The 10th National Ayurveda Day was celebrated on 23 September 2025 at the All India Institute of Ayurveda, Goa,

• Theme : “Ayurveda for People and Planet”.

Observed  every year on 25^th September

• Declared In:2014
• Purpose: To honour Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya on his Birth Anniversary and promote his philosophy of “Antyodaya” (upliftment of the last person).

Observed  every year on 25^th September.

• Established by: International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP)
• First Observed:2009 (designated at the FIP Congress in Istanbul, Turkey)
• Purpose:To recognize the role of pharmacists in healthcare and promote the pharmacy profession globally.

Current Context : The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry has launched Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) 3.0 to benchmark and categorise industrial parks across India.

ABOUT IPRS 3.0

• Developer : Introduced by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• Classification : Industrial parks will be rated as Leaders, Challengers, and Aspirers.
• New Parameters : Sustainability, Green infrastructure, Logistics connectivity, Digitalisation, Skill linkages, Talent feedback.

Current Context : The Delhi Government has ordered a study on the use of Smog Eating photocatalytic coatings on city roads to tackle air pollution.

ABOUT SMOG EATING PHOTOCATALYTIC COATINGS

Objective : To reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and harmful hydrocarbons in public spaces.

Mechanism

• Uses light energy to trigger chemical reactions.
• Coatings made with titanium dioxide (TiO₂) act as catalysts under UV light.
• Breaks down harmful pollutants into harmless matter.

Current Context : Brazil has become the first country to invest in the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), a permanent global fund created to protect tropical forests.

ABOUT TFFF

Origin

• Proposed by Brazil at COP28 (UAE, 2023).
• Designed as a long-term multilateral fund for forest conservation.

Goal

• Mobilise US $125 billion from public and private sources.
• Provide fixed payments per hectare of protected forest to tropical forest countries.

Financial Structure

• Sponsors (20%): High-income countries + philanthropies.
• Market Investors (80%): Sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, endowments.
• Fund Management: To be managed by a Multilateral Development Bank such as the World Bank.

Mechanism: Raises money via debt instruments like bonds.

Current Context : Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh declared 75 village panchayats as Child Marriage-Free, making it the first district in the state to achieve this milestone under the Healthy Women, Empowered Families campaign.

ABOUT THE INITIATIVE

Background

• The campaign was launched in March 2024 by CM Vishnu Deo Sai with UNICEF support.
• Aim: To make Chhattisgarh a Child Marriage-Free State.

Community Participation

• Awareness drives led by the Women and Child Development Department.
• Involvement of Anganwadi workers, Panchayat leaders, NGOs, and families.
• Parents encouraged to focus on girls’ education and health.

Current Context : At the 28th National Conference on e-Governance held on 22 September 2025 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, several Gram Panchayats were honoured with the National e-Governance Awards 2025 for their digital innovations in citizen services. The awards were presented by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the PMO.

 ABOUT THE AWARDS

• Theme : “Viksit Bharat: Civil Service and Digital Transformation”.
• Process : Over 45 lakh entries were evaluated in a multi-tier selection process.
• Award Benefits : Gold Award winners received ₹10 lakh, while Silver Award winners received ₹5 lakh, along with trophy and certificate.

AWARD-WINNING GRAM PANCHAYATS

Gold Award: Rohini Gram Panchayat, Maharashtra

• First fully paperless Gram Panchayat in Maharashtra.
• Offers 1,027 online services such as certificates and welfare schemes.
• Achieved 100% household digital literacy.
• Runs real-time grievance redressal and bulk SMS outreach.

Silver Award: West Majlishpur Gram Panchayat, Tripura

• Developed as a Citizen Charter-driven Panchayat.
• Provides digital services for registrations, job cards, licenses, and property records.
• Ensures timely service delivery through digital tracking.

Jury Award: Palsana Gram Panchayat, Gujarat

• Integrated Digital Gujarat and Gram Suvidha
• Enabled QR/UPI property tax payments.
• Provides services to over 10,000 citizens annually.

Jury Award: Suakati Gram Panchayat, Odisha

• Uses Odisha One and Seva Odisha platforms for 24/7 services.
• Promotes women’s leadership in governance.
• Ensures inclusive and transparent service delivery.

Current Context : Former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud has written his first book titled “Why the Constitution Matters”, which highlights how constitutional values influence and shape everyday life in India.

ABOUT Justice DY Chandrachud

Tenure

• Served as the 50th Chief Justice of India.
• Retired in November 2024.

Key Contributions : Delivered landmark rulings on privacy, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression.

Recognition

• Known as a liberal constitutionalist.
• Strong advocate of rights expansion and judicial independence.

General Studies Paper 3

Context

• India will submit its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) around the commencement of U.N. Climate Change Conference COP 30 in Brazil in November.

About NDCs

• The NDCs are renewable-energy adoption goals set by a country as part of being a signatory to the Paris Agreement.
  • Countries must regulate their fossil fuel consumption to keep the globe from heating 2°C, and as far as possible, 1.5°C above that in pre-industrial times.
• Countries are required to update their NDCs every five years.
• India last updated its NDCs in 2022:
  • It committed to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% of 2005 levels;
  • source half of its electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources;
  • and create a carbon sink of at least two billion tonnes — all three by 2030.

Progress India Made

• Emissions intensity of GDP refers to the amount of carbon emitted per unit of GDP and does not mean a reduction in net emissions.
• As of 2023, India reported to the United Nations climate-governing body that the emissions intensity of its GDP had been reduced by 33% between 2005 and 2019.
• By June 2025, India reported installing at least 50% of its power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.

Targets for 2035

• The updated NDCs, or NDC 3.0 as they are called, is expected to reflect the degree of emissions reductions by 2035.
• So far, only 30 of the 190-odd countries have submitted their NDCs though it is not uncommon for countries to submit their NDCs just ahead of the annual climate talks.

Expected NDCs

• The EU is expected to submit its NDCs ahead of COP30 with an indicative 2035 target in a range from 66.25% and 72.5% reduction, compared to 1990 levels.
• Australia this month updated its NDCs aimed to cut emissions 62%-70% of 2005 levels by 2035.
• The United States has exited the Paris Agreement and it remains to be seen if China will announce ambitious NDCs ahead of COP 30.
• India is also expected to operationalise the India Carbon Market by 2026 — under which 13 major sectors will be given mandatory emission-intensity targets — and can trade their resulting savings via emission reduction certificates.