Lokpal of India

• Lokpal of India observed its Foundation Day on 16 January 2026, marking the day the institution legally came into force in 2014.

Lokpal of India:

• A statutory, independent anti-corruption ombudsman at the Union level.
• Designed as a sui generis institution to inquire into and investigate allegations of corruption against specified public functionaries, including those at the highest political and bureaucratic levels.

Established in:

• Created under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.
• Came into force on 16 January 2014 through commencement of Section 3 of the Act.

Historical evolution:

• The idea of an ombudsman-type body was first proposed in 1963.
• The First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966) recommended a two-tier mechanism—Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in States.
• Multiple Lokpal Bills were introduced and lapsed between 1968 and 2011, reflecting prolonged political and parliamentary debate.
• The Act was finally passed in December 2013 and operationalised in January 2014, responding to sustained public demand for an autonomous anti-corruption authority.

Composition and members:

• Consists of a Chairperson and up to eight Members.
• Includes an equal balance of Judicial Members and Non-Judicial Members.
• Appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of a statutory Selection Committee.
• Tenure is five years or up to the age of 70, whichever is earlier.

Eligibility criteria:

• Chairperson must be a former Chief Justice of India or a Judge of the Supreme Court.
• Judicial Members must be former Supreme Court Judges or former Chief Justices of High Courts.
• Non-Judicial Members must be persons of impeccable integrity with at least 25 years of experience in specified fields such as public administration, vigilance, law or finance.

Jurisdiction and coverage:

• Covers allegations against the Prime Minister, Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, and Central Government officials in Groups A, B, C and D.
• Extends to officials of PSUs, autonomous bodies, trusts and societies established or funded by the Union Government.
• Also covers certain bodies receiving foreign contributions beyond the prescribed threshold.

Key functions and powers:

• Receives complaints relating to offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
• Orders preliminary inquiries through its Inquiry Wing or other authorised agencies.
• Directs investigations, including referral to agencies such as the CBI, where a prima facie case exists.
• Exercises limited superintendence and direction over the CBI for cases referred by it.
• Possesses powers akin to a civil court for summoning, document production and examination on oath during inquiry.
• Can authorise search, seizure and provisional attachment of assets as per statutory provisions.
• Has exclusive authority to grant sanction for prosecution in cases before it, reducing procedural delays.
• May recommend departmental action, prosecution or closure, and can proceed against complainants filing false or vexatious complaints.

Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)

• Shri Praveen Vashista, IPS (Bihar cadre, 1991 batch), has been appointed as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission and took oath on 16 January 2026.

Central Vigilance Commission (CVC):

• The apex integrity and vigilance institution of the Government of India.
• Mandated to promote integrity, transparency and accountability in public administration and to prevent corruption in Central Government organisations.

Established in:

• 1964 as an executive resolution of the Government of India.
• Given statutory status by the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003.

Historical background:

• Originated from the recommendations of the Santhanam Committee (1962–64) on Prevention of Corruption.
• Initially functioned without statutory backing, limiting its authority.
• Became a statutory and independent body in 2003, strengthening its supervisory and advisory role in vigilance administration.

Composition and members:

• Headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner (Chairperson).
• Assisted by not more than two Vigilance Commissioners (Members).
• Appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of a high-level committee.
• Tenure is four years or up to 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.

Organisational structure:

• Secretariat headed by a Secretary with supporting officers.
• Chief Technical Examiners’ Wing (CTE) to examine technical aspects of works contracts.
• Commissioners for Departmental Inquiries (CDIs) who act as Inquiry Officers in disciplinary proceedings.
• Network of Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) in ministries, departments, PSUs and public sector banks, acting as the extended arm of the CVC.

Jurisdiction:

• Covers All India Services and Group ‘A’ officers of the Central Government.
• Includes senior officials of Central Public Sector Undertakings, Public Sector Banks, RBI, NABARD, SIDBI, LIC, General Insurance Companies, and specified societies and autonomous bodies controlled by the Union Government.
• Exercises superintendence over CBI investigations relating to offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
• Conducts preliminary inquiries on complaints referred by the Lokpal in respect of Group A, B, C and D officials.

