About Buccal Mucosa Cancer (BMC):

• It refers to a type of oral cancer that originates in the inner lining of the cheeks, called the buccal mucosa.
• It usually occurs in the thin, flat cells called squamous cells that line the buccal mucosa and other parts of the mouth. Hence, most BMC cases are Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC).
• It is the predominant form of oral cancer in the Indian subcontinent.
• It primarily affects individuals with risk factors such as tobacco use and alcohol use, which causes cellular changes in the cheek lining.
• Symptoms commonly include persistent sores, lumps, pain, and difficulty chewing or moving the cheek.
• Treatment options include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, depending on the cancer stage.
• Early detection is essential for improving prognosis and the buccal mucosa cancer survival rate.

About Ho Tribe:

• The Ho, or Kolha, people are an Austroasiatic Munda ethnic group of India.
• They call themselves the Ho, Hodoko, and Horo, which mean ‘human’ in their own language.
• Distribution:
  • They are mostly concentrated in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand and Odisha.
  • Ho also inhabit adjacent areas in the neighboring states of Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar.
  • They also live in Bangladesh and Nepal.
• Language: Ho people speak the Ho language, an Austroasiatic language closely related to Mundari.
• Occupation: The majority of the Ho tribe is involved in agriculture, either as landowners or labourers, while others are engaged in mining.
• The men and women of this community wear very minimal dress. The women prefer to wear tribal jewelleries.
• Women have higher status among the Ho than they do in most tribes.
• Dance is very important in Ho culture. Most villages have a dedicated dancing ground, called akhra, usually consisting of a cleared space of hard ground under a spreading tree.
• Traditional Ho music incorporates native instruments, including a dama (drum), dholak, dumeng (mandar), and the rutu (flute).
• Religion:
  • The majority of the Ho have their own nature-based religion (Sarnaism) that doesn't fit in with Hinduism.
  • They have a village priest called a deuri.

About Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS):

• It was launched by the Ministry of Power, Government of India to transform the electricity distribution sector.
• It is a Reforms-based and Results-linked Scheme.
• It seeks to modernise India’s power distribution sector through smart metering, network strengthening, and financial reforms, with the goal of creating financially sustainable and operationally efficient DISCOMs.
• The scheme aims to reduce the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and Gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Revenue Realised (ARR) to zero by 2024-25.
• The Scheme has two major components:
  • Part A: Financial support for Prepaid Smart Metering & System Metering and upgradation of the Distribution Infrastructure.
  • Part B: Training & Capacity Building and other Enabling & Supporting Activities.
• Financial assistance to DISCOMs is provided for upgradation of the Distribution Infrastructure and for Prepaid Smart Consumer Metering & System Metering based on meeting pre-qualifying criteria and achieving basic minimum benchmark in reforms.

About Dhasan River:

• It is a right bank tributary of the Betwa River, which itself is a tributary of the Yamuna.
• It flows in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
• Course:
  • The river originates in Madhya Pradesh and forms the southeastern boundary of the Lalitpur District of Uttar Pradesh.
• The river was known as the Dasharna in the ancient period.
• Lehchura Dam is built on this river. It is primarily an irrigation dam providing water for agricultural use via the Dhasan Canal System (DCS).

About Dulhasti Stage-II Hydropower Project:

• It is a 260-megawatt hydropower project proposed on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar District of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I Hydroelectric Project (Dulhasti Power Station).
• The project also includes a surge shaft, a pressure shaft, and an underground powerhouse.

About Vallanadu Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Tamil Nadu.
• It was established to protect blackbuck antelopes.
• Vegetation: It is a scrub forest
• Fauna: Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, Bonnet Macaque, Jungle Cat, Small Indian Civet, Black-naped Hare; Rose-ringed Parakeet; Common Indian Monitor Lizard etc. are found here.
• Flora: Acacia Albizia amara, Zizyphus sp, Azadirachta indica, Carissa carandus, Euphorbia acalypha etc.

