CA-01/04/2026

• Organising Body: The festival is organised by "Maati", a public trust dedicated to the art, culture, and development of the Purvanchal region (covering parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Nepal).
• Theme for 2026: The 9th edition's central theme was focused on the life and teachings of Sant Kabeer.

• Folk Music & Performance: Featured traditional forms such as Sohar, Birha, Aalhas, and Chaiti.
• Theatrical Acts: Live presentations including Nautanki, Kisan Ka Naach, and the Bhojpuri comedy play "Master Ganeshi Ram".
• Musical Guest: A headline performance by the legendary folk-fusion band Indian Ocean.

• Crafts: Display of regional specialties like Bhadohi carpets, Banarasi saris, and Nizamabad pottery.
• Food: Authentic Purvanchali ethnic foods, including popular dishes like Litti Chokha, prepared by regional cooks.

• To celebrate and preserve the social and cultural flavors of the Gangetic plain.
• To provide a platform for the Purvanchali diaspora in Delhi-NCR to reconnect with their roots.
• To honor extraordinary achievers from the region with the "Maati Samman".

• Social Initiatives: Beyond the festival, the trust conducts humanitarian work such as the "Maati's Eye Surgery Camp" to provide free surgical procedures for underprivileged patients in the Purvanchal region.

• Location: Sanand GIDC, Ahmedabad district, Gujarat (50-acre site, near Micron's plant).
• Type: Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility, focusing on assembly, packaging, testing, and reliability engineering.
• Investment: ₹3,300 crore total; 50% from central government (₹1,653 crore), 20% from Gujarat government (₹661 crore), 30% from company.
• Approval: Cleared by Union Cabinet in September 2024 under India Semiconductor Mission.

• Production Capacity: Initial 0.5 million units/day; full scale up to 6.3 million chips/day or 3.3 billion components annually; divided into units (Unit 1 pilot operational, Unit 2 mass production by Q3 2026, Unit 3 by 2027-2028).
• Timeline: Foundation 2025; pilot line June 2025; first samples August/October 2025; mass production targeted January 2026; commercial production started March 2026.
• Initial Products: Intelligent Power Modules (IPMs), Multi-Chip Modules (MCM); serves sectors like EVs, automotive, industrial, telecom, consumer electronics.

• Positions India as a trusted global chip hub, with exports to US firms like Alpha Omega Semiconductor.
• Part of Kaynes Technology's expansion; company operates multiple facilities across India.
• Enhances supply chain resilience amid global shortages; aligns with national goals for tech sovereignty.

• Vessel Type: A Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) designed for diverse maritime roles.
• Significance: It is the "lead ship" (first in its class) of a new generation of 11 vessels intended to maintain the Indian Navy's combat capability.

• Surveillance & Defence: Monitoring the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• Special Operations: Anti-piracy, counter-infiltration, and protection of offshore assets.
• Support Missions: Search and Rescue (SAR) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

• Indigenous Content: Approximately 76% of the vessel is built with indigenous components, supporting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• Dimensions: Measures roughly 105–110 metres in length with a displacement of 2,500–2,900 tonnes.
• Performance: Capable of speeds exceeding 25 knots with an operating range of 8,500 nautical miles.
• Aviation: Features a helipad and hangar capable of accommodating a HAL Dhruv helicopter or UAVs.

• Symbolism: The name "Shachi" is derived from Indian mythology, meaning "one who renders assistance". The ship's crest features the Ursa Major constellation and a red-and-white lighthouse.
• Dual Milestone: The launch coincided with the delivery of the Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Achal to the Indian Coast Guard by the same shipyard.

• Class & Series: Part of the Mahe-class (or Arnala-class, depending on the builder), it is the second of eight vessels being built by Cochin Shipyard.

• Namesake: Named after the historic coastal town of Malwan in Maharashtra, it carries forward the legacy of the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the erstwhile INS Malwan minesweeper decommissioned in 2003.
• Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), it is the second ship in a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) intended to bolster India's coastal security. 

• Length & Displacement: Approximately 78–80 metres long with a displacement of around 1,100 tonnes.
• Propulsion: Powered by high-agility waterjet propulsion, allowing for superior manoeuvrability in shallow waters.
• Speed & Range: Capable of a maximum speed of 25 knots (around 46 km/h) and an endurance of 1,800 nautical miles.

• Primary Role: Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and subsurface surveillance in littoral waters.
• Secondary Roles: Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), mine laying, and Search and Rescue (SAR).

• Weapons: Equipped with RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers, triple lightweight torpedo launchers, and a 30mm naval surface gun.
• Sensors: Features the DRDO Abhay hull-mounted sonar and low-frequency variable depth sonar (LFVDS).

• Global Representation: The inaugural list includes 20 cities from diverse regions, including Varkala (India), San Francisco (USA), Yokohama (Japan), and Bologna (Italy).
• Action-Oriented Solutions: Focuses on practical implementations rather than just plans, such as source segregation, composting, and reuse systems.
• Social Inclusion: Emphasises integrating informal waste workers (waste pickers) and communities into formal waste management chains.
• Diverse Strategies: Includes food waste prevention, organic waste management, refill systems, and policies to reduce single-use products. 

• Recognise Leadership: To spotlight cities demonstrating ambitious and innovative approaches to waste reduction and management.
• Knowledge Exchange: To promote the exchange of best practices and lessons learned between global urban centres.
• Inspiration: To inspire other cities to accelerate their transition toward zero-waste strategies.
• Circular Economy: To support the local-level implementation of circular economy approaches. 

