Current Context: West Japan Railway Company unveiled the world’s first 3D-printed railway station in Arida Town, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.

• Named Hatsushima Station, replacing a wooden station built in 1948.

Construction Highlights

• Printing Time: Parts printed in 7 days by Serendix in Kumamoto Prefecture.
• Material: Special durable mortar used for 3D printing.
• Assembly Time: Under 6 hours, done overnight after last train.

Significance

• Addresses Japan’s ageing population and shrinking workforce.
• Cuts down construction time drastically (2+ months → 6 hours).

Current context: Panama reaffirmed its sovereignty over the Panama Canal, with the U.S. recognizing it, despite recent tough rhetoric.

• Both nations announced new defence cooperation agreements, enhancing U.S. military training in Panama.

About

• Type: Artificial waterway connecting Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Global Role: Handles ~6% of global maritime trade.
• Length: ~82 km (51 miles).
• Opened: 1914 by the United States.

Historical Background

• Controlled by the U.S. until December 31, 1999.
• Handover under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties (1977).

• April 14th is observed as Ambedkar Jayanti, commemorating the 134th birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,
• The chief architect of the Indian Constitution and a prolific writer whose notable works include “The Problem of the Rupee,” “Annihilation of Caste,” and “Who Were the Shudras?”.
• Revered as the ‘Father of the Indian Constitution,’ he was a pivotal leader in the struggle against the caste system.
• This day serves as a reminder of his profound contributions to the making of modern India

General Studies Paper-2

Context: The Union Information and Technology Minister said that personal details that are subject to disclosure under various laws will continue to be disclosed under the RTI Act after the implementation of the new data protection rule.

About

• Amendment to RTI Act (2005) will come into effect once Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules are notified in the coming weeks.
• Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act now includes a blanket prohibition on disclosing personal information, even if it serves the public interest.
• Concerns Raised:
  • The change makes it harder to access information vital for social audits and uncovering misuse of public funds or corruption.
  • RTI requests have been critical in verifying government programs and ensuring accountability, e.g., checking food ration distribution.
  • The original RTI Act balanced privacy and transparency; they reject the argument that the changes align with the Supreme Court’s privacy ruling.
  • The Union Minister stated the amendment won’t restrict transparency or disclosure of personal information when legally required.
  • He cited the 2017 Supreme Court judgement affirming the right to privacy under Article 21 to justify the amendment.

Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005

• Aim: It was designed to promote transparency in the functioning of the government by giving citizens the right to access information from public authorities.
• Scope: The Act applies to public authorities, which include government departments, ministries, and organizations that are substantially funded by the government.
• Information Accessible to the Public: Citizens have the right to request information from public authorities. This includes the right to access records, documents, and other information.
• Exclusions: Information that may compromise national security, breach confidentiality, or harm the integrity of ongoing investigations.
• Timeframe for Response: Public authorities are required to respond to information requests within 30 days. In certain cases, this period can be extended to 45 days.
• Penalties: The Act provides for penalties against officials who withhold information without reasonable cause or provide false information.

Significance of the Act

• Empowers Citizens: By accessing information from public authorities, promoting transparency and accountability in government.
• Holds Government Accountable: Helps in holding public authorities accountable for their actions, preventing corruption.
• RTI helped uncover misuse of funds in the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).
• Promotes Good Governance: It strengthens democratic processes by ensuring that the government operates transparently, fostering public trust.
• Enables Social Audits: Activists and NGOs use RTI to perform social audits of government schemes and services.
• RTI was used to check if food rations were correctly distributed under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
• Access to Public Records: RTI requests have been used to obtain details of government contracts, exposing corruption or inefficiencies.
• Strengthens Democracy: Provides a tool for citizens to actively participate in the decision-making process, enhancing democracy.

Criticism of the Act

• Overburdening Public Authorities: It has led to an overload of information requests, putting a strain on public authorities and diverting attention from their primary duties.
• Misuse of the Act: Some individuals or groups use RTI requests as a tool for harassment or to settle personal or political scores.
• Delay in Processing Requests: Despite the stipulated time frames for response, some public authorities struggle to adhere to these deadlines, causing frustration among information seekers.
• Capacity and Training Issues: Some public authorities lack the necessary infrastructure, manpower, and training to effectively implement the RTI Act.
• Exemptions and Ambiguities: The Act’s provisions regarding exemptions are sometimes vaguely defined, this ambiguity can be exploited to withhold information that should ideally be in the public domain.

Way Ahead

• The RTI Act has played a significant role in promoting transparency, reducing corruption, and empowering citizens to actively participate in the democratic process by holding government institutions accountable.
• It is a powerful tool for promoting good governance and ensuring that citizens have access to information that affects their lives.
• The amendment has not yet come into effect, as the rules for implementing the DPDP Act (Digital Personal Data Protection Act) are still in draft form.
• Civil society organizations are calling for these draft rules to be revised so that the changes to the RTI Act are not finalized.

