UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 05-03-2026

One Liners 05-03-2026

Social Issues

Delhi Pink Saheli Smart Card 2026

• Launch by – Delhi Government.
• Objective – To make free and unlimited bus travel for women and transgender residents of Delhi, ensuring safety, convenience, and financial relief.
• Features –
  • Digital smart card with photo, QR code, and secure details.
  • Unlimited free rides on DTC and Cluster buses.
  • Can be topped up for Delhi Metro use.
  • Promotes independence, safety, and eco-friendly transport.
• Eligibility –
  • Delhi residents (women or transgender individuals).
  • Age 5 years and above.
• Benefits –
  • Saves Rs.1,200–Rs.2,400 monthly travel costs.
  • Encourages equality and inclusion of transgender community.
  • Supports green initiatives by reducing traffic and pollution.

Economy

New National Accounts Data

The government updated India's GDP and GVA base year.

• New base year for GDP & GVA – 2022-2023
•  Methodological Improvements –
  • Double-deflator approach – To account for inflation in intermediate goods and final products separately.
  • Balanced allocation – Allocate multi-sector company output proportionately to improve sectoral accuracy.
• New Data Sources -
  • These advancements are supported by Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE), the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), and GST data.
  • Improved estimation for agriculture and informal sectors.

Environment

Nilgiri Tahr Conservation Centre

• It acts as dedicated hub for research, monitoring, and documentation of Nilgiri tahr populations across Tamil Nadu.
• Located at – Coimbatore (between Semmozhi Poonga and Periyar Arivulagam).
• Objectives – To supports Project Nilgiri Tahr (launched in 2023) for conservation of the State animal.
  • To promotes evidence-based conservation planning and ecological stewardship.
• Coordinates with – 14 Nilgiri tahr-holding forest divisions across Tamil Nadu.
• Significance – Tamil Nadu recorded 1,303 Nilgiri Tahrs in its second synchronised survey.

Idukki Hydroelectric Project at 50 years

• Location – Across the Periyar river, between Kuravan and Kurathi hills, Idukki district.
• Components –
  • Idukki Arch Dam (169 m, among Asia’s tallest).
  • Cheruthoni Gravity Dam.
  • Kulamavu Dam.
• Reservoir – Spans ~60 sq. km.
• Construction – Began 1963, with Canadian assistance (Colombo Plan).
• Commissioned in – 1976, by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
• Power Generation
  • Underground powerhouse – Moolamattom, one of India’s largest underground hydropower stations.
• Significance – Kerala’s largest hydropower installation; cornerstone of the state’s energy system.

CREA report on Bokaro Steel Plant

• Health & Environmental Findings
  • Child health impacts annually linked to emissions:
    • 273 low birthweight births.
    • 284 preterm births.
    • 25 new child asthma cases.
• Mortality – 148 deaths from PM2.5 exposure.
• Regulatory Gap
  • Steel plants are classified among 17 highly polluting industries by the Central Pollution Control Board.
  • No national standards for sulphur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from steel plants.
  • Expansion plans raise concerns about public health risks and weak regulatory oversight.

Bokaro Steel Plant

• Located in – Bokaro Steel City, Jharkhand, India  
• Operated by – Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
• Production – 5.25 million tonnes of steel annually.
• Employment – 50,000+ people.
• Expansion – Plans to expand to 7.55 million tonnes per annum.
• Significance – It is part of India’s national target, 300 million tonnes steel output by 2030.

Global Pesticide Toxicity (TAT)

• Top contributors to TAT – China, Brazil, U.S., and India together ~70%.
• Study scope – 2013–2019, 600+ pesticides across 65 countries.
• Trend – Applied toxicity increased, especially for 20 widely used agricultural pesticides.
• Most affected species – Terrestrial arthropods, soil organisms, fish.
• UN Target – To reduce pesticide risk by 50% by 2030.
  • Only Chile is on track.

India’s Situation

• Rise in toxicity – India among worst performers; high use on fruits, vegetables, rice, maize, soybean.
• Legal framework
• Current law – Insecticides Act, 1968 — outdated, limited to agricultural use.
  • India still uses 66 pesticides banned elsewhere (e.g., paraquat banned in Europe).
• New Bill – Pesticides Management Bill, 2025.
  • Aim – To reduce risks, promote biological/traditional knowledge-based pesticides.

Science

India’s Childhood Obesity

• Global Rank – 2^nd (after China) for children with high BMI.
• Children Affected (2025) –
  • 5–9 years – 14.92 million overweight/obese.
  • 10–19 years – 26.4 million overweight/obese.
• Growth Rate – ~5% annual increase in overweight/obese children
• Global Context – 1 in 5 (20.7%) children aged 5–19 is overweight/obese worldwide — a 14.6% rise since 2010.

World Obesity Federation’s Recommendations

• School & Community Interventions
  • Healthier school food environments – Ensure nutritious meals, reduce processed/sugary options.
  • Marketing restrictions – Limit advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages to children.
• Fiscal & Regulatory Measures
  • Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes – Discourage consumption, generate revenue for health programs.
• Health System Strengthening
  • Early screening in primary health care – Detect overweight/obesity risks in children early, integrate into routine check-ups.