News In Short 03-02-2026

Gyan Bharatam

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

In News

• Over 7.5 lakh manuscripts have been digitized under Gyan Bharatam, of which 1.29 lakh manuscripts are accessible on the Gyan Bharatam Portal.

Gyan Bharatam

• It was announced during Union Budget 2025-26, is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Culture (MoC), Government of India.
• It is aimed at unearthing, safeguarding and preserving India’s vast manuscript heritage.  
• It is aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 and seeks to harmonize cultural preservation with human capital development, ensuring that India’s ancient wisdom continues to inspire generations to come.

Features 

• It  focuses on five verticals namely (i) Survey and Cataloguing (ii) Conservation and Capacity Building (iii) Technology and Digitization (iv) Linguistics and Translation (v) Research, Publication, and Outreach.
• It has been mandated to establish a nation-wide network of Cluster Centers (CCs) and Independent Centers (ICs) across the country. 

Source :PIB

National Integration Council

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• Recently, there was a demand for the revival of the National Integration Council during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha.

National Integration Council

• Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, convened the National Integration Conference in 1961.
• Objective: To promote national integration, communal harmony, and unity in diversity, and to address issues that threaten the country’s social cohesion.
• Composition: Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of States and UTs, Leaders of major political parties, Eminent public figures, thinkers, and representatives of civil society.
• Key Functions: 
  • Discusses and recommends measures to combat communalism, casteism, regionalism, separatism, and extremism.
  • Advises the government on policies to strengthen constitutional values, secularism, and social harmony.
  • Acts as a forum for consensus-building on sensitive national issues.
• Nature: It is an advisory body (not statutory, not constitutional).
  • Its recommendations are non-binding.
• Meetings: Not held regularly; convened as and when required depending on national circumstances.
  • The National Integration Council has not had a meeting since 2013.

Source: IE

Bharat-VISTAAR

Syllabus: GS2/Governance; GS3/Agriculture

Context

• The Union budget 2026-27 has proposed ‘Bharat-VISTAAR’ (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources).

About

• It is a multilingual AI tool that aims to provide information to farmers in their own language on crop planning, packages of practices and pests, weather forecasts, markets, scheme information, eligibility, application, and grievance.
• The first version of Bharat VISTAAR will be launched in Hindi and English and will gradually become capable of responding in regional languages.
• It shall integrate the AgriStack portals and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) package on agricultural practices with AI systems. 
• This will enhance farm productivity, will lead to better farmer decision making and reduce risk through customized advisory support for the farmer.
• The Finance Minister allocated Rs 150 crore for the Bharat-VISTAAR for the next financial year (2026-27).

Source: PIB

Celphos Poisoning

Syllabus: GS2/Health

In News

• Doctors at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, have reported a major breakthrough in treating aluminium phosphide (Celphos) poisoning.

Celphos (aluminium phosphide)

• It is a widely used but highly toxic fumigant pesticide for grain storage in agricultural countries, including India, where it is sold as Celphos or rice tablets.
• Celphos poisoning is common in agricultural countries like India, especially in rural areas, and carries a high fatality rate with symptoms varying by dose and time since ingestion. There is no specific antidote, so treatment relies on intensive monitoring and supportive care. While severe cases often involve multisystem and multi-organ failure, haematological complications are rare. 

Source :TH

Bond Yields

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• After the Union Budget 2026, which announced a record gross borrowing plan for FY27, yields on 10-year Government of India bonds rose sharply, touching a one-year high.

What is a Bond?

• A bond is a debt instrument issued by the government or companies to raise money.
• The issuer promises periodic interest payments (coupon) & repayment of principal at maturity
• In India, government bonds are issued by the Government of India and managed through the Reserve Bank of India.

What is Bond Yield?

• Bond yield is the effective return an investor earns on a bond.
• It reflects interest payments, bond price in the market & time to maturity.

Impacts of Higher Yields

• Depress market value of existing bonds with lower fixed coupons.
• Elevate corporate/government borrowing costs, potentially slowing capex and crowding out private investment.
• Signal market expectations of inflation/RBI rate hikes, affecting equity valuations and rupee stability.

Source: TH

GOBARdhan Scheme

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

In News

• The GOBARdhan scheme is contributing significantly to the rural economy by creating employment opportunities, increasing farmers’ income, developing a manure and bio-energy supply chain, and supporting rural infrastructure development.

Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) scheme 

• GOBAR-Dhan1 (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources- Dhan) was launched by the Government of India in April 2018 as a part of the Biodegradable Waste Management component under Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SMB-G).
• It aims  to positively impact village cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.
  • The main focus of GOBAR-Dhan is to keep villages clean, increase the income of rural households, and generate energy and organic manure from cattle waste.

Source :PIB

General Theory of Relativity

Syllabus: GS3/ Space

In News

• Recently, researchers reported that they had used loudest’ gravitational wave to conduct the most rigorous test of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity and the nature of black holes to date.

About General Theory of Relativity

• General Theory of Relativity (1915) was proposed by Albert Einstein, expanding his Special Theory of Relativity (1905).
• It explains gravity not as a force, but as the curvature of space-time caused by mass and energy.
• According to the theory, massive objects warp space and time, and the greater the mass, the stronger the curvature.
• Gravitational effects propagate at the speed of light, establishing gravity as a dynamic phenomenon, not instantaneous.

Source: TH