Weekly Roundup — Week 9 (Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2026)

A week dominated by technology milestones, energy breakthroughs, and defence indigenisation. Kerala’s renaming to Keralam kicked off a constitutional process. The Namo Bharat RRTS became India’s first complete rapid transit corridor. Waaree announced India’s largest battery gigafactory. Micron’s semiconductor clean room at Sanand — India’s first — began production. LCH Prachand and INS Anjadip highlighted defence indigenisation strides. India crossed 520 GW power capacity with the majority now from non-fossil fuels. The Congo peatlands carbon study raised fresh alarms on global warming. And Sulawesi rock art was dated to 67,800 years — the oldest in human history.

Economy & Development

Namo Bharat RRTS — India’s First Complete Rapid Transit Corridor

PM Modi inaugurated the complete 82 km Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor — India’s first fully operational RRTS line — connecting New Ashok Nagar, Delhi to Meerut South.

Key specifications:

• Total length: 82 km (17 stations)
• Design speed: 160 km/h; operating speed: 100–120 km/h
• Journey time: ~55 minutes (vs. 3–4 hours by road)
• Train: Namo Bharat — semi-high-speed, air-conditioned trainsets; manufactured by Alstom-BHEL (India)

Implementing body: NCRTC (National Capital Region Transport Corporation) — a Joint Venture of Government of India + UP + Delhi + Haryana + Rajasthan.

RRTS vs. Metro distinction:

• RRTS: Inter-city regional connectivity; fewer stops; higher speed (160 km/h vs. 80–90 km/h for Metro)
• Metro: Urban within-city connectivity; denser stop network; lower speed

Financing: World Bank (USD 500 million) + ADB (USD 1.03 billion) + JICA + NaBFID.

Two more RRTS corridors under construction: Delhi-Gurugram-SNB and Delhi-Panipat.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Economy: NCRTC structure; NaBFID (National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development, est. 2021); Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policy; NCR Planning; GatiShakti integration; India’s Urban Transport Mission; comparison with French RER.

Waaree Battery Gigafactory — 16 GWh Energy Storage Manufacturing

Waaree Energies (India’s largest solar PV module manufacturer) announced a Rs 8,175 crore battery energy storage gigafactory in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh — with 16 GWh annual production capacity for LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery cells.

Why LFP?

• Safer than NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) — no thermal runaway risk
• Longer cycle life (3,000–5,000 cycles vs. ~1,500 for NMC)
• Lower energy density but better for grid-scale storage and commercial EVs
• No cobalt dependence (cobalt is geopolitically vulnerable: ~70% from DRC)

India’s battery storage gap: India needs 200–300 GWh of grid-scale battery storage by 2030 to manage intermittency from 500 GW renewable target. Current domestic battery manufacturing capacity: negligible.

PLI for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC): Rs 18,100 crore scheme — Waaree gigafactory is likely to leverage ACC PLI incentives.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Economy + Environment: National Mission on Transformative Mobility; NITI Aayog battery swap policy; KABIL’s lithium mining (Argentina) → Waaree’s manufacturing → India’s battery self-sufficiency chain; FAME II subsidies; energy storage as a grid stability tool.

India Crosses 520 GW — Renewable Milestone

India’s total installed power capacity crossed 520 GW — with more than half now from non-fossil fuels — a landmark announced at the India Energy Transition Summit 2026 (FICCI, New Delhi).

Installed capacity breakdown (Feb 2026 estimates):

India’s renewable targets:

• 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030 (NDC commitment, updated at COP26)
• 50% of electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030
• India already ahead of schedule on installed capacity; storage and grid integration remain challenges

The storage gap: Solar and wind are intermittent; India needs 200–300 GWh of grid-scale storage by 2030 to balance the grid. Current grid storage: ~4 GWh (pumped hydro + batteries).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment + Economy: India’s NDC; INDC vs. NDC evolution; Panchamrit (at COP26: 500 GW RE, 50% non-fossil electricity, 1B tonne carbon reduction, carbon intensity -45%, Net Zero 2070); ISTS (Inter-State Transmission System) waiver for RE; Green Energy Corridors; Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO).

Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana — MP’s Price Deficiency Payment Model

Madhya Pradesh re-implemented the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana (Price Difference Payment Scheme) for FY 2025-26, extending coverage to mustard and urad — a farm income support model that sidesteps the logistical difficulties of physical MSP procurement.

How it works:

• If a farmer sells produce at the mandi (mandated market) price below the MSP, the government pays the difference (the “bhavantar” — price gap) directly to the farmer’s bank account
• No government godown required; no procurement logistics; no risk of wastage

Advantages over physical MSP procurement:

• Physical procurement requires godowns, transportation, manpower, and creates government stockpile management burden
• Bhavantar pays only the gap — government outlay is targeted to those who actually need support
• Farmer retains flexibility to sell at market price + gets top-up

Limitations: Middlemen can manipulate mandi prices downward to increase the government’s liability; requires robust mandi price monitoring.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Agriculture: MSP architecture (CACP recommendations); PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanrakHan Abhiyan) — umbrella scheme including Price Support Scheme (PSS) + Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS); Bhavantar = state-level PDPS implementation; eNAM (electronic National Agriculture Market); Farmer Income doubling target (Swaminathan committee formula: C2+50%).

Science & Technology

Amaravati Quantum Valley — NQM Takes Shape

Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh was confirmed as the location of India’s first Quantum Valley — a dedicated technology park anchored by an IBM Quantum System Two facility, with TCS as a development partner.

National Quantum Mission (NQM) — key facts:

• Approved: April 2023 by Cabinet; Rs 6,003 crore; 2023–31
• Led by: Department of Science and Technology (DST)
• Lead institutions: IISc Bengaluru + TIFR Mumbai

Targets:

IBM Quantum System Two: IBM’s latest quantum hardware system — superconducting qubits in a modular architecture allowing scaling to thousands of physical qubits. India’s access comes through India-US iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies, 2023).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / S&T: Quantum supremacy vs. quantum advantage distinction; qubit (quantum bit) — superposition + entanglement; QKD (Quantum Key Distribution) — unhackable communication using quantum physics; post-quantum cryptography; India-US iCET framework; Amaravati’s significance (Andhra Pradesh greenfield capital).

Micron ATMP Sanand — India’s First Semiconductor Clean Room

Micron Technology (US-based memory chip giant) inaugurated India’s first advanced semiconductor ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging) facility at Sanand, Gujarat — housing the world’s largest single semiconductor assembly clean room and delivering its first DRAM module to Dell Technologies.

Why this matters:

• First time a major US semiconductor company manufactures in India
• India Semiconductor Mission 1.0 (Rs 76,000 crore) provided 50% fiscal support to Micron
• ATMP ≠ Fab (fabrication): Micron packages memory chips made in Taiwan/Japan; India handles the packaging, testing, labelling

DRAM packaging: DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is the most widely used computer memory. Micron’s Sanand unit packages DRAM modules for laptops, servers, and data centres — increasingly a strategic product given China-Taiwan-US technology tensions.

Semiconductor supply chain:

• Design (India: Arm-based design companies, Qualcomm India R&D) → Fab (TSMC/Samsung/Intel) → ATMP (Micron Sanand, CG Power Sanand) → Packaging → OEM (Dell, HP, Apple)
• India currently in ATMP phase; Tata Electronics Dholera will be India’s first Fab (2028+ target)

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / S&T + Economy: ISM 1.0 (Rs 76,000 crore; 50% government support); ATMP vs. Fab distinction; Semiconductor = strategic product (US CHIPS Act implications); India Design-Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme for chip design; EV + defence + telecom convergence demand for chips; India joining CHIP4 alliance discussions.

Lenacapavir — Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection

Zimbabwe became one of the first countries to begin a nationwide rollout of Lenacapavir (Yeztugo) — the world’s first twice-yearly injectable PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) for HIV prevention, developed by Gilead Sciences.

Clinical evidence:

• PURPOSE 1 trial (Sub-Saharan African young women): ~99.9% reduction in HIV acquisition — near-complete protection
• PURPOSE 2 trial (broader population): ~96.4% reduction

How it works: Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor — blocks HIV’s capsid protein (the shell surrounding its genetic material), preventing the virus from entering and replicating in human cells. Administered as 2 injections every 6 months.

