UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 06-04-2025

2 Genome-Edited Rice Varieties Developed in India

Prelims - Current events of national and international importance.

Why in News?

Recently, Union Agriculture Minister released 2 genome-edited varieties of rice.

• India Becomes the 1^st Country in the World to develop genome-edited rice varieties.

The genome is the entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell. In humans, the genome consists of 23 pairs of chromosomes located in the cell's nucleus.

• 2 genome edited rice verities
  • DRR Rice 100 (Kamla)
  • Pusa DST Rice
• Developed by - Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

In 2018, ICAR initiated genome-editing research to improve two major rice varieties – Samba Mahsuri and MTU 1010, under the National Agricultural Science Fund.

• Development technology – It is by using genome-editing technology based on CRISPR-Cas, which makes precise changes in the organism's genetic material without adding foreign DNA.
• Genome editing of SDN 1 and SDN 2 types of genes has been approved under India's biosafety regulations for general crops.

• Significance – It hold the potential for revolutionary changes in higher production, climate adaptability, and water conservation.
  • A 19% increase in yield.
  • A 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
  • A saving of 7,500 million cubic meters of irrigation water.
  • Improved tolerance to drought, salinity, and climate stresses.

In the 2023-24 budget, the Government of India allocated Rs 1000 crores for genome editing in agricultural crops. ICAR has already initiated genome-editing research for several crops, including oilseeds and pulses.

Quick Facts

• ICAR – It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• It has its headquarters at New Delhi.
• It is the apex body for co-ordinating, guiding and managing research and education in agriculture including horticulture, fisheries and animal sciences in the entire country.

Reference

PIB| Launch of 2 Genome Edited Rice Varieties in India

Reemergence of Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Prelims - Science & Technology- Health | Current events of national and international importance.

Why in News?

Recently, diseases that can be prevented through vaccination, such as measles, meningitis, and yellow fever, are re-emerging globally.

• Reason for re-emergence - A World Health Organization (WHO) rapid stock showed that many countries are facing disruptions in vaccination campaigns, routine immunisation, and access to supplies due to reduced funding.
  • For instance, in 2023, an estimated 14.5 million children missed all their routine vaccine doses.
• WHO, UNICEF and Gavi have issued a joint warning stating that immunisation efforts are being threatened by misinformation, population growth and humanitarian crises.

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world's children against deadly and debilitating infectious diseases. It has helped vaccinate more than 1.1 billion children in 78 lower-income countries, preventing more than 18.8 million future deaths.

• Impacts – It puts lives at risk and exposing countries to increased costs in treating diseases and responding to outbreaks.
• Measures – Continuing investment in the ‘Big Catch-Up initiative’, launched in 2023 to reach children who missed vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Gavi’s pledging summit on June 25, 2025 seeks to raise at least $9 billion from donors to fund an ambitious strategy to protect 500 million children, saving at least eight million lives from 2026 to 2030.

Vaccination in India

• Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) – It is one of India’s most comprehensive public health initiatives, aiming to provide life-saving vaccines to millions of newborns and pregnant women each year.
• Vaccine prevented diseases – India was certified polio-free in 2014 and eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2015.
• Immunisation status – According to the National Family Health Survey-5, 2019-21, India’s full immunisation coverage stands at 76.1%, which means that 1 child out of every 4 is missing out on essential vaccines.

According to UNICEF, In India every year, nearly 26 million newborns and 34 million pregnant women are targeted for immunisation, and over 13 million immunisation sessions are held nationwide to vaccinate children and pregnant women.

Reference

The Hindu| Reemergence of Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Bagram Airfield

Prelims (GS I) – Current events of national and international importance.

Mains (GS II) – International relations

Why in news?

Recently, U.S President claimed that China now occupied the Afghanistan's Bagram Airfield, which the US vacated in 2021.

• Bagram Airfield – It is the largest airfield in Afghanistan which is situated at 15 Km from Kabul.
• Location – Bagram Airfield is located in Parwan province.

