Author: Ramvilas

Abathsahayeswarar Temple

History and Culture

In News

• The 12th-century Abathsahayeswarar Temple at Thukkachi  was restored after decades of neglect.

Abathsahayeswarar Temple

• It is situated  at Thukkachi, near Kumbakonam in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is one of the most significant monuments of the later Chola period—closely associated with Kulotunga I and Vikrama Chola
• It is designed as a Kara Kovil—a temple conceived in the form of a chariot
• It  also houses the idol of Lord Sarabeshwarar which is considered one of the oldest depictions of the deity.

Temple’s restoration 

• The temple’s restoration earned the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Distinction (2024) for its attempt to maintain the temple’s heritage while reinforcing its structural integrity.
• The project combined traditional temple building practices (Sthapatya Veda, Agama Shastra, lime mortars) with modern technologies like drone surveys, digital mapping, photogrammetry and structural engineering.
• Every granite block was numbered, disassembled and then reassembled in its original position to preserve historical authenticity.

Jagannath Rath Yatra

Art & Culture

Context

• The world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath has commenced in Puri, Odisha.

Rath Yatra

• Known as – Gundicha Jatra, Ghosa Jatra and Navadina Jatra.
• It is a significant Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. 

Jagannath Puri Temple

• • Shree Jagannath Puri Temple is one of the most impressive monuments of the State of Odisha.
  • The temple was built in the 12th Century AD by King Anatavarman Chodaganga Deva of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty.
  • Jagannath Puri temple is called ‘Yamanika Tirtha’ where, according to the Hindu beliefs, the power of ‘Yama’, the god of death has been nullified in Puri due to the presence of Lord Jagannath, popularly known as Lord Krishna.

• It is one of the Dhammas (Holiest of the holy place) out of four Dhamas i.e. Puri, Dwarika, Badrinath & Rameswar, in India.

• This temple was called the “White Pagoda” and is a part of Char Dham pilgrimages (Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri, Rameswaram).

Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS)

Economy

In News

• The Union Cabinet approved a new Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme (MPMS) with a budgetary outlay of ₹62,500 crore.

Objective – 

• It has been launched to scale up domestic production, deepen component localization, and foster indigenous smartphone design and R&D. 
• Launched by: It has been launched by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). 
• Duration: It is a five-year scheme, which will run from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.
• Budget Outlay: Its budgetary outlay is of Rs. 62,500 crore.

Features

• Production-Linked Incentives: The scheme provides incentive support on eligible sales of mobile phones manufactured in India, with differentiated incentive rates ranging from 2.25% to 5%, based on the applicable eligibility criteria.
• Incentive for Domestic Value Addition: Manufacturers can receive an additional incentive of up to 1.5% for increasing domestic sourcing of key components and sub-assemblies, thereby promoting local manufacturing ecosystems.
• Support for Design and Innovation: To foster indigenous innovation and brand creation, the scheme offers an additional 3% incentive on eligible sales for companies undertaking product design and R&D activities in India.

Semicon 2.0

Economy

Context 

• The Union Cabinet approved Semicon 2.0 (India Semiconductor Mission 2.0) with a ₹1,27,500 crore outlay to develop India’s semiconductor ecosystem.

Six Strategic Pillars:

1. Design: 
2. Machines & Materials: 
3. Fabrication: 
4. Expanding Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) units to establish India as a global alternative.
5. R&D
6. Talent Development

India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 

• Launched by – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

• Aim – To build a vibrant semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.

Connect with the basics – Semiconductor Chips

• These are materials which have a conductivity between conductors and insulators. 
• Example – They can be pure elements, silicon or germanium or compounds; gallium, arsenide or cadmium selenide.
• Significance of Semiconductor Chips – They are the basic building blocks that serve as the heart and brain of all modern electronics and information and communication technology products.
• Applications – These chips are now an integral part of contemporary automobiles, household gadgets and essential medical devices such as ECG machines.

12th BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meeting

International

Context – 

• • India hosted the 12th BRICS Labour & Employment Ministers’ Meeting in Hyderabad.

• Theme 2026 – “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability“.

Outcomes – 

• BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Declaration – to promote decent work, broaden social protection systems, and support inclusive, resilient economic growth.
• BRICS CONNECT, a collaborative, tech-driven platform, was launched by India to modernise, align, and strengthen labour frameworks (South-South cooperation) across member states.

