SUNYA NOTES (August)

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INDEX
TOPIC Page Number
1) Environment 2
2) Schemes 8
3) International Relations 13
4) S&T 18
5) Polity and Governance 23
6) Economy 30
7) Defence 32
8) Health 35
9) Indices and Reports 37
10) Art and Culture 38
11) Miscellaneous 41

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1) ENVIRONMENT
 Anang Tal Lake = It is located in South Delhi. The lake is situated to the north of Jog Maya
temple and approximately 500 metres to the northwest of Qutub Complex + The lake is claimed
to have been built by a Tomar King, Anangpal II in 1060 AD + The lake is said to have been
a place of a general resort, but now it is dried up and used for cultivation + Recently, Anang
Tal lake was declared a monument of national importance through a gazette notification by the
Ministry of Culture. In exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 of the Ancient
Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, the central government declared
ancient site and remains to be of national importance + (Anangpal II = Anangpal II, popularly
known as Anangpal Tomar, belonged to the Tomar dynasty + He was the founder of Dhillika
Puri, which eventually became Delhi + Multiple inscriptions and coins suggest Anangpal
Tomar was the ruler of present-day Delhi and Haryana in between the 8th-12th centuries + He
had built the city from ruins and under his supervision, Anang Tal Baoli and Lal Kot were
constructed + Anangpal Tomar II was succeeded by his grandson Prithviraj Chauhan).
 Kushiyara River = The Kushiyara River is a distributary river in Bangladesh and Assam + It
forms on the India-Bangladesh border as a branch of the Barak River + The waters of the
Kushiyara pick up tributaries from Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam.
 Feni River = The Feni river forms part of the India-Bangladesh border + It originates in the
Tripura state and meets the Bay of Bengal after it flows into Bangladesh.
 Mahanadi River = The Mahanadi basin drains area of Chhattisgarh and Odisha, as well as
minor areas of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh + It is flanked on the north by
the Central India hills, on the south and east by the Eastern Ghats, and on the west by the
Maikala range + The Mahanadi River system is the third largest of peninsular India after
Godavari and Krishna, and the largest river of Odisha state + Its source is located in the
northern foothills of Dandakaranya in the Raipur District of Chhattisgarh + It is one of the
most-active silt-depositing streams in the Indian subcontinent + After receiving the Seonath
River, it turns east and enters Odisha state + At Sambalpur, the Hirakud Dam (one of the largest
dams in India) on the river has formed a man-made lake 35 miles (55 km) long + It enters the
Odisha plains near Cuttack and enters the Bay of Bengal at False Point by several channels +
Puri, at one of its mouths, is a famous pilgrimage site + Major Projects: Hirakud Dam,
Ravishankar Sagar, Dudhawa Reservoir, Sondur Reservoir, Hasdeo Bango and Tandula + Its
main tributaries are the Seonath, the Jonk, the Hasdeo, the Mand, the Ib, the Ong and the Tel.
 Karakoram = The Karakoram is a mountain range in Kashmir spanning across China, India,
and Pakistan with the northwest extremity of the range extending to Afghanistan and Tajikistan
+ Its highest peak of Karakoram, ‘K2’ is located in Gilgit-Baltistan + Karakoram is bounded
on the east by the Aksai Chin plateau, and on the northeast by the edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
Pamir mountains are at the northwest corner. The southern boundary of the Karakoram is
formed, west to east, by the Gilgit, Indus and Shyok rivers + (Karakoram Anomaly: The
‘Karakoram Anomaly’ is termed as the stability or anomalous growth of glaciers in the central
Karakoram, in contrast to the retreat of glaciers in other nearby mountainous ranges of
Himalayas and other mountainous ranges of the world) + Recently, China tested a short-range
surface-to-air defence missile system in the “Karakoram plateau region” near the India border
in a high altitude region above 4,500 m. It is a new type of HQ-17A short-range air defence
missile with improvements made to the performance of its search and radar tracking ability.
 Aravali Range = Aravalli Range is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running
approximately 670 km (420 mi) in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through
southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat + The system is split into two
sections: the larger Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, which include Guru shikhar Peak on Mount Abu,
the highest peak in the Aravalli Range, and the shorter Sambhar-Khetri ranges, which are made
up of three discontinuous ridges + After its formation in the Archaean Era (several 100 million

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 years ago), its summits were nourishing glaciers and several summits were probably higher
than the present day Himalayas. Now they are relict (remnants after severe weathering and
erosion for millions of years) of the world’s oldest mountain formed as a result of folding
(Archaean Era) + The Aravalli Range is abundant in natural resources (including minerals) and
acts as a barrier to the western desert's expansion + Pipli Ghat, Dewair and Desuri passes allow
movement by roads and railways + Several rivers flow from it, including the Banas, Luni,
Sakhi, and Sabarmati + (The Great Green Wall of Aravalli: It is a 1,600 km long and 5 km
wide green ecological corridor along the Aravalli range from Gujarat to Delhi + It will be
connected to the Shivalik Hill range + To be implemented on a concept similar to the Great
Green Wall of Sahara in Africa, it will act as a buffer against pollution).
 Hasdeo Aranya Region = Hasdeo Aranya (Aranya means forest) lies in the catchment area of
the Hasdeo river and is spread across 1,878 sq km in North- Central Chhattisgarh + Hasdeo
river is a tributary of the Mahanadi river which originates in Chhattisgarh and flows through
Odisha into the Bay of Bengal. The Hasdo river covers a length of nearly 333 km to merge
into the Mahanadi river on its left near to the village Mahuadih. The principal sub tributary of
the Hasdo River is Gej River.
 Cheruthoni Dam = Cheruthoni Dam, located in Idukki District, Kerala is a 138m tall concrete
gravity dam + Cheruthoni is a town on the banks of Cheruthoni River, a major tributary of the
Periyar River, the second longest river in Kerala state + This dam was constructed in 1976 as
part of the Idukki Hydroelectric Project along with two other dams Idukki and Kulamavu.
 Baansera = Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena laid the foundation stone for the Delhi’s first
bamboo theme park titled “Baansera” on the Yamuna floodplain + The park will have several
amenities like conference spaces, watchtower, kiosks, huts, and seats for public use in a
greenway area, with bamboo-curtained enclosures.
 Vishnugad Pipalkoti Hydro Electric Project (VPHEP) = under construction on the
Alaknanda River in Uttarakhand + This is being built by the Tehri Hydropower Development
Corporation (THDC), a partially State-owned enterprise + The project is primarily funded by
the World Bank and was sanctioned in 2011 + It is proposed to be completed in June 2023.
 Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Plant = National Institute of Ocean
Technology (NIOT), an autonomous Institute under Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is
establishing India’s first Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) plant + OTEC plant will
power the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) based desalination plant for
conversion of Sea water into Potable water + OTEC is a process for producing energy by
harnessing the temperature differences (thermal gradients) between ocean surface waters and
deep ocean waters. OTEC systems use a temperature difference of at least 20° Celsius to power
a turbine to produce electricity.
 Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary = Largest bird sanctuary in Karnataka + Located on the banks
of River Cauvery + It is the largest bird sanctuary in Karnataka. It was declared a wildlife
sanctuary in 1940 due to efforts of the ornithologist Salim Ali + The sanctuary is regarded as
the “Pakshi Kashi” of Karnataka + Ranganathittu is known to be an important nesting ground
for several species of resident birds. Most commonly found bird species are Painted Stork,
Kingfishers, Cormorants, Darter, Herons, River Tern, Indian Roller, Blackheaded Ibis,
Spoonbill, Great Stone Plover, and Spot-billed Pelicans. Recently, the Ranganathittu Bird
Sanctuary was declared a Ramsar site making it the first wetland in Karnataka to be designated
as a Ramsar site.
 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance = an intergovernmental
treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their
resources + adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975 + Ramsar
Sites acquire a new national and international status + There are currently over 2,200 Ramsar
Sites around the world + Chillika lake was designated the first Ramsite in India in 1981 +

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 Recently 10 wetlands got recognition under it, now India has 64 recognised wetland sides +
New Added sites are:
1. Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
2. Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, TN
3. Vembanur Wetland Complex, TN
4. Vellode Bird Sanctuary, TN
5. Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, TN
6. Udayamarthandapuram Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
7. Satkosia Gorge, Odisha.
8. Nanda Lake, Goa
9. Ranganathittu BS, Karnataka
10. Sirpur wetland, Madhya Pradesh
 Ramsar Site = India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites to make a total 75
Ramsar sites covering an area of 13,26,677 ha in the country in the 75th year of Independence
+ Many of the sites are already notified under the Union government’s Wetland (Conservation
and Management) Rules 2017 meaning development activities within the waterbody as well as
within its zone of influence are regulated + Being designated Ramsar Site means now the sites
will be on global map for their importance in providing ecological services + Eleven Ramsar
Sites added are:
 Tampara Lake (Odisha): Tampara Lake is among the most prominent freshwater
lakes in the State of Odisha. It is called ‘Tampara’ as the depression on the ground
gradually filled with rainwater from catchment flow and was called “Tamp” by the
British and subsequently termed “Tampara” by the locals. The wetland is an important
habitat for vulnerable species such as Cyprinus carpio, common pochard (Aythya
ferina), and river tern (Sterna aurantia).
 Hirakud Reservoir (Odisha): Hirakud Reservoir, the largest earthen dam in Odisha
started operating in 1957. The reservoir is important for the livelihoods of fishermen,
tourism, irrigation and production of hydro-energy + The wetland also provides
important hydrological services by moderating floods in the Mahanadi delta, the
ecological and socio-economic hub of the east coast of India.
 Ansupa Lake (Odisha, Cuttack district): Ansupa Lake is the largest freshwater lake
in Odisha situated in the Cuttack district + The wetland is an oxbow lake formed by
River Mahanadi + The wetland provides a safe habitat to:-
o Three threatened bird species– Rynchops albicollis (EN), Sterna acuticauda (EN)
and Sterna aurantia (VU)
o Three threatened fish species– Clarias magur (Clariidae) (EN), Cyprinus carpio
(Cyprinidae) (VU) and Wallago attu (VU).
o The wetland has immense recreational and tourism potential as it is a major
wintering ground for migratory birds and is also known for its scenic beauty.
 Yashwant Sagar (Indore, Madhya Pradesh): Presently it is mainly used for water
supply to the city of Indore and is also being used for fish culture on a commercial scale
+ Yashwant Sagar is considered to be a stronghold of the vulnerable Sarus Crane in
central India. Due to its vast shallow reed beds, the wetland is considered heaven to a
large number of winter migratory birds.

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  Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary ( Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu): The wetland has
been a protected area since 1989 and declared a Bird Sanctuary + It is an ideal habitat
for winter migratory birds.
 Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex (Kanya Kumari, Tamil Nadu): It is part
of the Suchindram-Theroor Manakudi Conservation Reserve + It is declared an
Important Bird Area and lies at the southern tip of the Central Asian flyway of
migratory birds + This is a man-made, inland Tank and is perennial.
 Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu): It is a large human-made irrigation tank and
shelter for migratory birds as it provides a suitable environment for food, shelter, and
breeding ground + Thus, the site provides support to species such as Indian Pond Heron
Ardeola grayii during critical stages of their life cycle.
 Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary (Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu): It is notable as
a nesting site for several migratory heron species that roost in the prominent growth of
babul trees there + The site qualifies as an IBA as the threatened Spot-billed Pelican
Pelecanus philippensis breeds here + The wetland supports IUCN RedList vulnerable
avian species like Sterna aurantia (River Tern).
 Thane Creek (Maharashtra): Ulhas River is the largest source of water for the creek
+ Creek is a narrow, sheltered waterway, especially an inlet in a shoreline or channel
in a marsh + It has been declared as Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary + The area is an
important part of the wetland complex of the Central Asian Flyway of the birds and has
been categorised as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
 Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve (Baramulla district, J&K): Hygam
Wetland falls within the River Jhelum basin + It is recognized as an Important Bird
Area (IBA) + Consequent to the high rate of siltation, Hygam Wetland has lost its
wetland characteristics to a large extent and in many places changed its profile into a
landmass.
 Shellbug Wetland Conservation Reserve (Sri Nagar, J&K): The area has extensive
reedbeds of Phragmites communis and Typha angustata, and rich growth of Nymphaea
candida and N. stellata on open water + Shallabugh Wetland plays a major role in the
natural control, amelioration or prevention of flooding.
 Non-Woven Plastic Carry Bags = They are made of polypropylene fibre, which is non-
biodegradable. It is made using spun and bond polypropylene fibre, and it is soft and air-
permeable. They are prepared on a machine by spreading rolls of plastic + Non-woven bags
became popular after the ban on single-use plastic + They are harmful to the environment as
they cannot be recycled + Recently, The Himachal Pradesh administration has decided to put
a complete ban on the use of non-woven plastic bags of more than 60 GSM from January 1,
2023. In July, the Himachal administration banned the use of non-woven plastic carry bags
less than 60 Gram per Square Metre (GSM), apart from the use of plastic carry bags,
irrespective of their sizes and thickness under the Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable
Garbage (Control) Act, 1995.
 EndoSulfan = Endosulfan is an organochlorine insecticide which was first introduced in the
first half of 20th century and is commonly known as Thiodan + It is usually sprayed on crops
like cotton, cashew, fruits, tea, paddy, tobacco etc. for control of pests such as whiteflies,
aphids, beetles, worms etc + It does not occur naturally in the environment + This pesticide is
a known carcinogen, neurotoxin and genotoxin (damages DNA). Endosulfan blocks the

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 inhibitory receptors of the CNS, disrupts the ionic channels and destroys the integrity of the
nerve cells + Endosulfan in the environment gets accumulated in food chains leading to higher
doses causing problems + Supreme Court in India has banned the manufacture, sale, use, and
export of endosulfan throughout the country, citing its harmful health effects in 2015 +
Endosulfan is listed under both the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent and
the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
 Pyrene = Pyrene, possessing four benzene rings, belongs to the highly toxic class of PAHs,
with carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. It gets lodged into the environmental matrices
like soil, water and atmosphere, resulting in widespread environmental pollution, necessitating
adequate remediation of contaminated environmental matrices + Like most PAHs, pyrene is
used to make dyes, plastics and pesticides. It has also been used to make another PAH called
benzo(a)pyrene + Recently, Researchers at the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-
Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun, have identified a fungus capable of
removing toxic, recalcitrant, and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from
the environment.
 Puros = It is an anti-pollution helmet that can help 2-wheeler riders breathe clean air +
Developed by Shellios Technolabs with the help of the Department of Science and Technology
(DST) + The helmet picks up all particulate matter coming from outside and cleans the air
before it reaches the biker. It has a Bluetooth-enabled app that lets the rider know when it
requires cleaning.
 Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances(PFAs) = PFAs are man-made chemicals used to make
nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, cosmetics, firefighting
forms and many other products that resist grease, water and oil + PFAs can migrate to the soil,
water and air during their production and use + Do not degrade easily so they remain in the
environment for long periods of time + Effects on humans: decrease fertility, developmental
effects in children, interference with body hormones, increase cholesterol levels and increase
risk of some cancers, difficulties to build antibodies after being vaccinated + Solvent called
DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) mixed with sodium hydroxide (lye) in water can help in
degradation of PFAs, but this method works for certain PFA subsets not for all.
 Ozone Depleting Gas Index = Published by National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration + The ODGI-A is defined by the observed decline in halogen abundance from
its peak in Antarctica (ODGI = 100) relative to the drop needed for EESC-A to reach its value
in 1980 + Ozone depleting substances includes chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), halons, methyl bromide, carbon tetrachloride,
hydrobromofluorocarbons, chlorobromomethane, and methyl chloroform + These are
generally very stable in the troposphere and only degrade under intense ultraviolet light in the
stratosphere + Ozone depletion was first detected in 1980.
 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) = The Paris Agreement requests each country
to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate actions, known as their NDCs + Together,
these climate actions determine whether the world achieves the long-term goals of the Paris
Agreement i.e. to limit global warming to well below 2° Celsius, preferably to 1.5°Celsius,
compared to preindustrial levels + They are submitted every five years to the UNFCCC
secretariat + India recently revised its NDCs:

