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1. AB-PMJAY

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) was recently signed by the Delhi government.

  • About PM-JAY: Launched as per National Health Policy 2017 to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
  • Ministry: Centrally Sponsored Scheme under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
  • Benefit: Cashless Rs. 5 lakh/family/year for secondary & tertiary care in public & private empanelled hospitals.
  • Coverage: 12 crore families (~55 crore beneficiaries).
  • Hospitalization: Covers 3 days pre-hospitalization & 15 days post-hospitalization (diagnostics & medicine).
  • Recent Expansion: Now covers all senior citizens aged 70+.
  • Achievements: Ayushman Cards Issued approx. 35 crore beneficiaries.

o Operational In: 33 States & UTs.

o Gender Equity: 49% of Ayushman cards issued to women.

o Hospital Network: 30,529 empanelled hospitals (17,063 public + 13,466 private).


2. Meitei & Thadou Tribe

Leaders of diaspora Meitei community and select Thadou leaders met to establish a “community understanding” for peaceful coexistence in Manipur.
  • About Thadou Tribe: Reside in hills adjacent to the Imphal Valley, Manipur.

o Other Names: Chillya, Kuki, Kukihin, Teizang, Theruvan.

o Language: Speak Chin and Thado, belonging to the Tibeto-Burman family of Sino-Tibetan languages.

o Village Structure: Village chief’s house is the largest dwelling. A platform outside serves as a meeting place for discussions and dispute resolution.

o Economy:  Predominantly Jhum (slash-and-burn) agriculture.

o Subsistence activities: Domestication, cultivation, hunting, fishing.

o Religious Beliefs: Believe in Pathen, the creator and ruler of the universe. Sacrifices offered to Pathen for health and assistance.

o Festival: Hun-Thadou cultural festival marks the arrival of the New Year.

  • About Meitei Community: It is an ethnic group, also called Manipuri people, dominant community of Manipur.

o Language: Speak Meitei (Manipuri), one of India’s 22 official languages, and sole official language of Manipur.

o Distribution: Primarily settled in Imphal Valley, Manipur, also found in Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram. Notable presence in Myanmar & Bangladesh.

o Population: Represent 53% of Manipur’s total population.

o Clans: Strict clan system with no intermarriage among clan members.

o Economy: Rice cultivation on irrigated fields is the economic base.

o Religion: Majority follow Hinduism. Over 8% are Muslims.


3. Insider Trading

Nestle India received a warning from SEBI for a breach of insider trading regulations by a designated person of the company.

  • About Insider Trading (Insider Dealing): Buying, selling, or trading of shares, bonds, or stock options of a listed company using unpublished price-sensitive information (UPSI).
  • Definition of Insider (as per SEBI): Any person with access to price-sensitive information about a company's shares or securities.

o Association with the company in any capacity during the six months preceding the trade.

o Includes employees, directors, relatives, bankers, legal counsel, stock exchange officials, trustees, and AMC employees associated with the company.

  • About Unpublished Price-Sensitive Information (UPSI): It refers to exclusive information related to a company’s stock prices, quarterly results, acquisition deals, mergers, or other sensitive activities that are not yet public.

o Insiders with access to UPSI may engage in illegal trading for personal gains.

  • Regulation in India: Insider trades are regulated by SEBI under the Insider Trading Regulations, 2015. SEBI can impose fines and ban individuals or entities from trading in the capital market for violations.

4. Vanuatu Island

Former IPL chief Lalit Modi has applied to surrender his Indian passport and acquired Vanuatu citizenship, confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
  • About: Vanuatu offers a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, allowing wealthy individuals to purchase citizenship.
  • Advantages of Vanuatu Citizenship: Ranked 51st in the Henley Passport Index.
  • Golden Passport" Program: Allows individuals to purchase Vanuatu citizenship through financial contributions.

o Stronger than Saudi Arabia (57), China (59), and Indonesia (64) & India ranks 80th.

  • About Vanuatu Island: It is located in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands.

    o Capital: Port Vila, located on the island of Efate.

    o Geographic Features: Comprises 13 principal volcanic islands and many smaller islands.

    o Home to active volcanoes like Yasur, Manaro, and Garet.

    o Colonization: Originally inhabited by Melanesians, became a joint Anglo-French colony (New Hebrides). Achieved independence in 1980.

    o Climate Change Vulnerability: Faces rising sea levels at twice the global average.

    o Ranked as the most at-risk country globally under the UN’s World Risk Index.


5. Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) spearheaded a nationwide awareness campaign on Safer Internet Day under the theme ‘Together for a Better Internet’.

  • Conducted under the Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) program, in collaboration with NIC, NIXI, C-DAC, NIELIT, MyGov, NeGD, and other partner institutions.
  • Aimed to educate and sensitize internet users about cyber hygiene, online safety, and emerging cyber threats.
  • National Informatics Centre (NIC) played a crucial role in outreach through its digital infrastructure.
    • About Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) Project: Launched in 2005, currently in Phase-III (October 2023 onwards).
    • Key Verticals of ISEA: Generating Highly Skilled Cybersecurity Professionals (CISOs, Deputy CISOs, aspirants).

    o rooming Students towards cybersecurity product & solution development (Innovation & Ideation).

    o trengthening Research & Education in emerging areas of information security.

    o Developing Cyber-Aware Digital Naagriks (Mass awareness initiatives).

    o Supported through ISEA Virtual Platform (IVP) for a unified stakeholder interface.

    • Implementation: Hub-and-spoke model through 50 premier institutions, including: IITs, NITs, IIITs, C-DAC, NIELIT, and Technical Universities.

6. Kanwar Lake (Kabartal)

 Local reports have confirmed that the dying Kabartal — Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake — needs urgent conservation efforts to be revived and made sustainable.

  • About Kanwar Lake (Kabartal): Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake, located in Begusarai district, Bihar.

o Also known as Kabartal Jheel, it is a rainfed lake.

o Formed due to the meandering of the Gandak River, a tributary of the Ganga.

o Covers a significant portion of the Indo-Gangetic plains in northern Bihar.

o Declared a Ramsar site (2020) due to its ecological importance.

  • Ecological Importance: A crucial stopover along the Central Asian Flyway, supporting 58 migratory waterbird species.

o Home to five critically endangered species, including: Red-headed vulture (Sarcogyps calvus), White-rumped vulture (Gyps bengalensis), Indian vulture (Gyps indicus), Sociable lapwing (Vanellus gregarius), and Baer’s pochard (Aythya baeri)

  • About Oxbow Lake: A curved lake formed alongside a winding river due to erosion and sediment deposition.

o Crescent-shaped, commonly found in floodplains.

o Created when a river’s meander is cut off, leaving a standing water body.


7. Ladki Bahin Yojana

According to the Economic Survey presented in the State Assembly, the Maharashtra government disbursed ₹17,500 crore to 2.38 crore women under the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana by December 2024.

  • About Ladki Bahin Yojana: Introduced by the Maharashtra government in 2024.
  • Objective: Provides financial assistance to economically weaker women for rehabilitation, economic development, and empowerment.
  • Eligibility: Must be a permanent resident of Maharashtra.
  • Age limit: 21 to 65 years.
  • Family income: Should not exceed ₹2.5 lakh annually.
  • Income tax criteria: No family member should be an income taxpayer.
  • Benefits: Eligible women receive ₹1,500 per month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
  • Disbursement: By December 2024, ₹17,500 crore was distributed to 2.38 crore women, as per the Maharashtra Economic Survey.

8. Vitiligo

Recent research suggests that gut-friendly bacteria may slow the progression of vitiligo, offering hope for millions affected by this autoimmune disease.

  • About Vitiligo: It is a condition that causes patchy loss of skin color due to the destruction of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes).

o Affected Areas: Can occur anywhere on the body, often starting on the hands, forearms, feet, and face.

o Progression: Discolored patches tend to enlarge over time and may also affect hair and the inside of the mouth.

  • Causes of Vitiligo

o Autoimmune Response: The immune system attacks melanocytes, leading to pigmentation loss.

o Genetic Factors: Around 30% of cases have a genetic link.

o Universality: Affects all races and genders equally but is more visible in darker skin tones.

o Global Prevalence: Approximately 1% of the population is affected worldwide.

  • Treatment & Management

o Non-Life-Threatening: The condition is not contagious or life-threatening.

o Treatment Options: Some treatments can restore skin color, but they do not stop ongoing pigmentation loss or prevent recurrence.



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