Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 24th February 2025

Strobilanthes gigantra:

A new species, Strobilanthes gigantra, has been discovered in Arunachal Pradesh, within the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).

• It is a new species of flowering plant discovered in Arunachal Pradesh, within the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR).
• This species stands out due to its exceptionally large size—sometimes growing into a tree—along with unique floral characteristics such as densely imbricate bracts, uninterrupted inflorescence, a slightly curved corolla tube, and wings on the staminal curtain.
• The genus Strobilanthes is the second largest within the Acanthaceae family (a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants), comprising around 450 species globally, with 167 species found in India, primarily in the Himalayas and Western Ghats.
• The Eastern Himalayas, particularly Arunachal Pradesh, serve as a biodiversity hotspot for this genus, housing 41 known species.

Iron Dome:

The US President signed an Executive Order to build an Iron Dome-style missile defence system to shield the United States against the “threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks.”

• It is Israel’s air missile defense system that can defend against short-range rockets, intercepting them in the air above the state.
• It is a short-range mobile air defense system developed for Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, with additional support from Raytheon.
• First deployed in 2011, it constitutes the innermost layer of the tiered Israeli air defense network.
• It has all-weather capabilities and is able to function night or day and in all conditions, including fog, rain, dust storms, and low clouds.
• It is able to launch a variety of interceptor missiles.
• It is designed to shoot down missiles with a range of about 40 miles or less.
• It also has the ability to be moved, either onto ships or across land, to better suit defense needs.
• It must be reloaded to continuously intercept incoming missiles.
• The Iron Dome operates through three main components:
• a radar that detects incoming rockets,
  a command-and-control system that determines the threat level,
  an interceptor that seeks to destroy the incoming rocket before it strikes.

Ex Gratia Payment:

The Ministry of Railways handed over wads of cash in bundles of notes of Rs 100 and 50 after announcing that it would provide Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia to the kin of the 18 deceased in the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station recently.

• It is a type of payment made by an organization, government, etc., to an individual for damages or claims without recognizing any legal obligation.
• Ex gratia payments are not common since companies or other organizations are usually only willing to cover the payments under legal enforcement.
• However, some organizations use ex gratia payments to express their goodwill to maintain good long-term relationships with the payment receivers.
• For example, a company experienced a bad year and decided to lay off a large number of employees.
• In addition to compensating the employees according to legal terms, the company may also pay extra amounts to show its benevolence.
• It can help the company to lower the negative effect of the job cuts on its public image.
• Ex gratia payments are not taxable in India unless they are made in lieu of salary or wages.

Kuno National Park:

Five cheetahs were released into the wild in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district recently.

• Kuno National Park is located in the Morena and Sheopur districts in Madhya Pradesh.
• It is nestled near the Vindhyan Hills.
• It covers an area of 750 sq.km.
• It derives its name from the meandering Kuno River (one of the tributaries of the Chambal River) that graces the region.
• Initially established as a wildlife sanctuary, it was in 2018 that the government changed its status into a national park.
• It was selected under ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’.
• Kuno is primarily a grassland region, though a few rocky outcrops are found here too.
• Kardhai, Salai and Khair trees dominate the forested area of Kuno National Park, which is mostly mixed forest.
• The park has a total of 123 tree species, 71 shrub species, 32 exotic and climbing species, and 34 bamboo and grass species.
• The protected area of the forest is home to the jungle cat, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, and dhole, along with more than 120 bird species.

Brine Pools:

Scientists recently discovered a deadly secret lurking beneath the Red Sea, brine pools so extreme that they instantly kill or stun any marine life that enters.

• Brine pools are the lakes of hypersaline, anoxic (oxygen-lacking) water that form on the seafloor.
• They are often referred to as “underwater lakes” or “brine lakes” because they appear as distinct pools, separate from the surrounding seawater due to their high salinity and density.
• The water in the brine pool is filtered through salt sediments.
• The deepest-known brine pool lies in the Orca Basin in the Gulf of Mexico, some 2,200 m below sea level.
• This depression is filled with water that has a salt content of around 300 g/litre, around eight times saltier than the Gulf itself.
• The salinity of these pools is so great that they are toxic to most sea life, but certain highly adapted chemosynthetic organisms have found ways to survive and even thrive on the shores of these undersea lakes.

