• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has collaborated with DigiLocker to provide investors with seamless access to their securities holdings and reduce unclaimed assets in the Indian financial market.

About the Initiative

• DigiLocker Integration for Financial Assets
• Investors can now store and retrieve demat holdings, mutual fund statements, and Consolidated Account Statements (CAS) through DigiLocker.
• Expands DigiLocker’s role, which already includes bank statements, insurance policies, and NPS statements.

New Nomination Facility for Legal Heirs

• Investors can appoint Data Access Nominees within DigiLocker.
• Upon the investor’s demise, nominees receive read-only access to financial documents, ensuring smooth asset transition.

Automated Notification System

• SEBI-regulated KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs) will notify nominees upon the investor’s death.
• DigiLocker will automatically grant nominee access, enabling asset transfer procedures.

Role of KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs)

• KRAs act as verifiers and facilitators for nominee access.
• Ensure efficient and hassle-free transition of assets to rightful heirs

• Kanger Valley National Park (KVNP) in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, has been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites under the Natural category.

Geographical Features

• Area: 200 sq km, located in the Bastar district.
• Elevation: Ranges from 338 to 781 meters above sea level.
• Landscape: Moist Peninsular Valley Sal forests, deep gorges, and winding streams.
• Rivers & Waterfalls: The Kanger River flows through the park; features Tirathgarh Falls.
• Geological Significance: Karst landforms and Indravati Group rock formations.

Biodiversity

• Flora: 963 plant species.
• Fauna: 49 mammal species (giant squirrel, otters, deer).
• Birds: 201 species, including the endemic Bastar Hill Myna.
• Amphibians & Reptiles: 16 amphibian and 37 reptile species recorded.

Notable Caves

• More than 15 limestone caves, including Kotamsar, Kailash, and Dandak.
• Showcases unique speleothems (cave formations) and holds archaeological significance.
• Culturally important for local tribes, especially during festivals.

• The 30th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) began on March 17, 2025, in Jamaica, with nearly 170 member states and the European Union discussing deep-sea mining regulations.

About International Seabed Authority (ISA)

• Established: 1994, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS, 1982).
• Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica.
• Mandate:
  • Regulates mining activities on the international seabed beyond national jurisdiction.
  • Develops a mining code to ensure responsible seabed resource extraction.
  • Protects marine ecosystems from potential mining-related damage.
• Key Issues Discussed
• The Two-Year Rule
• Triggered in 2021 by Nauru Ocean Resources Inc., requiring the ISA to finalize mining regulations within two years.
• Raised concerns over the rushed approval of seabed mining and its environmental impact.
• Legal Challenges
  • Debate over potential lawsuits against ISA if mining applications are denied.
  • Mining companies argue for legitimate expectations under investment law, but experts suggest this does not apply to international bodies.
• Global Participation in Seabed Mining
  • Since 2001, ISA has granted 30 exploration contracts.
  • India holds two contracts in the Indian Ocean and has applied for more.
  • Norway, European nations, and other stakeholders are sponsoring mining projects.

• Fino Payments Bank (FPB) has re-appointed Deena Mehta as an Independent Director for a second term.
• Fino Payments Bank (India): A digital-first payments bank offering banking services with a focus on financial inclusion.
• Founded in 2017, it operates under RBI regulations.
• Fino Payments Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

• World Water Day is observed annually on March 22, declared by the United Nations to highlight freshwater conservation.
• It was first celebrated in 1993 to promote sustainable water management.
• Objective: Raises awareness about global water issues, including access to safe drinking water.
• Theme for 2025: “Glacier Preservation”, focusing on protecting glaciers as vital freshwater sources.

• A U.S.-based think tank, The Future of Free Speech, ranked India 24th out of 33 countries in its latest survey on support for free speech.

Key Findings

• India’s Score: 62.6, placed between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).
• Top Nations: Norway (87.9) and Denmark (87.0) lead in free speech support.

Public Perception vs. Reality:

• Majority of Indians support free speech, but 37% favor restrictions on government criticism (highest globally).
• Global assessment shows declining free speech protection in India, despite public perception of improvement.
• Democratic Backsliding: India is categorized alongside Hungary and Venezuela, where free speech laws exist but enforcement is weak.

