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21/02/2026

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CA-21/02/2026

• Objective:
  To provide structured 14-day exposure to students (aged 15–29) from 28 non-NER States/UTs, enabling them to experience the culture, geography, and development journey of the eight North Eastern states (often referred to as Ashtalakshmi).
• Scale:
  Involves 1,280 students in 40 batches, each batch comprising participants from different states, ensuring diversity and cross-cultural dialogue.
• Activities:
  • Cultural immersion (folk traditions, festivals, cuisine).
  • Academic collaboration through lectures and seminars.
  • Visits to institutions, heritage sites, and developmental projects.
  • Interactive sessions with local youth to foster mutual understanding.
• Vision Alignment:
  The programme is part of the “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” initiative, emphasizing unity in diversity and youth-to-youth connect.

• This programme bridges the gap between the North Eastern states and the rest of India, countering geographical isolation and limited connectivity.
• It helps youth appreciate the region’s diversity, strengthens national integration, and builds empathy and collaboration across communities.

• A US-led coalition designed to counter “weaponised dependency” in global technology supply chains.
• Focuses on semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and critical minerals.
• Described as a “coalition of capabilities” meant to replace coercive dependencies with cooperative resilience.

• Boosts India’s semiconductor and electronics sector by aligning with global supply chain resilience efforts.
• Strengthens India’s position in the AI and tech ecosystem, reducing reliance on single-source suppliers.
• Enhances strategic ties with the US and other coalition members, potentially reshaping the global technology map.

• India gains access to shared resources, research, and technology partnerships.
• The coalition could serve as a counterbalance to China’s dominance in critical minerals and AI supply chains.
• Positions India as a key player in shaping global AI governance and semiconductor resilience.

• Composition: Contains tetanus toxoid and reduced diphtheria toxoid (lower dose compared to childhood formulations).
• Purpose: Provides continued protection against tetanus and diphtheria in older age groups.
• Schedule:
  • Typically given as a booster every 10 years.
  • Also administered in cases of injury (e.g., deep cuts, puncture wounds) if the last booster was more than 5 years ago.
• WHO Recommendation: In 2006, the World Health Organization advised countries to transition from the older Tetanus Toxoid (TT) vaccine to Td, since Td offers broader protection by including diphtheria. This was reaffirmed in 2017.

• Tetanus: Caused by bacteria entering through wounds; can lead to severe muscle spasms and is often fatal without treatment.
• Diphtheria: Though rare due to childhood immunization, immunity wanes over time. It can cause breathing difficulties, heart failure, and paralysis if not prevented.
• Public Health Impact: Widespread childhood immunization has reduced cases, but booster protection is essential to prevent resurgence.

• Massive Scale Implementation
  • Over 17 lakh works onboarded, with 11.7 lakh completed and 5.2 lakh ongoing across India.
  • States like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh are leading in completed projects.
• Targets & Deadlines
  • Odisha alone was tasked with creating 2.6 lakh recharge structures by March 2026.
  • Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across states were directed to build 10,000 groundwater recharge structures each before March 2026.
• Community Participation
  • Training of village youth as “Jal Mitras” to promote awareness and ensure sustainability.
  • Public involvement is central—citizens are encouraged to contribute ideas, labor, and monitoring.
• State-Level Leadership
  • Chhattisgarh has set a target of 10 lakh water conservation structures by May 31, 2026, under the joint leadership of the Chief Minister and the Union Jal Shakti Minister.

• Groundwater Security: India faces severe groundwater depletion; JSJB 2.0 aims to reverse this trend.
• Climate Resilience: Rainwater harvesting and recharge structures help mitigate droughts and floods.
• Citizen-Centric Governance: By involving communities, the program ensures accountability and long-term sustainability.

• Hypersonic Speed: Sustained flight at speeds exceeding Mach 5.
• Scramjet Propulsion: Enables maneuverable, long-range hypersonic flight within the atmosphere.
• Targets: Designed to strike system-node targets on land, sea, and even in the air (including aircraft).
• Mobility: Road-mobile launch capability, enhancing survivability.

