Daily Current Affairs 2025  

30/10/2025

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CA-29-30/10/2025

 
CA-29/10/2025

The latest Human Development Index (HDI) for 2025 shows limited global progress, with Iceland ranked first (HDI 0.972) and India ranked 130th out of 193 countries (HDI 0.685), reflecting a slow post-pandemic recovery in life expectancy and growing disparity between high and low HDI nations.?

Global HDI Highlights

• The global HDI registered its smallest increase since 1990 (excluding the COVID-19 crisis years), indicating that past positive trends have not resumed at pre-pandemic rates.?
• Iceland (0.972), Switzerland (0.970), and Norway (0.970) top the rankings, while South Sudan remains at the bottom (0.388).?
• High-HDI countries continue to progress, but low-HDI countries face stagnation and growing inequality.?
• The 2025 report emphasizes the rapid spread of artificial intelligence and its impacts on human development prospects, especially job creation and transformation.?

India’s HDI in 2025

• India ranks 130th out of 193 countries, up from 133rd in the previous report.?
• India’s HDI value increased from 0.676 (2022) to 0.685 (2023), placing it in the medium human development category and moving closer to the high human development threshold (HDI ≥ 0.700).?
• India's life expectancy has reached its highest level since the inception of the HDI, driven by a strong recovery from the pandemic.?
• The report highlights the transformative impact of AI for countries like India, stressing the need for inclusive AI policies to ensure fair development outcomes.?

Top 10 Countries by HDI (2025)

Rank	Country	HDI
1	Iceland	0.972 ?
2	Switzerland	0.970 ?
2	Norway	0.970 ?
4	Denmark	0.962 ?
5	Germany	0.959 ?
5	Sweden	0.959 ?
7	Australia	0.958 ?
8	Netherlands	0.955 ?
8	Hong Kong	0.955 ?
10	Belgium	0.951 ?

 
Key Trends and Challenges
AI adoption is increasing rapidly, impacting both job opportunities and job security worldwide.?
Inequality remains a major concern, with high-HDI countries continuing to progress while many low-HDI countries face various development challenges.?
These rankings and trends are taken from the United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report released in May 2025, encompassing data up to 2023 for HDI calculations. Head of Project at NHPC Ltd. and recently appointed General Manager (Electrical) called on the Manipur Governor and briefed him about the operational challenges faced by the Loktak Hydroelectric Project.

About Loktak Hydroelectric Project
The Loktak Hydroelectric Project is a significant multipurpose power project in India. Here are the key details:

• Location: It is located in the state of Manipur, specifically harnessing the water resources of the Loktak Lake (the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India).
• River System: It uses water from the Loktak Lake, which is fed by rivers like the Khuga and Imphal rivers.
• Installed Capacity: The project has an installed capacity of 105 MW (Megawatts).
• Operator: It is owned and operated by the NHPC Limited (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation).
• Commissioning Year: Construction began in 1971, and it entered commercial operation in 1983.
• Key Component: A major part of the project is the Ithai Barrage, which helps maintain the water level in the lake to ensure sufficient volume for power generation.
• Ecological Context: The project is closely linked to Loktak Lake, a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance), which is famous for its floating islands called phumdis and the Keibul Lamjao National Park (the world's only floating national park, home to the endangered Sangai deer). The project's operation, particularly the water level management by the Ithai Barrage, has been a subject of ecological concern regarding the lake ecosystem.

Paleontologists in China have described a new species of the coelacanth genus Whiteia on the basis of two fossilized specimens.

About Coelacanth
The coelacanth (pronounced SEE-l?-kanth) is one of the most famous examples of a "living fossil," a term used for species that have survived for vast periods with very little apparent change.
Here are the key facts about the coelacanth:

1. The "Living Fossil" Story

• Ancient Lineage: Coelacanths belong to an ancient group of lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygii), a group that includes lungfish and all land-dwelling vertebrates (tetrapods). Their lineage dates back over 400 million years to the Devonian period.
• Rediscovery: They were widely believed to have gone extinct around 66 million years ago with the dinosaurs, as they disappeared from the fossil record at that time. However, a live specimen was caught off the coast of South Africa in 1938, causing a sensation in the scientific community. This makes them a prime example of a Lazarus taxon (an organism that reappears after a period of absence in the fossil record).

2. Unique Features

• Lobe-Fins: They are characterized by their paired, fleshy, limb-like fins (pectoral, pelvic, anal, and second dorsal) which are supported by internal bone structure. They move these fins in an alternating pattern that is strikingly similar to the gait of a four-limbed land animal.
• Three-Lobed Tail: They possess a distinctive three-lobed (trilobate) tail fin, with a small central lobe extending past the primary tail.
• Intracranial Joint: Coelacanths are the only living vertebrates with a hinged skull (an intracranial joint), which allows them to open their mouths exceptionally wide to consume large prey.
• Notochord: Unlike most adult fish, they retain a large, fluid-filled notochord (a flexible rod) instead of a fully developed vertebral column.
• Habitat and Behavior: They are deep-sea dwelling, nocturnal predators, typically found in rocky reefs and volcanic caves in the "twilight zone" (around 100–700 meters deep). They are generally "passive drift feeders," allowing currents to move them while they hunt fish and cephalopods.

