Current Context : The Prime Minister recently laid the foundation stone of the country’s first Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh.

ABOUT PM MITRA PARK

• Full Name: Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Textiles
• Vision: “Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign”
• Purpose: Establish world-class integrated textile hubs to make Indian textiles cheaper, faster, and of higher quality.
• Nature: Can be Greenfield or Brownfield projects
• Area: About 1000+ acres each

FEATURES

• Integrated Value Chain: Combines spinning, weaving, dyeing, printing, garment-making in one place, reducing time and cost.
• Infrastructure: Roads, power, water, logistics, worker hostels, plug-and-play factory units, research & skill training centres.
• Land Use: 50% for manufacturing, 20% for utilities, 10% for commercial activity.
• Employment Potential: 1 lakh direct and 2 lakh indirect jobs per park.
• Investment Target: ₹70,000 crore overall.
• Implementation Model: Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) in Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
• Financial Support:
  • ₹800 crore for each Greenfield park
  • ₹500 crore for each Brownfield park (from the Ministry of Textiles)
  • States to provide land and basic infrastructure

LOCATION OF APPROVED PM MITRA PARKS

• Tamil Nadu (Virudhunagar), Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow district), Maharashtra.

Current Context : The Ministry of Civil Aviation has released the Draft Civil Drone (Promotion and Regulation) Bill, 2025 for public consultation and invited feedback from stakeholders and citizens.

ABOUT THE BILL

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Civil Aviation
• Coverage: Applies to ownership, operation, design, manufacture, import, export, leasing, training, and maintenance of drones (Unmanned Aircraft Systems—UAS)
• Excludes: UAS used by armed forces or weighing over 500 kg (regulated under Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024)

KEY PROVISIONS

• DGCA as Regulator:
  • Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will remain the primary regulatory authority
  • Mandatory registration and Unique Identification Number (UIN) for every drone
  • Manufacturers must obtain DGCA type certification
• Safety and Security:
  • Mandatory safety and security features to prevent tampering and ensure traceability
  • No operation without these features unless exempted by Government
• Insurance Mandatory:
  • Third-party insurance required for all drone operators
  • Compensation: ₹2.5 lakh (death) / ₹1 lakh (grievous hurt) for accidents
• Digital Sky Zones:
  • Airspace divided into Green, Yellow, and Red zones
  • Green: Free operation | Yellow: ATC clearance | Red: Central Government approval required
• Penalties:
  • Violation in restricted airspace: Cognisable and non-compoundable
  • Punishment: Up to 3 years’ imprisonment or ₹1 lakh fine
  • Seizure and confiscation powers given to DGCA
• Claims Tribunal: Motor Accident Claims Tribunals will adjudicate drone accident claims

Current Context According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO) Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, global R&D growth has slowed — falling to 2.9% in 2024 and projected to decline further to 2.3% in 2025.

ABOUT GLOBAL INNOVATION INDEX

• Launched by: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• First Published: 2007
• Recognised by: United Nations General Assembly as an authoritative reference for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies
• Purpose: To rank countries on their innovation capacity and success
• Covers:
  • Investment patterns
  • Technological progress
  • Adoption rates
  • Socioeconomic impacts

Significance:

• Acts as a global benchmark to measure and compare innovation performance
• Helps governments, industry, and researchers to build innovation ecosystems

Relevant Data OF GII 2025

• Top 5 Innovators:
  1. Switzerland (1st for 15th consecutive year)
  2. Sweden
  3. United States
  4. Republic of Korea
  5. Singapore
• China: Entered Top 10 for the first time, ranked 10th (leading middle-income economies)
• India: Rose to 38th rank among 139 economies (from 81st in 2015)
• Other climbers include Türkiye, Vietnam, and Morocco

Celebrated every year on 18 September.

• Aims to spread awareness across the world about the many uses and importance of bamboo — especially its role in protecting the environment, supporting livelihoods, and promoting sustainability.
• Started in 2009 during the 8th World Bamboo Congress held in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Theme: “Next Generation Bamboo: Solution, Innovation, and Design”

Current Context: Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated India’s largest and most technologically advanced sports complex at Naranpura in Ahmedabad, aiming to position India as a top sporting nation by 2047.

