Current context: Justice Harish Tandon has been appointed Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, succeeding Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh, who retired on January 19, 2024.

• Ajay Seth, a 1987 batch IAS officer (Karnataka cadre), is appointed as India’s Finance Secretary, succeeding Tuhin Kanta Pandey.
• As Economic Affairs Secretary (since 2021), he led infrastructure financing, public-private partnerships, and external borrowings.

Stumped is an autobiography co-authored by Syed Kirmani, Debashish Sengupta, and Dakshesh Pathak.

Focus: Chronicles Syed Kirmani’s career and India’s historic 1983 Cricket World Cup victory.

Highlights:

• Kapil Dev’s legendary 175 not out against Zimbabwe, pivotal in Indian cricket history.
• Insightful and humorous narration of India’s 1983 World Cup triumph.

Vinod Kumar Shukla, an eminent Hindi writer, has been awarded the 59th Jnanpith Award, India’s highest literary honor, for his remarkable contribution to Hindi literature.

Key Facts

• First from Chhattisgarh: First recipient from the state to receive this honor.
• 12th Hindi Writer: 12th Hindi writer to be honored with the Jnanpith Award

Award Components

• Cash Prize: ₹11 lakh
• Statue: Bronze Saraswati statue
• Citation: Accompanying the award

Current Context: Gujarat has made significant progress in tuberculosis (TB) elimination, achieving 95% of its registration and treatment targets in 2024, under the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program.

Key Facts:

• Registration and Treatment:
  • Target: 145,000 TB patients.
  • Achieved: 137,929 registered (95%), with 124,581 completing treatment (90.52% success rate).
• Financial Support:
  • Scheme: Nikshay Poshan Yojana (NPY).
  • Incentive: Rs 1,000/month for each TB patient during treatment.
  • Reach: 131,501 patients supported.
• Nutritional Support:
  • Nikshay Mitras Registered: 10,682.
  • Nutrition Kits Distributed: 349,534 kits to TB patients.
• 100-Day Intensive TB Campaign:
  • Launched in December 2024, covering 16 districts and 4 municipal corporations.
  • Screening:75 lakh people screened.
  • New Cases: 16,758 TB patients identified (as of March 20, 2025).

Current Context: On World Water Day (March 22, 2025), Union Jal Shakti Minister R. Patil launched the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2025 campaign in Panchkula, Haryana.

Important Facts

• Focus: Water conservation and management through community participation and innovative strategies.
• Collaboration: Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Haryana Government.

New Initiatives Launched

• Mukhyamantri Jal Sanchay Yojana: For scientific water resource management.
• Water Resources Atlas for Haryana: Assists in efficient water management.
• Jal-Jungle-Jan: Ek Prakritik Bandhan Abhiyan: Strengthens the ecological link between rivers, springs, and forests.

Innovative Projects in Haryana

• Community sanitation complexes and liquid waste management systems.
• Gobar Dhan project: Promotes biogas generation from cattle dung.
• Solid waste management sheds for improved waste management.

Significance

• Promotes sustainable water management and environmental conservation.
• Aligns with the government’s focus on climate resilience and community-driven solutions.

Current context: Telangana Ranks 4th in India (Score: 91.87) as of January 25, 2025, with 17 clusters and ₹1885.11 crore investment.

• Mission Aim: Develop 300 Rurban clusters nationwide, bridging the rural-urban divide while preserving rural community life.
• Funding:70% from scheme convergence, 30% as Critical Gap Funding (₹30 crores for non-tribal, ₹15 crores for tribal clusters).

Key Features

• Clusters: Geographically linked villages with populations of 25,000–50,000 (plain) or 5,000–15,000 (tribal).
• Development Areas: Agriculture, tourism, health, education, sanitation, digital services, and more.
• Vision: Provide urban-like facilities, reduce poverty, attract investment, and boost local economies.

Current Context: India launched the stealth frigate ‘Tavasya’ on March 22, 2025, at Goa Shipyard Limited.

• The event marks a milestone in India’s indigenous defence production under the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Important Facts

• Project 1135.6 (Talwar-Class Frigates)
• Collaborative project between India and Russia, based on Krivak III-class design.
• ‘Tavasya’ is the second vessel built in India; the first, ‘Triput’, was launched in July 2024.

Specifications

• Dimensions:8 m length, 15.2 m beam, 4.5 m draught.
• Displacement: ~3,600 tons.
• Speed: Up to 28 knots with a gas turbine propulsion system.
• Combat and Stealth Capabilities
• Stealth: Radar-absorbing materials reduce radar cross-section.

Weapons:

• BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
• Shtil-1 surface-to-air missiles.
• Anti-submarine systems: Torpedo tubes and rocket launchers.
• Naval gun: 100 mm A-190.

Current Context: Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise started on March 4, 2025, off Guam, hosted by the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet.

• Participants:S., India, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), and Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

Objectives:

• Enhance ASW capabilities and tactical coordination.
• Conduct submarine-hunting exercises.
• Strengthen Indo-Pacific maritime security.

Evolution:

• Initiated in 2019 as a U.S.-Australia drill.
• Expanded to include Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand (2020); India joined in 2021.
• Awards: Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) has won the Dragon Belt Award since 2022.

Significance:

• For India: Boosts ASW skills and Quad cooperation.
• For Indo-Pacific: Ensures regional stability and freedom of navigation.

Current context: The dog-faced water snake (Cerberus rynchops) was recently documented for the first time in Nalbari district, Assam, approximately 800 km from its known coastal habitats in Bangladesh.

• Typical Habitat: Found in mangroves, mudflats, and estuaries in South/Southeast Asia and Australia.
• Behavior: Hunts fish and crustaceans using a sit-and-wait strategy.
• Significance: Indicates adaptability to inland areas, challenging understanding of its dispersal and habitat preferences.