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  Indian Virtual Herbarium = Indian Virtual Herbarium is the biggest virtual database of flora
in the country, as it contains details of about one lakh plant specimens + It was developed by
the scientists of the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) + The digital herbarium also includes
features to extract the data State-wise and users can search plants of their own States which
will help them to identify regional plants and in building regional checklists. The Botanical
Survey of India, by 2024, plans to provide a platform to all the herbaria in the country, so that
they can display their herbarium collection on the platform. The digital herbarium has some of
the oldest botanical specimens dating as early as 1696 + (Herbarium: A herbarium specimen
consists of dried plant parts with labelled information on Scientific name and collection data.
It has immense use in plant identification, systematics studies and ecological studies. The
Botanical Survey of India has more than 30,00,000 herbarium specimens persevered in
different herbaria located in the different parts of the country)
 Indian Antarctic Act, 2022 = Recently, the Indian Antarctic Act, 2022 was enacted + This
act aims to provide national measures for protecting the Antarctic environment and dependent
and associated ecosystems and to give effect to the Antarctic Treaty, the Convention on the
Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources and to the Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty + Key Objectives of the Act: Prohibit Indian expedition to
Antarctica or carrying of certain activities in Antarctica without a permit; Eliminating mining
or illegal activities; and Fulfilling India’s obligations under Antarctic Treaty and related
conventions + Provisions applicable to any, Indian or foreign Citizens; entities incorporated,
established or registered under any law in force in India; vessel or aircraft registered in India
or involved in any Indian expedition to Antarctica + Establishment of a Committee on
Antarctic Governance and Environmental Protection to be chaired by the Secretary of the
Ministry of Earth Sciences + There was no specific legislation for Antarctica since India’s
Antarctic expeditions began in 1981 + (India is also a member of- Council of Managers of
National Antarctic Programme (COMNAP): It comprises the heads of each of the national
Antarctic operating agencies and Scientific Committee of Antarctica Research (SCAR): It
coordinates Antarctic research programs and encourages scientific cooperation + India’s
Research stations: Maitri at Schirmacher Hills, Bharati at Larsemann Hills (Dakshin Gangotri
was the first Indian base established in 1984))
 Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 = The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change, Government of India published the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 to ensure
environmentally sound management of waste batteries. These rules will replace Batteries
(Management and Handling) Rules, 2001 + The rules cover all types of batteries: Electric

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 Vehicle batteries, portable batteries, automotive batteries and industrial batteries + The rules’
function based on the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) where the producers
(including importers) of batteries are responsible for collection and recycling/refurbishment of
waste batteries and use of recovered materials from wastes into new batteries. The rules will
enable setting up a mechanism and centralised online portal for exchange of EPR certificates
between producers and recyclers/refurbishers to fulfil the obligations of producers + On the
principle of Polluter Pays Principle, environmental compensation will be imposed for non-
fulfilment of Extended Producer Responsibility targets, responsibilities and obligations set out
in the rules. The funds collected under environmental compensation shall be utilised in the
collection and refurbishing or recycling of uncollected and non-recycled waste batteries +
Notification of these rules is a transformative step towards promotion of Circular Economy in
full earnest.
 Antarctic Treaty = This treaty came into force in 1961 after ratification by 12 original
members: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South
Africa, USSR (now Russia) the UK, and the US + Parties: Currently 54 countries have acceded
it + India signed the treaty in 1983 and is one of the 29 Consultative Parties to the treaty +
Objectives of the treaty: Demilitarize Antarctica; Establish it as a zone for peaceful research
activities and Set aside disputes over territorial sovereignty + It covers the area south of 60°S
latitude + The Treaty parties have also negotiated three international agreements which govern
activities in Antarctica, collectively known as the Antarctic Treaty System: Convention for the
Conservation of Antarctic Seals, 1972 ; Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources (CCAMLR), 1980 (ratified by India in 1985) and Protocol on Environmental
Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol), 1991 (signed by India in 1998) +
(Antarctica = It is world’s 5th largest, southernmost and the driest, windiest, coldest, and iciest
continent + It is not a country and has no government and no indigenous population. Instead,
the entire continent is set aside as a scientific preserve + Just 2% of this continent is free of ice,
allowing a small toe-hold for hardy animals and plants + It holds 90% of the Earth’s total ice
volume and 70% of its fresh water).
 Zombie Ice = Zombie or doomed ice is ice that is still attached to thicker areas of ice but is no
longer getting fed by larger glaciers. That’s because the parent glaciers are getting less
replenishing snow. Without replenishment, the doomed ice is melting from climate change and
will inevitably raise the sea level + The recent study has shown that melting of the Greenland
ice sheet will unavoidably raise the global sea levels by at least 10.6 inches or 27 centimetres,
no matter what climate action the world decides to take right now. This is because of ‘zombie
ice’, which is certain to melt away from the ice cap and blend into the ocean.
 “Ma-on” Cyclone = It is a tropical storm that hit the northern Philippines + Tropical Cyclone
is a rapidly rotating storm system. It is characterized by a low-pressure centre, strong winds,
closed low-level atmospheric circulation and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms producing
heavy rain.

2) SCHEMES
 National Intellectual Property Awareness Mission (NIPAM) = NIPAM, a flagship program
to impart IP awareness and basic training, was launched in 2021 as a part of “Azadi Ka Amrit
Mahotsav” + The program is being implemented by the Intellectual Property Office, the Office
of Controller General of Patents, Designs and TradeMarks (CGPDTM), Ministry of Commerce
and Industry + Aim: To provide awareness on intellectual property and its rights to 1 million
students.
 Grameen Udyami Project (GUP) = It is a unique multiskilling project, funded by National
Skill Development Corporation(NSDC) that aims to train 450 tribal students in Madhya

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 Pradesh and Jharkhand + The project is being implemented in six states— Maharashtra,
Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Gujarat + Recently, The second
phase of GUP launched by National Skill Development Corporation(NSDC) in partnership
with Seva Bharti and Yuva Vikas Society to train 450 tribal students in Madhya Pradesh and
Jharkhand + Aim is to provide skill training in tribal communities and impart functional skills
for their inclusive and sustainable growth.
 Udyam Sakhi Portal = Launched in 2018 to provide information regarding the financial
schemes, policies and programmes of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSME) to existing and prospective women entrepreneurs + UDYAM SAKHI is a network
for nurturing social entrepreneurship creating business models revolving around low-cost
products and services to resolve social inequities + The portal helps women to start, build and
grow their businesses.
 SMILE-75 Initiative = The Government of India has formulated a comprehensive scheme of
SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) to address the
persisting problem of destitution and beggary + Launched by: Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment under the SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and
Enterprise Scheme + Aim: To make cities/towns and municipal areas begging-free and make
a strategy for comprehensive rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of begging
through the coordinated action of various stakeholders + Under the initiative, seventy-five (75)
Municipal Corporations in collaboration with NGOs and other stakeholders will cover several
comprehensive welfare measures for persons who are engaged in the act of begging + The
Ministry has allocated a total budget of Rs.100 crore for the SMILE project for coming years
till 2025-26.
 Nagar Van Scheme = MoEFCC + 2020 + It aims to develop 200 Urban Forests across the
country in the next five ysears + Warje Urban Forest in Pune (Maharashtra) will be considered
as a role model for the Scheme + scheme in part, to be paid by CAMPA Funds(Compensatory
afforestation fund Act, 2006) + Van will be maintained by State Government.
 Ration Mitra Portal = Aims to enable States to identify and verify the eligible beneficiaries
for coverage under the National Food Security Act + Developed by the National Informatics
Centre, can be used to enroll people of any State + The portal is an enabler for States/UTs to
complete their inclusion exercise under NFSA. The NFSA provides food security coverage for
81.35 crore persons in the country. The present NFSA coverage is about 79.74 crore.
 Atal Pension Yojana (APY) = APY was launched in 2015 by replacing Swavalamban scheme
to create a universal social security system for all Indians, especially poor, under-privileged
and workers in unorganised sector + monthly, quarterly and half yearly payment options +
existing swavalamban scheme subscribers 18-40 years of age can switch to APY + All eligible
family members may subscribe to APY in their names for higher pension benefits to family +
For: The unorganised sector workers who do not have sufficient and reliable old age security
+ regulated by PFRDA + According to new orders by Ministry of Finance, any citizen who is
or has been an income-tax payer, shall not be eligible to join APY.
 Employees' State Insurance (ESI) Scheme = ESI scheme was launched under ESI Act, 1948
by MoLE + It aims to provide social security to the industrial workers in certain contingencies
such as sickness, maternity, temporary or permanent physical disablement and death due to
employment injury resulting in loss of wages or earning capacity + Recently, Ministry of
Labour & Employment (MoLE) has announced expansion of ESI Scheme and convergence
with Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
 Self Employment Scheme for the Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers (SRMS) = It is a
Central Sector Self Employment Scheme for Rehabilitation of Manual Scavengers + It is in
consonance with the provision of the “Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and
their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 (MS Act, 2013) + Objective is to provide assistance to the

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 identified manual scavengers and their dependants for their rehabilitation in alternative
occupations + Implementing Agency: National Safai Karamchari Finance Development
Corporation (NSKFDC).
 National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme =
NAMASTE Scheme was launched in 2022 with an objective to ensure safety and dignity of
sanitation workers in urban India as well as providing sustainable livelihood to these workers
+ It is launched as a joint initiative of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
(MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) + Implementing agency -
National Safai Karamchari Financial Development Corporation (NSKFDC) + Coverage: Five
hundred cities (converging with AMRUT cities) will be taken up under this phase of
NAMASTE + It will be implemented for the period 2022-26 + The government is now
preparing to undertake a nationwide survey to enumerate all people engaged in hazardous
cleaning of sewers and septic tanks.The enumeration exercise is part of the Union
government’s National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE)
scheme.
 Manthan Platform = Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India unveils
Manthan + Manthan is India’s exclusive platform for driving R&D collaboration at scale and
achieving India’s scientific missions and UN SDGs + Manthan can potentially change the
landscape of science and technology-based social impact innovation and solutions in India.
The platform will facilitate knowledge transfers and interactions through Information
Exchange Sessions, Exhibitions, and Events to develop a framework for future science,
innovation, and technology-led growth.
 Paalan 100 app = Govt. launched a new app, Paalan 1000, National Campaign and Parenting
App , to guide parents + Ministry of Health + ‘Paalan 1000’ focuses on the cognitive
development of children in the first two years of their life. The app will provide practical advice
to caregivers on what they can do in their everyday routine and will help clear doubts.
 NIDAAN Portal = National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-offenders: The NIDAAN
Portal has been made operational for use by various central and state prosecution agencies
tasked to enforce anti-drugs laws in the country + It has been developed by the Narcotics
Control Bureau(NCB) + It is a first-of-its-kind portal for all narcotics offender-related data +
NIDAAN hosts data about those accused who have been arrested and jailed for drug offences
and those who are directly or indirectly involved in the produce, manufacture, import or export
of any narcotics or psychotropic substance + It is part of the narcotics coordination mechanism
(NCORD) portal that was launched by the Union Home Minister + The NIDAAN platform
sources its data from the ICJS (inter-operable criminal justice system) and the e-Prisons (a
cloud-based application) repository and it is planned to integrate it in the future with the crime
and criminal tracking network system or CCTNS.
 Integrated Pharmaceutical Database Management System 2.0 (IPDMS 2.0) = It is an
integrated responsive cloud-based application developed by NPPA with technical support from
Centre for Advanced Computing (C-DAC) + It is envisaged to optimise synergies in operations
in order to promote Government’s thrust on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ as it would provide a
single window for submissions of various forms as mandated under Drug Price Control Order
(DPCO),2013 + It would also enable paperless functioning of NPPA and facilitate the
stakeholders to connect with National Pharma Pricing Regulator from across the country +
(The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) = It is a government regulatory
agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India + It was constituted by
Government of India Resolution in 1997 as an attached office of the Department of
Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers + It acts as an independent
Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at
affordable prices).

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  Pharma Sahi Daam 2.0 App = Launched by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
(NPPA) + Pharma Sahi Daam from NPPA is an online search tool for checking prices of
Scheduled/Non-Scheduled medicines instantly at the time of purchasing medicines and for
searching medicine substitutes + It has features like speech recognition; search medicines
brand/formulation wise; share feature along with consumer complaint handling system.
 National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) = Conceptualized and
managed by the NCRB at the Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi + It is a
country-wide searchable database of crime- and criminal-related fingerprints + Functions as a
central information repository by consolidating fingerprint data from all states and Union
Territories. + A unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) will be assigned to each
arrested person for a crime, will be used for the person’s lifetime, and different crimes
registered under different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN + It will provide a unique
identifier for every arrested person in the CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network &
Systems) database + Fingerprint Analysis & Criminal Tracking System (FACTS 1.0) is India’s
first Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFI) developed in 1992 + FACTS 5.0,
which was upgraded in 2007 will be replaced by NAFIS.
 Legal Aid Defense Counsel System (LADC) = Launched by National Legal Services
Authority (NALSA) + To provide free legal aid to poor people facing criminal cases to defend
themselves during trial + LADC is in line with the ‘Public Defender System’ + It will have
full-time legal aid lawyers in 365 district legal services authorities across India.
 Integrated Public Alert System (IPAS) = IPAS is an early warning platform Developed by
C-DOT , based on International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Common Alerting
Protocol (CAP) + CAP exchange hazard emergency alerts and public warnings over ICT
networks + It sends targeted alerts to people through SMS in vernacular languages through
SMS during hazardous emergencies + It has been used to facilitate pilgrims during Amarnath
Yatra + (Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) = Established in 1984 as an
autonomous Telecom R&D centre of DoT, Government of India + Registered under the
Societies Registration Act, 1860 + It is a registered ‘public funded research institution’ with
the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science &
Technology)
 Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) = In February 2022, Scheme for
Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED) was launched by the Union Ministry for Social
Justice and Empowerment + It aims to provide free competitive exam coaching to these
students, to provide health insurance to families, to uplift clusters of these communities through
livelihood initiatives, and to provide financial assistance for housing + One important feature
of this scheme is the online portal which has been developed by the Department. This portal
will ensure seamless registration and will also act as a repository of the data on these
communities.
 One Nation One Fertiliser (ONOF) Scheme = The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers
will implement One Nation One Fertiliser by introducing a “Single Brand for Fertilizers and
Logo” under the fertilizer subsidy scheme named “Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Janurvarak
Pariyojna”(PMBJP) + Mandate: All fertiliser companies have to sell their products under the
brand name of ‘Bharat’. All fertilizer bags will have the prefix Bharat like, ‘Bharat urea’,
'Bharat DAP etc + On one-third space of the bags, companies have to display their name, brand,
logo and other relevant product information. On the remaining two-thirds space, the “Bharat”
brand and Pradhanmantri Bharatiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana logo will have to be shown +
Benefits: Reduction of freight charges, Reducing the transit time, Stopping diversion of urea
for industrial purposes.
 Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (JaivIndhan- Vatavaran Anukoo fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana
= Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas + It aims for providing financial support to Integrated

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 Bio-ethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock + targeted
to achieve 10% blending percentage of Ethanol in petrol by 2022.Therefore, an alternate route
viz. Second Generation (2G) Ethanol from biomass and other wastes is being explored by
MoP&NG to bridge the supply gap for EBP programme. The PM JI-VAN Yojana is being
launched as a tool to create 2G Ethanol capacity in the country and attract investments in this
new sector + Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under the aegis of
MoP&NG, will be the implementation Agency for the scheme.
 Ethanol Blending = India recently achieved 10% Ethanol blending with petrol (E10) before
schedule and now has advanced it to 20% by 2025 instead of 2030 + The program started in
2003 with an aim to blend 5% ethanol in petrol + Ethanol is also known as Ethyl Alcohol + It
is a bio fuel + Formed by fermentation of sugar, from sugarcane or other food material + The
Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana provides financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects
+ Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) is the nodal department + alternatives
to ethanol comprises Methanol, Butanol and Hydrogen.
 Aashwasan Campaign = Organized by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare under ‘Tribal TB Initiative’ for 100-days + Under it door-to-door
screening for TB was undertaken in villages + (Tribal TB Initiative: It is a joint initiative of
the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Central TB Division, Ministry of Health, supported by
USAID . It aims to improve the cascade of TB care and support services among Tribal
Populations in India)
 E- Samadhan Portal = Will be soon launched by University Grants Commission(UGC) +
single window for submitting grievances + it will merge all different portals which are
currently existing + Aim is to fastrack resolution of complains + will also monitor institutions
which are slow in responding to complaints + portal will be available 24*7 + timelines will be
laid down for resolving the grievances.
 Smart India Hackathon(SIH) = Ministry of education + Launched in 2017 + nationwide
initiative to provide students a platform to solve some problems we face in our daily life +
open for school (6th-12th) and College going students + Recently, PM addressed Grand Finale
of SIH 2022.
 Regional Standardization Forum (RSF) = Recently, RSF is a platform for exchange of ideas,
discussing standardization topics like Sustainable Digital Transformation and Role of ITU
Standards, Harnessing Technologies for Digital and Financial Inclusion in Emerging Markets,
evolving Data Value Chain and Digital Health + Ministry of Communications hosted the
International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) RSF for Asia and Oceania region + ITU is
the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies –
ICTs.
 CPGRAMs = Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAM) is
an online web-enabled system developed by the National Informatics Centre (Ministry of
Electronics & IT [MeitY]), in association with the Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG) and
Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) (under Ministry of
Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions) + It helps in receiving, redressing and monitoring
of grievance of the public in an efficient way.
 Global Engagement Scheme = Ministry of Culture + Under this scheme, under which
Festivals of India are organized in other countries showcasing folk art and other cultural events
such as exhibitions, dance, music, theatre, food fest, literary fest, film fest, yoga etc.
 UDAN (Ude Deshka Aam Nagrik) Scheme = UDAN is a Regional Connectivity Scheme
(RCS) to stimulate regional air connectivity and making air travel affordable to masses + It
was formulated based on review of National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP), 2016 + Airports
Authority of India is designated as implementing agency + Regional Connectivity Fund (RCF)
funds Viability Gap Funding (VGF) requirements of scheme through a levy on certain

