Daily Current Affairs 2025  

30/12/2025

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CA-30/12/2025

• Purpose: To adjudicate disputes and complaints relating to the recruitment and service conditions of persons appointed to public services and posts under the Union and certain PSUs.
• Establishment: Created in 1985 under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.
• Nature: Quasi-judicial body, meaning it functions like a court but with specialized jurisdiction.
• Jurisdiction: Covers service matters of Central Government employees, members of All India Services, and employees of certain organizations notified by the government.

• Established under Article 323A of the Constitution, inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment.​
• Operates under the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, which lays down its jurisdiction, powers, composition, and procedure.​
• Intended to reduce the burden on High Courts and provide cost‑effective, timely service justice to public servants.​

• Original jurisdiction over recruitment and service matters of: members of All India Services, persons in civil services/posts under the Union, and certain notified PSUs/authorities.​
• Civilians in defence services or posts connected with defence are included, subject to notification; members of the armed forces, Supreme Court staff, and staff of Parliament/High Courts are excluded.​
• Deals with issues like recruitment, promotions, seniority, pay, pension, disciplinary action, and other conditions of service.​

• Headed by a Chairperson, who is from a judicial background, typically a former Chief Justice or Judge of a High Court.​

• Exercises powers similar to a High Court with respect to contempt of itself under Section 17 of the Act.​
• Not bound by the Civil Procedure Code; guided by principles of natural justice and can frame its own procedural rules (CAT Procedure Rules, 1987, and Rules of Practice, 1993).​
• Can grant interim relief and review its own orders; appeals from CAT decisions lie to the concerned High Court as per the Supreme Court’s ruling in Chandra Kumar (1997).​

• Provides specialized adjudication in service matters, improving speed and consistency of decisions and easing pressure on constitutional courts.​
• Often faces challenges like vacancy of members, infrastructural constraints, and case backlog, which can dilute its purpose of expeditious justice.​
• Remains an important component of India’s administrative justice framework for UPSC‑relevant topics like tribunalization, separation of powers, and judicial review.

• Type: Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV), engine-less, propelled only by sails and oars
• Construction: Built using the stitched ship technique — wooden planks sewn together with coconut coir rope and sealed with natural resins
• Dimensions: Length 19.6 m, Beam 6.5 m, Draught 3.33 m
• Crew: 15 sailors
• Builder: Hodi Innovations (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.
• Commissioned: 21 May 2025
• Design Inspiration: Based on a 5th-century CE merchant ship depicted in Ajanta Cave murals
• Namesake: Kaundinya I, a legendary Indian mariner who sailed to Southeast Asia and became king of Funan (present-day Cambodia)

• Reviving Maritime Heritage: The stitched ship technique was once common across India’s coasts and enabled long-distance voyages to West Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia centuries before modern metallurgy.
• Symbolic Voyage: Its maiden journey retraced ancient trade routes between India and Oman, showcasing India’s maritime legacy.
• Tripartite Project: Undertaken by the Ministry of Culture, Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations to rediscover indigenous knowledge systems.
• Engine-less Design: Highlights sustainability and authenticity — no modern propulsion, only traditional craftsmanship.

• Navigation Risks: Without engines, voyages depend entirely on wind and manual rowing.
• Durability: Wooden stitched ships are less resilient than steel vessels in rough seas.
• Symbolic, not Tactical: INSV Kaundinya is a heritage vessel, not designed for combat or modern naval operations.

• Infrastructure/construction goods: 12.1%
• Consumer durables: 10.3%
• Capital goods: 10.4%
• Intermediate goods: 7.3%​

• Growth Rate: IIP rose 6.7% YoY in Nov 2025, compared to 5% in Nov 2024 and just 0.4% in Oct 2025.
• Sectoral Drivers:
  • Manufacturing: Strong growth in basic metals, pharmaceuticals, and motor vehicles.
  • Mining: Expanded 5.4%, aided by post-monsoon recovery and iron ore output.
  • Electricity: Slight contraction, showing uneven sectoral performance.
• Policy Impact: Reduction in GST rates (Sept 2025) on consumer products boosted demand and manufacturing.
• Previous Context: Previous peak was 11.9% in Nov 2023; Nov 2025 marks a two-year high.
• Cumulative Growth (Apr–Nov 2025): Industrial output grew 3.3%, slower than 4.1% in the same period last year.

• Launched by the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) in 2014 as one of the world’s first CBDC projects.
• Initially designed as a cash-like instrument for retail payments, point-of-sale transactions, and peer-to-peer transfers.
• Now evolving into a deposit-like instrument with interest, making it comparable to conventional savings accounts.

