Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 16th August 2025

e-Sushrut@Clinic:

The National Health Authority (NHA) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to roll out e-Sushrut@Clinic.

• e-Sushrut@Clinic provides a lightweight, cloud-based Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) designed specifically for outpatient clinics.
• This government-backed Health Management Information System (HMIS) is designed specifically for small and medium healthcare providers.
• It marks a pivotal step in expanding the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) ecosystem.
• The application developed by C-DAC is a lighter version of their flagship e-Sushrut HMIS software.
• It is tailored for outpatient management, pharmacy, and nursing modules, and delivers essential functionalities at a low per-user cost.
• Any healthcare provider can onboard it from his/her laptop/mobile on a webpage through their Health Facility Registry (HFR) and Health Professionals Registry (HPR).
• If the healthcare provider is not registered on HFR/HPR, they would be able to register on eSushrut@Clinic itself.
• This will make it much easier for doctors in both public and private clinics to access and update patient health records, offer telemedicine services, and streamline diagnostics and prescriptions.
• The platform enables small clinics, sub-centres, and medium-sized hospitals to digitize patient records, prescriptions, and billing with minimal technical overhead.
• Several utilities and features of ABDM will be available in eSushrut@Clinic.
• For instance, the healthcare providers would use the AIIMS Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) service for hypertension and diabetes, which is being provided free for all ABDM-integrated software.
• This CDSS helps improve patient care by supporting doctors in making better diagnoses and treatment.

PM SVANidhi Yojana:

The Prime Minister recently lauded the success of PM SVANidhi Yojana, saying that the scheme is empowering street vendors in the country.

• It is a central-sector micro-credit scheme launched on 1st June 2020 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) for providing affordable working capital loans to street vendors affected by the Covid-19
• The scheme aims to provide financial support to street vendors to resume their livelihoods and help them become self-reliant.
• Implementation Agency: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
• Vendors can avail a working capital loan of up to Rs. 10,000, which is repayable in monthly installments in the tenure of one year.
• On timely/early repayment of the loan, an interest subsidy at 7% per annum will be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer on a quarterly basis.
• There will be no penalty on early repayment of the loan.
• The scheme promotes digital transactions through cash back incentives up to an amount of Rs. 100 per month.
• The vendors can avail the facility of escalation of the credit limit on timely/early repayment of loan.
• The loan amount can be used for any purpose related to the street vending business, such as buying raw materials, paying rent, or purchasing equipment.
• The loan repayment period is one year.
• Street vendors in possession of Certificate of Vending /Identity Card issued by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
• The vendors, who have been identified in the survey of street vendors but have not been issued Certificate of Vending/Identity Card.
• Street Vendors left out of the ULB-led identification survey or who have started vending after completion of the survey and have been issued a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) to that effect by the ULB / Town Vending Committee (TVC).
• The vendors of surrounding development/ peri-urban/rural areas vending in the geographical limits of the ULBs, who have been issued a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) to that effect by the ULB /TVC.

Satpura Tiger Reserve:

A tiger has been found dead in the Satpura Tiger Reserve (STR) in Madhya Pradesh’s Narmadapuram district recently, with officials suspecting the tiger died following a territorial fight.

• Satpura Tiger Reserve is located in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is located in the Satpura ranges of the Central Indian Landscape.
• It lies south of the river Narmada.
• Satpura, basically meaning “Seven Folds”, forms a watershed between the Narmada and Tapti Rivers.
• It is spread over an area of 2133 sq. km.
• The tiger reserve comprises three protected areas, Satpura National Park, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, and Pachmarhi Sanctuary.
• The terrain here is extremely rugged and consists of sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, ravines, and dense forests.
• The habitat is also an important testimony to human evolution, as it houses more than 50 rock shelters, which are almost 1,500 to 10,000 years old.
• Geological formations include the Deccan trap series, Gondwanas, and metamorphic rocks.

Two new species of damselflies:

Two new species of damselflies named Konkan Shadowdamsel and Crimson Shadowdamsel have been discovered in the Western Ghats by researchers from Maharashtra and Kerala.

• They are two new species of damselflies.
• The species — Konkan Shadowdamsel, discovered in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, and Crimson Shadowdamsel, discovered in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district — belong to the group commonly called ‘Shadowdamsels’ because of their affinity for well-shaded forest habitats.
• The Crimson Shadowdamsel has a reddish body, and the Konkan Shadowdamsel has a coffee-brown ground colouration.
  Shadowdamsels usually only thrive in pristine habitats and small streams.
• They can act as indicators of the health of our forests. They are pollution indicators as well.
• Many of them are microendemics restricted to certain hill ranges within the Western Ghats.
• Damselflies are a group of predatory, aerial insects that are in the order Odonata.
• They are found mainly near shallow, freshwater habitats and are graceful fliers with slender bodies and long, filmy, net-veined wings.
• They are generally smaller, more delicate, and fly weakly in comparison with dragonflies.

Lewy body Dementia:

Jackie Bezos, mother of Jeff Bezos and an early Amazon investor, passed away in Miami recently due to Lewy body dementia.

