Author: instakas

150th Birth Anniversary of Birsa Munda

Syllabus: GS1/History

In News

• 15 November is observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, commemorating the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda.
• The Government designated this day as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in 2021.

Birsa Munda

• He was born in 1874 in Ulihatu village, Jharkhand and was a spiritual reformer and freedom fighter.
• He is Known as Dharti Aaba (“Father of the Earth”).
• He led the Ulgulan or “Great Tumult” (1899–1900) (also called Munda Rebellion (1895–1900)) which was a fierce movement for tribal self-rule and the restoration of Khuntkatti (community land rights).
• He united the Munda tribes against British land laws and feudal exploitation.
• He envisioned a moral, self-governed society free from colonial influence.
• He was captured and martyred in Ranchi Jail at the age of 25.

Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

• Janjatiya Gaurav Divas is dedicated to remembering the contributions of tribal freedom fighters for the country.
• This day will now be celebrated every year.
• It would recognize the efforts of the tribals for the preservation of cultural heritage and would help the coming generations know about the sacrifices made by the tribals for the country.
• November 15th chosen for Janjatiya Gaurav Divas – The date is the birth anniversary of Sri Birsa Munda who is revered as Bhagwan by tribal communities across the country.

PM Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan

• Objective – To ensure last-mile welfare scheme delivery and protection for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra – It is a nationwide programme to reach out to all villages and include those eligible for various central schemes.

STEM Cell Therapy

Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology

In News

• Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a new technique to heal spinal fractures using adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs).

Stem Cells

• Definition – A stem cell is a cell with the potential to form many of the different cell types found in the body.
• When stem cells divide, they can form more stem cells or other cells that perform specialised functions.
• Somatic Stem Cells: These are the Adult Somatic Cells (ASCs) found in bone marrow.
• Embryonic Stem Cells: These are derived in about six-to eight-day embryos, and these are cells with even more potential than the adult cells, because an embryonic stem cell derived in the proper way can give rise to neural cells, muscle cells and liver cells.

Stem Cell Therapy

• Stem cell therapy utilises the unique properties of stem cells to regenerate damaged cells and tissues in the human body.
• Stem cells replace these cells with new, healthy and fully functional cells.
• It is also known as regenerative medicine.
• It is the next step in organ transplantation and uses cells instead of donor organs, which are limited in supply.
• Stem cells are grown in the labs, these stem cells are manipulated to specialise into specific types of cells, such as heart muscle cells, blood cells or nerve cells.
• The specialised cells can then be implanted into a person.
• For over 90 years now, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been used to treat people with conditions such as leukaemia and lymphoma.

Urban Cooperative Banks

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Recently, the Union Home and Cooperation Minister, at the ‘Co-op Kumbh 2025’, called on Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) to play a transformative role in empowering India’s youth and underprivileged communities.

Key Highlights of Co-op Kumbh 2025

• ‘Delhi Declaration 2025’: It was adopted by the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies (NAFCUB), focusing on enhancing financial stability, governance, and digitization within the cooperative banking network.

Connect with the basics – Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)

• These are financial institutions primarily serving urban and semi-urban populations.
• Principles of cooperation – mutual help, democratic decision making and open membership, unlike commercial banks.
• Significance – They cater to small businesses, salaried individuals, and lower-income groups, offering banking services such as deposits, loans, and credit facilities.
• They play a vital role in promoting inclusive economic growth, supporting small traders, entrepreneurs, and the weaker sections of society.

Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP)

Syllabus:GS2/Governance

In News

• The Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) has been launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

Basic terms – Remediation vs Bioremediation

• Remediation is the broad process of removing or containing environmental contaminants.
• Bioremediation is a sub-category of remediation that employs microorganisms like bacteria and fungi to degrade or transform pollutants

Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP)

• It aims to fast-track the remediation of remaining dumpsites and reclaim valuable urban land for community and infrastructure development
• It helps in achieving  India’s vision of achieving “Lakshya Zero Dumpsites” by September 2026.

Lucifer Bee

Syllabus: GS3/Species in News

Context

• Australian scientists have discovered a new native bee species named Lucifer.

