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13/02/2026

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CA-13/02/2026

• Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary informed the Rajya Sabha, that Vidyanjali has onboarded over 8.5 lakh schools and 5 lakh volunteers nationwide.
• Its role in enhancing education via private sector and community participation, with over 56,000 service activities and 35,000 asset contributions completed, benefiting 20 million students.​
• The platform complements schemes like Samagra Shiksha, using digital dashboards for monitoring volunteer efforts and school improvements.

• Objective: To strengthen government and government-aided schools through community and private sector involvement (CSR), aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• Who can Volunteer? The program is open to the Indian Diaspora, retired teachers, government officials, professionals, NGOs, and even homemakers.
• Two Main Verticals:
  1. Participate in School Service/Activity: Volunteers share skills like subject mentoring, career counselling, yoga, or coding.
  2. Assets/Material/Equipment: Donating physical resources such as digital infrastructure, sports equipment, or sanitation facilities.
• The Portal: A dedicated tech-enabled platform (Vidyanjali Scheme) acts as a bridge for volunteers to find schools of their choice based on identified needs.
• Core Principles:
  • No Monetary Assistance: Schools cannot accept cash; only services or physical assets are allowed.
  • Volunteer Status: Volunteering is unpaid and does not constitute a claim for employment in the school.
  • Transparency: A structured digital framework ensures all contributions are validated and monitored by the schools and states.
• Expansion: Originally launched in 2016, it was revamped as Vidyanjali 2.0 in 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include a wider range of activities and a Higher Education vertical. 

• The scheme is highly relevant due to its nearing completion of the current five-year cycle (2020–21 to 2025–26) and significant progress reports released by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)

• Objective: To transition 2 lakh micro-enterprises into the formal framework by providing financial, technical, and business support.
• Outlay & Funding: The scheme has a total outlay of ₹10,000 crore.
  • Cost Sharing: 60:40 (Centre: State); 90:10 (NE & Himalayan States); 100% Central funding for UTs without legislature.
• Financial Assistance:
  • Individual Units: Credit-linked capital subsidy of 35% of the project cost, with a maximum ceiling of ₹10 lakh.
  • Seed Capital for SHGs: ₹40,000 per member for working capital and small tools.
  • Common Infrastructure: 35% credit-linked capital subsidy (up to ₹3 crore) for FPOs, Cooperatives, and SHGs.
• One District One Product (ODOP): Adopts a cluster-based approach across 726 districts, identifying 137 unique products (e.g., mango, turmeric, millet-based items) to leverage scale in procurement and marketing.
• Branding & Marketing: Offers a 50% grant for branding and marketing initiatives to promote regional products.
• Eligibility:
  • Existing micro-units, FPOs, SHGs, and cooperatives are eligible.
  • Individual applicants must be at least 18 years old and have passed at least the 8th standard.
  • Only one person per family is eligible.
• Capacity Building: Training and handholding support provided through institutions like NIFTEM and IIFPT. 

• A key PRAGATI, highlighted 86 projects by the Department of Water Resources, with irrigation works achieving 73% average progress.
• PRAGATI mechanism is making headlines following the 50th milestone meeting and significant updates from the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

• Objective: To accelerate the implementation of long-stalled irrigation projects by resolving inter-ministerial and Centre-State bottlenecks such as land acquisition, forest clearances, and fund releases.
• Key Projects Reviewed:
  • North Koel Reservoir Project (Bihar & Jharkhand).
  • Gosikhurd Project and CADWM works (Maharashtra).
  • Subernarekha Multipurpose Project (Jharkhand & Odisha).
  • Sulwade–Jamphal–Kanoli Lift Irrigation Scheme.
  • Lower Pedhi Project and Aruna Medium Irrigation Project.
• Progress Metrics:
  • 10 Priority Projects: Worth ₹43,583 crore are under high-level review.
  • Implementation Status: One project is already commissioned, and nine are currently under implementation.
  • Physical Progress: Projects reviewed under this mechanism have achieved an average physical progress of 73%.
• Modernization Initiative: In April 2025, the Cabinet approved the Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of PMKSY (2025-2026) with an outlay of ₹1,600 crore to improve water use efficiency.
• The PRAGATI Framework:
  • Technology: Combines digital data management, video-conferencing, and geo-spatial technology for real-time monitoring.
  • Three-Tier System: Involves direct interaction between the PMO, Union Government Secretaries, and State Chief Secretaries on the 4th Wednesday of every month (PRAGATI Day).
  • Impact: Over the last decade, PRAGATI has fast-tracked projects worth more than ₹85 lakh crore nationally. 

• Recent highlight progress, with Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal noting nationwide rollout and accountability measures in Rajya Sabha. Ongoing implementation drives media coverage on tribal justice empowerment.
• NALSA (SAMVAD – Strengthening Access to Justice for Marginalized, Vulnerable Adivasis and Denotified/Nomadic Tribes) Scheme, 2025.

