and promotion of rural and indigenous/tribal
games in the country + Following major Indigenous/traditional games have been identified:
• Mallakhamb: MP + It is a combination of Yoga, Gymnastics, and Martial Arts +
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Many types of Mallakhamb as Pole, Rope, Hanging, Niradhar (without support),
on cane, on floating platform, Mallakhamb with weapons etc
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• Kalaripayattu: Kerala + It is a form of Marital Art + Has different techniques like
meipayattu (physical body exercise), vadipayattu (fight using sticks), valpayattu
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(fight using swords) etc

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• Gatka: Punjab + Traditional martial art form, that is historically associated with
the Sikh gurus + Stick fighting between two or more practitioners, with wooden
sticks (called Soti) intended to simulate swords.
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• Thang ta: Manipur + Traditional martial art also called HUYEN LALLONG
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("method of safe-guarding")
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• Yogasana: Describes a seated posture in yoga typically used for meditation, such
as a basic cross-legged position + Examples: Padmasana (lotus pose), Siddhasana
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(perfect or accomplished pose), Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose) etc.

• Silambam: Tamil Nadu + Weapon-based Indian martial art, but also traditionally
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practiced by the Tamil community of Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

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MINISTRY OF SHIPPING
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Ø Sagarmala Programme = 2015 + Ministry of Shipping + The total outlay of this project
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is 4 crore with 150 initiative in four broad areas: to improve port-connectivity, to upgrade
the existing port infrastructure, to create 14 Coastal Economic Zones and a Special
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Economic Zone, to develop and train the fishermen and other coastal communities +
Provisions under Sagarmala Programme:
• To fulfill the objective of the Sagarmala Project, Sagarmala Development
Company Limited was formed in 2016 which will provide equity support to the
project.
• Indian Port Rail Corporation has been established to execute the last mile rail
connectivity with the ports.
• The Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Ship Building is also being set up.
• Centre for Inland and Coastal Maritime Technology is also being set up at IIT
Kharagpur to reduce India’s dependence on foreign countries for tools and
technology.

Schemes
• Project UNNATI: It is an initiative by the Ministry of Shipping. It aims to enhance

the operational and financial performance of the 12 major ports with selected Indian
private ports and best-in-class international ports. Under Project UNNATI 116
initiatives have been identified for various major ports
MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Ø National Culture Fund = Was established as a funding mechanism distinct from the
existing sources and patterns of funding for the arts and culture in India + It will enable
institutions and individuals to support arts and culture directly as partners with its
government + The National Culture Fund (NCF) was set up by the Government of India as
a Trust under the Charitable Endowment Act, 1890 through a Gazette Notification
published in the Gazette of India 28th November, 1996 + NCF is managed by a Council
and an Executive Committee + The Council is chaired by the Hon'ble Minister of Culture
and has members representing the corporate and public sector, private foundations and
non-profit organizations. The Executive Committee is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry
of Culture.
Ø Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate = It is a week-long, countrywide festival by Ministry of Culture
as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav programme + Literally meaning science is
worshipped everywhere, it aims to showcase and pay homage to India’s achievements in
75 years of Independence.
MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS

Ø Urea Subsidy Scheme = Central sector scheme + It is provided to the farmers at a
statutorily notified Maximum Retail Price (MRP) below their normal supply-and-demand-
based market rates or what it costs to produce/import them + The difference between the
delivered cost of Fertilizers at farm gate and net market realization by the urea units is
given as subsidy to the Urea manufacturer/Importer by the Govt. of India. So, it also
includes freight subsidy for movement of urea across the country + The subsidy is given
to the fertilizer manufacturing companies and the rate of subsidy is decided on annual basis
+ From March 2018, a new so-called direct benefit transfer (DBT) system was introduced,
wherein only upon the sale getting registered on the e-Urvarak platform can a company
claim subsidy + Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers
MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Ø Sustainable Cities India Program = World Economic Forum and the National Institute
of Urban Affairs (NIUA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
collaborate on a jointly designed ‘Sustainable Cities India program’ + ‘Sustainable Cities
India program’ intends to enable cities to decarbonize in a systematic and sustainable way
that will reduce emissions and deliver resilient and equitable urban ecosystems + Ministry
of Urban Development
MINISTRY OF POWER AND RELATED

Ø Powerthon-2022 = Ministry of Power + a hackathon competition under Revamped
Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) to find technology driven solutions to solve the
complex problems in power distribution and to ensure quality and reliable power supply.
Ø PRAAPTI Portal = The Union Ministry of Power has launched web portal and app namely
PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing
Transparency in Invoicing of generators) + The web portal and app aims to bring
transparency in power purchase transactions between Generators and Discoms.

Schemes
Ø Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme = Ministry of Power + Aim of the scheme is to

improve the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of all DISCOMs/ Power
Departments excluding Private Sector DISCOMs + The scheme will provide conditional
financial assistance to DISCOMs for strengthening of supply infrastructure + Scheme
would be available till the year2025-26 + Nodal agencies for implementation of the
scheme: REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) and Power
Finance Corporation (PFC) + component of the scheme are consumer meters and system
meters, feeder segregation and modernization of distribution system in urban areas + All
the existing power sector reforms schemes such as Integrated Power Development Scheme,
Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana, and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar
Yojana will be merged into this umbrella program + The scheme will be available till 2025-
26.
MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS.

Ø Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) = It is
an online platform available to the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to the public
authorities on any subject related to service delivery + It is a single portal connected to all
the Ministries/Departments of Government of India and States + It was created in 2007 by
the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG).
Ø Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration-2021 = The
government of India instituted a scheme in 2006 namely, “The Prime Minister’s Awards
for Excellence in Public Administration” - to acknowledge, recognize and reward the
extraordinary and innovative work done by Districts/Organizations of the Central and State
Governments + Exemplary work done in the following 5 identified priority programs will
be given awards which are to be presented on Civil Services Day 2022 (21 April) +
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel,
Public Grievances and Pensions.
MISCELLANEOUS
Ø Water Taxi Service = India’s first water taxi service connecting the twin cities, Mumbai
and Navi Mumbai + water taxi will ply between Domestic Cruise Terminal in South
Mumbai and the newly inaugurated Belapur Jetty in Navi Mumbai.
Ø Bahini Scheme = Announced by Sikkim government + It seeks to install vending machines
to provide free sanitary pads in all its 210 secondary and senior secondary government
schools across the state + The scheme aims at providing “100 percent access to free and
safe sanitary pads to secondary and senior secondary school going girls” + It aims to curb
dropout of girls from schools and raise awareness about menstrual hygiene + This is the
first time that a state government has taken a decision to cover all girls studying in Classes
9-12.
Ø Dishaank App = developed by Karnataka + Dishaank App is developed under the
Geographical Information System (GIS) program of the Karnataka State Remote Sensing
Applications Center (KSRSAC).
Ø 'Back to Village’ Program = of J&K + It is aimed to involve the people of the state and
government officials in a joint effort to deliver the mission of equitable development. The
program is aimed at energizing Panchayats and directing development efforts in rural areas
through community participation.
Ø Cosmos Malabaricus Project = Kerala, Netherlands ink MoU for a project on State’s
history + It aimed at shedding further light on the history of Kerala using 18th-century
Dutch documents.

Indices and Reports
INTERNATIONAL
Ø World Happiness Report 2022 = Recently, the latest edition of the United Nations’ World
Happiness Report for the year 2022 was released + This report is issued annually by the
United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network + This report is a
measurement of subjective well-being of 150 countries (146 in 2022) + It relies on three
main well-being indicators (life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions),
levels of GDP, life expectancy etc + Happiness rankings are based on life evaluations as
the more stable measure of the quality of people’s lives. It assigns a score on a scale of 0-
10, based on an average of data over a three-year-period + This year (2022) marks the tenth
anniversary of the World Happiness Report + For the fifth straight year, the World
Happiness Report 2022 has found Finland to be the happiest country in the world + From
the other end, Afghanistan was ranked as the unhappiest nation, followed by Lebanon,
Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Botswana, respectively + India, meanwhile, saw a marginal
improvement in its ranking, jumping three spots to 136, from 139 a year ago + Russia and
Ukraine, currently at war with each other, have been ranked 80 and 98 respectively. The
2022 rankings, however, were compiled much before Russia launched invasion of its
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neighbour.
Ø Hurun Global Rich List 2022 = a report on the findings on the dollar millionaires for
2021 + Hurun Report is a leading research, luxury publishing and events group established
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in London in 1998. It is widely recognized world-over for its comprehensive evaluation of
the wealthiest individuals across the globe. Hurun Report is the largest compiler of the rich
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list globally.
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Ø World Energy transition Outlook 2022 = It was launched by the International

Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue + It sets out
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priority areas and actions based on available technologies that must be realised by 2030 to
achieve net zero emissions by mid- century.
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Ø State of World Population 2022 Report = Released by United Nations Population Fund’s
(UNFPA) + The report is titled as “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected
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crisis of unintended pregnancy” + Over 60% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion

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and 45% of abortions are unsafe, causing 5% to 13% of maternal deaths + UNFPA is an
international development agency, created in 1968 to support the execution of projects and
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programmes in the area of population and sexual and reproductive health. Its mandate is
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established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is working
with governments, partners and other UN agencies to directly tackle many of SDG: Goal
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3 on health, Goal 4 on education and Goal 5 on gender equality.

Ø World Economic Outlook(WEO) = released by IMF + The latest edition of the
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International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook cut its forecast for India’s
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Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in FY 2022-23 to 8.2%, making it the fastest-
growing major economy in the world, almost twice faster than China’s 4.4 %
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Ø Food Waste Index Report 2021 = released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
+ The Food Waste Index Report aims at supporting the goals of SDG 12.3 + Estimates
suggest that 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not
consumed.
Ø Food Price Index (FFPI) = FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) is a measure of the monthly
change in international prices of a basket of food commodities + It consists of the average
of 5 commodity group price indices weighted by the average export shares of each of the
groups over 2014-2016 + Indexes: FAO Cereal Price Index, FAO Vegetable Oil Price
Index, FAO Dairy Price Index, FAO Meat Price Index, FAO Sugar Price Index.
Ø Democracy Report 2022 = The latest edition of Democracy Report was released recently
by the V-Dem Institute at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg + The study was titled

Indices and Reports
‘Democracy Report 2022: Autocratisation Changing Nature?’ + The report classifies
countries into four regime types based on their score in the Liberal Democratic Index
(LDI): Liberal Democracy, Electoral Democracy, Electoral Autocracy, and Closed
Autocracy + It classified India as an electoral autocracy ranking it 93rd on the LDI, out of
179 countries. India is one of the top ten ‘autocratisers’ in the world says the report.
Ø Military Spending = New data on global military spending published by the Stockholm
International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) + World military spending continued to
grow in 2021, reaching a record $2.1 trillion despite the economic fallout of the pandemic
+ The five largest spenders in 2021 were the U.S., China, India, the U.K. and Russia,
together accounting for 62% of expenditure + India is 3rd highest military spender ($76.6
billion)
Ø Annual Frontiers Report 2022 = Recently, the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) has released its Annual Frontiers Report named Noise, Blazes and Mismatches +
The Frontiers report identifies and offers solutions to three environmental issues: urban
noise pollution, wildfires and phenological shifts.
INDIA
Ø Index of Eight Core Industries = Released by the Office of the Economic Adviser,
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade + Index of Eight Core Industries
has the base year: 2011-12 + The core sectors account for 40.27% of the Index of Industrial
Production (IIP) + Eight Core Industries - Coal, Crude Oil, Natural Gas, Petroleum
Refinery Products, Fertilizers, Steel, Cement, Electricity + Since 2014, Electricity
generation data from Renewable sources are also included + Since 2019, a new steel
product called Hot Rolled Pickled and Oiled (HRPO) under the item ‘Cold Rolled (CR)
coils’ within the production of finished steel has also been included.
Ø Export Preparedness Index (EPI) 2021 = EPI is prepared by NITI Aayog in partnership
with Institute of Competitiveness + It is a comprehensive analysis of India’s export
achievements of states and union territories and identifies challenges and opportunities +
EPI ranks states and UTs on 4 main pillars—Policy; Business Ecosystem; Export
Ecosystem; Export Performance and 11 sub-pillars + Most of the ‘Coastal States’ are best
performers, with Gujarat as top-performer, followed by Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu.
Ø Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2019 = Released by Office of the
Registrar General & Census Commissioner under Ministry of Home Affairs + SRS is the
only official source of demographic data except decadal censuses in India + SRS is a
demographic survey for providing reliable annual estimates of IMR, birth rate, death rate,
and other fertility and mortality indicators at the national and sub-national levels + Some
key findings:
• Crude Birth Rate (CBR): There has been a decline of 1.3 points in the CBR for
the country from 2014 to 2019. At National level during 2019 stands at 19.7.
• Crude Death Rate (CDR): During the last five years, decline in National CDR has
been to the tune of 0.7 points. At national level: 6.0 in 2019.
• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): It registered a 2-point decline to 30 in 2019 from 32
in 2018 at the National level
• Under 5 Mortality Rate U5MR: Showed a decline of 1 point over 2019 from 2018
(36 in 2018)
• Sex Ratio at Birth: At the national level it has gone up by 5 points to 904 in 2017-
19 from 899 in 2016-2018 + Kerala has highest (968) while Uttarakhand has the
lowest (848)

Indices and Reports
• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): It came down to 2.1 in 2019 after being stable at 2.2
for the last two years 2017 and 2018 + The replacement level TFR, viz. 2.1, has
been attained in 15 states
Ø Sample Registration System MMR (Maternal Mortality Rate) = Kerala tops in maternal
and child health, recording the lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio in the country + Overall,
the MMR of India has declined by 10 points + Maternal mortality is the maternal death of
a woman during pregnancy or after pregnancy, including post-abortion or post-birth
periods.
Ø UDISE+ 2020-21 Report = Recently, the Union Education Minister released the Report
on United Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2020-21 for School Education
in India + UDISE plus is one of the largest Management Information Systems on school
education. It was launched in 2018-2019 to speed up data entry, reduce errors, improve
data quality and ease its verification. It is an application to collect the school details about
factors related to a school and its resources + It was aimed to overcome the issues related
to erstwhile practice of manual data filling in paper format and subsequent feeding on
computer at the block or district level in the UDISE data collection system since 2012-13
+ some important note:
• In 2020-21 total students enrolled in school education from primary to higher
secondary stood at 25.38 crore
• Level wise GER in 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20 are: 92.2% from 89.7% in
upper primary, 99.1 % from 97.8% in elementary, 79.8% from 77.9% in secondary
and 53.8% from 51.4% in higher secondary respectively.
• In 2020-21 the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) stood at 26 for primary, 19 for upper
primary, 18 for secondary and 26 for higher secondary, showing an improvement
since 2018-19.
Ø Consumer Price Index (CPI) = It measures price changes from the perspective of a retail
buyer + It is released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) + The CPI has several sub-
groups including food and beverages, fuel and light, housing and clothing, bedding and
footwear + Four types of CPI are as follows:
Index Compiled by Base
year
CPI for Industrial Workers Labor Bureau in the Ministry of Labor and 2016
(IW) Employment
CPI for Agricultural Labor Bureau in the Ministry of Labor and 1986-87
Laborer (AL) Employment
CPI for Rural Laborer Labor Bureau in the Ministry of Labor and 1986-87
(RL) Employment
CPI (Rural/Urban/ NSO in the Ministry of Statistics and Programme 2012
Combined) Implementation.
Ø All- India Household Consumer Expenditure Survey = The All- India Household
Consumer Expenditure Survey, usually conducted by the National Statistical Office (NSO)
every 5 years, is set to resume this year after a prolonged break
Ø Inflation Expectations Survey of Households (IESH) = The survey is conducted at bi-
monthly intervals by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) + It provides directional information
on near-term inflationary pressures as expected by the respondents and may reflect their
own consumption patterns.
Ø Consumer Confidence Survey = Released by RBI on a bi-monthly basis + The survey
obtains current perceptions (vis-à-vis a year ago) and one year ahead expectations on
general economic situation, employment scenario, overall price situation and own income

Indices and Reports
and spending from 5,984 households across 19 major cities cities + One year ahead
outlook, is measured by the Future Expectations Index (FEI).
Ø India’s Learning Poverty = Learning Poverty means being unable to read and understand
a short, age-appropriate text by age 10 + India’s learning poverty has shot up, as per the
World Bank + World Bank has adopted a Learning Poverty Target that aims to cut the
global rate of learning poverty by at least 50% by 2030, with “learning poverty” defined as
the percentage of ten-year-olds who cannot read and understand a simple story.
Ø Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) = Recently, the Indian National Centre for Ocean
Information Services (INCOIS) has carried out a coastal vulnerability assessment for the
entire Indian coast at States level + The assessment has been conducted to bring out an
Atlas comprising 156 maps on 1:1,00,000 scales to prepare a Coastal Vulnerability Index
(CVI) + The maps will determine the coastal risks due to future sea-level rise based on the
physical and geological parameters for the Indian coast.
Ø India Patents Report = published by Nasscom + Entities in India had filed 1,38,000 tech
patents in the country and more than 9,500 patents in the U.S. from 2015 to 2021.
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ACT IN NEWS
Ø Criminal Laws in India = Criminal law and criminal procedure fall under the Concurrent
List while matters relating to Police and Prisons fall under the State List + The laws that
govern criminal law in India are the Indian Penal Code 1860; the Indian Evidence Act,
1872; and the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (CrPC).
• Indian Penal Code(IPC) 1860 = It governs all criminal acts + IPC extends to the
whole of India + Punishments under IPC can be extended both to offences
committed within India as well as offences committed beyond India, however,
which by law may be tried, within India.
• Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 = It defines how the police machinery function
as far as investigation and procedure + It categorises offences such as bailable, non-
bailable, cognizable and non-cognizable offences.
• Indian Evidence Act, 1872 = It contains a set of rules and regulations regarding
the admissibility of the evidence.
Ø Unlawful Activities Prevention Act(UAPA) 1967 = aims at the effective prevention of
unlawful activities across India and abroad + Its main objective was to provide powers to
central agencies and states to deal with terrorist activities + It is applicable across the entire
country + Any Indian or foreign national charged under UAPA is liable for punishment
under this Act, irrespective of the location of crime / offense committed + UAPA will be
applicable to the offenders in the same manner, even if crime is committed on a foreign
land, outside India + The provisions of this Act apply also to citizens of India and abroad
+ persons on ships and aircrafts, registered in India, wherever they may be are also under
the ambit of this act.
Ø Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 = The Act seeks to replace the
Identification of Prisoners Act, 1920 + The Act expands the type of data that may be
collected, persons from whom such data may be collected, and the authority that may
authorise such collection + The Act requires the details collected to be retained in digital
or electronic form for 75 years from the date of collection. The record may be destroyed in
case of persons who have not been previously convicted, and who are released without
trial, discharged, or acquitted by the court, after exhausting all legal remedies + As per the
Act, resistance or refusal to give details will be considered an offence under the Indian
Penal Code, 1860 + Under Act, a Magistrate may direct a person to give details for the
purpose of an investigation or proceeding under the CrPC + Rule-making power extended
to central government: Previous Act vested rule-making power only in the state
government. The Act extends this power to the central government as well.
Comparison of key provisions of the 1920 Act and the 2022 Act
1920 Act Changes in the 2022 Act
Data • Fingerprints, foot-print • Iris and retina scan, physical,
permitted impressions, photographs. biological samples and their analysis,
to be behavioural attributes including
collected signatures, handwriting or any other
examination referred to in section 53
or section 53A of the Code of
Criminal Procedure, 1973.

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Persons • Convicted or arrested for • Convicted or arrested for any

whose data offences punishable with offence. However, biological samples
may be rigorous imprisonment of may be taken forcibly only from
collected one year or more. persons arrested for offences against
• Persons ordered to give a woman or a child, or if the offence
security for good carries a minimum of seven years
behaviour or maintaining imprisonment.
peace. • Persons detained under any
• Magistrate may order preventive detention law.
in other cases • On the order of Magistrate, from any
collection from any person (not just an arrested person)
arrested person to aid to aid investigation.
criminal investigation.
Persons who • Investigating officer, • Officer in charge of a police station,
may require/ officer in charge of a police or of rank Head Constable or above.
direct station, or of rank Sub- In addition, a Head Warden of a
collection of Inspector or above. prison.
data • Magistrate. • Metropolitan Magistrate or
Judicial Magistrate of first class. In
case of persons required to maintain
good behaviour or peace, the
Executive Magistrate.
Ø National Security Act (NSA) 1980 = It was promulgated during the Indira Gandhi
government + It allows preventive detention for months, if authorities are satisfied that a
person is a threat to national security or law and order + The person does not need to be
charged during this period of detention + The goal is to prevent the individual from
committing a crime + Under the National Security Act, an individual can be detained
without a charge for up to 12 months + A person detained under the National Security Act
can be held for 10 days without being told the charges against them.
Ø POCSO Act 2012 = POCSO Act is meant to protect children from offences of sexual
assault, sexual harassment and pornography + The Act provides for the establishment of
Special Courts for trial of offences and related matters + The Act is gender neutral, and it
defines a child as any person below 18 years of age + It defines different forms of sexual
abuse, including penetrative and non-penetrative assault, as well as sexual harassment and
pornography + The Act recognizes that the Intent to commit an offence, even when
unsuccessful for whatever reason, needs to be penalized + The Act also provides for
punishment for abetment of the offence, which is the same as for the commission of the
offence.
Ø POCSO e-Box for Children = This e-Box is an online complaint box for reporting child
sexual abuse + It is a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
initiative to help children report such crimes directly to the Commission + The online
complaint management system enables easy reporting and timely action against the
offenders under the POCSO Act, 2012.
Ø 69th Amendment Act, 1992 = It added two new Articles 239AA and 239AB under which
the UT of Delhi has been given a special status + Article 239AA provides that the UT of
Delhi be called the National Capital Territory of Delhi and its administrator shall be known
as Lt. Governor + It also creates a legislative assembly for Delhi which can make laws on
subjects under the State List and Concurrent List except on these matters: public order,
land, and police + It also provides for a Council of Ministers for Delhi consisting of not
more than 10% of the total number of members in the assembly + Article 239AB provides

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that the President may by order suspend the operation of any provision of Article 239AA
or of all or any of the provisions of any law made in pursuance of that article (Resembles
Article 356: President’s Rule)
CASES IN NEWS
Ø Chhannu Lal Verma vs. State of Chhattisgarh = Supreme Court, in Chhannu Lal Verma
vs. State of Chhattisgarh, held that, before awarding death sentence, a proper
psychological/psychiatric evaluation is to be done by courts to assess probability and
possibility of reform of the criminal + In Bacchan Singh v/s State of Punjab (1980), SC
established the doctrine of “rarest of rare” crime in handing down capital punishment while
mandating a comparative analysis of aggravating and mitigating circumstances in
connection to the accused + In 2014, SC ruled that unexplained delay in execution was a
ground for commutation of death penalty, and an inmate, his or her kin, or even a public-
spirited citizen, could file a writ petition seeking such commutation.
Ø Olga Tellis Judgement = The case started in 1981 when the State of Maharashtra and the
Bombay Municipal Corporation decided that pavement and slum dwellers in Bombay city
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should be evicted and “deported to their respective places of origin or places outside the
city of Bombay.” + The Olga Tellis vs Bombay Municipal Corporation judgment in 1985
ruled that eviction of pavement dwellers using unreasonable force, without giving them a
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chance to explain is unconstitutional. It is a violation of their right to livelihood.
Ø Important Judgements
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• Bachan Singh vs State of Punjab (1980) = The Constitution Bench of Supreme
Court suggested a humane and reformist framework in the matters of death penalty
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+ It said that the gallows could be resorted to only in the rarest of rare cases, that
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too when “the alternate op-tion is unquestionably foreclosed”

• Kedar Nath Singh vs State of Bihar (1962) = The Supreme Court endorsed the
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validity of the sedition law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) with a rider
that it could be invoked only when there is an incitement to violence
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• Indra Sawhney vs Union of India of 1992 (Mandal Commission Verdict) = Court

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has rejected the additional reservation of 10% for poorer sections of the higher
castes + Upheld the constitutional validity of 27% reservation for the OBCs with
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certain conditions + No reservation in promotions + Ram Nandan Committee was

