Biovigilance Programme of India | Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0 | Gaza Board of Peace  | India Rejects OIC Group’s Remarks on Kashmir | Siang Upper Multipurpose Project | Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW)  | India-New Zealand FTA | Kasturirangan Committee Report on Conservation of the Western Ghats | Kathakali Festival

Biovigilance Programme of India

Polity

In News

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has approved the Biovigilance Programme of India.

Biovigilance Programme of India (BvPI)

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0

Government Schemes

In News

• The Government is creating a more responsive, technology-driven, and outcome-oriented skilling ecosystem through DDU-GKY 2.0.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) 

• Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD)
• Launched: 2014, under National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM).
• Objective: Provide placement-linked skill training and promote sustainable employment among rural youth.
• Target: Rural youth aged 15–35 years, particularly from disadvantaged sections.
• Social inclusion targets: SC/ST – 50%; Women – 33%; PwDs – 5%.
• Sectors: Agriculture, healthcare, textiles, green jobs, aerospace & aviation, beauty & wellness, etc.
• Budget 2026–27: ₹750 crore.

DDU-GKY 2.0 – Special Programmes

Gaza Board of Peace

International Relations

Context

• The US-backed Board of Peace has proposed a six-month, $2.45-billion recovery programme for Gaza, covering projects related to infrastructure, housing, healthcare, economic revival, digital services and security.

Board of Peace (BoP)

• Established: 2026 as an international organisation under the Gaza transitional framework. Its Charter was formally launched at Davos on 22 January 2026.
• Chairman: Donald J. Trump, President of the United States.
• Context: Created as part of the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, with focus on Gaza’s transitional governance, reconstruction, humanitarian assistance and economic recovery.
• Key functions:
  • Transitional governance in Gaza
  • Reconstruction and economic recovery
  • Coordination of humanitarian assistance and public services
  • Supporting the transition towards Palestinian governance
  • Oversight of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) framework.
• Founding members: Include countries such as the US, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and UAE, among others.

Additional Information – Gaza Strip 

• Location: Eastern Mediterranean; part of the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
• Borders: Israel (N/E), Egypt (S), Mediterranean Sea (W).
• Area: ~365 sq km; population ~2.1 million.
• Major cities: Gaza City, Khan Younis, Rafah.
• Governance: Hamas has exercised de facto control since 2007.
• Significance: Central to the Israel–Palestine conflict; major humanitarian crisis.
• Key issues: Displacement, food/water insecurity, healthcare and infrastructure damage.

India Rejects OIC Group’s Remarks on Kashmir

International

Context

• India rejected references to Jammu & Kashmir in the OIC Contact Group’s Joint Communiqué .

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) 

• Established: 25 September 1969, at Rabat, Morocco, following the Al-Aqsa Mosque fire.
• Headquarters: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• Membership: 57 states across four continents; second-largest intergovernmental organisation after the UN.
• Earlier name: Organisation of the Islamic Conference; renamed Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in 2011.
• Objective: Promote Islamic solidarity and cooperation and safeguard the interests of member states, including political, economic, social, cultural and scientific cooperation.
• India & OIC: India is not a member of the OIC. India has participated as a guest in some OIC-related meetings.

Siang Upper Multipurpose Project

Infrastructure

Context

• The Arunachal Pradesh Cabinet has approved an Empowered High-Level Committee to guide and coordinate the pre-feasibility survey for the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP).

Siang Upper Multipurpose Project 

• Location: Arunachal Pradesh.
• Capacity: 11,000 MW.
• Status: Declared a National Project in 2008 by the Union Government.
• River: Siang, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra.

Additional Information- Brahmaputra River

• The Brahmaputra is a major transboundary river in Asia. 
• It originates from the Chemayungdung Glacier near Lake Manasarovar (Mapam Yumco) in Tibet.
• It is known variably as Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet (its longest upper stretch), Siang or Dihang in Arunachal Pradesh, Brahmaputra in Assam & Jamuna in Bangladesh.
• It flows east through Tibet’s plateau, enters India via Arunachal Pradesh, widens in Assam’s plains, and merges with the Ganges in Bangladesh before reaching the Bay of Bengal.

Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW)

Defence

Context

• The Defence Ministry has signed a contract of over 810 crore rupees with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW).

Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW) 

• Type: Air-to-ground precision-guided glide bomb.
• Purpose: Designed to destroy enemy airfields and related infrastructure from a stand-off range.
• Developer: DRDO.
• Indigenous content: About 60%.
• Launch platforms: SEPECAT Jaguar, Hawk and Su-30MKI aircraft.
• Project: Approved in 2013; flight-tested during 2016–2021.
• IAF induction: 2021.
• Delivery: Scheduled during 2027–28 and 2028–29.

India-New Zealand FTA

International

Context

• India-New Zealand FTA will come into force on 20th October 2026.

Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

• Definition: An agreement between two or more countries to facilitate trade by reducing barriers.

Key features:

• Reduce/eliminate customs duties on goods.
• Liberalise trade in services.
• Provide investment protection.
• Establish safeguards for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).

Objective: Promote trade, investment and economic integration among member countries.

Additional information – India–New Zealand 

• Negotiations: Launched in March 2025 and concluded in December 2025.
• Key feature: New Zealand agreed to provide duty-free access to Indian exports across 100% of tariff lines.
• India’s offer: Tariff concessions on around 70% of tariff lines, covering nearly 95% of bilateral trade.
• Sensitive sectors: India has protected dairy and selected agricultural products from tariff concessions.
• Services: New Zealand offered access across 118 services sectors/sub-sectors.
• Mobility: Provision for 5,000 employment-entry visas for Indian professionals and 1,000 Working Holiday Visas annually.
• Investment: New Zealand committed to facilitate US$20 billion investment in India over 15 years.
• Significance: Boosts opportunities for Indian textiles, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, leather, footwear, agriculture and MSMEs.

Kasturirangan Committee Report on Conservation of the Western Ghats

Environment

Context

• Karnataka has convened an Assembly session to discuss the proposed implementation of the Kasturirangan Committee recommendations on the Western Ghats.

Committees related to Western Ghats

Sanjay Kumar Committee:

• Objective – It is formed to review state objections on Ecologically sensitive zones demarcations and validate proposed exclusions.
• Significance- It seeks to finalize the ESA status for villages, restricting activities harmful to biodiversity.

Madhav Gadgil Committee (2011):

• • Objective – to propose protection measures for the Western Ghats.

• It recommended designating the entire Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive. 

• It proposed the creation of a dedicated ecological authority to regulate development.
• The Report suggested rigorous conservation, but its recommendations were not fully adopted.

Kasturirangan Committee (2012):

• • It is formed as a follow-up to the Gadgil Committee to provide a more moderate approach.

• It recommended demarcating 37% of theWestern Ghats as eco sensitive zones.

• It emphasizes a balance between conservation and developmental needs, allowing limited activity in specific areas.

Western Ghats

• • Forests – The region of Western Ghats has moist deciduous forests and rainforests.
  • Endemism – The region shows high species diversity as well as high levels of endemism.

• Nearly 77% of the amphibians and 62% of the reptile species found here are found nowhere else.

Kathakali Festival

Art and Culture

News

• The 17th Kathakali Festival was organised by the Kalakshetra Foundation under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Kathakali 

• Origin: Kerala; evolved around the 17th century.
• Meaning: Malayalam Katha (story) + Kali (play).
• Features: Combines dance, drama, music, elaborate costumes & make-up, using facial expressions, hand gestures and eye movements.
• Literature: Based on Attakatha; themes mainly drawn from Indian epics.
• Music: Sopana/Abhinaya Sangeetham tradition.
• Instruments: Chenda, Maddalam, Chengila & Ilathalam.
• Singers: Ponnani and Shinkidi.
• Traditionally performed overnight; now often presented in shorter formats.
• Traditionally male-dominated, but women also participate.

Kalakshetra Foundation

• Founded: 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale.
• Promotes preservation and transmission of Indian classical arts and traditional crafts, particularly Bharatanatyam, music and dance.