About Makhana:

• It is also known as Foxnut, is the dried edible seed of the prickly water lily or gorgon plant (Euryale ferox). 
• The edible part of the Makhana plant consists of small, round seeds that have an outer layer ranging from black to brown. This has led to it being referred to as the ‘Black Diamond.’
• Makhana plant is considered as native of South-East Asia and China, but distributed to almost every part of the world.
• Required climatic conditions
  • It is grown in stagnant perennial water bodies like ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, swamps and ditches.
  • It is a plant of tropical and subtropical climate.
  • Temperature:200C to 350 C
  • Annual rainfall:100 cm to 250 cm
  • Soil: Smooth loamy soil
• In India it is mainly distributed in the states of Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh.
• Bihar in India is the leading state in its production and processing.
• Makhana is a product approved under the Union government’s One District One Product scheme, under which subsidies are provided to food processors for branding, marketing, and developing infrastructure.
• Benefits of Makhana
  • It is a kind of hydrophyte used both as drug and food which exhibits much application and development prospect in the fields of medicine, food and economy.
  • Makhana is the seed of a cash aquatic crop, which was popularly used as herb and food in China. Makhana possessed high nutritional value and many medical and health protection effects.

About Food Safety and Standards Authority of India:

• It has been established under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
• Mandate: FSSAI is responsible for setting food standards, regulating the manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food, and ensuring the availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.
• Functions of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
  • Standards Development: It formulates standards for various food products, ensuring they are safe for consumption.
  • Food Safety Management Systems: It provides guidelines for businesses to implement effective food safety management practices.
  • Licensing and Registration: FSSAI manages the licensing process for food businesses, ensuring they comply with food safety regulations.
  • Surveillance and Monitoring: Regular inspections and audits are conducted to assess compliance with food safety standards.
  • Consumer Awareness: Initiatives to educate the public about food safety, hygiene, and nutrition are a key focus area.
  • Accreditation: The FSSAI is also responsible for the accreditation of food testing laboratories throughout India.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

About Indian Council of Agricultural Research:

• It is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India. 
• Background: It was established on 16 July, 1929 as a registered society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• It was started in pursuance of the report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture
• It is the apex body for coordinating, guiding, and managing research and education in agriculture, including horticulture, fisheries, and animal sciences, throughout the country.
• It is responsible for guiding research institutes and universities in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, and animal sciences.
• Mandate: ICAR’s primary mandate focuses on the thematic areas of Crop Science, Horticultural Science, Natural Resource Management, Agricultural Engineering, Animal Science, Fisheries Science, Agricultural Education and Agricultural Extension.
• The ICAR has played a pioneering role in ushering in the Green Revolution and subsequent developments in agriculture in India through its research and technology development. 
• It has played a major role in promoting excellence in higher education in agriculture. 
• It is engaged in cutting-edge areas of science and technology development and its scientists are internationally acknowledged in their fields.
• Headquarters: New Delhi. 

About Arogya Van Initiative:

• It is a new initiative to develop thematic medicinal tree plantations on vacant land parcels along the National Highways.
• It aims to enrich biodiversity along the National Highways by introducing medicinal tree species that support pollinators, birds and microfauna, thereby strengthening ecosystem resilience.
  • In the first phase an action plan has been formulated covering 17 land parcels along different National Highway projects in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.  
• Under this tree species with established medicinal properties have been identified and will be planted at land parcels as per suitability to the respective agro-climatic zones.
• Priority: Priority will be given to land parcels near toll plazas, wayside amenities, interchanges, cloverleaf junctions and other prominent stretches along National Highways
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Road Transport & Highways

About National Quantum Mission:

• It was launched by the Department of Science & Technology for a period from 2023-24 to 2030-31.
• It is aiming to seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant & innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT).
• It is one of the nine initiatives under the Prime Minister’s Science Technology Innovation Advisory Council (PMSTIAC).
• Implementation Strategy
  • It is being implemented by establishing four Thematic Hubs (T-Hubs) across leading institutions in India and each T-Hub will follow the Hub-Spoke-Spike model
  • The mission focuses on 4 key areas:
    • Quantum Computing: Led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru
    • Quantum Communication: It is led by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras in association with the Centre for Development of Telematics, New Delhi
    • Quantum Sensing & Metrology: It is spearheaded by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay
    • Quantum Materials & Devices: It is coordinated by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

About Cornstarch:

• It is substance produced through wet milling of corn(Zea mays).
  • Wet milling separates the components of corn kernels, which consist primarily of protein, fibre, starch, and oil.
  • Once separated, the starch is dried, forming a white powder called cornstarch.
• Cornstarch is high in carbohydrates but lacking in vitamins, protein, fibre, and minerals, making it one of the least nutritionally dense components of corn.
• Applications of Cornstarch:
  • It absorbs moisture, however, making it useful as a thickener and anticaking agent in food products.
  • It is used in certain oral medications, where it facilitates the disintegration of capsules and tablets.
  • It may be used as a substitute for wheat flour in gluten-free foods and as a substitute for baby powder.
  • It is used in food processing, papermaking, and the production of industrial adhesives; it is also a component of many cosmetics and oral pharmaceutical products.
  • It has been used as a lubricant in surgical gloves.

About Exercise Cyclone 2026:

• It is a joint special force exercise held between India – Egypt.
• It is the fourth edition of this exercise.
• It is an annual event conducted alternatively in India and Egypt.
• Participating Forces: The Indian contingent, comprising personnel from Special Forces units, will train alongside their Egyptian counterparts in a realistic operational environment.
• Aim: It aims to enhance joint mission planning capabilities and improve interoperability through the exchange of best practices in special operations.
• The participating troops will undertake a series of training activities focused on special operational tactics, techniques and procedures in desert and semi-desert terrain.
• The joint exercise will also facilitate mutual exchange of professional expertise and provide an opportunity to strengthen bonds of camaraderie.

About Mount Semeru:

• Location: It is located in East Java, Indonesia.
• It is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. 
• It is positioned within a subduction zone, where the Indo-Australian plate subducts beneath the Eurasia plate.
• It is the highest peak on Java Island and sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.
• It lies at the southern end of a volcanic massif extending north to the Tengger caldera.
• Summit topography is complicated by the shifting of craters from NW to SE.
• Semeru, also known as Mahameru, has erupted numerous times in the past.

About Trade Receivables Discounting System:

• It is an electronic platform for facilitating the financing/discounting of trade receivables of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through multiple financiers. 
• These receivables can be due from corporates and other buyers, including Government Departments and Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
• Purpose: To allow MSME sellers to discount invoices raised against major corporations, which helps them manage their working capital demands. The platform enables MSMEs to receive payments more quickly.
• Participants:
  • Sellers, buyers, and financiers are the participants on a TReDS platform.
  • Only MSMEs can participate as sellers in TReDS.
  • Corporates, Government Departments, PSUs, and any other entity can participate as buyers in TReDS.
  • Banks, NBFC – Factors, and other financial institutions, as permitted by the RBI, can participate as financiers in TReDS.
• RBI has not made it compulsory for any buyer, seller, or financier to participate in TReDS. 
• The Government has made it compulsory for certain segments of companies to mandatorily register as buyers on the TReDS platform(s).