1. CPEC (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: China and Pakistan recently signed significant agreements regarding motorways and highways during the caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan’s four-day visit to Beijing, according to a media report.

• The agreements would be signed under the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) program, a recently established initiative aimed at enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

• About: The CPEC is a bilateral project between Pakistan and China. 
• Objective: To enhance connectivity across Pakistan with a network of highways, railways, and pipelines accompanied by other infrastructure development projects.
• Under the CPEC Plan: China will invest in industrial power stations, roads, and railways from Kashgar in Xinjiang (China) to Gwadar port (Pakistan) in the 3000 km long belt.
• Financed by: Heavily-subsidised Chinese loans, disbursed to the Pakistan Government by Chinese banking giants such as China Development Bank, Exim Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
• CPEC is a component of the OBOR (One Belt One Road) initiative of China.

OBOR

• OBOR or Belt and Road (BRI) is the new Silk Road initiative, both by land and sea, announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013.
• It’s themost ambitious infrastructure and connectivity projectin history, aiming to connect China with Europe by land and rail, and to Africa and Asia by sea.

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2. SETU BANDHAN SCHEME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy - Infrastructure)

Context: Recently, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has disclosed the approval of seven crucial bridge projects in Arunachal Pradesh under the Setu Bandhan Scheme under Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF).

Setu Bandhan Scheme

• About: This scheme was introduced to enhance inter-state connectivity, particularly in rural border areas that often lack adequate attention from state road authorities.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).

oIt's important to note that the Setu Bandhan scheme is distinct from the "Setu Bharatam" program.

• Objective: To eliminate all Railway Level Crossings on national highways by 2019.

Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF)

• Establishment: In the year 2000, It was established through the enactment of the Central Road Fund Act, 2000.
• Formerly known as: The Central Road Fund.

oThis fund is constituted by a cess that is levied in addition to excise duty on both petrol and diesel.

• Held by: The Ministry of Finance.

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3. DFCC (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy - Infrastructure)

Context: The Ministry of Railways and its undertaking, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCC), have recently been exploring a different revenue model for the latter due to the burdensome 18% goods and services tax (GST) obligation on the corporation's current operations.

Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCC)

• About: This railway corridor is designed with a primary focus on high-speed and high-capacity freight transportation.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Railways
• Reduced Passenger Train Interference: Unlike conventional rail lanes, where goods trains often have to yield to passenger trains, this corridor eliminates such delays in freight movement.

Freight Corridors
Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC)

• The distance from Ludhiana, Punjab, to Dankuni, West Bengal, spans 1,760 km.
• EDFC Route: Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.
• Funding: Provided by the World Bank.

Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC)

• Distance: Dadri, U.P, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai, is 1,468 kms.
• Route: Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Funding: Provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Other Corridors

• North-South (Delhi-Tamil Nadu),
• East-West (West Bengal-Maharashtra),
• East-South (West Bengal-Andhra Pradesh)&
• South-South (Tamil Nadu-Goa).

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4. GREEN CREDIT PROGRAMME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env & Eco)

Context: Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change notified the 'green credit' program, marking a significant step towards incentivising environmental actions across various sectors.

Green Credit Programme (GCP)

• Launched: During the 2023-24 budget as part of Mission LiFE.
• Implementation by: The Ministry of Environment has released the draft 'Green Credit Programme Implementation Rules 2023' under the purview of the Environment Protection Act of 1986.
• 8 Sectors

oTree plantation-based green credit

oWater-based green credit

oSustainable agriculture-based green credit

oWaste management-based green credit

oAir pollution reduction-based green credit

oMangrove conservation and restoration-based green credit

oEco-mark-based green credit

oSustainable building and infrastructure-based green credit

• Objective: Establish a market-driven system that promotes voluntary environmental actions and individual or community behaviours by aligning supply and demand.

oMotivate the private sector and other entities to fulfil their pre-existing obligations under various legal frameworks.

Green Credit

• Green credit" represents an individual unit of incentive awarded for a designated environmentally beneficial activity.
• This form of credit is attainable by various entities, including individuals, farmer-producer organizations (FPOs), industries, as well as rural and urban local bodies, among other stakeholders.

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5. MINIMUM EXPORT PRICE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, Basmati exporters and millers in Haryana, Punjab, and western Uttar Pradesh halted their rice purchases from 300 mandis (wholesale markets) across these states due to the government's recent decision to maintain the minimum export price (MEP) at $1,200 per tonne.

• The MEP is too high for India's basmati exporters to compete in the global markets

Minimum Export Price

• About: It is the price below which an exporter is not allowed to export the commodity from India. 
• Reason of its imposition: Rising domestic retail/ wholesale price or production disruptions in the country.
• MEP involves: “Fixing a floor price” below which an exporter shall not sell the product to an overseas customer.

oWhile the government stipulates a MEP from time to time, in market parleys it is largely seen as an outdated concept as it gets easily circumvented.  

oThe system is duped easily by invoicing at or above MEP for the record but actually pricing and selling the good at prevailing market price.

oDepending on the pre-agreed arrangements, the price differential is later adjusted through future transactions or quality claims.

oWith exporters having mastered this route, MEP has become an ineffective instrument to restrict commodity export or contain domestic price.

• Legal backing: As per section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development And Regulation) Act, 1992, the Central Government may, from time to time, formulate and announce, by notification in the Official Gazette, the export and import policy and may also, in the like manner, amend that policy.

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6. AMUR FALCON (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The Manipur Forest Department will carry out a head count of Amur falcons-the world’s longest-travelling raptors- in Tamenglong district.

