UPSC Current Affairs 22 April 2026

• Theme: “Viksit Bharat: Citizen-Centric Governance and Development at the Last Mile,” focusing on digital governance and aspirational blocks.

• Commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's April 21, 1947, address to probationers at Metcalfe House, Delhi, calling civil servants the "steel frame of India."
• First observed on April 21, 2006, by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).
• Objectives include recognizing excellence, self-reflection, policy review, and rededicating to public service.

• Flagship event at Vigyan Bhawan with Prime Minister's address, participation from Cabinet Secretary, chief secretaries, and district magistrates.
• Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration (PMAEPA) conferred for district development, aspirational blocks, and innovations; includes trophy, scroll, and ₹20 lakh.
• State-level events and tributes, like TTD EO's remarks on service dedication.

• Roots in ancient systems (Arthashastra) and British reforms by Lord Cornwallis, "Father of Indian Civil Service."
• Post-independence: Retained via Articles 308-323; All India Services (IAS, IPS, IFS) under Article 312.
• Modern initiatives: Mission Karmayogi, Lateral Entry Scheme, e-Samiksha, CPGRAMS for reforms.

• Frozen Shrimp: Remained the flagship item, earning ₹47,973.13 crore ($5.51 billion).
• Shrimp Share: Contributes over two-thirds of India's total seafood export earnings.
• Secondary Items: Significant contributions from frozen fish, squid, and cuttlefish.
• Value Addition: Share of processed, value-added products rose to 11% of the basket. 

• United States: Still the largest importer ($2.32 billion) but saw a 19.8% drop in volume due to trade barriers.
• China: The second-largest destination, growing 22.7% in value.
• European Union (EU): Posted massive gains, with value up 37.9% and volume up 35.2%.
• Southeast Asia: Recorded double-digit growth of 36.1% in value. 

• PMMSY Support: The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana is modernising infrastructure and expanding high-value species like Tuna and Sea Bass.
• Budget 2026: Proposed increasing the duty-free import limit for seafood processing inputs from 1% to 3% to lower costs.
• Digital Reforms: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) digitised the Sanitary Import Permit system, cutting approval times from 30 days to 72 hours.
• Global Outreach: Initiatives like Seafood Expo Bharat and trade delegations to France are being used to forge new B2B partnerships. 

• High US Tariffs: Effective duties on Indian shrimp remain a significant hurdle for price competitiveness.
• Unit Price Decline: Despite high volumes, global unit prices for some species have softened, impacting net returns.
• SPS Compliance: Rising non-tariff barriers in the EU and US require constant investment in quality assurance and traceability. 

• Strategic Deployment: A total of 48 systems (33 TMAs and 15 towable units) were deployed across 9 National Highway projects covering 681 km in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
• First Official Launch: Vertis Infrastructure, in partnership with NHAI, formally launched India’s first dedicated TMA units in Pune earlier this year to improve work-zone safety.
• Proven Track Record: Preliminary testing on Indian roads since 2021 has already been credited with saving over 100 lives by preventing fatal rear-end collisions. 

• Crash Cushion: They are fitted to the rear of service trucks (stationary or slow-moving) that operate in active construction or maintenance zones.
• Impact Absorption: In the event of a collision, the device absorbs and dissipates kinetic energy, slowing down the impacting vehicle in a controlled manner.
• Safety Shield: They act as a physical barrier between fast-moving traffic and road crews working ahead of the truck. 

• MASH TL-3 Compliance: All deployed units meet the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) Test Level-3 standards.
• High-Speed Rating: Designed to withstand impacts from vehicles traveling at speeds up to 100 km/h.
• Wig-Wag Warning Systems: TMAs are equipped with high-intensity flashing lights that form directional arrows, providing early visual warnings to drivers from a distance.
• Operational Versatility: Available as both vehicle-mounted units and Towable (TTMA) versions for flexible deployment. 

• Work-Zone Protection: Reduces the high risk faced by workers in zones where speeding and limited visibility often lead to accidents.
• Injury Reduction: Lowers the severity of injuries for the occupants of the vehicle that crashes into the work zone.
• All-Weather Reliability: The warning systems are particularly effective during night operations and in foggy conditions prevalent on Indian highways.
• Modernisation: Aligns Indian highway management with global best practices used in the US and Europe. 

