22^nd August 2025

1. NOTTO: Recently, the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) announced a new directive granting priority in organ allocation to women patients and female relatives of deceased donors.

• The step is part of a broader 10-point advisory designed to address gender disparities in organ transplantation and to promote greater donation across India.
• Key Highlights: From 2019 to 2023, 8% of living organ donors were women, but 69.8% of organ recipients were men.
• Out of 56,509 living organ donations, 36,038 were by women, yet only 17,041 organs went to women, while 39,447 went to men.
• This reflects the “organ transplant paradox” in India: women donate the most but receive the least.
• Organ donation in India is governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, amended in 2011 to include human tissues. The Act prohibits buying/selling organs, with severe legal and financial penalties.
• Globally, over 1,30,000 solid organ transplants are performed annually, meeting only 10% of global demand.
• In India, 8 lakh people develop end-stage kidney disease every year, but only around 12,000 kidney transplants are conducted.
  
  
  

2. INS Aridhaman: Recently, India is set to strengthen its nuclear deterrence with the induction of INS Aridhaman, its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.

• About INS Aridhaman: It is the second submarine of the Arihant-class.
• It represents India’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine under construction.
• The submarine is being developed as part of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam.
• Dimensions: Length of 112 m (367 ft), beam of 15 m (49 ft), and draft of 10 m (33 ft).
• Displacement & Capability: Displaces 7,000 tonnes and stretches 125 m, allowing it to carry a larger number of K-4 missiles.
• Sonar Systems: Equipped with USHUS (advanced sonar for Kilo-class submarines) and Panchendriya (an integrated submarine sonar and tactical control system covering passive, active, surveillance, ranging, and intercept sonar).
• Additional Features: Includes an underwater communications system, twin flank-array sonars, and Rafael broadband expendable anti-torpedo countermeasures.
  
  

3. Anemia Mukt Bharat Program: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the continuation of universal fortified rice supply under all schemes until 2028, fully funded at ₹17,000 crore.

• This initiative, building on the 2018 Anemia Mukt Bharat program, aims to combat malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
• About Anaemia Mukt Bharat: Launched in 2018, the programme addresses anaemia, particularly iron deficiency anaemia, which remains a significant public health challenge in India.
• Impact on Children: Leads to impaired cognitive and motor development, particularly severe during infancy and early childhood.
• Impact on Adults: Reduces work capacity and productivity.
• Impact on Pregnancy: Can cause perinatal loss, premature birth, and low birth weight (LBW) babies.
• Target Beneficiaries: Focuses on six key groups: Children (6–59 months), Children (5–9 years), Adolescents (10–19 years), Pregnant women, Lactating women & Women of reproductive age (15–49 years)

4. First Fully Digitally Literate State: Recently, Kerala Chief Minister declared Kerala as India’s first fully digitally literate state, marking the successful completion of the first phase of the Digi Kerala project. The initiative, implemented across all local bodies, aims to bridge the digital divide at the grassroots level.

• Key Highlights: The project is a grass-root level intervention across all local bodies to bridge the digital divide.
  • Surveys covered 5 crore people from 83.46 lakh families, identifying 21.88 lakh digitally illiterate individuals.
  • 87 lakh participants (99.98%) completed training and evaluation successfully.
  • Senior citizens and homemakers now use e-services, pay online bills, and engage on social media.
  • Volunteer trainers, primarily youth, played a key role in the project’s success.
  • Training reached remote villages, including Edamalakudy and Attappady, ensuring equitable access.
  • The project complements the K-SMART platform, which provides online access to government services such as building permits and birth certificates.
    
    

5. Dal Lake: Recently, Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake hosted India’s first-ever Khelo India Water Sports Festival, featuring rowing, kayaking, and canoeing competitions. The event aims to identify national talent and boost India’s future Olympic performance in water sports.

• About Dal Lake: Mid-altitude urban lake in Srinagar, Jammu &Kashmir, surrounded by the Pir Panjal Mountains.
• Significance: Known as the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Lake of Flowers”, central to tourism and recreation.
• Size & Depth: Covers 18 sq.km (part of 21.1 sq.km wetland), with an average depth of 5 ft and max 20 ft.
• Shoreline:5 km with Mughal gardens, parks, houseboats, and hotels.
• Floating Gardens: “Raad”, blooming lotus in July–August.
• Basins & Islands: Four basins – Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, Nagin; islands include Rup Lank (Lokut Dal) and Sona Lank (Bod Dal).
• Floating Market: Vendors sell goods from Shikaras directly to tourists.
  
