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09/11/2025

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CA-09/11/2025

About Crassicaulis middletonii
 
Key Facts about Crassicaulis middletonii

• Taxonomy: It is a species of perennial herb belonging to the family Gesneriaceae (the same family as African violets and Gloxinia).
• Discovery: It was recently discovered in the Eastern Himalayas during a botanical survey in the West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India (published in 2025).
• Significance: Its discovery marks the first-ever record of the genus Crassicaulis in India. The genus was previously only known from one species, Crassicaulis guiliangii, found in Yunnan, China. This discovery extends the known range of the genus significantly.

Appearance:

• It is an erect herb, growing up to 30 cm tall.
• It has ovate leaves with a distinctive cordate (heart-shaped) to lobed base.
• It features white flowers that sometimes have a pale pinkish tinge at the lobes.
• Habitat: It thrives along stream banks near small waterfalls in evergreen forests, at an elevation of about 800 meters.
• Conservation Status: Due to its extremely restricted range (only about 50 individuals were found in one population) and the threat from human activities like grazing and cultivation, it has been assessed as "Critically Endangered" under the IUCN Red List criteria.
• Etymology: The species is named in honor of Dr. David J. Middleton, a noted plant taxonomist for his contributions to the study of the Gesneriaceae family in Asia.

 
About Mount Vesuvius

• Location: Mount Vesuvius is an active stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about 9 km east of Naples, near the Bay of Naples.
• Geology: It is a composite volcano with a large cone called Gran Cono partially encircled by the steep rim of a summit caldera formed by the collapse of an older structure known as Mount Somma. The structure is part of the Campanian volcanic arc created by the subduction zone from the collision of Eurasian and African tectonic plates.
• Physical Features: The volcano’s summit stands approximately 1,281 meters (4,200 feet) above sea level with a crater about 300 meters deep and 600 meters across. The caldera rim's highest point on Monte Somma reaches 1,132 meters.
• Historical Eruptions: The most famous eruption occurred in 79 AD, devastating the Roman cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplontis, and Stabiae with ash, pumice, and pyroclastic flows, causing over a thousand deaths. Other major eruptions occurred in 1631 and the last recorded eruption was in 1944.
• Eruption Characteristics: Vesuvius eruptions are famously violent and explosive (Plinian eruptions), ejecting volcanic ash and gases high into the atmosphere and posing risks to the surrounding populations.
• Population Risk: The volcano is considered one of the most dangerous in the world due to the dense population around it, with about 3 million people living nearby and 600,000 in high-risk zones.
• Monitoring and Study: Vesuvius is the only volcano on the European mainland to erupt in the last 100 years and has been heavily monitored to predict future eruptions and protect the population.
• Ecology and Tourism: The slopes are vegetated with scrub, forests, and vineyards, and the volcano is a popular hiking destination offering panoramic views of the Bay of Naples and the surrounding region. It also harbors unique ecosystems.
• Cultural Significance: It is a symbol of Naples and has been immortalized in art, literature, and historical accounts, including eyewitness letters by Pliny the Younger describing the 79 AD eruption.

Overview of the Piprahwa Relics

• Discovery: The Piprahwa Relics were discovered in 1898 by British colonial engineer William Claxton Peppé during an excavation of an ancient Buddhist stupa near Piprahwa village in Siddharthnagar district, Uttar Pradesh, near the India-Nepal border.
• Archaeological Context: The relics were found inside a large stone coffer buried about 18 feet underground inside a stupa believed to have been constructed by the Sakya clan, the family of Gautama Buddha, to enshrine a portion of his ashes and bone fragments.
• Contents: The discovery included five small vases or caskets containing bone fragments and ashes considered to be the physical remains (?ar?ra-dh?tu) of Lord Buddha, along with a large assortment of precious and semi-precious items such as gold and silver jewelry, over 1,800 gemstones including rubies, rock crystals, pearls, coral, and finely worked gold and silver artifacts.
• Inscription: An inscription on the reliquary urn identifies the relics as belonging to the Sakya clan’s portion of Buddha’s sacred remains, which supports the authenticity of the find and links it directly to Buddha’s historical cremation and enshrinement.
• Significance: These relics are among the earliest archaeological evidence tied directly to Lord Buddha and are of immense historical, religious, and cultural importance. They symbolize the physical connection to Buddha and demonstrate ancient Buddhist art and craftsmanship.
• Custody and Display: Most relics were sent to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899, while a portion was retained by Peppé's family. The bone relics were given to the King of Siam (Thailand) for distribution to Buddhist communities worldwide. The stone coffer is displayed in the Indian Museum, though many gems remained out of public view for a long time.
• Recent Repatriation: In 2025, a significant portion of the relics and associated gems held by Peppé’s descendants were repatriated to India with support from Indian industrialists and government efforts after they surfaced for auction. This was hailed as a significant act of cultural diplomacy.
• Legal and Historic Challenges: The relics were originally claimed under the colonial-era 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act by the British Crown. Their repatriation highlights complex issues surrounding colonial heritage, cultural property laws, and the efforts to reclaim India's lost heritage.
• Site Historic Importance: Piprahwa is accepted as ancient Kapilavastu, the historic capital of the Shakya Republic during the 5th-6th centuries BCE, where Prince Siddhartha (later Buddha) lived before his renunciation.

