Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 3rd March 2025

MISHTI Scheme:

Gujarat has emerged as the national leader in mangrove afforestation, covering 19,020 hectares in just two years under the Centre’s ‘MISHTI’ scheme.

• The Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) scheme is a government-led initiative aimed at increasing the mangrove cover along the coastline and on salt pan lands.
• “MISHTI” comes after India joined the ‘Mangrove Alliance for Climate’ launched during the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the UNFCCC held in Egypt in November 2022.
• It was launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on the occasion of World Environment Day, i.e., 5th June 2023.
• MISHTI envisages the restoration/reforestation of mangroves covering approximately 540 sq.km., spreading across 9 states and 3 union territories for a period of five years commencing 2023-24 onwards.
• The scheme is primarily focused on the Sundarbans delta, Hooghly Estuary in West Bengal, India, and other bay parts of the country, but also includes other wetlands in the country.
• Under the MISHTI scheme, the government is providing financial assistance to local communities to undertake mangrove plantation activities.
• The scheme also involves awareness campaigns to educate people about the importance of mangroves and their role in protecting the environment.
• The plantation activities are carried out in a participatory manner, involving local communities and NGOs, to ensure sustainability and community ownership of the initiative.
• It leverages the strengths and provisions of different government schemes and initiatives such as the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) Fund and other relevant sources.

Rushikulya River:

Forest officials recently restricted entry along a 5-km stretch from Gokharakuda to Bateswar near the Rushikulya river mouth in Ganjam district to protect Olive Ridley turtle eggs.

• Rushikulya River is one of Odisha’s prominent rivers, flowing primarily through the districts of Kandhamal, Ganjam, and Boudh.
• Originating at an elevation of approximately 1000 meters from the Daringbadi hills in the Eastern Ghats, often referred to as the ‘Kashmir of Odisha’ for its scenic beauty, the river travels a length of around 165 kilometers before emptying into the Bay of Bengal near the town of Ganjam.
• Unlike many other rivers, the Rushikulya River does not form a delta at its mouth, and it flows directly into the Bay of Bengal.
• The Rushikulya River basin encompasses a catchment area of roughly 7500 sq.km.
• Its tributaries are the Baghua, the Dhanei and the Badanadi,
• It is one of the most famous attractions near the river is the Olive Ridley Turtle Nesting Site, located on the coast where the Rushikulya River meets the Bay of Bengal.
• Each year, between January and March, thousands of Olive Ridley Turtles come to the shores to lay their eggs, creating a spectacular natural event known as Arribada.

Juanga Tribe:

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) recently sought an action taken report from the district magistrate-cum-collector of Keonjhar on alleged human rights violations of the Juanga tribe, a PVTG in the district.

• Juang is one of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) of the total 62 tribes found in Odisha.
• As per the 2011 Census, the Juang population stands at approximately 50,000.
• They are primarily concentrated in the current districts of Keonjhar and Dhenkanal in Odisha.
• Linguistically, they converse in the Juang language, a member of the Munda family within the Austroasiatic languages.
• The Juangs are known for their clan structure and kinship organisations.

Pan-India Survey On Farmers’s Share:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) conducted a pan-India survey on farmers’s share in consumer prices in rabi crops.

• It covered mandis and villages across 18 states analysing 12 rabi crops and including inputs from farmers, traders and retailers.
• Farmers received 40-67% of the final consumer price for major rabi crops surveyed.
• Wheat farmers received 67% of the consumer price, the highest among surveyed crops, with 25% selling at MSP for an assured market.
• Rice farmers’ share in retail prices was 52% in 2024 that remained stable over the years i.e., 45% in 2022, and 49% in 2018.
• Lentil (Masoor) farmers received around 66%, while Gram (Chana) farmers received 60% of the consumer price.
• Mustard farmers received 52%, slightly lower than the 55% recorded in a 2021 study.
• Farmers’ share in fruits and vegetables ranged from 40-63%, significantly lower than for cereals and pulses.
• The combined share of traders and retailers in consumer prices was more than 50% for most perishable crops (except tomatoes).
• Perishable crops (fruits and vegetables) had a lower farmers’ share compared to Non-perishable crops (such as wheat and pulses).
• Perishable products have short shelf life, seasonal production, varied quality, special logistics, strict standards, demand fluctuations, climate dependency, and supply chain uncertainties.
• Cash transactions still dominate agriculture, but electronic payments have risen significantly in the 2024 survey compared to 2018 and 2022.
• An unorganized supply chain with multiple intermediaries limits transparency in product movement, finances, and pricing, reducing farmers’ share of consumer prices.
• A lower farmers’ share discourages crop diversification away from cereals.

White Island:

The owners of New Zealand’s White Island volcano that erupted in 2019, killing 22 tourists and local guides, have had the conviction against them overturned by the country’s High Court recently.

• White Island (also known as Whakaari) is an active composite stratovolcano in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
• It is currently New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, sitting 48 km off the coast of Whakatāne in the North Island.
• Last major eruption on December 9, 2019.
• The cone has been built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years.
• The island covers an area of around 325 hectares, and this is only about 30 percent of the volcano’s mass-the rest is under the sea.
• It is two kilometres in diameter, and its peak rises 321 m above sea level.
• The island was sighted and named by Capt. James Cook in 1769.
• It has numerous hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles.
• It is privately owned. In 1953 it was declared a private scenic reserve and has been the focus of tourism activities along with geological and ecological science.

Ultra-Conserved Elements:

A study found that Ultra-Conserved Elements (UCEs) in the Tra2b (Transformer-2 beta) gene have remained unchanged for 80 million years due to their role in preventing infertility by regulating protein levels.

