08 Prelims Precise August 2024

FORTUNE IAS
Toppers in Top 100

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INDEX
History & Culture________________________________________ 1 52. Plastic-Eating Fungi________________________________ 17
53. JUICE Mission____________________________________ 17
1. World’s Oldest Calendar_____________________________ 1
54. mPOX__________________________________________ 17
2. Ratnagiri Geoglyphs and Petroglyphs___________________ 1
55. Cyanide Sensor for Enhanced Safety__________________ 17
3. Pingali Venkayya___________________________________ 1
56. First National Space Day____________________________ 18
4. Aurobindo Ghosh__________________________________ 2
57. Solar Paraboloid Technology_________________________ 18
5. Srimanta Sankaradeva______________________________ 2
58. Mission Rhumi 1__________________________________ 18
6. Guru Padmasambhava______________________________ 2
59. Dark Patterns____________________________________ 18
7. Juanga Tribe______________________________________ 3
60. Tantalum________________________________________ 19
Polity & Governance_____________________________________ 3
Defence_______________________________________________ 19
8. Article 311 of Indian Constitution______________________ 3
61. Astra Mark 1 Missiles______________________________ 19
9. A1 and A2 Labels__________________________________ 3
62. TENG Technology_________________________________ 19
10. Himachal Pradesh Raises Marriage Age for Women_______ 4
63. Gaurav_________________________________________ 20
11. Section 27 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872_____________ 4
64. INS Arighaat_____________________________________ 20
12. Jiyo Parsi Scheme__________________________________ 4
65. Suicide Drones___________________________________ 20
13. Sub Categorisation of SC/ST__________________________ 4
66. Military Exercises_________________________________ 21
14. Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana________________________ 5
15. Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)________________________ 5
Miscellaneous__________________________________________ 22
16. Lakpathi Didis_____________________________________ 5
17. Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945.___________ 6 67. Grain ATM_______________________________________ 22
18. New India Literacy Program (NILP)_____________________ 6 68. Voluntary Vehicle Modernization Programme (V-VMP)____ 22
19. Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System 69. Oropouche Virus__________________________________ 22
(CPGRAMS)_______________________________________ 6 70. Koleroga________________________________________ 22
20. Plea Bargaining____________________________________ 6 71. Leptospirosis_____________________________________ 23
72. Scrub Typhus Disease______________________________ 23
Economy_______________________________________________ 7 73. Oral Cholera vaccine (OCV)__________________________ 23
74. She-Box Portal___________________________________ 23
21. B-Ready Index_____________________________________ 7
75. RESET Programme________________________________ 23
22. Yen Carry Trade____________________________________ 7
76. Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI)____________ 24
23. Dynamic Reference Rate_____________________________ 8
24. Global Fintech Fest 2024____________________________ 8
Places in News_________________________________________ 24
25. India, top Importer of Russian Oil______________________ 8
77. The Underwater Structures in Indian Ocean named______ 24
26. BioE3____________________________________________ 8
78. Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger Reserve_____________ 24
27. World Development Report 2024 - Middle Income Trap____ 9
79. Madeira________________________________________ 25
28. Surety Bonds______________________________________ 9
80. Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary_______________ 25
29. Unified Lending Interface (ULI) - RBI____________________ 9
81. Vadhvan Port Project______________________________ 25
30. Joint Bank Account for Queers________________________ 9
82. Kursk Region_____________________________________ 26
31. Hurun Rich List 2024_______________________________ 10
83. Nacala Port in Mozambique_________________________ 26
84. St Martin’s Island_________________________________ 26
International Relations__________________________________ 10
85. Uhuru Summit___________________________________ 27
32. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)_______________ 10 86. Gumti River______________________________________ 27
33. International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE)_ 10 87. Marshyangdi River________________________________ 27
34. Voice of Global South Summit 2024___________________ 11 88. Nankai Trough____________________________________ 28
35. India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue___________________________ 11 89. 3 Sites added to Ramsar List_________________________ 28
36. Security of Supplies Agreement (SOSA)________________ 11
37. Axis of Resistance Coalition_________________________ 12 Species in News________________________________________ 29
38. Orangutan Diplomacy______________________________ 12
90. Neelakurinji______________________________________ 29
39. India-Malaysia ties elevated_________________________ 12
91. Sturgeon________________________________________ 29
92. Dhaincha________________________________________ 29
Geography____________________________________________ 13
93. Northern bald ibis_________________________________ 30
40. Atmospheric Rivers (ARs)___________________________ 13 94. Gentoo Penguin__________________________________ 30
41. Typhoon Shanshan________________________________ 13 95. Purandar Figs____________________________________ 30
42. Super Blue Moon_________________________________ 13 96. Owlflies_________________________________________ 30
43. Water Spout_____________________________________ 14
44. Mass Wasting____________________________________ 14 Keywords_____________________________________________ 31
97. Food Traceability__________________________________ 31
Environment & Ecology__________________________________ 15
98. Whitetopping Technology___________________________ 31
45. Great Barrier Reef_________________________________ 15 99. Vampire Stars____________________________________ 31
46. Tagging of Horseshoe Crabs_________________________ 15 100. Surrogate Advertising______________________________ 31
47. Gross Environmental Product Index (GEPI)______________ 15 101. Dark Tourism_____________________________________ 31
48. Samudra Pratap__________________________________ 15 102. De-influencers___________________________________ 31
49. Mercury Bomb___________________________________ 16 103. Technology Doping________________________________ 31
50. Clean Plant Programme (CPP)_______________________ 16 104. Orange Economy_________________________________ 31
105. Macrophages____________________________________ 31
Science & Technology____________________________________ 17 106. Storm-2035_____________________________________ 31
51. Legionnaires’ Disease______________________________ 17

• Petroglyphs are made by scratching rock
History & Culture surfaces, while geoglyphs are larger ground
markings formed by trenching or clearing soil.
• Ratnagiri has over 1,500 such artworks,

known as “Katal shilpa,” across 70 sites, with
seven mentioned in UNESCO’s tentative world
World’s Oldest Calendar heritage list.
• The carvings depict humans, animals, reptiles,

aquatic creatures, and birds.
• India’s largest geoglyph, an 18x13 metre

elephant, is located in Kasheli, Ratnagiri.
• Scientists discovered the earliest known

Lunisolar calendar at Göbekli Tepe, Turkey,
home to the world’s oldest man-made
structures.
Pingali Venkayya
• The site’s pillars feature 365 V-shaped
markings, likely representing days, and depict
12 lunar months plus 11 additional days. • Andhra Pradesh
observed the 146th
• Both the moon’s and the sun’s cycles are birth anniversary
depicted in these carvings and hence called of Pingali Venkayya,
the Lunisolar calendar. born on August 2, 1876,
in Machilipatnam.
• A bird-like figure may symbolise the summer
solstice constellation, while other carvings • After serving in
tell of comet fragments that struck Earth the British Indian
around 10,850 BC, triggering a mini ice age Army and meeting
Mahatma Gandhi
in South Africa, he
joined the freedom
movement.
• In 1916, Venkayya published a book of 30 flag

designs.
• In 1921, at a Vijayawada
meeting, his design
with two bands—
red and green with
a charkha—was
approved.
Ratnagiri Geoglyphs and
Petroglyphs • Later, Gandhi
requested a white
band, and the red was
• The Maharashtra government has declared changed to saffron,
the geoglyphs and petroglyphs in Ratnagiri with the Ashok Chakra
as ‘protected monuments’ under the replacing the charkha.
Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960. • Venkayya passed away in poverty on July 4,
1963.
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Aurobindo Ghosh • As a non-Brahmin, he initiated followers from
all castes and religions, including Muslims,
and led a significant social revolution against
casteism.
• Srimanta Sankardeva’s cultural contributions

include establishing Satras as centres of
religious and cultural life, developing Ankiya
Nat (traditional drama), composing Borgeets
(devotional songs), advancing Assamese
literature (Bhrajavali) and promoting social
reform against casteism.
• He also introduced Sattriya dance and

Sankeerthana hymns in praise of Vishnu
Guru Padmasambhava
• Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872, in

Calcutta.
• He studied at King’s College, Cambridge, from

1890, mastering several languages including
Greek, Latin, and French.
• After returning to India, he worked in Baroda

from 1893 to 1906 in various roles, including
Professor and Vice-Principal of Baroda College.
• In 1906, he became politically active in

Bengal but was arrested in the 1908 Alipore • A two-day international conference on the life
Conspiracy Case, later released in 1909. and legacy of Guru Padmasambhava was
• Moving to Pondicherry, he developed Integral held at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda.
Yoga and wrote The Synthesis of Yoga and • Guru Padmasambhava, or Guru Rinpoche,
The Life Divine. lived in 8th century India and introduced
• He founded Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 Tantric Buddhism to Tibet, establishing its first
and passed away on December 5, 1950. Buddhist monastery.
• Tantrism is a spiritual tradition in Hinduism and

