18.03.25

• Teams will patrol “high-risk” areas daily, including at least two vulnerable spots each day.
• Women officers in plain clothes will be involved to identify and deter offenders.
• Surprise checks will be conducted on buses, and interaction with staff and passengers will take place.
• Interaction with market and residents’ welfare associations (MWAs and RWAs) to identify high-risk spots.

Peace Agreement Finalized: Armenia and Azerbaijan have finalized the text of a peace agreement, aiming to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This marks a potential end to decades of hostility.

Historical Context: Nagorno-Karabakh, an autonomous region within Azerbaijan with a majority Armenian population, sought unification with Armenia during the Soviet Union’s collapse. This led to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994).

Shift in Control: The First Nagorno-Karabakh War resulted in Armenian-backed control of the region. However, the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War (2020) saw Azerbaijan regain significant territory.

Azerbaijan’s Full Control: A 2023 offensive led to Azerbaijan regaining full control of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in the enclave’s dissolution and mass displacement of the Armenian population. Over 100,000 people, nearly the entire population, fled to Armenia.

India’s Stance: India supports a diplomatic resolution through the OSCE Minsk Group, remaining neutral in the conflict.

INSTC Implications: Both Armenia and Azerbaijan are part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), crucial for India’s trade routes, giving India a vested interest in regional stability.

UNESCO Tentative List Inclusion: Kanger Valley National Park (KVNP) in Chhattisgarh has been added to UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Sites under the ‘Natural’ category. This is a significant recognition.

Location: Located in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

Significance: It’s the first site in Chhattisgarh to be included in this prestigious list, promising a boost to tourism both nationally and internationally. This will carve its name as attractive tourist destination.

Key Features:

• Features lush green valleys, deep ravines and waterfalls, like Tirathgarh Falls.
• Features low flatlands, gentle slopes, steep inclines, plateaus, deep gorges, valleys , and winding stream courses.
• More than 15 limestone caves, including Kotumsar, Kailash, and Dandak caves.
• Home to mixed moist deciduous forests with Sal, teak, and bamboo.
• Wildlife includes tigers, leopards, mouse deer, and various bird species.

Historical Context: Previously affected by Maoist activity; now reportedly free from it, and under a secure environment and is going to see a major boost in carving itself as an attractive tourist destination.

Importance to Locals: The park is culturally significant for the local tribes.

River: The Kanger River flows through the park, contributing to its unique landscape and attractions.

Why in News: A CSE study highlights the need for water circularity to address water scarcity and environmental degradation in India.

India’s Water Scarcity: India is water-stressed, with rapidly declining freshwater resources and a low global ranking in per capita availability. Per capita surface water availability has declined by 73% since 1950.

Wastewater Crisis: Urban India generates vast amounts of sewage, but most remains untreated, polluting water bodies and land. Wastewater generation is projected to increase substantially.

Water Governance Issues: Cities rely on distant water sources, leading to shortages and unequal access. States show poor water management. Reuse mandates are poorly enforced.

Water Circularity Defined: Recycling, reusing, and recovering resources within the water cycle to maximize value and minimize waste.

Benefits of Water Circularity: Reduces industrial water costs, supports irrigation, saves water in power plants, recovers valuable nutrients for fertilizer, enables groundwater recharge, and produces biogas and biofuels.

Strengthening Wastewater Reuse:

• Water credit system for incentivizing industries to adopt water-efficient practices.
• Decentralized wastewater treatment systems for local reuse.
• Mandatory treated wastewater use for industries and power plants near STPs.
• Converting unused canal networks into wastewater supply channels.
• Tax and financial incentives for wastewater recycling investments.
• Enforcement of discharge standards with regular audits and IoT-based monitoring.

Strict Warning Against Unethical Advertising: The Bar Council of India (BCI) has issued a warning against misleading legal advertising and social media promotions. This is significant because it highlights the BCI’s role in maintaining ethical standards within the legal profession.

