Which is chosen as base year of new series by Advisory Committee on National Account Statistics (ACNAS)?

 

Which is chosen as base year of new series by Advisory Committee on National Account Statistics (ACNAS)? Who is the Chairman of this Advisory Committee ?

Ans: FY 2022-23 has been chosen as the base year of new series and the estimates of new series are scheduled to be released on 27th February, 2026.

Professor B.N.Goldar is the chairman . 

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI),Government of India,  is in the process of revising the base year of national accounts. An Advisory Committee on National Account Statistics (ACNAS) under the chairmanship of professor B.N. Goldar has been constituted to advise MoSPI, among other things, on inclusion of new data sources for improving the estimates of National Accounts and the methodology for compilation and presentation of National Accounts Statistics for purposes of economic analysis and policy formulation. The Committee has representation from various Central Ministries and Departments, State Governments, Academia and Research Institutions.

Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights):

 

Explain about Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights)?

Ans: Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights) was approved , in India on 7 April 2021, with a total outlay of Rs.6,238 crore, to be implemented from FY 2021–22 to FY 2028–29. The scheme was subsequently notified by DPIIT on 16 April 2021.

This initiative is expected to significantly strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and drive economic growth in the sector:-

1)Under the scheme, manufacturers of Air Conditioners will produce components such as compressors, copper tubes (plain and/or grooved), control assemblies for IDUs and ODUs, heat exchangers, and BLDC motors, among others.

2)Similarly, for LED Lights, components including LED chip packaging, LED drivers, LED engines, LED light management systems, and metallized films for capacitors, among others, will be manufactured in India.

The PLI Scheme for White Goods aims to create a robust domestic component ecosystem for the Air Conditioners and LED Lights industry and position India as an integral part of the global supply chains. The scheme offers incentives ranging from 6% to 4% on a reducing basis on incremental sales for a period of five years, following the base year and a one-year gestation period. Domestic Value Addition is expected to increase from the current 20–25% to 75–80%.

White Goods:-

Example: Air Conditioners

What are the Platinum Group Elements (PGE)?

 What are the Platinum Group Elements (PGE)?

Ans: 

1)Platinum

2)Palladium 

3)Rhodium

4)Osmium

5)Ruthenium 

More than 100 different minerals have one of the PGEs as an essential component.

 PGE minerals occur as native metals. 

They also occur as compounds with other transition metals (copper, iron, mercury, nickel, and silver), post-transition metals (bismuth, lead, and tin), metalloids (antimony, arsenic, and tellurium), and nonmetals (selenium and sulfur).

Platinum, for example, is used in medical implants, such as pacemakers, and PGEs are used in cancer-fighting drugs. 

Platinum alloys are an ideal choice for jewelry because of their white color, strength, and resistance to tarnish.

 Platinum, palladium, and rhodium in the form of coins and bars are also used as investment commodities, and various financial instruments based on the value of these PGEs are traded on major exchanges.

Use of PGEs:-

1)PGEs have many industrial applications.

 2)They are used in catalytic converters to reduce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrous oxide emissions in automobile exhaust. 

3)The chemical industry requires platinum or platinum-rhodium alloys to manufacture nitric oxide, which is the raw material used to manufacture explosives, fertilizers, and nitric acid. In the petrochemical industry, platinum-supported catalysts are needed to refine crude oil and to produce aromatic compounds and high-octane gasoline. 

4)Alloys of PGEs are exceptionally hard and durable, making them the best known coating for industrial crucibles used in the manufacture of chemicals and synthetic materials. 

5)PGEs are used by the glass manufacturing industry in the production of fiberglass and flat-panel and liquid crystal displays. 

6)In the electronics industry, PGEs are used in computer hard disks, hybridized integrated circuits, and multilayer ceramic capacitors.

Blue Economy Fisheries : India

 

 Blue Economy Fisheries :

India is the world’s second-largest aquaculture producer and one of the leading global producers of fish and aquatic foods. 

Over the years, the sector has transformed from a predominantly subsistence activity into a commercially robust, export-oriented ecosystem spanning farming, feed, processing, cold chains, logistics, and value addition while continuing to support millions of small, marginal and artisanal fishers and farmers. 

Supported by targeted schemes and well‑designed policies, India today ranks as the sixth-largest exporter of fish and fishery products.