Current Context: Himachal Pradesh government approves installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations at 402 locations to boost sustainable transport.

Key Highlights:

• Charging stations to be set up at:
  • 252 in Public Works Department (PWD) rest houses
  • 19 in Jal Shakti Vibhag rest houses
  • 18 at Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) premises
  • 100 in Forest Department rest houses
  • 12 at Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of Police (SP) office complexes
  • 1 at Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority (BBNDA) office
• Current Scenario:
  • 4,997 EVs registered in the state
  • 23 charging stations operational at petrol pumps
  • 90 more to be added by year-end
• Additional Steps:
  • 6 highways notified as green corridors
  • Charging infra planned at Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) hotels and private hospitality units

Current Context: Amnesty International’s “Death Sentences and Executions 2024” report reveals a surge in global executions, reaching 1,518 in 2024, a 32% increase from 2023. Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia accounted for 91% of executions, largely targeting protesters and minorities.

Key Facts:

• Total Executions: 1,518 (32% rise).
• Top Executing Countries:
• Iran: 972 executions.
• Saudi Arabia: 345 executions.
• Iraq: 63 executions (increase from 16).
• Targeted Groups: Executions used against protestors and minorities, including participants of Iran’s Women, Life, Freedom protests and Saudi Arabia’s Shiite minority.
• Drug-Related Executions: Over 40% of executions linked to drug offences, violating international law.

Global Trends:

• Only 15 countries executed in
• 145 countries abolished the death penalty.
• Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes.

Current Context: The Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI), launched by the Government of India in 2025, ranks over 2.16 lakh panchayats based on their progress towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The initiative aims to improve transparency and accountability in local governance.

Key Facts:

• The PAI evaluates panchayats on a scale of 0 to 100.

Categories:

• Achiever (90-100): Front Runner (75-90)
• Performer (60-75): Aspirant (40-60)
• Beginner (below 40): Identifies developmental status.
• Helps local bodies assess performance and compare with peers.

Data Collection and Validation:

• Data from 55 lakh gram panchayats across 29 states and Union Territories.
• 435 unique local indicators were used for performance assessment.

Performance Statistics:

• 699 Front Runners, notably from Gujarat (346) and Telangana (270).
• 77,298 Performers and 1,32,392 Aspirants.
• No panchayat achieved the highest “Achiever” status.
• Chhattisgarh has the most Beginners, indicating areas for improvement.

Current Context: The Government of India launched the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore to boost local production of passive electronic components and enhance India’s role in global supply chains.

Key Facts:

Objective:

• Develop domestic manufacturing of resistors, capacitors, inductors.
• Increase value addition and promote a self-reliant supply chain.
• Integrate Indian manufacturers into Global Value Chains (GVCs).

Incentives under ECMS:

• Employment-Linked Incentives (ELI) – to boost job creation.
• Capital Subsidies – for high Capital Expenditure (CapEx), low-turnover industries.
• Production & Turnover-Based Incentives – to increase output.
• Export Growth: In Financial Year (FY) 2025, smartphone exports crossed ₹2 lakh crore; iPhones alone contributed ₹1.5 lakh crore.
• Over a decade: 5x growth in electronics production, 6x increase in exports.

Current Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM) scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), starting FY 2025–26 with a budget of ₹1,600 crore.

Key Facts:

• Objectives: Improve irrigation infrastructure and water-use efficiency, focusing on small and marginal farmers.
• Technological Integration: Adoption of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and IoT (Internet of Things) to monitor and manage water use.
• Infrastructure Upgrade: Introduction of underground pressurised piped irrigation systems for last-mile connectivity (up to 1 hectare).
• Community Empowerment: Transfer of Irrigation Management (IMT) to Water User Societies (WUS) with linkages to Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS).
• Sustainable Practices: Encourages micro-irrigation, water accounting, and resource efficiency to boost productivity.
• Youth Focus: Promotes modern agri-tech to attract youth into farming.
• Pilot Phase: 78 pilot projects covering 80,000 farmers in diverse agro-climatic zones. A national plan is set to launch in April 2026 based on outcomes.

Current Context: Google recently unveiled its Ironwood AI processor, focused on inference computing—a critical function for real-time applications like chatbots and virtual assistants.

Key Facts:

• Inference Computing: Refers to using trained Artificial Intelligence (AI) models to make predictions or decisions in real time.
• Design & Performance: Ironwood can scale up to 9,216 chips, offers enhanced memory, and delivers 2× energy efficiency compared to the previous Trillium chip.
• TPUs vs. Ironwood: While Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) are mostly used internally or via Google Cloud, Ironwood targets broader commercial AI applications.
• Strategic Aim: Reduces reliance on external chipmakers like Nvidia; strengthens Google’s position in the AI hardware market.