UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 11-06-2025

Quick Facts

• ENACT – Enhancing Climate Adaptation of Vulnerable Communities through Nature-based Solutions and Gender Transformative Approaches.
• Implemented in Nagaon, Assam by WFP and Government of Assam;
• Funded by – Norway.
• Features:
  • Weekly climate advisories via phone to 300+ farmers in 17 villages.
  • Climate Adaptation Information Centres enable video training, meetings, and tech-based knowledge dissemination.
  • Promotes flood-tolerant seeds, smart seed production, diversified livelihoods, and market linkages.
• Agricultural departments, rural missions, meteorological departments, and agriculture universities.

One Liners 11-06-2025

History, Art and Culture

Bhagwan Birsa Munda

Recently, PM paid tributes to great hero of the freedom struggle, Bhagwan Birsa Munda on the occasion of his Martyr's Day today.

• Birsa Munda (1875-1900) - was a revered tribal leader from Jharkhand, pivotal in India's independence movement against British rule and exploitation.
• The Munda Rebellion - He led the "Ulgulan" (Great Tumult) rebellion (1899-1900), mobilizing tribals against oppressive British land policies and forced labor.
• Religious Reformer - Birsa Munda founded "Birsait," a faith promoting tribal customs, cleanliness, and monotheism, opposing external influences. His followers called him "Bhagwan" and "Dharti Aaba."
• Advocate for Tribal Rights - His rebellion highlighted tribal grievances, influencing the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908, which protected tribal land rights.
• Symbol of Resistance - Birsa Munda remains an enduring symbol of tribal resistance, advocating self-governance with his slogan: "Abua raj seter jana, maharani raj tundu jana."
• Legacy and Remembrance - Captured in 1900, he died at 25. His birth anniversary, November 15, is celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas (Tribal Pride Day) in India.

Geography

Chenab Rail Bridge: An Engineering Marvel

The Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, took over 20 years to build due to challenging terrain and weather. Opened in 2025, it’s a testament to collaborative engineering.

• Aim- Is to connect the Kashmir Valley with the rest of India by rail, providing all-weather connectivity that was previously lacking due to challenging terrain and weather conditions.

• This includes linking major destinations like Katra (near Shri Mata Vaishno Devi) and Srinagar.

• Located in - The bridge is located between Kauri and Bakkal rail stations in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Bridge Connecting - The Chenab Rail Bridge is a crucial part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
• Construction Timeline - Approved in 2003, the bridge's construction spanned over two decades due to the region's rough terrain and security concerns.
• Special Features - Designed for a 120-year lifespan, the bridge can withstand 260 km/h winds, earthquakes, extreme temperatures, and rising water, allowing trains up to 100 km/h, with a unique safety feature enabling slow movement even if a pillar is damaged.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI).

Innovation Unveiled A recent study in Earth’s Future proposes a novel approach to Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI).

• Objective - This innovation could significantly reduce costs and potentially advance SAI's implementation, despite ongoing opposition.

• SAI - Is a climate intervention method designed to cool the Earth. It involves introducing a layer of small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space.

• Volcanic Inspiration - The concept for SAI is inspired by volcanic eruptions, which are known to cause temporary global cooling by releasing aerosols into the atmosphere.
• How SAI Works – It aims to replicate this natural cooling effect by directly injecting sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the stratosphere. There, it forms sunlight-reflecting sulfate aerosols.
• Aerosols - Are tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in air or gas. They can be natural (e.g., fog, volcanic gas) or artificial (e.g., fossil fuel smoke). They are either directly emitted (primary) or formed from precursor gases (secondary).
• Aerosol Characteristics - These numerous particles, often a mix of inorganic and organic substances, typically range from a few millimicrometers to about 1 micrometer in diameter. Visible atmospheric aerosol plumes include smoke, smog, haze, and dust.

Polity & Governance

Rohini Gram Panchayat Wins Gold

Rohini Gram Panchayat (RGP) in Dhule, Maharashtra, a 100% tribal village, has secured the Gold Award at the National e-Governance Awards 2025.

• Highlights its - Success in digital rural governance.
• National Recognition - Selected from over 1.45 lakh entries, Rohini was honored in the "Grassroots Level Initiatives" category by DARPG and the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
• Award - Includes a trophy, certificate, and a ₹10 lakh cash prize, acknowledging best practices in e-governance.
• Digital Transformation – RGP has implemented over 956 digital services, including online birth/death certificates via WhatsApp/email, adhering to the Maharashtra Right to Public Services Act.
• Wide Range of Services - Digital services span education, women and child welfare, health, agriculture, and automated certificate issuance, ensuring comprehensive community support.
• Example of Digital India - This achievement sets a significant precedent for Digital India, empowering tribal communities and bridging rural-urban service gaps through transparent, efficient, technology-driven governance.

NAFIS Foreigners Portal Update

The Centre has revised the Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP) of the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS).

• States and Union Territories - Are now instructed to use existing fingerprint scanners within the District Police Module (DPM) of the IVFRT system.

