PM-JAY Award

Context: Chhattisgarh was awarded as the best performing state under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) for effective implementation at the National Health Authority (NHA)..

About the PM-JAY Award

The award recognises states demonstrating exemplary implementation of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), ensuring efficiency, accountability, and high participation of empanelled hospitals.

Criteria for the recognition

• Hospital Participation: Chhattisgarh has 97% of empanelled hospitals active, the highest in India (national average ~52%).
• Claim Processing Efficiency: Near-zero pendency, with claim approval time reduced to 7–10 days.
• Fraud Detection & Compliance: Over 32,000 field audits conducted, disciplinary action taken against non-compliant hospitals (45 out of 52 inspected).
  • Nearly 75% reduction in suspect claims.
• Transparency & Trust: Demonstrates confidence of hospitals and beneficiaries in the scheme’s functioning.

About PM-JAY

• Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) is a flagship health insurance scheme providing financial protection to vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary healthcare.
• Launch: The scheme was launched in 2018 under the Ayushman Bharat Mission to ensure universal health coverage in India.
• Nodal Ministry: The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare through the National Health Authority (NHA).
• Key Features:
• • Covers hospitalisation expenses up to ₹5 lakh per family per year.
  • Offers cashless treatment at empanelled public and private hospitals.
  • Focuses on fraud prevention, claim verification, and timely disbursal of benefits.
  • Encourages reforms in state health departments for compliance and quality service delivery.

Prussian Blue Capsules

Context: India has gifted urgently required Prussian Blue Capsules to Indonesia to help mitigate the effects of Cesium-137 contamination.

About Cesium-137 Contamination

• Introduction: Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope produced during nuclear fission processes in reactors and nuclear weapon detonations, with a half-life of about 30 years.
• Sources and Environmental Presence: It can contaminate soil, water, and food chains after accidental releases or improper disposal of radioactive materials.
• Health Impacts: Exposure to Cesium-137 increases risks of radiation sickness, cancer, and organ damage.
  • It is readily absorbed by soft tissues, particularly muscles, and uniformly distributed throughout the body.
• Emergency: Rapid containment and medical countermeasures are vital to limit radioactive exposure and internal contamination in affected populations.

About Prussian Blue (Pru-Decorp) Capsules

• Prussian Blue is a dark blue pigment compound that also serves as an effective pharmaceutical agent in treating internal contamination by radioactive cesium and thallium.
• Mechanism of Action: It binds to radioactive particles in the intestines, preventing their absorption and promoting excretion through feces, thereby reducing radiation dose to internal organs.
• Applications and Global Recognition: The World Health Organization (WHO) lists Prussian Blue as an essential medicine for radiological emergencies, emphasizing its role in nuclear disaster preparedness.
• India’s Contribution: By supplying these capsules, India reinforces regional cooperation in nuclear safety and humanitarian health assistance through timely and targeted medical support.

Time Rondeau Crystal (TRC)

Context: An international research team has discovered a new phase of matter called the Time Rondeau Crystal (TRC), reported in Nature Physics.

What is Time Crystals ?

• A Time Crystal is a new phase of matter in which a system’s structure repeats in time, similar to how spatial crystals repeat in space.
• It represents spontaneous breaking of time-translation symmetry, meaning the system naturally oscillates at regular intervals without external energy input.
• Proposed: 2012 by Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek.
• Key Features:
  • Periodic motion in time even in a stable, ground-energy state.
  • No energy loss or input — oscillations are sustained naturally.
  • Robustness: Resistant to external disturbances or noise.

What is Time Rondeau Crystal (TRC) ? 

• A Time Rondeau Crystal is a newly proposed variant of time-based order (2024).
• Unlike a standard time crystal, which shows perfect repetition, a TRC displays order at specific intervals (refrains) and disorder in between.
• The name “Rondeau” is inspired by a musical structure, where a main theme recurs after varied interludes (A–B–A–C–A).
• Thus, TRCs exhibit partial or intermittent time order — a hybrid of periodicity and randomness.

IUCN Species Survival Commission

Context: Renowned Indian wildlife conservationist Vivek Menon has been elected as the Chair of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the 2025–2029 term.

• This election marks the  1st Asian Chair of IUCN Species Survival Commission

About IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)

• Overview: The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is one of six expert commissions under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) established in 1949.
• It is a science-based network of volunteer experts (over 10,500 globally) working on species conservation.
• It plays a central role in maintaining the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, guiding governments and organisations on biodiversity priorities.
• The SSC coordinates Specialist Groups focused on species-specific and ecosystem-based conservation efforts globally.

Governance Structure

• Leadership: Governed by a Steering Committee headed by Commission Chair
  • The Governance structure of SSC is reconstituted every four years.
  • The SSC also has provisions for Deputy Chair, regional vice-chairs, etc.
• Network of Groups:
  • Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities, Task Forces, Conservation Committees
  • These groups may be taxon-based (mammals, plants), region-based, or thematic (e.g. sustainable use)
• Centers for Species Survival (CSS): Partnerships between SSC Chair’s Office and leading organizations.