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appointed to identify the creamy layer + It ends the 50% ceiling on reservation in
backlog vacancies
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ARTICLES, PROVISIONS AND CONCEPTS IN NEWS

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Ø Furlough vs Parole = Furlough is given in case of long-term imprisonment. While

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furlough is seen as a matter of right, to be granted periodically irrespective of any reason

and merely to enable the prisoner to retain family and social ties, parole is not a matter of
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right and may be denied to a prisoner even when he makes out a sufficient case + Parole
and furlough are covered under the Prison Act of 1894. Since prison is a subject of the
state, the Prison Act of the particular state government defines the rules under which parole
is granted. Parole is granted by the state executive. If parole is rejected, the convict can
move the High Court challenging the order of the competent authority. Also, apart from
regular parole, the superintendent of a jail can also grant parole up to a period of seven
days in emergent cases + Other differences are:

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Ø Right to Adequate Housing = The right to housing is a fundamental right recognized

under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution + Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate
for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing,
housing, and medical care...” + Article 11.1 of the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) re-cognises “the right of everyone to an adequate
standard of living for himself and his family, including adeq-uate food, clothing, and
housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions”.
Ø Minorities in India = The Constitution of India uses the word ‘minority’ or its plural form
in some Articles – 29 to 30 and 350A to 350 B – but does not define it anywhere + Article
29 has the word “minorities” in its marginal heading but speaks of “any sections of
citizens”. The Supreme Court held that the scope of this article is not necessarily restricted
to minorities only, as words ‘section of citizens’ in the Article include minorities as well
as majority + Article 30 speaks specifically of two categories of minorities – religious and
linguistic + Articles 350A and 350B relate to linguistic minorities only. Article 350A
facilities for instruction in mother tongue at primary stage. Article 350 B talks about
Special Officer for linguistic minorities + In India, there is no linguistic majority at the
national level and the linguistic minority status is decided at the State/Union Territory level
+ With respect to religious minorities at the national level in India, all those who profess a
religion other than Hinduism are considered minorities + National Commission for
Minorities Act (1992) also does not offer a definition of the term ‘religious minority’.
Instead, it is the central government that is empowered to notify a few communities as
“minority” for the purpose of this Act. Following this mandate, the Central government
notified five religious communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and
Zoroastrians (Parsis) as national religious minorities in October 1993. This list was
amended in 2014 when Jains were also notified as a national minority + Please Note: TMA
Pai case 2002 is related to minorities in India. It lays down that for the purposes of Article
30, the religious and linguistic minorities have to be considered state-wise.
Ø Star Campaigners = A star campaigner is a celebrity vote seeker in an election for a party,
who can be a politician or even a film star + They are nominated by the concerned political
parties specifying their constituencies and duration of the status + There is no law
governing who can or cannot be made a star campaigner + Since political parties appoint
star campaigners, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued guidelines the Model
Code of Conduct regulating poll campaign by them + A ‘recognised’ party can nominate a
maximum of 40 star campaigners. An unrecognised political party can nominate a
maximum of 20 star campaigners + Expenditure incurred on campaigning by such notified

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star campaigners is exempt from being added to the election expenditure of a candidate.
However, If a candidate or his/her election agent shares stage with a star campaigner at a
rally, then the entire expenditure on that rally, other than the travel expenses of star
campaigner, is added to candidate’s expenses.
Ø Electoral Bonds = only be issued by notified bank + could only 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 + 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 + The electoral bonds were also opened for
foreign funding.
Ø One Nation One Election = Ideally ‘One Nation One Election’ should imply that elections
to all the three tiers of constitutional institutions take place in a synchronized and co-
ordinated fashion. It means that a voter casts his vote for electing members for all tiers of
the Government on a single day + It does not mean that voting across the country for Lok
Sabha and State Assemblies needs to happen on a single day + Concerns associated:
• Terms of Assemblies/Lok Sabha be synchronized for the first time and may require
extend or curtail the existing terms of some State Assemblies to facilitate one nation
one election
• As the constitutional provisions do not fix the term of either a State Assembly or
the Lok Sabha, it would only be a matter of time when the electoral cycle gets
disturbed again
Ø Lokpal = concept of an institutional mechanism, or an anti-corruption ombudsman +
Concept has been around for over 50 years + It was finally enacted as a law in 2013(Lokpal
and lokayuktas Act, 2013) + search committee --> recommends a panel of names to the
high-power selection committee, which comprises the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the
Lok Sabha, the Leader of the Opposition, the Chief Justice of India (or his nominee) and
an eminent jurist + The selection panel has to choose from a short-list consisting of names
for the posts of Lokpal chairperson, and judicial and non-judicial members + Lokpal has
jurisdiction to inquire into allegations of corruption against anyone who is or has been
Prime Minister, or a Minister in the Union government, or a Member of Parliament, as well
as officials of the Union government under Groups A, B, C and D + Also covered are
chairpersons, members, officers and directors of any board, corporation, society, trust or
autonomous body either established by an Act of Parliament or wholly or partly funded by
the Centre + It also covers any society or trust or body that receives foreign contribution
above ₹10 lakh + Lokpal cannot inquire into any corruption charge against the Prime
Minister if the allegations are related to international relations, external and internal
security, public order, atomic energy and space, unless a full Bench of the Lokpal,
consisting of its chair and all members, considers the initiation of a probe, and at least two-
thirds of the members approve it. Such a hearing should be held in camera, and if the
complaint is dismissed, the records shall not be published or made available to anyone +
complaint under the Lokpal Act should be in the prescribed form and must pertain to an
offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act against a public servant. There is no
restriction on who can make such a complaint + When a complaint is received, the Lokpal
may order a preliminary inquiry by its Inquiry Wing, or refer it for investigation by any
agency, including the CBI + Inquiry Wing or any other agency will have to complete its

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preliminary inquiry and submit a report to the Lokpal within 60 days + It has to seek
comments from both the public servant and “the competent authority,” before submitting
its report. There will be a ‘competent authority’ for each category of public servant. For
instance , for the Prime Minister, it is the Lok Sabha, and for other Ministers, it will be the
Prime Minister. And for department officials, it will be the Minister concerned.
Ø Euthanasia in India = Active euthanasia is a crime under section 302 or 304 of IPC +
Passive euthanasia is legal in India under exceptional circumstances. The theory of passive
euthanasia got its legal status in the year 2011. The Supreme Court in 2011 in Aruna
Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India had held that passive euthanasia can be allowed
under exceptional circumstances + Prior to Aruna Shanbaug’s case, the Supreme Court had
formulated an opinion on legality of suicide in Gian Kaur v. State of Punjab, in which it
had held that the right to life under Article 21 does not include the right to die.
Ø Uniform Civil Code (UCC) = UCC calls for formulation of one law to be made applicable
to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption
+ The idea of UCC is influenced by European countries during the 19th and 20th century
(French code of 1804) + In India, Article 44 (one of the DPSP) of the Constitution, provides
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that the State shall endeavour to secure for all citizens a Uniform Civil Code throughout
the territory of India.
Ø Sentinel on the qui vive = Sentinel on the qui vive is usually translated as watchful
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guardian + Qui vive means watchful or alert. Supreme Court recognised this phrase in State
of Madras v. VG Row. Union of India & State (1952), where the Court has been given the
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role of “Sentinel on the Qui Vive” with regards to the “fundamental rights”
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COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS IN NEWS

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Ø Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) = Under RBI Act, 1934, the central government is
empowered to constitute a six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Reserve
Bank of India (RBI) + The first such MPC was constituted in 2016 + MPC shall determine
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the Policy Interest Rate required to achieve the inflation target, and that“the decision of the
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Monetary Policy Committee shall be binding on the RBI + The MPC fixes the benchmark
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interest rate - or the base or reference rate that is used to set other interest rates - in India +
MPC shall consist of, The RBI Governor (ex officio chairperson), The Deputy Governor
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in charge of monetary policy, An officer of the Bank to be nominated by the Central Board,
and Three persons to be appointed by the central government + The last category of
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appointments must be from “persons of ability, integrity and standing, having knowledge
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and experience in the field of economics or banking or finance or monetary policy”

Ø National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) = NCST was established by
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amending Article 338 and inserting a new Article 338A in the Constitution through the
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Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003 + By this amendment, the erstwhile National
Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes was replaced by two separate
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Commissions namely National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC), and the
National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) w.e.f. 19 February 2004 + Standing
Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment highlighted that National Commission for
Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has been dysfunctional for the last four years and has not
delivered a single report to Parliament.
BODIES IN NEWS
Ø Enforcement Directorate(ED) = ED today is a multi-dimensional organisation
investigating economic offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA),
Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA), Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA)

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and FERA + ED got its power to investigate under PMLA + Whenever any offence is
registered by a local police station, which has generated proceeds of crime over and above
₹1 crore, the investigating police officer forwards the details to the ED + Under various
sections, the ED can also directly carry out search and seizure without calling the person
for questioning + The ED carries out search (property) and seizure (money/documents)
after it has decided that the money has been laundered, under PMLA + If the person is
arrested, the ED gets 60 days to file the charge sheet as the punishment under PMLA doesn't
go beyond 7 years. If no one is arrested and only the property is attached, then the charge
sheet along with the attachment order is to be submitted before the adjudicating authority
within 60 days.
Ø Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) = CBI is the premier investigating police agency
in India + CBI was set up in 1963 by a resolution of MHA + Later, it was transferred to the
Ministry of Personnel + It functions under the superintendence of the Dept. of Personnel,
Ministry of Personnel, Pension & Public Grievances, Government of India - which falls
under the PMO + Recommended by the Santhanam Committee on Prevention of
Corruption, 1962 + CBI derives power to investigate from the Delhi Special Police
Establishment Act, 1946 + CBI is the main investigating agency of the Central
Government. It also provides assistance to CVC and Lokpal + At present CBI has the
following 7 divisions ー Anti-Corruption Division, Economic Offences Division, Special
Crimes Division, Policy and Coordination Division, Administration Division, Directorate
of Prosecution, Central Forensic Science Laboratory + With the enactment of the CVC
Act, 2003, the superintendence of DSPE vests with the Central Government save
investigations of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in which, the
superintendence vests with CVC + CBI Director has been provided security of 2 tenure in
office by the CVC Act, 2003 + CBI is headed by a Director. He is assisted by a special
director or an additional director. The Director of CBI has been provided security for 2-
year tenure, by the CVC Act, 2003. In 2014, the Lokpal Act provided a committee for the
appointment of CBI Director: Headed by Prime Minister; Leader of Opposition / Leader
of the single largest opposition party and Chief Justice of India/ a Supreme Court Judge.
Ø DRDO = DRDO works under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence,
Government of India + It is working to establish world class science and technology base
for India and provides our Defence Services decisive edge by equipping them with
internationally competitive systems and solutions + DRDO was established in 1958 after
combining Technical Development Establishment (TDEs) of the Indian Army and the
Directorate of Technical Development & Production (DTDP) with the Defence Science
Organisation (DSO) + Starting with 10 laboratories, DRDO has now grown to a network
of 52 laboratories which are deeply engaged in developing defence technologies covering
various disciplines, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, combat vehicles, engineering
systems, instrumentation, missiles, advanced computing and simulation, special materials,
naval systems, life sciences, training, information systems and agriculture + Several major
projects for the development of missiles, armaments, light combat aircrafts, radars,
electronic warfare systems etc are on hand and significant achievements have already been
made in several such technologies.
Ø Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence = It is India's apex anti-smuggling intelligence,
investigations and operations agency + The Directorate is run by officers from the Central
Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) who are posted in its various Zonal Units as
well as in Indian embassies abroad as part of the Customs Overseas Intelligence Network
+ It is headed by a Director General of the rank of Special Secretary to the Government of
India + The Agency works to secure India's national and economic security by preventing
the outright smuggling of contraband such as firearms, gold, narcotics, + Fake Indian

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Currency notes, antiques, wildlife and environmental products. Moreover, it also works to
prevent the proliferation of black money, trade based money laundering and commercial
frauds.
Ø National Maritime Security Coordinator (NMSC) = India recently appointed first
Maritime security coordinator + He will be principal advisor to government on maritime
security domain and will coordinate among Navy, coast guard, security agencies etc + He
will be part of the National Security Council Secretariat and will report to National Security
Advisor (NSA) + NMSC has been a long pending requirement since the Kargil Group of
Ministers (GoM) recommended it.
Ø Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre(I4C) = Initiative of the Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) to combat cyber crime in the country + Located in New Delhi, this state-
of-the-art Centre deals with all types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated
manner + It identifies the research problems of the Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and
take up R&D activities in developing new technologies and forensic tools in collab with
institutes within India and abroad + It aims to coordinate all activities related to
implementation of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with other countries related
to cybercrimes in consultation with the concerned nodal authority in MHA.
Ø Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN or ICERT) = CERT-IN was formed
in 2004 by the Government of India under Information Technology Act, 2000 + It is an
office within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) + It is the
nodal agency to deal with cyber security threats like hacking and phishing + Recently,
Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has made it mandatory for all
service providers, intermediaries, data centre providers, corporates as well as government
organisations to report cyber incidents within six hours of their detection.
Ø National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) = Set up as
the principal development financial institution (DFIs) for infrastructure financing + DFIs
are set up to provide long-term finance and unlike banks, do not accept deposits from
people + NaBFID facilitate the development of the market for bonds, loans, and derivatives
for infrastructure financing + It will be regulated and supervised as an All India Financial
Institution (AIFI) under the RBI Act, 1934 + It becomes the 5th AIFI after EXIM Bank,
NABARD, NHB and SIDBI + set up as a corporate body with authorised share capital of
one lakh crore rupees + Shares of NBFID may be held by entities like central government,
multilateral institutions, sovereign wealth funds, banks and any other institution prescribed
by the central government + Initially, the central government will own 100% shares which
may subsequently be reduced up to 26% + Source of funds: market, government, banks,
mutual funds, as well as multi-lateral institutions + Central Government will provide grants
worth Rs 5,000 crore to NBFID by the end of the first financial year + Management of
NBFID: Board of Directors will govern the NBFID. The Chairperson will be appointed by
CG in consultation with RBI + Recently, K V Kamath appointed as head National Bank
for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID).
Ø All India Financial Institution (AIFI) = AIFIs is a group which is composed of financial
regulatory bodies that play a pivotal role in the financial markets + AIFIs act as an
intermediary between borrowers and final lenders, providing safety and liquidity +
Presently RBI has four AIFIs under it namely EXIM Bank, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI.
NaBFID will be the fifth AIFI under RBI. [Read about EXIM, NABARD, NHB and SIDBI
under Economy Crash course of Sunya IAS]
Ø Reserve Bank Innovation Hub (RBIH) = Set up at Bengaluru + It is intended to
encourage and nurture financial innovation in a sustainable manner through an institutional
set-up + RBI has set up hub as a wholly owned subsidiary with an initial capital

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contribution of ₹100 crore + The new unit has an independent board with S.
Gopalakrishnan as Chairman.
Ø Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India = It is a wholly owned Schedule
‘A’ Miniratna Category-I company of Government of India, incorporated in 2006 + It
comes under the administrative control of Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of
Finance + It is India’s only currency and bank notes manufacturer, which printed the new
series of notes of denomination ₹2,000 and ₹500 in 2016 + It is also engaged in the
production of security paper, non-judicial stamp papers, postal stamps and stationery,
passport and visa stickers, security inks, circulation and commemorative coins among
others + The Delhi headquarters of the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India
has been declared a “prohibited place” under the British-era Official Secrets Act (OSA) by
the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Ø National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) = NAAC was established in
1994 as an autonomous institution of University Grants Commission (UGC) + It evaluates
institutions of higher education on a range of parameters, including their governance
structure, teaching and learning, research etc + NAAC gives institutions grades ranging
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from A++ to C. If an institution is given a D, it means it is not accredited + As per revised
guidelines by NAAC, colleges and universities that have completed even one academic
year will be eligible to apply for provisional accreditation. o Until now, only those higher
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education institutions that are at least six years old, or from where at least two batches of
students have graduated, could apply for NAAC accreditation.
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Ø National Land Monetisation Corporation (NLMC) = Recently, set up by Government
to fast-track monetisation of land and non-core assets of public sector entities + It is
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incorporated as a 100% Government of India owned entity + As per latest Economic

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Survey, Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) have referred around 3,400 acres of
land and other non-core assets for monetisation to Department of Investment and Public
Asset Management (DIPAM). This includes CPSEs like MTNL, BSNL, BPCL, B&R,
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BEML, HMT Ltd, Instrumentation Ltd + Monetisation of core assets is steered by NITI
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Aayog.
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Understanding the Difference

Asset Disinvestment Strategic Privatisation
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Monetisation Disinvestment
Meaning Government Govt Sale of Government
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gives assets on shareholding substantial shareholding in

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leases. is reduced but portion of Govt. an asset is <

remains > shareholding of 51%
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51% 50%, or higher to

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either private or
public entity
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Ownership Remains with Remains with Transferred to Transferred to

the Govt. the Govt. Public/Private Private entity
entity
Management Temporarily Remains with Transferred to Transferred to
Rights transferred to the Govt. Private entity Private entity
Private Entity
Ø Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) = DIPAM is one
of the Departments under the Ministry of Finance + It deals with all matters relating too
Management of Central Government investments in equity including disinvestment of
equity in CPSEs and sale of Central Government equity through offer for sale or private

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placement + Its work is divided under four major areas as: Strategic Disinvestment &
Privatization, Minority Stake Sales, Asset Monetisation, and Capital Management.
Ø Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) = It was established
as an autonomous body in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and is a unit
of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO) + It is mandated to provide the best
possible ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, government agencies
and the scientific community through sustained ocean observations and constant
improvements through systematic and focussed research.
Ø India Innovation Graphene Centre (IIGC) = India’s first graphene innovation center to
be established in Thrissur, Kerala + Graphene is the thinnest and strongest material in the
world and has good chemical stability, high electrical conductivity and a large surface area
while being transparent and lightweight. It is two-dimensional form of crystalline carbon
+ Applications: Anti-corrosion coatings and paints, efficient and precise sensors, faster and
efficient electronics, flexible displays, efficient solar panels, faster DNA sequencing, drug
delivery, and more
Ø National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority(NPAA) = NPPA was set-up as an
independent Regulator on 29th August, 1997 for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability
and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices + The regulator is an attached office of
the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers + The
functions of NPPA include fixation and revision of prices of Scheduled drugs under Drug
(Price Control) Orders issued from time to time, as well as monitoring and enforcement of
prices and ensuring availability and accessibility of all medicines and medical devices,
including non-scheduled drugs.
Ø Price Monitoring and Resource Unit (PMRU) = It’s an initiative of NPPA + The NPPA
has set up 12 Price monitoring and resource units in various States and UTs + It has planned
to set up such units in all states and UTs + Objective: To have better outreach of NPPA in
the states as these units will help the NPPA and State drug controller to ensure the
accessibility of drugs at affordable prices + The PMRUs are societies registered under
Societies Registration Act, 1860
Ø Disaster Management Plan of Ministry of Panchayati Raj (DMP–MoPR) = It has been
prepared in compliance of Section 37 of Disaster Management Act and guidelines issued
by National Disaster Management Authority + Village Committee on Disaster Management
in each village and a Working Group on Disaster Management in each Panchayat has been
envisioned + Every Indian village would have Village Disaster Management Plan + Village
Disaster Management Plan would be the basis for preparation of disaster management
mainstreamed Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), Block Development Plan
(BDP) and District Development Plan (DDP) for the respective Panchayat.
Ø International Monsoons Project Office (IMPO) = Recently launched + It will be hosted
at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Ministry of Earth Sciences + It
would be fostered under the leadership of World Climate Research Programme and World
Weather Research Programme. Both these international Research programmes are
coordinated by World Meteorological Organisation(WMO) + Setting up the IMPO would
expand integrated scientific approach to solve the seasonal variability of monsoons,
enhancing the prediction skill of monsoons and cyclones, strengthening monsoon research
etc.
Ø National Horticulture Board (NHB) = It was set up in 1984 on the basis of
recommendations of the “Group on Perishable Agricultural Commodities”, headed by Dr
M. S. Swaminathan + Headquartered at Gurugram + Objective is to improve integrated
development of Horticulture industry and to help in coordinating, sustaining the production
and processing of fruits and vegetables + It comes under Ministry of Agriculture.

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Ø International Crops Research Institute For The Semi - Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) =
ICRISAT, founded in 1972, is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts
agricultural research for development in the drylands of Asia and sub-Saharan Africa + It
is headquartered in Hyderabad, Telangana with two regional hubs (Nairobi, Kenya and
Bamako, Mali) and country offices in Niger, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia and
Mozambique.
Ø Indian Naval Innovation and Indigenization Organization (NIIO) = Launched by
Defence Ministry in 2020 to promote Naval indigenization + Draft Defence Acquisition
Policy 2020 (DAP 20) envisaged establishment of NIIO by the Service Headquarters + The
NIIO is a three-tiered organization:
• Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin
aspects of innovation and indigenization and provide apex level directives
• A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects
• A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for
induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame
Ø Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) = It is a statutory body of the Government
of India to regulate civil aviation in India. It became a statutory body under the Aircraft
(Amendment) Bill, 2020 + It is an attached office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation + It is
the regulatory body in the field of Civil Aviation primarily dealing with safety issues + It
is responsible for regulation of air transport services to/from/within India and for
enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards + It also co-
ordinates all regulatory + Government of India is planning to replace the organisation with
a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), modelled on the lines of the American Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) + Functions of DGCA: Registration of civil aircraft; Certification
of airports; Licensing to pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers and
flight engineers, and conducting examinations and checks for that purpose etc.
Ø National Broadcasting Standards Authority = News Broadcasting Standards Authority
is an independent body set up by the News Broadcasters Association. Its task is to consider
and adjudicate upon complaints about broadcasts + The NBA has devised a Code of Ethics
to regulate television content as a self regulation mechanism + The News Broadcasting
Standards Authority (NBSA), of the NBA, is empowered to warn, admonish, censure,
express disapproval and fine the broadcaster a sum upto Rs. 1 lakh for violation of the
Code.
Ø Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) = It is an institution independent of any sports
organization which provides for services + It facilitates the settlement of sports-related
disputes through arbitration or mediation + CAS was created in 1984 and is placed under
the administrative and financial authority of the International Council of Arbitration for
Sport (ICAS) + Headquartered at the Palais de Beaulieu, Lausanne (Switzerland)
Ø National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) = Recently, Union Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting announced the merger of four film bodies to the National
Film Development Corporation (NFDC) + The four film bodies include Films Division
(FD), Directorate of Films Festivals (DFF), National Film Archives of India (NFAI), and
Children’s Film Society (CFS) + NFDC is a Central Public Sector Undertaking under
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, incorporated in 1975 with the primary object of
planning and promoting an organized, efficient and integrated development of the Indian
Film Industry. The mandate of production of feature films is carried out by NFDC.
Ø Sangeet Natak Akademi or The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama = It
is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India + It
was set up by the Indian education ministry in 1952 and became functional the following
year, with the appointment of its first chairman, Dr. P. V. Rajamannar + The academy

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functions as the apex body of the performing arts in the country to preserve and promote
the vast cultural heritage of India expressed in music, dance and drama + Award and
Fellowship: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, Ratna
Sadsya, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar and Tagore Ratna and Tagore Puraskar +
The Sangeet Natak Akademi confers classical status on 8 Indian dance forms.
Ø Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art = It is India's national academy of fine
arts + It is an autonomous organization, established in New Delhi in 1954 by Government
of India to promote and propagate understanding of Indian art, in and outside the country
+ LKA provides scholarships and a fellow program, and sponsors and organizes
exhibitions in India and overseas + It is funded by the Union Ministry of Culture +
Activities: National Exhibition of Art, Rashtriya Kala Melas, Garhi Art Studios + The
National Art Award is one of the awards and honors in India and Asia awarded by Lalit
Kala Akademi.
Ø Archaeological Survey of India, or ASI = It is an affiliated agency of the Government of
India's Ministry of Culture + It is responsible for archaeological research and conservation,
as well as the protection and preservation of historic monuments and archaeological sites
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around the country + The laws of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
Remains Act (AMASR Act) of 1958 govern all archaeological activity in the nation + The
Antiquities and Art Treasure Act of 1972 is also governed by it + It was created in 1861
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by Alexander Cunningham, a British Army engineer with a particular interest in Indian
archaeology + Alexander Cunnigham has been dubbed the "Father of Indian Archaeology."
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+ Archaeological activities began considerably earlier, in the 18th century, when Sir
William Jones and a group of antiquarians founded the Asiatic Society in 1784 + Following
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independence, the AMASR Act of 1958 established ASI as a statutory entity + The ASI
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headquarters is located in New Delhi and is led by a Director-General + ASI protects and
preserves over 3500 protected monuments and archaeological sites of national importance.
Ø National Monuments Authority = Head-quartered in New Delhi, the National
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Monuments Authority (NMA) is a statutory body that functions under the Ministry of
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Culture + It has been setup under The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and
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Remains (AMASR) (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2010 + NMA works for the
protection and preservation of monuments and sites through management of the prohibited
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and regulated area around the centrally protected monuments. One among the
responsibilities is to consider grant of permissions to applicants for construction related
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activity in the prohibited and regulated area

