Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance | Governance
Why in News?
The recently released report card on Rajasthan’s Cash Plus model indicated that it pushes up early breastfeeding rate, dietary diversity among new mothers.
Rajasthan’s Cash Plus model- India’s first State-led pilot to converge Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) with Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC).
It indicates a
49% rise in early breastfeeding (now reaching 90% of newborns),
44% of women being more receptive to home-based counselling,
49% improvement in dietary diversity among pregnant women, and
54% more women using cash specifically for nutrition.
Through the programme, pregnant and lactating women are offered home-based and group nutrition counselling on maternal and child health and nutrition.
The programme also includes community and social engagements to drive local behaviour change, and the use of digital media to target younger audiences and male household members.
Meanwhile, the initiative promotes healthy dietary practices, encourages institutional healthcare utilisation, and strengthens community support systems.
As per the survey report, 80% of women reported improved affordability and access to nutritious food, attributing this to greater household awareness and counselling support.
Challenges
Incomplete data collection (maternal deaths),
Disparities in care with the large part of this densely populated State being rural and
Tackling poverty and lack of education cover.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)
It augments the national Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).
It provides financial assistance to pregnant and lactating women for their first living child.
It aims to improve the health and nutrition of mothers and their infants by offering cash incentives.
Implemented by - The Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The scheme provides a total of Rs. 5,000 in 3 installments to eligible beneficiaries.
Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance | Geography
Why in News?
Himachal Pradesh has opened the Shipki La pass, a motorable mountain pass for domestic tourists, a step that locals hope will revitalize tourism and trade.
It served as a vital trade route between India and Tibet (now part of China).
Situated at an elevation of 3,930 metres above sea level, the pass has been part of documented trade since the 15th century.
The communities of Kinnaur, particularly those from Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, share a deep-rooted cultural and economic relationship with Tibetan counterparts.
Historically, the Bushahr State (now Rampur) in India and Guge in Tibet were principal players in the region’s trade.
Imports – Imports from Tibet included wool, pack and saddle horses, goats, sheep, mutton, yak and goatskins, yak hair, devotional items such as prayer wheels, thangkas, rosaries, and bowls, as well as borax, turquoise, and gold.
Exports- Exports to Tibet from India included grains such as barley, wheat, rice, millet, lentils, chickpeas, and oil, dried fruits, vegetables, spices, tobacco, timber, copper and brass utensils, and iron tools.
Gold and turquoise were particularly cherished, which were integral to traditional Kinnauri women’s jewellery, creating constant local demand and sustaining artisan communities.
These exchanges weren’t just transactional; they shaped cultural practices, local crafts, and even dietary habits across generations.
Cultural connection -The people on both sides are primarily pastoralists.
Upper Kinnaur and the adjacent Tibetan region predominantly follow Buddhism, sustaining a spiritual and civilizational continuity even in the face of political divisions.
Monastic traditions, festivals, and oral lore reflect a shared heritage that survives despite barriers of nationhood.
Recent intervention - The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh inaugurated tourism access to Shipki La without the previously mandatory permit system.
Indian tourists can now visit using just their Aadhaar card, a move that has stirred optimism across the region.
The commodities exchanged between India and Tibet through Shipki La were both diverse and valuable.
Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance
Why in News?
The committee of experts has recommended that India do away with a decade-long policy of mandating Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) units in all coal-fired thermal power plants (TPPs).
Flue Gas- Flue gas is emitted as a byproduct of combustion of fossil fuels.
It mainly contains pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, etc.
FGD units specifically target the SO2 emissions in flue gas.
SO2 is an acidic gas, and is usually treated with a basic compound in the FGD unit to neutralise the pollutant.
Types of FDGs- Dry sorbent injection, wet limestone treatment, and using seawater to remove SO2.
The dry sorbent injection method involves adding a powdered sorbent like limestone to the flue gas, where it reacts with SO2.
The resultant compound can be removed by using an electrostatic precipitator, or a fabric filter.
The wet limestone treatment method also uses limestone to remove SO2, but instead of using it in a powdered form, it uses a limestone slurry.
Passing SO2 through this slurry results in the formation of gypsum, which is a stable compound and has wide applications in industries like construction.
This is the commonly used technology, and has very high efficiency.
Sea water treatment is used in plants located near coastal areas.
Sea water first absorbs SO2 from flue gas, and then the water is treated to make it suitable to be discharged back into the sea.
SO2 is one of the major greenhouse gases that cause global warming, and can cause respiratory problems in humans.
Sulphur dioxide can also lead to the formation of other oxides of sulphur in the atmosphere, which can in turn react with other compounds to form particulate matter.
It has been established in several modelling studies that 15% of India’s ambient PM2.5 is attributable to coal.
A significant share of this (80%) is in turn attributable to secondary particulate matter formed from the SO2 that is released when coal is burned.
