Current Context : Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh released a book 75 Great Revolutionaries of India.

• The book written by Bhim Singh , a BJP MP from Bihar, is titled “Bharat ke 75 mahan krantikari” (75 great revolutionaries of India).
• The book consists tells stories of 75 revolutionaries

Current Context : Central government  extended the PM JI – VAN programme that promotes production of ethanol from biomass by another five years.

About Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana

• Aim : to provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
• Focus: Biomass-to-ethanol production
• Goals: Promote renewable energy, manage agricultural waste, and enhance energy security.

Implementation Agency : Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP&NG).

Current Context : The Union Cabinet approved a “clean plant programme”, an integrated horticulture development project .

• Aim : to tackling diseases caused by viruses in fruit and vegetable crops,along with nine state-of-the-art centres that will facilitate the scheme.

ABOUT CLEAN PLANT PROGRAM

• It is designed to address critical issues in horticulture by providing access to high-quality, virus-free planting material.
• The programme is poised to deliver numerous benefits across various stakeholders, from farmers to consumers, and bolster India’s position in the global fruit market.

Current Context : The Union government has released guidelines for the implementation of a ‘model solar village’ under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.

• Aimed at promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs.

ABOUT MODEL SOLAR VILLAGE

• Objective : to facilitate access to clean and green energy in rural areas through rooftop solar systems and to reduce dependency on utilities.
• The program will also promote solar-based home lighting, water systems, agricultural pumps, and streetlights.
• Eligibility : a village must be a revenue village with a population of over 5,000. Special category states have a threshold of 2,000.
• Implementation Agency : State renewable energy development agency

ABOUT PM SURYA GHAR: MUFT BIJLI YOJANA

• Launched on February 29 2024, with an outlay of Rs. 75,021 crore,
• Aims to provide free electricity up to 300 units every month to the one crore households of the country who opt to install roof top solar electricity unit.
• The scheme provides for a subsidy of 60% of the solar unit cost for systems up to 2 kW capacity and 40 percent of additional system cost for systems between 2 to 3 kW capacity.
• The subsidy has been capped at 3 kW capacity.
• Implement Agency : Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

Current Context : India finished 71st at the Paris Olympics 2024 with a silver and five bronze.

USA  at the top of the medal tally. While both USA and China are tied at 40 gold medals.

• Manu Bhaker won the first medal for India at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She bagged a bronze in shooting.
• Sarabjot Singh clinched a mixed team 10m air pistol bronze with Manu Bhakar.
• Swapnil Kusale added a third bronze medal in shooting.
• The Indian men’s hockey team clinched bronze.
• Neeraj Chopra claimed a silver medal in the javelin throw.
• Aman Sehrawat won bronze in wrestling.

Current Context : Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent returned to India, after successful participation in Exercise Udara Shakti 2024 at Malaysia.

• Fighter jets engaged : IAF’s Su-30MKI
• The primary focus of the exercise was to bolster operational efficiency and enhance the technical expertise of both air forces.

Current Context : The Union Cabinet approved eight new railway projects at an estimated cost of ₹24,657 crore to provide connectivity, facilitate ease of travelling, minimise logistics cost, reduce oil imports and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

• The projects cover 14 districts in the seven States of Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal.
• It will increase the existing network of the railways by 900 km.
• 64 new stations will be constructed providing enhanced connectivity to six ‘aspirational districts’ (East Singhbum, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, and Rayagada) covering approximately 510 villages and comprising about 40 lakh population.
• The projects are a result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity.

Current Context : Recently, the central government announced that a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee to examine the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill 2024.

• The Bill seeks to amend the 1995 Waqf Act, and proposes sweeping changes to how Waqfs are governed and regulated.

ABOUT WAQF

• A Waqf Board is a regulatory and administrative body is responsible for managing and overseeing the administration of waqf properties in various regions.
• These boards ensure that waqf assets are used according to Islamic principles and the intentions of the endowments.
• Waqf properties in India are governed by the Waqf Act, 1995.

Current Context : Madhya Pradesh has commissioned the largest floating solar project in central and north India, generating 90 MW at Omkareshwar.

ABOUT PROJECT :

• It is developed on the backwaters of Omkareshwar dam.
• The project, costing Rs 646 crore, aims to produce 5 million units in the first year.
• Developed by SJVN Green Energy Limited,
• It supports India’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• Electricity generation :5 million units in the first year and 4,629.3 million units in the 25 years.
• It will reduce carbon emissions by 2.3 lakh tonn.

ABOUT FLOATING SOLAR PROJECT :

• It involves installing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on floating platforms or pontoons that are placed on bodies of water such as lakes, reservoirs, or ponds.
• These platforms are anchored to the waterbody to keep them stable.

Current Context : Three underwater geographical structures located in the Indian Ocean have been awarded names proposed by India..

• Named as the Ashoka seamount , Chandragupt ridge and the Kalpataru ridge .
• All the three recently named structures were discovered by oceanographers from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa.
• These are located along the Southwest Indian Ridge area of the Indian Ocean and were discovered during an international survey exploration programme.