Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 11-02-2025

PM-AJAY

• Scheme Overview: Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PM-AJAY) aims to reduce poverty and improve socio-economic indicators for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities in SC-dominated villages.

• Meeting on Progress: Union Minister Virendra Kumar chaired a meeting to review PM-AJAY’s progress and discuss strategies for effective implementation and socio-economic upliftment of SC communities.

• Key Objectives: Holistic development of SC-populated villages and individual beneficiaries, addressing socio-economic disparities, and promoting inclusive growth.

• Scheme Components:

  • Development of SC-dominated villages into Adarsh Grams.
  • Grants-in-aid for District/State-level Projects for socio-economic betterment of SCs.
  • Construction of Hostels in Higher Educational Institutions.

• Stakeholder Involvement: The meeting included state ministers, senior officers, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and representatives from Union Ministries (Finance, Agriculture, Rural Development, Women and Child Development), along with NITI Aayog members.

• Focus Areas: Strengthening collaboration among stakeholders, increasing community participation, and improving project monitoring mechanisms.

• Eligibility: SC persons living below the poverty line are eligible for benefits. Villages with 50% or more SC population are eligible for infrastructure development grants.

• Implementation: Implemented since 2021-22, merging Adarsh Gram Yojana, Special Central Assistance to Scheduled Castes Sub Plan, and Babu Jagjivan Ram Chhatrawas Yojana.

Cyclone 2025 Exercise

• Joint Military Exercise: India and Egypt will conduct Exercise Cyclone 2025, a joint army exercise.
• Third Edition: This is the third edition of the exercise, following 2023 (India) and 2024 (Egypt).
• Dates: The exercise will take place from February 10 to 23 in Rajasthan.
• Focus: Improving coordination between the armies, including real-world scenarios, tactical drills, counter-terrorism, high-intensity combat, and survival techniques. Special forces will participate.
• Location: Training will be in desert conditions.
• Motto: “Together we train, together we excel.”
• Significance: The exercise will strengthen defence cooperation and enhance readiness for security challenges. Military cooperation has grown between both nations.
• Cooperation: The exercise allows forces to practice combined operations in simulated combat situations.

PAH: Pulmonary Hypertension

Here are the key points regarding Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH):

• Generic Drug Approval: Natco Pharma received FDA approval for Bosentan tablets (32mg oral suspension), a generic version of Tracleer, used to treat PAH.
• Exclusivity: Natco Pharma believes it has first-to-file status for the product and is eligible for 180-day exclusivity upon launch. Lupin Pharmaceuticals will market the drug in the U.S.
• Market Size: Bosentan TFOS (32mg) had approximately $11 million in U.S. sales for the 12 months ending September 2024.
• PAH Definition: PAH is a specific type of pulmonary hypertension where lung arteries thicken and narrow.
• Mechanism: This narrowing restricts blood flow, increases lung pressure, and forces the heart to work harder.
• Causes: The exact cause of PAH is often unknown (idiopathic), but injury to lung blood vessel cells is believed to play a role.
• Associations: PAH can be linked to congenital heart disease, liver disease, HIV, connective tissue diseases (like scleroderma and lupus), and drug use (methamphetamine, diet pills).
• Symptoms: Symptoms include blue fingers/lips, chest pain, dizziness/fainting, fatigue, and worsening shortness of breath.
• Treatment: While treatments exist, there is currently no cure for PAH.
• Indication: The drug is indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in those aged 3 years and above with idiopathic or congenital PAH to improve pulmonary vascular resistance, which is expected to result in an improvement in exercise ability.

Inca Knots

• Newly Discovered Superstructure: Astronomers have identified a massive structure called Quipu, a superstructure of grouped galaxies, clusters, and superclusters. Why: Significant as it represents one of the largest known structures in the universe.

• Immense Size: Quipu extends 1.3 billion light-years across and contains approximately 200 quadrillion solar masses. Why: Illustrates the sheer scale of the observable universe and the organization of matter within it.

• Composition: It contains nearly 70 galactic superclusters. Why: Demonstrates the hierarchical structure of the universe.

• Filament Structure: Its structure is reminiscent of the Incan Quipu counting system, featuring a long central filament and branching filaments. Why: Highlights the unique morphology of this cosmic structure.

• Transient Nature: Quipu is not permanent and is expected to break into smaller units over time. Why: Suggests the dynamic nature of large-scale structures and their evolution.

• Impact on Cosmology: Studying Quipu could refine cosmological models and provide insights into galaxy evolution and cosmic dynamics. Why: Important for advancing our understanding of the universe’s formation and evolution.

• Size Comparison: Over 13,000 times the length of the Milky Way and thousands of times more massive than a single galaxy. Why: Helps to conceptualize its enormous scale relative to familiar celestial objects.

• Galaxies Definition: A galaxy is a vast system of stars, gas, dust, dark matter, and other celestial objects bound together by gravity. Why: Provides context to what Quipu consists of.

• Light-year Definition: The distance light travels in one Earth year, approximately 6 trillion miles (9 trillion km). Why: Provides context to understand Quipu’s enormous length.

• Solar Mass Definition: A unit of mass used in astronomy, equal to the mass of the Sun (approximately 2 × 10³⁰ kilograms). Why: Provides context to understand Quipu’s total mass.

