UPSC Daily Current Affairs| One Liners 28-03-2025

One Liners 28-03-2025

History, Art and Culture

Post Office Honors Mata Karma

The Department of Posts released a commemorative stamp for Mata Karma's 1009th birth anniversary in Raipur, recognizing her spiritual and social contributions.

• Mata Karma – Devotee and Reformer was a spiritual leader devoted to Lord Krishna, known for her dedication to social reform and women's empowerment.
• Spiritual Journey and Divine Offering – Her devotion led her to Puri, where she offered khichdi to Lord Krishna, a ritual now part of the Jagannath Temple's traditions.
• Social Reform Efforts – She actively fought against social evils like untouchability and conservatism, advocating for unity and equality.
• Enduring Legacy – Mata Karma's teachings continue to inspire generations to combat discrimination and promote social harmony, leaving a lasting impact on Indian culture.

"Baalpan ki Kavita" Launched

Recently, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoS&E), Ministry of Education, launched "Baalpan ki Kavita" to preserve and promote Indian rhymes for young children, aligning with NEP 2020.

• Initiative's Core Purpose – The initiative aims to compile nursery rhymes and poems in Indian languages and English, rooted in Indian culture, to enhance early childhood education.
• Contribution Categories – Contributors can submit existing folklore rhymes or new poems for children in pre-primary (3-6 years), Grade 1 (6-7 years), and Grade 2 (7-8 years) categories.
• Key Objectives – The initiative seeks to provide culturally relevant, joyful learning experiences, strengthen multilingual education, and ensure age-appropriate learning materials.
• Promoting Cultural Preservation – Baalpan ki Kavita encourages public participation in preserving traditional Indian rhymes, fostering cultural continuity and engagement.

Geography

Ancient Impact Crater Discovered

Scientists have recently found Earth's oldest known meteorite impact crater in Western Australia's Pilbara region, dating back over 3.5 billion years.

• Significance of the Age – This crater is more than a billion years older than any previously discovered impact site, reshaping our understanding of early Earth.
• Impact on Continental Formation – The discovery supports theories that meteorite impacts played a crucial role in forming Earth's first continents.
• Influence on Early Processes – The crater’s age suggests it may have significantly influenced chemical and biological processes during Earth’s infancy.
• Supporting External Force Theory – The findings bolster the hypothesis that external forces, like meteorite impacts, were key drivers in early continental formation, not just internal geological activity.

Polity & Governance

Telangana Adopts Central Organ Transplant Act

Recently, Telangana has adopted the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994, replacing its 1995 legislation. This aligns the state with national standards and incorporates the 2011 amendments.

• Purpose of the Act – The Act regulates the removal, storage, and transplantation of human organs and tissues, aiming to prevent illegal commercial dealings and ensure ethical practices.
• Organ Donation Sources – The Act permits organ donations from both deceased and living donors.
• Living Donor Eligibility – Must be close relatives, such as parents, siblings, or spouses. Altruistic donations from distant relatives or friends are allowed but require rigorous scrutiny.
• Regulatory Framework – The Act defines the roles of healthcare providers and hospitals, establishing penalties for violations to maintain transparency and prevent exploitation.

BHIM 3.0 Version

National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently launched the BHIM (BHarat Interface for Money) 3.0.

• Multilingual Accessibility – BHIM 3.0 supports 15+ Indian languages, broadening its reach and user-friendliness.
• Optimized for Low Connectivity – The app is designed to function smoothly in areas with poor or unstable internet, ensuring reliable service.
• Integrated Task Assistance – A built-in task assistant provides timely reminders for pending bills, UPI Lite activation, and low UPI Lite balance alerts, improving user management.
• BHIM Vega for Merchants – This new feature offers an in-app payment solution for merchants, simplifying transaction processes.
• Seamless Merchant Platform Integration – BHIM Vega integrates directly with online merchant platforms, eliminating the need for third-party apps and enhancing customer convenience.

Economy

CBDT Increases Safe Harbour Threshold

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has amended Income-tax Rules, raising the safe harbour threshold from ₹200 crore to ₹300 crore. This adjustment aims to reduce litigation and simplify transfer pricing compliance for taxpayers.

• Understanding Safe Harbour Rules – Safe harbour rules, established under Section 92CB of the Income-tax Act, 1961, are a vital part of India's transfer pricing framework. They allow eligible taxpayers to adopt predefined prices for specific international transactions, thereby minimizing disputes with tax authorities.
• Defining Key Terms
• Transfer Price – The actual price charged in transactions between related entities within a multinational enterprise group.
• Arm's Length Price – The price that would be agreed upon by independent, unrelated parties in an open market transaction.
• Safe Harbour – Circumstances where tax authorities accept the transfer price declared by the taxpayer, avoiding further scrutiny.
• By increasing the threshold, the CBDT seeks to provide relief to a larger number of taxpayers and promote ease of doing business, while maintaining a robust transfer pricing regime.

Environment

Karnataka's Elephant Soft-Release Plan

Karnataka will soft-release captured elephants into Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, aiming for their successful reintegration into the wild.

• Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary Overview - Located in Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga districts, Bhadra is a Project Tiger Reserve, established in 1951, known for its successful village relocation and diverse terrain.
• Flora Diversity- The sanctuary features Southern Moist Mixed Deciduous, Dry Deciduous, and Shola forests, housing species like Teak, Bamboo, Cinnamon, and Neelakurinji.
• Fauna Richness - Bhadra is home to diverse fauna, including tigers, elephants, over 250 bird species, various reptiles like King Cobras, and numerous butterfly species.
• Monitoring and Gradual Release - Elephants will be monitored here for months under veterinary care, with no human interaction, to facilitate their adaptation. Once adapted, they will be released into the sanctuary's wider population.

Science

Lyme Disease Breakthrough

Scientists have identified the BbLDH enzyme as critical for Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease bacterium, enhancing understanding of its survival and infectivity.

• Lyme Disease Overview -Is a bacterial infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, leading to potential complications in the skin, heart, brain, and joints.
• Transmission Mechanism - The disease is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected deer ticks (black-legged ticks), and not all tick bites result in Lyme disease.
• Non-Transmission Routes - Lyme disease does not spread between humans, from pets to humans, or through air, food, water, or insects like lice, mosquitoes, fleas, and flies.
• Global Prevalence - It is prevalent in wooded and grassy areas worldwide, particularly in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, especially during warmer months.
• Symptoms and Complications - Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and erythema migrans rash. Untreated, it can affect joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
• Treatment and Cure - Early antibiotic treatment usually cures Lyme disease, emphasizing the importance of prompt medical intervention.

Miscellaneous

New Pamban Rail Bridge Inauguration

403. Narendra Modi will inaugurate the new Pamban rail bridge on April 6, 2025, coinciding with Ram Navami, enhancing connectivity to Rameswaram Island.

• Bridge Construction Details - The bridge, built at a cost of ₹531 crore, will significantly improve railway infrastructure between Ramanathapuram and Rameswaram.
• Prime Minister's Itinerary - Modi’s visit includes the bridge inauguration, flagging off a new Tambaram-Rameswaram train, and addressing a public gathering in Rameswaram.
• Old Bridge’s - Was India's first sea bridge, which opened in 1914. Recently, Due to its deteriorated condition, the old Pamban rail bridge will be dismantled, with select parts preserved as heritage artifacts.
• New Bridge - It is India’s first vertical-lift railway sea bridge connects Rameswaram on Pamban Island to Mandapam on the mainland in Tamil Nadu.
• Bridge Length - The total length of the bridge is 2.078 km.