About Idukki Hydroelectric Project:

• It is built across the Periyar River in the Idukki district of Kerala.
• It is the largest hydroelectric project in Kerala.
• The powerhouse at Moolamattom is the longest underground power station in India, and the pressure shaft is the largest in the country.
• There are three dams associated with this project. They are: Idukki Arch Dam, Cheruthoni Dam & Kulamavu Dam.
  • The Idukki dam is one of the highest ten arch dams in the world and the third highest in India after the Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) and Bhakra Nangal Dam (Himachal Pradesh).
  • It is the first dam in Asia that is constructed in a double-curvature arch dam type and the second in the world.

About Mud Volcano:

• It is a mound of mud heaved up through overlying sediments.
• The craters are usually shallow and may intermittently erupt mud.
• These eruptions continuously rebuild the cones, which are eroded relatively easily.
• Some mud volcanoes are created by hot-spring activity where large amounts of gas and small amounts of water react chemically with the surrounding rocks and form a boiling mud.
• Other mud volcanoes, entirely of a nonigneous origin, occur only in oil-field regions that are relatively young and have soft, unconsolidated formations.
• Mud volcanoes, also known as “sedimentary volcanoes” or “gas-oil volcanoes,”.
• Mud volcanoes also exist on the floor of the sea and can form islands and banks that alter the topography and shape of the coastline.
• In India, the only mud volcano lies in Baratang Island, a part of the Andaman chain of islands.

About Kapilash Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Dhenkanal district of Odisha.
• Vegetation: It is classified as an Eastern Highlands moist deciduous forest
• Flora: It is dominated by sal trees and a rich variety of flora like amla, teak, and kadamba.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to diverse wildlife, including elephants, jungle cats, sloth bears, spotted deer, jackals, and various species of birds such as peacocks, junglefowl, and kingfishers.
  • It also supports several reptiles and unique species like pangolins and porcupines.

About Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi):

• It is a corporate climate action organization that enables companies and financial institutions worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis.
• Mission: To drive science-based climate action in the corporate sector consistent with limiting warming to 1.5°C.
• SBTi develops standards, tools, and guidance which allow companies to set GHG emissions reduction targets.
• The SBTi validates companies' targets and assists other industry leaders in creating the best practice for their organisations with targets in line with the Paris Agreement.
• The SBTi was formed as a collaboration between the World Resources Institute, CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
• The SBTi also helps companies and financial institutions worldwide to improve their risk management, attract investors, gain a competitive advantage, and become leaders in sustainability.

About Valley of the Kings:

• It was the burial site of pharaohs, or kings, of ancient Egypt.
• It was part of the ancient city of Thebes.
• These pharaohs ruled from 1539 to 1077 BC, during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom.
• The tombs in the Valley of the Kings were carved into rocky hillsides with only a doorway marking their location.
• In 1979 UNESCO made the Valley of the Kings part of the World Heritage site of ancient Thebes.

About Lion‑Tailed Macaques:

• It is an Old World monkey.
• It is also known as the ‘beard ape’ because of its mane. 
• It is one of the smallest macaque species in the world.
• Distribution: It is endemic to evergreen rainforests of the southern part in Western Ghats.
• Characteristics of Lion‑Tailed Macaques:
  • It is an arboreal and diurnal creature.
  • It is a territorial and communicative animal.
  • It is omnivorous
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I
• Threats: Its population faces threats from habitat loss, fragmentation, and human encroachment.

About Continental Mantle Earthquakes:

• These are seismic events which originate in the mantle beneath continents.
• Origin: These earthquakes often occur more than 80 km below the Mohorovicic discontinuity (boundary between the crust and the mantle).
• Impact: They are too deep to cause much shaking or danger at Earth's surface.
• Occurrence: They occur worldwide but are regionally clustered, particularly beneath the Himalayas in southern Asia and the Bering Strait between Asia and North America.
• Significance: The new map will help scientists learn more about the mechanics of mantle earthquakes.

