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14/01/2026

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CA-14/01/2026

• Smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) is listed as Vulnerable (IUCN).
• Key role in wetland health and fish population balance.
• First state-level targeted program for otters in Tamil Nadu.
• Aligns with India’s broader wetland conservation and biodiversity goals

• Scientific name: Lutrogale perspicillata
• Family: Mustelidae
• Length: ~1.3 meters (including tail)
• Weight: 7–11 kg
• Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, CITES Appendix I)

• Found in South Asia, Southeast Asia, China, India, and Iraq.
• Prefers lowlands, mangrove forests, peat swamps, freshwater wetlands, rivers, lakes, and rice paddies.

• Smooth, sleek pelage (shorter and glossier than other otters).
• Small eyes and ears, flattened tail, and strong webbed paws for swimming.
• Distinctive hairless nose compared to other otter species.

• Habitat destruction (wetland drainage, deforestation).
• Pollution of rivers and wetlands.
• Poaching for illegal wildlife trade.
• Human conflict due to competition with fisheries.

Aspect	Old Rules	Revised (Jan 2026)
Corpus ≤ ₹8 lakh	80% lump sum + 20% annuity	100% lump sum allowed
Partial Withdrawals	Up to 3 times before 18	Twice before 18 + twice between 18–21
Eligibility	Minors (<18), Indian citizens, NRIs, OCIs	Same, but rural outreach strengthened
Community Incentives	Not specified	Explicit focus on Anganwadi & ASHA workers

• Greater Attractiveness: Full withdrawal option makes the scheme more appealing for families with modest savings.
• Liquidity Boost: Parents/guardians can access funds more easily for education or health emergencies.
• Rural Outreach: Incentives for Anganwadi and ASHA workers could significantly expand penetration in underserved areas.
• Risk Trade-Off: While annuitisation ensured long-term pension flow, lump-sum withdrawals may reduce retirement security if funds are spent early.

• Target Group: Exclusively for minors (below 18 years). Account is opened in the child’s name, operated by parents/legal guardians.
• Contributions: Minimum ₹250 (initial and annual). No maximum limit. Contributions can also be gifted.
• Transition at 18: Seamless shift to a regular NPS account once the child becomes an adult.
• Partial Withdrawals: Allowed after 3 years for education or medical needs.
• Investment Options: Equity exposure up to 75% permitted, with balanced choices for risk management.
• Exit Rules: Up to 80% of funds can be withdrawn as a lump sum; the rest must be annuitised.
• Eligibility: Open to Indian citizens, NRIs, and OCIs.

• Affordable travel: Non-air-conditioned coaches only, aimed at migrant workers, students, and families.
• Coach types: Sleeper and unreserved general coaches.
• Speed: Maximum speed of 130 km/h.
• Facilities: Pantry, water, fans, lights, and bathrooms.
• Push-pull technology: Engines at both ends for faster acceleration and smoother travel.
• Target routes: Long-distance journeys exceeding 800 km or taking more than 10 hours.

• Date & Location: Carved in 1169 CE (Valabhi Samvat 850 / Vikram Samvat 1255), embedded in the wall of the Bhadrakali Temple at Prabhas Patan, near Somnath.
• Dynastic Patronage: Issued during the reign of Maharajadhiraj Kumarapala of the Solanki dynasty, under the spiritual guidance of Param Pashupata Acharya Shriman Bhavabrihaspati.
• Purpose: It is a eulogistic inscription highlighting donations, temple construction, and royal endowments to Goddess Bhadrakali and Somnath.

• Shakta Tradition: Demonstrates the growing influence of Shakta customs alongside Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions in medieval Gujarat.
• Somnath Temple Revival: Chronicles Kumarapala’s role in restoring the Somnath Temple after repeated invasions, showing how inscriptions preserved sacred memory.
• Royal Legitimacy: Patronage of temples was a way for rulers to legitimize power and uphold social order.

• Mechanism:
  • Investors buy the bonds and receive attractive interest payments.
  • If a defined catastrophe occurs, the bond’s principal is used to cover the issuer’s losses instead of being repaid to investors.
  • If no catastrophe occurs, investors get back their principal plus interest.
• Origin: Cat bonds emerged in the mid-1990s after Hurricane Andrew (1992) and the Northridge earthquake (1994), when insurers realized they needed new ways to spread disaster risk.

• Risk Transfer: Moves disaster risk from insurers/governments to global capital markets.
• High Returns: Investors earn above-average yields if no catastrophe occurs.
• Diversification: Returns are largely uncorrelated with traditional markets, making them attractive for portfolio risk management.
• Resilience: Provides governments and insurers with immediate liquidity after disasters.

• Principal Loss: Investors may lose part or all of their investment if a covered catastrophe occurs.
• Complex Triggers: Bonds may be triggered by specific parameters (e.g., earthquake magnitude, hurricane wind speed), which can create disputes.
• Market Volatility: Investor appetite may decline after major disasters, raising costs for issuers.

• Purpose: Apex national facility for testing, calibration, and certification of air pollution monitoring devices.
• Location: CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (NPL), New Delhi.
• Organizations involved: Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) and CSIR–NPL.
• Global standing: India is now the second country in the world to establish such a laboratory.