3. Living Species and Conservation
There are two known extant (living) species of coelacanth:

Species	Common Name	Location	IUCN Status
Latimeria chalumnae	West Indian Ocean Coelacanth	Primarily found near the Comoros Islands (between Africa and Madagascar) and along the coast of East Africa.	Critically Endangered
Latimeria menadoensis	Indonesian Coelacanth	Found in the waters off Sulawesi, Indonesia.	Vulnerable

 
The species are highly protected due to their low populations and slow reproduction rate (they are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs hatch internally and the females give live birth). Recently, the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development, inaugurated National Seeds Corporation’s state-of-the-art seed processing plant at Pusa Complex, New Delhi.

About National Seeds Corporation       
The National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC) is a crucial organization in the agricultural sector of India.
Here is a breakdown of its structure, mandate, and functions:
1. Overview and Status

• Establishment: Founded in March 1963 by the Government of India.
• Status: It is a Schedule 'B' – Mini Ratna Category-I Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU).
• Ownership & Ministry: Fully owned by the Government of India and operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

2. Primary Mandate
The NSC's primary objective is to develop the seed industry in India and ensure the timely availability of high-quality, certified seeds of improved crop varieties to farmers across the country. It was instrumental in promoting the use of High-Yielding Variety (HYV) seeds during and after the Green Revolution.

3. Key Functions and Roles
The corporation is involved in the entire seed supply chain:

• Seed Production: It undertakes the production of Foundation and Certified seeds of nearly 600 varieties of 60 crops (including cereals, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, etc.) through its own farms and a network of registered seed growers.
• Quality Assurance: It maintains a strict quality control system, ensuring that all seeds meet the prescribed standards for purity, germination, and health.
• Processing and Storage: It manages the processing, cleaning, drying, and scientific storage of seeds, often operating large seed processing plants.
• Distribution and Marketing: It maintains an extensive distribution network across India, using regional and area offices, dealers, cooperatives, and now also online platforms (like the ONDC).
• Government Scheme Implementation: NSC plays a key role in implementing various central government agricultural schemes, such as the National Food Security Mission (NFSM) and the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH).
• Technical Support and Training: It provides technical support and consultancy services to other seed-producing agencies, including State Seed Corporations and farmers, on various aspects of seed technology and management.

In essence, NSC's role is not just commercial, but is integral to food security and the overall self-reliance of the Indian agricultural system. The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding for production of civil commuter aircraft SJ-100.

About SJ-100
The abbreviation "SJ-100" primarily refers to a Russian regional jet aircraft and is currently in the news due to a significant international agreement.

Here is the breakdown of the SJ-100:

1. SJ-100 Aircraft (Russian Origin)

The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body regional jet aircraft designed for short-haul flights.

Feature	Detail
Origin/Manufacturer	Russia (designed by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, now part of the Yakovlev Corporation under United Aircraft Corporation - UAC)
Former Name	Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100)
Type	New-generation regional jet for short-haul civilian use.
Seating Capacity	Typically up to 103 seats (maximum layout).
Key Focus	Low operating costs, ability to operate in extreme weather conditions, and suitability for regional routes.
'Russification'	The current SJ-100 is an upgraded version of the original SSJ100, which has undergone extensive import substitution to replace Western components with Russian-built equivalents, including the new PD-8 engines.

2. Recent Significance in India
The SJ-100 has gained recent prominence due to a landmark agreement between India and Russia:

• Agreement: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an Indian Public Sector Undertaking, and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) signed an MoU for the production of the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India.

Indian Context:
This is being hailed as a major step towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) in the civil aviation sector, as it would be the first full passenger aircraft to be manufactured domestically since the 1980s.
The aircraft is considered a "game-changer" for boosting regional air connectivity, particularly under the Indian government's UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme. Recently, the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has announced a sweeping set of reforms designed to bring transparency, efficiency and inclusivity to the rehabilitation ecosystem across the country.

About Rehabilitation Council of India
The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is the apex statutory body in India that regulates the training and practice of rehabilitation professionals and personnel working with persons with disabilities.
Here is a detailed overview:
1. Status and Establishment

• Status: A Statutory Body under the Government of India.
• Act: Established under the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992 (Act No. 34 of 1992), and became a Statutory Body on June 22, 1993. The Act was later amended in 2000 to broaden its mandate.
• Nodal Ministry: It functions under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.

2. Mandate and Objectives (The Core Functions)
The primary goal of RCI is to maintain quality and standardization in the field of rehabilitation to ensure ethical and competent service delivery to persons with disabilities.

• Regulation of Training: To regulate and monitor the training of rehabilitation professionals and personnel. This involves standardising syllabi for various degree, diploma, and certificate courses across the country.
• Maintenance of a Register: To maintain the Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) of all qualified rehabilitation professionals and personnel. Registration with the RCI is mandatory for a professional to practice legally in India.
• Punitive Action: The RCI Act prescribes punitive action against unqualified persons delivering services to persons with disabilities.
• Minimum Standards: To prescribe minimum standards of education and training for approximately 16 categories of rehabilitation professionals (e.g., Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Special Educators, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Clinical Psychologists, Prosthetists & Orthotists, etc.).
• Continuing Education: To promote and implement Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) programs to ensure registered professionals update their knowledge and skills.

