Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 4th January 2025

National Sports Awards : Announced

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports announced the National Sports Awards 2024.

• National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.
• ‘Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’ is given for the spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports by a sportsperson over the period of the previous four years.
• Arjuna Award is given for outstanding performance in Sports and Games’ is given for good performance over a period of the previous four years and for showing qualities of leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline.
• Arjuna Award (Lifetime) is given to honour and motivate those sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career.
• ‘Dronacharya Award is given for outstanding coaches in Sports and Games’ is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel in International events.
• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy is awarded for the overall top performing university in Khelo India University Games.
• This year’s awards were decided by the Selection Committee headed by Justice (Retd.) V. Ramasubramanian, Supreme Court of India and consisting members from eminent sportspersons, persons having experience in sports journalism and sports administrators.

Banana Cultivation : Increased

According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India has achieved a tenfold increase in banana exports over the past decade and aims to reach $1 billion in exports within the next five years.

• Banana is basically a tropical crop and the second most important fruit crop in India next to mango.
• It grows well in a temperature range of 15ºC – 35ºC with relative humidity of 75-85%.
• It prefers tropical humid lowlands and is grown from the sea level to an elevation of 2000m.
• Deep, rich loamy soil with pH between 6.5 -7.5 is most preferred for banana cultivation. Soil for banana should have good drainage, adequate fertility and moisture. Saline solid, calcareous soils are not suitable for banana cultivation.
• Major Producing States: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, etc.

Pallas’s Cat:

The first photographic proof of Pallas’s cat in Himachal Pradesh, India, during a snow leopard survey recently, highlights urgent need for conservation of lesser-known species in the Indian Himalayas.

• The Pallas’s cat, or manul (Otocolobus manul), is a small, long-haired cat(family Felidae).
• It was named Pallas’s cat after Peter Simon Pallas, who first described it in 1776 based on specimens collected near Lake Baikal, Russia.
• It is primarily found in Central Asia, with the range extending to western Iran, Mongolia, China, Russia (on the border of Mongolia and China), Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
• In these regions, it inhabits mountainous plains and semi-desert foothills.
• It is a soft-furred animalabout the size of a house cat and is pale silvery gray or light brown in colour.
• Head and body length ranges from 45 to 60 centimetres (18 to 24 inches) with an additional 23–30 cm for the tail; weight ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms (5.5 to 7.7 pounds).
• It is distinguished by a broad head with high-set eyes and low-set ears.
• The end of its tail is ringed and tipped with black, and some individuals have vague, dark markings on the body.
• The fur of the underparts is about twice as long as that of the upperparts and possibly represents an adaptation to the cat’s habitual lying and crouching on cold ground.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern
  • CITES: Appendix II

Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC) Scheme:

Canada announced that the Post-Graduate Work Permits (PGWPs) of nearly 7.66 lakh international students are set to expire by the end of next year and the Rural Community Immigration Class (RCIC) scheme provides a pathway for foreign nationals and students.

• It is a new programme launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) in December 2024.
• It aims to address labour shortages and promote development in smaller rural communities by attracting individuals willing to settle long-term in these areas.
• Eligibility:
  • Education Level: Applicants can include those with 10+2, graduation, or secondary school qualifications.
  • Studies: Students who have completed at least 18 months of study in one of the designated communities are eligible to apply for PR directly. Those who studied outside these communities can also apply but must meet additional conditions.
  • Job Offer: Applicants need a job offer letter from a registered or designated employer in the community. This job offer can be in any category, including non-skilled roles. The offer must be submitted to the community, which will then issue a certificate supporting the PR application.
  • Work Experience: Relevant work experience is typically required, though this condition may be waived for international graduates who meet certain criteria.
  • Language Proficiency: Applicants must meet the Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) requirements based on the job’s NOC TEER (National Occupational Classification Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities) level: TEER 0-1: CLB 6,TEER 2-3: CLB 5 and TEER 4-5: CLB 4
  • Financial Proof: Applicants must demonstrate they have at least half of the low-income threshold for rural areas (as determined by Statistics Canada) to sustain themselves for one year.
  • Intent to Reside: Candidates must provide genuine proof of their intention to live in the designated rural community.