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 domestic flights + RCS-UDAN was awarded Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public
Administration under Innovation Category for year 2020 + UDAN scheme recently completed
5 years of its launch
 DigiYatra (DY) App = Recently, Delhi and Bengaluru Airport launched the beta version of
DigiYatra App + It is a Biometric Enabled Travel experience (BEST) based on Facial
Recognition Technology + the app links facial features to documents like ID proof, Vaccine
proof and Boarding pass + Passengers face acts as their ID proof and travel document and
automatically valid their entry at all check points.
 Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast, Safe Sea Campaign = It is a 75-day citizen-
led initiative to improve coastal and ocean health via community action + It will culminate on
17th September 2022 – International Coastal Clean-up Day + It aims to alter and save the
environment through behaviour change + Campaigned by the Ministry of Earth Sciences
(MoES) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change
(MoEFCC), Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other
institutions.
 ICMR FoodNet (Food- borne Pathogen Survey Network) = The Indian Council of Medical
Research (ICMR) has inaugurated the Food- borne Pathogen Survey Network (ICMR-
FoodNet) in Northeast India + This latest initiative is part of the project, started by ICMR, in
2020 + A first of its kind project in India, which will help strengthen the foodborne pathogen
survey & bio medical research network in the country + (Foodborne Pathogens Active
Surveillance Network (FoodNet): The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network
(FoodNet) is the principal foodborne disease component of the United States Centre for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),Emerging Infections Program (EIP))

3) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
 South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) = SAARC is a regional
intergovernmental organisation established with the signing of the SAARC Charter in Dhaka
in 1985 + SAARC comprises of eight Member States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka + Its secretariat is in Kathmandu, Nepal + The last
SAARC summit was held in 2014 and subsequent summits could not be held after 2016
Summit scheduled in Pakistan got cancelled in the backdrop of terrorist attacks in Pathankot
and Uri.
 International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for
Seafarers (STCW) = The International Convention on STCW was adopted in 1978 at the
International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conference in London and came into force in 1984
+ This Convention was the first to put forth basic requirements on training, certification and
watchkeeping for seafarers at a global level + Before the signing of the convention, the
standards of training, certification and watchkeeping of seafarers were set up by individual
countries + One important feature of the Convention is that it applies to ships of non-party
States when visiting ports of States which are Parties to the Convention + The convention so
far has been amended twice in 1995 and 2010. The Manila amendments to the STCW
Convention were adopted in 2010 and made a major revision to the STCW Convention +
Recently signed between India and Iran
 Mineral Security Partnership = It is a US-led global alliance to secure supply chains of
critical minerals, aimed at reducing dependency on China + It is an 11 members group i.e. US,
Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Republic of Korea (South Korea),
Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission + The alliance wants to make
sure that essential minerals are produced, processed, and recycled in a way that promotes
nations' ability to realise the maximum economic development advantage of their geological

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 endowments + The focus would be on the supply chains of minerals such as Cobalt, Nickel,
Lithium and also the 17 “rare earth” minerals.
 Critical Mineral = They are mineral deposits with high economic vulnerability and high
global supply chain risk + Rare earth (RE) comprises seventeen elements and are classified as
Light RE elements (LREE) and Heavy RE elements (HREE) + The major critical minerals are
Graphite, Lithium and Cobalt + Uses: In manufacturing of EV batteries, semiconductors,
fighter jets, drones, radio sets etc + Major producer: Chile, Indonesia, Congo, China, Australia
and South Africa + Rare earth elements available in India are: Lanthanum, Cerium,
Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium + India has the world’s fifth-largest reserves of
rare earth elements, nearly twice as much as Australia.
 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) 1972 = legally binding treaty that
outlaws biological arms + The BWC is the first multilateral disarmament treaty to ban an entire
category of weapons of mass destruction + BWC opened for signature in 1972, and entered
into force in 1975 + It currently has 183 states-parties, including Palestine, and four signatories.
Ten states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC + India ratified this treaty in 2015 + The
State parties review the operations of this treaty at the Review Conferences. So far 8 review
conferences have been held.he next review conference i.e. 9th review conference will be held
in Geneva in 2021 + It has no implementing body + The BTWC does not have a verification
clause, nor does it have clearly laid down rules and procedures to guide research in this field +
It bans “microbial or other biological agents, or toxins, whatever their origin or method of
production” that “have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes”.
In other words, while bio-weapons are banned, research for medical and bio-defence purposes
are allowed + There is traditional distinction at the international institutional level between
biological weapons (a field governed by the BTWC) and diseases (a domain under the World
Health Organization)
 Non-Proliferation Treaty- NPT (1968) = The treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into
force in 1970 + Aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology
prohibits acquisition of nuclear weapons by non-nuclear states + It represents binding
commitment in a multilateral treaty to goal of disarmament by nuclear-weapon States + It
promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear technology + Israel, India, and Pakistan
never signed it, and North Korea withdrew from the Treaty in 2003 + Recently, NPT's five-
year review meeting took place. NPT Review Conference is held every five years to review
the operation of the treaty and consider means to strengthen it + International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) verifies Non-NWS (NNWS) compliance with commitments under the NPT
not to acquire nuclear weapons. Article III requires NNWS to conclude agreements with the
IAEA to safeguard all nuclear materials in all peaceful nuclear activities.
 New START Treaty(Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) = a nuclear arms reduction treaty
between the United States and the Russia + Formal name: Measures for the Further Reduction
and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms + signed in 2010, entered into force on 2011,It is
expected to last at least until 2021 + it limits each party to 700 deployed intercontinental
ballistic missiles (ICBMs) or deployed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), 1,550
nuclear warheads on deployed ICBMs and SLBMs, and 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM
launchers + also envisions a rigorous inspection regime to verify compliance + US, Russia
agree to extend ‘New START’ nuclear arms treaty recently + The treaty had replaced the 1991
START I treaty which expired in 2009. The treaty was to expire in 2021. But it has been
extended for five more years, i.e. till February 2026.
 UN Treaty on the prohibition of Nuclear Weapons(TPNW) = It is first- ever legally binding
global treaty to ban nuclear weapons + The treaty was adopted by the UN Conference (by a
vote of 122 States in favour ) in 2017 and is open for signature + Treaty was officially adopted
in 2017 due to efforts by International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) + ICAN

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 is an international coalition of NGO’s running the campaign to advocate United Nations
Weapon Ban treaty in about 100 countries. ICAN also received the 2017 Nobel peace prize
due to its efforts + At present, 86 member-states have signed the Treaty, and 51 of them have
ratified it + None of the 9 countries(including India) that posses nuclear weapons took part in
the negotiation or vote. US, Russia, China, Britain, France, India, Pakistan, North Korea and
Israel (countries possessing nuclear weapons) and NATO alliance did not support it + India
believes that the treaty does not constitute or contribute to the development of customary
international law, nor does it set any new standards or norms. India supports the
commencement of negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention in the
Conference on Disarmament, which is the world’s single multilateral disarmament negotiating
forum working on the basis of consensus + Difference between TPNW and NPT:
 TPNW prohibits States Parties to develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire,
possess or stockpile nuclear weapons outright, comprehensively, for all States Parties,
irrespective of whether they possess nuclear weapons, while in the NPT the non-nuclear-
weapon States forsake the option of developing nuclear weapons.
 TPNW focused on prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons, while the NPT is focused on
the transfer, manufacture and acquisition of these weapons.
 TPNW complements and supports the NPT's nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation
objectives to pursue negotiations on effective measures for nuclear disarmament, receive
the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly
or indirectly, Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices
etc. + It also obliges States parties to provide adequate assistance to individuals affected
by the use or testing of nuclear weapons.
 Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) = It is an international treaty that bans
all nuclear explosions in all environments. It opened for signature in 1996, but has not yet
entered into force + India has not signed CTBT yet.
 Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), 1963 = Also known as the Limited Test Ban Treaty,
banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, which
prohibits all test detonations of nuclear weapons except for those conducted underground +
The treaty formally went into effect in 1963. Since then, 123 other states have become party
to the treaty. Ten states have signed but not ratified the treaty + Negotiations initially focused
on a comprehensive ban, but this was abandoned due to technical questions surrounding the
detection of underground tests and Soviet concerns over the intrusiveness of proposed
verification methods.
 Conference on Disarmament (CD) = A forum established by the International Community
to negotiate multilateral arms control and disarmament agreements + Established in 1979, it
was the forum used by its member states, currently numbering 65, to negotiate the Biological
Weapons Convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention + It is not formally a United
Nations (UN) Organization, but it is linked so because of the personal representation of UN
Secretary General. Resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly often request the
conference to consider specific disarmament matters. In turn, the conference annually reports
its activities to the Assembly + single multilateral disarmament negotiation forum of the
international community + Since the conclusion of the negotiation of the CTBT in 1996, the
CD remains deadlocked and has not been able to reach consensus on a programme of work
and thus to commence substantive deliberations.
 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) = Set up as world’s “Atoms for Peace”
organization in 1957 + It is an independent international organization that reports annually to
the United Nation General Assembly and UN Security Council + HQ in Vienna, Austria + In
2005, it was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work for a safe and peaceful world +
Works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote the safe, secure

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 and peaceful use of nuclear technologies + Seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy,
and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons.
 Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) = established in 1975 , in response to the Indian Nuclear Test
in May 1974 + also called London Club + group of nuclear supplier countries that seek to
prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment, and technology
that can be used to manufacture nuclear weapons + India NOT a member(opposition come
from countries like China as India has not signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty) + 48
members which include the five nuclear weapon states US, UK, France, China, and Russia +
NON formal group + Non-binding guidelines + Decisions, including on membership, are made
by consensus + One of the core criteria for membership - member must be a signatory to
Nuclear Non- proliferation Treaty . Publishes various lists like Dual use lists, Zangger lists etc
to control exports.
 Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) = 1987 formed + non–treaty association +
multilateral, consensus – based grouping of 35 member countries who are voluntarily
committed to the non-proliferation of missiles capable of carrying chemical, biological and
nuclear weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) + India is a MEMBER (Joined in 2016) + China
is not a member of this + India extended the range of Brahmos from 290 km to 450 km after
joining MTCR.
 Wassenaar Arrangement = 1996 formed + multilateral export control regime + to promote
transparency and greater responsibility in transfers of conventional arms and dual-use goods
and technologies + (Wassenaar is located in Netherlands) + MTCR, the Wassenaar
Arrangement and Australia group don't have China as a member + India is a member (Joined
in 2017).
 Australia Group = 1985 formed + multillateral export control regime + seeks that export don’t
contribute to the development of chemical or biological weapons + India has been admitted as
43rd member (Joined in 2018)
 Group 24 (G24) = It is an intergovernmental Group on International Monetary Affairs and
Development (G-24) which coordinates the position of developing countries on monetary and
development issues in the deliberations and decisions of the Bretton Woods Institutions (BWI)
+ India is also a member of G24 + G-24 was established in 1971 by Group of 77 (G-77) and
formally created in 1972.
 OECD/G20 Inclusive Framework Tax Deal = India and the majority of the members of
OECD-G20 Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) have joined a
new two-pillar plan to reform international taxation rules + Digital Services tax is part of the
OECD’s two-pillar plan. This plan has been agreed upon by 137 countries (including India) in
2021 to reform international taxation rules and address the tax challenges arising from the
digitalization of the economy + The two-pillar plan - inclusive framework tax deal on Base
Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS)- seeks to reform international tax rules and ensure that
multinational enterprises pay their fair share wherever they operate + The signatories of the
plan amounted to 130 countries and jurisdictions + Two Pillar Plan:
 Pillar One: It will ensure a fairer distribution of profits and taxing rights among countries
with respect to the largest MNEs, including digital companies
 Pillar Two: It is about minimum tax and subject-to-tax rules + It seeks to put a minimum
standard tax rate among countries through a global minimum corporate tax rate, currently
proposed at 15%
 UNMOGIP(UN Military observer group in India and Pakistan) = It was established in January
1949 + After the first war in Kashmir (1947-1948), India approached the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC) to bring the conflict in Kashmir to the notice of Security Council
members + In January 1948, the UNSC adopted Resolution 39, establishing the three-member
United Nations Commission for India and Pakistan (UNCIP) to investigate and mediate the

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 dispute. In April 1948, by its Resolution 47, the UNCIP was reconstituted as UNMOGIP +
Following renewed hostilities of 1971, UNMOGIP has remained in the area to observe
developments pertaining to the strict observance of the ceasefire of 17 December 1971 and
report thereon to the UN Secretary-General + India has not officially gone to the UNMOGIP
since 1972 with complaints against Pakistan. India officially maintains that the UNMOGIP’s
role was “overtaken” by the Simla Agreement of 1972 that established the Line of Control or
the LoC. This with minor deviations followed the earlier Ceasefire Line.
 India-Bangladesh Joint Water Commission(JRC) = Joint Rivers Commission of India and
Bangladesh was constituted in 1972 as a bilateral mechanism to address issues of mutual
interest on common / border / transboundary rivers + JRC is headed by Water Resources
Ministers of both countries + Recently 38th meeting of the JRC commenced after a long gap of
twelve years, although technical interactions under the framework of JRC have continued in
the interim + As India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which seven have been identified
earlier for developing the framework of water-sharing agreements on priority by JRC + JRC
discussed the whole gamut of issues related to common rivers between the two countries,
especially the Ganges, Teesta, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, Dudhkumar, and
Kushiyara.
 India-Mauritius CECPA = 1st session of High-Powered Joint Trade Committee (JTC) under
India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA)
was recently held + CECPA, which entered into force in 2021, is the first trade Agreement
signed by India with a country in Africa + It covers Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in
Services, Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Dispute Settlement, Movement of
Natural Persons, Telecom, Financial services etc.
 One country, two systems (OCTS) = It was originally proposed to unify China and Taiwan,
but rejected by Taiwan + The idea resurfaced when China started talks with Britain and
Portugal, who were governing Hong Kong and Macau, respectively, as colonies + Under this,
China proposed that, Hong Kong and Macau, can have different economic and political
systems from that of mainland China, while being part of China + Both regions became Special
Administrative Regions of China with their own currencies, economic and legal systems,
However, defence and foreign affairs would be decided by China.
 Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network(THMC) = Trans-Himalayan
Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network (THMCN) also referred as the Trans-Himalayan
network is an economic corridor proposed in 2019 between Nepal and China as a part of
China's Belt and Road Initiative + The corridor aims to enhance connectivity in ports, roads,
railways, aviation, and communications + The THMCN aims to pave the way for more
integration between China and the rest of South Asia, solidify border controls and aid in the
economic development and integration of China’s TAR.
 International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) = International North South
Transport Corridor (INSTC), a 7,200-km multi-modal transport corridor that combines road,
rail and maritime routes connecting Russia and India via central Asia and Iran + The legal
framework for the INSTC is provided by a trilateral agreement signed by India, Iran and Russia
at the Euro-Asian Conference on Transport in 2000 + It includes 13 countries namely India,
Iran, Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic,
Tajikistan, Oman, Syria, and Ukraine + It links the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea via the
Persian Gulf onwards into Russia and Northern Europe. It is aimed at reducing the carriage
cost between India and Russia by about 30 per cent and bringing down the transit time by more
than half. It will move freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia,
Central Asia and Europe + INSTC will also synchronize with Ashgabat agreement, Multimodal
transport agreement signed by India, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan,
for creating international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods

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 between Central Asia and Persian Gulf + (Ashgabat Agreement: Ashgabat agreement is a
multimodal transport agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Oman + It aims to create an international transport
and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian
Gulf)
 PEN-PLUS Strategy = Recently it has been adopted by Africa + It is an integrated strategy
that builds on the WHO’s Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions
(WHO PEN) in order to increase the quality of services for severe chronic NCDs at primary
referral facilities (e.g. district hospitals) + It also seeks to accelerate decentralization of services
for common NCDs at primary care facilities (e.g. health centers) + Diseases such as type 1
diabetes, advanced rheumatic heart disease, and sickle cell disease are addressed + This
strategy has been successfully implemented and scaled up in Liberia, Malawi and Rwanda.
 Porcupine Strategy/Doctrine = As the long-range, live-fire drills began with China’s Eastern
Theatre Command firing several ballistic missiles, Taiwan said that it was “preparing for war
without seeking war” + The “porcupine doctrine”, which was proposed in 2008 by US Naval
War College research professor William S Murray, is a strategy of asymmetric warfare focused
on fortifying a weak state’s defences to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses rather than taking on
its strengths + It is about building defences that would ensure that Taiwan “could be attacked
and damaged but not defeated, at least without unacceptably high costs and risks.
 Convention on International Road Traffic of 1949 (Geneva Convention) = Geneva
Convention is an international treaty promoting the development and safety of international
road traffic by establishing certain uniform rules among the contracting parties + India, being
a signatory to convention is required to issue International Driving Permit(IDP) as provided
under this Convention, for acceptance of the same on reciprocal basis with other countries +
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways issued notification on standardising process for
issuance of International Driving Permit (IDP) across country in adherence to Convention.

