UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 12-03-2026

One Liners 12-03-2026

Social Issues

Key Pillars of PM e-Vidya

• Aim – To integrate online, on-air, and offline channels to ensure universal access to inclusive and equitable digital education.
• 6 Pillars
  • Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM),
  • SWAYAM Prabha,
  • Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA),
  • Extensive use of Radio, Community radio and Podcasts,
  • Special e-Content for CWSN, and
  • Online Coaching for Competitive Exams.

Polity & Governance

Localization of SDGs (LSDGs)

• Ministry of Panchayati Raj mapped 17 SDGs into 9 themes for grassroots implementation.
• It developed Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) to assess Gram Panchayats' performance across these themes.
• PAI Framework – It provides theme-wise and overall scores via dashboards and scorecards.
• Grades Gram Panchayats into 5 categories
  • Achiever (A+)
  • Front Runner (A: 75–89)
  • Performer (B: 60–74)
  • Aspirant (C: 40–59)
  • Beginner (D: 0–39)

Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan

• Launched in – 2024 by Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
• Aim – To promote malnutrition-free villages.
• Top 1,000 Gram Panchayats selected based on Poshan Tracker data and criteria like AWC functionality, infrastructure, and coverage.
• Incentive distribution
  • 25% to Anganwadi staff
  • 25% for community mobilization
  • 50% for nutrition-focused activities (e.g., Poshan Vatikas)
• Significance – It aligns with themes driving impact
  • Theme 2 – Healthy Panchayat – focuses on health and nutrition.
  • Theme 6 – Self-Sufficient Infrastructure – covers connectivity, institutions, and utilities.
• Outcome-oriented assessment – It tracks improvements in malnutrition indicators, maternal health, AWC infrastructure, and growth monitoring.

Economy

EXPORT OF TEXTILES (FY 2024-25)

• Readymade garments – Remain the largest contributor, consistently above USD 14 billion.
• Value in USD Million – Readymade garments > Cotton textiles > Man-made textiles > Handicrafts > Carpets > Jute products > Silk products > Wool & Woolen textiles > Handloom Products.

Total Textile & Readymade garments (Value in USD Million)

Agriculture

Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026

• Issued by – Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
• Objective – To ensure that domestic fertilizer production remains unaffected, fertilizer plants have been categorized under 'Priority Sector-2' for natural gas supply.
• Under this mandate -
  • Gas allocation – Fertilizer plants will receive at least 70% of their average natural gas consumption (based on the last six months).
  • Safety measure – Safeguard fertilizer production against global LNG supply disruptions, especially due to the Middle East conflict.
  • Priority Status – To ensures timely fertilizer availability for farmers.
  • Significance – It Supports smooth continuation of agricultural activities despite the global gas crisis.

Science

Import of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)

FY2023-24 & FY2024-25

• High Dependence on China - Imports of several APIs from China accounted for 70% or more of India’s total API imports (Annexure-I lists details).
• 100% dependence on China
  • Rifa Or Rifa S Sodium (RIFAINT)
  • Methyl Dopa (L-Alpha Methyl-3, 4-Dihydroxyphenyla)
  • Cysteanune HCL
  • Sulphadimidine
  • Sulphamide

Quasi‑2D Tellurium Nanosheets

• These nanosheets combine magnetism and catalysis in a single material.
• Developed by – INST, Mohali (DST).
• Advantages – To enable energy‑efficient hydrogen production by lowering voltage and speeding up reactions.
  • To reduce electricity, use for green hydrogen electrolysers.
• Methodology – Uses liquid-phase exfoliation, lattice strain engineering, and spin-sensitive probes to manipulate surface spins.
• Applications
  • Used to boosts hydrogen evolution reaction (HER).
  • To link spintronics, multiferroic nanoelectronics, and electrocatalysis.
  • Potential usage for low-power memory, smart sensors, and wearable energy tech.
• Significance – It offers a single-material solution for sustainable hydrogen production and flexible clean-energy devices.

Connectivity Expansion of Digital Village Project

• Funded by – Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), formerly USOF.
• Broadband – BharatNet provides broadband to 2,17,805 Gram Panchayats (GPs), including 10,886 in Tamil Nadu.
• Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) – It upgrades Phase-I & II networks and extends connectivity to non-GP villages on demand.
• Mobile Infrastructure
• 24,263 mobile towers commissioned in remote/rural areas.
• Submarine optical fibre cables laid
  • Chennai–Andaman & Nicobar (2312 km)
  • Kochi–Lakshadweep (1869 km)
  • 225 km OFC network in Lakshadweep enables FTTH, 4G/5G, and high-speed data services.

Security

Trials of Air Droppable Container (ADC-150)

• It is indigenously designed and developed apparatus.
• Conducted by – DRDO and Indian Navy.
• Took place from – P8I aircraft off Goa between 21 Feb – 01 Mar 2026 under extreme release conditions.
• Purpose
  • To deliver 150 kg payload.
• It enhances naval operational logistics by enabling quick supply of critical stores, equipment, or medical aid to ships deployed far from the coast.