INDIAN BIOLOGICAL DATA CENTRE (IBDC)

• Department of Biotechnology has created the national resource data of whole genome sequencing of 10,074 healthy individuals from 83 heterogeneous populations from 99 different sites, under the "Genome India" project, to create a library of genetic variations.
• This data aims to serving both scientific and medical community, fostering genomic research. Hence, the data has been archived at the Indian Biological Data Center (IBDC), a National Repository set up by this Department.
•  The data can be used for developing indigenous chips, diagnostics and therapeutics, benefiting healthcare system of the country and thus will contribute to the bioeconomy of the country.
• The Department has planned to fund translational research in which this dataset will serve as a template, thus maximizing the benefits of the data generated under ‘Genome India’ project. This data will be disseminated to the researchers under the provisions of the Biotech-PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) Guidelines and ‘Framework for Exchange of Data (FeED) Protocols.
• Under the ‘Genome India’ project, the study has been carried out throughout the length and breadth of the country and ensured equitable sampling across linguistic, social, and regional groups in India. Approximately, 36.7% of the samples were collected from rural, 32.2 % from urban and 31.1 % from the tribal populations.
• It is imperative that maximum benefit should be accrued from the large data base already created.
•  Hence the Department initially focuses on translational research using the already available dataset, for which proposals are being sought throughout the country and the process is still on; hence state wise data in this regard is not available. 

NIDAAN PORTAL.

• Government has taken various information technology driven initiatives in the field of Drug Law Enforcement. Some of the initiatives are as under:
• Narco Coordination (NCORD) Portal accessible at https://narcoordindia.in/ is a gateway for all drugs and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) related information for all four tiers of stakeholders starting from district level to state level and Central Ministries including all Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs)
• To assist all DLEAs/other investigation agencies for investigation and proactive policing, National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-Offenders (NIDAAN) portal is developed. It provides data of narcotics offenders involved in narcotics offences under Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
• CCTNS (Crime & Criminal Tracking Network System) is aimed to inter-link all police stations under a common application software for the purpose of investigation, data analytics, research, policy making and providing Citizen Services such as reporting & tracking of complaints, request for antecedent verifications, etc.
• A task force on Darknet and Crypto-Currency has been set up under the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) mechanism with a focus on monitoring all platforms facilitating Narco-trafficking, sharing of inputs on drug trafficking amongst Agencies/MAC members, interception of drug networks, continuous capturing of trends, modus operandi & nodes with regular database updates and review of related rules & laws
• The Government has launched MANAS Helpline No. 1933 designed as a unified platform for citizens to report the drug-related issues via multiple communication.
• NIDAAN portal is exclusively meant for use of Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies. The portal has emerged as an effective tool for the Drug Law Enforcement Agencies. It has helped them in connecting dots, previous involvements, fingerprint search, working inter-linkages, busting the network, monitoring habitual offenders, financial investigation and making proposals for detention under Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS), 1988.

India becomes the third country to eliminate this disease as public health problem

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has taken various steps under the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) to eliminate trachoma over the years. 
• India has become the third country in the Southeast Asia Region to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. 
• On October 8, 2024 the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that India has eliminated Trachoma as a public health problem. 

What is Trachoma? 

• Trachoma is a disease affecting the eyes caused by the bacterium Chlamydia. It remains a public health problem in 42 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people.
• The blindness from trachoma is irreversible. 

 Symptoms of the disease: 

• Mild itching
• Eyes irritation
• Eye discharge
• Redness in the eyes
• Blurred vision
• Pain in the eyes
• Access to clean water and improved sanitation is the key to prevention. 
• Recently, the Ministry of Health has detailed the steps taken to eliminate the disease: 
• 1. Since 2019, the NPCBVI has developed continuous surveillance for identifying trachoma cases by collecting case reports from all districts in the country. 
• 2. The National Trachomatous Trichiasis (TT only) survey was done in 200 endemic districts of the country under NPCBVI during 2021-24. 
• 3. The country has implemented the National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) which is a comprehensive framework established by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare aimed at ensuring and enhancing the quality of healthcare services provided at public health facilities. 
• As a result, the prevalence of trachoma cases was found to be much lesser than the WHO elimination criteria. 

