🔆 India’s Progress on Environmental Sustainability (MoSPI Report – SDGs Focus)

📍 Overall Context
✅ Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) report highlights India’s environmental sustainability progress across SDGs 6, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

📍 SDG 6 – Clean Water & Sanitation
✅ Key Progress
• India achieved universal sustained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status across all districts (SDG 6.2.2)
• 97.2% schools had gender-segregated toilets (2023–24) (SDG 6.2.3)
✅ Major Initiative
• Swachh Bharat Mission (2014) driving sanitation transformation

📍 SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption & Production
✅ Key Progress
• Waste-recycling infrastructure expanded from 829 facilities (2019–20) to 3,036 facilities (2024–25) (SDG 12.5.1)
✅ Major Initiative
• Smart Cities Mission (2015) promoting sustainable urban systems

📍 SDG 13 – Climate Action
✅ Key Progress
• India achieved full compliance with Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030) in 2019 (SDG 13.1.2)
• 698 out of 784 local governments implemented DRR strategies aligned with national frameworks (SDG 13.1.3)
✅ Major Initiatives
• Common Alerting Protocol (CAP)-based Integrated Alert System
• Apada Mitra Programme
• Mission Mausam

📍 SDG 14 – Life Below Water
✅ Key Progress
• Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) in fishing increased from 3.078 million tonnes (2015–16) to 5.311 million tonnes (2024–25) (SDG 14.4.1)
✅ Major Initiative
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)
• Push towards Blue Revolution

📍 SDG 15 – Life on Land
✅ Key Progress
• Ramsar site area share in total wetland area doubled from 4.15% to 8.90% (SDG 15.1.3)
✅ Major Initiatives
• National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA)
• MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes)

📍 Significance
✅ Reflects integrated approach towards sanitation, waste management, disaster resilience, fisheries sustainability & ecosystem conservation
✅ Supports India’s climate commitments and SDG targets

#GS3 #Environment

Day 94: 22 March target:

Geography:
Topics -
World Geography (Mapping)
Indian Geography+ Mapping

Current Affairs: December 2025, January 2026
Geography
Misc.

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🔆 Personality in News: Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi

📍 Why in News
✅ Veerangana Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi was remembered on her martyrdom day (20 March).

📍 Basic Profile
✅ Born: 16 August 1831, Mankedi village (Seoni, Madhya Pradesh)
✅ Died: 20 March 1858
✅ Queen of Ramgarh State (present-day Dindori, MP)

📍 Early Life & Rule
✅ Married Prince Vikramaditya Singh Lodhi, son of Raja Laxman Singh.
✅ Assumed administration of Ramgarh due to husband’s ill health after Raja’s death.

📍 Role in Revolt of 1857
✅ Led armed resistance against British annexation attempts under Doctrine of Lapse.
✅ Organised and commanded her own army.
✅ Battle of Kheri (1857): Defeated British troops.

📍 Military Skills
✅ Expert in swordsmanship, horse-riding and guerrilla warfare.
✅ Known for strategic leadership and mobilisation of local forces.

📍 Martyrdom
✅ Sacrificed her life during British offensive rather than surrender.

📍 Values & Legacy
✅ Bravery • Courage • Patriotism • Leadership • Resilience
✅ Remembered as a symbol of women’s participation in India’s freedom struggle.

#history #prelims #mains

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🔆 Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25)

📍 About the Exercise
✅ Type: Biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise.
✅ Host Nation: Singapore.
✅ Participants: Over 40 countries, including India.

#cse #prelims

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📍 RRBs Current Status & Performance (as of March)
✅ Number of RRBs: 43, sponsored by 12 Scheduled Commercial Banks.
✅ Sponsorship: All PSBs except Punjab & Sind Bank sponsor at least one; J&K Bank is the only private sponsor.
✅ PSL Leadership: 89% of total lending directed toward priority sectors.
✅ Role in Financial Inclusion:
• PMJDY accounts: 18.5% share
• PMSBY enrolments: 13.3% share
• PM-Kisan beneficiaries: 16.9% share

#mains #cse

🔆 The Chandella Dynasty (10th–13th Century CE)

📍 Territory & Capitals
✅ Ruled over Bundelkhand (Jejakabhukti)
✅ Capitals: Khajuraho, Kalanjara, and Mahoba

📍 Prominent Rulers
✅ Nannuka (831–845 CE): Founder; ruled as a Pratihara feudatory.
✅ Dhanga (950–999 CE): Established Chandella sovereignty; ruled over Chedi, Kalinjar, and Gwalior.
✅ Vidyadhar (1003–1035 CE): Repelled Ghaznavid invasions and expanded Chandella power to its peak.