• Lewy body Dementia (LBD) is a complex and challenging brain disorder.
• It is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s
• LBD is a disease associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain.
• These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain.
• These changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, mood, and other body functions.
• There are two forms of LBD that cause cognitive symptoms — dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia.
• LBD causes a decline in mental abilities that gradually gets worse over time.
• LBD typically begins at age 50 or older, although sometimes younger people may have it.
• LBD appears to affect slightly more men than women.
• The disease lasts an average of five to seven years from the time of diagnosis to death, but it can range from two to 20 years.
• People with LBD might see things that aren’t there, known as visual hallucinations.
• They also may have changes in alertness and attention.
• People with LBD commonly have symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. These symptoms might include rigid muscles, slow movement, trouble walking and tremors.
• As the disease worsens, people with LBD require more and more help with daily activities due to a decline in thinking and movement abilities.
• There’s no cure for Lewy body dementia and no way to prevent it.
• But medications and therapies can help manage symptoms for a while.

National Gopal Ratna Award:

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, has announced the opening of nominations for the prestigious National Gopal Ratna Awards 2025.

• National Gopal Ratna Award is one of the highest national honours in the livestock and dairy sector
• It was launched under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in 2021.
• The National Gopal Ratna Awards aim to encourage excellence among milk-producing farmers, dairy cooperatives, Milk Producer Companies (MPCs), Dairy Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs), with special focus on promoting indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds.
• Indigenous bovine breeds of India are robust and possess the genetic potential to play a crucial role in the national economy.
• The National Gopal Ratna Awards will be conferred in the following categories:
  • Best Dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds (list of registered breeds Annexed).
  • Best Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS)/ Milk producer Company (MPC)/ Dairy Farmer Producer Organization (FPO).
  • Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT).
• There is also a provision of Special award for North Eastern Region (NER) and Himalayan States so as to encourage and boost the dairy development activities in these States/UTs.
• NGRA 2025 will consist of a Certificate of merit, a memento and monetary prize in first two categories i.e Best Dairy Farmer and Best DCS/FPO/MPCs as under.

Antitrisuloides catocalina: Nocturnal moth species

Scientists have recorded the presence of the rare nocturnal moth species Antitrisuloides catocalina in Choolannur Peafowl Sanctuary in Palakkad district, Kerala.

• Antitrisuloides catocalina is a nocturnal moth species belonging to genus Antitrisuloides
• It is found in the Western Ghats for the first time.
• It is part of the Noctuidae family, the genus comprises two known species worldwide.
• The specimen found in Kerala was identified as a species previously reported only from North-East India.
• Its detailed analysis further revealed it to be the subspecies Antitrisuloides catocalina cyclica.
• Choolannur Peafowl Sanctuary
• is affectionately known as Mayiladumpara, a sanctuary dedicated to the majestic peacocks nestled in the lush landscapes of Palakkad district, Kerala.
• It is exclusively set up for breeding and conservation of peacocks, is the only peacock sanctuary in Kerala and the first of its kind in India.
• It was established in 1996, it was dedicated to the memory of the legendary Indian ornithologist and writer Induchoodan, who hailed from the nearby village called Kavassery.

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana:

The Prime Minister announced the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana.

• It provides direct cash incentives to eligible employees and employers to boost formal job creation.
• The scheme aims to support creation over 3.5 crore jobs in two years.
• Key Features of the Scheme:
  • Part A – Support to First-Time Employees
    • Targeting first-time employees registered with EPFO, this Part will offer one-month EPF wage up to Rs 15,000 in two installments.
    • Employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh will be eligible for the incentives. The 1st instalment will be payable after 6 months of service and the 2nd instalment will be payable after 12 months of service and completion of a financial literacy programme by the employee.
    • To encourage the habit of saving, a portion of the incentive will be kept in a deposit account for a fixed period and can be withdrawn by the employee at a later date.
  • Part B – Incentives for Employers:
    • This part will encourage generation of additional employment in all sectors, with a special focus on the manufacturing sector.
    • The employers will get incentives in respect of new employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh.
    • The Government will incentivize employers, up to Rs 3000 per month, for two years, for each additional employment, sustained for at least six months.
    • For the manufacturing sector, incentives will be extended to the 3rd and 4th years as well.
• Incentive Payment Mechanism: All payments to the First Time Employees under Part A of the Scheme will be made through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode using Aadhar Bridge Payment System (ABPS). Payments to the Employers under Part B will be made directly into their PAN-linked Accounts.
• An important outcome of the Scheme will also be formalization of the country’s workforce by extending social security coverage for crores of young men and women.

Exercise SLINEX:

Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Jyoti participating in the 12th edition of Sri Lanka and India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-25).

