Current Affairs 13/08/2025

Current Affairs

Red-eared Slider (RES) Turtle: An Invasive Threat

  • In the News: The Environment Ministry has ordered a census due to a population surge in the Ganga-Yamuna, Brahmaputra, and Mahanadi river basins.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Environment), specifically for invasive species. For Prelims, the key fact is its Least Concern IUCN status, yet it is considered an invasive species in India.
  • Key Points:
    • Origin: Native to the USA, it enters India through the pet trade.
    • Ecological Impact: It’s an omnivore and a fast breeder, aggressively competing with native species like the Indian Roofed Turtle for food.
    • Health Risk: It is a carrier of Salmonella, posing a risk to both humans and aquaculture.
    • Regulatory Gap: It’s not listed under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, making import control challenging.

Formal Ban on the Term “Harijan” in Odisha

  • In the News: Odisha has banned the use of “Harijan” in official documents, opting for “Scheduled Caste” or specific caste names.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-II (Polity & Society), highlighting linguistic sensitivity and constitutional morality.
  • Key Points:
    • Constitutional Basis: The ban is aligned with Articles 17 and 46, which promote dignity and protect weaker sections.
    • Legal Precedent: This follows a Supreme Court directive from 2018.
    • Historical Context: The term, first used by Mahatma Gandhi, is now often seen as patronizing by many Dalit groups.
    • Administrative Benefit: It helps ensure uniform data collection and enhances self-esteem.

Port-specific Restriction on Jute Imports

  • In the News: The DGFT has restricted jute imports from Bangladesh to only the Nhava Sheva port.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Economy), focusing on trade policy and agro-based industries.
  • Key Points:
    • Purpose: To protect over 4 million jute farmers in Bengal and Assam from cheap imports.
    • WTO Compatibility: This is a route restriction, not a ban, intended to curb under-invoicing and quality issues.
    • Economic Impact: The jute sector supports over 250,000 direct jobs.
    • Other Options: Suggestions include duty relief, subsidies for modern looms, and GST relief for jute goods.
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SHRESTH: Drug-Regulatory Excellence Index

  • In the News: The Health Ministry has launched the first index to rank state drug regulators.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-II (Governance), showcasing cooperative federalism, and GS-III (S&T) for pharma regulation.
  • Key Points:
    • Pillars: It evaluates five areas: licensing speed, GMP inspection quality, e-governance, pharmacovigilance, and transparency.
    • Methodology: Data is automatically fed from NIC dashboards to ensure objectivity.
    • Support: Low-scoring states will receive technical support, similar to the Aspirational Districts Programme.
    • Goal: To build global confidence in India’s USD 65 billion pharmaceutical industry.

INS Udaygiri & INS Himgiri (Project 17A Frigates)

  • In the News: These two new frigates, with over 75% indigenous content, are scheduled for commissioning on August 26.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Defence & Security); an excellent example of “Atmanirbhar Bharat“.
  • Key Points:
    • Specifications: 149 m in length with a top speed of 28 knots.
    • Armament: Armed with BrahMos Block-II, Barak-8 SAM, and other indigenous systems.
    • Construction: Built by Mazagon Dock and GRSE using an “integrated construction” method to reduce costs.
    • Strategic Importance: These frigates will enhance India’s blue-water capability in the Indian Ocean.

Uttar Pradesh MSME Industrial Estate Policy 2025

  • In the News: A draft policy has been released for public feedback.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Economy), focusing on employment and small-scale industries.
  • Key Points:
    • Provisions: Includes land allotment via e-auction and a 10% reservation for SC/ST entrepreneurs.
    • Model: It features a “spoke-and-hub” model with shared labs every 50 km.
    • Incentives: Provides a 50% power-tariff rebate for five years and up to 80% GST reimbursement.
    • Target: Aims to create 20 million jobs by 2030 and contribute 35% to the state’s GSDP.
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Uttar Pradesh: Second-Fastest Growing State Economy

  • In the News: MoSPI data shows U.P.’s GSDP growth at 8.9% in FY-24, second only to Tamil Nadu.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Regional Economics); useful for data-backed answers.
  • Key Points:
    • Growth Drivers: Major infrastructure projects like the Purvanchal, Bundelkhand, and Ganga Expressways are expected to cut logistics costs.
    • Investment: DEFEXPO-2024 saw MOUs worth ₹1.2 lakh crore signed.
    • Challenge: The state’s per-capita GSDP of ₹1.27 lakh is still below the national average of ₹1.97 lakh.

Vikram Sarabhai’s 106th Birth Anniversary

  • In the News: ISRO released a commemorative postal stamp on his 106th birth anniversary.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (S&T History); important for personality-based questions.
  • Key Points:
    • Foundations: He founded INCOSPAR (1962) and ISRO (1969).
    • Contributions: Conceived of the SITE experiment and was the brain behind India’s first satellite, Aryabhata (1975).
    • Famous Quote: His vision of “Science for Society” is a key quote to remember.

Drone-based Cloud Seeding in Rajasthan

  • In the News: A 60-day pilot project has been launched near Jaipur to revive the Ramgarh Lake.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (S&T & Environment) and Ethics, specifically regarding geo-engineering.
  • Key Points:
    • Objective: To revive the lake and raise the groundwater level by 6 meters using drone-released silver-iodide flares.
    • Global Precedents: Unmanned cloud seeding has been tested in the UAE and Texas.
    • Concerns: Potential for shifting monsoon patterns and the ecological toxicity of silver iodide.
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Lesser Florican Conservation Crisis

  • In the News: A recent field survey found only one breeding male left in the Rajasthan grasslands, indicating a 97% decline in the population.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Biodiversity).
  • Key Points:
    • Conservation Status: The Lesser Florican is Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is listed in CMS Appendix I. It breeds exclusively in India.
    • Threats: Habitat loss due to grassland conversion, predation by stray dogs, and drowning in pesticide drums.
    • Suggested Measures: Proposed actions include integrating it into ‘Project Bustard’ and establishing secure breeding enclosures.

India Semiconductor Mission: Four New Plants

  • In the News: The CCEA has approved four new chip-manufacturing and ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, Packaging) plants.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Economy & Technology), focusing on global supply-chain geopolitics.
  • Key Points:
    • Investment: The total outlay is ₹76,000 crore.
    • Incentives: Includes a 50% capital subsidy and up to 6% PLI cash-back.
    • Strategy: This aims to diversify India’s supply chain away from China and position it alongside the “Chip-4” bloc.

BHU-NEER Portal: Integrated NOC for Groundwater Extraction

  • In the News: The CGWA has launched an online system for groundwater extraction NOCs.
  • Exam Relevance: GS-III (Environment & Governance); a case study for Digital India.
  • Key Points:
    • Efficiency: The average approval time has been reduced from 60 days to 15 days.
    • Mandatory: It is compulsory for tube wells over 20 HP and all Category-III industries.
    • Usage: India draws approximately 251 BCM of groundwater annually, about 25% of the global total.

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