News In Short 02-04-2026

Qdenga (TAK-003)

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• Qdenga, developed by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company, has received clearance from India’s Subject Expert Committee under the Drugs Controller General of India for individuals aged 4–60 years.

What is Qdenga (TAK-003)?

• TAK-003 is a live-attenuated, tetravalent dengue vaccine, containing weakened forms of all four dengue virus serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4) to stimulate immunity.
  • TAK-003 uses the DENV2 strain as the genomic backbone.
• The World Health Organization prequalified TAK-003 in 2024, recommending it for use in dengue-endemic areas.
• Uneven Serotype Protection:
  • High efficacy against DENV-2 and moderate against DENV-1.
  • Lower protection against DENV-3 and DENV-4, especially in dengue-naïve individuals.
  • Concern: India is witnessing a rise in DENV-3 prevalence.

India’s first indigenous dengue vaccine

• DengiAll is an indigenous, tetravalent, single-dose dengue vaccine candidate being developed by Panacea Biotec in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
• It is designed to fight all four serotypes and is currently in Phase III trials.

What is Dengue?

• Dengue is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.
  • DENV is an RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family with four serotypes (DENV-1 to 4). 
• Symptoms: High fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands, rash. 
• Transmission: The virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.
  • There is a possibility of maternal transmission of Dengue (from a pregnant mother to her baby), transmission via blood products, organ donation and transfusions.
• Prevention: There is no specific antiviral treatment for dengue, so prevention relies on controlling mosquito populations and raising public awareness. 
• The mosquitoes that spread dengue are active during the day. The best way of protection is to protect yourself from mosquito bites.

Source: TH

GLP-1 Therapy

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• Multiple variants of GLP-1 drugs have been recently introduced in the Indian market, and concerns have emerged regarding their on-demand availability.

About

• GLP-1 medication was approved by the United States’ Food & Drug Administration in 2005.
• GLP-1 drugs (glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) are medications developed to treat both type 2 diabetes and obesity by correcting hormonal imbalance.
  • They slow down the gastric emptying, increasing the feeling of fullness. 
  • This decreases patients’ appetites and thereby leads to their weight loss.

• To ensure ethical pharmaceutical practices in the supply chain of GLP-1, the Drug Controller General of India has intensified its regulatory surveillance against the drug’s unauthorised sale and promotion.
  • In India, the drug can be prescribed only by endocrinologists, internal medicine specialists and cardiologists.

Source: PIB

Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) Completed 10 Years

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• PMAY-G completes 10 years of implementation in 2026, marking a decade of India’s flagship rural housing mission.

What is PMAY-G?

• Aim: Provide “Housing for All” in rural areas — financial assistance to eligible rural households, including houseless families and those living in zero, one, or two-room kutcha houses, to construct pucca homes with basic amenities.
• Beneficiary Selection: Using housing deprivation parameters from the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC), 2011, verified by Gram Sabhas.
• Funding Pattern: 60:40 (Centre:State) in plain areas; 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan states.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD).
• Financial Assistance:
  • Minimum unit size of 25 sq. m.
  • ₹1.20 lakh in plain areas; ₹1.30 lakh in hilly/North-Eastern states.
  • Additional ₹12,000 for toilet construction via convergence with Swachh Bharat Mission.

Reforms in the Scheme

• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): Financial assistance released directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, eliminating middlemen.
• Geo-tagging: Time and date-stamped photographs uploaded at every construction stage for real-time monitoring.
• AI-driven monitoring: AI and Machine Learning tools for anomaly detection; Aadhaar face authentication (including eye-blink detection) to verify beneficiaries and prevent fraud. 
• Village-level Functionaries: Each sanctioned house is tagged to a local functionary who follows up with the beneficiary.
• Social Audits: Every Gram Panchayat conducts a formal social audit at least once a year.

Source: PIB

Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

In News

• The Lok Sabha passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026 with a voice vote.

What is the Jan Vishwas Bill?

• A legislative reform initiative that shifts India’s regulatory culture from a punitive, imprisonment-based model to a civil penalty and trust-based framework for minor, technical, and procedural offences. 
• It reflects the principle that citizens and businesses should not face criminal sanctions for minor non-compliance.

