19^th August 2025

1. Udyam Sakhi Portal: Recently, the Udyam Sakhi Portal launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) has been further strengthening women’s entrepreneurship in India.

• About Udyam Sakhi: Platform is designed to help women entrepreneurs start, expand, and sustain their businesses, making them more self-reliant. It serves as a comprehensive knowledge and support hub by providing:
• Information on financial schemes like Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme, Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency, Trade Receivables Discounting System
• Details of policies and programmes of MSME and other central ministries.
• Guidance on business plan preparation.
• Contact details of nodal offices and support organisations across states.
• Updates on exhibitions, trade fairs, and international events organised by MSME.
• Significance: Provides a single-window digital platform for women to access financial and institutional support.
• Encourages greater participation of women in India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Helps bridge the information gap for aspiring women entrepreneurs in tier-II and tier-III cities.

2. New Pathways for Diabetes Treatment: Recently, a research team at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, uncovered crucial insights into the mechanism by which glucose enters pancreatic β-cells — the cells responsible for initiating insulin release.

• Key Findings: The study suggests that restoring this process, which falters in Type 2 diabetes (T2D), could open up new avenues for therapeutic interventions.
• In healthy β-cells, GLUT transporters (Glucose Transporter) quickly move to the membrane when glucose rises and are efficiently recycled via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, ensuring steady glucose uptake and insulin release.
• In Type 2 Diabetes, fewer GLUTs reach the surface and recycling slows, reducing glucose entry and weakening insulin granule docking → impaired blood sugar control.
• Using live-cell imaging, researchers showed GLUT1 is the main glucose “gateway” in humans, while GLUT2 plays that role in mice.
• The study emphasizes the often-overlooked glucose entry step as a potential therapeutic target in diabetes.

3. Polyvalent Antivenoms: Recently, at the Assam Snake Symposium 2025 in Guwahati, experts emphasized the need for region-specific antivenoms, noting that the current polyvalent serum is largely ineffective in addressing snakebites in Northeast India.

• About Polyvalent Antivenom: A life-saving serum therapy used to counteract the toxic effects of snake venom.
• Designed as a broad-spectrum antidote effective against more than one snake species.
• Development: Produced by Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers in collaboration with research institutions such as: Haffkine Institute and Madras Crocodile Bank Trust (for venom collection and research)

• Traditionally based on venom extracted from the “Big Four” snakes of India.
• Objective: To provide a universal treatment option for snakebite cases across most of the country.
• To reduce fatalities and morbidity from snake envenomation with a single, widely available antidote.
• Features: Neutralizes venom of the Indian cobra, common krait, Russell’s viper, and saw-scaled viper. Forms the core treatment strategy for snakebite cases in India.

4. Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM): Recently, the Kerala Health Department issued an alert in Kozhikode district following the detection of three consecutive cases of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare yet fatal brain infection.

• About PAM: A severe infection that affects the brain and its protective membranes.
• It is caused by Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba”.
• This amoeba is commonly found in warm freshwater bodies and soil.
• Types of Amoebic Brain Infections: PAM: Caused by Naegleria fowleri. Rapid in onset and usually fatal within days.

• Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE): Associated with Acanthamoeba species and Balamuthia mandrillaris. Progresses more slowly than PAM, but is equally life-threatening if untreated.
• Transmission: Contaminated water enters through the nose during activities like swimming, diving, or jumping into freshwater. The amoeba travels through the nasal passage, invades the brain, and causes severe inflammation of brain tissues and meninges.

• Poorly maintained swimming pools, hot tubs, and spas, especially in warm climates, are known sources.
• Symptoms: Headache, sore throat, and pain in the forehead, High fever, nausea, and vomiting, Hallucinations and altered mental status.
• PAM is extremely rare but carries a mortality rate of over 95%.

5. Mount Elbrus: Recently, a mountaineer from Arunachal Pradesh successfully scaled Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, bringing pride to India. This achievement further strengthens the country’s growing presence in global mountaineering expeditions.

