Author: instakas

Malabar Pied Hornbill

Syllabus: GS3/Species

In News

• The Chhattisgarh Forest Department is setting up six “hornbill restaurants” in the Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve to provide a permanent habitat for the rare Malabar Pied Hornbill and promote forest regeneration.

Malabar Pied Hornbill (Anthracoceros coronatus)

• It stands 2 to 2.5 feet tall, has a large beak and vibrant plumage.
• Habitat – It inhabits moist evergreen and tall deciduous forests, plantations, and low-altitude riparian areas
• Occurs in the western Ghats, and in eastern/central India from south-west West Bengal and Bihar, to Andhra Pradesh, India, as well as Sri Lanka
• They are recognised as keystone seed dispersers in tropical forests.
• IUCN Status – ‘Nearly Threatened’

Iran Shuts Strait of Hormuz

Syllabus: GS1/Geography

In News

• Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s oil passe

Strait of Hormuz

• Location – The Strait of Hormuz lies between Iran to the north and Oman and the United Arab Emirates to the south, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
• At its narrowest point it is about 33 kilometres wide, with shipping lanes just a few kilometres across in either direction.
• Significance- Nearly half of India’s crude oil and around 60 per cent of its natural gas imports pass through the strait.

Bihar’s Ban on Open Sale of Meat

Syllabus: GS2/Governance; Health

Context

• The Bihar government announced a ban on open-air and unlicensed meat sales in urban areas.

About

• It prohibits the sale of meat and fish in open spaces, such as roadsides, weekly markets or public thoroughfares, within urban municipal areas.
• Sales are now restricted to licenced shops that comply with hygiene standards such as proper waste disposal.
• Violations can attract penalties under the Bihar Municipal Act, 2007, including fines, seizure of goods and shop closures.
• Other States: Many states have regulations calling for licensed and enclosed sale of m eat and fish. These states include Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand.

Loggerhead Turtles

Syllabus: GS3/Species in News

Context

• According to a recent study, warmer oceans and declining food availability are affecting the reproductive and migratory patterns of loggerhead turtles.

Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta)

• The loggerhead turtle is named for its large head, which supports powerful jaw muscles that enable them to feed on hard-shelled prey, such as whelks and conch.
• Distribution – They are found across the Caribbean region, Atlantic Ocean, the eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and the North and South Pacific Ocean
• The Loggerhead sea turtle is a large omnivorous marine reptile recognized as one of the seven extant species of sea turtles.
• They can live up to 80 years or more.
• IUCN conservation status – Vulnerable

ISA Launches Global AI-for-Energy Mission

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

News

• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) launched the Global Mission on AI for Energy at the India AI Impact Summit 2026
• Objective – to accelerate AI adoption in clean energy across 120+ member countries, emphasizing digital infrastructure like India’s Energy Stack.

AI-for-Energy Mission

• It places digital infrastructure and citizen-centric platforms at the centre of the energy transition.
• It aims to bring together governments, industry, financial institutions and multilateral organisations to scale digital and AI-enabled clean energy systems.

Additional Information – International Solar Alliance

• Started – The ISA, is an Indian initiative that was launched by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France on 30th November 2015 in Paris.
• Solar powered countries – It is an initiative with 124 solar resource rich countries lying fully or partially between the tropic of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.
• Objective – To collectively address key common challenges to the scaling up of solar energy in ISA member countries.
• Headquarter –  National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) campus, Gurugram.

Closure of FRA Cells in Odisha Triggers Central Scrutiny

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• The Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs has initiated inquiries into the directives given by the State government of Odisha to shutdown of Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells at multiple administrative levels.

Forest Rights Act, 2006

• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, popularly known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).
• It legally recognizes the rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over forest land and resources they have traditionally used for generations.

VoicERA Launched on BHASHINI National Infrastructure

Governance

In News

• The Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD), under the Digital India Corporation (DIC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched VoicERA.