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Ø National Bal Bhavan = National Bal Bhavan is an institution located at Kotla Road, New
Delhi + It is an autonomous body run and funded by the Ministry of Human Resource
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Development (HRD) + It was founded in 1956 by Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru + It

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was established with the purpose to provide opportunities for creative pursuits to children
in the age group of 5 to 16 years + It enhances the creative potential of children by
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providing them various activities, opportunities & common platform to interact,

experiment, create and perform according to their age, aptitude and ability. It offers a
barrier-free environment with immense possibilities of innovation, minus any stress or
strain.
POLICIES IN NEWS
Ø Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) = Released by Ministry
of Environment, Forest and Climate Change + it is part of a World Bank-funded project
named ENCORE (Enhancing Coastal and Ocean Resource Efficiency Program) which
aims to strengthen integrated coastal zone management in all coastal States and Union
Territories of India + It is a tool for ENCORE Program to screen the subprojects to

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categorise them based on defined criteria and to decide on how to manage these using either
full-fledged ESIAs (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment) and ESMPs
(Environmental and Social Management Plan) or some generic efforts are required + The
Society of Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM), under MoEFCC is the National
Project Management Unit (NPMU) for ICZMP and ENCORE Programs.
Ø Inflation Targeting (IT) Framework = IT framework in India was initiated through the
Inflation targeting agreement of 2015 + It tasked the monetary policy with the goal of
achieving price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth + To fulfill this
objective, a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was created by amendment of the Reserve
Bank of India Act, 1934 + Act adopted year-on-year changes in the headline Consumer
price Index (CPI) as the measure of inflation target. The target was fixed at 4% with an
upper and lower tolerance band of 2% + target is to be reviewed every 5 years + In March
2021, the Central Government retained the inflation target and the tolerance band for the
next 5-year period – April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2026.
Ø Draft India Data Accessibility & Use Policy 2022 = Released by Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY) + This policy aims to radically transform India’s
ability to harness public sector data for catalysing large scale social transformation + As
per policy, any data sharing shall happen within the legal framework of India + This draft
policy comes in the backdrop of a government committee formed in 2019, headed by
Infosys cofounder S Gopalakrishnan, to draft a Non-Personal Data Protection Framework
(NPDF) + Policy applies to all data and information generated, created, collected or
archived by central government and authorised agencies + Policy aims to set up India Data
Office (IDO) to streamline and consolidate data access and sharing of NPD repositories across
the government and other stakeholders
POLITY-GENERAL
Ø Red Corridor = Red Corridor, also called the red zone, is a region in the east of India that
experiences considerable Naxalite-Maoist insurgency + Maoist insurgency started in the
1940s in a small place called Naxalbari in West Bengal (hence the name ‘Naxalites’) +
These areas span parts of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal + All forms of Naxalite
organisations have been declared as terrorist organizations under the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act, 1967 + Red corridor region is demarcated by the Union Government
(Ministry of Home Affairs) to notify the districts which are affected by left wing
extremism. The primary criterion for removing the districts and including new ones was
‘incidents of violence’.
Ø Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI) = ANI are two groups of islands: Andaman Islands
and the Nicobar Islands, covering an area of 8,249 sq km + ANI are also home to India’s
only integrated tri-service command of the armed forces—the Andaman and Nicobar
Command (ANC) + These islands act as a physical barrier that secures busy Sea Lines of
Communications (SLOC) by creating a series of chokepoints:
• The Preparis Channel in the north;
• Ten Degree Channel between the Andaman and Nicobar Island groups and;
• Six Degree Channel to the south
While the first two sea lanes are used infrequently by commercial shipping, all vessels that
pass through the Malacca Strait must traverse the Six Degree Channel.

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Ø Unemployment Benefits:
• Under the Employees’ State Insurance Act (ESIA), 1948, the Rajiv Gandhi
Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) provides unemployment allowance to
involuntarily unemployed insured persons who have made contributions for two
years to ESI. The cash relief is at the rate of 50% of the last average daily wages
for the first 12 months and 25% for the next 12 months. It covers unemployment
due to retrenchment, closure or permanent invalidity. It provides medical care
during unemployment tenure and vocational training.
• In 2018, the government introduced the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana
(ABVKY) under which unemployed insured persons are provided allowance at the
rate of 50% of the average per day earning of the claimant for 90 days on a pilot
basis for two years. This was extended during the COVID-19 period.
• Under the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA), 1947, industrial establishments
employing 100 or more workers must pay retrenchment compensation of 15 days
of average pay for the completed years of service to workers in case they lose jobs
due to government sanctioned workers’ retrenchment or closures of establishments.
Here, the burden of unemployment allowance is transferred to the employer +
Employment Intensive industries like construction and services are excluded.
Ø Silk In India = India has the unique distinction of being the only country producing all the
five known commercial silks, namely, mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri and muga, of
which muga with its golden yellow glitter is unique and prerogative of India + North East
has the unique distinction of being the only region producing four varieties of silk viz.,
Mulberry, Oak Tasar, Muga and Eri. Overall North Eastern region contributes 18% of
India’s total silk production + India is the second largest producer of silk in the world and
also the largest consumer of silk in the world. Among the four varieties of silk produced in
2020-21, Mulberry accounted for 70.72% (23,860 MT)

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Ø Global Network of Silk Cities = Global Silk City Network helps artisans and craftsmen
to exchange knowledge, build trade relations and understand various craftsmanship
techniques. Currently, 13 best silk-producing cities and nine countries are members of this
network + Recently, Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to become a member of
the Global Silk City Network + There are historical reasons why Bengaluru has been
included in the Silky City Network. The International Sericultural Commission was held
at Lyon in the 1950s and came to Bengaluru in 2013. Also, Bengaluru is the Silicon Valley
of India and Lyon has a big cluster of innovation and IT.
Ø Raisina Dialogue = The Raisina Dialogue is a multilateral conference held annually in
New Delhi + Since its inception in 2016, the conference has emerged as India's flagship
conference on geopolitics and geo-economics + The conference is hosted by the Observer
Research Foundation (ORF), an independent think tank, in collaboration with the Ministry
of External Affairs of India + The conference is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-
sectoral discussion, involving a variety of global policymakers including heads of state,
cabinet ministers, and local government officials + It is designed on the lines of Singapore's
Shangri-La Dialogue + The name "Raisina Dialogue" comes from Raisina Hill, an
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elevation in New Delhi, the seat of the Government of India, as well as the Presidential
Palace of India, Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Ø International Election Visitors Programme (IEVP) = The virtual International Election
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Visitors Programme (IEVP) 2022 was hosted by the Election Commission of India (ECI)
for Election Management Bodies (EMBs) from nearly 32 countries and four international
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organisations + Since the 2012 elections, India has hosted the International Election
Visitors Programme (IEVP), which invites international delegates to visit polling stations
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and observe electoral processes.

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Science and Technology
SPACE
Ø Proxima Centauri = Proxima Centauri is the closest star to our Solar System, lying just
over four light-years away + It is a faint red dwarf star, which might or might not spell
doom + It is part of the Alpha Centauri star system + Recently, The European Southern
Observatory (ESO) has detected a new planet ‘Proxima d’ around Proxima Centauri.
Ø Solar Proton Events = A solar particle event or solar proton event (SPE), or prompt proton
event, occurs when particles emitted by the Sun, mostly protons, become accelerated either
in the solar atmosphere during a solar flare or in interplanetary space by a coronal mass
ejection shock + These particles can penetrate the Earth’s magnetic field and cause partial
ionization of the ionosphere. Energetic protons are a significant radiation hazard to
spacecraft and astronauts. Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is one of the biggest eruptions
from the Sun’s surface that can contain a billion tons of matter accelerated to several
million miles per hour into space + The underlying cause of CMEs is not well understood.
Astronomers agree, however, that the sun’s magnetic field plays a major role.
Ø Solar Conjunction = It is the period when Earth and Mars, in their eternal march around
the Sun, are obscured from each other by the fiery orb of the Sun itself + The two planets
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are temporarily invisible to each other like dancers on either side of a huge bonfire + Solar
conjunction occurs every two years + Recently, A team of scientists from different units of
ISRO used ‘S-band’ radio signals from Mangalyaan, the Indian Mars orbiter, to study the
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solar corona and locate the area of the sun where the temperature rises abruptly. The
scientists utilised the solar conjunction event, when the Earth and Mars are on the opposite
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sides of the Sun.
Ø Lucy Mission = NASA + It is a solar-powered mission + It will be the first space mission
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to study Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to gain new insights into the solar system's formation 4.5
billion years ago + Eurybates is one of a handful of asteroids that Lucy will visit over the
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next 12 years. As Eurybates eclipsed the star, a phenomenon scientists call an

“occultation,” a 40-mile- (64-kilometer-) wide shadow the size of the asteroid passed over
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the region + An occultation is any event where one celestial object passes in front of
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another, blocking the latter object from an observer’s view. The best-known example is a
solar eclipse, which occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking
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Ø HelioSwarm Mission = HelioSwarm mission is a constellation or “swarm” of nine

spacecraft that will capture the first multiscale in-space measurements of fluctuations in
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the magnetic field and motions of the solar wind known as solar wind turbulence + NASA
has selected two science missions – the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) and HelioSwarm
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– to help improve our understanding of the dynamics of the Sun, the Sun-Earth connection,
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Ø MUSE Mission = MUSE mission will help scientists understand the forces driving the
heating of the Sun’s corona and the eruptions in that outermost region that are at the
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foundation of space weather + The mission will offer deeper insight into the physics of the
solar atmosphere by using a powerful instrument known as a multi-slit spectrometer to
observe the Sun’s extreme ultraviolet radiation and obtain the highest resolution images
ever captured of the solar transition region and the corona.
Ø Eugene Parker = Eugene Parker, an American astrophysicist who theorized the existence
of solar wind has died + Dr. Parker is a visionary in the field of helio-physics, focused on
the study of the sun and other stars + He is best known for his 1958 Theory of the existence
of solar wind - a supersonic flow of particles off the sun's surface + In 1962, a NASA's
Mariner II spacecraft mission to Venus confirmed his theory and solar wind's effect on the
solar system, including occasional disruptions of communications systems on Earth + In

2018, he became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name,
NASA's Parker Solar Probe.
Ø Artemis Program = NASA + The Artemis program that began in 2017 is a United States-
led international human spaceflight program. Its primary goal is to take humans to the
Moon, specifically the lunar south pole, by 2025 + It is an uncrewed space mission where
the spacecraft will launch on an SLS rocket + Artemis I, formerly Exploration Mission-1,
will be the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems: Orion
spacecraft, Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Newly upgraded Exploration Ground
Systems.
Ø Voyager-2 = NASA + The two-spacecraft Voyager-1 and Voyager-2 missions, were
designed to replace original plans for a “Grand Tour” of the planets that would have used
four highly complex spacecraft to explore the five outer planets during the late 1970s +
Like Voyager 1, Voyager 2 also was designed to find and study the edge of our solar system
+ Voyager gets its power from a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) which turns
heat from the decay of a radioactive material into electricity + It is the only spacecraft to
study all four of the solar system's giant planets- Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune at
close range + It officially entered interstellar space (space between the stars).This space
between the stars, is dominated by the plasma that was ejected by the death of nearby giant
stars millions of years ago + It was the first human-made object to fly past Uranus in 1986
and Neptune in 1989, making it the only spacecraft to have had a close look of the icy
planets.
Ø Watts on the Moon Challenge = NASA + NASA’s Watts on the Moon Challenge seeks
solutions for energy distribution, management, and/or storage that address NASA
technology gaps and can be further developed for space flight and future operation on the
lunar surface + The Challenge is managed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland
and is part of Centennial Challenges, based at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Alabama.
Ø Reconnaissance Satellite = Reconnaissance satellite is an artificial satellite launched by a
country to provide intelligence information on the military activities of foreign countries +
It is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite + It is also known as a spy
satellite or intelligence satellite + The United States, Russia (before 1991, the USSR), and
other nations have launched numerous reconnaissance satellites since 1960 + Types of
Reconnaissance Satellites: Early-warning satellites, Nuclear-explosion detection satellites,
Signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellites or Electronic-reconnaissance (ferret) satellites etc.
Ø EOS-04 and PSLV-C52 = Recently, India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C52
injected Earth Observation Satellite EOS-04, into an intended sun synchronous polar orbit
of 529 km altitude from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR, Sriharikota + EOS-04 is a
Radar Imaging Satellite designed to provide high quality images under all weather
conditions for applications such as Agriculture, Forestry & Plantations, Soil Moisture &
Hydrology and Flood mapping + PSLV-C52/EOS-04 has a mission life of 10 years +
Please Note: The vehicle also placed two small co-passenger satellites, A student satellite
(INSPIREsat-1) from Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST) in association
with Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics at University of Colorado, and A
technology demonstrator satellite (INS-2TD) from ISRO, which is a precursor to India-
Bhutan Joint Satellite (INS-2B)
Ø Chandrayaan-3 = Chandrayaan-3 is scheduled for launch in August 2022 + ISRO
conceived Chandrayaan-3 after it failed to softland Vikram (lander of Chandrayaan-2) on
the lunar surface while it still has a fully operational orbiter of Chandrayaan-2 going around
Moon + Chandrayaan-3 is a follow-on mission to Chandrayaan-2 and is meant to
demonstrate lunar landing and roving capability + Chandrayaan-3 will carry only a
modified lander and rover and will use the orbiter of the Chandrayaan 2 mission to

communicate with the earth + Chandrayaan-3 lander is planned to perform an in-situ
experiment of surface and sub-surface measurements of temperature. It is meant to help
understand the thermal exchange and physical properties of the uppermost Lunar soil +
Scientific payloads that are being carried on-board are:
• Lander: Langmuir probe, Chandra's Surface Thermo Physical Experiment
(ChaSTE) and Instrument for Lunar seismic activity (ILSA).
• Rover payloads are Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) and Laser Induced
Breakdown spectroscope (LIBS).
Ø Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) = Devasthal Optical Telescope is a 3.6 m optical
telescope in Nainital in Uttarakhand + It is the largest of its kind (reflecting telescope) in
Asia + It was built by ARIES (Aryabhatta Research Institute of observational sciences)
which is an autonomous institute under the department of science and technology + It has
been operating since 2016. It is the first telescope in India with an active optics system.
Recently, the indigenously developed ADFOSC was commissioned on the Devasthal
Telescope + A team of scientists have derived accurate value of Pluto’s atmospheric
pressure which is 80,000 times less than the atmospheric pressure at mean sea level on
Earth. Data was calculated using 3.6-m Devasthal optical telescope (DOT) (India’s largest
optical telescope).
Ø Radio Waves and Radio Telescopes = Radio waves have the longest wavelengths in the
electromagnetic spectrum + They range from the length of a football to larger than our
planet. Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of radio waves in the late 1880s + Radio
telescopes collect weak radio light waves, bring it to a focus, amplify it and make it
available for analysis + They help study naturally occurring radio light from stars, galaxies,
black holes, and other astronomical objects + These specially-designed telescopes observe
the longest wavelengths of light, ranging from 1 millimetre to over 10 metres long.
Ø SARAS 3 Radio Telescope = SARAS is a precision radio telescope that is used to detect
extremely faint radio wave signals from the depths of time, from our “Cosmic Dawn” when
the first stars and galaxies formed in the early Universe + It was invented and built by the
astronomers at Raman Research Institute (RRI) (Bangalore) + The SARAS radio telescope
was deployed by the RRI team in isolated sites in India to gather celestial radio waves with
minimum terrestrial man-made radio interference + It is the first telescope worldwide to
reach the required sensitivity + Recently, the Indian researchers at RRI (Raman Research
Institute) in a study using the SARAS 3 radio telescope, have conclusively denied a recent
claim of the discovery of a radio wave signal from cosmic dawn concluded under EDGES
Experiment + (EDGES Experiment: Experiment to Detect the Global EoR Signature
(EDGES) is an experiment and radio telescope located in a radio quiet zone at the
Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia + It is a collaboration
between Arizona State University(USA) and Haystack Observatory(USA), with
infrastructure provided by CSIRO)
Ø CHACE-2 = ‘CHACE-2’ is a quadrupole mass spectrometer onboard Chandrayaan-2
mission. CHACE-2 was a sequel to the CHACE experiment on the Moon Impact Probe
(MIP) of Chandrayaan-1 mission. It also draws heritage from the Mars Exospheric Neutral
Composition Analyser (MENCA) experiment aboard the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission +
Recently, Chandra's Atmospheric Composition Explorer-2 (CHACE-2) of the
Chandrayaan-2 makes the first-of-its-kind observations of distribution of Argon-40 in
Moon’s Exosphere + Exosphere’ is the outermost region of the upper atmosphere of a
celestial body where the constituent atoms and molecules rarely collide with each other
and can escape into space + CHASE 2 also noticed some localised enhancements (termed
as Argon bulge) over several regions including the KREEP [potassium (K), rare-earth
elements, and phosphorus (P)], South Pole Aitken terrain + Although, In past, Apollo-17
and LADEE missions have detected the presence of Ar-40 in the lunar exosphere, their

measurements were confined to the near-equatorial region of the Moon + (Argon: An inert,
colorless and odorless element, Argon is a noble gas. The vast majority of Argon on Earth
is the isotope Argon-40 + Ar-40 originates from the radioactive disintegration of
Potassium-40 (K-40) present below the lunar surface + Argon-40 (Ar-40) is an important
tracer atom to study the dynamics of the lunar exospheric species)
Ø Project NETRA (Network for space object Tracking and Analysis) = ISRO + ISRO has
initiated ‘Project NETRA’ – Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA):
an early warning system in space to detect debris and other hazards to Indian satellites + It
will be indigenously designed and built + Under the NETRA project, ISRO is building up
its orbital debris tracking capability by deploying new radars and optical telescopes + A
space debris tracking radar with a range of 1,500 km and an optical telescope will be
inducted as part of establishing an effective surveillance and tracking network under
NETRA + It will be capable of detecting and tracking objects 10 cm and above in size.
Ø GSAT-7B Satellite = Proposed to be launched in next 2-3 years, GSAT 7B will be a state-
of-the-art, multiband, military grade satellite for the Army + Currently, India has only two
dedicated military satellites — the GSAT-7 (Rukmini) and GSAT-7A (Angry Bird) —
used by the Indian Navy and Air Force respectively + GSAT 7 series satellites are advanced
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satellites developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to meet the
communication needs of the defence services + The GSAT 7 (Rukmini) provides a gamut
of services for military communication needs, which includes low bit voice rate to high bit
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rate data facilities, including multi-band communications. It is India’s first military
satellite.
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Ø Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle(GSLV) = 4th generation launch vehicle +
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Expendable launch system developed to enable India to launch its INSAT-type satellites
into geostationary orbit and to make India less dependent on foreign rockets + The vehicle
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was built by India, originally with a cryogenic engine purchased from Russia, while ISRO
developed its own cryogenic engine + 4 strap-on boosters can be used in it, in which liquid
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propellant is used + Engines: S-200 engine (solid stage), Vikas engine (liquid stage) & C.E.
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7.5 / C.E. 20 (cryogenic stage) + 3 Stages: Solid, Liquid fueled Vikas engine and Cryogenic
+ Different GSLV vehicles based upon payload:
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• GSLV Mk I: 1500KG to GTO

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• GSLV Mk II: 2500KG to GTO

• GSLV Mk III / LVM-3: 4000KG to GTO (8000kg to LTO)
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Ø Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) = SSLV is a small-lift launch vehicle being
developed by the ISRO with payload capacity to deliver 600 kg to low Earth orbit for
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launching small satellites, with the capability to support multiple orbital drop-offs + A new
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spaceport, under development, near Kulasekharapatnam in Tamil Nadu will handle SSLV
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launches when complete + The first 3 stages of the vehicle use HTPB based solid
propellant, with a 4th terminal stage being a Velocity-Trimming Module (VTM).
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Ø ExoMars 2022 Mission = European Space Agency’s ExoMars 2022 mission won’t launch
in September, 2022 as planned after the agency suspended all cooperation with Russia’s
space program Roscosmos + ExoMars mission aims to address the question whether life
has ever existed on Mars + It has two parts: The first part launched an orbiter and a lander
in 2016, but the lander crashed. September 2022 launch would have delivered a Mars rover
to the planet.
Ø Vigil Mission = European Space Agency (ESA) + Once known as “Lagrange,” it is the
upcoming space weather mission of European Space Agency (ESA) + It is the first mission
of its kind, set to monitor our active and unpredictable Sun and help protect us from its
violent outbursts. The mission will give us advance warning of oncoming solar storms.
This will have a vital role to protect Earth’s infrastructure, satellites, inhabitants and space

explorers from unpredictable but violent solar events like solar flares and ‘Coronal Mass
Ejections’ + This mission will be launched in the mid-2020s and placed in the 5th Lagrange
point orbit.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & COMMUNICATIONS

Ø Doxxing = Doxxing is publishing and analysing others' personal information on the
internet with a malicious intent that can reveal the person's real identity making them
victims of harassments and cyber attacks + Generally, doxxing is used to shame or punish
people who would rather stay anonymous, because of their controversial beliefs or other
types of non-mainstream activity + The term doxxing (sometimes spelled doxing) is a
longtime hacker term derived from “dropping dox” or documents about an adversary.
Ø Bloatware Apps = Also known as Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP), bloatware apps
are needless programs that take a toll on your device’s performance + Bloatware apps are
being criticized for taking up the storage of the device unnecessarily and affecting the
system’s battery life and overall performance + Generally, these apps that run in the
background are hidden and locating them becomes a tough job for the users + It could be
any software on your computer, phone or tablet that consumes a lot of resources like —
memory, storage and battery life + There are three most common types of bloatwares that
can be found on any device.
• Utilities: These types of bloatwares come from manufacturers and third-party
developers and are usually pre-loaded on your device.
• Trialware: Users can experience the app as most of them offer free trial modes in
new devices. However, these programs keep on consuming your device’s
resources, even after the trial period is over.
• Adware: These types of bloatware typically gets downloaded while downloading
softwares from the internet.
Ø HYDRA = Russian Language illegal darknet marketplace Hydra, the largest such network
in the world + Founded in 2015, Hydra sold illegal drugs, stolen credit card data,
counterfeit currency and fake identity documents, masking the identities of those involved
using the Tor encryption network + The marketplace had around 17 million customer
accounts and over 19,000 vendor account.
Ø Shadow Brokers = The Shadow Brokers are a group of hackers linked to the 2017 leak of
hacked intel belonging to the US National Security Agency (NSA) + They are, in turn,
implicated in that year’s WannaCry global ransomware attack that used EternalBlue, an
NSA cyber weapon + The Shadow Brokers have said they are committed to taking down
the NSA, in particular the Equation Group + The Equation Group is an offensive
cyberwarfare unit of the NSA Computer Network Operations (CNO) unit, formerly called
the Office of Tailored Access Operations (TAO). [Just remember the names, which are
underlined]
Ø ModifiedElephant = a hacking group + ModifiedElephant operators have been infecting
their targets using spearphishing emails with malicious file attachments + Spearphishing
refers to the practice of sending emails to targets that look like they are coming from a
trusted source to either reveal important information or install different kinds of malware
on their computer systems + Through mail, the group delivers malware to their targets +
NetWire and DarkComet, two publicly-available remote access trojans (RATs), were the
primary malware families deployed by ModifiedElephant.
Ø Lapsus$ = Hacker group + Microsoft has confirmed that its systems were breached by the
hacker group Lapsus$.

