Blog

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)

PM-UDAY Scheme

Government Schemes

In News

• Recently Delhi CM has sought ₹100 crore as a first phase central government financial assistance to implement the revised Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY) in the national capital.

Pradhan Mantri –Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY)

• Financing – It is a central sector initiative 
• Launched in- October 2019 
• Objective – to grant legal ownership, transfer, and mortgage rights to residents living in Delhi’s unauthorised colonies. 
• Administered by – Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)

Parrot Bornavirus 4

Science & technology

Context

• Deadly bird virus PaBV-4 has been identified for the first time in India.

Parrot Bornavirus 4 (PaBV-4)

• • It is an avian virus recently detected for the first time in India (Assam, Karnataka, West Bengal) among captive parrot species.
  • The Virus: Enveloped, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus (Bornaviridae family).

• Zoonotic Status: Not zoonotic (does not infect humans).

• Target: Psittacine birds (macaws, cockatoos, parakeets, budgerigars).

Associated Disease

• It causes Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD), also called “Macaw Wasting Disease.”
• Gastrointestinal: Destroys nerves in the digestive tract, causing an enlarged stomach, weight loss, and undigested seeds in droppings.
• Neurological: Causes tremors, loss of coordination, seizures, and paralysis.

Transmission & Management

• Spread: Contact with infected feces, saliva, feather dust, or vertically from parent to egg.
• Challenge: Infected birds can stay asymptomatic while actively shedding the virus.
• Control: No vaccine or cure exists. Diagnosis is via RT-PCR; management relies on isolation and supportive care.

Direct Seeded Rice (DSR)

Economy

In News

• Recently, the Chhattisgarh government issued an advisory to focus  on prioritising Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) over the traditional transplanting method against the backdrop of the uncertainty of rainfall due to El Niño.

Direct Seeding of Rice 

• It is a resource-efficient cultivation technique where paddy seeds are sown directly into the main field, completely bypassing the traditional, water-intensive stages of nursery raising, manual transplanting, and field puddling.
• Also locally called the ‘tar-wattar’ technique (sowing in moist soil).
• It has gained immense policy traction across states like Punjab and Haryana to counter severe groundwater depletion and El Niño-induced monsoon deficits.

Additional Information – DSR vs. Traditional Puddled Transplanted Rice (PTR)

Long March 10B Rocket

Science & Technology

In News

• China successfully achieved its first reusable rocket landing at the Wenchang Commercial Space Launch Site, making a precise sea-based recovery after separation.

Long March 10B

• It is also called Changzheng 10B.
• It is designed to support next-generation space exploration.
• Developer: China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).
• Primary Mission: Launching the Mengzhou (crewed spacecraft) and Lanyue (lunar lander) for China’s manned lunar missions.
• Timeline: The first test flight is projected around 2027, aiming for a crewed moon landing by 2030.

India-New Zealand ‘Strategic Partnership’

International

News – 

• The Prime Minister’s visit to Auckland was the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to New Zealand in four decades.
• PM Modi was honoured with a Māori Pōwhiri, a formal welcome ceremony of the Māori (the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand), featuring the ‘Haka’ dance.

Outcomes of the Visit

• Roadmap to 2030: Elevated bilateral relations to a ‘Strategic Partnership’.
• Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative: New Zealand adopted Maritime Security as its priority pillar within the seven-pillar IPOI framework.
• Climate and Energy Platforms: New Zealand joined the Global Biofuels Alliance and reaffirmed its cooperation under the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
• Civilisational Ties: Established cultural and traditional medicine cooperation alongside a framework between the New Zealand Maritime Museum and India’s National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal.

New Zealand

• Island Nation: New Zealand is a remote island country in the South Pacific Ocean, consisting of two main islands (North and South) and several smaller islands.
• No Land Borders, and Australia is its nearest neighbour, located over 1,600 km to the northwest.
• Geopolitical Position: It lies in Australasia with Australia and marks the southwestern boundary of Polynesia, bordered by the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

India’s Textile Sector

Economy

Context – 

• The Ministry of Textiles released a report on India’s Textile Future, emphasising the need to adopt circular economy principles across the textile value chain.