Statutory Body & Regulatory Authority: BCI is a statutory body created by the Parliament. It regulates and represents the Indian bar under the Advocates Act, 1961. Its regulatory function is crucial for maintaining the integrity and credibility of the legal profession.

Safeguarding Advocate Rights: A core objective of the BCI is to protect the rights, interests, and privileges of advocates across India.

Professional Conduct & Discipline: The BCI prescribes standards of professional conduct and etiquette, and it has disciplinary jurisdiction over the bar. This function is vital for ensuring lawyers adhere to professional ethics.

Legal Education Standards: The BCI sets standards for legal education and grants recognition to law schools, which ensures the quality of legal training.

All India Bar Examination (AIBE): The BCI conducts the AIBE, a certification exam for law graduates wanting to practice, ensuring a minimum standard of competency.

Welfare Schemes: The BCI funds welfare schemes for economically weaker and physically handicapped advocates. This is important for supporting disadvantaged members of the profession.

Membership: The BCI includes members elected from State Bar Councils, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General.

Addiction as a Brain Disorder: Neuroscience emphasizes addiction as a chronic brain condition, not a moral failing, affecting neural circuits related to craving, emotional regulation, and decision-making.

Key Brain Regions: A study highlights the interconnected roles of the basal ganglia (reward), extended amygdala (withdrawal), and prefrontal cortex (decision-making) in the addiction cycle.

Basal Ganglia & Reward: This region, particularly the nucleus accumbens (NAc), teaches the brain to repeat pleasurable activities, reinforced by neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin.

Extended Amygdala & Withdrawal: Triggers negative emotional states (anxiety, irritability) during substance withdrawal, driving continued use.

Prefrontal Cortex & Decision-Making: Impairment explains continued substance use despite awareness of harm, a hallmark of addiction.

Adolescent Vulnerability: Adolescents are at higher risk due to the late maturation of the prefrontal cortex (impulse control).

Multifactorial Causes: Addiction results from a combination of genetic predisposition, psychological factors (trauma, stress), environmental influences (peer pressure), and age of first use.

Neuroplasticity & Recovery: The brain’s ability to adapt offers hope for recovery; research focuses on understanding and supporting long-term recovery processes.

Reducing Stigma: Neurobiological research helps reduce stigma by framing addiction as a treatable health condition, promoting integration into mainstream healthcare.

Brain Awareness Week Focus: Brain Awareness Week highlights the importance of understanding brain science for preventing diseases and improving healthcare.

ECI Meeting on Electoral Reforms: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has invited political parties to discuss strengthening the election process, addressing concerns about electoral roll manipulation and duplicate EPIC numbers.

Legal Framework: Article 324 of the Constitution grants ECI authority over elections. The Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950 and 1951, and Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, govern electoral rolls and pre-election processes.

Voting & Counting Issues:

• Concerns over EVM tampering persist, with some advocating for a return to paper ballots.
• Demands for 100% VVPAT verification exist, but the Supreme Court has directed verification of microcontrollers in 5% of EVMs if tampering is suspected.
• Allegations of manipulated electoral rolls and duplicate EPIC numbers raise concerns about voter integrity.

Campaign Process Concerns:

• Violations of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by star campaigners are common.
• Election expenditure limits are often exceeded by candidates, and there are no limits on party spending.
• Criminalization of politics is increasing, with a significant percentage of MPs facing criminal charges.

Needed Reforms:

• Voting/Counting: Scientific VVPAT matching, totaliser machines to protect voter anonymity, and Aadhaar-EPIC linking to prevent fake voters.
• Campaign: Stricter MCC enforcement, revoking ‘Star Campaigner’ status for violations, and capping party expenditure.
• Criminalization: Enforce SC directives on declaring criminal records and fast-tracking MP/MLA trials.

Committee Recommendations: Vohra Committee (criminal-politician nexus), Law Commission (disqualify politicians upon charge framing), 2nd ARC (state funding to curb illegitimate money).

