UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 26-03-2026

One Liners 26-03-2026

History, Art and Culture

Ministry of Culture - YouTube MoU

The Ministry of Culture and YouTube signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi to globalize India's traditional, tribal, and folk music.

• Aims to - Nurture the creative economy by providing artists with international visibility and sustainable recognition.

• Creative Ecosystem - The partnership focuses on transforming folk musicians into independent creative entrepreneurs.
• By integrating YouTube’s global reach with the Ministry’s infrastructure, the program empowers artists from remote regions to uphold traditions while achieving financial self-reliance.
• Digital Skilling - YouTube will provide training in digital content creation, channel management, and audience analytics.
• Capacity Building - This technical support is designed to bridge the gap between traditional art forms and modern digital distribution landscapes.
• IPR- A key pillar of the MoU is enhancing awareness of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and monetization strategies.
• This ensures artists can protect their heritage while building viable career pathways through structured digital rights management.
• Institutional - The Ministry will provide strategic leadership through a joint task force and autonomous art institutions. .

Akashvani’s National Song Update (2026)

Following a Ministry of Home Affairs guideline,  Akashvani will transition from its traditional two-stanza opening to the full six-stanza version of "Vande Mataram." across all Akashvani stations.

• Revised Duration - The updated broadcast will span 3 minutes and 10 seconds, replacing the previous 65-second version. The initial rollout features a rendition by classical vocalist Pt. Chandrashekhar Vaze, composed in Raag Des.

• It became a powerful anthem during the Indian Independence movement.
• National Status - Adopted as India's National Song in 1950, it holds equal status with the National Anthem, "Jana Gana Mana."

Polity & Governance

 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Recently, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have successfully migrated to a Common ERP based national software.

• Aims to - Enhance financial transparency, operational efficiency, and standard accounting practices across the cooperative sector.
• Bridging the Digital Divide - To ensure inclusivity in remote and hilly terrains, a MoU was executed between Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) (under the Dept. of Telecommunications) and NABARD.
• This partnership leverages Bharat Net to extend high-speed broadband access to underserved cooperative units.
• Hardware kits—Comprising computer systems, VPN devices, and biometric scanners—have been provided to 65,020 PACS  in ecologically sensitive and border regions, like Andaman & Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand, and the NER, have been equipped to facilitate digital transactions.
• National Cooperative Database (NCD) - Developed by the Ministry of Cooperation, the NCD serves as a comprehensive repository for cooperative data.
• It is managed via nodal officers from States/UTs to ensure accurate data entry and real-time monitoring of the cooperative ecosystem.
• API Integration- To automate information management, the NCD portal is being integrated with State Registrars of Cooperative Societies (RCS) through APIs.
• As of March 1, 2026, states including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Mizoram,UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu have completed full system synchronization.

Fish Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs) under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)

Under PMMS, the government has approved ₹544.86 crore for the formation of 2,195 FFPOs.

• Aim to - Economically empower fishers by enhancing their bargaining power and achieving economies of scale.
• Strategic Objectives - Focus on modernizing the value chain through Matsya Seva Kendras, ornamental fisheries, and cage culture, ensuring a transition toward a technology-driven, sustainable "Blue Economy."
• Implementing Agencies - The project is executed through four key central agencies:

1. NFDB (National Fisheries Development Board),
2. SFAC (Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium),
3. NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India)
4. NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation)

As of 2026, 1,990 FFPOs have been successfully established nationwide.

• Karnataka - Has been sanctioned 64 FFPOs and fisheries projects worth ₹1,078.12 crore. Major activities include Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), seaweed culture, and cold storage infrastructure to boost regional marine and inland output.

• Entrepreneurship - Specific projects under the Entrepreneurship Model include a Fish Trade Centre and the expansion of fishmeal and fish oil manufacturing units.
• These initiatives integrate high-tech growth with industrial processing capabilities.

Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) 2026

• Implemented by the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, CTS operates through 14,688 ITIs nationwide to skill Indian youth.
• Trade curricula - Are periodically updated to integrate emerging technologies.
• Enrolment increased - significantly to 14.70 lakh in 2025-26, reflecting improved alignment with wage and self-employment.
• New Age Trades - DGT introduced 31 New Age trades focusing on high-growth sectors: Artificial Intelligence, Drones, Cybersecurity, Semiconductors, and Green Energy, ensuring technological self-reliance.
• Craft Instructor Training Scheme (CITS) - Provides pedagogical and hands-on training through NSTIs and ITOTs, training over 27,000 instructors in the last three years.
• PM-SETU Scheme - Launched to upgrade 1,000 Government ITIs using a Hub-and-Spoke model.
• It utilizes industry-led Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) to modernize labs, digital content, and smart classrooms.
• Governance - While DGT sets norms, the State/UT Governments are responsible for introducing new trades and expanding seat capacity based on local industrial potential and affiliation standards.

Extension of IVFRT Scheme (2026–2031)

The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Immigration, Visa, Foreigners Registration & Tracking (IVFRT) scheme from April 2026 to March 2031.

