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Eco Sensitive Areas

Environment

Context

• The Western Ghats may soon receive stronger legal protection in at least three states through the notification of Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs).

• Once notified, these areas will face stricter curbs on mining, polluting industries, and large construction projects.

Eco Sensitive Zones

• Notified by – These are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) under the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Definition – The land falling within 10 km of the boundaries of national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are notified as eco-fragile zones or Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs).

Activities in ESZs

• Prohibited Activities: Commercial mining, saw mills, industries causing pollution (air, water, soil, noise etc), establishment of major hydroelectric projects (HEP), commercial use of wood.
• Regulated Activities: Felling of trees, establishment of hotels and resorts, commercial use of natural water, erection of electrical cables, drastic change of agriculture system.
• Permitted Activities: Ongoing agricultural or horticultural practices, rainwater harvesting, organic farming.

Kheer Bhawani Mela

Culture

Context

• In Kashmir Valley, the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani is being celebrated with religious fervour and gaiety on the occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami.

About

• • This is one of the most important festivals for the Kashmiri Pandit community during which devotees offer Kheer (rice pudding), milk, flowers, and aromatic leaves to Mata Ragnya Devi. 

• The mela symbolizes faith, resilience, cultural reconnection, and communal harmony.

About Kheer Bhawani Temple

• • It is dedicated to Goddess Ragnya Devi, who is considered an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
  • The original temple was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh around 1912 in Ganderbal, Jammu and Kashmir. It was later embellished and renovated by Maharaja Hari Singh.

• A distinctive feature of the temple is a hexagonal spring located at its center, revered for its sacred water.

• Both the temple and the festival derive their name from the sweet dish ‘kheer’, which is distributed as prasad (a religious offering) to devotees.

Khurasani Imli

Economy

Context

• The fruit of Mandu’s Baobab tree, known locally as Khurasani Imli, has secured a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

About 

• • Khurasani Imli is the fruit of the Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata), a species native to Africa and Madagascar.
  • It is popularly known as the “Tree of Life” because of its multiple uses and exceptional resilience.
  • In India, baobabs occur in the semi-arid regions of central India and parts of the Western Ghats.
  • Mandu in Madhya Pradesh is one of the few places in India where Baobab trees are found in large numbers.
  • Historical accounts suggest that the seeds were brought to Mandu by Afghan rulers or Arab traders around the 14th–15th century.
  • The tree is known for its distinctive bottle-shaped trunk and its ability to store large quantities of water.
• The fruit is rich in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and has traditional medicinal uses.

12th International Day of Yoga

Culture

News – 

• The 12th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was celebrated globally on June 21, 2026, under the official theme “Yoga for Healthy Ageing”.

About – 

• Main Venue: The national celebration was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the historic Red Road in Kolkata, West Bengal.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Ayush serves as the nodal agency coordinating the celebrations and policy implementation in India.

Key 2026 Initiatives:

• Yoga Sangam Portal: A digital platform that allowed over 6 lakh organizations to synchronize and perform yoga simultaneously across the country.
• Yoga 365 Campaign: Aimed at shifting public perspective from a symbolic one-day annual celebration to daily lifestyle integration.
• Lonar Record: During the 75-day countdown event (Yoga Mahotsav-2026) at Lonar Lake, Maharashtra, a record was set in the Asia Book of Records for the largest collective performance of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). 

Background – 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the idea at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2014. UNGA Resolution 69/131 was adopted in December 2014 with a record 175 co-sponsoring nations.
• Why June 21?: The date marks the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In Indian mythology, this celestial transition is historically viewed as the beginning of Yogic science (the transition of Adi Yogi to Adi Guru).
• UNESCO Recognition: In December 2016, Yoga was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• Philosophical Roots: Yoga is one of the six orthodox (Astika) schools of Indian philosophy (Shad-Darshana). It was systematically compiled by Maharishi Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras, advocating the eight-fold path (Ashtanga Yoga).

Rakhigarhi

History and Culture

Context

• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has sent nearly 5,000-year-old skeletons unearthed at Haryana’s Rakhigarhi, for scientific examination and facial reconstruction.

Rakhigarhi

• • The present-day Rakhigarhi is located 27 km from the Ghaggar river, in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain in Haryana.

• The archaeological site, dating back to 2600-1900 BCE.

• It is the largest Harappans site in the Indian Subcontinent.
• The site was first excavated by Amarendra Nath of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Findings

• Granary: A granary belonging to the mature Harappan phase (2600 BCE to 2000 BCE) has been found here. It has 7 rectangular or square chambers.
• Culture, clothing and worship: Fire altars and apsidal structures were revealed in Rakhigarhi.
• Cemetery and burial sites: A cemetery of Mature Harappan period is discovered at Rakhigarhi, with eight graves found.

First Amendment

Polity

Context

• On June 18, 1951, the First Amendment to the Indian Constitution came into force. 

• The First Amendment to the Indian Constitution, enacted on June 18, 1951, was introduced by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to override court rulings that blocked state policies.

Key Changes

• Restricted Free Speech: Added “public order,” “friendly relations with foreign states,” and “incitement to an offence” as limits to Article 19.
• Protected Land Reforms: Created the Ninth Schedule to shield land reform laws from judicial review.
• Allowed Quotas: Added Article 15(4) to enable caste-based reservations in education and employment.
• Enabled State Monopolies: Allowed the government to nationalise trades or businesses.

