Daily Current Affairs 2025  

16/03/2026

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CA-16/03/2026

• Purpose: Provides long-term coal security specifically for the "Non-Regulated Sector" (Sponge Iron, Cement, CPP, Steel, etc.).
• Tenure: The policy was recently amended to offer coking coal linkages for periods of up to 30 years to promote import substitution.
• New Sub-sectors: A new sub-sector for "Production of Syn-Gas leading to coal gasification" was added to incentivize clean coal technologies.

• Flexibility: Unlike older schemes, this "mode agnostic" system allows consumers to choose their preferred transport mode (Rail or Road) after winning the bid, based on availability.
• Incentives: Includes "cashback" or discount benefits for bulk orders to encourage effective clearance of coal stocks.
• Payment: Successful bidders must typically deposit the coal value within 10 working days through a customized e-collection system.

• Streamlined Approvals: Coordination with district administrations has reduced the time for mining challan permits to just 2–3 days.
• Wallet System: A new digital wallet system has been introduced to facilitate faster approval of transport permits.
• Quality Control: Area General Managers are now mandated to perform regular mine-face inspections to ensure that NRS consumers receive coal that meets strict quality standards. 

• An RFID-enabled sticker is fixed on the vehicle's windshield.
• Sensors at toll plazas read the tag and automatically deduct the fee from the linked prepaid account or bank account.

• Developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• Operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and IHMCL.

• Cashless: No need to carry cash for toll payments.
• Time-saving: No need to stop at toll booths, reducing congestion.
• Fuel Efficiency: Reduces fuel consumption caused by idling in queues.
• Environmental: Massive reduction in paper usage for receipts.
• Validity: A FASTag has a functional validity of 5 years.

• Restoration Completion: The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced the successful restoration and re-erection of the colossal statue at the northern entrance of its original temple.
• Century-Old Puzzle Solved: The upper section, discovered in February 2024 by a joint Egyptian-U.S. mission, was confirmed to match a lower fragment unearthed by German archaeologist Günther Roeder in 1930.
• Well-Preserved Details: Despite being buried in moist soil for decades, the newly found piece retained traces of original blue and yellow pigments.
• Final Dimensions: The reassembled statue now stands approximately 6.7 to 7 metres tall and weighs over 40 tons.

• Historical Name: Known as Khmunu ("City of the Eight") in ancient Egypt and Hermopolis Magna during the Greco-Roman era.
• Location: Situated in the Minya Governorate of Middle Egypt, on the west bank of the Nile River, about 250 km south of Cairo.
• Religious Significance: It was the primary cult centre for Thoth, the ibis-headed god of wisdom, writing, and knowledge.
• Administrative Importance: Served as the capital of the 15th nome (province) of Upper Egypt, known as the "Hare nome".
• Architectural Features:
  • Temple of Thoth: Once featured massive pylons, courtyards, and royal statues.
  • Basilica Church: Home to a well-preserved 5th-century Coptic basilica built with reused Pharaonic and Hellenistic limestone blocks.
  • Roman Agora: One of the best-preserved areas, reflecting the city's prosperity in late antiquity.
• Multi-Era Legacy: Excavations have revealed artefacts spanning from the Old Kingdom to the Islamic period, including cartouches of Akhenaten, Ramesses II, and Nectanebo II.
• Conservation Challenges: The site faces threats from high groundwater levels (due to the Aswan Low Dam) and salt weathering, which cause degradation of its limestone structures.

• Chemical Nature: A colorless liquid with a pungent, garlic-like odor; it is highly flammable and its vapors are heavier than air.
• Production: Over 90% of global production uses the SOHIO process (catalytic ammoxidation of propylene).

• ABS Plastics: Used in automotive parts, electronics, and toys.
• Acrylic Fibres: Essential for clothing, blankets, and home textiles.
• Nitrile Rubber: Used for oil-resistant hoses, seals, and medical gloves.
• Carbon Fibre: A high-growth area for aerospace and wind energy sectors.

• Toxicity: Acute exposure can cause headache, dizziness, nausea, and even death, similar to cyanide poisoning.
• Carcinogenicity: Classified by IARC as a Group 1 Carcinogen (carcinogenic to humans), with strong links to lung cancer.

• Sustainability Trends: The industry is pivoting toward bio-based acrylonitrile (derived from glycerol or biomass) to meet net-zero targets in the automotive and electronics supply chains. 

• Scientific Milestone: It represents the northernmost confirmed record of the genus Amblyceps in the Western Ghats to date.
• Rarity: Despite extensive searching, only four individuals were encountered, suggesting the species is extremely rare or localized.
• Collaborative Research: The discovery was a joint effort by independent researcher Balaji Vijayakrishnan and researchers Tejas Thackeray and Abhishek Shirke from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation.

• Inhabits shallow, clear, fast-flowing hill streams.
• Prefers streambeds made of sand, pebbles, and stones (cobbles) which provide microhabitats for hiding and foraging.

• Currently known from only two locations: the Ragada River (Goa) and the Kundalika River (Maharashtra).

• The name "vayavy" (pronounced vah-yhav-yah) means "northwest" in the Marathi and Konkani languages, referring to its discovery in the northwestern part of the Western Ghats.