About

• The new species – dubbed Megachile (Hackeriapis) Lucifer – was first discovered in 2019 in the state of Western Australia.
• Australia has around 2,000 native bee species, more than 300 of which are yet to be scientifically named and described.
• The highly distinctive, upward-pointing horns on the female bee’s face inspired its name.
• Interestingly, the species’ male bees lack the horns.

Gaganyaan Mission

Syllabus: GS3/Space

In News

• ISRO successfully conducted a critical parachute test for its upcoming human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan.
• ISRO will next conduct three uncrewed flights with Vyomitra, a half-humanoid robot, aiming for a crewed mission by early 2027.

Gaganyaan Mission

• Approved in – December 2018.
• Financial outlay -₹20,193 crore.
• Uniqueness – It is India’s first indigenous human spaceflight initiative.
• Objective – It aims to demonstrate India’s human spaceflight capability by sending a crew to 400 km low-Earth orbit for three days, with a safe return and sea landing in Indian waters.
• Launch vehicle – LVM3 rocket, is identified as the launch vehicle for Gaganyaan mission.

International Cryosphere Climate Initiative

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• The “2025 State of the Cryosphere Report” underscores that Earth’s glaciers and ice sheets are rapidly melting.

Connect with the basics – Cryosphere

• The cryosphere is the part of the Earth’s climate system that includes solid precipitation, snow, sea ice, lake and river ice, icebergs, glaciers and ice caps, ice sheets, ice shelves, permafrost, and seasonally frozen ground.
• The term “cryosphere” traces its origins to the Greek word ‘kryos’ for frost or ice cold.
• The cryosphere extends globally not just in the Arctic, Antarctic, and mountain regions, and in approximately one hundred countries.
• The largest continental ice sheets are found in Antarctica.
• Approximately 70% of the Earth’s freshwater exists as snow or ice.

National Water Awards 2024

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• Maharashtra has secured the first position in the Best State category of the 6th National Water Awards for 2024.
• Gujarat and Haryana have been placed second and third

National Water Awards 2024

National Water Awards

• The National Water Awards were first launched in 2018.
• Objective – The awards aim to recognize efforts in water management and conservation.
• Significance – The initiative supports the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ (Water Prosperous India).

3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH 2025)

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• At the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen,the Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy highlighted the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) as a catalyst for India’s clean energy transition in green hydrogen.

Green Hydrogen

• Green Hydrogen: It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
• Benefit: It is a clean burning element that can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.
• Hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time which can be used to produce electricity using fuel cells.

National Green Hydrogen Mission

• Aim: To make India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen.
• Implementing Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy(MNRE)

Additional Information – Hydrogen

• Symbol and Atomic number – Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1.
• Hydrogen is the lightest element and the most abundant chemical substance in the universe, constituting roughly 75% of all normal matter.
• It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and highly combustible gas.

Booker Prize 2025

Syllabus: Awards/ Miscellaneous

Context

• David Szalay won this year’s Booker Prize for fiction for his novel ‘Flesh,’ is the first Hungarian-British author to win the Booker Prize.

Booker Prize 2025

• It is a prestigious literary award conferred every year for the best fiction written in the English language & published in the United Kingdom and/or Ireland.
• Launch: It was first awarded in 1969 to promote reading and literature.

Indian Winners –

1. VS Naipaul in 1971 for In A Free State,
2. Salman Rushdie for Midnight’s Children in 1981,
3. Arundhati Roy for The God of Small Things (1997),
4. Kiran Desai for The Inheritance of Loss (2006),
5. Aravind Adiga for The White Tiger (2008).
6. Geetanjali Shree for her Hindi novel, Tomb of Sand(2022)

• Note – In 2025, Banu Mushtaq and Deepa Bhasthi won it for the translated anthology of Mushtaq’s short stories from Kannada into English, Heart Lamp.

Nine Years After Demonetisation

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Currency with the public has more than doubled since the demonetisation in 2016 was announced by the government.

Demonetisation

• The Prime Minister announced demonetisation on November 8, 2016.
• It declared that all existing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes which together accounted for about 86% of the currency in circulation would cease to be legal tender.
• Demonetisation in 2016 was apparently intended to eliminate black money, curb counterfeit currency, promote digital payments and formalise the economy.

