Current Affairs 4 January 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 4 January 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2024 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Cabinet approvals on January 1,2025The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi has given approvals to various schemes and projects on 1st January 2025.
i.The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM Modi has approved to continue the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana(PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme(RWBCIS) till 2025-26 with an overall outlay of Rs.69,515.71 Crore from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
ii.The Union Cabinet has approved creation of Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT) with an outlay of Rs.824.77 crore for integration of advanced technologies in insurance schemes.
iii.The Union Cabinet, has approved to extend the One-time Special Package on Di-Ammonium Phosphate(DAP) beyond the Nutrient Based Subsidy(NBS) subsidy at Rs 3,500 per metric ton (MT) for the period from 1st January 2025 till further orders to provide DAP to farmers at affordable prices.

• It would be allotted a tentative budget of approximately up to Rs. 3,850 cr.

iv.The Union Cabinet has approved the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Cooperation(MoC), Government of India(GoI) and the Ministry of Trade, Indonesia with an aim to trade one million metric tons(MT) of Non-Basmati White Rice (NBWR) annually based on production and international prices.
>> Read Full News

MoF Kept Interest Rate on Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for Q4FY25In December 2024, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA-Budget Division), Ministry of Finance (MoF) has kept the interest rate on Small Savings Schemes (SSS) unchanged for its 4th Quarter of Financial Year 2024-25( Q4 FY25) i.e. from 1st January 2025  to 31st March 2025 from those notified for Q3FY25.

• This is for the straight 4th consecutive quarter of FY25 that interest rate on SSS remains unchanged.

Points to Note:
i.The Government of India (GoI)had increased the interest rates on most of the small savings schemes through a series of hikes announced since Q3FY23, cumulatively increasing the interest rates in the range of 70 to 250 basis points (bps).
ii.The PPF rates have remain unchanged since April 2020. It was last changed in April-June 2020, when it declined from 7.9% to 7.1%.
Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes for Q4FY25:

About Small Savings Schemes (SSCs):
i.These are savings instruments managed by the GoI to encourage citizens to save regularly.
ii.These SSCs are broadly classified into 3 categories: savings deposits, social security schemes, and monthly income plans.
iii.Interest rates for SSCs are notified on a quarterly basis by the GoI.

• The methodology to determine the interest rates for SSCs was recommended by the Shyamala Gopinath Committee in January 2023.
• The committee suggested that interest rates for these schemes should range from 25 to 100 bps above the yields on corresponding government bonds.

iv.Some of these SSCs have some tax benefits such as: NSC, SCSS, SSY and PPF, get tax benefits under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act of 1961.
Recent Related News:
In December 2024, DEA, MoF released its latest Monthly Economic review for November 2024.  

• As per the report, Indian economy is likely to grow at 6.5% in FY25 compared to its previous projection of 6.5% to 7%, due to challenges posed by global uncertainties and triggers.

MoE Launches of ONOS Scheme to Enhance Access to Scholarly Resources for Government InstitutionsOn January 1, 2025, the Ministry of Education (MoE) launched first phase of the One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS), a Central Sector Scheme (CSS), aims to provide access to world-class scholarly articles and journals for government-run higher education institutions (HEIs) and central government (CG) research and development (R&D) centers across India.

• The scheme was approved by Government of India (GoI) on November 25, 2024, with a budget of Rs 6,000 crore allocated for its implementation over three years, from 1st January 2025 to 31st December 2027.

Implementation Process:
i.The scheme is coordinated by INFLIBNET (Information and Library Network), an Inter-University Centre based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat under the University Grants Commission (UGC), operating under the MoE. Access to journals will be facilitated through a dedicated web portal managed by the INFLIBNET Centre.
ii.The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will periodically review the usage of the ONOS initiative and assess the publications by Indian authors from participating institutions.
Click Here to Know more
About Ministry of Education (MoE):
Union Minister– Dharmendra Pradhan (Constituency- Sambalpur, Odisha)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jayant Chaudhary (Constituency- Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, UP) Sukanta Majumdar (Constituency- Balurghat, West Bengal, WB)
>> Read Full News

MoJS Released Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report of the Country for the Year 2024In December 2024, Union Minister CR Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) has released the Dynamic Ground Water Resource Assessment Report for the whole country for the year 2024.The assessment was conducted by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) in partnership with States and UTs, which can be used for taking necessary interventions by various stakeholders.

• As per the report, total annual groundwater recharge in India is 446.90 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM).
• The annual extractable ground water resource and annual groundwater extraction for all uses have been assessed as 406.19 BCM and 245.64 BCM, respectively.
• The average stage of groundwater extraction for the country stands at 60.47 %.

