News in Shorts: 17 September 2025

Eustoma

Context: Eustoma has successfully bloomed for the first time in Odisha, through CSIR–National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) efforts.

About Eustoma (Eustoma grandiflorum)

• Introduction: Eustoma, commonly known as Lisianthus, is an exotic ornamental flower valued for its long-lasting freshness and aesthetic appeal.
• Native Region: Mexico, the southern United States, and parts of Central and South America.
• Climatic Conditions: It thrives in warm temperate to subtropical climates.
• Uses: Popular in the global cut-flower trade, wedding decor, and floral arrangements, it is considered a potential replacement for roses due to its longer shelf life.
• Economic Potential: Eustoma can be harvested twice a year, offering farmers profits of up to ₹2 lakh per acre per season, thus ensuring lucrative income opportunities.

National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Abhiyan 2025

Context: Recently the Union Agriculture Minister inaugurated the National Agriculture Conference – Rabi Abhiyan 2025 in Delhi.

Key Highlights of the conference

• Theme : “One Nation – One Agriculture – One Team.”
• Production Achievements: Foodgrain output in 2024–25 is  353.96 million tonnes, a 6.5% rise over the previous year.
  • Record harvests achieved in rice, wheat, maize, groundnut, and soybean.
• Production Target: Foodgrain target for 2025–26 is 362.50 million tonnes.
  • Special emphasis on pulses and oilseeds productivity through State/UT-specific roadmaps.

About Crop season

• Rabi Crops: Sown in winter (Oct–Dec), harvested in spring (Apr–Jun)
  • Examples: wheat, barley, mustard, gram, peas.
• Kharif Crops: Sown in monsoon (Jun–Jul), harvested in autumn (Sep–Oct).
  • Examples: rice, maize, millet, groundnut, cotton, soybean.
• Zaid Crops: Sown between Rabi and Kharif (March–June, during summer) and harvested during early summer to onset of monsoon (April–July)
  • Examples: Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, fodder crops, pumpkin, etc

Port of Hodeidah

Context: Recently, Israel struck Yemen’s Red Sea port of Hodeidah.

About Port of Hodeidah

• Location: Hodeidah is a city in western Yemen, located on the Tihamah coastal plain bordering the Red Sea.
  • It is one of Yemen’s chief seaports.
• The port is critical for Yemen’s trade, handling most imports and exports despite ongoing conflict.
• Strategic Importance: Control of Hodeidah port is crucial as it influences humanitarian aid flow, trade access, and regional security in the Red Sea.

Sex Sorted Semen Facility

Context: Recently, the PM of India inaugurated a ₹10-crore Sex Sorted Semen Facility at Purnea, Bihar.

About Semen Sex-Sorting Facility

• The facility has been established under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, implemented by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• It will use the indigenously developed technology ‘Gausort’ 
• Objectives
  • To provide farmers with sex-sorted semen at reasonable rates.
  • To support small, marginal farmers and landless labourers engaged in dairying in Eastern and North-Eastern States.
  • To enhance dairy productivity and increase farmers’ income through better livestock management.
• Capacity: 5 lakh doses annually.
  • It is part of the larger Purnea semen station, established with ₹84.27 crore, producing 50 lakh doses per year.

About Gausort Technology

• Introduction: It is an indigenously developed sex-sorting technology, aligned with the vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• Launch: 5th October 2024.
• Application: Used in sex sorting of semen, enabling the production of female calves with high accuracy.
• Efficacy: The technology achieves about 90% accuracy in ensuring female calf births.
  • This helps reduce the economic burden on dairy farmers by minimizing unproductive male calves.

Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR 25)

Context: Recently, INS Nistar arrived at Changi Naval Base, Singapore to participate in the multinational Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR 25).

About Exercise Pacific Reach 2025

• Pacific Reach is a biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise, bringing together naval forces to enhance cooperation in submarine emergency operations.
  • The 2025 edition is hosted by Singapore.
• Location: South China Sea, a strategically vital maritime region.
• Participation: More than 40 nations are participating either as active members or observers.
  • India is participating through INS Nistar and the Submarine Rescue Unit (East).
• Phases of the Exercise: It will conduct in two phases, Harbour Phase (week-long): In-depth discussions and Knowledge exchange; 
  • Sea Phase: Direct engagement of INS Nistar and Indian Submarine Rescue Unit with participating assets.

U.N. Human Rights Council

Context: India defended Qatar’s sovereignty at the U.N. Human Rights Council.

• On September 9, 2025, Israeli airstrikes in Doha, Qatar killed several and escalated tensions, prompting international condemnation.

About UNHRC

• The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is an inter-governmental body under the UN General Assembly.
• Establishment:  2006, replacing the UN Commission on Human Rights.
• Headquarter:  Geneva, Switzerland.
• Membership: It comprises 47 member states, elected by the UN General Assembly for staggered three-year terms.
  • Members are distributed across regions to ensure fair geographical representation
• Role
  • Promotes and protects human rights globally.
  • Addresses human rights violations and makes recommendations.
  • Provides a platform for states to raise international crises affecting human rights and sovereignty.

India’s Stance on the attack

• Statement at UNHRC: India’s Permanent Representative condemned the violation of Qatar’s sovereignty at the UNHRC.
• Global Threat : India expressed “deep concern” over the security impact of the Israeli bombing in Doha and called it a threat to regional and global stability.
• Rule based resolution: India reiterated its belief that disputes must be resolved through dialogue, diplomacy, and respect for sovereignty under the UN Charter and international law.

