UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 11-04-2025

One Liners 11-04-2025

Geography

GI Tags for Products in West Bengal

Recently, West Bengal has earned Geographical Indication (GI) tag for 7 products.

• With these additions, a total of 32 items entered into the GI list from West Bengal.

International Relations and Issues

India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (EFD)

Recently, an India-UK EFD was held at London.

• It is the 13^th Ministerial meeting of the India-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue (13^th EFD).
• Proposal – UK announced 400 million euros in export and investment deals with India.
• Commitment – To continue collaboration in financial services sector, FinTech and Digital economy.
• Collaboration at bilateral and multilateral fora to address mutual and global economic issues.
• They welcomed the recent announcement of UK universities establishing campus in India and the recent release the India-UK Financial Partnership (IUKFP) report on direct listing in IFSC GIFT City.

Economy

Co-lending Arrangement (CLA) in India

Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed a draft framework for co-lending arrangements between all regulated entities.

• CLA in India– It involves the act of 2 financial institutions that are eligible under the RBI directions, issuing loans based on a pre-determined proportion of lending.
• Banks that co-lend to priority sector can claim priority sector status.
• Current regulation – It deals only with co-lending between banks and non-banking financial companies and they are restricted to priority sector loans.
• Proposed changes – CLA will now be applicable for all commercial banks, NBFCs and will exclude RRBs, SFBs and Local Area Banks.
• Credit policy of the banks that indulge in co-lending will have to disclose customer segment targetted, terms and conditions of loan, internal limit on borrower portfolio among others.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)-World Bank Report
 on Financial Regulators Authority in India

IMF and World Bank reports suggested changes to the Indian financial system based on a recent assessment.

• Current laws – It allow government to control senior managements and boards of financial regulators.
• Ministry of Finance (MoF) is the appellate authority for the RBI and has the power to overturn the latter’s supervisory decisions.
  • In 2019, the government overturned the RBI’s decision to revoke the licence of a small urban cooperative bank.
• Report recommendations – The power and independence of financial regulators needs to be strengthened with legislative and institutional changes.
• It recommended transferring the appellate authority power from MoF to an independent agency.
• Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) should have power to take critical supervisory actions against the dominant State-owned life insurer.

Digital Portal for National Waterways

The Digital Portal for National Waterways was launched recently by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

• Developed by – Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• Aim – To facilitate Ease of Doing Business and encouraging private investment in Inland Water Transport (IWT).
• It issued 1^st NoC to Mumbai-based Marina India Infrastructure Private Limited, is the 1^st-of-its-kind NoC issued digitally to any private entity for construction of a terminal on any national waterway in the country.

No Objection Certificate (NOC) is a legal document issued to say that the issuer has no objection to the details mentioned in the document.

National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025

Recently, National Waterways (Construction of Jetties/Terminals) Regulations, 2025 was introduced by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

• Regulations – It lays out a framework for private players to invest in the construction and operation of jetties and terminals across India’s national waterways network.
• Any entity can develop or operate an inland waterway terminal on a National Waterway by securing a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NoC) which are issued through new digital portal by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• Significance – It brings both existing & new terminals and permanent or temporary terminals under a unified framework.
  • Permanent terminals – Operates for a lifetime.
  • Temporary terminals – Operates initially for 5-year term.

Zirkapur Bypass

Recently, cabinet approved the construction of 6 lane access control of Zirakpur bypass with length of 19.2 km worth in Punjab and Haryana on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM).

• It starts from the junction with NH-7 and terminates at the junction with NH-5 covering Punjab and Haryana.
• Aim – To reduce the travel time and ensure hassle-free traffic movement in the congested urban section of,
  • NH-7 – Chandigarh-Bathinda in Zirakpur (Punjab).
  • NH-5 – Zirakpur-Parwanoo in Panchkula (Haryana).
  • NH-152 – Narwana to Panchkula (Haryana).
• To avoid the highly urbanized and congested stretch of Zirakpur in Punjab and Panchkula in Haryana.

Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) is a public-private partnership (PPP) approach for road infrastructure in India, combining elements of Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) and Build, Operate, Transfer (BOT) models.

Environment

Joint Nilgiri Tahr Census

The synchronised survey of Nilgiri Tahr is set to be conducted to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Eravikulam National Park.

• Survey by - Kerala and Tamil Nadu, spanning
  • 89 blocks in – Kerala.
  • 176 blocks in – Tamil Nadu.
• Coverage – Across the contiguous Nilgiri Tahr habitats, covering areas both inside and outside protected forest zones.
• Methodology – Camera traps would be deployed and pellet samples collected from selected blocks for scientific analysis, including studies on genetic variation.

Nilgiri Tahr

Kerala and Tamil Nadu is set to conduct a joint Nilgiri Tahr census from April 24-27.

• It is the only mountain ungulate (large mammals with hooves) in southern India amongst the 12 species present in India.
• Endemic to – Western Ghats, is primarily found in the highlands of southern India.
• Eravikulam National Park is in Kerala which hosts the largest population of this species.
• State animal of Tamil Nadu – The State celebrates October 7 as Nilgiri Tahr Day.
• Conservation status
  • IUCN – Endangered.
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972 – Schedule I.

Science

Homeopathic Medicine

Recently, World Homoeopathy Day is celebrated on April 10^th, to raise awareness about the role of homoeopathy in healthcare.

• It supports the body’s natural ability to heal instead of just covering up symptoms.
• Homoeopathic pills – They are easy on the stomach and do not weaken the body’s natural defences.
• Treatment – It focuses on finding and treating the main cause of the illness. 
• Advantages – It can be used along with other medical methods.
• It is usually safe and gentle as they are made from natural and non-toxic sources.

World Homoeopathy Day is linked to the birth of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann who was born on April 10, 1755.