• Causative Agent: It is a bacterial infection caused by Group A Streptococcus (Group A Strep).
• Mechanism: The bacteria produce a toxin that causes the characteristic red rash in people who are susceptible to it.
• Target Group: It primarily affects children aged 5 to 15 years, though adults can also catch it.
• Transmission: It spreads through respiratory droplets (coughs and sneezes) or direct contact with contaminated surfaces/skin sores. 

• Initial Signs: High fever, a very sore throat, and swollen neck glands.
• The Rash: A pink-red rash appears 12–48 hours later. It feels like sandpaper to the touch and typically starts on the chest or stomach.
• "Strawberry Tongue": The tongue may initially have a white coating, which peels away to leave it red, bumpy, and swollen.
• Flushed Face: The cheeks may look very red, while the area around the mouth remains pale. 

• Diagnosis: Doctors usually perform a rapid strep test or a throat swab to confirm the presence of Group A Strep.
• Antibiotics: It is easily treated with a 10-day course of antibiotics (usually penicillin or amoxicillin).
• Recovery: Fever usually breaks within 24 hours of starting treatment, and the rash fades within a week.
• Contagion Window: Patients are no longer contagious 24 hours after starting the first dose of antibiotics. 

• R-37M: NATO name: AA-13 Axehead

• "AWACS Killer": Specifically designed to target high-value assets such as Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), aerial tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft.
• Hypersonic Velocity: At Mach 6, it travels at roughly 7,400 km/h, leaving targets almost no time to deploy countermeasures or perform evasive maneuvers.
• Fire-and-Forget: Uses an active radar seeker in the terminal phase, allowing the launching pilot to turn away immediately after firing.
• Lofted Trajectory: The missile climbs to high altitudes (~25 km) where the air is thin to reduce drag and maximize speed before diving onto the target. 

• Regional Dominance: The R-37M would more than triple the engagement range of the IAF's Su-30MKI, outranging the Chinese PL-15 and European Meteor.
• Gap Filler: It serves as a critical interim solution while India's indigenous Astra Mk-3 (Gandiva) remains in the development and testing phase.
• Air Denial: Its presence creates a massive "danger zone," preventing adversary support aircraft from operating near contested borders. 

• 30 Indian States: Features 30 distinct handloom weaves, each representing a different state or UT.
• 30 Foreign Inspirations: Each weave is artistically reinterpreted using silhouettes and design sensibilities from 30 different countries.

• Odisha Ikat: Reimagined through Greek drapery forms.
• Kanchipuram Silk: Styled with minimalist Norwegian lines.
• Muga Silk (Assam): Paired with Egyptian royal motifs.
• Patola (Gujarat): Influenced by Spanish fashion sensibilities.
• Banarasi: Reinterpreted into UAE-inspired luxury ensembles.
• Kunbi Weave: The Miss India winner notably wore this traditional weave reimagined as a Central European skirt silhouette. 

• Global Export Promotion: To create a demand for Indian handlooms in high-end international markets.
• Modernisation: To update the design vocabulary of traditional weavers to meet global fashion trends.
• Livelihood Support: To ensure economic viability for India's 35 lakh+ weavers and support women-led entrepreneurship in rural clusters.
• Storytelling: To use textiles as a medium for cross-cultural exchange and soft power. 

• Vocal for Local to Global: Transforming local heritage into a competitive global industry.
• 5F Framework: Aligned with the PM’s vision of Farm → Fibre → Factory → Fashion → Foreign.
• Gaon to Global: Connecting rural "gaon" (village) craftsmanship with international runways. 

• Man-Made Reservoir: Created in the early 1960s by damming the Umiam River.
• First Hydel Project: It was part of the Umiam-Umtru Hydroelectric Power Project, the first reservoir-based hydroelectric project in Northeast India.
• Nickname: Popularly known as Barapani (Big Water) by locals.
• Legend: The name "Umiam" translates to "Water of Tears", originating from a Khasi legend about a sister whose tears formed the lake after losing her sibling. 

• Location: Situated approximately 15 km north of Shillong, Meghalaya.
• Catchment Area: Spans over 220 sq. km, including the city of Shillong and its adjoining hills.
• Pollution Challenges: The lake faces severe siltation and pollution as the Umkhrah and Umshyrpi rivers carry urban waste from Shillong into its waters.
• Flora: Surrounded by lush coniferous forests and Gulmohar trees that bloom in the summer. 

