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12/03/2026

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CA-12/03/2026

• World Glaucoma Week 2026: A global campaign organized by the World Glaucoma Association to raise awareness about the "silent thief of sight".
• Theme: The theme for 2026 is "Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World", emphasizing collective action to eliminate blindness through early detection.
• World Glaucoma Day: Observed on March 12, 2026, as a peak day for clinical screenings and educational events.
• Treatment Breakthroughs: The start of 2026 has seen a shift toward interventional glaucoma, focusing on earlier surgical or implant-based treatments (like iDose TR) to reduce the lifelong burden of daily eye drops. 

• Definition: A group of eye diseases that cause progressive, irreversible damage to the optic nerve, which is the vital link between the eye and the brain.
• The "Silent Thief": It is often asymptomatic in early stages; patients may lose up to 40% of their vision before noticing any symptoms.
• Prevalence: It is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, affecting approximately 80 million people as of 2026. 

• Intraocular Pressure (IOP): High fluid pressure inside the eye is the most common modifiable risk factor, though "normal-tension" glaucoma can occur even with standard pressure.
• Age & Genetics: Risk increases significantly after age 40; individuals with a first-degree relative with glaucoma have a 10x higher risk.
• Ethnicity: Higher risk is noted in Black, Hispanic, and Asian populations.
• Medical Conditions: Diabetes, high blood pressure, and extreme nearsightedness (myopia) are major triggers. 

• Open-Angle Glaucoma: The most common form; it develops slowly and painlessly over many years.
• Angle-Closure Glaucoma: A medical emergency where eye pressure rises suddenly, causing intense pain, nausea, and blurred vision.
• Normal-Tension Glaucoma: Nerve damage occurs despite eye pressure being within the "normal" range. 

• AI Integration: New AI-enhanced tools can now analyze retinal scans to detect structural changes years before vision loss begins.
• Sustained-Release Implants: FDA-approved devices like Durysta and iDose are tiny implants that release medication for months, potentially replacing daily eye drops.
• MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery): Safer, faster procedures using microscopic stents (iStent) are now frequently combined with cataract surgery.
• Advanced Lasers: Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is increasingly used as a first-line treatment rather than a last resort.

• Completion of Phase-I: The initial two-year phase, which focused on expanding the observational network and installing 70 new Doppler radars, concluded in March 2026.
• New Computing Records: The mission successfully operationalized high-performance computing (HPC) systems, "ARKA" and "ARUNIKA", reaching a total capacity of 21.91 petaflops to run advanced AI-driven weather models.
• Transition to Phase-II: The government recently outlined plans for the next five years (2026–2031), which will focus on deploying next-generation satellites and aircraft-based observations. 

• "Weather-Ready" India: Aims to make India a "Weather-ready and Climate-smart" nation by significantly reducing the impact of extreme weather events.
• Forecasting Accuracy: Seeks to improve the accuracy of short to medium-range forecasts by 5–10% and extend predictions down to the Panchayat level (5-6 km resolution).
• Extreme Weather Warnings: Enhances early warning systems for cyclones, heatwaves, floods, and droughts, aiming for a lead time of 10–15 days. 

• Budget: The mission was launched with an initial outlay of ₹2,000 crore for the first two years.
• Nodal Ministry: Led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• Implementing Agencies: Primarily executed by three key institutes:
  • IMD: India Meteorological Department.
  • NCMRWF: National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.
  • IITM: Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology. 

• Weather Management: Explores proactive interventions like cloud seeding for rain enhancement and fog dispersal.
• Cloud Physics Research: Establishing a dedicated 'cloud-simulation chamber' at IITM Pune to study atmospheric dynamics.
• AI/ML Integration: Utilizes Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to process complex meteorological data and provide hyper-local forecasts.
• Infrastructure Expansion: Includes 50+ Doppler Weather Radars, wind profilers, and radiometers, plus automated ocean research stations. 

• Agriculture: Provides location-specific agromet advisories to help farmers optimize sowing and irrigation.
• Disaster Management: Supports timely evacuations and risk reduction for vulnerable coastal and hilly regions.
• Other Sectors: Directly impacts aviation safety, power management, water resource planning, and urban transport. 

