One State-One RRB

Context: The Finance Ministry has announced the consolidation of 15 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across 11 states under One State-One RRB.

About One State – One RRB Policy

•  A reform initiative of the Department of Financial Services aimed at consolidating RRBs within a state into a single entity.
• Legal Basis: The merger is done under Section 23A(1) of the RRB Act, 1976, in public interest.
• The consolidation aligns with recommendations from past committees
  • The Narasimham Committee (1975).
  • The Vyas Committee (2001). 
    • Narasimham Committee (1975  led to the creation of RRBs, and the Vyas Committee (2001)  advocated for mergers to improve efficiency

Key Points of the initiative

• Benefits: 
  • Better efficiency, cost rationalisation, and improving service delivery.

About RRBs

• RRBs are government-owned banks that operate at the regional level in different states of India.
• They are scheduled commercial banks and were established to provide basic banking services in rural areas.
• RRBs also have branches in urban areas.
• Current status: After the current 4th round of amalgamation, the total number of RRBs in India will reduce from 43 to 28.
• They are jointly owned by:
  • Central Government (50%)
  • Sponsored Bank (35%)
  • State Government (15%)
• Purpose of RRBs
  • Established under RRB Act, 1976.
  • Objective: To provide loans and banking services to small farmers, agricultural labourers, and rural artisans.
  • Focus: Strengthening financial inclusion in rural India.

India VIX’s

Context: India VIX jumped over 65% to 22.8, marking its highest single-day spike ever.

• This is the highest VIX level in 10 months, last seen around the 2024 General Elections in June.

What is India VIX?

• India VIX is the Volatility Index — also called the “fear gauge” — which shows the level of risk and uncertainty in the stock market.
• A high VIX means investors expect big price swings, usually due to negative news or uncertainty.
• it is based on the NIFTY 50 Index options prices
• India VIX typically has an inverse relationship with the NIFTY 50 Index. 
  • When NIFTY falls, VIX tends to rise as fear increases, and vice versa.

Reason Behind the Spike

• A sharp sell-off in Indian stock markets triggered the rise in fear:
  • Nifty fell over 5% during the day, later closing 3.24% lower.
• Global risk increased due to:
  • US President Donald Trump’s high tariffs
    China’s retaliatory trade actions
  • Concerns over a global slowdown and potential US recession.

Soyuz MS-27

Context: Recently the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft successfully docked to the International Space Station’s (ISS) Prichal module while orbiting above the Mediterranean coast of Africa.

About the Mission

• Launch Details: The spacecraft launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, carrying three crew members, NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky.
• Crew Integration with Expedition 72: Upon boarding the station, the new crew will join Expedition 72 members.
  • Expedition 72 includes NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers, Anne McClain, and Don Pettit, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, Kirill Peskov, and Ivan Vagner.
• Mission Duration: The newly arrived crew will spend approximately eight months aboard the ISS, contributing to ongoing scientific research and station operations, with a scheduled return to Earth in December.

Significance of the Mission

• Strengthening International Collaboration: This mission highlights continued collaboration between NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA, reinforcing global partnerships in space exploration.
• Advancing Research and Innovation: The crew’s extended stay will support a wide range of research activities in microgravity, aiding advancements in health, materials science, and space technologies.

Harmattan Wind

Context: From December to April, West Africa’s Harmattan winds from Sahara carry dust and microbes that cause respiratory infections and tuberculosis.

What is Harmattan?

• The Harmattan is a cool, dry wind that blows from the Sahara Desert across West Africa between December and April. 
• Its name comes from haramata, a word in the Ghanaian Fanti language. 
• While it’s known for carrying dust, it also transports microbes and parasites that can cause serious health problems.
• The Harmattan’s strength fluctuates with global weather patterns, such as the El-Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

Where Does It Come From?

• The Harmattan forms when high-pressure systems over the Sahara push dry air southward. 
• These winds move across hot and dry regions like the Sahel, making the air even drier. 
• It is part of a large-scale weather pattern involving the inter-tropical convergence zone, where dry northern winds meet moist southern winds.

Health and Environmental effects of Harmattan:

• The Harmattan’s dusty air poses health risks like respiratory issues, eye/skin irritations, and spreads diseases such as TB and meningitis.
• Environmentally, it erodes soil, dries water sources, reduces visibility, and lowers solar panel efficiency.

President of India Visits Portugal

Context: The President of India arrived in Lisbon on April 6, 2025, marking the first State Visit by an Indian President to Portugal in 27 years.

• President Murmu paid her respects at the Church of Santa Maria by laying a wreath at the tomb of Portugal’s national poet, Luís Vaz de Camões. 
• She also visited the iconic Monastery of Jerónimos.
  • It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a prime example of 16th-century Portuguese architecture.
• Both Presidents jointly launched a set of postage stamps to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Portugal. 
• These stamps highlight the vibrant cultural traditions of both nations, featuring:
  • Kalbeliya costume from Rajasthan, India
  • Viana do Castelo dress from Portugal

Small Hive Beetle

Context: A Small Hive Beetle threatening the honeybee industry globally has been recorded for the first time in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district.

• Discovery: The Beetle was recorded from a moderately large colony of European honeybees (Apis mellifera) in an apiary.

About The Small Hive Beetle

• The small hive beetle (SHB), is a beekeeping pest.
• Scientific Name: Aethina tumida
• Native: The Beetle was first described from sub-Saharan Africa in 1867
• Invasive Species: The beetle is an invasive species which has dispersed and created havoc across continents. 
  • In Asia, the beetle was recorded from the Philippines, South Korea, and China less than a decade ago.
  • The small hive beetle invades the colonies of Asian honeybees (Apis cerana), stingless bees, and bumble bees.
• The World Organisation of Animal Health has indicated small hive bee infestation as ‘disease notifiable’.

New mAadhaar App

Context: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will soon launch a new Aadhaar app as announced by the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology at the Aadhaar Samvaad event.

About the New mAadhaar app

• Facial Recognition Feature: The new app will allow users to simply scan a QR code and use their own phone to scan their face to verify their identity.
• It will allow users to avoid sharing a physical Aadhaar card or photocopy at hotels, airports and other places to be used as ID proof

About mAadhaar app

• mAadhaar app can be used anywhere anytime within India. 
• The mAadhaar profile is accepted as a valid ID proof 
• Key Features: 
  • Track Aadhaar Authentication History: The app allows users to track their Aadhaar authentication history.
  • Biometric Lock/Unlock: It provides the option to lock and unlock biometrics for enhanced security.
  • Download Aadhaar Card: Users can download their Aadhaar card directly from the app
  • Update Address: It enables users to update their Aadhaar-linked address seamlessly through the app.

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