Ramesh Chand Panel:

The government recently announced the formation of an 18-member panel headed by NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand to revise the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and suggest a road map for switching over to the Producer Price Index (PPI).

• It has been established to revise the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
• The panel will Propose a revised commodity basket for the WPI and the Producer Price Index (PPI) with the base year 2022-23, considering structural changes in the economy.
• Review the current system of price collection and recommend improvements.
• It will also decide on the computational methodology to be adopted for WPI and PPI.
• The panel will have economists in the government, rating agencies, asset management companies, banks, and representatives from the government and the Reserve Bank of India.
• It has been asked to submit its final report to the Office of the Economic Adviser at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIT) within 18 months.

Wholesale Price Index (WPI) vs. Producer Price Index (PPI):

• WPI represents the price of goods at a wholesale stage,e. goods that are sold in bulk and traded between organisations instead of consumers.
• It does not account for inflation at the level of the ordinary public because they do not buy products at wholesale prices.
• WPI excludes the service sector, which covers about 55% of GDP.
• WPI has an inbuilt bias due to double counting of the same product and doesn’t include exports and imports.
• PPI measures wholesale prices from the point of view of producers of goods and services by tracking prices at different stages of production.
• PPI is different from WPI in the way that it measures the average change in prices received by producers and excludes indirect taxes.
• It looks at inflation from the viewpoint of industry and business and measures price changes before consumers purchase final goods and services.
• Weight of an item in WPI is based on net traded value, whereas in PPI weights are retrieved from Supply Use Tables.
• PPI also includes services, while WPI only has goods.
• PPI has replaced WPI in most countries as it is conceptually in line with the internationally agreed System of National Accounts (SNA) to compile measures of economic activity.

RBI’s 2024-25 Report on State Finances:

The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) recent report, “State Finances: A Study of Budgets of 2024-25,” highlights significant improvements in the fiscal health of state governments post-pandemic, while also identifying areas requiring further attention.

• Gross Fiscal Deficit (GFD): States have successfully contained their consolidated GFD within 3% of GDP during 2022-23 and 2023-24, with a budgeted GFD of 3.2% for 2024-25.
• Revenue Deficit: Maintained at a low 0.2% of GDP during 2022-23 and 2023-24.
• Capital Expenditure: Increased from 2.4% of GDP in 2021-22 to 2.8% in 2023-24, with a further budgeted rise to 3.1% in 2024-25, indicating a focus on developmental spending.
• Outstanding Liabilities: Declined from 31% of GDP at end-March 2021 to 28.5% at end-March 2024, yet still above the pre-pandemic level of 25.3% at end-March 2019.
• Contingent Liabilities: State guarantees have risen from 2% of GDP at end-March 2017 to 3.8% by March 2023, posing potential fiscal risks.
• Rising Subsidies: Significant increases in spending on subsidies, including farm loan waivers and free or subsidized services like electricity, transport, and gas cylinders, have been noted. For instance, 14 states have implemented income transfer schemes for women, totaling approximately ₹2 lakh crore, or about 0.6% of GDP.
• Discom Losses: Power distribution companies have accumulated losses amounting to ₹6.5 lakh crore by 2022-23, equivalent to around 2.4% of GDP, despite multiple reform attempts.
• Debt Consolidation: The RBI emphasizes the need for a credible roadmap for debt consolidation, particularly for states with elevated debt levels, recommending clear, transparent, and time-bound strategies aligned with macroeconomic objectives.
• Expenditure Efficiency: States are urged to enhance expenditure efficiency through outcome-based budgeting and to rationalize subsidies to prevent the crowding out of productive expenditures.
• Fiscal Framework Reforms: Adoption of risk-based fiscal frameworks with provisions for counter-cyclical policies, along with strengthening State Finance Commissions, is advised to ensure fiscal discipline and adequate fund transfers to local bodies.