4) S&T
 Betelgeuse = It is a bright red supergiant + It likely underwent an enormous surface mass
ejection (SME) where it ejected 400 billion times more mass than a typical event on other stars
+ Red Giant: is a dying star in the final stages of stellar evolution.
 Nova V1280 Scorpii = Scientists from SN Bose Centre for Basic Science (SNBCBS) observed
the imploding novae called Nova V1280 Scorpii and found that a thick dust formed around it
after a month and lasted for about 250 days + A nova is an astronomical occurrence in which
a powerful explosion temporarily increases the brightness of a star by hundreds to millions of
times before gradually dimming over the course of weeks or months.
 Jupiter = It is the 5th planet from our Sun and is also the largest planet in solar system + It has
several rings, but unlike Saturn, Jupiter’s rings are very faint and made of dust, not ice + It has
the shortest day in the solar system (takes only about 10 hours) + Jupiter has 79 moons (Saturn
has maximum at 82) and its four largest moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto + It has
big storms like Great Red Spot, which has been going for hundreds of years. Recently, three
smaller ovals merged to form Little Red Spot, about half the size of great red spot + Jupiter's
magnetic field also causes spectacular aurorae at the planet's poles. Auroras are caused by
interaction of energetic particles of solar wind with atoms of upper atmosphere.
 Exo-Moons = Recently, Indian scientists at Indian Institute of Astrophysics have developed a
model to trace habitable exo-moons with James Webb Space Telescope + they are natural
satellites that revolve around exo planets + so far 5000 of these have been discovered + exo-
moons still remained untraced.

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  Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement (STEVE) = It is a puzzling aurora-like
phenomenon that leads into a purple streak of light + STEVE appears significantly lower in
the atmosphere unlike the typical auroras + STEVE first appeared in 2017 and has been
appearing often since. It has been observed in New Zealand, Canada, Alaska and UK between
October to February.
 Shortest Day = 29 July 2022 recorded as shorted day on Earth by a report + Earth completed
its rotation 1.59 milliseconds less than its standard rotation + Denotes increase in the rotation
of the earth + Reasons unknown + Generally the rotation is considered to be slowing down +
(Leap Seconds = Introduced in 172 by International Earth Rotation and Reference service
systems + Also used to measure the imprecise nature of observed solar time + 27 leap seconds
have been added since 1972, the last being added in 2016 + Negative leap seconds will need
to be added to accommodate the increased spin of the Earth + The introduction of negative
leap seconds can impact smart phones, computer and smart watches)
 Chanddler Wobble = The change in the spin of Earth on its axis + The American astronomer
Seth Carlo Chandler discovered the wobble in the late 1800s + It affects the ability to map the
exact location of a star using Earth Based Telescopes + Reason for the wobble is considered
to be the tides in the liquid core of the Earth + Affects the celestial navigation, since the latitude
does change over a period of 14 months + It does not impact the magnetic north pole
navigation using a magnetic compass.
 James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) = JWST, an infrared flagship observatory, is an
international collaboration between NASA, European Space Agency, and Canadian Space
Agency to probe cosmos to uncover history of the universe + NASA’s James Webb Space
Telescope (JWST) captured new images of Jupiter recently. New images of Jupiter presented
its massive storms, colourful auroras, faint rings and two small moons — Amalthea and
Adrastea.
 Astrobee = Astrobee is NASA’s new free-flying robotic system + Astrobee also consists of a
system that serves as a research platform that can be outfitted and programmed to conduct
microgravity experiments. Thus, it will help to learn more about how robotics can benefit
astronauts in space + The three free-flying robots are named Honey, Queen, and Bumble. The
robots are shaped like cubes 12.5 inches wide.
 Artemis 1 = Artemis– Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of
Moon’s Interaction with the Sun + It is NASA’s next mission to the Moon + It aims to measure
what happens when the Sun’s radiation hits our rocky moon, where there is no magnetic field
to protect it + It is an uncrewed space mission where the spacecraft will launch on an SLS
rocket + The primary operating goal of the mission is to assure a safe crew module entry,
descent, splashdown, and recovery + SLS and Orion under Artemis I will be launched from
the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, U.S. in the summer of 2022 + The mission will end with
the Orion spacecraft’s ability to return safely to the earth + Artemis I, formerly Exploration
Mission-1, will be the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Deep Space Exploration Systems:
 Orion spacecraft: Orion spacecraft is going to remain in space without docking to a space
station, longer than any ship for astronauts has ever done before.
 Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: It is the most powerful rocket in the world — and
travels 2,80,000 miles from the earth for over four to six weeks during the course of the
mission.
 Newly upgraded Exploration Ground Systems at Kennedy Space Centre in Cape
Canaveral, Florida.
 Long March 5B = Long March 5 or Chang Zheng 5 is a Chinese heavy-lift launch system
developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) + It is the first
Chinese launch vehicle designed from the ground up to focus on non-hypergolic liquid rocket

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 propellants + The maximum payload capacities of the base variant are ~25,000 kilograms to
Low Earth Orbit and ~14,000 kilograms to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit.
 Spectrographic Investigation of Nebular Gas (SING) = Spectrographic Investigation of
Nebular Gas (SING)’ is a UN-led initiative that invites research teams from all over the world
to compete for an opportunity to design payloads that will be shuttled to Chinese Tiangong
Space Station + SING project will be the first space collaboration involving India and China +
It primarily deals with sending and positioning a spectrograph. + Spectrograph: An instrument
that splits light into constituent frequencies and wavelengths, to study ultraviolet radiation +
Please note: India and China have been collaborators in the past on research projects such as
the Giant MetreWave Radio Telescope, a Pune-based observatory that’s employed by
astrophysicists across the world to study radiation at metre-scale resolutions to observe and
analyse stars and galaxies.
 Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) D-1 = Recently, Indian Space Research
Organisation(ISRO) has launched the first Small Satellite Launch Vehicle(SSLV) from
Sriharikota + The vehicle carried an Earth Observation Satellite named EOS-02 and a co-
passenger satellite, ‘Azaadi SAT’ into low earth orbit. However, ISRO later announced that
these satellites are no longer usable as SSLV rocket placed these satellites in an elliptical orbit
instead of a circular one. An elliptical orbit is the lowest orbit and is not stable due to the
Earth’s attraction force due to which the satellites could not stay in orbit and have already
crashed. As a result, these satellites are no longer usable + Nevertheless, the entire architecture
of ISRO’s SSLV performed well apart from the “anomaly” that led to the mission’s failure +
(SSLV: SSLV is India’s smallest launch vehicle weighing 110 tonnes + It can carry payloads
weighing up to 500 kg and deploy satellites into a 500 km low earth orbit + It is a 3 stage
Launch Vehicle configured with three Solid Propulsion Stages and liquid propulsion-based
Velocity Trimming Module (VTM) as a terminal stage + Advantages of SSLV: 1) Can be
assembled within 72 hours by a team of just 5-6 people. 2) It costs at least one-tenth of those
currently in use. 3) It can enable a space launch from India every week. 4) It caters specifically
to the small and micro satellites that constitute over 90% of all satellites being launched these
days)
 India's first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) observatory = Digantara, a
space sector start-up of India, is going to set-up India's first commercial Space Situational
Awareness (SSA) observatory in Garhwal region of Uttarakhand + It will be able to track
objects as small as 10 cm in size orbiting the earth + SSA refers to knowledge of space
environment, assessment of any threats to space activities and implementation of necessary
mitigation measures to safeguard space assets.
 Facial Recognition Technology = It is an algorithm-based biometric technology, uses
distinctive features on the face to identify and distinguish an individual + It has 2 purposes:
1:1 and 1:n identification + 1:1 verification of identity wherein the facial map is obtained for
the purpose of matching it against the person’s photograph on a database to authenticate their
identity + 1:n identification of identity wherein the facial map is obtained from a photograph
or video and then matched against the entire database to identify the person in the photograph
or video + Law enforcement agencies such as the Delhi Police usually procure FRT for 1:n
identification.
 Software-as-a-Services (SaaS) = Also known as “On-Demand Software” + It is a software
distribution model in which services are hosted by a cloud service provider + Users do not
need to install any software on their devices to access these services + Outlook, Hotmail or
Yahoo! Mail are form of SaaS + Application: file sharing, email, calendars, customer retention
management and human resources + Benefits: easy to implement, easy to update and debug
and can be less expensive, Multiple device support + Drawbacks: Data security, speed of
delivery and lack of control + India is the 3rd largest SaaS ecosystem globally, after the USA

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 and China + The number of SaaS companies in India have more than doubled in 2021 as
compared to 2019.
 ‘Anubis’, ‘Roaming Mantis’ and ‘Bian Lian’ = These are examples of Mobile banking
Trojans + Mobile banking Trojan is a harmful virus that can steal money from mobile users'
bank accounts by disguising the malicious app as a legitimate app in order to trick unsuspecting
individuals into installing it.
 ‘Small Cells’ = Small cell is an umbrella term used to describe a miniature radio access point
(AP) or wireless network base station with a low radio frequency (RF) power output, footprint
and range + These are low-powered radio access nodes or base stations that have a coverage
range from a few metres to a few hundred metres + They are portable, easy to deploy and help
provide localised coverage + Small Cells provide coverage for very short distances and
therefore they are installed in a large number for good geographical coverage to provide highly
reliable and high-capacity broadband + To expedite the roll out of 5G, telecom operators in the
country will leverage street furniture such as poles, advertisement hoardings and bus shelters
for deploying low power base stations called ‘Small Cells’ that will help bring the network
closer to the consumers. Considering the present situation, the fifth-generation (5G) small cell
is poised to usher in an era of innovation on a massive scale, ensuring significantly improved
signal penetration and superior coverage.
 Alpha Fold = Recently, DeepMind, a company owned by Google, announced that it had
predicted the three dimensional structures of more than 200 million proteins using AlphaFold
+ AlphaFold is an AI -based protein structure prediction tool + It is based on a computer system
called Deep Neural Network + Neural networks use a large amount of input data and provide
the desired output exactly like how a human brain would. The real work is done by the black
box between the input and the output layers, called the Hidden Networks + AlphaFold is fed
with protein sequences as input. When protein sequences enter through one end, the predicted
three-dimensional structures come out through the other + It used processes based on “training,
learning, retraining and relearning” to predict the structures of the entire 214 million unique
protein sequences deposited in the Universal Protein Resource (UniProt) database + AlphaFold
is neither flawless nor the only AI-based protein structure prediction tool. RoseTTaFold,
developed at the University of Washington in Seattle, U.S., is another tool. Although less
accurate than AlphaFold, it can also predict the structure of protein complexes.
 Small Modular Reactors = They are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of
upto 300MW(e) per unit, 1/3 of traditional nuclear reactors + The first protype of floating
nuclear power plant was installed in Russia + Recently, V K Saraswat from NITI Aayog
recommended its installation.
 ROSHINI = India’s first Satellite Water Lantern + developed by National Institute of Ocean
Technology (NIOT) + it works based on the principle of the working of a galvanic cell/voltaic
cell + Galvanic cells (voltaic cells) are electrochemical cells in which spontaneous oxidation-
reduction reactions take place at electrodes in presence of electrolytes to produce electrical
energy + It uses Sea water as an electrolyte + Any water mixed with common salt can also be
used.
 India’s First Indigenously Developed HFC Bus = Recently, the Union Minister of State of
Science & Technology launched India’s first Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) Bus + HFC bus has
been developed by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and KPIT, an Indian
Multinational Corporation + The launch of this India’s first truly indigenously developed HFC
Bus is in tune with the National Hydrogen Energy Mission + (Hydrogen Fuel = Hydrogen is
the lightest and first element on the periodic table. Since the weight of hydrogen is less than
air, it rises in the atmosphere and is therefore rarely found in its pure form, H2 + At standard
temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic, nonmetallic, odorless, tasteless, colorless,
and highly combustible diatomic gas + Hydrogen fuel is a zero-emission fuel burned with

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 oxygen. It can be used in fuel cells or internal combustion engines. It is also used as a fuel for
spacecraft propulsion + Hydrogen can be stored physically as either a gas or a liquid. Storage
of hydrogen as a gas typically requires high-pressure tanks + Storage of hydrogen as a liquid
requires cryogenic temperatures because the boiling point of hydrogen at one atmosphere
pressure is −252.8°C + Hydrogen can also be stored on the surfaces of solids (by adsorption)
or within solids (by absorption) + Working: Hydrogen is fed to the anode and air is fed to the
cathode At the anode, a catalyst separates the hydrogen molecules into protons and electrons
and both subatomic particles take different paths to the cathode. The electrons go through an
external circuit, creating a flow of electricity that can be used to power electric motors. The
protons, on the other hand, move to the cathode through the electrolyte. Once there, they unite
with oxygen and electrons to produce water and heat.)
 Quantum Key Distribution = QKD is a technique that allows for secure distribution of keys
to be used for encrypting and decrypting messages + It is recently achieved by Micius (also
known as the Quantum Experiments at Space Scale), World's first quantum-enabled satellite +
Micius was launched by China in 2016 + In QKD, security is achieved through the laws of
quantum physics + Two such most important laws are Superposition and Entanglement +
Superposition means that each quantum bit (basic unit of information in a quantum computer)
can represent both a 1 and a 0 at the same time + In quantum entanglement, subatomic particles
become “entangled” (linked) in such a way that any change in one disturbs the other even if
both are at opposite ends of the universe + Recently, satellite Micius has sent light particles to
Earth to establish the world’s most secure communication link.
 Minor Minerals = Minor minerals are those which are prescribed by Mines and Minerals
(Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (section 3(e)) as being categorised as ‘minor
minerals’ + Any mineral which by the notification of the Central Government may declare to
be a minor mineral + Regulation exclusively by States: Unlike major minerals, the regulatory
and administrative powers to frame rules, prescribe rates of royalty, mineral concessions,
enforcement, etc. are entrusted exclusively to the State governments + In addition to those
specified under MMDR Act, here are few minerals that the Central Government has declared
as minor minerals: boulder, shingle, chalcedony pebbles, lime shell, kankar and limestone,
brick-earth, fuller’s earth, bentonite, road metal, slate, marble, stone used for making
household utensils, quartzite and sandstone, saltpeter and ordinary earth + (Major minerals:
Major minerals are those specified in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation)
Act, 1957 + Some of the major minerals include Lignite, Uranium, Coal, Gold, Iron ore, Lead-
Zinc, Magnesium, Tungsten, and Diamond etc.)
 Nuclear Matrix = Every cell that makes up an organism contains a copy of its genome, which
is embedded in the jelly-like nuclear matrix inside the nucleus + The nuclear matrix (NM), or
nuclear skeleton, is the non-chromatin, ribonucleic-proteinaceous framework that is resistant
to high ionic strength buffers, nonionic detergents, and nucleolytic enzymes + The nuclear
matrix is like scaffolding (support) + It fulfils a structural role in eukaryotic cells. It maintains
the shape of the nucleus and the spatial organisation of chromatin. The nuclear matrix is a
dynamic material providing access for the regulation of different genes in different cells +
Recently, Using a novel method, a group of researchers from CSIR-Centre for Cellular and
Molecular Biology, Hyderabad (CCMB) and Tata Institute for Genetics and Society,
Bengaluru (TIGS), have established a way of studying the nuclear matrix of the fruit fly
(Drosophila melanogaster) without removing the nucleus from the embryo.
 Cloud Seeding (Weather Modification) = Cloud seeding is a kind of weather modification
technology to create artificial rainfall. It works only when there are enough pre-existing clouds
in the atmosphere + Drones are charged into the clouds and cause an electric shock due to
which they clump together and cause rainfall + Otherwise, in this process either silver iodide,
potassium iodide or dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) is dumped onto the clouds causing rainfall.