SEBI Partners with DigiLocker to Reduce Unclaimed Assets in the Indian Securities Market

•  The  Securities  and  Exchange  Board  of  India  (SEBI)  has  issued  a  circular  titled “Harnessing  DigiLocker  as  a  Digital  Public  Infrastructure for  Reducing  Unclaimed Assets in the Indian Securities Market” to address the issue of unclaimed financial assets.
• This initiative enables investors to store and access information on their demat and  mutual  fund  holdings  through  DigiLocker,  a  key  Digital  Public  Infrastructure,benefiting investors and their families.

Highlights of the initiative:

• DigiLocker users can now fetch and store their statement of holdings for shares and mutual fund units from their demat accounts, along with their Consolidated Account Statement (CAS).
• This expands the existing DigiLocker services, which already include bank account statements, insurance policy certificates, and NPS account statements.
• Further, users can add nominees to their DigiLocker accounts, allowing them access to the user’s documents after their demise. This helps family members or legal heirs manage the deceased’s financial assets more easily.
• Also, the DigiLocker system can update the status of a user’s account upon their demise using information from death certificates or details provided by KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs).
• After the user’s death, DigiLocker automatically notifies the nominated individuals (DigiLocker Nominees) via SMS and email, helping them manage the deceased’s assets. This access is expected to facilitate the initiation of the transmission process with the relevant financial institutions.
• SEBI aims to reduce unclaimed assets in the securities market by addressing issues such as dormant accounts, lack of contact or bank details, and simplifying transmission norms.

What is DigiLocker?

• DigiLocker is an initiative of Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) under Digital India programme.
• DigiLocker ties into Digital India’s vision of providing citizens a secure document access platform on a public cloud.
• It aims at ‘digital empowerment’ of citizens by providing access to authentic digital documents to citizen’s digital document wallet. 
• The documents include aadhaar, PAN, driving licence, birth and death certificates, bank account statement, insurance policy, and statement of New Pension Scheme. The issued documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original documents
• Targeted at the idea of paperless governance, DigiLocker is a platform for issuance and verification of documents & certificates in a digital way, thus eliminating the use of physical documents. 
• The issued documents in DigiLocker system are deemed to be at par with original physical documents as per Rule 9A of the Information Technology (Preservation and Retention of Information by Intermediaries providing Digital Locker facilities) Rules, 2016.With over 43 crore registered users, DigiLocker has now reached 31 per cent of the total population.

India-Latin America & Caribbean (LAC) partnership holds immense potential for economic and trade expansion: Shri PiyushGoyal

• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal highlighted thatthere remains significant untapped potential for economic and trade expansion.Shri Goyal, addressed the 10th CII India-LAC Conclave today at New Delhi, emphasizing the growing importance of India’s economic engagement with the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.
• He said, the India-LAC partnership is not just about business but also about cultural exchanges, shared traditions, and a collective commitment to preserving heritage. He noted that the passion for festivals, sporting spirit, and rich histories of both regions provide a strong foundation for enhanced economic collaboration.
• He underscored that the conclave serves as an excellent platform for fostering enduring economic ties and deeper people-to-people connections between the two regions.
• He called for ambitious targets, aiming to double trade volumes in the next five years by focusing on sectors such as engineering, healthcare, renewable energy, critical minerals, tourism, agriculture, gems and jewelry, and digital services.
• India is keen to double its trade with Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries to $100 billion and the path is very clear, Commerce Secretary said. He was addressing the 10th CII India-LAC Conclave in New Delhi.
• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal highlighted that there remains significant untapped potential for economic and trade expansion.
•  Goyal outlined several key areas for deeper cooperation, including trade expansion through preferential trade agreements with MERCOSUR and bilateral agreements where necessary. 
• He emphasized the need for collaboration in renewable energy, highlighting the LAC region’s vast lithium reserves and proposing joint ventures in lithium processing, battery manufacturing, and electric mobility.
• The 10th CII India-LAC Business Conclave is organised in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of External Affairs with the theme of ‘Advancing Economic Alliances for Collaborative Growth’.
• By harnessing their complementary strengths, addressing global challenges, and fostering innovative solutions, the CII-LAC Conclave will serve as a key platform for industry and stakeholders of India and the LAC region to progress rapidly on mutual growth and sustainable development.