 In 2024–25, seafood exports reached 16.98 lakh metric tonnes, valued at Rs.62,408 crore (USD 7.45 billion), contributing nearly 18% to India’s total agricultural exports

Fuel Cells :

 Fuel Cells :  

Fuel-cells convert chemical energy supplied in the form of hydrogen, methanol, etc., into electricity. They are the source of clean and efficient energy and are capable of greater efficiency than conventional sources. They leave no residue except water, which can be reused as the source of watersplitting and providing hydrogen to the fuel-stack system and regenerating electricity. The biggest asset of this system is that it works if the fuel gets supplied; hence, no recharging is required. Typically, a simple fuel cell system consists of an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The fuel is sent at the side of the anode, and air is sent to the cathode; the electrons generated at the anode make a movement along the electrolyte and create a flow pattern of electrons, thus generating electricity. This is the simplest way a fuel cell working can be explained. However, it is not as simple as it seems. This is because there are several types of fuel cells

There are different types of fuel cells depending on the electrolyte it is embedded with, and this electrolyte shall determine the kind of fuel that should be supplied to the system, and what are the reactions that may occur to generate the electricity. One commonly used fuel cell is a Polymer electrolyte fuel cell or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell. It employs polymer as the electrolyte, platinum as the catalyst, hydrogen and air as the fuel. This type of fuel cell has one major drawback that platinum catalyst is sensitive to the carbon monoxide poisoning, which makes this type of fuel cell ineffective for its implementation of Mars. Then, there are direct methanol fuel cells that use methanol as the fuel, which is sent to the anode side of the system. Alkaline fuel cell systems employ alkaline membranes instead of acidic ones as electrolytes and use non-precious metals as catalysts.

They have found applications in several space missions. However, these also pose a challenge to the CO2 poisoning. Molten carbonate fuel cells can operate at higher temperatures and use electrolytes made up of molten carbonate salt, which means that they have the potential to be used on Mars, as they are not susceptible to poisoning by carbon dioxide. They are highly durable, with an efficiency of up to 85%. Solid oxide fuel cells employ hard ceramic material as an electrolyte and have an efficiency of around 65%. They operate at very high temperatures and do not require precious metals as catalysts. They can be regenerative and help in storing energy. They can find vast applications in the space industry. These fuel-cell systems are used on Earth or for various space missions. It is necessary to find the possibility of these fuel cells acting as the dynamic force for their use on Mars if human settlement occurs there. It will have transformational change not only in terms of structure and fuel supplied but also in its dynamic applications, which will support several new reactions.

What is RNAi (RNA interference) ?

Question: in Civil Services (Prelims) 2019 GS Paper  

‘RNA interference (RNAi)’ technology has gained popularity in the last few Why?

1. It is used in developing gene silencing therapies.
2. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of cancer.
3. It can be used to develop hormone replacement therapies.
4. It can be used to produce crop plants that are resistant to viral pathogens.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1, 2 and 4

(b) 2 and 3

(c) 1 and 3

(d) 1 and 4 only

Ans: a 

RNA interference (RNAi) or Post- Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) is a conserved biological response to double- stranded RNA that mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids, and regulates the expression of protein-coding genes.

What is RNAi (RNA interference) ?

The New Technology:

 RNA interference (RNAi) technology is a type of gene silencing that turns off the expression of a target gene in the cell. Gene silencing is currently used to combat various human diseases, including cancers, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. A gene can be silenced (prevented from the expression of its gene product) either during the formation of its complementary mRNA (post-transcriptionally) or during the synthesis of proteins from the mRNA (posttranslationally). The technology is emerging as a potential alternative to combat stubborn pests infecting commercial crops.

RNA interference (RNAi)

The technology used to silence a gene post-translationally was discovered by Andrew Fire of the Carnegie Institution for Science and Craig Mellow of Chan Medical School, University of Massachusetts, in 1998. The technology received remarkable attention for its potential to shut off disease-related genes. Fire and Mellow were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2006 for their work. RNAi is now on the cusp of ushering in a new era in pesticide control. RNAi is, in fact, a natural phenomenon that evolved from various animals and plants to combat infections caused by several RNA viruses. A simplified description of the mechanism of action of RNAi is as follows:

1)  Several RNA viruses have double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) as their genetic material, and the RNAi process is initiated soon after dsRNA enters the host cells. The enzyme Dicer (RNAase III), present in the cells, recognises and cuts the dsRNA into double-stranded fragments designated as short interfering RNAs (siRNA) and micro RNAs (miRNAs)

2)The siRNA has 21-23 nucleotides with two nucleotide overhangs at the 3’end. The siRNA is picked up by a protein complex called RNA-induced Silencing Complex (RISC) that contains the Argonaute proteins. Binding is followed by the degradation of one of the strands of siRNA called the “passenger” strand by an Argonaute enzyme (Ago2). The “guide” (antisense) strand is not degraded but incorporated into the RISC complex. The single-stranded RNA fragment (the guide strand) in the complex hybridises with the RNA target (RNA-bearing complementary sequence), which is degraded by the enzyme RNAse H (the slicer)