Additional Information – BRICS 

• • Founded in – 2009
  • HeadQuarters – Shanghai
  • It is an acronym for the grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (included in 2010)
  • Origin – The term “BRIC” was coined by the British Economist Jim O’Neill in 2001 to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

• Recent Expansion (BRICS+): In 2024–2025, the bloc expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE, and Indonesia. Saudi Arabia has received an invitation but has not yet formalized its membership.

• Share of BRICS – BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries, representing 41% of the global population, 24% of the global GDP, and 16% of the global trade (By 2028, BRICS is expected to make up 35 percent of the global economy)
• Chairmanship – The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members. 

Initiatives of BRICS 

1. New Development Bank (NDB) 
2. Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) 
3. BRICS Payment System 
4. Customs Agreements 
5. Constellation of Remote Sensing Satellites

Ravidassia Demand for Separate Religion

History & Culture

News – 

• The Ravidassia community has renewed its demand for creation of a separate “Ravidassia religion” category in the Census.

Ravidassia Community

• The community follows the teachings of Guru Ravidas (15th–16th century), a renowned Bhakti Movement saint, social reformer, and mystic poet.
• Core Philosophy: Guru Ravidas advocated social equality, dignity, and the abolition of caste discrimination, and envisioned Begampura, an ideal society free from sorrow, fear, and inequality.
• Population: Punjab has India’s largest concentration of Ravidassias in India and around 32% of the state’s population comprises Dalits.
• Major Institution: Dera Sachkhand Ballan (Punjab) founded in the early 20th century by Baba Sant Pipal Das is the most influential religious institution of the Ravidassia community.

Additional Information – Sant Ravidas

• He, born in the 14th century, 
• He was a prominent figure in the Bhakti Movement, a socio-religious revolution that took place in India between the 14th and 17th centuries.

• He was a disciple of Sant Kabir and the founder of the Ravidassia religion. Mirabai was his pupil. 

Life and Teachings

• He was a great social reformer and messenger of peace, love, and brotherhood.
• He worked tirelessly to remove caste and religion-based discrimination and worked for the upliftment of the downtrodden.
• His life is a unique example of sacrifice and penance, and wrote many compositions on different social issues.
• He gave a very broad message of ‘karma’ to society by coining in the popular Hindi saying ‘Mann Changa to Kathauti Mein Ganga’.

Legacy

• The Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, contains forty-one of his devotional songs and poems.
• The Chief Architect of our Constitution, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar embodied the Constitutional principles around the values expressed by Guru Ravidasji.

India Bans Imports of Goods Made Using Forced Labour

Polity

Context 

• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has officially amended India’s Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, authorizing the Central Government to ban imports of goods manufactured through forced labour.

Constitutional Framework

The Constitution of India strictly penalises forced labour under the Right against Exploitation:

• Article 23(1) abolishes not just forced physical labor, but also economic subjugation, such as paying less than the minimum wage for labor
• Article 23(2) permits the State to draft individuals for essential public services (e.g., military conscription or disaster relief), but strictly forbids discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, or class in the selection process.
• Article 24: Prohibits the employment of children below 14 years in factories, mines, or hazardous occupations.
• Directive Principles (DPSC): Article 42 mandates just and humane working conditions, while Article 43 commands the state to secure a living wage.

Trial in Absentia

Polity

News

• Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed is set to face a trial in absentia following the issuance of a non-bailable warrant by a special NIA court in Jammu for his role in the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.

About – 

• A trial in absentia under Section 356 of the BNSS, 2023, allows any competent trial court to conduct a criminal trial and pronounce judgment without the physical presence of the accused.
• CrPC, 1973, restricted courts to recording witness statements only when the accused absconded, whereas the BNSS permits a final verdict.
• Eligibility: The provision applies exclusively to proclaimed offenders declared under Section 84 for offences punishable with 10 years, life imprisonment, or death.
• The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 officially replaced the colonial-era Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, taking effect on July 1, 2024.

NAMASTE Day

Polity

Context

• The Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment celebrated the 3rd NAMASTE Day on July 14, marking three years since the launch of the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme in 2023.

