UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 05-12-2025

One Liners 05-12-2025

Geography

Alaknanda Galaxy

Recently, 2 astronomers from National Centre of Radio Astrophysics identified ancient spiral galaxy "Alaknanda".

• It is a part of ongoing research into early universe structure.

Kosi River

• It is known as the "river of sorrow" due to frequent devastating floods in Bihar.
• Nature of Kosi – Fragile, dynamic, carries large quantities of sediment, shifts course (120 km west in 250 years).
• Embankments – Artificial structures designed to control water flow, but often counterproductive for silt-laden rivers.
• Historical Warnings – G.R. Garg Committee report (1951) warned against embankments on silt-heavy rivers.
• Consequences of Embankments – River bed rises due to silt accumulation, making it more dangerous overtime.
  • Water-logging outside embankments, causing floods for those living between them.
  • Reduced river depth, affecting navigation.
  • Repeated breaches (1963, 1968, 1971, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1991, 2008,2024).
• River-Linking Projects – Kosi-Mechi project criticized for not significantly reducing floodwaters and potentially increasing water diversion.

Social Issues

Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) Programme

• Term – Pro Bono comes from the Latin expression "pro bono publico" meaning "for the public good".
• In practice, it refers to the practice of giving voluntary legal advice to individuals and organisations that are unable to afford legal advice and/or cannot access legal aid.
• Launched in – 2017, by Ministry of Law and Justice.
• Integrated to – A citizen- centric scheme named Designing Innovative Solutions for Holistic Access to Justice in India (DISHA) for the period of 5 years (2021-2026).
• It links the persons eligible to avail free legal aid under Section 12 of Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987 with the pro bono lawyers.
• Aim – To register advocates who voluntarily offer their time and services for case registration and assistance in the court.
• Institutionalization – Pro Bono Club sub scheme has been operationalized across 109 law schools in the country.
• Panels of Nyaya Bandhu (Pro Bono Legal Services) at 23 High Courts has been made functional.

Road Accidents

Delhi consistently ranks 7th despite highest density, traffic congestion (67,526 accidents in 2024, 7th-consecutive year top position in accident count).

• Headline Data
  • 2024 fatalities – 1.77 lakh (1,77,177).
  • 2023 fatalities – 1.73 lakh (1,72,890).
  • Increase – 2.31% year-over-year.
  • Source from – Real-time e-DAR portal (electronic detailed accident report).

Polity & Governance

The Health Security se National Security Cess Bill, 2025

• It levies a cess on the “machines installed, or other processes undertaken in the manufacture of pan masala” (demerit goods).
• Tax on other goods – It allows for the imposition of this cess on “any other goods which may be notified”.
• Statement of objects and reasons – It is linked to the production capacity of machines or other processes rather than the quantity actually produced of such specified good.
• Allocation – The proceeds will be shared with States under specific health schemes.
• Objectives – To augment the resources for meeting expenditure on national security and for public health.
• To replace the revenue from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation cess on tobacco products.

Advanced Postal Technology (APT) Platform

• An indigenous, cloud-based digital platform developed in-house by Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology (CEPT) and hosted on MeghRaj 2.0 Cloud.
• Rolled out under – IT Modernization Project 2.0.
• Aim – To meet the growing customer expectations and Modernisation of Post Offices.
• Rolled out nationwide on – 4^th August 2025, integrating approximately 1.70 lakh offices across 23 Postal Circles.
• DREAM APP – Branch Post Offices have also been equipped with Android smartphones running in-house Digital Rural Enterprise Application for Mobile (DREAM) App.
• To further strengthen service delivery, better connectivity and user experience in rural areas.
• Under the Core Banking Solution, 25022 Departmental Post Offices are networked.

International Relations and Issues

20^th UNESCO’s Inter-Governmental Committee

• Hosted by – India, in New Delhi.
• Objectives –
  • Examining nominations submitted by States Parties for inscription on the UNESCO ICH Lists.
  • Reviewing the status of existing elements.
  • Providing international assistance for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
• Significance – It provides a platform to showcase its diverse heritage, strengthening international cooperation on cultural preservation and inspiring younger generations to connect with their cultural identity.

Economy

National Career Service (NCS) Portal

• It is a one-stop solution digital platform for providing career related services including jobs from private and government sectors.
• Aim – To provide an information on online & offline job fairs, job search & matching, career counselling, vocational guidance, information on skill development courses, skill/training programmes etc.
• MCC integration – This project envisaged setting up of Model Career Centres (MCCs) in collaboration with States/Institutions to deliver employment services.

Environment

International Cheetah Day

• Observed annually on – 4^th December.
• Aim – To honour the world’s fastest land animal and raises awareness about its conservation.
• India’s key initiative – Project Cheetah with the aim of safeguarding this magnificent animal and restoring the ecosystem in which it can truly flourish.
• It was also an effort to revive lost ecological heritage and strengthen our biodiversity.

Security

7th National Security Advisor-level summit of the Colombo Security Conclave

• Hosted by – India.
• Member countries – India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh.
• Observers / Guest – Seychelles (full member now), Malaysia (guest).
• Historical context – Initiated as trilateral (India, Sri Lanka, Maldives) in 2011, reconvened in 2020, and Mauritius joined in 2022, Bangladesh in 2024, and Seychelles in 2025.
• Focus areas –
  • Maritime security
  • Counter-terrorism
  • Trafficking
  • Organized crime
  • Cybersecurity
• Aim – To deepen engagement with maritime neighbours and counter China's growing presence/influence.