What is Mohorovicic discontinuity?

• It is the boundary lying between the crust and the mantle of the earth across which seismic waves change velocities.

About Corruption Perceptions Index:

• It is the most widely used global corruption ranking in the world.
• The index has been published annually by the non-governmental organisation Transparency International since 1995.
• Methodology Used:
  • It is an index which ranks countries “by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys.”
  • It uses a scale of zero to 100, where “zero” is highly corrupt and “100” is very clean.

Key Highlights of Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2025:

• Least Corrupt nations: Denmark, Finland and Singapore.
• Most Corrupt nations: South Sudan, Somalia and Venezuela.
• India’s Performance: Its rank improved from 96 (2024) to 91 (2025).

About Rashtriya Karmayogi Large Scale Jan Seva Programme:

• It is a national behavioural transformation initiative for civil servants.
• It is launched by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC).
• It was designed to emphasize upon the deeper sense of Seva Bhav (spirit of service) and Svadharma (duty aligned with personal purpose) among Government servants, with the objective of strengthening citizen-centric governance.
• It is focused on improving quality of service delivery, enhancing responsiveness and collaboration across governance structures, and fostering greater engagement and satisfaction among officers.

What is Capacity Building Commission?

• It is the executive body of the Mission Karmayogi framework, to drive civil service reforms through capacity building and competency-based learning.
• Functions of Capacity Building Commission
  • It works to strengthen the human resource foundations of the government by focusing on developing individual and institutional capacities, promoting citizen-centric governance, future readiness.
  • It fosters a culture of lifelong learning across all levels of public administration.
  • The Commission designs frameworks, sets standards, and encourages collaboration to make governance more transparent, accountable, citizen-centric, and future-ready.

About Lysosomal Storage Disorders:

• Lysosomal storage diseases or disorders (LSDs) are rare genetic conditions that cause a buildup of toxic materials in your body’s cells.
• LSDs cause a buildup of toxic materials in the body’s cells.
• These disorders usually appear during pregnancy or soon after birth and rarely, adults may develop LSDs. 
• The majority of the LSDs are caused by mutations in the genes encoding a lysosomal enzyme.
  • A lysosome is a membrane-bound cell organelle that contains digestive enzymes. 
  • Lysosomes are involved with various cell processes. They break down excess or worn-out cell parts.
  • People with LSDs lack certain enzymes or a substance that helps the enzyme work (enzyme activator or modifier). Enzymes assist your cells’ lysosomes with metabolism. 
  • Without functioning enzymes, your body can’t break down fats, sugars and other substances. 
  • If those build up in your body, they can be harmful. They cause dysfunction of those organs where they accumulate and contribute to great morbidity and mortality.
• Exceptions: All LSDs except Hunter syndrome(MPS II) and Fabry disease are autosomal recessive disorders. This means both parents must carry the abnormal gene that prevents the body from making an enzyme with normal activity.
• Treatment: 
  • There are no cures for lysosomal storage diseases. 
  • But treatments can help you to manage your symptoms and lessen damage to organs and tissues.

About PM-SURAJ Portal:

• Pradhan Mantri Samajik Utthan evam Rozgar Adharit Jankalyan (PM-SURAJ) portal was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2024.
• Objective: To provide credit support to entrepreneurs from disadvantaged sections of society virtually.
• It is a centralised platform where individuals from underprivileged backgrounds can apply for and track the progress of all available loans and credit schemes.
• Only those intending to establish a new business can apply on this portal, as this platform provides loans exclusively for business startups.
• Business loans up to Rs 15 lakh are available at low interest rateS through this portal, which are transferred directly to your bank account through banks, NBFC-MFIs, and other financial institutions.
• It is run by government bodies like the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), the National Safai Karamcharis Finance & Development Corporation (NSKFDC), and the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation (NBCFDC).
• It is designed to uplift the most marginalized segments of society, such as the backward classes, scheduled castes, tribes, and other disadvantaged sections, and extend credit assistance to one lakh entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities.

