Current Context : Recently, the President of India directed the Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary to address a citizen petitionchallenging the Forest Department’s entry fee for devotees visiting Churdhar Temple.

About Churdhar Temple

• Location & Elevation: Highest peak (11,965 ft) in Sirmaur district; tallest in the Outer Himalayas.
• Deity: Dedicated to Lord Shiva and local god Shirgul Maharaj, revered as the kuldevta by tribal communities of Sirmaur, Shimla, Solan (HP) and Jaunsar-Bawar (UK).
• Access & Sanctuary: Situated within Churdhar Wildlife Sanctuary, enveloped by deodar forests; pilgrimage (“Churdhar Yatra”) draws thousands annually from HP, Uttarakhand, and beyond.
• Issue: Nominal fee introduced for “maintenance and conservation,” opposed by petitioners as a barrier to worship.

Current Context : Delhi’s Directorate of Education mandated all schools to screen students for 21 disabilities using the new PRASHAST mobile app, developed by NCERT/CIET and rolled out under the Samagra Shiksha programme.

• About PRASHAST
  • Full Form: Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool
  • Developer: Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), NCERT
  • Coverage: Aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, covering all 21 recognized disabilities.
  • Objective: Enable school-level early identification, leading to timely referrals for expert diagnosis and support.
• About Neurodivergence
  • Encompasses ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and related cognitive variations.
  • Recognizes that students may excel in some domains (e.g., public speaking) but struggle in others, necessitating holistic evaluation.
  • Early detection ensures individualized learning plans under Samagra Shiksha.

Current Context : Recently, Indore District Magistrate Ashish Singh announced that Indore had become the country’s first beggar-free city after rehabilitating ~5,000 beggars through employment and education initiatives.

Campaign Details

• Launch: February 2024 under the Union Ministry of Social Justice’s SMILE pilot (10 cities).
• Phases:
  1. Awareness: Public education on organized begging syndicates.
  2. Rehabilitation: Skill training, job placement for adults; school enrolment for children.
  3. Enforcement: Ban on giving alms/buying; ₹1,000 reward for reporting violations; FIRs registered.

Outcomes & Recognition

• Model Initiative: Praised by the Union Ministry and a World Bank team.
• Social Impact: Addressed root causes of begging—poverty, trafficking, addiction—while upholding human dignity.

Current Context : On 8 May 2025, around 50 Jenu Kuruba families re-entered Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka to rebuild homes on their ancestral lands, evicted nearly 40 years ago under wildlife-protection policies.

About the Jenu Kuruba

• Classification: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Kodagu & Mysore districts.
• Livelihood & Culture: “Jenu” = honey; traditionally foragers and honey-collectors; semi-nomadic; reside in small hamlets (haadis).
• Belief System: Deep spiritual ties to forests and wildlife (tigers, elephants as deities) guiding sustainable resource use.
• Social Structure: Led by a Yajamana (leader) and ritual head (Gudda); self-governance on communal matters.

Significance

• Forest Rights Act (2006): Legal framework intended to restore tribal land rights; implementation delays sparked reoccupation.
• Conservation Debate: Highlights conflict between “Fortress Conservation” and Indigenous stewardship, with evidence that tribal presence can bolster biodiversity.

Current Context : Recently, the IMF Executive Board completed the first review of Pakistan’s 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and approved an immediate $1 billion disbursement, despite India’s formal objection over terrorism financing risks.

About the IMF & EFF

• IMF Overview: Established 1944 at Bretton Woods to ensure monetary cooperation and financial stability; 190 members; governed by a Board of Governors and a 24-member Executive Board headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Membership and Voting Power

• The IMF has 190 member countries.
• Each member contributes a quota, based on its economic size and performance, which determines its voting power and access to funding.
• Voting is determined by a formula: 1 vote per 100,000 SDRs of quota + basic votes.
• SDRs (Special Drawing Rights) are an IMF-created international reserve asset, not a currency, but can be exchanged among members for freely usable currencies.
• EFF Arrangement: A 37-month program approved Sept 2024, totalling $7 billion to stabilize Pakistan’s economy via fiscal consolidation, SOE reforms, and reserve rebuilding.
• Controversy: India abstained and protested, citing potential misuse of funds for cross-border terrorism.