• Strategic importance – Parwan province provides key connections to multiple Afghan regions through highways and tunnel.
• Origin – Built by the Soviet Union in the 1950s during Cold War competition for influence in Afghanistan.
• Soviet era (1979-89) – Served as a vital military base during the Soviet-Afghan War.
  • Used for deploying airborne divisions.
  • Base for Sukhoi Su-25 aircraft missions against mujahideen forces.
• 1990s - Became a frontline in the conflict between Taliban and Northern Alliance, and suffered heavy damage.
• US occupation (2001-2021) – U.S occupied this airfield after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
• Over the next two decades, as the “War on Terror” raged on, Bagram became the epicentre of the American presence in Afghanistan.
  • It Expanded the Airfield with new run way, medical facilities and detention facilities.
• US Withdrawal – Trump administration signed a deal with Taliban in 2020 for NATO troop withdrawal.
• US forces vacated Bagram on July 2, 2021.
• Taliban took control of the base on August 15, 2021.
• Significance of Bagram to China – China has recently strengthened its relations with Afghanistan by approving its ambassadors with Taliban.
• It is significant because China has a sizable Muslim population of its own in the bordering Xinjiang.
• Beijing would want to ensure that radical elements in Afghanistan do not cross over into its own territory.
• To that end, it has attempted to bolster ties within a limited framework and also made some investments in Afghanistan.

Reference

The Indian Express| Story of The Strategic Air Base in Afghanistan

Impact of Microgravity on Body Temperature

Prelims (GS I) – General Science.

Why in news?

Recent research by Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) researchers have developed a 3D model shows that microgravity increases core body temperature in astronauts.

• Microgravity – It refers to a condition where the effects of gravity are significantly reduced, creating an apparent state of weightlessness.
• This is often seen in space, where objects in orbit experience a continuous state of freefall.
• Research model – 3D computational model of human thermoregulation in microgravity developed by scientists researchers from IIST.
• This model imitates how heat moves through the body in a space environment, taking into account factors like sweating, shivering, clothing, organ heat and blood redistribution.

Key Findings of the Research

• Core body temperature changes - Microgravity consistently increases core body temperature.
• Core body temperature may increase from 36.3°C to 37.8°C (with 30% lower sweating and 36% higher metabolism) in 2.5 months under the influence of microgravity.

Core body temperature, is the operating temperature of an organism.

• Temperature distribution changes – The temperature change is varying in different parts of the body with,
  • Feet and hands become cooler in microgravity.
  • Head, abdomen, and core become warmer.
  • Blood redistribution from lower limbs to upper body significantly impacts temperature distribution.
• Impact of Exercise – It causes faster temperature rise in space than on Earth.
• During exercise in microgravity, body temperature could approach 40°C.
• Model validation – Successfully matched temperature data from Mir space station (Russia) and International Space Station
• Applications - The model has applications for space travel that keeps astronauts make informed decision.
• Clothing design for temperature regulation.
• Building architecture to reduce heat stress.
• Calculating universal thermal climate index.

Reference

The Hindu| Microgravity increases core body temperature

Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) COP 2025

Prelims (GS I) – General issues on Environmental ecology.

Mains (GS II) – Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.

Why in news?

Recently India's delegation led by Minister of Environment, forest and ckimate change participated in the Conference of the Parties (COPs) to Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions in Geneva.

• BRS COPs 2025 – The Conference of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions are meetings of governments from countries that have accepted, ratified, these conventions.
• These conventions address the global trade and management of hazardous chemicals and wastes.
• Location – Geneva.
• Theme - "Make visible the invisible: Sound management of chemicals and wastes".

Key Intervention by India

• India emphasized that effective implementation of BRS Conventions requires,
  • Access to finance
  • Technology transfer
  • Capacity-building
  • Technical assistance
  • Strengthened international cooperation
• The delegation highlighted India's integrated approach through national legislation such as,
  • Environment (Protection) Act
  • Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules
  • E-Waste Management Rules, 2016
• Shared India's best practices such as ban on identified single-use plastic items and implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging.

Reference

PIB| BRS COPs 2025