• Official Launch: The programme was announced to further fortify the security of the Aadhaar ecosystem, which is the cornerstone of India's digital identity.
• Expert Panel Selection: A specialized panel of 20 experienced cybersecurity researchers and ethical hackers has been selected to probe key digital assets for vulnerabilities.
• Strategic Partnership: The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with M/s ComOlho IT Private Limited, a cybersecurity solutions provider.

• Official UIDAI Website: The primary information hub for residents.
• myAadhaar Portal: The interface used by citizens for various Aadhaar-related services.
• Secure QR Code Application: The tool used for offline verification of Aadhaar data. 

• Severity-Based Payouts: Rewards are distributed based on the seriousness of the identified vulnerability.
• Risk Categorization: Potential security gaps are classified into four categories: Critical, High, Medium, and Low risk.
• Global Alignment: The payout model aligns with standard practices used by major global technology platforms to incentivize high-quality research. 

• Top-Tier Talent: Candidates must typically be listed in the top 100 of global bug bounty leaderboards (such as HackerOne or Bugcrowd) or have a proven track record with companies like Google, Microsoft, or Apple.
• Vetting Process: Shortlisted researchers undergo background verification, which includes proof of Indian Citizenship and a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).
• Conflict of Interest: Current or former employees of UIDAI or its contracted technology support partners (within the last 7 years) are ineligible to participate. 

• Proactive Defense: The goal is to move from reactive patching to a proactive strategy by identifying "hidden risks" before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
• Layered Security: This programme serves as an additional layer of protection, complementing UIDAI's existing measures like regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and continuous monitoring.
• Triage and Validation: The partner, ComOlho IT, manages the submission process, validates findings, and facilitates communication between the "bounty hunters" and the UIDAI Tech Centre in Bengaluru.

• Objective: Launched in 2009, CCTNS is a Mission Mode Project under the National e-Governance Plan aimed at creating a comprehensive, integrated system for enhancing policing efficiency.
• Nodal Agency: Managed by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) at the central level.
• Infrastructure: Connects nearly 18,000 police stations and 6,000 higher police offices (districts, state headquarters) into a single nationwide network. 

• Digital Registration: Facilitates 100% digital filing of FIRs, charge sheets, and investigation reports.
• Real-Time Data: Data entered at state-level Data Centres is replicated in near real-time to the National Data Centre, allowing pan-India searches on criminals and property.
• Standardization: Uses Integrated Investigation Forms (IIF) and master codes to ensure uniform data formats across all Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). 

• Pillars of Justice: CCTNS is the core "police pillar" of the ICJS, which links it with e-Courts, e-Prisons, e-Forensics, and e-Prosecution.
• Phase-II Status: Currently in the Phase-II (2022–2026) implementation stage, focusing on the seamless digital flow of case data between these five pillars. 

• Online Services: Citizens can use the Digital Police Portal for:
  • Filing and tracking online complaints.
  • Requesting antecedent verifications (for jobs, tenants, or passports).
  • Reporting and searching for missing persons and unidentified dead bodies.
• Transparency: Reduces the need for physical visits to police stations and provides immediate access to digital copies of FIRs. 

• Progress Report: The government announced that over 7.18 lakh Women Elected Representatives (WERs) were successfully trained during the 2025–26 period under this initiative.
• Launch of "Nirbhay Raho": During the conference, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the "Nirbhay Raho" initiative under the Nirbhaya Fund to enhance women’s safety and legal awareness in Panchayats.
• Model Panchayats: The government highlighted the identification of 744 Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats across 32 States and Union Territories.

• Launch Date: Formally launched on March 4, 2025, ahead of International Women’s Day.
• Nodal Ministry: Implemented by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoES).
• Purpose: A dedicated nationwide capacity-building initiative designed specifically to empower women leaders at the grassroots level. 

• Leadership Strengthening: To sharpen the leadership acumen and administrative skills of women in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
• Eliminating "Sarpanch Pati" Culture: A primary goal is to ensure women representatives independently exercise their constitutional authority, reducing interference from male relatives (proxy sarpanchs).
• Decision-Making: Increasing the active participation of women in rural policy-making and governance. 

