CURRENT CONTEXT : Operation Muskaan-XI was conducted across Telangana from 1 to 31 July 2025.

• The mission aimed to rescue children from exploitation and hazardous working conditions.

SCOPE AND SCALE

• Total Children Rescued: 7,678
  • Boys: 7,149
  • Girls: 529
• Children from Other States: 3,787 (from 12 states)
• Children from Nepal: 3,783
• High-Risk Rescue Zones: Railway stations, Bus stands, Brick kilns, Construction sites, Religious places.

CURRENT CONTEXT : India officially became the world’s 5th largest aviation market, according to the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS) released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

• India handled 241 million air passengers, showing a growth of 11.1 percent from 2023.
• The Mumbai–Delhi air route was ranked as the 7th busiest air route in the world.

ABOUT INDIA’S AVIATION GROWTH

• Passengers Handled (2024): 241 million
• Growth from 2023: 1 percent
• 2023 Passenger Data: 211 million
• India Overtook: Japan (205 million passengers)
• Top 4 Countries:
  • United States – 876 million passengers
  • China – 741 million passengers
  • United Kingdom – 261 million passengers
  • Spain – 241 million passengers

CURRENT CONTEXT : Satya Pal Malik, a well-known politician and former Governor of multiple Indian states, passed away at the age of 79.

ABOUT SATYA PAL MALIK

Personal Background

• Born in the year 1946 in Hisawada village, Baghpat district, Uttar Pradesh.
• He completed his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) and Law degree (LLB) from Meerut University.

Political Journey

• Entered politics in the 1970s as a socialist leader.
• In 1974, elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Baghpat under the Bharatiya Kranti Dal.
• Later, he served:
  • As a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha (1980–1989)
  • As a Member of Lok Sabha (1989–1991)

Governorship Roles

• Held the position of Governor in the following states:
  • Bihar (2017–2018)
  • Odisha (2018)
  • Jammu and Kashmir (2018–2019)
  • Goa (2019–2020)
  • Meghalaya (2020–2022)

Observed every year on 6 August

Objective :  to remember the day when the first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima in Japan in the year 1945.

• The bombing killed over 1,40,000 people by the end of that year, most of them were civilians.
• The day is also called Atomic Bomb Day (A‑Bomb Day) and is observed around the world to promote nuclear disarmament and world peace.

Current Context: Recently, Krasheninnikov volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula erupted for the first time in recorded history.

ABOUT KRASHENINNIKOV VOLCANO

• Location: Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
• Height: 1,886 meters
• Volcanic Type: Stratovolcano (also called Composite Volcano)
• Situated In: A collapsed caldera, formed by a powerful eruption 39,600 years ago
• Geological Feature: Made up of two eruptive cones in a 9-kilometre-wide caldera
• Southern Cone: Has a crater 800 meters wide and 140 meters deep
• Previous Eruption: Last erupted about 400 to 600 years ago

ABOUT STRATOVOLCANOES (COMPOSITE VOLCANOES)

• Shape: Tall, cone-shaped, steep volcano
• Location: Usually found above subduction zones, often in the Pacific Ring of Fire
• Lava Type: Eruptions are of andesite and dacite – which are thick and slow-flowing
• Eruption Style: Explosive due to high gas pressure
• Percentage: Make up about 60% of all volcanoes on Earth

Current Context: Odisha has launched a roadmap to integrate Landraces (traditional seed varieties) into the formal seed system for sustainable agriculture.

ABOUT LANDRACES

• Meaning : Traditional, local seed varieties developed by farmers over generations through natural and manual selection.
• Advantages:
  • Resistant to climate change and pests
  • Stable yield
  • Rich in nutrition
  • Suitable for local farming conditions

 Threats:

• Genetic Erosion due to:
  • Use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
  • Shift to hybrid commercial seeds
  • Changes in agricultural methods and land use

Current Context: India Post Payments Bank has introduced Aadhaar-based Face Authentication to make banking services easier and faster.

ABOUT INDIA POST PAYMENTS BANK (IPPB)

• Launched In: 2018
• Ministry: Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication
• Ownership: 100% Government of India

New Feature – Face Authentication:

• Developed Under: Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
• Allows bank transactions through facial recognition
• No need for fingerprints or One-Time Passwords (OTPs)

Promotes inclusive banking and faster services, especially for senior citizens and rural population

Current Context: The Odisha government plans to introduce tigers in Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary to revive the tiger population in the state.

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has granted technical approval.

ABOUT DEBRIGARH WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

• Location: Bargarh district, near Hirakud Dam on Mahanadi River, Odisha
• Established In: 1985
• Area: Around 347 square kilometres
• Significance:
  • Known for rich biodiversity
  • Historic site of freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai’s rebellion against British rule

 Tiger Reserve Plan:

• Core and buffer zones being demarcated by expert committee
• Tiger relocation to begin once preparations are complete

Current Context: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has launched the Apna Ghar initiative to provide safe, clean, and comfortable resting places for truck drivers across major highways in India.

ABOUT APNA GHAR INITIATIVE

• Launched By: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India
• Objective: To improve long-haul journeys for truck drivers by offering them clean and secure rest stops.
• Facilities Established:
  • 368 Apna Ghar units
  • 4,611 beds (as of 1 July 2025)
  • Located at fuel retail outlets on national and state highways

Features: Dormitories with 10 to 30 beds, Restaurants / Dhabas, Self-cooking kitchens, etc,.

Current Context: The International Space Station (ISS) now uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) robots like Cimon to support astronauts during space missions.

ABOUT CIMON

• Full Form: Crew Interactive Mobile Companion
• Developed By: Airbus, IBM, and German Space Agency
• Launched: 2018
• Type: Voice-controlled, floating robot

Features:

• Displays step-by-step instructions
• Offers hands-free information access
• Records and monitors experiments
• Uses AI to interact like a helpful teammate

Purpose:

• Reduces workload of astronauts
• Increases efficiency and safety in space missions