News In Short-04-07-2025

India’s First Clinic for Transgender Persons Reopens in Hyderabad

Syllabus: GS1/Social Issues/GS2/Health

Context

• India’s first transgender clinic has been reopened in Hyderabad with aid from Tata Trusts.

About

• Launched in 2021, Mitr Clinic is also the first in India to be entirely staffed and managed by members of the trans community. 
• Services offered: 
  • General health services;
  • Counselling and clinical consultation on Hormone Replacement Therapy, Breast Augmentation, Gender Affirmation Procedures and Mental Health;
  • Treatment for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI);
  • Psychological support.
• As India’s first transgender-led clinic it ensures healthcare that is dignified, accessible, and community-driven.

Source: TH

Government to Initiate Removal Motion Against High Court Judge

Syllabus: GS2/ Polity and Governance

Context

• The Union Government is preparing to initiate the constitutional process for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court.

Mechanism for Removal of Judges

• The Constitution of India provides for the removal of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts under Article 124(4) and Article 217 on grounds of “proved misbehavior or incapacity.”
• Initiation of Motion: A motion for the removal of a judge must be introduced in either House of Parliament. To admit the motion;
  • A minimum of 100 Members of Parliament (MPs) is required in the Lok Sabha.
  • A minimum of 50 MPs is required in the Rajya Sabha.
• Admission of Motion: Once the required number of MPs support the motion, it is submitted to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha for admission.
• Constitution of Inquiry Committee: Upon admission, a three-member inquiry committee is formed under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, comprising:
  • The Chief Justice of India or a Supreme Court judge,
  • The Chief Justice of a High Court, and
  • A distinguished jurist.
• Investigation and Report: The committee investigates the charges and submits its report within three months (extension possible).
  • If the charges are not proved, the matter ends here.
• Parliamentary Voting: If the charges are proved, the motion is taken up in both Houses. It must be passed by a special majority:
  • A majority of the total membership, and
  • A majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
• Presidential Order: Once both Houses pass the motion, it is sent to the President of India, who then issues an order for the judge’s removal.

Source: TH

India Post Now India’s Largest Logistics Network

Syllabus: GS2/Governance/GS3/Economy

In News

• The Union Minister for Communications announced that India Post is undergoing a significant technological transformation, marked by the appointment of its first-ever Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

Department of Posts (India Post)

• It works  under the Ministry of Communications, and is managed by the Postal Service Board, which includes a Chairman and six Members overseeing Personnel, Operations, Technology, Postal Life Insurance, Banking & DBT, and Planning. 
• An Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor serves as a permanent invitee, with support from senior staff officers and various Directors.
• With over 1,55,000 post offices, it operates the world’s most extensive postal network.

Importance 

• It has been a key part of India’s communication system and socio-economic development. 
• It offers a wide range of services, including mail delivery, small savings schemes, life insurance (PLI and RPLI), and retail services like bill collection.
• It also supports government programs by disbursing MGNREGS wages and old age pensions. 

Source:TH

Assam’s Woolah Tea

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• Assam’s Woolah Tea has secured a 20-year patent for India’s first bagless tea innovation.

About 

• Woolah Tea has been granted Patent No. 567895 for its invention: ‘Compressed true whole leaf tea dips and method thereof’ (patent name).
• Uses a compressed bundle of ‘eti koli duti paat’ (one bud and two leaves), tied with a natural string, removing the need for conventional tea bags.
• The innovative bagless concept adds value and sustainability to India’s tea exports and avoids microplastics that often leach from typical tea bags.
• Woolah Tea plans to export to the US, UK, UAE, Australia, and New Zealand, expanding India’s tea market globally.

Source: TH

Organisation For the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)

Syllabus :GS 3/Science and Tech

In News

• The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), in collaboration with India’s National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC), convened the 23rd Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia .

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons(OPCW)

• It  implements the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) which has been in force since 1997.
• It has 193 member states and won the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to eliminate chemical weapons. 
• India is an original signatory to the  CWC Convention. 
• The National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is the national authority responsible for implementing the Convention in India.
  • In 2024, NACWC successfully mentored the Kenya National Authority under the OPCW Mentorship/ Partnership Programme to strengthen its implementation capacity.
• The Indian Chemical Council (ICC) is India’s  oldest Chemical  Industry Association works closely with  the NACWC for reaching out to industry.
  •  ICC was awarded the 2024 OPCW-The Hague Award
  • This is the first time globally that a chemical industry body was honoured with this award.

Source: AIR

SAKSHAM-3000

Syllabus :GS3/Science and Tech

In News

• The Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, launched the high capacity SAKSHAM-3000.