Aditya-L1 Mission Tracks Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

Syllabus: GS3/Space

In News

• Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and NASA have made the first-ever spectroscopic observations of a coronal mass ejection (CME) in the visible wavelength range, close to the Sun’s surface using the VELC payload on Aditya-L1.

Aditya-L1 mission

• Uniqueness – Aditya-L1 is the first space-based Indian observatory to study the Sun. It will be launched by the PSLV-C57.
• Note – The solar mission will not see the spacecraft actually go to the sun, it will instead create a space observatory at a point from which the sun can be observed even during an eclipse.
• The spacecraft is planned to be placed in a halo orbit around the Lagrange point 1 (L1), around 1.5 million km from the Earth, of the Sun-Earth system.

Major objectives of the mission

• The mission will focus on study of the Solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics.
• It will also identify what drives space weather, along with the origin, composition and dynamics of the solar wind.

Other missions to Sun

• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, has already gone far closer — but it will be looking away from the Sun.
• Helios 2 solar probe, a joint venture between NASA and the space agency of erstwhile West Germany,was launched to investigate solar processes of the Sun’s surface in 1976.

GI Tag Fee Cut

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• Recently, the Government announced a reduction in the GI tag application fee from ₹5,000 to ₹1,000, encouraging tribal artisans to protect traditional crafts.

GI Tag Fee Cut

• GI tag certificates distributed for crafts and products like

1. Kannadippaya (Kerala)

2. Apatani textile (Arunachal)

3. Marthandam honey (Tamil Nadu)

4. Lepcha Tungbuk (Sikkim)

5. Bodo Aronai (Assam)

6. Ambaji Marble (Gujarat)

7. Badri cow ghee (Uttarakhand).

Connect with the basics – 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.

Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026

Syllabus: GS3/Disaster Management

Context

• The new Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026 report has been released by Germanwatch.
• The analysis was presented at the ongoing COP30 in Belem, Brazil.

Key Findings

• India was ninth on the list of countries most affected by extreme weather events between 1995 and 2024.
• In the last three decades, India faced around 430 extreme weather events which resulted in inflation-adjusted losses of around $170 billion.
• Most People Affected: India ranked third behind Bangladesh and the Philippines.

India, Botswana Cheetah Translocation Pact

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• India and Botswana formally announced the translocation of eight Cheetahs to India as a part of ‘Project Cheetah’.

About

• India declared the cheetah extinct in 1952, after decades of over-hunting, habitat fragmentation, and depletion of prey species.
• The launch of Project Cheetah in 2022 and the arrival of cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa created the world’s first intercontinental relocation programme for a large carnivore.
• Botswana – It’s a landlocked country with nearly 70% of its landmass covered by the Kalahari Desert, and holds one of the world’s largest wild cheetah populations.

Project Cheetah

• Overview: Project Cheetah is India’s ambitious attempt to reintroduce the cheetah in suitable open forest and grassland ecosystems.
• Launched By: National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended 2006).
• Uniqueness – It is the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a large wild carnivore.

Translocations So Far:

• 8 cheetahs from Namibia in 2022
• 12 cheetahs from South Africa in 2023
• 8 cheetahs from Botswana (2025 announcement)

Cheetah(Acinonyx jubatus)

• It is the world’s fastest mammal and the only large carnivore to have gone extinct in India (1952).
• Unlike other big cats, cheetahs do not roar.
• There are two main species: the African cheetah (Vulnerable) and the Asiatic cheetah (Critically Endangered), found only in eastern Iran and parts of Africa.​

PM Visit to Bhutan

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Bhutan strengthened the special ties of friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Key Outcomes

• Inauguration of 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project constructed under a bilateral agreement between both Nations.

India-Bhutan Relations

• Geographical Connection: Bhutan shares its border with four Indian states, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Sikkim with a length of 699 km and serves as a buffer between India and China.
• Diplomatic relations – Established in 1968.
• Treaty of Friendship – The basic framework of India Bhutan relations is the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation signed in 1949 and was renewed in February 2007.
• Four major bilateral projects are launched in Bhutan from India,

1. Hydroelectric projects – Punatsangchhu and Mangdechhu Hydro Project,
2. Ground Earth Station of ISRO
3. RuPay Card
4. National Knowledge Network of India

• Economy – India is Bhutan’s top trade partner both as an import source and as an export destination.
• Bhutan became the second country to launch the BHIM app.
• Cultural and Buddhist Links: A number of Bhutanese pilgrims travel to Bodh Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sikkim, Udayagiri, and other Buddhist sites in India

Rift Valley Fever

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

In News

• The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) affecting Mauritania and Senegal in Western Africa.