India’s National Voice AI Stack (VoicERA)

• It is an open-source, end-to-end technology framework designed as DigitalDigital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
• Public Platform: Deployed on the BHASHINI National Language Infrastructure to provide a national execution layer for multilingual voice services.
• Purpose: To enable government departments and innovators to build voice-based citizen services—such as agricultural advice, education support, and grievance redressal—in local Indian languages.

Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the World Food Programme (WFP)

Economy

In News

• The Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the supply of rice in support of global humanitarian operations aimed at combating hunger.

World Food Programme

• It was established in 1961.
• Mandate – It serves as the United Nations’ primary food-assistance branch and the world’s largest humanitarian organization focused on combating hunger and enhancing global food security.

Food Corporation of India (FCI)

• It is a statutory body established under the Food Corporations Act, 1964.
• It functions under India’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
• Objective – It ensures national food security via procurement, storage, distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS), and buffer stock management for contingencies like droughts or floods.
• Headquartered in New Delhi.

Municipal Bonds

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) recently organized a high-level consultation to deepen India’s municipal bond market, aligning with efforts to boost urban infrastructure financing.

Municipal Bonds

• Municipal bonds are marketable debt instruments issued by ULBs, either directly or via intermediaries like corporate municipal entities or special purpose vehicles.
• First issued by Bengaluru in 1997, they finance capital projects (e.g., water supply, sewerage), refinance loans, and cover working capital needs.

Project Vault

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The United States unveiled Project Vault, an independently governed and operated public-private partnership.

Project Vault

• It is aimed at establishing a strategic domestic reserve of critical minerals in the United States.
• Significance – to reduce dependence on foreign-controlled supply chains.

Additional Information – Critical Minerals

• These are minerals that are essential for economic development and national security.
• The lack of availability of these minerals could potentially lead to “supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies”.

List of Critical Minerals

• A total of 30 minerals were found to be most critical for India : Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, Rare Earth Elements (REEs), Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium and Cadmium.

India’s Policy Push for Mineral Exploration

• Domestic Reserves: India has vast untapped mineral potential, with lithium in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and Rajasthan, and REEs in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• Policy Initiatives: National Mineral Exploration Policy (NMEP), 2016 and Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 2021 have accelerated exploration through private participation and advanced surveys.
• KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) is acquiring overseas mineral assets to ensure supply security.
• National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) – It aims to strengthen the value chain from exploration to recovery.

Google’s America-India Connect Initiative

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• Google announced the collaborative infrastructure initiative named America-India Connect.

America-India Connect Initiative

• A new international subsea gateway will be established in Vizag.
• Three new subsea paths connecting India to Singapore, South Africa, and Australia.
• Significance – The new infrastructure is expected to support rising demand for cloud computing and AI services in India, while also strengthening connections with Africa, Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.

Vibrant Villages Programme–II

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

In News

• The Vibrant Villages Programme–II is a Central Sector Scheme launched by the Union Home Minister at Nathanpur village in Assam’s Cachar district.

Vibrant Village Programme(VVP)

• LAunched by – Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
• Aim: To enhance infrastructure in villages along India’s border with China, in states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Activities under the VVP include: building infrastructures such as housing, tourist centres, road connectivity, providing decentralized renewable energy, direct-to-home access for Doordarshan and educational channels, and support for livelihood generation.

Trump’s Board of Peace

Syllabus: GS2/ IR

In News

• India participated as an observer in the recent inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace on Gaza, held in Washington DC and hosted at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace.

Board of Peace

• It is an international body chaired by US President Donald Trump, created to oversee the October 2025 ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and manage Gaza’s post-war transition.
• The initiative was proposed in October 2025 and was endorsed the following month by the United Nations Security Council.

