Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 21st January 2025

Lake Naivasha:

Kenya’s popular Lake Naivasha is getting impacted by the water hyacinth that has taken over large parts of it.The water hyacinth is native to South America and was reportedly introduced to Kenya in the 1980s.

• Lake Naivasha is a shallow freshwater lake located in the southern Rift Valley in Kenya.
• It is considered to be of recent geological origin and is ringed by extinct or dormant volcanoes.
• It is fed by the perennial Malewa and Gilgil Rivers, which drain the Aberdare Mountains of central Kenya.
• It is supporting a diverse community of waterbirds and many large mammals.
• In addition to the invaluable freshwater, it also supports large-scale and vital economic activities, mainly flower growing, fishing and geothermal power generation.
• It is designated as the Ramsar site.

Great Barrier Reef : Climate Change Effect

Life on the Great Barrier Reef is experiencing significant shifts caused by climate change and various human-generated factors, according to a recent study.

• Great Barrier Reef is a complex of coral reefs, shoals, and islets in the Pacific Ocean off the northeastern coast of Australia in the Coral Sea.
• It is the longest and largest reef complex in the world and is the largest living structure on Earth.
• It has an area of some 350,000 sq.km. It makes up about 10 percent of the world’s coral reef ecosystems.
• The reef, which is large enough to be visible from space, is made up of nearly 3,000 individual reefs.
• These reefs are of two main types – platform reefs formed from radial growths, and wall reefs resulting from elongated growths, often in areas of strong water currents.
• There are also fringing reefs on sub-tidal rock of the main coastline or continental islands.
• It contains 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fishes, and 4,000 types of mollusks species.
• It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’) and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.
• Much of the Great Barrier Reef is a marine protected area, managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority of Australia.
• UNESCO declared the Great Barrier Reef a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Palamu Tiger Reserve : Bison Report

The Jharkhand Forest department has initiated a study to revive the dwindling population of Bison, popularly known as Gaur, at Palamu Tiger Reserve (PTR).

• Palamu Tiger Reserve is located on the western side of the Latehar district on the Chhotanagpur plateau in Jharkhand.
• The reserve forms part of the Betla National Park.
• It is one of the first nine tiger reserves created in the country at the inception of ‘Project Tiger’.
• It is the first reserve in the world in which a tiger census was carried out as a pugmark count as early as 1932 under the supervision of J.W. Nicholson.
• It has a total area of 1,014 sq. km. with a core area of 414 sq. km. and a buffer area of 600 sq. km.
• The terrain is undulating, with valleys, hills, and plains.
• Three rivers, namely North Koyal, Auranga, and Burha, flow through the valleys of the Palamau Tiger Reserve.
• The area is drought-prone with Burha being the only perennial river.
• The geological formation consists of gneiss and includes granite and limestone.
• The reserve is very rich in minerals like Bauxite and Coal.

Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) Scheme:

The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry recently emphasized that much of the success of the Startup India mission can be attributed to key funding mechanisms, particularly the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS).

• It was approved and established in 2016 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore, with contribution spread over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycle based on progress of implementation.
• Objective is to provide much-needed boost to the Indian startup ecosystem and enable access to domestic capital.
• The scheme does not directly invest in startups; instead, it provides capital to SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), known as daughter funds, who in turn invest money in growing Indian startups through equity and equity-linked instruments.
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has been given the mandate of operating this fund through the selection of suitable daughter funds and overseeing the disbursal of committed capital.
• AIFs supported under FFS are required to invest at least 2 times the amount committed under FFS in startups.
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) was established under an Act of the Parliament in 1990.
• It is the Principal Financial Institution engaged in promotion, financing & development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector and coordination of the functions of the various institutions engaged in similar activities.

Bankapur Wolf Sanctuary : Indian grey wolf gives birth to eight pups

Indian grey wolf gives birth to eight pups in Karnataka’s first Wolf Sanctuary i.e Bankapur Wolf Sanctuary.

• Indian Grey wolf is a subspecies of grey wolf.
• It travels in smaller packs and is less vocal than other variants. It is nocturnal and hunt from dusk to dawn.
• It is intermediate in size lies between the Tibetan and Arabian wolf, and lacks the former’s luxuriant winter coat due to its living in warmer conditions.
• The Indian wolf inhabits areas dominated by scrub, grasslands and semi-arid pastoral agro-ecosystems. They live in warmer conditions.
• It has a wide distribution range that extends from the Indian subcontinent to Israel.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • CITES: Appendix 1
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule I
• This species population is getting impacted by Habitat loss and depletion of prey species etc.
• Bankapur Wolf Sanctuary is located in the State of Karnataka. It is now India’s second protected area dedicated exclusively to wolf after the Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary established in erstwhile undivided Bihar in 1976 (today in Jharkhand).

World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025

The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) published the World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2025 in Geneva.