Rift Valley Fever (RVF)

• RVF derives its name from Kenya’s Rift Valley, where the disease was first recognised in the early 1930s.
• Pathogen – It is caused by a Phlebovirus belonging to the Phenuiviridae family.
• It primarily affects animals such as sheep, goats, cattle, and camels.
• Transmission – Humans become infected through close contact with infected animals or by the bite of infected mosquitoes.
• There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
• Currently, there is no specific antiviral treatment.

Molasses

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Central government is looking to permit around 1.5 million tonnes of sugar exports in 2025–26 and abolish the 50% export tax on molasses to improve realisations and help farmers receive faster payments.

Molasses

• Molasses is a thick, dark brown syrup obtained as a byproduct during the process of refining sugarcane or sugar beet into sugar.

Uses

• Food industry: Used in baking (e.g., gingerbread), rum production, and animal feed.
• Industrial use: In ethanol, citric acid, and yeast production.
• Agriculture: As a component in cattle feed and for soil conditioning.
• It is a key raw material for ethanol production under India’s ethanol blending programme to reduce crude oil imports.

Ricin

Syllabus: GS3/ Science & Technology

In News

• The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) foiled an alleged terror plot and arrested men with suspected links to terrorism who were reportedly attempting to produce Ricin chemical

Ricin

• Ricin is a highly toxic protein extracted from the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis).
• It blocks protein synthesis in cells, causing multiple organ failure and death within hours of exposure.
• It is listed under Schedule-1 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
• There is no known antidote for Ricin poisoning.

Chemical Weapons Convention

• Mandate – It is an international treaty aimed at eliminating the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons and their precursors.
• Adoption and Enforcement – The Treaty was adopted on September 3, 1992, and entered into force on April 29, 1997.
• Member countries – It currently has 193 member states.
• Legally binding – It makes it mandatory to destroy old and abandoned chemical weapons.
• India’s ratification – India signed the treaty in January 1

India’s efforts

• National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is the national authority responsible for implementing the Convention in India.

Saranda Forest

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• The Supreme Court directed the Jharkhand government to declare the ecologically rich Saranda forest as a wildlife sanctuary.

Saranda Forest

• Location – Jharkhand
• It is Asia’s largest Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, spanning approximately 820-900 square kilometers.
• It is famously called the “land of seven hundred hills,” reflecting its hilly terrain.
• The forest is part of the Chhotanagpur bio-geographic zone and forms a natural landscape continuum with forests of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Species – It is home to critically endangered species, including the endemic sal forest tortoise, four-horned antelope, Asian palm civet, and wild elephants.
• Tribes – It has been inhabited by the Ho, Munda, Uraon and allied Adivasi communities
• It also accounts for 26% of India’s iron ore reserves.

Revisit NEMMP 2020 to Promote Electric Vehicles

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• Recently, the Supreme Court suggested revisiting the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 amid escalating air pollution in Delhi.

National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020

• It is a National Mission document providing the vision and the roadmap for the faster adoption of electric vehicles and their manufacturing in the country.
• Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India) Scheme formulated in 2015 under NEMMP by Ministry of Heavy Industries.
• It aims to promote adoption of electric/ hybrid vehicles (xEVs) in India.

Mudh-Nyoma Airbase

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The Chief of the Air Staff inaugurated the Mudh-Nyoma airbase in Ladakh.

Mudh-Nyoma Airbase

• The airbase is situated in Nyoma, Leh district of Ladakh, at an altitude of 13,700 feet (4,200 m), making it one of the world’s highest fighter-capable airfields.
• Construction was led by the Border Roads Organisation.
• Its proximity to the LAC gives India critical tactical and logistical advantages, enabling quick response, force projection, and enhanced surveillance in sensitive sectors like Depsang Plains, Pangong Tso, and Chushul Valley.