Ø Param Pravega = Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has installed and commissioned Param
Pravega, one of the most powerful supercomputers in India + It is the largest supercomputer
in an Indian academic institution + It was installed and commissioned under the National
Supercomputing Mission (NSM) + The system is expected to power diverse research and
educational pursuits. It has a supercomputing capacity of 3.3 petaflops (1 petaflop equals
a quadrillion, or 1015 operations per second). It has been designed by the Centre for
Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).
Ø PARAM Ganga = The National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) has deployed “PARAM
Ganga”, a supercomputer at IIT Roorkee, with a supercomputing capacity of 1.66 Petaflops
+ The system is designed and commissioned by C-DAC under Phase 2 of the build
approach of the NSM.
Ø AI Research Super Cluster (RSC) = This is AI Supercomputer being developed by Meta
(Parent company of Facebook) + RSC is a powerful supercomputer that can perform tasks
like translating text between languages and help identify potentially harmful content on
Meta's platform.
Ø Metaverse = A metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection
+ It is often described as a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal virtual
world that is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets + The term
"metaverse" has its origins in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash.
Ø Splinternet = The splinternet (also referred to as cyber-balkanization or internet
balkanization) is a characterization of the Internet as splintering and dividing due to various
factors, such as technology, commerce, politics, nationalism, religion, and divergent
national interests + The Chinese government erected the "Great Firewall" for political
reasons, and Russia has enacted the Sovereign Internet Law that allows it to partition itself
from the rest of the Internet.
Ø ITHACA = An artificial intelligence (AI) called Ithaca is able to predict missing text in
ancient Greek inscriptions and estimate the time frame and geographical origin of ancient
inscriptions + Ithaca is trained on thousands of existing inscriptions to suggest text to fill
the gaps in fragmented writing + Its suggestions tend to match those previously made by
academics.
Ø SIMBA = Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based photo-identification software- specifically
designed to distinguish patterns or marks + It has been developed by Hyderabad-based
“teliolabs” + This is being used by Gujarat forest department to identify and enumerate
Asiatic Lions.
Ø Co-location Center = A colocation center or "carrier hotel", is a type of data centre where
equipment, space, and bandwidth are available for rental to retail customers.
Ø Fiber Optic Technology = Fiber optics is the technology used to transmit information as
pulses of light through strands of fiber made of glass or plastic over long distances +
Usually, a fiber optic communication system consists of three main components: optical
transmitter, fiber optic cable and an optical receiver + Optical fibers are used as a medium
for telecommunication and networking because it is flexible and can be bundled as cables.
Ø 6G = 6G is the sixth generation of wireless communication and networking technology. It
is a mostly theoretical concept + Minister for Communication said that the 6G development
has already started. That will be seen somewhere in the time frame 2024 or 2023-end + It
is built upon the infrastructure of 5G, and will accomplish more than 5G in terms of
adoption, reduction of cost, and better service. While 5G provided less than 1ms latency,
6G provides less than 0.1ms latency. 6G will operate on the mid bands (7 – 20 GHz) for
places that are crowded, low bands (460 – 694 MHz) for long-distance coverage, and use
sub-THz for peak data rates in the short range of up to 100 Gbps. 6G will also used
significantly advanced network devices, including MIMO (multiple input, multiple output)

antennaes. While 4G uses 2x2 MIMO and 4x4MIMO, and 5G uses around 200 antenna
elements, 6G may support upto 1024 antenna elements.
Ø Near Field Communication(NFC) = NFC is a short-range wireless connectivity
technology that allows NFC-enabled devices to communicate with each other and transfer
information quickly and easily with a single touch - whether to pay bills, exchange business
cards, download coupons, or share a document + NFC transmits data through
electromagnetic radio fields, to enable communication between two devices. Both devices
must contain NFC chips, as transactions take place within a very short distance + NFC-
enabled devices must be either physically touching or within a few centimetres from each
other for data transfer to occur + In 2004, consumer electronics companies, Nokia, Philips
and Sony together formed the NFC Forum, which outlined the architecture for NFC
technology to create powerful new consumer-driven products + Nokia released the first
NFC-enabled phone in 2007.
Ø Iridium and Thuraya satellite phones = A satellite telephone, satellite phone or satphone
is a type of mobile phone that connects to other phones or the telephone network by radio
through orbiting satellites instead of terrestrial cell sites, as cellphones do. The advantage
of a satphone is that its use is not limited to areas covered by cell towers; it can be used in
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most or all geographic locations on the Earth's surface + In the aftermath of the 2008
Mumbai terror attacks, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) first restricted the use
of Iridium and Thuraya satellite phones and infrastructure, and in 2012 completely banned
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them the under the provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act.
L-root Server = Rajasthan has become the first State in the country to get the L-root server
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+ The new server has been installed at the Bhamashah State Data Centre in association
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with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). It will enable
the State government to provide its flagship digital services and enforce e-governance with
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seamless internet connectivity + (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and

Numbers (ICANN) = It manages the maintenance of namespaces and numerical spaces
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which enable secure and stable operation of the internet + ICANN performs the technical
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maintenance of IP Address pools and Domain Name Servers(DNS) + ICANN was

incorporated in California in 1998 + ICANN is governed by an internationally diverse
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Board of Directors overseeing the policy development process + ICANN’s President

directs an international staff, working from three continents, who ensure that ICANN meets
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its operational commitment to the Internet community)

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Ø Content Delivery Network (CDN) = Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a

geographically distributed network of proxy servers. The purpose of CDNs is to provide
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fast Internet delivery spatially to end-users. CDNs were devised in the late 1990s since then
internet content companies have been largely routing their web traffic across the world
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through CDNs + Internet companies like search engines (such as Google) OTT content
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providers (Netflix etc.) employ CDN services to deliver services faster + CDN
management software dynamically calculates which server is located nearest to the user
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making the request and delivers content based on those calculations.
BIO-TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH SCIENCES

Ø Synthetic Biology = It is a field of science that involves redesigning organisms by
engineering them to have new abilities + It harnesses the power of nature to solve problems
in medicine, manufacturing and agriculture + Some examples of use of Synthetic Biology
are, Microorganisms harnessed for bioremediation to clean pollutants from our water, soil
and air; Rice modified to produce beta-carotene; and Yeast engineered to produce rose oil

as an eco-friendly substitute + What is the difference between synthetic biology and
genome editing?: In synthetic biology, scientists typically stitch together long stretches of
DNA and insert them into an organism's genome. In genome editing, scientists typically
use tools to make smaller changes to the organism's own DNA. Genome editing tools can
also be used to delete or add small stretches of DNA in the genome + As part of the 12th
Five-Year Plan, India had set up a ‘Task force on systems biology and synthetic biology
research’ in 2011. This body underlined the potential benefits from synthetic biotechnology
in bio fuels, bioremediation, biosensors, food and health and made a strong case for a push
for the technology.
Ø Stem Cells = Stem cells are special human cells that are able to develop into many different
cell types. Stem cells provide new cells for the body as it grows and replaces specialized
cells that are damaged or lost + They can divide over and over again to produce new cells.
As they divide, they can change into the other types of cells that make up the body + Based
on the cell type/tissue of origin, stem cells are classified as ‘Somatic Stem Cells’ (SSCs),
and ‘Embryonic Stem Cells’ (ESCs) + Stem Cell Therapy (SCT), also known as
regenerative medicine and bone marrow transplant, promotes the repair response of
diseased, dysfunctional or injured tissue using stem cells or their derivatives. Researchers
grow stem cells in a lab. These stem cells are manipulated to specialize into specific types
of cells, such as heart muscle cells, blood cells or nerve cells. The specialized cells can then
be implanted into a person + Please Note: Stem cells and their derivatives fall under
definition of ‘Drug’ as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and are categorized as
‘Investigational New Drug (IND)’ or ‘Investigational New Entity (INE)’ when used for
clinical application.
Ø Site Directed Nuclease (SDN) 1 and 2 = SDN or sequence specific nuclease (SSN) refers
to the practice of cleaving DNA strands to affect the subsequent genome editing. o
Nucleases are enzymes that degrade nucleic acids, either DNA or RNA. They are essential
in living organisms for their several DNA repair aspects. If there are defects in certain
nucleases, it can cause immunodeficiency or genetic instability. Depending on the nature
of the edit that is carried out, the process is divided into three categories — SDN 1, SDN
2 and SDN 3 + It uses different DNA-cutting enzymes (nucleases) that are directed to cut
the DNA at a predetermined location by a range of different DNA binding systems. After
the cut is made, the cell’s own DNA repair mechanism recognizes the break and repairs
the damage + Research coalition under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research
(ICAR), which includes the IARI, is using these techniques to develop rice varieties which
are drought-tolerant, salinity-tolerant and high-yielding. It will tweak plants own gene
(without bringing any gene from outside) + U.S, Canada, Australia and Japan have already
approved the SDN 1 and 2 technologies + Recently, MoEFCC exempted Site directed
nuclease (SDN)1 and SDN2 genome edited plants from certain rules of the Environment
Protect Act (EPA) for manufacture, use or import or export and storage of hazardous
microorganisms or genetically engineered organisms or cells rules,1989. MoEFCC has for
the first time issued an order exempting certain types of genomes edited crops from the
stringent regulations applicable on genetically modified or GM crops.
ENERGY AND FUEL

Ø Aviation Turbine Fuel(ATF) = Jet fuel or Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is a specialized
by-product of crude or petroleum used to power aircraft + It is kerosene-based fuel + It
must meet performance guidelines for both the rich mixture condition required for take-off
power settings and the cleaner mixtures used during cruise to reduce fuel consumption +
The primary functions of aviation turbine fuel are to power an aircraft, energy content and
combustion quality. Apart from being a source of energy, other significant performance

properties of ATF are stability, lubricity, fluidity, volatility, non-corrosivity and
cleanliness.
Ø Coal Gasification = It is the process of producing syngas, a mixture consisting carbon
monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), natural gas (CH4), and water
vapour (H2O) + During gasification, coal is blown with oxygen and steam while also being
heated under high pressure. During the reaction, oxygen and water molecules oxidize the
coal and produce syngas + Coal gasification is one of the more water-intensive forms of
energy production. (Coal liquefaction = Also called Coal to Liquid (CTL) technology, it
is an alternative route to produce diesel and gasoline and makes economic sense only in a
world of high crude oil prices. The process involves gasification of coal, which in turn will
produce synthetic gas (a mix of CO+H2). The synthetic gas can be liquefied to its fuel
equivalent in presence of cobalt/iron-based catalysts at higher pressure and temperature.
However, liquefied coal emits twice as much CO2 as burning oil. It also emits a large
volume of SO2)
Ø Nuclear Fusion Technology = Fusion is the energy source of the Sun and stars. In the
tremendous heat and gravity at the core of these stellar bodies, hydrogen nuclei collide,
fuse into heavier helium atoms and release tremendous amounts of energy in the process +
Recently, Scientists in the United Kingdom said they have achieved a new milestone in
producing nuclear fusion energy, or imitating the way energy is produced in the Sun + A
team at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility near Oxford in central England generated
59 megajoules of sustained energy during an experiment in December, more than doubling
a 1997 record. A kg of fusion fuel contains about 10 million times as much energy as a kg
of coal, oil or gas + The energy was produced in a machine called a tokamak, a doughnut-
shaped apparatus, and the JET site is the largest operational one of its kind in the world +
The record and scientific data from these crucial experiments are a major boost for ITER,
the larger and more advanced version of the JET.
Ø Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia = Recently, the Ministry of Power notified the first
part of the Green Hydrogen/Green Ammonia Policy to enable production of Green
Hydrogen/Green Ammonia using Renewable Sources of Energy + Green Ammonia,
closely followed by Green Hydrogen, is the most advantageous zero-carbon fuels based on
factors like- fuels’ life cycle GHG emissions, environmental factors, scalability, economic
viability, and the technical and safety implications + Properties of Hydrogen and Ammonia
as Fuel
• Hydrogen: Hydrogen (H2) is a clean-burning molecule with water as its by-product
+ It is produced primarily through Steam Methane Reforming (producing H2 from
natural gas), along with other methods like Methane Pyrolysis, Coal Gasification,
Electrolysis of water etc + when it is produced using power from renewable energy
(RE), it is termed as Green Hydrogen + It has very high energy density (120
MJ/Kg), almost 3 times of hydrocarbons, making it an efficient source of energy +
It has easy availability and lower cost (when produced at mass scale) as it can be
produced from gas, coal, wind, water, biomass etc + It is colorless and odorless fuel
and light in weight + It has reduced carbon footprints as no release of any toxic by-
product or GHG.
• Ammonia: Ammonia (NH3) is the basic building block of all nitrogen fertilizer +
It is produced primarily through the Haber-Bosch Process, i.e. ammonia production
from hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2) through a high pressure (150-300 bar)
exothermic catalytic reaction at 350-500 °C + when it is produced using power from
renewable energy (RE), it is termed as Green Ammonia + It has high initial cost
due to use of metals like Platinum in production + Highly flammable fuel + For
Ammonia, we lack in storage and transportation infrastructure + Energy density
(22.5 MJ/Kg) is half of typical hydrocarbons + Toxic to humans.

Ø Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) = It is powered by hydrogen + FCEV is environment-
friendly, as it has zero tailpipe emissions. Thus it is one of the best zero-emission solutions
+ Recently, Union Ministry for Road Transport and Highways inaugurated a pilot project
for India’s first hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric car project.
Ø Compressed natural gas (CNG) = CNG is a fuel gas made of petrol which is mainly
composed of methane (CH4), compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at
standard atmospheric pressure + (Advantages: Natural gas vehicles have lower
maintenance costs than other hydrocarbon-fuel-powered vehicles + CNG fuel systems are
sealed, preventing fuel losses from spills or evaporation + Increased life of lubricating oils,
as CNG does not contaminate and dilute the crankcase oil + Being a gaseous fuel, CNG
mixes easily and evenly in air + CNG is less likely to ignite on hot surfaces since it has a
high auto-ignition temperature and a narrow range of flammability + CNG-powered
vehicles are considered to be safer than petrol-powered vehicles + Less pollution and more
efficiency) + (Disadvantages: The cost and placement of fuel storage containers is the
major barrier to wider/quicker adoption of CNG as a fuel)
METALLAURGY
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Ø Gallium = It is a binary III/V direct bandgap semiconductor + It is very hard and
mechanically stable + It is well-suited for high-power transistors capable of operating at
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high temperatures + Uses - Since the 1990s, it has been commonly used in Light Emitting
Diodes (LED). Gallium nitride gives off a blue light used for disc-reading in Blu-ray.
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Additionally, gallium nitride is used in semiconductor power devices, RF components,
lasers, and photonics + In the future, we will see GaN in sensor technology + Advantages
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- Reduced Weight, Reduced Size, Reduced Costs and Increased Energy Efficiency +
Recently, Gallium Nitride Ecosystem Enabling Centre and Incubator (GEECI) has been
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set up in Bengaluru. The facility has been jointly set up by the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology and IISc Bengaluru. It is aimed at establishing GaN based
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Development Line Foundry facility, especially for RF and power applications, including
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strategic applications.
Ø Aluminium (Al) = It is a highly electropositive metal with the atomic number of 13.
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Among metals, aluminium is the most abundant. +It is the third most abundant element in
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earth’s crust (8.3% approx. by weight) + It is a major component of many igneous minerals
like mica and clays + Properties - Even though Aluminium is a metal, it shows many
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chemical similarities to boron, a non-metal + It has high tensile strength, high electrical
and thermal conductivity + For the purpose of extraction, Bauxite (Al2O3. 2H2O) and
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Cryolite (Na3AlF6) are chosen for aluminium + From bauxite ore, aluminium is extracted
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using leaching + In India, bauxite mining sites are located in Orissa (the largest bauxite
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producer), Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, etc + Aluminium

industry is the 2nd most important industry after the iron and steel industry.
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Ø Mercury = Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil +
Released into the atmosphere through natural processes such as weathering of rocks,
volcanic eruptions, geothermal activities, forest fires, etc. Mercury is also released through
human activities + It have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and
on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes + Mercury is considered by WHO as one of top ten
chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern + India is 2nd largest user
of mercury after USA.
Ø Minamata Convention on Mercury = 4th Conference of Parties (COP4) to the Minamata
Convention (MC) on Mercury being held in Bali, Indonesia + Convention was agreed at
5th session of Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee in Geneva, Switzerland 2013 + It
is global treaty to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of

mercury and its compounds + Minamata Disease is disorder caused by methyl mercury
poisoning. It is first found in inhabitants of Minamata Bay, Japan, resulted from their eating
fish contaminated with mercury industrial waste + India signed the MC in 2014 and ratified
in 2018 + It came into force in 2017 + Other conventions:
• Rotterdam - For certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade.
• Basel- Control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their
disposal.
• Vienna- Protection of Ozone Layer.
Stockholm- Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
Ø Lithium Reserves in India = Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research
(AMD), Department of Atomic Energy, is carrying out domestic exploration for lithium in
geological domains of the country + 1,600 tonnes of lithium resources is found in the
pegmatites (igneous rocks) of Marlagalla-Allapatna region, along the Nagamangala Schist
Belt of Karnataka + there is some potential for recovering lithium from the brines of
Sambhar and Pachpadra in Rajasthan, and Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat + India currently
imports all its lithium needs + Australia is the world’s biggest lithium supplier, with
production from hard rock mines + Lithium is currently produced from hard rock or brine
mines. Argentina, Chile and China are mainly producing it from salt lakes + (Lithium
Refinery = India’s first Lithium refinery is set up in Gujarat + It will process Lithium ore
to produce battery-grade material. Lithium is a rare element not usually found in India,
which would be imported from Australia and processed in this refinery)
GENERAL
Ø Standard Model of Particle Physics = The Standard Model of particle physics is the
theory describing three of the four known fundamental forces (the electromagnetic, weak,
and strong interactions while omitting gravity) in the universe and classifying all known
elementary particles + Standard Model of particle physics falls short of being a complete
theory of fundamental interactions. For example, it does not fully explain baryon
asymmetry, incorporate the full theory of gravitation as described by general relativity, or
account for the universe's accelerating expansion as possibly described by dark energy. It
also does not incorporate neutrino oscillations and their non-zero masses. It does not
explain dark matter or gravity well + In particle physics, the W and Z bosons are vector
bosons that are together known as the weak bosons or more generally as the intermediate
vector bosons. These elementary particles mediate the weak interaction.
Ø Neutrinos = 2nd most abundant particles, after photons (light particles) + They are
incredibly difficult to detect as they have very little interaction with matter + They do not
carry electric charge + Because neutrinos are electrically neutral, they are not affected by

the electromagnetic forces which act on electrons + Neutrinos are affected only by a "weak"
sub-atomic force of much shorter range than electromagnetism, and are therefore able to
pass through great distances in matter without being affected by it + Three types of
neutrinos are known. Each type or "flavour" of neutrino is related to a charged
particleelectron, muon and the tau. They can change from one flavor to another as they
travel. This process is called neutrino oscillation and is an unusual quantum phenomenon
+ So far neutrinos had only been observed originating from supernovae (exploding stars)
and the sun. They also come from the cosmic rays that come from beyond the solar system,
and from the Big Bang from which our Universe originated + Neutrinos can also be made
artificially. They are produced in radioactive decays and in nuclear reactors
Ø India Based Neutrino Observatory(INO) Project = Bodi west hills, Tamil Nadu(Theni
forest) + Neutrinos are nicknamed as ‘Blueprint of nature’ + When completed, the
main magnetised iron calorimeter experiment of this project will include the world’s largest
magnet(four times larger than the magnet in compact muon solenoid detector at CERN
in Geneva,Swiz) + biggest experimental particle physics projects undertaken in India +
construction of an underground laboratory and associated surface facilities at Pottipuram in
Bodi West hills of Theni District of Tamil Nadu + setting up of National Centre for High
Energy Physics at Madurai, for the operation and maintenance of the underground
laboratory + INO is gaining urgency in the recent years with China announcing the
construction of a similar neutrino observatory in Jiangmen province
Ø Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) = QKD is a secure communication technology that
uses quantum physics to construct a cryptographic protocol + It allows two parties to
generate a shared secret key that is only known to them and can be used to encrypt and
decrypt messages, thus achieving a very highly secure communication + In traditional
cryptography, the security is usually based on the fact that an adversary is unable to solve
a certain mathematical problem while in QKD, security is achieved through the laws of
quantum physics + Two such most important laws in quantum physics are Superposition
and Entanglement + Superposition means that each quantum bit (basic unit of information
in a quantum computer) can represent both a 1 and a 0 at the same time + In quantum
entanglement, subatomic particles become “entangled” (linked) in such a way that any
change in one disturbs the other even if both are at opposite ends of the universe + Recently,
Scientists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and IIT
Delhi successfully demonstrated a Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) link for a distance of
100 Km between Prayagraj and Vindhyachal in Uttar Pradesh.
Ø Additive Manufacturing (AM)/3D Printing = AM is a process in which a three-
dimensional object is built from a computer-aided design (CAD) model, usually by
successively adding materials in a layer-by-layer fashion + The addition of material can
happen in multiple ways, namely power deposition, resin curing, filament fusing +
Thermoplastics, Metals, Ceramics as well as Biomaterials can be used in AM + Recently,
National Strategy on Additive Manufacturing was released by the Ministry of Electronics
& Information Technology (MeitY).
Ø District Heating = District heating is a system of generating heat in a centralised location
by capturing heat and then distributing it to buildings for residential and commercial
heating needs + The heat is transferred to customers as hot water which is pumped through
insulated underground pipes + District heating is popular in the Nordic and Baltic
countries, as well as in Russia and China, which have high heat demands during winters.
Ø Geomagnetic Storm = Geomagnetic storm is a major disturbance in Earth’s
magnetosphere that occurs when there is a very efficient exchange of energy from the solar
wind into the space environment surrounding the planet + These storms are triggered by
powerful blasts of radiation called solar flare, which are a sudden explosion of energy
caused by reorganizing of magnetic field lines near sunspots.

Ø Artificial Snow = Artificial snow is small particles of ice that are used to increase the
amount of snow available for winter sports such as skiing or snowboarding + It is produced
by a machine that uses a high pressure pump to spray a mist of water into the cold air. The
water droplets subsequently crystallize to form fake snow + For the first time in the history
of the Winter Olympics, athletes will compete on 100% artificial snow in Beijing.
Ø KAVACH = It is an indigenously developed ATP to achieve the corporate objective of
safety in train operations across Indian Railways + The KAVACH system is a state-of-
theart electronic system of Safety Integrity Level – 4 standards + Recently, the Indian
Railways tested 'Kavach'-Automatic Train Protection System by making two trains move
towards each other at full speed + Kavach system was announced in the 2022 Union Budget
as a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Around 2,000 km of rail network is planned
to be brought under the indigenous system to enable safety and capacity augmentation in
2022-23 + Kavach is India’s own automatic protection system, which is in development
since 2012, under the name Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which got
rechristened Kavach or “armour” + It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency
Identification (RFID) devices installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well as
the tracks. They connect to each other using ultra high radio frequencies to control the
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brakes of trains and also alert drivers, all based on the logic programmed into them + TCAS
or Kavach includes the key elements from already existing, and tried and tested systems
like the European Train Protection and Warning System, and the indigenous Anti Collision
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Device + The current form of Kavach adheres to the highest level of safety and reliability
standard called Safety Integrity Level (SIL)4.
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Ø Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) = An NFT, or a non-fungible token, is a digital object that
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can be a drawing, animation, piece of music, photo, or video with a certificate of

authenticity created by blockchain technology + In simple terms, NFT is a unique proof of
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ownership over something you can't usually hold in your hand — a piece of digital art, a
digital coupon, maybe a video clip + Recently, Indian cryptocurrency exchange, WazirX
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has launched a non-fungible tokens (NFT) marketplace for Indian artists + Fungibility
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refers to an asset's ability to be exchanged with a similar asset without sacrificing its value.
For example, a Rs. 100 note is fungible, because if one person has a Rs.100 bill and another
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person also has a Rs. 100 note, they could interchange the bill and the value does not
change. A bitcoin is a fungible asset as well + NFTs are not fungible as they cannot be
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traded directly with each other because they are unique.