Members

• Around 35 global leaders have agreed to join the proposed Board of Peace, out of about 50 invited.
• Participants include key Middle Eastern allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and Egypt, along with NATO members Turkey and Hungary. Several other countries across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America—including Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Morocco, Armenia and Azerbaijan—have also joined.
• Membership terms would run for three years, with the option of renewal.
• Countries seeking to extend their participation beyond the initial term may be required to contribute $1 billion, while short-term participation would not involve any financial commitment.

Mandate of Board

• The Board will supervise a transitional Palestinian technocratic administration in the Gaza Strip, known as the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).
• The Board’s mandate also includes efforts to disarm Hamas and oversee the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF), a multinational peacekeeping mission tasked with maintaining security and training a new Palestinian police force.

Bharat GI

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• ‘Bharat GI’, a national initiative to promote India’s Geographical Indication-tagged products globally, was highlighted at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

Bharat GI

• It serves as an umbrella brand showcasing unique Indian GI products like Coorg coffee and Darjeeling tea on international platforms.
• It is launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce.
• It leverages digital tools, including AI-driven traceability and market analytics, to connect artisans directly with global buyers.

Additional Information – Geographical Indication or GI Tag

• It is a name or a sign given to certain products related to a specific geographical location or origins like a region, town, or country.
• A certification for unique products – GI Tag may be regarded as a certification for a particular product with certain specific qualities or has a specific reputation because of its geographical origin.
• GI Tags can be issued for wine and spirit drinks, foodstuffs, agricultural products, handicrafts, and industrial products.
• Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) – At the International level, GI is governed by the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO’s) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS).
• Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act – In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which came into force in September 2003.
• Darjeeling tea  – The first product in India to be accorded with the GI tag was Darjeeling tea in 2004-05.

India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

Syllabus: GS2/IR

News

• India and the United Kingdom launched the India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce.

India–UK Offshore Wind Taskforce

• Objective – to provide strategic leadership and coordination for building India’s offshore wind ecosystem.
• Significance- It is aimed at accelerating cooperation in offshore wind development as part of their broader clean energy partnership under Vision 2035.

India and France upgrade ties to Special Global Strategic Partnership

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• The French President arrived on a three-day official visit to India to participate in the AI Impact Summit.

Major Outcomes

• PM Modi announced the establishment of a ‘Special Global Strategic Partnership’ with France.
• Launch of the India-France Year of Innovation & India-France Innovation Network.
• Inauguration of H125 Helicopter Final Assembly Line at Vemagal, Karnataka.
• Joint Venture between BEL and Safran to produce HAMMER missiles in India.
• India has asked France to increase “indigenous content” in the Rafale by up to 50%, and also expand the Rafale’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in India.

Additional Information – India-France Relations

• India–France Strategic Partnership: It was launched on 26 January 1998 and is India’s first-ever Strategic Partnership.
• Rafale Fighter Jets: India procured 36 Rafales from Dassault Aviation.
• Scorpene Submarines (Project P-75): Collaboration with France’s Naval Group, 6 submarines built in India; latest is INS Vaghsheer.
• Recently both nations formally concluded an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to procure 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy.
• Joint Exercises: Shakti, Varuna, FRINJEX-23.
• The process of enabling Unified Payment Interface (UPI) has been successful in France.
• Joint space missions: TRISHNA (satellite mission), MDA systems, ground station support.
• International Solar Alliance (ISA): Co-founded by India and France in 2015 to promote solar energy worldwide.

Launch of SAHI and BODH Initiatives

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister launched two digital health initiatives—SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative) and BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI)—during the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

SAHI (Secure AI for Health Initiative)

• It is also referred to as the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India.
• Objective – to ensure the safe, ethical, and evidence-based adoption of AI across the country’s healthcare system.

BODH (Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI)

• Developed by – IIT Kanpur in collaboration with the National Health Authority,
• Objective – It is a specialized digital infrastructure which validates AI models before they are deployed at a national scale.

AI-Preneurs of India

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T

In News

• Atal Innovation Mission launches ‘AI-Preneurs of India’ at India AI Impact Summit 2026, showcasing India’s purpose driven AI Ecosystem.

