Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 26th March 2025

World Water Day 2025:

The Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the 6th edition Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign 2025 on 22nd March 2025 (World Water Day) with the theme: “People’s Action for Water Conservation- Towards Intensified Community Connect” (Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Jan Jagrukta Ki Or).

• The government reaffirmed its commitment to the principle of “Every Drop Counts” with the focus on 148 districts across India for water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and groundwater recharge.
• Theme (2025): ‘Glacier Preservation’
• The “Jal-Jangal-Jan” Abhiyan was launched with the focus on restoring ecological links between forests, rivers, and springs.
• World Water Day aims to raise awareness about water conservation and its sustainable management.
• It was conceptualized at the 1992 Rio Summit and officially designated to be observed annually by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1993.
• The day aligns with UN SDG-6: Ensuring water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Equalization Levy:

The central government has proposed to abolish the Equalisation Levy, or digital tax, on online advertisements, aiming to benefit advertisers on platforms like Google and Meta.

• The Equalisation Levy was introduced in India in 2016, with the intention of taxing the digital transactionse. the income accruing to foreign e-commerce companies from India.
• It is aimed at taxing business-to-business transactions.
• It is also often referred to as the “Google Tax”.
• It is a direct tax, which is withheld at the time of payment by the service recipient.
  • The two conditions to be met to be liable to equalisation levy:
  • The payment should be made to a non-resident service provider;
• The annual payment made to one service provider exceeds Rs.1,00,000 in one financial year.
• Currently, not all services are covered under the ambit of equalisation Levy. The following services are covered:
  Online Advertisement Services (Effective from June 1, 2016).
• Any provision for digital advertising space or facilities/services or selling goods to Indian residents, or users accessing services/goods through Indian IP addresses (Effective from April 1, 2020).
• It was also mentioned during the introduction of the levy that as and when any other services are notified, these will be included with the aforesaid services.
• Equalisation Levy Exclusion:
  • The non-resident service provider has a permanent office in India, and the requested service is linked to that permanent office/establishment.
  • The total consideration amount to be paid for the specific service payable or received is less than Rs.1 lakh.
  • The service described is not intended to be used to pursue a profession or work.
  • An exemption under section 10(50) of the Act is provided to avoid double taxation for any income arising from specified services provided on which equalisation levy is chargeable.
  • An income chargeable to tax as fees or royalties for technical services will not be included as income for the equalisation levy purposes.
  • The tax rate under the equalisation levy depends on the type of service or transaction.
  • For specified digital services, such as online advertising, the rate is 6% of the gross consideration.
  • For e-commerce transactions, such as online sale of goods or services, the rate is 2% of the gross consideration.

Financial Action Task Force : In News

India will host the FATF Private Sector Collaborative Forum 2025 in Mumbai, addressing global priorities such as payment transparency, financial inclusion, and digital financial system transformation.

• FATF is an intergovernmental policy-making and standard-setting body dedicated to combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
• Objective is to establish international standards and to develop and promote policies, both at national and international levels, to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
• FATF develops and promotes policies across various countries and jurisdictions.
• It was established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris in response to a growing concern about money laundering.
• In 2001, its mandate expanded to include terrorism financing.
• Headquarters: Paris,
• To become a member, a country must be considered strategically important (large population, large GDP, developed banking and insurance sector, etc.), must adhere to globally accepted financial standards, and be a participant in other important international organizations.
• FATF members include 39 countries, including the United States of America, India, China, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Germany, France, and the European Union (EU) as such.
• In addition, more than 180 countries worldwide are affiliated with the FATF through a network of FATF-style regional bodies (FSRBs).
• India became a member of FATF in India is also a member of two FATF Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs)-Asia Pacific Group (APG) and Eurasian Group of Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (EAG).
• The FATF researches how money is laundered and terrorism is funded, promotes global standards to mitigate the risks, and assesses whether countries are taking effective action.
• FATF regularly publishes reports that raise awareness about the latest money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing techniques so that countries and the private sector can take the necessary steps to mitigate these risks.
• The FATF Recommendations are recognised as the global anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CFT) standard.
• Once a member, a country or organization must endorse and support the most recent FATF recommendations, commit to being evaluated by (and evaluating) other members.
• The FATF holds countries to account that do not comply with the FATF Standards.
• If a country repeatedly fails to implement FATF Standards, then it can be named a Jurisdiction under Increased Monitoring or a High-Risk Jurisdiction. These are often externally referred to as “the grey and black lists”.

Lapis Lazuli : The Earth’s Best Blue

Lapis lazuli is a vivid blue metamorphic rock, known for its striking colour and semi-precious gemstone value.

• It has been highly valued for thousands of years for use in jewellery, ornaments, and pigments.
• Composition of Lapis Lazuli
  • The blue colour comes from lazurite (25-40%), a rare mineral.
  • The shade of blue depends on the amount and structure of sulphur in lazurite.
  • Other minerals present: Pyrite (gives golden streaks and sparkle), Calcite (reduces the blueness), Diopside and Sodalite (found in smaller quantities).
• Major sources include Afghanistan, Chile, Russia, and the United States.
• The highest-quality lapis lazuli is mined in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, where it has been extracted for over 6,000 years.

World Tuberculosis Day 2025: Theme

March 24 is observed as World Tuberculosis (TB) Day to raise awareness about TB and efforts to eliminate it.

• The 2025 theme is “Yes, We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, and Deliver.”
• The President of India commended the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP) for its public awareness initiatives and significant reduction in TB cases over the past decade.
• India aims to eliminate TB by 2025, ahead of the global target of 2030 set by the WHO End TB Strategy.
• Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other body parts such as the abdomen, glands, bones, and nervous system.

