07 July 2026

UPSC GS 2

Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)

· News:  The Marine Products Export Development Authority recently concluded the second edition of the National Skill Olympiad on Seafood Value Addition during Seafood Expo Bharat 2026 in Kochi.

· About Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA):

o The Marine Products Export Development Authority is a statutory body responsible for the promotion of exports of marine products from India.

o It was established by an Act of Parliament in 1972.

o The earlier Marine Products Export Promotion Council, established in 1961, was merged into MPEDA on 24 August 1972.

· Headquarters: Kochi.

· Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

· Functions:

o Promote and regulate the export of marine products.

o Develop and regulate offshore and deep-sea fishing.

o Undertake measures for the conservation and management of offshore and deep-sea fisheries.

o Register:

§ Fishing vessels.

§ Processing plants.

§ Storage premises.

§ Conveyances used for transporting marine products.

§ Prescribe quality standards and specifications for export-oriented marine products.

§ Register exporters of marine products.

§ Promote value addition and quality improvement in the seafood sector.

· Infrastructure:

o Quality Control Laboratories

o MPEDA has established five full-fledged Quality Control Laboratories at:

§ Kochi.

§ Nellore.

§ Bhimavaram.

§ Bhubaneswar.

§ Porbandar.

· Regional Network:

o Operates 18 Regional/Sub-Regional/Desk Offices across India.

o Maintains Trade Promotion Offices in:

§ New Delhi.

§ Tokyo.

§ New York City. 

UPSC GS 3

Caspian Cobra

· News: A rare Caspian Cobra was recently spotted in the Upper Forest Range of Chamba district.

·  About Caspian Cobra:

o The Caspian cobra is a highly venomous species of cobra belonging to the Elapidae family. It is also known as the:

o Central Asian cobra.

o Ladle snake.

o Oxus cobra.

o Russian cobra.

o It is regarded as one of the most venomous cobra species in the world.

· Scientific Name: Naja oxiana.

· Habitat and Distribution:

o It is native to Central Asia. It is found in:

o Turkmenistan.

o Uzbekistan.

o Kyrgyzstan.

o Tajikistan.

o The Fergana Valley.

o Afghanistan.

o Northeastern Iran.

o Northern Pakistan, including the Kashmir region.

o Parts of Himachal Pradesh.

o It inhabits arid and semi-arid regions, including rocky hillsides and scrublands.

· Features:

o Average length ranges from 1–1.2 metres, with a maximum recorded length of 175 cm.

o It is generally smaller than the Indian cobra.

o It has a slender body with a medium-length tail.

o It possesses expandable cervical ribs that form a hood when threatened.

o Unlike the Indian cobra, it lacks distinct hood markings.

o Its colour varies from light brown to dark brown or black, sometimes with faint bands.

o The underside is usually cream to light yellow.

o It has a broad head with a rounded snout.

· Defence Mechanism:

o When threatened, it expands its hood to appear larger and intimidate predators.

o It delivers a highly potent neurotoxic venom.

· Conservation Status: International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List: Near Threatened (NT). 

Marburg Virus Disease (MVD)

· News:   The World Health Organization recently confirmed a case of Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in Uganda.

· About Marburg Virus Disease (MVD):

o Marburg Virus Disease (MVD), formerly known as Marburg haemorrhagic fever, is a severe viral haemorrhagic fever with a high fatality rate.

o It is caused by the Marburg virus.

o The virus belongs to the Filoviridae family (filoviruses), the same family that includes the Ebola virus disease.

o It is a zoonotic disease, affecting humans and non-human primates such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and monkeys.

o The disease is named after Marburg, where the first known outbreak occurred in 1967 among laboratory workers handling monkeys imported from Africa.

o The virus is primarily found in sub-Saharan Africa.

· Reservoir: The natural reservoir of the Marburg virus is the Egyptian fruit bat.

· Transmission:

o Humans usually become infected after prolonged exposure to bat-inhabited caves or mines.

o It is not an airborne disease and does not spread through casual contact.

o Transmission requires direct exposure to infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials.

o Incubation Period: 2–21 days after exposure.

· Fatality Rate:

o Average Case Fatality Rate (CFR): Around 50%.

o Past outbreaks have recorded CFRs ranging from 24% to 88%, depending on the quality of healthcare and outbreak response.

· Treatment:

o No approved vaccine or specific antiviral treatment is currently available.

o Treatment is mainly supportive, including:

· Intravenous fluids and electrolyte replacement.

· Maintaining hydration. 

Vikram-1 Rocket

· News: India's first privately developed orbital-class rocket, Vikram-1, is all set for its maiden launch.

· About Vikram-1 Rocket”

o Vikram-1 is India's first privately developed orbital-class launch vehicle.

o It has been developed by Skyroot Aerospace.

o It is designed primarily for launching small satellites into orbit.

· Features of Vikram-1:

o It is a multi-stage orbital launch vehicle standing about seven storeys tall.

o It has four stages:

o First three stages: Solid-fuel propulsion for high initial thrust.

o Fourth stage: Hypergolic liquid propulsion for precise orbital insertion.

· Fourth Stage:

o Powered by a cluster of four Raman engines.

o The Raman engines are hypergolic engines, using:

§ MMH (Monomethylhydrazine) as fuel.

§ NTO (Nitrogen Tetroxide) as oxidiser.

§ Hypergolic propellants ignite automatically upon contact, eliminating the need for an ignition system.

· Design and Technology:

o Built using an all-carbon composite structure, reducing weight while maintaining strength.

o Powered by indigenously developed propulsion systems, including:

§ 3D-printed rocket engines.

§ High-thrust solid rocket motors.

o Incorporates:

§ Ultra-low-shock pneumatic stage separation systems.

§ Advanced avionics for real-time navigation, guidance, and control.

· Payload Capacity:

o 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

o 260 kg to Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO).

· Key Capabilities:

o Designed for rapid launch readiness, with the ability to launch within 24 hours from any launch location.

o Optimised for the growing small-satellite market.

o Capable of deploying multiple satellites during a single mission. 

LokOS Platform

· News: The LokOS Platform has significantly expanded its reach across India, enabling large-scale digital transformation of community institutions.

·  About LokOS Platform:

o LokOS stands for Lok = People and OS = Operating System.

o It is a web and mobile platform developed under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

o It provides a comprehensive digital solution for managing:

§ Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

§ Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

o The web application supports:

§ Administrators.

§ E-bookkeepers.

§ Transaction approvers.

o Registration and approval of SHGs, Village Organizations (VOs), Cluster Level Federations (CLFs), and their members.

o The mobile application enables field-level recording and management of Community-Based Organization (CBO) activities.

o It has enabled nationwide digital integration of:

§ Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

§ Village Organizations (VOs).

§ Cluster Level Federations (CLFs).

§ SHG members.

o LokOS also supports the Lakhpati Didi initiative through digital beneficiary tracking and monitoring.

· Coverage: 34 States and Union Territories.

· Key Features of LokOS:

o End-to-End Digital Management : Registers and manages SHGs, VOs, CLFs, and their members.

o Unique Digital IDs : Generates Aadhaar-linked and bank-linked digital identities for CBOs and members.

o Digital Financial Records : Maintains records of:

§ Savings.

§ Loans.

§ Repayments.

§ Other financial transactions.

· Livelihood Profiling: Captures livelihood-related information to support planning and convergence with government schemes.

· Role-Based Administration : Enables approvals, user management, monitoring, and reporting from the village level to the national level.

· Real-Time Analytics : Provides dashboards and one-click reports for evidence-based decision-making.