MoJS Released Annual Ground Water Quality Report of the Country for the Year 2024
In December 2024, Union Minister Chandrakant Raghunath Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) has released the Annual Ground Water Quality Report for the whole country for the year 2024. This is for the 1st time that a report has adopted a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for groundwater quality monitoring, ensuring uniformity in data collection, examination and interpretation.

• The groundwater assessment was conducted by CGWB, which can be used for taking suitable remedial measures and further framing of policies by various stake-holders.

About Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS):
Union Minister- Chandrakant Raghunath  Patil (Constituency- Navsari, Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)- V. Somanna (Constituency- Tumkur, Karnataka); Raj Bhushan Choudhary (Constituency- Muzaffarpur, Bihar)
About Central Ground Water Board (CGWB):
It works under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), MoJS.
Chairman- Dr. Sunil Kumar Ambast
Headquarters- Faridabad, Haryana
Established- 1970
>> Read Full News

Govt Forms Expert Panel headed by Ramesh Chand to Revise WPI Base Year 2022-23 On January 2 2025, the Government of India (GoI) formed an expert panel to review and revise the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23 and develop a new Producer Price Index (PPI).

• It was notified by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I).
• The working group is tasked with submitting its final report to the Office of the Economic Adviser, MoC&I by June 30, 2026.

Composition of the Panel:
i.The working group was headed by National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) member Ramesh Chand, along with 18 other members from various ministries, public and private sectors.

• The panel includes 8 officials from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoP & NG),  Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA & FW) and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (MoCAF & PD) including a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) representative, 5 non-official members from the private sectors.

ii.The panel was also instructed to suggest improvements in the price collection system, decide on the computational methodology for both indices, to enhance the presentation formats of the PPI and to recommend any additional changes that could boost the accuracy and reliability of WPI and PPI data.
Terms of Reference (ToR):

• Reviewing the current commodity basket for both WPI and PPI to reflect economic changes.
• Examining the compilation methodology and proposing improvements.
• Suggesting enhancements to the reliability of the WPI/PPI indices.
• Determining an appropriate linking factor for WPI/PPI.
• Developing a roadmap for transitioning from WPI to PPI.

Key Terms:
i.Wholesale Price Index (WPI): WPI measures the average change in the selling prices of goods sold in bulk by wholesalers to businesses.

• It focuses on the prices of goods at the wholesale or producer level and is used to gauge inflation in the early stages of production.
• The prices of a total of 697 items are tracked under the 2011-12 series of the WPI, which includes 117 primary items, 16 items of fuel and power and 564 manufactured products.

Note:
The WPI was first introduced in 1942, with the base year set as 1939. Since then, the index has undergone 7 revisions, each updating the base year to better reflect changes in the economy.

• The base years for these revisions have been: 1952-53, 1961-62, 1970-71, 1981-82, 1993-94, 2004-05, and 2011-12.

ii.Producer Price Index (PPI): PPI is a measure of the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output including prices at various stages of production, from raw materials to finished goods.

• It was increasingly adopted by most G20 countries.

DRDO celebrates 67th Foundation Day in New Delhi
On 1st January 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated its 67th Foundation Day in New Delhi, Delhi. Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence (MoD), participated in the Foundation day event and unveiled the DRDO’s goals for 2025.

• During his visit, he lauded DRDO for boosting the nation’s self-reliance by equipping the Armed Forces with cutting-edge technologies and equipment, while also fortifying the defence sector through collaborations with the private sector.

ii.With 2025 declared as the ‘Year of Reforms’, DRDO is set to play a vital role in achieving the outlined objectives.
iii.DRDO aims to involve start-ups in its Research and Development (R&D) initiatives to promote idea exchange and enable the Indian defence sector to develop innovative technologies.
Points to Note:

• As of January 2025, 1,950 Transfer of Technologies (ToTs) for DRDO-developed systems have been handed over to Indian industries, with 256 Licensing Agreements for ToTs signed in 2024.
• Over 18,000 tests were carried out in the last three years, with 5,000 tests conducted in 2024 at the DRDO test facilities.

First Made-in-India Surgical Robot ‘SSI Mantra’ Installed at Maharashtra’s Noble Hospitals
Noble Hospitals and Research Centre in Pune, Maharashtra has installed the ‘SSI Mantra(Multi-Arm Novel Tele Robotic Assistance) surgical robot’, the 1st made-in-India robotic system. This cutting-edge technology, developed by Indian med-tech start-up SS Innovations International Inc, was approved by New Delhi(Delhi) based Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). 

• It features a modular design with 5 robotic arms with immersive 3D HD headset and 3D 4K imaging system ensuring exceptional visual clarity, assisting surgeons with enhanced control during operations.
• It was used for its 1st successful procedure, a robotic right extended hemicolectomy on a patient diagnosed with colon carcinoma.

i.SS Innovations has become the 1st company in India to receive CDSCO approval for Telesurgery and Teleproctoring.
ii.The SSI Mantra system was developed in 2017 by Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, became the 1st Indian-made surgical robot.
Note:The 1st Indian-made surgical robot system was installed at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCI) in New Delhi and has undergone successful trials in 26 surgeries. It was later installed in Hyderabad, Telangana and Raipur,Chhattisgarh.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Romania and Bulgaria Become Full Members of Schengen Border-Free ZonesOn January 1 2025, Romania and Bulgaria have officially become full members of the European Union (EU) led Schengen free-travel zones. This announcement came following the approval of EU ministers for full membership of both these countries in the meeting held on December 12, 2024.

• This will now expand the borderless area to 29 European countries whose residents can travel without passport checks, ending a 13-year long wait for the two eastern European countries.

Background:
i.Bulgaria and Romania had successfully completed the Schengen evaluation process set out in their treaties of Accession, taking all the necessary measures to ensures application of all relevant parts of the Schengen acquis.
ii.In 2011, the European Commission (EC) confirmed that both countries have met the technical criteria required for full accession.
iii.Austria voted the full accession of Romania and Bulgaria to Schengen area in 2022.
iv.Both countries, member of the EU since 2007, had partially joined the Schengen zone on March 31, 2024, opening up travel by air and sea without border checks. In December 2024, Austria removed its veto  and subsequently paved the way for both countries to become full members of Schengen area.
About Schengen Area:
i.It is the world’s largest free travel area that now includes 25 of the 27 EU member states, except Ireland and Cyprus, and includes 4 members states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA): Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
ii.It was  formed under Schengen Agreement, international treaty which was initially approved by 5 countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in Schengen, Luxembourg on June 14, 1985.
iii.In 2023, Croatia became the full member of Europe’s border-free Schengen zone.
About Bulgaria:
Capital- Sofia
President- Rumen Radev
Currency- Bulgarian lev (BGN)
About Romania:
Capital- Bucharest
President- Klaus Werner Iohannis
Currency- Romanian Leu (RON)

GoI Announces USD 500,000 Relief Assistance to Vanuatu
On January 2, 2025, the Government of India (GoI) announced a relief assistance worth USD 500,000(Rs 4.3 crore) to Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation, to help with relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts following a devastating earthquake.

• The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.4, struck near the coast of Vanuatu on December 17, 2024, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.

i.Vanuatu is particularly vulnerable to natural disasters and has been ranked as the most at-risk country globally on the United Nations (UN) World Risk Index(WRI) since it was introduced in 2011.
ii.India has been a reliable partner in humanitarian efforts, especially under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC).

• India’s commitment to providing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) reflects its broader commitment to Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, which is a key part of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative announced by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi in 2019.

BANKING & FINANCE

NPCI extends market cap deadline for UPI apps till 2026In December 2024, Mumbai, Maharashtra-based National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) announced an extension of the deadline for implementing a 30% market share cap for Unified Payments Interface (UPI) providers by another two years to December 31, 2026.

• This marks the third time the NPCI has extended the deadline for enforcing the market share cap.
• The NPCI proposed a 30% market share cap in November 2020, giving providers two years to comply. Due to industry opposition, the deadline was moved to 2022, and it was extended to December 31, 2024.

Leading UPI Transactions:
i.As of November 2024,  Walmart Inc backed PhonePe, commanded approximately 47.8% of UPI transactions,and Google LLC’s Google Pay, which holds 37.02%.
ii.After PhonePe and Google Pay, Paytm holds the next position, followed by Navi, Cred, and other players.
iii.In 2024 alone, UPI transactions surged by 46% , totalling 172 billion, up from 118 billion in 2023.
WhatsApp pay expansion to nationwide UPI users:
i.In December 2024, NPCI lifted the user limit for onboarding on Meta-owned platform WhatsApp Pay, allowing it to offer UPI services to over 500 million users in India, enabling them to make UPI payments.
ii.In 2020, NPCI set a user cap of one million on WhatsApp Pay, later raising it to 100 million by 2022. This limit has now been removed, allowing WhatsApp Pay to expand its services freely.
iii.WhatsApp Pay will continue to follow all current UPI guidelines and circulars for Third-Party Application Providers (TPAPs).
About National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI):
NPCI is an initiative of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) under the provisions of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Director (CEO) – Dilip Asbe
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founded – 2008

Federal Bank Launches Digital Platform FedOne for Corporate BankingOn January 2, 2025, Federal Bank, one of India’s leading private sector banks, launched FedOne, an advanced transaction banking platform.This strategic move to cater the evolving needs of corporate and small and medium enterprises (SME) customers.