Bharat Tech Triumph Program:

To support the India’s gaming industry growth the Bharat Tech Triumph Program (TTP) has been launched as part of the Create in India Challenge Season 1.

• Bharat Tech Triumph Program aims to identify and showcase India’s gaming talent on the international stage.
• It is organized by the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) in partnership with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) the program
• A diverse range of participants from the interactive entertainment industry including developers, studios, startups, and tech companies can participate in this programme.
• This initiative is open to individuals and organizations involved in gaming development, sports and business solutions critical to the gaming ecosystem.
• The evaluation criteria for the Bharat Tech Triumph Program focus on assessing key aspects of your product, pitch and teamto determine its potential for success.
• Winners of this Program will have an incredible opportunity to showcase their products, intellectual property and technology on a global stage.
• They’ll be fully sponsored to present their innovations at the prestigious Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2025 in San Francisco and later at WAVES in India.

Bay of Bengal Inter-Governmental Organisation:

India assumed chairmanship of Bay of Bengal (BOB) Inter-Governmental Organisation from Bangladesh at the 13th Governing Council Meeting at Malé, Maldives.

• Bay of Bengal Inter-Governmental Organisation was set up in 2003.
• It is a unique regional fisheries body, specifically mandated to assist the member countries in increasing the livelihood opportunities and improving the quality of life of the small-scale/ artisanal fisher folk in the Bay of Bengal region.
• The Organisation evolved from the erstwhile Bay of Bengal Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) founded in 1979.
• It has set international benchmarks in execution of programs and activities in the field of small-scale fisheries that has translated into measurable benefits for the member countries.
• The current members of the Organisation are Bangladesh, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka while Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand are cooperating non-contracting parties.
• Objective of Bay of Bengal Inter-Governmental Organisation is to increase awareness and knowledge of the needs, benefits and practices of marine fisheries management; Enhance skills through training and education; transfer appropriate technologies and techniques for development of the small-scale fisheries; establish regional information networking; and promote women’s participation in marine fisheries value chain.

Indian Vishvaa Rajakumar Prodigy Wins Global Memory Championship:

20-year-old Vishvaa Rajakumar from India has been crowned the winner of the Memory League World Championship, as reported by The New York Times. This prestigious competition challenges participants to memorize and recall sequences of numbers, images, and words in record time. Rajakumar’s record-breaking performance saw him recalling 80 digits in just 13.5 seconds, demonstrating his extraordinary mental agility.

Virat Kohli has added another historic milestone:

Virat Kohli has once again etched his name in cricketing history by becoming the fastest batter to reach 14,000 ODI runs. He achieved this milestone in just 287 innings, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar (350 innings) and Kumar Sangakkara (378 innings). Kohli reached the landmark during India’s Champions Trophy 2025 match against Pakistan in Dubai, where he played a match-winning knock, scoring an unbeaten century (51st ODI ton).

Shaktikanta Das Appointed Principal Secretary-2 to PM Modi:

The government has appointed retired IAS officer and former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das as Principal Secretary-2 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Das is the first Principal Secretary to have extensive experience in both fiscal and monetary policy, making his appointment crucial at a time when the Indian economy faces challenges such as trade wars, rupee volatility, and economic slowdown. His tenure will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders.

Bank Credit to NBFCs Falls to 4-Year Low at 6.7% in 2024: RBI

Bank lending to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) has slowed significantly, hitting a four-year low of 6.7% in 2024, according to the latest data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). This decline is mainly due to higher risk weights imposed on such loans and tighter credit conditions, leading to reduced lending from banks to NBFCs. In contrast, previous years saw stronger credit growth to NBFCs, but the current financial climate has brought a shift in the sector’s lending patterns.

HAL & DIAT Collaborate for Aerospace Innovation:

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has taken a significant step in bridging the gap between industry and academia by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune. The collaboration aims to foster cutting-edge research, skill development, and technological advancements in the aerospace sector. HAL’s nodal training institute, HAL Management Academy (HMA), will play a key role in this partnership, offering HAL executives opportunities for higher education, research, and training in emerging aerospace technologies.