Resistance against Ken-Betwa Link Project

ENVIRONMENT

News

Adivasi people in Madhya Pradesh are protesting against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project for fear of mass displacement, degradation of their ancestral woods, and loss of their traditional identity.

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.

India-Brazil Relations

International

Context

India and Brazil reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation in telecommunications and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

India–Brazil Relations

Diplomatic: Relations since 1948; Strategic Partnership since 2006.
Trade: Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in South America; bilateral trade $12.2 bn (2024–25).
Defence: Defence Cooperation Agreement (2003); Joint Defence Committee (JDC).
Security: Strategic Dialogue since 2006; extradition and mutual legal assistance agreements.
Space: Cooperation since 2004; satellite tracking and data sharing.
Multilateral: Cooperation through BRICS, G20, G4, IBSA, BASIC, ISA, UN, WTO, UNESCO & WIPO.

Key Areas of Convergence

UNSC Reform: Expansion of permanent & non-permanent categories.
Global South: Reform of UN, IMF & World Bank.
Biofuels: Founding members of Global Biofuels Alliance; focus on clean energy.
Climate: Cooperation on tropical forests, climate finance & COP30.
Health: Joint R&D in vaccines and tropical diseases.
Food Security: Cooperation through Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty.
Technology: Collaboration in AI, quantum technology & renewables.
Trade & Investment: Reduce trade barriers, facilitate visas and explore local-currency financing.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

Economy

News

PM-AASHA has emerged as a strong and structured mechanism to support farmers through assured procurement, price stabilization, and effective market interventions.

Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

Launched: 2018
Objective – It aims to ensure remunerative prices to farmers, prevent distress sales and maintain price stability.
Components:
- PSS: Procurement of pulses, oilseeds & copra at MSP.
- PSF: Buffer stocks to control price volatility.
- PDPS: Pays MSP–market price difference to farmers.
- MIS: Support for perishable crops during price crashes.
Significance: Strengthens MSP-based price assurance while balancing farmer and consumer interests.

Terrier Cyber Quest 2026

Internal Security

News

The Territorial Army, in collaboration with CyberPeace, has launched Terrier Cyber Quest 2026 (TCQ 3.0).

Terrier Cyber Quest

National-level hackathon focused on defence, cybersecurity and information-domain challenges.
Brings together academia, industry, research institutions, government and Armed Forces.
Promotes AI, cybersecurity, threat mitigation and indigenous solutions.

Bug Hunting: CTF-based vulnerability identification in simulated critical infrastructure.
AI Kavach: AI/ML solutions for threat intelligence, anomaly detection and automated defence.
Creators Challenge: Awareness campaigns on deepfakes, phishing, scams and misinformation.

Rising cases of Swine Flu

Health

News

Delhi has registered 1,777 confirmed cases of swine flu, with hospitals reporting a spurt in illnesses in all age groups over the past two weeks.

Swine Influenza

Cause: Respiratory disease of pigs caused by Influenza A viruses.
Common subtypes: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2.
Transmission: Mainly through coughing/sneezing; also via contaminated surfaces.
Human infection: Can spread person-to-person.
Distribution: Common in the Americas, Europe and parts of Asia; also reported in Africa.
Treatment: Mainly supportive care; antibiotics do not work against viral infections.
UPSC Link: Influenza A → zoonotic potential → respiratory infection → viral disease.

GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)

Economy

Context

Less-than-anticipated cases were filed with the GST Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT).

About GSTAT

Established under: CGST Act, 2017.
Purpose: Appellate authority for disputes arising under GST laws.
Structure: National Principal Bench + State Benches.
Composition: Judicial Member + Technical Members (Centre/State).
Appeals: Hears appeals against orders passed by Appellate/Revisionary Authorities under GST.
Significance: Provides specialised, speedy and uniform resolution of GST disputes and reduces the burden on higher courts.
Constitutional link: GST is based on Article 246A, with the GST Council under Article 279A.

Additional Information – Goods and Service Tax (GST)

Goods and Services Tax is an indirect tax used in India on the supply of goods and services.
It is a value-added tax levied on most goods and services sold for domestic consumption.
It was launched in India in 2017 as a comprehensive indirect tax for the entire country.

It is of three types i.e.

CGST to be levied by the Centre,
SGST to be levied by the States and
IGST a tax levied on all Inter-State supplies of goods and/or services.

GST Council

- Legal status – It is a Constitutional body under Article 279A, introduced by the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016.
- Mandate – It is empowered to modify, reconcile or to procure any law or regulation based on the context of GST in India.
- Federal body – It is also considered as a federal body where both the centre and the states get due representation.
- Functions: It makes recommendations to the Union and State Government on issues related to GST.

Composition

- Chairperson: Union Finance Minister.
- Members: Union State Minister of Revenue or Finance and Ministers in-charge of Finance or Taxation of all the States.

Heritage Village

Government schemes

News:

Odisha plans to develop Gurujang village, Angul, birthplace of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, as a heritage village.

About –

Meaning: Traditional settlements conserved to preserve cultural heritage, architecture, traditions and lifestyle.

Heritage includes:

Tangible: Houses, monuments, artefacts.
Intangible: Festivals, folklore, crafts, music and traditional knowledge.
Significance: Promotes cultural tourism while preserving local identity.
Key Example: Pragpur, Himachal Pradesh – widely recognised as India’s first heritage village.
Other examples: Kisama (Nagaland), Reiek (Mizoram), Khasi Heritage Village (Meghalaya).

Additional Information – Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY)

Launched: 2015 by the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
Aim: Preserve and revitalise heritage cities by improving infrastructure around heritage sites.
Focus: Sanitation, roads, public spaces, water supply, parking, security and civic facilities.
Coverage: 12 heritage cities, including Varanasi, Ajmer, Amritsar, Mathura, Gaya and Puri.
Funding: 100% Central Government funded.
Duration: Implemented from 2015–2019.