Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

Context: The first batch of the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme was inaugurated by the Ministry of Ayush.

About The Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

• Aim: The mission aims to bring meaningful change to people’s lives and is designed to strengthen the spirit of service, or ‘Seva Bhav’, fostering a workforce that is more accountable.
  • It also aims to upskill individuals and broaden their perspectives.
• Launched By: This programme is launched and anchored by Capacity Building Commission
  • It is the initiative which is aimed at transforming the approach of Central Government employees towards public service.
• Methodology: The programme follows an interactive and engaging methodology, replacing conventional lecture-based training with structured discussions, teamwork, and problem-solving exercises.
• A key aspect of the programme is self-discovery and motivation, encouraging participants to draw inspiration from leadership stories and narratives.

Autopen

Context: US President Donald Trump has claimed that presidential pardons issued during Joe Biden’s tenure are invalid because they were signed using an autopen. 

What is an Autopen?

• An autopen is a mechanical device that replicates a person’s signature, often used for signing official documents. 
• US presidents have used autopens for decades, including for executive orders, military commissions, and even pardons.

Sansad Bhashini Initiative

Context: The Lok Sabha Secretariat and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed an MoU to develop the Sansad Bhashini initiative.

About the Sansad Bhashini initiative

• The Sansad Bhashini initiative is an initiative  by the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) 
• Objective: To use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve multilingual accessibility and streamline parliamentary operations.
  • Enhance access to parliamentary records and debates in multiple languages.
  • Utilize AI tools for real-time translation, transcription, and summarization.
  • Make parliamentary documents more accessible to MPs, researchers, and the public.
• Key Features of Sansad Bhashini
  • AI-Based Translation System
    • Converts parliamentary debates, committee meetings, and agenda files into multiple regional languages.
    • Makes documents more inclusive and accessible to all citizens.
  • AI-Powered Chatbot
    • Helps MPs and officials retrieve rules, documents, and procedural information quickly.
    • Improves over time based on user interactions.
  • Speech-to-Text Conversion
    • Converts spoken debates into written text with real-time transcription.
    • Supports multiple Indian languages and includes:
      • Background noise reduction for clarity.
      • Customizable vocabulary for better accuracy.
  • Real-Time Speech Translation
    • Provides instant translations of parliamentary discussions into various languages.
  • Automatic Summarization
    • Summarizes long debates to help in faster decision-making and better record-keeping.
• Impact of the Initiative
  • Modernizes parliamentary processes using AI.
  • Strengthens India’s digital governance and multilingual inclusivity.
  • Helps MPs, researchers, and citizens access parliamentary information more efficiently.

FireSat

Context: A Google-backed initiative aimed at using satellites to detect and prevent wildfires before they escalate, has set to reach its goal.

What is FireSat?

• FireSat is a satellite-based project aimed at detecting and preventing wildfires before they spread.
• The initiative is backed by Google and involves AI-powered satellites to track fires.
• It will eventually have 50 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) to monitor fires globally.
• First FireSat Satellite Launched
• • The first FireSat satellite was successfully placed in orbit on March 14, 2025.
  • It was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, as part of SpaceX’s mages and quick updates to help emergency responders.

How FireSat Will Help in Preventing Wildfires

• FireSat provides real-time tracking to detect wildfires early.
• It can monitor fire intensity and help authorities act before fires spread.
• High-resolution images and AI-powered analysis will make wildfire management more effective.

White Hydrogen

Context: France has discovered a huge reserve of 46 million tons of natural hydrogen beneath the soil of Folschviller in the Moselle region.

What is White Hydrogen?