AI-Preneurs of India

• It is a flagship initiative launched by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), under NI TI Aayog,
• Objective – to celebrate and document the journeys of pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) entrepreneurs in India.

Key Features of the Initiative

• The Publication: It is a flagship coffee table book chronicling 45 pioneering AI startups.
• Founder-First Storytelling: Unlike technical reports, it focuses on the “human element”—the motivations, challenges, and perseverance of the founders.
• Sectoral Diversity: Featured startups operate across 30+ domains, including healthcare, agriculture, sustainability, education, mobility, and deep tech.
• Geographic Democratisation: The initiative showcases innovators from a nationwide network of Atal Incubation Centres (AICs), moving beyond traditional hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai to include Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities

Bee Corridor

Environment

In News

• In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has unveiled an ambitious plan to create dedicated “bee corridors” along India’s national highways.

Bee Corridor

• It aims to establish continuous linear stretches of bee-friendly vegetation featuring carefully selected flowering trees and plants.
• Unlike traditional decorative plantings, the new corridors will be designed to provide year-round nectar and pollen, ensuring sustained food sources for pollinators.
• The NHAI plans to plant around 40 lakh trees along NHs during the year 2026–27, around 60 per cent of which will be planted under the ‘bee corridor’ initiative.
• Significance – The initiative will help reduce the increasing ecological stress faced by honeybees and other pollinators

“PM RAHAT” Scheme

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• Prime Minister Modi has approved the launch of the PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment) Scheme.

PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment)

• It is a newly launched initiative by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
• Objective – to provide immediate, cashless medical treatment to road accident victims across India.
• Significance – it aims to reduce fatalities during the “Golden Hour” (the critical first hour after an accident).

Key features of the scheme

• It includes cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for up to 7 days.
• It offers stabilization care for a maximum of 24 hours in cases that are not life-threatening and 48 hours in life-threatening situations.
• The scheme covers all road accident victims on all types of roads.
• Hospitals cannot ask for advance payments for emergency stabilization.
• Implementation is linked with the 112 helpline for emergency response.
• Treatment is available at hospitals empaneled under Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY).
• A digital system connects the eDAR and TMS 2.0 for reporting and claim processing. Funding comes from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF).
• Grievances are handled by a Grievance Redressal Officer at the district level.

Japan’s ‘God’s Crossing’

Environment

Context

• A centuries-old winter phenomenon known as “Miwatari” (God’s Crossing) at Lake Suwa has failed to appear for several consecutive years, signalling the growing impact of climate change in East Asia.

‘Miwatari’

• “Miwatari” refers to a natural ice ridge that forms when the entire surface of Lake Suwa freezes.
• It occurs after several days of temperatures below –10°C.
• Thermal expansion and contraction of the frozen surface creates cracks; newly formed ice shards push upward, forming a raised ridge.
• Traditionally, it is believed to mark the path of a deity crossing the lake to visit his consort.

Evidence of Climate Change

• Miwatari appeared almost every winter until the 1980s, but its frequency has sharply declined since then and it has not appeared at Lake Suwa since 2018.
• Morning winter temperatures increasingly fail to drop low enough for complete lake freezing.

Kamala Hydroelectric Project

Environment

In News

• Recently, the expert panel of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India has recommended clearance for Kamala hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh, which will require felling 23.4 lakh trees.

Kamala Hydroelectric Project

• It is a multipurpose project with the objectives of power generation and flood moderation.
• It is proposed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited.
• It  is located on the Kamla river, a right-bank tributary of Subansiri which is Brahmaputra’s tributary.

Emergency Landing Facility

Defence;

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a2 kilometre Emergency Landing Facility on the Moran Bypass in Assam, the first such facility in Northeast India.

