Daily Current Affairs Summary 21st APRIL 2025

 

India’s Bid for Permanent Membership in the UNSC

Kuwait, co-chairing the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UNSC Reform, has officially backed India’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat.

Global Support for India’s UNSC Membership

1. United States, France, and the United Kingdom have already expressed their support for India’s inclusion as a permanent member.
2. The global momentum for UNSC reforms strengthens India’s case as a deserving candidate.

Why India Deserves a Permanent Seat in the UNSC

1. Demographic Weight: Represents over 1/6th of humanity with a population exceeding 1.4 billion.
2. Democratic Values: Recognized as the world’s largest functioning democracy, upholding democratic ideals at scale.
3. Economic Strength: Ranked 5th in GDP and 3rd in PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) globally, contributing significantly to global economy.
4. Balanced Diplomacy: Maintains strategic relations with both the US and Russia, fostering multipolar diplomacy.
5. Reducing Veto Deadlock: India’s neutral stance could help limit misuse of veto power on critical global issues.
6. Leadership of the Global South: Leads the L.69 Group (42 countries) advocating equitable UNSC reform.
7. Support for UN Principles: Actively promotes disarmament, anti-racism, and peaceful conflict resolution in global forums.

Challenges to India’s Inclusion

1. Opposition from Uniting for Consensus (UfC): Also known as the Coffee Club, opposes expansion of permanent seats.
2. Geopolitical Resistance: China remains the only P5 country opposing India’s entry, driven by regional rivalry.
3. Structural Complexity: Amending the UN Charter requires:
   1. Two-thirds majority in the General Assembly.
   2. Unanimous consent from all five permanent members

About the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Established: 1945 under the UN Charter as a principal organ of the United Nations. Mandate: Maintains international peace and security through binding resolutions. Composition: Permanent Members (P5): China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States – with veto powers. Non-Permanent Members: 10 members elected for two-year terms, without veto rights. Decision Authority: Empowered to take legally binding decisions enforceable by all member states.

 

Finance Ministry Promotes Farm Loans via Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (E-NWRs)

The Union Finance Ministry has directed all banks—including public, private, regional rural, and cooperative banks—to register with the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) and the e-Kisan Upaj Nidhi (e-KUN) portal.

Key Initiatives and Platforms

1. NCGTC is responsible for administering the Credit Guarantee Scheme for e-NWR-based Pledge Financing (2024).
2. This scheme offers credit guarantees to eligible lending institutions for loans given against pledged E-NWRs.
3. The e-KUN portal, integrated with the Jan Samarth portal, provides a digital interface for farmers to avail post-harvest loans by pledging e-NWRs.

What are E-NWRs?

1. Electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (E-NWRs) are digitized versions of traditional warehouse receipts.
2. Governed by the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Act, 2007, the issuance of warehouse receipts in electronic form has been mandatory since 2019.
3. E-NWRs allow the transfer or sale of stored goods through digital endorsement.

Issuance and Regulation

1. Only warehouses registered with the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) are authorized to issue e-NWRs.
2. These receipts are issued against notified commodities stored in certified warehouses.
3. WDRA is a statutory authority functioning under the 2007 Warehousing Act.

Validity and Usage

1. The validity of an e-NWR aligns with the shelf-life of the commodity or until the commodity is completely withdrawn from the warehouse.
2. E-NWRs can be used to access loans, ensuring scientific storage and reducing post-harvest distress sales by farmers.
3. They are also tradable off-market and can be used for settlement in commodity derivative exchanges.

Significance for Farmers and Economy

1. E-NWRs strengthen post-harvest credit availability.
2. They promote transparent storage and marketing of agri-produce.
3. Help in stabilizing prices, thereby protecting farmers from low-price sales during peak harvest.

NASA’s Lucy Mission: Exploring the Ancient Remnants of the Solar System

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is preparing for a flyby of the asteroid Donaldjohanson, marking a key milestone in its ambitious journey.

