UPSC Daily Current Affairs| Prelim Bits 21-03-2025

Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD)

Why in news?

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has recently approved the Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD).

• NPDD scheme – Was launched by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) in February 2014.
• Revised NPDD – Is a Central Sector Scheme that focuses on modernizing and expanding dairy infrastructure, ensuring the sector’s sustained growth and productivity.
• Ministry – Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• The scheme consists of 2 key components:
• Component A – It is dedicated to improve essential dairy infrastructure, such as milk chilling plants, advanced milk testing laboratories and certification systems.
• Formation of new village dairy cooperative societies and strengthens milk procurement and processing in the underserved regions are promoted under this component.
  • The underserved regions includes North Eastern Region (NER), hilly regions, and Union Territories (UTs), especially in remote and backward areas.
• It also advocates for formation of 2 Milk Producer Companies (MPCs) with dedicated grant support.
• Component B – Is also known as "Dairying through Cooperatives (DTC)".
• It will continue to foster dairy development through cooperation with the Government of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
• This component focuses on the sustainable development of dairy cooperatives, improving production, processing, and marketing infrastructure in the 9 States.
• The 9 states include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The implementation of NPDD has positively impacted 1.87 million farmers by generating over 30,000 jobs and has increased daily milk procurement capacity by 10 million liters.

Significance

• Impetus to infrastructure – The program will give an impetus to the dairy sector by creating infrastructure for milk procurement, processing capacity, and ensuring better quality control.
• Aids farmers and rural development – To gain better access to markets, to ensuring better pricing through value addition.
• It also improve the efficiency of the supply chain, leading to higher incomes and greater rural development.
• White Revolution 2.0 – The program will transform India’s modern infrastructure, in sync with White Revolution 2.0.
• Technology and labs – It will support the newly formed cooperatives by providing new technology, and quality testing labs.

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) milk analyzers use infrared light to analyze milk composition, offering rapid and accurate measurements of components like fat, protein, and lactose, as well as screening for adulteration and contaminants.

The NPDD has supported upgradation of labs with FTIR.

• Resilient diary sector – Revised NPDD will improve rural livelihoods, generate jobs and build a stronger, more resilient dairy industry that benefits farmers and stakeholders across the country.

References

1. PIB | Revised NPDD

Iron in Sun

Why in the news?

New research is finding that theories of atomic physics have underestimated iron’s contribution to the sun’s temperature profile.

• Iron in Sun - Iron (Fe) makes up about 0.14% of the Sun's mass, which is a small fraction compared to hydrogen (~74%) and helium (~24%).
• Location - Iron is found mostly in the Sun’s core and outer layers (photosphere, corona) in ionized forms.

• Source - Iron in the Sun comes from nucleosynthesis in earlier generations of stars, which exploded as supernovae and contributed elements to the solar system.
• Role in Opacity - Iron plays a crucial role in absorbing and scattering radiation, influencing energy transfer within the Sun.
• Role in Temperature Profile - Iron opacity affects temperature, density and fusion rates inside the Sun.
• So, the new findings of higher opacity of iron in the sun impacts the present solar models.

Reference

The Hindu | iron inside the sun is more opaque than expected

Lenacapavir

Why in the news?

Yearly HIV prevention injection shows promise in clinical trials.

• Lenacapavir is an investigational anti-retroviral drug developed by Gilead Sciences.
• Approved by - U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• It acts as a long-acting HIV treatment and prevention drug designed to be administered as an injection.

• Administration and Dosage - Lenacapavir is available in two forms
  • Subcutaneous Injection (Twice a Year)
  • Intramuscular Injection (Once a Year – Under Trial)
• Working - Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor, that targets the HIV-1 capsid, a protein shell that protects the virus's genetic material.
• By interfering with the capsid’s function, it prevents HIV from replicating and infecting new cells.
• Unlike most HIV drugs that target enzymes (like reverse transcriptase or protease), Lenacapavir disrupts multiple stages of the viral life cycle, making it a unique and effective approach.
• The yearly version aims to provide long-term HIV prevention, making it more convenient than daily PrEP pills.
• Current Status - The Phase 1 trial for yearly prevention showed promising results, but larger studies are needed.
• A twice-a-year version for treatment has already shown success in Phase 3 trials.

Currently, there is no cure or vaccine approved for HIV/AIDS.

Reference

The Hindu | Lenacapavir

Chabahar Port

Why in News?

India is looking to continue capacity building at Iran’s Chabahar Port.

• Located in - Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan Province on the Gulf of Oman, owned by the Iranian government.
• It serves as Iran's only oceanic port.
• It consists of two separate ports named

1. Shahid Kalantari and
2. Shahid Beheshti.

• Regional Connectivity - It is a key trade route for India, Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries.
• Geopolitical Importance - It is seen as a strategic counter to China's Belt and Road Initiative and its development of the Gwadar port in Pakistan.