• Introduced in April 2025 by NALSA to support Scheduled Tribes (STs), Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), and De-Notified/Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).
• Focuses on remote tribal areas with community-driven legal aid delivery.​

• Boost legal awareness and service delivery via camps, helplines, and referrals.
• Aid in land/forest rights, displacement, rehabilitation, documentation, and welfare schemes.
• Promote early intervention and culturally sensitive support in local languages.​

• District-level SAMVAD Units (690 established nationwide) for planning and execution.​
• Activities include door-to-door outreach, literacy sessions, Gram Sabha coordination, and para-legal volunteers from tribal communities.
• Monitoring via quarterly reports from Taluk, District, and State Legal Services Authorities.​

• Tribal/marginalized communities, especially STs, PVTGs, DNTs facing access barriers.

• The National Statistics Office (NSO) under Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the first official CPI data on this new base, coinciding with January 2026 inflation figures at 2.75% (up from December's 1.33% on old base).

• Base Year Details: 2024=100 as reference (index=100); weights from Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24; prices collected Jan-Dec 2024.
• Item Basket Expansion: Weighted items rose from 299 to 358 (goods: 259→308; services: 40→50); added modern items like OTT subscriptions, online media, CNG/PNG; dropped obsolete ones; aligned with COICOP 2018 framework.
• Weight Rebalancing: Food weight decreased; housing and transport increased, reflecting urban/rural shifts.​

• Ensures CPI represents latest spending (digital services), improves accuracy for inflation tracking, policy, and comparisons.
• Uses granular data, modern tech for collection, and alternative sources for better representativeness and international alignment.

• Bihar Completion Reports: The Union Ministry of Tourirm Reported the physical completion of the major Tirthankar Circuit project in Bihar, which cost approximately ₹33.96 crore.

• Maharashtra Expansion: The state government recently approved a ₹36.35 crore development plan for the Namokar Teerth in Nashik, preparing for a massive festival in February 2026 expected to draw up to 15 lakh devotees.
• Uttar Pradesh Strengthening: In late 2025, the UP government announced plans to strengthen key locations within its own dedicated Jain Circuit, including the redevelopment of the Shri Digambar Jain Temple in Lucknow.
• Shift to Swadesh Darshan 2.0: The government is transitioning from broad thematic circuits to a "destination-centric" approach, focusing on sustainable development at specific high-potential Jain sites like Rajgir and Vaishali.

• Objective: To provide seamless connectivity and improved amenities for pilgrims and tourists, including better lighting, sanitation, and digital facilitation.
• Major Hubs (Bihar):
  • Vaishali: Birthplace of Lord Mahavira (24th Tirthankar).
  • Pawapuri: Site of Lord Mahavira’s Nirvana (salvation), famous for its Jal Mandir.
  • Rajgir & Nalanda: Ancient tapobhoomis (meditation grounds) associated with multiple Tirthankars.
  • Champapuri: Known for being the site of five Kalyanaks (auspicious events) of Lord Vasupujya.
• Maharashtra's Nine-Site Circuit: Launched in 2023, this includes major shrines such as Mangi Tungi (Nashik), Kumbhoj Bahubali (Kolhapur), and Godiji Parshwanath (Mumbai).
• Infrastructure Interventions:
  • Connectivity: Development of roads and improved accessibility to remote hill shrines.
  • Amenities: Construction of tourist facilitation centres, signages, and solar lighting.
  • Heritage Preservation: Conservation of ancient Jain caves and intricate temple carvings.
• Funding Model: Projects are 100% centrally funded under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, while the PRASHAD scheme specifically targets pilgrimage rejuvenation at sites like Palitana or Shravanabelagola. 

• Indian Inscriptions Discovery: Researchers announced the discovery of nearly 30 inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit within six tombs. These 2,000-year-old graffiti marks (dated 1st–3rd century CE) confirm that ancient Indian traders and visitors travelled deep into the Nile Valley, providing new evidence of maritime trade links with the Roman Empire.

• Situated on the west bank of the Nile River across from Luxor (ancient Thebes), in a dry, isolated valley chosen for its symbolic ties to the sun god's setting and rebirth.
• Primary burial ground for New Kingdom rulers (c. 1550–1069 BC), including Thutmose I, Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and elite nobles; first confirmed tomb was Thutmose I's, dug secretly.
• Over 60 tombs plus 20 unfinished pits, designed hidden underground to deter robbers after pyramid looting; most robbed in antiquity but still reveal afterlife beliefs and opulence.

• Divided into East and West Valleys; East is main area with iconic tombs like KV62 (Tutankhamun's).​

• Tombs feature painted walls with mythology scenes, hieroglyphs (Book of Caverns), sarcophagi, and chambers for afterlife provisions.​

• Sacred pyramid-shaped peak (Al-Qurn) linked to goddess Hathor; UNESCO World Heritage site.