Broader Implications

• Strategic Balancing in West Asia: India carefully maintains relations with Qatar, Arab states, and Israel, reinforcing its role as a neutral actor promoting stability and diplomacy in the region.
• Support for Sovereignty and Peace: By condemning violations of sovereignty, India aligns with the Arab-Islamic bloc and enhances its credibility as a defender of peaceful dispute resolution.

Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan

Context: Recently, the Prime Minister launched the nationwide Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan

About Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan

• This is India’s largest-ever women and child health mobilisation campaign, integrating health, nutrition, and wellness services nationwide.
• AIM: To provide preventive, promotive, and curative healthcare for women, adolescent girls, and children, while addressing malnutrition and lifestyle-related diseases. 
• Ministries Involved: The programme is jointly led by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD). 
  • Ministries of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Education, Youth Affairs, Tribal Affairs, Defence, Railways, Labour, and others will ensure a whole-of-government convergence.
• Target and Coverage
  • It aims to organise over one lakh health camps across the country between 17th September and 2nd October 2025. 
  • Daily health camps will be held in Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, CHCs, district hospitals, and government health facilities.
  • The campaign will reach grassroots through ASHAs, ANMs, Anganwadi workers, SHGs, PRIs, MY Bharat volunteers, and youth groups.
• Key Health Services: Screening and Early Detection; Maternal and Child Health; Awareness Drives; Specialist Services; AYUSH Integration; Community Mobilisation, etc

PM MITRA Park Scheme

Context: The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the country’s largest PM Mitra Park in the village of Bhainsla in the district in Madhya Pradesh.

About PM Mitra Scheme

• Ministry: Launched by the Ministry of Textiles in 2021.
• Vision: Inspired by the 5F formula i.e. Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, aiming to cover the entire textile value chain.
• Aim: To establish integrated, large-scale, modern industrial parks with world-class infrastructure, reducing logistics costs and boosting competitiveness.
• Time Period: 2021–22 to 2027–28 (six-year duration).
• Implementation Agency: A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly owned by the Centre and respective State Governments.
• Eligibility & Selection Criteria:
  • States must provide contiguous, encumbrance-free land of at least 1,000 acres.
  • Alignment with State textile and industrial policies.
  • Ability to attract investment and ensure policy stability.
• Park Types: Can be developed as Greenfield (new projects) or Brownfield (upgradation of existing facilities).
• Expected Outcomes:
  • Creation of world-class textile hubs.
  • Integration of supply chains.
  • Attract FDI & private investment.
  • Generate large-scale employment in textiles and allied industries.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)

Context: The Central Government transfers financial assistance to over 15 lakh women under the PM Matru Vandana Yojana.

About PM Matru Vandana Yojana

• Launch: In action since 2017.
• Implementing Agency: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD).
• Aim: To Improve maternal health and nutrition, Provide financial assistance for wage loss during pregnancy and lactation and Promote institutional care for childbirth and child immunization.
  • Under this programme, funds will be transferred directly into the bank accounts of eligible women across the country with a single click.
• Beneficiaries: Pregnant and lactating mothers for their first live birth and for the birth of the second child, if the second child is a girl. 
  • Excludes: Women employed in the government sector (Already availing maternity benefits).
• Cash Incentive: ₹5,000 provided in three installments, subject to conditions:
  1. First Installment: On registration of pregnancy.
  2. Second Installment: After at least one antenatal check-up.
  3. Third Installment: Post verification of child’s birth and first immunization.
• A sum of Rs 6,000 is provided for the birth of the second child, if the second child is a girl.
• Funding Pattern: Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Importance: Helps reduce maternal mortality, Promotes child nutrition and timely immunization & Encourages use of institutional healthcare facilities.

Stablecoins

Context: Recently, the Bank of England proposed ownership limits on stablecoins citing risks to banking stability and lack of comprehensive crypto regulation.

About Stablecoins

• Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies pegged to stable assets.
• Types of Stablecoins :Fiat-backed (e.g., USD reserves); Commodity-backed (gold, silver, oil); Crypto-backed (collateralised by cryptocurrencies); Algorithmic (supply controlled by programmed rules), etc.
• Technology: Stored on digital ledgers( Blockchain Technology).
• Features: 
  • Value Stability: Backed by assets or governed by algorithms.
  • Flexibility: Enabling fast, low-cost, borderless transactions.
  • Investment: no need to convert into traditional currency.
  • Fast growing market: Standard Chartered estimates $2 trillion by 2028.
• Risks Identified by Regulators
  • Run Risk: Sudden withdrawals may destabilise markets (e.g., TerraUSD collapse, 2022).
  • Financial Stability: Could drain deposits from banks, impacting credit availability.
  • BIS Concerns: Issues of singleness (par value deviation), elasticity (limited supply expansion), and integrity (AML/KYC compliance gaps).
  • Money Laundering & Terror Financing: Cross-border free trading increases misuse risks.

Difference Between Stablecoins and Other Cryptocurrencies

• Volatility
  • Bitcoin/Ethereum: Subject to sharp price fluctuations.
  • Stablecoins: Value remains steady, pegged to an underlying asset.
• Purpose
  • Cryptocurrencies: Primarily speculative investment or decentralised finance asset.
  • Stablecoins: Function as a medium of exchange and store of value for faster settlement.

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