NAMASTE Day 

• It is dedicated to honouring sanitation workers including sewer and septic tank workers, waste pickers and former manual scavengers for their vital role in safeguarding public health and environmental sanitation.

National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)

• Launched in – July 2023

• Financing – Central Sector Scheme 

• Implemented by – Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 

Objectives:

• Zero fatalities in sanitation work.
• All sanitation operations to be performed by skilled workers.
• No direct contact with human faecal matter.
• Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers.

Key Interventions:

• • Profiling: Digital profiling of Sewer/Septic Tank Workers (SSWs).
  • Safety: Providing PPE kits, safety devices, and training to workers.
  • Empowerment: Capital subsidy for purchasing sanitation machinery to become “sanipreneurs”.
  • Health: Occupational safety training and health insurance.
• Significance: Aligns with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and promotes the dignity and safety of sanitation workers.

Atmanirbhar Panchayat Program

Government Schemes

Context (PIB): 

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj promotes Financial Self-Reliance of Panchayats under the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Program.

About – 

• It is a national challenge programme by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) 
• Objective – to help eligible Gram Panchayats (GPs) and Block Panchayats (BPs) develop financially viable, revenue-generating projects.
• The programme operates under the broader umbrella of the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA).

Key Features

• Eligibility: To participate, Gram Panchayats must have a minimum Own Source Revenue (OSR) of ₹50 lakh, and Block Panchayats must have an Own Source Revenue (OSR)  of ₹1 crore, with at least three years of their tenure remaining.
• Written documentation of Gram Sabha’s consent is a mandatory requirement for submission.
• Reward: Winner panchayats receive end-to-end technical assistance to develop & implement the project.

Mugger Crocodile

Environment

News – 

• An NGT-appointed joint committee confirmed that the banned pesticide Aldrin caused several mugger crocodile deaths in the Chandraloi River in Kota district, Rajasthan.

Mugger Crocodile (Crocodylus palustris)

• • The mugger (or marsh) crocodile is a medium-sized, broad-snouted freshwater crocodilian.
  • It is an apex predator in its aquatic ecosystems. 
  • It digs extensive mud-bank burrows for shelter and temperature regulation during extreme weather.
  • Distribution: Inhabits marshes, lakes, rivers, and artificial ponds across the Indian subcontinent, mainly in India with smaller populations in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, and Iran.
  • Diet: Juveniles feed on insects and small fish, while adults prey on larger fish, birds, snakes, and mammals.
  • It is a keystone species that controls prey populations, recycles nutrients, and scavenges carcasses.

• Conservation status – IUCN: Vulnerable; CITES: Appendix I; WPA: Schedule I.

Additional Information – Comparison of India’s Crocodile Species

• India is home to three distinct species of crocodilians: the Gharial, the Mugger (Marsh Crocodile), and the Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodile. 
• All three species are protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, 

NIDAR 2.0

Science & Technology

News – 

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with Drone Federation India (DFI), launched the 2nd edition of the National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research (NIDAR 2.0) under the SwaYaan initiative.
• The 1st edition of NIDAR 2025-26 was launched in March 2025. 

About – 

• It empowers India’s College Graduates to build collaborative autonomous drones for defined problem statements.

SwaYaan

• SwaYaan is a national initiative of the MeitY launched in 2022.
• Aimed at developing a skilled workforce and strengthening India’s UAS Drone ecosystem. 
• Significance – It supports the Government’s vision of making India a global drone hub by 2030.
• It focuses on capacity building for human resource development in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including drones and related technologies.

Earendil-1 Satellite

Science & Technology

News – 

• The U.S. has authorised a startup, to launch and operate Earendil-1, an experimental satellite designed to reflect sunlight onto selected locations on Earth during nighttime.
• Earendil-1 is a non-geostationary satellite equipped with a large deployable thin-film mirror that can be steered to reflect sunlight toward specific areas on Earth.
• Significance – The project aims to extend daylight hours for solar power generation and provide temporary illumination during emergencies, disaster response, and humanitarian operations.

UMANG Portal

Government Schemes

Context

• Researchers have identified security vulnerabilities in India’s UMANG Portal, raising concerns about personal data.