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Ø Space bricks = Researchers from the ISRO and the IISc have developed a way to make
bricks from Martian soil with the help of bacteria and urea + These ‘space bricks’ can be
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used to construct building-like structures on Mars that could facilitate human settlement on
the red planet +cIn the past, the team had made bricks out of lunar soil using a similar
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method.
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Ø India’s 1st Pure Green Hydrogen Plant = Exploration and production major Oil India
Ltd. (OIL) has commissioned “India’s first 99.999% pure” green hydrogen plant in Assam
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+ Types of Hydrogen:
Green Hydrogen Produced from renewable energy sources
Blue Hydrogen Produced from natural gas via “steam reformation;

most of the GHGs emissions are captured and
stored
Turquoise Hydrogen Produced using natural gas via “pyrolysis”
Gray Hydrogen Produced using natural gas via “steam

reformation”, but with no carbon capture and
storage

Pink Hydrogen Produced by electrolysis of water powered by
nuclear energy
Brown Hydrogen Produced using (Lignite) coal with no carbon

capture and storage
Black Hydrogen Produced using (Bituminous) coal with no carbon

capture and storage
Ø Blue Straggler Stars = A blue straggler is a main-sequence star in an open or globular

cluster that is more luminous and bluer than stars at the main sequence turnoff point for the
cluster + These are unusually hot and bright stars found in the cores of ancient star clusters
known as globulars. A clue to their origin is that they are only found in dense stellar
systems, where distances between stars are extremely small (a fraction of a light year) +
Most are located at least several thousand light-years away from the sun, and most are
around 12 billion years old or more + The Milky Way's largest and brightest globular is
Omega Centauri.
Ø Strontium (aka Fancy Bear) = It is a highly active cyber-espionage group + The group is
said to be connected to the GRU, the Russian Armed Forces’ main military intelligence
wing.
Ø Albert Einstein Discoveries
• Photoelectric effect
o The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons when electromagnetic
radiation, such as light, hits a material. Electrons emitted in this manner are
called photoelectrons
• Brownian motion
o Brownian motion is the random motion of a particle as a result of collisions
with surrounding gaseous molecules
• Theory of relativity
o The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated theories by
Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity, proposed and
published in 1905 and 1915, respectively
o Special relativity applies to all physical phenomena in the absence of gravity
o General relativity explains the law of gravitation and its relation to other
forces of nature
• Mass–energy equivalence (E = mc2 equation)
o Mass–energy equivalence is the relationship between mass and energy in a
system's rest frame, where the two values differ only by a constant and the
units of measurement
• The Einstein-Rosen bridge/wormhole is a speculative structure, linking
disparate points in spacetime, and is based on a special solution of the Einstein
field equations. It can be visualised as a tunnel with two ends at separate points in
spacetime.

Health
DISEASE IN NEWS
Ø Lassa Fever = Lassa fever is a zoonotic acute viral haemorrhagic disease + The Lassa
fever-causing virus is found in West Africa and was first discovered in 1969 in Lassa,
Nigeria + The fever is primarily found in countries in West Africa including Sierra Leone,
Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria where it is endemic + The host of Lassa virus is a rodent
known as the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) + A person can become infected if
they come in contact with household items of food that is contaminated with the urine or
feces of an infected rat. It can also be spread, though rarely, if a person comes in contact
with a sick person’s infected bodily fluids or through mucous membranes such as the eyes,
nose or the mouth.
Ø H3N8 (equine influenza virus) = H3N8 is a subtype of the species Influenza A virus that
is endemic in birds, horses and dogs and has even been found in seals + Equine influenza
(EI) is a highly contagious respiratory disease of horses and related animals such as
donkeys, mules and zebras (collectively known as equines) + A lineage of H3N8 has been
found to infect humans, with the first reported case of infection found in China.
Ø Japanese Encephalitis (JE) = It is disease caused by a flavi virus that affects the
membranes around the brain + Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is also a major cause of
Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES)(also known Chamki Bukhar) in India + disease is
transmitted to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes of the Culex species + there
is no antiviral treatment for patients with JE + Recently, Hyderabad-based National
Institute of Animal Biotechnology has developed an electrochemical based immunosensor
for detecting the Non-Structural 1 (NS1) secretory protein, a biomarker for Japanese
Encephalitis Virus (JEV)
Ø Poliomyelitis (Polio) = Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious viral disease that largely
affects children under 5 years of age + It may affect the spinal cord causing muscle
weakness and paralysis + Transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the
faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a contaminated water or food) + Wild poliovirus
(WPV) is the most commonly known form of the poliovirus + There are 3 strains of WPV-
type 1, type 2 and type 3 + Type 2 was eradicated in 1999 + No case of type 3 has been
found since 2012 + As of 2020, type 1 affects two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan +
Recently, Malawi has recorded Africa’s first wild poliovirus (WPV) case in five years
Ø Obstructive Sleep Apnoea = OSA occurs when muscles in the throat and upper airway
relax intermittently during sleep and block the airway + When a person is obese, they
develop extra fat on their larynx and pharynx (muscles in the throat) that can close off their
airway in sleep + Although the condition doesn’t kill by itself, it can lead to heart attacks
and strokes due to the low oxygen level + In the long run, it can also result in increasing
blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, and other metabolic disorders. It further leads to
an increase in obesity, compounding the problem.
Ø Ischemic Stroke = There are two types of stroke - ischemic and hemorrhagic + A stroke
is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can reduce brain
damage and other complications + An ischemic stroke is the more common type of stroke.
It’s also referred to as brain ischemia and cerebral ischemia + It is usually caused by a
blood clot that blocks a blood vessel in the brain. This interrupts or reduces blood from
flowing to the brain.
Ø Silicosis = Silicosis is part of the pneumoconiosis family of diseases, described by the
policy as “occupational diseases due to dust exposure +It cause permanent disability and
are ‘totally preventable by available control measures and technology’ + Directorate
General of Mines Safety (DGMS) under Ministry of Labour and Employment is the sole
enforcement authority for health and safety in mines, can take action against mine owners
only if it knows who they are, and in turn, whom they employ + Mines Act, 1952 and

Health
Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions (OSHWC) Code, 2020 regulated
health and safety of workers in mines.
Ø Fairbank's Disease = Fairbank's disease or Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia (MED) is a rare
genetic disorder which affects the growing ends of bones + It is a group of disorders of
cartilage and bone development, primarily affecting the ends of the long bones in the arms
& legs + Dominant MED is caused by mutations in the COMP, COL9A1, COL9A2,
COL9A3, or MATN3 genes (or can be of unknown cause) while Recessive MED is caused
by mutations in the SLC26A2 gene.
Ø Acromegaly = Rare Disorder + Acromegaly is caused by excessive secretion of growth
hormone, from a tumour in the pituitary gland + It causes increased height when it
manifests in childhood and adolescent age group
Ø Alopecia Areata = Alopecia areata is a common non-contagious auto-immune disorder
that often results in unpredictable hair loss in patches + Sometimes, it can lead to the
complete loss of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or, in extreme cases, the entire body
(alopecia universalis) + It may also develop slowly and occur again periodically or
repeatedly after years between instances + The condition can affect anyone regardless of
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age and gender, though most cases occur before the age of 30.
TESTS AND VACCINES IN NEWS

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Ø Bone Ossification Test = It is an age determination test of a person on the basis of
assessment of his or her bony framework done through X-Rays/ CT-scans + The test is
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required to determine the age in order to fix the criminal liabilities based on which the law
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treats the persons differently based on their age + Recently, Supreme Court has said the
test can’t be said to be an infallible and cannot be the sole basis to decide the age of an
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accused who claims to be a juvenile.

Ø Warm Vaccine = A prospective vaccine against SarsCov2 is being developed in India,
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that doesn’t need to be stored in refrigerators or a cold-chain storage + The ‘thermotolerant’

or ‘warm’ vaccine is being developed by the Bengaluru-based Mynvax laboratories. It is
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unique among existing vaccines as it can be stored at 37 degree Celsius for four weeks and
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at 100 degree Celsius for upto 90 minutes.

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INITIATIVES
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Ø Pandemic Treaty = under WHO’s negotiations + Recently, WHO held the first round of
negotiations towards the pandemic treaty + In December 2021, the Health Assembly
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adopted a decision titled “The World Together” at its second special session since it was
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founded in 1948. Under the decision, the health organisation established an

intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) to draft and negotiate the contents of the
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pandemic treaty in compliance with Article 19 of the WHO Constitution.

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Ø Global Centre for Traditional Medicine = the first of its kind in the world, will be
inaugurated in Jamnagar, Gujarat + Being established by WHO + The Centre aims to
channel the potential of traditional medicine, by integrating it with technological
advancements and evidence-based research.
Ø COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) = It is a worldwide initiative aimed at
equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines directed by the GAVI vaccine alliance, the
Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the WHO, alongside key
delivery partner UNICEF + It is one of the four pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools
Accelerator, an initiative begun in 2020 by the WHO, the European Commission, and the
government of France as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic + COVAX coordinates
international resources to enable low-to-middle-income countries equitable access to
COVID-19 tests, therapies, and vaccines + UNICEF is the key delivery partner, leveraging

Health
its experience as the largest single vaccine buyer in the world and working on the
procurement of COVID-19 vaccine doses, as well logistics, country readiness and in-
country delivery + The continued shortage of COVID-19 vaccines delivered through
COVAX is blamed on "vaccine nationalism" by richer nations.
Ø GAVI Alliance (Vaccine Alliance) = It is a public–private global health partnership with
the goal of increasing access to immunization in poor countries + Gavi was created in 2000
as a successor to the Children's Vaccine Initiative, which was launched in 1990 + Location:
Geneva, Switzerland + Gavi's approach to public health is business-oriented and
technology-focused, using market-oriented measures, and seeking quantifiable results.
Gavi follows a model termed the "Gates approach" or US-type approach. It contrasts with
the approach typified by the Alma Ata Declaration, which focuses on the effects of
political, social, and cultural systems on health + Gavi facilitates vaccinations in
developing countries by working with donor governments, the WHO, UNECEF, World
Bank, civil society, etc. + In 2020, Gavi was announced as one of the organisations leading
the COVAX vaccine allocation plan, created to ensure that any new COVID-19 vaccine
would be shared equally between the world's richest and poorest countries.
Ø Global Initiative on Sharing All In-fluenza Data (GISAID) = It is a non-profit
organization launched on the occasion of the 61 World Health Assembly in 2008 + In 2010,
Germany became the official host of the GISAID platform + The GISAID Initiative
promotes the rapid sharing of data from all influenza viruses and the coronavirus causing
COVID-19 + PPP between NGOs and the Government of Germany (official host GISAID
database) + HQ: Munich, Germany + India has shared whole-genome sequence data of the
novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with GISAID + (Strainflow Model = The Strainflow
model has proven to be effective for predicting whether there is a likely surge with a two-
month lead time, which could help the healthcare systems to be prepared + A key feature
of Strainflow was its data-driven, de-novo approach without the need for an expert
understanding of what the individual muta-tions may entail)
Ø Uniform Code for Medical Device Marketing Practices (UCMDMP) = Department of
Pharmaceuticals (DoP) recently published the draft Uniform Code for Medical Device
Marketing Practices (UCMDMP) + It is aimed at bringing in a voluntary code to regulate
fair marketing practices in the medical device industry.
Ø INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics or Indian SARS-CoV-2
Genetics Consortium) = It is a forum set up under the Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (Department of Biotechnology) by the Government of India in 2020 to study and
monitor genome sequencing and virus variation of circulating strains of COVID-19 in India
+ Multi-lab, Multi-agency, pan-India network to monitor genomic variations in
SARSCOV-2. It conduct genomic surveillance of SARS COV-2 + INSACOG works as a
consortium of 38 national laboratories for genome sequencing located in different parts of
India.
Ø Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Industry Alliance = AMR Industry Alliance is a
private-sector coalition working to tackle AMR, bringing together research and
development pharmaceutical, generic, biotechnology and diagnostics companies together
+ In order to mitigate the environmental risks associated with antibiotic production,
Alliance manufacturing members had developed Common Antibiotic Manufacturing
Framework(CAMF) in 2018 + CAMF provides a methodology and set of minimum
requirements needed to conduct a site risk evaluation of both macro and micro controls in
our supply chains.

Defence
EXERCISES
Ø IONS Maritime Exercise 2022 (IMEX- 22) = Maiden edition of IONS Maritime Exercise
2022 (IMEX- 22) was conducted at Goa and in Arabian Sea with the aim to enhance
interoperability in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations among
member navies + Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), established in 2007, is a
voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral
states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) by providing an open and inclusive forum for
discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues + IONS includes 24 nations that
permanently hold territory that lies within the IOR.
Ø MILAN 2022 = Indian Navy’s (IN) biennial multilateral exercise commencing in
Visakhapatnam + It will witness its largest ever participation, with more than 40 countries
+ It was first conceived by IN in 1995 at Andaman and Nicobar Command with
participation of four countries (Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand)
Ø SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise) = The 9th edition of the India-Sri Lanka
bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX was held at Visakhapatnam.
Ø EX-DUSTLIK = The third edition of the India - Uzbekistan exercise was conducted in
Uzbekistan.
Ø LAMITIYE-2022 = It is a Joint Military Exercise between the Indian Army and
Seychelles Defence Forces.
Ø Dharma Guardian = Exercise Dharma Guardian is an annual exercise between Indian
Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Force + The latest edition was concluded at
Belgaum recently + To promote military cooperation between India and Japan, the first
edition of the Dharma Guardian was held at Counter Insurgency Warfare School of the
Indian Army at Vairengte in November 2018.
Ø Eastern Bridge-VI = 6th edition + bilateral exercise + between India and Oman + Took
place at Air Force Station Jodhpur.
Ø Cobra Warrior = Largest joint military exercises conducted by the Royal Air Force (RAF)
in the United Kingdom for over a decade + The forthcoming Cobra Warrior exercises will
witness pilots from the Indian Air Force flying five Tejas fighters along with combat
aircraft from the Royal Air Force and other leading air forces, including from Saudi Arabia,
Belgium and Sweden
Ø Prasthan Exercise = Offshore Security exercise + Western Naval Command conducted
‘Prasthan’ in the Offshore Development Area (ODA) off Mumbai.
Ø Operation Ganga = The Government of India has launched a ‘multi-pronged’ initiative
named ‘Operation Ganga’ + It is an evacuation mission to bring back all the Indian
nationals who are currently stranded in Ukraine.
Ø Operation Ganga = by India + It is an evacuation mission by Indian government to bring
back all the Indian nationals who are currently stranded in Ukraine.
Ø Operation AAHT = It is a nationwide operation to curb human trafficking + Launched by
the Railway Protection Force + As part of “Operation AAHT”, special teams will be
deployed on all long-distance trains/routes with focus on rescuing victims, particularly
women and children, from the clutches of traffickers.
MISSILES AND AMMUNITIONS

Ø Hypersonic Missile = A hypersonic missile is a weapon system which flies at least at the
speed of Mach 5 + Unlike ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles do not follow a ballistic
trajectory and can be maneuvered to the intended target + The two types of hypersonic
weapons systems are: Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) (The HGV are launched from a
rocket before gliding to the intended target) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles(Hypersonic

Defence
cruise missiles are powered by air breathing high speed engines or ‘scramjets’ after
acquiring their target) + US, Russia and China are in advanced stages of hypersonic missile
programmes + India, France, Germany, Japan and Australia too are developing hypersonic
weapons + Indian hypersonic missile programme: India is also developing an indigenous,
dual capable (conventional as well as nuclear) hypersonic cruise missile as part of its
Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle programme. It has successfully tested a
Mach 6 scramjet in June 2019 and September 2020. India operates approximately 12
hypersonic wind tunnels and is capable of testing speeds upto Mach 13
Ø Kinzhal Missile = Kh-47M2 Kinzhal is a Russian nuclear-capable hypersonic aero-
ballistic air-to-surface missile + The missile has a range of approximately 1,500-2,000km
and can carry a nuclear payload or conventional payload of 480 kg.
Ø Khaibar-Buster Missile = Iran has unveiled a new missile- ‘Khaibar-buster’ that is
capable of hitting nearby US bases and targets within its arch-enemy Israel + Khaibar-
buster is a reference to a Jewish castle overrun by Muslim warriors in the early days of
Islam + It has a range of 900 miles and runs on solid fuel + Iran has the largest arsenal of
missiles in the Middle East.
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Ø Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS) = Man-Portable Air-Defence Systems
(MANPADS) are short-range, lightweight and portable surface-to-air missiles used to
destroy aircraft or helicopters + MANPADS are often described as shoulder-fired anti-
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aircraft missiles + The first MANPADS were introduced by the United States and Soviet
Union in the 1960s. The most common variant of MANPADs is the U.S.-made Stinger
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missiles + Weighing between 10 to 20 kg and not being longer than 1.8 m, MANPADS
have a maximum range of 8 kilometres and can engage targets at altitudes of 4.5 km.
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Ø Igla-S = Igla-S Man-Portable Air Defence System is a Very Short Range Air Defence
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(VSHORAD) System manufactured by Russia + These missiles are meant to counter low-
flying aircraft as the last line of defence against flying objects in a layered air defence
system + It will have a maximum range of 6 km, an altitude of 3 km along with all-weather
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capability.
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Ø S-400 Triumf long range air defense system = It is a mobile, surface-to-air missile
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system (SAM) designed by Russia + It is the most dangerous operationally deployed

modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM) in the world, considered much ahead of the US-
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developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD) + The system can
engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and
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ballistic and cruise missiles within the range of 400km, at an altitude of up to 30km +
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The system can track 100 airborne targets and engage six of them simultaneously.
Ø SAMRAT = Russia tests nuclear-capable Sarmat inter-continental ballistic missile + RS-
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28 Sarmat whose NATO name is Satan-II is able to carry a minimum of ten decoys and
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warheads. It has the capability of firing over either pole of the earth and has a range of
11,000 to 18,000 km.
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Ø Vacuum Bombs = Vacuum bombs are also known as aerosol bombs, fuel air explosives,
or thermo-baric weapons + A vacuum bomb consists of a fuel container with two separate
explosive charges + They use oxygen from the air for a large, high-temperature blast +
They cause significantly greater devastation than a conventional bomb of comparable size
+ The weapons, which go off in two separate stages, can be fired as rockets from tank-
mounted launchers or dropped from aircraft + Vacuum bombs are not prohibited by any
international law or agreement, but their use against civilian populations in built-up areas,
schools or hospitals, could attract action under the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907.

Defence
DEFENCE VEHICLES
Ø Project 11356 = Talwar-class frigates or Project 11356 are a class of stealth guided missile
frigates designed and built by Russia for the Indian Navy + The Talwar-class guided
missile frigates are the improved versions of the Krivak III-class (Project 1135) frigates.
Ø INS Vagsheer = 6th and last of the French Scorpene-class submarines, INS Vagsheer, was
launched into water at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai + The 6 submarines were being built
under Project -75 by the Mazagon Docks under technol-ogy transfer from the Naval Group
as part of a $3.75 billion deal signed in 2005 + INS Kalvari was the first ship commissioned
in 2017 + Development of an indigenous Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) module by the
DRDO is in advanced stages.
Ø HANSA-NG = India’s first indigenous Flying Trainer + HANSA-New Generation
(HANSA-NG) is the revamped version of the original HANSA developed three decades
ago (1993) + It is designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories,
Bangalore under the aegis of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research(CSIR) +
HANSA-NG is designed to meet the Indian flying club needs and it is an ideal aircraft for
Commercial Pilot Licensing (CPL) due to its low cost and low fuel consumption.
Ø KamiKaze Drones = They are small unmanned aircraft that are packed with explosives
that can be flown directly at a tank or a group of troops that are destroyed when it hits the
target and explodes + Also called Switchblade drones as their bladelike wings spring out
on launch + They are presently being supplied to Ukraine by US in war against Russia +
Other countries including Russia, China, Israel, Iran and Turkey all have some version of
it.
Ø Antonov AN-225 or ‘Mriya’ = The world’s largest cargo aircraft, the Antonov AN-225
or ‘Mriya’, has been destroyed by Russian troops during an attack on an airport near Kyiv
+ It was 84 meters long and could transport up to 250 tonnes of cargo at a speed of 850
kilometres per hour.
GENERAL
Ø Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) = Indian Army has commenced implementation
of RFID tagging of its ammunition inventory + RFID is a specific type of radio technology
that uses radio waves to identify tags attached to an object and thus identify the object +
The tag contains a transceiver chip that is triggered by the electromagnetic wave from the
RFID reader and transmits an identification number back to the reader + The identification
number is then used for the inventory of the objects with tags.

Economy
GENERAL
Ø Status of external debt = The external debt to GDP ratio fell marginally to 20% at the end
of December, from 20.3% at the end of September 2021 + Commercial borrowings
remained the largest component of external debt, with a share of 36.8%,followed by non-
resident deposits (23.1%) and short term trade credit + India’s external debt rose by$11.5
billion to $614.9 billion in the three months ended December 2021.
Ø India’s Sovereign Credit Ratings (SCR) = Sovereign Credit Ratings (SCR) represents an
objective and independent assessment of a country's or sovereign entity's ability to meet
debt obligations + Global credit rating is dominated by three credit rating agencies (S&P,
Moody’s, and Fitch) + Presently, India is World’s 6th largest economy (3rd on Purchasing
Power Parity, or PPP). But it’s SCR is at the bottom of investment grade or just above the
speculative grade + Moody’s Baa3 or higher rating is considered investment grade. While
Ba1 or below rating is considered speculative + S&P and Fitch’s BBB- or higher rating are
considered investment grade. While BB+ or lower ratings are considered speculative/junk
grades.
Ø Domestic Rating Agencies = In India, Credit rating agencies are regulated by SEBI under
SEBI (Credit Rating Agencies) Regulations, 1999 of the Securities and Exchange Board
of India Act, 1992 + Presently, we have seven domestic rating agencies like CRISIL,
Acuite etc.
Ø Osaka Declaration on Digital Economy = Announced by G20 countries in 2019 + G20
announced ‘Osaka Track’, a process that aims to intensify efforts on international
rulemaking on digital economy, especially on data flows and e-commerce, while promoting
enhanced protections for intellectual property, personal information, and cybersecurity +
India has not signed Osaka Track.
Ø Tax on Lotteries = Recently, the Supreme Court held that a State legislature has the right
to impose tax on lotteries conducted by other States within its jurisdiction + The judgement
came on appeals filed by the Karnataka and Kerala governments against the decisions of
their respective High Courts + The High Courts had found the tax laws enacted by the two
States invalid and unconstitutional and had even directed Kerala and Karnataka to refund
the money collected as tax + ‘Lotteries’ is a “species of gambling activity” + ‘Betting and
gambling’ is part of the State List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The power
to tax is on all activities which are in the nature of ‘betting and gambling,’ including
lotteries + State legislatures have the power to tax lotteries under Entry 62 of the State List.
Ø Cardless Cash Withdrawals = RBI has announced cardless cash withdrawals at ATMs
across the country + ATMs are expected to show an option for withdrawing cash using UPI
+ Once a user selects this option, they can input the amount to be withdrawn and a QR
code will be generated on the ATM screen + Users will then need to scan that code via
their UPI app, and enter the password to withdraw cash from the ATM + Cardless cash
withdrawals will enhance security of cash withdrawal transactions. It would also help
prevent frauds like card skimming and card cloning + However, while the security
vulnerability of a card is minimized through cardless withdrawals, the risk will soon
transfer to mobile enabled features.

