NAKSHA Pilot Programme

The official launch of the NAKSHA Pilot Programme took place on 18 February 2025 in Raisen, Madhya Pradesh. This programme covers 152 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across 26 states and 3 union territories of India.

Objectives and Features

Objective: The aim is to modernize urban land survey processes using advanced technologies, particularly drones, to create accurate and transparent land records.

• Land Dispute Resolution: The programme is designed to ensure precise documentation in order to reduce land-related disputes.
• Improved Urban Planning: By providing detailed maps and records, the programme aims to enhance urban planning and management.
• Citizen Empowerment: This initiative will give urban residents structured access to their land ownership documents, thereby increasing trust in property security.
• Implementation: The NAKSHA Programme will conduct aerial surveys using drones. Ground verification will be carried out by the respective State and Union Territory governments, incorporating orthorectified imagery provided by the Survey of India.
• Funding: This project will be fully funded by the Government of India, with an estimated cost of approximately ₹194 crore.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

Historic Growth in Renewable Energy in 2024–25

On 10 April 2025, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced significant progress in India’s clean energy sector for the financial year 2024–25, highlighting the country’s advancement toward its ambitious clean energy targets.

Key Facts and Figures:

• Total Installed Capacity: As of 31 March 2025, the total installed renewable energy (RE) capacity reached 220.10 GW.
• Annual Capacity Addition: A record 29.52 GW of renewable capacity was added during the financial year 2024–25.
• Largest Contribution: Solar energy made the largest contribution, with 23.83 GW of new capacity added, taking the total installed solar capacity to 105.65 GW.
• Wind Energy: Wind energy saw an increase of 4.15 GW, bringing the total installed wind capacity to 50.04 GW.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

RBI's Measures to Address the Liquidity Crisis

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a $10 billion dollar/rupee swap auction to address long-term liquidity issues in the domestic banking system. This move aims to mitigate the impact of foreign capital outflows from Indian markets, driven by the strengthening of the US dollar.

What is a Dollar/Rupee Swap Auction?

• A swap refers to an agreement between two parties to exchange one currency for another for a specific period and then reverse the transaction on a predetermined date.
• In this case, banks give US dollars to the RBI, and in return, the RBI provides Indian rupees.
• After a certain period, the banks return the rupees to the RBI and receive their dollars back, along with a fixed interest (swap rate).

Key Facts and Figures:

• Swap Details: The $10 billion swap auction is scheduled for 28 February 2025 and will have a three-year tenure. It differs from the previous $5 billion swap auction held on 31 January, which had a six-month tenure.
• Liquidity Shortage: As of 20 February 2025, India's banking system was facing a liquidity shortfall of approximately ₹1.7 trillion.
• Rupee Depreciation: Between October 2024 and 21 February 2025, the rupee depreciated by approximately 3.3% against the US dollar.
• Foreign Exchange Reserves: To stabilize the rupee, the RBI sold nearly $111.2 billion (around 18% of its forex reserves) since December 2024.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

Madhya Pradesh Ranks First in Vulture Population in India

Recently, in a state-level vulture census conducted by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, the number of vultures in the state increased to 12,981, making Madhya Pradesh the state with the highest vulture population in India.

Key Highlights:

• Census Coverage and Area: The census was conducted across 16 circles, 64 divisions, and 9 protected areas managed by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department.
• Population Growth: The number of vultures in Madhya Pradesh was 8,397 in 2019, which rose to 10,845 in 2024—indicating a remarkable increase over the past few years.
• Major Species:
  • Migratory vulture species in Madhya Pradesh include:
    • Red-headed Vulture
    • Indian Vulture
    • Egyptian Vulture
  • Resident vulture species include:
    • White-rumped Vulture
    • Long-billed Vulture
    • Slender-billed Vulture
    • Two other native species.
  • Other migratory species observed:
    • Cinereous Vulture
    • Eurasian Griffon
    • Himalayan Griffon
• National Context: Across India, WWF-India has announced the launch of the Vulture Count 2024 campaign, aiming to monitor key vulture species and gather population data. This campaign will run from 7 September to 6 October.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

"Niveshak Didi" – Phase II

On 8 April 2025, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and the India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to launch the second phase of the “Niveshak Didi” initiative. This initiative is aimed at enhancing financial literacy among women in rural and semi-urban areas.