  

6. Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems: Recently, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare informed the Lok Sabha that India hosts three Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).

• About GIAHS: Launch & Purpose: Initiated by the FAO in 2002 at the World Summit for Sustainable Development to protect traditional agricultural systems from threats like climate change, biodiversity loss, and community displacement.
• Objectives: Balances conservation, sustainable adaptation, and socioeconomic development to mitigate threats faced by farmers.
• Approach: Multi-stakeholder framework providing technical assistance, promoting traditional agricultural knowledge, and fostering markets for farm products and agro-tourism.
  
  

7. Planting Trees In Tropical Regions: Recently, a study by the University of California, Riverside found that planting trees in tropical regions offers the greatest cooling effect and fire suppression benefits compared to higher latitudes.

·      Key Findings: Trees cool the climate most effectively in the tropics—warm, wet regions where they grow year-round.

• At higher latitudes, tree planting can have a slight heating effect, while in tropical areas, cooling is significant.
• Evapotranspiration (“tree sweating”): Water from soil travels through trees and evaporates from leaves, cooling the air and tree.
• Shade and humidity effects: Trees reduce sunlight reaching the ground, increase humidity, promote cloud formation, and reduce solar heating.
• Trees in tropical savannahs and other regions are more fire-resistant than grasses, helping suppress fires.

8. Made in India Label Scheme: Recently, the government updated the Made in India Label Scheme to promote domestic manufacturing and inform consumers about product origin. It has proposed funding of ₹995 crore for the next three years.

• About Made in India Label Scheme: Supports Indian manufacturers by building brand reputation, identity, and market reach for products made in India.
• Aim: Strengthen product reputation, guarantee authenticity, and certify products originating from India or using locally sourced materials.
• Nature: Voluntary certification; displays a logo and QR code with information on manufacturing location, label validity, and product details.
• Implementation: Led by DPIIT, with advisory support from Quality Council of India and India Brand Equity Foundation.
• Objectives: Provide identity to products based on origin.
• Develop a mechanism to qualify and brand Indian products.
• Recognise products in domestic and international markets.
• Strengthen market positioning by highlighting authenticity, quality, and differentiation.
  
  

9. National Tiger Conservation Authority: Recently, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) clarified that tiger corridors are now limited to the 32 “least cost pathways” identified in 2014 and those recorded in individual Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs).

• About National Tiger Conservation Authority: A statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
  • Established in 2006 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
  • Objectives: Ensure Center-State accountability in managing Tiger Reserves through MoUs with States.
• Facilitate Parliamentary oversight over tiger conservation initiatives.
• Address livelihood concerns of local communities living around Tiger Reserves.
• Composition: Chairperson: Minister in charge of MoEFCC, Vice-Chairperson: Minister of State in MoEFCC and Members: Three Members of Parliament, Secretary (MoEFCC), and other appointed members
  
  

10. Euglena: Recently, Euglena and related species in India are increasingly being used as indicators of declining water quality in freshwater bodies.

• About Euglena: Unicellular, flagellated microorganisms belonging to Euglenophyta.
• Habitat: Common in stagnant or slow-moving freshwater such as ponds, ditches, and urban lakes.
• Characteristics: Mixotrophic – capable of photosynthesis like plants and feeding on organic matter like animals, enabling survival in nutrient-rich, oxygen-poor environments.
• Common Genera: Euglena, Phacus, Trachelomonas, often dominating surface waters, especially in warmer months.
• Pigmentation: Blooms appear red or pink due to astaxanthin, a fat-soluble xanthophyll pigment.
• Impact on Biodiversity
• Oxygen Fluctuations: Euglena consumes oxygen at night, causing hypoxia, threatening fish and aquatic life.
• Dense Surface Scums: Thick mats block sunlight, reducing submerged plant growth and disturbing ecological balance.
• Fish Mortality: Blooms can adhere to fish gills, hindering respiration; some species produce toxins (euglenophycin), harming fish directly or via disrupted oxygen levels and food chains.