About Wajid Ali Shah:

• Nawab Wajid Ali Shah (1822-1887) belonged to the princely kingdom of Awadh (Oudh) in Uttar Pradesh.
• He succeeded his father, Nawab Amjad Ali Shah, to become the province’s tenth and last nawab.
• His deposition and the annexation of Awadh became one of the major causes of the Revolt of 1857.
• He was a poet, playwright, dancer, and profound patron of arts.
• His works included numerous poems, prose, ragas, playwrights, and ghazals under his pen name of ‘Qaisar’.
• The Ishqnamah (Book of Love) is a youthful autobiography written in Urdu verse by Wajid Ali Shah.
• He is also credited for contributing to the revival of the Indian dance form Kathak.
• He was also greatly interested in architecture. He started building the Qaiser bagh palace complex as soon as he came to the throne.
• Besides the Nawab’s immense contributions to India, one of his wives, Begum Hazrat Mahal, was known to be a great Indian freedom fighter who played a major role during India’s First War of Independence (1857-58) against the British.

About Wet Dress Rehearsal:

• It is the final practice run for a high-stakes rocket launch.
• The “wet” in the name refers to the loading of cryogenic fuel (typically liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for large rockets) into the rocket’s massive tanks.
• It is a rigorous demonstration of ground team preparedness.
• Wet rehearsals are important because only they can reveal events that happen in cryogenic conditions, e.g., leaks in seals or in the connections between the rocket and ground equipment.

What is a Dry Dress Rehearsal?

• It practices the countdown and important operations without loading cryogenic propellants into the rocket.
• Instead, the team power up vehicle and ground systems, verify its communications equipment, simulate critical events, and validate decision-making and handoffs between launch control, engineering, range safety, and, if applicable, crew operations.
• Many of the testing steps use simulated sensor inputs.
• These rehearsals are useful to reveal logical problems in the flow of events without risking fuel leaks.

Key Facts about Artemis II Mission:

• It is the second scheduled flight of NASA's Artemis program and the first crewed Artemis mission.
• It will be the first mission to carry humans to the moon’s vicinity since 1972.
• It is the first to fly astronauts aboard the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.
• While Artemis 1 successfully flew Orion around the moon without astronauts in 2022, Artemis 2 will be the first time that humans will travel aboard the spacecraft and venture beyond Low Earth Orbit.
• The astronauts and mission controllers will collect data on Orion and the crew’s performance to assess how ready the Artemis program is to send people to the moon’s surface.

About Gilbert Hill:

• It is located in Maharashtra.
• The hill has a sheer vertical face and is one of the oldest basalt rock formations in the world.
• According to geological records, only three such columnar basalt formations exist in the world. The other two are:
  • Devil’s Tower (USA)
  • Giant’s Causeway (Northern Ireland)
• It was declared a National Park and is categorized by the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation as a Grade II heritage structure. 

About Public Financial Management System:

• It is a web-based online transaction system for fund management and e-payment to implementing agencies and other beneficiaries.
• It is a Centralized Transaction System & Platform, providing end to end financial management services to all stakeholders.
• It is developed and implemented by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Function: To facilitate sound Public Financial Management System for Government of India by establishing an efficient fund flow system as well as a payment cum accounting network.
• Key Features of Public Financial Management System:
  • It tracks funds released under all plan schemes of Government of India, and real time reporting of expenditure at all levels of Programme implementation.
  • Government has mandated PFMS as a single platform for payment, accounting & reconciliation of government transactions and DBT.
  • Cash management modules: It has been introduced on PFMS for better fund management like Single Nodal Agency (SNA), Treasury Single Account (TSA), Central Nodal Agency (CNA) and Single Nodal Agency Samyochit Pranali Ekikrit Shighra Hastantaran (SNA SPARSH).
  • Grievance Redressal System: PFMS has introduced the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, to strengthen the grievance redressal mechanism for PFMS users/ beneficiaries.

