{"id":164071,"date":"2025-05-01T19:02:16","date_gmt":"2025-05-01T13:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&p=164071"},"modified":"2025-05-01T19:02:16","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T13:32:16","slug":"news-in-shorts-01-may-2025","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/news-in-shorts-01-may-2025","title":{"rendered":"News in Shorts: 01 May 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>PM Chairs 46th PRAGATI Interaction<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Prime Minister <\/span><b>chaired a meeting of the 46th edition of PRAGATI<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, an ICT-based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving Centre and State governments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the <\/span><b>ICT-based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> involving Centre and State governments.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a <\/span><b>three-tier system<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (PMO, Union Government Secretaries, and Chief Secretaries of the States).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The system has been designed in-house by the PMO team with the help of <\/span><b>National Informatics Center (NIC).\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also a robust system for bringing e-transparency and e-accountability with real-time presence and exchange among the key stakeholders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Significance:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Enables cooperative federalism:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It brings on one stage the Secretaries of Government of India and the Chief Secretaries of the States.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Promotes e- Governance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is a robust system for bringing e-transparency and e-accountability with real-time presence and exchange among the key stakeholders.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal Project<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Punjab and Haryana are in conflict over the release of water from<\/span><b> Bhakra and Pong dams<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, managed by <\/span><b>Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB).<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal project<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) is a 214-km long canal.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This canal links the<\/span><b> Sutlej River in Punjab<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to the<\/span><b> Yamuna River in Haryana.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It creates a pathway to divert water from<\/span><b> Ravi and Beas (through the Sutlej) towards Haryana.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Significance of the canal<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Resolves Disputes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aims to settle the long-standing water conflict between the two states.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Supports Agriculture: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provides water for irrigation, boosting crop production.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Promotes Development:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Reliable water access helps in economic and industrial growth.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Background of the SYL Canal Project<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>1966 &#8211; Creation of Haryana: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The division of Punjab created Haryana, raising concerns about its share of river waters.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To provide Haryana access to Ravi-Beas waters, the <\/span><b>Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal was planned.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>1982<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Project was inaugurated by <\/span><b>Prime Minister Indira Gandhi<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><b>Kapoori village<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Patiala.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>National Security Advisory Board<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alok Joshi, former chief of RAW, has been appointed as the Chairman of the N<\/span><b>ational Security Advisory Board (NSAB).<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>What is the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB)?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>N<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SAB is an advisory body that provides inputs to th<\/span><b>e National Security Council Secretariat.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>I<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">t was first conceptualised by India&#8217;s first <\/span><b>National Security Advisor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><b>NSA), Brajesh Mishra.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Composition:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Includes experts from diverse fields such as diplomacy, military, internal security, science, technology, and econ<\/span><b>omics.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Non-Statutory Nature: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has <\/span><b>no statutory or constitutional status.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its recommendations are not<\/span><b> binding but carry significant weight in policymaking.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Established in 1998: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was created as part of India&#8217;s efforts to institutionalize th<\/span><b>e process of national security policymaking.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Historical signficance:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) played a crucial role in draf<\/span><b>ting India&#8217;s nuclear doctrine in 1999<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Functions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focuses on internal and external security, border management, maritime security, and strategic indu<\/span><b>stries.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>New members who have been elected: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The revamped seven-member board in<\/span><b>cludes retired officers from armed forces and civil services:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Air Marshal PM Sinha (former Western Air Commander)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lt General AK Singh (former Southern Army Commander)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rear Admiral Monty Khanna (from Navy)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rajiv Ranjan <\/span><b>V<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">erma and Manmohan Singh (retired IPS officers)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B. Venkatesh Varma (former IFS officer)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Syria\u2019s Alawites<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After <\/span><b>President Ahmed al-Sharaa&#8217;s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> rise to power, security forces have forcibly evicted hundreds of <\/span><b>Alawites<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from their private homes in Damascus, Syria.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Alawites<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Alawites <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are a <\/span><b>religious minority in Syria<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, constituting about <\/span><b>12%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the population.