Three cities honoured for public health achievements at 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit

• Cities are at the forefront of the fight against noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The progress made in Córdoba, Fortaleza, and Greater Manchester is not only improving health today but also setting a model for others to follow," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
• "WHO is committed to working with cities to build healthier, safer and more resilient communities for all.”
• Launched in 2017, the Partnership for Healthy Cities is a global network of 74 cities working to prevent noncommunicable diseases and injuries. Supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, in partnership with the World Health Organization and Vital Strategies, this initiative empowers cities worldwide to implement high-impact policy or programmatic interventions to reduce noncommunicable diseases and injuries in their communities.
•  Through this network, city leaders are enacting transformative measures to improve the health of 300 million people across the globe.
•  Three cities — Cordoba (Argentina), Fortaleza (Brazil) and Manchester (United Kingdom) — were recognised by the WHO for their achievements in preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries.
• The awards were presented during the annual Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Paris. 
• The Summit, co-hosted by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the World Health Organisation (WHO), Vital Strategies, and the City of Paris, convened mayors and officials from 61 cities in the Partnership for Healthy Cities network to address pressing public health issues and share effective strategies for saving lives and building healthier communities at the local level.
• Non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and injuries are responsible for more than 80 per cent of all deaths globally.
• The recipients of the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Awards were chosen because they have made demonstrable progress in preventing NCDs and injuries, setting an example that can be replicated in other jurisdictions.
• All three winning cities are part of the Partnership’s Policy Accelerator, which provides training and support for drafting policies and establishing the political strategies needed to develop and enact them. 
• 1) Cordoba, Argentina: Passed a new policy committing the city to promoting healthy school food environments by eliminating sugary and artificially sweetened beverages and ultra-processed products from all schools by 2026. The programme has benefited 26 schools to date, reaching 15 000 of the city’s 138 000 primary school children.
• 2) Fortaleza, Brazil: Established the city’s first legal framework for air quality surveillance. The 2023 decree guarantees the local monitoring of air pollutants to estimate their impact on residents’ health, along with the installation of low-cost sensors to improve data collection. Reliable data will help inform city policies that can significantly reduce air pollution.
• 3) Manchester, United Kingdom: Expanded the number of outdoor smoke-free areas as part of efforts to reduce smoking, including opening its first smoke-free park, covering 6.5 acres of public space.
• Manchester also conducted a series of community consultations and workshops with residents to help with decision-making; launched a smoke-free toolkit and communication guidance for National Health Service (NHS) hospitals and sites; and is scaling this initiative by developing a broader smoke-free spaces toolkit for other organisations and groups that want to create smoke-free spaces.

Sudan Army recaptures presidential palace after two years of war

• Sudan''s army recaptured the presidential palace  marking a significant turning point in a brutal two-year civil war, which has killed as many as 150,000 people and displaced 12 million.
• The recapture of the presidential palace marks another turning point in the army-led military operations in the capital. The Rapid Support Forces now only control a bridge over the Nile connecting Khartoum to western Sudan, through which they can receive supplies and reinforcements or leave the city.
• However, late this morning, RSF representatives stated that they had not yet abandoned the area near the presidential palace and that the fighting was not over. It is difficult to say whether the recapture of Khartoum by the Sudanese army under the command of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan will bring an end to the war.
• The Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, still control the Darfur region in the west of the country, considered their stronghold. The RSF has also declared a "parallel government" (see Fides, 19/2/2025), making a peaceful solution to the conflict difficult. The Sudanese war has led to the world''s largest humanitarian catastrophe, without a single ceasefire since the fighting began. 
•  In the nearly two years since, the war has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million, including more than half of the estimated pre-war population of greater Khartoum.
• The capture of the Republican Palace, a compound along the Nile River that was the seat of government before the war erupted and is immortalised on Sudanese banknotes and postage stamps, marks another battlefield gain for Sudan’s military.
• However, it likely doesn''t mean the end of the war as the RSF holds territory in Sudan’s western Darfur region and elsewhere. 
• Khartoum International Airport, only some 2.5 kilometers southeast of the palace, has been held by the RSF since the start of the war. 