3. Recent Reforms
RCI has recently focused on several key reforms aimed at improving efficiency and transparency in the rehabilitation ecosystem:

• Fee Waiver: Waiving fees for the issuance and renewal of the Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) for students and professionals.
• Centres of Excellence (CoE): Designating top-performing institutions and universities as Centers of Excellence to elevate academic standards.
• Digitalization and Transparency: Introducing reforms like video-based inspections and simplified online application processes for recognition and registration.
• Promoting Local Resources: Encouraging the inclusion of Indian author books, regional language resources, and indigenous diagnostic tools in its syllabi.

In summary, the RCI is a critical regulatory body that governs the educational and professional standards for those who work to empower and rehabilitate persons with disabilities in India. The Ministry of Coal is set to launch “Koyla Shakti”, a Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard in New Delhi

About Koyla Shakti Dashboard
The Koyla Shakti Dashboard (officially KOYLA SHAKTI – Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard (SCAD)) is a major digital initiative by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India.
It is designed to bring real-time monitoring, transparency, and efficiency to the entire coal value chain in the country.

Key Details and Objectives:

Feature	Description
Developer	National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) under the direction of the Ministry of Coal.
Technological Base	Powered by the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), aligning with the National Logistics Policy.
Core Function	To serve as a unified digital platform for real-time monitoring and analysis of coal sector operations, from mine to market.
Integration	It integrates data from multiple key stakeholders and central ministries, including: Coal, Railways, Power, Ports, Finance, state mining departments (E-khanij), coal-producing companies, and industrial consumers.
Primary Goal	To strengthen operational efficiency, enhance transparency, and improve coordination across the entire coal supply chain.

 
Major Features:

• Real-Time Monitoring: Continuous tracking of coal production, dispatch, transportation (via rail, road, and multi-modal systems), and consumption.
• Unified Visibility: Consolidates diverse data sources into a single, comprehensive interface, eliminating data silos between different ministries and agencies.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Provides analytical tools and insights to support evidence-based policy formulation, demand forecasting, logistics optimization, and strategic planning.
• Incident Response System: Timely alerts and notifications for operational challenges or performance deviations, enabling faster resolution.
• Standardization: Ensures uniform metrics and reporting formats across all participating departments and companies.
• Transparency and Accountability: Makes key performance indicators (KPIs) visible to all relevant stakeholders, promoting open monitoring.

In essence, Koyla Shakti acts as the digital backbone of India's coal ecosystem, leveraging technology to ensure a seamless, reliable, and efficient flow of coal to consumers, especially the critical power, steel, and cement industries. In a judgment clarifying the limits of the doctrine of merger, the Supreme Court of India recently observed that the doctrine of merger is not a doctrine of rigid and universal application.

About Doctrine of Merger
The Doctrine of Merger is a fundamental common law principle in jurisprudence, primarily concerning the relationship between decisions of a subordinate court/authority and a superior court/authority in the process of appeal or revision.
In simple terms, it means that when a higher court or tribunal passes an order in a case that was appealed from a lower court, the original order of the lower court merges into the final order of the superior court.

I. Core Principle

• Judicial Hierarchy: The doctrine is rooted in the idea of maintaining the decorum and hierarchy of the judicial system.
• One Operative Order: Its core rationale is that there cannot be more than one operative decree or order governing the same subject matter at any given point in time.
• Effect: After the merger, the original decision of the subordinate forum ceases to have an independent legal existence, and it is the order of the superior forum alone that subsists, is final, and is capable of being enforced.
• This rule applies whether the superior court affirms (confirms), modifies, or reverses the decision of the lower court.

II. Applicability in Indian Law
The Doctrine of Merger is not a doctrine of constitutional law or a statute, but a rule of judicial propriety and discipline recognized by the Supreme Court of India in numerous landmark judgments, most notably Kunhayammed v. State of Kerala (2000).
Conditions for Application:

• There must be a decision of a subordinate court/authority.
• A right of appeal or revision against that decision must exist and be duly exercised.
• The superior forum must hear the matter and pass an order that modifies, reverses, or affirms the subordinate decision.

III. Exceptions (Where the Doctrine Does Not Apply)

• The Supreme Court has clarified that the doctrine is not of rigid and universal application; its applicability depends on the nature of the jurisdiction exercised and the content of the challenge.
• Dismissal of Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) in Limine: If the Supreme Court dismisses an SLP (Special Leave Petition under Article 136) without granting leave to appeal and without giving any reasons or passing a 'speaking order' on the merits, the doctrine of merger does not apply. The order of the High Court remains the final, enforceable order.
• Order Procured by Fraud: An order obtained by a lower court through fraud or misrepresentation is a nullity. Since a fraudulent order never had legal standing, the act of a superior court affirming it does not result in a true merger. Fraud is said to "unravel everything."
• Limited Scope of Challenge: If the superior court exercises a narrow or limited jurisdiction (e.g., merely refusing to interfere on a discretionary ground) without addressing the merits of the entire controversy, the merger may be partial or not occur at all.
• Administrative/Executive Review: When a superior administrative authority reviews a subordinate administrative order, the merger is sometimes not automatic, as the jurisdiction exercised is administrative, not purely appellate/judicial.