📍 Decline
✅ Ghaznavid raids (1020s) weakened the empire.
✅ Kalachuris occupied Chandella territories for nearly four decades.
✅ Parmardi (1165–1203 CE): Lost territory to Prithviraj Chauhan and later faced invasion by Qutb-ud-din Aibak.
✅ Dynasty survived another century but with reduced influence.

📍 Cultural Contributions
✅ Built the world-famous Khajuraho Temples, including the Kandariya Mahadev Temple — a pinnacle of Nagara-style architecture and sculpture.

#history

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🔆 India as a Global Hub for Indigenous Drone Manufacturing

📍 Why in News
✅ Defence Minister emphasised the need to build a robust drone & counter-drone ecosystem for strategic autonomy and future warfare preparedness.

📍 Role of Drones in Modern Warfare
✅ Surveillance & Reconnaissance: Provide real-time high-definition monitoring of enemy positions with minimal troop risk.
✅ Suppression of Air Defences: Swarm or kamikaze drones (e.g., Shahed drones) can saturate enemy air defence systems.
✅ Low-Cost Strategic Impact: Use of affordable UAVs can enable deep-strike and asymmetric warfare capabilities.
✅ Electronic Warfare: Equipped to jam or spoof radar and communication networks.

📍 Initiatives to Augment Drone Manufacturing Ecosystem
✅ PLI Scheme for Drones & Components: Encourages domestic value addition and manufacturing scale-up.
✅ Import Policy Reforms: Ban on drone imports in CBU, SKD and CKD forms to boost indigenous production.
✅ Tax Rationalisation: Uniform GST of 5% to support industry growth.
✅ Promotion Platforms: Bharat Drone Shakti, Bharat Drone Mahotsav, Drone International Expo promote Drone-as-a-Service (DaaS) startups.
✅ SwaYaan Programme: Focus on capacity building and skilled human resources in Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

📍 Significance for India
✅ Enhances defence preparedness & technological sovereignty.
✅ Promotes innovation, startups and export potential.
✅ Supports civilian applications like agriculture, logistics, disaster management.

#GS3
#prelims
#science_technology
#science_and_technology

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Day 95: 23 March target

Geography

Topics:
Backlogs only

Current affairs: February 2026
Geography related
Misc.



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🔆 Saptaparni Cave

📍 Location & Meaning
✅ Also known as Sapta-parni guha / Sattapaṇṇi guhā → means “Seven-leaves cave.”
✅ Situated about 2 km southwest of Rajgir (Bihar), embedded in a rocky hill.

📍 Historical & Religious Significance
✅ Considered the site of the First Buddhist Council held soon after Gautama Buddha’s Mahaparinirvana.
✅ Tradition holds that Buddha spent some time here before his death.

📍 Role in Preservation of Buddhist Teachings
✅ A council of hundreds of monks gathered to compile and preserve Buddha’s teachings.
✅ Ananda (Buddha’s cousin) was entrusted with reciting discourses (Suttas) from memory → beginning with the phrase “Thus have I heard…”
✅ Upali recited the Vinaya (disciplinary rules for Bhikshus).
✅ Since Buddha did not write down his teachings, this event laid the foundation of the oral tradition of Buddhism.

📍 Significance for History & Culture
✅ Marks the institutionalisation of Buddhist doctrine and monastic discipline.
✅ Important pilgrimage and archaeological site linked to early Buddhist councils.

#prelims
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🔆 RELIEF Scheme under Export Promotion Mission (EPM)

📍 Why in News
✅ Government approved RELIEF (Resilience & Logistics Intervention for Export Facilitation) to support exporters amid freight escalation, higher insurance costs and war-related risks in the Gulf & West Asia maritime corridor.

📍 About RELIEF
✅ Aim:
• Mitigate logistics disruptions
• Prevent order cancellations
• Maintain exporter confidence & employment in export-linked sectors

✅ Nodal & Implementing Agency: ECGC Ltd. (wholly owned by Ministry of Commerce & Industry).
• Established in 1957 to promote exports via credit risk insurance.

📍 Key Components
✅ Up to 100% risk coverage for exporters already insured under ECGC.
✅ Up to 95% risk coverage (with Government support) for exporters planning shipments in next 3 months.
✅ Up to 50% reimbursement for eligible non-ECGC-insured MSME exporters.
✅ Covers consignments to West Asia countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Yemen (including trans-shipment).

📍 About Export Promotion Mission (EPM)
✅ Vision: Comprehensive, flexible & digitally driven export promotion framework.
✅ Outlay: ₹25,060 crore
✅ Timeline: FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31
✅ Implementing Agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)

📌 Sub-Schemes
✅ Niryat Protsahan: Financial support & access to affordable trade finance.
✅ Niryat Disha: Enhances market readiness & global competitiveness.

