Current Context : The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the proposal for the procurement of 240 aero-engines for Su-30MKI aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) under the ‘Buy (Indian)‘ category

• It will be procured from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at a cost of over ₹26,000 crore.

ABOUT BUY (INDIAN) CATEGORY

• Under the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020, it refers to the acquisition of products from an Indian vendor in which products that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 50% Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value,
• Or products, which may not have been designed and developed indigenously, having 60% IC on cost basis of the total contract value.

Current Context : The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), launched a new five-digit toll-free number — 14453. 

ABOUT INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND AUTHORITY (IEPFA) 

• Established on September 7, 2016, under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
• It is responsible for managing the Investor Education and Protection Fund, which focuses on safeguarding investor interests by facilitating the refund of shares, unclaimed dividends, and matured deposits/debentures.
• Aim : to ensure transparency, protect investors’ rights, and promote financial literacy across the country.

General Studies Paper-2

Context: Recent triennial International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024) highlighted malnutrition, hunger are worsening due to geopolitical unrest and climate change, and focused on ‘Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems’.

About

• Goal 2 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is all about creating a world free of hunger by 2030. It’s a bold and essential mission—one that resonates with our shared humanity.
• The vision of a hunger-free world by 2030 is both inspiring and daunting. It’s a goal that resonates with the collective desire for a more equitable and compassionate planet.

Why Does Zero Hunger Matter?

• A world with zero hunger positively impacts our economies, health, education, equality, and social development. It’s a cornerstone for building a better future for everyone.
• Moreover, hunger limits human development, making it challenging to achieve other sustainable development goals like education, health, and gender equality.
• Economies: Productive, well-nourished individuals contribute to economic growth.
• Health: Proper nutrition prevents diseases and improves overall well-being.
• Education: Hungry children struggle to learn effectively.
• Gender Equality: Empowered women play a pivotal role in eradicating hunger.

Challenges Ahead

• Despite progress in agricultural productivity, over two billion people globally still lack access to sufficient, nutritious, and safe food. Projections indicate that the world is not on track to achieve zero hunger by 2030.
• Rising Hunger and Food Insecurity: Since 2015, the global issue of hunger and food insecurity has intensified. Factors such as geopolitical unrest, climate change, and deepening inequalities have exacerbated the situation.
• In 2022, approximately 735 million people—about 9.2% of the world’s population—experienced chronic hunger – —a staggering rise compared to 2019.
• An additional 2.4 billion people faced moderate to severe food insecurity, meaning they lacked access to sufficient nourishment. This number escalated by an alarming 391 million people compared to 2019.
• Stunted Growth and Malnutrition: Extreme hunger and malnutrition hinder sustainable development. Stunted growth affects 148 million children, while 45 million children under the age of 5 suffer from wasting.
• These conditions not only impair physical health but also limit cognitive development and economic productivity.

Achieving Zero Hunger

• Multi-dimensional Approach: We need a comprehensive strategy. This includes:
• Social Protection: Ensuring safety nets for vulnerable populations.
• Sustainable Agriculture: Promoting practices that enhance food security while safeguarding the environment.
• Investment in Agriculture: Critical for reducing hunger, poverty, and building resilience to disasters.
• Nutrition: Ensuring safe and nutritious food, especially for children.
• Transforming Food Systems: Creating a more inclusive and sustainable world.
• Social Protection: Ensuring safety nets for vulnerable populations, especially children, to safeguard access to safe and nutritious food.
• Transforming Food Systems: We need inclusive and sustainable food systems that prioritise nutrition, reduce waste, and promote resilience.

India’s Efforts

• India, once a net importer of food grains, has transformed into a net exporter. During the pandemic, the government efficiently distributed food grains through the Public Distribution System, providing emergency assistance to families.
• However, India also faces challenges related to malnutrition and climate change.
• Malnutrition and Anaemia: While malnutrition has decreased over the past decade, the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey 2016-18 revealed that more than 40 million Indian children suffer from chronic malnutrition.
• Additionally, over half of Indian women aged 15-49 years are anaemic.
• Programs like the Integrated Child Development Services (providing meals to children under six and pregnant/lactating mothers) and the mid-day meal scheme demonstrate India’s commitment to addressing these challenges.