IV. Application in Other Legal Fields
The concept of "merger" also appears in other areas of law:

• Property Law: The contract for the sale of land often merges into the final deed of conveyance. Once the deed is delivered and accepted, any promises or covenants in the contract that are not included in the deed are generally extinguished.
• Contract Law (Merger Clause): A clause in a contract (often called an integration clause) which states that the final written agreement contains the entire and final agreement between the parties. It signifies that all prior or contemporaneous oral agreements merge into the written document and are no longer independently enforceable.
• Criminal Law: Merger of Offenses refers to the absorption of a lesser included offense (e.g., attempt to commit a crime) into the greater offense if the defendant is convicted of the greater crime.

Recently, a small aircraft known as the Cessna 206H conducted a cloud seeding trial in Delhi amid the recent spike in air pollution.

About Cloud Seeding
Cloud seeding is a type of weather modification that aims to increase the amount or type of precipitation (rain or snow) that falls from clouds.
Here is a breakdown of the concept, how it works, the agents and methods used, and its effectiveness and concerns:

1. How Cloud Seeding Works
Clouds are made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that form when water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses around naturally occurring particles (like dust or salt) called condensation or ice nuclei.

Cloud seeding essentially introduces additional nuclei into existing clouds to enhance the natural process of precipitation:

• Process: A seeding agent, typically consisting of minute particles, is dispersed into a cloud that contains Supercooled Liquid Water (SLW)—water droplets that remain liquid at temperatures below 0?C.
• Mechanism (Cold Clouds): The most common agents, like silver iodide (AgI), have a crystalline structure similar to natural ice. These particles act as "landing pads" or ice nuclei on which the SLW freezes. These newly formed ice crystals then collide with other water molecules, grow into snowflakes, and eventually become heavy enough to fall as precipitation (rain if they melt on the way down, or snow). This is called glaciogenic seeding.
• Mechanism (Warm Clouds): For clouds entirely above freezing, hygroscopic materials like table salt (sodium chloride) are used. These particles are much larger than natural nuclei and readily absorb water vapor, accelerating the formation of large droplets that collide and coalesce into raindrops. This is called hygroscopic seeding.

2. Seeding Agents and Delivery Methods

Seeding Agent	Type of Seeding	Delivery Method
Silver Iodide (AgI)	Glaciogenic (Cold Clouds)	Released from aircraft flares, ground-based generators, or rockets.
Dry Ice (Solid CO2?)	Glaciogenic (Cold Clouds)	Dispersed from aircraft, as its extremely cold temperature ($ -78.5^\circ \text{C}$) flash-freezes supercooled water.
Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Potassium Chloride (KCl)	Hygroscopic (Warm Clouds)	Dispersed via aircraft (flares, spray) or ground-based systems.
Liquid Propane	Glaciogenic (Cold Clouds)	Expands into a gas, producing ice crystals at relatively warmer temperatures.

 
The most common delivery methods involve:

• Aircraft: Flying into or above the clouds to release pyrotechnic flares or directly spray the agent.
• Ground-based Generators: Burning a solution of the agent (like silver iodide and acetone) so the particles are carried into the clouds by air currents (often used in mountainous areas with strong updrafts).

3. Applications and Effectiveness
Cloud seeding is primarily used for:

• Water Resource Management: Increasing winter snowfall (to augment snowpack and subsequent streamflow) or rainfall in drought-prone areas to boost reservoir levels and support agriculture.
• Pollution Mitigation: Inducing artificial rain to temporarily wash out airborne particulate matter and pollutants from the atmosphere (e.g., in cities with severe smog).
• Hail Suppression: Seeding before hailstorms can increase the number of ice particles, resulting in smaller, less damaging hailstones.

Effectiveness:

• Conditions are Key: Cloud seeding only works on existing clouds with specific microphysical properties (sufficient moisture, supercooled water, and vertical development). It cannot create rain in clear or dry skies.
• Modest Increase: While results vary by project and environment, long-term studies have suggested that successful projects can increase precipitation in targeted areas by an average of 10% to 15% under optimal conditions.
• Difficulty in Proof: It is often challenging to definitively prove that the extra precipitation was a direct result of seeding rather than a natural occurrence.

4. Concerns and Criticisms

• Temporary Solution: For issues like air pollution, the effect is short-lived, as pollution levels quickly rebound if the source emissions are not addressed. Critics argue it is a costly "gimmick" that distracts from long-term emission control.
• Environmental Impact: There are concerns about the long-term ecological impact of accumulating seeding agents, particularly silver iodide, in the soil and water, potentially affecting crops and aquatic life, though most studies suggest the concentrations used are negligible.
• "Rain Theft": A long-standing ethical concern is that by enhancing precipitation in one area, cloud seeding might "steal" moisture from downwind areas that would have naturally received the rain.
• Meteorological Uncertainty: The success of the operation is highly dependent on unpredictable weather conditions, which can lead to costly trials with no rainfall.

Recently, a proposal of redrawing the boundaries and expanse of the Karakoram wildlife sanctuary in Ladakh was received by the central government.

About Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary
The Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary is a significant high-altitude protected area located in the Indian Union Territory of Ladakh.
Here is an overview of the sanctuary:
1. Location and Geography

• Location: Situated in the Leh district of Ladakh, in the easternmost reaches of the Karakoram mountain range.
• Altitude: It is an extremely high-altitude cold desert sanctuary, with elevations ranging from approximately 4,200m to over 7,500m.
• Size and Establishment: It covers a large area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers and was established in 1987.
• Rivers: The Shyok and Nubra rivers, along with their tributaries, are the major water sources for the region, giving it an alternative name: the Karakoram (Nubra Shyok) Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Significance: Its location is critically important, as it borders China and Pakistan and is close to the Siachen Glacier area. It is managed by the Wildlife Warden in Kargil, Ladakh.

2. Flora and Fauna (Biodiversity)
The sanctuary is characterized by a harsh, cold desert climate with extremely low precipitation, leading to sparse but unique high-altitude biodiversity.

Category	Key Species
Mammals	Tibetan Antelope (Chiru): The sanctuary is one of the few places in India that supports a migratory population of this species, which is hunted for its fine underfur, shahtoosh. Snow Leopard, Siberian Ibex, Himalayan Wolf, Tibetan Argali (the largest wild sheep), Bharal (Blue Sheep), Tibetan Gazelle, and Himalayan Brown Bear.
Birds	Himalayan Snowcock, Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), Golden Eagle, and Black-necked Crane (seasonal).
Flora (Vegetation)	The vegetation is sparse, consisting mainly of cold desert flora, alpine pastures, and broad-leaved shrubs like Rosia webbiana, Ephedra, and Caragana species. It is also noted for containing several rare and endangered medicinal plants.

 
3. Conservation Importance

• Trans-Himalayan Ecosystem: The sanctuary forms a crucial part of the larger trans-Himalayan ecosystem, offering a habitat corridor for some of the rarest mountain species in the world.
• Key Endangered Species: It is essential for the conservation of high-altitude species like the Snow Leopard and the migratory Tibetan Antelope (Chiru).
• World Heritage Potential: The sanctuary is sometimes mentioned as a potential "transboundary counterpart" to the Central Karakoram National Park in Pakistan, with proposals to potentially link it to the Siachen Peace Park and elevate its status to a World Heritage Site.
• Challenges: The sanctuary faces challenges from harsh climatic conditions, limited accessibility for research, and, historically, the threat of poaching, particularly for the Tibetan Antelope. Recent discussions have also involved the impact of road construction projects near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the sanctuary's ecology.

 

CA-30/10/2025 Recently, the Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE) has signed agreements with leading implementation partners to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot  project.

About Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project
The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot Project is a major initiative by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India, aimed at bridging the rural digital divide and transforming villages through the seamless integration of physical and digital services.
The term "Phygital" is a portmanteau of Physical + Digital, highlighting the project's core strategy of combining on-ground human presence with robust digital infrastructure.

1. Key Objectives and Implementing Body

• Primary Objective: To demonstrate a scalable, sustainable, and replicable model for delivering citizen-centric services in rural areas, thereby increasing the utilization of the BharatNet broadband infrastructure.
• Vision: To empower rural citizens with access to essential services and opportunities, making the "Digital India" vision a reality at the grassroots level.
• Nodal Agency: The project is executed by the Telecom Centres of Excellence (TCoE), India, under the guidance of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.
• Funding: The initiative is supported by the Telecom Technology Development Fund (TTDF).

2. Implementation Strategy
The pilot project is designed to run for a duration of two years in selected villages across India:

• Pilot Locations: The project is being implemented in three villages:
  • Ari & Umri in Madhya Pradesh
  • Narakoduru in Andhra Pradesh
  • Chaurawala in Uttar Pradesh
• The Hub: Samriddhi Kendra: Each pilot village will host a Samriddhi Kendra, which serves as an integrated, centralized "phygital" service hub. These centers are the physical touchpoints where trained personnel assist citizens in accessing digital services.
• Connectivity Backbone: The project leverages and strengthens the existing BharatNet Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity by deploying a Village Area Network and public Wi-Fi hotspots (PM-WANI) to ensure last-mile access.

3. Comprehensive Suite of Services
The Samriddhi Kendras are tasked with delivering an integrated suite of services across crucial sectors of rural life:

Sector	Services Offered (Phygital Model)
Education & Skilling	Smart Classrooms (equipped with AR/VR for immersive learning), digital skilling programs, and vocational courses aligned with government platforms (like Diksha, Swayam).
Agriculture	Smart Agriculture Solutions (e.g., IoT-based soil testing, smart pump controls), drone support for crop monitoring, and access to agri-services apps (like e-NAM).
Healthcare	Teleconsultations (connecting citizens with doctors/specialists), Health ATMs/Kiosks for basic diagnostics, and emergency care.
e-Governance	Assisted Access to citizen services, online applications for government schemes, documentation support, and grievance redressal.
E-Commerce & Finance	Financial Inclusion (digital banking, payments), and E-Commerce integration by onboarding local entrepreneurs onto digital marketplaces like the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

The ultimate goal of the pilot is to refine the operational model and ensure its financial and operational sustainability so it can be replicated and scaled nationwide after the initial two-year support period. Recently, the Union Minister of Coal and Mines launched two digital platforms the KOYLA SHAKTI Dashboard and the CLAMP Portal.

