NITI Aayog–UNICEF Statement of Intent on Nutrition and Health

• NITI Aayog and UNICEF India have signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) to strengthen nutrition and health outcomes in India’s aspirational regions.

What it is?

• The Statement of Intent (SoI) is a collaborative framework between NITI Aayog and UNICEF India to support strategic interventions aimed at improving nutrition and health outcomes in underserved districts and blocks.

Aim:

• Improve maternal and child nutrition indicators in aspirational districts and blocks.
• Strengthen implementation systems for health and nutrition programmes at the grassroots level.

Key Features:

• CSR Mobilisation through I4N Platform: UNICEF’s IMPAct4Nutrition (I4N) platform will help channel CSR investments from businesses and industry bodies into nutrition initiatives.
• Strengthening Anganwadi Infrastructure: Focus on improving facilities and service delivery through the Integrated Child Development Services system.
• Capacity Building of Frontline Workers: Training and support for Anganwadi workers and other field-level health staff to improve programme delivery.
• Community Engagement and Nutrition Literacy: Promoting awareness campaigns to improve utilisation of nutrition and health services.
• Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices: Creation of platforms to identify and scale successful models of nutrition and health interventions across aspirational regions.

National Medical Commission Directs ABHA ID Linking in Medical Colleges

• National Medical Commission (NMC) directed all medical colleges to integrate digital health records and link them with Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) IDs.

Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA)

• ABHA is a unique 14-digit identification number that serves as a digital repository, linking and storing an individual’s lifelong medical records.
• It is a key part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), a central sector scheme to create a unified digital health ecosystem.
• Developed By: National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

National Medical Commission (NMC)

• NMC is the apex regulator of medical education, professional standards, & institutional governance.
• It was established as a statutory body under the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, replacing the Medical Council of India (MCI).
• Composition: 33 members, including a Chairperson, 10 ex officio members, and 22 part-time members representing central and state bodies.
• Key Initiatives: National Medical Register (NMR) to create a unified digital directory of licensed doctors and National Exit Test (NExT), a single licentiate and postgraduate entrance examination.
• Key Issues: The NMC faces challenges such as regulatory centralisation, infrastructure shortages, faculty gaps, and weak accountability mechanisms.

India–Finland Relations Upgraded to Strategic Partnership

• Finnish President Alexander Stubb is on a state visit to India as the Chief Guest at the 11th Raisina Dialogue.

Key Outcome of Finnish President’s Visit to India

• Strategic Upgrade: Bilateral relations were formally elevated to a “Strategic Partnership in Digitalisation and Sustainability“.
• Trade Target: Both sides committed to doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
• Digital Cooperation: A Joint Working Group on Digitalisation will oversee collaboration in AI, Quantum Computing, and High-Performance Computing (HPC).
• Mobility Pact: Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement facilitates the movement of skilled professionals, students, and researchers.
• Statistical Cooperation: National statistics agencies will exchange best practices and methodologies.
• Startup Linkage: The Indo-Finland Startup Corridor connects Startup Mahakumbh with Slush (Finnish founders’ event) to promote cross-border entrepreneurship.
• Circular Forum: India will co-host the World Circular Economy Forum 2026 with Sitra (Finnish Innovation Fund).

Overview of India-Finland Relations

• Finland serves as India’s gateway to the Nordic–Baltic region and offers expertise in 6G technology and Arctic research.
• Bilateral Trade: Trade stood at $1.3 billion in 2024, with the balance of trade in Finland’s favour.
• Indian Exports: Pharmaceutical products, organic chemicals, ready-made garments.
• Indian Imports: Nuclear reactors, boilers, paper and paperboard, electronic components.
• Key Convergence: Both countries align on a rules-based international order, UNSC reforms, global climate action, and Arctic governance.
• Key Divergence: Friction persists over non-tariff barriers, visa processing delays, and Finland’s hardline approach towards Russia.
• Subnational Links: Kerala and Karnataka have collaborated with Finland to adopt Finnish pedagogical practices for teacher training and early childhood education.

