Daily Current Affairs
To the Point Notes
1: Sahariya Tribe
Context:
- Over 100 malnourished children found among Sahariya tribe in Rajasthan’s Baran district.
About Sahariya Tribe:
- Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
- Found in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.
- Known by various names (Seher, Sair, Sawar, Saor, Sahara).
- Ancient origins.
- Reside in clusters called Seharana.
- Stone boulder homes with stone slab roofs (Patore).
- Practice Hinduism.
- Unique folk dance: Saharia Swang Dance (performed during Holi).
2: Capacity-Building Initiatives under Digital India Vision
Context:
- Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) launches third phase of capacity-building initiatives under Digital India vision.
Focus Areas:
- Digital Public Infrastructure
- Contract and Procurement Management
- Application of AI & ML
- Managing Large Digital Transformation Projects
- Digital Governance
- Data Management
Training Programs:
- Specialized training programs for officials at Central and State levels.
- Aim to provide distinctive and engaging learning opportunities.
Digital Public Infrastructure Initiative:
- Spearheaded by National e-Governance Division (NeGD) MeitY in partnership with National Institute for Smart Governance (NISG).
3: National Testing House (NTH) Now Certifies Drones
Context:
- NTH gets provisional approval as a certification body for drones (UAS) by the Quality Council of India (QCI).
About NTH:
- Established in 1912, India’s largest multi-disciplinary testing lab under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
- Offers testing, calibration, and quality evaluation services for various industries.
- Expansion since independence: supports technology, trade, import substitution, and standardization.
Drone Certification:
- NTH offers drone certification services at a competitive fee (₹1.5 lakh), lowest in the industry.
- Supports “Make in India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives by ensuring domestic drone technology meets international standards.
- Drones contribute to various sectors like agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and infrastructure.
4: Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Developments and India’s Position
Context:
- Financial Action Task Force (FATF) considering enhanced disclosure norms for online wire transactions.
About FATF:
- Established in 1989 by G7.
- Sets standards to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation, and other threats to financial integrity.
- India became a member in 2010.
Recent Developments:
- FATF plans to meet with Indian private sector stakeholders in April 2025.
- Aims to update R.16 for technology neutrality and “same activity, same risk, same rules.”
- Revisions aim for faster, cheaper, more transparent, and inclusive cross-border payments.
- FATF to release India’s mutual evaluation report soon.
India’s Proposal:
- Advocates for increased disclosures by fintech firms, credit card companies, and payment aggregators.
- Aims to ensure sender and recipient identification in cross-border transactions for law enforcement.
Current FATF Travel Rules:
- Record data such as sender, recipient, and country of origin in cross-border financial transactions.
5: Relaxation in Exclusion Criteria under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY)
Context:
- Union government relaxes “automatic exclusion” criteria under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) to expand eligibility.
Relaxed Criteria:
- Families earning up to Rs 15,000 per month and owning two-wheelers, motorized fishing boats, or refrigerators can now avail PMAY-G.
Continued Exclusion Criteria:
- Owning motorized three/four-wheelers or mechanized agricultural equipment.
- Kisan Credit Card with credit limit of Rs 50,000 or above.
- Government employee in the household.
- Non-agricultural enterprises registered with the government.
- Any family member paying income tax or professional tax.
- Land ownership ceiling of 2.5 acres or more of irrigated land.
PMAY-G:
- Implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development.
- Target to construct 2.95 crore pucca houses with basic amenities.
- Beneficiaries receive financial assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh (plain areas) or Rs 1.30 lakh (hilly states).
- Union Cabinet approved implementation for FY 2024-25 to 2028-29 to construct two crore more houses.
6: Sebi Tweaks Foreign Venture Capital Investors Registration Criteria
Context:
- Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) notifies rules to streamline Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) registration framework.
Key Changes:
- Registration process delegated to designated depository participants (DDPs) (like for (Foreign Portfolio Investors)).
- Resident Indians, Resident Indians (RIs)/ Non Resident Indians (NRIs)/ Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) can now be constituents of FVCIs.
Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs):
- Investors incorporated outside India.
- Invest primarily in unlisted securities of venture capital undertakings and funds.
- Target high-growth potential startups.
- 269 registered FVCIs as of 2023.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI):
- Regulatory authority for securities and capital markets in India.
- Established in 1988.
- Protects investor interests, promotes and regulates the securities market, and ensures orderly functioning.
7: Polaris Dawn Mission
Context:
- Polaris Dawn mission, led by Jared Isaacman and SpaceX, aims to conduct the first private spacewalk.
About Spacewalks:
- Extravehicular activities (EVAs) where astronauts leave their spacecraft for experiments, repairs, or tests.
- First spacewalk by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965.
- Crucial for advancing space science and technology.
Polaris Dawn Mission Goals:
- Test new SpaceX spacesuits designed for high radiation levels in the Van Allen Belts.
Van Allen Belts:
- Two regions of charged particles encircling Earth, held in place by the planet’s magnetic field.
- Discovered by James Van Allen in 1958.
- Part of the magnetosphere, a protective shield around Earth.
8: National Statistical Commission (NSC)
Context:
- Recent dissolution of Pronab Sen-led Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS) by MoSPI reinstates NSC as primary authority for statistical activities.
About NSC:
- Established in 2005 following Rangarajan Commission recommendations.
- Empowered to handle core statistical matters, including survey methodologies and inter-agency coordination.
- Creation of SCoS in 2023 led to ambiguity about NSC’s role.
- Chief Statistician of India is the Secretary of the Commission.
9: Air Quality Management Exchange Platform (AQMx)
Context:
- Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) launches AQMx.
About AQMx:
- One-stop-shop for air quality management guidance and tools.
- Designed to help air quality professionals tackle air pollution.
- Developed in response to UN Environment Assembly resolution.
- Addresses air quality management capacity gaps.
- Provides curated guidance across key themes.
Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC):
- Voluntary partnership of over 160 governments, intergovernmental organizations, and NGOs.
- Founded in 2012, convened within UNEP.
- Works to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs).
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