About Vivek Menon

• A leading wildlife conservationist, author, environmental commentator, and photographer, Menon has devoted over three decades to wildlife protection and habitat conservation.
• He is the Founder and CEO of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), which has pioneered numerous conservation initiatives over the past 26 years.
• Major Contributions:
• • Played a pivotal role in elephant conservation, identifying and securing critical elephant corridors across India.
  • Led anti-poaching and wildlife enforcement training in more than 50 countries.
  • Worked on species recovery, rescue, and rehabilitation programmes, particularly for endangered species in India and Asia.
  • Instrumental in global conservation policy discussions through CITES, UNESCO, and other international forums.

Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA)

Context: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has launched the Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA) to counter deepfakes and enhance Aadhaar authentication security.

About Scheme for Innovation and Technology Association with Aadhaar (SITAA)

• Introduction: SITAA is an innovation-driven initiative launched by UIDAI to strengthen India’s digital identity ecosystem by fostering collaboration among startups, academia, and industry partners.
• Nodal Ministry: The scheme operates under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) through UIDAI, with strategic partnerships from MeitY Startup Hub (MSH) and NASSCOM.
• Objective: Aims to safeguard Aadhaar authentication against deepfakes, spoofing, and presentation attacks.
• Key Features:
• • Focuses on advanced biometric technologies, AI-driven authentication, and data privacy.
  • Introduces three innovation challenges Face Liveness Detection, Presentation Attack Detection (PAD), and Contactless Fingerprint Authentication.
• MSH provides incubation, accelerator, and technical mentoring support, while NASSCOM facilitates industry linkages and global outreach.

World Heritage Outlook 4 Report

Context: IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook 4 report lists India’s Western Ghats, Manas National Park, and Sundarbans National Park under “significant concern” for natural heritage conservation.

About IUCN World Heritage Outlook

• The IUCN World Heritage Outlook is a global assessment evaluating the conservation status of natural World Heritage sites.
• Purpose: Provides actionable insights to strengthen conservation strategies and safeguard global natural heritage.
• Published by:  Prepared by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) every 3–4 years.
• Scope: Assesses 63 natural sites across Asia, categorizing them as Good, Good with Some Concerns, Significant Concern, or Critical.
• Key Findings (2025):
• • Sites under “Significant Concern” rose from 26% in 2020 to 30% in 2025.
  • Major pressures include climate change, tourism, and invasive species.

Key Highlights on India

• Sites of Significant Concern: Manas National Park (Assam) and Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal) are rated as “significant concern.”
  • Both are transboundary parks extending to Bhutan and Bangladesh, respectively.
  • The Western Ghats also face conservation challenges, losing 5% of evergreen forest cover.
• Sites with “Good with Some Concerns”: Four Indian sites fall under this category:
  • Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (Himachal Pradesh)
  • Kaziranga National Park (Assam)
  • Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan)
  • Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (Uttarakhand)
• Well-Protected Site: Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim is rated “good,” the only Indian site in this top category among 11 Asian sites.
• Emerging Threats: Climate change is the most prevalent threat to natural World Heritage sites in India, followed by tourism.
  • Other threats include invasive species, habitat clearance, road and infrastructure development, forest fires, hunting, and illegal logging.
• Management Effectiveness: Around half of India’s assessed sites have highly or mostly effective protection and management.
• Sites show declining “highly effective” protection from 5% (2020) to 3% (2025), while those with “some concern” increased by 6%.

Henley Passport Index 2025

Context: The Henley Passport Index 2025 has been released.

Top 10 Passport Rankings

• 1st Rank- Singapore: Offers visa-free access to 193 destinations.
• 2 – South Korea and 3 – Japan: Grant access to roughly 190 and 189 destinations, respectively.
• Various European countries, plus New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, occupy the remaining top 10 slots.
• UAE sees a rise, now at 8, with citizens enjoying visa-free access to 184 destinations.
• The United States has slipped to 12 (tied with Malaysia), offering access to 180 destinations.
• United Kingdom also falls to its lowest-ever position, seated at 8.
• China improved dramatically — from rank 94 (2015) to 64 (2025) — gaining visa-free access to 82 destinations

India’s Standing

• India is placed at 85th in the index, down from 80th in 2024.
• Visa-Free Access: Indian passport holders can now access 57 destinations visa-free or via visa-on-arrival.
• Historical Fluctuations:
• • Lowest ranking: 90 in 2021
  • Highest ranking: 71 in 2006

About Henley Passport Index (HPI)

• The Henley Passport Index (HPI) is a global ranking of countries based on the travel freedom their citizens enjoy.
• Launched by: Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm.
• It measures how many destinations a passport holder can enter without obtaining a visa prior to arrival.
• First Published: 2006.
• Data Source: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) database, which covers visa regulations of 199 countries and 227 destinations.

Methodology

• Each passport is scored based on the number of destinations its holders can access:
  • Visa-free entry (no visa required)
  • Visa-on-arrival or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
• The total number of such destinations equals the passport’s Henley Passport Score.
• Countries are then ranked accordingly — higher the score, stronger the passport.

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