About CLAMP Portal
The CLAMP Portal stands for the Coal Land Acquisition, Management, and Payment Portal. It is a major digital governance initiative by the Ministry of Coal, Government of India.

1. Core Purpose and Objective
The primary purpose of the CLAMP Portal is to streamline and digitize the entire workflow related to land management in the coal sector.
Its key objectives are:

• Transparency and Accountability: To ensure openness and accountability in land acquisition and compensation processes.
• Efficiency: To minimize procedural delays and eliminate manual paperwork associated with land records.
• Timely Compensation: To ensure equitable and time-bound payment of compensation and disbursement of benefits to affected stakeholders.
• Centralized Repository: To create a unified, real-time digital database of all land records across Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) under the Ministry of Coal.

2. Key Features and Functions
The CLAMP Portal digitizes the core components of land management for coal projects:

Function	Description
Land Acquisition	Manages the complete process, from the initial identification of coal-bearing areas to the final acquisition of land for mining projects.
Data Integration	Serves as a central repository, integrating land records, ownership details, and survey information from various sources.
Compensation Workflow	Digitizes the entire payment process, including the calculation, approval, and disbursement of compensation to landowners.
R&R Management	Manages the Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) processes, ensuring that affected families receive all entitled benefits and support.
Real-Time Monitoring	Allows officials and relevant agencies to track the progress of land acquisition, compensation payments, and R&R activities in real time.
Inter-Agency Coordination	Enhances coordination among different stakeholders, such as Coal PSUs, state revenue departments, and district administrations, through a single digital platform.

 
3. Launch and Context
The CLAMP Portal was launched by the Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, as part of the Ministry's push towards digital transformation in the coal sector. It was launched alongside another major digital platform, the KOYLA SHAKTI Dashboard, which is focused on real-time monitoring of the coal supply chain from "mine to market."
The initiative aligns with the government's broader Digital India and Viksit Bharat vision by leveraging technology to ensure efficient, transparent, and public-centric governance in a vital industrial sector. Recently, scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of slender gecko and named it as Hemiphyllodactylus Venkatadri.

About Hemiphyllodactylus Venkatadri
Hemiphyllodactylus Venkatadri is a newly discovered species of gecko found in the Eastern Ghats of India.
It is a significant addition to the country's reptile diversity, highlighting the rich but under-explored biodiversity of the region.

1. Key Facts

Feature	Detail
Common Name	Venkatadri slender gecko
Taxonomy	Belongs to the genus Hemiphyllodactylus (slender geckos/dwarf geckos)
Discovery Location	Tirumala Hill ranges within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Etymology	Named after the sacred Venkatadri Hills (a name for the Tirumala mountains), where 'Venkata' means "one who removes sins" and 'adri' means "mountain" in Sanskrit.
Discoverers	Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and other Indian institutions.

 
2. Physical Characteristics and Habitat

• Size: It is considered a small gecko, with adult specimens reaching a maximum observed snout-vent length (SVL) of about 33.7 mm (approximately 1.3 inches).
• Distinctive Features: The species exhibits a unique combination of morphological characters, including specific counts of chin scales, dorsal scales, and the pattern of precloacal and femoral pores, which distinguish it from its closest relatives in peninsular India.
• Habitat: The geckos were found at an elevation of about 881 meters above sea level, typically taking shelter beneath tree bark in dry deciduous forests, such as sandalwood plantations, during the daytime.
• Behavior: Like other slender geckos in this genus, it is known for its nocturnal habits.

3. Significance of the Discovery

• Endemism: The discovery adds to the growing list of endemic reptile species in the Eastern Ghats, a region recognized as a biodiversity hotspot.
• Second from Andhra Pradesh: It is only the second species of the Hemiphyllodactylus genus recorded from Andhra Pradesh, the other being Hemiphyllodactylus arakuensis.
• Conservation: The finding emphasizes the urgent need for continued systematic surveys and molecular studies in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve and the Eastern Ghats to understand and protect this fragile ecosystem from anthropological pressures.

Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA’s) East Delhi hub is set to roll out India’ first transit-oriented development (TOD) project.

About Transit Oriented Development

• Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is an urban planning strategy that creates dense, mixed-use, and walkable communities centered around high-quality public transportation systems.
• The core principle is to deliberately integrate land use and transportation planning to maximize access to transit, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and foster more sustainable and livable cities.

Key Principles of TOD
TOD generally focuses on the D’s of development:

• Density: Encouraging higher residential and job densities within a 400 to 800 meter (≈1/4 to 1/2 mile) radius of the transit station. This concentrates activity to support transit ridership.
• Diversity (Mixed-Use): Integrating different land uses, such as residential, commercial, office, and recreational spaces, so that people can live, work, and shop within a short walking distance of the transit hub.
• Design (Walkability): Prioritizing pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure. This includes high-quality sidewalks, narrow streets, public plazas, and reduced parking requirements to make walking to transit safe and convenient (solving the "last mile" problem).
• Destination (Transit Hub): Placing a major transit station (e.g., metro, light rail, or Bus Rapid Transit terminal) as the central feature of the neighborhood.