UMANG (Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance) 

• • It was launched in November 2017.
  • It is a flagship initiative under the Digital India Programme. 
  • It offers a single window access to a wide range of services delivered by the Central Government, State Governments and local bodies through a unified mobile application. 
  • Significance – It enables citizens to access services such as EPFO, healthcare, pensions, LPG bookings, certificates, and several other citizen-centric services through a single platform. 
  • As of February 2026, UMANG offers 2,446 services from 240 government departments, including 80 Central Government Departments and 160 departments across 30 States and Union Territories. 
• UMANG supports 23 Indian languages, including Hindi, English, Nepali, and Sanskrit.

Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)

Economy

News

• The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) absorbed 1.67 lakh crore rupees through the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF).

Standing Deposit Facility (SDF)

• It is a collateral-free RBI tool used to absorb excess liquidity from banks.

Core Features

• No collateral: Banks park funds without RBI giving government securities.
• Corridor floor: It forms the lower bound of the LAF corridor.
• Urjit Patel Committee: First recommended the tool in 2014.
• April 2022: Officially implemented to manage pandemic-induced liquidity.

Other Monetary Policy Tools in India

• Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI lends short-term funds to banks against collateral.
• Reverse Repo Rate: Rate at which RBI absorbs liquidity from banks.
• Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): Portion of deposits banks must keep with RBI in cash.
• Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR): Portion of deposits kept in liquid assets (gold, cash, securities).
• Open Market Operations (OMO): Buying/selling of government securities to control liquidity.
• Marginal Standing Facility (MSF): Emergency borrowing by banks at a penal rate.
• Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF): Framework for repo/reverse repo operations.
• Market Stabilisation Scheme (MSS): Bonds issued to absorb excess liquidity.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2)

Environment

Context

• As per the study, nearly 81 per cent of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from coal plants within a 300-km radius of Delhi-NCR originate from facilities exempted from installing pollution control systems.

Sulfur dioxide (SO₂)

• It is a colorless, pungent, and toxic gas.
• Primary Source: Coal-fired thermal power plants.
• Natural Source: Volcanic eruptions and geothermal activity.
• India Status: Top global anthropogenic SO₂ emitter.
• Health Impact: Causes severe respiratory diseases (asthma).
• Environment: Precursor to acid rain.
• Note – Sulfur dioxide is not a greenhouse gas. While it is a major air pollutant with significant environmental impacts, it actually has a cooling effect on the Earth’s climate rather than a warming one

Global Liveability Index 2026

Miscellaneous

Context

• The Economist Intelligence Unit has released the Global Liveability Index 2026.

Major Highlights

• • Published by – The index is compiled annually by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the research and analysis arm of The Economist Group, 
  • It evaluated 173 cities across 30 indicators
  • Five categories: Stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
  • Copenhagen (Denmark) remains the world’s most liveable city, edging out Vienna (Austria) and Melbourne (Australia), which are in second and third place.

• New Delhi is ranked 120, followed by Mumbai (121), Chennai (123), and Bengaluru (127).

• Karachi stayed pinned at 170th place two years consecutively, Dhaka held at 171st, Damascus (Syria) remains the world’s least liveable city for a second consecutive year.

Version 2026-1 of the IUCN Red List

Environment

News –  

• The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released the updated version 2026-1 of its Red List of Threatened Species.

About- 

• IUCN Red List now covers 175,909 species, of which 49,505 (approximately 28%) are classified as threatened with extinction.

IUCN Red List

• IUCN Red List is the most comprehensive inventory of the global extinction risk of animal, plant, and fungal species, maintained by the Species Survival Commission.
• Species are placed in nine categories: Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, and Extinct.

International Union of Conservation of Nature

• Establishment – 1948.
• Set up in – Gland, Switzerland. 
• Objective – To promote international cooperation and to provide scientific knowledge and tools to aid conservation action.
• IUCN Red List – It established the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 1964.

IUCN Red List

• • It is a list compiled by the IUCN, which contains the world’s most comprehensive information on the conservation status of plants, animals, and fungus species. 

  • Species in the IUCN Red List – There are 143000 species on the Red List.

• India’s membership in IUCN – India became a member in 1969

• The IUCN classification – The IUCN classification of species is based on their extinction/conservation status. 

They are as follows  

• Extinct (EX)

• Extinct in the Wild (EW)

• Critically Endangered (CR)

• Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU)

• Near Threatened (NT)

• Least Concern (LC)

• Data Deficient (DD) 

• Not Evaluated (NE)