theIASHub | 07 Jun, 2025 | 5
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First Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC): Recently, the Indian Navy announced its plans to commission ‘INS Arnala’—the first Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC)—at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.
o Designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata in collaboration with: L&T Shipbuilding
o Named after: Arnala Fort, off the Vasai coast in Maharashtra. Just like the fort once defended India's western coastline, INS Arnala is built to strengthen India's maritime defence and submarine detection capabilities.
o Features : Measuring 77 metres in length ,displacing over 1490 tonnes, and the largest Indian warship to be powered by a diesel engine-waterjet combination.
o Operational Roles: Subsurface Surveillance , Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Search and Rescue (SAR) Missions and Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO)
o Equipped with an advanced anti-submarine warfare suite, including lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets, and mines, making them effective for coastal defence.
o Fitted with Hull-Mounted Sonar and Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar systems for extensive underwater surveillance and improved detection.
Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV): Recently, data from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India revealed that 12 wild elephants died due to EEHV between 2009 and 2021, particularly in Karnataka, Assam, and Chhattisgarh
o It spreads through contact with bodily fluids and shared water or food.
o Symptoms include reduced appetite, nasal discharge, and swollen glands; some elephants carry it without symptoms.
o No cure exists as the virus remains latent; treatment focuses on antiviral drugs, fluid therapy, and immune support..
o Main objective: To enforce minimum standards for animal care and upkeep in Indian zoos and provides technical and financial assistance when needed.
o All zoos in India must obtain recognition from CZA to operate legally.
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): Recently, the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the policy repo rate by 50 basis points to 5.50% to stimulate economic growth.
o Additionally, the RBI announced a staggered reduction of 100 basis points in the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) over the year.
o Main objective: to ensure banks maintain a minimum level of liquidity relative to their liabilities.
o This helps prevent liquidity shortages during times of increased demand for funds.
o Calculated as a percentage of Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL).
o NDTL refers to the total demand and time liabilities of a bank, including aggregate savings and deposits.
o It enables banks to meet short-term liquidity requirements by borrowing money.
o Banks provide securities as collateral and agree to repurchase them later at a higher price that includes interest.
800-year-old Shiva Temple: Recently, a significant archaeological discovery was made in Udampatti village of Melur taluk, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, where remnants of an 800-year-old Shiva temple dating back to the later Pandya period were unearthed.
o It ruled over parts of present-day Tamil Nadu and made Madurai its capital.
o The Pandyas were known for their contributions to literature, architecture, temple building, trade, and administration.
o Medieval Pandyas (6th CE – 14th CE): Revived after Kalabhra rule; faced rivalry with Cholas and Cheras; supported Tamil-Sanskrit literature.
o Later Pandyas (14th CE – 16th CE): Declined due to Delhi Sultanate and Vijayanagara invasions; ended with defeat of Varaguna Pandya III.
Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag (BBA) : Recently, the Union Home Minister launched the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag (BBA) or or Indian Languages Section to promote linguistic diversity in governance.
o Seeks to incorporate India's linguistic diversity and enable thinking, analysis, and decision-making in mother tongues.
o Facilitate universal translation of official communications, especially for Region C states (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka) where English is currently used.
o Collaboration with Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) for translation technology.
o Aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which advocates promoting regional languages at all levels of education and administration.
Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio :Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced plans to raise the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for gold-backed loans from 75% to 85% for loans up to ₹2.5 lakh, aiming to offer more flexible borrowing options while maintaining regulatory safeguards.
o The collateral value is determined by the actual weight of the gold, excluding its purchase price.
o Making charges and the value of any precious or semi-precious stones in the jewelry are excluded.
o Calculation Formula: Ratio is calculated using the following formula: LTV = Loan amount / Market value of the collateral.
Extreme Poverty in India: Recently, according to the latest World Bank data, India’s extreme poverty rate declined significantly to 5.3% in 2022-23, down from 27.1% in 2011-12.
o This follows the World Bank’s increase of the global extreme poverty line from $2.15 to $3 per day.
o Mjaor progress in states like - Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, which together accounted for 65% of India’s extreme poor in 2011-12.
o These states contributed to 75% of the total poverty reduction over the past decade.
o Multidimensional Poverty Index: ê from 54% in 2005-06 to 15.5% in 2022-23.
o Urban and rural poverty: The decline in poverty has been widespread across both rural and urban areas.
ü Rural poverty: decreased from 18.4% to 2.8%,
ü urban poverty: fell from 10.7% to just 1.1%over the 11-year period.
o HQ: Washington DC, USA & Member countries: 189 (India is a founding member).
o Formed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) together.
Wildlife Biobank : Recently, the National Zoological Park (NZP), Delhi, announced plans to create an on-site wildlife biobank to preserve genetic material like DNA, tissues, and reproductive cells from its animals for long-term conservation and research.
o This cryogenic preservation ensures genetic materials remain viable for future research, breeding programs, and species revival efforts.
o The biobank aims to create a long-term genetic repository to help conservationists prevent species loss.
o The facility supports genetic research on wildlife diseases, population genetics, and breeding techniques.
o By preserving genetic samples, the biobank safeguards species against extinction caused by environmental threats and climate change.
Chenab Railway Bridge : Recently, the Prime Minister of India inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, marking the successful completion of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
o Located between the villages of Bakkal and Kauri in Reasi district, it plays a vital role in the USBRL project.
o The bridge links Katra to Sangaldan, facilitating rail connectivity to Srinagar.
o It can withstand wind speeds up to 266 km/h and is earthquake-resistant up to magnitude 8.
o Course: It is formed by the confluence of two streams, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti Districts of Himachal Pradesh.
o In its upper reaches, it is also known as the Chandrabhaga.
o After receiving the Jhelum River, the Chenab empties into the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Indus River.
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