Buddhism involving rituals, meditation, and
Srimanta Sankaradeva mantras to achieve spiritual enlightenment
and transcendence
• The Assam government and Vishva Bharati, • He is a member of the Yogācāra sect and also
Santiniketan, signed a MoU to establish a taught at Nalanda.
Srimanta Sankardeva Chair at the university.
• Sankardeva, born in 1449, was a Vaishnava

saint, scholar, playwright, and social-religious
reformer who founded Mahapurushiya
Dharma and unified Assam across major
kingdoms.
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Juanga Tribe
Polity & Governance
Article 311 of Indian Constitution
• The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor

invoked Article 311 to terminate six
government employees with alleged terrorist
links.
• Article 311 outlines procedures for dismissing,

removing, or reducing government
employees in rank, requiring an inquiry and a
chance to defend.
• The District Level Committee of Keonjhar, • However, Article 311(2)(c) allows dismissal
Odisha, granted habitat rights under the without inquiry if the President or Governor
Forest Rights Act (FRA) to the Juanga, a deems it necessary for state security.
particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG).
• Probationary employees can also be dismissed
• The Juanga, an Austroasiatic ethnic group, without inquiry.
reside in the Gonsaika hills of Keonjhar and
are one of 13 PVTGs in Odisha. • Decisions made under Article 311 are subject
to judicial review.
• Traditionally practising shifting cultivation,
many now engage in settled agriculture,
basket weaving, and animal domestication.
• They have a traditional political council led

by a non-hereditary Pradhan.
• Their dormitory house, the “Mandaghar,” is

the central institution of their socio-cultural
life.
A1 and A2 Labels
• The FSSAI has directed food businesses to

remove “A1” and “A2” labels from milk
products, calling them misleading, as this
differentiation is not recognized by current
regulations.
• A1 and A2 milk differ in beta-casein protein

based on cow breed, with A2 products often
priced higher due to perceived superior
quality.
• Casein makes up 80% of protein in milk while

beta-casein makes up its 30-35%.
• A1 is found • The basic idea embedded in Section 27 of the
in Holstein, Evidence Act is the doctrine of confirmation
Fresian by subsequent events.
varieties
whereas A2 ▶ This doctrine is founded on the principle
is found in that every part of the statement made
Jersey and at the instance of the accused, in police
indigenous custody should necessarily be confirmed
Indian cows. by the subsequent events of discovery,
to make it admissible in court.
• Some studies
suggest that A1 is difficult to digest, however, • The confession cannot be used to prove the
it is debatable. guilt of the accused unless it is corroborated
by other evidence.
Himachal Pradesh Raises • Sections 23 (1) and 23 (2) of the Bharatiya

Marriage Age for Women Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (BSA) deal with
confessions made to police officers.
• Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the

Prohibition of Child Marriage (Himachal Jiyo Parsi Scheme
Pradesh Amendment) Bill, 2024, increasing
the minimum marriage age for women from
18 to 21. • Union Minority Affairs Minister launches Jiyo
Parsi scheme Portal
• Himachal Pradesh is the first state to introduce
such legislation. • It is a unique Central Sector Scheme
implemented by the Ministry of Minority
• Section 2(a) of the Prohibition of Child Affairs since 2013.
Marriage Act 2006, passed by Parliament, sets
the marriageable age at 21 for men and 18 • It aims to reverse the declining trend of Parsi
for women. population by adopting a scientific protocol
and structured interventions and to stabilise
• Entry 5 of the Concurrent List allows both their population.
the Centre and states to enact laws regarding
marriage and divorce, including child marriage. • The scheme provides financial assistance to
the Parsi Couples for medical treatment,
• According to Article 254 of the Indian towards childcare and assistance to dependent
Constitution, any conflicting provisions of a elderly.
state law are void if they contradict an existing
central law on matters in the Concurrent List.
• Thus, the bill will now need presidential assent. Sub Categorisation of SC/ST
Section 27 of the Indian Evidence

• In the State of Punjab Vs Davinder singh
Act, 1872 2024, a seven-judge bench of the Supreme
Court upheld the constitutional validity of
• The Supreme Court recently held that the sub-classification in the Scheduled Caste and
disclosure made by an accused under Section Scheduled Tribe.
27 of the Indian Evidence Act is irrelevant if
• The court has held that sub-classification
the fact was previously known to the police.
for the purposes of reservation is part of
• Sections 25 and 26 of the Act establish ‘substantive equality’ as against mere
protection against self-incrimination and ‘formal equality’.
abuse of power by the police authority,
• The court stated two ground realities:
deeming confessions made in police custody
without the presence of a magistrate as C SCs and STs are not a uniform class: The
inadmissible before a court of law. inclusion in the list of SCs and STs, specified
in Article 341 and 342 respectively, does
• However, Section 27 provides an exception
not automatically lead to the formation
to this rule, allowing the admission of
of a uniform and internally homogenous
confessions that lead to the discovery of new
facts.
class There are differences among the ❇ Bolt-on technologies are processes
SC/ST and can be classified into different that can be added to existing ethanol
castes/groups. plants to increase production, improve
efficiency, or generate new products.
C Underrepresentation of certain castes:
The absence of sub-classification has • Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is a renewable
ensured that only a few dominant castes resource made from plant dry matter, such as
in the reserved categories avail the benefit agricultural waste, forestry trash, and urban
of reservation. garbage.
• Article 341 - The President can specify which
castes, races, or tribes are Scheduled Castes
in a state or union territory. Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)
• Article 342 - The President can specify which

tribes or tribal communities are Scheduled • The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime
Tribes in a state or union territory. Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Unified
Pension Scheme (UPS) modifying the National
Pension System (NPS).
Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana • Assured Pension: The retiring government
employees will receive 50% of their average
pay from the last 12 months prior to retirement,
provided they have completed a minimum of
25 years of service.
• Assured Family Pension: In the event of a

government employee’s death, the scheme
ensures that 60% of the pension amount will
be allocated to the spouse.
• Assured Minimum Pension: Employees will

be entitled to a guaranteed minimum pension
of ₹10,000 per month upon retirement,
applicable after 10 years of service.
• Pension Contribution: The staff contribution

to the scheme will remain at 10%, unchanged
from the previous structure.
▪ However, the Central Government’s

contribution will be reassessed every 3
years.
• Implementation: The UPS is set to take

effect from April 2025. It will also be applied
• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural retroactively to government employees who
Gas announced amendments to the scheme, retired from 2004 onwards.
extending its implementation timeline
by five years to 2028-29 and financial
support to Advanced Biofuel Projects using Lakpathi Didis
lignocellulosic biomass.
• PM JI-VAN stands for Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran • The Prime Minister attended Lakhpati Didi
Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran and aims to Sammelan in Maharashtra.
provide financial assistance to 2G Bioethanol
projects made from surplus biomass and • Lakhpati Didi is not a scheme but an output
agricultural waste. of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National
Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).
• It is aimed at promoting the production and
use of advanced biofuels, specifically ethanol. • The DAY-NRLM scheme falls under the
Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• The scheme supports “bolt-on” plants and
“brownfield” projects.
• A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group member Definition of Literacy:
who earns an annual household income of
Rupees One Lakh (Rs. 1,00,000) or more. • Literacy - encompasses the ability to
read, write, and perform arithmetic with
• Since the inception of the Lakhpati Didi comprehension.
Initiative, more than one crore SHG women
have already been made Lakhpati Didis. 🔳 It also includes identifying, understanding,
interpreting, and creating content, along
with acquiring critical life skills like digital
Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetics and financial literacy.
Act, 1945.
• Full Literacy: A State or Union Territory (UT)
is considered fully literate when it achieves a
• Pharmaceutical Companies sought more time 95% literacy rate.
to implement revised manufacturing practices
rules under Schedule M of the Drugs and
Cosmetics Act, 1945. Centralised Public Grievance
Redress and Monitoring System
• Schedule M under the Act, outlines the (CPGRAMS)
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) that
must be followed for the manufacture of
pharmaceutical products. • The Department of Administrative Reforms
and Public Grievances (DARPG) recently
• It doesn’t list specific drugs but sets standards reduced the redressal time for public
for facilities, equipment, and procedures to grievances under CPGRAMS portal.
ensure drug quality and safety.
• CPGRAMS is an online platform available to
• These regulations apply to all pharmaceutical the citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to
products, including tablets, capsules, the public authorities on any subject related
injectables, and other dosage forms, ensuring to service delivery.
that drugs are consistently produced to meet
quality standards. • The redressal time has now been reduced to
21 days from 30 days.
• GMP was first incorporated in Schedule M in
1988. • The portal connects all the Ministries/
Departments of Government of India and
States.
New India Literacy Program (NILP)
• The portal also provides for tracking of
applications and appeals if not satisfied with
• The Ministry of Education (MoE) has defined the service delivered.
‘literacy,’ and what it means to achieve ‘full
• Issues which are not taken up for redress:
literacy,’ under the New India Literacy
RTI Matters, Court related matters, Religious
Program.
matters, Suggestions and Grievances of
• The NILP is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme Government employees concerning their
implemented during five years from the FYs service matters including disciplinary
2022-23 to 2026-27. proceedings etc. unless the aggrieved
employee has already exhausted the
• It is also known as ULLAS (Understanding of prescribed channels.
Lifelong Learning for All in Society).
• The scheme aims to cover a target of 5 crore Plea Bargaining