About National Large Solar Telescope:

• It will be established in the Merak region near the Pangong Tso Lake.
• Purpose: It is meant to study the sun
• It will operate in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
• It will help to study the fundamental solar dynamics and magnetism, energetic solar events, and map various space-weather processes having a direct bearing on the Earth and national space assets, like satellites and space launches.
• It will serve as India’s third ground-based solar observatory.
  • Currently, the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (in Tamil Nadu, established 1899) and the Udaipur Solar Observatory (in Rajasthan, established 1975) are operational.

Key Facts about National Large Optical-Near Infrared Telescope

• It will be built in Hanle. 
  • In a segmented-mirror telescope, a larger primary mirror comprises highly complex, smaller hexagonal mirror segments.
• It will be one of the world’s largest telescopes operating in the electromagnetic spectrum’s optical-infrared wavelengths.
• Objective: Frontier research on exoplanets, stellar and galactic evolution, and supernovae will be possible, besides looking for clues to trace the origins of the universe. 

About Hollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Assam.
• It is the only sanctuary in India named after a gibbon due to its distinction for containing the densest gibbon populations in Assam.
• River: The Bhogdoi River creates a waterlogged region dominated by semi-hydrophytic plants along the border of the sanctuary.
• Flora:
  • The upper canopy of the forest is dominated by the Hollong tree, while the Nahar dominates the middle canopy.
  • The lower canopy consists of evergreen shrubs and herbs.
• Fauna: It hosts gibbons; the hoolock gibbons, and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate–the Bengal slow loris.
  • It also has Indian elephants, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, wild boar, three types of civet, four types of squirrels, stump-tailed macaque, northern pig-tailed macaque, etc.

About Lymphatic Filariasis:

• It is commonly known as elephantiasis (Haatipaon) which is a neglected tropical disease.
• It is a vector-borne disease transmitted by the female Culex mosquito.
• Cause: It is caused by infection with parasites classified as nematodes (roundworms) of the family Filariodidea. There are 3 types of these thread-like filarial worms:
  • Wuchereria bancrofti, which is responsible for 90% of the cases
  • Brugia malayi, which causes most of the remainder of the cases
  • Brugia timori, which also causes the disease
• Transmission Cycle: Adult worms nest in the lymphatic vessels and disrupt the normal function of the lymphatic system where they produce millions of microfilariae (immature larvae) that circulate in the blood.
• Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes.
• Symptoms: The majority of infections are asymptomatic but in chronic conditions it leads to lymphoedema (tissue swelling) or elephantiasis (skin/tissue thickening) of limbs and hydrocele (scrotal swelling). 
• Treatment:
  • Elimination of lymphatic filariasis is possible by stopping the spread of the infection through preventive chemotherapy.
  • WHO-recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy for lymphatic filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA).
  • MDA involves administering an annual dose of medicines to the entire at-risk population.

About Network Readiness Index:

• It maps how economies leverage information and communication technologies to support growth, innovation and social development.
• Methodology used: It maps the network-based readiness landscape based on their performance in four pillars:
  • Technology
  • People
  • Governance
  • Impact
• The report has been prepared by the Portulans Institute, an independent, non-profit research and educational institute based in Washington DC.

Key Highlights of Network Readiness Index Report 2025:

• India improved its score from 53.63 out of 100 in 2024 to 43 out of 100 in 2025.
• India secured 1st rank in “Annual investment in telecommunication services”, “AI scientific publications”, “ICT services exports” and “E-commerce legislation”.
  • 2nd rank in “FTTH/Building Internet subscriptions”, “Mobile broadband internet traffic within the country” and “International Internet bandwidth”, and 3rd rank in “Domestic market scale” and “Income Inequality”.
• India is ranked 2nd in the group of lower-middle-income countries.