ABOUT THE NARANPURA SPORTS COMPLEX

• Location: Naranpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
• Cost: ₹825 crore
• Facilities:
  • International standard aquatic complex
  • State-of-the-art indoor and outdoor sports arenas
  • Dedicated training and residential infrastructure for athletes
• Purpose:
  • To train athletes at world-class standards
  • To host international tournaments like Commonwealth Games

Current Context: The 14^th Sirarakhong Hathei Chilli Festival was inaugurated at Sirarakhong Village, Ukhrul District, Manipur to promote the GI-tagged Hathei chilli and boost local farming and cultural tourism.

ABOUT HATHEI CHILLI FESTIVAL

• Location: Sirarakhong, Manipur
• Organised to: Promote Manipur’s unique GI-tagged chilli variety
• Key Events:
  • Ceremonial Flag Hoisting
  • Cultural performances
  • Buyer-Seller Meet to connect farmers with markets
  • Tree Plantation Drive under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign

ABOUT HATHEI CHILLI

• Origin: Sirarakhong village, Ukhrul district, Manipur
• Features:
  • GI-tagged crop
  • Bright red colour, medium pungency, strong aroma
• Uses: Culinary spice, pickles, food processing
• Significance: Symbol of Manipur’s agricultural identity and cultural heritage

Current Context: Bharat Forge CMD Baba Kalyani was awarded the Holley Medal by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for his outstanding contributions to engineering innovation and strengthening resilient global supply chains.

ABOUT THE HOLLEY MEDAL

• Established by: ASME in 1924
• Purpose: To honour individuals or teams for exceptional engineering achievements that provide public benefit
• Awarded for:
  • Unique engineering acts
  • Noteworthy contributions to address major technical or societal challenges
  • Engineering solutions creating timely public benefit

SIGNIFICANCE

• Recognises Indian innovation in advanced manufacturing and strategic industrial development
• Places Baba Kalyani among a select global group of innovators celebrated for engineering excellence

Current Context: According to Periodic Labour Force Surveys (PLFS) data released by MoSPI, India’s unemployment rate fell to 5.1% in August 2025, showing improvement in rural employment and female participation.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF PLFS DATA

• Overall Unemployment Rate (15+ years):1% (lowest in 3 months)
• Male Unemployment:0% (5-month low)
  • Urban male UR: 6.6% (July) → 5.9% (August)
  • Rural male UR: 4.5% (lowest in 5 months)
• Rural Recovery: Rural UR dropped from 5.1% (May) → 4.3% (August)

RISE IN FEMALE WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION

• Worker Population Ratio (WPR – Female):
  • 2% (June) → 32.0% (August)
  • Rural: 33.6% → 35.9%
  • Urban: 22.9% → 23.8%
• Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR – Female):
  • 32% (June) → 33.7% (August)
  • Rural: 35.2% → 37.4%
  • Urban: 25.2% → 26.1%

OVERALL PARTICIPATION

• WPR (All):2% (August) vs. 51.2% (June)
• LFPR (All): 55% (August) vs. 54.2% (June)

Current Context: HFMD is spreading rapidly among children in Delhi and nearby Haryana, prompting health experts and schools to issue advisories.

ABOUT HFMD

• Type: Contagious viral infection
• Common in: Infants and children under 5 years
• Cause: Several viruses; not related to foot-and-mouth disease in animals
• Transmission: Contact with unwashed hands, saliva, nasal mucus, feces, or blister fluid
• Highly spreads in: Daycare centres and schools

 SYMPTOMS : Fever, Sore throat, Painful mouth sores, Blister-like rash on hands, feet, and sometimes other body parts

Current Context: The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies has recently come into force, becoming the first multilateral trade agreement with environmental sustainability at its core.

ABOUT THE AGREEMENT

• Adopted at: 12^th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12), Geneva in 2022.
• Purpose: To protect marine life and stop overexploitation of fish stocks
• Key Provisions:
  • Prohibits subsidies that support Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
  • Prohibits subsidies for fishing activities targeting overfished stocks
  • Covers fishing in high seas not under any Regional Fisheries Management Organisation

IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES

• WTO Fish Fund:
  • Established to help developing and least developed countries (LDCs)
  • Provides technical assistance and capacity building
  • 17 members pledged over USD 18 million
• Monitoring:
  • A Committee on Fisheries Subsidies will be formed
  • Members must report their subsidy programmes, fish stock levels, and conservation measures