Key functions:

• Supervises and coordinates the vigilance machinery across Central Government organisations.
• Inquires or causes inquiry/investigation into corruption complaints within its jurisdiction.
• Tenders vigilance advice to ministries, departments and PSUs.
• Exercises superintendence over the CBI for corruption-related investigations.
• Reviews progress of investigations and pendency of prosecution sanctions under the Prevention of Corruption Act.
• Recommends appointments to senior posts in the CBI and Directorate of Enforcement through statutory committees.
• Acts as the authority for complaints under the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informers (PIDPI) Resolution, providing whistle-blower protection.

Coconut root wilt disease

• Coconut Root Wilt Disease is in the news due to its rapid spread across major coconut-growing regions of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, affecting lakhs of palms.

Coconut root wilt disease:

• A debilitating, non-fatal disease of coconut caused by a phytoplasma (phloem-limited pathogen), leading to chronic decline and major yield loss.
• Infected palms often remain alive but become long-term inoculum sources, enabling continued spread through vectors.

Origin and spread:

• First reported over 150 years ago from Erattupetta (Kerala) and has remained a persistent endemic problem.
• Spread is vector-borne, and is accelerated by continuous coconut belts, wind-assisted vector movement, and rising abiotic stress (temperature extremes) plus biotic stress (new sucking pests like whiteflies) that increase palm susceptibility.

Vector:

• Transmitted through sap-sucking insect vectors; commonly cited vectors in endemic areas include Stephanitis typica and Proutista moesta.

Key symptoms:

• Leaves look weak and droopy: The small leaf strips lose stiffness and hang down instead of standing firm — this is usually the first visible sign.
• Leaves turn yellow from the tips: Yellowing starts at the ends of leaves and slowly spreads inward; in later stages, parts of the leaves dry up and die.
• Leaves curl and cup inward: The leaf strips bend inward, making the whole leaf look ribbed or cup-shaped.
• Poor flowering and nut fall: The tree produces fewer flowers, nuts fall prematurely, and overall yield drops sharply.
• Tree slowly weakens: Roots start decaying, growth becomes poor, and in some cases the top of the trunk becomes thin and tapered.

Solutions and management:

• Select and multiply tolerant palms: Palms that continue to yield well despite disease pressure should be identified in farmers’ fields, scientifically confirmed, and multiplied through local nurseries.
• Good field and crop management: Remove badly affected, low-yielding palms to reduce disease spread. Improve soil health using green manure crops, ensure regular irrigation, proper drainage, and follow suitable intercropping to reduce stress on coconut palms.
• Strengthen palms with organic nutrition: Apply farmyard manure or green manure along with neem cake every year. Healthy soil and strong roots help palms tolerate disease better even if infection occurs.

Dugongs

• The Union government’s Expert Appraisal Committee (MoEFCC) has asked Tamil Nadu to revise the design of the proposed International Dugong Conservation Centre at Manora (Thanjavur).

Dugongs:

• Dugong is a large, slow-moving marine mammal, commonly called a “sea cow”, that feeds exclusively on seagrass.
• It is a keystone species, playing a vital role in maintaining healthy seagrass meadows.
• Scientific name: Dugong dugon

Habitat:

• Found in warm, shallow coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
• Lives mainly in seagrass meadows, estuaries, lagoons, and nearshore areas.
• Unlike manatees, dugongs are strictly marine and do not enter freshwater.
• IUCN status: Vulnerable.

Key characteristics of dugong:

• Large, plump body with paddle-like flippers and a whale-like tail fluke.
• Grows up to 3 metres in length and can weigh 400 kg or more.
• Gentle, herbivorous grazer that feeds almost continuously on seagrass.
• Acts as an ecosystem engineer, helping seagrass regenerate and supporting marine biodiversity.
• Holds cultural significance for many coastal and indigenous communities and is linked to ancient mermaid legends.

Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara

• Telangana is preparing for the biennial Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara beginning 28 January 2026, alongside a large-scale redevelopment of the sacred precinct at Medaram.

Sammakka–Saralamma Jatara:

• A biennial tribal spiritual festival honouring Sammakka and Saralamma, revered as ancestral goddesses of the Koya Adivasi community.
• Recognised as Asia’s largest tribal festival and one of the largest human congregations in the world.