• Interest Payments: From Jan 1, 2026, commercial banks will pay interest on e-CNY balances.
• Legal Status: e-CNY will have the same legal standing as traditional bank deposits, strengthening trust and adoption.
• Expanded Use Cases: Beyond retail, it will be used in tourism, healthcare, education, public services, and cross-border trade.
• Global Positioning: China aims to reinforce its leadership in CBDCs, positioning the yuan as a stronger player in international trade.

• Financial Stability: Transitioning from cash-like to deposit-like money may affect liquidity and banking models.
• Privacy Concerns: As a state-backed digital currency, e-CNY raises questions about transaction monitoring.
• Global Competition: Other countries (e.g., EU, US) are exploring CBDCs, so China’s leadership may face challenges.
• Adoption Hurdles: Despite trials, public uptake has been slower than expected; interest payments are meant to boost usage.

• Recoveries & Upgradations: Nearly 42.8% of the reduction in NPAs during FY25 came from successful recoveries and loan upgrades.
• Write-offs: Banks wrote off ₹1.58 lakh crore worth of bad loans, the largest contributor to NPA reduction.
• Provisioning: Higher provisioning ensured net NPAs remained low at 0.5%.
• Improved Credit Discipline: Stronger monitoring and regulatory oversight reduced fresh slippages.

• Resilience: RBI notes that banks’ balance sheets are stronger, with double-digit growth in deposits and credit.
• Profitability: Lower NPAs mean reduced provisioning costs, boosting profitability.
• Investor Confidence: A healthier banking sector attracts more investment and supports credit expansion.
• Policy Impact: The trend reflects the success of reforms like the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and stricter NPA recognition norms.

• Fresh Slippages: Despite improvements, banks added ₹2.26 lakh crore of fresh NPAs in FY25.
• Sectoral Stress: MSMEs and certain NBFC-linked exposures remain vulnerable.
• Global Uncertainty: External shocks (oil prices, geopolitical risks) could affect borrower repayment capacity.

• Real-time monitoring of aviation operations across India.
• Passenger grievance redressal: Handles complaints related to flight delays, cancellations, refunds, baggage issues, congestion, and inadequate facilities.
• Crisis response: Coordinates immediate interventions during disruptions (e.g., fog delays, airline operational breakdowns).
• Direct passenger support: Attends to phone calls and provides urgent assistance.
• Data-driven oversight: Tracks complaints and ensures accountability across airlines and airports.

• 13,000+ grievances resolved since December 3, 2025.
• 500+ urgent interventions handled via phone support.
• Positive feedback from passengers and stakeholders, with noticeable improvement in grievance resolution speed.

• Rapid growth in aviation: India’s passenger traffic has surged over the past decade, leading to frequent issues like delays, cancellations, and overcrowding.
• Unified mechanism: PACR consolidates multiple agencies into one coordinated response system.
• Passenger-centric approach: Ensures that travellers’ concerns are addressed promptly, reducing frustration and improving trust in the aviation ecosystem.

• Global Awareness: Promote and strengthen interest in AYUSH systems worldwide.
• International Recognition: Facilitate recognition of AYUSH medicine and practices at global platforms.
• Trade Boost: Support Indian AYUSH drug manufacturers and service providers to expand exports.
• Academic Collaboration: Establish AYUSH Academic Chairs in foreign universities.
• Research Promotion: Encourage joint research projects and knowledge exchange.
• Capacity Building: Organize training workshops, symposiums, and expert exchanges.

• Soft Power Diplomacy: AYUSH acts as a cultural and health diplomacy tool for India.
• Market Development: Expands global market for AYUSH products, creating economic opportunities.
• Knowledge Exchange: Builds bridges between traditional Indian medicine and global health systems.
• Youth & Research Opportunities: Opens pathways for Indian scholars and practitioners to engage internationally.

• Regulatory Barriers: Different countries have varying rules for herbal medicines and traditional therapies.
• Scientific Validation: Need for more evidence-based research to gain wider acceptance.
• Quality Standards: Ensuring global compliance with safety and efficacy standards.
• Cultural Integration: Balancing traditional practices with modern healthcare expectations.

• Botanical identity: Belongs to the Cannabis sativa L. species, related to marijuana but with very different properties.
• THC content: Less than 0.3%, meaning it has no psychoactive effect.
• Plant traits: Herbaceous, dioecious (male and female plants separate), high in fibre and seed yield.

• Fast-growing: Harvest cycle of 70–140 days.
• Climate-resilient: Requires ~50% less water than cotton, grows in marginal soils.
• Soil-friendly: Suppresses weeds, improves soil health.
• Multipurpose: Provides fibre, seed, oil, and biomass.

• Global cultivation: Legal in parts of Europe, North America, and Asia under regulated THC thresholds.
• India: Himachal Pradesh recently legalized regulated cultivation under the Green to Gold initiative, aiming to promote bio-economy-led growth.
• Policy trend: States are exploring hemp as a sustainable crop for rural development and industrial innovation.