About HbA1c Test:

• A hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) test is a blood test that shows average level of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past two to three months.
• An A1C test measures the percentage of RBCs that have glucose-coated hemoglobin.
• An A1C test can show average glucose level for the past three months because:
  • Glucose sticks to hemoglobin for as long as the RBCs are alive.
  • RBCs live about three months.
• High A1C levels are a sign of high blood glucose from diabetes.
• Diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage.
• With treatment and lifestyle changes, blood glucose levels can be controlled.

About SCALP Missile:

• The SCALP missile, also known as Storm Shadow, is a long-range, air-launched cruise missile.
• It was developed together by France and the United Kingdom.
• It is in service with multiple NATO and allied air forces.
• Features:
  • It is powered by turbojet engines and has a range of 250 km.
  • The missile has a tandem warhead configuration, comprising a shaped charge for initial penetration and a secondary high-explosive charge for enhanced lethality.
  • Capable of night and all-weather operations, SCALP is particularly effective for penetrating hardened bunkers and ammunition stores.

About Himalayan Griffon:

• It is one of the nine species of vultures found in India.
• It is a type of Old World Vulture.
• Scientific Name: Gyps himalayensis
• Distribution:
  • It is found along the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan region and is also found in the Central Asian mountains.
  • Occasionally it migrates to northern India, but migration usually only occurs altitudinally.
• Features:
  • These are monogamous, and pairs return to the same nesting and roosting sites from year to year.
  • Nests are built on ledges or in small caves.
  • These are diurnal and mostly solitary
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Near Threatened.

About Kimberley Process (KP):

• It is a coalition of governments, civil society and the diamond industry to eliminate the trade in so-called conflict diamonds.
  • Conflict diamonds are defined by the relevant United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSC resolution 1459) as “rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments”.
• Based on a mandate from the United Nations, the Kimberley Process regulates the international trade in rough diamonds.
• Participants in the scheme are required to:
  • Satisfy ‘minimum requirements’ and establish national legislation, institutions and import/export controls;
  • Commit to transparent practices and to the exchange of critical statistical data;
  • Trade only with other participants in the Scheme;
  • Certify shipments as conflict-free.
• Currently it has 60 participants, representing 86 countries (with the EU as a single participant) which account for more than 99% of the global rough diamond production and trade.
• The KP meets twice a year at the Intersessional and Plenary meetings. It is chaired by a participating country on an annual, rotating basis.
• As a consensus-based body, the KP relies on the constructive engagement from all participants of the tripartite structure.

What is the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS)?

• It is the mechanism the KP uses to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds.
• Under this scheme, the Government implements safeguards on shipments of rough diamonds and certifies the diamond as conflict-free.
• According to this Scheme, each rough diamond shipment must be accompanied by the Kimberley Process certificate and transported in a tamper-resistant container.
• The KP certificate states the authenticity of the rough diamond.
• Since 2003, India has been actively participating in the KPCS process.
  • The Department of Commerce is the nodal Department.
  • Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) is designated as the KPCS Importing and Exporting Authority in India.
  • GJEPC is responsible for issuing KP Certificates and is also the custodian of KP Certificates received in the country. 

About Mons Mouton:

• Mons Mouton is a mountain located near the South Pole of the Moon.
• Its peak is largely flat, which is favorable for landing.
• It is situated in the South Circumpolar Region (SCR) of the Moon.
• It is believed to be positioned on the rim of the South-Pole-Aitken basin (the largest and most ancient impact basin on the Moon). 
• This area is also important because it receives sunlight for a long time.
• Importance of Mons Mouton Area:
  • The Mons Mouton area is of particular scientific interest because it lies near permanently shadowed craters believed to contain water-ice deposits.
  • Studying samples from this region could help scientists better understand the Moon’s geological history and the distribution of lunar resources.
  • Radio communication with Earth also remains clear from this region, which prevents any major contact issues during the mission.