Why twice-yearly matters: Daily oral PrEP (Tenofovir/Emtricitabine) has high efficacy but requires strict daily adherence — a major challenge in high-burden settings. Twice-yearly injection removes adherence barriers.

India’s role:

• Gilead licensed generic production to Cipla, Aurobindo, Hetero (Indian generic manufacturers) for low/middle-income country supply
• India = world’s largest HIV treatment provider under National AIDS Control Programme (NACP); Lenacapavir access will be critical

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / Social Issues + Health: TRIPS flexibilities (compulsory licensing); Doha Declaration 2001 (public health flexibilities in TRIPS); India’s Section 3(d) patent law (Novartis case 2013); NACP; UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets; AIDS Healthcare Foundation India work; PM TB Free India Mission (TB-HIV co-infection).

TKDL and India-Brazil Biopiracy Deal

India’s CSIR (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) and Brazil’s INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property) signed a cooperation arrangement on the TKDL (Traditional Knowledge Digital Library) — enabling Brazilian patent examiners to access India’s database as prior art to prevent biopiracy.

What is TKDL?

• India’s database of traditional knowledge — primarily from Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga — catalogued in 5 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese) for use by global patent offices
• Contains 3.68 lakh formulations/practices from ancient Sanskrit/Arabic texts
• Launched: 2001 by CSIR + Department of AYUSH

Biopiracy examples TKDL has countered:

• Turmeric wound-healing patent (US, 1995) → India challenged + revoked
• Neem biopesticide patent (EPO, 1995) → revoked after India’s challenge
• Basmati rice patent (US, 1997 — RiceTec) → partially revoked

TKDL’s legal basis: TKDL acts as prior art — if a traditional practice is documented, it proves the invention isn’t “novel” (a requirement for patentability), allowing patent offices to reject biopiracy applications.

India-Brazil significance: Brazil is a megadiverse nation (Amazon) — TKDL-INPI cooperation strengthens South-South knowledge protection. Both nations champion the Nagoya Protocol (2010) on Access and Benefit Sharing under the CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity).

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / S&T + IR: TRIPS Agreement (WTO); CBD (Convention on Biological Diversity, 1992 Rio Earth Summit); Nagoya Protocol (2010, entered force 2014); India’s Biological Diversity Act 2002; India’s National Biodiversity Authority (NBA); ABS (Access and Benefit Sharing) mechanism.

Defence & Security

Prahaar — India’s First Counter-Terrorism Policy Framework

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released “Prahaar” — India’s first comprehensive counter-terrorism policy framework — addressing threats across land, air, maritime, cyber, and CBRN domains.

Key pillars of Prahaar:

1. Prevention: Intelligence fusion (NIA + IB + RAW + state police); financial intelligence (FIU-IND); social media monitoring
2. Response: National Security Guard (NSG) deployment doctrine; NDRF-police coordination; hostage situations
3. Drone threats: Counter-drone (C-UAS) systems at critical infrastructure; anti-drone R&D fund
4. Cyber terrorism: Critical infrastructure protection (power grids, banking, defence); CERT-In escalation protocols
5. CBRN preparedness: Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear threat response doctrine
6. Digital financing: Hawala, cryptocurrency, shell companies used to finance terror — FIU-IND mandate enhanced

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Security: NIA (National Investigation Agency, est. 2008 post-26/11); UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967); MHA’s internal security mandate; NSG’s counter-terrorism role (Black Cat Commandos); India’s global commitment (FATF member — combating terror financing); UN Security Council 1267 Sanctions Committee.

LCH Prachand — World’s Only High-Altitude Attack Helicopter

The LCH (Light Combat Helicopter) Prachand — HAL-developed, inducted into the Indian Air Force and Army in 2023 — came into focus as India expanded procurement following its superior performance in Ladakh operations.

LCH Prachand specifications:

• Developer: HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited), Bengaluru
• Role: Attack helicopter for high-altitude operations
• Operating altitude: up to 4,000–5,000 metres — the only attack helicopter in the world designed for sustained combat at these altitudes
• Armament: 20mm turret gun, air-to-air missiles (Mistral 2), anti-tank guided missiles (Helina/Dhruvastra), rockets
• Weight advantage: Twin-engine design optimised for high-altitude thin air (reduced lift efficiency)

Strategic significance: The 2020 Galwan Valley standoff with China revealed India’s gap in high-altitude attack capability — Chinese Z-10 helicopters operate in Tibet. LCH Prachand directly fills this gap.