India Submitted its 7th National Report (NR7) to CBD

• India submitted its 7th National Report (NR7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to review national biodiversity progress.
• Significance: NR7 is the first full national assessment since the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) was adopted in 2022.

National Report (NR) System

• NR System enables the Conference of the Parties (COP) to assess implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Legal Basis: Article 26 of the CBD requires each Contracting Party to submit national reports at intervals determined by the COP.
• Submission Cycle: Countries submit National Reports roughly every four years.
• KMGBF Link: The 7th (due February 2026) and 8th (due June 2029) National Reports track national progress toward 23 global biodiversity targets for 2030 under the KMGBF.

Key Features of the Report

• Target Status: Only 2 of 23 KMGBF national targets are clearly on track for 2030 – forest cover and land restoration.
• Forest Cover: India’s forest and tree cover reached 25.17% of the geographical area, with a net gain of 1,445.81 sq km between 2021 and 2023.
• Carbon Stock: Total forest carbon stock stands at 7,285.5 million tonnes, an increase of ~81.5 million tonnes from the previous assessment.
• Land Restoration: ~24.1 million hectares of degraded land have been restored or placed under restoration against the 26 MHA Bonn Challenge target by 2030.
• Species Recovery: India’s tiger population has risen to 3,167; Asiatic lion and one-horned rhinoceros numbers remain stable or growing.
• Ramsar Sites: India now has the highest number of Ramsar Sites in Asia at 98, with Indore and Udaipur becoming the first Ramsar-accredited Wetland Cities.

Key Shortfalls

• Land Degradation: About 29.77% (~97 Mha) of India’s land is undergoing degradation.
• Protected Areas: India’s protected area network covers only ~5% of the geographical area, far below the 30×30 target of 30% by 2030.
• Climate Threats: Rising floods, droughts, invasive species, and persistent plastic pollution continue to outpace existing mitigation efforts.
• Data Gaps: Lack of standardised protocols across 33 ministries and departments complicates consistent tracking of 142 national biodiversity indicators.

Preparation of NR7

• Nodal Agency: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) served as the nodal agency for NR7 preparation.
• Technical Support: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) provided technical coordination, while Wildlife Institute of India (WII) monitored progress on specific biodiversity targets.
• International Support: UNDP assisted the preparation under the GEF-8 Umbrella Programme.
• GEF-8: A Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded initiative supporting 139 developing countries in updating National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and preparing NR7.
• Data Portal: A dedicated NR7 data portal was created to compile 142 national indicators across 33 ministries and departments.

Green Pilgrimage Model for Aligning Religious Tourism with Ecology

• A recent proposal to expand a religious structure in a wildlife sanctuary highlights the need for a Green Pilgrimage model.

About Green Pilgrimage Model

• This model integrates spiritual traditions with environmental conservation, balancing ecological protection, cultural practices, and community rights.
• Participatory Governance: It involves forest departments, temple trusts, local communities, and NGOs.
• Constitutional Alignment: The model balances Article 25 (religious freedom) with environmental responsibilities under Articles 48A and 51A(g).

Key Principles and Framework for Green Pilgrimage

• No Expansion: Strict no-expansion policy for religious structures within core forest zones to prevent habitat fragmentation and disturbance to wildlife.
• Carrying Capacity: Limits on the number of pilgrims at a site to reduce overcrowding and pressure on fragile ecosystems.
• Encroachment Control: Prohibition of new constructions and evaluation of existing religious sites to prevent gradual encroachment into protected habitats.
• Waste Management: Management of solid waste, plastic pollution, and wastewater through segregation systems and dedicated disposal infrastructure.
• Eco Transport: Restrictions on private vehicles, a ban on night traffic in wildlife zones, and the promotion of e-boats at riverine pilgrimage sites.
• Minimal Infrastructure: Installation of bamboo railings, boardwalks, modular bio-toilets, and solar facilities to minimise ecological footprint in sacred landscapes.
• Community Rights: Recognition of forest-dwelling communities’ rights under the Forest Rights Act 2006, safeguarding the Scheduled Tribes.

Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project

• Karnataka High Court issued notice to the State and Central governments on a PIL challenging approvals granted for the Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric project.

About Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSP)

• Sharavathi PSP is a proposed hydropower project on the Sharavathi River in Karnataka.
• Capacity: It has a planned installed capacity of 2,000 MW, making it among the largest pumped storage projects in India.
• Reservoirs: The project uses the existing Talakalale Dam as the upper reservoir and Gerusoppa Dam as the lower reservoir.
• Mechanism: Water is pumped upward during off-peak hours and released downward during peak demand to generate electricity.
• Ecology: The site lies within the Sharavathi Valley Lion-Tailed Macaque Sanctuary, posing risks to the endangered Lion-Tailed Macaque and rare Myristica swamps.
• Clearance: NBWL granted in-principle approval, but the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of MoEFCC raised concerns over landslide risks and weak conservation plans.
• Sharavathi River: A 128 km west-flowing river in Karnataka, rising at Ambutheertha and draining into the Arabian Sea; It forms Jog Falls, India’s second-highest plunge waterfall (253 m).

Government Launch Mascots for Census 2027

• Union Home Minister unveiled the mascots Pragati and Vikas and soft-launched digital tools for Census 2027 in New Delhi.

What it is?

• The Government of India has launched two official mascots for Census 2027 to increase public awareness and participation in the census exercise.
• These mascots will act as communication ambassadors, helping disseminate information about the census process across diverse communities.

Mascot Names:

1. Pragati – Female enumerator mascot
2. Vikas – Male enumerator mascot

Theme of the Mascots:

• The mascots symbolize equal participation of women and men in nation-building.
• They represent the spirit of inclusive development and collective participation in achieving the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Key Features of Census 2027:

• World’s Largest Census Exercise: Census 2027 will be the largest population enumeration exercise globally, involving more than 30 lakh enumerators, supervisors and officials.
• First Fully Digital Census in India: Data collection will be conducted using secure mobile applications and digital platforms, replacing traditional paper-based enumeration.
• Self-Enumeration Facility Introduced: Citizens can submit household information online through a secure portal in 16 languages before the door-to-door survey.

Two-Phase Census Process:

• Phase 1 – Houselisting and Housing Census (HLO): Data on housing conditions and amenities.
• Phase 2 – Population Enumeration (PE): Collection of demographic, social and economic details.

Four Digital Platforms Launched:

1. Houselisting Block Creator (HLBC): Web-based mapping tool using satellite imagery.
2. HLO Mobile Application: Offline mobile app for enumerators to collect field data.
3. Self-Enumeration Portal: Secure platform for citizens to submit census data online.
4. Census Management and Monitoring System (CMMS): Real-time monitoring dashboard for administrators.

• Caste Data Collection: The Population Enumeration phase will include caste-related questions, making it a significant data exercise for social policy planning.

Appointment of Governors

• President of India has executed a major administrative reshuffle by appointing and transferring several Governors and Lieutenant Governors across States and Union Territories.

What is the Office of the Governor?

• The Governor is the Constitutional Head (Titular Head) of a State and acts as a vital link between the Union Government and the State Government. While the Governor is the executive head of the state, they generally act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister.

Key Articles Associated:

• Article 153: Mandates that there shall be a Governor for each State. However, the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1956 allows for the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more States.
• Article 154: Vests the executive power of the State in the Governor.
• Article 155: Specifies that the Governor of a State shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
• Article 156: States that the Governor holds office during the pleasure of the President, typically for a term of 5 years.
• Article 157 & 158: Outline the qualifications (must be a citizen of India and at least 35 years old) and conditions of the office.