3)A gene is silenced either by degradation of RNA bearing complementary sequence to the antisense strand or by miRNAs that bind to the complementary RNA and suppress their expression. The major difference between siRNAs and miRNAs is that the former inhibits one specific target mRNA, while the latter can regulate the expression of multiple RNAs

4)It is theoretically possible to silence any given gene in a cell provided its nucleotide sequence, or that of the mRNA synthesised by it is known. The first essential step is designing siRNA with a nucleotide sequence specific for the target mRNA. Experimentally, RNAi can be induced with the help of synthetic siRNA duplexes or constructs that express short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) that contain a short double-stranded, hairpin-like turn formed due to the folding back of part of the RNA. siRNA and shRNA are synthesised to contain a sequence of bases in the guide strand complementary to the target mRNA to be silenced

5)  shRNA is an advantageous mediator of RNAi since it is quite resistant to nonspecific degradation by the nucleases in the cell. It, however, requires an expression vector like a plasmid or viral vector for entry into the cell. The shRNA is cleaved by the endogenous DICER to generate desired siRNA duplexes, which in turn associate with RISC and processed as described above.

What is INSV Kaundinya?

 

What is  INSV Kaundinya ?

Named after the legendary Indian mariner Kaundinya, the vessel showcases India’s indigenous maritime knowledge, craftsmanship and sustainable shipbuilding practices. The project was envisioned by Prime Minister of India and executed by the Indian Navy with the support of naval architects, archaeologists, traditional shipbuilding designers and master shipwrights. Inspired by a fifth-century CE vessel depicted in the Ajanta Cave paintings, INSV Kaundinya was constructed using ancient Indian shipbuilding techniques, including stitched-plank construction without modern nails or metal fastenings.

It was the  resolve of PM of India  to revive India’s ancient shipbuilding genius and present it proudly before the world.”

The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Kaundinya arrived in Muscat, capital of Oman after successfully completing its maiden voyage from Porbandar, marking a significant moment in the shared maritime heritage of India and Oman. The ship along with the crew were received by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), at Port Sultan Qaboos  on 14.1.2026.

The voyage of the traditionally built stitched sail vessel highlights the deep-rooted maritime, cultural and civilizational ties between the two nations that span more than 5,000 years. It also underscores the role of oceans as connective corridors that have enabled sustained interaction between India and Oman over centuries. The expedition holds added significance as both countries commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations.

What is Aravalli Green Wall Project ?

 

What is Aravalli Green Wall Project ?

Ans: 

Government of India launched the Aravalli Green Wall Project as part of Prime Minister's vision and India’s commitment under the UNCCD to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land.

Under this initiative, 6.45 million hectares of degraded land in the Aravalli region has been identified, with greening work initiated over 2.7 million hectares across Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan. Divisional Forest Officers from 29 Aravalli districts are implementing the project, focusing on plantations of native species suited to arid and semi-arid conditions

Around 97 square kilometres of Aravalli revenue land, stretching from Naurangpur to Nuh in Haryana and heavily degraded, has been identified for afforestation and has also been declared a Protected Forest by the State of Haryana for better protection and management..  

‘Aravalli Green Wall Project’ of the  Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is under  the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification and Land Degradation.

What is "Bharat Pashudhan " data base ? Give details about National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM) ?

What is "Bharat Pashudhan ' data base ? Give details about National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM)? 

Ans :  

The National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM) is implemented by NDDB in collaboration with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD),

It represents a major step toward a unified digital livestock ecosystem called “Bharat Pashudhan.” 

To enhance data-driven livestock management, the Bharat Pashudhan database records field activities such as breeding, artificial insemination, health services, vaccination, and treatment, with over 84 crore transactions logged. Field personnel, including veterinarians and extension workers, assist farmers in accessing this system. 

The NDLM uses digital tools such as unique animal identification, data integration, and mobile applications to empower farmers and improve productivity. It aims to ensure every animal in India has a digital identity, linking it to health records and productivity data. NDDB provides both technical and financial support to implement this mission across states. 

In line with the international practices a unique 12-digit bar coded Tag ID in the form of ear tag is being issued to all livestock animals. This unique code has been named as “Pashu Aadhar”, and it acts as a primary key for registering all types of transactions done on the animals such as Vaccination, Breeding, Treatment, etc. All these transactions can be viewed at a single place against the Tag ID and shall be visible to the farmer as well as to the field veterinarians and workers for respective animals/area. Till November 2025, over 35.68 Crore Pashu Aadhaar has been generated. 

Under the National Digital Livestock Mission, the 1962 App provides authenticated information on best practices and government schemes. Besides, the toll-free number 1962 is available to the farmers to get the veterinary services through Mobile Veterinary Units at their doorstep.