📍 Significance
✅ Protects India’s export momentum amid geopolitical disruptions.
✅ Supports MSMEs and supply chain resilience.
✅ Strengthens trade diversification & economic stability.

#goverment_schemes

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🔆 Kushana Empire

📍 Context in News
✅ Excavations at Bhir Mound (Takshashila) found lapis lazuli fragments (6th century BCE) and Kushan bronze coins (2nd century CE) → evidence of long-distance trade and Kushan political-economic activity in Gandhara.

📍 Origin & Expansion
✅ Kushanas were nomadic Central Asian people (Tocharians).
✅ Initially occupied Bactria after displacing Shakas and Parthians.
✅ Empire extended from Oxus (Amu Darya) to Ganga → from Khorasan (Central Asia) to Pataliputra.
✅ At peak → covered parts of Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and most of North India.

📍 Important Rulers & Dynasties
✅ Kujula Kadphises → founder of Kushana power (1st century CE).
✅ Vima Kadphises → expansion and gold coinage.
✅ Kanishka (78 CE) → greatest ruler; started Shaka Era.
✅ Later rulers → Huvishka, Vasishka, Kanishka II, Vasudeva I.

📍 Administration & Political Ideology
✅ Empire divided into satrapies (governed by satraps).
✅ Officials → Dandanayaka / Mahadandanayaka (civil-military roles).
✅ Village heads → Gramika, Padrāpāla.
✅ Kings adopted title “Devputra” (Son of God) → concept of divine kingship.
✅ Strong cavalry tradition → use of reins, saddles, stirrups, boots, trousers.

📍 Economy & Trade
✅ Controlled major segments of the Silk Route → toll collection key revenue.
✅ Issued large-scale gold coins (first in India).
✅ Trade links from Central Asia to Bengal & Odisha.
✅ Evidence of irrigation-based agriculture in Afghanistan & Central Asia.

📍 Religion & Culture
✅ Patronised Buddhism (especially Mahayana), Shaivism & Vaishnavism.
✅ Kanishka convened Fourth Buddhist Council (Kashmir).
✅ Coins depict Buddha, Shiva, Vishnu → religious syncretism.
✅ Scholar Ashwaghosha patronised.

📍 Art & Language
✅ Fusion of Central Asian, Greek & Indian styles →
⭐ Gandhara School (Greco-Roman features)
⭐ Mathura School (indigenous red sandstone tradition)
✅ Inscriptions in Bactrian (Greek script), Prakrit (Brahmi & Kharoshthi).
✅ Key source → Rabatak inscription (genealogy of Kanishka).

📍 Capitals
✅ Purushapura (Peshawar) – primary capital
✅ Mathura – secondary centre

📍 Decline
✅ After Vasudeva I (c. 225 CE) → empire split.
✅ Western part subdued by Sassanids (Kushanshas).
✅ Eastern territories lost to Yaudheyas & regional powers.
✅ Final blow → Samudragupta (4th century CE).

✅ Overall Significance:
➡️ Kushanas acted as a cultural & commercial bridge between India, Central Asia and the Mediterranean world, accelerating urbanisation, trade and spread of Mahayana Buddhism.

#history #prelims #mains

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Day 96: 24 March target

Geography

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🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS — 20 MARCH 2026

🔆 REGULATORY / RBI
📍 Global Recognition
✅ RBI selected for “Global Initiative of the Year” award by Central Banking (London)
✅ Reason: Launch of “.bank.in” domain migration initiative
✅ Key stakeholders: Govt of India, NIXI, Banks, IDRBT

🔆 INTERNATIONAL
📍 Global Health Governance
✅ Argentina formally withdraws from WHO (effective March 2026)
➡ Exit under Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
➡ Requires 1-year notice period

📍 Maritime Law (USA)
✅ Temporary waiver of Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act, 1920) for 60 days
➡ Regulates shipping between US ports

📍 Global Rankings
✅ World Happiness Report 2026 released
➡ Finland ranks 1st (9th consecutive year)
➡ India rank: 116 | Lowest: Afghanistan

🔆 NATIONAL
📍 Geo-Heritage
✅ GSI declares Kalijnagar Fossil Hill (Banda, UP) as National Geo-Heritage Site
➡ Shows major Eparchaean Unconformity (~1.5 billion years gap)

📍 Green Buildings
✅ Reliance MET City (Jhajjar, Haryana) becomes India’s 1st LEED Platinum pre-certified project

📍 Regional Connectivity
✅ MoCA launches ‘Fare Se Fursat’ scheme inaugural flight Rewa–Raipur

📍 Ocean Technology
✅ NIOT tests Floating LiDAR Buoy System near Muttom coast (TN)
➡ Measures ocean wind conditions up to 300 m height