Key Provisions

• Decriminalisation:
  • Replaces imprisonment for minor, technical, or procedural defaults with civil and administrative enforcement mechanisms — monetary penalties or warnings.
  • Example: Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, imprisonment for sale of cosmetics in contravention of the Act is replaced with civil penalty.
• Adjudication Mechanism:
  • Provides for appointment of Adjudicating Officers and establishment of Appellate Authorities for speedy, time-bound enforcement — reducing litigation burden on courts while ensuring principles of natural justice.
• Graduated Response:
  • Warnings or advisories for first-time or second-time lapses before imposing fines — avoiding immediate criminalisation of minor infractions.
• Dynamic Monetary Penalties:
  • Fines and penalties shall be increased by 10% of the minimum amount after every 3 years — creating progressive deterrence while keeping penalties proportionate.
• Colonial-era Provisions Removed:
  • Outdated and irrelevant provisions — including those under laws like the Cattle Trespass Act, 1871 — have been omitted.

Source: PIB

RBI Tightens Forex Rules, Bans Non-deliverable Re Contracts

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed authorised dealer (AD) banks to discontinue offering non-deliverable derivative contracts involving the Indian rupee to both resident and non-resident users.

About

• Aim: Strengthening oversight in the foreign exchange derivatives market.
• It is seen as part of a broader effort to curb speculative activity and enhance transparency in currency markets as the rupee has come under pressure in the wake of the West Asia conflict.
• New Guidelines: 
  • Authorised dealers may continue to offer deliverable foreign exchange derivative contracts, provided these are strictly used to meet genuine hedging requirements of clients.
  • To ensure compliance, dealers have been granted the authority to request any necessary documentation or information from clients to verify the legitimacy and purpose of such transactions.
• The measures will bring greater discipline to the forex derivatives segment, ensuring that they are used for risk management rather than speculative purposes. 

Forex Derivatives

• Forex Derivatives (Foreign Exchange Derivatives) are financial contracts whose value is derived from the exchange rate of one currency against another.
  • They are mainly used to hedge risk, speculate, or arbitrage in foreign exchange markets.
• Specific foreign exchange derivatives include: foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency futures, foreign currency swaps, currency options, and foreign exchange binary options. 
• These instruments are called derivatives because their value is derived from an underlying asset, a foreign currency. 

Source: IE

Ammonium Nitrate

Syllabus: GS3/ S&T

In Context

• Bharat Coal Gasification and Chemicals Ltd. and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd. recently signed an agreement for a Coal to Ammonium Nitrate Project.

What is Ammonium Nitrate?

• A white, crystalline, water-soluble solid, not found in nature; synthetically produced by reacting ammonia with nitric acid.
• It is hygroscopic in nature and under high heat, it decomposes explosively, releasing nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
  • Example: 2015 Tianjin (China) explosion and 2020 Beirut port explosion.
• One of the world’s most widely used chemicals serving dual roles as a fertiliser and an industrial explosive.
• It is listed as a hazardous chemical under Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989.

Source: PIB

E-3 Sentry AWACS

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• Iran’s missile and drone strike on Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base has reportedly destroyed a US E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft.

About E-3 Sentry (AWACS)

• The E-3 Sentry is an airborne early warning and control aircraft developed by Boeing for advanced surveillance and battle management.
• The aircraft is commonly known as AWACS, which stands for Airborne Warning and Control System.
• It is equipped with a distinctive rotating radar dome mounted above its fuselage that enables long-range detection and tracking of aerial targets.

Airborne Warning and Control System in India

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates three Israeli-origin Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) mounted on Russian Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft.
  • These systems, known as “eyes in the sky,” provide 360-degree radar coverage, with capabilities to detect aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones at ranges of 370–500 km.
• The NETRA Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system is an indigenous, multi-sensor platform developed by DRDO, primarily designed for aerial surveillance, target identification, and command-and-control capabilities.
  • It is based on the Brazilian Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft.

Source: HT

Rice’s Whale

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• The US expansion of oil and gas drilling could push the Rice Whale to extinction.

Rice’s Whale (Balaenoptera ricei)

• Belonging to the baleen whale family Balaenopteridae, it is one of the rarest whale species, with fewer than 100 individuals remaining.
• Range and Habitat: It is endemic to the northern Gulf of Mexico and lives year‑round within this region without undertaking long migrations.
• Diet: Primarily feeds on small fish and squid.
• Threat: Oil drilling, vessel strikes, and climate change.
• Conservation status: It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

Do you know?

• The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was established in 1946 as the global body responsible for management of whaling and conservation of whales. 
• Currently, the IWC has more than 80 member countries, including India.

Source: TH