When did the crisis in Sudan begin?

• Sudan has suffered coups since gaining its independence from Britain and Egypt in 1956. Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir came to power in 1989 in one such takeover, which removed the country’s last elected government.
• In April 2019, Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country in autocratic style, was overthrown and arrested in a coup by the armed forces, ending his three-decade rule.
• Since al-Bashir was forced from power in 2019, Sudan worked to slowly rid itself of the international pariah status it held under the autocrat. But Sudan’s economy struggled with the shock of a number of economic reforms called for by international lending institutions.
• Four months after al-Bashir’s ouster, the generals and the protesters reached a power-sharing deal to rule the country through elections in 2023.
•  In October 2021, Sudan’s military seized power by dissolving the transitional government. The October coup had upended Sudan’s plans to move to democracy.
• The military overthrew the power-sharing government putting two men at the helm — General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the army and his deputy General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is also the head of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Both were at odds over the process of restoring civilian rule.
•  The coup by the generals derailed a transition to civilian rule following the 2019 ouster of Bashir, triggering international aid cuts and sparked protests met by a deadly crackdown.
• Tension had been building for months between Sudan’s army and the RSF following the October 2021 coup.
•  On April 15th, 2023, violent clashes erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, resulting in the displacement of more than 12.5 million people, including internally displaced people (IDPs), asylum seekers and refugees. 
• • This conflict exacerbated many of Sudan’s existing challenges, including ongoing conflicts, disease outbreaks, economic and political instability and climate emergencies.

Sudan trapped in a ‘nightmare of violence’

• UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the people of Sudan are trapped in a “nightmare of violence, hunger, disease and displacement”.
• With a population of 46 million, Sudan is the third most populous country in Africa.
• The situation in Sudan has been in a freefall since the war erupted in April 2023.
• The people of Sudan face an ever-deepening crisis as the relentless war between rival militaries pushes the country further into chaos.
• Over 30 million people — over two thirds of the total population — are in need of assistance, from health to food and other forms of humanitarian support.
• The country is facing extreme shortages of food, water, medicine and fuel and more than half the population (25.6 million) are facing acute food insecurity, including 8.5 million of them at emergency levels. 
• More than 12.5 million people have been displaced. This includes more than 8.9 million people displaced within Sudan and 3.4 million people who fled to neighboring countries.
• Disease outbreaks, including cholera, malaria and dengue fever, are spreading quickly due to the collapse of the health system.
• The exodus from Sudan has put pressure on surrounding countries to provide assistance to all those in need of shelter and basic services.
•  The war has unleashed a severe hunger crisis, affecting millions. Large swathes of fertile croplands lay fallow as families have either fled for safety or lack seeds, fertilizers and other necessities.
• Access for aid workers and supplies also remains a major challenge.
• the socio-economic outlook of the country is growing more dire by the day. Full-time employment across Sudan has plummeted by half and only one in seven urban households have access to the health services they need.
•  With two-thirds of the fighting concentrated in cities and towns of over 100,000 inhabitants, understanding the impacts of the war on urban livelihoods is crucial to address both immediate economic challenges and long-term development obstacles.

What is a solar flare?