Significance of the Textile Sector

• It is also called the “spinning wheel” of India’s industrial growth, 
• The textile and apparel sector contributes ~2% to GDP and ~11% of manufacturing GVA.
• It is India’s 2nd largest employer after agriculture, providing livelihoods to over 45 million people.
• India is the 6th largest textile and apparel exporter, with a 4% global market share.

Government Initiatives

• PM MITRA Parks: Massive textile parks with sustainable infrastructure, featuring Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) to optimize water reuse.
• Indian Carbon Market (ICM) Integration: The government has added the carbon-heavy textile sector to the requirements for disclosing Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.
• RAMP Programme: Introduced MSE-SPICE with a 25% capital subsidy for circular methods and MSE-GIFT with a 2% interest subsidy for green technology upgrades to finance small businesses.
• National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM): Funds scientific research to chemically and mechanically convert tough textile waste into industrial advanced materials.
• Eco Mark Scheme: Establishes national eco-labelling standards for textile products, easing the transition into markets with strict environmental standards.
• Mission LiFE: Promotes clothing reuse, swapping, circular economies, and less fast-fashion consumption through lifestyle change.
• Industrial Innovation: The SURE Initiative, led by CMAI and the UN in India, is India’s largest voluntary fashion-sector sustainability commitment.

Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

Science & technology

News – 

• DRDO conducted a successful flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR)

• It is an indigenously developed, precision-guided rocket for the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system.
• It is designed to replace Russian-origin BM-21 Grad systems.
• Range: Up to 120 km
• Guidance System: It combines an Inertial Navigation System (INS) with India’s NavIC (IRNSS) satellite network for precision navigation.

Oxytocin

Science & technology

Context – 

• WHO has sought information from India regarding reports linking suspected spurious oxytocin to maternal deaths.

Oxytocin 

• It is a neuropeptide hormone synthesised in the hypothalamus and released into the bloodstream by the posterior pituitary gland. 
• Often called the “love hormone.
• Function – It acts as a chemical messenger in the central nervous system, aiding childbirth, lactation, and social bonding.
• Regulation – Administering oxytocin to cattle is a cognizable offence under Section 12 of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act; unauthorised manufacture or sale is prohibited under Section 18(a) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Awiqli drug

Science & technology

In News 

• Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk launched its weekly insulin shot (icodec) in India , making blood sugar control easier and more convenient for Indian diabetics.

Icodec/Awiqli drug

• Uniqueness – The world’s first once-weekly basal insulin injection.
• Developer: Engineered and manufactured by Danish multinational Novo Nordisk.
• Target Diseases: Indicated for adults with Type 2 Diabetes (and Type 1 in specific jurisdictions like India).
• Impact Metric: Drastically reduces the treatment burden from 365 daily injections to just 52 injections per year.

Additional Information – Diabetes

• Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder in which the body either does not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.
• This leads to high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood.
• Insulin: Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas.
• It helps glucose (from food) enter cells, where it is used for energy.

Types of Diabetes

• It is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system destroys insulin-producing cells. The body produces little or no insulin.
• It usually begins in childhood or adolescence.
• It requires lifelong insulin injections.

Type 2 Diabetes

• • This is the most common type of diabetes. The body doesn’t produce enough insulin.
  • It is usually linked to obesity, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet and family history.

• It can be managed with diet, exercise, oral medications, and sometimes insulin.

Gestational Diabetes: 

• This occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears after delivery, but increases the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.

Operation Amistad

Defence

In News

• Operation Amistad has concluded successfully with the return of the Indian contingent to New Delhi.

Operation Amistad

• It is  India’s Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) mission following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.

Major International HADR Operations/Evacuation / Relief Operations

• India has emerged as a dependable first responder in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond, guided by the principles of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
• India provides humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, evacuation, medical aid and reconstruction support to the global community through the joint efforts of the Army, Navy and Air Force. 
• The induction of INS Sunayna as IOS SAGAR (2025) with personnel from Indian Ocean countries is a reflection of India’s commitment towards collective maritime security, regional cooperation and capacity building.