Held in:

• Celebrated at Medaram village in Mulugu district, Telangana, located inside the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Dandakaranya forest belt.
• Conducted during the full moon of the Hindu month of Magh.

Origin:

• Rooted in Koya tribal history and legend, centred on Sammakka, a forest-born woman adopted by tribals, and her daughter Saralamma.
• According to tradition, they resisted the Kakatiya rulers’ tax oppression, attained martyrdom, and are remembered as symbols of tribal resistance and sacrifice.
• The deities are not worshipped permanently in temples; instead, they are symbolically brought from the forest to stay with the people for a few sacred days.

Key features:

• Rituals are conducted exclusively by Koya tribal priests, following indigenous customs.
• Devotees offer “Bangaram” (jaggery) instead of gold or money, symbolising equality and agrarian life.
• Worship centres around sacred trees, bamboo totems, flags (dalgudda) and clan symbols rather than idols.
• Attracts over one crore devotees, second only to the Kumbh Mela in scale within India.
• The festival space has recently expanded with arches, platforms and granite flooring to manage massive crowds.

Significance:

• Represents tribal identity, collective memory and resistance against historical injustice.
• Preserves an animistic, kinship-based belief system, where deities are treated as family members.

Mount Elbrus

• A controlled (artificially triggered) avalanche was carried out on Mount Elbrus in Russia to safely release accumulated snow after heavy snowfall.

Mount Elbrus:

• Mount Elbrus is the highest mountain in Europe and an ancient, extinct volcano with two distinct peaks (East and West).
• It is part of the Caucasus mountain system and a major centre for mountaineering and alpine tourism.

Located in:

• Southwestern Russia, in the Caucasus Mountains, just north of the Georgia border.
• Lies between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea mountain corridor.

Key geological features:

• A twin-coned stratovolcano formed over 2.5 million years ago.
• Highest peak reaches 5,642 metres, the second peak 5,595 metres.
• Covered by 22 glaciers, which feed rivers like the Kuban and Terek.
• Though dormant for nearly 2,000 years, sulphurous gases and mineral springs are still present.

Significance:

• Recognised as Europe’s highest peak, making it one of the Seven Summits for climbers.
• A key site for glaciological and climate research, including studies observed from the International Space Station.
• Economically important for tourism and adventure sports in the Caucasus region.

Recalibrating India’s Critical Minerals Diplomacy

• Context (TH): India’s clean-energy transition increasingly depends on imported critical minerals, and tightening export controls have made supply security a strategic priority.
• A critical mineral is a metallic or non-metallic element crucial for modern technologies, economies, and national security, with the potential risk of disruptions to its supply chains.

Significance of Minerals Diplomacy for India

• Import Dependence: India is 100% import-dependent for key minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel, making energy transition supply chains externally vulnerable.
• China Dominance: China controls about 81% of the processing capacity of key critical minerals, turning minerals into a geopolitical choke point, not just a trade item.
• Downstream Supply Vulnerability: In 2024–25, India imported 53,000+ tonnes of rare earth magnets, with over 90% sourced from China, risking disruption for EVs, wind turbines and electronics.

India’s Region-Wise Critical Mineral Partnership Assessment

Australia

• Reliable Upstream Partner: Australia offers stable politics and large reserves, making it a credible long-term supplier anchor for India’s transition needs.
• Investment Track: Under the India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership (2022), five target projects were identified for possible investment in lithium and cobalt.

Japan

• Resilience Template: Japan’s response to rare earth disruption focused on diversification, stockpiling, recycling and long-term R&D rather than reactive buying.
• Upgraded Cooperation: Partnership is expanding towards joint extraction/processing and possible stockpiling arrangements, including in third countries.

Africa

• High Potential: Africa’s mineral abundance and rising demand for local value addition offer long-run opportunities beyond transactional ore extraction.
• India’s Push: Deals with Namibia (lithium, rare earths, uranium) and talks in Zambia (copper, cobalt).

United States

• Dialogue Heavy: Friend-shoring has struggled to move beyond discussions, as tariffs, trade rules and policy volatility reduce long-term reliability.
• Key Frameworks: TRUST Initiative and Strategic Minerals Recovery Initiative propose joint work on rare-earth processing and recycling tech.