Ammonia Gas

Science & technology

Context

• An ammonia gas leak at a private seafood processing and export facility in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu has hospitalized many working people. 

Ammonia (NH₃)

• Ammonia (NH₃) is a colourless gas with a strong, pungent smell. 
• It is a simple inorganic compound made up of nitrogen and hydrogen. 
• Although it occurs naturally in small quantities during the decomposition of organic matter, it is also produced on a large scale because of its wide industrial and agricultural applications.
• Industrial ammonia is commercially produced through the Haber–Bosch process, in which atmospheric nitrogen reacts with hydrogen under high temperature and pressure in the presence of an iron catalyst.
• It is majorly used in fertilizers industries, chemical industries and in food processing due to its excellent cooling efficiency.

Biochar

Environment

Context

• Biochar is emerging as a sustainable solution to convert agricultural waste into a valuable resource for improving soil health and mitigating climate change.

Biochar

• Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that’s made by burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes (also called biomass) in a controlled process called pyrolysis.
• Unlike ordinary organic matter, biochar decomposes very slowly and can remain in the soil for hundreds of years.
• It is highly porous, enabling it to store water, nutrients, and beneficial microorganisms.

Benefits of Biochar

• Agricultural Productivity: Studies indicate that biochar can improve crop yields by 10–30%, particularly in nutrient-deficient soils.
• Carbon Credits: Biochar can generate carbon credits because it removes carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in soil.
• Water Retention: Biochar acts like a sponge and stores water within its porous structure. Research shows that it can increase the water-holding capacity of soils by 10–25%.

Abhigyan App

Polity

Context

• The Union Home Minister launched the Abhigyan app developed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

About

• The app links to the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) to store fingerprint scans of accused, convicts, and those in prisons on a centralized platform.
• The prints can be matched with the NAFIS database in 35 seconds.
• Significance – During routine vehicle checks on the streets, biometric scans of any suspicious individual can be conducted to identify persons wanted in connection with crimes.

Right To Walk On Footpath Is A Fundamental Right: SC

Polity

Context

• In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court has held that the right to walk on safe and demarcated footpaths is a fundamental right.

About

• The right to walk flows from Article 19(1)(d) (freedom of movement) and Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty). 

• According to the Court, the right to walk also supports freedom of expression, assembly, and association under Article 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), and 19(1)(c).
• The judgment places a duty on municipal corporations, urban development authorities, municipalities, and even panchayats to build, maintain, and protect pedestrian infrastructure.
• The Court emphasized that pedestrian rights must be prioritized over motorised vehicles in urban planning, and citizens can seek legal remedies if safe and accessible footpaths are not provided.

Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2026

Economy

Context

• According to the Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2026, the global energy transition has effectively stalled despite total energy investments touching $3.3 trillion in 2025.

Energy Transition Index (ETI)

• Published by – It is an annual index published by the World Economic Forum.
• Objective – It measures how effectively countries are transitioning toward secure, sustainable, equitable, and affordable energy systems.
• Evaluation Criteria: The index is based on two broad dimensions:

1. System Performance: Energy security, sustainability, and equity.
2. Transition Readiness: Policies, regulations, investment, infrastructure, innovation, education, and institutional support.

• Significance: It helps governments identify strengths and weaknesses in their energy transition efforts and guides policy reforms.

Major Findings of Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2026

• • Sweden, Finland and Denmark retained their top three positions globally.
• India advanced two places to rank 70th.

Financial Action Task Force (FATF)

International

Context

• The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary has appointed Culture Ministry Secretary Vivek Aggarwal as the next vice-president.
• This is the first time that India will hold the Vice-Presidency of the FATF.
• He will serve as vice president from July 2026 to June 2027.

Financial Action Task Force

• Established – The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris.
• Objective – To set standards and promote effective implementation of legal, regulatory and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.
• Secretariat – It is located at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) headquarters in Paris.
• Member Countries – 37 member countries where India is also a member.

FATF has two lists

• Grey List – Countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are put in the FATF grey list. This inclusion serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
• Black List – Countries known as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs) are put in the blacklist. These countries support terror funding and money laundering activities. The FATF revises the blacklist regularly, adding or deleting entries.

Smart Seed Coating Technology to Boost Crop Yields

Science & technology

Context

• The Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (ICAR-IIOR), Hyderabad, has developed Smart Seed Coating Technology that improves seed quality.

Smart Seed Coating Technology 

• • Developed by – ICAR-IIOR 

• It utilizes biodegradable biopolymeric materials to create a multifunctional protective layer around seeds. 

• The coating acts as a carrier system for beneficial microorganisms, nutrients, micronutrients, crop protection agents, and plant growth-promoting compounds, delivering them directly at the seed-soil interface. 
• This protective microenvironment promotes rapid germination, vigorous seedling growth, enhanced root development, and improved tolerance to environmental stresses during the critical crop establishment phase.
• The innovation is particularly valuable for rainfed agriculture, which accounts for a significant share of India’s cultivated area and remains highly vulnerable to delayed monsoons.