• Specialized Modules: Training is conducted under a module titled "Championing Change: Empowering Women Leaders in Local Governance and Beyond".
• Legal Awareness: Includes a Primer on Law Addressing Gender-Based Violence to educate women leaders on legal rights and safety infrastructure.
• Master Trainers: Over 1.21 lakh representatives, including master trainers, have been capacitated to scale the training nationwide. 

• Vast Beneficiary Base: Aims to reach the more than 1.4 million women currently elected to PRIs in India.
• Representation: Women currently account for approximately 46% of total elected representatives in local bodies across the country.
• Integration with RGSA: The Abhiyan operates under the revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) framework. 

• Growing User Engagement: Since its launch on June 29, 2025 (National Statistics Day), the app has recorded over 17,475 downloads and more than 3.66 lakh hits as of February 2026.
• Expansion of Datasets: The platform has recently expanded to include visualizations for 12 socio-economic indicators across 9 major statistical products, up from 8 products in late 2025.
• High User Satisfaction: The app currently maintains high ratings of 4.9/5.0 on Google Play and 4.8/5.0 on the iOS App Store.

• Objective: Designed to provide stakeholders with a "snapshot" of India's latest official socio-economic data on the go.
• Developer: Developed by the National Sample Survey Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Target Audience: Serves policymakers, researchers, students, and citizens who require quick access to authentic government data. 

• Interactive "Key Trends" Dashboard: Offers dynamic visualizations of critical metrics like GDP, Inflation, and Employment.
• "Products" Section: Provides one-click access to download datasets in CSV format directly to mobile devices.
• Data Storytelling: Includes a curated section of 178+ infographics that translate complex statistics into digestible insights.
• Advance Release Calendar: Helps users stay informed about upcoming release dates for important national reports and data. 

• Scientific Name: Cyanoptila cyanomelana.
• Family: Part of the Muscicapidae (Old World flycatcher) family.
• Other Names: Commonly known as the Japanese Flycatcher.
• Size: A relatively large flycatcher, measuring approximately 16–17 cm in length and weighing about 25 g. 

• Adult Male: Strikingly beautiful with cobalt-blue upperparts, a black face, throat, and breast, and a crisp white belly.
• Adult Female: Subdued appearance with grey-brown upperparts and a smaller-headed profile.
• Immature Male: Resembles the female (brownish) but possesses the adult's blue wings. 

• Breeding Grounds: Primarily breeds in Japan, Korea, northeastern China, and the Russian Far East.
• Wintering Grounds: Traditionally winters in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Sumatra, and Borneo.
• Vagrancy in India: Though a rare visitor, sporadic records have been noted in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and the Andaman Islands. 

• Habitat: Prefers primary and secondary lowland and submontane forests, taiga, and wooded slopes up to 1,200 metres.
• Diet: Insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates such as beetles, moths, and bees, and occasionally small berries.
• Vocalization: Known for a rich, fluty, and melodious song, often described as one of the best singers among all flycatchers. 

• IUCN Status: Classified as 'Least Concern' due to its wide distribution, although its global population is thought to be decreasing.

• Service Extension: Originally launched in March 2024 with a one-year free period, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced that it will remain cost-free for another year to continue supporting smaller and regional media outlets.
• Infrastructure Growth: The platform now delivers over 1,000 daily news stories across multiple formats, supported by a 24/7 network of 1,500+ correspondents and 60 dedicated edit desks.

• Full Name: Prasar Bharati – Shared Audio Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination.
• Developer: It is a news-sharing service launched by Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster.
• Objective: Designed to function as a single-point source for high-quality, authentic news content, especially for media houses that lack extensive reporting networks. 

• Logo-Free Content: A defining feature is that all news items (video, audio, text, and photos) are provided without logos or watermarks, allowing media outlets to use them directly without attribution.
• Multilingual Support: Content is available in all major Indian languages, ensuring broad reach for regional and vernacular media.
• Live Feed Service: Provides exclusive, logo-free coverage of live events of national importance, such as investiture ceremonies, press briefings, and election rallies.
• Media Repository: Includes an archival library where subscribers can access historical footage and curated special packages. 