• NAFIS is - A pan-India searchable database designed to centralize fingerprints of criminals across all states and UTs.
• Real-time Access Law enforcement - Agencies can upload, trace, and retrieve information from the NAFIS database 24/7 in real-time.
• NCRB Manages NAFIS - The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) oversees NAFIS operations from its Central Fingerprint Bureau in New Delhi.
• Unique Criminal ID - NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each criminal, which remains valid for their lifetime, linking all their registered crimes.
• NFN Structure - The NFN's first two digits represent the state code of registration, followed by a sequence number, creating a state-partitioned system for digital fingerprint matching.

International Relations and Issues

 Ejiao

Pakistan Donkey Prices Surge Recent reports indicate a sharp increase in donkey prices across Pakistan. This sudden surge is directly linked to the escalating demand from China for ejiao.

• What is Ejiao - Is a traditional Chinese medicine. It's a gelatinous substance produced by stewing and concentrating donkey skin.

• Medicinal Uses - Ejiao is prized in clinics for its purported health benefits, including anti-fatigue, immunity improvement, tumor suppression, and anti-anemia effects.
• Production Process - The core ingredient of ejiao is collagen extracted from donkey skin. This collagen is then combined with various herbs and other ingredients to form consumable bars, pills, liquids, or even beauty products.
• Booming Industry - Between 2013 and 2016, annual ejiao production jumped from 3,200 to 5,600 tonnes. China's ejiao industry has seen a remarkable 160% growth in the last five years, driving the need for millions of donkey hides annually.
• Pakistan's Role - Pakistan is a significant source, holding the third-largest donkey population globally, after Ethiopia and Sudan.

Environment

 Tamhini Wild life Sanctuary

 The Maharashtra Forest Department has recently collaborated with Microsoft and Pune's Centre for Youth Development and Activities (CYDA).

• This partnership aims - To tackle pressing socio-ecological issues within the Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Sanctuary Location - The Tamhini Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest situated within the Western Ghats, in close proximity to Pune, Maharashtra.
• Area and Formation Spanning - 49.62 sq.km, the sanctuary was established by incorporating reserved forest compartments from both the Pune and Roha (Thane) forest divisions.
• Diverse Vegetation - The sanctuary boasts a rich variety of vegetation, including evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests.
• Notable Flora Key tree species - Found here include teak, bamboo, Ain, Shisham, mango, and Jamun.

New Bat Species Discovered

Researchers recently identified a new bat species: the Himalayan long-tailed Myotis (Myotis himalaicus).

• Myotis frater complex - This new species belongs to the Myotis frater complex, a group of similar bats distributed across Asia, including China, Siberia, and Japan.
• Habitat and Rarity - The Himalayan long-tailed Myotis prefers Deodar, Pine, and Cedar forests on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, appearing to be a rare species.
• Geographic Distribution Specimens - Of these bats have been found in Uttarakhand, India, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
• Distinctive Features - Considered “Medium-sized," these bats are about 3.5 inches long, weigh under an ounce, and have delicate feet, long thumbs, short ears, and delicate teeth.
• Ecological Importance of Bats - Bats are vital for ecosystem health. They are significant insect predators, controlling agricultural pests and mosquitoes. Their guano is a rich fertilizer, and some species act as crucial pollinators and seed dispersers.

Security

Ibex Tarana 88.4 FM

Chief of Army Staff (CAS) General Upendra Dwivedi visited Uttarakhand's Garhwal region to review troops' operational readiness, emphasizing vigilance in border areas.

• Ibex Tarana 88.4 FM Inaugurated -  In Jyotirmath by CAS a unique Indian Army-backed community radio station in a border region.
• Fostering Community - The radio aims to promote local voices, traditional knowledge, and regional culture, bridging national security with community empowerment.
• Diverse Programming – It will feature programs on education, employment, disaster preparedness, weather, environment, tourism, health, entertainment, and local arts.
• Youth Empowerment - Gen. Dwivedi, in his inaugural podcast, called it a "platform to amplify youth voices," symbolizing unity and cultural pride.
• Rich Fauna Tamhini - Is home to diverse wildlife, such as Indian giant squirrels, barking deer, Indian pangolins, Indian civets, and wild boars. Bird species like the Malabar whistling thrush and crested serpent eagle are also prevalent.

Miscellaneous

Daji Panshikar Passes Away at 92

A very Renowned scholar Daji Panshikar, also known as Narahari Vishnu Shastri, passed away at 92 in Thane, Maharashtra, after a brief illness. His demise marks a significant loss to Marathi literature and cultural discourse.

• Authority on Indian Epics - Including Mahabharata, Eknaathi Bhagwat, and Bhavarth Ramayan. His interpretations enriched public understanding of these foundational texts.
• Guiding Light in Theatre - He played a vital role in Maharashtra's theatre community through Natyasampada Natya Sanstha, supporting script development and artist mentorship.
• Legacy in Literature - Panshikar was celebrated for blending literary scholarship with philosophical clarity, popularizing epic literature beyond academic circles and upholding the guru-shishya parampara.
• Cultural Education - He was deeply involved in cultural education, delivering intellectually rich and spiritually enlightening public lectures.