• Recently, the Aditya-L1 Mission, India’s first dedicated space mission for solar studies, has captured a solar flare ‘kernel’ in the lower solar atmosphere, namely the photosphere and the chromosphere.
• Also, on 11th March 2025, NASA launched its Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) mission. This marked the third major solar mission, including Aditya L1 and Proba-3 of the European Space Agency, to be launched in the past 18 months. The reason for the increase in the solar mission has to do with the solar cycle.
• A The solar flare ‘kernel’ was detected by the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) on board the Aditya-L1 mission observed an X6.3-class solar flare on February 22, 2024, one of the most intense categories of solar eruptions. The uniqueness of this discovery lies in the fact that SUIT detected brightening in the near ultraviolet wavelength range (200-400 nm)
• Understanding the solar cycle and the reason for the increase in solar missions
• 1. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the present solar activity and number of sunspots suggest that the solar cycle may be nearing its maximum, though the official confirmation of the same is yet to be made.
• 2. Scientists believe that the solar maximum is the best possible window available to both launch and observe the sun. This is precisely why there has been a spike in the missions to observe the star. Solar physicists are well aware if they miss this window, the next possible intense solar activity will not be before 2035-2036.
• 3. Solar cycle: The sun has a magnetic field with north and south poles similar to a bar magnet. The magnetic field exists due to the constant movement of electrically charged particles within the Sun. Every 11 years or so, the Sun’s magnetic field completely flips, meaning its north and south poles switch places. This periodic change is known as the solar cycle.
• 4. Solar maximum: This solar cycle affects the activity on the surface of the Sun. For instance, the Sun is at its most active when the magnetic field flips. This phase is called the solar maximum. During this period, the star can send out more frequent and intense bursts of radiation and particles into space. After the flip, the star calms down until it reaches the solar minimum, and a new cycle begins.
• 5. The solar maximum impacts the number of sunspots. The number of sunspots—  small, dark, and cooler areas where the magnetic field is particularly strong, is highest during the solar maximum and least during the solar minimum. Scientists track the solar cycle by counting the number of sunspots.
• A 6. Solar flares and CME: During the solar cycle, the solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CME) increase. Solar flares release huge bursts of radiation and energetic particles by sudden release of magnetic energy stored in the complex solar magnetic field. In CMEs, the sun throws out large amounts of plasma and magnetic fields.
• 7. Impact: Such events can have a serious impact on space weather and geo-space, including disrupting radio communications, affecting satellite operations, interfering with power grids, and posing risks to astronauts and airline passengers

Solar Missions

• Since solar maxima are the best windows to study the sun, three major solar missions have been launched.
• 1. Aditya-L1 Mission: It was India’s first solar mission, launched on September 2, 2023, with the objective of expanding our knowledge of the Sun and how its radiation, heat, particle flow, and magnetic fields affect us. The mission had seven payloads. Two important payloads are the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VLEC) and the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT).
• 2. Proba-3: It was launched by the European Space Agency on December 5, 2024, through ISRO’s PSLV-C59 vehicle. This is the first-ever attempt at “precision formation flying”, where two satellites will fly together and maintain a fixed configuration in space.
• The two satellites — Occulter Spacecraft (weighing 200 kg) and the Coronagraph Spacecraft (weighing 340 kg) — will mimic a natural solar eclipse. They will manoeuvre precisely in Earth’s orbit so that one satellite casts a shadow onto the other.
• 3. PUNCH Mission: NASA’s Punch Mission was launched on March 11, 2025. According to the official website of nasa, the Punch mission uses four suitcase-sized satellites to observe the Sun and its environment. Working together, the four PUNCH satellites will create a combined field of view and map the region where the Sun’s corona (or outer atmosphere) transitions to the solar wind (the constant outflow of material from the Sun)

