About Regional Rural Banks (RRBs):

• RRBs are financial institutions established to provide financial services to rural areas.
• They are formed in collaboration by the Central Government, State Governments, and Sponsoring Commercial Banks to give loans to rural areas.
• The main objectives of setting up the RRB is to provide credit and other facilities, especially to the small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans, and small entrepreneurs in rural areas.
• Origin:
  • RRBs were set up on the basis of the recommendations of the Narasimham Working Group (1975) and after the legislation of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976.
• Ownership: The equity of an RRB is held by the Central Government, concerned State Government and the Sponsor Bank in the proportion of 50:15:35.
• The RRBs combine the characteristics of a cooperative in terms of the familiarity of the rural problems and a commercial bank in terms of its professionalism and ability to mobilise financial resources.
• The area of operation of RRBs is limited to the area as notified by the Government of India, covering one or more districts in the State.
• The RBI has set a Priority Sector Lending (PSL) target of 75% of total outstanding advances for RRBs as against 40% for Scheduled Commercial Banks.
• Sources of Funds: It comprises owned funds, deposits, borrowings from NABARD, sponsor banks and other sources, including SIDBI and the National Housing Bank.
• Regulation: RRBs are regulated by the RBI and supervised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• Management: The Board of Directors manages these banks, overall affairs, which consists of one Chairman, three Directors as nominated by the Central Government, a maximum of two Directors as nominated by the concerned State Government, and a maximum of three Directors as nominated by the sponsor bank.

About Giloy:

• It is a climbing shrub that grows on other trees, from the botanical family Menispermaceae.
• Scientific Name: Tinospora cordifolia
• Giloy is also called giloe, guduchi, and amrita, among other names.
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It is native to India but also found in China and tropical areas of Australia and Africa.
  • It grows well in almost all types of soils and under varying climatic conditions.
  • The plant is cultivated by stem cutting in the months of May-June.
• It’s considered an essential herbal plant in Ayurvedic and folk medicine, where people use it as a treatment for a wide range of health conditions.
• All parts of the plant are used in Ayurvedic medicine. However, the stem is thought to have the most beneficial compounds.
• Nutritional Value:
  • Giloy contains several essential nutrients such as copper, iron, manganese, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus.
  • It also has alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, sesquiterpenoids, essential oils, fatty acids, and aliphatic compounds.
• Traditionally, giloy is used to treat
  • fever
  • urinary problems
  • asthma
  • dysentery
  • diarrhea
  • skin infections
  • Hansen’s disease (formerly called leprosy)
  • diabetes
  • gout
  • jaundice
  • anorexia
  • eye conditions

About Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease:

• Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease (KFD), also known as histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenopathy, is a rare inflammatory disorder of the lymph nodes.
• It causes swollen, painful lymph nodes that most often develop in neck (cervical lymphadenopathy), along with fever and fatigue.
• It most often affects people aged 30 and under.
• It can closely mimic tuberculosis and lymphoma.
• Causes: The cause of KFD remains unclear, but both viral infections and autoimmune mechanisms have been suggested as potential triggers.
• Usually, this disease does not cause severe problems and gets better on its own.
• However, in some people, it can be associated with autoimmune disorders, conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s cells and tissues.
• Treatment:
  • There isn’t a specific cure, but certain medication can help to relieve symptoms, including:
    • NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), for fever, pain, and headache.
    • Corticosteroids may be used in severe cases to reduce swelling in lymph nodes.

About Mushk Budji:

• It is a highly aromatic short-grain rice variety native to Kashmir.
• It is usually grown at an altitude ranging from 5000 to 7000 ft above mean sea level in the Highland Himalayas in the higher reaches of the Kashmir Valley.
• It received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2023.
• Features:
  • It is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, and select B‑
  • It’s light on fat and easy to digest, making it suitable even for fasting or digestive-sensitive meals.

About Thames River:

• It flows through southern England.
• It is the longest river in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.
• Course:
  • Origin: Its source is at Thames Head, near Kemble in the Cotswold Hills, Gloucestershire County.
  • It flows into the North Sea via the Thames Estuary.
  • The Nore is the sandbank that marks the mouth of the Thames Estuary and the confluence point of the Thames and the North Sea.
• Main Tributaries: Lea, Leach, Churn, Coln, Windrush, Kennet, Evenlode, Ock, and Loddon.

About Helicase:

• Helicase is a crucial enzyme in molecular biology, playing an essential role in DNA replication, repair, and transcription. 
• It is a motor protein and unwinds the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) into single strands, so that the cell can copy the genetic information stored in them.
• Working of Helicase:
  • First, the enzyme attaches to a particular region of DNA and moves along the molecule.
  • It uses energy from ATP (the cell’s main chemical energy source) to change its shape and force apart the two DNA strands.
  • The result is a Y-shaped region called the replication fork, where the two strands are exposed.
  • However, DNA tends to become increasingly twisted ahead of the replication fork as helicase moves along it.
  • Other enzymes called topoisomerases relieve this twisting and prevent the DNA from becoming tangled or breaking.
  • Once helicase has separated the strands, other replication machinery can use each exposed strand as a template to make a new complementary strand.

About Escherichia coli:

• It is commonly known as E. coli, is a type of bacteria that can be found in the intestines of humans and animals.
• It is a rod-shaped bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family.
• While most strains of E. coli are harmless and even beneficial, some strains can cause illness and infections.
• Transmission: It can be transmitted to humans through contaminated food, water, or contact with fecal matter from infected individuals or animals.
• Impact on Health: Some kinds of coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.
  • The most familiar strains of E. coli that make sick by producing a toxin called Shiga.
  • This toxin damages the lining of small intestine and causes diarrhea.
  • These strains of E. coli are also called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
• Symptoms: The most common symptoms of E.coli infection include fever, persistent diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea, and vomiting.
• Treatment: Most E. coli infections are self-limiting and resolve on their own without treatment. However, it’s essential to stay hydrated during the course of the illness.

About Central African Republic:

• Location: It is a landlocked nation located in the Central Africa region.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered by six countries namely Chad (North), Sudan (Northeast), and South Sudan (Southeast), DRC (South), Republic of the Congo (Southwest), and Cameroon (West).
• Capital City: Bangui
• Geographical Features of Central African Republic:
  • Topography: It is largely a plateau, covered with savannah (grassland). 
  • Climate:   The climate of the Central African Republic is tropical.
  • Major Rivers: The major rivers include the Oubangui (or Ubangi) River, which is a tributary of the Congo River and other is the Chari River which drains into Lake Chad.
  • Highest Peak: The highest point in the country Mount Ngaoui, is located in Karre Mountains range.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of mineral resource which includes diamonds, gold, uranium, iron ore, copper, and manganese are mined in smaller quantities.
  • The Dzanga-Sangha National Park is located in the southwest corner of the country which is designated as UNESCO-World Heritage site.

About National Sports Awards:

• The National Sports Awards are given every year to recognize and reward excellence in sports.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
• Arjuna Award:
  • It 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 Awards (Lifetime):
  • It 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 careers.
• Dronacharya Award
  • It is given to coaches for doing outstanding and meritorious work on a consistent basis and for enabling sportspersons to excel in International events.
• Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar
  • The ‘Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar’ is given to corporate entity (Public/Private), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), who have played a visible role in the area of sports promotion and development.