Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 29th September 2025

AstroSat : Completed A Decade

India’s first dedicated Space Astronomy Observatory, AstroSat completed a decade of operations.

• AstroSat is the first dedicated Indian astronomy mission.
• It was launched by PSLV-C30 (XL) rocket from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota on September 28, 2015.
• The minimum useful life of the AstroSat mission was around 5 years but still it is providing valuable information.
• It was designed to observe the universe in the Visible, Ultraviolet, low and high energy X-ray regions of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously with the help of its five payloads.
• Payloads of Astrosat: Ultra Violet Imaging Telescope (UVIT), Large Area X-ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC), Cadmium–Zinc–Telluride Imager (CZTI), Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) and Scanning Sky Monitor (SSM).
• Objectives of Astrosat
  • To understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes.
  • Estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars.
  • Study high energy processes in star systems lying beyond our galaxy.
  • Detect new briefly bright X-ray sources in the sky.
  • Perform a limited deep field survey of the Universe in the Ultraviolet region.
  • The spacecraft control center at Mission Operations Complex (MOX) of ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC), Bengaluru, manages the satellite during its entire mission life.

Beddome’s cat skink:

A biodiversity survey has, for the first time, recorded the presence of Beddome’s cat skink (Ristella beddomii) at the Aralam and Kottiyoor Wildlife sanctuaries.

• Beddome’s cat skink is also called Beddome’s ristella.
• It is named after British naturalist Richard Henry Beddome, the species is considered rare and endemic to the Western Ghats region.
• It is a small reddish brown lizard with retractile claws and bicarinate scales.
• It is found in the forests of the Western Ghats at an altitude of 400-1,300 metres.
• It is an oviparous species and egg laying coincides with the southwestern monsoons.
• Skink is the common name for the lizards that comprise the family Scincidae.
• It is a type of reptile that has been around since the time of the dinosaurs.
• It is typically smooth and shiny with small or rudimentary legs.
• They are mostly secretive ground dwellers or burrowers.
• Skinks are highly alert, agile and fast moving and actively forage for a variety of insects and small invertebrates.
• They can be found in a variety of habitats, from deserts to rainforests, and are well-known for their ability to camouflage with their surroundings.
• These are represented throughout most of the world but are especially diverse in Southeast Asia and its associated islands, the deserts of Australia, and the temperate regions of North America.

Andaman Sea : Study

The Union Petroleum Minister recently announced that natural gas has been discovered in the Andaman basin, confirming the long-held belief that the Andaman Sea is rich in natural gas.

• It is a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the northeastern Indian Ocean.
• It lies between the eastern coast of India and the Malay Peninsula, with Myanmar to the north and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the south.
• The Bay of Bengal bounds the Andaman Sea to the west and the Strait of Malacca to the east.
• It is a complex geological region with a tectonically active plate boundary.
• It is part of the larger Sunda Plate, which the Indian Plate borders to the northwest and the Australian Plate to the southeast.
• The ongoing tectonic convergence between these plates has resulted in the formation of the Andaman Basin, characterized by undersea ridges, trenches, and faults.
• The most prominent geological feature in the region is the Andaman Trench, which is formed by the subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate.
• This tectonic activity has given rise to numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the region, making the Andaman Sea seismically active.
• It is home to extensive coral reef systems, seagrass meadows and mangrove forests, which provide critical habitats for a multitude of marine organisms.
• It hosts many endangered fauna species –Whale Shark, Devil Manta Ray, Dugong, several dolphin species, such as Irrawaddy Dolphin and four species of sea turtles.
• It is also an important site for migratory birds, with several key stopover locations along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
• Most of the islands are part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a Union Territory of India, while the Coco Islands and Preparis Island are part of the Yangon Region of Myanmar.
• The climate of the Andaman Sea is tropical, with two distinct seasons: the southwest monsoon (May-September) and the northeast monsoon (November-February).

Yellow-tailed Ashy Skimmer:

At the Yamuna Biodiversity Park, Yellow-tailed Ashy Skimmer (Potamarcha congener) has been recorded for the first time during a recent Dragonfly survey in Delhi.

• Yellow-tailed Ashy Skimmer is a species of dragonfly in the family Libellulidae.
• Scientific Name: Potamarcha congener
• It is one of two species in its group, called Potamarcha. The other species is Potamarcha puella.
• It is also known as the common chaser, or swampwatcher.
• It is common through much of its range, which stretches through parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, including in countries such as India, Indonesia, China, Australia, and Vietnam.
• Adult males have a bluish powder-like coating. This covers their upper body and the first part of their abdomen.
• Female Dragonflies: Females have yellow and black stripes on their sides. Their abdomen is black with dull orange marks.
• It can fly backward, showcasing incredible aerial agility uncommon in other flying insects.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

Agri-Stack Scheme:

The Uttar Pradesh govt recently issued a stern warning to District Magistrates, emphasizing that strict action will be taken against those who fail to complete farmer registration under the Agri-stack scheme within the specified timeframe

• Agri-Stack Scheme is the digital foundation being set up by the government to enable the rollout of data-centric digital services to improve Indian agriculture and enable farmer empowerment.
• It integrates farmer data, land records, and scheme benefits into a centralized digital platform.
• It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare at the Centre in close collaboration with the Revenue and Agriculture departments of State governments.
• It is an infrastructure and foundational layer that enables various government and private entities to provide farmers with tailored services by providing them access to high-quality, validated, attested, and current data.
• Thus, Agri Stack will:
  • Provide the right support to farmers in terms of finance and agricultural inputs at the right time.
  • Provide localized and tailored early warning systems for disasters, including pest attacks, droughts, floods, etc.
  • Simplify government scheme benefits lifecycle for farmers.
  • Enable quick and easy access to affordable finance.
  • Enable private participation in farmer service delivery, thereby increasing farmers’ choices.
  • Enable ease of governance by providing required data at the right place for enhanced decision-making, policy implementation, and feedback management.
  • Improve targeting of government benefits (by maximizing inclusion and minimizing exclusion and fraud).

PM E-DRIVE Scheme: New Guidelines

The Centre recently unveiled operational guidelines for the rollout of nearly 72,300 public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country, with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore under the Rs 10,900 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme.

• The PM E-DRIVE (Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) scheme is a flagship initiative launched in October 2024 with a financial outlay of Rs.10,900 crore.
• It came into effect from October 1, 2024, and will remain in force until March 31, 2026. Its primary aim is to accelerate the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs), establish charging infrastructure, and build a robust EV manufacturing ecosystem in the country.
• It promotes mass mobility through the support of public transportation systems.
• The key objective is to speed up the transition to EVs by offering upfront incentives for EV purchases and encouraging the development of charging infrastructure.
• The scheme seeks to reduce transportation-related environmental impacts and improve air quality while also promoting an efficient and competitive EV manufacturing sector in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• This is to be accomplished through a Phased Manufacturing Program (PMP) designed to boost domestic manufacturing and strengthen the EV supply chain.
• The PM E-DRIVE scheme to be implemented through the following key components:
  • Subsidies: Demand incentives to be provided for electric vehicles such as e-2 wheelers (e-2W), e-3 wheelers (e-3W), e-ambulances, e-trucks, and other emerging categories of EVs.
  • Grants for creation of capital assets: Funding to be provided for the acquisition of electric buses (e-buses), the establishment of a comprehensive network of charging stations, and the upgrading testing facilities of the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).
• To qualify for the PM E-DRIVE incentives, vehicles must be registered as “Motor Vehicles” under the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) and equipped with advanced battery technology.

Men’s Cricket Asia Cup 2025:

India clinched its record 9th Asia Cup title by defeating Pakistan in the 2025 final at Dubai, with Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 69 anchoring the chase. Men’s Cricket Asia Cup 2025 is continental men’s cricket championship organised biennially to determine Asia’s top team. Matches are accorded official ODI or T20I status by the ICC. Conducted under the aegis of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), established in 1983 to promote goodwill and cooperation through cricket. Mascot: The official mascot for Asia Cup 2025 was “Sheru”, symbolising strength, courage, and unity of Asian cricket.

BSNL’s Swadeshi 4G Network Stack:

Prime Minister of India launched BSNL’s fully indigenous 4G network stack and commissioned ~98,000 mobile towers. This makes India the fifth country globally to build and deploy its own telecom stack, reinforcing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.It is India’s first fully indigenous 4G telecom stack, developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission.It Provides end-to-end cloud-native, 5G-ready architecture for mobile communications.

Radar-Mounted Drones for Surveillance:

The Border Security Force (BSF), in collaboration with ISRO, is developing radar-mounted drones to enhance surveillance along India’s western and eastern borders.Radar-mounted drones are unmanned aerial systems equipped with compact radars capable of monitoring border areas remotely without crossing international boundaries. Aim is To strengthen border security by providing persistent, high-accuracy surveillance across difficult terrains and hostile conditions.

India’s bioeconomy has grown 16 times in the last decade:

India’s bioeconomy has grown 16 times in the last decade (2014–2024), reaching $165.7 billion and accounting for 4.25% of GDP, but challenges of rural–urban disparity highlight the need for a landscape-driven green economy model.A green economy is an economic model that fosters sustainable development while reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Green Economy Promotes renewable energy, e-mobility, and energy efficiency to reduce emissions. It Encourages recycling, waste-to-energy, circular economy, and sustainable agriculture. Inclusive growth: Integrates women, rural communities, and MSMEs into green value chains. Ecosystem restoration: Protects biodiversity, soil health, water resources, and forests.
Technology-driven: Uses AI, IoT, and digital platforms for monitoring, smart grids, and carbon markets.