GLOBAL DAIRY INDUSTRY

• India is ranked 1^st in milk production since 1998, nowcontributing 25 percent of global milk production. Milk production has increased by 63.56% over the past 10 years from 146.3 million tonnes during 2014-15 to 239.2 million tonnes during 2023-24, with an annual growth rate of 5.7 % during the past 10 years and whereas, world milk production is growing at 2% per annum.
•  Per capita availability of milk in the country has increased by 48% in the last decade with more than 471 gm/person/day during the year 2023-24 as against the per capita availability of 322 gram/ person/ day in the world.
• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing the following schemes across the country to complement and supplement the efforts for milk production and milk processing infrastructure made by the State Government;
• National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD): NPDD is implemented with following 2 components:
• Component ''''A'''' of NPDD focuses on creating/strengthening of infrastructure for quality milk testing equipment as well as primary chilling facilities for State Cooperative Dairy Federations/ District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union/ Self Help Groups (SHGs)/ Milk Producer Companies/ Farmer Producer Organizations.
• Component ‘B’ of the NPDD scheme "Dairying through Cooperatives” aims to increase sale of milk and dairy products by increasing farmer’s access to organized market, upgrading dairy processing facilities and marketing infrastructure and enhancing the capacity of producer owned institutions.
• Supporting Dairy Cooperatives & Farmer Producer Organisations engaged in dairy activities (SDCFPO): To assist the State Dairy Cooperative Federations by providing interest subvention with respect to working capital loan to tide over the crisis on account severely adverse market conditions or natural calamities.
• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF): AHIDF is being implemented for funding of eligible projects set up by individual entrepreneurs, Dairy Cooperatives, Farmers Producer Organizations, Private Companies, MSMEs and Section 8 companies for their investment for processing and value addition in animal husbandry sector by scheduled banks.
• Under the scheme, credit facilities are to be made available for establishment of Dairy processing & value addition infrastructure, Animal feed manufacturing plant, Breed Improvement Technology and Breed Multiplication farm, Animal waste to wealth management (Agri Waste management) and Veterinary vaccine and drugs production facilities.
• Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM): To enhance milk production and productivity of bovines Government is implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission for development and conservation of indigenous breeds and genetic upgradation of bovine population.
• National Livestock Mission (NLM): to bring sharp focus on entrepreneurship development and breed improvement in poultry, sheep, goat and piggery by providing the incentivization to the individual, FPOs, SHGs, Section 8 companies for entrepreneurship development and also to the State Government for breed improvement infrastructure.
• Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP): to provide for prophylactic vaccination against animal diseases, capacity building of veterinary services, disease surveillance, and strengthening veterinary infrastructure.
• Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is continuously organizing social media campaigns through the official channels to make people aware about the nutritional benefits of milk. These campaigns include awareness posts, infographics, reels and engagement through hashtags and digital outreach

Breakthrough in Thermionic Emission with Metal/Semiconductor Superlattices

• A groundbreaking advancement in thermionic emission, the process in which electrons escape from a material’s surface due to thermal energy, could revolutionize next-generation electronic and energy conversion technologies.
• Thermionic emission, the process where electrons are emitted from a heated metal surface, called a cathode, when the metal''s thermal energy overcomes the attractive forces holding electrons to the surface, is a fundamental principle behind vacuum electronics, thermoelectric devices, and energy harvesting systems.
• However, practical applications of thermionic emission in several energy conversion devices have been hindered by the unavailability of materials, high operational temperatures, and inefficient charge transport.
• To address these challenges, Prof. Bivas Saha and his team at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India have engineered artificially structured defect-free single-crystalline elemental metal/compound semiconductor superlattices that harness interfacial engineering and leads to thermionic emission. Such engineered metamaterials lead to efficient electron transport and also utilize quantum properties of electrons.   
• Their pioneering research, published recently in the journal Advanced Materials, introduces a novel approach to enhancing electron emission using artificially structured single-crystalline elemental metal/ compound semiconductor superlattices.
• This first-of-its-kind demonstration of controlled thermionic emission using engineered superlattices holds immense promise for thermoelectric energy converters, high-power vacuum electronics, and next-generation semiconductor applications.
• "Our research redefines thermionic emission physics by leveraging quantum-engineered materials. These superlattices offer unprecedented control over electron transport, unlocking new possibilities for high-efficiency energy and electronic technologies," emphasised Prof. Saha.
• Supported by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, this research aligns with the national mission to advance high-tech materials, semiconductor research, and self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in cutting-edge technology. The research places India at the forefront of next-generation nanotechnology and material science innovations.
• Building on these findings, the research team is focused on refining superlattice architectures for industrial-scale applications, particularly in solid-state energy harvesting and high-temperature electronics.
• With global demand for energy-efficient and high-performance electronic systems rising, this innovation could serve as a cornerstone for future technological advancements.