• Budget outlay is - ₹1,800 crore.
• Aiming to - Modernize India’s immigration framework in alignment with the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
• Core Objectives - The scheme seeks to interlink functions across 117 Immigration Posts and 854 FRO/SP offices.
• Security - It balances the facilitation of legitimate international mobility with robust national security, specifically addressing challenges like illegal migration through a "secure-integrated" delivery framework.
• Technological Transformation - The next phase focuses on emerging tech innovations (AI, mobile-based services) and self-service kiosks.
• Key upgrades - Include revamping core application architecture and expanding data centers to build a resilient, scalable nationwide digital infrastructure.
• Operational Efficiency Gains - IVFRT has achieved a 100% contactless e-Visa process, with 91% of applications cleared within 72 hours.
• The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) - Has further reduced clearance times from 3 minutes to just 30 seconds via automated e-gates.
• Ease of Doing Business - the scheme provides significant "positive externalities" for the tourism, medical, and aviation sectors.
• Streamlined processing acts as a catalyst for international trade, commerce, and employment generation.

Economy

India’s Strategy for Critical Minerals & Rare Earths

Union Minister announced a target of 5,000 tonnes for rare earth permanent magnet production by 2030.

• Current Status - A samarium-cobalt plant in Visakhapatnam is already operational, scaling from 500 to 2,000 tonnes in its next phase.

• Exploration Initiatives for Lithium - Surveys for lithium are underway in Degana (Rajasthan) and Reasi (J&K).
• Utility -These minerals are vital for EVs, defence, space sectors, Powering smartphones, Laptop, Ceramics, Glass, Lubricating Greases, Metallurgy, synthetic rubbers and various plastics, Nuclear Energy etc supporting India’s clean energy transition.
•  Regulatory Reforms - Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act now permit private sector participation in exploring critical minerals. Rare earth corridors in states like Tamil Nadu and Odisha will further strengthen processing ecosystems.
• Strategic & Industrial Significance - Approach aims to reduce import dependence and build a resilient supply chain, essential for emerging technologies and national security.
• Resource Governance - The Ministry of Mines oversees environmental safeguards and regulates complex rock-based mineral extraction in Rajasthan and Jharkhand while intensifying efforts to curb illegal mining.

Agriculture

National Seminar on Organic and Natural Farming 2026

The National Centre for Organic and Natural Farming (NCONF) organized a two-day seminar in New Delhi (March 24–25, 2026). The initiative aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

• Aiming to - promote sustainable agriculture, enhance soil fertility, and reduce cultivation costs.
• Objective to - Bridged traditional knowledge with modern scientific innovations to boost climate-resilient farming.
• Initiative - Focused on soil health management, biodiversity-based pest control, and bio-input resource centers. Emphasis was placed on the PGS-India certification system to ensure quality standards and transparency in organic produce.
• Under the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF), experts deliberated on strengthening market integration, value addition, and supporting agri-startups to create a robust domestic and global supply chain.
• Role of NCONF - As a premier body under the Ministry of Agriculture, NCONF leads capacity building, organic fertilizer testing, and the implementation of certification frameworks to drive India’s transition toward low-carbon, chemical-free agriculture.

Environment

India’s 2031-2035 Climate Ambition

The Union Minister of State for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, has approved India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for 2031-2035, aligning with the "Viksit Bharat" vision and the 2070 net-zero goal.

• Agency – Department of Atomic Energy
• NDC - Are the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement (2015). They represent the individual climate action plans submitted by each country to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

• Enhanced Mitigation Targets - India has raised its emissions intensity reduction target to 47% (from 2005 levels) and aims for a 60% non-fossil fuel share in electric capacity by 2035.
• Carbon Sequestration - Plans to expand its carbon sink to 3.5–4.0 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Recent rankings place India third globally for net forest area gain.
• Green Growth - Strategies include the Green Hydrogen Mission, PM Surya Ghar, and Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology. International leadership continues through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and Global Bio-fuel Alliance.
• People-Centric Action - Focus remains on climate-resilient infrastructure, mangrove restoration (MISHTI), and the "Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE)" movement to ensure an inclusive, sustainable transition.

Science

Space reforms

The Satellite Communication Reforms-2022 and the Space Sector Reforms (2020) have streamlined processes and rationalized charges.

• Aim to - achieve technological self-reliance (Atmanirbharta), enhance space mission infrastructure, and strengthen India’s global position in the space-communication network.
• Initiatives promote - Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and facilitate the participation of Non-Government Entities (NGEs) in building, owning, and operating satellite systems.
• Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) - Established as an autonomous agency under the Department of Space.
• IN-SPACe - Oversees private sector activities. Support measures include a Seed Fund Scheme, ISRO facility utilization, and Technology Transfer to foster a robust private space ecosystem.
• Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF), launched by the Dept of telecommunication (DoT), funds R&D in communication technologies.
• Fosters collaboration - between academia and industry, specifically targeting advanced systems like antenna technology.
• Indigenization Mandate (GMPCS) - Under May 2025 directives, GMPCS licensees must achieve at least 20% indigenization of their ground segment within 5 years of commencing commercial operations, promoting domestic manufacturing.