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.

• It will be observed on March26, 2025.
• Theme: “Stand up to seizures.”
• Purpose: Increase awareness and understanding of epilepsy worldwide.
• Purple Fest 2025 was hosted at Rashtrapati Bhavan by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DePwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

• Current context: IDFC FIRST Bank launched the “Ace” feature on its mobile app, offering details on 2500+ mutual funds.
• Objective: Promotes DIY (do-it-yourself) investing for customers.

Key Features

• Fund Categories: Includes Equity, Debt, Tax-Saving, Hybrid, and Index funds for portfolio diversification.
• Information Access:
• Historical fund performance (1Y, 3Y, 5Y).
• Holding patterns by sectors, companies, and market cap.
• Expert ratings (Morningstar Rating).
• Ease of Investment: Facilitates choosing need-based funds for personalized investments.

Current context :McLaren’s Lando Norris secured victory in the season opener at Albert Park, marking his fifth career win.

• Race Dynamics: Norris triumphed in a dramatic wet-dry race, beating Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.811 seconds.
• Podium Finish:
• 2nd: Max Verstappen (Red Bull) fell short despite a late surge.
• 3rd: George Russell (Mercedes) capitalized on consistent performance amidst chaotic conditions.

Current context: Günter Blöschl wins the 2025 Stockholm Water Prize for contributions to flood risk management and water resource engineering.

• Key Contribution: Developed a 500-year flood database linking climate change to increased flood frequency and severity.
• Impact: Influenced global flood prediction, mitigation strategies, and international climate adaptation policies.
• Recognition: Stockholm Water Prize, termed the “Nobel Prize of Water,” highlights exceptional contributions to water sustainability.
• Ceremony: Award to be presented by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during World Water Week 2025.

Current context: Published on March 19, 2025, by the Forest Declaration Assessment before World Forest Day, supported by UNDP and partners.

Key Facts

• Deforestation (2023):37 million hectares lost, mainly in the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
• Main Causes: Cattle ranching (80% in the Amazon), palm oil, soy, and beef production.
• Trade Policies: EU requires deforestation-free imports; US tightening illegal logging laws; calls for similar action from China and India.
• Challenges: Limited enforcement, small farmers lack resources, and economic dependence on agriculture in Brazil and Indonesia.
• Recommendations: International cooperation, financial/technical support for producers, and improved global monitoring.
• Future Outlook: Biodiversity loss and climate goals at risk; COP30 in Brazil is key for solutions.

• The State of Climate 2024 report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) highlights record greenhouse gas levels, rising global temperatures, and worsening climate impacts.

Key Facts

• Greenhouse Gases: CO2 levels reached 420 ppm (highest in 800,000 years), with record highs for CH4 and N2O.
• Temperature Milestone: 2024 global temperature was 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, breaching the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold.
• Ocean Heat & Sea Levels: Oceans absorbed 90% of excess heat, with rising sea levels driven by polar ice melt.
• Extreme Weather: Increased cyclones, floods, and droughts caused record climate-related displacements.
• Cryosphere Impact: Rapid glacier retreat and near-record low Antarctic sea ice levels.