About the Lucy Mission

1. Lucy was launched in 2021 and is named after the famous fossilized human ancestor "Lucy", discovered in Ethiopia in 1974.
2. The mission is NASA's first to explore Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, which are considered primordial remnants from the early solar system.

Trojan Asteroids and Mission Target

1. Trojan asteroids are grouped in two clusters (or "swarms") that travel ahead of and behind Jupiter’s orbit around the Sun.
2. These ancient bodies are thought to hold crucial clues about the formation and evolution of the solar system.

Mission Duration and Scope

1. The Lucy mission spans a 12-year timeline, during which it will fly by multiple Trojan asteroids and other celestial bodies.
2. The flyby of Donaldjohanson, named after the paleoanthropologist who discovered the Lucy fossil, serves as a test encounter before reaching the Trojan targets.

Scientific Importance

1. By studying the Trojans, Lucy aims to uncover how planets and small bodies formed and migrated in the early solar system.
2. The mission’s findings are expected to expand our understanding of planetary origins and the dynamic processes that shaped our celestial neighborhood.

Paste Fill Technology in Underground Mining

South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has become the first coal Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in India to implement paste fill technology in underground coal mining.

What is Paste Fill Technology?

1. Paste fill is a modern underground mining method used to fill voids left after coal extraction.
2. The fill material is a specially engineered paste made from crushed overburden, fly ash, cement, water, and binding agents.
3. This technique ensures that extracted mine cavities are safely backfilled, thereby supporting the surrounding strata.

Key Benefits of the Technology

1. Eliminates the need for acquiring additional surface land for waste disposal or mining expansion.
2. Effectively prevents land subsidence, protecting structures and ecosystems above ground.
3. Promotes eco-friendly mining by utilizing industrial by-products such as fly ash and opencast overburden.
4. Enhances safety and stability in underground mines by reinforcing mined-out voids.

Stegodon ganesa Fossils Discovered in Wardha-Penganga Riverbed

1. Rare fossil remains of the extinct Stegodon ganesa species have been uncovered from the Wardha-Penganga riverbed.
2. The Penganga River, stretching 676 km, originates in the Ajantha ranges of Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.
3. It flows along the Maharashtra-Andhra Pradesh border before merging into the Wardha River.

About Stegodon ganesa

1. Stegodon ganesa was an ancient species of elephant, considered a precursor to modern Asiatic elephants.
2. The fossils date back to approximately 25,000 years ago, placing them in the late Pleistocene epoch.
3. Its tusks were unusually long and closely spaced, leaving no gap for a trunk between them—one of its defining features.

Operation ATALANTA – A European Naval Initiative

1. Operation ATALANTA is a naval mission under the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR).
2. It has recently proposed a joint maritime exercise with the Indian Navy, strengthening international naval cooperation.
3. The operation is focused on ensuring peace, stability, and maritime security in critical sea lanes.
4. Its key objectives include countering piracy, tackling narcotics trafficking, and preventing illegal fishing activities.
5. The area of operation covers the Western Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea region, known for strategic maritime importance.

International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)

1. World Heritage Day is observed annually on April 18, drawing global attention to the value of cultural heritage.
2. The theme for 2025 is: “Heritage under Threat from Disasters and Conflicts: Preparedness and Lessons from 60 Years of ICOMOS Actions.”
3. ICOMOS is a key international non-governmental organization committed to preserving and promoting cultural heritage globally.
4. It was established in 1965 in Warsaw, following the adoption of the Venice Charter (1964) at the International Congress of Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments.
5. ICOMOS is unique as the only global NGO that uses scientific methods and specialized techniques to conserve both tangible and intangible heritage.
6. It plays an advisory role to UNESCO in evaluating cultural sites nominated for the World Heritage List.
7. Over six decades, ICOMOS has actively contributed to safeguarding heritage from natural disasters and human conflicts through research, training, and expert assessments.

PAIR Programme (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research)

1. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the first set of selections under its flagship PAIR Programme (2024).
2. A total of 18 Hub institutions and 106 Spoke institutions have been chosen across India.
3. The initiative is designed to strengthen research and innovation ecosystems in Indian universities and institutions.
4. The programme aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to promote excellence in research and collaboration.