• Target Users: Open to registered newspapers, periodicals, TV channels, and digital publishers (including verified YouTubers and podcasters with specific subscriber counts).
• Registration: Media organisations can sign up for free on the official PB-SHABD portal by providing basic details and media registration papers.
• Format: Stories are provided in usable formats to ensure easy integration into existing broadcast or digital systems. 

• Volume: Delivers roughly 1,000 stories daily.
• Categories: Covers more than 50 diverse categories, including agriculture, technology, foreign affairs, sports, and political developments.
• Network: Powered by the vast network of Akashvani (All India Radio) and Doordarshan reporters across every corner of India. 

• Location: Situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, India, within the Nanda Devi National Park.
• Altitude: Perched at an elevation of approximately 5,029 metres (16,500 feet) in the Garhwal Himalayas.
• Physical Features: A small, shallow glacial lake (about 40 metres in diameter) located at the base of Mt. Trishul and Nanda Ghunti. It remains frozen for most of the year. 

• The Discovery: Hundreds of human skeletons were first officially rediscovered in 1942 by a forest ranger, Hari Kishan Madhwal.
• DNA Revelations (2019 Study): Landmark genetic research debunked the theory of a single catastrophic event. Findings revealed three distinct groups:
  • Group A (~800 CE): Individuals of South Asian ancestry who likely died over several centuries.
  • Group B (~1800 CE): A group with Eastern Mediterranean (Greek/Crete) ancestry who died in a single event nearly 1,000 years later.
  • Group C (~1800 CE): At least one individual with Southeast Asian ancestry.
• Cause of Death: Many skulls show blunt force trauma consistent with being struck from above by large, round objects. The leading scientific theory suggests a massive hailstorm with "cricket ball-sized" hailstones. 

• Local Legend: Folk songs describe a royal procession led by Raja Jasdhaval of Kanauj and his wife, who angered the goddess Nanda Devi. In her wrath, she rained down "iron balls" (hail) to strike them down for their lack of humility.
• Pilgrimage Route: The lake lies on the path of the Nanda Devi Raj Jat, a major pilgrimage held once every 12 years. 

• Trek Grade: Classified as Moderate to Difficult due to high altitude and steep terrain.
• Best Time: May to June (to see melting ice and skeletons) or September to October (for clear weather and crisp mountain views).
• Key Landmarks: The trek passes through the stunning Ali Bugyal and Bedni Bugyal, which are among the largest high-altitude meadows in Asia.

• Holistic Redevelopment: Launched in December 2022, the scheme aims to transform over 1,300 railway stations into modern, integrated "City Centres".
• Long-Term Vision: Focuses on Master Planning for a 40–60 year horizon, implementing upgrades in phases based on station-specific needs and demand.
• Multimodal Integration: Aims to integrate stations seamlessly with other transport modes like buses and metros, and connect both sides of the city through well-designed circulating areas. 

• Upgraded Infrastructure: Includes modern waiting halls, clean toilets, resurfaced platforms, and aesthetically designed facades.
• Technology & Convenience: Provision of free Wi-Fi, lifts, escalators, digital signage, and executive lounges.
• "One Station One Product" (OSOP): Kiosks at these stations promote local artisans and regional products like handicrafts, handlooms, and local delicacies. 

• Divyangjan-Friendly: Aligned with the Accessible India Campaign, stations feature ramps, Braille signage, tactile pathways, and low-height ticket counters.
• Safe Environment: Enhanced lighting, CCTV surveillance, and improved fire safety equipment are standard across redeveloped sites. 

• Regional Themes: Station designs are inspired by local heritage. Examples include:
  • Ahmedabad: Inspired by the Modhera Sun Temple.
  • Dwarka: Reflects the Dwarkadhish Temple.
  • Kumbakonam: Showcases traditional Chola architecture. 

• Budgetary Allocation: For the financial year 2025–26, ₹12,118 crore was allocated for the scheme, with over ₹7,000 crore spent by late 2025.
• Project Count: While the initial target was 1,275 stations, the list has expanded to 1,337 identified stations as of 2026. 

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