Current Context : On 9–10 May 2025, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for coordinated attacks seizing several strategic Pakistani Army and police posts across Balochistan, including Manguchar (Kalat) and areas near Quetta.

About Balochistan

• Geography: Extends across western Pakistan (province area 347,190 km²) into southeastern Iran; bounded by Afghanistan (north) and the Arabian Sea (south).
• Demographics: Home to Baloch, Pashtun, and mixed-ethnicity Sindhi-origin communities; major languages—Balochi, Brahui, Pashto, Sindhi.
• History: Successively ruled by Greeks (post-Alexander 330 BC), Arabs (7th–10th c.), British (late 19th c.); mostly integrated into Pakistan post-1947.
• Significance: Sparsely populated yet resource-rich; strategic Gwadar port and China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) pass through.

Current Context : Bihar secured first place nationwide in 2024–25 for rolling out the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, as announced by the Industries Minister.

About PMFME

• Launch Date: June 29, 2020, under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• Outlay: ₹10,000 crore over five years (2020–25); cost shared 60:40 (Centre:States).
• Coverage: 200,000 micro-units to receive credit-linked subsidies and access to common infrastructure.
• Objectives
  • Credit Access: Up to 35% subsidy (ceiling ₹10 lakh) for individual units; up to 35% (ceiling ₹3 crore) for FPOs/SHGs.
  • Branding & Marketing: 50% grant for grouped enterprises.
  • Skill & Training: On-site handholding for DPR preparation and technical upgrades.
  • Institutional Strengthening: Support for labs, storage, packaging, and incubation.

Current Context : India took an active part in UNFF20, the 20th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests held at UN Headquarters, New York, in May 2025.

About UNFF

• Established: 2000 by ECOSOC to advance sustainable forest management
• Membership: Universal—includes all UN Member States and key forest-related agencies.
• Session Types:
  • Odd Years: Technical discussions
  • Even Years: Policy-level dialogues
• India’s Role: Founding member; advocates Green India Mission, Joint Forest Management, and Community Rightsunder the UN Strategic Plan for Forests.
• Key Outcomes of UNFF20
  • High-Level Commitments: Renewed political support for reversing deforestation.
  • Action Agenda: Roadmap to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 15(Life on Land) and UNSPF targets by 2030.

Current Context : Recently, the Larji Hydro Electric Project (HEP) authorities announced the controlled release of 50 cubic meters per second (cumecs) from Larji Dam to manage rising inflows into the Beas River.

About Larji Dam

• Location: Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh on the Beas River.
• Capacity: 126 MW hydropower facility.
• Structure: Concrete gravity dam with associated powerhouse and spillway gates.

Significance

• Flood Mitigation: Controlled release reduces risk of unplanned spills and downstream flooding.
• Hydropower Balance: Ensures uninterrupted power generation while maintaining dam safety.

Current Context : A state-level workshop on Him Krishi Yojna was convened at the State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute (SAMETI), Mashobra, in May 2025 to integrate Geographic Information System (GIS) technology into the scheme’s rollout.

About Him Krishi Yojna

• Launch: A flagship programme of Himachal Pradesh aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and inclusiveness.
• Objective: Leverage modern tools to ensure precision farming, optimal resource use, and targeted extension services.

GIS Integration

• Precision Mapping: Soil type, slope, and moisture data layered to guide crop selection and input application.
• Resource Optimization: Identifies water sources and irrigation needs, reducing waste.
• Crop Monitoring: Real-time satellite imagery enables early detection of pest/disease outbreaks.
• Capacity Building: Hands-on training for Agriculture Department officers on GIS software and data interpretation.