1. PAHAL Scheme

 PAHAL Scheme : Recently, the government has strengthened LPG subsidy transfers by enhancing the PAHAL scheme through Aadhaar-based authentication, leading to the identification and blocking of over 4 crore fake LPG connections.

• About PAHAL Scheme : Launched by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, PAHAL is India’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system for LPG subsidies.

o Under this scheme, consumers pay the market price for LPG cylinders, and the subsidy is directly transferred to their linked bank accounts.

o With coverage of over 17 crore LPG users, it is the world’s largest cash transfer program.

o Eligibility Criteria: Must be a registered LPG consumer.

ü The combined annual taxable income of the consumer and spouse should be below ₹10 lakh, as per the Income Tax Act, 1961.

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2. Sea Stars

 Sea Stars : Recently, after 12 years of extensive research, scientists have uncovered the cause of the devastating sea star wasting disease that has led to the death of over 5 billion sea stars along North America's Pacific coast since 2013.

• Key Findings: The epidemic devastated more than 20 sea star species, with the sunflower sea star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) being hit the hardest.

o Symptoms: White lesions, twisted limbs, and rapid disintegration of body tissue.

o Causal Agent: The bacterium Vibrio pectenicida was identified as the cause of the epidemic.

o Detection Method: The bacterium was present in high concentrations in the coelomic fluid (sea star’s internal fluid) of infected individuals but absent in healthy ones.

o Ecological Disruption: The collapse of predatory sea star populations allowed sea urchins to proliferate, leading to destruction of kelp forests, critical marine habitats.

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3. LEAP-1 Mission

 LEAP-1 Mission : Recently, Dhruva Space, an emerging Indian space-tech startup, unveiled plans for its first commercial satellite mission, LEAP-1.

• About LEAP-1 Mission : Stands for Launch, Experiment, Analyze, Progress.

o It is Dhruva Space's first commercial satellite mission, launched aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

o The mission carries international payloads focused on AI and Earth observation.

o Developed in collaboration with Akula Tech and Esper Satellites (both Australia)

o Objectives: Demonstrate real-time geospatial AI processing in space.

ü Enable affordable hosted payloads for sectors like defense, agriculture, and disaster management.

ü Exhibit Dhruva’s P-30 satellite platform for commercial applications.

o Payloads: Nexus-01 (Akula Tech): An AI/ML module with onboard self-retraining capabilities.

ü OTR-2 (Esper Satellites): A hyperspectral imaging sensor for high-resolution Earth observation.

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4. Microplastic Pollution

 Microplastic Pollution : Recently, surveys conducted by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), through the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), have revealed that abandoned fishing gear and riverine discharges are the major contributors to microplastic pollution along India’s coasts.

o These studies spanned 19 transects along the west coast, from Porbandar (Gujarat) to Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu), and 25 transects on the east coast, from Puri (Odisha) to Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu).

• About Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments, typically less than 5 mm in size. They are persistent in the environment, highly mobile, and difficult to remove once released into nature

o Types : Primary Microplastics: Intentionally manufactured small plastic particles. Found in products like cosmetics, or released from synthetic textiles (e.g., clothes, fishing nets) during use or washing. Enter the environment through direct release, such as spills during production, abrasion, or consumer use.

ü Secondary Microplastics: Formed when larger plastic items (e.g., bottles, bags) break down due to environmental exposure. Breakdown is caused by factors like sunlight (UV radiation) and ocean wave action.

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5. Restitutionary Damages

Restitutionary Damages : Recently, the Supreme Court affirmed that Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) have the authority to impose restitutionary damages. The judgment clarified that under Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 31A of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, PCBs are empowered to:

o Levy fixed monetary penalties for environmental degradation, and

o Demand bank guarantees as precautionary measures to avert potential environmental harm.

• About Restitutionary Damages: Financial compensations or guarantees required from polluters to either restore damaged ecosystems or prevent potential environmental harm, even before any actual damage occurs.

o Objective: To restore air, water, and ecosystems to their original state, focusing not just on penalizing polluters but on promoting ecological recovery and long-term sustainability.

o Grounded in the “Polluter Pays” principle and the Precautionary Principle.

o Reinforces constitutional duties:

ü Article 48A: Obligation of the State to protect and improve the environment.

ü Article 51A(g): Fundamental duty of every citizen to protect and improve the natural environment.

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6. District Flood Severity Index (DFSI)

 District Flood Severity Index (DFSI): Recently, researchers from IIT Delhi and IIT Gandhinagar introduced a District Flood Severity Index (DFSI), which assesses the severity of floods using a range of indicators.