• Regulatory hurdles: Strict THC monitoring required to prevent misuse.
• Market awareness: Hemp often confused with marijuana, slowing adoption.
• Infrastructure needs: Processing facilities and supply chains must be developed.
• Global competition: Established hemp industries in Europe and North America may dominate exports.

• Location: Gonda district, Uttar Pradesh, ~45 km from Gonda city, near Mankapur-Nawabganj Road and Mankapur-Faizabad Railway Line
• Area: 10.84 km² (1,084 hectares)
• Established: Declared a sanctuary in 1990; officially notified in 1997
• Designation: Recognized as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance on 2 December 2019

• Formed from two interconnected lakes: Parvati and Arga, about 1.5 km apart.
• Originally part of the Saryu River system; the lakes remained when the river changed course.
• Rain-fed depressions in the Gangetic plains of the Terai region, sustaining water year-round.

• Resident Birds: Purple Moorhen, Swamp Hen, and other waterfowl nest here.
• Migratory Birds: Over 40,000 wintering waterfowl visit annually.
• Key Species:
  • Sarus Crane (state bird of Uttar Pradesh) finds ideal habitat here.
  • More than 23 species of waterfowl recorded.

• Mammals such as Jackal and Nilgai are found in the sanctuary.
• The wetlands also support diverse aquatic flora and fauna, crucial for ecological balance.

• Threats: Encroachment, pollution, and unsustainable agriculture around wetlands.
• Conservation Importance: As a Ramsar site, it plays a vital role in migratory bird conservation and wetland ecosystem services.
• Action Needed: Community-based eco-tourism and stricter protection measures to preserve biodiversity.

• RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) is the world’s largest trade bloc, comprising:
  • 10 ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam)
  • Plus Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.
• It was signed in November 2020, but India withdrew in 2019, citing concerns about cheap imports from China hurting domestic industries.

• India opted out of RCEP in 2019 to avoid the “China risk” — fears of trade imbalances and flooding of Indian markets with Chinese goods.
• Instead, India pursued bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with individual RCEP members:
  • Already has FTAs with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Australia.
  • Recently concluded an FTA with New Zealand (Dec 2025).
• With this, India now has trade deals with every RCEP member except China, effectively creating an “RCEP minus China” framework.

• Economic Gains: India secures most benefits of RCEP (market access, integration) without formally joining.
• Strategic Autonomy: Maintains independence in trade policy, avoiding overdependence on China.
• Geopolitical Balance: Strengthens ties with ASEAN, Japan, Australia, and others, while countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
• Domestic Safeguards: Protects Indian MSMEs and agriculture from being overwhelmed by Chinese imports.

• Kingdom: Fungi
• Phylum: Ascomycota
• Order: Pleosporales
• Family: Phaeosphaeriaceae
• Genus: Parasynemellisia (newly established)
• Species: Parasynemellisia khasiana

• Found on bamboo litter in Meghalaya, India.
• Published in Phytotaxa (Vol. 732, Dec 2025).
• Authors include J. Pratibha, D. Jayarama Bhat, Turki M. Dawoud, and Ashish Prabhugaonkar.

• Represents a new genus and species in fungal taxonomy.
• Adds to the growing list of bambusicolous fungi (fungi associated with bamboo).
• Contributes to understanding fungal diversity in Northeast India, a biodiversity hotspot.

• Location: Narsapuram, West Godavari district, Andhra Pradesh.
• Craft type: Crochet lace-making, introduced during colonial times and nurtured by local communities.
• Generational legacy: Families, especially women, have preserved and passed down this skill for over a century.

• Women-led industry: The craft is largely practiced by rural women, often organized into self-help groups.
• Economic independence: Lace-making provides livelihood opportunities, enabling women to contribute to household income and community development.
• Recognition: PM Narendra Modi highlighted Narsapuram lace in his Mann Ki Baat program, calling it a model of women’s empowerment.

• Exports: More than 500 varieties of lace products are produced and exported worldwide.
• Employment: Around 100,000 women artisans are engaged in this craft.
• GI Tag: Narsapuram lace has received a Geographical Indication (GI) certification, boosting its authenticity and market value.

• Government support: NABARD and Andhra Pradesh government are training artisans in new designs, improving skills, and connecting them to modern markets.
• Cultural pride: Leaders like CM Chandrababu Naidu have emphasized the importance of preserving this heritage craft and supporting artisans.

• Market fluctuations: Dependence on exports makes artisans vulnerable to global demand shifts.
• Middlemen exploitation: Artisans often face low returns compared to retail prices.
• Need for modernization: Without design innovation and digital marketing, younger generations may lose interest.

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