Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 13th January 2025

Indigenous Surgical Robotic System:

India achieved a groundbreaking milestone in healthcare technology with the successful completion of robotic cardiac surgeries via telesurgery using the SSI Mantra 3 Surgical Robotic System.

• An indigenous surgical robotic system designed for performing advanced robotic surgeries, including telesurgery.
• Developed by: SS Innovations.
• Ultra-low latency (35-40 milliseconds): Enables seamless real-time remote surgical procedures.
• High precision: Facilitates complex surgeries such as Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB).
• Telesurgery and Tele-proctoring Approved: The first robotic system globally to receive regulatory approval for telesurgery by Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).

Blue Flag Certification : New Addition

Kerala’s famed Kappad beach in Kozhikode and Chal beach in Kannur have been bestowed with the coveted Blue Flag certification by Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

• Blue Flag Certification is a globally recognized eco-label accorded by the Foundation for Environment Education in Denmark (FEE).
• The Blue Flag programme was started in France in 1985 and in areas out of Europe in 2001.
• It is one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards for beaches, marinas, and sustainable tourism boats.
• It promotes sustainable development in freshwater and marine areas through four main criteria:water quality, environmental management, environmental education and safety.
• The mission of Blue Flag is to promote sustainability in the tourism sector, through environmental education, environmental protection and other sustainable development practices.
• The other Indian beaches in the blue list are Shivrajpur-Gujarat, Ghoghla-Diu, Kasarkod and Padubidri-Karnataka, Kappad-Kerala, Rushikonda- Andhra Pradesh, Golden-Odisha, Radhanagar- Andaman and Nicobar, Kovalam in Tamil Nadu and Eden in Puducherry beaches, Minicoy Thundi Beach, Lakshadweep, Kadmat Beach, Lakshadweep.

Utricularia: Found In Rajasthan

A rare and unique carnivorous plant ‘Utricularia’ has been found in Rajasthan’s Keoladeo National Park in large numbers this season.

• Utricularia (bladderwort) is a genus of carnivorous plantsin the family Lentibulariaceae.
• Currently, 220 listed species occupying temperate and tropical habitats throughout the world, it is the most diverse and widespread genus of carnivorous plants.
• They are characterized by small hollow sacs that actively capture and digest tiny animals such as insect larvae, aquatic worms, and water fleas.
• Bladderworts can be found in lakes, streams, and waterlogged soils around the world, and several areinvasive species that have spread to novel habitats.
• Bladderwort plants lack roots and usually have a horizontal floating stembearing simple or divided leaves.
• Small carnivorous bladders are produced along the stem.
• Bladderworts trap small organisms in their tiny bladders, which have a trap door that is triggered by hairs on the door.
• When prey comes in contact with the hairs, the door opens in a millisecond, sucking the animal in and closing in about 2.5 milliseconds.
• The flowers are bisexual and bilaterally symmetrical.

Keoladeo National Park:

• The Keoladeo National Park, formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is located in the eastern part of Rajasthan.

Silver Notice : International Criminal Police Organisation

The International Criminal Police Organisation, or Interpol, has introduced its first ‘Silver Notice’.

• It is the latest addition to Interpol’s suite of colour-coded alerts, designed to help countries track and retrieve criminally obtained assets.
• This notice allows participating nations to request information on assets linked to criminal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and environmental crimes.
• It aimed at tracing assets laundered across international borders.
• This initiative, part of a pilot project involving 52 countries, including India, was launched following a request from Italy to locate the assets of a senior mafia member.
• The project will run until at least November 2025, with 500 notices available for distribution among the participating countries.
• Countries can use the Silver Notice to request information on various assets, including properties, vehicles, financial accounts, and businesses connected to criminal activities.
• The notice facilitates the identification and location of these assets, enabling further legal action, such as seizure or confiscation, subject to national laws.
• India is a participant in this pilot project and stands to benefit significantly.
• With numerous fugitive economic offenders and a substantial amount of unaccounted black money transferred offshore, the Silver Notice could be instrumental in tracing and recovering these assets.

Trichophyton indotineae:

Over 30 dermatologists have proposed renaming a skin-disease causing fungus, Trichophyton indotineae – named after India – arguing that it has been reported from more than 40 nations without any confirmation of India being the country of origin.