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 The seeds of chemicals can be delivered by plane or simply by spraying from the ground +
Cloud-seeding chemicals can be dispersed in clouds either by fly-through aircraft or by ground-
based dispersion devices that use rockets or guns to fire canisters into the sky.
 Polar Amplification = Polar amplification is the phenomenon that any change in the surface
air temperature and the net radiation balance contributing to global warming, tends to produce
a larger change in temperature near the poles than in the planetary average. This is commonly
referred to as the ratio of polar warming to tropical warming + Notably, these changes are more
pronounced at the northern latitudes and are known as Arctic amplification + Primary causes
of Polar and Arctic amplification: Ice-albedo feedback, lapse rate feedback, water vapour
feedback and ocean heat transport. Among these, the ice-albedo feedback and the lapse rate
feedback are responsible for 40% and 15% of polar amplification respectively.
 IndARC = IndARC is India’s first underwater moored observatory in the Arctic region + It
was deployed in 2014 at Kongsfjorden fjord, Svalbard, Norway which is midway between
Norway and the North Pole + Its research goal is to study the Arctic climate and its influence
on the monsoon.
 Yuan Wang 5 = Yuan Wang 5 is the third-generation scientific research ship of the Yuan
Wang series, owned by China + Recently, Sri Lanka allowed the arrival of the Chinese
space and satellite tracking vessel Yuan Wang 5 at the southern portion of Hambantota
port. This would bring into its radar India’s nuclear power plants at Kalpakkam and
Koodankulam + The ship can be used to monitor satellite, rocket and intercontinental
ballistic missile launches. Several experts have described it as a “dual-use spy ship”.

5) POLITY & GOVERNANCE

 Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 = Supreme Court (SC) recently struck down
certain provisions of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act of 1988 + 1988 act was introduced
to prohibit benami transactions and to recover property held as benami + 2016 amendment
expanded scope and punishment for benami transactions and also added a provision for
confiscation of the property obtained as result of benami transaction.
 Foreign Exchange Management (Overseas Investment) Rules, 2022 = Recently, The
Ministry of Finance noticed new norms making it easier for domestic corporates to invest
abroad, while making it tougher for loan defaulters and those facing a probe by investigative
agencies to invest in overseas entities + Exchange Management Act, will be administered by
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), and shall subsume all existing norms pertaining to overseas
investments as well as the acquisition and transfer of immovable property outside India + Any
resident individual can make an ODI by way of investment in equity capital or overseas
portfolio investment (OPI) subject to the overall ceiling under the Liberalised Remittance
Scheme (LRS) of the Reserve Bank. Currently, the LRS permits $2,50,000 outward investment
by an individual in a year + Any resident in India acquiring equity capital in a foreign entity
or overseas direct investment (ODI), will have to submit an Annual Performance Report (APR)
for each foreign entity, every year by December 31 + A No-Objection Certificate (NOC) will
be mandatory for any person who has a bank account classified as a Non-performing asset, or
is labelled a wilful defaulter by any bank, or is under investigation by a financial service
regulator, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Central Board of Investigation (CBI).
Further, no Indian resident will be permitted to make investments in foreign entities that are
engaged in real estate business, gambling in any form and dealing with financial products
linked to the Indian rupee without the central bank’s specific approval.
 CAROTAR = CAROTAR, 2020 stands for the Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin
under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 + CAROTAR, 2020 set guidelines for enforcement of

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 the ‘rules of origin’ for allowing preferential rate on imports under Free Trade Agreements +
It applies to the import of goods into India where the importer makes a claim of a preferential
rate of duty in terms of a trade agreement + They supplement the existing operational
certification procedures prescribed under different trade agreements + They were notified in
August, 2020 by the Ministry of Finance + Rules of Origin(ROO) are the criteria prescribed to
determine national origin of an imported product in a country. Under this, a country that has
inked an FTA with India cannot dump goods from some third country in Indian market by just
putting a label on it. It has to undertake a prescribed value addition in that product to export to
India.
 Overseas Investment Rules and Regulations (OIRR) = The Ministry of Finance has notified
new norms for overseas investments by Indians + Notified under the Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA), will be administered by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) + New
norms are aimed at making it easier for domestic corporates to invest abroad, while making it
tougher for loan defaulters and others being probed by investigative agencies and regulators to
shift funds out of the country.
 Prevention and Control of Infections and Contagious Animal Disease Act 2009 = The Act
seeks to (1) prevent, control and eradicate infectious diseases affecting animals (2) prevent the
spread of such disease from one state to another, and (3) fulfil requirements of the International
Animal Health Code + The state government can notify any area as a controlled area with
respect to any scheduled disease. All animals in the area will be vaccinated by vaccines made
available by the state government + Recently, More than 2,000 pigs have died in Rewa,
Madhya Pradesh due to the African swine fever in 15 days. The Administration has issued
prohibitory orders banning transportation, purchase and sale of pigs and their meat in the order
under the Prevention and Control of Infections and Contagious Animal Disease Act 2009 and
section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code + (African Swine Flu = It is a contagious
hemorrhagic viral disease affecting domestic and wild pigs + It was first detected in Africa in
the 1920s + The mortality is close to 100 percent, and since the fever has no cure, the only way
to stop it spreading is by culling the animals + ASF is not a threat to human beings since it
only spreads from animals to other animals)
 Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery System (Prohibition of Unlawful
Activities) Amendment Act, 2022 = Recently, the bill was passed by the parliament + it
prohibits financing of any activity in relation to WMD and their delivery system + it empowers
the central government to freeze, seize or attach funds or any other financial assets or any
economic resources for preventing such finances + It amends India’s WMD Act 2005 + As per
the WND 2005 Act in India weapons of Mass Destruction are biological, chemical or nuclear
weapons + There is no single definition of a WMD in International Law.
 Special Marriage Act, 1954 = Enacted to validate and register inter-religious and inter-caste
marriages in India through a civil contract + Under the Act no religious formalities are needed
to be carried out + This Act applies not only to Indian citizens who belong to different castes
and religions but also to Indian nationals who live abroad + The Act includes Hindus, Muslims,
Christians, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists marriages.
 Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act, 1996 = Based on the
recommendations of Dileep Singh Bhuria Committee, PESA Act was enacted in 1996 +
Ministry of Panchayati Raj is the nodal Ministry for implementation of the provisions of PESA
in the States + PESA Act is called a ‘Constitution within the Constitution’ as it provides for
the extension of the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution relating to the Panchayats to the
Scheduled Areas of 10 States under Article 244(1) read with Schedule 5, with certain
modifications and exceptions + Ten states are Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat,
Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and
Telangana + Recently, with PESA rules being notified, Chhattisgarh became the seventh state

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 in the country to frame rules and implement PESA after Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana + features of the PESA Act, 1996 are:
 State Legislation on Panchayats shall be in conformity with the customary law.
 Every village shall have a Gram Sabha consisting of persons whose names are included in
the electoral rolls for the Panchayat at the village level. Every Gram Sabha needs to
safeguard and preserve the traditions and customs of people. Gram Sabhas has roles and
responsibilities in approving all development works in the village, identify beneficiaries,
issue certificates of utilization of funds; powers to control institutions and functionaries in
all social sectors and local plans.
 Every panchayat to have reservation of seats in proportion to the community population
(minimum of 50 percent) with Chairperson of Panchayats at all level to be reserved for
STs.
 Indian Telegraph Right of Way (Amendment) Rules, 2022 = Released by the Department
of Telecommunications + Telcos can set up towers and optical fiber on street by paying
minimal charges and don't need a nod from authorities for laying cables or installing mobile
towers/poles over private properties + Rationalisation of administrative fee for setting up
towers + GatiShakti Sanchar portal to be the single window for getting all the Right of
Way(RoW) clearances + Right of Way: Use by Telecommunications providers to build
physical network infrastructure like towers on lands which they do not own.
 Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill = Recently, Central government withdrew the Personal
Data Protection (PDP) Bill that it had tabled in the Lok Sabha in 2019 + In Justice K.S.
Puttaswamy (Retd) vs Union of India case (2017), Supreme Court (SC) ordered that the right
to privacy is an intrinsic part of the right to life, therefore, Centre in 2017 set up an expert
committee chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice B.N. Srikrishna to formulate a regulatory
framework for data protection + In 2018 Srikrishna committee submitted its report and a draft
for the Data Protection Bill to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. In
2019, Bill was tabled in Parliament which was later sent to a Joint Parliamentary Committee
(JPC). JPC submitted its report in November, 2021.
 Energy Conservation and Amendment Bill 2022 = Recently passed in Lok Sabha + Bill
aims to reduce fossil fuel based energy consumption and carbon emissions related to it + Bill
seeks to amend the Energy Conservation Act 2001 + Main provisions of the bill are:
 Mandatory use of non-fossil fuel sources like ethanol blending, green hydrogen, green
ammonia and Biomass for energy and feedstock for industries(mining, cement, steel,
textile, chemicals and petrochemicals), transport sector and commercial buildings
 Central government can now specify standards and norms for energy consumption for
vehicles and vessels
 Empower State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to make regulations
 Expansion of Governing Council of BEE
 State Government empowered to levy fee for the services rendered by the designated
agency to promote efficient use of energy and energy conservation
 Constitution of State Energy Conservation Fund
 Prohibits the use of deceptive name that resembles the Bureau
 Denotified Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) = DNTs are the tribes which were notified as criminal
tribes under Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, by the British colonial government + Under this Act,
millions of nomadic and semi-nomadic communities were declared criminals and put under
continuous surveillance + After decades of facing horrors of this racial Act, they were
denotified by the Government of independent India on August 31, 1952 + While most DNTs
are spread across the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward
Classes (OBC) categories, some DNTs are not covered in any of the SC, ST or OBC categories

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 + The DNTs are a heterogenous group engaged in various occupations such as transport, key-
making, salt trading, entertaining — acrobats, dancers, snake charmers, jugglers — and
pastoralists + (Difference between Nomadic, Semi-nomadic and DNTs: The nomadic tribes
maintain constant geographical mobility while semi-nomads are those who are on the move
but return to fixed habitations once a year, mainly for occupational reasons + All nomadic
tribes are not DNTs, but all DNTs are nomadic tribes + There are nearly 1,500 nomadic and
semi-nomadic tribes and 198 denotified tribes, comprising 15 crore Indians, according to the
Renke Commission (2008)).
 S. Subramaniam Balaji Vs Tamil Nadu (2013) Judgement = SC in (S. Subramaniam Balaji
Vs Tamil Nadu (2013)) case announced that only an individual candidate, not his party, can
commit a ‘corrupt practice’ under the RP Act by promising free gifts + The court’s judgement
held that promises by a political party cannot constitute a ‘corrupt practice’ on its part. It would
be “misleading” to construe that all promises in the election manifesto would amount to corrupt
practice + The manifesto of a political party is a statement of its policy. The question of
implementing the manifesto arises only if the political party forms a government + However,
the court agreed that freebies create an “uneven playing field” + Recently, the Supreme Court
referred to a three-judge Bench a series of petitions seeking a judicial direction that political
parties who make “wild” promises of largesse should also reveal in their poll manifestos where
they will get the money to pay for them.
 Reviewing its own judgements by Supreme Court = Under Article 137 of the Constitution,
the Supreme Court has the power to review any of its judgments or orders + The Court has the
power to review its rulings to correct a “patent error” and not “minor mistakes of
inconsequential import” + A review is by no means an appeal in disguise + That means the
Court is allowed not to take fresh stock of the case but to correct grave errors that have resulted
in the miscarriage of justice.
 Constitution Bench = Recently, CJI assured that there will be at least one Constitution Bench
functioning throughout the year in the SC + A Constitution Bench is a bench of the SC having
5 or more judges on it. Presently, they are set up by the CJI on an ad-hoc basis as and when
the need arises + Constitution Benches are set up for:
 Article 143: Case involves a substantial question of law pertaining to the interpretation of
the Constitution.
 Article 145(3): President of India has sought the SC’s opinion on a question of fact or law
under Article 143.
 Two or more three-judge benches of SC have delivered conflicting judgments on the same
point of law, thus warranting a definitive pronouncement by a larger bench.
 A later three-judge bench doubts the correctness of a judgment delivered by a previous
three-judge bench of SC, and decides to refer to a larger bench for a reconsideration of
earlier judgment.
 Parliamentary Privileges = Parliamentary privileges are certain rights and immunities
enjoyed by MPs, individually and collectively, so that they can “effectively discharge their
functions” + These rights are also given to those individuals who speak and participate in any
committee of the Parliament, which includes the Attorney General of India and the Union
Ministers + When any of these rights and immunities are disregarded, offence is called a breach
of privilege and is punishable under law of Parliament + Special privileges are enshrined under
Article 105 (for Parliament) and Article 194 (for state legislature) of Constitution + Parliament,
till now, has not made any special law to exhaustively codify all the privileges + One of the
privileges is that a member of Parliament cannot be arrested in a civil case 40 days before the
commencement of the session or committee meeting and 40 days thereafter.
 Vice President (VP) = VP is the second-highest constitutional post, provided under Article 63
of the constitution + VP is elected by, method of indirect election, members of an electoral

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 college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament + He holds office for a term
of five years but can resign and can be removed before completion of 5 years + He acts as the
ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha + Recently, Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected as the
14th VP of India.
 Electoral Bonds (EB) = Union Budget 2017-18 introduced EBs as interest-free bearer
instruments to cleanse the system of political funding in the country + only be issued by
notified bank + could only be brought with cheque or digital payments + given to political
party for fixed period of time + political party using their notified bank account can convert
these bonds into money + all political party are required to notify their bank accounts to EC +
bonds will be like bearer’s cheque which will facilitate donor’s anonymity to promote
transparency in funding and donation received by political parties + short maturity period +
bearer instrument + can be bought for any value and has a life of only 15 days + Bonds will be
available for purchase only for 10 days in designated months + political parties are legally
bound to submit their income tax returns annually under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act,
1961. However, the electoral bonds have also been exempted from IT Act.
 Minority status in India = Constitution does not define the word Minority and only refers to
Minorities + Rights of minorities have been spelt out under Article 29 and 30. Also, Article
350B mentions about special officer for linguistic minorities + Centre, using National
Commission for Minorities (NCM) Act, 1992, has declared Muslims, Christians, Sikhs,
Buddhists, Jains and Zoroastrians as 'minority' + National Commission for Minority
Educational Institutions (NCMEI) Act, 2004 has been enacted to safeguard educational rights
of minorities.
 ‘Office of Profit’ = The expression “office of profit” has not been defined in the Constitution
or in the Representation of the People Act, 1951 + However, it has evolved over decades with
subsequent judicial pronouncements. Supreme Court has listed certain factors while
considering ‘office of profit’: Pradyut Bordoloi vs Swapan Roy (2001): whether the
government is the appointing authority; whether the government has the power to terminate
the appointment; whether the government determines the remuneration; what is the source of
remuneration and; the power that comes with the position + Parliament has also enacted the
Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Act, 1959, which has been amended several times
to expand the exempted list + Basic disqualification criteria for an MP are laid down in Article
102 of the Constitution, and for an MLA in Article 191. They can be disqualified for: a)
Holding an office of profit under government of India or state government; b) Being of
unsound mind; c) Being an undischarged insolvent; d) Not being an Indian citizen or for
acquiring citizenship of another country.
 Draft Guidelines on Anonymizing data = Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology released these draft guidelines on anonymizing data and mobile security
guidelines (MSG) + Data anonymizing is a process technique that removes or modifies direct
and indirect personally identifiable attributes to eliminate or significantly reduce identifiability
+ MSG categorizes data into 3 categories mobile device security, mobile communication
security and mobile services security.
 Central Vigilance Commission(CVC) = CVC was set up by the Government in
February,1964 on the recommendations of K. Santhanam Committee + In September 2003,
the Parliament enacted the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 (CVC Act) conferring
statutory status on the CVC + In 2004, the Government of India authorised the CVC as the
“Designated Agency” to receive written complaints for disclosure on any allegation of
corruption or misuse of office and recommend appropriate action + Composition: A Central
Vigilance Commissioner and not more than two Vigilance Commissioners. Appointed by the
President by warrant under his hand and seal on the recommendation of a three-member
committee consisting of the Prime Minister as its head, the Union minister of home affairs and