• About DFSI: Evaluates the historical severity of floods in Indian districts based on population impact, geographic spread, and flood duration.

o Based on the India Flood Inventory with Impacts (IFI-Impacts) database.

o Parameters Used in DFSI: Mean duration (in days) of all flooding events in a district.

ü Percentage of area historically affected by floods.

ü Total number of deaths and injuries caused by floods.

ü Population size of the district.

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7. India and Philippines Joint Sail And Naval Exercise

 India and Philippines Joint Sail And Naval Exercise : Recently, India and the Philippines conducted their first-ever joint sail and naval exercises in the disputed South China Sea.

• About Exercise : Purpose: To enhance maritime cooperation and interoperability between the two navies (Duration: Two days)

o To reinforce freedom of navigation in disputed waters.

o Location: Within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.

o Indian Naval Assets Involved: INS Delhi – Guided missile destroyer

ü INS Shakti – Fleet replenishment tanker

ü INS Kiltan – Anti-submarine warfare corvette

o Strategic Significance: A symbolic move against China’s “Nine-Dash Line” claims.

ü Supports India’s Act East Policy and maritime cooperation through the “Necklace of Diamonds” strategy.

ü Strengthens defence diplomacy and freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs).

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8. Biochar

 Biochar : Recently, India has turned its focus to carbon removal technologies such as biochar, recognising their potential in addressing climate challenges. This shift comes as the country prepares to launch its national carbon market in 2026.

• About Biochar: A carbon-rich, granular charcoal produced by pyrolysis (heating organic material in low-oxygen conditions). Made from agricultural residues and organic municipal solid waste. Produced at 400–600°C in kiln-like structures.

o Key Benefits: Acts as a long-term carbon sink (stores carbon in soil for 100–1,000 years).

ü Improves soil health and fertility.

ü Manages organic waste sustainably.

ü Produces valuable byproducts: bio-oil and syngas.

• India can convert 30–50% of its agri and urban waste into 15–26 million tonnes of biochar, removing 0.1 gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent annually.

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9. Hepatitis D

 Hepatitis D : Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) officially classified the Hepatitis D virus (HDV) as carcinogenic to humans. With this, HDV joins Hepatitis B and C as a major contributor to liver cancer.

• About Hepatitis D : A serious blood-borne viral infection that depends entirely on the presence of the Hepatitis B virus (HBV) to replicate. It cannot infect or multiply on its own and occurs in two forms: Co-infection: Simultaneous infection with both HBV and HDV.

o Superinfection: HDV infects a person already chronically infected with HBV.

• Common Symptoms of Hepatitis D, often misdiagnosed, include fatigue, jaundice, nausea, abdominal pain, and dark-colored urine.
• Transmission : Through infected blood, unprotected sex, unsafe injections, and from mother to child during birth.
  • Why Is HDV Considered Cancer-Causing:

  o Aggravates HBV infection: Increases the risk of liver cancer by 2 to 6 times compared to HBV alone.

  o Rapid liver damage: Up to 75% of co-infected individuals develop cirrhosis within 15 years, vs. ~50% in HBV-only cases.

  o Faster progression: Leads to early onset of fibrosis and liver failure, especially among younger patients.

  o Mechanism: HDV hijacks HBV’s replication system, dramatically increasing viral load and oncogenic risk.

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10. Rain Snake

 Rain Snake : Recently, a rare species of rain snake was discovered in the  montane forests, marking a significant addition to biodiversity records.

• About Rain Snake : Species Name: Smithophis leptofasciatus, commonly known as the narrow-banded rain snake.

  o Taxonomy: A newly discovered species of rain snake belonging to the genus Smithophis.

  o Etymology: The name leptofasciatus comes from Greek and Latin, meaning "narrow-banded", referring to its unique dorsal pattern.

  o Discovery Location: Found in the tropical montane forests of Mizoram, India.

  o Distinctive Features: Narrow, incomplete creamish-white or yellowish-lime transverse bands on a shiny black body.

  ü These markings distinguish it from other related species.

  o Habitat: Inhabits humid, shaded microhabitats near small streams.

  ü Found at elevations between 900–1,200 meters above sea level.

  o Behavior: Semi-aquatic and nocturnal.

  ü Observed during the monsoon season.

  o Genus Distribution: This discovery increases the total number of known Smithophis species to five, all found in northeastern India and surrounding regions.

  o Ecological Niche: Known as rain snakes for their preference for moist habitats, typically near water bodies.

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