Amur Falcon

• Local Name and Habitat: Locally known as Akhuipuina, these birds primarily arrive in the Indian states of Manipur and Nagaland.
• Long-Distance Migration: They breed in south-eastern Siberia and Northern China and embark on long-distance migrations in large flocks to spend winters in Southern and East Africa. 
• Their one-way journey via India spans approximately 20,000 km, which they undertake twice a year.

Conservation Efforts

• Legal Protection: The Amur Falcon is safeguarded under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 and is listed under Schedule IV.
• Strict Penalties: Hunting these birds or possessing their meat is a punishable offense, with potential imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of up to 25,000 rupees, or the imposition of bonds.
• Conservation Initiatives: In 2018, the forest department initiated a conservation program that involved radio-tagging the birds to facilitate the study of their migratory routes.
• IUCN Status: Least Concern.
• Threats: Illegal trapping and killing during migration, habitat loss from agricultural practices and land reclamation.

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7. GOAN CASHEW (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Recently, Goan cashew (kernel) got the geographical indication (GI) tag.

Goan Cashew

• About:  Cashew, native to northeast Brazil in Latin America, was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese in the 16th century, precisely in 1570.
• Initial Purpose in India: Upon its introduction on the Indian coasts, cashew was primarily recognized as a crop for afforestation and soil conservation.
• Prominence in Goa: In the state of Goa, cashew occupies the largest area among horticultural crops.
• Soil and Climate: Well-drained deep sandy loam soils are the most suitable for cashew cultivation. Generally, all soil types, from sandy to laterite, are well-suited for this crop.
• It thrives in the hot, humid conditions of the Indian coastal areas.
• Temperature: Range of 20 to 38 degrees Celsius, with a relative humidity between 60 to 95%.
• Extreme low temperatures and frost are not conducive for successful cashew plantations.
• Cultivation: Plains of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and certain parts of the North East hill region.

GI Tag

• About: It is a symbol used on items that come from a particular geographical area and have qualities or a reputation linked to that place of origin.
• Nodal Ministry: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Tenure: 10 Years
• Regulated By: Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999.
• India’s First GI Product: Darjeeling Tea (2004-05)

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8. CAR-T CELL THERAPY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Recently, Mumbai-based Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy Private Limited (ImmunoACT) celebrated the approval of India's first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for treating relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukemia.

CART-T Cell Therapy

• About: CAR-T therapy represents an innovative and highly intricate form of immune therapy. It reprograms the patient's immune system to combat cancer.
• Referred to as 'the living drug,' CAR-T cells actively seek out and target cancerous cells, effectively distinguishing them from healthy ones.
• This approach utilizes T-cells, a type of immune cell harvested from patients' blood. These T-cells are genetically modified to recognize specific surface proteins present in cancer cells.
• India's inaugural domestically developed Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is NexCAR19. 
• It is designed to target relapsed-refractory B-cell lymphoma and leukemia, signifying a notable advancement in cancer treatment.

B-cell lymphoma

• It refers to a group of cancers that affect your immune system. 
• It frequently affects your lymphatic system, which is a network of lymph nodes, lymph vessels and tissues that move fluid around your body.

Leukemia

• Leukemia is a form of cancer affecting the blood and bone marrow, responsible for blood cell production.
• Individuals with leukemia experience an irregular generation of blood cells.
• White blood cells undergo various stages of maturation during their lifespan.

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9. INTER PARLIAMENTARY UNION (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – International Organization)

Context: The Vice President of India recently interacted with the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on the sidelines of the G20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit (P20).

Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

• About: IPU serves as the international organisation for Parliaments.
• Established in: 1889 in Paris.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Aim: To promote representative democracy and global peace.
• The IPU facilitates parliamentary diplomacy, empowering parliaments and parliamentarians to advance peace, democracy, and sustainable development worldwide.
• It was the world's first multilateral political organisation, fostering cooperation and dialogue among all nations.
• Slogan: "For democracy. For everyone."
• Members: 179 member parliaments and 13 associate members.
• It actively promotes democracy and works to strengthen parliaments, making them more youthful, gender-balanced, and diverse.
• A dedicated committee, composed of MPs from around the world, defends the human rights of parliamentarians.

Structure of the IPU

• IPU Assembly: The principal statutory body expressing IPU's views on political matters.

o Convenes parliamentarians to examine global issues and provide action recommendations.

• Governing Council: The primary policymaking body of the IPU.

oComprises three representatives from each member of parliament.

oThe president of the IPU also serves as the President of the Governing Council.

oThe Council establishes the IPU's annual program and budget.

• Executive Committees: In accordance with the IPU statutes, this 17-member body oversees the administration of the IPU and provides advice to the Governing Council.

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10. PALK STRAIT (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Geography)

Context: India and Sri Lanka recently launched a ferry service across the Palk Strait under a new roadmap for greater connectivity.

Palk Strait

• Located: Between India's Tamil Nadu state and the island nation of Sri Lanka.
• Named after Robert Palk: The strait derives its name from Robert Palk, who served as the governor of the Madras Presidency from 1755 to 1763 during the British Raj era.
• Geographic Boundaries: Palk Strait is bordered on the south by Pamban Island (India), Adam's (Rama's) Bridge, a chain of shoals, the Gulf of Mannar, and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka).
• Connects Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mannar: This strait serves as a crucial connection between the Bay of Bengal in the northeast and the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest.
• The Southwest Section: The southwestern part of Palk Strait is often referred to as Palk Bay.
• Dimensions: Palk Strait has dimensions that range from 40 to 85 miles (64 to 137 km) in width, extending to a length of 85 miles. Its depth is less than 330 feet (100 meters).
• River Inflow: The Vaigai River of Tamil Nadu flows into the strait, enriching its ecosystem.
• Port of Jaffna: The strategic Port of Jaffna, which serves as the commercial hub for northern Sri Lanka, is located along the shores of the Palk Strait.

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