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 the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha + Tenure: Hold office for a term of 4 years or
until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier. Not eligible for reappointment. The
salary, allowances and other service conditions of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner are
similar to those of the Chairman of UPSC and that of the Vigilance Commissioner are similar
to those of the Chairman of UPSC. However, they cannot be varied to his disadvantage during
service + Removal: The President can remove the Central Vigilance Commissioner or any
vigilance commissioner from the office under the following circumstances: If the member is
adjudged as an insolvent; If the Central government holds him responsible for an offence
involving moral turpitude/ or he is convicted for such an offence; If he becomes a part of office
of profit or If he is declared unfit by reason of infirmity of mind or body, by the President of
India + The President can also remove the Central Vigilance Commissioner or any vigilance
commissioner on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity. In such cases, the
President has to refer the matter to the Supreme Court for an enquiry. After the enquiry, if the
Supreme Court upholds the cause of removal and advises so, then the President can remove
him.
 Armed Forces Tribunal (ATF) = Established in August 2009 by the Armed Forces Tribunal
Act 2007 on the recommendation of The Law Commission’s 169th report + These have powers
related to adjudication or trial of disputes and complaints related to commission, appointments,
enrolments and conditions of service + It has both Original and Appellate Jurisdiction +
Paramilitary forces including the Assam Rifles and Coast Guard are outside the tribunal’s
purview + The Tribunal will normally follow the procedure as practiced by High Courts of
India + Decisions of AFT can be challenged in the Supreme Court. Also as per recent decision
of Delhi High Court, decisions of AFT can be challenged in the High Court also.
 International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) = Founded in 1983, it is
an international body that brings together the world's securities regulators as the global
standard setter for the securities sector + It works with G20 and the Financial Stability Board
(FSB) on the global regulatory reform agenda + From India, SEBI is an ordinary member of
IOSCO; International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) is an associate member;
and BSE, NSE and Multi Commodity Exchange of India are its affiliate members.
 Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) = MPEDA was launched in
1972 as a statutory body of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as the nodal agency to
promote the export of marine products. The erstwhile Marine Products Export Promotion
Council established in 1961 was converged in to MPEDA + It is empowered to regulate exports
of marine products and take all measures required for ensuring sustained, quality seafood
exports from the country + Recently the MPEDA celebrated its 50th years + Since 2004, it is
implementing the National Residue Control Plan (NRCP), for monitoring the residues of
substances like Antibacterial/Veterinary Medicinal Products, etc. for exports of marine
products to the European Union + Please Note: India is the 2nd largest fish producer in the
world. Currently India is exporting to more than 120 countries.
 National Skill Development Corporation(NSDC) = It is a non-profit public limited company
established under Companies Act, 1956 + It was set up by the Ministry of Finance as a Public
Private Partnership (PPP) model + The Government of India, through the Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), owns 49% of NSDC, while the private sector
owns the remaining 51% + It aims to promote skill development by catalyzing creation of
large, quality and for-profit vocational institutions.
 Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) = It is a joint venture of 3 Central Public Sector
Enterprises namely, National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd.
(HCL) and Mineral Exploration Company Ltd. (MECL) + It is mandated to identify and
acquire overseas mineral assets of critical and strategic nature such as lithium, cobalt, nickel,

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 Copper, Neodymium, other rare earths etc + Currently, it is engaged with countries like
Australia, Argentina, Bolivia and Chile to tap critical and strategic minerals.
 Indian Olympic Association(IOA) = Indian Olympic Association is the governing body for
the Olympic Movement and the Commonwealth Games in India + It is an affiliated member
of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF),
Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC)
+ Recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports + IOA was established in 1927 with
Sir Dorabji Tata and Dr. A.G. Noehren as the Founding President and Secretary General
respectively + It is registered as a Non-Profit Organisation under the Societies Registration Act
of 1860 + The members of IOA include National Sports Federations, State Olympic
Associations, IOC Members and other select multi-sport organisations + The Indian Olympic
Association is currently governed by a 32-member Executive Council. The election for the
Executive Council is held once every 4 years.
 All-India Football Federation (AIFF) = The All-India Football Federation (AIFF) is the
organisation that manages the game of association football in India + It administers the running
of the India national football team and also controls the I-League, India's premier domestic
club competition, in addition to various other competitions and teams + The AIFF was founded
in 1937, and gained FIFA affiliation in the year 1948, after India's independence in 1947 +
Currently, it has an office in Dwarka, New Delhi. India was one of the founding members of
the Asian Football Confederation in 1954.
 Institute of Competitiveness = Institute for Competitiveness, India is the Indian knot in the
global network of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School
+ It is dedicated to enlarging and purposeful dissemination of the body of research and
knowledge on competition and strategy + Recently, The Economic Advisory Council to the
Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has released ‘The Competitiveness Roadmap for India@100’ in
collaboration with the Institute for Competitiveness.
 National Rail and Transportation University (NRTU) = NRTU was inaugurated by Prime
Minister Narendra Modi in Vadodara, Gujarat in 2018 + It is India’s first university focussed
on transport-related education, multidisciplinary research and training + Recently Education
Ministry passed Central Universities (Amendment) Bill which seeks to convert the National
Rail and Transportation University (NRTU), a deemed to be university, into the Gati Shakti
Vishwavidyalaya, an autonomous Central university. The Bill seeks to expand the scope of the
university from beyond just the Rail- ways to cover the entire transport sector and support
growth and modernisation in the field. The new university, once the Bill clears both Houses of
Parliament, will be funded and administered by the Ministry of Railways.
 Nagaland Issue = Nagas belong to the Indo-Mongoloid Family + Nagas, a community
comprising more than 60 tribes spread across India’s Northeast and parts of neighbouring
Myanmar + Right from Independence, some Naga groups have asserted their distinct identity
and sought to break away from the Indian Union. Naga National Council (NNC) declared
Nagaland an independent state on August 14, 1947. In 1980, NSCN was formed by splitting
from NNC. In 1988, NSCN split again into NSCN-IM led by Isak and Muivah and NSCN-K
led by Khaplang + NSCN-IM demands a “Greater Nagalim” comprising “all contiguous Naga-
inhabited areas”, along with Nagaland and parts of Myanmar (refer map) + After multiple
rounds of talks, a “Framework Agreement” with National Socialist Council of Nagaland-IM
(NSCN-IM) was signed in 2015. But the peace process failed to progress apparently due to the
disagreement between the two parties over the Naga flag and the Yehzabo (Naga constitution),
which the NSCN-IM insists were incorporated in the Framework Agreement.

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6) ECONOMICS
 Moonlighting = It refers to pursuing more than one job at a time without the awareness of the
main employer (hence, considered unethical by many) + It has become very popular after the
COVID-19 pandemic as people got time and opportunities to do more than one thing for a
living.
 Cantillon Effect = It refers to the idea that changes in money supply in an economy causes
redistribution of purchasing power among people, disturbs relative prices of goods and
services, and leads to misallocation of scarce resources + It is named after 18th century French
economist Richard Cantillon who published his ideas in 1755 book Essay on Nature of Trade
in General.
 Perpetual Bonds (Consol Bond) = It is a fixed income security with no maturity date + Often
considered a type of equity, rather than debt + Not redeemable but that they pay a steady stream
of interest payments forever + New change: credit rating agencies may withdraw a rating of
perpetual debt security ratings.
 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) = RRBs were set up on the recommendations of the Narasimha
Working Group (1975), under the provisions of the Ordinance promulgated in 1975 and
Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976 + Presently, we have 43 Scheduled Commercial RRBs, in
comparison to 196 in 2005, under the Second Schedule of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Act, 1934 + They are region-based and rural-oriented with features of a cooperative bank in
customer experience and of commercial banks in mobilization of financial resources.
 Alternative Investment Fund(AIF) = refers to any privately pooled investment fund in form
of a trust or a company or a body corporate or limited liability partnership which do not come
jurisdiction of any regulatory agency in India. AIFs have been defined in Regulation 2(1)(b)
of SEBI (Alternate Investment Fund) Regulations 2012 and its definition includes venture
capital fund, hedge fund, private equity fund etc (but NOT mutual funds) + Please note: VCF
is a type of AIF which is an investment fund that manages money from different investors
seeking to provide capital in startup and small and medium-size enterprises + SEBI recently
eased norms on Alternate Investment Funds (AIFs), Venture Capital Funds (VCFs)
investments in overseas markets. Earlier, investing was limited to only those companies
globally that had connection to India or at least a back-office in India. However, now they can
invest in companies across the world in countries that are: Signatories to the International
Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) or a signatory to the bilateral Memorandum
of Understanding with SEBI and Countries having Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
restrictions are barred from it + As per revised norms, Transfer or sale of investment in
overseas companies can only be made to the entities eligible as per Foreign Exchange
Management Act (FEMA) 1999.
 Blue Bonds = SEBI has proposed the concept of blue bonds as a mode of sustainable finance
+ A blue bond is a relatively new form of debt instrument that is issued to support investments
in healthy oceans and blue economies + Blue Economy is sustainable use of ocean resources
for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs.
 Account Aggregator (AA) = It is a type of RBI regulated non-banking finance company
(NBFC) + AA ecosystem aims to transform how credit is processed and accessed in the country
+ It helps an individual securely and digitally access and share information from one financial
institution they have an account with to any other regulated financial institution in AA network
+ Significance of AA: Consolidated dashboard of all bank accounts of user in one place, User
controlled data sharing etc + Recently, SEBI has joined RBI’s AA framework system.
 Extended Fund Facility(ECF) = Extended Fund Facility is the lending facility of the Fund of
the IMF and it was established in 1974 to help countries address medium- and longer-term
balance of payments problems + It was established to provide assistance to countries
experiencing serious payment imbalances because of structural impediments or slow growth

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 and an inherently weak balance-of-payments position. It provides support for comprehensive
programs including the policies needed to correct structural imbalances over an extended
period + ECF may also help catalyse additional foreign aid + It is available to all Poverty
Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT)-eligible member countries that face a protracted balance
of payments problem + Assistance under an ECF arrangement is provided for an initial
duration from three to up to five years, with an overall maximum duration of five years +
Following the expiration, cancellation, or termination of an ECF arrangement, additional ECF
arrangements may be approved + Recently, Sri Lanka is counting on the IMF to bail its
economy out of crisis, with an Extended Fund Facility.
 Interest subvention on Agricultural Loans = Previously, Centre’s support to banks for
Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) was stopped in 2020 as banks were able to provide short
term agriculture loan at 7% by themselves + Recently, To compensate Banks with RBI
increased repo rate, Cabinet has restored interest subvention on short term agriculture loans to
1.5% to all financial institutions for FY 2022-23 to 2024-25 for lending short term agri-loans
up to ₹3 lakh to farmers + (Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) = Centre
introduced ISS now renamed as Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) to provide short
term credit to farmers at subsidized interest rates + Under this scheme, short term agriculture
loan upto Rs. 3.00 lakh is available to farmers engaged in Agriculture and other allied activities
at rate of 7% per annum + An additional 3% subvention (Prompt Repayment Incentive) is also
given to farmers for prompt and timely repayment of loans. Therefore, on timely repayment of
loan, farmer gets credit at the rate of 4% per annum + This support to farmers is 100% funded
by Centre + ISS is being implemented by NABARD and RBI)
 Restriction on export of wheat flour = The Central government has decided to restrict the
export of wheat flour in order to curb the rising prices of the commodity and ensure food
security of the most vulnerable sections of society + The decision was taken by the Cabinet
Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi + The
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will issue a notification to this effect. The
decision is taken against the backdrop of the Russia--Ukraine war + Wheat: Largest producer
country - China > India + Largest producer state- Uttar Pradesh> Punjab > Haryana>Madhya
Pradesh + (Meslin Flour = It is a wheat and rye blend that is sown and harvested together +
Recently, Government has removed the exemptions on Wheat or Meslin Flour from export
restrictions or ban + Russia & Ukraine accounts for around 1/4th of the global wheat trade.)
 Gold industry in India = India is the world's second biggest consumer of gold, after China +
As per National Mineral Inventory data, total gold ore reserves in the country have been
estimated at 501.83 million tonnes + The state of Karnataka accounts for 88% of the total
reserves located in India, with the Dharwar craton being most significant geological formation
for gold mineralisation + 100% FDI is permitted under the automatic route for gold mining.
 Jute Production = Jute, also known as golden fibre, is a long, soft and shiny natural fibre used
in many textile applications + Jute crop requires humid climate with temperature between 24
and 38 degree Celsius. Minimum rainfall required is 1000 mm + India is the world’s largest
producer of raw jute. Jute is primarily grown in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Meghalaya,
Tripura + India’s share is just 7 per cent of the global jute exports whereas Bangladesh accounts
for nearly 75 per cent + As per third advance estimates of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers'
Welfare, India’s jute economy declined to 1.77 million tonnes in 2021-22, from 2.03 million
tonnes in 2011-12. Also, over the years average area under jute cultivation has also declined.
During the same period, production and area in Bangladesh has shown significant rise
[IMPORTANT for Trend based questions] + Steps taken for Jute Industry: Golden Fibre
Revolution; Jute Mark India Logo for authenticity of Jute Products; JUTE –ICARE for using
certified seeds, adopting scientific technique and Mandatory Packaging in Jute Materials: At

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 present, 100% of food grains and a minimum of 20% of sugar are to be compulsorily packed
in jute sacking.
 Coal Reserves in India = According to the Inventory of India published by the Geological
Survey of India, the total assessed geological coal resource in the country is 352 billion tonnes,
putting it among the nations with the highest reserves (currently 5th placed) + The bulk of it is
relatively low calorific value thermal or non-coking coal (used mostly in thermal power plants)
+ Despite high reserve, India has to import coal because: Demand outpacing production, poor
finances of DICOMS, poor logistics, the private sector is a marginal player currently.
 Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) = RBI has allowed BBPS to process cross-border
“inbound” bill payments which benefit senior citizens and families of persons who are
dependent on remittances from abroad + Till now, BBPS was accessible only to residents in
India + BBPS is an interoperable platform for the standardized bill payment system,
conceptualised by RBI and implemented by the National Payments Corporation of India
(NPCI).
 Vande Bharat Express = 75 Vande Bharat Express trains would be rolled out of the factory,
and they would link all parts of the country after undergoing tests for 15,000 km for various
technical and operative Functionalities + The Train18, later named The Vande Bharat Express
is a semi-high speed train designed, developed, and built by the Integral Coach Factory (ICF)
under the make in india programme. The train was launched in 2019. Vande Bharat trains are
self-propelled “engineless” train sets. It's faster acceleration and deceleration results in reduced
train travel time + Some of its passenger friendly features include; European-style seats,
diffused LED lighting, GPS-based infotainment systems, modular bio-toilets, fully sealed
gangways for dust-free environment, centrally controlled entry/exit doors with sliding
footsteps, divyang friendly toilet and automatic sliding cabin doors.
 Super Vasuki = The Railways conducted a test run of its longest freight train, Super Vasuki,
with 295 loaded wagons carrying over 27,000 tonnes of coal, on August 15, as part of Azadi
Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations + The Super Vasuki is a 3.5-km-long freight train run by the
South East Central Railway + It is the longest and heaviest freight train ever run by the
Railways, adding the train takes about 4 minutes to cross a station + The Railways plans to use
this arrangement (longer freight trains) more frequently, especially to transport coal in peak
demand season to prevent fuel shortages in power stations.
 World’s Highest Railway Bridge = Recently, golden joint connecting two ends of overarch
deck of the world’s highest railway bridge over Chenab river was inaugurated + 1.3-km-long
bridge is located 359 metres above Chenab riverbed and is 30 metres higher than Eiffel Tower
+ Chenab bridge will provide all-weather rail connectivity to Kashmir and forms a crucial link
from Katra to Banihal, part of Udhampur-Srinagar Baramulla section of the Kashmir Railway
project.