• This platform is the result of a 10-month collaboration with Nucleus Software Exports Limited, leveraging its FinnAxia solution to enhance Federal Bank’s digital transformation and elevate the quality of services offered to corporate customers.
• Federal Bank implements FinnAxia® as the technological foundation to build FedOne™, offering improved and streamlined services to its customers

Nucleus Software’s Role:
Nucleus Software Exports Limited, which has partnered with Federal Bank in this project, has extensive experience in the financial technology sector.

• It currently supports over 200 financial institutions across 50 countries,managing USD 500 billion in loans in India alone and over USD 700 billion globally (excluding India)and processing more than 26 million daily transactions through its transaction banking platform.

Note:
As of September 30, 2024, Federal Bank, which operates through 1,546 banking outlets and 2,052 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs)/Recyclers across India, reported a total business mix of Rs.4.99 Lakh Crore.
About Federal Bank:
Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Shri Krishnan Venkat Subramanian or Shri KVS Manian
Headquarters– Kochi, Kerala
Established– April 23, 1931
Tagline– Your Perfect Banking Partner

Assam Signed MoU with SBI & UBI for Insurance BenefitsOn January 1 2025, the Government of Assam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of India (SBI) and Union Bank of India (UBI) to offer insurance benefits to state government employees .

• The agreements aim to provide zero-premium insurance coverage and additional benefits to more than four lakh permanent state government employees.

About the Agreement:
i.The decision was made in a cabinet meeting in North Lakhimpur, Assam. The Finance Department of Assam was given the authority to collaborate with Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs).

• After discussions with various SCBs, the department finalized the first phase of partnerships with SBI and UBI.

ii.The MoUs will take effect immediately, and a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being issued to ensure a smooth rollout and maximum benefits for the employees.
iii.The Treasury Officer at each district headquarters will act as the Nodal Officer for coordination and grievance resolution, working with banks to ensure the smooth implementation of salary benefits and assisting with claim submissions.
iv.Each empaneled bank will designate a Nodal Officer and the contact details of this officer will be included in the SOP issued by the Finance Department, Assam.
Key Benefits:
i.Term Life Insurance offers a minimum coverage of Rs.10 lakh for natural death, which includes death due to illness or accidents.
ii.Accidental Death Insurance provides a minimum coverage of Rs.1 crore.
iii.Permanent Total Disability insurance provides coverage of up to Rs.1 crore.
iv.Permanent Partial Disability insurance provides coverage of up to Rs.80 lakh.
v.Air Accidental Insurance provides a minimum coverage of Rs.2 crore for deaths caused by air crashes.
About Assam:
Chief Minister(CM) – Himanta Biswa Sarma
Governor – Lakshman Prasad Acharya
Capital – Dispur
National Parks (NP) – Kaziranga NP, Manas NP

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

MYAS announced the National Sports Awards 2024On January 02 2025, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) announced the recipients of the National Sports Awards 2024 which will be conferred on 47 sportspersons, coaches, entities and universities under 6 categories on 17th January 2025 by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi (Delhi).

• The awards were recommended by the selection committee headed by Justice (Retd.) V Ramasubramanian of the Supreme Court (SC) along with eminent sports persons, sports journalists and sports administrators.

Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024:

About the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS): 
Union Minister- Mansukh L. Mandaviya (Constituency- Porbandar, Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)– Raksha Nikhil Khadse (Constituency-Raver, Maharashtra)
>> Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Bhuvnesh Kumar appointed as CEO of UIDAIThe Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) appointed Bhuvnesh Kumar, additional Secretary of the MeitY, as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) with effect from January 2, 2025. 

• He replaced Amit Agrawal who was appointed as the Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (MoC&F) in December 2024.

About Bhuvnesh Kumar:
i.Bhuvnesh Kumar, a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Uttar Pradesh (UP) cadre, began his administrative service in1993 and has held pivotal positions both in UP and at the Central Government.
ii.In UP, he served as the Principal Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries,Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
iii.He served as Secretary in charge of Sports and Youth Welfare, Planning, and Vocational Education,Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).

• He also served as a Joint Secretary, MeitY, overseeing technology initiatives and governance.

iv.He also served as the Secretary of Finance, Ministry of Finance (MoF), Secretary of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), MoMSME, Secretary of Technical Education and Divisional Commissioner Department of Land Revenue in the Government of UP.
About Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI):
The UIDAI was initially set up in 2009, as an attached office under the aegis of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog).