About Ethylene Glycol:

• It is the simplest member of the glycol family of organic compounds.
• Properties:
  • It is a colourless, odourless, slightly viscous liquid with a faintly sweet taste.
  • It mixes easily with water and alcohol, does not evaporate quickly.
  • It remains stable over a wide temperature range, and is inexpensive to manufacture. 
• Impact of Human Health: Ethylene glycol metabolism produces toxic metabolites that can cause significant morbidity and mortality if left untreated.
• Applications
  • It is used to make antifreeze and de-icing solutions for cars, airplanes, and boats.
  • It is also used in hydraulic brake fluids and inks used in stamp pads, ballpoint pens, and print shops.
  • It is also used as a reagent in making polyesters, explosives, alkyd resins, and synthetic waxes.

About Swavalambini Scheme:

• It is a woman Entrepreneurship Programme which empowers young women with the skills and confidence needed to establish their own businesses.
• It introduces a structured, multi-stage training approach to help young women transition from ideation to successful enterprise creation.
• It aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among female students, equipping them with awareness of available support mechanisms, schemes, resources and networks essential for pursuing entrepreneurship as a career.
• It is implemented through National Institute for Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD), Noida and Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati.
• Programme Structure
  • Target group: 1200 female students from Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) and Universities
  • Entrepreneurship Awareness Programme (EAP): The female students undergo introductory programme on entrepreneurial awareness through entrepreneurial awareness programme.
  • Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP): It covers business aspects like skilling, finance, market linkages, compliance, and networking
  • This is followed by mentorship and handholding support to help participants translate their ideas into sustainable enterprises.
• Support: MSDE will oversee the execution, supervision, and monitoring of the programme.
  • NITI Aayog will provide mentoring support, facilitate seed funding, and recognize successful entrepreneurs through the Award To Reward (ATR) initiative.

About Mangrove clam:

• Mangrove clams, commonly known as mud clams, locally called 'Kandal Kakka' in northern Kerala.
• It belongs to the genus Polymesoda or Geloina.
• Habitat: They are found in muddy, brackish and even nearly freshwater regions within mangrove swamps.
• Distribution: These are widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Characteristics of Mangrove clam:
  • It is a burrowing bivalve inhabiting organic-rich muddy substrates in intertidal mangrove ecosystems. 
  • This species display remarkable tolerance, enabling them to thrive across a broad spectrum of salinity levels.
  • It is a filter-feeding species, primarily active during low-tide immersion stages characterized by frequent inundation.
  • It plays a crucial ecological role by recycling nutrients, stabilising sediments and strengthening mangrove ecosystems.
  • Threats: In India, particularly along the east coast and in island regions, wild stocks have been steadily declining due to indiscriminate harvesting, habitat degradation, pollution and coastal development.

About Eritrea:

• Location: It is located in the Horn of Africa.
• Bordering Countries: It is bordered with Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti.
• Bordering Seas: It has an extensive coastline on the Red Sea to the north and east. 
• It is a member country of African Union, COMESA(Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa).
• Capital City: Asmara
• Geographical features of Eritrea:
  • Climate: The climate of Eritrea is tropical desert on the coast and the eastern plain, mild semiarid in the mountainous belt and tropical semiarid in the south-west.
  • Highest Peak: Mount Emba Soira
  • Major Rivers:  Tekezé, Mereb, and Barka
  • Islands: It includes the Dahlak Archipelago and several of the Hanish Islands.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of copper, potash, zinc, oil, natural gas, cement, gypsum, granite, marble, ceramics, limestone, and iron ore.

About Dragon Hole:

• The Dragon Hole is the popular name for the Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, a massive marine sinkhole in the South China Sea. 
  • Blue holes are steep-sided underwater cavities, often formed in limestone landscapes, that later flooded as sea levels rose.