Procedure of Appointment:

• The Governor is neither directly nor indirectly elected. Instead, they are nominated by the Central Government and formally appointed by the President. This ensures that the Center can maintain a degree of supervision over the state administration.

Two major conventions are usually followed (though not legally binding):

• The person should be an outsider (not belonging to the state they are appointed to).
• The President often consults the Chief Minister of the concerned state to ensure smooth functioning.

Functions of the Governor:

1. Executive Functions:

• Head of State Administration: All executive actions of the State Government are formally taken in the Governor’s name.
• Key Appointments: The Governor appoints the Chief Minister and, on their advice, the other Ministers. They also appoint the Advocate General of the State and the Chairman and members of the State Public Service Commission.
• Constitutional Role: They recommend the imposition of Constitutional Emergency (President’s Rule) in a state to the President under Article 356 if the state machinery breaks down.

2. Legislative Functions:

• Summoning the House: The Governor has the power to summon or prorogue (end a session) the State Legislature and dissolve the State Legislative Assembly.
• Addressing the Legislature: They address the State Legislature at the commencement of the first session after each general election and at the first session of each year.
• Veto Power over Bills: When a bill is passed by the state legislature, the Governor can:

1. Give assent to the bill.
2. Withhold assent.
3. Return the bill (if it is not a Money Bill) for reconsideration.
4. Reserve the bill for the consideration of the President.

• Ordinance Making Power: Under Article 213, the Governor can promulgate ordinances when the state legislature is not in session, which have the same force as an act.

3. Judicial Functions:

• Pardoning Power: Under Article 161, the Governor possesses the power to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment for offenses against state laws.
• Consultation on Judges: The Governor is consulted by the President when appointing judges to the State High Court.
• District Courts: Appointments, postings, and promotions of District Judges are made by the Governor in consultation with the State High Court.

4. Discretionary Functions:

While the Governor generally acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, the Constitution implies certain situations where they act at their own discretion:

• Selection of Chief Minister: When no single party has a clear majority in the State Assembly.
• Dismissal of Ministry: If the Council of Ministers loses the confidence of the Legislative Assembly but refuses to resign.
• Reservation of Bills: Deciding which bills should be sent to the President for oversight.

India’s First Riverine Lighthouses Planned on Brahmaputra

• Context (PIB): Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is constructing India’s first riverine lighthouses on the Brahmaputra (National Waterway-2).
• Objective: To facilitate safe 24×7 inland navigation and promote river-based tourism along the Brahmaputra waterway.
• Nodal Agencies: Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) jointly implement the initiative.
• Locations: Four lighthouses will be built at Bogibeel, Pandu, and Silghat on the south bank, alongside Biswanath Ghat on the north bank.
• Key Features: They will be solar-powered, equipped with weather and river-condition sensors to improve real-time navigation safety.
• Significance: The infrastructure supports cargo movement on the NW-2 and reduces logistics costs for Northeast India.

Gravity Bomb

• U.S. Defense Secretary announced a tactical shift to using 500, 1,000, and 2,000-pound precision gravity bombs against Iran, signaling that Iranian air defenses have been sufficiently degraded to allow direct aerial bombardment.

What is a Gravity Bomb?

• A gravity bomb, often referred to as a free-fall or dumb bomb, is an unpowered munition that does not possess an internal propulsion system or engine. Unlike a missile, which flies under its own power, a gravity bomb relies entirely on the laws of physics and the momentum of the aircraft to reach its target.

Composition:

• A gravity bomb typically consists of three main components:
• The Warhead (Body): A streamlined steel casing filled with high explosives (such as Tritonal or Composition H6). The current U.S. campaign utilizes the Mark 80 series (Mk 82, Mk 83, and Mk 84).
• The Fuse: A device (mechanical or electronic) located in the nose or tail that triggers the explosion upon impact or at a specific altitude.
• The Guidance Kit (JDAM): A modern add-on tail section that includes GPS receivers and steerable tail fins to turn a dumb bomb into a smart precision weapon.

