News In Short-3-06-2025

Paraguay 

Syllabus: GS1/ Places in News

In News

• Paraguay President Santiago is on a state visit to India. 

About Paraguay

• It is a landlocked country in South America. 
• It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest.
• Geographically, the Tropic of Capricorn passes through Paraguay.
• Paraguay is a member of MERCOSUR, the South American trade bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. 
• India has a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with MERCOSUR, and Paraguay is keen to enhance trade, investment, and technology exchanges under this framework.

Source: TH

Telangana Formation Day

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance

Context

• Telangana Formation Day, also known as Telangana Statehood Day, is celebrated annually on June 2.

About

• Telangana, India’s youngest state, was officially formed on June 2, 2014, by bifurcating the northwestern part of Andhra Pradesh, following the enactment of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
• At the time of formation, it was agreed that Hyderabad would serve as the joint capital of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for a period of ten years, after which Andhra Pradesh would establish a new capital.
• The day is marked by cultural programs, official ceremonies, and public celebrations across Telangana.

Do you know?

• Article 3 of the Indian Constitution provides that Parliament may by law:
  • Form a new State by separation of territory from a State or by uniting two or more States or parts of States;
  • Increase the area of any State;
  • Diminish the area of any State;
  • Alter the boundaries of any State;
  • Alter the name of any State.

Source: IE

DHRUVA Initiative

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

Context

• The Department of Posts has released a comprehensive policy document titled DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address), aimed at establishing a national Digital Address Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

What is DHRUVA?

• About: DHRUVA is a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) project being developed by the Department of Posts (DoP) in India. Its primary goal is to provide a unique digital address for every home in India.
• Objectives: To establish address information management as a foundational public infrastructure.
  • To enable effective governance, inclusive service delivery, and enhanced user experience through accurate address sharing.

Structural Components of DHRUVA

• Digital Postal Index Number (DIGIPIN): A 10-digit alphanumeric code assigned to a 4×4 metre grid over India’s landmass using latitude-longitude coordinates.
  • Each DIGIPIN uniquely identifies a physical location, thus eliminating ambiguity and duplication in address data.
• Digital Address Layer: A user-centric and consent-based layer built over the DIGIPIN, allowing users to create custom labels for their address (e.g., “Home”, “Office”, “Warehouse”).
  • It integrates descriptive elements (landmarks, floor numbers, house names) while retaining precise geospatial tagging.

Source: PIB

Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

Syllabus: GS3/ Infrastructure

Context

• The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS, also known as NaMo Bharat, has become operational in its first phase, significantly enhancing semi-high-speed rail connectivity in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS)

• The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) is a semi-high-speed rail-based commuter transit system designed to improve regional mobility within NCR.
• It is implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC), a joint venture between:
  • Central Government, and
  • State Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

Key Features of RRTS

• Passenger Control Mode: The trains are equipped with a unique ‘passenger control mode’, allowing doors to open only when a button is pressed by passengers.
• Train Speed: 
  • Average speed: 80 km/h and 
  • Maximum speed: 160 km/h.

Significance of RRTS

• Decongests urban traffic by offering a fast alternative to road transport.
• Reduces travel time from Meerut to Delhi significantly — a major boost for daily commuters.
• Promotes regional development by improving intercity connectivity and accessibility.

Source: BL

BharatGen Launched

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

In News

• The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology launched ‘Bharat Gen’.

BharatGen

• It is India’s first government-funded multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) designed for 22 Indian languages.
• It integrates text, speech, and images to provide ethical, inclusive, and region-specific AI solutions.
• It is developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems and led by IIT Bombay’s TIH Foundation.
  • It is supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and brings together a robust consortium of leading academic institutions, experts, and innovators.
• It aims to revolutionize AI development across India’s linguistic and cultural spectrum. 

Importance 

• It has  potential to revolutionize healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance by enabling AI-powered solutions like telemedicine that allow doctors to communicate in patients’ native languages, enhancing healthcare access and trust in remote areas.

Source :PIB

Birch Glacier

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• A massive section of the Birch Glacier broke off, crashing down into the valley and partially destroying the village of Blatten.

About

• Birch Glacier is a mountain glacier situated in the Lötschental Valley, in the canton of Valais, northern Switzerland. 
• It lies near the alpine village of Blatten, a region known for its scenic beauty and glacial landscapes.

Source: BBC

Impact of Iron Aerosol on Ocean

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• Recent studies have highlighted the critical role of iron aerosols, largely originating from anthropogenic industrial emissions in East Asia, in influencing marine ecosystems.

Key Points of the Study

• During spring, strong westerly winds transport these airborne particles across the North Pacific, depositing iron into the surface ocean waters. 
• This anthropogenic contribution accounts for approximately 39% of surface ocean iron content during springtime, significantly boosting phytoplankton productivity, especially north of the Transition Zone Chlorophyll Front (TZCF) — the natural divide between nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor waters.
• The surge in iron availability stimulates phytoplankton blooms, which in turn accelerate nitrate consumption, pushing marine systems more rapidly toward nitrogen limitation. 
• This leads to faster depletion of nutrients and a consequent expansion of nutrient-poor zones, threatening marine biodiversity and productivity.
• The situation is worsened by climate change, as ocean warming and stratification reduce vertical nutrient mixing.

What are Planktons?

• Plankton are tiny organisms that drift in oceans, seas, and freshwater bodies. They are categorized into two main types:
  • Phytoplankton: These are microscopic plants, primarily algae, that perform photosynthesis and are crucial for producing oxygen and serving as the base of aquatic food webs.
  • Zooplankton: These are small animals or the larval stages of larger animals. They feed on phytoplankton and other zooplankton.
• They are important for nutrient cycling and serve as food for many marine species, including fish and whales.

Plankton Bloom

• A plankton bloom refers to a sudden increase in the population of plankton—both phytoplankton and zooplankton in aquatic ecosystems. 

Source: TH