India’s major HADR operations include

• Operation Maitri (Nepal, 2015) for rapid rescue, relief, and $2 billion commitment for reconstruction after the earthquake;
• Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan, 2021) for the evacuation of 669 people and humanitarian aid; 
• Mission SAGAR (2020 onwards) where the Indian Navy provided food, medical oxygen and relief materials to 15 Indian Ocean countries during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
• Operation Samudra Setu (2020) to repatriate 3,992 Indians by sea.
• Operation Ganga (Ukraine, 2022) to evacuate more than 18,000 Indian citizens during the conflict,
• Operation Dost (Türkiye and Syria, 2023) to send medical teams, field hospitals, rescue teams and more than 135 tonnes of relief material after the deadly earthquakes,
• Operation Kaveri (Sudan, 2023) to ensure the safe evacuation of Indian nationals during civil conflict
• Operation Brahma (Myanmar, 2025) to provide approximately 750 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, field hospital for  earthquake-hit Myanmar.

GI Tag to Jodhpur Mojari

Economy

Context

• The iconic Jodhpur Mojari, a handcrafted footwear tradition from Rajasthan, has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

Jodhpur Mojari

• It is a leather boot known for its high craftsmanship, delicate embroidery and timeless style. 
• It is predominantly created by the Jinagar community who were traditionally engaged in saddle manufacture.

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.

GI tags of 2026

India’s First Hydrogen Train

Science and Tech

Context

• Indian Railways has notified India’s first hydrogen-powered train, which is expected to be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 July. 

India’s first hydrogen-powered train

• Launch Date: Scheduled for July 17, 2026.
• Route: Jind to Sonipat (89 km) in Haryana.
• Global Status: Puts India in an elite club (with Germany, Sweden, China, US, Japan).
• Maker: Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, under RDSO supervision.
• Specs: 10-car Broad Gauge trainset (longest broad-gauge hydrogen train globally).
• Speed & Power: Max speed 75 kmph; capacity of 2400 kW.
• Fuel Station: Dedicated 3,000-kg storage and refueling hub set up at Jind.

Ken-Betwa River Linking Project

Economy

Context

• Residents of several villages who are being impacted by the Ken-Betwa river linking project, have restarted their agitation over their demands of better compensation and rehabilitation.

Ken-Betwa Link Project 

• It is a project proposed to transfer excess water from the River Ken to the Betwa basin through the use of a concrete canal. 
• Objective – to provide irrigation to the Bundelkhand region of UP, which is one of the worst drought-affected areas in India.
• Beneficiary states –  Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Significance – It will meet the irrigation purposes, drinking water, and electricity needs of 6 districts in both states.
• Biodiversity Concerns – Nearly 8,650 hectares of forest land including part of Panna National Park in Madhya Pradesh will be submerged if the project were to become a reality.

Conservation Projects for River Dolphins & Snow Leopards 

Environment

Context

• The governing body of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) gave the nod to four new conservation projects for river dolphins, snow leopards, wild water buffalo, and Indian rhinoceros along with continued support for the conservation of Manipur’s brow-antlered deer, Sangai.

Snow Leopard

• Scientific name – Panthera uncia
• Habitats – The Snow Leopard lives at high altitudes in the steep mountains of Central and Southern Asia, and in an extremely cold climate.
• Range states – Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim
• Ghost of the mountains – The Snow Leopard is also known as Ghost of the mountains 
• Bio indicator – It acts as an indicator of the health of the mountain ecosystem
• Snow Leopard capital of the world – Hemis, Ladakh.
• International Snow Leopard Day – It is observed on 23rd October.

Conservation status  

• IUCN Red List- Vulnerable
• CITES convention – Appendix I
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972– Schedule I

Conservation Efforts Launched by India

1. Project Snow Leopard (PSL) 

• Launched in  – 2009 
• Objective – To promote an inclusive and participatory approach to conserve snow leopards and their habitat.