Benefits of TOD

• Environmental Sustainability: Reduces the need for driving, thereby lowering traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution.
• Economic Efficiency: Increases a city's economic competitiveness by concentrating jobs and creating agglomeration effects. It can also be used as a value-capture financing mechanism, where increased property values near the transit are taxed to fund the transit infrastructure itself.
• Improved Quality of Life: Creates more vibrant, social, and livable communities with shorter commutes and lower household transportation costs.
• Health Benefits: Promotes a healthier lifestyle by encouraging people to walk and cycle more.

Global and Indian Context
Many cities worldwide, including Hong Kong, Tokyo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen, have successfully implemented TOD principles.
In India, TOD is a key component of national urban policies like the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) and the Smart Cities Mission. Cities like Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru are adopting TOD policies, particularly around their expanding Metro Rail and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) networks, to manage rapid urbanization and promote sustainable growth. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (Department of School Education and Literacy) and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, will jointly launch the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) in New Delhi.

About Model Youth Gram Sabha
The Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS) is an innovative, school-based initiative in India designed to give students practical, hands-on exposure to grassroots democracy and local self-governance. It is inspired by the format of the Model United Nations (MUN).
It is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Key Features and Objectives
The primary goal is to strengthen Janbhagidari (public participation) and nurture future responsible citizens by focusing on experiential learning.

Feature	Description
Simulation Format	Students from Classes 9–12 participate in mock Gram Sabha sessions, replicating the actual functioning of a village assembly.
Role-Playing	Students assume the roles of real-life village officials, such as Sarpanch (Village Head), Ward Members, Village Secretary, Anganwadi Worker, and Junior Engineers.
Activities	They debate and discuss local issues (e.g., sanitation, water supply, education), prepare the village budget, and draft development plans and resolutions.
Objectives	1. Civic Education: To build awareness about the role and significance of Panchayati Raj Institutions. 2. Skill Development: To foster leadership, public speaking, critical thinking, and consensus-building skills. 3. Youth Engagement: To revive youth interest and participation in the local governance process.
Implementation	The program is being rolled out in phases, starting with over 1,000 schools nationwide, including Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).

  Scientists in Brazil have launched the AmazonFACE Project near Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon.

About AmazonFACE Project

• The AmazonFACE Project (Amazon Free-Air CO? Enrichment) is a major, long-term, field experiment simulating future climate conditions to understand how the Amazon rainforest will react to elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2?).
• It is a pioneering scientific initiative and the first of its kind on this scale in a natural, high-biodiversity tropical forest. The project is led by the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA) and Universidade Estadual de Campinas in Brazil, with support from the Brazilian federal government and the United Kingdom.

Key Components and Working
The experiment operates as a "climate time machine" to assess the Amazon's resilience and its continued role as a crucial global carbon sink.

• Location: The experiment is set up near Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon.
• FACE Technology: It uses Free-Air CO2? Enrichment (FACE) technology, previously used in temperate biomes, to expose mature tropical trees to projected future CO2? levels.

Experimental Setup: The site features six massive steel tower rings constructed above the jungle canopy.

• Each ring encircles a cluster of 50 to 70 mature trees.
• Three rings are continuously fumigated with CO2? concentrations simulating forecasts for the coming decades (e.g., 2050 or 2060).
• The remaining three rings serve as untouched control samples for comparison.
• Continuous Monitoring: High-tech sensors record the forest's response every ten minutes, tracking the trees' absorption of CO2?, release of oxygen and water vapor, and overall health in response to weather conditions.

Primary Objectives
The core objectives are to gather crucial data to inform global climate models and conservation policies:

• Assess Photosynthesis and Growth: Determine if increased CO2? will stimulate biomass growth and water use efficiency, potentially increasing the forest's capacity to absorb more atmospheric carbon.
• Evaluate Ecosystem-Level Response: Study the effects of elevated CO2? on various ecological processes, including carbon fluxes and storage in plant tissues, litter, and soil, as well as nutrient cycling, water flow, and biodiversity.
• Inform Climate Policy: Provide critical, science-based data for international climate change deliberations, such as the COP30 United Nations Climate Summit, regarding rainforest conservation and carbon budgeting.
• The AmazonFACE Project: Exploring the impact of climate change on the rainforest provides visual context on the massive scale and scientific purpose of this unique field experiment.

Recently, The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first-ever air shipment of GI-tagged Indi Lime and Puliyankudi Lime to the United Kingdom.

About Indi Limes
The Indi Lime is a highly sought-after citrus variety from India, specifically a type of Kagzi (thin-skinned) lime, and is distinguished by its unique regional characteristics.

Key Facts

Feature	Details
Origin Region	Vijayapura district, Karnataka, India.
GI Tag Status	Has been accorded a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, recognizing its unique quality linked to its region of origin.
Distinctive Features	Known for its superior quality, zesty aroma, high juice yield, and balanced acidity. The rind is notably thin.
Cultivation	It thrives in the semi-arid climate and black cotton soils of northern Karnataka, where traditional farming practices are used.
Uses	Valued in both culinary applications (for its flavor in beverages, pickles, etc.) and in traditional medicine and cultural practices.
Export Status	Indi Lime, often marketed as "Swadeshi Indi Lime," is a focus of India's agricultural export promotion. It has been successfully exported to markets like the UAE and the United Kingdom, often alongside the GI-tagged Puliyankudi Lime from Tamil Nadu.

