GS Paper 1
Mount Erebus
- News: Mount Erebus in Antarctica is discharging around 80 grams of gold daily, worth approximately $6000, as reported by NASA’s Earth Observatory.
- Key Facts About Mount Erebus:
- Located on Ross Island, it is the southernmost active volcano on Earth.
- Volcano Type: Stratovolcano, characterized by layers of lava, tephra, and volcanic ash.
- Features one of the few permanent lava lakes in the world, active since 1972.
- It is the tallest active volcano in Antarctica.
- Notorious for the 1979 Mount Erebus disaster, where an Air New Zealand flight crashed into the volcano, killing 257 people due to a ‘whiteout’ optical illusion.
English Channel
- News: British Parliament had approved the “Safety of Rwanda Bill,” allowing the deportation of asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Recently, Five people died while attempting to cross the English Channel following new UK legislation.
- About the English Channel:
- English Channel is a section of the Atlantic Ocean separating Southern England from northern France, connecting to the North Sea via the Strait of Dover.
- It spans approximately 560 kilometers in length and varies from 240 km wide at its broadest point to 34 km at the narrowest in the Strait of Dover.
- Known as the world’s busiest shipping lane.
- Played a crucial role in Britain’s naval dominance and served as a defensive barrier during significant conflicts, including the Napoleonic Wars and World War II.
- The area surrounding the Channel mainly hosts English-speaking populations on the English side and French-speaking populations on the French side, reflecting its cultural and linguistic diversity.
Siachen Glacier
- News: April 13th marks an important date when India took control over Siachen Glacier, located in the Himalayas.
- Historical background :Post the 1949 India-Pakistan war, the UN-mediated ceasefire line was established but left the boundary at NJ9842 undefined. India initiated Operation Meghdoot in 1984 to take control of the 76.4 km-long glacier along the Saltoro Ridge. Despite a ceasefire in 2003, the boundaries at Siachen remain unmarked.
- Key Facts about the Siachen Glacier
- Location:
- Unique location as it is situated at the nuclear tri-junction of India, Pakistan, and China, the world’s only nuclear triangle.
- Positioned in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas. Located just northeast of point NJ9842 where the Line of Control between India and Pakistan ends.
- Part of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
- Geographical Features:
- Dimensions: 76 km long, width ranges from 2 km to 8 km, extending towards Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Ends near OP Baba Shrine and Indira Col at the northern edge of Saltoro Ridge.
- Notable as the second-longest glacier in non-polar areas and part of the extensively glaciated Karakoram, known as the “Third Pole.”
- Source of the Nubra River.
- Strategic Importance:
- Overlooks Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir and Shaksgam Valley near the Karakoram Pass.
- Acts as a strategic barrier between Pakistan and China, crucial due to the proximity of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and increasing military cooperation.
- Recent shifts: Notable PLA presence in Eastern Ladakh up to Y Junction near Daulat Beg Oldi airfield.
GS Paper 2
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme
- News: The ” Housing for All by 2022″ initiative, a key component of the PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana) scheme, aims to provide housing across urban and rural sectors and is a significant focus of the government’s agenda.
- About the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme:
| Aspects | Description |
| About |
|
| Type |
|
| Aim | Rehabilitation of slum dwellers with private developers’ participation.
Promotion of affordable housing for the weaker sections through Credit Linked Subsidy Schemes (CLSS). Providing subsidy for Beneficiary-led Construction (BLC). |
| Components | The scheme has two components: PMAY-Urban and PMAY-Rural, which cater to the urban and rural areas respectively The scheme is being implemented through four verticals
|
Schengen Visas
- News: The EU has introduced a new policy allowing Indian nationals to obtain long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years. These were aimed at those who have successfully used two visas within the last three years.
- Schengen Visas – Key Facts:
- Purpose: Schengen visas are required for non-European citizens to enter and travel within the Schengen Area, which includes 29 European countries.
- Travel Flexibility: These visas allow holders to move freely within the Schengen zone for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, primarily for tourism or business purposes.
- Employment Restriction: Holders of Schengen visas are not permitted to seek employment during their stay in the Schengen Area.