• Climate Action: Significant reduction in methane emissions from organic waste and landfills, contributing to SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Resource Conservation: Promotes recycling and reuse, which preserves natural resources and reduces the energy-intensive manufacturing of virgin materials.
• Biodiversity & Public Health: Minimises environmental pollution (land and water), protecting local biodiversity and improving urban living conditions.
• Circular Material Flows: Moves away from linear "take-make-dispose" models to circular loops where waste is treated as a valuable resource.

• Definition: An intergovernmental treaty under the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established to conserve terrestrial, aquatic, and avian migratory species.
• Establishment: Signed in 1979 in Bonn, West Germany; it came into force in 1983.
• Membership: Currently has 133 Parties (as of early 2026), including India, which joined in 1983.

• Launched the Global Initiative on the Taking of Migratory Species (GTI) to combat illegal and unsustainable hunting and trade.
• Adopted a new Marine Flyway Framework to safeguard coastal ecosystems for migratory birds.
• Approved a multi-species conservation plan for Amazonian Migratory Catfish. 

• Appendix I: Lists endangered migratory species that require strict protection (e.g., prohibition of taking/hunting).
• Appendix II: Lists species with an unfavourable conservation status that require international cooperation through tailored agreements.

• India is home to several key migratory species like the Amur Falcon, Great Indian Bustard, and Dugong.
• It recently hosted COP13 (2020) in Gandhinagar and plays a vital role in the Central Asian Flyway.

• Habitat Loss: Fragmentation of migration routes due to agriculture and infrastructure development.
• Climate Change: Shifts in migration timing and loss of critical resting/breeding spots.
• Overexploitation: Excessive hunting, fishing bycatch, and illegal wildlife trade.
• Emerging Threats: Light pollution, underwater noise from deep-sea mining, and diseases like H5N1 Avian Influenza.

• Location: Situated in the Gondia and Bhandara districts of Maharashtra.
• Composition: Formed in December 2013 as India's 46th Tiger Reserve, it integrates:
  • Navegaon National Park and Navegaon Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Nagzira, New Nagzira, and Koka Wildlife Sanctuaries.
• Strategic Importance: Located in the heart of the Central Indian Tiger Landscape, it provides vital connectivity between major reserves like Kanha, Pench, and Tadoba.
• Flora & Fauna:
  • Vegetation: Characterized by Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.
  • Wildlife: Home to tigers, leopards (including rare melanistic leopards or black panthers), sloth bears, gaurs, and over 300 bird species.
• Topography: Features undulating terrain with the highest point being Zenda Pahad at 702 metres above sea level.
• Management Efficiency: This unified control allows for better micro-planning, faster fund release, and enhanced coordination to mitigate human-wildlife conflict.
• Ecological Milestones: Recent successful conservation efforts include the translocation of 73 spotted deer (chital) from Tadoba-Andhari to NNTR to bolster the prey base. 
• Cultural Significance: The name "Navegaon" comes from the 400-year-old Navegaon Bandh lake, while "Nagzira" refers to an ancient Snake (Nag) temple and a perennial water source (zira). 

• Originally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 June 2022 during the 'Iconic Week Celebrations' of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
  • To increase the reach and accessibility of various Government-sponsored credit schemes.
  • To streamline and automate the credit delivery process for all stakeholders.
  • To promote inclusive growth and the Ease of Doing Business in India.

• Education Loans: Supports students pursuing technical or professional courses.
• Agriculture Infrastructure Loans: Funding for post-harvest management and rural development.
• Business Activity Loans: Credit support for setting up or expanding micro-enterprises.
• Livelihood Loans: Promotes self-employment, particularly for women and self-help groups.

• Single-Window Access: Allows users to check eligibility for multiple schemes simultaneously on a single platform.
• Digital Approval: Provides "In-principle" approval from selected banks after automated digital verification of documents.
• Real-time Integration: Connected with centralized data sources like GSTN, CBDT, UIDAI, and Udyam to ensure faster and transparent processing.
• Multi-lingual Support: The Jan Samarth Portal is available in 8 different languages to cater to a diverse population.
• Application Tracking: Beneficiaries can monitor the status of their loan applications in real-time.
• Lender Network: Includes all 12 Public Sector Banks, alongside private banks, regional rural banks, and NBFCs, totalling over 250 institutions.

• Type & Location: A double-curvature concrete arch dam standing 128 metres high, spanning the Zambezi River at Kariba Gorge.
• Lake Kariba: The reservoir created by the dam is the world's largest man-made lake by volume, holding approximately 180–185 billion cubic metres of water when full.
• Power Generation: It is a critical source of electricity for both nations, with an installed capacity of approximately 2,130 MW (1,050 MW on the Zimbabwean South Bank and 1,080 MW on the Zambian North Bank).

• Focus: Reshaping the plunge pool to prevent foundation erosion and refurbishing six spillway gates to ensure safe operation.
• Status: Plunge pool works were 100% completed in late 2024; spillway works are currently at roughly 82% completion as of recent reports.

• Ecology: Support for a major commercial fishing industry (notably Kapenta) and a diverse ecosystem including crocodiles, hippos, and tigers.
• Tourism: A premier hub for houseboats, wildlife safaris, and bird-watching in Southern Africa.

• The dam faces threats from climate change leading to prolonged droughts, as well as alkali-aggregate reaction (concrete expansion) in the aging structure that necessitates the ongoing repairs.

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