13^th November 2025

1. Plant Genome Saviour Awards: Recently, the Union Agriculture Minister presented the Plant Genome Saviour Awards in New Delhi.

• Key Highlights: Event marked the Silver Jubilee of the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPC&FRA) Act, 2001 and the 21st Foundation Day of the Authority.

• Farmers and organizations from several States were felicitated for seed conservation and biodiversity efforts.

• Government provides financial incentives up to ₹15 lakh for conserving seed varieties under the Act.

• PPV&FRA’s core functions: Grant breeder rights for new plant varieties.

• Reward and recognise farmers conserving biodiversity.

• Protect farmers’ rights to save and reuse seed.

• Encourage research and innovation in plant breeding.

• Maintain the National Register of Plant Varieties.

• Safeguards traditional knowledge and ensures equitable benefit sharing.

• Celebration marks India’s commitment to a resilient, biodiverse, and farmer-centric agricultural ecosystem, aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat.

2. India and Botswana: Recently, India and Botswana formally announced the translocation of eight cheetahs to India under Project Cheetah.

• Key Highlights: Symbolic Handover at Mokolodi Nature Reserve

• Five of the eight cheetahs will be released into a quarantine facility at Mokolodi nature reserve in the presence of both Heads of State.

• Cheetahs were brought from Ghanzi town in the Kalahari Desert to the reserve near Gaborone.

• Remaining cheetahs will join shortly; all will reach India after completing quarantine procedures.

     o   Importance of the Initiative: Part of India-Botswana wildlife conservation cooperation.

• Expected to assist the regeneration of cheetah populations in India.

• One cheetah is named “Duma”, same as Botswana President’s name.

• India and Botswana exchanged a MoU on health cooperation, focusing on: Pharmaceuticals, Generic medicines & Pharmacopeia alignment.

• India to send antiretroviral (ARV) medicines to Botswana on request.

• Both sides aim to boost cooperation in: Trade & investment, Agriculture, Defence, Health, Education & Digital technology

3. New Royalty Rates: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved new royalty rates for the critical minerals graphite, caesium, rubidium, and zirconium.

• Key Highlights: Graphite royalty changed from a fixed per-tonne rate (since 2014) to an ad valorem basis.

• Graphite rates: <80% fixed carbon → 4% of average sale price (ASP).

• ≥80% fixed carbon → 2% of ASP.

• Caesium: 2% royalty on ASP based on metal contained in the ore.

• Rubidium: 2% royalty on ASP based on metal contained in the ore.

• Zirconium: 1% royalty on ASP based on metal contained in the ore.

• Reform aims to reduce import dependence and strengthen supply chain security for critical minerals.

• Royalty rationalisation expected to boost auctions of mineral blocks (caesium, rubidium, and zirconium).

• Helps also in identifying associated minerals like lithium, tungsten, rare earths and niobium.

• Graphite: India imports 60% of its need; essential for EV battery anodes.

• Graphite was the only critical mineral still charged royalty per tonne before this change.

4. Vanadium Redox Flow Battery: Recently, the Union Minister for Power inaugurated India’s first MWh-scale Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) at the NTPC NETRA facility in Noida.

• About Vanadium: A chemical element represented by the symbol V and carries atomic number 23.

     o   Properties: A silver-grey metal that is both ductile and malleable.

• Notably harder than most metals.

• Shows strong resistance to corrosion from acids and alkalis.

     o   Occurrence: Appears naturally in combination with various minerals, coal, and petroleum.

• It is the 22nd most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.

• Occurs in more than 60 minerals, including vanadinite, carnotite, roscoelite, and patronite.

• Major reserves are located in South Africa and Russia.

• Leading global producers: China, Russia, and South Africa.

     o   Applications: Alloy Production: Widely used to enhance the strength and durability of steel and other metals.

• Energy Storage: Key component in Vanadium Flow Batteries (VFBs), offering safe and reliable renewable energy storage.

• Chemical Industry: Vanadium compounds serve as catalysts, especially in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.

• Nuclear Sector: Used in certain nuclear reactors as a structural material and neutron moderator.

• Medicine: Some vanadium compounds are used in research and treatment related to diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol.

5. GI Tag: Recently, the Government reduced the GI tag application fee from ₹5,000 to ₹1,000 to encourage wider registration of traditional tribal products.

• Key Highlights: Commerce Minister assured full support for: Export linkages, E-commerce platforms and International warehouses for tribal goods

• About the Tribal Business Conclave: Organised by the Ministries of Tribal Affairs & Culture and DPIIT.