Economy
Ø UPI123Pay = RBI has launched the UPI123Pay + UPI123Pay will make the Unified
Payments Interface (UPI) service, which was limited to smartphones to date, to be available
for the feature phones without internet + UPI123Pay service is likely to increase digital
adoption and financial inclusion, especially in the rural parts of the country + UPI123Pay
is a three-step method to initiate and execute services for users + UPI 123Pay will allow
customers to use feature phones for almost all transactions except scan-and-pay function
of UPI. It doesn't need an internet connection for transactions. Customers have to link their
bank account with feature phones to use this facility + Feature phone users will now be
able to undertake a host of transactions based on four technology alternatives. It includes:
Calling an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) number, App functionality in feature phones,
Missed call-based approach and Proximity sound-based payments + Even though UPI can
alternatively be accessed through the National Unified USSD Platform using the code
*99#, the process has not seen an uptick in adoption or popularity. But, with UPI123Pay,
it would reach 40 crore feature phone users in the country.
Ø Stablecoin = A stablecoin is a type of cryptocurrency that is typically pegged to an existing
government-backed currency + The majority of the dozens of stablecoins that currently
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exist use the dollar as their benchmark asset, but many are also pegged to other fiat
currencies issued by governments like the euro and yen + As a result, the price of
stablecoins fluctuates very little, unlike high-profile cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and
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ethereu that are prone to sudden ups and downs + Stablecoins are useful because they allow
people to transact more seamlessly in cryptocurrencies that function as investments, such
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as Bitcoin + They form a bridge between old-world money and new-world crypto + The
first stablecoin, created in 2014, was Tether, which many other stablecoins are modeled
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after.
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Ø Palm Oil = Palm oil is the world’s most widely used vegetable oil with its global
production in crop year 2020 exceeding 73 million tonnes (MT) + Four most widely used
edible oils: Palm, soybean, rapeseed (canola), and sunflower oil + India is the biggest
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importer of palm oil which makes up 40% of its vegetable oil consumption, as per the
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USDA + Recently, Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer, exporter, and consumer of
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palm oil announced that it will ban all exports of the commodity and its raw materials to
reduce domestic shortages of cooking oil and bring down its skyrocketing prices +
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Indonesia and Malaysia together account for almost 90% of the global palm oil production
(Indonesia is responsible for 60% of the global supply of palm oil).
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Ø Impact of Spike in Oil Prices = 10% increase in crude oil prices raises wholesale inflation
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by 9% and retail inflation by 5% in India + The parabolic rise in crude oil prices towards
multi-year highs will add to India’s import bill and push up inflation. This price rise is
a
prompting safe-haven flows into the dollar.

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TERMS IN NEWS
Ø Trademarks = It distinguish the goods or services of one undertaking from those of other
undertakings + In India, trademarks are governed under Trademarks Act, 1999, under aegis
of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce + The
implementing body is Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks (CGPDT) +
The registration of the trademark is valid for a period of 10 years and renewable every 10
years.
Ø Sovereign Debt = Sovereign debt refers to the debt issued or accumulated by any
government. Governments borrow money to finance the various expenses that they cannot
meet through their regular tax revenues + They usually need to pay interest on such debt
along with the principal amount over time although many governments simply choose to

Economy
borrow fresh debt to repay existing debt + Governments usually find it easier to borrow
and repay in their local currency as they can easily create fresh local currency. But debt
denominated in foreign currency, say the U.S dollar, is difficult to repay as one depends on
consistent flow of U.S. dollars into the economy.
Ø Wholesale Price Inflation (WPI) = Released by The Office of the Economic Adviser in
the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry +
Base year: 2011-12 + Commodities: Goods only + (Please Note: WPI food index (weight
24.38%): The Food Index consisting of 'Food Articles' from Primary Articles group and
'Food Product' from Manufactured Products group)
All Commodities/Major Groups Weight
Manufactured Products 64.23%
Primary Articles 22.62%
Fuel & Power 13.15%
Ø Open General Export Licence (OGEL) = Open General Licence is a type of license that
is used for the export license that is issued by the government for domestic suppliers + The
items that are to be exported in India are categorised into three types. They are prohibited
items, restricted items, and freely importable items. These classifications are made based
on the nature and use of the products + The application processing and grant of OEGL will
is taken care of by the Department of Defence Production. The process will vary for each
case. The primary aim of the OEGL is to give a boost to the defence exports of India +
This will also improve the ease of doing business and imports and exports + The countries
allowed under the OGELs are: Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Poland and Mexico.
Ø Market Infrastructure Institutions(MIIs) = Stock exchanges, depositories and clearing
houses are all Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) + According to the Bimal Jalan
Committee (2010), these institutions are systemically important for the country’s financial
development and serve as the infrastructure necessary for the securities market + Types of
MIIs
• Stock exchange is venue where the buying, selling, and issuance of shares, bonds
and commodities of publicly held companies take place + Among stock exchanges,
the SEBI lists seven, including the BSE, the NSE, the Multi Commodity Exchange
of India and the Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India.
• Depository refers to a place or entity that holds financial securities in a
dematerialized form. It refers to a bank, organization, or any institution holding and
assisting in security trading. Depository accounts hold securities in the same way
that bank accounts hold funds + There are two depositories - charged with the
safekeeping of securities and enabling their trading and transfer - that are tagged
MIIs: The Central Depository Services Ltd. and The National Securities Depository
Ltd.
• Clearing house is an intermediary between buyers and sellers of financial
instruments. It is an agency or separate corporation of a futures exchange
responsible for settling trading accounts, clearing trades, collecting and maintaining
margin monies, regulating delivery, and reporting trading data. They help validate
and finalise securities trades and ensure that both buyers and sellers honour their
obligations + SEBI also lists 7 clearing houses including the Multi Commodity
Exchange Clearing Corporation.

Economy
Ø National Financial Switch (NFS) = It is India’s largest interconnected network of
Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) + NFS enabled the interconnectivity between the
bank’s switches such that the transactions made at any ATM could be routed to the
connected banks + NFS system was developed by the Institute of development and research
in Banking Technology (IDRBT), Hyderabad under the aegis of the RBI in 2004 + It was
taken over from IDRBT by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2009 + NFS
extends service to non-banking entities with White Label ATMs.
Ø Debt-to-GDP Ratio = Debt-to-GDP ratio is the ratio of a country's public debt (combined
liabilities of the Central and State governments) to its gross domestic product (GDP) + This
ratio is the metric comparing a country's public debt to its GDP + The debt-to-GDP ratio
can also be interpreted as the number of years it would take to pay back debt if GDP was
used for repayment. + The higher the debt-to-GDP ratio, the less likely the country will
pay back its debt and the higher its risk of default, which could cause a financial panic in
the domestic and international markets.
Ø Leveraging = Leveraging means borrowing money to make an investment + Leverage
refers to the use of debt (borrowed funds) to amplify returns from an investment or project.
The result is to multiply the potential returns from a project + When one refers to a
company, property, or investment as "highly leveraged," it means that item has more debt
than equity + Investors use leverage to multiply their buying power in the market.
Companies use leverage to finance their assets—instead of issuing stock to raise capital,
companies can use debt to invest in business operations in an attempt to increase
shareholder value.
Ø Posion Pill = Term seen in news + A poison pill is a defense tactic utilized by a target
company to prevent or discourage attempts of a hostile takeover by an acquirer + oison
pills allow existing shareholders the right to purchase additional shares at a discount,
effectively diluting the ownership interest of a new, hostile party + Some of the other
corporate defence mechanisms include:
• Greenmail defence: pay them to go away and stop threatening the company with
a hostile takeover
• Crown jewel defence: This mechanism involves the target company spinning- off
its crown jewel unit, or its most valued asset, in order to make the acquisition less
desirable for the acquirer
• Pac-man defence: Here one prevents a hostile takeover by initiating a reverse
takeover.
• White knight defence: In case a company’s board finds itself in a situation where
it cannot prevent a hostile takeover, it seeks a more accommodative and cordial
firm to acquire a controlling stake from the hostile acquirer. The ‘White Knight’
agrees to restructure the company adhering largely to the desires of the target
company’s board, also providing a fair consideration.
Ø Green Bonds = Green bonds are fixed income financial instruments which are used to fund
projects that have positive environmental and or climate benefits + They are just like any
regular bond with a key difference that the money raised from investors is used exclusively
to finance projects that have a positive environmental impact such as renewable energy and
green buildings + Any organization – such as governments, corporations, and financial
institutions – can issue a green bond + In 2007, first ever green bond was issued by
European Investment Bank(EIB) + In 2015, Yes bank issued India’s first green bond as
part of programme to finance 5 GW worth of renewable energy projects by 2019 + In 2020,
Green bond market has already crossed $1 Trillion + In 2021, Ghaziabad Nagar
Nigam(GNN) announced succesfullly raising and listing India’s first green municipal bond
issue.

Economy
Ø Cost Disease = Also known as Baumol’s cost disease, it refers to the increase in the wages
of certain labourers even though their productivity or skill level has not risen
commensurately + This happens because there is competition between various industries
for the limited supply of labour.
Ø Brent Crude = Brent Crude may refer to any or all of the components of the Brent
Complex, a physically and financially traded oil market based around the North Sea of
Northwest Europe.
Ø Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) = A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), or
national digital currency, is simply the digital form of a country’s fiat currency. Instead of
printing paper currency or minting coins, the central bank issues electronic tokens. This
token value is backed by the full faith and credit of the government and does not possess
any intrinsic value + The Bahamas launched the world’s first CBDC last year + U.S., the
European Union and China, have been working to issue their own CBDCs + The Reserve
Bank of India is likely to soon kick off pilot projects to assess the viability of using digital
currency + We do not have any CBDC as of now + CBDC has benefits like giving boost
to digital economy and also help in efficient and cheaper currency management system +
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Recently, Definition of bank note under the RBI Act 1934 is also amended to broaden
“bank note” means a bank note issued by the Bank, whether in physical or digital form. It
will allow introduction of CBDC gradually.
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Ø Corporate Social responsibility(CSR) = Companies Act, 2013 is a landmark legislation
that made India the first country to mandate and quantify CSR expenditure + It mandates
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that every company, private limited or public limited, which either has a net worth of Rs
500 crore or a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore or net profit of Rs 5 crore, needs to spend at least
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2% of its average net profit for the immediately preceding three financial years on CSR
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activities + CSR activities in India should not be undertaken in the normal course of
business and must be with respect to any of the 17 activities of CSR + companies
amendment act 2019 mandates that companies transfer unspent CSR money in a financial
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year to an escrow account meant for CSR for three years, after which any unspent amount
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must be transferred to a fund specified by the government.

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Ø Unified Payments Interface (UPI) = It is an advanced version of Immediate Payment

Service (IMPS)- round–the-clock funds transfer service to make cashless payments faster,
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easier and smoother + UPI is a system that powers multiple bank accounts into a single
mobile application + UPI is currently the biggest among the National Payments
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Corporation of India (NPCI) operated systems including National Automated Clearing

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House (NACH), Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Aadhaar enabled Payment System
(AePS), Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS), RuPay etc + NPCI launched UPI with 21
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member banks in 2016 + Key Features of UPI: Instant transfer of funds, bill sharing facility,
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can be used 24 hours and on all public holidays etc + National Payments Corporation of
India (NPCI) announced that Nepal will be the first foreign country to adopt India's UPI
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system.
Ø Participatory Notes or P-Notes (PNs) = These are financial instruments issued by a
registered foreign institutional investor (FII) to an overseas investor who wishes to invest
in Indian stock markets without registering themselves with the market regulator, the
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) + P-Notes are Offshore Derivative
Investments (ODIs) with equity shares or debt securities as underlying assets. They provide
liquidity to the investors as they can transfer the ownership by endorsement and delivery +
While the FIIs have to report all such investments each quarter to SEBI, they need not
disclose the identity of the actual investors.
Ø Land pooling = It is an activity where a group of landowners handover their land parcels
to the government collectively for infrastructure development + Once the development is

Economy
complete, the land is handed over to the original owners, after deducting some portion as
the cost for the same. In land acquisition, the ownership of the land is transferred to the
government + The primary benefit of land pooling policy is that the ownership remains
with the original titleholder. It reduces the chances of legal disputes and compensation
disbursements + However, the land pooling policy requires a certain percentage of
landowners to give consent for the procedure. Discontent among a certain section of
landowners is a common challenge in this activity
Ø Shrinkflation = “Shrinkflation” is a combination of the words shrink and inflation + The
“shrink” refers to the change in the size of the product, while the “flation” part refers to
inflation i.e. the rise in the price level + Shrinkflation is a form of hidden inflation + It
refers to downsizing a product while keeping its price the same. Companies facing higher
prices for their supplies may try to pass that onto the consumer. Downsizing a product
reduces costs for manufacturers. Downsizing comes in waves, and it tends to happen during
times of increased inflation.
Ø Equalisation Levy = In India, Equalisation Levy was introduced in 2016, at 6% on
payments received by a non-resident service provider from an Indian resident in respect of
online advertising, provision of online advertising space and related services. It was limited
to Business-to-business transactions and compliance was required to be carried out by the
payer + Purpose of Equalisation Levy is to ensure fair competition, reasonableness and
exercise the ability of governments to tax businesses that have a close nexus with the Indian
market through their digital operations + Finance Act 2020 has further expanded the scope
of equalization levy to non-resident e-commerce operators by introducing a new levy of
2%. This levy is effective from 1 April 2020. Both Business-to-business and business-to-
consumer transactions are covered.
Ø Nidhi Companies = Under Nidhi Rules, 2014, Nidhi is a company which has been
incorporated as a Nidhi with the object of cultivating the habit of thrift and saving amongst
its members, receiving deposits from, and lending to, its members only, for their mutual
benefit + It is a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013 + Regulated by the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs + Nidhi Company is a class of NBFC and RBI has powers
to issue directives for them related to their deposit acceptance activities + However, since
these Nidhis deal with their shareholder-members only, RBI has exempted them from the
core provisions of the RBI Act and other directions applicable to NBFCs + Recently, Govt.
amends rules for Nidhi companies. Now, public companies seeking to function as Nidhis
must obtain a prior declaration from the central government before accepting deposits.
Ø Angadia System = It is a century-old parallel banking system in India + In this system, the
traders send cash generally from one state to another through a person called Angadia that
stands for courier + Generally, it is the Gujarati, Marwari and Malbari community that are
involved in the business.
Ø Pyramid Scam = A pyramid scheme is a business model that recruits members via a
promise of payments or services for enrolling others into the scheme, rather than supplying
investments or sale of products + As recruiting multiplies, recruiting becomes quickly
impossible, and most members are unable to profit; as such, pyramid schemes are
unsustainable and often illegal + Pyramid schemes are based on network marketing, where
each person in the pyramid is tasked with bringing in their own subordinates and in turn
profiting from their sales or recruitments + They are different from ponzi scheme, which
is a form of fraud that lures investors and pays profits to earlier investors with funds from
more recent investors.
Ø Bank Recapitalisation Bonds = The government issued bonds which are subscribed by
banks + The money collected by the government goes to banks in the form of equity capital
as the government increases its share of equity holding, thereby shoring up banks' capital

Economy
reserves + The money invested by banks in recapitalisation bonds is classified as an
investment which earns them an interest + This helps the government in maintaining its
fiscal deficit target as no money directly goes out from its coffers.
Ø Special Zero Coupon Recapitalisation Bonds = These are special types of bonds issued
by the Central government specifically to a particular institution. Only those banks,
whosoever is specified, can invest in them, nobody else + It is not tradable, it is not
transferable + It is limited only to a specific bank, and it is for a specified period + There
is no coupon, it is zero coupon, it is issued at par and will be paid at the end of the specified
period + Coupon is the Interest which the Investor gets on a bond. It is held at the Held-
To-Maturity (HTM) category of the bank as per the RBI guidelines. HTM securities are
purchased to be owned until maturity + These are instruments which are a variation of the
recapitalisation bonds but effectively meet the same purpose, and these are issued in
conformity with the RBI guidelines.

Culture
PERSONALITIES IN NEWS
Ø Samarth Ramdas = Samarth Ramdas was also known as Sant (saint) Ramdas or Ramdas
Swami + He was an Indian Marathi Hindu saint, poet, philosopher, writer and spiritual
master + He was a devotee of Hindu deities Rama and Hanuman + He was previously
famous as Narayan + He was born at Jamb, which is a village in present-day Jalna district
of Maharashtra + His literary works include Karunashtakas, Dasbodh, Yuddhakand,
Sunderkand, Poorvarambh, Antarbhav, Chaturthman, Aatmaaram, Panchman,
Panchsamasi, Manpanchak, Janaswabhawgosavi, etc + Ramdas served an inspiration for
several Indian thinkers, historians and social reformers from 19th and 20th century,
including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Rajwade, Keshav Hedgewar, and Ramchandra Ranade.
Ø Sri Yamunacharya / Sri Alavandar = He was a Vishishtadvaita philosopher in
Srirangam, Tamil Nadu + Ramanuja, one of the leaders of the Srivaishnava school, sought
to be his disciple + He was born in the early 10th century CE + Nathamuni was a famed
yogi who collected the works of Tamil alvars (Tamil poet-saints of South India who
espoused bhakti to the Hindu god Vishnu). He composed Divya Prabandham, a collection
of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars.
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Ø Guru Tegh Bahadur = He was the 9th of 10 Gurus who founded the Sikh religion and the
leader of Sikhs from 1665 until his beheading in 1675 + He was was the youngest son of
Guru Hargobind, the 6th Sikh guru + Considered a principled and fearless warrior, he was
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a learned spiritual scholar and a poet whose 115 hymns are included in Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, the main text of Sikhism + Guru Tegh Bahadur was executed on the orders of
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Aurangzeb.
Ø Ramanujacharya (11-12 century AD) = He was an Indian Hindu philosopher, theologian
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and a social reformer + He is noted to be one of the most important exponents of the Sri
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Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism + His philosophical foundations for devotionalism

were influential to the Bhakti movement + Ramanuja is famous as the chief proponent of
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Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) subschool of Vedanta + Ramanuja insisted on the

importance of bhakti, or the devotion to a personal God (Vishnu in Ramanuja's case) as a
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means to spiritual liberation + His theories assert that there exists a plurality and distinction
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between Atman (soul) and Brahman, while he also affirmed that there is unity of all souls
and that the individual soul has the potential to realize identity with the Brahman + Literary
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works: Traditionally 9 Sanskrit texts, including Vedartha Sangraham, Sri Bhashyam, Gita
Bhashyam.
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Ø Sri Vedanta Desika = He was an Indian polymath who wrote philosophical as well as
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religious and poetical works in several languages, including Sanskrit, Maṇipravaḷa (a

Sanskritised form of literary Tamil ), and Tamil + Born: 1268 AD + He was an Indian
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philosopher, Sri Vaishnava guru, and one of the most brilliant stalwarts of Sri Vaishnavism
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in the post-Ramanuja period + He was a Hindu devotee, poet, Master of Acharyas

(Desikan), and a logician and mathematician + Literary Works: Sri Sthothra Nidhi, Sri
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Paduka Sahasram, Rahasya Granthams, Sri Desika Prabandham, Kavyams.

Ø Guru Ravidas = Guru Ravidas was a North Indian mystic poet of the bhakti movement +
While the exact year of his birth is not known, it is believed that the saint was born in 1377
C.E. Guru Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, which is the full moon day in
the Hindu calendar month of Magha + The Adi Granth of Sikhs, in addition to the
Panchvani are the two of the oldest documented sources of the literary works of Guru
Ravidas + Notably, he belonged to an untouchable caste and suffered a lot of atrocities as
a result. However, the saint chose to focus on spiritual pursuits and also penned several
devotional songs which made a huge impact in the Bhakti movement during the 14th to 16th
century CE + He is believed to be a disciple of the bhakti saint-poet Ramananda and a
contemporary of the bhakti saint-poet Kabir + One of his famous disciples was the saint,

Culture
Mirabai. Among Ravidas’s moral and intellectual achievements were the conception of
“Begampura”, a city that knows no sorrow; and a society where caste and class have ceased
to matter + Out of the total population of Dalits in Punjab, about 21 percent of the
population belongs to the Ravidassia community. The importance of this population can
be understood from the fact that due to Sant Ravidas Jayanti on February 16, the date of
Punjab Assembly elections was changed from February 14 to February 20.
Ø Harichand Thakur = He was born in 1812 in Orakandi, Bangladesh. Harichand Thakur
worked among the untouchable people of the Bengal presidency + The family of Thakur
was Vaishnavite Hindus who founded a sect of Vaishnavite Hinduism known as Matua +
Members of the Namasudra community adopted this, and they were then also called by the
common pejorative name of Chandalas. They were considered untouchables + The
followers of Thakur consider him God and also call him Thakur, an avatar of Vishnu or
Krishna. Therefore, he came to be known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur.
Ø Jyotiba Phule = He was bestowed with the title of Mahatma by Vithalrao Krishnaji
Vandekar in 1888 + He and his wife Savitrirao Phule opened the first-ever school for Dalit
girls at Pune, in 1848 + In 1863, Jyotirao and Savitribai started the first-ever infanticide
prohibition home in India called Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha + He was the first person to
coin the term ‘Dalits’ + He condemned the Vedas + He was a source of inspiration for
Maharshi Shinde, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Gadgebaba and Sahu Maharaj + In 1873, he
formed the Satya Shodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth) in Pune. It was a social
reform society that fought for equal rights for the depressed classes. The community
included Muslims, non-Brahmins, Brahmins and government officials + Literary work:
Brahmanacha Kasab (1969), Gulamgiri (1873), Shetkaryancha Asud (1883), Sarvajanik
Satyadharma Pustak (1891), Asprushyanchi Kaifiyat (1893).
Ø Savitribhai Phule = Born in Naigaon in Maharashtra on January 3, 1831, Phule is widely
regarded as one of India’s first generation modern feminists for her significant
contributions in ensuring equal education opportunities under the British raj + She became
the first female teacher in India in 1848 and opened a school for girls along with her
husband, social reformer Jyotirao Phule + The two also worked against discrimination
based on caste-based identity, something vehemently opposed by the orthodox sections of
society in Pune + The couple set up ‘Balyata Pratibandak Gruha’, a childcare centre for the
protection of pregnant widows and rape victims. Phule also played a pivotal role in
directing the work of the Satyashodhak Samaj, formed by her husband with the objective
to achieve equal rights for the marginalised lower castes + As an extension, they started,
‘Satya Shodhaka Marriage’ where the marrying couple has to take a pledge to promote
education and equality + Savitribai opened a clinic in 1897 for victims of the bubonic
plague that spread across Maharashtra just before the turn of the century + She also set up
“Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha” + She organised a boycott by barbers against the tradition
of head tonsuring of widows. In her honour, University of Pune was renamed Savitribai
Phule University in 2015.
Ø Bhagat Singh = Born in 1907 + In 1923, he joined National College, Lahore which was
founded and managed by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhai Parmanand + Initially, he supported
Mahatma Gandhi and Non-Cooperation Movement. However, when Gandhi withdrew
movement in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident, Bhagat Singh turned to revolutionary
nationalism + His azaadi freedom was not limited to expelling of the British; instead he
desired azaadi from poverty, azaadi from untouchability, azaadi from communal strife, and
azaadi from every form of discrimination and exploitation + In 1923, Bhagat Singh joined
the National College, Lahore which was founded and managed by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhai
Parmanand + In 1924 in Kanpur, he became a member of the Hindustan Republican
Association (HRA), started by Sachindranath Sanyal a year earlier. In 1928, HRA was

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renamed from Hindustan Republican Association to Hindustan Socialist Republican