How It Works?

• Release: The pilot flies the aircraft to a specific release point. Once dropped, the bomb begins a free-fall trajectory.
• Ballistics: Its path is initially dictated by the speed and altitude of the aircraft, combined with gravity and aerodynamics.
• Guidance Correction: In the modern precision version, the JDAM tail kit uses GPS coordinates to adjust the steerable fins during flight, gliding the bomb toward the target.
• Impact: The bomb strikes the target, and the fuse detonates the explosive fill, creating a blast and fragmentation effect.

Key Features:

• Cost-Efficiency: They are significantly cheaper than missiles. A gravity bomb with a JDAM kit costs roughly $25,000 to $30,000, compared to millions for a Tomahawk missile.
• Versatility: They come in various weights for different targets:

1. 500-lb (Mk 82): For soft targets like radar or light vehicles.
2. 1,000-lb (Mk 83): For reinforced structures and bridges.
3. 2,000-lb (Mk 84): Bunker-busters for deeply buried military complexes.

• High Volume: Because they are inexpensive and easy to transport, they allow for sustained, heavy bombardment once air supremacy is achieved.
• Platform Compatibility: Can be deployed by a wide range of aircraft, from tactical stealth fighters (F-35) to heavy strategic bombers (B-52).

The Striped Hyena

• Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have formally proposed including the striped hyena in Appendix I and II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) at the upcoming CMS COP15 in Brazil.

About The Striped Hyena:

• The striped hyena is a medium-sized, nocturnal carnivore and the only hyena species found in the Indian subcontinent. While often misunderstood as a pure scavenger, it is a vital sanitary worker of the ecosystem, primarily feeding on carrion but also capable of hunting small prey.

Habitat and Distribution

• Global Range: Found across North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent.
• Preferred Environments: They thrive in arid and semi-arid regions, including savannas, grasslands, semi-deserts, open woodlands, and rocky mountainous terrain.

Protection Status:

• IUCN Red List: Near Threatened (Global); Vulnerable (Mediterranean region).
• CMS Proposal: Proposed for Appendix I (Endangered migratory species) and Appendix II (Species requiring international cooperation).
• Indian Law: Protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, providing it the highest level of legal protection in India.

Key Characteristics

Physical Traits:

• Appearance: Distinctive vertical black stripes on a grey or yellowish-brown coat.
• Mane: A prominent dorsal crest of long hair that it can erect to appear larger when threatened.
• Physiology: Possesses extremely powerful jaws capable of crushing the largest bones of a carcass to access the marrow.

Biological & Behavioral Traits:

• Nocturnal: Almost exclusively active at night, making them elusive and difficult to study.
• Diet: Primarily a scavenger; it plays a critical role in preventing the spread of diseases by consuming decaying carcasses.
• Movement: Known for long-distance dispersal and nomadic movements, often crossing international borders in search of food and water.

Social Structure:

• Solitary Nature: Unlike the social Spotted Hyena, the striped variety is generally solitary or lives in small family units (a pair and their offspring).
• Communication: They communicate through vocalizations, though they do not possess the famous laugh of the Spotted Hyena.

India and the Striped Hyena:

• India is a major stronghold for the species, particularly in states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.
• Ecological Niche: In India, they often inhabit the fringes of human settlements and Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) like the Kadbanwadi Grasslands in Maharashtra.

The Kurds

• The Kurds have returned to the global spotlight following reports that the CIA is considering engaging Kurdish armed groups to pressure the Iranian regime.
• This comes as a new Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan was formed in February 2026.

Who are the Kurds?

• The Kurds are an Indo-European ethnic group indigenous to the Mesopotamian plains and the highlands of West Asia. With a population estimated between 30 to 40 million, they are widely recognized as the world’s largest stateless ethnic group.
• Language: They speak Kurdish, which belongs to the Northwestern Iranian branch of Indo-European languages.
• Religion: The majority are Sunni Muslims, but the community is religiously diverse, including Shia Muslims, Christians, Alevis, and Yazidis.

