1. KRISHI SAKHI CONVERGENCE PROGRAMME (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India granted certificates to over 30,000 women from Self Help Groups (SHGs) as ‘Krishi Sakhis’ under the Krishi Sakhi Convergence Programme (KSCP).

Krishi Sakhi Convergence Programme (KSCP)

• About: It is part of the 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative aimed at creating 3 crore financially empowered women, including Krishi Sakhis. 
• Focus: Transforming rural India by empowering women as Krishi Sakhis, who are trained and certified as para-extension workers. This program aligns with the broader goals of the "Lakhpati Didi" program.
• Krishi Sakhis are chosen for their role as agriculture para-extension workers due to their status as trusted community resources and experienced farmers. Their deep connection within farming communities ensures they are respected and their advice is valued, making them effective in disseminating agricultural knowledge.
• Training is being provided:  Krishi Sakhis undergo comprehensive training across various modules to enhance their capabilities as para-extension workers:

oAgro Ecological Practices: Covering activities from land preparation to harvest.

oOrganising Farmer Field Schools: Teaching methods to organize and manage farmer education programs.

oSeed Banks Establishment and Management: Skills in setting up and maintaining seed banks.

oSoil Health and Conservation: Techniques for maintaining soil health and conserving moisture.

oIntegrated Farming Systems: Understanding and promoting integrated approaches to farming.

oBasics of Livestock Management: Fundamentals of managing livestock alongside crop farming.

oBio Inputs Preparation and Use: Training on preparing organic inputs and managing bio input shops.

oBasic Communication Skills: Developing essential communication skills for effective interaction with farmers.

• Current Status: Currently, Krishi Sakhis are undergoing refresher training with a special emphasis on Natural Farming and Soil Health Cards. This training is conducted through DAY-NRLM agencies in collaboration with MANAGE, aiming to deepen their expertise and ensure they are equipped with the latest agricultural practices and knowledge.

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2. NALANDA UNIVERSITY (Syllabus GS Paper 1 – Art and Culture)

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the new campus of Nalanda University.

Nalanda University

• Location: Situated in Rajgir, Bihar, spans 455 acres, approximately 100 km from Patna. It neighbors the ancient Buddhist monastery, renowned for its historical significance in learning.
• Founded by: Kumar gupta of the Gupta dynasty in Bihar in the early 5th century.
• The current site of Nalanda is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Proposed by: President APJ Abdul Kalam in 2006, the revival aimed to restore Nalanda's past glory through an international educational initiative, culminating in the establishment of Nalanda University under the Nalanda University Act of 2010.
• Centre of Research and Learning: Founded in 2014, Nalanda University began with two schools and a small faculty. 

oIt has since expanded to encompass five schools offering diverse disciplines, including Buddhist Studies, Management, and International Relations.

oBy 2022, 90% of the campus construction was completed, housing 800 students from 31 countries.

Nalanda Mahavira

• Meaning: Mahavira in Sanskrit/Pali means ‘great monastery’.
• Active Period: Nalanda Mahavira was active from the fifth to thirteenth century CE.
• Description: The chronicles of seventh century Chinese traveller Hsuan Tsang provide the most detailed description of ancient Nalanda. Hsuan Tsang estimated that at the time of his visit, the monastery housed 10,000 students, 2,000 teachers, and a large retinue of servants.

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3. STATE OF GLOBAL AIR (SOGA) 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The recently released State of Global Air (SoGA) 2024 report, which includes data from 2021, highlights the devastating impact of polluted air on the youngest and most vulnerable populations, revealing that air pollution contributed to 169,400 deaths among children under five in India, among the highest globally.

State of Global Air (SoGA) 2024

• About: It a collaborative assessment by the US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI) and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation’s Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project.
• Partnership: For the first time, this report has been produced in partnership with UNICEF.
• Countries: Approximately 200 countries.
• Objective: To cut toxic emissions at source and also the greenhouse has emissions to maximise the co-benefits of reducing public health risks and the warming impacts.

Key Findings

• Air pollution has become the second largest killer globally, after blood pressure, causing 8.1 million deaths in 2021.
• In South Asia alone, 2.6 million deaths were attributed to air pollution.
• India's Burden: India, with a population of over one billion, recorded 2.1 million deaths due to air pollution, including 237,000 ozone-related deaths.

oRising Vulnerability in the Global South

oIndia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Brazil have seen significant increases in ambient ozone exposures over the past decade.

oIndia and China together accounted for nearly 55% of the global particulate matter disease burden, with 2.1 million and 2.3 million deaths respectively in 2021.

• High Death Rate: Despite a 53% drop in death rates since 2000 due to cleaner cooking energy, better healthcare, and increased awareness, air pollution remains a significant threat.
• Childhood Asthma: Exposure to NO2 from traffic exhaust is a leading cause of childhood asthma, with 55% of 194 countries not meeting WHO air quality guidelines.
• High NO2 Exposure in Wealthy Nations: Seven out of ten countries with the highest NO2 exposures are high-income countries in West Asia, Russia, and Turkey.
• Regional Ozone Exposure: Countries in West Asia, South Asia, and East Asia reported the highest average ozone exposures in 2020, with South Asia accounting for 56% of all global ozone deaths in 2021.