Way Forward (Road to Zero Hunger by 2030)

• Food as the Essence of Life: Food isn’t just sustenance; it’s woven into our cultures and communities. It has the power to bring people together, nourish our bodies, and sustain the planet.
• UN Food Agencies’ Pledge: On World Food Day, the food agencies of the United Nations (UN) pledged to work collaboratively to end hunger, eradicate food insecurity, and achieve SDG 2.
• Shared Commitment: World leaders, during the SDG Summit in New York, reaffirmed their commitment to eradicating poverty and ending hunger. However, it’s clear that concerted efforts are needed to bridge the gap between aspiration and reality.

General Studies Paper-3

Context: Recently, the Union Cabinet Committee approved the Digital Agriculture Mission with an outlay of Rs. 2817 Crore, including the central share of Rs. 1940 Crore.

About the Digital Agriculture Mission

• It aims to nurture agri-tech start-ups by harnessing cutting-edge advancements in cloud computing, earth observation, remote sensing, data analytics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning models.
• It is conceived as an umbrella scheme to support digital agriculture initiatives, such as creating Digital Public Infrastructure, implementing the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), and taking up other IT initiatives by the Central Government, State Governments, and Academic and Research Institutions.

Mission’s Roots

• At its core, DAM seeks to transform India’s agricultural landscape by infusing it with digital nutrients.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for Agriculture: It aims to provide authenticated demographic details, land holdings, and crop information for cultivators and tenant farmers.
• It’s like giving each farmer a digital identity (akin to Aadhaar) – a trusted ‘Kisan ki Pehchaan’ (a digital Farmer ID) – while connecting them to relevant state and central government databases.
• This data-driven approach promises innovative, farmer-centric services.

Three Pillars of Digital Agriculture Mission

• Agristack: The farmer’s digital toolbox. It’s a federated structure, collaboratively built by various agencies of both central and state governments. Agristack houses three foundational registries:
• Farmers’ Registry: A virtual farmer directory.
• Geo-referenced Village Maps: For every village, with crop details overlaid.
• Crop Sown Registry: A digital ledger of what’s sprouting where.
• Krishi Decision Support System: It provides timely and reliable information to farmers, helping them make informed decisions. It aims to create a comprehensive geospatial system to unify remote sensing-based information on Crops, Soil, Weather, water resources, etc.
• Soil Profile Mapping: It maps soil properties, moisture levels, and nutrient content, empowering precision agriculture.

Significances of Digital Agriculture Mission

• Efficient Services: Farmers will access services and schemes faster, like a well-timed monsoon shower.
• Data-Driven Insights: AI-powered crop predictions and personalised advice are helpful for better interventions and future policy support.
• Inclusive Growth and Employment: It is aiming to have a catalytic effect in creating both direct and indirect employment in the agriculture sector, and is expected to provide employment opportunities to about 2.5 lakh trained local youth and Krishi Sakhis.
• Resilience: When pests strike or drought looms, DAM will be the farmer’s digital scarecrow, alerting them in advance.

Conclusion

• As the sun rises on DAM, India’s agri-tech landscape blossoms. It’s not just about bytes and algorithms; it’s about nurturing the roots that feed our nation.
• Digital Agriculture Mission aligns with this grand vision – nurturing a developed India by 2047 (Viksit Bharat@2047).

Current Context : Thanjavur Veena is the first musical instrument in the country to get the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

• Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu is famed for being the hub of making the instrument.

ABOUT THANJAVUR VEENA

• The Thanjavur Veena, an ancient and revered musical instrument, holds a special place in the rich cultural tapestry of India.
• There are four types of veena.
  • Rudra veena and Vichitra veena are popular in Hindustani classical music.
  • Saraswati veena and Chitra veena are used in Carnatic classical music.
• Thanjavur is the only place where Saraswati veena is made.
• Saraswati, the goddess of learning and arts, is portrayed with a veena.
• The production of veena, handcrafted with skill and perfection, requires dedication, time and devotion.
• Jackfruit wood is used to make veena and the process involves a laborious task, taking up to 15-20 days, to get the finished product.

Current Context : Union Cabinet approved New Semiconductor Unit Worth INR 3,330 Crore Under India Semiconductor Mission.

• New semiconductor unit will be setup by Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd in Sanand, Gujarat.
• This is the fifth semiconductor unit to be approved under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), and the second to be set up in Sanand.
• Aim : to position India as a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing.
• The Kaynes Semicon ATMP (assembly, testing, marking and packaging) unit will be able to produce about 6 million chips a day which will be used in industries, automobile sector, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, telecom equipment, and mobile phones.