European Union (EU)

• Alignment Need: India must align with lifecycle environmental norms to plug into EU standards.
• Key Platforms: Critical Raw Materials Act & European Battery Alliance offer a structured supply-chain.

West Asia (Gulf)

• Midstream Potential: UAE and Saudi Arabia are building battery materials and refining capacity, offering processing partnerships for mineral ores.
• Gap: Institutional depth remains limited, so India needs structured rather than ad-hoc arrangements.

Russia

• Partnership: Russia has sizeable reserves and scientific linkages with India, offering diversification.
• Constraints: Sanctions, financing and logistics reduce reliability, making Russia a hedge partner.

Latin America

• New Frontier: Argentina, Chile, Peru and Brazil are becoming central to global rare earth strategies.
• Early Stage: KABIL signed a ₹200 crore exploration agreement in Argentina (Catamarca lithium blocks).

Canada

• Re-emerging Partner: Canada has strong reserves of nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earths and could become a stable partner post ties restoration.
• Risk Factor: Political stability in bilateral relations is key, else diplomacy could remain underutilised.

Way Forward

• Processing Capacity: Prioritise domestic refining and separation to reduce exposure to external chokepoints; E.g., build REE magnet and lithium refining clusters with assured offtake.
• Value-Chain Deals: Shift from MoUs to bankable projects with equity, technology and offtake terms; E.g., mining-to-processing packages instead of extraction-only contracts.
• Recycling Scale: Build urban mining capacity for batteries and magnets to reduce import dependence.
• Institutional Clarity: Create a single strategic command for minerals diplomacy & domestic mining policy integration; E.g., a Critical Minerals Board linking MEA, Mines, Commerce, and industry.

Report on Road Accidents in India

• The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and SaveLIFE Foundation released a report analysing road-accident severity in India.
• It highlights that structural issues undermine India’s road safety efforts and suggests improved coordination and resource use to reduce fatalities.
• The report aims to provide a data-driven roadmap to achieve ‘Zero-Fatality Districts’.

Key Findings

• Geographic Concentration: Over 25% of India’s road deaths occur in just 100 districts. Uttar Pradesh has the most severe districts, followed by Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.
• Nashik Rural and Pune Rural recorded the highest severity.
• Key Causes: Nearly 59% of fatalities occur without traffic violations, highlighting poor road design, including inadequate illumination, as a primary cause.
• High-Risk Timing: Around 53% of deaths occur between 6 PM and midnight due to poor visibility, fatigue, and night traffic.
• Corridor Concentration: Only 18 target corridors of NHAI and state PWD roads are responsible for around 54% of fatalities.
• Vulnerable Groups: Pedestrians and two-wheeler riders form a disproportionate share of deaths, accounting for 90% fatalities in Pune in 2025.
• Medical Response Gaps: The government’s 108 ambulance service fails to reach about 80% of accident victims, leading to critical delays during the “Golden Hour.”

Aquatic Biodiversity Conservation Initiatives Launched Under Namami Gange

• Several aquatic biodiversity conservation initiatives were launched at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, under the Namami Gange Mission.

Key Initiatives Launched

• Aqua Centre: Aqua Life Conservation Monitoring Centre was established as a national research and policy hub for freshwater biodiversity conservation.
• Framework: It operates under the Namami Gange Programme and has laboratories for ecotoxicology, aquatic ecology, spatial ecology, and microplastics analysis.
• Dolphin Response: A Dolphin Rescue Ambulance was launched to provide rapid emergency response to distressed Gangetic dolphins.
• Skimmer Project: A conservation project for the Indian Skimmer birds was launched in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society.
• Habitat Frameworks: New conservation frameworks were introduced to support habitat restoration for the critically endangered Gharial.
• Afforestation: ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign was initiated to support river ecosystem conservation.

About Namami Gange

• Origin: Namami Gange is a central sector programme launched in 2014 to rejuvenate the River Ganga and its tributaries.
• Implementing Agency: It is implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• Core Objectives: Two primary objectives are (1) Pollution abatement and (2) River Rejuvenation, including biodiversity conservation.
• Pillars: The scheme is based on 8 strategic pillars, i.e. sewerage infrastructure, biodiversity conservation, afforestation, riverfront development, Ganga Gram, effluent monitoring, awareness, and river-surface cleaning
• Extension: The programme has been extended up to March 2026 as Namami Gange Mission-II.