About

• An Emergency Landing Facility is a reinforced highway stretch designed to act as an alternative runway for the Indian Air Force.
• Located about 300 kilometres from the Line of Actual Control, the Moran ELF provides critical backup during conflict situations and strengthens disaster response in remote regions.
• It can handle fighter aircraft up to 40 tonnes and transport aircraft up to 74 tonnes.
• With around 15 such facilities now operational, this strategic grid stretches from the deserts of Rajasthan to the expressways of Uttar Pradesh and now to the strategic borders of the Northeast.

‘Anupam’ model of Waste Management

(Environment)

Context

• Following the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) decision to eliminate the household waste, Anupam Colonies now segregate and process waste within their own premises.

‘Anupam’ model of Waste Management

• It is a decentralized waste management strategy launched by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in 2025
• Objective – to achieve zero-waste, self-sustainable urban living.
• The Hindi word Anupam was chosen to reflect that these colonies are “incomparable” in their waste practices.

Core Principles & Features

• Uniqueness- The model shifts the focus from traditional centralized waste disposal to on-site resource management.
• 100% Source Segregation: Residents must divide waste into three primary streams: wet, dry, and sanitary.

Scientific Processing:

• Wet Waste: Composted on-site using wire-mesh bins or Organic Waste Converters (OWC).
• Dry Waste: Meticulously sorted into 12 different categories (e.g., paper, metal, glass, e-waste) at local Material Recovery Facilities (MRF).
• Horticulture Waste: Converted into compost or eco-friendly briquettes within the colony.
• Community-Led Governance: Management is handled by Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and NGOs rather than a top-down municipal approach.
• RRR Centers & “Neki Ki Deewar”: Dedicated hubs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) where residents donate usable items like clothes and books for those in need.
• Waste-to-Wealth: Produced compost is distributed free of cost to residents, while income from selling recyclables often funds colony repairs

Ol Chiki Script

Culture

Context

• President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the centenary celebration of the Ol Chiki script in New Delhi, emphasising its importance in preserving Santhal heritage.

Ol Chiki Script

• Ol Chiki was developed in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu to provide a dedicated writing system for the Santhali language.
• It comprises 30 letters designed to capture Santhali phonetics with precision, allowing systematic documentation of its vocabulary and grammar.
• Santhali, a member of the Austro asiatic language family, is spoken across Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, and Bihar.
• It was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003.

Bhu-Aadhaar

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• The Government of Delhi has initiated the assignment of a 14-digit Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN), popularly termed ‘Bhu-Aadhaar’, to every land parcel in the Capital.

ULPIN (Bhu-Aadhaar)

• It is part of the Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP).
• It is a 14-digit identification number accorded to a land parcel based on the longitude and latitude coordinates of the land parcel.
• The system integrates GIS mapping, drone surveys, and Ortho Rectified Images (ORI) for accuracy.
• It functions as a digital land identity, similar in concept to Aadhaar for individuals.

Significance

• The initiative aims to enhance transparency, curb fraudulent transactions, and modernise land records through geospatial technology.
• It complements the SVAMITVA Scheme, under which 48 villages in Delhi have already been covered.

Cheer Pheasant

Environment

In News

• BirdLife International and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the cheer pheasant as ‘Vulnerable’.

Cheer Pheasant

• Scientific name- Catreus wallichii. It is also known as Wallich’s pheasant or Chir pheasant,
• Habitat- It is a ground-dwelling bird endemic to the Western HimalayaIt is found in Pakistan, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and central Nepal
• Diet: Feeds mainly on roots, tubers, bulbs, seeds, berries, and occasionally insects or worms.
• Behaviour: Known for high natal philopatry, meaning individuals often return to their birthplace to breed. They are predominantly monogamous.
• Threats: Hunting, habitat degradation (conversion of grasslands to agriculture), and forest fires during the breeding season (April–June) which destroy ground nests.
• Conservation Breeding: An exclusive breeding centre is located at Chail, Himachal Pradesh.

Conservation Status

1. IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
2. Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I (highest legal protection in India).
3. CITES: Appendix I.