• Significance for India - Chabahar Port was a coveted strategic interest for India.
• It is a critical gateway for the proposed International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

INSTC is a multi-modal route between India, Central Asia and Russia, reducing transit time for trade between the three regions.

• Chabahar agreement – India, Iran, and Afghanistan signed a trilateral agreement to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor, also known as the Chabahar Agreement.
• Aim - To improve transportation and trade connectivity between the three countries by utilizing the port of Chabahar in Iran as a key transit point.
• It is a 10-year contract signed in May 2024.
• It allows India to operate the Shahid Beheshti terminal at Chabahar port in Iran.
  • Operated by - State-owned India Ports Global (IPGL).
• The signed Chabahar agreement includes a clause on cargo targets, but no penalties will be imposed if such traffic is not achieved.
• Revenue-sharing arrangement – It has been confirmed as following,
• For exports – From the Shahid Behesti terminal, both IPGL and Iran will retain 50% of the revenue share.
• For imports – Iran’s maritime organization will receive 60% of the revenue.
• Recent Negotiation between India and Iran – Among the negotiations for the contract
• India requested not have a minimum guaranteed traffic (MGT), under which an operator is penalized for failing to meet minimum targets.

Reference

Business Standard | Chabahar Port

World Happiness Report 2025

Why in News?

The world happiness report, 2025 released recently.

• World Happiness Day – Celebrated globally on March 20.
• Theme, 2025- “Caring and Sharing”.
• Proclaimed by - General Assembly of the United Nations, in a resolution initiated by Bhutan in July 2012, recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals.
• World Happiness Report, 2025 – Published by - University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• Rankings are based on a 3-year average of people's life evaluations.
• The happiness score or subjective well-being is based on the national average response to the life evaluations question in the Gallup World Poll (GWP).
• The survey asks respondents to evaluate their current life as a whole using a ladder scale, with the best possible life as 10 and the worst possible life as 0.
• Indicators

1. GDP per capita,
2. Social support,
3. Healthy life expectancy,
4. Freedom,
5. Generosity, and
6. Perceptions of corruption.

• Top ranking countries

• U.S. Ranked in the 24 and Canada ranked in 18.

• Low Ranking Countries - Sierra Leone (No. 146), Lebanon (No. 145), Malawi (No. 144) and Zimbabwe (No. 143) make up the rest of the bottom five for happiness.
  • Afghanistan (No. 147) is once again last on the list.
• India’s Ranking - India ranks at 118^th position in 2025.
• Over the past few years, India has seen gradual progress in some social and economic indicators.
• Rankings of South Asian Nations - Nepal secured the highest position at 92^nd, Pakistan 109^th, Myanmar 126^th, and Sri Lanka closely followed Bangladesh at 133^rd.

References

1. CNBC TV | World Happiness Report 2025
2. Hindustan Times | World Happiness Report 2025

Changing Dynamics of India’s Remittances

Why in News?

Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI’s) March 2025 bulletin shows that there has been a gradual shift in the dominance of India’s remittances away from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

• The data shows that the growth of remittances from Advanced economies (AEs), outpaced that of the GCC, resulting in more money coming in from these countries.
• Advanced economies (AEs), particularly the US, the UK, Singapore, Canada, and Australia, together accounted for more than half of India’s remittances in 2023-24 (FY24).
• It reflects a shift in migration patterns towards a skilled Indian diaspora.
• The US remained the largest contributor to India’s total remittances, with its share rising to 27.7% in FY24 from 23.4% in 2020-21 (FY21).
• 78% of Indian migrants in the US are employed in high-earning sectors such as management, business, science, and arts.

India’s inward remittances have more than doubled from $55.6 billion in 2010-11 to $118.7 billion in 2023-24.

• The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries like United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain — contributed 38% of the total remittances received by India in FY24.

• UAE maintained its position as the 2^nd-largest source of India’s remittances, with its share increasing from 18% in FY21 to 19.2% in FY24.
• The UAE is the largest hub for Indian migrant workers, primarily engaged in blue-collar jobs dominated by the construction industry, followed by healthcare, hospitality, and tourism.
• Higher remittances received from the US despite a lower number of migrants compared to the UAE.
• Share of inward remittances from the UK also increased to 10.8% in FY24 from 6.8% in FY21, which may be attributed to the Migration and Mobility Partnership between India and the UK.
• The study also noted a marked uptick in the share of remittances from Singapore (6.6%), Canada (3.8%), and Australia (2.3%) in FY24 compared to the pandemic year (FY21).

Reference

Business Standard | India's top remittance hubs