non-literates in the age group of 15 years
and above.
• The Ministry of Law & Justice said only 0.11%
• The beneficiaries under the scheme are cases were resolved through Plea Bargaining
identified through door to door surveys on in 2022.
Mobile App by the surveyors in the States/UTs.
• Plea bargaining allows defendants to admit
• The scheme is mainly based on volunteerism guilt and negotiate for a lighter sentence.
for teaching and learning.
• It applies to offences punishable by up to seven
years in prison but excludes crimes against Economy
women, children, or socio-economic offences.
• The aim is to speed up the judicial process.
• Plea bargaining was added to the Code of

Criminal Procedure (CrPC) in 2005 and later B-Ready Index
to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
(BNSS) under section 290.
• India has laid the groundwork for the World
Bank’s new flagship report, the Business-
Ready or B-Ready Index.
• B-Ready is replacing the World Bank’s Doing

Business index that ranked countries based
on their business enabling environment.
• Every year, the project aims to measure the

quality of the regulatory framework, the
provision of public services in support of firms
and markets, and how efficiently they are
combined in practice.
• The B-Ready report focuses on the following
10 topics in the life cycle of businesses-
Yen Carry Trade
• Recently, global stock markets saw a sharp

decline due to the unwinding of the yen
carry trade.
• Yen carry trade involves borrowing money in

countries with low interest rates, like Japan,
and investing in countries with higher rates.
• The goal is to profit from the difference in

interest rates, known as the “carry.”
• Japan’s interest rates were at 0% from 2011

to 2016 and below zero (-0.10%) after that.
• In mid-March to July this year, Japan raised

rates to 0.25%, reducing the yield gap.
• This led investors, who had borrowed yen and

invested in currencies like the Brazilian real,
Mexican peso, or Indian rupee, to sell off their
assets, causing market declines.
Dynamic Reference Rate India, top Importer of Russian Oil
• India and Russia are considering a Dynamic • India overtook China as the world’s biggest
Reference Rate for direct rupee-rouble importer of Russian oil.
transactions.
• This is also because the Chinese refiners
• Currently, the process of converting Rupee bought less because of lower profit margins
(INR) to Ruble (RUB) is complex and from producing fuels.
cumbersome.
• Russian crude made up a record 44% of
• First, converting INR to USD, and then USD to India’s overall imports in July 2024, which is
RUB. 12% more than a year ago.
• Additionally, India’s trade imbalance with • The Indian refiners have been gorging on
Russia has led Russian banks to accumulate Russian oil sold at discounts after Western
a large amount of rupees in Vostro accounts nations imposed sanctions in response to
held with Indian banks. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• A reference exchange rate or a direct exchange • Iraq continued to be the second-largest oil
rate between INR and RUB called the Dynamic supplier to India in July, followed by Saudi
Reference Rate has been identified as a Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
better option.
BioE3
• It would be flexible and updated by the Reserve
Bank of India and the Bank of Russia to reflect
current market conditions. • Cabinet approves BioE3 (Biotechnology for
Economy, Environment and Employment)
Policy for Fostering High Performance
Global Fintech Fest 2024 Biomanufacturing.
• The policy is being implemented by the

• The fifth edition of the Global Fintech Fest Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
(GFF) was held in Mumbai where the term
Finternet was discussed. • The policy includes innovation-driven
support to R&D and entrepreneurship across
• The Finternet is a new approach to global thematic sectors.
finance which is defined by the three ‘U’s’ – it
is user centric, unified, and universal. • This will accelerate technology development
and commercialization by establishing
• The proposed system uses technologies such Biomanufacturing & Bio-AI hubs and
as tokenization and unified ledgers, with Biofoundry.
an underlying economic and regulatory
framework, to expand the range and quality • A biofoundry is a facility that combines
of financial services. biology, engineering, and chemical biology
systems with automation and other
• This would help transfer any financial asset, technologies to accelerate scientific discovery.
in any amount, at any time, using any device,
to anyone else, anywhere in the world. • This Policy will further strengthen Government’s
initiatives such as ‘Net Zero’ carbon economy
• Tokenization is the process of converting & ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ .
financial transactions into digital tokens that
are recorded and processed on a blockchain
network.
♣ Tokenization replaces sensitive payment

information with a token, which is a unique
set of numbers or characters.
• A unified ledger is a financial system where

all types of transactions and assets—such
as payments, securities, and contracts—are
recorded and managed in a single, integrated
platform.
World Development Report 2024 -
Surety Bonds
Middle Income Trap
• The World Development Report 2024 was • The Insurance Regulatory and Development
recently released by the World Bank. Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a task
force to address challenges and drive the
• The 2024 report focuses on the issue of the growth of surety bond insurance.
‘middle-income trap’.
• A surety bond is a risk transfer mechanism
• The middle-income trap occurs when a whereby an insurance company provides
country grows from low to middle-income but a guarantee to the beneficiary that the
struggles to reach high-income status. principal or contractor will meet their
contractual obligations.
• Growth slows due to rising wages, loss of
competitiveness in low-cost industries, weak • The party that guarantees the debt is referred
institutions, and lack of innovation to as the surety or the guarantor.
• The World Bank identified 108 countries, which • Sureties can be made by issuing surety bonds,
were labelled as middle income countries which are legal contracts obligating one
with annual GDP per capita between $1,136 party to pay if the other fails to live up to the
and $13,845. agreement.
Unified Lending Interface (ULI) -

Findings: RBI
🔳 The Report suggests that at the current
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a
pace, China could take more than 10 years, •
and India could take as many as 75 years new technology platform called the Unified
just to reach a quarter of the per capita Lending Interface (ULI).
income of the United States.
• It is a platform that facilitates the seamless
🔳 It says that 108 middle-income countries flow of a customer’s digitised financial and
non-financial data from multiple data service
possessing 75% of the world’s population,
generating 40% of global GDP, and providers to lenders.
contributing to 60% of global carbon
emissions face several challenges, even • This will make credit underwriting (risk of
more severe than their predecessors, in lending money to a borrower) seamless and
escaping the ‘middle-income trap’. customer journeys frictionless for a diverse
range of borrowers.
🔳 The World Bank opined that as the
• ULI will bring down the time taken for credit
countries grow wealthier and reach 10%
of the annual US GDP per capita, they hit appraisal, especially for smaller and rural
a trap whereby their growth becomes borrowers without any credit history.
stunted, restraining the economy from
reaching the status of a high-income • Lenders can gain access to customer data from
country. various silos, including government databases
(for example, land records) and satellite
🔳 To help countries avoid the trap it Proposed imagery through standardised Application
Programming Interfaces (APIs).
a ‘3 i’ strategy of investments, infusion,
and innovation.
▪ The low income countries should Joint Bank Account for Queers
first focus on investments,
▪ The lower-middle income countries • The Finance Ministry clarified that there are no
should focus on investments and restrictions for LGBTQ individuals to open
the infusion of technology. joint bank accounts or nominate partners in
▪ The upper middle-income countries
a queer relationship as nominees.
should focus on all these three ‘i’s, • The notification came in connection with the
and investments and infusion of Supreme Court’s 2023 judgement, in the case
technology should go hand in hand of Supriya Chakraborty and another Vs.
with innovation. Union of India.
▪ The SC recommended that queer partners
be allowed to open joint bank accounts International Relations
and name their partner as a nominee to
receive the balance if they die.
• The RBI, in 2015, directed banks to include a

separate column ‘third gender’ in all their
Indo-Pacific Economic Framework
forms and applications to help transgender (IPEF)
persons open bank accounts and avail of
related services. • India has been elected as Vice-Chair of the
Queer can refer to a sexual orientation or gender Supply Chain Council, one of the three
identity that is not heterosexual or cisgender. bodies set up by the 14-member Indo-Pacific
Economic Framework (IPEF) bloc.
• IPEF was launched in 2022 at Tokyo to