   

• Water in the lower part of a deep blue hole like Dragon Hole is stagnant and anoxic.
• It is the deepest known underwater sinkhole in the world. 
• However, many ocean species thrive in the upper section of the hole, where there is a unique ecosystem characterized by ample oxygen and nutrients.

About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project:

• It is a 1,856-MW run-of-the-river hydropower project on the Chenab River in the Ramban District of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The project will be built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• The plant will ensure reliable power supply to the region, particularly during the harsh winter months, when electricity demand peaks and shortages are common.
• It also has the potential to turn J-K into a power-surplus region, creating scope for exporting surplus energy to the national grid.
• It is a key part of India’s plan to fully utilise its share of water from the western rivers under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

About Sahyadri Tiger Reserve (STR):

• It is located in the Sahyadri Ranges of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.
• It is spread over two protected areas of Koyana Sanctuary (KWLS) and Chandoli National Park (CNP).
• The central portion of STR is occupied by the “Shivsagar” reservoir of the Koyana River and the “Vasant Sagar” reservoir of the Warana River.
• Vegetation:
  • The forest cover here is that of moist evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist, and dry deciduous
  • It is the only place where climax and near-climax vegetation are plentiful and prospects of adverse anthropogenic influence in the future are minimal.
• Flora:
  • Dense tree cover includes species such as teak, bamboo, Indian laurel, and jamun.
  • Medicinal plants like Asparagus racemosus and Aegle marmelos grow abundantly.
  • Unique Western Ghats endemics, including rare orchids and shrubs, flourish in the reserve’s humid microclimates.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to the endangered species of top carnivores such as Tiger, Wild dog, and Leopard.
  • The herbivores include Gaur, Sambar, Four Horned Antelope, Mouse Deer, and Giant Squirrel.
  • The habitat also supports hornbills, and many other endemic birds.

About Paraleocrates indica:

• It is a new species of marine worm discovered in the muddy banks of the Champa Estuary in the Bay of Bengal.
• It marks the first time this rare group of creatures has ever been recorded in Indian waters.
• It is a type of muddy bristle worm in the family Hesionidae, known for its colourful bodies and often symbiotic relationships with other sea life, such as starfish.

About Kordofan Region:

• It is a region constituting the central and southern area of Sudan.
• The region is divided into three federal states: North Kordofan (capital: El Obeid), South Kordofan (capital: Kadugli), and West Kordofan (capital: Al Fula).
• Traditionally the area is known for the production of gum Arabic.
• Most of the people in Kordofan are Arabs. Minorities include the Nubian, Beja, Daju, Zaghawa, and Darfunj peoples.
• It has been a conflict-prone area, especially since Sudan’s civil wars.
• It is a strategic region due to:
  • Proximity to South Sudan.
  • Oil fields in West Kordofan.

About Lyriothemis keralensis:

• It is a new species of dragonfly.
• It was discovered in the low-lying coastal regions of Kerala.
• It is commonly called the Slender Bombardier.
• Unlike many dragonflies found in forest areas, the Slender Bombardier prefers human-modified landscapes.
• It thrives in irrigation ecosystems such as pineapple and rubber plantations and is commonly seen in shaded canals and seasonal pools within agricultural areas.
• It is a seasonal resident, emerging during the monsoon and retreating as rainfall declines.

About Giant Phantom Jellyfish:

• It is a rare and mysterious deep-sea jellyfish known for its ghostly, translucent appearance.
• It is among the largest jellyfish.
• Scientific Name: Stygiomedusa gigantea
• It is in the Ulmaridae family.
• It is believed to be widespread throughout the world’s oceans, except in the Arctic Ocean.
• Unlike most jellyfish, it lacks tentacles. Instead, they use ribbon-like arms to grab prey, typically plankton or small fish, and pull them into their mouths. 

