1. AGNIBAAN SORTED (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: IIT Madras-incubated startup Agnikul Cosmos test launched the indigenously designed and developed world’s first rocket with a single-piece 3D printed engine from Sriharikota.

Agnibaan SOrTeD

• About: It is India’s first launch from a private launchpad, called ‘Dhanush’, established by Agnikul.

o It is also India’s first semi-cryogenic engine-powered rocket launch and the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed engine designed and built indigenously.

o It signals the ability to rapidly assemble rockets.

• Payload capacity: Agnibaan can be configured to accommodate payloads ranging from 30 kg to 300 kg.
• Mission Purpose: To serve as a test flight, to demonstrate in-house and homegrown technologies, gather crucial flight data, and ensure optimal functioning of systems for Agnikul’s orbital launch vehicle, the ‘Agnibaan’.
• Use of Semi-Cryogenic Engine: Agnibaan used India's first semi-cryogenic engine, which utilizes a mix of liquid and gas for propellant.

o Semi-cryogenic engines help increase payload capacity, reduce launch costs, and improve the overall reliability and performance of launch vehicles.

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2. UN PEACEKEEPERS (Syllabus GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: The Indian Army commemorated the 76th International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers.

International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers

• Origins: UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 when the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of UN military observers to the Middle East.
• Theme 2024: "Fit for the Future: Building Better Together."
• International Day of UN (United Nations) Peacekeepers: 29th May every year. This is the day when in 1948 the first UN Peacekeeping Mission, “UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO)” began operations in Palestine.
• Mission: It helps countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.
• Deployment and Integration: It deploys troops and police from around the world, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the General Assembly.
• Also called: Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets
• Contributed by: Member states on a voluntary basis.
• India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping

o India has been among the largest troop-contributing countries to the UN peacekeeping missions.

o Indian Army has established a Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New Delhi to impart niche training in peacekeeping operations. This Centre trains more than 12,000 troops every year.

o Female peacekeeping forces from India:  India has deployed Female Engagement Teams (FETs) in Democratic Republic of Congo and Abyei (the second-largest Indian women contingent after Liberia). India has also deployed women military police in Golan Heights and women Staff Officers/ Military Observers in various missions.

o Major Radhika Sen has been selected to be awarded with “Military Gender Advocate of the Year 2023” by the UN Headquarters, which is a testament to the positive contribution of the Indian Women in the UN peacekeeping initiatives.

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3. MENTAL HEALTH ACTION PLAN 2013-30 (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: The World Health Assembly on May 29 approved a draft resolution advising member countries to incorporate mental health support in their response to humanitarian crises.

Mental Health Action Plan 2013-30

• About: It was developed in response to the growing burden of mental health disorders and the challenges that health systems around the world are facing to respond to the needs of people with mental health problems.
• Adopted at: 66th World Health Assembly
• Aim: To achieve universal health coverage for mental health.
• Target: Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4 – by 2030, reduce by one third premature deaths from noncommunicable diseases through prevention and treatment, and promote mental health and well-being.
• Objectives of the action plan:

o Strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health

o Provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings

o Implement strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health

o Strengthen information systems, evidence and research for mental health

• Partners: 135 countries, 60 WHO collaborating centres and academic centres, 76 nongovernmental organizations, and 17 other organizations and individual experts.

Mental Health Initiatives

• National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Launched in 1982, to modernize mental health facilities and enhance psychiatric departments in medical institutions.
• NMHP has 3 components:

o Treatment of Mentally ill

o Rehabilitation

o Prevention and promotion of positive mental health.

• National Tele Mental Health Programme: NTMHP was launched in October 2022 to enhance access to quality mental health counseling and care services across the country.
• Tele MANAS initiative: To provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental health care through 24X7 tele-mental health services as across all Indian States and UTs with assured linkages.

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4. STATUTORY/DEFAULT BAIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: Recently, the Delhi High Court granted statutory bail to a JNU scholar and student activist implicated in a 2020 communal riots case, which included allegations of sedition.

Statutory/Default Bail

• Bail: It is the temporary release of a person who has been arrested or charged with a crime, pending their trial or court appearance.
• Statutory/Default Bail: Also known as compulsive bail, is provided under Section 167(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code to accused against detention during inordinate delay in completion of investigation.
• Conditions for the default bail: Under Section 167(2) of the Code, a Magistrate can order an accused person to be detained in the custody of the police for 15 days. Beyond the police custody period of 15 days, the Magistrate can authorise the detention of the accused person in judicial custody i.e., jail if necessary. However, the accused cannot be detained for more than:

o 90 days, when an authority is investigating an offence punishable with death, life imprisonment or imprisonment for at least ten years; or

o 60 days, when the authority is investigating any other offence.