• White hydrogen is a naturally occurring gas found in the Earth’s crust.
• Unlike gray, brown, blue, and green hydrogen, it does not require industrial production and emits zero carbon emissions.
• It is considered an environmentally friendly energy source.
• Why is This Discovery Important?
  • This reserve contains over half of the world’s annual gray hydrogen production but without carbon emissions.
  • It challenges the belief that hydrogen must be artificially produced, proving that natural hydrogen exists underground.
  • White hydrogen is cheaper than green hydrogen:
    • White hydrogen: Estimated cost $1 per kg
    • Green hydrogen: Estimated cost $6 per kg
• Potential Uses of White Hydrogen
  • Hydrogen is seen as the future of clean energy for industries such as:
    • Aviation
    • Shipping
    • Steel production
  • Unlike fossil fuels, hydrogen produces only water when burned, making it a sustainable energy source.
• Global Significance
  • White hydrogen deposits have been found in other parts of the world, including:
    • United States
    • Russia
    • Australia

VARUNA 2025

Context: The 23rd edition of the annual naval ‘Exercise VARUNA’ between India and France has commenced in the Arabian Sea.

About Exercise VARUNA

• Bilateral Naval Exercise started in 2001 between India and France.
• Objective: To enhance interoperability and operational synergy between the two navies.

VARUNA 2025

• Location: Arabian Sea.
• Participants:
  • Indian Navy: INS Vikrant: India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
  • French Navy: Rafale-M: French naval fighter jets.
• Key Highlights:
  • Advanced Air Defence Drills: Focus on air defence operations.
  • Mock Air-to-Air Combat: Between French Rafale-M and Indian MiG-29K fighter jets.
  • Multi-Domain Operations: Includes underwater, surface, and air drills.

Other Exercises with France

• EXERCISE SHAKTI: Army
• EXERCISE GARUDA: Air Force.

Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant (P2M)’ for the financial year 2024-25

About Bharat Interface for Money-Unified Payments Interface (BHIM-UPI)

• Developed by: the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI).
• It is an initiative to enable fast, secure, reliable cashless payments through the mobile phone.
• BHIM is based on Unified Payment Interface (UPI) to facilitate e-payments directly through banks.

Details of the Scheme

• Budget: The incentive scheme will be implemented at an estimated outlay of 1,500 crore, from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2025.
• Objective: Promotion of indigenous BHIM-UPI platform and to achieve the target of 20,000 crore total transaction volume in FY 2024-25.
• Small Merchants: Only the UPI (P2M) transactions up to 2,000/- for Small Merchants are covered under the scheme.
• Incentive Rate:  Incentives at the rate of 0.15% per transaction value will be provided for transactions up to Rs.2,000 
• Settlement of Claims: 80% of the admitted claim amount by the acquiring banks will be disbursed without any conditions.
• Reimbursement of Claims:  20% of the admitted claim amount for each quarter will be contingent upon fulfilment of the following conditions:
  • 10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the technical decline of the acquiring bank will be less than 0.75%
  • The remaining 10% of the admitted claim will be provided only when the system uptime of the acquiring bank will be greater than 99.5%.
• Advantages: 
  • Convenient, secure, faster cash flow, and enhanced access to credit through digital footprints.
  • Common citizens will benefit from seamless payment facilities with no additional charges.
  • UPI Penetration: To enable UPI penetration for small merchants at no additional cost  by encouraging them to accept UPI payment.
  • Less Cash Economy: Supports the Government’s vision of a less-cash economy through formalizing and accounting the transaction in digital form.
  • Efficiency Gain: 20% incentive is contingent upon banks maintaining high system uptime and low technical decline  ensuring round-the-clock availability of payment services to citizens.

Squad Alliance

Context: Amid rising tensions with China, the Philippines is keen on India’s involvement in a new informal security grouping named the “Squad.’’

About the Squad Alliance

• Participants: Philippines, United States, Japan, Australia (informal group, proposed to include India).
• Purpose: Primarily aimed at countering China’s territorial and maritime assertiveness in the South China Sea region.
• Activities Proposed: Military intelligence sharing, joint military drills, collaborative security operations.
• Status: Informal, still evolving, and not yet officially established.

DOWNLOAD PDF