- Significance of the New Multiple Entry Visa System:
- Easier Access: The revised visa system simplifies the process for Indian nationals to obtain long-term visas, enhancing travel flexibility for those with a reliable travel history.
- Policy Framework: This update is part of the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility, designed to enhance cooperation on migration policies between the EU and India.
- Strengthening Ties: The new visa policy underscores the importance of fostering people-to-people links, reflecting India’s role as a significant partner to the EU.
Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme
- News: The Delhi High Court recently criticized the income thresholds for eligibility under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme as being too low, at ₹1,571 for rural and ₹1,605 for urban areas, suggesting these limits may be insufficient for beneficiaries to qualify for aid.
| Aspects | Description |
| About |
|
| Type |
|
| Components | The Umbrella Scheme of RAN includes three key components as follows:
|
GS Paper 3
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) Technique in Vietnamese Agriculture
- News: As per Food and Agriculture Organisation 2023 report Rice paddies are noted to contribute 8% of global human-made methane emissions.
- Vietnamese farmers have been utilizing the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) technique to reduce these methane emissions.
- Key Details about the AWD Technique
- Definition: AWD is a water conservation strategy used in lowland rice fields. It involves irrigating the field after the ponded water has disappeared, with the cycle of wetting and drying varying based on soil type.
- Development: The technique was developed by International Research Institute and Philippine Rice Research Institute.
- Operational Method: The fields are alternately flooded and dried. The non-flooded periods between irrigations can range from 1 to more than 10 days.
- Technological Integration: Large drones are employed to apply organic fertilizer to the rice seedlings, enhancing growth efficiency.
- Benefits of the AWD Technique
- Reduce water use: By reducing the number of irrigation events required, AWD can reduce water use by up to 30%.
- Mitigate Greenhouse Gases: AWD is assumed to reduce CH4 emissions by an average of 50% compared to continuous flooding.
- Increase returns: AWD does not reduce yields compared to continuous flooding. Farmers can also save money on irrigation costs.
State of the Climate in Asia 2023 Report
- News: The World Meteorological Organization’s latest findings have been detailed in the “State of the Climate in Asia 2023” report.
- Key Details of the report:
- Disaster Impact:
- In 2023, 79 extreme weather, climate, and water-related events affected over nine million people and caused over 2,000 deaths in Asia.
- Flooding and storms were the predominant disasters, responsible for over 60% of the deaths, with a notable 80% of events being related to these types.
- Temperature Trends:
- The warming trend in Asia has accelerated, nearly doubling since the 1961-1990 period.
- The region has warmed by at least 1.1 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average, with several countries experiencing their hottest year on record in 2023.
- Notably high temperature rises were recorded in eastern and northern India.
- Glacial and Sea Level Changes:
- Twenty out of twenty-two observed glaciers in the High Mountain Asia region showed continued mass loss, influenced by high temperatures and dry conditions.
- Sea level rise in the Bay of Bengal off India’s eastern coast was the second-highest in the region.
- Precipitation Variability:
- Rainfall was below normal in parts of Turkmenistan, Pakistan, and Myanmar.
- India’s summer monsoon was about 6% below the average for the period 1971–2000, though excess rainfall was observed in specific areas like the lower course of the Indus River.
- Sea Surface Temperature (SST):
- Global ocean temperatures have increased, with the Northwest Pacific Ocean recording the warmest SST on record last year.
- Significant warming was also observed in the North-Western Arabian Sea, the Philippine Sea, and the seas east of Japan, with rates more than three times the global average.
Sodium-Ion Battery
- News: Researchers in South Korea have developed an advanced hybrid sodium-ion battery that charges in seconds, representing a significant advancement in energy storage technologies.
- Advantages of Sodium-Ion Batteries:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Due to sodium being 500-1000 times more abundant than lithium, these batteries are more affordable, especially for large-scale deployments such as grid storage systems.
- Environmental Sustainability: Sodium-ion batteries favor a greener production process, as sodium extraction is significantly less damaging to the environment compared to lithium mining.
- Safety Features: With sodium being less reactive than lithium, sodium-ion batteries enhance safety in applications like residential energy storage where risk mitigation is crucial.