Comparison: US AH-64 Apache cannot sustain operations above ~3,000 m effectively. LCH Prachand’s design is unique globally for high-altitude performance.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Security: HAL’s helicopter portfolio (Dhruv ALH → LCH Prachand → IMRH → multi-role); Helina (Helicopter-launched NAG) anti-tank missile; Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence; India-China LAC standoff locations (Galwan, Depsang, Demchok); High-altitude warfare doctrine.

INS Anjadip — 4th Indigenous ASW Shallow Water Craft

INS Anjadip, the 4th vessel of India’s ASW-SWC (Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft) programme, was commissioned at Chennai Port by CNS Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi.

ASW-SWC programme:

• 8 vessels planned; built by L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli, Chennai
• Designed for anti-submarine warfare in shallow coastal waters — hunting enemy submarines in India’s EEZ and near-shore zones
• Sensors: Bow-mounted sonar + towed array sonar; equipped with torpedoes and depth charges

Strategic context: China’s submarine fleet (70+ submarines) increasingly patrols the Indian Ocean — including the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Shallow-water ASW capability is critical for defending India’s 7,517 km coastline and offshore infrastructure.

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Security + Economy: India’s shipbuilding indigenisation; P75 submarines (Scorpene class); P75I (AIP submarines); Make in India defence; L&T’s role in naval shipbuilding; Indian Ocean submarine threat environment; India’s maritime doctrine.

Environment & Ecology

Congo Peatlands — Ancient Carbon Release

Research published in Nature Geoscience (ETH Zurich) found that lakes in the Democratic Republic of Congo — Lake Mai-Ndombe and Lake Tumba — are releasing carbon trapped for over 3,000 years from surrounding tropical peatlands — raising alarm about the Congo Basin as a potential carbon bomb under climate stress.

What are peatlands?

• Waterlogged terrestrial ecosystems where dead organic material (sphagnum moss, grasses, trees) accumulates faster than it decomposes
• Result: ancient carbon stored as dense, compressed organic matter (peat)
• The Congo Basin holds the world’s largest tropical peatland (~145,000 sq km) — storing ~30 billion tonnes of carbon (equivalent to ~3 years of global CO₂ emissions)

Why the lakes are releasing carbon:

• Climate warming + reduced rainfall → peatlands drying
• Drying peatlands oxidise → CO₂ and methane released
• Carbon stored for millennia is entering the atmosphere rapidly

Global implications:

• Tropical peatlands are not adequately represented in global climate models
• Congo peatland release could accelerate warming by an additional 0.5–1°C if not addressed
• REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) mechanism should prioritise Congo peatland conservation

UPSC Angle — GS-3 / Environment: REDD+; Paris Agreement 1.5°C target; methane as greenhouse gas (GWP 25× CO₂ over 100 years); carbon sink vs. carbon source dynamics; Congo Basin as the “second lung of the Earth” (Amazon = first); COP27 Glasgow-Sharm el-Sheikh Action Plan.

International Relations

CM-302 Anti-Ship Missile — China-Iran Deal and Gulf Security

Iran was finalising procurement of China’s CM-302 supersonic anti-ship cruise missile — raising alarms about the naval balance of power in the Persian Gulf, directly relevant to India’s energy security given India’s reliance on Gulf crude oil.

CM-302 specifications:

• Range: ~290 km; speed: Mach 3 (supersonic); terminal manoeuvre for evasion
• Sea-skimming flight profile: flies at wave-top level to avoid radar detection
• Primary threat to: US carrier battle groups, Saudi/UAE frigates, commercial tankers

India’s exposure:

• ~35–40% of India’s crude oil from GCC (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq); 40–45% more from Iran + Russia combined
• Any escalation shutting the Strait of Hormuz (at Iran’s doorstep) would cut ~20% of global oil trade
• 9 million Indians in Gulf; USD 40 billion annual remittances at risk

UPSC Angle — GS-2 / IR + GS-3 / Economy: Iran-China 25-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2021); China arms Iran as strategic counter to US; India-Iran Chabahar Port (India’s answer to Gwadar); Hormuz Strait (width ~56 km, navigable ~5 km each way); India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at ~9.5 days of consumption.