7) DEFENCE
 INS Vikramaditya = INS Vikramaditya is the country’s most powerful aircraft carrier. It was
built in 1987 and had served the Soviet navy (named as Baku) + The Indian navy purchased
the vessel in 2004 and commissioned it in November 2013 at Severodvinsk in Russia + It can
carry over 30 aircraft comprising MiG-29Ks, Kamov-28s, Kamov-31s, ALH-Dhruv and
Chetak helicopters + It was retrofitted with a Barak missile system under joint development
with Israel + It is based at its home port at Karwar in Karnataka.
 Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) = Recently, Vertical
Launch Short Range Surface to Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) was successfully flight-tested by
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy from an Indian
Naval Ship at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha + The VL-

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 SRSAM system has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO + The VL-SRSAM
is a quick reaction surface-to-air missile + The VL-SRSAM is a ship-borne weapon system
that can be used for nullifying aerial threats at close ranges and can also be used against sea-
skimming targets (a technique used by missiles to fly as low as possible to avoid radar or
infrared detection) + The VL-SRSAM is equipped with an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF)
seeker which helps intercept targets with high accuracy + The missile is expected to be a force
multiplier for the Indian Navy.
 Hellfire R9X missile = Better known in military circles as the AGM-114 R9X, the Hellfire
R9X is a US-origin missile known to cause minimum collateral damage while engaging
individual targets + It weighs about 45 kg and the missile can also be launched from
helicopters, aircraft and Humvees. The range of these missiles varies from 500 metres to 11
km + Hellfire means Heliborne, Laser, Fire and Forget Missile + The US military used its
‘secret weapon’ — the Hellfire R9X missile (‘Ninja missile’)– to kill Al Qaeda chief Ayman
al-Zawahiri on the balcony of a safe house in Kabul.
 MIG-21 = The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft,
designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union + India inducted the
MiG-21 in 1963 and got full technology transfer and rights to license-build the aircraft in the
country + It is the first supersonic fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force + Russia stopped
producing the aircraft in 1985, while India continued operating the upgraded variants + There
are four squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft currently in service in the IAF with each squadron
comprising 16-18 aircraft, including two trainer versions + The IAF also plans to phase out
three squadrons of MiG-29 fighter jets over the next five years.It is a part of the modernization
drive of the Indian Air Force. All four MiG-21 squadrons are planned to be retired by the year
2025. (MIG-21 Bison: The MiG-21 Bison is an upgraded version of the MiG-21bis which had
been first inducted into service in 1976. The MiG-21 FL, which was an older version of the
aircraft and which joined service in the early 1960s, had been phased out of IAF in 2013)
 Swarm Drone Systems = Indian Army has inducted indigenously produced Swarm Drones
Systems aiming to employ them in both offensive and defensive operations + The force
believes that it will be providing a decisive edge to the tactical commanders employing them
+ A swarm drone system consists of a number of small drones which are AI enabled and
capable of communicating with the control station as well as among themselves and provide
asymmetric capabilities for taking out frontline assets of the adversary.
 Dornier 228 Aircraft = The Dornier 228 (DO – 228) aircraft is a multi-purpose light transport
aircraft specially developed to meet the needs of maritime surveillance + The aircraft is also
used in utility and commuter transport, third-level services and coast guard duties + Dornier
228 is a twin-turboprop STOL (Short-Take off and Landing) aircraft + It was manufactured by
Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH and the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has got a
production licence.
 Nipun Mines = Nipun mines are indigenously designed and developed anti-personnel mines
termed by the DRDO as ‘soft target blast munition’. These mines are meant to act as the first
line of defence against infiltrators and enemy infantry + Developed by: Armament Research
and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO facility, and Indian industry + Note:
Anti-personnel mines are meant to be used against humans as against anti-tank mines that are
aimed at heavy vehicles. They are smaller in size and can be deployed in large numbers.
 Butterfly Mine = It is a very sensitive anti-personnel landmine. An applied force of 5 kg is
enough to detonate the mine + These mines can be deployed by dropping from helicopters or
through ballistic dispersion using artillery and mortar shells + The PFM-1 and PFM-1S are
two kinds of anti-personnel landmines that are commonly referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or
‘Green Parrots’ + The major difference between PFM-1 & PFM-1S is that the latter one comes
with a self-destruction mechanism which gets activated within one to 40 hours + Recently,

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 Russia is accused of using PFM-1 + Banned by International Convention on land mines +
Russia and Ukraine are not signatories to it.
 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) = The ATAGS is an indigenous calibre
howitzer gun developed by the DRDO + Howitzers is an umbrella term for a category of long-
range artillery guns + ATAGS project was started in 2013 by DRDO.
 Zoravar Tank = Zorawar tanks are a fleet of indigenously developed light tanks + Zorawar
tanks being light tanks are “air portable” and hence can be easily airlifted during strategic
operations + It will be designed to operate from High Altitude Area, the marginal terrain to the
Island territories and will be highly transportable for rapid deployment to meet any operational
situation.
 Landing Craft Assault(LCA) = The Landing Craft Assault(LCA) is meant to serve as a
replacement for the boats with limited capabilities currently in use in the Pangong Tso lake +
Developed by: Goa-based Aquarius ShipYard Limited + It has better launch speed and capacity
to operate across water obstacles in eastern Ladakh. Similar vessels are already in operation in
the Indian Navy.
 F-INSAS System = F-INSAS stands for Future Infantry Soldier As A System + It is a
programme for infantry modernisation aimed at enhancing the operational capability of the
soldier + The full gear of the F-INSAS system includes an AK-203 assault rifle and a
multimode hand grenade. Apart from this, soldiers are also provided with ballistic helmets and
ballistic goggles for protection against small projectiles and fragments, along with a bullet-
proof vest + F-INSAS also comes with hands-free, secured advanced communications set for
real-time exchange of information with the command post and fellow soldiers for enhanced
situational awareness.
 Ex Vajra Prahar 2022 = The 13th edition of the exercise “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022” started at
the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh in Himachal Pradesh + Exercise Vajra
Prahar is a Joint Special Forces exercise of India and the US army + The Exercise is conducted
alternately in India and the US + Aim: To enable sharing of best practices and experiences in
areas such as, joint mission planning capabilities and operational tactics.
 Operation Skylight = Indian Army tested the operational readiness of its satellite-based
systems under this operation + Satellite-based Systems: provide communication facilities to
the military's ground and air-based systems, It also acts as a backup in case terrestrial
connectivity is disrupted + Currently, the Army doesn’t have a dedicated satellite system
(unlike Air-force and Navy). However, GSAT-7B satellite will be launched for use by the
Army.
 AL NAJAH IV = India and Oman will carry out a military exercise with a focus on counter
terror cooperation + This will be the 4th edition between contingents of the Indian Army and
the Royal Army of Oman + It is scheduled to take place at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges,
Rajasthan + The previous edition was organised in Muscat in March 2019.
 Pitch- Black Exercise = The Indian Air Force will join 16 other nations later this month for
Exercise Pitch Black, hosted by the Australian Air Force + The exercise is a biennial three
week multinational large force employment exercise + The exercise will host up to 2500
personnel and up to 100 aircraft from around the globe including participants from Australia,
France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Japan, Republic of Korea, UK, the Philippines,
Thailand, UAE, Canada, Netherlands, Malaysia, New Zealand and the US. Significantly,
Germany, Japan, and the Republic of Korea will be participating fully for the first time.
 Udara Shakti Exercise = It is a bilateral air force exercise between India and Malaysia + An
Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent has left for Malaysia to participate in a bilateral exercise
‘Udarashakti’ with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) + (Exercise Harimau Shakti: It
is a bilateral joint military exercise between India and Malaysia)

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  Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) = It was established in 2001 + Located in: Bahrain + It
is a multinational naval partnership to promote security, stability and prosperity across
approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, which encompass some of the
world’s most important shipping lanes + It is Commanded by the U.S. Navy Vice Admiral +
It consists of 34 member nations. Including countries such as Australia, Bahrain, Brazil,
France, Japan, Pakistan, United States, Yemen, and others + CMF has four Combined Task
Forces: CTF 150 (Maritime Security Operations outside the Arabian Gulf); CTF 151 (Counter-
Piracy); CTF 152 (Maritime Security Operations inside the Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Red
Sea Maritime Security) + Note: At the India-US 2+2 Ministerial dialogue in April 2022, India
announced that it would join the CMF as an Associate Partner.
 Yudh Abhyas 2022 = Yudh Abhyas started in 2004 under the US Army Pacific Partnership
Program + It is the largest running joint military training and cooperation exercise between
India and the US + The exercise is hosted alternately between both countries with an objective
to enhance understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the two armies + The
upcoming 15th edition of the “Yudh Abhyas” joint exercise is expected to take place in
September 2022 in Uttarakhand.
 VINBAX 2022 = Vietnam India Bilateral Army Exercise + It was a Multi Agency
Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Relief (HADR) demonstration and an equipment display
showcasing the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives + focused on deployment of
Army Engineer and Medical teams in UN Peacekeeping operations + Concluded at Chandi
Mandir Cantonment Area in Haryana.

8) HEALTH
 Langya Virus = A new virus that can jump from animals to humans has been detected in
China with 35 people already infected. It has been called Langya henipavirus (LayV) - and has
been found across two provinces in eastern China.China's Shandong and Henan provinces have
both reported cases of a novel Langya henipavirus (LayV) + Langya Virus or LayV is an
example of a Zoonotic Henipavirus + The virus is in the Henipavirus family + Two species
have been identified before; the Hendra virus - first detected in the Brisbane suburb of the same
name - and Nipah virus, both cause severe infections and are sometimes fatal + Henipaviruses
belong to the family of paramyxoviruses. They can cause severe illness in animals and humans
and are classified as biosafety level 4 (BSL4) (according to WHO) pathogens with case fatality
rates between 40-75% + As of now there are no licensed drugs or vaccines meant for humans.
 Tomato Flu = Tomato fever is a rare contagious disease of viral nature in humans whose
origins are not yet known. However, medical experts have opined that it might be an aftereffect
of dengue or chikungunya + The ‘tomato flu’ is caused by Coxsackievirus A 16. It belongs to
the Enterovirus family. The enteroviruses are an ancient and important group of RNA viruses.
Humans are the only hosts for the enteroviruses (NPEVs) + The infectious disease is caused
by intestinal viruses and is rare in adults as they usually have immune systems strong enough
to defend them from the virus + The flu is said to affect children below five years of age + The
infection has been named ‘tomato flu’ because of the red, painful blisters that appear on a
patient’s body and gradually enlarge to the size of a tomato + This flu is a self-limiting one
and so far, there is no specific drug for its cure.
 Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus(SRBSDV) = It is a viral disease that infects the
paddy crops and causes “dwarfing” of the plants + Apart from paddy it can also infect different
weed species + First reported in Southern China in 2001 + It is transmitted by white-backed
plant hopper(WBPH) + Typhoons and strong convection winds can enhance long-distance
transmission of this virus + No corrective measure present for this viral disease.

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  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome = Also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS) + It is a
disease that affects the nervous system, the immune system and the body’s production of
energy + Causes: still unknown, but the potential triggers would include viral or bacterial
infection, hormonal imbalances and genetic predispositions + No specific test presents for the
disease + Can affect anyone from children to adults of all ages. But it is more common in
women and people between 40 and 60 years old + Symptoms: lowered ability to do activities
that were performed before the illness, post-exertional malaise(PEM). Patients often describe
it as a “crash” in physical/mental energy following even minor activities like grocery shopping
or brushing teeth + Treatment: not specific yet.
 Methamphetamine = It is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant drug that affects the central
nervous system, and is used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and
narcolepsy, a sleep disorder + It is chemically similar to amphetamine (central nervous
stimulant) + Side Effects: Raises the amount of dopamine (neurotransmitter and “feel good
hormone”) in the brain; Can result in a cardiac arrest, stroke if consumed in an excess quantity;
Affects the cardiovascular system by triggering blood vessel spasms and life-threatening spikes
in blood pressure.
 Lumpi pro-Vac = Lumpi-ProVac has been developed by the National Research Centre on
Equines, Hisar, Haryana, in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute,
Izatnagar (Bareilly) + It is a vaccine to protect livestock from Lumpy Skin disease + The
immunity induced by this vaccine usually persists for a minimum period of one year + (Lumpy
Skin Disease = Lumpy skin disease is an infectious viral disease of cattle, which often occurs
in epizootic form + The disease is characterised by the eruption of nodules in the skin, which
may cover the whole of the animal’s body + LSD is primarily a disease in cattle. It was reported
for the first time in India in 2019 from Odisha + In the initial years, the disease was mainly
restricted to the eastern part of our country. Later on, it rapidly spread to almost all the states
in the country).
 Monkeypox Vaccine = A task force headed by Dr. V.K. Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog
has put out plans to fund research in developing the crucial infrastructure required for preparing
an indigenous vaccine + A dedicated vaccine development would take well over a year due to
several gaps in figuring out the ideal approach + India has reported 8 cases of Monkeypox till
the first week of August 2022 + As per the experts, monkeypox was unlikely to immediately
require mass vaccination as the virus is structurally more stable compared with SARS-CoV-2
+ According to centre for disease control, a USA agency, two vaccines may be used for the
prevention of Monkeypox virus infection:
 JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex), licensed (or approved) by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of Monkeypox virus infection +
Bavarian Nordic, a Denmark biotech company has developed a smallpox vaccine, called
‘JYNNEOS’ + This vaccine has been tested for effectiveness and safety in people against
monkeypox in the lab, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
 ACAM2000, licensed (or approved) by FDA for use against smallpox and made available
for use against monkeypox under an Expanded Access Investigational New Drug
application
 Corbevex = Recently, the Union government approved ‘Corbevax’ by Biological E as a
precaution dose against COVID-19 for those above 18 who are fully vaccinated with either
Covaxin or Covishield + 18 plus people can get the dose 26 weeks after the administration of
the second dose. It will be considered as a precaution dose + Corbevax is still awaiting
emergency use listing (EUL) by the World Health Organization + This approval is the first
time that a booster dose different from the one used for primary vaccination is to be allowed
in India + The approval is based on the recommendations made by the COVID-19 Working
Group of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization + (Corbevex Working: It

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 is a “recombinant protein sub-unit” vaccine. It means it is made up of a specific part of SARS-
CoV-2 - the spike protein on the virus’s surface. The spike protein allows the virus to enter the
cells in the body so that it can replicate and cause disease. However, when this protein alone
is given to the body, it is not expected to be harmful as the rest of the virus is absent + The
body is expected to develop an immune response against the injected spike protein.Therefore,
when the real virus attempts to infect the body, it will already have an immune response ready
that will make it unlikely for the person to fall severely ill).
 CSA6 = It is a gene identified in Candida albicans (fungal species) infamous for causing high
rates of morbidity and mortality under certain immuno-compromised conditions such as AIDS
or during cancer treatment + This gene can prevent the fungal infection Candidiasis which
often affects intensive-care unit(ICU) patients, cancer patients and patients receiving
immunosuppressive therapy.
 National Cancer Grid(NCG) = Established by Government of India in 2012 through the
Department of Atomic Energy and with the grant support of Tata Memorial Centre + It aimed
to create a network of cancer centres, research institutes, patient groups and charitable
institutions across India + Recently NCG established the Koita Centre for Digital Oncology
(KCDO) to promote the use of digital technologies and tools to improve cancer care across
India.

9) INDICES & REPORTS

 Twitter’s Global Transparency Report = India is in the fourth spot to issue blocking orders
between 2014 and 2020, after Japan, Turkey, and Russia + there has been a rise in legal
demands being made by India to remove content from Twitter between 2014 and 2020.
 Global Employment Trends for Youth 2022 Report = released by the International Labour
Organisation(ILO) + The recovery in youth employment is still lagging globally, the report
says, confirming that COVID-19 has hurt young people more than any other age group + The
total global number of unemployed youth is estimated to reach 73 million in 2022, a slight
improvement from 2021 (75 million), but still six million above the pre-pandemic level of
2019 + In India, the youth employment participation rate declined by 0.9 percentage points
over the first nine months of 2021 relative to its value in 2020, while it increased by 2
percentage points for adults over the same time period.
 World Population Prospects 2022 = United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs (UNDESA) recently released World Population Prospects 2022 + Global population,
to reach 8 billion this year, is growing at its slowest rate since 1950, having fallen to less than
1% in 2020. More than half increase in global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in
eight countries including India + India, currently 1.4 billion people country, will overtake
China as most populous country in 2023 and is likely to retain top spot till 2100. Its share in
world population has come down marginally in 2022.
 Youth in India 2022 Report = released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) + According to the ‘Youth in India 2022’ report, India’s favorable
demographic dividend is at an inflection point of sorts, with the population share of the youth
starting to taper off.
 7th Economic Census = The Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI) has
tied up with Common Service Centre (CSC), an SPV under the Ministry of Electronics and IT,
to carry out the 7th National Economic Census + Conducted every five years as a central sector
scheme, the EC, which also captures the employment creation by each firm, their ownership
pattern and sources of finance at a granular level, was last carried out in 2013-14 + Economic
Census (EC) is the complete count of all establishments/units located within the geographical
boundaries of the country + Launched in 1976 as a plan scheme + Coverage: All

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 entrepreneurial units in the country which are involved in any economic activities of either
agricultural or non-agricultural sector which are engaged in production and/or distribution of
goods and/or services not for the sole purpose of own consumption + The data is collected
through door to door surveys of each household and commercial establishment under the
provisions of Collection of Statistics Act 2008 + Total Six Economic Censuses (EC) have been
conducted till date. First one was conducted in 1977 by CSO + Recently, Centre has blamed
the States for a prolonged delay in releasing the findings of the Seventh Economic Census, a
critical compendium of formal and informal non- farm enterprises operating across the country,
in a submission to the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Finance.
 Financial Inclusion Index(FI-Index) = Reserve Bank of India(RBI) has released the
Composite Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) for the year ended 31st March 2022 + The FI
index was conceptualised as a comprehensive index incorporating details of banking,
investments, insurance, postal as well as the pension sector in consultation with the government
and respective sectoral regulators + The index captures information on various aspects of
financial inclusion in a single value ranging between 0 and 100, where 0 represents complete
financial exclusion and 100 indicates full financial inclusion + India’s Financial Inclusion
Index has improved to 56.4 from 53.9 in the previous year 2021. The improvement has been
seen across all its sub-indices (Access, Usage and Equality).
 India Wind Energy Market Outlook 2026 = The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and
MEC Intelligence (MEC+) have recently released a report titled “Renewing wind growth to
power the energy transition: India Wind Energy Market Outlook 2026” + Annual installation
of new wind power projects in India will peak by 2024 and likely decline thereafter + After
2024, fresh projects are likely to be wind-solar hybrids + Wind industry installations have been
slowing down in India since 2017 + Only 40 GW of wind power capacity has been established
and Only 1.45 GW of wind projects were installed in 2021 + (Global Wind Energy Council
(GWEC) was established in 2005 to provide a credible and representative forum for the entire
wind energy sector at an international level)
 Crime in India 2021 Report = Released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) + Report
says about Fake Money, Nearly 60% of all it seized in the year 2021 was of ₹2,000
denomination ( mostly recovered in Tamil Nadu, followed by Kerala and Andhra Pradesh) +
Since 2016 there has been an increase in the seizure of fake money + Government’s measures
to curb Fake Money:
 Terror Funding and Fake Currency Cell: Formed by Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA)
in the National Investigation Agency(NIA) to conduct a focussed investigation of terror
funding and fake currency cases.
 FICN Coordination Group(FCORD) : Formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),
It shares intelligence/information amongst the different security agencies of the
States/centers to counter the problem of circulation of fake currency notes in the country.