- Resource Availability: The widespread availability of sodium ensures a reliable supply, reducing reliance on geopolitical hotspots for raw materials, vital for countries aiming for energy independence.
- Application Flexibility: Sodium-ion batteries are well-suited for stationary storage applications, such as buffering intermittent solar or wind energy, due to their stable performance in less space-sensitive setups.
- Comparison of Sodium-Ion and Lithium-Ion Batteries
| Feature | Sodium-Ion Batteries | Lithium-Ion Batteries |
| Cost | Lower due to sodium’s high abundance. | Higher, influenced by scarce lithium. |
| Energy Density | Lower; less power per unit volume. | Higher; more power per unit volume. |
| Cycle Life | Shorter, fewer charge-discharge cycles. | Longer, sustains more cycles. |
| Safety | Safer, as sodium is less reactive. | Safe, but risk of thermal runaway exists. |
| Environmental Impact | More sustainable, minimal extraction impact. | Environmental impact from extraction and disposal. |
| Applications | Ideal for grid and large-scale storage. | Preferred in electronics, EVs, portable devices. |
Biomarkers
- News: Researchers propose blood biomarker screening as an early cancer detection method, using a new AI-powered test that identifies three major cancer types from a single dried blood spot.
- Key Facts about Biomarkers:
- Definition: A biomarker is a measurable indicator that reflects the interaction between a biological system and various potential hazards like chemicals or diseases. It provides specific insights into the health or condition of a system.
- E.g. glucose levels in blood, which are used to diagnose and monitor diabetes.
- Uses: Referred as ‘Molecular markers’ or ‘signature molecules’. These measure and provide real-time insights into the processes happening within cells or organisms.
- E.g. cholesterol levels, which serve as a biomarker for assessing heart disease risk.
- Composition: These include diverse biomolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, genes, DNA, RNA, platelets, enzymes, and hormones.
- Applications: It has the various applications which are as follows:
- Disease Diagnosis: Biomarkers help in the early detection of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
- Medication Prescription: They guide clinicians in choosing the right medication for individual patients.
- Dosage Determination: Biomarkers assist in determining the correct dosage of drugs for effective treatment.
- Drug Development: They are crucial in the development of new drugs by indicating pathways and targets for treatment.
Facts for Prelims
Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023 Report
- Published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- In 2023, India was the fourth highest in military spending worldwide, following the United States, China, and Russia.
- Global military spending reached an unprecedented $2443 billion, driven by factors like the conflict in Ukraine and growing global tensions.
- Special mention was given to NATO members collectively expended $1341 billion, accounting for 55% of the total global military expenditure.
- About SIPRI: Established in 1966 in Stockholm, this institute offers research and advice on issues related to armed conflict, military spending, arms trade, disarmament, and arms control.
Terms in News
| Term | Definition | Example |
| Climateflation | Climateflation arises when increasing natural disasters and severe weather impact economic activities, leading to rising prices, particularly in food. This puts additional financial pressure on economically vulnerable populations. | Prolonged droughts in agricultural regions lead to decreased crop yields, resulting in higher prices for staple foods like wheat and corn. |
| Fossilflation: | Fossilflation denotes the rising costs related to ongoing fossil fuel use, exacerbated by inadequate reductions in dependency and heightened by climate change mitigation efforts. | As carbon taxes and emissions regulations become more stringent, the operational costs for oil and coal companies increase, which then get passed on to consumers in the form of higher energy prices. |
| Greenflation | Greenflation describes the inflation driven by the increasing demand for metals and minerals critical to green technologies, coupled with the slow pace of expanding mining capacities. | The surge in production of electric vehicles intensifies demand for lithium used in batteries, outstripping current supply and causing lithium prices to spike. |
| Greedflation | Greedflation occurs when companies increase prices beyond cost-driven needs, capitalizing on situations like supply disruptions or heightened demand to boost profits. | During a shortage of essential goods, such as hand sanitizers or masks in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, some retailers and manufacturers significantly raised prices, capitalizing on the surge in demand and panic buying, rather than simply covering increased costs. |