Lumpy Skin Disease

• Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is an infectious viral disease of cattle and water buffalo caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV).
• LSDV belongs to the capripoxvirus genus, part of the poxviridae family.
• LSD is not zoonotic; humans cannot get infected.
• LSD originated in Africa and has spread to the Middle East, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
• LSD is highly host-specific, primarily affecting cattle and, to a lesser extent, buffalo. Morbidity rate is higher in cattle.
• The disease reduces milk production, can cause temporary or permanent sterility in bulls, damages hides, and can lead to death.
• Transmission occurs via blood-feeding insects (flies, mosquitoes, ticks) or contaminated fodder and water. Infected animals shed the virus through secretions.
• Symptoms include high fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and skin nodules.
• There is no treatment; prevention via vaccination is key. Infected animals receive supportive care (antibiotics, painkillers, wound care).
• Biovet’s Biolumpivaxin, an LSD vaccine, has received CDSCO license.

R-37M

• Offer to India: Russia has reportedly offered the R-37M missile to India.
• What it is: The R-37M (NATO: AA-13 Axehead) is a Russian-developed long-range air-to-air missile.
• Purpose: Designed to eliminate enemy fighter jets and drones beyond visual range (BVR). Specifically targets high-value assets like AWACS and tanker aircraft.
• Keeps Launching Aircraft Safe: Allows the launching aircraft to stay outside the range of enemy fighters.
• Specifications: Weighs about 510 kg, over 4 meters long, with a 60 kg warhead.
• Guidance System: Uses inertial navigation with mid-course updates, active radar homing, and semi-active radar guidance in the final phase.
• Range: Features a jettisonable rocket booster for a range of 300-400 km, making it one of the longest-reaching air-to-air missiles.
• Speed: Reaches hypersonic speeds, up to Mach 6, important for intercepting fast targets.

Why in the news: The potential acquisition by India signifies a significant upgrade to its air defense capabilities, making news due to the missile’s advanced technology and long-range capabilities.

Assisted Dying

• Supreme Court to Hear Plea: The Supreme Court will hear a plea seeking passive euthanasia for rabies patients, challenging a 2019 Delhi High Court ruling.
• Euthanasia Defined: Euthanasia, from the Greek “eu thanatos” (easy death), means hastening death to prevent suffering.
• Types of Euthanasia:
  • Active Euthanasia: Taking active steps to end a life (e.g., administering a lethal medication). It is also called as aggressive euthanasia. Illegal in India.
  • Passive Euthanasia: Withholding or withdrawing life support (e.g., ventilator) from a terminally ill patient.
• Legal Precedent (India): In the Common Cause vs. Union of India (2018) case, the Supreme Court recognized the right to die as part of the right to life. Passive euthanasia and “living wills” were legalized for terminally ill patients with no hope of recovery.
• Active Euthanasia Illegal: Active euthanasia remains illegal and a crime in India.
• First Country to Legalize: The Netherlands was the first country to legalize euthanasia.
• Voluntary Euthanasia: A competent person consents to end their own life with the assistance of a doctor.

Burmese Pythons

Here’s a summary of the news regarding Burmese Pythons:

• Invasive Species in Florida: Burmese pythons ( Python bivittatus ) are an established invasive species in Florida, impacting native biodiversity.
• Optimized Removal Strategies: University of Florida scientists analyzed data from python contractors to improve removal efficiency.
• Peak Removal Time: The most effective survey period is during Florida’s wet season (May to October) between 8 pm and 2 am.
• Aquatic Vehicle Advantage: Using motorboats, canoes, kayaks, and airboats significantly enhances survey effectiveness.
• Nighttime Surveys are better: Night surveys are more effective than daytime ones.
• Cold weather is an exception: Except when mean daily air temperatures drop to 50 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
• Ecological Impact: Pythons disrupt food webs, reduce native species populations, and alter predator-prey relationships.
• Conservation Effort: Managing pythons is a critical effort to restore the Everglades ecosystem and protect it for future generations.
• Research Publication: The study, “Optimizing survey conditions for Burmese python detection and removal using community science data,” was published in Scientific Reports in January 2025.
• Background Information: They can reach 20 feet in length and weigh over 250 pounds. Native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, they inhabit grasslands, marshes, forests, and jungles. Released pets from the pet trade led to the invasive population in Florida.

Yashas: A Profile

• HAL’s HJT-36 Rebranded ‘Yashas’: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) renamed its flagship HJT-36 jet training aircraft to ‘Yashas’ after significant upgrades.

• Enhanced Performance: The upgrades focused on improving departure characteristics and spin resistance across the aircraft’s operational envelope. Spin resistance is an aircraft’s ability to prevent entering an aerodynamic spin, even if it is stalled.

• Stage II Pilot Training: ‘Yashas’ is designed for Stage II pilot training, equipped for specialized operations including counter-insurgency, counter-surface force ops, and armament training.

• Advanced Features: The aircraft features state-of-the-art avionics, a modern cockpit, weight reduction, and Indian-made Line Replaceable Units (LRUs), replacing imported equipment.

• Capabilities: ‘Yashas’ can perform aerobatics (precise, controlled flying maneuvers beyond normal limits) and carry up to 1,000 kg of payload.

• Engine & Design: Powered by a FADEC-controlled AL55I jet engine for optimized thrust management and reliability; features a stepped-up rear cockpit with a drooped nose for enhanced visibility.

• Self-Reliance: Using Indian-made LRUs promotes a more self-reliant and sustainable system.

• HAL’s Perspective: HAL CMD D.K. Sunil stated the changes warranted a new name, reflecting its relevance for modern military aviation training.

• HAL Overview: HAL is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defense company.