Hurun Rich List 2024 strengthen economic engagement and
cooperation among partner countries.
• The members are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India,

• For the first time, the Hurun India Rich List Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand,
has exceeded 1,500 entries, recording Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and
individuals with wealth more than Rs 1,000 the U.S.
crore.
• The Supply Chain Council (SCC), Crisis
• India created a new billionaire every five Response Network (CRN), and Labor Rights
days throughout 2023. Advisory Board (LRAB) are the 3 bodies for
strengthening supply chain resilience.
• Industrialist Gautam Adani secured the top
position with a staggering wealth of Rs 11.6 • The framework is structured around four
trillion. pillars:
➡ Mukesh Ambani’s wealth was recorded at C Trade (Pillar I), Supply Chain Resilience
Rs 10.1 trillion, appearing second to the (Pillar II), Clean Economy (Pillar III), and Fair
Adani family on the list. Economy (Pillar IV).
• Indian billionaires live across 134 cities, with C India has joined Pillars II to IV of IPEF
five of the top 10 residing in the financial while it has maintained an observer status
capital - Mumbai. in Pillar-I.
• The total wealth of individuals featured on the
List has soared to Rs 159 trillion. International Conference of
Agricultural Economists (ICAE)
➡ This figure exceeds the combined GDP of
Saudi Arabia and Switzerland,
The triennial International Conference of
➡ And represents more than half of India’s
•
Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024) was held
national GDP. at National Agricultural Science Centre (NASC)
Complex, New Delhi.
• This 32nd conference was centred on the

theme “Transformation Towards Sustainable
Agri-Food Systems”.
• ICAE is organised by the International

Association of Agricultural Economists
(IAAE) and attracts about a thousand
colleagues from around the world.
• IAAE has a Blue Book, which is a reference

guide containing key information about the
organisation’s activities, membership, rules,
conferences, and research priorities.
Voice of Global South Summit 2024 • The third Japan-India 2+2 Foreign and
Defence Ministerial Meeting was held in New
Delhi.
• India hosted the 3rd Voice of Global South • The Ministers highlighted their common
Summit in virtual format. strategic vision towards a free and open
Indo-Pacific.
• The Theme for 2024 - “An Empowered Global
South for a Sustainable Future”. M One that is inclusive, peaceful,
prosperous and resilient, as part of the
• The Summit is an extension to the international
rules-based international order.
arena of India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, or “One Earth, One Family, One • The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is a diplomatic
Future”. summit that has been held every year since
2018 initially.
• PM Modi proposed the ‘Global Development
Compact’. M It started with the US and in 2019 with
Japan.
M India now has 2+2 ministerial level

Global Development Compact
dialogue with Australia and Russia also.
• It will be “human-centric, multi-dimensional,
M India has official level 2+2 dialogue with
and promote a multi-sectoral approach to
South Korea, United Kingdom and Brazil.
development”.
• This initiative reflects India’s experience in Security of Supplies Agreement

development co-operation, including capacity- (SOSA)
building programmes, lines of credit, grant-
assisted projects, trade and investment
concessions, and technology transfers. • The US Department of Defense (DoD) entered
into a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA)
• The compact will ensure that development with the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
and infrastructure financing will not impose
a debt burden on developing countries. • Under SOSA, the US and India will provide
reciprocal priority support for goods and
The Compact comprises four elements: services that promote national defence.
▶ Trade for development; • SOSA will enable both countries to acquire

the industrial resources they need from one
▶ Capacity building for sustainable growth; another.
▶ Technology sharing; and, # This will resolve unanticipated supply
chain disruptions to meet national
▶ Project specific concessional finance and security needs.
grants.
• India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US and
• To strengthen trade promotion activities, India is not legally binding.
will also start a special fund of USD 2.5 million.
• It was signed to propel the Major Defense
Partner (MDP) status provided to India in
India-Japan 2+2 Dialogue 2016.
• The Memorandum of Agreement on the
Assignment of Liaison Officers was also
signed.
# This aims to post Indian armed forces

officers in key strategic US Commands.
Axis of Resistance Coalition Orangutan Diplomacy
• Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated

in an air strike in Tehran recently. • Malaysia’s Plantation and Commodities
Minister proposed sending critically
• Hamas is a part of a coalition of Iranian-backed endangered orangutans as gifts to palm
groups known as the ‘axis of resistance’. oil-purchasing countries, inspired by China’s
“panda diplomacy.”
• Hezbollah, Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad
(PIJ), and the Houthis are some of the major • However, he later suggested importers
groups in the alliance. sponsor orangutans instead, with funds
directed towards their conservation within
• The roots of the ‘axis of resistance’ go back to Malaysia.
the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
• Orangutans are found in the rainforests of
♦ The revolution paved the way for radical Borneo and Sumatra, shared by Malaysia,
Shia Muslim clerics to come to power. Indonesia, and Brunei, but are threatened by
deforestation from palm oil plantations.
• The resistance was formed by Iran to expand
its political and military influence in a region • The three species are the Bornean, Sumatran,
where most powers such as Saudi Arabia (US- and Tapanuli orangutans.
ally) — are Sunni-majority nations.
• With a population of around 120,000, their
• Iran’s new regime began to support non-state habitat is shrinking.
actors.
• Malaysia (26%) is world’s second largest palm
• Another reason for this was to deter threats oil producer after Indonesia (58%)
from Israel and the US.
• Malaysia faces pressure to make its industry
♦ Iran has seen Israel’s creation in 1948 as a more sustainable due to its impact on
means for the US to influence the region orangutan habitats.
for its strategic interests.
India-Malaysia ties elevated
• India and Malaysia officially upgraded their

bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership during the visit of Malaysian
Prime Minister (PM) Anwar Ibrahim to India.
• This marks a significant enhancement in their

relationship, building upon the 2010 Strategic
Partnership and the 2015 Enhanced
Strategic Partnership.
• The key agreements signed during the visit

were MoUs on workers’ mobility, digital
technologies, culture, tourism, sports, and
education.
• India also agreed to work with Malaysia on its

request to join the BRICS grouping.
• Both countries had a record-high bilateral

trade of $19.5 billion in 2023.
• The target is to increase this to $25 billion by

2025.
Super Blue Moon
Geography
Atmospheric Rivers (ARs)
• The rare and unusual astronomical feature —

the full moon being both a “blue moon” and
a “super moon,” giving rise to the “Super
Blue Moon,” occurred in August.
• A supermoon happens when the full moon is

at its closest point to Earth (perigee), making
it appear larger and brighter.
• A blue moon refers to the occurrence of two

full moons in a single month, which happens
every two to three years due to the Moon’s
cycle of 29.5 days.
• Rivers in the sky or atmospheric rivers are • The term “blue moon” doesn’t indicate a
becoming more intense and can be linked colour change in the moon.
with devastating floods, heat stress and are
also a cause for the recent Wayanad event. • Rather, it originated from the old saying, “once
in a blue moon,” which suggests something
• AR triggers when the water vapour forms a that happens infrequently.
band or a column in the lower part of the
atmosphere which moves from the tropics to
the cooler latitudes. Typhoon Shanshan
• It comes down as rain or snow, devastating
enough to cause floods or deadly avalanches.
• These invisible “rivers in the sky” carry some

90% of the total water vapour that moves
across the Earth’s mid-latitudes.
• They can also be responsible for the increasing

humid heat during the summer months.
• A 2023 study showed that 70% of all major

floods in India in the last 35 years were
associated with ARs.
• Japan saw one of the strongest typhoons
• ARs are identified and measured using a metric to hit the country in decades that has been
called Vertically integrated water vapour named Shanshan.
transport (IVT).
• Both hurricanes and typhoons refer to an
intensified “tropical cyclone”.
• If it’s above the North Atlantic, central North

Pacific or eastern North Pacific oceans, we
call it a hurricane.
• If it hovers over the Northwest Pacific Ocean Mass Wasting
(usually East Asia), we call it a typhoon.
• If it’s circling over any other region, we

continue to call it a tropical cyclone.
• Typhoons are named using a standardised

system managed by the World Meteorological
Organization (WMO).
• Names are chosen from a pre-approved list

contributed by countries in the Western North
Pacific, including Japan, China, South Korea,
the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand,
Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
• Names of particularly deadly or costly • Frequent mass wasting in Tibet’s Sedongpu

typhoons may be retired and replaced. Gully catchment has been a cause for worry
in India.
• The name “Shanshan” means “coral” in
Chinese. • Mass wasting is the gravity-influenced
movement of rock and soil down a slope.
Water Spout • A gully is a landform created by erosion
from running water, mass movement or both.
• The Sedongpu Gully, in the catchment of the