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4. MINIMUM SUPPORT PRICE (MSP) (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Union Cabinet, recently chaired by the Prime Minister at the start of his third term, approved raising minimum support prices (MSPs) for kharif crops, setting them at a minimum of 1.5 times the production cost to ensure farmers receive 50% returns.

Minimum Support Price (MSP)

• About: MSP serves as a government-established rate at which crops are bought from farmers, providing them with protection against significant declines in agricultural prices.
• Announced by: The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP) recommends MSPs for 22 mandated crops and Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRP) for sugarcane.
• Origin of Concept: MSP was initially introduced in 1966, drawing inspiration from the Green Revolution.
• Crops covered: 7 types of cereals (paddy, wheat, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi and barley)

o5 types of pulses (chana, arhar/tur, urad, moong and masoor)

o7 oilseeds (rapeseed-mustard, groundnut, soybean, sunflower, sesamum, safflower, niger seed)

o4 commercial crops (cotton, sugarcane, copra, raw jute).

• Factors for Recommending the MSP: Demand and supply, Cost of production, Price trends in the market, Both domestic and international, inter-crop price parity, Terms of trade between agriculture and non-agriculture, A minimum of 50 percent as the margin over the cost of production, Implications of MSP on consumers of that product.
• Recommendation of Swaminathan Committee regarding MSP

oTo fix minimum support prices (MSP) for crops at least 50% more than the weighted average cost of production.

oGovt. has announced its decision to ensure that farmers receive MSP = 1.5 times of production cost.

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5. ENERGY TRANSITION INDEX 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: India has recently been ranked 63rd on the global Energy Transition Index, highlighting the country's significant improvements in energy equity, security, and sustainability.

Energy Transition Index 2024

• About: It is benchmarks 120 countries on their current energy system performance and on the readiness of their enabling environment, finds that while there has been notable progress in energy efficiency and a marked increase in the adoption of clean energy sources, energy transition momentum 
• Published by: World Economic Forum (WEF)
• Officially known as: "Fostering Effective Energy Transition
• Top Countries: Sweden, followed by Denmark, Finland, Switzerland and France.
• Bottom Countries: Tanzania, followed by Yamen and Congo.
• Emerging economies such as Brazil and China made notable progress, although 83% of countries moved backwards from last year in at least one of the three energy system performance dimensions – security, equity and sustainability. 
• The gap in energy transition performance between advanced and developing economies continues to narrow, although disparities in investments and regulation remain.
• India’s neighbour countries rank:  China 20th Rank, Nepal 100th rank, Bangladesh 109th, Pakistan 113th Rank.

World Economic Forum

• About: The WEF is a Swiss nonprofit foundation established in 1971, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Initiated by: German professor Klaus Schwab
• Recognized by: Swiss authorities as the international institution for public-private cooperation.
• Mission: Committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.

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6. LOK ADALAT (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The Supreme Court has decided to organise a special Lok Adalat to facilitate amicable settlements of suitable pending cases, commemorating the 75th year of its establishment.

Lok Adalat

• Definition: It is one of the alternative dispute redressal mechanisms, it is a forum where disputes/cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably. 
• Statutory Status: Lok Adalats have been given statutory status under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987.
• Organization: 
• Authority to Organize Lok Adalats:

oState Legal Services Authority

oDistrict Legal Services Authority

oSupreme Court Legal Services Committee

oHigh Court Legal Services Committee

oTaluk Legal Services Committee

• First Lok Adalat camp: Organised in Gujarat in 1982.
• Composition: Consists of serving or retired judicial officers and other specified persons.

oJudicial officer as chairman

oLawyer (advocate)

oSocial worker.

• Jurisdiction: Lok Adalats can settle cases pending before any court or disputes at the pre-litigation stage. However, cases relating to non-compoundable offenses are outside their purview.

• Power: They have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure (1908).

oThey have powers to specify its own procedure,

oAll proceedings deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of the Indian Penal Code (1860),

oThey deemed to be a Civil Court for the purpose of the Code of Criminal Procedure (1973).

• Final decision of the Lok Adalat:

oAll the decisions taken are deemed to be a decree of a Civil Court or an order of any other court.

oEvery award shall be final and binding on all the parties to the dispute. 

oNo appeal shall lie to any court against the award of the Lok Adalat.

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7. DOUBLE SUN HALO (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Recently, a rare celestial phenomenon known as a "double sun halo" was witnessed in the skies over Ladakh.

Double Sun Halo

• Definition: It is a rare optical phenomenon characterized by the appearance of two concentric rings around the sun, caused by sunlight refracted through ice crystals in cirrus clouds.
• Formation: The formation of a double sun halo is due to the specific orientation of hexagonal ice crystals in cirrus clouds. Random orientation produces the inner 22-degree halo, while horizontal alignment creates the outer 46-degree halo.
• Appearance: In this phenomenon, observers can see two distinct halos around the sun - an inner halo at approximately 22 degrees and an outer halo at around 46 degrees from the sun's center.
• Scientific Study: Astronomers and atmospheric scientists study sun halos, including double halos, to understand atmospheric optics and ice crystal properties. These studies contribute to weather forecasting and atmospheric research.
• Rare Phenomenon: While sun halos are observed in various regions, the occurrence of a double sun halo is particularly rare, making it a captivating and infrequent event in places like Ladakh.
• Significance: The double sun halo observed in Ladakh was a striking sight, featuring two concentric rings of light encircling the sun against a clear blue sky.
  