ABOUT INDIA SEMICONDUCTOR MISSION (ISM)

• ISM has been setup as an Independent Business Division within Digital India Corporation.
• Aim : to build a vibrant semiconductor and display ecosystem to enable India’s emergence as a global hub for electronics manufacturing and design.
• Launched in 2021 with a total financial outlay of Rs76,000 crore under the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).

COMPONENTS :

• Scheme for Setting Up Semiconductor Fabs in India
• Scheme for Setting Up Display Fabs in India
• Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme
• Scheme for Setting Up Compound Semiconductors/Silicon Photonics/Sensors Fab and Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP)/ Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) Facilities in India.

Current Context : Union Cabinet approved the Rs 2,817-crore Digital Agriculture Mission for the creation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) in the farm sector.

WHAT IS DIGITAL AGRICULTURE?

• It refers to the use of digital technologies to collect, store, analyze and share data throughout the agricultural sector.
• It includes tools like sensors, drones, GPS, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence to enhance farm management, improve crop monitoring, optimize inputs like water and fertilizers, and increase yields.

Digital Agriculture Mission is a government initiative aimed at developing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector.

• Components : AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System (DSS), Soil Profile Maps, and Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES).
• Objective : to create a tech-based ecosystem, the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES), which will provide accurate estimates of agricultural production.

Current Context : Recently, Saora tribals of Gajapati district of Odisha got habitat rights over their ancestral lands.

• Odisha has become the only state in the country to provide such rights to the highest number of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).
• Saoras have become the fifth tribal group in the state to get the rights.
• The district-level committee in Gajapati under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) approved habitat rights for the Saora community covering 128 villages in Mohana and R Udayagiri blocks.

Apart from Odisha, Madhya Pradesh has given habitat rights to Bharia PVTG and Chhattisgarh government to Kamar and Baiga PVTGs.

ABOUT  SAORA TRIBE

• Saora is one of the ancient tribes of Odisha, which is also mentioned in the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• They are known by various terms such as Savaras, Sabaras, Saura, Sora, etc
• They primarily reside in the state of Odisha and small number of people are also found in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam.
• Language : Saora or Sora language, which belongs to the Munda group of the Austroasiatic language family.
• Belief : They practice a form of animism and nature worship, with a strong belief in ancestral spirits.
• Festivals : They celebrate Sankranti and Karma festival.

Current Context : The Union government set up the 23rd Law Commission for three years to identify laws that have become obsolete and can be repealed.

• Law and Justice Ministry set up the Law Commission from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027.
• The commission will include a full-time chairperson, four full-time members, the Secretaries of the Legal Affairs and Legislative departments as ex-officio members and up to five part-time members.

ABOUT LAW COMMISSION OF INDIA :

• It is a non-statutory body and is constituted by a notification of the Government of India, Ministry of Law & Justice.
• It is constituted with definite terms of reference to carry out research in the field of law and the Commission makes recommendations to the Government (in the form of Reports) as per its terms of reference.
• It functions to the Ministry of Law and Justice as an advisory body.
• The first pre-independence law commission was established in 1834 by the British Government in India under the Charter Act of 1833 and was chaired by Lord Macaulay.
• In independent India, the first Law Commission was established in 1955 with its chairman Attorney General M.C.Setalvad.

Current Context : President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the new flag and insignia of the Supreme Court.

KEY FEATURES :

• The newly unveiled flag features symbols central to India’s legal and cultural heritage: the Ashoka Chakra, the Supreme Court building, and the Constitution of India.
• Flag Colour : Blue
• The insignia has ‘Supreme Court of India’ and ‘Yato Dharmastato Jayah’ (in Devanagari script) inscribed on it.
• Conceptualized and designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Delhi.
• They symbolize justice and democracy, reflecting the Supreme Court’s role as a guardian of the Constitution and the rule of law.

WHAT DOES ‘YATO DHARMASTATO JAYAH’ MEAN?

• The phrase “Yato Dharmastato Jayah” is a Sanskrit expression that translates to “Where there is Dharma, there is victory” or “Victory lies where Dharma (righteousness) prevails.”

ABOUT SUPREME COURT

• The Supreme Court of India is the apex judicial body under the Constitution of India.
• Article 124 of the Constitution states that “There shall be a Supreme Court of India.”
• Came into existence on 26 January 1950 with the coming into force of the Constitution.
• Headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI)