About Ayushman Arogya Mandir:

• It is an attempt to move from a selective approach to health care to deliver a comprehensive range of services spanning preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care.
• It has two components which are complementary to each other.
  • Under its first component, 1,50,000 Ayushman Arogya Mandir will be created to deliver Comprehensive Primary Health Care, that is universal and free to users, with a focus on wellness and the delivery of an expanded range of services closer to the community.
  • The second component is the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) which provides health insurance coverage of Rs. 5 lakhs per year to over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families seeking secondary and tertiary care.
• Ayushman Arogya Mandirs offer a wide array of services, including preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care.
• As of January 31, 2025, 1,76,141 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been operationalised throughout India.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY:

• Ayushman Bharat, a flagship scheme of the Government of India, was launched as recommended by the National Health Policy 2017, to achieve the vision of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
• It is the largest health assurance scheme in the world which aims at providing a health cover of 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to over 12 crores poor and vulnerable families (approximately 55 crore beneficiaries) that form the bottom 40% of the Indian population.

 About US-Ukraine Mineral Deal:

• The US-Ukraine Mineral Deal is a bilateral agreement aimed at providing the United States access to Ukraine's vast mineral reserves, particularly critical raw materials.
• The deal establishes a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund, managed equally by Kyiv and Washington, to support Ukraine's post-war rebuilding efforts.
• Ukraine will contribute 50% of future revenues from its state-owned mineral resources, oil, and gas to the fund, which will then be reinvested in projects within Ukraine.
• The agreement aims to strengthen economic ties between the two nations and help the United States diversify its critical minerals supply chain, reducing dependence on China.
• However, the deal does not include explicit security guarantees for Ukraine, focusing primarily on economic cooperation and resource development.

Ukraine Mineral Reserves:

• Ukraine possesses significant reserves of rare-earth minerals essential for various high-tech industries, including aerospace, defence, and renewable energy.
• According to data from the Ukrainian geologic survey, Ukraine possesses 5% of the world’s mineral resources, including 23 of the 50 materials deemed critical by the U.S. government.

About Indus River:

• The Indus River is one of the longest rivers in Asia. It rises from Mansarovar in Tibet at an elevation of about 5182 m and flows for about 2880 km up to its outfall into the Arabian Sea. The length of the river in India is 800.75 km.
• Tributaries: Its principal tributaries are the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum.
• It flows through China, India, and Pakistan, serving as a vital water source for agriculture, hydropower, and human consumption.
  • The Indus flows through India only through the Union Territory of Ladakh.
• Drainage: The Indus basin extends over an area of 11,65,500 sq. km and lies in Tibet, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
  • The drainage area in India is 321289 sq. km. which is nearly 9.8% of the total geographical area of the country.
  • It is bounded on the north by the Karakoram and Haramosh ranges, on the east by the Himalayas, on the west by the Sulaiman and Kirthar ranges and on the south by the Arabian Sea.
• Historical Significance: The river has played a crucial role in the development of ancient civilizations, including the Indus Valley Civilization, one of the earliest urban cultures.

Indus River Civilisation:

• Indus Valley civilization is the earliest known urban culture of the northwestern regions of the Indian subcontinent.
• It is one of the world’s three earliest civilizations along with Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. This civilization flourished from approximately 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE.
• Most of the sites discovered earlier, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, are present in the Indus valley which gives the name to it. Harappa was the first excavated site therefore, it is also called Harappan culture.

About World Obesity Day:

• The World Obesity Day is a unified day of action that calls for a cohesive, cross-sector response to the obesity crisis. It takes place on 4 March and is convened by the World Obesity Federation in collaboration with its global members.
• Theme: The theme for World Obesity Day 2025 is "Changing Systems, Healthier Lives," emphasizing the need for systemic changes to address the global obesity epidemic.
• Goal: The day aims to increase awareness, encourage advocacy, improve policies, and share experiences related to obesity prevention and treatment.
• Since 2015, World Obesity Days have focused on recognizing the root causes of obesity, increasing knowledge of the disease, tackling weight stigma, and improving understanding, prevention, and treatment of obesity.