Key Findings of the Study on Ultra-Conserved Elements:

• Deleting the UCE in mouse testes caused excess Tra2β protein, sperm cell death, and infertility.
• A UCE in the Tra2b gene regulates Tra2β protein production by acting as a poison exon.
• When Tra2β protein levels are too high, the UCE triggers an extra exon in the gene’s RNA, introducing a stop codon that halts protein synthesis, preventing overproduction.
• Mutations disrupting UCE’s protein-limiting function cause infertility, preventing inheritance. Thus Natural selection has preserved UCEs across species for millions of years.
• UCEs are Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences of at least 200 base-pairs that have remained completely unchanged across multiple species for 80 million years or more.
• These sequences are found in humans, mice, rats, chickens, and even fish, indicating their critical biological importance.
• Across the human genome (an entire set of DNA instructions found in a cell), there are nearly 500 UCEs.
• UCEs exhibit nearly identical DNA sequences across diverse species, even those that are evolutionarily distant.
• They do not usually code for proteins but are involved in gene regulation.

Aadhaar Good Governance Portal:

The central government launched Aadhaar Good Governance portal to streamline approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests.

• Aadhaar Good Governance Portal is aimed at streamlining the approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests.
• It was launched by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• The platform follows the recent amendments to the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2025, under the Aadhaar Act of 2016.
• The new rules are designed to support good governance and improve the delivery of various welfare services and benefits.
• This portal is part of ongoing efforts to simplify processes, enhance service delivery, and improve the overall ease of living for citizens.
• The portal shall work as a resource rich guide, and offer detailed SOP for authentication seeking entities on how to apply and how to onboard for Aadhaar authentication.
• Face Authentication may also be integrated in the customer facing apps of private entities, which will enable anytime anywhere, authentication.

Neonatal Sepsis:

The Lancet Global Health journal study said that more than a third of newborns diagnosed with sepsis could die.

• It is a blood infection that occurs in an infant younger than 90 days old.
• It can be caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli,Listeria, and some strains of Streptococcus.
• Classification of Neonatal Sepsis:
  • Early-onset Neonatal Sepsis:That develops within the first 72 hours of life
  • Late-onset Neonatal Sepsis: That develops after three days of life
  • Symptoms: Body temperature changes, Breathing problems and Diarrhea or decreased bowel movements etc
  • Treatment: Sepsis in newborns is Sepsis must be treated in a hospital, usually through antibiotics transmitted intravenously.
  • Prevalence: Neonatal sepsis results in more than 5,50,000 deaths globally every year. India accounts for nearly one-fourth of the global burden of infection-related deaths.

National Science Day 2025:

India celebrates National Science Day (NSD) on 28th February annually to honor Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata (CV) Raman’s discovery of the Raman Effect in 1928. The 2025 theme, “Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat”, highlights the role of scientific innovation and youth leadership and aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

One Day as a Scientist Initiative:

In response to PM Mann Ki Baat appeal, Ayush institutions opened their research labs to students under the ‘One Day as a Scientist’ initiative.A government initiative allowing students to experience real-world scientific research for a day in Ayush laboratories.Provides hands-on exposure to advanced lab equipment and modern research methodologies. Comes Under Ministry of Ayush. Implemented by: Leading Ayush research institutes, universities, and specialized labs.

Blue Ghost:

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost successfully landed upright on the Moon, becoming the second private spacecraft to achieve this feat.Blue Ghost is a privately developed lunar lander designed for scientific exploration and technology demonstration on the Moon.The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which partners with private companies to advance lunar exploration. Developed By: Firefly Aerospace, a Texas-based private space company.

Mission 300:

The World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), along with key partners, have launched Mission 300, an ambitious initiative to electrify 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.Mission 300 is a large-scale electrification initiative aimed at providing electricity to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 through grid expansion, mini-grids, and off-grid solar solutions.Launched In: 2025 by: World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), in collaboration with Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), and Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). Aim is to provide affordable, reliable, and sustainable electricity to 300 million people in Africa, accelerating the transition to clean energy solutions.

Dholavira : Visit Of President Of India

President Droupadi Murmu visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dholavira in Gujarat, appreciating the conservation efforts of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).It is Situated on Khadir Bet Island in the Great Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. Lies within the Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary and on the Tropic of Cancer. Discovered in 1967 by archaeologist Jagat Pati Joshi.
Excavations were systematically conducted from 1990 to 2005 under Dr. Ravindra Singh Bisht of ASI.mUnique Features of Dholavira is 16 massive reservoirs for rainwater harvesting, stepwells, check dams, and underground water storage. Known as Jal Durga (Water Fort) due to its superior water management techniques.Unique hemispherical structures, unlike the rectangular burial sites found in Harappa.Connected to the Magan (Oman Peninsula) and Mesopotamian regions. Dholavira, one of the most significant Indus Valley Civilization sites, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 and showcases advanced town planning and water conservation systems.

Exercise Desert Hunt 2025:

Exercise Desert Hunt 2025 was conducted at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 24 to 28 February 2025.It is an integrated Tri-Service Special Forces exercise conducted by the Indian Air Force.The exercise involved elite Para (Special Forces) from the Indian Army, the Marine Commandos from the Indian Navy along with the Garud (Special Forces) from the Indian Air Force, participating together in a simulated combat environment.Aim is to his high-intensity drill was aimed at enhancing interoperability, coordination and synergy among the three Special Forces units to ensure swift and effective response towards emerging security challenges.