Brazilian Velvet Ant:

A study in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology revealed that the Brazilian velvet ant (Traumatomutilla bifurca) has “ultrablack” body parts.These parts absorb over 99.5% of visible light, making them nearly invisible. The discovery highlights unique biological nanostructures with potential applications in technology.Velvet ants are not “ants,” they are a species of wasp from the family Mutillidae.Velvet belongs to the Hymenoptera order, which also includes bees and other wasps.Some species, such as Traumatomutilla bifurca (Brazilian velvet ant), display distinct black and white markings, making them visually striking in tropical savanna and dry shrub deserts.

Polar Sundial at VSSC:

A polar sundial designed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) has been showcased in the ‘Rocket Garden’ at the Space Museum in Thumba, Kerala.This sundial serves as an educational tool, demonstrating complex astronomical concepts in a visually engaging manner.The sundial features analemmatic correction, allowing it to accurately display Indian Standard Time (IST) and the date.

In Flight Internet:

Air India, part of the Tata Group, has become the first Indian airline to offer in-flight Internet on domestic flights.In-flight Wi-Fi provides passengers with Internet connectivity during flights, enabling access to online services like browsing, streaming, and messaging. Two primary systems are Air-to-Ground (ATG) and Satellite-Based Connectivity. ATG: Uses antennae under the aircraft to connect with ground cellular towers. Suitable for regions with dense tower networks. Satellite-Based: Uses antennae on top of the aircraft to communicate with satellites, ensuring wider coverage, especially over oceans and remote areas.

Project VISTAAR:

IIT Madras has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to launch Project VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources).A digital platform designed to enhance agricultural extension services, making critical information and start-up innovations accessible to farmers. Ministry involved: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in collaboration with IIT Madras.

Open Data Kit Platform:

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has introduced a revolutionary toolkit using the Open Data Kit (ODK) platform to ensure transparency in public spending and evaluate the effectiveness of government schemes.A digital platform based on Open Data Kit (ODK) technology for designing, collecting, and managing audit-related data. Launched by: Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

Injectable Hydrogel:

Researchers from IIT-Guwahati and Bose Institute, Kolkata, have developed an advanced injectable hydrogel for localized cancer treatment.A water-based polymer network designed to release anti-cancer drugs precisely at the tumour site, sparing healthy cells. Developed by: Researchers from IIT-Guwahati and Bose Institute, Kolkata.

Mubarak Manzil Palace:

The 17th-century Mubarak Manzil, or Aurangzeb’s Haveli, a Mughal heritage site in Agra, was largely demolished, allegedly by a builder with official collusion, despite state archaeological protection.Located in: Agra, near the Yamuna River.
Built by: Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb after his victory at the Battle of Samugarh.

Chhattisgarh’s Green GDP Initiative:

Chhattisgarh has become the first Indian state to incorporate the ecological services of its forests into its economic framework by adopting the Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP) model. This initiative aims to link environmental contributions—such as clean air, water conservation, and biodiversity—to the state’s economic growth, ensuring sustainable development while preserving natural resources for future generations.

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai Appointed as DGCA Director General:

Senior IAS officer Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, a 1996-batch officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the new Director-General (DG) of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). His appointment, approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, fills the position left vacant after his predecessor, Vikram Dev Dutt, was elevated and transferred to the Ministry of Coal.

Elephant Population Rise:

Assam’s latest Elephant Population Estimate 2024 reveals an estimated 5,828 elephants, marking a rise of 109 from the previous 2017 count. This synchronised estimation exercise highlights the stability of Assam’s elephant population despite challenges such as habitat fragmentation and human-elephant conflicts. Total Elephant Population Estimated at 5,828, an increase of 109 from 5,719 in 2017.

One Nation One Subscription:

One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative marks a significant advancement in India’s research and education landscape. This scheme aims to provide comprehensive access to international scholarly journals and articles for students, faculty, researchers, and scientists across the nation’s government higher education institutions (HEIs) and central government research and development (R&D) centres.