Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 11th March 2025

World Spice Organisation: In News

The Chairman of the World Spice Organisation (WSO) recently stated that India holds a meager 0.7% share in the global seasoning market, valued at $14 billion in 2024, compared to China’s 12% and the U.S.A.’s 11%.

• It is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2011 in Kochi, Kerala, the spice capital of India.
• It is registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary, Scientific, and Charitable Societies Act, 1956.
• Objective is to Facilitating the spice industry in dealing with issues of “Food Safety & Sustainability”.
• WSO seeks to achieve its objectives by involving all its stakeholders—the general public, the industry, academia, and the end-users.
• WSO undertakes social responsibility projects beneficial for the industry.
• WSO is involved in initiatives promoting sustainability and biodiversity in collaboration with prominent national and international organizations like Spices Board India, Indian Institute of Spice Research (IISR), Rainforest Alliance, GIZ (Germany), and IDH – The Sustainable Trade Initiative (Netherlands).
• WSO also interacts with global spice associations like the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), European Spice Association (ESA), International Pepper Community (IPC), etc to resolve issues facing the spice industry.
• WSO takes part in the various national and international standard-setting processes pertaining to spices, such as FSSAI, BIS, ISO, and Codex, in order to ensure that the interests of the industry are considered while setting the standards.
• It is the technical partner of the All India Spices Exporters Forum (AISEF).

Insider Trading:

Nestle India recently said it received a warning from the country’s markets regulator for a breach of insider trading regulations “by a designated person of the company”.

• Insider trading, also known as insider dealing, is the malpractice of selling or buying a company’s securities by the insiders of a company.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) defines an ‘insider’ as someone who has access to price-sensitive information about a particular company’s shares or securities.
• An insider can be anyone who has been associated with the company in some way during the six months preceding the insider trade.
• That person could be an employee, a director, relative, banker or a legal counsel to the company, or even an official of the stock exchanges, trustees or employees of an asset management company (AMC) that worked with the company.
• Insiders, who have access to confidential and exclusive information about the issuer of a particular security or stock, benefit from buying or selling undisclosed securities before they fluctuate in price.
• Insider trading is one of the most serious malpractices that exists in the market.
• In India, insider trades are regulated by the SEBI under the Insider Trading Regulations, 2015.
• To prevent such acts of insider trading and to promote fair trading in the market for the interest of common investors, SEBI has prohibited the firms from purchasing their own shares from the secondary market.
• SEBI can impose fines and prohibit individuals or entities from trading in the capital market if found in violation of rules.

World’s Oldest Impact Crater:

Scientists in Australia have discovered the world’s oldest known meteorite impact crater in northwestern Australia, estimated to be 3.47 billion years old.

• Scientists in Australia have identified what they believe to be the world’s oldest known meteorite impact crater, a finding that could reshape understanding of Earth’s history and the origins of life.
• The crater, discovered in the remote North Pole dome region in northwestern Australia, is estimated to be 3.47 billion years old—more than a billion years older than any previously known impact site.
• The crater, named the North Pole Crater, was likely formed by a meteorite striking Earth at more than 36,000 kilometres per hour, creating an impact site over 100 kilometres wide. The collision may have sent debris flying across the planet, with molten droplets possibly landing as far away as South Africa.
• This discovery challenges previous assumptions about Earth’s ancient history and suggests that such impacts may have contributed to the origins of life by creating environments suitable for microbial activity.
• An impact crater forms when a fast-moving asteroid or meteorite crashes into a planet or moon.
• The impact is so powerful that it vaporizes the object, creating shockwaves that melt and reshape the ground, leaving a large circular hole with scattered rocks.
• Examples: Barringer Crater, Tycho Crater, etc.

Amrut Biodiversity Park:

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recently inaugurated the Amrut Biodiversity Park next to the Commonwealth Games Village.

• The Amrut Biodiversity Park, built as part of the Delhi Development Authority’s Yamuna Floodplain Restoration initiative, is a joint venture between the authority and the CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow.
• Spanning around 115 hectares, it is located along National Highway 24 and next to the Commonwealth Games Village in Delhi.
• The park features 14,500 native plants and tree species and 3,20,000 riverine grasses, including blue panic grass and sarkanda.
• It aims to provide the people with a clean and refreshing environment while increasing the city’s green spaces.
• The project is distinct from the rest of the biodiversity parks in its theme – India’s freedom struggle.
• It features tracks named ‘First War of Independence’, ‘Santhal Rebellion’, ‘Champaran Satyagraha’, ‘Dandi March’ and ‘Azad Hind Fauj’.

Ladki Bahin Yojana : Maharashtra Govt

The Maharashtra government disbursed ₹17,500 crore to 2.38 crore women under the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana till December 2024, stated the Economic Survey tabled in the State Assembly.