• Indigenous Standards: Imported air pollution monitoring devices often fail under Indian climatic conditions. NESL develops India-specific standards to ensure accuracy.
• Reduced Dependence: Cuts reliance on foreign certification systems, saving costs and ensuring reliability.
• Public Health Impact: Air pollution is a major crisis in India; better monitoring means stronger policy responses.
• Economic Benefits: Encourages domestic manufacturing of certified monitoring equipment, reducing imports.

• Implementation Speed: Standards must be quickly adopted by state pollution boards.
• Capacity Building: Training technicians and regulators to use NESL-certified equipment.
• Integration: Aligning NESL outputs with national AQI reporting systems.
• Funding & Maintenance: Sustained investment is needed to keep calibration facilities cutting-edge.

• Shaksgam Valley (Trans-Karakoram Tract) lies north of the Siachen Glacier in the Karakoram range.
• Covers about 5,180 sq km of rugged terrain.
• It is part of the territory that India considers integral to Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, but Pakistan occupied it after 1947 and later ceded it to China in 1963.

• India’s stance: Considers the 1963 Pakistan–China boundary agreement illegal, as Pakistan had no authority to cede the valley.
• China’s stance: Claims sovereignty over the valley and justifies infrastructure projects there, linking it to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• Pakistan’s role: Ceded the territory to China in exchange for recognition of its control over other parts of Kashmir.

• Military relevance: Close to Siachen Glacier, a sensitive military zone where India and Pakistan have had long-standing conflicts.
• Infrastructure projects: China is building roads and facilities in the valley as part of CPEC, strengthening its strategic depth in the region.
• Diplomatic flashpoint: The valley has become a new source of friction between India and China, even after earlier agreements to ease tensions in Ladakh.

• Traditional IIP (Fixed-Base Laspeyres Method):
  • Uses a fixed base year (e.g., 2011–12).
  • Sectoral weights remain constant until the next base revision.
  • Problem: Over time, weights become outdated as industries evolve.
• Chain-Based IIP:
  • Updates weights regularly (e.g., every year).
  • Each year’s index is linked (“chained”) to the previous year.
  • Captures structural changes like new industries emerging or old ones declining.
  • Provides a more dynamic and realistic measure of industrial growth.

• Accuracy: Fixed weights lose relevance as industries change. Chain-based indices reflect current production structures.
• Flexibility: Allows inclusion of new industries (e.g., renewable energy, electronics) without waiting for a major base revision.
• Global Practice: Many advanced economies already use chain-based indices for GDP and industrial production.
• Policy Relevance: Better data helps policymakers respond to real-time industrial trends.

• Data Requirements: Annual updates demand robust, timely industrial data collection.
• Complexity: More sophisticated statistical methods are needed.
• Transition Costs: Shifting methodology requires retraining, system upgrades, and stakeholder alignment.
• Comparability: Historical series may need re-benchmarking to ensure continuity.

• Nature: A root-parasitic flowering weed that attaches itself underground to mustard roots.
• Mechanism: Extracts water, carbon, and nutrients directly from host plants.
• Impact: Causes wilting, yellowing, stunted growth, and sharp yield declines.
• Persistence: Seeds remain viable in soil for up to 20 years, making eradication extremely difficult.

• Orobanche grows underground and emerges late, making detection difficult.
• Conventional herbicides often fail because the weed is directly attached to crop roots.
• Infestation continues to rise despite chemical control measures.

• Crop Rotation: Growing non-host crops (like cereals) to break the weed’s lifecycle.
• Trap Crops: Planting crops that stimulate Orobanche germination but don’t support its growth.
• Resistant Varieties: Breeding mustard strains less susceptible to parasitism.
• Biological Control: Research into fungi and bacteria that attack Orobanche seeds.
• Awareness & Monitoring: Early detection and farmer training to manage infestations.

• Scientific Family: Brassicaceae (includes Brassica, Sinapis, Rhamphospermum genera)
• Common Names: Sarson (Hindi), Rai (Punjabi), Katuku (Tamil), Kaduk (Malayalam), Avalu (Telugu)
• Season: Primarily grown in the Rabi season (winter cropping cycle)
• Uses:
  • Seeds → oil extraction & spice (condiment mustard)
  • Leaves → consumed as mustard greens
  • By-products → cattle feed

• Climate: Prefers cool, dry, and slightly chilled conditions.
• Soil: Best suited to sandy loam soils with good drainage.
• Temperature: Germination at 20–25°C; optimal growth at 25–30°C.
• Rainfall: Requires moderate irrigation; excessive waterlogging is harmful.

• Land Preparation: Fine tilth with 2–3 ploughings.
• Seed Treatment: Fungicide treatment to prevent soil-borne diseases.
• Sowing: October–November in India; spacing ~30 cm between rows.
• Nutrient Management: Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur are critical.
• Irrigation: 3–4 irrigations depending on soil moisture.
• Harvesting: Done when pods turn yellow and seeds harden (Feb–March).

• Importance: One of the most important oilseed crops in India, contributing significantly to edible oil production.
• Top Producing States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Gujarat.
• Varieties: Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) is the most widely cultivated.

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