10) ART & CULTURE

 Lachit Borphukan = He is known for his exemplary leadership in the Battle of Saraighat
(1671), where the Ahoms defeated the Mughal forces + He was an Army General of Ahom
(Assam) Kingdom and is revered as the greatest military hero of Assam. He excelled in the art
of Guerrilla Warfare + The Lachit Borphukan gold medal is awarded to the best cadet from the
National Defence Academy + (Battle of Alaboi: The Battle of Alaboi was fought on August 5,
1669, between the Ahoms and Mughals in which the Ahoms suffered severe reverses and
thousands of its soldiers were killed)
 Amma Mani = Indian Physicist and Meteorologist born in Kerala + Known as the weather
woman + Made significant contribution to Metrologist Instrumentation.

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  Pandurang Khankhoje (1884-1967) = He was an Indian revolutionary, scholar and
agricultural scientist + He was born in Wardha, Maharashtra + Admirer of the French
Revolution and of the American War of Independence + He was inspired by Bal Gangadhar
Tilak + He spent time in Japan and China and from here he moved to Mount Tamalpais Military
Academy in California as a student of agriculture + He was one of the founding members of
the Ghadar Party + He met with Vladimir Lenin in Russia among other leaders, seeking support
for the Indian cause + He was appointed as a professor at the National School of Agriculture
in Chapingo, near Mexico City + He researched corn, wheat, pulses, and rubber, developing
frost and drought-resistant varieties, and was part of efforts to bring in the Green Revolution
in Mexico.
 Pingali Venkayya = He was born on 2nd August 1876 into a Telugu Brahmin family in
Bhatlapenumarru, Madras Presidency, British India (today’s Machilipatnam in Andhra
Pradesh) + During his stay in South Africa at the time of the Anglo Boer war,Venkaya served
as a British army soldier + He was also known as Patti Venkayya because of his research into
Cambodia Cotton + In 1916, he published a booklet on flags. The booklet was titled ‘A
National Flag for India.’ It contained twenty-four designs of flags + Pingali Venkayya was a
freedom fighter, designer of India’s National Flag and a follower of Gandhian principles +
Initially, Venkayya came up with saffron and green colours, but it later evolved with a spinning
wheel at the centre and a third colour-white. (Lala Hansraj Sodhi suggested adding a spin wheel
—showing the independent Indians who can spin their own clothing from local fibres.) + The
flag was officially adopted by the Indian National Congress in 1931 + Post-Independence, a
national flag committee under President Rajendra Prasad replaced the charkha with the Ashok
Chakra.
 Mandala Art = Mandala means circle or centre in Sanskrit, defined by a geometric
configuration that usually incorporates the circular shape in some form + It’s origin is believed
to be rooted in Buddhism, appearing in the first century BC in India, In Hinduism, the mandala
imagery first appeared in Rig Vedic period + Mandala in modern Indian art continues to appear
in Thangka paintings, in practice of artists associated with tantric and neo-tantric spiritual
movements.
 Hyderabad Lac Bangles = set to get GI tag + The lac bangles are handcrafted using molten
lac in Hyderabad’s ‘Laad Bazaar’ + The molten lac is solidified and then shaped into bangles
and embellished with crystals, beads, mirrors or stones. The art of making these intricate lac
bangles is over 500 years old and has been handed down the generations in Laad Bazaar +
Warangal Durries, Nirmal Toys and Karimnagar filigree, Pochampally Ikat are some of the
other products that have secured the GI in Telangana state + Once the GI protection is granted,
no other producer can misuse the name to market similar products. It also provides comfort to
customers about the authenticity of that product + The registration of a geographical indication
is valid for a period of 10 years. It can be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10
years each. In India, Geographical Indications registration is administered by the Geographical
Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 which came into force with effect
from September 2003. The first product in India to be accorded with GI tag was Darjeeling tea
in the year 2004-05.
 Mithila Makhana = Mithila Makhana or Makhan (botanical name: Euryale ferox Salisb.) is a
special variety of aquatic fox nut cultivated in Mithila region of Bihar and Nepal + The Union
government has awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag to Mithila Makhana + Makhana
is the one of the three prestigious cultural identities of Mithila. Pan, Makhan and Machh (fish)
are the three prestigious cultural identities of Mithila + Makhana contains protein and fibre,
along with micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus.
 Adichanallur = Recently, Archeologucal Survey of India unearthed a gold diadem from a
huge burial urn + First site in Tamil Nadu where gold was excavated + Located on the lower

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 valley of river Tamirabarani in Tamil Nadu + First Megalithic site uncovered in India by
German Explorer Andrew Jagor in 1876 + This site also showcases transition to Iron and Sanga
Literature + Skeletons of non-Indian origin have also been found.
 Thalaivetti Muniyappan Temple = Tamil Nadu + The recent verdict of the Madras High
Court directed that all Hindu rituals in the temple must be stopped immediately based on a
study of the idol that confirmed it was indeed one of Lord Buddha.
 Chola Period Sculptures = Chola period was well known for Metal Sculptures + Sculptures
were made using lost wax technique, also known as cire perdue + Recently CID submitted
documentation to retrieve 6 stolen statues belonging to Nareeshwara Sivan temple to US
Authorities + Temple is known to be constructed by Rajendra I of Chola Dynasty +These are
Panchchola Idols, made from an alloy of 5 metals, made using the lost wax technique +
Antiquities and Art Treasures Act 1972 makes the export of such items from India without a
license a criminal Act + Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between USA and India
allows for mutual assistance on such matters.
 Baba Imambara = Located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh + It was built by Asaf-ud-daula, son
of suja-ud-daula (nawab-wazir of awadh) in 1784 + The complex includes a large Asafi
mosque, tomb of Asaf-ud-daula and a step-well.The architecture reflects the maturation of
Mughal design. It was built to provide food to famine stricken subjects of the Nawab. The
whole building is made of Lakhanui bricks, which are a bit small in size, and lime plaster. No
wood or metal has been used in the construction (Except for the galleries in the interior).
 Vannuramma = The fort of legendry Vannuramma in Nallamala forest in the present day
Mydukur mandal of Kadapa district is trending due to its rundown condition + Vannuramma
ruled five ‘Durgams’ (under fiefdom) between 1781 and 1796 with Sakarlapadu as the
administrative headquarters + She was born in Pathimadugu Rekulakunta, now in Kadapa
district, and got married to Veerneni Chinna Narasimha Naidu in 1764 + Her family had the
practice of praying at Vannuru Swamy temple in Kalyanadurgam of Anantapur district + The
Nawabs captured her and sentenced her with ‘Korthi’, a punishment where a person is made
to sit on a sharpened tree stump and left to die.
 Gandhi Bhawan = Also known as Hyderi Manzil, situated in Kolkata + It is mentioned in the
journal of Nirmal Kumar Bose,( a scholar, companion of Gandhi) + Gandhi ji stayed here
during Indepence day of India (15 August 1947) + During his held several prayer meets—
prarthana sabhas + Gandhi undertook a one-day fast “in observance of the day of deliverance
of India”.
 Young India = Recently, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) temporarily sealed the office of
Young Indian + Young India was a weekly journal in English started by Mahatma Gandhi.
Through this work, he desired to popularise India's demand of self-government or Swaraj + It
was published by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi from 1919 to 1931.
 Shrimad Rajchandra Mission = A spiritual movement for inner transformation through
wisdom, meditation and selfless service + Shrimad Rajchandra (1867 – 1901): He was a Jain
poet, philosopher, scholar and reformer, honoured as Yugpurush. He wrote a large number of
philosophical poems including Atma Siddhi. He is known for his teachings on Jainism and his
spiritual guidance to Mahatma Gandhi.

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11) MISCELLANEOUS
 Voznesensk = Voznesensk is located about 20 km from the nuclear plant at Pivdennouk-
rainsk, Ukraine’s second largest, and 70 km from Mykolaiv, the regional capital + It is a city
in Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine and the administrative center of Voznesensk Raion
(district)
 Zapo-Rizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant = Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, built between 1984
and 1995, is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe and the ninth largest in the world +
Zaporizhzhia is a city in south-eastern Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper river.
 Malvinas Island = Falkland Islands, also called Malvinas Islands or Spanish Islas Malvinas,
internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the South Atlantic Ocean
+ It lies about 300 miles northeast of the southern tip of South America and a similar distance
east of the Strait of Magellan + The two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, and
about 200 smaller islands. The government of the Falkland Islands also administers the British
overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, including the Shag and
Clerke rocks + Recently, India reiterated its support for international negotiations regarding a
territorial matter between Argentina and the United Kingdom in the Southern Atlantic Ocean.

 Somalia = Somalia is officially the Federal Republic of Somalia + It is a country in the Horn
of Africa + It is bordered by: Ethiopia in the west; Djibouti in the northwest; The Gulf of Aden
in the north; The Indian Ocean in the east and Kenya to the southwest + Somalia has the longest
coastline on Africa's mainland + Somalia is located at the mouth of the Bab-el-Mandeb; the
gateway to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal + Somalia has only two permanent rivers, the Jubba
and Shabelle + Recently, Around 1 million people have been displaced by drought in Somalia.
Somalia and its neighbours in the Horn of Africa including Ethiopia and Kenya are gripped by
the worst drought in more than 40 years after four failed rainy seasons that have decimated
crops and livestock.

 Chabahar Port = Chabahar Port is located in Sistan and Baluchestan province in the South-
eastern part of Iran, on the Gulf of Oman + It is the only deep-sea port in Iran with direct ocean
access + Its geographic proximity to countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, as
well as its status as a key transit center on the burgeoning International North-South Transport
Corridor(INSTC), gives it the potential to develop into one of the most important commercial
hubs in the region + India, Afghanistan and Iran signed a deal to establish the International
Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement) in 2016. This involved construction of

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 a rail line from Chabahar port to Zahedan along the border with Afghanistan and linking it to
the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, as an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
 Taiwan = Taiwan, earlier known as Formosa, a tiny island off the east coast of China + Taiwan
is where Chinese republicans of the Kuomintang government retreated after the 1949 victory
of the communists — and it has since continued as the Republic of China (ROC) + The island
is located in the East China Sea, to the northeast of Hong Kong, north of the Philippines and
south of South Korea, and southwest of Japan. [Mark Taiwan strait on Map]

 Yellow Sea = Yellow Sea or Huang Hai or Hwanghae is a large inlet of the western Pacific
Ocean lying between mainland China and the Korean peninsula + It is situated to the north of
the East China Sea + The Bo Hai Sea is the north-western extension of the Yellow Sea. It is
connected to the Yellow Sea via the Bohai Strait + The Bo Hai (Gulf of Chihli) is located in
the northwest part of the sea. It is found between the Liaodong Peninsula to the north and the
Shandong Peninsula to the south.

 Great Barrier Reef = The highest levels of coral cover, within the past 36 years, has been
recorded in the northern and central parts of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, according to the
annual long term monitoring report by the Australian Institute of Marine Science + The record
levels of recovery were fuelled by increases in the fast growing Acropora corals. However,
scientists warned that these fast growing corals are also the most susceptible to environmental
pressures such as rising temperatures, cyclones, pollution etc + The Great Barrier Reef is the
world’s most extensive and spectacular coral reef ecosystem composed of over 2,900
individual reefs and 900 islands. It is located in the Coral Sea (North-East Coast), off the coast
of Queensland, Australia. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny
organisms, known as coral polyps which are tiny, soft-bodied organisms and their base which

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 is a hard, protective limestone skeleton called a calicle, forms the structure of coral reefs. It
was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.

 Vizhinjam Port Vizhinjam is a port under construction by the Arabian Sea at Trivandrum in
India + Vizhinjam is proposed to be a transhipment port.

 Tigray Crisis = The World Health Organization (WHO) described the Tigray crisis region as
the “worst humanitarian disaster on earth” + Tigray is the northernmost regional state in
Ethiopia and is the homeland of the Tigrayan people + Region is ruled by the Tigray People’s
Liberation Front (TPLF) which has been at war with Ethiopia's army and its allies.
 Hunger Stones (Hungersteine) = It is a common hydrological marker in rivers of central
Europe + They date back to the pre-instrumental era + Embedded into rivers by ancestors when
rivers were subdued to severe levels.
 Girmitiya countries = These are the countries where Indians were taken as indentured
labourers during British India to work on plantations in British colonies + Girmitiya countries
includes countries like- Fiji, Mauritius, Jamaica, South Africa, Guyana, Suriname etc.
 First Island Chain = First Island Chain comprises the Kuril Islands, the Japanese Archipelago,
Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, northwest Philippines and ending at Borneo + This chain is the first
line of defence and serves as the maritime boundaries between the East China Sea, Philippine
Sea, South China Sea and the Sulu Sea + In this chain are located the Bashi Channel and the
Miyako Strait which are critical chokepoints for China + It is a part of Island Chain Strategy
(refer image) formulated by the US in 1951 to contain the erstwhile USSR and China with a
string of naval bases in the western Pacific region to restrict sea access to these two countries.
 Tonga Volcanic Eruption = Recently, a volcano erupted in the southern Pacific Island of
Tonga, which triggered Tsunami waves around the Pacific + It is an Undersea Volcanic
Eruption consisting of two small uninhabited islands, Hunga-Ha’apai and Hunga-Tonga + The
Tonga Islands occur along the Ring of Fire—a perimeter of heightened volcanic and seismic
activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean basin + According to a new study, Volcanic eruption

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 in Tonga (January 2022) is likely to add to global warming and depletion of Earth’s ozone
layer.
 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples = International Day of the World’s
Indigenous Peoples or World Tribal Day is celebrated on August 9th every year + The day was
chosen during the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in
Geneva in 1982 + On the International day of the World's Indigenous People 2022, the
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) will organise a virtual commemoration
of the International Day on 9 August 2022 + The event will focus on this year’s theme: “The
Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge”.
 Stockholm World Water Week 2022 = Since 1991, the Stockholm International Water
Institute has been organising the World Water Week every year to address global water
concerns, which is held in the last week of August every year + The theme for World Water
Week 2022 is “Seeing the Unseen: The Value of Water” + The Arth Ganga model was
mentioned by Indian delegates at Stockholm World Water Week 2022. ‘Arth Ganga’ implies
a sustainable development model with a focus on economic activities related to Ganga.
 National Water Awards (NWA) = 4th NWA launched by the Ministry of Jal Shakti On
Rashtriya Puraskar Portal + Introduce to encourage exemplary work by the states in achieving
the government’s vision of ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ + Aim: to aware the public about water
resource management + The first National Water Award was launched in 2018.
 Feliz Houphouetboigny Peace Prize = Given by UNESCO + Former German Chancellor
Angela Merkel won the price for 2022 for ‘efforts to welcome refugees’ + This price honours
living individual and active public or private bodies, established in 1989 + First prize was
awarded to Nelson Mandela and Fedrik V. de Klerk in 1991 + awarded to those who gave
made significant contribution to promoting, seeking, safeguarding or maintaining peace.
 Commonwealth Games = It is a member-based organization that receives no funding from
the government and exists to administer, control and coordinate the participation of sports
events and the athletes, along with the officials of the commonwealth game + The 2022
Commonwealth Games are officially known as XXII Commonwealth Games and are generally
known as Birmingham 2022 + In 1881, a new idea of having multiple games at one sports
event was introduced by Astley Cooper + The Commonwealth Games is also known as the
Friendly Games + The Commonwealth Games are quadrennial which means it is held for four
years + Recently, Tejaswin Shankar wins India’s first-ever high jump medal in Commonwealth
Games.
 FIFA = FIFA or the Federation Internationale de Football Association is the highest governing
body of football in the world. It is the international governing body of association football,
futsal, and beach soccer + FIFA is a non-profit organisation + Founded in 1904, FIFA now
comprises 211 member nations + Headquarter- Zurich.
 Khhula = A process in which woman initiates the divorce, and surrenders her mehr (wealth
transferred or promised to the woman at the time of marriage) + Can be initiated orally or
through a document called the ‘Khhulnama’.
 Functionally Literate District = A person can be called functionally literate when he or she
is able to write his or her own name, to count and read and write + It also refers to the capacity
of a person to engage in all those activities in which literacy is required for effective function
of his or her group and community + Recently, Mandla district, a tribal dominated region in
Madhya Pradesh has been reported as fully 'functionally literate' district.

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