About INS Amini:

• It is the fifth of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) being built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy.
• The newly launched ASW ships belong to the Arnala class of vessels and replaced the Abhay class of anti-submarine warfare corvettes.
• Amini becomes the 119th warship designed and constructed by the defence public sector undertaking GRSE and the 81st delivered directly to the Indian Navy.
• Designed for operations in coastal waters, ‘Amini’ is equipped to undertake comprehensive subsurface surveillance, search and attack missions, and coordinated anti-submarine warfare operations in conjunction with aircraft.
• Features:
  • Equipped with an advanced Combat Management System, lightweight torpedoes and anti-submarine warfare rockets, the warship is capable of detecting, tracking and engaging underwater threats.
  • It also carries an indigenously manufactured 30 mm naval surface gun developed by GRSE for protection against surface threats.
  • Its integrated systems will allow it to coordinate with naval aircraft during anti-submarine missions.

About Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB):

• It is India’s premier regulatory authority for nuclear and radiation safety.
• Background:
  • The AERB was constituted on November 15, 1983, by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
  • The regulatory authority of AERB is derived from the rules and notifications promulgated under the Atomic Energy Act and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• Objective: To ensure the use of ionizing radiation and nuclear energy in India does not cause undue risk to the health of people and the environment.
• Headquarters: Mumbai.
• Composition:
  • It comprises six members, of which two are full-time members including the chairman.
  • The other whole-time member is the executive director of the AERB Secretariat, who is an ex-officio member of the Board.
  • The other four members are eminent experts from various disciplines relevant to the mandate of the board.
  • The Board reports to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), which in turn reports to the Prime Minister.
• Regional Regulatory Centres (RRCs) of AERB set up at Kolkata, Chennai, and New Delhi carry out regular surveillance of the radiation facilities in eastern, southern, and northern zones, respectively.
• AERB has a Safety Research Institute (SRI) located at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, which carries out research in safety-related topics.
• Functions:
  • Develop safety policies in nuclear, radiation, and industrial safety areas for facilities under its purview.
  • Develop Safety Codes, Guides, and Standards for siting, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of different types of nuclear and radiation facilities.
  • Grant consents for siting, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning, after an appropriate safety review and assessment, for the establishment of nuclear and radiation facilities.
  • Ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements prescribed by AERB during all stages of consenting through a system of review and assessment, regulatory inspection, and enforcement.
  • Prescribe the acceptance limits of radiation exposure to occupational workers and members of the public and acceptable limits of environmental releases of radioactive substances.
  • Review the emergency preparedness plans for nuclear and radiation facilities and during transport of large radioactive sources, irradiated fuel, and fissile material.
  • Review the training program, qualifications, and licensing policies for personnel of nuclear and radiation facilities and prescribe the syllabi for training of personnel in safety aspects at all levels.
  • Take such steps as necessary to keep the public informed on major issues of radiological safety significance.
  • Maintain liaison with statutory bodies in the country as well as abroad regarding safety matters.
  • Promote research and development efforts in the areas of safety.
  • Review the nuclear and industrial safety aspects in nuclear facilities under its purview.
  • Notifying the public of the 'nuclear incident', occurring in the nuclear installations in India, as mandated by the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

About Namika La Pass:

• It is a high mountain pass located in the Union Territory of
• Also known as the ‘Pillar of the Sky Pass’, it lies in the Zanskar Range of the Himalayas.
• Located on the Srinagar-Leh Highway (NH-1), the Namika La Pass is situated on the way to the Mulbek Valley.
• It is one of the 2 high passes that connect Kargil and Leh, the other being the higher Fotu La Pass.

About Bhagirathi River:

• It is a perennial Himalayan river flowing through the state of Uttarakhand.
• It is one of the two main headstreams of the Ganges River, the other being the Alaknanda
• Bhagirathi’s reputation as the source stream of Ganga is based on mythology. As regards the length and discharge, Alaknanda is considered the source stream.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Gaumukh Glacier located at the base of the Khatling and Gangotri Glaciers in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand, where the melting ice gives birth to the river.
  • Further, the river passes through the Tehri Garhwal district, including the towns of Uttarkashi and Tehri, where it encounters cliffs, rapids, and waterfalls.
  • From its main source, the Bhagirathi River flows 205 km before meeting the Alakananda River at Devprayag.
  • The combined waters of the two rivers then flow as the Ganges River, and this river eventually empties into the Bay of Bengal.
• Major Tributaries:
  • Bhilangna River (largest tributary)
  • Jadh Ganga River
  • Kedar Ganga River
  • Asi Ganga River
  • Solani River

• Major Dams:
  • Tehri Dam (one of the largest dams in India)
  • Maneri Dam
  • Koteshwar Dam.