Key Facts and Figures

• Impact of Phase I:
  In the first phase, over 55,000 beneficiaries participated in IPPB’s financial literacy camps.
  Around 60% of the participants were women, primarily from the young and economically active segment.
  Two out of three beneficiaries were from rural areas.
• Plans for Phase II:
  Under Phase II, 4,000 financial literacy camps will be organized across the country.
  These sessions will be led by approximately 40,000 female postal employees, trained as “Niveshak Didis.”
  The camps will focus on responsible investing, fraud awareness, savings habits, and digital banking tools.
• IEPFA's Objective:
  IEPFA aims to empower rural women to make informed financial decisions.
  This initiative serves as a movement to bring financial knowledge to the grassroots and inspire community transformation.
• Role of IPPB:
  IPPB has reached over 110 million customers through its vast network.
  It promotes financial inclusion by making banking simple, affordable, and digitally accessible.
• Impact on Rural Areas:
  The “Niveshak Didi” initiative empowers rural women by providing them with financial literacy, enabling them to drive positive change in their communities.
  It also strengthens the vision of Digital India and a less-cash economy.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

Rising Sea Levels

On 23 February 2025, a study titled "A Community Estimate of Global Glacier Mass Changes from 2000 to 2023" revealed that melting glaciers have contributed approximately 2 cm to sea level rise so far this century. While this increase may seem minor, it poses a significant threat to coastal communities worldwide.

Key Facts and Figures:

• Global Sea Level Rise:
  Since 1880, global sea levels have risen by approximately 21 cm, with a recent acceleration to about 0.42 cm per year.
• Glacier Melting:
  Over the past 25 years, glaciers have lost an average of 273 billion tonnes of ice annually, contributing significantly to sea level rise.
• Mumbai’s Vulnerability:
  Mumbai’s average elevation is about 10 meters above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to future sea level rise.
  Between 1987 and 2021, sea levels in Mumbai rose by 4.44 cm, the highest among Indian cities.
• Regional Variations:
  In the southwest Indian Ocean region, the sea level is rising at a rate of 2.5 mm per year, which is higher than the global average.
• Projected Impact:
  By 2050, global sea levels are expected to rise by an additional 20 cm, doubling the changes observed over the past 100 years and increasing the frequency of flooding events.
• Other Studies:
  A separate NASA-funded study found that by the year 2100, if global temperatures continue to rise by 1.5°C, up to 40% of glacier mass could be lost—leading to a major increase in sea levels.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

100-Day TB Elimination Campaign

On 23 February 2025, it was reported that the 100-Day TB Elimination Campaign launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has identified over five lakh (500,000) tuberculosis (TB) patients across India.

Key Facts:

• Screening:
  More than 100 million (10 crore) vulnerable individuals were screened.
  Over 500,000 TB patients were diagnosed.
• Ni-Kshay Vehicles:
  A total of 836 Ni-Kshay vehicles were deployed to deliver TB services to remote areas.
• Ni-Kshay Mitras:
  Over 2.4 lakh (240,000) Ni-Kshay Mitras were registered to support TB patients.
  More than 2.3 lakh (230,000) nutrition baskets were distributed.
• Tuberculosis (TB):
  TB is a contagious disease that primarily affects the lungs.
  It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  TB spreads through the air and can be fatal if untreated.
  However, it is treatable and preventable.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

Second National Judicial Pay Commission

Recently, the Second National Judicial Pay Commission submitted its final report with revised proposals concerning the salaries, pensions, and allowances of judicial officers across the country.

Background:

• Following the First Judicial Pay Commission Report (1996) and the Sixth Central Pay Commission (2006), the Supreme Court (SC) in 2009 constituted the Padmanabhan Commission to recommend pay scales, allowances, and perks for judicial officers.
• However, due to opposition to some rules, the All India Judges Association filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding a separate pay commission for judicial officers.
• Consequently, under Article 32, the Supreme Court allowed the constitution of the Second Judicial Pay Commission in May 2017.