• Trichophyton indotineae is a fungal pathogen that can cause difficult-to-treat skin infections that are widely reported from India.
• The fungus was named after India in 2020 by a Japanese group on the basis of two isolates from India and Nepal, following an academic practice of identifying a new pathogen after the country where it was first sighted.
• The fungus has been documented in over 40 countries.
• It belongs to the dermatophyte group. Dermatophytosis is the superficial infection of the skin, hair, and nails by dermatophyte fungi.
• Indotineaecauses inflammatory and itchy dermatophytosis affecting the groins, gluteal region, trunk, and face.
• Patients of all ages and genders are affected.
• It spreads through direct skin contact and contaminated objects (e.g., towels, clothing).
• It is resistant against the first-line antifungal agent

Hatti Tribes:

The vibrant Boda Tyohar festival, the largest annual celebration for the Hatti tribes of the Trans-Giri region in Himachal Pradesh, kicked off recently with much enthusiasm and traditional fervour.

• They are a close-knit community who take their name from their traditional occupation of selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at small-town markets known as ‘haats’.
• There are two main Hatti clans: one in the Trans-Giri area of the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and the other in Jaunsar Bawar of Uttarakhand.
• The two Hatti clans have similar traditions, and intermarriages are common.
• They are governed by atraditional council called ‘khumbli’ which decides community matters.
• The Hatti homeland straddles the Himachal-Uttarakhand border in the basin of the Giri and Tons rivers, both tributaries of the Yamuna.
• The Tons marks the border between the two states.
• Hatti men traditionally don a distinctive white headgear on ceremonial occasions.According to the 2011 census, members of the community numbered 2.5 lakh, but at present population of the Hattis is estimated at around 3 lakhs.
• In 2023, the Government of India granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Hatti community in Himachal Pradesh.

Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project:

State-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) recently said it has successfully commissioned the first two units of the 6×170 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydroelectric project (PHEP-II) in Bhutan.

• Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (PHEP-II) is a 1 GW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power-generating facility under construction in the Wangdue Phodrang district of Bhutan.
• It is located on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River.
• The project is being developed by the Punatsangchhu II Hydroelectric Project Authority, under an Inter-Government Agreement (IGA) between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India.
• It involves the construction of a 91m-high and 223.8m-long concrete gravity dam, along with an 877.46m-long and 12m-diametre diversion tunnel with a discharge capacity of 1118 cubic metres per second.
• The project also involves a 168.75m-long and 22m-high upper cofferdam and a 102.02m-long and 13.5m-tall downstream cofferdam.
• The Punatsangchhu II hydroelectric power plant will comprise an underground powerhouse which will be equipped with six Francis turbines of 170 MW capacity each.
• On commissioning of all six units, the expected annual power generation will be 4,357 million units of electricity.

UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics:

India has joined the UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD).

• It was created in 2014, with Australia as its first Chair, to investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals.
• It is the management body of the UN-CEBD.
• It is scheduled to meet about 4 times per year to review the work of the UN-CEBD and give strategic direction.
• The Bureau takes care of the ongoing operations of the UN-CEBD.
• Mandate:
  • To provide a strategic vision, direction and coordination for a global programme on big data for official statistics, including for indicators of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  • To promote practical use of big data sources, including cross-border data, while building on existing precedents and finding solutions for the many existing challenges,
  • To also promote capacity-building, training and sharing of experience;
  • To foster communication and advocacy of the use of big data for policy applications, especially for the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  • To build public trust in the use of big data for official statistics.

Indian Biennial Update Report:

India submitted its Biennial Update Report (BUR-4), providing a detailed account of its greenhouse gas (GHG inventory), progress on targets, and measures to combat climate change.

Highlights of India’s BUR-4:

• Total GHG emissions: 2,959 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
• Net GHG emissions (after forestry absorption): 2,437 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
• Emissions intensity of GDP reduced by 36% from 2005 levels.
• Energy: 75.66% (Electricity production alone: 39%).
• Agriculture: 13.72%.
• Industry and Waste: 10.62%.
• Emissions intensity reduction target of 45% by 2030 is on track.
• Non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity: 46.52% as of 2024.
• Additional carbon sink creation: 2.29 billion tonnes CO2 equivalent (2005–2021).
• Perform, Achieve, and Trade (PAT): Saved 7.72 Mtoe and reduced 28.74 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
• Highlighted needs for advanced technologies like ultra-efficient photovoltaics, floating wind turbines, and carbon capture for industrial sectors.

