News In Short 07-04-2026

Piprahwa Relics in Leh

Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture

Context

• The sacred Piprahwa Relics are set to arrive in Leh on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
  • The Relics were repatriated from Hong Kong in July 2025.

About Piprahwa relics

• The Piprahwa relics were  discovered in 1898 by British civil engineer William Claxton Peppé in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh.
  • They are excavated from the Piprahwa Stupa—widely recognized as the ancient city of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
• They include bone fragments, soapstone and crystal caskets, a sandstone coffer, and offerings such as gold ornaments and gemstones.
• They are believed to be associated with the mortal remains of Lord Buddha.
  • An inscription in the Brahmi script on one of the caskets confirms these as relics of the Buddha deposited by the Sakya clan.
• Status: Most of these relics were moved to the Indian Museum in Kolkata in 1899 and are legally protected as ‘AA’ antiquities, forbidding their sale or removal.
• While some bone relics were gifted to the King of Siam, a portion kept by Peppé’s descendants.

Ladakh as the Gateway of India’s Buddhist Civilisation

• Ladakh has historically functioned as a bridge between India, Central Asia, and East Asia. It connected regions such as Kashmir, Gandhara and Central Asia.
• Through these routes, Buddhism spread via trade caravans, monastic networks and cultural exchanges.

Source: IE

Namo Drone Didi Scheme

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation a total of 1,094 SHG members have been trained as drone pilots in the country.

Namo Drone Didi

• The Namo Drone Didi scheme is a ₹1,261 crore central initiative (2023-24 to 2025-26) providing drones to 15,000 women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) under the DAY-NRLM mission. 
• It empowers rural women as certified drone pilots to offer affordable, precise, and efficient spraying services for pesticides and fertilizers to farmers, improving crop yields and generating new income. 
• The 15-day training for SHG members (5 days drone pilot training and 10 days nutrient and pesticide application training) is provided under the scheme. 

Source: TH

RBI Revises Banking Correspondent Classification

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The RBI has proposed that in addition to bank branches, banking correspondents should be classified into two categories based on their assignments and suggested uniformity in fixing their wages.

About

• The RBI proposed defining three types of delivery points — bank branches, Business Correspondent-Banking Outlet (BC-BO) and Business Correspondent-Banking Touchpoint (BC-BT).
  • Banking correspondents are assigned in remote areas to perform retail banking operations, expanding the reach of banks and helping in financial inclusion.
  • BC-BOs will be able to carry out activities such as opening of bank accounts; opening of term deposit accounts; cash deposits and withdrawals; fund transfers; issuance/ blocking of debit cards among many others. 
  • BC-BTs will offer limited services such as small-value transactions and remittances with flexible hours.
• Currently, there is no classification among business correspondents, while the commissions they get paid vary from bank to bank.
  • As of 2025, there were over 16 lakh business correspondents engaged by various lenders.

Source: IE

Babu Jagjivan Ram

Syllabus: Person in News

Context

• PM Modi paid tributes to Babu Jagjivan Ram on his birth anniversary.

About

• Babu Jagjivan Ram was a freedom fighter and social reformer born on 5 April 1908 in Chandwa village (present-day Bihar).
  • He studied at Banaras Hindu University and later graduated from University of Calcutta.
• Role in Freedom Struggle: He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and actively participated in the national movement.
  • He took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement and the Quit India Movement.
• Social Justice Contributions: He founded the Akhil Bharatiya Ravidas Mahasabha and the All India Depressed Classes League to mobilize marginalized communities.
  • He was instrumental in the enactment of the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955.
• Political Career: He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of India.
  • He was a Cabinet Minister for 35 years– the longest serving minister handling several key portfolios.
  • As Food & Agriculture Minister, he is credited with the Green Revolution and as Defence Minister he led India to the historic 1971 war, which saw the birth of Bangladesh.
  • He served as the Deputy Prime Minister of India in 1979 under Morarji Desai.

Source: PIB