• About Mount Elbrus: Situated in southwest Russia, Mount Elbrus is part of the Caucasus Mountain range.
• It stands as the highest point in both Russia and Europe, with an elevation of 5,642 meters (18,510 feet).
• The mountain lies within Prielbrusye National Park, a protected area.
• Geological Formation: The Caucasus Mountains were formed due to the collision of the Arabian Plate with the Eurasian Plate.
• Geological evidence shows Mount Elbrus was formed over 2.5 million years ago, with volcanic activity most intense during the Holocene Epoch.
• Elbrus is an inactive stratovolcano, consisting of two dormant volcanic domes.
• Climatic Conditions: Extreme cold weather. Even in summer, night-time temperatures can drop to -8°C (18°F).
• Glaciers and Rivers: Bolshoi Azaou and Irik Glacier and rivers such as the Baksan, Malka, and Kuban originate from these glaciers, making the mountain a vital source of freshwater.

6. ODF Plus Villages: Recently, under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) [SBM(G)] Phase II (2020-21 to 2025-26), efforts have been undertaken to upgrade villages from Open Defecation Free (ODF) status to ODF Plus status.

• About an ODF Plus Village: Sustains its ODF status.
  • Ensures solid and liquid waste management.
• Maintains visual cleanliness.
• Three Stages of ODF Plus Villages:
• ODF Plus Aspiring – Sustains ODF status + has either Solid Waste Management (SWM) OR Liquid Waste Management (LWM).
• ODF Plus Rising – Sustains ODF status + has both SWM and LWM.
• ODF Plus Model – Sustains ODF status + has both SWM & LWM + ensures visual cleanliness (minimal litter, no stagnant water, no plastic waste dumps) + displays IEC (Information, Education & Communication) messages.
• The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS) provides financial and technical support to States, as sanitation is a State subject.

7. Sliteye Shark: Recently, researchers documented for the first time the presence of the sliteye shark in the Great Chagos Bank of the Indian Ocean, known as the world’s largest coral atoll.

• About the Sliteye Shark: Scientific Name: Loxodon macrorhinus
• Family: Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)
• Genus: Loxodon (only member)
• This small-bodied shark inhabits inshore waters across the Indo-West Pacific.
• The species gets its name from its distinctive slit-like eyes, which likely improve vision in low-light conditions, enabling it to adapt to both deeper, dimly lit waters as well as clear, shallow habitats.
• Distribution: Has a wide tropical distribution across the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, ranging between 34°N and 30°S. It has been recorded off the coasts of countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Yemen, among others.
• Key Features: Small, slender body with a long, narrow snout and reaches up to 95 cm in length.

• Possesses large eyes, small teeth with smooth edges and a pointed tip.
• Coloration: grey body, white underside; fin edges pale or transparent when alive.
• Dark margins on the caudal and first dorsal fins.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List - Near Threatened

8. Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana: Recently, the Ministry of Culture has been implementing the Kala Sanskriti Vikas Yojana (KSVY).

• About KSVY: A flagship initiative designed to promote and preserve India’s artistic and cultural heritage.
  • Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Culture
• Support Provided: Financial assistance to eligible cultural organizations and individual artists
• Focus on performing arts including traditional, folk, and tribal arts
• Coverage: Scheme implemented across all States/UTs

9. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF): Recently, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country’s largest refiner and fuel retailer, announced plans to commence commercial-scale production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at its Panipat refinery by December.

• About SAF: A biofuel (bio-jet fuel) produced from sustainable feedstocks.
• It has chemical properties similar to conventional aviation turbine fuel (ATF), meaning it can be blended and used in existing aircraft engines without modifications.
• SAF is derived from renewable biomass and waste resources, yet delivers performance on par with petroleum-based jet fuel.
• Production Sources: Waste oils and fats

• Current Usage in India: Several Indian airlines have already operated test and demonstration flights using ATF blended with SAF in varying proportions.
• Significance of SAF: Lower Carbon Footprint: SAF produces significantly fewer lifecycle emissions compared to conventional ATF.