1. Species recovery programme – Snow Leopard is in the list of 21 critically endangered species for the recovery programme of the Ministry of Environment Forest & Climate Change.
2. Snow Leopard conservation breeding programme – It is undertaken at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling, West Bengal.
3. HimalSanrakshak – It is a community volunteer programme, to protect snow leopards, launched on 23rd October 2020.
4. First National Protocol –  was also launched In 2019.
5. SECURE Himalaya – Global Environment Facility (GEF) , United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded the project on conservation of high altitude biodiversity and reducing the dependency of local communities on the natural ecosystem.

International Conservation Efforts

• SNOW LEOPARD ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION PROGRAM – It seeks to address high-mountain development issues using the conservation of the endangered snow leopard as a flagship program.
• Bishkek Declaration – In 2013, the 12 snow leopard range countries signed and agreed to secure at least 20 snow leopard landscapes across by 2020 
• International Year of the Snow Leopard – Year ‘2015’ was designated as International Year of the Snow Leopard 

Recent Census – 

• The exercise reported 718 snow leopards in India
• It was conducted from 2019 to 2023.
• Conducted by – The program was conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) with the help of all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners – the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru (Karnataka), and WWF (World Wildlife Fund)-India. 
• Based on data analysis, the estimated population of 718 snow leopards in different states/UTs are as follows – Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and J & K (9).

Wild Water Buffalo (Bubalus Arnee)

• It is also called Asiatic buffalo.
• It is a large bovine native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
• Habitat: The wild water buffalo occurs in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, and Cambodia. 
• Indian distribution – Kaziranga, Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa National Parks, Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary and Bura Chapori Wildlife Sanctuary and in a few scattered pockets in Assam,
• IUCN status: Endangered.

Indian rhinoceros (Greater One-Horned Rhino)

• Scientific name – Rhinocerotidae
• Habitats – Rhinos’ habitats include tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands, tropical moist forests, deserts and shrublands.
• In India, it is found in Assam – Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park, Pobitora Reserve Forest, Orang National Park, and Laokhowa Reserve Forest.
• Three species of rhino – There are three species of rhino in Asia — Greater one-horned, Javan, and Sumatran.
• Rhino range countries – India, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. These countries are also known as Asian Rhino Range Countries.
• Great one-horned rhino –  The Indian state of Assam is home to the largest population of greater-one horned rhinos, with more than 90% in Kaziranga National Park.
• World Rhino Day – It is celebrated on September 22nd of every year.

Conservation status 

• IUCN – Vulnerable
• Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 – Schedule I

River Dolphins

• India is home to two species of freshwater dolphins: Ganges (Platanista gangetica) and Indus (Platanista minor).

Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista Gangetica)

Characteristics

• Functionally blind; relies on echolocation for hunting.

• Known as Susu due to the sound it makes while breathing.

• Exclusively freshwater species, inhabiting Ganga and Brahmaputra river basins in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.
• Threats: Habitat destruction, pollution and hunting. 

conservation Status

• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Appendix I
• CMS (Convention on Migratory Species): Appendix I
• IUCN Red List: Endangered

National & State Recognition

• Declared India’s National Aquatic Animal in 2009.

• Recognized as the State Aquatic Animal of Assam.

Indus River Dolphin (Platanista minor)

Characteristics:

• Functionally blind, navigates using echolocation.

• Locally called Bhulan in the region.

• Found mainly in the Indus River System (Pakistan) with a small population in India’s Beas River.
• Threats: Habitat fragmentation, Restricted range, leading to population isolation.

Conservation Status:

• • Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered.

• State Recognition:Declared the State Aquatic Animal of Punjab.

Do You Know?

• • One more species of Dolphin i.e. Irrawaddy dolphin found in India in Chilika Lake (Asia’s largest brackish water lagoon) in Odisha.
  • Unlike the other two species, Irrawaddy dolphins are not blind and have a bulbous head with no beak.

• IUCN Red List Conservation status: Critically Endangered.

Brow-antlered deer

• The Sangai, also known as the Manipur brow-antlered deer.
• It is a deer species found exclusively in Manipur, within the Keibul Lamjao National Park, India. 
• It serves as the official state animal of Manipur and is famously nicknamed the “dancing deer” due to its unique, delicate gait over its marshy habitat.