• First of its kind: The CJ-1000 is the world’s first operational land-based scramjet-powered hypersonic missile.
• Air Defense Challenge: Its speed and maneuverability make it extremely difficult for existing air defense systems to intercept.

• Created by the Constitution (89th Amendment) Act, 2003.
• Came into effect on 19 February 2004.
• Established under Article 338A of the Indian Constitution.

• Safeguards: Acts as a watchdog to ensure constitutional safeguards for STs are properly implemented.
• Grievance Redressal: Investigates complaints and issues related to deprivation of rights and welfare of tribal communities.
• Advisory Role: Advises the government on policies and programs for ST development.
• Monitoring: Reviews implementation of laws and schemes meant for STs.
• Reports: Submits annual and special reports to the President of India on the status of ST welfare.

• Functions similar to a civil court: can summon witnesses, demand documents, and conduct inquiries.
• Can investigate matters relating to ST rights, land disputes, and socio-economic development.

• Spectrum as a Public Resource: The Court held that spectrum is not a tradable asset of telecom companies but a national resource held in trust by the State.
• Public Trust Doctrine Applied: The judgment explicitly invoked PTD, emphasizing that the government must safeguard spectrum for public benefit rather than allow it to be liquidated in insolvency proceedings.
• Separation of Domains: The Court clarified that insolvency law cannot override telecom regulation, drawing a firm boundary between commercial insolvency resolution and public resource governance.
• State Accountability: By reaffirming PTD, the Court underscored that the State has a constitutional obligation to manage natural and strategic resources responsibly, ensuring they serve the larger public interest.

• Strengthens environmental and resource governance by extending PTD beyond traditional natural resources (like forests and lakes) to strategic assets such as spectrum.
• Ensures intergenerational equity, preventing misuse of resources that belong collectively to the people.
• Provides a legal shield against privatization or mismanagement of public assets under commercial pressures.

• The doctrine originates from Roman law and was later developed in English common law.
• It asserts that resources like air, water, forests, and wildlife are so essential to human life that they cannot be privately owned.
• The State acts as a trustee, ensuring these resources are protected and used sustainably.
• Citizens are the beneficiaries of this trust.

Case	Year	Key Principle Established
M.C. Mehta v. Kamal Nath	1997	Supreme Court held that the State is the trustee of all natural resources, preventing their misuse for private gain.
MI Builders v. Radhey Shyam Sahu	1999	Public parks cannot be handed over for commercial use; they must remain for public benefit.
Shailesh R. Shah v. State of Gujarat	2002	Reaffirmed that lakes and water bodies are public property held in trust.
Susetha v. State of Tamil Nadu	2006	Emphasized that ecological resources must be preserved for future generations.
K.M. Chinnappa v. Union of India	2003	Expanded PTD to include biodiversity and forests.

• Ensures sustainable development by balancing economic growth with environmental protection.
• Protects intergenerational equity—resources must be preserved for future generations.
• Provides a legal framework for challenging government or private actions that harm public resources.

• Type: Stratovolcano
• Elevation: 2,465 meters (8,087 ft) — the highest peak in the Visayas region
• Location: Negros Island, straddling Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental provinces
• Protected Area: Part of Kanlaon Natural Park, covering about 24,500 hectares
• Features: Contains the Lugud crater and the Margaja caldera, which sometimes hosts a seasonal crater lake

• Lies within the Negros Volcanic Belt, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire
• Known for explosive eruptions producing ash plumes several kilometers high
• Prominence: 2,465 meters, making it one of the Philippines’ “Ultra peaks”

• Scientific: A vital site for monitoring volcanic hazards in the Philippines.
• Cultural: Named after “Kan Laon,” a legendary Visayan deity.
• Tourism: Popular among hikers and nature enthusiasts, though access is restricted during heightened volcanic activity.

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