Challenges to Free Speech in India

• Legal & Political Restrictions: Sedition Law (IPC 124A), UAPA, and IT Rules 2021 restrict dissent.
• Self-Censorship: Fear of legal action, harassment, and media pressure limit open expression.

Selective Tolerance: Free speech is curbed when it contradicts political or religious views; arrests of journalists and activists highlight inconsistencies

• India’s first green waste processing plant is located in Bicholi Hapsi, Indore, developed under the Public-Private Partnership model with Astronomical Industries Pvt. Ltd. on 55,000 sq. ft., processing wood, branches, leaves, and flowers as part of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban to manage green waste sustainably.

Processing & Revenue Model

• Indore generates 30–70 tons of green waste daily.
• Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) earns ₹3,000 per tonne from wood and branches.
• The plant converts wood waste into wooden pellets, an alternative to coal.

Additional Waste Processing Facilities

• Meghdoot & Sub-Grade Plants (Sirpur, 10,000-15,000 sq. ft.) process garden waste like leaves and twigs, while composting pits in municipal gardens convert green waste into compost, promoting sustainable waste management.
• Environmental & Economic Benefits
• The plant reduces pollution, improves Air Quality Index (AQI), and generates revenue for IMC while promoting a circular economy by converting waste into sustainable energy (wooden pellets) and other useful products.

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• The Union Government directed states to reduce cooking oil usage by 10% in mid-day meals under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN) Scheme to promote healthier eating habits.

About PM-POSHAN Schemen

• Provides nutritious meals to students in government and aided schools.

Coverage:

• Nationwide: Bal-Vatika to Class 8.
• Karnataka: Extended to Class 9 & 10 (54 lakh students).

Key Components:

• Fortified grains, pulses, vegetables, and Double Fortified Salt (DFS).
• Fortified edible oil (Vitamin A & D):
• 5 gm/day (primary students).
• 5 gm/day (upper primary students).

Key Facts & Relevance

• Health Concern: 12.5 million Indian children (5-19 years) were overweight in 2022 (The Lancet).

Implementation:

• Training for cook-cum-helpers on low-oil cooking.
• Awareness campaigns on healthy diets.
• Promotion of grilling, steaming, and boiling over deep-frying.
• School Nutrition Gardens to enhance food sustainability.

Government Focus:

• Supports POSHAN Abhiyaan & Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Strengthens school nutrition and public health policies.

• A new study by the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, found that water-ice on the Moon is more accessible than previously thought.
• Based on Chandrayaan-3’s ChaSTE data, water-ice may exist in high-latitude regions beyond polar craters.

About the Discovery

• Instrument Used: ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment) on Vikram lander.

Key Findings:

• Sun-facing slopes recorded temperatures up to 82°C (355 K).
• Shaded areas just 1m away were significantly cooler at 59°C (332 K).
• Extreme night-time cooling to -181°C, creating potential conditions for water-ice stability.
• Slopes tilted >14° away from the Sun maintained low temperatures, allowing water-ice migration and storage.

Significance

• Easier Access for space missions compared to rugged polar terrain.
• Supports Lunar Habitation: Water for drinking, air, and fuel production.
• Reduces Earth Dependence for future moon missions.

Future Implications

• Boosts India’s Space Goals & aligns with global lunar exploration efforts (NASA Artemis, China).
• Strengthens ISRO’s role in deep-space colonization & resource utilization.

• India has identified the Northeast region as the next saffron cultivation hub under the Mission Saffron Initiative, aiming to expand saffron farming beyond Jammu & Kashmir’s Pampore.

Mission Saffron Initiative

• Launched: 2010-11 (Initially for Jammu & Kashmir).
• Objective: Promote saffron cultivation with financial, technical, and infrastructural support.
• Expansion: Since 2021, extended to the Northeast (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya) under the “Saffron Bowl Project” by NECTAR.

Reason for Expansion:

• Northeast has suitable agro-climatic conditions for saffron farming.
• Expansion ensures better supply and price stability.
• Current Saffron Production in India
• Kashmir saffron (grown in Pampore, Pulwama, and Budgam) holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
• India’s production is limited, requiring imports to meet demand.
• North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR)

Established: 2014

• Governing Body: Autonomous institute under DST, Government of India

Functions:

• Promotes technology-driven solutions for agriculture, infrastructure, and economic growth in the Northeast.
• Implementing agency for the Saffron Bowl Project.