Sedongpu glacier and its valley, is 11 km long
and covers 66.8 sq. km.
• It drains into the Yarlung Zangbo, or the

Tsangpo River, near where it takes a sharp
turn called the Great Bend — while flowing
around Mt. Namcha Barwa.
• The Great Bend is close to Tibet’s border

with Arunachal Pradesh, where the Tsangpo
flows as the Siang River.
• A deadly waterspout is strongly suspected of

sinking a yacht off the coast of Italy.
• Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over
water. They appear as rotating columns of air
and can occur in both fair and stormy weather.
There are two main types:
⚫ Fair-weather waterspouts: These form in

relatively calm conditions and are typically
weaker. They develop when warm, moist
air rises over cooler water.
⚫ Tornadic waterspouts: These are

associated with severe thunderstorms
and are more powerful. They can develop
from tornadoes that move over water.
• They are associated with severe

thunderstorms, and are often accompanied
by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent
dangerous lightning.
• India’s first tagging of horseshoe crabs, led
Environment & Ecology by the Zoological Survey of India and Odisha
Forest Dept, aims to study population patterns
and threats.
• Horseshoe crabs, ancient creatures with

Great Barrier Reef strong immune systems, are vital for preparing
diagnostic reagents.
• They are more associated with spiders than

crabs and are found along northern America
and parts of Asia.
• India has two species—Tachypleus gigas and

Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda—found along
the Odisha and West Bengal coasts.
• Listed under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife

Protection Act, 1972, they face threats from
destructive fishing practices and illegal
smuggling.
• Horseshoe crabs have changed little in

appearance since they first evolved in the
Triassic, earning them the title of “living
fossil”.
• A study found the Great Barrier Reef waters
were the warmest in 400 years over the past Gross Environmental Product Index
decade.
(GEPI)
• Stretching 1,500 miles off Queensland
(Australia), the reef saw largely stable
• Uttarakhand has become the first state to
temperatures before 1900, but warming began
launch a Gross Environment Product Index.
steadily from 1960 due to human influence.
• It not only calculates what services we get
• From 2016 to 2024, the reef experienced
from the environment but also what we put
mass coral bleaching events, where rising
back into the environment.
temperatures caused corals to expel algae,
leading to loss of colour and sometimes death. • There are four pillars of the Gross Environment
Product Index: air, soil, tree and water.
• Coral reefs protect shorelines, support marine
life, and boost tourism. M GEP index = (Air-GEP index + Water-GEP
index + Soil-GEP index + Forest-GEP index)
• The Great Barrier Reef is not currently on
UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites that • For instance, if we take Forest GEP, it counts
are in danger. the new trees planted, their types (e.g., broad-
leafed vs. pine), and their survival rates.
Tagging of Horseshoe Crabs
• It also subtracts the number of trees cut
down.
Samudra Pratap
• First indigenously developed Pollution Clean Plant Programme (CPP)
Control Vessel of Indian Coast Guard,
‘Samudra Pratap’ was launched.
• The Ship has been built by Goa Shipyard • Cabinet approved Rs 1,765 cr clean plant
Limited (GSL). programme to boost horticulture.
• The vessel will help to check the oil spillage in • The programme, proposed by the Ministry
the country’s sea coast. of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, aims to
enhance the quality and productivity of fruit
• This is the first instance where these types crops across the nation.
of vessels are being designed and built
indigenously in India. • The programme will be implemented by the
National Horticulture Board in association
• It is equipped with specialised equipment for with the Indian Council of Agricultural
the containment, recovery, separation, and Research (ICAR)
dispersal of oil and other pollutants.
Key components of the programme:

Mercury Bomb
# Establishment of 9 world-class Clean
Plant Centres (CPCs) across India.
# CPCs will be equipped with advanced
diagnostic therapeutics and tissue
culture labs.
# A robust certification system under the

Seeds Act 1966.
# Infrastructure support to large-scale

nurseries for efficient multiplication of
clean planting material.
# It will provide farmers access to virus-free,

high-quality planting material, leading
to increased crop yields and improved
income opportunities.
• As the Arctic permafrost thaws due to climate

change, large amounts of toxic mercury, known
as the Mercury bomb, are being released.
• Permafrost is permanently frozen ground

that remains at or below 0°C (32°F) for at least
two consecutive years.
• Permafrost covers 25% of the Northern

Hemisphere’s exposed land.
• Mercury is liberated during glacial erosion,

with some being redeposited by rivers.
• Finer sediments contain higher mercury

levels.
• While the immediate threat is minimal, the

mercury could gradually accumulate in the
food chain, posing long-term risks, particularly
to Arctic communities.
• The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy
Science & Technology Moons Explorer - JUICE mission is set to
attempt the first-ever Lunar-Earth flyby.
• It was launched using the Ariane 5 rocket from

Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
Legionnaires’ Disease
• It will make detailed observations of the
giant gas planet and its three large ocean-
• At least 60 people in Melbourne were affected bearing moons – Ganymede, Callisto and
by Legionnaires’ disease Europa.
• It is a serious form of pneumonia caused by • NASA is partnering with ESA for the JUICE
the Legionella bacteria. mission, and will provide instruments and
components for the spacecraft.
• The bacteria grows in stagnant water,
biofilms, and water systems like shower
heads, hot tubs, and air-cooling systems. mPOX
• Infection occurs by inhaling mist or accidentally
swallowing contaminated water. • WHO declared mpox (formerly known as
• Legionella can also cause Pontiac fever, a monkeypox) a public health emergency of
milder flu-like illness. international concern (PHEIC).
• Discovered in the 1970s during a convention • Caused by the monkeypox virus, first
in Philadelphia, the disease is treated with identified in monkeys in 1958, mpox causes
antibiotics. symptoms like a painful rash, swollen lymph
nodes, fever, and fatigue.
Plastic-Eating Fungi • It spreads through close contact with infected

individuals, contaminated materials, or
animals.
• Scientists in Germany have identified plastic- • The virus can also be transmitted to a foetus
eating fungi, including Aspergillus and during pregnancy.
Pestalotiopsis, that could help tackle plastic
pollution. • The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks, and
recovery is aided by supportive care.
• These fungi are particularly effective at
breaking down polyurethane, commonly used • The MVA-BN vaccine has been approved by
in construction foam. WHO for prevention.
• Research at Lake Stechlin showed that some
microfungi can degrade synthetic polymers Cyanide Sensor for Enhanced
when no other carbon source is available. Safety
• Of 18 fungal strains studied, four were
especially efficient at consuming plastics, • A research team at the Central University of
particularly polyurethane. Kerala has developed a highly sensitive and
selective cyanide sensor capable of detecting
cyanide in low concentrations.
JUICE Mission
• The material changes from yellow to colourless
upon detecting cyanide, ensuring accuracy
without interference from other ions.
• This advancement enhances the safety of

drinking water and food products.
• Cyanide, a potent toxin found in plants, fruits,

and microorganisms, can be present in foods
like cassava, apple seeds, and almonds.
• The WHO limits cyanide in potable water to

below 0.19 mg/L due to its lethal
First National Space Day • An initiative of Space Zone India (an aero-
technology company based in Chennai),
Rhumi-1 carried three cube satellites designed
to monitor and collect data on atmospheric
• August 23 is celebrated as the National Space
conditions.
Day.
• The Rocket is equipped with a generic-fuel-
• This is to mark the historic milestone when
based hybrid motor and electrically triggered
the Chandrayaan-3 mission completed a soft
parachute deployer and is 100% pyrotechnic-
landing on the Moon in 2023.
free and has 0% TNT.
• The theme: “Touching lives while touching
• The mission mentor was Mylswamy Annadurai,
the Moon: India’s space saga”.
former ISRO scientist and affectionately called
• The landing made India the fourth country to the ‘moon man of India’.
accomplish the feat and the first to land on
• The mobile launch system allows scientists to
the lunar South Pole.
adapt to various launch scenarios with ease
from any location.
Solar Paraboloid Technology
Dark Patterns
• Solar paraboloid technology is emerging as a
key solution in the shift to renewable energy.
• The study by the Advertising Standards
• Using Parabolic Trough Collector (PTC) Council of India (ASCI) found that 52 of the top
systems, it focuses sunlight onto a receiver 53 apps have deceptive UI (user interface))/
tube through parabolic mirrors, heating a fluid UX (user experience).
to generate electricity or provide industrial
heat. • Dark patterns are deceptive design practices
that mislead or trick users into actions they
• Unlike traditional Photovoltaic panels, which didn’t intend, undermining their autonomy
convert sunlight directly into electricity, and decision-making.
solar paraboloids can operate at higher
temperatures, up to 300°C, increasing thermal • These tactics can amount to misleading
efficiency significantly. advertising, unfair trade practices, or
violations of consumer rights.
Mission Rhumi 1 • Health-tech led the list of sectors where
deceptive patterns are the highest, followed
• Mission Rhumi was launched in Chennai on by travel booking and e-commerce.
August 24. • For instance, four of the five health-tech apps
relied on creating time-based pressure or
• It is India’s first reusable hybrid rocket on a
a false urgency to rush users into making
mobile launchpad.
decisions.
Some examples of Dark Patterns-
✴ “subscription trap” - the process of