About SAKSHAM-3000

• It is a state-of-the-art data centre switch-cum-router designed for next-generation digital infrastructure.
• It is  developed by Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
• It is a high-capacity, compact 25.6 Tbps switch-router designed for modern data centers, supporting 32 ports of 400G and Ethernet speeds from 1G to 400G. 

Features 

• It is Ideal for large computing clusters, cloud infrastructure, 5G/6G networks, and AI workloads.
• It features ultra-low latency, wire-speed processing, and the modular CROS(C-DOT Router Operating System) operating system.
• It supports Layer-2, IP, and MPLS protocols, is energy-efficient, and is suited for time-sensitive applications with PTP and Sync-E. 

Source  : PIB

New Garcinia Species Found in Assam

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• A new plant species named Garcinia kusumae, belonging to the genus Garcinia has been discovered in Baksa district of Assam. 

About Garcinia kusumae

• The species honours Kusum Devi, the late mother of environmentalist Jatindra Sarma, who led the discovery.
• The species is locally known as thoikora and is a dioecious evergreen tree, capable of growing up to 18 metres tall.

About the Genus Garcinia

• Garcinia is a large, pan-tropical genus under the Clusiaceae family, comprising 414 known species of shrubs and trees.
• This genus is distributed mainly in Africa, Australasia, and Southeast Asia, and is commonly found in lowland tropical rainforests.
• Garcinia species are known for their pharmacological properties, as well as culinary and cultural significance, especially in indigenous communities.
• Garcinia in India: India is home to 33 species and 7 varieties of Garcinia. The state of Assam alone hosts 12 species and 3 varieties.
• These species are predominantly located in northeastern rainforests, the Western Ghats, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, making them a vital part of India’s biodiversity hotspots.

Source: TH 

Green Climate Fund

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the world’s largest climate fund, has approved $200 million for a new Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led programme.
  • This will support ADB’s India Green Finance Facility (IGFF), a blended finance program that aims to crowd-in investment in emerging clean energy technologies from India’s leading development finance institutions (DFIs) and from the private sector.

Green Climate Fund

• The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world’s largest dedicated climate fund.
• It was established in 2010 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• Aims to support developing countries in:
  • Limiting or reducing greenhouse gas emissions (mitigation).
  • Adapting to the impacts of climate change (adaptation).
• GCF is mandated to invest 50% of its resources to mitigation and 50% to adaptation in grant equivalent.
• Headquarters: Songdo, Incheon, South Korea.
• A core GCF principle is to follow a country-driven approach, which means that developing countries lead GCF programming and implementation.

Source: BL

Apache AH-64E Helicopters

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• India is set to receive its first Apache AH-64E helicopters from the US, marking a significant enhancement to its military capabilities.

About

• The Apache AH-64E is among the world’s most advanced multi-role attack helicopters.
• Developed by Boeing, it combines firepower, agility, and modern avionics.
• Equipped with Hellfire missiles, 70mm rockets, and a 30mm chain gun. Can engage ground targets, armoured vehicles, and even low-flying aircraft.
• They have advanced sensors, targeting radar, and night vision systems that make it effective for operations in all weather conditions, including high-altitude and low-visibility combat zones.
• Besides India, other users include Egypt, Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and more.

Source: LM

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC)

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister made clearance of capital acquisition proposals worth nearly ₹1.05 lakh crore strengthening India’s defence capabilities.

About DAC

• Established: 2001, following recommendations by the Group of Ministers on National Security after the Kargil War (1999).
• Purpose: To streamline and expedite the procurement process for the armed forces, ensuring timely and efficient acquisition of equipment and systems
• Key Functions: Grants Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
  • Gives in-principle approval for the 15-Year Long-Term Integrated Perspective Plan (LTIPP) for the armed forces.
  • Decides on technology transfer under the ‘Buy & Make’ category. 

Source: TH

Global Liveability Index 2025

Syllabus: GS3/ Miscellaneous, Index

Context

• The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released the Global Liveability Index 2025, assessing the quality of life across major cities worldwide.

About the Index

• Methodology: Assesses 173 cities globally using 30 indicators grouped under five broad categories: Stability, Healthcare, Culture and environment, Education, and Infrastructure.
  • The index scores each city on a scale of 1 to 100, where 100 indicates ideal liveability, and 1 means it is intolerable.
• Most liveablecities: Copenhagen (Denmark) has claimed the top spot (98/100), Zurich (Switzerland) ranks 2nd (97.1/100), tied with Vienna (Austria).
  • Copenhagen has ended Vienna’s three-year dominance by achieving perfect scores in stability, education, and infrastructure.
• Least liveable cities: Damascus (Syria) remains the least liveable city (30.7/100), followed by Tripoli (Libya) (40.1/100) and Dhaka (Bangladesh) (41.7/100).
• India’s Performance: Delhi & Mumbai both scored 60.2, sharing 141st rank.

Source: IE