 
Significance of the GI Tag
The Geographical Indication (GI) tag is crucial for the Indi Lime because it:

• Guarantees Authenticity: It legally protects the product's name, ensuring that only lime grown in the specified region of Vijayapura district can be marketed as "Indi Lime."
• Empowers Farmers: It helps farmers secure a premium price for their produce due to its certified quality and unique origin.
• Boosts Global Recognition: It plays a vital role in showcasing a unique Indian agricultural heritage product on the international stage, supporting India's efforts to expand its GI-tagged exports.

About Puliyankudi Lime
The Puliyankudi Lime is a distinctive, high-quality acid lime variety cultivated in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu, India, and is recognized for its unique characteristics and high nutritional value.

Key Features and Origin
The Puliyankudi region is often referred to as the "Lemon City of Tamil Nadu" due to its extensive lime cultivation. The specific variety most prized is the Kadayam variety.

Feature	Description
Origin Region	Puliyankudi in the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu.
GI Tag Status	Received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in April 2025, which certifies its authenticity and unique regional qualities.
Appearance & Taste	Characterized by a thin peel, a smooth green peel, an intense fragrance, and a strong acidic taste.
Juice & Content	It offers a high juice yield (around 55% by weight) and high acidity. It is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants.
Ascorbic Acid	It has a high ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) content, reported to be around 34.3 mg/100g.
Use	It is a household staple in Southern India, valued for its culinary, medicinal, and preservative properties, particularly in beverages and pickles.

 
International Recognition
The Puliyankudi Lime is part of India's efforts to promote its GI-tagged agricultural products globally. It has been included in the first-ever air shipments of GI-tagged limes from India to international markets like the United Kingdom, alongside the Indi Lime from Karnataka. This export initiative, facilitated by APEDA, helps connect local farmers to global value chains and secure better prices. An 'Atlas Moth' (Attacus atlas), recognised as the world's largest moth, has been recently discovered in Guddehalli in Karwar of Karnataka's Davangare district.

About Atlas Moth
The Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas) is one of the world's largest and most remarkable moths, known for its massive size and striking wing patterns.

Key Characteristics and Size

• Size: It is among the largest insects on Earth. Its wingspan can reach up to 24–27 centimeters (9.4–10.6 inches), and it has a vast wing surface area, rivaled only by a few other moths.
• Appearance: Its wings are a beautiful mix of reddish-brown, orange, white, pink, and purple, featuring distinctive triangular, clear, scale-less windows on all four wings.
• Mimicry: The tips of its forewings have a prominent extension that closely resembles the head of a snake , which acts as a defense mechanism to deter predators.
• Lifespan: The adult moth has a very short life, typically lasting only 1 to 2 weeks (14–18 days).

Life Cycle and Diet

• Adult Diet: Adult Atlas Moths do not have fully formed mouthparts (a vestigial proboscis) and therefore cannot eat or drink. They must rely solely on the fat reserves accumulated during their larval (caterpillar) stage. Their only purpose as adults is to mate and reproduce.
• Caterpillar Stage: The caterpillar is large (up to 12 cm long) and voracious, spending its time eating to build up the necessary energy reserves for the entire adult life.
• Cocoons: The caterpillars pupate by spinning a large, papery cocoon interwoven with dried leaves, which they attach to a twig.
• Reproduction: Females release powerful pheromones to attract a mate, which males can detect from several kilometers away using their large, feathery antennae.

Distribution and Silk

• Habitat: The Atlas Moth is native to the tropical and subtropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. Its range includes regions of Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, southeastern China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
• Silk: It is occasionally cultivated in non-commercial capacities for its silk, known as fagara silk. This silk is secreted in broken strands, making it less desirable than the continuous thread from the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori), but it is known for its wool-like texture and greater durability. The cocoons are sometimes repurposed as small purses.

Recently, the 20th East Asia Summit has adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration.

About East Asia Summit
The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a premier, Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on broad strategic, political, and economic issues of common interest, aimed at promoting peace, stability, and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

Key Facts

Feature	Details
Established	2005, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Purpose	To promote regional peace, security, and socio-economic prosperity, particularly by discussing broad strategic challenges at the highest level.
Leadership	The EAS is an ASEAN-led process, and its meetings are held back-to-back with the annual ASEAN leaders' meetings.
Nature	It maintains an informal nature to encourage candid and interactive discussions among leaders.

 
EAS Members (The 18 Countries)
The EAS membership consists of all 10 ASEAN member states plus 8 other major regional powers, making it an ASEAN Plus Eight format.

Group	Member Countries
10 ASEAN States	Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
8 Dialogue Partners	Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Russia, and the United States.
Note: The US and Russia were formally invited to join the Summit in 2011.

 
Priority Areas of Cooperation
The EAS focuses on issues of strategic significance to the region, with designated priority areas for cooperation:

• Peace and Security: Discussing major geopolitical issues, maritime security (e.g., South China Sea), and counter-terrorism.
• Economic Cooperation: Enhancing trade integration, financial stability, and strengthening supply chain resilience.
• Sustainable Development: Environment and energy, including climate change and energy security.
• Socio-Cultural: Education cooperation, global health issues (e.g., pandemic diseases), and cultural ties.
• Regional Challenges: Natural Disaster Management and strengthening ASEAN Connectivity (infrastructure, digital links).

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