• The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, commonly referred to as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, is a key welfare program introduced by the Maharashtra Government in 2024.
• It aims to provide financial support to economically disadvantaged women aged 21 to 65, promoting their rehabilitation, economic development, and empowerment.
• To qualify for the Ladki Bahin Yojana, the applicant must be a permanent resident of Maharashtra.
• Age Limit: The applicant should be between 21 and 65 years old.
• The combined annual income of the applicant’s family must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh.
• Income Tax: No family member should be an income taxpayer.
• Under this scheme, eligible women will receive Rs 1,500 per month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Reasonable Classification Test:

The Anwar Ali Sarkar Case, 1952 is a landmark Supreme Court ruling that laid the foundation for the reasonable classification test under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution.This test has now become a standard for evaluating the constitutionality of laws.It is a legal principle under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution that ensures fair treatment by permitting the grouping of individuals or entities based on clear differences that are logically linked to the law’s objective.It prevents arbitrary discrimination while acknowledging that not all cases are identical.

Space Debris Crisis:

A 500-kg metal object crashed in Kenya, sparking concerns over space debris and highlighting the increasing global issues of accountability and safety measures for debris reentries.According to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) ‘Space debris is all man-made objects, including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering the atmosphere, that are non-functional’.It includes defunct satellites, rocket stages, and fragments from explosions or collisions.

March 7th is celebrated as Jan Aushadhi Diwas:

Every year, March 7th is celebrated as Jan Aushadhi Diwas to raise awareness about affordable generic medicines under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).Jan Aushadhi Diwas: Initiated on 7th March 2019, under the PMBJP. The initiative includes a week-long celebration, ‘Janaushadhi Week,’ from 1st-7th March across the nation.2025 Theme: “Daam Kam – Dawai Uttam,” emphasizing affordable and high-quality medicines for all.The PMBJP was originally launched in 2008 as the Jan Aushadhi Scheme under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers to provide affordable medicines through outlets called Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs).

Gut Bacteria and Vitiligo:

Research suggests that gut-friendly bacteria could play a crucial role in treating vitiligo.The treatment suppresses harmful T cells that attack pigment and boosts protective regulatory T cells.Vitiligo is a skin condition where the skin loses its pigment (melanin), leading to white patches. It is an autoimmune disorder.It results from melanocytes (pigment-producing cells) destruction due to autoimmune responses, genetic mutations, stress, or environmental triggers.Vitiligo affects 0.5%–2% of the global population, with India’s prevalence ranging from 0.25% to 4%.Gut-Friendly Bacteria (Probiotics) are beneficial microorganisms that help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing Report:

UN Women’s latest report, “Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing,” was released ahead of the 50th International Women’s Day on 8 March 2025.The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) is a global framework adopted by 189 governments at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.It remains the most comprehensive roadmap for gender equality and women’s empowerment.It focuses on 12 critical areas, including women’s rights, economic participation, political leadership, education, health, and freedom from violence.

Emocracy:

Vice President called for a national debate on the shift from democracy to ‘Emocracy’, warning that emotion-driven policies threaten good governance.‘Emocracy’ (Emotion-Driven Democracy) refers to governance influenced by emotions rather than rational policy-making.It replaces evidence-based decision-making with populist rhetoric and emotionally charged narratives.

National Commission for Women : launched 21 pre-marital communication centres

The National Commission for Women (NCW) will launch 21 pre-marital communication centres across nine states to provide counselling and guidance on marriage-related issues.The National Commission for Women (NCW) is an autonomous statutory body established to protect and promote women’s rights in India.Formed under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, it plays a crucial role in policy advocacy, legal reforms, and women’s welfare initiatives.

Strategic Bitcoin Reserve:

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve to position the U.S. as a leader in digital asset storage.The reserve will be capitalized with Bitcoin seized by the U.S. Treasury from criminal and civil forfeiture proceedings, creating a government-backed stockpile of cryptocurrencies.

RBI’s 29th Standing Advisory Committee Meeting on MSME Credit Flow:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) convened the 29th Meeting of the Standing Advisory Committee (SAC) in Ahmedabad to evaluate and improve credit accessibility for the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sectorDeputy Governor Swaminathan J emphasized the crucial role of MSMEs in India’s economic growth. RBI reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening credit access for MSMEs.

Sea Dragon 2025 Naval Exercise:

The Sea Dragon 2025 naval exercise, a key multilateral maritime warfare drill, has commenced off the Guam coast in the western Pacific Ocean. This high-intensity anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise is hosted by the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet and will take place from March 4 to March 19, 2025.The Indian Navy, along with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN), is participating in this tactical interoperability exercise, aiming to enhance coordination in maritime security operations.

Eyal Zamir Appointed as Israel’s New Military Chief:

Israel has appointed Eyal Zamir as its new Chief of Staff at a critical juncture in its military history. A former tank commander and director of the defence ministry, Zamir replaces Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, who resigned following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. His appointment comes amid continued Israeli military operations in Gaza, rising tensions with Iran, and an increasing focus on West Bank security. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed confidence in Zamir’s ability to secure “absolute victory” against Hamas.