About Liocheles similipalensis:

• It is a new species of scorpion.
• It was discovered in Odisha’s Similipal Tiger Reserve.
• The species is lithophilic, meaning it prefers rocky habitats. The specimens were predominantly found in rock crevices and taking shelter beneath rocks.
• At present, it is known only from its type locality in Similipal.
• The scorpions were classified under the genus Liocheles based on the presence of setae (small hair-like structures) beneath tarsomere II, a segment of their legs.
• It marks the first confirmed record of the genus Liocheles in Odisha.

About Self-Reliant India Fund:

• It has been set up to infuse Rs. 50,000 crore as equity funding in those MSMEs which have the potential and viability to grow and become large units. 
• Under this fund of Rs. 50,000 crore, there is a provision of 10,000 Crore from the Government of India and Rs. 40,000 Crore through Private Equity/Venture Capital funds.
• It operates through a mother-fund and daughter-fund structure for equity or quasi-equity investments. 
• It is being implemented by NSIC Venture Capital Fund Limited (NVCFL), which is an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) of Category II registered with SEBI. 
• The Government of India through the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) is the anchor investor.
• SRI fund is oriented to provide the funding support through NVCFL to the Daughter Funds for onward provision to MSMEs as growth capital, in the form of equity or quasi-equity, for the following:
  • Enhancing equity/equity-like financing to MSMEs and listing of MSMEs on stock exchanges.
  • Supporting faster growth of MSME businesses and thereby ignite the economy and create employment opportunities.
  • Supporting enterprises which have the potential to graduate beyond the MASME bracket and become National/International Champions.
  • Supporting MSSMEs, which help make India self-reliant by producing relevant technologies, goods, and services.
• The Daughter Funds shall invest at least 5 times the amount of capital contribution received from SRI Fund (net of fees and expenses) in MSMEs, covered under the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006.

About GAIA Mission:

• It was originally named Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics (GAIA), later simplified to Gaia.
• It was launched in 2013 by the European Space Agency (ESA).
• It aimed to create the most precise 3D map of the Milky Way through astrometry.
• It is placed at Lagrange Point 2 (L2), 1.5 million km from Earth (behind Earth when viewed from the Sun).
• Scientific Instruments:
  • Twin Telescopes: Captured light from different directions.
  • Digital Camera: Nearly 1 billion pixels, the largest ever flown in space.
• Three Key Instruments:
  • Astrometer: Measures precise locations of celestial bodies.
  • Photometer: Determines brightness and temperature of stars.
  • Spectrometer: Identifies chemical composition and motion of objects.

What is UBC 63?

• It is poorly populated group of stars, bound loosely by gravity (Galactic open cluster) about 4892 light years away from the Earth.
• It was previously identified as a single star cluster, has now been found to be composed of two distinct star clusters.

About Malabar Tree Toad:    

• It is the only species in the monotypic genus Pedostibes.
• It is locally known as Malenadina Mara Gantikappe or Petu.
• Habitat: It can be found along streams, on trees, and in tree cavities and in evergreen to moist deciduous forests at an altitude ranging from 50 m to over 1000 m above sea level.
• Distribution: It is endemic to India’s Western Ghats.
• Characteristics:
  • It is the only arboreal species in India, having the unique capability to climb trees and dwell unlike the majority of the toads in the region that are ground-dwelling. 
  • Breeding: It comes to the ground to breed in water pools at the edges of the streams generated during the monsoon.
  • Its breeding cycle is from March to June, before the onset of monsoon.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II 

About CAPEX Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing:     

• It provides targeted capital expenditure (CAPEX) support for establishing domestic critical mineral processing facilities.
• Time Period: It will run for five years, from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Mines, Government of India.
• Objectives:
  • Promote domestic processing capacity: Help set up high-purity Lithium and Nickel processing plants.
    • Lithium plants will process ores and concentrates (excluding brines) into battery-grade products, while nickel plants will produce Class-1 nickel or battery-grade nickel sulphate, with cobalt recovery.
  • Build a resilient value chain: Strengthen the Lithium and Nickel value chain by filling the missing link in processing.
• Financial Outlay and Support:
  • The scheme offers a capital subsidy of 30% of eligible investment for setting up four processing plants.
  • These include two Lithium plants of at least 30 kt capacity each and two Nickel plants of at least 50 kt capacity each.
  • Support is capped at ₹500 crore per Lithium beneficiary and ₹900 crore per Nickel beneficiary.
• Selection and disbursement:
  • Beneficiaries will be selected through a two-stage process: technical qualification followed by financial bidding.
  • Two beneficiaries will be selected for each mineral based on the least-cost criterion, prioritising bidders seeking the lowest government support.
  • Incentives will be disbursed in three tranches linked to the achievement of specified milestones.