NASA’s Chromospheric Magnetism Explorer (CMEx) Mission

• NASA has selected the Chromospheric Magnetism Explorer (CMEx) mission for an extended concept study.
• Mission Objective: CMEx aims to study the magnetic nature of the Sun’s chromosphere to better predict space weather events.
• Observation Focus: It is designed to perform the first continuous, high-resolution observations of the solar chromosphere.
• Primary Goal: The mission maps the chromospheric magnetic fields to understand how solar eruptions and flares are triggered.
• Key Technique: It uses ultraviolet spectropolarimetry to measure light polarisation and infer properties of magnetic fields.
• Forecast Value: Data generated by CMEx is intended to improve the accuracy of space weather forecasts and increase warning lead time.

About Chromosphere

• Layer Position: The chromosphere is a thin atmospheric layer of the Sun located between the photosphere and the outer corona.
• Extent: It extends approximately 2,000-3,000 kilometres above the photosphere.
• Visual Feature: The chromosphere appears as a reddish-pink rim during total solar eclipses due to hydrogen-alpha emission.
• Thermal Profile: Unlike lower layers, the chromospheric temperature increases with height, from about 4,000 K to 25,000 K.
• Plasma Makeup: It is primarily composed of hydrogen and helium in an ionised plasma state.
• Magnetic Role: Chromosphere is considered the Sun’s magnetic heart, where solar flares and prominences (loops of gas) commonly originate.
• Dynamic Activity: The layer contains spicules, i.e., fast plasma jets that rise at 20-30 km/s and carry energy upward.

Finke River

• The Finke River in central Australia is widely regarded as the world’s oldest river system still flowing, dating back around 300–400 million years.

About the Finke River

• Type: About 600–640 km, a major but intermittent (not perennial) river of central Australia.
• Indigenous Name: Larapinta, named by the indigenous Arrernte people.
• Key Tributaries: Ellery Creek, Palmer River, and Hugh River feed into the Finke system.
• Antecedence: The river existed before mountains rose, & Its uniqueness lies in its extreme geological persistence, as it maintained the same broad course since ancient time despite major land uplift events.

Course of the River

• Origin Region: Starts in the MacDonnell Ranges (Northern Territory).
• Formation Point: Begins where Davenport Creek and Ormiston Creek meet.
• Flow Direction: Runs southwest towards South Australia and the Simpson Desert region.
• Flood Extension: During major floods, flow can reach the Macumba River and ultimately Lake Eyre.

Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956

• The Supreme Court held that a widowed daughter-in-law can claim maintenance from her father-in-law’s estate under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.
• The Court clarified that “any widow of his son” qualifies as a dependant, irrespective of whether widowhood occurred before or after the father-in-law’s death.
• The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, codifies adoption and maintenance obligations as part of the Hindu Code Bills, which standardised Hindu personal laws.
• The Act applies to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs; it excludes Muslims, Christians, Parsis, and Jews.
• Section 19 of the Act mandates that a father-in-law maintain a widowed daughter-in-law lacking independent means, and Section 22 requires heirs of his estate to support all dependents.

Robotsystem 15 (RBS-15) Missile

• Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab showcased the RBS-15 missile’s capability to destroy the Russian S-400 system.
• About Missile: Robotsystem 15 (RBS-15) is a long-range, fire-and-forget anti-ship missile with land-attack capability, developed by the Swedish defence firm Saab Bofors Dynamics.
• Operational Design: The missile is designed to operate effectively in complex littoral and coastal environments like the Baltic Sea.
• Platforms: RBS-15 can be launched from naval ships, combat aircraft, and land-based mobile launchers.
• Speed Range: It operates at high subsonic speed near Mach 0.9, with an operational range exceeding 300 kilometres.
• Sea Skimming: The missile flies extremely close to the water’s surface to evade radar detection.
• Geographic Optimisation: Unlike open-ocean missiles, the RBS-15 is optimised for narrow straits and island-dense Scandinavian archipelagos.