Defence
making cancellation of a paid subscription
impossible or a complex;
✴ “Drip pricing” - elements of prices of a

product are not revealed upfront. Astra Mark 1 Missiles
✴ “basket sneaking” - inclusion of additional
items at the time of checkout without the
consent of the user;
✴ “confirm shaming” - using a phrase,

video, audio or any other means to create
a sense of fear or shame or ridicule or guilt
in the mind of the user.
Tantalum
• The Indian Air Force has given clearance for

production of 200 Astra Mark 1 Missiles.
• It has been developed by the Defence

Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
as its production agency.
• It is an all-weather, all-aspect beyond-visual-

range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).
• It is developed under India’s Integrated

Guided Missile Development Programme
• The Central Government has listed 24 minerals, (IGMDP).
including tantalum, as Critical and Strategic
under the MMDR Act, 1957.
TENG Technology
• The Geological Survey of India is prioritising
tantalum exploration.
• Tantalum (atomic number 73) is a rare, grey,

heavy, and highly corrosion-resistant metal.
• It forms a tough oxide layer when exposed to

air, and is ductile in its pure form.
• Tantalum is used in electronics, as a substitute

for platinum, and in components for chemical
and nuclear plants, aeroplanes, missiles,
surgical equipment, and implants due to its
resistance to bodily fluids.
• IIT Indore develops shoes that generate

electricity for the Armed Forces.
• Tribo-Electric Nanogenerator (TENG)

technology can generate electricity with
every step.
• It is a self-powered, feasible solution to • Named “destroyer of the enemy,” it follows
convert mechanical energy into electricity. INS Arihant (commissioned in 2016) and
was built at the Ship Building Centre in
• The electricity will get stored in a device fixed Visakhapatnam.
in the soles and can be used to operate small
appliances. • Construction began in 2017.
• It is equipped with a global positioning system • A third, more advanced nuclear submarine,
(GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID) INS Aridhaman, is under construction and will
technologies. weigh around 7,000 tonnes.
Gaurav
• DRDO successfully tests Long-Range Glide

Bomb (LRGB) Gaurav off the coast of Odisha
from a Su-30 MK-I fighter jet .
• GAURAV is an air launched 1,000 kg class

glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long
distance.
• A glide bomb is an air-launched weapon that

does not have its own propulsion system,
unlike a missile.
• Instead, it relies on aerodynamics and wing- Suicide Drones

like surfaces (winglets) to glide towards its
target after being dropped from an aircraft
• It has a highly accurate hybrid navigation

scheme with a combination of Inertial
Navigation System (INS), which uses its own
accelerometer and gyroscope data, and GPS
data.
• GAURAV has been designed and developed

indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat
(RCI), Hyderabad.
INS Arighaat
• North Korea unveiled a new line of suicide

• India’s second nuclear submarine, Arighaat, drones, showcasing their growing capabilities
has been commissioned into the Navy, armed in this field.
with indigenously built K-15 missiles with a
range of over 700 km.
• Suicide drones, or loitering munitions, are one-way unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that carry
explosives.
• They crash into targets, providing a precision strike capability in modern warfare.
• Unlike traditional drones that return after surveillance or strike missions, suicide drones sacrifice
themselves in the process of destroying the target.
• Other countries with suicide drones - India’s Nagastra-1, Israel’s HAROP Drone, USA’s Switchblade,
Russia’s Lancet 3, Iran’s Shahed-136, and China’s CH-901.
Military Exercises
Armed Force(s)
Exercise Name Countries Participated Objective Held at
Involved
India, U.S., Germany, Showcase fighter jets, enhance

Tarang
France, Australia, UAE, Air Force interoperability between air Coimbatore
Shakti-2024
Singapore, and 23 others forces
Army (Infantry, Prepare for high-altitude warfare,

Parvat Prahaar India Armoured, Artillery, maintain readiness near India- Ladakh
Support units) China border
Udara Shakti Air Force (Su-30MKI, Enhance interoperability and

India, Malaysia Malaysia
2024 Su-30MKM) effectiveness of Su-30 operations
Develop interoperability,
bonhomie, and camaraderie
Mitra Shakti India, Sri Lanka Army between armies, conduct Sri Lanka
operations in semi-urban
environment
Oropouche Virus
Miscellaneous
Voluntary Vehicle Modernization

Programme (V-VMP)
• The Ministry of Road Transport and

Highways has launched the Voluntary Vehicle
Modernization Program or Vehicle Scrapping
Policy.
• It aims to create an ecosystem for phasing out

• Insect-borne Oropouche virus is spreading
unfit polluting vehicles across the country.
rapidly in South America with more than
• Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities 8,000 cases reported since August 1.
(RVSFs) and Automated Testing Stations
• Also called sloth fever, it is similar to
(ATSs) are created in connection with the
dengue.
policy.
• It is spread primarily by the bite of infected
• The Programme also provides a Certificate of
Midges (Culicoides paraensis), a kind of fly.
Deposit (Scrappage Certificate).
• It was detected for the first time in 1955 and
• Discount will be offered to a person buying
was found in Trinidad and Tobago.
a vehicle against a Traded Certificate of
Deposit of a Scrapped Commercial Vehicle. • Now the virus has jumped geographies
through travellers and it has also been
Grain ATM reported in the US and Europe, which never
had a history of this virus.
• Cases have not been reported in India.
Koleroga
• The first 24-hour ‘grain ATM’ called ‘Annapurti’

was inaugurated in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, to
enhance food security in the state.
• Launched by the Government of Odisha in

collaboration with the United Nations World
Food Programme (WFP), these machines
allow users to access grain using valid public
distribution system ration cards from any • Agricultural scientists in Kasaragod have
state or Union territory. issued an advisory to farmers to control
koleroga (fruit rot disease) or Mahali in
• The ATM can dispense up to 50 kilograms arecanut plantations.
of grain in just five minutes, reducing wait
times by 70%. • The disease causes rotting and extensive
shedding of immature nuts, which lose their
• It requires biometric authentication and green lustre and market value.
ensures consistent food rations.
• It spreads through heavy winds and rain
• Additionally, it is energy-efficient and can splashes.
connect to solar panels for automatic refilling.
• Conditions such as continuous heavy rainfall, • Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection
low temperatures (20 to 23 °C), high humidity, caused by ingestion of food or water
and intermittent rain favour outbreaks. contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio
cholerae.
• The most common cause of fruit rot is the
fungus Botrytis cinerea, which affects • Cholera remains a global threat to public
various fruits, including grapes and health and an indicator of inequity and lack of
strawberries. social development.
Leptospirosis She-Box Portal
• Leptospirosis, or “rat fever,” has been detected • The Ministry of Women and Child
in Kerala, caused by bacteria in the urine of Development has launched the new SHe-Box
animal carriers, particularly rats. portal.
• The bacteria can enter the body through • It deals with registering and monitoring
skin breaks when exposed to contaminated complaints of sexual harassment of women
soil or water, making people in flooded areas at the workplace.
especially vulnerable.
• It serves as a centralised repository of
• The disease has a high mortality rate, with information related to Internal Committees
rising cases attributed to excessive rainfall and (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed
waterlogging during the southwest monsoon. across the country, encompassing both the
government and private sectors.
• Doxycycline, a broad-spectrum antibiotic is
used as preventive medicine. • It offers a common platform to file complaints,
track their status and ensure a time-bound
processing of complaints by ICs.
Scrub Typhus Disease
RESET Programme
• Meghalaya Chief Minister was hospitalised
after testing positive for scrub typhus.
• The RESET (Retired Sportsperson Empowerment
• Also known as bush typhus, it is a disease Training) programme was launched by the Sports
caused by bacteria called Orientia Ministry on National Sports Day (August 29)
tsutsugamushi.
• It aims to keep retired athletes engaged in India’s
• It is spread to people through bites of sports ecosystem.
infected chiggers (larval mites) and its most
common symptoms include fever, headache, • It facilitates the transfer of their skills and
body aches, and rash. experience to young talents.
• No vaccine is available to prevent scrub typhus. • Open to athletes aged 20-50 who have won
international medals or have recognized national or
• People who are treated early with doxycycline state-level distinctions, the programme combines
usually recover quickly. online self-paced learning with on-ground training
and internships.
• Participants also receive placement assistance and