Status of FGD units in India- In 2015, the Union Environment Ministry issued a policy that mandated all 537 coal-fired TPPs in India to install FGD units to reduce SO2 emissions.
Further, it has extended to 2027, 2028, and 2029, respectively, depending on the category of the thermal power plant. It takes around 2 years to install an FGD unit.
Alternative to FGD - There is no alternative to FGDs itself to remove SO2 that is released from the burning of coal.
Washing of coal does not remove the sulphur that is embedded within the physical structure of the coal.
Prelims: Current events of National and International Importance | Heritage
Why in News?
Lucknow has been officially nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) as a City of Gastronomy, a title currently held by only one other Indian city, Hyderabad.
UNESCO Creative Cities Network
Created in– 2004.
Aim -To promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
To promote UNESCO’s goals of cultural diversity and strengthen resilience to threats such as climate change, rising inequality, and rapid urbanisation.
Focus on Creativity -The network emphasizes the role of creativity and cultural industries in urban development, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among member cities.
Creative Fields- Architecture, Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, and Music.
Sustainable Development- UCCN aims to support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly through local implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Currently, there are almost 300 cities from around 90 countries in the network.
Indian Cities in the UCCN - Kozhikode (Literature) and Gwalior (Music) feature in this list.
Earlier, Jaipur (Crafts and Folk Arts), Varanasi (Music), Chennai (Music), Mumbai (Film), Hyderabad (Gastronomy), and Srinagar (Crafts and Folk Arts) have also held the spot.
Recently, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan.
About – It’s a welfare campaign aimed at tribal empowerment and grassroots participation.
Part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh & PM-JANMAN - This campaign is a flagship effort under Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh and linked to PM-JANMAN.
Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh is a commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda and the extraordinary heritage of tribal heroes.
Largest tribal benefit campaign – The Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan is India’s biggest benefit saturation drive in tribal regions.
It spans 549 tribal districts and 207 PVTG districts, from June 15 to 30, 2025.
Over one lakh villages covered – It ensures that tribal households receive services directly at their doorsteps.
Last-mile delivery model – Through benefit camps, eligible individuals receive services like Aadhaar, Ayushman Bharat, PM-Kisan, pensions, and skill training.
The goal is full coverage of key schemes under a “last-mile delivery” model.
Community-Led and Multi-Ministerial – It involves synchronized action across ministries and local governance.
Mukhya Mantrir Jiban Anuprerana
Recently, Assam CM launched the Mukhya Mantrir Jiban Anuprerana Scheme to provide one-time aid to research scholars.
About - Assam launched the Jiban Anuprerana Scheme to support full-time research scholars.
Financial Aid for Research Scholars – It offers ₹25,000 to regular scholars and ₹40,000 to Divyang (disabled) scholars.
Target Beneficiaries – The scheme is open to permanent residents of Assam enrolled in public institutions.
Focus on Divyang Inclusion – Special higher financial assistance is reserved for Physically disabled scholars.
NAKSHA
Recently the second batch of NAKSHA Phase 2 training begins on June 16, focusing on capacity building in urban land surveys.
NAKSHA – National geospatial Knowledge-based land Survey of urban HAbitations
Objectives – To create and update land records in urban areas to ensure accurate and reliable documentation of land ownership.
To ensure accurate, digital land records and improve urban planning and governance.
Nodal ministry – Department of Land Resources (DoLR) under the Ministry of Rural Development.
Training focus on modern survey tools – Officers will be trained in GNSS, ETS-based surveys, Web-GIS, land parcel mapping, and related legal frameworks to modernize urban land records using geospatial technology.
Four National Centres of Excellence – Training will be conducted at YASHADA (Pune), ATI (Mysuru), MGSIPA (Chandigarh), and NER CoE (Guwahati).
The programme builds capacity in urban land governance and technical surveying skills.
Economy
WPI inflation
Recently Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation dropped to 0.39% in May 2025, driven by deflation in food, fuel, and some manufactured goods.
Wholesale price index – It comprises as far as possible all transactions at first point of bulk sale in the domestic market.
Provisional monthly WPI for All Commodities is released on 14th of every month
Inflation Falls to 0.39% in May – India’s WPI-based inflation eased to 0.39% in May 2025 from 0.85% in April.
This marks a continued cooling of wholesale prices over recent months.
Food articles show deflation – Food articles saw a deflation of 1.56% in May, steeper than April’s 0.86%.
Vegetable prices dropped sharply, with a deflation of 21.62% compared to 18.26% in April.
Fuel and power see price decline – Fuel and power registered deflation of 2.27% in May, reversing April’s 2.18% inflation.
Manufactured products – It is 2.04% inflation in May, slightly down from April’s 2.62%.
Significance – This led to a 0.50% cut in the benchmark interest rate to 5.50% earlier this month RBI.
Environment
AviList
Recently AviList went live which offers the first unified taxonomy of global bird species.
First Unified Global Checklist – AviList is the first-ever unified global bird species checklist that consolidates years of taxonomic work into one freely accessible global standard.
Comprehensive Scope – It includes 11,131 species, 19,879 subspecies, 2,376 genera, 252 families, and 46 orders.
This makes it the most detailed and complete avian taxonomic list ever compiled.
Created by – Working Group on Avian Checklists, with bodies like BirdLife and Cornell Lab.
Boost to Conservation Efforts – AviList aids scientists and conservationists in aligning species data and priorities globally.
Free and Open Access – It eliminates confusion caused by multiple differing checklists used earlier.
Indian Rat Snake
Recently, The Kerala Wildlife Board is considering a proposal to declare the Indian Rat Snake as the State Reptile.
This move recognizes the species’ ecological role and conservation need, especially amid declining populations.
Indian Rat Snake – The Indian Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa).
It is commonly called Manja Chera or Karinchera.
Snake conservationists stress that only 25% of snakes are venomous, urging awareness and protection.
Farmers' Ally and Pest Controller – It preys on hatchlings of venomous snakes, making it ecologically important.
It also controls rodent populations in farmlands.
Conservation status
WPA - Schedule I
IUCN - Least Concern
Population Decline – It is facing declines due to overexploitation.
The snake is hunted for meat, skins, traditional medicine, and snake wine, particularly in Southeast Asia.
Habitat – Rat snakes inhabit villages, farmlands, scrublands, plantations, and forests across India.
It lays up to 18 eggs per clutch, feeding on rodents, frogs, lizards, and birds.
Security
Operation True Promise
Operation true promise was resumed as a part of recent conflict between Israel and Iran.
Operation true promise – It is Iran’s air attack on Israel in April 2025 to retaliate Israel’s attack.
Operation True Promise 3 - It is Iran's latest retaliatorymilitary campaign targeting Israeli cities and infrastructure in response to Israel’s operation rising lion.
Drone Barrage – Iran launched salvos of ballistic missiles and drones towards Israeli territory.
Targeting Israeli Cities and Military Centers – These retaliatory attacks caused significant damage in Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
The IRGC claimed responsibility, stating they targeted "military centres and airbases that served as the source of the criminal aggression against our country.
Science
Synthetic Aperture Radar
Recently NASA announced that the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) satellite had reached ISRO’s launch site in Sriharikota which is equipped withSynthetic Aperture Radar.
NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) Mission – NISAR will scan most of Earth’s land and ice surfaces twice every 12 days after launch.
It aims to deliver extensive environmental and geological data to scientists worldwide.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) – SAR is a technology that uses microwave pulses instead of visible light to create high-resolution images.
It works regardless of lighting or weather conditions like darkness, clouds, or smoke.
A SAR system uses a small antenna on a moving platform like a satellite to record echoes from the ground.
By combining these signals with precise timing and phase data, it mimics a very large antenna.
All-Weather, Day-Night Capability – Microwaves can penetrate clouds, rain, and smoke, enabling SAR to operate 24/7.
It can detect surface features and changes invisible to optical cameras.
Applications and Uses – SAR helps in tracking soil moisture, ice movement, land deformation, and vegetation cover.
It can detect environmental changes, disaster impacts, and urban development.
Jumping spider species
Recently new jumping spider species and rare genera have been recorded for the first time in India.
The discovery expands India’s known Spartaeinae spider diversity to 15 species across 10 genera.
Discovered in Karnataka – A new jumping spider species, Spartaeus karigiri, was found in Devarayanadurga, Karnataka.
It was named after the local hill, Karigiri (Elephant Hill), where it was first observed.
First Indian Record of Rare Genera – This is possibly the first time the genera Spartaeus and Sonoita have been reported from India.
Previously, they were known only from Southeast Asia and Africa.
Distinct Behaviour and Habitat – The spiders show intelligent hunting and mimicry tactics, typical of the Spartaeinae subfamily.
Characteristics – Males were found in rocky crevices; females were seen guarding egg clutches.
Taxonomic Clarification Achieved – Researchers confirmed Marpissa gangasagarensis (2005) is the same as Phaeacius fimbriatus (1900).
This resolved a two-decade-old naming confusion using museum specimens.
Miscellaneous
ICAR-NIHSAD
Recently, ICAR-NIHSAD Bhopal was awarded Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility status by World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Food and agriculture organization (FAO).
ICAR-NIHSAD – It is Indian Council of Agricultural Research - National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases.
It is a premier research institute under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) focusing on exotic and emerging animal diseases and zoonotic diseases.
Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF) – It is now one of only six global labs authorized to securely store rinderpest virus material.
India’s ICAR-NIHSAD, Bhopal has been designated as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility by WOAH and FAO.
It is authorized to retain live Rinderpest virus or infectious material for:
Research
Diagnostic development
Emergency vaccine production
Rinderpest – It also called cattle plague, was a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals.
It is caused by the Rinderpest virus, a member of the Morbillivirus genus (same family as measles).