• Part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh celebrations marking Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary year.

     o   Key Themes & Messages: Schools, universities, industry, and government must work together to boost tribal products’ market reach.

• Conclave aims to unlock economic self-reliance for tribal communities, enhance market access, and build global recognition.

• New Initiatives Launched: Gramya Yuva Arth Niti (GYAN) – a public policy interactive lab focusing on: Digital innovation, Real-time pilots, Capacity building and Scalable solutions for inclusive enterprise growth.

6. Tuberculosis (TB): Recently, TB incidence in India was reported to have dropped by 21%, from 237 per lakh in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024, nearly double the global decline of 12%.

• Key Findings: India has achieved a higher reduction in TB mortality than the global average (HIV-negative TB deaths).

• Treatment coverage rose to 92% in 2024 (from 53% in 2015); 18 lakh TB patients diagnosed.

• Treatment success rate: 90% under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (global: 88%).

• Drug-resistant TB detection: 92% Rifampicin susceptibility testing coverage (global: 83%).

• Under TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (Dec 2024): Use of AI-enabled hand-held X-rays, expanded NAAT labs, and community mobilisation.

• 5 lakh TB cases detected, including 8.61 lakh asymptomatic cases.

• India has the world’s largest TB lab network: 9,391 rapid molecular test facilities,

• 107 culture & drug susceptibility labs.

• Nutritional support doubled under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana: ₹500 → ₹1000/month.

• 77 lakh Ni-kshay Mitras enrolled; 45 lakh food baskets provided to patients.

• 2 lakh youth volunteers engaged in psychosocial support and community mobilisation.

• Differentiated TB care scaled for high-risk patients; ASHA workers trained to detect early warning signs.

• Strategy prioritises proactive screening, early molecular diagnosis, and comprehensive patient support.

• Integrated efforts aim to further cut TB incidence and mortality, moving India towards a TB-Mukt Bharat.

7. Passport Seva Programme: Recently, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) rolled out an upgraded Passport Seva Programme, introducing PSP V2.0, the Global Passport Seva Programme (GPSP V2.0), and e-passports for Indian citizens in India and abroad.

• Key Highlights: The upgraded PSP V2.0 features AI-powered chat and voice bots designed to assist citizens in filling applications and submitting enquiries or grievances.

• According to the MEA, PSP V2.0 was fully implemented across: 37 Passport Offices, 93 Passport Seva Kendras (PSKs) and 450 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs)

• The newly launched e-passport is a hybrid passport integrating both paper and electronic components. It includes: An embedded RFID chip

• An antenna for secure data storage

• Compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards

8. Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026: Recently, the Climate Risk Index (CRI) 2026, published by the Bonn-based environmental organisation Germanwatch, reported that more than 9,700 extreme weather events worldwide have affected billions of people between 1995 and 2024.

• Key Findings: Heatwaves and storms each caused 33% of global fatalities; floods caused 25%.

• Storms caused 58% of economic losses ($2.64 trillion); floods caused losses of $1.31 trillion.

• Floods affected nearly half of all people impacted globally.

• India ranks 9th among countries most affected by extreme weather (1995–2024).

• Faced ~430 extreme events: floods, cyclones, droughts, severe heatwaves.

• Over 80,000 deaths, 3 billion people affected, $170 billion in economic losses.

  • Heatwaves have intensified, with temperatures reaching ~50°C in recent years.

     o   Most Affected Countries (Long-Term & 2024): Long-term (1995–2024): Dominica, Myanmar, and Honduras.

• Most affected in 2024: Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, Chad.

• Many countries like Haiti, Philippines, and India face extreme weather too frequently to fully recover between events.

9. Global Green Hydrogen Demand: Recently, the Union Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy & Power said that India is on track to command 10 percent of global green hydrogen demand by 2030.

• Key Highlights: India’s energy transition is among the fastest globally, aligned with PM Modi’s Panchamrit commitments at COP-26.

• Installed non-fossil fuel power capacity has reached ~260 GW, mainly from solar and wind.

• Green Hydrogen Revolution aims to convert renewable energy strength into clean molecules for industry, transport, and global trade.

    o   India as a Global Hydrogen Hub: India’s green hydrogen market expected to grow at 20–40% CAGR over the next decade.

• Strong policy support, renewable abundance, and geography position India as a leading producer and exporter of green hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol.

• Standardisation, international collaboration, and policy frameworks reinforce global leadership.
  State Governments encouraged to develop hydrogen hubs and industrial clusters.