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are an <\/span><b>offshoot of the Shiite sect of Islam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with distinctive beliefs and rituals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Geographic Distribution: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Historically, Alawites have been concentrated in Syria\u2019s coastal provinces,especially in <\/span><b>Latakia<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Tartus.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Presence Beyond Syria: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The community also extends <\/span><b>north into Turkey<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where some Arabic-speaking Alawites live.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Alawite Rise to Power: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Alawites <\/span><b>rose to power in 1970<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> when<\/span><b> Hafez al-Assad, an Alawite, seized control. Under his rule, and later his son Bashar\u2019s,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Alawites secured key military and government roles. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Successful Return of Shenzhou-19 Mission<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently<\/span><b> China&#8217;s Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and its <\/span><b>three astronauts<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> landed safely in <\/span><b>Dongfeng Landing Site <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in <\/span><b>northern China&#8217;s Inner Mongolia region.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Shenzhou-19 Mission<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shenzhou 19 is the <\/span><b>spaceflight mission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under<\/span><b> China&#8217;s human spaceflight program.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was <\/span><b>docked with the Tiangong space station<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a long-duration mission.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During their 180-day mission, the Shenzhou-19 crew conducted 86 scientific experiments, notably exposing a <\/span><b>simulated lunar soil brick to space conditions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is an experiment crucial to <\/span><b>China&#8217;s goal of a crewed Moon landing by 2030<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and building a permanent lunar research station by 2035.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of Sugarcane<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Central Government has approved an increase in the <\/span><b>Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of sugarcane to <\/span><b>\u20b9355 per quintal <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for the <\/span><b>2025-26 sugar season.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About FRP<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Definition: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FRP is the minimum price that <\/span><b>sugar mills must pay to sugarcane farmers <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for their produce, fixed by the Central Government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Authority:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is determined by the <\/span><b>Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> based on recommendations from the<\/span><b> Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Purpose: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0To ensure a fair return to farmers while keeping the interests of the sugar industry in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Legal Backing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FRP is mandated under the<\/span><b> Sugarcane (Control) Order, 1966, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">issued under the <\/span><b>Essential Commodities Act (ECA), 1955.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Committee: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The FRP is based on the <\/span><b>Rangarajan Committee report<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on reorganizing the sugarcane industry.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>State Advisory Price (SAP):<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Some states fix a higher SAP than FRP, in such cases, sugar mills must pay the higher of the two.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP)<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CACP is an attached office of the <\/span><b>Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establishment: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Set up in <\/span><b>1965<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, originally named the<\/span><b> Agricultural Prices Commission; renamed CACP in 1985.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To recommend<\/span><b> Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Fair and Remunerative Prices (FRPs) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for various agricultural crops, ensuring farmers get a fair income.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Recommendations Not Binding:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The government may or may not accept CACP\u2019s recommendations in full.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>Context:\u00a0<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">April 30 of this year marks the <\/span><b>50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Ho Chi Minh City, which was formerly known as <\/span><b>Saigon.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>About Vietnam War<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Vietnam War (also known as the <\/span><b>Second Indochina War<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) was a long conflict that lasted from<\/span><b> 1955 to 1975.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Parties Involved: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It involved <\/span><b>North Vietnam and its communist allies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> fighting against <\/span><b>South Vietnam and its main ally, the United States.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Causes:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The war stemmed from the <\/span><b>Cold War-era conflict between communism and anti-communism.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>End of War:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Vietnam War ended on <\/span><b>April 30, 1975<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with the<\/span><b> Fall of Saigon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leading to the <\/span><b>surrender of South Vietnam.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vietnam was then unified under communist rule as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PM Chairs 46th PRAGATI Interaction Context: The Prime Minister chaired a meeting of the 46th edition of PRAGATI, an ICT-based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving Centre and State governments. About PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance And Timely Implementation) It is the ICT-based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving Centre and&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/news-in-shorts-01-may-2025\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">News in Shorts: 01 May 2025<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":164068,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[],"subject":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/164071"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164071"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/164071\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":164073,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/164071\/revisions\/164073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/164068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164071"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164071"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=164071"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=164071"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}