About Copernicus Sentinel-2 Mission:

• It is an Earth observation satellite mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
• It is part of Copernicus - the European Union’s Earth observation program.
• It aims at monitoring variability in land surface conditions.
• It comprises a land monitoring constellation of two polar-orbiting satellites placed in the same sun-synchronous orbit.
• It delivers high-resolution optical multispectral imagery in the visible to shortwave infrared.
  • This data supports a wide range of applications, including precision agriculture, food security, ecosystems monitoring, disaster management (e.g., volcanoes, wildfires, floods, landslides), water quality assessment, and observing anthropogenic methane emissions.

Key Facts about Copernicus Programme:

• It is the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme.
• This initiative is headed by the European Commission (EC) in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).
• It offers information services that draw from satellite Earth observation and in-situ (non-space) data.
• The programme consists of a complex set of systems that collect data from multiple sources, including Earth Observation satellites, in-situ sensors like ground stations, and airborne and sea-borne sensors.
• Users have free and open access to a great deal of this data, which is also processed to provide a set of services based on reliable and near-real-time information.
• ESA has developed a new family of satellites, called Sentinels, specifically for the operational needs of Copernicus.

About Thwaites Glacier:

• Location: It is a large glacier in West Antarctica, about the size of a large country.
• Scientists have often called it the “Doomsday Glacier”.
• Impact of Melting of Thwaites Glacier:
  • It has been becoming thinner, retreating, and contributing to sea-level rise.
  • If it weakens beyond a point, other glaciers may lose ice faster as well, further increasing sea-level rise.
  • Higher sea levels will cause coasts to flood more easily, worsen erosion, increase storm surges, and threaten cities, low-lying islands, and ports.
  • Significance: It is one of the most important places on the earth for those trying to understand how sea levels will rise in future.

About Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS):

• It was established as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
• Mandate: It is mandated to provide ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, government agencies and the scientific community through sustained ocean observations and constant improvements through systematic and focussed research.
• It established the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) which provides tsunami alerts serving India and 28 Indian Ocean countries.
• It is a permanent member of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
• It is located in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Initiatives of INCOIS:
  • It has developed the Search and Rescue Aided Tool (SARAT) to assist the Indian Coast Guard, Navy and Coastal Security Police, in locating individuals or objects lost at sea.
  • INCOIS has also established the SynOPS visualization platform which integrates real-time data to strengthen response coordination during extreme events.

What are JellyAIIP, SAMUDRA 2.0 Mobile App, and SIVAS?

• JellyAIIP (Jellyfish Aggregation Information Interactive Portal): It is a national web-based platform for reporting and visualising jellyfish aggregation, swarming, and stranding events along the Indian coast, with geospatial mapping, hotspot analysis, and multilingual first-aid guidance.
• SAMUDRA 2.0 Mobile App: It is an upgraded multilingual advisory platform delivering ocean information and early warnings to fishermen and maritime users.
• SIVAS: Swell-Surge Inundation Vulnerability Advisory System, is a coastal inundation early warning service designed to provide advance alerts on swell-surge flooding events, currently operational for the Kerala coast, with multilingual forecast bulletins.

About Greece:

• It is bordered by, North Macedonia and Bulgaria in the north, Albania in the northwest, and Turkey in the northeast.
• Bordering Seas: It is also bounded by the Aegean Sea in the east, Ionian Sea in the west and the Mediterranean Sea in the
• Capital: Athens
• Geographical features of Greece:
  • Terrain: It is predominantly mountainous, with approximately 80% of its terrain consisting of mountains or hills, making it one of the most mountainous countries in Europe.
  • Climate: The climate of Greece is typically Mediterranean.
  • Major Mountain: Pindus mountain range on the mainland contains one of the world's deepest gorges, Vikos Gorge.
  • Highest Peak: Mount Olympus
  • Major Rivers: Maritsa, Struma and Vardar etc.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of petroleum, magnetite, lignite, bauxite, hydropower, and marble.