Association (HSRA) + In 1925-26 Bhagat Singh and his colleagues started a militant youth
organization called the Naujawan Bharat Sabha + In 1927, he was first arrested on charges
of association with the Kakori Case accused for an article written under the pseudonym
Vidrohi (Rebel) + To take revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh and his
associates plotted the assassination of James A. Scott, the Superintendent of Police.
However, the revolutionaries mistakenly killed J.P. Saunders. The incident is famously
known as Lahore Conspiracy case (1929) + executed on March 23, 1931 at the Lahore
Central Jail along with Rajguru and Sukhdev.
Ø Sachindra Nath Sanyal (1893 – 1942) = He was the founder of the Hindustan Republican
Association. HRA was created to carry out armed resistance against the British Empire in
India + Sanyal founded a branch of the Anushilan Samiti in Patna in 1913 + In 1912 Delhi
Conspiracy Trial, Sanyal with Rashbehari Bose attacked the then Viceroy Hardinge + He
was extensively involved in the plans for the Ghadar conspiracy, and went underground
after it was exposed in February 1915 + He was a close associate of Rash Behari Bose +
After Bose escaped to Japan, Sanyal was considered the most senior leader of India’s
revolutionary movement. He was a mentor for revolutionaries like Chandrashekhar Azad
and Bhagat Singh + Sanyal and Mahatma Gandhi engaged in a famous debate published in
Young India between 1920 and 1924. Sanyal argued against Gandhi’s gradualist approach.
Ø Kunwar Singh = Kunwar Singh was a leader during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 + He
was the chief organizer of the fight against the British in Bihar + Kunwar Singh and his
troops laid siege to the district headquarters at Arrah.
Ø Lachit Borphukan = commander of Ahom kingdom + Known for 1671 Battle of Saraighat
that thwarted Mughal forces under the command of Ramsingh I + it was fought on banks
of Brahmaputra in Guwahati + National Defence Academy (NDA), confers best passing
out cadet with Lachit Borphukan gold medal
Ø Ahom Kingdom = Sivasagar (formerly known as Rangpur) was the seat of the powerful
Ahom dynasty, who ruled Assam for six centuries (1228-1826) + Ahoms migrated to the
Brahmaputra valley from present-day Myanmar + Ahom kingdom was founded by first
Ahom king Chao Lung Sui-Kha-Pah in 13th-century + During the 16th century, they
annexed the kingdoms of the Chhutiyas (1523) and of Koch-Hajo (1581) and subjugated
many other tribes + Kingdom laid the foundation for present day Assamese culture,
tradition, art and architecture + founders of the Ahom kingdom had their own language and
followed their own religion + Ahom society was divided into clans or khels who controlled
several villages + Ahom state depended upon forced labour (workers known as Paik) +
Ahom kingdom had very few castes of artisans, so artisans in the Ahom areas came from
the adjoining kingdoms + The peasant was given land by his village community and even
the king could not take it away without the community’s consent + Almost all adult males
served in the army during war + Ancestor worship was and still remains a very important
part which is reflected in the elaborate maidams (burial tombs) that the Ahoms built in the
sacred city of Charaideo.
HISTORICAL EVENTS
Ø Paika Rebellion = 200-years ago in 1817 + a valiant uprising of soldiers led by Buxi
Jagabandhu (Bidyadhar Mohapatra) + took place in Khurda of Odisha
Ø Chauri Chaura Incident = The incident (4th February, 1922) occurred at Chauri Chaura
in the Gorakhpur district of the United Province, (modern Uttar Pradesh) in British India +
During this incident, a large group of protesters, participating in the Non-cooperation
movement, clashed with police, who opened fire + The demonstrators attacked and set fire

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to a police station in retaliation, killing all of its occupants + In response to this, Mahatma
Gandhi, who was strictly against violence, halted the Non-cooperation Movement on the
national level on 12 February 1922, as a direct result of this incident + Recently, the Prime
Minister paid tribute to the heroes of freedom struggle on completion of the 100 years of
Chauri Chaura incident.
Ø Pal-Dadhav Massacre = 100 years ago, Pal-Dadhvav massacre took place in the Pal-
Chitariya and Dadhvaav villages of Sabarkantha district part of Idar state (was princely
state in Gujrat) + The movement was to protest against the land revenue tax (lagaan)
imposed on the peasants by the British and feudal lords + British officer Major H.G. Sutton
from Mewad Bhil Corps ordered to open fire at the innocent tribals.
TEMPLES IN NEWS
Ø Sun Temple of Konark = Dedicated to the Sun God, the temple is located on the shores
of the Bay of Bengal + It was built by King Narasimha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty
from 1238-1250 CE (as per Kenduli Copper plate inscription). The Old Legend links it to
Samba, son of Lord Krishna, who built it + It is a Kalinga architectural style temple, a sub-
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style of Nagara Temple Architecture, with a: Rekha Deula or Vimana (principal sanctuary)
with a Shikhara (Crowning cap); Jagamohana or assembly hall;Natamandir or Dance hall;
and a number of other substructure + Stones used in the temple: Chlorite, Laterite and the
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greenish Khondalite. Because of the color of its stone, it is also known as Black Pagoda +
most of the structure collapsed in 1837 with only Jagamoahan remaining fully intact.
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Ø Jagannath Temple, Puri = Odisha + It's an important Hindu temple dedicated to
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Jagannath, a form of Krishna, in Puri in the state of Odisha + Built by Anantavarman Deva,
the first king of the Eastern Ganga dynasty + The Puri temple is famous for its annual Ratha
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Yatra + It is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites + Style: Kalinga Architecture.
Ø Bappanadu Sri Durgaparameshwari Temple = Mangalore, Karnataka + This temple is
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situated on the banks of Shambhavi River + The Goddess here is in the form of Linga and
is believed to have emerged in conjunction of the rivers Nandini and Shambhavi at the
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border of Mulki + The temple has been believed to be built by a Muslim merchant from
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Kerala called Bappa Beary with the help of Mulki Swantha (Jain ruler).
Ø Chennakeshava / Vijayanarayana Temple = Belur, Karnataka + It is a 12th-century
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Hindu temple in State of Karnataka + It was commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in

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12th century CE, on the banks of the Yagachi River in Belur also called Velapura, an early
Hoysala Empire capital + Chennakesava (lit, "handsome Kesava") is a form of the Hindu
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god Vishnu + It is a finest example of Hoysala architecture.

Ø Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple = Dravidian Architecture + Hindu temple situated in
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the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India + It is the
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richest temple in the world in terms of donations received and wealth.The Temple is
dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to
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save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. Hence the place has also got the name
Kaliyuga Vaikuntha and the Lord here is referred to as Kaliyuga Prathyaksha Daivam +
The temple is also known by other names like Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati
Balaji Temple.
Ø Meenakshi Temple = It is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the
Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu + It is dedicated to the goddess
Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwarar, a form of Shiva + The
temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of Madurai mentioned in the Tamil Sangam
literature + The temple has 14 gopurams, Temple Tank and many mandapas (pillared-halls)
+ The Meenakshi temple has 2 separate shrines for the goddess Meenakshi (Parvati, Devi,
Amman) and god Sundaresvara (Shiva, Deva)

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Ø Sabarimala Temple = A temple complex located at Sabarimala hill inside the Periyar
Tiger Reserve in Kerala + The temple is dedicated to a Hindu Brahmachari (Celibate) deity
Ayyappan + The traditions of Sabarimala are a confluence of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and
other Śramaṇa traditions + In 2018, the Supreme Court of India, in a 4-1 majority decision
overturned the ban on the entry of women + The temple is open for worship only during
the days of Mandala Pooja, Makaravilakku or Makar Sankranti and Maha Thirumal
Sankranti.
Ø Punaura Dham = Located in Bihar + Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi district was included in
Ramayana Circuit of Swadesh Darshan scheme. Also, it was included in PRASHAD
(Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme + Punaura Dham is
considered to be birthplace of Goddess Sita. o Shrine compound has a Ram Janki temple,
a pond called Sita Kund and a hall.
Ø Hoysala Architecture Style = Evolved between the 11th to 14th centuries under the
Hoysala Empire’s rule in the southern Deccan region and Kaveri River Valley + Hybrid or
Vesara temple style + They are easily distinguishable from other medieval temples by their
highly original star-like ground-plans and a profusion of decorative carvings + Hoysala
rulers were influenced by the western Chalukyan architecture + Recently, Union Ministry
of Culture has announced that the Hoysala temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathapura in
Karnataka have been selected as India’s nomination for UNESCO’s list of World Heritage
sites for the year 2022-2023
• Chennakeshava Temple = Belur, Karnataka (Belur was first capital city of
Hoysalas) + Also referred as Keshava, or Vijayanarayana Temple of Belur +
Commissioned by King Vishnuvardhana in 1117 CE + Built with soapstone, on the
banks of the Yagachi River in Belur, also known as Velapura + Combines elements
of North Indian Nagara and South Indian Karnata style architecture + It is an
ekakuta (temple with one shrine) and the garbha griha (sanctum sanctorum) houses
portrait of Krishna + Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Chennakesava,
which means beautiful (chenna) Vishnu (Keshava) + Exterior sculptured exterior
depicts scenes from daily life, music, and dance, and narrate scenes from life of
Vishnu and his reincarnations and the epics, Ramayana, and Mahabharata + Some
of the representations of Shiva are also included + It includes images from Jainism
and Buddhism.
• Hoysaleshwara Temple = Halebidu, Karnataka + Also called ‘Halebidu’ temple,
a 12th century temple dedicated to Lord Shiva as Nataraja, the God of Destruction
+ It is a double building with a large hall for the mandapa to facilitate music and
dance + Sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana + It is said to be the largest monument
in Halebidu, a town in Karnataka and erstwhile capital of the Hoysala Empire +
There are more than 240 images in the temple and no other temple has these many
intricate sculptures + Halebid has a walled complex containing of three Jaina basadi
(temples) of the Hoysala period as well as a stepped well + The basadi are located
in close proximity to the Dorasamudhra lake + Sculptures inside the temple depict
scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavata Purana + Includes themes
from Vaishnavism and Shaktism, too, along with images from Jainism.
• Keshava Temple = Somanathapura, Karnataka + Consecrated in 1258 CE by
Somanatha Dandanayaka, a general of the Hoysala King Narasimha III + It is on
the banks of River Kaveri + It is believed that this was the last major temple built
by the Hoysala dynasty + It is a Trikuta Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in three
forms – Janardhana, Keshava and Venugopala + It has a stellar plan with three
shrines and Vimanas + Sculptures found at the Keshava Temple are that of Lord
Vishnu, Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and Saraswati + It is no longer used as a

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place of worship because the idols here have been broken and the temple was
desecrated by the invading armies of the Muslim Sultanate.
MONUMENTS & ARCHITECTURE IN NEWS

Ø Reclining Lord Vishnu = A 1,000 years old sandstone sculpture of the reclining Lord
Vishnu has been restored by Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage + The
Statue is situated in Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh) + This is the first
conservation and restoration project undertaken by INTACH in Madhya Pradesh +
Popularly known as Shesh Shaiyya, the sculpture belongs to Kalchuri period (8th century,
feudatories of the Rashtrakutas at central part of India)
Ø Avalokiteshvara Padmapani (Buddha) = Prominent artefact that went missing two
decades ago, the idol of Avalokiteshvara Padmapani (Buddha) at the Devisthan Kundalpur
temple in Bihar, was handed over to the Indian consulate in Milan + The statue was created
between the 8th and 12th centuries, and smuggled out of the country around the year 2000
+ Avalokiteshwara means one who can see all. He represents infinite compassion and
mercy. He is the most popular Bodhisattva of all. He represents the ideal of welfare in
which he postpones his own transformation into Buddha to help others + A bodhisattva is
someone who has compassion within himself or herself and who is able to make another
person smile or help someone suffer less.
Ø Bamiyan Buddhas = Bamiyan Buddha statues are two 5th-century AD monumental
statues + Both were built when the Hephthalites ruled the region + They were carved into
the side of sandstone cliffs in the Bamyan valley of central Afghanistan + In their Roman
draperies and with two different mudras, the statues were great examples of a confluence
of Gupta, Sassanian and Hellenistic artistic styles + Called Salsal (Western Buddha) and
Shamama (Eastern Buddha) by the locals, they rose to heights of 55 and 38 metres
respectively + Salsal means “light shines through the universe”. Shamama means “Queen
Mother” + In 2003, UNESCO included the remains of the Bamiyan Buddhas in its list of
World Heritage Sites + It was proposed that the statues should be reconstructed with the
pieces that were still available, and restored in their niches, but it was met with opposition
+ + In 2001, Taliban began blowing up the two statues + Following this, UNESCO
included the remains in its list of World Heritage Sites in 2003.
Ø Bamiyan Valley = Bamiyan Valley, in the Hindu Kush Mountains and along the river
Bamiyan, is emerging as a hub of both commercial & cultural exchange + It was a key
node of the early Silk Routes + The rise of Bamiyan was closely connected with spread of
Buddhism across Central Asia, and that in turn was linked to the political and economic
currents of that time + Early in the 1st century AD, the Kushans made themselves the
unavoidable middlemen between China, India and Rome. This semi-nomadic tribe
prospered on the revenues of the Silk Road.
Ø Golconda Fort = It is located in the western part of Hyderabad city + It was originally
known as Mankal, and built on a hilltop in the year 1143 + It was originally a mud fort
under the reign of Rajah of Warangal.Later it was fortified between 14th and 17th centuries
by the Bahmani Sultans and then by the Qutub Shahi dynasty + Golconda was the principal
capital of the Qutub Shahi kings + (Qutb Shahi Tombs = Lying two kilometers from the
Golconda Fort, the Qutb Shahi Tombs are built in Persian, Hindu and Pathani styles of
architecture + The tombs were planned and built by numerous monarchs who ruled the
state during the 18th century + The grandeur of the tombs is ensconced amidst the beautiful
and picturesque landscape and gardens of Ibrahim Bagh, and the tombs themselves are
dedicated to the seven Qutub Shahi kings who ruled Golconda for nearly 170 years + One
of the most impressive tombs belongs to the founder of Hyderabad, Mohammed Quli
Qutub Shah which rises to a height of 42 meters.)

Culture
Ø Hazratbal Shrine = in Srinagar + The Hazratbal Shrine, popularly called Dargah Sharif is
a Muslim shrine located in Hazratbal, Srinagar, J&K + It contains a relic, Moi-e-Muqqadas,
which is widely believed to be the hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad + It is situated
on the northern bank of the Dal Lake in Srinagar, and is considered to be Kashmir's holiest
Muslim shrine
Ø Qutb Minar = It is a minaret and "victory tower" that forms part of the Qutb complex,
which lies at the site of Delhi’s oldest fortified city, Lal Kot, founded by the Tomar Rajput
+ It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site + It is an example of synthesis of South Asian and
Islamic Architecture + The Qutb Minar consists of five stories of red and gray sandstone +
It is named after Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki a 13th-century sufi saint, because
Iltutmish was a devotee of him + Qutb-ud-din Aibak started construction of the Qutb
Minar's first story in 1199 + Aibak's successor Iltutmish completed a further three stories
+ After a lightning strike in 1369 damaged the then top story, the ruler at the time, Firuz
Shah Tughlaq, replaced the damaged story and added one more + Sher Shah Suri also
added an entrance while he was ruling and the Mughal emperor Humayun was in exile.
Ø Cyclopean Wall = Bihar + It was built before 3rd century BC, to protect the ancient city
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of Rajgir from invaders + Recently, Bihar government has sent a fresh proposal to the
Archaeological Survey of India to get the 40 km long Cyclopean wall, a more than 2,500
years old structure at Rajgir, listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
PLACES IN NEWS
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Ø Gandhi Ashram / Sabarmati Ashram = It is located in the Sabarmati suburb of
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Ahmedabad, Gujarat + It was originally established by Jivanlal Desai, a barrister, and

friend of Gandhi, on 25 May 1915. At that time the ashram was called the Satyagraha
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Ashram + It was from here that Gandhi led the Dandi march also known as the Salt
Satyagraha on 12 March 1930.
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Ø Vizhinjam City = Vizhinjam is a region located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the

capital of the state of Kerala + The port at Vizhinjam has been mentioned in the work `The
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Periplus of the Erythraean Sea', a work of the 1st century AD. Here Vizhinjam has been
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called as Balita + The Portuguese and the Dutch had commercial establishments here +
Adani Ports (APSEZ), India’s biggest private port operator, is currently developing a
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transhipment port in this area.

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Ø Phanigiri = Phanigiri is a Buddhist site in Telangana + Two large footprints in the complex
are believed to belong to Gautama Buddha + Previously the name of the village is
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Dharmachakrapuram but later it is changed to Phanigir.

Ø Ram Van Gaman Tourism Circuit = Chattisgarh + Ram Van Gaman Tourist Circuit aims
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to develop the places related to the exile period of Lord Shri Ram
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FESTIVALS IN NEWS
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Ø Rongali / Bohag Bihu Festival = in Assam + The festival is celebrated in the 1st month
of the Assamese calendar and marks the advent of the Assamese New Year + This festival
also coincides with the advent of the spring season.
Ø Medaram Jathara 2022 = Medaram Jatara or Sammakka Saralamma Jathara is the largest
tribal religious congregation in the world + It is the second-largest fair of India, after the
Kumbh Mela + It is celebrated by the second-largest Tribal Community of Telangana- the
Koya tribe + It honours the fight of a mother and daughter, Goddesses Sammakka and
Saralamma, with the reigning rulers against an unjust law + Medaram Jathara was declared
a State Festival of Telangana in 1996 + Medaram is a remote place in the Eturnagaram
Wildlife Sanctuary, a part of Dandakaranya, the largest surviving forest belt in the Mulugu,
Telangana

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Ø Marikamba Jatre = Mostly celebrated in Karnataka + Kote Marikamba Jatre, is a fair

held once in two years + People from all castes take part in the event. Muslims and
Christians also offer harake, an offering to the deity for fulfilment of a wish + The
Marikamba Temple in Karnataka was built in 16th century by the Nayakas. On this
occasion, a high chariot carrying the image of goddess Marikamba Devi, is carried out on
a procession. The goddess, a form of Durga or Parvati, was the family deity of the Nayaka
dynasty.
Ø Sohrai Festival = Sohrai Sohrai is a five day festival of the Santhal, Munda, Prajapati,
Khurmi and Oraon tribes in the Indian states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West
Bengal + It is a Harvest Festival held at the start of the winter harvest season + It is also
called cattle festiva + It is celebrated during Amavasya in Kartik (October-November)
month of the Hindu calendar.
Ø Phool Dei Festival = Harvest festival of Uttarakhand + This festival is celebrated in the
Garhwal and Kumaun regions of Uttarakhand every year in the flowering season + The
commonly used flowers are red rhododendron flowers or buransh (the state tree of
Uttarakhand), the yellow pheonly flowers (Reinwardtia indica) and mustard flowers.
Ø Baisakhi / Vaisakhi Festival = It marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is
traditionally celebrated annually on 13 April as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in
Northern India + Vaisakhi as a major Sikh festival marks the birth of the Khalsa order by
Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Guru of Sikhism, on April 13th 1699 + Later, Ranjit Singh
was proclaimed as Maharaja of the Sikh Empire on 12 April 1801 (to coincide with
Vaisakhi), creating a unified political state + Vaisakhi was also the day when Bengal Army
officer Reginald Dyer orders his troops to shoot into a protesting crowd, an event which
would come to be known the Jallianwala Bagh massacre + Other Regional solar new years:
• Pohela Boishakh in West Bengal, India and Bangladesh
• Pana Sankranti (Maha Vishuba Sankranti) in Odisha
• Jur Sital in Mithila (Bihar, India and parts of Nepal)
• Bwisagu in Bodoland region of Assam
• Bisu in Tulu Nadu region of Karnataka
• Puthandu in Tamil Nadu, India and parts of Sri Lanka
• Vishu in Kerala
Ø Gudi Padwa = Gudi Padwa is a spring-time festival that marks the traditional New Year
for Marathi and Konkani Hindus, but is also celebrated by other Hindus as well + It is
celebrated in and around Maharashtra, Goa, and the union territory of Damaon on the first
day of the Chaitra month, to mark the beginning of the New Year according to the luni-
solar method of the Hindu calendar + Padava or paadvo comes from the Sanskrit word
pratipada, which is the first day of a lunar fortnight + The spring festival is observed with
colourful floor decorations called rangoli, a special Gudhi dvaja (flag garlanded with
flowers, mango and neem leaves, topped with upturned silver or copper vessels), street
processions, dancing& festive foods.
Ø Janma Kalyanak Mahotsava = of Bhagawan Mahavir + Mahavir Janma Kalyanak is one
of the most important religious festivals in Jainism + It celebrates the birth of Mahavir, the
24th and last Tirthankara of present Avasarpiṇi + The idol of Lord Mahavir is carried out
on a chariot, in a procession called rath yatra.
Ø Byanjana Dwadashi = Celebrated by Vaishnavas, festival celebrates a variety of food
(Byanjana in Odia) on 12th day (Dwadashi) of bright lunar phase of moon in the month of
Margashira of Hindu calendar + Dedicated to Krishna, tale goes that Yashoda on noticing
that Kahn’s body had collapsed prepared a variety of nutritious and delicious dishes to feed
Krishna + This episode was re-enacted in Vaishnava mutts of Puri by medieval seer

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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, after he reached Puri around 500 years ago + All the ingredients
used for the preparation of food are contributed by devotees.
Ø Attukal Pongala Festival = Kerala + It is the world’s largest congregation of women for
a festival + It is a 10 days event commencing on the Karthigai star of the Malayalam month
of Makaram or Kumbham and closing with the sacrificial offering known as
Kuruthitharpanam at night + This ritual can only be performed by women + Please Note:
Attukal Bhagavathi is believed to be an incarnation of Kannaki, the central character of the
Tamil epic 'Silappathikaaram'.
PRODUCTS & ARTS IN NEWS

Ø Kalanamak Rice = It is a non-basmati scented rice variety grown primarily in the tarai
region of Uttar Pradesh + It is described as Buddha Prasad (an offering to Buddha). It has
been rebranded as Buddha Rice in order to promote the sale of this GI-tagged rice in
Buddhist countries + Kalanamak is a successful adapter to usar soils characterised by
higher salt concentration and high pH. It is also highly resistant to notorious, and in India
common, rice diseases such as panicle blast, stem rot and brown spot. Bacterial blight is
quite rarely observed. It is drought tolerant. It is normally grown under rain-fed conditions
and in uplands. Water requirement is quite low as compared to basmati + Kalanamak is
traditionally grown using no fertiliser, herbicide and pesticide, which makes it suitable for
organic cultivation.
Ø Kashmir Carpet = GI Tagged + First ever Geographical Indication (GI) tagged Kashmir
carpets flagged off to Germany + Kashmiri carpets are very similar to Iranian carpets, but
in Kashmiri carpets weavers use a written set of codes and symbols for design patterns and
colors, called Taleem + History of Kashmiri carpet dates back to the period of the famous
Sufi Saint and scholar, Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (1341‐ 1385 AD) of Persia.
Ø Nettur Petti = Nettur Petti or aada petti is a handcrafted, ornamental box created by
traditional craftsmen in Kerala + In the past, the Nettur Petti was made only in teak or
rosewood, but now it is made using jack, wild jack and mahogany also + Nettur petti
derives its name from Nettur, a place that now exists both in Ernakulam and Kannur
districts (Kerala) and in Tirunelveli district (Tamil Nadu).
Ø Panruti Cashews = Mainly found in Tamil Nadu + It is commonly cultivated in laterite &
red soils as well as coastal sands + Apart from Panruti Cashew, 'Panruti Jackfruit' and
'Panruti Cashew Apple' are also famous in Panruti town + Recently, Tamil Nadu Cashew
Processors and Exporters Association (TNCPEA) has applied for a Geographical
Indication (GI) tag for Panruti cashews.
Ø Kettuvallam = Kettuvallam is a houseboat widely used in the Indian state of Kerala + The
traditional kettuvallam has emerged as the mascot of Kerala Tourism.
Ø Narasinghapettai Nagaswarm = Narasinghapettai Nagaswaram has got the prestigious
Geographical Indication (GI) tag under 'musical instruments of class 15' + Narasinghapettai
Nagaswaram is Tamil Nadu’s traditional wind instrument, made by traditional village
artisans of Kumbakonam + The nagaswaram now used by artists throughout is called pari
naggeswaram and is longer than Thimiri + it is handmade in Narasingapettai village in
Thanjavur + The reeds are made from the leaves of a locally grown plant called 'naanal' (a
variety of bamboo) + A major portion of Narasinghapettai Nagaswaram is made from the
traditional wood 'acha' (Hardwickia binata), a type of ebony.
Ø Sohrai Paintings = It is one of the oldest art forms of wall painting of the Santhals that
has continued since 10,000–4,000 BC + Sohrai paintings are age-old tribal traditional
paintings based on nature themes like forest, people, and animals + These paintings, which
can be monochromatic or colourful, are part of a long tradition of the Santhal community
that dominates few districts of Odisha; Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Culture
Ø Odissi Dance = Archaeological evidence of this dance form dating back to the 2nd century
B.C. is found in the caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri near Bhubaneshwar + The
magnificent Sun Temple at Konarak, built in the 13th century, with its Natya mandap or
Hall of dance, marks the culmination of the temple building activity in Odisha. These dance
movements, frozen in stone, continue to inspire Odissi dancers even today + For centuries
maharis were the chief repositories of this dance. The maharis, who were originally temple
dancers came to be employed in royal courts which resulted in the degeneration of the art
form + Around this time, a class of boys called gotipuas were trained in the art, they danced
in the temples and also for general entertainment + Odissi is a highly stylised dance and to
some extent is based on the classical Natya Shastra (Bharata Muni) and the Abhinaya
Darpana (Nandikeshvara) + Creative literature inspired the Odissi dancer also and provided
the themes for dance e.g. 12th century Gita Govinda by Jayadeva.
Ø Folk Dances of Punjab
• Giddha = It is a popular folk dance of women in the Punjab region + The dance is
accompanied by rhythmic clapping, with a typical traditional folk song performed
by elder women in the background
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• Sammi = Sammi Is a traditional dance form originating from the tribal
communities of Punjab + Performed by the women of Punjab
• Kikli = Folk dance of Punjabi females performed by two girls holding hands and
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twirling each other in circle and balancing their positions in circular motions
Ø Karakattam Dance = Karakattam is an ancient folk dance of Tamil Nadu performed in
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praise of the rain goddess Mariamman. It’s performed in different parts of Kerala as well
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+ It is performed at festivals, roadshows and primarily at Mariamman festivals + It involves

balancing a large number of pots of decreasing size on the head of the dancers while
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dancing and expressing theme of the dance + Mariamman pooja is held in the month of
Medam after Makarakkoythu (harvest season) in Kerala.
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Ø Chintamani Padya Natakam = 100 year old play banned by Andhra Pradesh government
recently + Chintamani Padya Natakam was written in 1920 by playwright Kallakuri
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Narayana Rao, who was also a social reformer + The play is about Chintamani, a courtesan
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and a devotee of Lord Krishna, who finds salvation by singing bhajans. She is courted by
Subbi Shetty, a businessman from the Arya Vysya community, who loses his wealth and
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family due to his attraction to her. The original play had a social message, but over the
years, it has been modified purely for entertainment.
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Ø Yakshagana = It is a traditional theater, developed in the state of Karnataka and in

