UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 20-01-2026

One Liners 20-01-2026

History, Art and Culture

Zehanpora Stupas – Kashmir's Buddhist Past

Archaeological excavations at Zehanpora, Baramulla (North Kashmir) have revealed a man-made plateau with stupas, chaityas, and viharas dating to the Kushan era (1st–3rd century CE).

• Historical Significance
  • Ancient Kashmir is confirmed to have been a major center of Buddhism in India.
  • The discovery supports the historical records of Kalhana’s Rajatarangini and Hiuen Tsang’s writings.
  • The site is connected to Emperor Kanishka’s reign, when Mahayana Buddhism flourished.
• Key Historical Facts
  • The 4^th Buddhist Council at Kundalvana under Kanishka led to the split between Hinayana and Mahayana.
  • Kashmir was a key route for Buddhism’s spread to Central Asia and China.
  • The site’s architecture reflects Gandhara influence with Greco-Buddhist stone and stucco figures.
• Regional Significance
  • Kashmir was a major center of learning that drew scholars from China and Central Asia.
  • Its composite culture, or Kashmiriyat, was shaped by religious diversity.
  • The region reflects strong pan-Indian and pan-Asian connections.

Polity & Governance

PRAGATI

A Decade of Cooperative, Outcome-Driven Governance.

• PRAGATI –Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.
• It is a digital platform for fast-tracking projects, schemes, and grievance redressal through direct, real-time review by the Prime Minister, in partnership with States and Union Ministries.
• Launched in – 2015 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• It brings together 3 modern technologies such as digital data management, video conferencing, and geo-spatial technology.
• Key takeaways
  • PRAGATI has significantly accelerated India’s development by fast-tracking projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore.
  • Under PRAGATI, 382 major national projects have been systematically reviewed and closely monitored.
  • Out of 3,187 identified issues, 2,958 have already been resolved, significantly reducing delays and cost overruns.
  • The platform ensures real-time coordination between the Centre and States under direct Prime Ministerial supervision, strengthening accountability.

Economy

KYC for Crypto Customers

• Guidelines issued by – Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) under Union Finance Ministry.
• Mandatory KYC measures
  • Selfie with liveness detection.
  • Recording of geographical coordinates (latitude, longitude) of onboarding location with date/timestamp.
  • Verification of bank account by 'penny-drop' method.
  • Mandatory Permanent Account Number (PAN).
  • IP (Internet Protocol) address of the customer.
• Objective – To update Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Financing of Terror (CFT) guidelines for Virtual Digital Assets (cryptocurrency).

Debit Card Ownership

Agriculture

Dairy Sector Development

• MoU between – Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
• Key focus areas – Dairy production, processing, and value addition, with a strong emphasis on empowering its primary stakeholders - millions of dairy farmers across the country.
• Objectives –
  • To enhance collaboration in multidisciplinary research, innovation, and capacity building across the entire dairy sector.
  • To facilitate the effective translation of research outcomes into practical, field-level solutions, thereby enhancing productivity, profitability, and sustainability across the dairy sector.

Environment

Major Groundwater Contamination in A.P

• Source of report – CGWB Annual Ground Water Quality Report, 2025.
• Key contaminants – Seawater intrusion (coastal aquifers), high electrical conductivity (EC), fluoride, uranium, residual sodium carbonate, nitrate, iron, chromium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, zinc, arsenic, selenium, cadmium, lead.
• Key findings
  • Uranium – Elevated concentrations (>30 ppb) in 16 villages of Sri SathyaSai district and 3 in Tirupati district.
  • Arsenic – 5 hotspots (>10 ppb).
  • Fluoride – Above 1.50 mg/l, especially in hard rock aquifers.
  • Residual Sodium Carbonate – Beyond permissible limits in 26.87% ofsamples.
• Impact – Extensive pollution detected in line with BIS norms.
• Mitigating factor – Monsoon showed some improvement in water quality, particularly for EC and fluoride.

Orobanche Aegyptiaca (Threat to Mustard Crop)

A parasitic weed that has inflicted damage in major mustard-growing areas of Rajasthan and Haryana.

• Category – Holoparasite, does not photosynthesize and is completely dependent on host-provided nutrition.
• Mechanism – Connects to the host’s roots, drains essential resources, resulting in stunted development and plant wilting.
• Seed Longevity – One shoot produces 40–45 flowers; the resulting seeds persist in soil for as long as 20 years.

NIRANTAR

• NIRANTAR – National Institute for Research & Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience.
• A platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Objective – To strengthen coordination and collaboration among MoEFCC Institutions.

Security

Bhairav Battalions

The Indian Army's newly raised Bhairav Battalions, designed for Special Forces tasks and modern warfare.

• Nature – High-speed, offensive units capable of Special Forces tasks at multiple levels.
• Current Status – 15 battalions raised, deployed along borders; plans for 25 in total.
• Purpose
  • To bridge gap between Para Special Forces and regular infantry.
  • To conduct special operations from tactical to operational depth.
  • To be a part of force restructuring in line with new technologies and evolving operational requirements.
• Modern Warfare Focus – To create a pool of over one lakh drone operatives across the force.

Science

ICEGATE–LPMS Integration

• ICEGATE–LPMS – Integration of the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway–Land Port Management System.
• Inaugurated by – Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), at the Integrated Check Post (ICP), at Agartala, Tripura.
• Focus on – Critical customs data elements, including Bill of Entry, Shipping Bill, Out of Charge (OOC), and Let Export Order (LEO), along with event-based updates tracking cargo movement, from slot booking to gate-in and gate-out.
• Objective – To enable real-time, bidirectional exchange of data between ICEGATE and the Land Port Management System, creating a seamless digital ecosystem at land ports.
• Significance – It is a practical embodiment of Coordinated Border Management, promoting harmonised functioning among multiple border agencies through shared data, common risk assessment, and synchronized decision-making.