Cashless India: ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for low-value BHIM-UPI transactions

• The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹1,500 crore incentive scheme for the financial year 2024-25 to promote low-value BHIM-UPI transactions and encourage digital payments among small merchants.
• The initiative aims to strengthen India’s digital payment ecosystem by ensuring zero Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI transactions and providing a 0.15% incentive for transactions up to ₹2,000 made to small merchants.
• With a focus on expanding UPI infrastructure in rural and semi-urban areas, the scheme incorporates tools such as UPI 123PAY, Lite, and LiteX. According to the ACI Worldwide Report 2024, India accounted for 49% of all global real-time transactions in 2023, reinforcing its position as a global leader in digital payment innovation.
• Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet approved the Incentive Scheme for Promotion of Low-Value BHIM-UPI Transactions (Person to Merchant – P2M) for the financial year 2024-25. This initiative aligns with the government’s vision of boosting digital transactions, encouraging small merchants to adopt UPI, and promoting financial inclusion.
• Digital payments have become a crucial component of the government’s financial inclusion strategy, offering citizens a range of secure and accessible payment options.
• The cost of digital payment services, typically recovered through the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), is a fee paid by businesses to payment processing companies for debit or credit card transactions.
• The Reserve Bank of India has set an MDR of up to 0.90% on all debit card networks, while the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has capped MDR at 0.30% for UPI P2M transactions.
•  Since January 2020, to incentivize digital payments, MDR has been set at zero for RuPay Debit Card and BHIM-UPI transactions through amendments to the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, and the Income-tax Act, 1961.
• To support payment ecosystem participants in delivering seamless services, the government has implemented the Incentive Scheme for the Promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and Low-Value BHIM-UPI Transactions (P2M), with the approved incentive amount being distributed among acquiring banks, issuer banks, payment service provider banks, and app providers.
• The scheme will be implemented with an estimated outlay of ₹1,500 crore from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. It will exclusively cover UPI transactions up to ₹2,000, specifically targeting small merchants to encourage digital payment adoption at the grassroots level.
• Over recent years, UPI transactions have grown significantly, with the total transaction value increasing from ₹21.3 lakh crore in FY 2019-20 to ₹213.8 lakh crore as of January 2025. Person to Merchant (P2M) transactions have also expanded, reaching ₹59.3 lakh crore, indicating a steady rise in digital payment adoption.
• The scheme seeks to promote the BHIM-UPI platform by aiming for ₹20,000 crore in transaction volume during FY 2024-25. It also aims to strengthen the payment infrastructure by ensuring high uptime, reducing technical failures, and extending UPI services to remote areas, including tier 3 to tier 6 cities.
•  The expansion will be facilitated through UPI 123PAY for feature phones and UPI Lite and LiteX for offline payments.
• Under the approved framework, incentives will be structured based on the merchant category and transaction value. Small merchants processing UPI transactions up to ₹2,000 will continue to enjoy zero MDR while receiving a 0.15% incentive on the transaction amount.
• Transactions above ₹2,000 will remain exempt from MDR but will not be eligible for incentives. Large merchants will also have zero MDR but will not qualify for incentives, regardless of transaction value.
• The reimbursement mechanism ensures that 80% of the admitted claim amount by acquiring banks will be disbursed unconditionally each quarter. The remaining 20% will be disbursed based on performance benchmarks, with 10% contingent on an acquiring bank maintaining a technical decline rate of less than 0.75% and the other 10% tied to system uptime exceeding 99.5%.
• For merchants, the scheme offers multiple advantages, including convenience, speed, and access to digital credit.
• With no extra charges for digital transactions, small businesses are encouraged to accept UPI payments, fostering a less-cash economy with formalized and accountable transactions. Ensuring high uptime and low failure rates guarantees reliable, round-the-clock digital payment services.