 
About

• The National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) is a pivotal welfare initiative of the Government of India, aimed at providing financial support and basic social security to the most vulnerable citizens, especially those living below the poverty line (BPL).
• It was launched on 15 August 1995 under the Ministry of Rural Development and extends its benefits to both rural and urban populations.

Objectives and Scope

• The main goal is to ensure a basic standard of living and dignity for elderly people, widows, persons with disabilities, and bereaved families upon the death of the primary breadwinner.
• It is a fully funded centrally sponsored scheme and represents the government’s commitment to the Directive Principles of State Policy, particularly Article 41 of the Indian Constitution.

Key Features

• Includes universal financial assistance through various pension and benefit schemes for the needy.
• The selection of beneficiaries is carried out by Gram Panchayats and Municipalities.
• Benefits are usually transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into bank or post office accounts; doorstep delivery is allowed for severely incapacitated beneficiaries.
• Progress and disbursement are actively monitored at both central and state levels.

NSAP Scheme Components

• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): ?200/month for persons 60–79 years, ?500/month for persons 80+ years.
• Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): ?300/month for widows 40–79 years, ?500/month for widows 80+ years.
• Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): ?300/month for severely disabled persons aged 18–79, ?500/month for those 80+.
• National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): One-time ?20,000 assistance to BPL families on the death of the breadwinner (aged 18–59).
• Annapurna Scheme: 10 kg of free food grains per month to eligible senior citizens not covered by the pension scheme.

   
Why in news?  
About

• Volcanic lightning is an electrical discharge phenomenon caused by volcanic eruptions, rather than ordinary thunderstorms, and is produced by particle collisions within the volcanic plume that generate static electricity.
• Water content within volcanic plumes can be greater than that in thunderstorms, contributing to more intense lightning activity.
• The height and temperature of the volcanic plume influence lightning formation—taller, colder plumes enhance ice charging and electrical activity.

Key Facts

• Volcanic lightning typically occurs during the early stages of a volcanic eruption, forming powerful barrages of lightning within ash clouds and eruption plumes.
• The main cause is the collision and friction between volcanic ash particles, rock fragments, and sometimes ice within the plume, which builds up static electricity and leads to lightning flashes.

There are different charging mechanisms:

• Frictional charging (triboelectric): Collisions of ash and rock fragments generate static charges.
• Ice charging: In plumes rising above freezing levels or involving water-magma interactions, ice crystals can contribute to charge separation, similar to thunderstorms.
• Fractoemission: The breaking apart of rock particles generates charge, especially near the vent.
• Radioactive charging: Naturally occurring radioisotopes in rock fragments may play a role in charge buildup.

   
Why in news?
   
Key Facts

• BIMReN is a biennial conference/platform to facilitate marine research collaboration in the Bay of Bengal region.
• Launched in 2024 by the Government of India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
• First conference held in Kochi, India, from November 4-6, 2025.
• Connects 25 research institutions and over 50 researchers from BIMSTEC countries.
• Enables twinning research grants and split-site PhD fellowships linking Indian institutions with other BIMSTEC member countries.

Significance

• Promotes cooperation on marine challenges, ecosystem health, and research innovations.
• Supports sustainable blue economy and fisheries management.
• Aligns with India’s regional strategies including Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific, and MAHASAGAR.

• Fosters scientific collaborations that address transboundary marine issues like overexploitation and climate change.
• Encourages evidence-based management for marine environmental protection.
• Advances regional cooperation among BIMSTEC nations, supporting broader economic and environmental goals in South and Southeast Asia.

   

Why in news?  
About PSHP

• The Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSHP) is a major energy infrastructure initiative in Karnataka.
• It is designed to become the largest pumped storage hydroelectric unit in the country, with significant environmental debates surrounding its construction.

Overview and Capacity

• The PSHP is a 2,000 MW pumped storage hydroelectric plant situated on the Sharavathi River, in Shimoga district, Karnataka.
• The plant sits between two existing reservoirs: Talakalale (upper) and Gerusoppa (lower).
• Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) is the main executing agency.
• The project cost is estimated at around ?8,000 crore.

About Sharavathi river

• Origin: The river rises at Ambutheertha in Thirthahalli Taluk, Shimoga district, in the Western Ghats at an altitude of around 730 meters.
• Length: Approximately 128 km (80 miles).
• Tributaries: Major tributaries include Nandihole, Haridravathi, Mavinahole, Hilkunji, Yennehole, Hurlihole, and Nagodihole.
• Ecology: The Sharavathi basin is rich in biodiversity due to evergreen forests and wetland habitats, supporting endangered species such as the lion-tailed macaque and unique flora and fauna.

 

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