• Exercise SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise between India and Sri Lanka, which was conceptualised in 2005.
• It has strengthened maritime cooperation between the nations over two decades.
• It aims at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchanging best practices while jointly undertaking multi-faceted maritime operations.
• The previous edition of SLINEX was conducted at Visakhapatnam, India in 2024.
• The exercise will be conducted in two phases – the Harbour phase followed by Sea phase
• During the harbour phase, professional interactions, Subject Matter Expert Exchange(SMEE), sharing of best practices, cultural & social exchanges along with yoga sessions and sporting events are planned.
• The naval drills planned during the sea phase include gunnery firing serials, communication protocols, navigation, seamanship evolutions, Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) and fueling at sea.
• The SLINEX maritime exercise exemplifies the deep engagement between India and Sri Lanka, which has strengthened cooperation in the maritime domain in consonance with India’s policy of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions MAHASAGAR.

Punjab anti-drug campaign:

Punjab CM launched a reward policy for Punjab Police officers excelling in the anti-drug campaign, offering cash rewards for major seizures.

• The move comes as part of the state’s intensified crackdown under Yudh Nasheyan Virudh (War Against Drugs).
• Punjab anti-drug campaign is a statewide campaign aimed at dismantling the drug mafia and eradicating drug addiction.
• Positioned as both a law enforcement measure and a social awareness movement.
• Police officers recovering >1 kg heroin will get ₹1.2 lakh.
• Anti-drug syllabus introduced and mega Parent–Teacher Meeting involving 20 lakh parents & students.
• Villages passing resolutions to declare themselves drug-free.
• Formed in towns and villages to monitor local-level activities.
• Sports policy, “Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan” games, new stadiums to divert youth from drugs.

National Deep Water Exploration Mission:

Prime Minister of India announced the National Deep Water Exploration Mission on the 79th Independence Day to boost offshore oil and gas discovery, targeting areas like the Andaman Sea and deep waters off the Andhra coast to achieve energy self-reliance.

• National Deep Water Exploration Mission is a flagship energy security initiative to explore untapped oil and gas reserves beneath India’s seabed.
• Designed to operate in mission mode for accelerated offshore exploration.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• Supported by Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and allied research institutions.
• Objective:
  • Reduce dependence on crude oil and natural gas imports.
  • Enhance domestic hydrocarbon production capacity.
  • Strengthen India’s long-term energy security.
  • Promote Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the energy sector.

Golden Dome Missile Defense System:

U.S. President has unveiled the Golden Dome Missile Defense System design and appointed a leader for the $175 billion project, aiming to shield the U.S. from foreign missile threats.

• It Is a next-generation U.S. missile defense program using space-based and land-based intercept layers to neutralise missile threats.
• Envisioned as a technological leap beyond Israel’s Iron Dome and Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).
• Aim is to eliminate the threat of enemy ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles before they reach U.S. territory.
• It Enhance national security by integrating space, land, and advanced sensor networks.

Sri Aurobindo:

Prime Minister of India paid tribute to Sri Aurobindo on his birth anniversary (15 August 1872), highlighting his role as a philosopher, spiritual leader, and freedom fighter who linked nation-building with spiritual evolution.

• Sri Aurobindo Was Yogi, philosopher, poet, and nationalist leader.
• Propounded the philosophy of Integral Yoga, aiming at spiritual transformation of life on Earth.
• Born: 15 August 1872, Calcutta (now Kolkata).
• Educated in England at St. Paul’s School, London, and King’s College, Cambridge.
• Mastered multiple European languages and developed interest in Indian culture.
• First Indian leader to demand complete independence through his paper Bande Mataram.
• Member of Anushilan Samiti and involved in armed resistance against British rule.

Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals (SYSM):

It Is India’s highest wartime distinguished service decoration.

• Awarded for “distinguished service of the most exceptional order during war, conflict or hostilities.”
• Instituted in 1980, but awarded rarely.
• Till 2025, only three officers had received it (Operation Pawan, Kargil War).
• Awarded By: Conferred by the President of India.
• Recipient of award:
  • Before 2025 → Only 3 officers had received the Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM):
    • Lt Gen Amarjit Singh Kalkat (Operation Pawan, 1989)
    • Air Marshal Vinod Patney (Kargil War, 1999)
    • Lt Gen Hari Mohan Khanna (Kargil War, 2000)
  • Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal Awardees – 2025 (Operation Sindoor)
    • Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari – Indian Air Force
    • Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor – Indian Air Force
    • Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra – Indian Air Force
    • Air Marshal A.K. Bharti – Indian Air Force
    • Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai – Indian Army
    • Lt Gen Pratik Sharma – Indian Army
    • Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh (Retd.) – Indian Navy

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound Wins Big at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025:

Acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has once again captured the spotlight, with his latest drama Homebound sweeping the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025. The film won Best Film and earned Ghaywan the Best Director award at the festival’s awards night held on August 15, 2025. Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jetwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, the film resonated with international audiences for its sensitive portrayal of belonging, displacement, and the emotional complexities of returning home.

ISRO Inaugurates Space Laboratory in Remote Arunachal Pradesh District:

the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School in the remote Shi-Yomi district of Arunachal Pradesh. The initiative, launched in collaboration with the Muskaan Foundation, was formally inaugurated by Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona on August 16, 2025.