Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 7th March 2025

Antarctic Circumpolar Current:

A groundbreaking study has revealed that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC)—the world’s most powerful ocean current—is slowing down due to melting ice sheets.

• The Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is the strongest ocean current globally, flowing clockwise (from west to east) around Antarctica and connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
• As the only ocean current connecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, the ACC is five times stronger than the Gulf Stream and over 100 times more powerful than the Amazon River.
• The Antarctic Circumpolar Current separates the Southern Ocean from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans at 60° S latitude, which roughly coincides with the current’s southern boundary.
• It plays a critical role in regulating Earth’s climate by distributing heat, water, and nutrients worldwide. Beyond climate regulation, the ACC acts as a natural barrier, preventing non-native marine species from reaching Antarctica.
• However, the rapid melting of Antarctic ice due to rising global temperatures is introducing large volumes of freshwater into the ocean, which can disrupt the ACC’s flow.

Bangus Valley : New Rule

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday (March 6, 2025) announced a new set of rules for Bangus, a far-off tourist spot near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir, in a bid to promote it as an ecotourism destination

• Lying within the Trans-Himalayan area, Bangus is a unique ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes a grassland biome with flora at lower altitudes; and Taiga or Coniferous forest.
• The valley which lies at an altitude of around 10,000 ft. above sea level is in the northern part of district Kupwara within the Handwara sub District.
• Occupying an estimated area of 300 sq. km, the principal valley locally known as Bodh Bangus (Big Bangus) consists of a linear elliptical bowl aligned along the east-west axis.
• The valley is surrounded by Rajwar and Mawar in the east, Shamasbury and Dajlungun Mountains in the west and Chowkibal and Karnah Guli in the north.
• A smaller valley known as Lokut Bangus (Small Bangus) lies on the north-eastern side of the main valley.
• Both the valleys have level green meadows surrounded by low-lying mountains covered with dense Coniferous forests (budloo) and a stream flowing through them..

AI Kosha:

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launched AI Kosha, a non-personal datasets platform, along with the GPU access portal under the IndiaAI Mission.

• AI Kosha is an initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) designed to serve as a unified repository for datasets, tools, and AI models.
• It aims to enhance access to datasets and models from various sources to boost AI innovation, support AI solution development with shared toolkits, and showcase use cases to inspire new applications.
• It serves as a central repository, offering over 300 datasets, 80+ models, and diverse AI use cases.
• It also features an AI sandbox with an integrated development environment, tools, and tutorials.
• Key security measures include content discoverability, AI readiness scoring, permission-based access, data encryption, secure APIs, and real-time firewalls to ensure safe and efficient AI development.

Pashu Aushadhi Initiative:

The government will open “Pashu Aushadhi” stores across the country to provide affordable generic veterinary medicines to people engaged in animal husbandry and dairying.

• It has been conceptualised on the lines of the existing Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK), which provide “quality generic medicines at affordable prices” to people to “bring down the healthcare budget of every citizen of India”.
• The Pashu Aushadhi initiative is part of the revised Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), which was approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister.
• The Pashu Aushadhi stores will be run by cooperative societies and Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSK).
• The Pashu Aushadhi Kendras will also sell ethnoveterinary medicines, based on traditional beliefs and indigenous knowledge and practices, to treat animal diseases.
• It has been allocated ₹75 crore to ensure the availability of high-quality, affordable generic veterinary medicines.
• These medicines will be distributed through PM-Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and cooperative societies, making essential animal healthcare more accessible to farmers.

Parvatmala Pariyojana:

The union cabinet recently approved two major ropeway projects- Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 km) and Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 km)- in Uttarakhand, which will be developed under National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.

• The National Ropeways Development Programme, known as the ‘Parvatmala Pariyojana’, was announced in the 2022-23 Union Budget.
• Under the Parvatmala Pariyojana, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways envisages the provision of safe, economical, convenient, efficient, self-sustainable & world-class ropeway infrastructure providing first- and last-mile connectivity to improve logistics efficiency in India.
• The programme aims to improve connectivity and convenience for commuters in hilly regions and to decongest urban areas where the conventional mode of transport is saturated or not feasible.
• The aim is to improve connectivity and convenience for commuters, besides promoting tourism.
• For the development of ropeway infrastructure in dense forests, in urban areas, and in difficult terrains, the ministry is collaborating with various state governments/UT administrations.
• The Centre has identified more than 200 projects at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore under the programme.
• The projects are being implemented through Public-Private Partnership with around 60% contribution support by the Government of India.