Oral Cholera vaccine (OCV) entrepreneurial guidance upon completion.
• Vaccine maker Bharat Biotech International

Ltd launched Hillchol (BBV131), for preventing
Cholera.
• At present, there is only one manufacturer

supplying OCVs worldwide and a shortage of
around 40 million doses annually.
Multidimensional Vulnerability
Index (MVI) Places in News
• The UN General Assembly launched the
Multidimensional Vulnerability Index (MVI).
• It seeks to help Small Island States and The Underwater Structures in

Developing Nations (SIDS) access low-interest Indian Ocean named
financing from institutions like the World
Bank and IMF.
• It complements GDP by including factors like

climate risk, import dependency, and social
pressures.
• The MVI addresses the challenges SIDS face

despite not being poor by GDP standards,
justifying concessional loans for their
development needs.
• Three underwater geographical structures

located in the Indian Ocean have been
awarded names proposed by India.
• The International Hydrographic Organization

(IHO) and UNESCO’s Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission (IOC) awarded
the name proposed by India.
• Ashoka Seamount, Chandragupt Ridge, and

Kalpataru Ridge are the names given.
• These are located along the Southwest Indian

Ridge area of the Indian Ocean.
• Previous structures named after physicist

CV Raman (Raman Ridge), oceanographer
NK Panikkar (Panikkar Seamount) and
geologist DN Wadia (DN Wadia Guyot).
• In all, there are now seven structures in the

Indian Ocean named including the Sagar
Kanya Ridge.
Guru Ghasidas-Tamor Pingla Tiger

Reserve
• The Chhattisgarh government announced the

establishment of a new tiger reserve, making
it the fourth such reserve in the forest-rich
State.
• It was created after integrating the regions Vadhvan Port Project
of Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor
Pingla Sanctuary.
• The decision comes following the

recommendations of the State Wildlife
Board and the concurrence of the National
Tiger Conservation Authority under the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change.
• Chhattisgarh has three tiger reserves —

Indravati, Udanti-Sitanadi and Achanakmar.
• Prime Minister laid foundation stone of

Vadhvan Port project worth around ₹76,000
crore in Palghar, Maharashtra.
• It is touted to be among the top 10 ports in

the world when completed.
• It will be one of India’s largest deep-water

ports and will ease pressure on other Indian
ports.
• Currently, about 65% of the total container

traffic in the country is routed through
two ports— Mundra (Gujarat) and JNPA
(Maharashtra)
Madeira
Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife
Sanctuary
• Assam allows oil exploration near hoolock

• The southern part of the Portuguese island gibbon habitat.
of Madeira has been witnessing forest fires. • It was formerly known as the Gibbon Wildlife
• They are the largest surviving laurel (Laurus Sanctuary or Hollongapar Reserve Forest.
nobilis) forests in the world • The Sanctuary is located in Jorhat district of
• Madeira is among the most popular tourist Assam and situated in close proximity to the
spots in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Naga Hills.
Portugal).
• It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

• The sanctuary is the home to seven types of • Kursk falls in the western Russia along the
primates – western hoolock gibbon, Bengal upper Seym River, about 280 miles (450
slow loris, stump-tailed macaque, northern km) south of Moscow.
pig-tailed macaque, eastern Assamese
macaque, rhesus macaque, and capped langur. • The Battle of Kursk in 1943 was the largest
tank battle in World War II and ended in the
• The Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary contains defeat of the Germans.
India’s only gibbons – the hoolock gibbons,
and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal
primate – the Bengal slow loris.
Nacala Port in Mozambique
St Martin’s Island
• Held up for months, import of tur dal

from Mozambique resumed after MEA’s
intervention.
• India is the world’s largest producer of pulses,

but it is still dependent on imports to meet its
domestic demand.
▪ Mozambique is its main source for Tur/

Pigeon pea imports.
• The port of Nacala is located in the province

of Nampula is the deepest port in Southern • The island was in the spotlight after reports
Africa. claimed that Sheikh Hasina mentioned that
the US was behind her ouster from power
because she did not hand over the island to
Kursk Region
it.
• The island is located in the northeastern

• Ukraine had launched a surprise incursion region of the Bay of Bengal, close to the
into Russia’s southwestern province of Kursk. border between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• This is the first ground invasion of the • It is nine kilometres away from the southern
country or the erstwhile Soviet Union since tip of Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf
World War II. peninsula.
• It is Bangladesh’s only coral island — there are • From its source it flows about 150 km, turns
reefs from 10-15 km to the west-northwest. west and enters Bangladesh near Katak
Bazar (Comilla Sadar).
• It is also a breeding ground for sea turtles.
• Flash floods are common phenomena of this
river and it occurs at regular intervals.
Uhuru Summit
• Previously it was known as the ‘sorrow of
Comilla town’.
Marshyangdi River
• The Divyangjan expedition team of Himalayan

Mountaineering Institute (HMI), under the
aegis of Ministry of Defence, has unfurled
7800 sq ft Indian national flag atop Uhuru
Summit, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.
• Uhuru Peak, at 5,895 metres above sea level,

is the highest free-standing peak in Africa.
• Also known as “Everyman’s Everest,” Mount

Kilimanjaro is a popular hiking destination
because making the climb is possible for hikers
of all skill levels.
Gumti River
• An Indian tourist bus skidded off into the
Marsyangdi River in Nepal.
• The Ministry of External Affairs has • The Marshyangdi river valley is within the
pubbished reports in Bangladesh media that Annapurna Conservation Area.
the Dumbur dam in Tripura is causing floods
in Bangladesh. • The river is one of the major tributaries of
the Gandaki that in turn joins the Ganga.
• Gumti River originates in the northeastern
hilly region of Tripura.
• The major sources are the glaciers of 🔷 The Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary:
Annapurna Himalayan range, Manaslu
Himalaya range and Larkya Himalayan sub 🔹 It is located on the banks of river Noyyal.
range.
🔹 Originally a water reservoir for irrigation
• It is one of the world class rivers for water use, it has since become a significant
adventure sports like rafting and kayaking. ecosystem, supporting a varied range of
avifauna.
Nankai Trough
🔷 The Kazhuveli Sanctuary
🔹 It is situated on the Coromandel Coast

and is one of the largest brackish water
wetlands in south India.
🔹 The ecosystem’s mix of salt marshes,

mudflats and shallow waters make it
a home to many globally endangered
species, like the black-headed ibis and
greater flamingo.
🔹 It is also a stopover for migratory birds

along the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway.
🔷 The Tawa Reservoir:
🔹 It was created by damming the Tawa

River.
🔹 The reservoir became a massive wintering

ground for migratory birds.
🔹 Tawa provides irrigation water to

• After a 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook farmlands, drinking water to local
southern Japan, the country’s meteorological communities, and sustains the nearby
agency issued its first-ever “megaquake fisheries.
advisory”.
• A megaquake is an earthquake with a
magnitude larger than 8.
• The Nankai Trough is an underwater

subduction zone (nearly 900 km long).
• Here the Eurasian Plate collides with the

Philippine Sea Plate, pushing the latter under
the former and into the Earth’s mantle.
• The trough has produced large earthquakes

roughly every 100 to 150 years.
3 Sites added to Ramsar List
• India adds 3 new Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu

and Madhya Pradesh, taking the total of such
sites in India to 85.
• The new additions are the Nanjarayan Bird

Sanctuary and Kazhuveli Bird Sanctuary in
TamilNadu, and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya
Pradesh.
• Of the six native sturgeon species in the
Species in News Danube River, two are locally extinct, and the
remaining four are listed as Threatened on the
IUCN Red List.
• The stellate sturgeon, Russian sturgeon, and

Neelakurinji beluga are Critically Endangered, while the
sterlet is Endangered.
• Most sturgeons live in the ocean but ascend

rivers to spawn.
• Sturgeon species are primarily found

in temperate waters of the Northern
Hemisphere, including regions of North
America, Europe, and Asia.
Dhaincha
• Neelakurinji (Strobilanthes Kunthiana),

a purplish flowering shrub that blooms
once every 12 years, has been included as
Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• This is the first Global Red List assessment

for this flagship species of the montane
grasslands in southwest India.
• Endemic to high-altitude shola grasslands

(1,340–2,600 m), nearly 40% of its habitat has
been lost, with threats from exotic species,
infrastructure development, afforestation,
and climate change. • The Tamil Nadu government has recently
distributed Dhaincha (green manure).
• Dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) is a leguminous