History, Art & Culture

Sulawesi Rock Art — World’s Oldest at 67,800 Years

A hand stencil in a limestone cave on Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia was dated to at least 67,800 years ago — making it the world’s oldest confirmed rock art, surpassing the previous record by over 16,000 years.

Dating method: Uranium-series (U-series) disequilibrium dating — measures the decay of uranium-234 into thorium-230 in calcium carbonate (flowstone) deposits overlying the artwork; provides minimum age of the art underneath.

What this means for human evolution:

• Previously, symbolic/abstract art was considered a marker of cognitive modernity (~40,000–50,000 years ago — Europe’s Chauvet Cave)
• Sulawesi’s 67,800-year-old art predates modern humans’ arrival in Europe
• Suggests symbolic thinking and artistic capability were present in humans who left Africa before the European migration — rewriting the “cognitive revolution” timeline

Indonesia’s Sulawesi cave art: The island has multiple cave sites with ancient figurative art — Sus celebensis (Sulawesi warty pig) paintings at ~45,500 years previously held the record for oldest figurative art. This hand stencil is even older and simpler.

India connection: Similar “cave art tradition” at Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (Madhya Pradesh) — UNESCO World Heritage Site with rock paintings from 30,000+ years ago; potentially older layers under study.

UPSC Angle — GS-1 / History + Art & Culture: Bhimbetka Rock Shelters (MP; UNESCO 2003; Mesolithic + later periods); Mesolithic vs. Palaeolithic rock art in India; Out of Africa migration theory; Homo sapiens migration timeline (2 waves: 60,000–70,000 years ago through Southeast Asia; 45,000 years ago to Europe); prehistoric art as evidence of symbolic cognition.

📌 Facts Corner — Week 9 Knowledgepedia (Feb 23 – Mar 1, 2026)

Namo Bharat RRTS:

• 82 km; 17 stations; Sahibabad, Delhi ↔ Meerut South; India’s first complete RRTS line
• Design speed: 160 km/h; journey time: ~55 min; NCRTC (GoI + UP + Delhi + Haryana + Rajasthan JV)
• Finance: World Bank USD 500M + ADB USD 1.03B + JICA; RRTS vs. Metro: inter-city vs. intra-city
• 2 more RRTS: Delhi-Gurugram-SNB + Delhi-Panipat (under construction)

India 520 GW Power:

• Solar: ~220 GW; Wind: ~85 GW; Hydro+biomass: ~60 GW; Nuclear: 8.2 GW; Non-fossil: ~373 GW (~72%)
• NDC target: 500 GW non-fossil by 2030 (on track); 50% electricity from non-fossil by 2030
• Storage gap: ~4 GWh current (pumped hydro + batteries) vs. 200–300 GWh needed by 2030
• Panchamrit (COP26): 500 GW RE; 50% non-fossil electricity; 1B tonne carbon reduction; -45% carbon intensity; Net Zero 2070

Waaree Battery Gigafactory:

• Rs 8,175 crore; 16 GWh; Anakapalli, AP; LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) cells
• LFP: safer (no thermal runaway), longer cycles (3,000–5,000), no cobalt; preferred for grid storage + commercial EVs
• PLI for ACC (Advanced Chemistry Cell): Rs 18,100 crore scheme

Kerala → Keralam:

• Union Cabinet approved renaming; constitutional route: Parliament amends First Schedule via simple majority (Art. 3)
• Article 3: Parliament may by law form a new state, alter boundaries, or rename; state legislature’s view must be obtained (but not binding on Parliament)
• Kerala Assembly 2023 resolution; “Keralam” = traditional Malayalam name

Prahaar Counter-Terrorism Framework:

• India’s first comprehensive CT policy framework; released by MHA
• 6 pillars: prevention, response, drones, cyber terrorism, CBRN, digital financing
• NIA: est. 2008 (post 26/11); headquartered New Delhi; handles terror cases across India
• FATF: India member since 2010; assessed as “Compliant/Largely Compliant” (2024 evaluation)

Amaravati Quantum Valley:

• IBM Quantum System Two + TCS; Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh
• NQM: April 2023; Rs 6,003 crore; DST lead; IISc + TIFR
• 50-qubit (2028); 1,000-qubit (2031); satellite QKD (2027); QKD = unhackable quantum communication

Micron ATMP Sanand:

• Sanand, Gujarat; ISM 1.0 (50% government support); world’s largest single semiconductor assembly clean room
• ATMP (Assembly, Testing, Marking, Packaging) ≠ Fab; Micron DRAM (memory chips) packaged for Dell/others
• Also at Sanand: CG Power ATMP (Renesas/STARS JV); Tata Electronics (Dholera) = India’s first fab (2028+)

LCH Prachand:

• Developer: HAL Bengaluru; inducted: 2023 (IAF + Army); only attack helicopter designed for 4,000–5,000 m ops
• Armament: 20mm gun, Mistral-2 (AAM), Helina/Dhruvastra (ATGM), rockets
• Context: fills gap revealed in 2020 LAC standoff; Chinese Z-10 operates in Tibet

INS Anjadip:

• 4th of 8 ASW-SWC vessels; L&T Kattupalli, Chennai; commissioned by CNS Adm. Dinesh K. Tripathi
• ASW = Anti-Submarine Warfare; shallow coastal water operations; bow sonar + towed array sonar + torpedoes

Lenacapavir:

• Gilead Sciences (US); brand: Yeztugo; twice-yearly injectable PrEP (6-month interval)
• ~99.9% effectiveness (PURPOSE 1); ~96.4% (PURPOSE 2); capsid inhibitor (blocks HIV replication)
• Gilead licensed to India’s Cipla, Aurobindo, Hetero for LMICs; Zimbabwe first nationwide rollout
• Daily oral PrEP: Tenofovir+Emtricitabine (Truvada); adherence challenge solved by injectable

TKDL:

• CSIR + DPIIT + Department of AYUSH; launched 2001; 3.68 lakh traditional formulations/practices
• 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese; used as prior art in patent offices
• Biopiracy wins: Turmeric (US, 1995), Neem (EPO, 1995), Basmati (US, 1997 — partial)
• India-Brazil: CSIR + INPI (Brazil’s patent office) cooperation; Nagoya Protocol + CBD framework

Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana:

• MP scheme (revived FY26); Price Difference Payment for mustard + urad
• Government pays MSP-market price gap directly to farmer’s bank; no physical procurement
• Under PM-AASHA umbrella: PSS (physical procurement) + PDPS (price deficiency) + PSF (Price Stabilisation Fund)

Congo Peatlands:

• Lake Mai-Ndombe + Lake Tumba, DRC; carbon from peatlands 3,000+ years old now releasing
• Congo Basin = world’s largest tropical peatland: ~145,000 sq km; ~30 billion tonnes stored carbon
• Method: lake sediment core + radiocarbon dating; study: ETH Zurich in Nature Geoscience
• REDD+ = mechanism to reduce deforestation + forest degradation emissions (under UNFCCC)

Sulawesi Rock Art:

• Muna Island, Sulawesi, Indonesia; hand stencil; ≥67,800 years old (uranium-series dating)
• Oldest confirmed rock art globally; oldest figurative art: Sus celebensis pig, Sulawesi ~45,500 years
• India analogue: Bhimbetka Rock Shelters, MP (UNESCO 2003; 30,000+ years; Mesolithic + Palaeolithic)

CM-302 Missile:

• China-Iran deal; CM-302: Mach 3, ~290 km range, sea-skimming; anti-ship
• Hormuz Strait: ~56 km wide; ~5 km navigable; ~20% global oil trade; India crude import exposure ~85%
• India SPR: ~5.33 MMT (~9.5 days); locations: Vishakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur

Other Relevant Facts:

• Seva Teertha (completed context from Week 8): replaces South Block built 1930; PM RAHAT = road accident victim compensation scheme
• NCRTC RRTS corridors: Delhi-Meerut (82 km, complete); Delhi-Gurugram-SNB (under construction); Delhi-Panipat (under construction)
• PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanrakHan Abhiyan): umbrella for PSS + PDPS + PSF; Bhavantar = state implementation of PDPS model

Sources: PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, DD News