Current Context : Punjab became the first Indian state to deploy an Anti-Drone System (ADS) along an international border, aiming to combat cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons from Pakistan.

ABOUT BAAJ AKH ANTI-DRONE SYSTEM

• Meaning: “Hawk Eye” in Punjabi.
• Technology: Detects drones and their ground control stations, sends automatic alerts.
• Coordination: Works alongside BSF, Army, and Air Force.

STRATEGIC SIGNIFICANCE

• Border Length: 553 km shared with Pakistan.
• Deployment: 3 ADS units installed from Pathankot to Fazilka; 6 more planned.
• Project Cost: ₹51.4 crore.
• Purpose: Second line of defence after BSF, improves border security infrastructure.

Current Context : The Khelo India ASMITA Football League 2025–26 was inaugurated in Jalgaon, Maharashtra by the Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports.

ABOUT KHELO INDIA ASMITA

• Full Form: Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women through Action
• Launch Year: 2021
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
• Nature: Affirmative action in sports for women
• Mission:
  • To promote women’s participation in sports through leagues and competitions.
  • To align with Khelo India’s gender-neutral and grassroots sports development vision.
• Part of: Khelo Bharat Niti – promoting sports for nation-building and women’s empowerment.

Current Context : India concluded its campaign at the Asian Under-19 & Under-22 Boxing Championships 2025 in Bangkok with a strong performance, winning a total of 27 medals.

• Ritika claimed gold in the women’s 80+ kg category for the Under-22 team.

ABOUT THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Location: Bangkok, Thailand
• Indian Medal Tally: 27 medals (U19: 14, U22: 13)

U19 TEAM PERFORMANCE

Total Medals: 14 (3 Gold, 7 Silver, 4 Bronze)

• Overall Rank: Second, behind Uzbekistan in gold tally.
• Significance: Showcased the depth of young Indian boxing talent.

U22 TEAM PERFORMANCE

• Total Medals: 13 (1 Gold, 4 Silver, 8 Bronze)
• Gold Medalist: Ritika (Women’s 80+ kg) – Only gold for U22 squad.

NOTABLE PERFORMERS

• Yatri Patel – Silver (Women’s 57 kg)
• Priya – Silver (Women’s 60 kg)
• Neeraj – Silver (Men’s 75 kg)
• Ishan Kataria – Silver (Men’s 90+ kg)

Observed every year on 13 August

• Aim : to raising awareness about the critical need for organ and tissue donation and dispelling associated myths.
• 2025 Theme : “Answering the Call”
• Initiated by the Spanish National Transplant Organization in 2005.
• Commemorates the birthday of Christiaan Barnard, who performed the world’s first successful human heart transplant in 1967.

Current Context: The Union Cabinet approved four new components under SDPs for Assam and Tripura.

 ABOUT SDPs

• Type: Central Sector Scheme.
• Purpose:
  • Improve socio-economic conditions of vulnerable and marginalised groups.
  • Focus on Adivasi, Dimasa, ULFA areas in Assam and tribal communities in Tripura.
  • Boost jobs, healthcare, education, skills, and women/youth livelihoods.
  • Promote tourism for additional employment.
• Background : Builds on MoS-based packages for Bodo and Karbi groups that have enhanced peace-building in the Northeast.

Current Context: The Department of Health Research and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) organised a nationwide S.H.I.N.E. Initiative Open Day for students.

ABOUT S.H.I.N.E.

• Full Form: Science, Health and Innovation for Nextgen Explorers.
• Aim: Ignite scientific curiosity, foster innovation, inspire careers in health research.
• Target Group: Students of grades 9–12.

Current Context: India ranked 67th globally in the mid-2025 Numbeo Safety Index with a score of 55.8.

Relevant Data :

 SAFEST CITIES IN INDIA

• Mangalore – Safety Index 74.2 (49th globally).
• Other top cities: Vadodara (69.2), Ahmedabad (68.2), Surat (66.6), Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai.
• Reasons: Low crime, strong civic infrastructure, good governance.

LEAST SAFE CITIES IN INDIA

• New Delhi – Crime Index 59.03.
• Ghaziabad – 58.44.
• Noida – 55.1.
• Issues: Violent crimes, harassment, property crime, women’s safety concerns.

GLOBAL SAFETY LEADERS

• Abu Dhabi – Score 88.8 (1st for ninth year).
• Others: Doha, Dubai, Sharjah, Taipei.
• UAE ranks 2nd globally as a country.

ABOUT NUMBEO SAFETY INDEX

• The Numbeo Safety Index is a global crowd-sourced rating system that measures the perceived safety of cities and countries based on public surveys.
• It reflects how safe residents and visitors feel in their local areas.
• Data Source: Crowdsourced surveys from residents and visitors.
• Scale: 0–100 points; higher score indicates higher perceived safety.

Survey coverage

• Personal Safety Risks: Mugging, robbery, car theft, physical attack, harassment.
• Discrimination Risks: Based on ethnicity, skin color, gender, or religion.
• Property Crimes: Vandalism, burglary, theft.
• Violent Crimes: Assault, homicide.

Current Context: The Sea of Galilee, Israel’s largest freshwater lake, recently displayed an unusual red hue over several days due to a natural algal bloom.

 ABOUT THE RED COLOURATION

• Cause: Bloom of green algae Botryococcus braunii, which produces red carotenoid pigments under sunlight.
• Water remains safe for humans.
• Event monitored by Israel’s Water Ministry for ecosystem health.

 ABOUT SEA OF GALILEE

• Location: Northeastern Israel, near the Golan Heights and Galilee region.
• Other Names: Lake Kinneret, Lake Tiberias, Lake of Gennesaret (Hebrew: Yam Kinneret; Arabic: Buḥayrat Ṭabarīyā).
• Elevation: 209–215 meters (686–705 feet) below sea level — lowest freshwater lake in the world.
• Hydrology:
  • Main inflow and outflow: Jordan River
  • Other sources: Underground springs

Current Context: The IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has launched the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) to boost AI-based cancer care solutions.

 ABOUT CATCH PROGRAM

• Purpose: To fast-track validation and deployment of AI solutions across the cancer care continuum in India.
• Collaboration: Joint innovation grant with the National Cancer Grid (NCG).
• Support Provided:
  • Milestone-based pilot funding up to ₹50 lakhs.
  • Mentorship support.
  • Access to clinical validation sites.
  • Opportunity to scale across the NCG network and IndiaAI-supported public channels.

Current Context: Satnavri village in rural Nagpur,Maharashtra has been selected under a state-backed pilot project to become India’s first ‘Smart Intelligent Village’, integrating advanced technology into agriculture, education, healthcare, governance, and finance.

 ABOUT THE PROJECT

• Technology in Agriculture:
  • Drone-assisted farming, smart irrigation, and soil sensors.
  • Real-time alerts on soil health, weather, and harvest timings via mobile apps.
  • Crop dashboards for market forecasts and better planning.
  • Data-driven farming to optimise resources and boost yields.
• Digital Education & Health Services:
  • AI-integrated digital books and remote learning platforms.
  • Smart Anganwadi centres for early education.
  • E-health cards and telemedicine links to Government Medical College.
  • Mobile clinics connected with digital health systems.
• Governance & Infrastructure:
  • Gram panchayat equipped with WiFi and digital governance tools.
  • Real-time monitoring of water quality, irrigation, and civic services.
  • Optical fibre connectivity installed.
  • Regular reviews ensure smooth implementation and community participation.