CROPIC (Collection of Real Time Observations & Photo of Crops)

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare plans to launch CROPIC.

• It is a study to gather crop information using field photographs and AI-based models.
• Crops will be photographed 4-5 times during their cycle, and the pictures will be analyzed to assess their health and potential mid-season losses.
• Seasons - The study will be carried out for two seasons, kharif 2025 and rabi 2025-26.
• CROPIC is an initiative under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• Purpose - It has a dual purpose of monitoring crop health and stress, and automation of crop loss assessment and payment of claims to affected farmers.

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Axiom-4 Mission

Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) would be postponed indefinitely after a liquid oxygen (LOX) leak in SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket.

• Axiom-4 Mission – It is the 4th mission planned by US-based spaceflight company Axiom Space to the International Space Station.
• Agency - Axiom Space.
• It uses a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
• The mission is commercial and isn’t part of the regular resupply missions NASA undertakes to the ISS.
• It aims to facilitate commercial activities in space, including scientific research, technological development, and space tourism.
• It consists of a crew of 4 people - Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla (Indian), S?awosz Uzna?ski-Wi?niewski, and Tobir Kapu.
• Reason for delay - Falcon-9 rocket’s engines leaking liquid oxygen (LOX).

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Early Harappan settlement in Gujarat

Archaeologists from the University of Kerala have unearthed a 5,300-year-old settlement near Lakhapar village in western Kachchh, Gujarat.

• The excavation has revealed an Early Harappan habitation site, located near the now-quiet Gandi River, once a perennial water source.
• It provides critical habitation context to those burials, suggesting a dynamic, interconnected cultural landscape in the arid Kachchh desert.
• Architecture - The excavation uncovered structural remnants, walls made of local sandstone and shale, indicating well-planned construction activities.
• Pottery - It has the presence of pottery from both Early and Classical Harappan phases, dating back to around 3300 BC.
• Among these finds is the extremely rare Pre-Prabhas Ware, previously known from only 3 sites across Gujarat.

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India’s first electronic waste (e-waste) eco park

• The environment minister recently announced that the Delhi government has undertaken a project to develop India’s first electronic waste (e-waste) eco park in north Delhi’s Holambi Kalan.
• The facility will be built under a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) model.
• It will be on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis for a concession period of 15 years.
• It will be designed to process up to 51,000 tonnes of e-waste, including all 106 categories of waste listed under the E-Waste Management Rules, 2022.
• Construction of the park is expected to be completed within 18 months, to process 25% of e-waste within 5 years.

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Forest Rights Act (FRA) Cells

For the first time since the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, the Union government is directly funding dedicated structures, FRA Cells which can facilitate the law's implementation.

• Central Funding – Sanctioned under the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyaan (DAJGUA) scheme.
• These cells are funded by the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs but will operate under the direction of State governments.
• Purpose – Their primary aim is to "facilitate" and "assist" the implementation of the FRA.
• This includes helping claimants and Gram Sabhas prepare paperwork for claims, assist with data management and expedite pending claims.
• No Decision-Making Role – Officials emphasize these cells will not interfere with the statutory decision-making bodies (Gram Sabhas, Sub-Divisional, or District Level Committees) established under the FRA.
• Addressing Pendency – The initiative comes as a significant number of FRA claims (14.45% of 51.11 lakh, with over 42% rejections) remain pending across States.
• Concerns Raised – Activists worry these cells, being outside the FRA's direct legal framework, could create a "parallel mechanism," potentially leading to confusion and overlapping functions with existing committees.
• Focus Areas – High numbers of cells are sanctioned in States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.