Sturgeon green manure crop.
• It is used to feed livestock and improve soil

quality.
• It can be grown in all seasons having

sufficient moisture in soil.
• It not only improves physical properties but

also helps in meeting nitrogen requirements
of succeeding crops.
• It needs a Sowing Temperature of 22-28°C

and Harvesting Temperature of 30-35°C and
• Wildlife crime is endangering sturgeon fish a Rainfall of 750-800mm.
species, heavily exploited for their roe (caviar)
and meat.
• Despite bans, fishers in Bulgaria and Romania

use illegal hook lines (karmaci) to catch
sturgeon, leading to a sharp population
decline.
• Found in Antarctic Peninsula and numerous
Northern bald ibis islands around the frozen continent, they are
the penguin world’s third largest members,
reaching a height of 30 inches and a weight
of 12 pounds.
• Gentoo parents, which often form long-

lasting bonds, are highly nurturing.
• IUCN Status: Least concern
Purandar Figs
• The northern bald ibis, or Waldrapp

(Geronticus eremita), is a migratory Old World
ibis found in grasslands, rocky mountains, and
semi-deserts near water.
• Nearly hunted to extinction by the 17th

century, it has been revived through breeding
and rewilding efforts.
• Scientists guide their migration using

microlight aircraft since the birds lack
instinctual direction.
• With black and iridescent green plumage, a • The Agricultural and Processed Food
bald red head, and a curved beak, the species Products Export Development Authority
has moved from “critically endangered” to (APEDA) recently facilitated the export of
“endangered.” India’s first ready-to-drink fig juice.
• Wild populations are mainly in Morocco, with • This ready-to-drink fig juice is made from GI-
smaller reintroductions in Turkey, Syria, and tagged Purandar Figs, known for their sweet
Austria. taste, size, and nutritional benefits.
• 80% of the fig produced in Maharashtra

Gentoo Penguin comes from Purandar alone which is known
as Anjir Aagat.
• Purandar has arid or semi-arid conditions with

plenty of sunshine and moderate moisture
in the air and soil making it ideal for fig
cultivation.
Owlflies
• The research team of the Christ College,

Thrissur, rediscovered the rare owlfly species
• Sydney gentoo penguin Sphen, whose same- Glyptobasis dentifera after 75 years.
sex love story made him and partner Magic an
equality symbol worldwide, has died. • Adults of owlflies are misidentified as
dragonflies by non-taxonomists because of
• Gentoo penguin, (Pygoscelis papua) is their morphological resemblance.
characterised by a band of white feathers
extending across the top of the head from just • During the day, adult owlflies perch on blades
above each eye. of grass growing in lateritic soils and also
in village households, surrounded by dense
• They are the fastest underwater birds. vegetation.
🧿 They become active during dusk and take flight.
• They are also attracted by artificial lights at night.
• Owlflies can be easily distinguished by their long

distinct antennae.
• They have large eyes and crepuscular habits, hence,

the common name owlfly.
🧿 They come under Order Neuroptera, while the dragonflies come under Order Odonata.
Keywords
• Food Traceability: It is defined by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) as: “The ability to follow
the movement of a food through specified stages of production, processing and distribution”. It
is based on fundamentally four pillars: product identification, data to trace, product routing and
traceability tools.
• Whitetopping Technology: Central government plans to use whitetopping, that is the application
of a Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) overlay on bituminous roads to prevent potholes on National
Highways. Though initially more expensive than flexible overlays of asphalt, it is cost-effective and
extends pavement lifespan by 20-25 years.
• Vampire Stars: Also called blue straggler stars (BSS), they are stars that rejuvenate their youth
by sucking up material from a companion. Recently found in the star cluster M67 located in the
constellation Cancer.
• Surrogate Advertising: It involves promoting a product by advertising a different good. For

example, the whiskey brand Imperial Blue advertises music CDs to indirectly promote its alcohol.
This method is often used for products banned or restricted from direct advertising, such as
alcohol, where substitutes like club soda or mineral water are featured.
• Dark Tourism: It refers to the practice of visiting locations associated with death, suffering,
tragedy, or something unusual. It has gained increasing attention in recent years, especially through
TV shows like Chernobyl.
• De-influencers: They are influencers who promote critical thinking, fact-checking, and ethical
consumerism while debunking misinformation. They empower their audience to engage with social
media content more responsibly.
• Technology Doping: It refers to the use of technology that enhances an athlete’s performance
beyond natural capabilities, potentially giving them an unfair advantage. There is ongoing debate
about whether superspikes, such as the Nike Vaporfly 4%, are unfair, as they have been shown to
increase running efficiency.
• Orange Economy: Also called Creative Economy, is a production model where goods and services
derive value from the ideas and expertise of their creators. It includes businesses rooted in
creativity, such as art, culture, research, science, and technology. The term “orange” represents
creativity.
• Macrophages: They are a type of specialised white blood cells involved in the detection and
destruction of bacteria and other harmful organisms.They develop in the bone marrow from cells
known as monocytes.
• Storm-2035: It is an Iranian operation using ChatGPT to generate content aimed at influencing

the U.S. election and other sensitive topics. OpenAI, the parent of ChatGPT, announced taking down
accounts of alleged Iranian groups.
IAS ACADEMY
IN KERALA
Our students leading Kerala
as ofﬁcers
Sreelakshmi R IAS Akhil V Menon IAS Alfred O V IAS

Joint Commissioner Asst Collector Asst Collector
SGST Thiruvananthapuram
Palakkad
Sreedhanya Suresh IAS Meera K IAS

Inspector General of Sub Collector (SDM) Safna Nazarudeen IAS
Registration Ernakulam Sub Collector (SDM)
Thiruvalla
Ankit Asokan IPS

Kiran P B IPS City Police Arun S Nair IAS
Asst. Commissioner Commissioner Asst Collector
of Police Thrissur Idukki
Malappuram
Dilip K Kainikkara IAS

Jeeva Maria Joy IFS Asst Collector Arya V M IAS
Regional Passport officer Kasargod Assistant Collector
Trivandrum Malappuram
370+ SUCCESS STORIES

10 YEARS OF TRUST

08 Prelims Precise August 2024

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FORTUNE IAS

Toppers in Top 100

This magazine is a comprehensive resource that condenses the

51. Legionnaires’ Disease______________________________ 17

• Ratnagiri has over 1,500 such artworks,

• The carvings depict humans, animals, reptiles,

• India’s largest geoglyph, an 18x13 metre

• Scientists discovered the earliest known

• In 1916, Venkayya published a book of 30 flag

• Srimanta Sankardeva’s cultural contributions

• He also introduced Sattriya dance and

• Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872, in

• He studied at King’s College, Cambridge, from

• After returning to India, he worked in Baroda

• In 1906, he became politically active in

• Tantrism is a spiritual tradition in Hinduism and

• Sankardeva, born in 1449, was a Vaishnava

Article 311 of Indian Constitution

• The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor

• Article 311 outlines procedures for dismissing,

• They have a traditional political council led

• Their dormitory house, the “Mandaghar,” is

• The FSSAI has directed food businesses to

• A1 and A2 milk differ in beta-casein protein

• Casein makes up 80% of protein in milk while

Himachal Pradesh Raises • Sections 23 (1) and 23 (2) of the Bharatiya

• Himachal Pradesh assembly passed the

Section 27 of the Indian Evidence

• Article 342 - The President can specify which

• Assured Family Pension: In the event of a

• Assured Minimum Pension: Employees will

• Pension Contribution: The staff contribution

▪ However, the Central Government’s

• Implementation: The UPS is set to take

• The scheme aims to cover a target of 5 crore Plea Bargaining

• The aim is to speed up the judicial process.

• Plea bargaining was added to the Code of

• B-Ready is replacing the World Bank’s Doing

• Every year, the project aims to measure the

Yen Carry Trade

• Recently, global stock markets saw a sharp

• Yen carry trade involves borrowing money in

• The goal is to profit from the difference in

• Japan’s interest rates were at 0% from 2011

• In mid-March to July this year, Japan raised

• This led investors, who had borrowed yen and

• The policy is being implemented by the

♣ Tokenization replaces sensitive payment

• A unified ledger is a financial system where

Unified Lending Interface (ULI) -

• The RBI, in 2015, directed banks to include a

• IPEF was launched in 2022 at Tokyo to

• The members are Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India,

• This 32nd conference was centred on the

• ICAE is organised by the International

• IAAE has a Blue Book, which is a reference

M India now has 2+2 ministerial level

• This initiative reflects India’s experience in Security of Supplies Agreement

▶ Trade for development; • SOSA will enable both countries to acquire

# This aims to post Indian armed forces