• The UIDAI was established as a statutory authority in 2016 by the Government of India (GoI) under the MeitY, following the provisions of the Aadhaar Act 2016.
• It is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)- Bhuvnesh Kumar
Headquarters- New Delhi (Delhi)

Anup Kumar Sinha Reappointed As Non-Executive Chairman of Bandhan Bank
In December 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the re-appointment of Anup Kumar Sinha as the Non-Executive (Independent) Chairman of the Bandhan Bank Limited. He will hold the office for the period from January 07, 2025 to July 04, 2026.

i.Anup Kumar Sinha, an economist, was the former Director of Heritage Business School (‘HBS’),West Bengal (WB) and currently designated as Chief Mentor.

• He has also authored publications on various topics including economics, rural economy, management.

ii.He served 3 terms on the Board of Governors at IIMC and also as the Dean during 2003-06.He has also served on the Board of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

SPORTS

2024 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championship- India’s Humpy won Rapid’s title; Vaishali won bronze in BlitzThe International Chess Federation (FIDE) World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships 2024 was held from 26th December to 31st December 2024 in Wall Street, New York, United States of America (USA).
Key Highlights:

• Women’s World Rapid Championship – India’s Koneru Humpy won the women’s  championship title with 8.5 points after defeating Indonesia’s Irene Sukandar in the finals.
• World Rapid Championship – In the open section, 18-year-old Russian Volodar Murzin won the World Rapid Championship.
• Blitz Championship – Norway’s Magnus Carlsen and Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi shared the title with after both players after 3 tie breaking matches.
• Blitz women’s category, China’s Ju Wenjun won the blitz title after defeating Lei Tingjie (China) in the finals while Vaishali Rameshbabu (2.5 points) won a bronze.

>> Read Full News

West Bengal Wins 78th Santosh Trophy Title in Hyderabad
On December 31, 2024, West Bengal (WB) claimed the 78th Santosh Trophy 2024 title  by defeating Kerala in the final at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana. This victory marked WB’s record 33rd title win in the history of the tournament.
i.It is a National Football Championship organised by the All India Football Federation. 31 teams participated in the tournament and played in the Group stage.
ii.Robi Hansda, a skilled striker from WB, was a standout player in the tournament. He was honored with two major individual awards: The Tulsidas Balaram Player of the Match Award and the Peter Thangaraj Player of the Tournament Award, acknowledging his outstanding performance throughout the competition.
Note: The Santosh Trophy 2023 title was won by Meghalaya, who defeated Karnataka in the final to claim the championship.

OBITUARY

Renowned botanist and Padma Shri awardee Dr. K. S. Manilal passed awayDr. Kattungal Subrahmanyan Manilal, popularly known as K.S. Manilal, a renowned botanist and Padma Shri awardee, passed away on January 1 2025, at the age of 86 in Thrissur, Kerala. He was born on September 17, 1938 in the Kingdom of Cochin(now Kerala).

• In 2020, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor, for his contributions in the field of science.
• He dedicated nearly 35 years to researching, translating, and annotating the manuscript ‘Hortus Malabaricus’, bringing this ancient botanical treasure to the modern world.

i.He introduced 19 new plant species to the scientific community, four of which are named after him.
ii.He has published over 200 research papers and authored or co-authored 15 books.
>> Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Gujarat Launches ‘Atlas to Protect Indian Wolf Habitats’
In December 2024, Gujarat launched the “Atlas of Indian Wolf Habitats” to protect biodiversity and conserve the Indian Wolf. Led by Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, the initiative focuses on identifying suitable habitats for wolves across 13 districts of Gujarat.

• The atlas was jointly prepared by the Forest Department of Gujarat in collaboration with Gujarat Ecological Education and Research Foundation(GEER Foundation).
• The Atlas provides detailed information on wolf habitats, including maps highlighting wolf presence and habitat distribution across 13 districts of the state.

i.According to the data from the 2023 Wolf Census, a total of 222 wolves were recorded in an area of 2,217 square kilometers (sq km).
ii.The 13 districts where wolf habitat was found include Bhavnagar (80), Narmada (39), Banaskantha (36), Surendranagar (18), Jamnagar (12), Morbi (12), Kutch (9), Porbandar (6), Mehsana (3), Navsari (3), Patan (2), Aravalli (1), and Surat (1).
iii.The initiative aims to conserve the wolf, a keystone species essential for maintaining ecological balance and agricultural sustainability. It uses modern technology like remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to give a clear picture of wolf habitats.

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