Key Facts about Blackbuck

• It is a species of antelope native to India and Nepal.
• Habitat: The blackbuck mostly lives in open grasslands, dry scrub areas, and thinly forested areas.
• Distribution:It is widespread in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and other areas throughout peninsular India.
• It has been declared as the state animal by the governments of Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh. 
• Conservation Status: It is classified as ‘Least Concerned’ under the IUCN Red List.

About Nitrate:

• It is a compound of nitrogen and oxygen.
• It is naturally found in air, soil and water.
• Plants and animals require nitrates for their survival and growth, and the human body also produces this compound.
• Applications of Nitrate:
  • In industry, nitrate is used as fertilizers for crops and lawns.
  • It is used in food preservation, certain pharmaceutical medications, as well as the manufacture of munitions and explosives. 
• Impact of Nitrate Contamination:
  • It gets into water from fertilizer in runoff, manure from animal feeding operations and wastewater treatment plant discharge.
  • Health: Excessive nitrate in groundwater causes methemoglobinemia, reducing the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, particularly affecting infants and vulnerable populations.
  • Environment: Elevated nitrate levels in groundwater can lead to algal blooms in lakes and ponds, severely degrading aquatic ecosystems by depleting oxygen and harming biodiversity.

About Somaliland:

• Location: It is located in the Horn of Africa.
• Bordered by: It borders Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Puntland region, with a strategic coastline along the Gulf of Aden.
• Capital City: Hargeisa
• Governance: It functions as a de facto independent state with its own constitution, elected government, judiciary, security forces, currency, and national symbols.
  • Governance combines modern democratic institutions with traditional clan-based mechanisms, ensuring stability and conflict resolution.
  • It has a bicameral legislature, including the House of Elders (Guurti), and conducts regular elections contributing to institutional legitimacy.
• Port: Berbera Port is being developed as a regional trade and logistics corridor, particularly serving landlocked Ethiopia.
• Economy: The economy is largely livestock-based, with exports to Gulf countries forming a major revenue source.

About Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme:

• It is aimed at strengthening India’s domestic shipbuilding capacity and improving global competitiveness. 
• Time Period: It will remain valid until 2036.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
• Features of Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme:
  • Financial Assistance: The government will provide financial assistance depending on the vessel category.
  • Graded Support: The scheme introduces graded support for small normal, large normal and specialised vessels, with stage-wise disbursement linked to defined milestones and backed by security instruments.
  • Shipbreaking Credit Note: Under this, ship owners scrapping vessels at Indian yards will receive a credit equivalent to 40% of the scrap value.
  • It provides for the establishment of a National Shipbuilding Mission to ensure coordinated planning and execution of shipbuilding initiatives.

Key Facts about Shipbuilding Development Scheme:

• It focuses on long-term capacity and capability creation.
• Features of Shipbuilding Development Scheme
  • Infrastructure Development: It provides for the development of greenfield shipbuilding clusters, expansion and modernisation of existing brownfield shipyards.
  • India Ship Technology Centre: It is to be established under the Indian Maritime University to support research, design, innovation and skills development.
  • Funding:
    • Greenfield shipbuilding clusters will receive 100% capital support for common maritime and internal infrastructure through a 50:50 Centre–State special purpose vehicle.
    • Brownfield expansion will be eligible for 25% capital assistance for brownfield infrastructure such as dry docks, shiplifts etc.
  • Credit Risk Coverage: The scheme also includes a Credit Risk Coverage Framework, offering government-backed insurance for pre-shipment, post-shipment and vendor-default risks.

About Plasser’s Quick Relaying System:

• It is a modern semi-mechanized system automatic machine used for quick railway track replacement.
• It aims to speed up track renewal while minimizing traffic disruption, enhancing safety, reliability, and maintenance efficiency.
• Features of Plasser’s Quick Relaying System:
  • It consists of self-propelled cranes which move on an auxiliary track having the same centre line as that of track to be relayed.
  • These portal cranes are capable of self-loading and unloading from Bogie Flat Wagons.
• Uses: The system is widely used for new track construction as well as the modernisation of existing track infrastructure.
• Benefits of the system:
  • Renewal time: It helps longer track lengths to be renewed within shorter traffic blocks
  • Cost-Effective: It is cost effective, as it reduces manual labor and lifecycle maintenance costs.