First National Judicial Pay Commission (1996):

• Headed by Justice K. Jagannatha Shetty, the commission submitted its report in 1999, recommending not only a revised salary and allowance structure for judicial officers but also addressing various other aspects related to courts and judicial administration.

Padmanabhan Commission (2009):

• The Supreme Court appointed a "One-Man Commission" under Justice E. Padmanabhan in April 2009, to determine the pay scales of serving and retired judicial officers across India.
• The commission submitted its report in July 2009, recommending an average 3.07 times increase in the prevailing salaries of judicial officers.

Second Judicial Pay Commission:

• In November 2017, as per Supreme Court orders, the Union Cabinet approved the formation of the Second National Judicial Pay Commission for the subordinate judiciary, chaired by Justice J.P. Venkatram Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge.
• The commission submitted its interim report in 2018.
• Objective: To recommend a uniform pay structure for judicial officers of subordinate judiciary across the country.
• While the salaries of central government employees have been revised, judicial officers of subordinate courts still receive salaries based on the 2010 revision.

Salary Recommendations:

• After considering various alternatives, it was recommended to adopt a Pay Matrix by multiplying the existing salary by a factor of 2.81.
• A 3% annual increment (as is applicable for High Court judges) will be applicable in a similar manner.
• As per the revised salary structure:
  • Junior Civil Judges / First Class Magistrates, who earlier received ₹27,700, will now get ₹77,840.
  • For District Judges, an increment of 10% (Selection Grade) and 5% (Super Time Scale) has been proposed.
• The revised salary and pension will be applicable from 1 January 2016.
• After adjusting interim relief, arrears for the year 2020 will be paid.

Pension Recommendations:

• The proposed revised pension will be 50% of the last drawn salary, effective from 1 January 2016, based on World Economic Forum suggestions.
• Family Pension will be 30% of the last drawn salary.
• The additional quantum of pension will begin at 75 years (instead of 80), and will increase in stages.
• Nodal officers (District Judges) will be appointed to assist pensioners and family pensioners.
• The New Pension Scheme (NPS), applicable for those joining service in or after 2004, is recommended to be scrapped.
• The highly beneficial old pension scheme is recommended to be revived.

Other Allowances and Benefits:

• Proposal to discontinue City Compensatory Allowance (CCA).
• Proposal to uniformly increase House Rent Allowance (HRA) across all states.
• New allowances proposed include:
  • Children’s Education Allowance,
  • Home Setup Allowance,
  • Transport Allowance in lieu of pooled car services.

Medical Facilities:

• Improvement in medical facilities and simplification of reimbursement processes.
• Medical benefits to be extended to pensioners and family pensioners as well.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️

Concerns Raised by CWS on the Translocation of African Cheetahs to India

On 19 February 2025, the Centre for Wildlife Studies (CWS) released a study highlighting the ethical, ecological, and welfare-related challenges associated with the translocation of African cheetahs to India during 2022 and 2023. The findings of the study have raised significant concerns about the viability of the project.

Key Findings:

• High Mortality Rate:
  The study reports a 40%-50% mortality rate among the cheetahs translocated in the first phase, which is significantly lower than the expected 85% survival rate.
• Stress and Health Issues:
  The cheetahs experienced high levels of stress, as indicated by over 90 chemical immobilizations and repeated veterinary interventions. These raise serious concerns about their physical and mental well-being.
• Temporary and Unethical Approach:
  The study argues that relying on a continuous annual supply of cheetahs (around 12) from Southern Africa to establish a viable population in India is neither ecologically sustainable nor ethically justified, especially considering the existing pressures on the African cheetah population (with only about 6,500 mature individuals left in the wild).

Project Cheetah:

• In September 2022, a total of 20 African cheetahs (8 from Namibia and 12 from South Africa) were translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, India, as part of Project Cheetah.

Topic Related Videos ⬇️