Programme Structure

1. Model: Operates on a Hub-and-Spoke model to encourage collaborative research networks.
2. Hub Institutions: Must be among the Top 25 in NIRF rankings or among the Top 50 Institutes of National Importance.
3. Spoke Institutions: Include Central and State Public Universities, and selected NITs/IIITs that require research capacity development.
4. Each research network comprises one hub and a maximum of seven spokes.
5. Hubs will offer mentorship, research guidance, and infrastructure support to their respective spokes.
6. The goal is to build sustainable, high-quality research ecosystems across a wider range of academic institutions.

Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)

1. INS Sunayna recently visited Nacala Port, Mozambique, as part of India’s SAGAR Mission.
2. The SAGAR Mission focuses on strengthening international cooperation between India and several African countries.

About SAGAR

1. SAGAR was unveiled by India in 2015 as a strategic vision for maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
2. The mission's primary goal is to strengthen maritime ties, promote economic prosperity, and enhance regional stability.
3. The vision seeks to benefit all nations in the Indian Ocean Region by fostering mutual cooperation.
4. Building on SAGAR's principles, the Indian Prime Minister recently introduced the MAHASAGAR Vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
5. MAHASAGAR aims to expand upon SAGAR's objectives and take regional collaboration to a more holistic level.

Guindy National Park

1. Revival Initiative: A neglected grassland habitat within Guindy National Park is being revived to support the blackbuck population.
2. Blackbuck (Indian Antelope):
   1. Scientific Name: Antilope cervicapra
   2. Native to the Indian subcontinent
   3. IUCN Red List: Listed as Least Concern
   4. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule I

About Guindy National Park

1. Location: Situated in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, near the Raj Bhavan.
2. It is one of the smallest national parks in India, ranking as the 8th smallest.
3. Urban Location: Guindy National Park is one of the few national parks that is located within a city.

Flora and Fauna of Guindy National Park

1. Mammals:
   1. Blackbuck
   2. Spotted Deer
2. Birds: Over 130 species, including:
   1. Crow Pheasant
   2. Shrike
   3. Tailor Bird
3. Vegetation:
   1. Thorn Forest
   2. Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests
   3. Grasslands

Manuscripts of Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra Added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

India’s cultural legacy received global recognition with the inscription of the Bhagavad Gita and Natyashastra manuscripts into UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

India’s Presence in the Register

1. With this, India’s total entries in the Register now stand at 14.
2. Other Indian inclusions are: Rig Veda, Gilgit Manuscript, Abhinavagupta’s works (940–1015 CE), and Maitreyayvarakarana manuscript from the Pala period.
3. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) is also among the newly added global entries.

About the Bhagavad Gita

1. A sacred Hindu scripture, it is part of the Mahabharata, specifically within the Bhīṣmaparva (Chapters 23–40).
2. Structured as a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
3. Believed to be composed during the 2nd or 1st century BCE.
4. Contains 700 verses spread over 18 chapters.
5. Revered globally as a philosophical and spiritual guide to leading a purposeful and ethical life.

About the Natyashastra

1. The manuscript is preserved at the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.
2. Known as the Nāṭyaveda, the text is an ancient oral tradition dedicated to performing arts.
3. Composed of 36,000 verses, it is also referred to as the Gāndharvaveda.
4. Believed to have been codified in the 2nd century BCE by Bharatmuni in Sanskrit.
5. Explores concepts like nāṭya (drama), abhinaya (performance), rasa (aesthetic emotion), bhāva (feeling), and saṅgīta (music).
6. Regarded as the foundational text for Indian poetics, theatre, classical dance, and aesthetics.

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme Launched in 1992 to safeguard and provide access to the world’s documentary heritage. Aims to preserve texts, manuscripts, and archives that have shaped human civilization. Recognises materials of outstanding universal value, encouraging their conservation, digitisation, and global awareness.

 

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