ü In this case, bail is granted because of the default of the investigating agency in not completing the investigation within the specified time, and it is referred to as ‘default bail’ or ‘compulsive bail’.

o After the period of 90/60 days, if the investigation has not been completed and charge-sheet not filed, the accused person has the right to be released on bail as long as he/she applies for bail and agrees to fulfil other bail conditions (such as providing the required bail amount).

Other Protections in Criminal Procedure

• Mandatory Bail: Courts are obligated to grant bail under Section 436 CrPC for bailable offences if the accused is willing to furnish a bail bond.
• Discretionary Bail: Bail in non-bailable offences is subject to the discretion of the court.

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5. ORGAN DONATION IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: In a recent ruling with significant implications for organ transplantation, the Madras High Court held that donor consent, even from unrelated individuals, must be accepted by the authorisation committee at face value unless there is evidence of financial transactions.

Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) 1994

• Source of Transplants: A transplant can originate from a pool of organs donated by deceased persons' relatives or from a living person known to the recipient.
• Living Donations Under the Act: The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994 permits living donations, primarily from close relatives like parents, siblings, children, spouse, grandparents, and grandchildren.

o Altruistic donations from distant relatives, in-laws, or long-time friends are allowed after additional scrutiny, ensuring no financial exchange.

• Documentation for Living Donations: In cases of living donations from close relatives, whether Indian or foreign, various documents including identity proofs, family tree, pictures, and documents proving the donor-recipient relationship must be submitted.
• Legal Consequences: Initiating or participating in transactions involving payment for organs, advertising such arrangements, seeking organ suppliers, and aiding in the creation of false documents are punishable offenses.
• Penalties: Imprisonment for up to 10 years and fines up to Rs 1 crore.

Madras High Court Ruling Organ Transplantation

• Shifting the Burden: Madras HC said that the donor and the recipient “can only assert that there is no commercial dealing. They cannot be called upon to prove the negative too much of burden cannot be laid on their shoulders.”
• Verification: In case of doubt, the authorisation committee could seek explanation from the applicants and if necessary, a verification could also be carried out through the government officials.
• Importance of Donor's Intentions: The court emphasized that if the donor expresses altruistic motives for organ donation, such intentions should be unquestioned in the absence of valid reasons.
• Risks of Arbitrary Decision-Making: Without proper guidelines, the judge warned of the potential for arbitrary decisions by authorization committees.

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6. K-9 VAJRA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: Several key 'Made in India' defence projects, including proposals for acquiring more K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers and fighter aircraft engines, are awaiting final approval by the Centre after the elections.

K-9 Vajra

• About: It is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer developed in India.
• Developed by: Larsen & Toubro (L&T), leveraging technology from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense based on its K9 Thunder platform.
• Hanwha Aerospace, a South Korean defence and aerospace conglomerate, entered India with its flagship self-propelled howitzer (SPH) K-9 Vajra, in partnership with L&T.
• Capability: Capable of firing shells at great elevation angles to hit targets far away.

o Initially intended for desert operations, the K9 Vajra was deployed in mountainous regions following the India-China standoff. 

• Aim: To ensure optimal performance in extreme cold, the Army procured winterisation kits for the deployed regiments.
• Features:

o Main Weapon: Features a 155mm / 52 caliber gun.

o The gun weighs 50 tonnes and can fire 47kg bombs.

o Firepower: Boasts a burst rate of fire of three rounds per 15 seconds and a maximum rate of fire of six to eight rounds per minute for three minutes.

o Range: 50 kilometers.

o Mobility: Able to turn around at zero radius, essentially in the same place where it is stationed.

o Fire Control System: Utilizes a digital fire control system, enabling it to fire multiple rounds that can impact a given area simultaneously.

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7. VIVEKANANDA ROCK MEMORIAL (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art and Culture)

Context: The Prime Minister of India recently visited Kanyakumari, where he first prayed at the Bhagavathi Amman temple before proceeding to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

• Location: It is located on a small island near Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, approximately 500 meters from the Vavathurai mainland.

o Positioned amidst the Laccadive Sea, it stands atop one of two rocks where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea converge.

• Historical Significance: The memorial commemorates the spot where Swami Vivekananda attained enlightenment, believed to have occurred during his meditative retreat on the rock.
• Constructed in:  1970, it serves as a tribute to Swami Vivekananda's profound influence on Indian philosophy and spirituality.
• Features:

o The memorial comprises two primary structures: the 'Shripada Mandapam' and the 'Vivekananda Mandapam', designed to honor Vivekananda's teachings and legacy.

o A focal point is the life-sized bronze statue of Swami Vivekananda, enriching the memorial's spiritual and cultural essence.

