25 April 2026 - "Daily Current Affairs" Updates

GS Paper-2: Social Justice

⭐ NAMASTE Scheme (National Action for Mechanised Sanitation

Ecosystem)

⭐ Why in News

• The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment highlighted that the

NAMASTE Scheme is producing tangible results through targeted measures aimed

at ending unsafe manual cleaning practices.

⭐ Nature of the Scheme

• A major initiative to tackle challenges faced by sewer and septic tank sanitation

workers in India.

⭐ Objectives

• Enhance safety, health, and dignity of sanitation workers.

• Achieve this through systematic and well-structured interventions.

⭐ Ministries Involved

• Jointly implemented by:

• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

⭐ Implementing Agency

• Executed by the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development

Corporation (NSKFDC) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

⭐ Duration

• Planned for a three-year period.

• Covers FY 2023–24 to 2025–26.

GS Paper-3: Environment & Biodiversity

⭐ New Dragonfly Species Discovered

⭐ Why in News

• Researchers have identified three new species of dragonflies in Northeast

India.

⭐ Newly Discovered Species

• Clouded Boghawker and Siang Boghawker were found in the Siang Valley of

Arunachal Pradesh.

• These species were spotted around small, shallow forest ponds.

• They exhibit rapid flight and tend to perch near water bodies.

• The third species, Long-tailed Boghawker, was discovered in Karimganj

district of Assam.

• The region is emerging as an important hotspot for odonate diversity.

⭐ General Characteristics of Dragonflies

• Dragonflies belong to the order Odonata.

• They have highly advanced vision due to their complex eye structure.

• They are among the fastest flying insects in the animal kingdom.

GS Paper-3: Economy / Energy

⭐ Flex Fuel Vehicles (FFVs)

⭐ Why in News

• The Government of India is promoting

higher ethanol blending (E100) and

encouraging Flex Fuel Vehicles amid

energy concerns arising from geopolitical

tensions in West Asia.

⭐ Definition

• FFVs are vehicles with internal combustion engines that can run on petrol,

ethanol, or a mix of both.

⭐ Key Features

• Can operate on pure petrol, pure ethanol, or blended fuels.

• Compatible with high ethanol blends like E100, offering fuel flexibility.

• Equipped with a fuel composition sensor and engine control system.

• These systems detect the ethanol–petrol ratio and automatically adjust engine

performance.

• Fuel systems and injectors are modified to suit ethanol’s chemical properties.

⭐ Economic & Technical Aspects

• Ethanol costs around ₹60–₹62/litre, cheaper than petrol (₹100+/litre).

• However, ethanol has lower energy content, leading to higher fuel

consumption.

• Produced from crops like sugarcane, corn, and other surplus agricultural

produce.

• Provides additional income opportunities for farmers.