23 August 2025 - Daily CUrrent Affairs Updates

GS 1 – Geography, History, Culture

1. Topic: Dal Lake

Subtopic: Wetland System & Sports Promotion Value Addition:

• Hosting the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival – leveraging heritage lakes for sports tourism.

• Covers 18 sq. km, part of a 21.1 sq. km wetland system (floating gardens included).

• Inflows: Arrah River; Outflow: Tel Bal channel.

• Divided into four basins: Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, Nagin.

• Critical for tourism, economy, and wetland ecology in Srinagar.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 1: Geography – Wetlands, Kashmir Himalayas.

• GS 2: Sports & Governance – Khelo India initiative.

• Prelims: Location, basins, inflow/outflow rivers.

GS 2 – Governance, International Relations, Law

2. Topic: IRIGC-TEC (India–Russia Commission)

Subtopic: Apex Forum for Economic & Strategic Cooperation Value Addition:

• 26th Session co-chaired by EAM Jaishankar & Russian Deputy PM.

• Covers trade, economic, scientific, tech, and cultural cooperation.

• Key for expanding trade amidst sanctions and supply chain shifts.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: IR – India-Russia economic & strategic ties.

• Prelims: Year of establishment, co-chairs, scope.

3. Topic: Aadhaar Onboarding for Cooperative Banks

Subtopic: Financial Inclusion & Digital Governance Value Addition:

• UIDAI framework allows SCBs as Authentication User Agencies (AUA) & KYC User Agencies (KUA).

• Introduces DCB-ID for District Central Cooperative Banks.

• Enables adoption of AePS for rural financial services.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Governance – Digital financial inclusion, cooperative sector reforms.

• Prelims: AUA, KUA, AePS, DCB-ID.

4. Topic: Penalty on Rapido (CCPA)

Subtopic: Consumer Protection & Business Ethics Value Addition:

• ₹10 lakh penalty for misleading advertisements.

• Violates Right to be Informed & Right to Safety.

• Ethical conflicts:

  • Utilitarianism – harms consumers long-term.

  • Kantian principle – consumers treated as means to profit.

  • Harm Principle – misleading ads cause social harm.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Governance – Consumer protection law.

• Ethics (GS 4): Misleading ads & ethical principles.

• Prelims: CCPA mandate.

5. Topic: National Gopal Ratna Awards 2025

Subtopic: Dairy & Livestock Excellence Recognition Value Addition:

• Under Rashtriya Gokul Mission (since 2021).

• Categories: Best Dairy Farmer, Best Cooperative/MPC/FPO, Best AI Technician.

• Special award for NE & Himalayan states.

• Incentivises conservation of indigenous cattle & buffalo breeds.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Agriculture & Livestock policy.

• Prelims: NGRA, categories, components.

6. Topic: Kerala – First Fully Digitally Literate State

Subtopic: Digital Transformation & Inclusion Value Addition:

• Achieved via Digi Keralam Programme (2023); builds on Akshaya Project.

• Digital literacy = ≥1 household member (age 5+) can operate computer & access internet.

• Impact:

  • Improved governance (DBT, UPI).

  • Greater global connectivity.

  • Citizen participation in democracy.

  • Skill-building & livelihood access.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: Governance – Digital inclusion, e-literacy.

• Essay: “Digital literacy as a tool for inclusive development.”

7. Topic: Indo–Dutch Strategic Water Partnership (2022)

Subtopic: Bilateral Water Governance Value Addition:

• Between India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti & Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management.

• Focus: Water safety, quality, availability.

• CoE with IIT Delhi for AI, GIS, river modelling, water economy-finance.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 2: IR – Sectoral diplomacy in water.

• Prelims: Year signed, CoE role.

8. Topic: Uniform Renewable Energy Tariff (URET) – Scrapped

Subtopic: Power Sector Reform Value Addition:

• Introduced to average RE tariffs across projects.

• Revoked due to lack of Power Sale Agreement signings → stalled projects.

• Now encourages transparent market-driven price discovery.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Energy reforms, renewable push.

• Prelims: URET scheme – purpose, reason for scrapping.

GS 3 – Economy, Defence, Environment, Biodiversity

9. Topic: Phoenix roxburghii (New Palm Species)

Subtopic: Plant Biodiversity Discovery Value Addition:

• Named after William Roxburgh (father of Indian Botany).

• Features: 12–16m tall, solitary trunk, musty-scented flowers, orange-yellow fruits.

• Found along eastern coast, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Pakistan, Bangladesh.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Biodiversity – new species documentation.

• Prelims: Distribution, palm family (Arecaceae).

10. Topic: Golden Dome Missile Defence (US)

Subtopic: Space-Based Defence Architecture Value Addition:

• Aims to counter advanced long-range missile threats.

• Features:

  • Space-based interceptors.

  • Satellite radars & sensors.

  • Laser weapons.

• Integrated with Patriot, THAAD, Aegis, GMD.

• Concerns: Weaponization of space, legal & diplomatic risks.

Subject Analysis:

• GS 3: Defence tech, space security.

• GS 2: IR – global arms control debate.

• Prelims: Golden Dome features, US missile defence assets.