Obesity in India Trends:

• Recent analyses published in The Lancet predict that by 2050, India, China and the United States are projected to have the highest numbers of people who are overweight or live with obesity by 2050
• India is expected to have over 440 million obese and overweight people by 2050, ranking second globally after China.
  • The prevalence of obesity and overweight among boys in India increased from 0.46 crore in 1990, to 1.3 crore in 2021, and is projected to increase to 1.6 crore in 2050.
  • Among girls, it has increased from 0.45 crore in 1990, to 1.24 crore in 2021, and projected to increase to 1.44 core in 2050, according to the study.
• The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) reveals that nearly 24% of women and 22.9% of men in India are now classified as overweight or obese

About Semi-Cryogenic Engine:

• A semi-cryogenic engine (SCE) is a liquid rocket engine that uses liquid oxygen (LOX) as an oxidizer and refined kerosene as fuel.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is developing a semi-cryogenic engine with a thrust of 2000 kN to power the booster stages of future heavy-lift launch vehicles. This engine utilizes a combination of liquid oxygen (LOX) and refined kerosene (RP-1) as propellants.
• The semi-cryogenic engine offers several advantages over traditional cryogenic engines, including:
  • Higher Density Impulse: The LOX-kerosene combination provides a higher density impulse compared to LOX-liquid hydrogen, resulting in improved performance.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Kerosene is more cost-effective and easier to handle than liquid hydrogen, reducing overall mission costs.
  • Operational Efficiency: Kerosene can be stored at ambient temperatures, simplifying storage and handling requirements.
• The development of this engine is expected to enhance the payload capacity of ISRO's existing launch vehicles, such as the LVM3, and is also planned for use in future launch vehicles like the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV).
• Difference between Semi-Cryogenic Engine and Cryogenic Engine:
  • Unlike a cryogenic engine, a semi-cryogenic engine uses refined kerosene instead of liquid hydrogen. The liquid oxygen is used as an oxidiser.
  • The advantage of using a semi-cryogenic engine is that it requires refined kerosene, which is lighter than liquid fuel and can be stored at a normal temperature.

About Open Market Operations

• It is a monetary policy tool used by a central bank to control the money supply in an economy by buying or selling government securities in the open market.
• When a central bank wants to reduce inflation and money supply, it sells securities, and when it wants to stimulate the economy, it buys securities.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) uses OMOs in order to adjust the rupee liquidity conditions in the market on a durable basis.
• When the RBI feels that there is excess liquidity in the market, it resorts to the sale of government securities, thereby sucking out the rupee
  • Selling securities removes money from the system, raises interest rates, makes loans more expensive, and decreases economic activity.
  • However, when liquidity is sucked out, it can lead to a spike in bond yields as the RBI will release more government securities into the market, and bond buyers demand more interest rate on these securities.
• Similarly, when the liquidity conditions are tight, the central bank buys securities from the market, thereby releasing liquidity into the market.
  • Buying securities adds money to the system, lowers interest rates, makes loans easier to obtain, and increases economic activity.

About Astra MK-III Missile:

• It is a beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft.
• Still under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), this missile is expected to redefine the landscape of aerial warfare, especially in BVR combat.
• The missile will be deployed on the Sukhoi Su-30MKI jets and the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas.
• With the eventual induction of Gandiva, India will possess one of the longest-range BVR air-to-air missiles in the world.
• This missile is capable of targeting a variety of aerial threats, including enemy fighter jets, bombers, military transport aircraft, refueling planes, and Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
• Features:
  • It will have a range of 340 kilometers when the target is at an altitude of 20 kilometers, and 190 kilometers when the target is at a lower altitude of 8 kilometers.
  • It is powered by a dual-fuel ducted ramjet engine, enabling it to be launched from an IAF jet at sea level or as high as 20 kilometers in altitude.
  • The missile’s launch speed ranges from 0.8 to 2.2 Mach, with the capability to hit targets at a speed of 2.0 to 3.6 Mach.
  • One of its most advanced features is its ability to engage highly maneuverable fighter aircraft, with an angle of attack of up to 20 degrees.
  • Additionally, the Gandiva has a ±10 km snap-up/snap-down capability, allowing it to engage targets at varying altitudes—either higher or lower than the firing aircraft.