Swami Vivekananda

• Born: He was born in 1863 as Narendranath in a Bengali family.
• Spiritual Journey: He became a monk and was the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna.
• Representation at World Stage: In 1893, Vivekananda represented India and Hinduism in The Parliament of the World's Religion in Chicago.

Kanyakumari

• Historical Significance: It is an ancient temple town, holds historical significance as it is mentioned in the Graeco-Roman text Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (c. 50 CE), attesting to its antiquity.
• Location: Situated at the southern tip of mainland India.
• Religious Heritage: Named after the virgin goddess Devi Kanyakumari, the town is steeped in religious heritage, attracting pilgrims and devotees from far and wide to its revered temples and sacred sites.
• Cultural Significance: The town's rich cultural tapestry is woven with traditions, rituals, and festivals that celebrate its history and spirituality, making it a vibrant center of cultural activity.

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8. TOBACCO EPIDEMIC IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Health)

Context: Amidst the tobacco epidemic in India, concerns rise over its dual impact on consumers and cultivators, emphasizing the urgency for updated data to combat the industry's influence and address public health challenges effectively.

Tobacco

• About: It is derived from the leaves of the genus Nicotiana, a plant from the nightshade family indigenous to North and South America.
• Global Production:  China, India, and Brazil.
• Major Tobacco-Producing States in India: Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, and Bihar are among the major tobacco-producing states in India.

The status of tobacco use in India

• The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS), Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), and India’s National Family Health Survey (NFHS) serve as crucial surveillance mechanisms for tobacco use in India.
• Targeted Demographics: GYTS focuses on students aged 13 to 15, while GATS and NFHS target individuals above 15 years old, providing comprehensive data on different age groups.
• Positive Trends: Overall, the surveys indicate a decline in tobacco use among the studied population segments, reflecting positive progress in tobacco control efforts.
• Gender Discrepancy: Despite the overall decline, there's a notable increase of 2.1% in tobacco use among women between 2015-2016 and NFHS 2019-2021, presenting a concerning trend.

Efforts By the Government 

• Director General’s Special Recognition Awards: Annually, the WHO acknowledges individuals or groups within its regions for their achievements in the field of tobacco control.
• National Health Policy 2017: The goal is to cut down tobacco usage by 30 percent by 2025, with this aim aligning with the targets for Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) control.
• National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP): To increase understanding about the negative impacts of tobacco use and regulations related to tobacco control.

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9. EURASIAN WHIMBREL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: First the time, a long-distance migratory bird, the Eurasian or common whimbrel, tagged with a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter was captured on camera in the state of Chhattisgarh.

Eurasian Whimbrel

• About: it is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the most widespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic Asia and Europe as far south as Scotland.
• Scientific Name: Numenius phaeopus
• Distribution: Antarctica, Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa.
• Habitat: Winters mainly along the coastline, coastal wetlands, mangroves, marshes and larger rivers.
• Range: Breeding in the sub-Arctic region of Asia and Europe.  Winters in Africa, south Asia and into Australasia.
• Characteristics: It is mainly greyish brown, with a white back and rump (subspecies N. p. phaeopus and N. p. alboaxillaris only), and a long curved beak with a kink rather than a smooth curve.
• Conservation IUCN Status: Least Concern

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10. PRAGATI-2024 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), an autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Ayush, launched “PRAGATI- 2024”.

Pharma Research in Ayur Gyan and Techno Innovation (PRAGATI-2024)

• About: It focuses on exploring research opportunities and fostering collaboration between CCRAS and the Ayurveda drug industry.
• Enhance networking and institutional linkages, ultimately benefiting Ayurvedic clinicians and patients.
• Nodal ministry: Ayush ministry.
• Primary goal: Utilize research outcomes and technologies developed by CCRAS, Establish robust networks for collaborative research in quality control, drug standardization, product development, and validation, Identify potential industrial partners with in-house R&D facilities, Explore opportunities for capacity building for researchers in drug manufacturing and product development, Assist Ayurveda professionals in initiating start-ups and incubating centres, promoting entrepreneurship in Ayurvedic pharmaceutics.

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS):

• About: It is an apex body in India for the formulation, coordination, development and promotion of research on scientific lines in Ayurveda and Sowa-Rigpa system of medicine.
• Status: An autonomous body of the Ministry of AYUSH.
• Objectives: The formulation of aims and patterns of research on scientific lines in Ayurvedic Sciences, to undertake any research or other programmes in Ayurvedic Sciences, to finance enquiries and researches for the furtherance of objects of the Central Council.

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