• Water Sports Hub: A major destination for kayaking, water cycling, scooting, and boating.
• Lumpongdeng Island: A prominent island within the lake, now designated for eco-friendly experiential tourism (tents/temporary setups) only.
• Power Generation: Continues to be a vital source of electricity for Meghalaya through multiple powerhouses downstream. 

• Distress Sale Prevention: To protect growers of horticultural and agricultural commodities from having to sell their produce at a loss during bumper harvests or market crashes.
• Price Support: Provides an alternative market when prices drop below the cost of production. 

• Non-MSP Crops: Covers perishable items like Tomato, Onion, Potato (TOP crops), apples, garlic, oranges, grapes, and spices.
• Specific Triggers: The scheme is activated only when there is a at least a 10% increase in production or a 10% fall in market prices compared to a "normal" year.
• Ad-hoc Nature: Unlike MSP, which is pre-announced, MIS is implemented for a limited duration and in specific markets based on a State Government's request. 

• General States: Losses are shared 50:50 between the Centre and the State.
• North-Eastern States: The sharing ratio is 75:25 (Centre: State).
• Loss Cap: The total loss shared is limited to 25% of the total procurement value, covering the cost of commodities plus allowed overheads. 

• Increased Procurement Limit: The coverage limit for the quantity of crops procured has been raised from 20% to 25% of total production.
• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): States now have the option to pay the price difference (MIP minus market selling price) directly into farmers' bank accounts instead of doing physical procurement.
• Logistics Support: For TOP crops, Central Nodal Agencies like NAFED and NCCF are now reimbursed for storage and transport costs when moving produce from surplus states to high-demand consuming states.
• Agency Expansion: In addition to NAFED, entities like Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and State-nominated agencies can now undertake procurement. 

• Not a Separate Species: A black panther is a leopard or jaguar with a genetic mutation.
• Melanism: Caused by a recessive gene in leopards and a dominant gene in jaguars.
• Ghost Prints: If you look closely in bright light, you can still see the typical rosettes (spots) on their skin; this is known as "ghost spotting."
• Adaptive Advantage: Their dark coat provides excellent camouflage in dense, dark tropical forests, earning them the nickname "Ghost of the Forest." 

• Kabini (Nagarhole), Karnataka: Perhaps the most famous spot in the world to see a black panther (famously "Saaya").
• Dandeli-Anshi (Kali) Tiger Reserve, Karnataka: Known for a high frequency of melanistic leopards.
• Tadoba-Andhari, Maharashtra: Home to the well-known black leopard "Blackie."
• Netravali & Bhagwan Mahaveer, Goa: Part of the Western Ghats corridor where sightings are increasing. 

• Legal Protection: In India, they are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (highest level of protection).
• IUCN Status: They share the status of their parent species; Leopards are listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Threats:
  • Habitat Fragmentation: Loss of forest corridors between sanctuaries.
  • Poaching: Targeted for their unique and beautiful skins.
  • Human-Wildlife Conflict: Encroachment into forest fringes. 

• Conflict Resolution: It reduces friction between competing sectors such as fisheries, tourism, shipping, and renewable energy by demarcating specific zones.
• Ecosystem-Based Management: Unlike traditional sector-by-sector regulation, it treats the ocean as a multi-dimensional space, ensuring that industrial growth doesn't destroy biodiversity.
• Blue Economy Growth: It is a core pillar of India's Blue Economy Policy, targeting sustainable GDP growth from marine resources.
• Climate Resilience: Identifies natural buffers like mangroves and coral reefs to protect coastal communities from sea-level rise and cyclones. 

• Implementing Agencies: The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) is the lead technical body.
• Pilot Sites (Phase I): Originally tested in Puducherry and Lakshadweep to create a replicable model.
• Scaling Up (Phase II): Following the Odisha launch, the framework is expected to be expanded to other coastal states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. 

• Global Commitments: Directly supports SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (protecting 30% of oceans by 2030).
• Security: Helps in identifying and protecting critical underwater infrastructure like communication cables and port approaches.
• Soft Power: India's collaboration with Norway positions it as a leader in sustainable ocean governance in the Indian Ocean Region. 

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