Farakka Barrage:

Farakka Barrage was commissioned in 1975, and the 50th anniversary of its operation is being observed in 2025.

• Situated on the Ganga River in Murshidabad district, West Bengal, approximately 18 km from the Bangladesh border.
• Began operations on April 21, 1975, after 12 years of construction and an expenditure of ₹130 crores.
• Diverts 40,000 cusecs of water into the Farakka Feeder Canal to flush out silt from the Bhagirathi-Hooghly River, ensuring smooth navigation for Kolkata Port.
• India and Bangladesh have had multiple agreements over Ganga water sharing, including the 1977 Farakka Agreement and the 1996 Ganga Water Treaty.

IndusInd Bank reported derivative losses of ₹2,100 crore on March 10, 2025, leading to a 23% decline in its share price:

Financial contracts whose value depends on an underlying asset, index, or rate . It is Used for hedging risks, speculation, and portfolio diversification. Common underlying assets: Stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates, and market indexes. Standardized contracts allow investors to speculate on future currency exchange rate movements. Traded on stock exchanges, unlike Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivatives which are private.

India recently has imposed anti-dumping duty on five Chinese goods:

India recently has imposed anti-dumping duty on five Chinese goods, including vacuum flasks and aluminium foil.Anti-Dumping Duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are priced below fair market value. Dumping is a process wherein a company exports a product at a price that is significantly lower than the price it normally charges in its home (or its domestic) market.

Inner Line Permit:

Indian Railways likely to shelve projects in Meghalaya due to local opposition.The Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, originally an offshoot of the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR), 1873, remains a crucial tool for protecting indigenous tribal communities in India’s Northeastern states.ILP is an official travel document issued by the state government to regulate the entry of non-residents into restricted areas of certain states.It is required for Indian citizens who are not permanent residents of these states.The system was introduced to protect indigenous communities from exploitation and preserve traditional cultures. ILP States in India: Currently, four states require an ILP for entry: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur (ILP extended in 2019)

Sixth round of India’s Remittances Survey 2023-24:

Sixth round of India’s Remittances Survey 2023-24 by RBI shows that the US, UK, Singapore, Canada and Australia together accounted for more than half of remittances into India.India has consistently received the highest remittance over the years, with the money doubling from $55.6 billion in 2010-11 to $118.7 billion in 2023-24.The highest contribution came from the United States, accounting for 27.7 percent of the total remittances.UAE maintained its position as the second largest source of India’s remittances, with its share increasing from 18 percent in 2020-21 to 19.2 per cent in 2023-24.Share of inward remittances from advanced economies, including the US and the UK, has risen, surpassing that of Gulf economies in 2023-24. The US and the UK together contributed to nearly 40 percent of total remittances coming to India through banks in FY24.At the national level, Kerala ranks second in terms of remittance inflows, following Maharashtra, which accounted for 20.5 percent of total remittances in 2023-24.Tamil Nadu stands third with 10.4 per cent, followed by Telangana (8.1 percent) and Karnataka (7.7 per cent).

Report on Forest Diversion:

The Union Environment Ministry informed Lok Sabha that between 2014-15 and 2023-24, a total of 1,73,396.87 hectares of forest land has been diverted for non-forestry purposes, including infrastructure projects, under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.

Total Diversion (2014-15 to 2023-24):

• 1,73,396.87 hectares of forest land diverted for non-forestry activities, including infrastructure development.
• Forest Land Diversion (2021-22 to 2023-24): 59,882.07 hectares diverted during the last three financial years.
• State-wise Data (2021-24): Madhya Pradesh saw the largest diversion: 14,157.02 hectares.

Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture:

The 20th meeting of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA-20) has commenced in Rome, where global leaders will discuss strategies for conserving plant and forest genetic resources and release two major global reports.A permanent intergovernmental body that focuses on conserving and sustainably using biodiversity essential for food security and agriculture. Established in: 1983, initially as the Commission on Plant Genetic Resources; expanded in 1995 to cover all genetic resources relevant to food and agriculture. Headquarters: Rome, Italy. Parent Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

In-House Judicial Enquiry:

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has formed a three-member in-house inquiry panel to investigate allegations of cash recovery from the residence of Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Varma.An internal mechanism to examine complaints against sitting High Court or Supreme Court judges for misconduct not meeting the threshold of impeachment.
Established by Supreme Court of India in 1999, following recommendations of a five-member committee formed in 1997.

Uttarakhand Government Plans Ganga and Sharda River Corridors to Boost Religious Tourism:

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced the development of corridors along the sacred Ganga and Sharda rivers to enhance religious tourism in the state. The initiative aims to improve infrastructure and facilities for pilgrims while preserving the state’s cultural and spiritual heritage. Additionally, CM Dhami emphasized the relevance of ancient Indian scriptures in shaping both scientific and spiritual thought at the 62nd All India Shastraotsav in Haridwar

Supreme Court Establishes National Task Force for Student Mental Health Concerns:

The Supreme Court has set up a National Task Force (NTF) to address student mental health concerns. The court highlighted the need for a comprehensive and effective framework to tackle factors contributing to such incidents. The decision follows the tragic deaths of two IIT Delhi students in 2023, prompting a call for action against academic stress, caste-based discrimination, and other institutional issues. The NTF, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice S. Ravindra Bhat, will investigate causes, analyze existing regulations, and propose solutions to strengthen mental health protections in educational institutions.