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Kasaragod district in Kerala + It combines dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and
stage techniques with a unique style and form + It is believed to have evolved from pre-
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classical music and theater during the period of the Bhakti movement + Its stories are drawn
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from Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavata and other epics from both Hindu and Jain and
other ancient Indic traditions + It is a temple art form that depicts mythological stories and
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Puranas + It is performed with massive headgears, elaborate facial make-up and vibrant
costumes and ornaments(Usually recited in Kannada) + It is performed with percussion
instruments like chenda, maddalam, jagatta or chengila (cymbals) and chakratala or
elathalam (small cymbals)
EXCAVATIONS IN NEWS
Ø Harappan city of Dholavira = present-day Gujarat + 40th Indian site on UNESCO’s
World Heritage list + UNESCO’s announcement came just days after another site,
Ramappa Temple in Telangana, was admitted to the + The ancient city of Dholavira is one
of the most remarkable and well-preserved urban settlements in South Asia dating from
the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE (Before Common Era) + Discovered in 1968, the site

Culture
is set apart by its unique characteristics, such as its water management system, multi-
layered defensive mechanisms, extensive use of stone in construction and special burial
structures + A range of artefacts of copper, shell, stone, jewellery, terracotta and ivory had
been found at the site + Dholavira is the larger of the two most remarkable excavations of
the Indus Valley Civilisation dating back to about 4,500 years ago + The city is believed
to have had trade ties with Mesopotamia and the Oman peninsula + Spread over 70
hectares, the remains are encompassed within an outer fortification and make for the fifth
largest Harappan site after Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Rakhigarhi and Ganweriwala +
Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch.
LITERATURE
Ø Ol Chiki = Ol Chiki script–the word ol means “write,” and chiki means “script”–was
invented by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925 to write Santali + Ol Chiki is alphabetic,
and does not share any of the syllabic properties of the other Indic scripts + It contains 30
letters and five basic diacritics (marks placed above or below (or sometimes next to) a letter
in a word to indicate a particular pronunciation) + Please note: 92nd Constitutional
Amendment Act 2003 added Santali to Schedule VIII along with the Bodo, Dogri and
Maithili languages.
Ø Santali = Santali is a language with its own special characteristics, and has a literature
which dates back to the beginning of the 15th century + Santali belongs to the Munda group
languages of the Austro-Asiatric family + According to the 2011 Census of India, Santali
is spoken by over 70 lakh people across the country + In 2003, the 92nd Constitutional
Amendment Act added Santhali (along with the Bodo, Dogri and Maithili languages) to
Schedule VIII (Official Languages of India) to the Constitution of India.
Ø Agamas = The Agamas are a collection of several Tantric literature and scriptures of Hindu
schools + The three main branches of Agama texts are Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta +
The Agama texts of Hinduism present a diverse range of philosophies, ranging from
theistic dualism to absolute monism + The Agamas of Kashmiri Shaivism is also called the
Trika Shastra + The Agamas literary genre may also be found in Sramaṇic traditions (i.e.
Buddhist, Jaina, etc.) + The oldest surviving material is contained in the canonical Jain
Agamas, which are written in Ardhamagadhi, a Prakrit (Middle-Indo Aryan) language.
Ø Kena Upanishad = Vedic Sanskrit text classified as one of the primary or Mukhya
Upanishads that is embedded inside the last section of the Talavakara Brahmanam of the
Samaveda + It is listed as number 2 in the Muktikā, the canon of the 108 Upanishads of
Hinduism + The Kena Upanishad was probably composed sometime around the middle of
the 1st millennium BCE + It has an unusual structure where the first 13 are verses
composed as a metric poem, followed by 15 prose paragraphs of main text plus 6 prose
paragraphs of epilogue.
Ø Ayurveda = Ayurveda is taken as the knowledge of life and is deemed as fifth Veda +
Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent
+ Ayurveda treatises describe 3 elemental doshas (tridosha) viz. vāta, pitta, and Kapha, and
state that balance (Sāmyatva) of the doshas results in health, while imbalance (Visamatva)
results in disease + Ayurveda has 8 ways to diagnose illness, called Nadi (pulse), Mootra
(urine), Mala (stool), Jihva (tongue), Shabda (speech), Sparsha (touch), Druk (vision), and
Aakruti (appearance) + The vast majority (90%) of Ayurvedic remedies are plant-based +
According to Ayurveda, panchakarma are techniques to eliminate toxic elements from the
body.
Ø Sowa –Rigpa = It is a traditional system of medicine practised in the Himalayan belt of
India + It originated in Tibet and popularly practiced in countries namely, India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Mongolia, and Russia + The majority of theory and practice of Sowa-Rigpa is

Culture
similar to “Ayurveda” + Yuthog Yonten Gonpo from Tibet is believed to be the father of
Sowa Rigpa + The Union Cabinet has approved setting up of National Institute of Sowa-
Rigpa (NISR) at Leh, Union Territory of Ladakh + It will be an autonomous national
institute under the Ministry of AYUSH with the mandate to undertake interdisciplinary
education and research programmes in Sowa-Rigpa in collaboration with national and
international institutes
Ø UNESCO’s city of Literature = UNESCO's City of Literature programme is part of the
wider Creative Cities Network + UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) is a project
of UNESCO launched in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities which recognized
creativity as a major factor in their urban development. The Network covers seven creative
fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, by 9 Design, Gastronomy, Literature and
Music. 6 Indian cities are included on the list- Hyderabad (gastronomy), Mumbai (film),
Varanasi (music), Chennai (music), Jaipur (crafts and folk art) and the latest addition,
Srinagar (crafts and folk art) + There are forty two Cities of Literature, spanning twenty-
eight countries and six continents. There is no UNESCO City of Literature in India +
Recently, Kozhikode was proposed by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA)
to be branded as a ‘City of Literature’ with the help of UNESCO.
Miscellaneous
AWARDS IN NEWS
Ø Nari Shakti Puraskar = It is an initiative of the Ministry of Women and Child
Development to acknowledge the exceptional contribution made by individuals and
institutions, to celebrate women as game changers and catalyst of positive change in the
society + Award is open to all individuals & institutions + This award is conferred on
International Women’s Day.
Ø Ramanujan Prize = Awarded annually since 2005, it was originally instituted by
International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Niels Henrik Abel Memorial Fund,
and International Mathematical Union. Participation of Abel Fund ended in 2012 and
Department of Science and Technology, India of agreed to fund the Prize starting 2014 +
Awarded to a researcher from a developing country who is less than 45 years of age + Prize
carries a $15,000 cash award to support the research of the recipient + In 2021, name of
the Prize was changed to the "DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize".
Ø Padma Awards = Instituted in 1954, are one of the highest civilian honours of India
announced annually on the eve of Republic Day + These are given in three categories:
Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), Padma Bhushan
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(distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service) + The award
seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element
of public service is involved + They are conferred on the recommendations made by the
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Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year + Even
self-nomination can be made + However, Government servants including those working
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with PSUs, except doctors and scientists, are not eligible for these Awards + Total number
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of awards to be given in a year (excluding posthumous awards and to NRI/foreigners/OCIs)

should not be more than 120 + Awardees are presented a Sanad (certificate) signed by the
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President and a medallion. There is no cash prize.

Ø Man Booker International Prize = International literary award hosted in the United
g
Kingdom + The introduction of the International Prize to complement the Man Booker
in
Prize was announced in 2004 + ponsored by the Man Group, from 2005 until 2015 the
award was given every two years to a living author. Since 2016, the award has been given
js
annually to a single book translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or
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Ireland + Recently, Delhi-based writer Geetanjali Shree’s 2019 novel Ret Samadhi became
the first Hindi work of fiction, among 13 books, to be longlisted for the Man Booker
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International Prize.
Ø Boltzmann Medal = Boltzmann medal is awarded by the Commission on Statistical
nj
Physics (C3) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics + It was initiated in
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1975. The medal, which honours outstanding achievements in the field of statistical
physics, has been given to one or two persons, once in three years + It is given only once
pr
to a person and on the condition that that person has not won the Nobel prize so far +
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Deepak Dhar, physicist, from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune,
has been selected for the Boltzmann medal. He has become the first Indian to win this
award.
IMPORTANT DAYS IN NEWS

Ø Easter / Pascha / Resurrection Sunday = It is a Christian festival and cultural holiday
commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament
as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion + It is the
culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of
fasting, prayer, and penance.
Miscellaneous
Ø National Dolphin Day = Recently, MoEFCC announced that October 5 will be celebrated
as National Dolphin Day from this + The decision to designate a National Dolphin Day
was taken by the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) +
October 5 is currently celebrated as 'Ganga River Dolphin Day', but its re- designation now
as a national day for this aquatic animal will encompass all rivers and oceans' Dolphins
Ø World Sparrow Day = Every year March 20 is observed as World Sparrow Day to raise
awareness about the bird + The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated in 2010 + The
theme for this year is “Monitor the Sparrows & other common birds” + World Sparrow
Day is an initiative of the Nature Forever Society, which is a non-government organisation
(NGO) run by Mohammed Dilawar, who’s an internationally acclaimed conservationist +
Sparrow is a very social bird and is gregarious at all seasons when feeding, often forming
flocks with other types of bird. House sparrows are becoming extinct everywhere,
including in India. Experts say there’s a need to spread awareness on their conservation +
Sparrow was declared the State bird of Delhi in 2012.
Ø Earth Hour = Organized by: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) + It is celebrated annually on
March 26th globally, this year’s theme was 'Shape Our Future' + It encourages individuals,
households, communities and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour
as a symbol for their commitment to the planet + WWF is an international non-
governmental organization, established in 1961 and headquartered at Gland, Switzerland.
Ø National Science Day = 28th February is celebrated as National Science Day (NSD) in
India + Theme: ‘Integrated Approach in Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future’
+ The first National Science Day was celebrated on February 28, 1987 + NSD is celebrated
to commemorate discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’, which led to Sir C.V. Raman winning
the Nobel Prize + Raman Effect is a change in the wavelength of light that occurs when a
light beam is deflected by molecules.
Ø Women’s Day 2022 = Women’s Day is celebrated every year around the world on March
8 + Theme for International Women’s Day, 2022 (IWD 2022) is ‘Gender equality today
for a sustainable tomorrow’ + IWD 2022 campaign theme is ‘#BreakTheBias’.
PLACES IN NEWS
Ø Deendayal Port / Kandla Port = It is a seaport and town in the Kutch district of Gujarat
state + The Port of Kandla Special Economic Zone (KASEZ) was the first special economic
zone to be established in India and in Asia + Established in 1965, the Port of Kandla SEZ
is the biggest multiple-product SEZ in the country. Kandla is the first Export Processing
Zone in India + It is the largest port in India by volume of cargo handled + Kandla Port
was renamed Deendayal Port in 2017 under the Indian Ports Act, 1908 + Major imports
entering the Port of Kandla are petroleum, chemicals, and iron and steel and iron
machinery, but it also handles salt, textiles, and grain.
Ø Palakkad / Palghat = It is a city and municipality in Kerala + Palakkad is also known as
the rice bowl of Kerala + Palakkad is the gateway to Kerala due to the presence of the
Palakkad Gap in the Western Ghats + Palakkad / Palghat Gap is a low mountain pass in
the Western Ghats between Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and Palakkad in Kerala. The pass
is located between the Nilgiri Hills to the north and Anaimalai Hills to the south + Palakkad
Fort was captured and rebuilt by Mysore Sultan Hyder Ali in 1766.
Ø Deucha Panchami coal block = West Bengal
Ø Benin Bronzes = They are a group of over 3,000 sculptures and artworks from the ancient
Kingdom of Benin in present-day Nigeria, which dates back to at least the 16th century +
They include intricately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, animal and human
figurines, items of royal regalia, and personal ornaments + Benin Bronzes are made using
lost-wax casting process - a process of making copies from a model + Recently,
Miscellaneous
Smithsonian museum of the Washington D.C.has announced it will return most of its
collection of Benin Bronzes to their homeland Nigeria + (Smithsonian Institution = It is
the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the
National Zoo. It was founded in 1846 with funds from the Englishman James Smithson
(1765–1829))
Ø Al-Aqsa Mosque = in Jerusalem + The al-Aqsa compound sits atop the Old City plateau
of East Jerusalem, which was captured by Israel in the 1967 war, and is known to Muslims
as al-Haram al-Sha-rif, or The Noble Sanctuary, and to Jews as Temple Mount.
Ø Mazar-i-Sharif = It is the fourth-largest city in Afghanistan + The city is also a tourist
attraction because of its famous shrines as well as the Islamic and Hellenistic archeological
sites.
Ø Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant = Located in Ukraine + It is the largest in Europe. It
is among the 10 largest in the world + It was built by the Soviet Union + It is located on
the southern shore of the Kakhovka Reservoir on the Dnieper river.
Ø Nord Stream 2 = It is a pipeline running across Russia to Germany + NS2 is a new export
gas pipeline running from Russia to Europe across the Baltic Sea + NS2’s construction
began in 2015 and is being implemented by the Nord Stream 2 AG project company +
direct supply of natural gas under the Baltic Sea from the Russian city of Ust-Luga to the
German city of Lubmin, avoiding transit through Ukraine and other European countries
[MARK BALTIC SEA on Map] + Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom owns half
of Nord Stream 2 + Recently, Germany has suspended the certification process of Nord
Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia
Ø Solomon Island = Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of six major islands
and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest
of Vanuatu + Its capital, Honiara, is located on the largest island, Guadalcanal.
Ø Falkland Islands = are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom located to the
southwest Atlantic Ocean at the southernmost point of South America + Positioned both
in the southern and western hemispheres of the Earth + They are also called Malvinas
Island + There is dispute between Britain and Argentina over the claim on Falkland Islands.
Ø Katchatheevu Island = uninhabited volcanic islet in the Palk Strait + In 1974, the island
was ceded to Sri Lanka after an agreement was signed between the two countries + The
agreement allows Indian fishermen “access to Katchatheevu for rest, for drying of nests
and for the annual St Anthony’s festival” but it did not ensure the traditional fishing rights
[Mark on Map]
Ø Razzaza Lake = Located in Iran + Razzaza Lake, also known as Lake Milh, is a man-
made lake + It’s the second largest lake in Iraq(Lake Tharthar is the largest lake in Iraq) +
Please Note: Iraq is known as the “Land between the Two Rivers”, the Tigris and the
Euphrates.
Ø Black Sea = Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and the Anatolian
peninsula (Turkey) + It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean
and Aegean Seas and various straits + Bosporus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara,
and strait of the Dardanelles connects it to the Aegean Sea region of the Mediterranean +
To the north, it is connected to the Sea of Azov by the Kerch Strait + Surrounding countries:
Six countries border with the Black Sea, including Ukraine to the north, Russia and Georgia
to the east, Turkey to the south, and Bulgaria and Romania to the west [remember with the
code GURRBT]
Ø Donetsk and Luhansk Regions = Located in Eastern Europe + Donetsk and Luhansk
regions are collectively known as the Donbas + The region comprises both Ukraine-
controlled parts as well as separatist-controlled areas + Its main industries are coal mining
and steel production + Most of the people living in these regions speak Russian.
Miscellaneous
Ø Greater Mekong Region = Greater Mekong Region spans six countries - China,
Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam + This region is the ‘rice bowl’ of
Asia and at its heart lays the Mekong River [Mark region on Map]
Ø Sahel Region = Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition in Africa
between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a semi-arid
climate, it stretches across the south-central latitudes of Northern Africa between the
Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea.
Ø Darfur Region = Darfur is a region of western Sudan + The region has been in a state of
humanitarian emergency and genocide since 2003. The factors include religious and ethnic
rivalry, and the rivalry between farmers and herders
Ø West Bank = It is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediterranean in Western
Asia + It is bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea and by Israel + It is named based on its
location on the left bank of the Jordan River + The territory remained under Jordanian rule
until 1967, when it was captured by Israel during the Six-Day War.
Ø Gaza / Gaza Strip = It is a Palestinian enclave on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean
Sea + It borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the east and north.
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Ø Transnistria = Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), is
an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as part of Moldova
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in
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Ø Moldova = Moldova is a country in Eastern Europe + It bordered by Romania to the west

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and Ukraine to the north, east, and south + Ukraine and Moldova reached an agreement in
2005 ensuring Moldova's access to the Black Sea and ending its landlocked status.
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Ø Crimea = Crimea is a peninsula in Eastern Europe + It is situated along the northern coast
nj
of the Black Sea + The Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014: With the collapse of the
Soviet Union, Ukraine was re-established as an independent state in 1991, and most of the
a
peninsula was reorganized as the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The status of Crimea
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is disputed. In Feb 2014, following the Revolution of Dignity that ousted the Ukrainian
president, Viktor Yanukovych, Russian troops were deployed to Crimea, occupying
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government buildings. The Republic of Crimea declared its independence from Ukraine
following a disputed referendum, deemed illegal by Ukraine and most countries. Russia
formally annexed Crimea in 2014.
Ø Humanitarian Corridors = They are demilitarized zones, in a specific area and for a
specific time — and both sides of an armed conflict agree to them. The United Nations
considers humanitarian corridors to be one of several possible forms of a temporary pause
of armed conflict + In most cases, humanitarian corridors are negotiated by the United
Nations. Sometimes they’re also set up by local groups + They can be used by UN
observers, NGOs and journalists to gain access to contested areas where war crimes are
being committed.
Miscellaneous
TERMS IN NEWS
Ø Card Skimming = Criminals steal data from credit/ debit cards by tracking a card swiped
at ATMs. They pick this information from using a skimming device that reads the card’s
magnetic strip + These devices are surreptitiously installed on ATMs + Once the device
picks up the data, it can be used to gain unauthorized access to the user’s banking records
+ The stolen information can be coded onto a new card, a process called cloning, and be
used to make payments and transact with other bank accounts + Fraudsters also install
scanning devices on point of sale machines.
Ø Kibbutz = A kibbutz is a communal settlement in Israel in which all wealth is held in
common and profits are reinvested in the settlement. The first kibbutz was founded in 1909.
Ø Passion assets = Term in news + It refer to investments in collectibles such as art, paintings
and antiques.
Ø Peri-urban Areas = They are zones of transition from rural to urban land uses located
between the outer limits of urban and regional centres and the rural environment + The
boundaries of peri-urban areas are porous and transitory as urban development extends into
rural and industrial land + Irrespective of how the boundaries move there will always be
peri-urban zones.
GENERAL
Ø The Gilets Jaunes (Yellow Vests) Movement = The yellow vests protests or yellow
jackets protests are a series of populist grassroots weekly protests in France, at first for
economic justice and later for institutional political reforms, that began in France in 2018
+ It was not led by any union or political party and the protesters’ demands were not clearly
articulated: some want tax cuts (on fuel), some want tax rises (for the rich), some want
more public services, some want more generous state benefits, some want a stronger
President and some want all of these things at once.
Ø Global AYUSH Investment and Innovation Summit = Took place in Gandhinagar,
Gujarat + The three-day conference will bring together key policymakers, entrepreneurs,
investors, startups, and other national and international players to discuss innovation and
how India can become a global Ayush destination for entrepreneurship.
Ø Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) = HNLC, which demands a
sovereign Khasi homeland in Meghalaya, is a breakaway faction of the Hynniewtrep Achik
Liberation Council (HALC), the first militant tribal outfit of the state, formed in the mid-
1980s. + ‘Hynniewtrep’ refers to the Khasi and Jaintia communities, and ‘Achik’ to the
Garo community + The HNLC is seen as representative of Khasi identity and pride, and
most of the top leadership is based out of Bangladesh.
Ø International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) = ITER is a fusion
research mega-project supported by seven members – China, the European Union, India,
Japan, South Korea, Russia and the USA – based in the south of France, to further
demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy.
Ø Solar Waste Handling Policy = India do not have dedicated solar waste handling policy
+ India currently considers solar waste a part of electronic waste and does not account for
it separately + Solar waste is the electronic waste generated by discarded solar panels.
Ø Conversion Therapy = Conversion therapy - sometimes called "reparative therapy" or
"gay cure therapy" - tries to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity +
National medical commission held that conversion therapy is banned in India + Several
Miscellaneous
countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Malta, Switzerland, Germany, Chile etc.) have introduced
criminal bans for those found to be practicing conversion therapy.
Ø Cyclone Emnati = Madagascar
Ø Legal Rights To Wild Animals = Ecuador, a South American country has become the
first country in the world to give legal rights to wild animals.

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Ar

and other revenue areas of coastal Saurashtra.

concentration is currently in Madhya Pradesh, followed by Rajasthan, Gujarat,

Appendix 1 of CITES + IUCN- Least Concern.

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Ø Fusobacterium = Fusobacterium species is a genus of anaerobic, elongated, Gram-

NEW SPECIES/ DISCOVERY IN NEWS

Ø Tropical storm Megi = Philippines

ISLANDS, VALLEYS AND LAKES IN NEWS

name to chinar trees, as Char Chinari means four Chinars.

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PARKS AND SANCTUARIES IN NEWS

areas free of human disturbance.

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TRIBES AND ETHNIC GROUPS IN NEWS

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Directorate (NRCD) in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is

implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of National River Conservation Plan

(NRCP) and National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems’(NPCA) for

(STPs); Construction of Low Cost Sanitation Toilets; Construction of Electric Crematoria

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it from being emitted into the atmosphere.

only in exceptional licensed circumstances)

threatened with extinction globally

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introduced a star-rating system to assess the performance of each State Environment

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It is the production of horticultural crops within, under or sheltered by structures for

Ø Carbofuran = It is a pesticide that is widely used to control insects and nematodes on a

and scientists to acknowledge humanity is in a climate emergency + In 2019, the Welsh

Government declared a climate emergency, which was subsequently passed by its

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ORGANISATIONS, GROUPS IN NEWS

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Ø SWIFT = Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication + EU based +

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treaty-based international legal entity like UN bodies or trade, military or regional

groupings like WTO, NATO, or ASEAN + (Arctic = It is northernmost Polar region on

Ø International Committee of the Red Cross = Is a humanitarian organization based in

UN RELATED INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AGREEMENTS,

Ø UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) = It is a United Nations body whose mission is to

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CONVENTIONS AND DEALS CONFERENCE, MEETINGS & SUMMITS

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INDIA AND BILATERAL RELATIONS

signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). With the conclusion

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INTERNATIONAL PLACES IN NEWS