Origin and History:

• The Kurds trace their ancestry back thousands of years to the ancient tribes of the Zagros Mountains.
• Post-WWI Betrayal: Their modern stateless status stems from the aftermath of World War I. The 1920 Treaty of Sèvres initially promised an independent Kurdish state.
• Treaty of Lausanne (1923): This treaty superseded Sèvres, partitioning the Kurdish homelands among the newly formed borders of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, leaving the Kurds as minorities in every country they inhabited.

Geographic Distribution:

• The traditional Kurdish homeland, Kurdistan, is spread across four main countries of West Asia: Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria.

Major Issues and Regional Struggles

• Iran: Kurds face systemic marginalization by the central government. Groups like the PJAK and the KDPI have long engaged in low-level insurgency against the IRGC, demanding autonomy and secular governance.
• Iraq: This is the only region where Kurds have achieved formal semi-autonomy through the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
• Syria: During the Syrian Civil War, Kurdish forces (YPG) became the primary boots-on-the-ground allies for the US-led coalition against ISIS.
• They currently manage a de-facto autonomous zone in Northeast Syria (Rojava) but face constant threats of invasion from Turkey.

Cushing’s Syndrome

• Recent studies have found more treatment options for Cushing’s syndrome.
• Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal disorder that occurs when the body is exposed to excessive levels of cortisol over a long period.
• Cortisol, often called the ‘stress hormone,’ is produced by the adrenal glands to regulate metabolism, reduce inflammation, and maintain blood pressure.

Primary Causes:

• Exogenous: Long-term use of high-dose corticosteroid medications for conditions like asthma or rheumatoid arthritis.
• Endogenous: Pituitary tumours secrete excess adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), leading to overproduction of cortisol.
• Symptoms: Rapid abdominal weight gain, a rounded red face (“moon face’), and fat accumulation between the shoulders known as ‘buffalo hump.”
• Treatment: Includes steroid tapering, tumour surgery, or cortisol-blocking medicines such as ketoconazole or osilodrostat.

Cassava Brown Streak Disease

• A new study estimates that 33.7% of Africa’s landmass is vulnerable to Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD), threatening cassava cultivation across sub-Saharan Africa.

About Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD)

• Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) is a severe viral infection affecting cassava crops across East and Southern Africa.
• Symptoms: CBSD causes yellow leaf mottling, brown stem streaks, and necrotic root rot that render cassava tubers inedible.
• Agents: Two virus species cause the disease – Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV).
• Vectors: Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is the primary vector; long-distance spread happens through the movement and replanting of infected stem cuttings.
• Management: There is no cure for infected plants. Control depends on prevention and planting resistant varieties.

About Cassava (Manihot esculenta)

• Cassava, also known as yuca, manioc, or tapioca, is a tropical starchy root crop widely consumed as a staple food.
• Morphology: It is a perennial woody shrub with palm-like leaves. Its roots are long and tapered with rough brown skin and white-yellowish flesh.
• Habitat: Crop thrives in warm, humid tropical lowland regions and can grow on low-fertility soils.
• Distribution: Originally from Brazil and the Andes, it is now cultivated widely across sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean.
• Top Producer: Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer.
• Drought Tolerance: Plant enters a semi-dormant state during dry spells and resumes rapid growth after rainfall returns.
• Nutrition: It is naturally gluten-free, calorie-dense, rich in Vitamin C, and high in resistant starch.
• Toxicity: Raw roots contain cyanogenic glycosides that release toxic cyanide if consumed uncooked.
• Food Uses: It is used to make tapioca pearls (boba tea), fufu (African dough), farofa (Brazilian dish), and gluten-free flour.
• Industrial Uses: Cassava starch is utilised in the manufacturing of bioethanol, biodegradable plastics, paper, animal feed, and laundry starch.