• Caudal Fin: Distinctively deeply forked (bifurcated), unlike many of its relatives.
• Lateral Line: It has an incomplete lateral line.
• Fin Structure: The adipose fin is separate from the tail, a key distinguishing feature.
• Jaw Morphology: The lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw.

• The species is considered highly vulnerable due to its rarity and specific habitat requirements.
• Threats to its ecosystem include mining, industrial wastewater, microplastic pollution, and invasive alien fish species. 

• The Gajapati Empire (1434–1541 CE) was a powerful medieval Hindu dynasty originating from Odisha.

• Founder: Established by Kapilendra Deva in 1434 CE after the fall of the Eastern Ganga dynasty.
• Etymology: The name "Gajapati" means "Lord of the Elephants," reflecting the dynasty's massive elephantry, which was unique among contemporary Indian militaries.
• Lineage: Belonged to the Suryavamsa (Solar) lineage.

• At its peak under Kapilendra Deva (c. 1464), the empire stretched from the Ganges in the north (near Hooghly) to the Kaveri in the south.
• It included parts of modern-day Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and portions of Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

• Capital: Initially based at Cuttack (Kataka); the seat of power later shifted to Konark under Prataparudra Deva.
• Military State: The empire was organized as a military state with a large standing army of infantry, cavalry, and a legendary elephant corps (estimated at up to 200,000 elephants by some accounts).
• Divisions: The empire was divided into administrative units called Dandapata or Rajya.

• Jagannath Cult: The rulers were ardent devotees of Lord Vishnu and served as the "first servants" (Adya Sevaka) of Lord Jagannath at Puri.
• Art and Literature: They were great patrons of the Odia language. Significant works like the Odia Mahabharata by Sarala Das were composed during this era.
• Architecture: Built and renovated numerous temples, including the audience hall of the Jagannath Temple in Puri and the Kapilesvara Temple in Bhubaneswar.

• External Conflicts: Continuous rivalry with the Vijayanagara Empire and the Bahmani Sultanate weakened the state.
• Prataparudra Deva's Reign: The influence of the Bhakti movement under Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is often cited as a reason for reduced militarism during the final decades of the empire.
• Fall: The dynasty was overthrown in 1541 CE by the Bhoi dynasty, eventually leading to the region's annexation by the Mughal Empire in 1592.

• Valles Marineris is the largest canyon system in the Solar System, located on Mars.
  • Length: Approximately 4,000 km long, stretching nearly a quarter of the way around Mars' equator.
  • Width & Depth: Reaches widths of up to 200 km and depths of up to 7–9 km.
  • Comparison: It is roughly 10 times longer and 5 times deeper than Earth's Grand Canyon.

• Tectonic "Crack": Most researchers believe it is a massive rift fault created by the crustal thickening and weight of the nearby Tharsis volcanic bulge.
• Erosional Widening: While the initial structure is tectonic, it was subsequently widened by massive landslides and ancient catastrophic flooding.

• Noctis Labyrinthus: The "Labyrinth of the Night" at the western end, a complex system of intersecting valleys.
• Coprates Chasma: One of the deepest troughs and a primary site for recent volcanic and deltaic research.
• Chryse Planitia: The eastern end where the canyon system empties into northern plains via ancient outflow channels.

• Astrobiology Target: The presence of hydrothermal minerals (opaline silica) and near-surface ice makes it a top-tier candidate for searching for past or present life.
• Future Missions: Due to its extreme terrain, studies increasingly propose using drones or helicopters (similar to Ingenuity) rather than traditional rovers for future in-situ exploration. 

• Widespread Adoption: As of the launch, 1.64 lakh Sujal Gaon IDs have already been created across 31 States and Union Territories, linked to 67,000 Sujalam Bharat IDs.
• Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 Extension: The launch coincided with the Union Cabinet's approval to extend and restructure the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) until December 2028.
• Funding Conditionality: The Centre has mandated that the release of funds under JJM 2.0 will be strictly conditional upon states completing the creation of Sujal Gaon IDs to ensure transparent digital mapping. 

• Digital Identity: Every rural drinking water scheme is assigned a unique code, bringing them onto a unified national platform for the first time.
• Comprehensive Profiles: Each Sujal Gaon ID provides a clear profile of a habitation:
  • Water Source: Details on local or bulk supply origins.
  • Infrastructure Condition: Real-time status of pipes, tanks, and treatment facilities.
  • Supply Reliability: Monitoring daily water availability and service standards.
  • Water Quality: Integrated records of testing results and safety metrics.
• Sujalam Bharat Integration: These IDs are a core component of the Sujalam Bharat national digital architecture, which integrates infrastructure and service area data.
• Technological Backbone: Developed with the support of BISAG-N (Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics) and integrated with PM Gati Shakti GIS for precise geospatial mapping.
• Governance Shift: Moves the focus from merely building infrastructure to ensuring sustained service delivery and community ownership through Gram Panchayats.
• Public Accountability: The system allows citizens and authorities to track operational status, historical maintenance, and repair history, helping to quickly identify and resolve service disruptions. 

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