• Shift from visible pyramids to concealed tombs protected treasures, though few like Tutankhamun's remained intact.
• Draws tourists (some tombs open with fees; others rotate for preservation); artifacts toured globally, aiding Egypt's economy.

• India launched a pioneering national biobank for LSDs to aid research and therapy development amid over 12,000 affected patients, with only 7% treatable and high mortality rates.
• Lysosomal Storage Disorders (LSDs) are a group of over 70 rare, inherited metabolic diseases caused by enzyme deficiencies in lysosomes, leading to toxic buildup in cells.

• Cause: Genetic mutations lead to a lack of enzymes needed to break down fats and sugars. These substances accumulate to toxic levels, causing progressive organ and tissue damage.
• Common Types:
  • Gaucher Disease: Affects the spleen, liver, and bones.
  • Pompe Disease: Causes progressive muscle weakness and heart problems.
  • Fabry Disease: Primarily affects the kidneys, heart, and skin.
  • Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS): A group of disorders affecting skeletal and cognitive development.
• Symptoms: Vary by type but often include enlarged liver or spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), coarse facial features, skeletal deformities, and developmental delays.
• Inheritance: Most are autosomal recessive, meaning a child must inherit a mutated gene from both parents. A few, like Hunter syndrome and Fabry disease, are X-linked.
• Diagnosis: Primarily through blood tests for enzyme activity and genetic testing. Many countries are now exploring Newborn Screening (NBS) to catch these disorders before symptoms manifest.
• Current Treatments:
  • Enzyme Replacement Therapy (ERT): Regular infusions of the missing enzyme; effective for systemic symptoms but often cannot cross the blood-brain barrier.
  • Substrate Reduction Therapy (SRT): Oral medications that decrease the production of the material the body cannot break down.
  • Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Transplants: Can be curative for certain types if performed early.
  • Gene Therapy: An emerging field aiming for a permanent cure by introducing functional genes into the patient's cells. 

• SBTi hit 10,000 companies with validated science-based targets, up from 1,000 in 2021 and over 2,800 new ones alone, signalling massive corporate climate momentum.​
• Accelerating Corporate Net-Zero Standard (CNZS) 2.0 for release, with priorities on flexible Scope 3 emissions handling, new financial sector guidance, and public consultations.

• Founded as a collaboration between CDP, UN Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and WWF; became a UK charity in 2023.​
• Provides standards, tools, and validation for companies to align GHG reduction targets with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C pathway and net-zero by 2050.
• Covers corporate, financial, and sector-specific standards like automotive; over 10,000 entities validated globally by 2026.

• Companies submit term targets based on SBTi criteria; technical experts review for alignment, providing feedback.​
• Approved targets must be publicly announced within 6 months and progress reported annually via sustainability reports or websites.​
• Validation confirms targets are ambitious, using approved pathways; non-compliance triggers re-review.​

Standard	Focus	Updates
Corporate Net-Zero	Science-based net-zero targets	V2.0 in 2026: Flexible Scope 3, indirect mitigation options, non-emissions metrics.
Financial Institutions	Sector emissions guidance	New guidance released; applies post-2027.
Automotive Net-Zero	Vehicle makers' goals	2026 consultation on draft.​

• A Stanford University study, published, mapped 459 such earthquakes worldwide using advanced detection methods, sparking global interest.
• This research highlights their regional clustering under areas like the Himalayas and Bering Strait, challenging views on mantle ductility. The findings aid in understanding deep Earth mechanics amid ongoing seismic monitoring.

• Origin & Depth: Unlike typical earthquakes that occur in the brittle crust (10–30 km depth), CMEs originate more than 80 km below the Mohorovičić discontinuity (Moho)—the boundary separating the crust from the mantle.
• Regional Clusters: While rare, these quakes are not random. Major clusters are found beneath:
  • The Himalayas: High concentration due to the intense collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates.
  • The Bering Strait: A region with complex tectonic stress between Asia and North America.
  • Other Areas: Clusters also appear under the Tibetan Plateau, East Africa, Alaska, and the Caucasus.
• Trigger Mechanisms: Scientists are exploring two primary theories:
  • Stress Transfer: Intense pressure from crustal earthquakes or continental collisions may penetrate deep into the mantle.
  • Mantle Convection: Heat-driven circulation of rock within the mantle itself may cause sudden ruptures.
• Surface Impact: Because they occur at such extreme depths, CMEs typically do not cause significant shaking or danger at the Earth's surface.
• Scientific Significance:
  • Lithosphere Dynamics: They show that the crust and mantle behave as an interconnected system rather than independent layers.
  • Internal Probes: These quakes act as natural sensors, providing clues about the internal temperature, composition, and structure of the Earth's deep interior.

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