Way Forward: Strengthen ECI powers, address criminalization of politics, ensure electoral transparency (RTI for political parties), and promote voter awareness.

Recent Sighting: A rare caracal has been spotted in Rajasthan’s Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, generating excitement among wildlife enthusiasts. This marks the first photographic record of the caracal in the reserve, captured via a camera trap.

Critically Endangered Status: The caracal is classified as critically endangered in India, with a population of fewer than 50 individuals, primarily found in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.

Conservation Threats: Key threats to the caracal population include habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.

Physical Characteristics: The caracal is a medium-sized wild cat with a slender body, long legs, and a short tail. They have tawny or reddish-brown fur with black markings on the face, ears, and tail. They are known for their ability to leap high to catch birds.

Habitat and Distribution: Caracals inhabit grasslands, savannas, scrublands, and forests in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and India.

RBI Wins Digital Transformation Award: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was awarded the UK’s Digital Transformation Award 2025, showcasing its successful tech initiatives.

Sarthi Initiative: Launched in January 2023, Sarthi digitized RBI’s internal workflows. This improved record management, data analysis, and secure document sharing. The initiative included online training (Sarthi Pathshala) and support from “Sarthi mitras”.

Pravaah Initiative: Introduced in May 2024, Pravaah enables external users to submit regulatory applications digitally. It seamlessly integrates with Sarthi for efficient processing.

Benefits of Pravaah: Pravaah provides real-time tracking and analytics for applicants and RBI managers, replacing slow paper-based systems. It has led to an 80% increase in monthly applications.

Impact: The digital transformation, supported by robust cybersecurity, has significantly enhanced transparency and efficiency within the RBI.

Bodo Accord Implementation: Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated 82% of the 2020 Bodo Accord’s conditions have been met, with the remainder to be fulfilled in two years.

Background: The Bodo issue in Assam involves ethnic and political aspirations for a separate state of Bodoland, leading to insurgency and multiple peace accords.

Bodo Community: The Bodos are Assam’s largest tribal community (5-6% of the population), historically dominant in parts of the region.

Timeline of the Bodo Movement: A series of accords and attempts to resolve the Bodo issue. Early demands for a separate state, armed conflicts, and two previous accords led to the formation of autonomous councils.

2020 Accord: This accord brought peace with four NDFB factions, increasing the BTC’s powers and resolving cases against militants.

Financial Aid: Rs 287 crore has been spent on rehabilitating 4,881 NDFB members (90% funded by the Centre).

Recognition and Tribute: A Delhi road will be renamed after Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma. His bust will also be unveiled in Delhi.

Political Context: The Congress party initially criticized the accord, but Shah highlighted its positive impact on peace and development.

Upcoming Elections: Elections for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) are scheduled this year.

Status: A unified front of BJP and United People’s Party Liberal is in power.

Critical Condition: The River Betwa, once a life source, is now “gasping, groaning, almost gone” due to neglect and human actions.

Historical and Cultural Significance: The Betwa, known as Vetravati in ancient texts, holds deep religious and historical importance, mentioned in the Vedas and revered in the Mahabharata. It is considered the “Ganga of Madhya Pradesh.”

Geographic Information: The river originates in Jhiri village, Raisen district, Madhya Pradesh, flows through Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and empties into the Yamuna River.

Cause of Decline: The river’s decline is attributed to multiple factors including drying of origin, illegal borings, deforestation, sand mining, unchecked construction, and the dumping of pollutants.

Impact: The river’s demise impacts farmers, communities, and the region’s heritage, threatening centuries of history and life. The catchment areas that once stored water have been consumed by concrete and the forests that protected it has been cut.

Government Response: Official responses include promises of action, but concerns exist regarding the lack of immediate and effective measures.

Ken-Betwa Link Project: The project aims to transfer water from the Ken River to the Betwa for irrigation and drinking purposes, highlighting the recognition of the river’s water scarcity and significance.