Viatina-19:

An Ongole cow named Viatina-19 was sold for a record-breaking 4.38 million USD (approximately INR 40 crore) in Brazil’s Minas Gerais.

• Viatina-19 is a Nelore breed cow (Ongole cattle), renowned for its exceptional genetic qualities. The Nelore breed, originating from India and now prevalent in Brazil, is prized for its adaptability and meat quality.
• They are known for their unique genetic traits, including exceptional physical strength, heat resistance, and superior muscular structure. These qualities make them highly desirable for dairy.
• The Nelore breed is well known for its ability to adapt to tropical climates and disease resistance. Due to this, Viatina-19’s embryos are in high demand globally for breeding programs.
• The Nelore breed, which makes up the majority of Brazil’s cattle stock, is primarily raised for meat. According to the US Department of Agriculture, Brazil has about 230 million cows.
• However, in India, the original home of the Ongoles, the breed is facing the threat of extinction, its numbers halving from 15 lakh in 1944 to 6.34 lakh in the 2019 Livestock Census.
• The price of the cattle, too, is relatively low in India – Rs 1 lakh for a cow and Rs 10 to 15 lakh for a prized bull.

Delhi gets three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs:

Delhi gets three Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, focusing on holistic patient care and disease prevention.It is an attempt to move from a selective approach to health care to deliver a comprehensive range of services spanning preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care.It has two components which are complementary to each other.
Under its first component, 1,50,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandir will be created to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care, that is universal and free to users, with a focus on wellness and the delivery of an expanded range of services closer to the community.The second component is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) which provides health insurance coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs per year to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families seeking secondary and tertiary care.

US-Ukraine Mineral Deal:

The US-Ukraine Mineral Deal is a bilateral agreement aimed at providing the United States access to Ukraine’s vast mineral reserves, particularly critical raw materials.The deal establishes a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund, managed equally by Kyiv and Washington, to support Ukraine’s post-war rebuilding efforts.Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from its state-owned mineral resources, oil, and gas to the fund, which will then be reinvested in projects within Ukraine.

Open Market Operations:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently announced its plan to infuse Rs 1.9 lakh crore into the banking system through open market purchases of government securities and USD/INR swaps.When the RBI feels that there is excess liquidity in the market, it resorts to the sale of government securities, thereby sucking out the rupeeSelling securities removes money from the system, raises interest rates, makes loans more expensive, and decreases economic activity. However, when liquidity is sucked out, it can lead to a spike in bond yields as the RBI will release more government securities into the market, and bond buyers demand more interest rate on these securities.

Astra MK-III Missile:

India’s latest and most advanced air-to-air missile, the Astra MK-III, has now been officially renamed Gandiva, after the legendary bow of Arjuna from the Mahabharata.It is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.Still under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), this missile is expected to redefine the landscape of aerial warfare, especially in BVR combat. The missile will be deployed on the Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets and the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.

NITI Aayog Calls for Quantum Strategy:

A research paper titled “Quantum Computing: National Security Implications & Strategic Preparedness” by NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH), highlights the importance of quantum computing for India’s security and economy, urging a multi-pronged approach to address national security risks from quantum advancements. Over 40 billion USD pledged by 30+ governments worldwide. China leads with a 15 billion USD investment, followed by the US and Europe.The National Quantum Mission (NQM) was launched with a budget allocation of Rs 6,003 crore to develop indigenous capabilities in quantum technology and position India as a global leader in this emerging field.It has dual-use applications in the military and intelligence sectors, quantum technology can enhance encryption, improve surveillance systems, and advance weaponry, giving nations a technological edge in defense and national security.Economically, they can drive innovation, create high-tech industries, and attract investment.