Sudan Humanitarian Crisis:

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has created a severe humanitarian crisis, with 3.2 million children under the age of five projected to face acute malnutrition in 2025, according to a UNICEF report.

UN Report Data:

• 2 million children under five expected to face acute malnutrition in Sudan in 2025.
• 7,72,000 children likely to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
• Over 20 months of war between the Army and RSF.
• Resulted in 12 million displaced, making it the world’s largest displacement crisis.
• Five areas in Sudan are already facing famine.
• Healthcare Collapse:Organizations like Doctors Without Borders forced to halt activities due to attacks on facilities.

Community Notes:

Meta recently announced the adoption of Community Notes, a crowdsourced content moderation system similar to Twitter’s (now X) approach, as a replacement for its fact-checking program in the US.Community Notes is a crowdsourced fact-checking system where users can add context or facts to specific posts. Launched by: Originally piloted as ‘Birdwatch’ by Twitter in 2021, rebranded as X, it is now being adopted by Meta across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Republic Day Craft Products:

To mark 75 years of the Republic of India, President has introduced a unique Republic Day “At Home” reception. Invitees will receive a curated box of crafts showcasing southern India’s rich heritage.These crafts, created by artisans from five southern states under the “One District One Product” scheme.

National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO):

Central government employees who donate organs are eligible for 42 days of leave, as per the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO). NOTTO is a national-level organization established under the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.Headquarters: Located on the Institute of Pathology (ICMR) Building, Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

India added a record 30 GW of renewable energy capacity in 2024:

India achieved a record renewable energy capacity addition of 30 GW in 2024, according to data from the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE). This marks a 113% increase from 13.75 GW in 2023, highlighting the country’s accelerating shift toward clean energy. The milestone assumes great importance as India targets 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

PM Modi Opens Z-Morh Tunnel in J&K:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Z-Morh Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant milestone in improving all-weather connectivity between Srinagar and the strategic region of Ladakh.

Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia were unanimously elected as the Secretary and Treasurer of the BCCI:

The uncontested election of Devajit Saikia as the Secretary and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia as the Treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was formalized during the BCCI’s Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 12, 2025.

India’s Jaishankar to Join Trump’s Swearing-In Ceremony:

Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM), will represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The inauguration is a significant event as Trump will begin his second term as the 47th President of the United States

DRDO’s HIMKAVACH multi-layer cold weather clothing system:

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has unveiled the HIMKAVACH multi-layer clothing system, engineered to enhance the operational efficiency of military personnel in extreme cold conditions. This innovative apparel has successfully completed user trials, demonstrating its effectiveness in temperatures ranging from +20°C to -60°C.

Mount Ibu Erupts in North Maluku, Indonesia:

Mount Ibu, situated in North Maluku, Indonesia, erupted on January 11, 2025, sending ash clouds up to 4,000 meters high and ejecting glowing lava up to two kilometers from its crater. This event has prompted authorities to issue warnings and implement safety measures for the public.

The INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) project:

The INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) project, launched with a financial backing of ₹100 crore, aims to enhance the quality of natural rubber produced in India’s North-East. This initiative focuses on skill development for rubber growers and the establishment of model infrastructure, with support from key players in the tyre industry, demonstrating a unique collaboration between agriculture and manufacturing.

IUCN Lists Western Ghats As Key Freshwater Biodiversity Hotspot:

The Western Ghats in India has been identified as a key global hotspot for threatened freshwater species by the first-ever multi-taxon global freshwater fauna assessment conducted by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. The study highlights that one-quarter of freshwater species worldwide face a high risk of extinction, with the Western Ghats being one of the most critical regions for freshwater biodiversity conservation.

Shreyas Iyer Appointed Punjab Kings Captain:

Shreyas Iyer has been appointed as the captain of Punjab Kings for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The announcement was made during a special segment on the reality television show ‘Bigg Boss’, where Iyer appeared alongside teammates Yuzvendra Chahal and Shashank Singh.