• World Employment and Social Outlook provides a detailed analysis of the state of global labour markets, highlighting key trends and challenges.
• It explores issues such as the slowdown in labour market recovery, the persistence of youth unemployment, and the widening global jobs gap.

Key highlights of the Report:

• In 2024, global employment grew in line with the labour force, keeping the unemployment rate steady at 5%.
• Geopolitical tensions, the rising costs of climate change and unresolved debt issues are the challenges before the recovery and the reasons for putting labour markets under pressure.
• The labour force participation rates have dropped in low-income countries while increasing in high-income nations, mainly among older workers and women, the report pointed out.
• The report urged member countries To boost productivity, invest in skills training, education and infrastructure to support economic growth and job creation.
• Expand social protection provide better access to social security and safe working conditions to reduce inequality.

Semiconductor Partnership with Singapore:

During his recent visit to India, the President of Singapore announced plans to explore initiatives such as semiconductor manufacturing and developing a semiconductor ecosystem in India apart from participating in the creation of a new generation of technological solutions. Singapore’s semiconductor sector contributes about 8% to its GDP. It produces around 10% of the world’s semiconductor output, 5% of global wafer fabrication capacity, and 20% of semiconductor equipment production.

National Panchayat Awards 2024:

The National Panchayat Awards 2024 were awarded to 45 Panchayats across India by the President of India for their exceptional contributions to inclusive growth and sustainable development.The event highlighted the pivotal role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in advancing rural governance and environmental sustainability.The awards highlight Panchayats’ pivotal role in socio-economic development, grassroots governance, and advancing the SDGs through LSDGs.

Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak : Outbreak

A suspected outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Tanzania’s Kagera region has raised alarm after claiming 8 lives.MVD is a deadly hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, characterized by high fatality rates of 89% and the absence of approved treatments.The virus causes severe symptoms, including fever, headache, vomiting blood, and bleeding, resembling the Ebola virus.

Demand For Frontier Nagaland Territory:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has agreed to the demand by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) for autonomy in the proposed Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT).FNT is a proposed administrative region demanded by the ENPO to address the developmental imbalances in 6 eastern districts of Nagaland- Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang.

Fonio Millet:

Fonio, an ancient West African millet (e.g., Ghana), is known for its resilience to climate shocks, ease of cultivation, and ability to grow in poor soils with minimal water requirements.It is often referred to as a miracle grain due to its adaptability and nutritional value.Fonio is traditionally cultivated by Fulani tribes, the largest nomadic tribe in Africa.It is highly versatile and can be used in salads, porridges, pasta, bread, or served as a side dish.It can be cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions and require low water intake.

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited the Sun Temple:

Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam visited the Sun Temple, highlighting its global prominence and Odisha’s rich craftsmanship.Konark Sun Temple  Situated in Konark, Odisha, near the Bay of Bengal. Constructed in the 13th century (1238–1264 CE) by King Narasimha Deva I of the Ganga dynasty Represents the strength and stability of the Ganga Empire.

Kho Kho World Cup 2025 : India emerged as the inaugural champions

India emerged as the inaugural champions in both the men’s and women’s events at the Kho Kho World Cup 2025.The tournament took place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, New Delhi, India.This is the first Kho Kho World cup. Organised by: Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) in collaboration with the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF).
Mascots:Tejas (Men’s Team): A blue gazelle symbolizing brilliance and energy, Tara (Women’s Team): An orange gazelle representing guidance and aspiration.

Karnataka Clinch Vijay Hazare Trophy For Record 5th Time:

In the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2024-25 final, Karnataka emerged victorious by 36 runs against Vidarbha on January 19, 2025, at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara. This win marks Karnataka’s fifth Vijay Hazare Trophy title. The thrilling encounter saw Karnataka posting a commanding total and defending it successfully, despite a spirited fight from Vidarbha’s batters.

Uttarakhand Clears Uniform Civil Code Rules:

Uttarakhand is set to become the first state in India to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), as the state government has approved the UCC rules manual. The state’s Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, cleared the manual and decided on key provisions related to registration services, the facilitation of live-in relationships, and the introduction of Tatkal services. The government is also implementing advanced digital platforms to ensure efficient and widespread access to these services.

Smriti Irani, Shekhar Kapur Join PM Museum Council:

The Prime Ministers’ Museum & Library (PMML) has undergone a significant reconstitution of its society and executive council, introducing several prominent figures to its leadership. Former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Nripendra Mishra, has been reappointed as the chairperson for another five-year term.

CII Projects 7% GDP Growth for 2025-26:

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) anticipates India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to grow by 7% in the fiscal year 2025-26, driven by an uptick in private investments and employment generation.A recent pan-India survey by CII reveals that 75% of respondents view the current economic climate as favorable for private investments. Notably, 70% of the surveyed firms plan to invest in FY’26, indicating a potential surge in private sector participation in the coming quarters.