  
  
  
  

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8. WIPO TREATY (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy/Sci and Tech)

Context: A recently adopted global WIPO treaty on intellectual property, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge is expected to benefit both India and multinational companies relying on the country’s indigenous knowledge for innovation.

WIPO Treaty

• About: This is the first WIPO Treaty to address the interface between intellectual property, genetic resources and traditional knowledge 
• First WIPO Treaty to include provisions specifically for Indigenous Peoples as well as local communities.

oThis is the 27th treaty under WIPO and the first in the last 10 years.

• Importance to India: The treaty is important to India as the country holds 7-8% of global biodiversity and a rich repertoire of knowledge based on these genetic resources.
• Key provisions: 

oIt will establish in international law a new disclosure requirement for patent applicants whose inventions are based on genetic resources and/or associated traditional knowledge. 

oBroadly, where a claimed invention in a patent application is based on genetic resources, each contracting party shall require applicants to disclose the country of origin or source of the genetic resources.

o Where the claimed invention in a patent application is based on traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, each contracting party shall require applicants to disclose the Indigenous Peoples or local community, as applicable, who provided the traditional knowledge.

• Current Status: At present, only 35 countries have some form of disclosure obligations, most of which are not mandatory and lack appropriate sanctions or remedies for effective implementation.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

• About: It is the global forum for intellectual property (IP) services, policy, information, and cooperation.
• Formation: 1967.
• Members: 193 members.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

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9. CHILD NUTRITION REPORT 2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: Recently, Unicef's new metric on 'child food poverty' has highlighted the severity of the food and nutrition crisis affecting children under 5 years worldwide.

Key Findings of Child Nutrition Report 2024

• According to Unicef's 'Child Nutrition Report 2024', 27% of children worldwide are categorized under severe child food poverty, surviving on inadequate diets.
• Regional Disparities: The severity varies widely among countries: from 1% in Belarus to as high as 63% in Somalia, with India notably at 40%, indicating a significant challenge.
• Definition and Drivers of Child Food Poverty: Unicef defines child food poverty as the inability of children to access and consume a nutritious and diverse diet in their first five years of life.

oContributing factors include poor food environments, inadequate feeding practices, and household poverty affecting both poor and non-poor families.

• Impact on Child Nutrition and Development: Severe child food poverty correlates with higher rates of child undernutrition, particularly in countries with prevalent stunting, where the rates are three times higher.
• India's Nutrition Challenges: India, as per the National Family Health Survey-5, faces significant undernutrition challenges, with stunting at 35.5%, wasting at 19.3%, and underweight at 32.1% for children under five.

UNICEF

• Establishment: It was created in 1946 as the International Children’s Emergency Fund (ICEF) by the UN Relief Rehabilitation Administration to aid children affected by World War II.
• Headquarter: New York
• Permanent UN Entity: In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations system, evolving its focus beyond emergencies to long-term child welfare and development.
• Mandated by: United Nations General Assembly, UNICEF advocates for children's rights, works to fulfill their basic needs, and strives to expand opportunities for their development.
• Guided by: UNICEF operates under the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), aiming to establish these rights as universal ethical standards.
• Honour: In 1965, UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace for its efforts in fostering international cooperation and understanding among nations.

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10. BLUE PLANET PRIZE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) was recently selected as one of the two recipients of the 2024 Blue Planet Prize.

Blue Planet Prize

• About: It is awarded annually to individuals and organizations to recognize outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application.
• Awarded by: Japan’s Asahi Glass Foundation
• Establishment: In 1992, the year of the Earth Summit.
• Focus: These achievements must have helped provide solutions to global environmental problems.
• Award: $500,000.

Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

• About: It is an independent intergovernmental body established by States to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.
• Foundation: It was established in Panama City, in 2012 by 94 Governments. 
• Headquarter: Bonn, Germany.
• Relation with UN: It is not a United Nations body.  However, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES.  
• Membership: IPBES currently has 143 member States. Any State that is Member of the United Nations is eligible for IPBES membership.

• IPBES Structure:

oPlenary: The governing body of IPBES – made up of the representatives of IPBES member States – usually meets once per year

oObservers: Any State not yet a member of IPBES; the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other biodiversity-related conventions; related UN bodies; as well as many other relevant organizations and agencies.

• Function:

oAssessments: On specific themes (e.g., “Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production”).

oPolicy Support: Identifying policy-relevant tools and methodologies, facilitating their use, and catalysing their further development.

oBuilding Capacity & Knowledge: Identifying and meeting the priority capacity, knowledge and data needs of our member States, experts and stakeholders.

oCommunications & Outreach: Ensuring the widest reach and impact of our work.

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