📍 Festivals
✅ Chaitra Sukladi, Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Cheti Chand, Navreh mark regional New Years across India

📍 Cyber Crime
✅ Highest total cybercrime cases: Karnataka (~21,889)
✅ Highest cybercrime rate: Telangana

🔆 DEFENCE
📍 Naval Manufacturing
✅ Keel laying of 2 Next-Gen Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) at Ratnagiri (MH)
➡ Shipyard: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd

📍 Military Exercise
✅ Indian Army conducts Exercise Amogh Jwala at Babina Field Firing Ranges (UP)

🔆 MoUs / PARTNERSHIPS
📍 Green Shipping
✅ SCI signs contract with Mazagon Dock for Green Methanol Vessel

📍 Culture & Tech
✅ India–Indonesia partnership on AI-based restoration of Prambanan Temple

📍 Defence Communication
✅ HQ IDS signs MoU with ISRO’s Space Applications Centre
➡ Aim: Improve satellite communication & telemedicine for Armed Forces

🔆 STATES
📍 Puducherry
✅ Pondicherry University launches ‘Blue Voice’ app for coastal fishers

🔆 SCHEMES
📍 Export Support
✅ Govt launches Resilience & Logistic Intervention for Export Promotion (RELIEF) scheme
➡ Supports exporters impacted by West Asia conflict
➡ Benefits: Financial support + cargo coverage + MSME focus

🔆 IMPORTANT DAYS
✅ Global Recycling Day — 18 March 2026
➡ Theme: “Don’t Think Waste — Think Opportunity”

🔆 APPOINTMENTS
✅ Bhumikka Shrestha → Nepal’s 1st transgender woman MP (2026)
✅ Vikram Doraiswami → India’s next Ambassador to China

🔆 AWARDS / BOOKS
✅ Jawed Ashraf conferred France’s Legion d’Honneur (Commander rank)
✅ Nita Ambani receives KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 (Bhubaneswar)
✅ Book wins William Dalrymple Prize
➡ “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World”

🔆 SCIENCE & TECH
✅ Adobe + NVIDIA collaborate on 3D Digital Twin technology

🔆 SPORTS
✅ India to host World Indoor Athletics Championships 2028
➡ Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar
✅ Lionel Messi becomes 2nd footballer to score 900 official goals
➡ Only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (965 goals)

#CurrentAffairs

🔆 CURRENT AFFAIRS — 23 MARCH 2026

🔆 REGULATORY BODIES

📍 RBI Central Board Meeting
✅ 622nd meeting held on 20 March 2026
✅ Location: Patna
✅ Chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra
✅ Approved RBI Budget 2026–27 (covers expenditure & operations)
✅ Reviewed global & domestic economic situation, geopolitical risks & financial market concerns
✅ Approved Utkarsh 3.0 (2026–29) — RBI’s medium-term strategy framework

📍 State Borrowings (March 2026)
✅ Total raised: ₹45,960 crore via State Government Securities (SGS)
✅ Major contributors:
➡ Karnataka: ₹10,000 crore
➡ Tamil Nadu: ₹8,000 crore
➡ Madhya Pradesh: ₹5,800 crore
➡ UP & West Bengal: ₹3,500 crore each
➡ Andhra Pradesh & Haryana: ₹3,000 crore each
➡ Gujarat & Punjab: ₹2,000 crore each
➡ Delhi & Kerala: ₹1,000 crore each

🔆 BANKING & FINANCE

📍 New Income-tax Rules 2026
✅ Effective from 1 April 2026
✅ Strengthened Significant Economic Presence (SEP) rules
➡ Tax applies if transactions > ₹2 crore or user base > 3 lakh
✅ Audit trail mandatory for 7 years for stock exchange compliance
✅ Introduces zero-coupon bond framework & standard valuation methods

🔆 INTERNATIONAL

📍 World’s Largest Gas Field
✅ South Pars / North Dome gas field in Persian Gulf
✅ Shared by Iran & Qatar
✅ Holds ~19% of global gas reserves — largest reservoir on Earth

📍 Global Terrorism Index 2026
✅ Published by Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP)
✅ Pakistan ranked 1st (most affected)
✅ India ranked 13th
✅ Terrorism deaths declined by ~28% globally

🔆 NATIONAL

📍 National Dental Commission (NDC)
✅ Constituted by MoHFW — replaces Dental Council of India
✅ Statutory body under National Dental Commission Act, 2023
✅ Came into force on 19 March 2026
✅ Aim: Improve dental education quality & global alignment

📍 Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species
✅ Formed by National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
✅ Tenure: 2 years
✅ Mandate: Prepare national IAS list & mitigation strategies

📍 5G Innovation Hackathon 2026
✅ Launched by Department of Telecommunications
✅ Duration: 20 March – 17 April 2026
✅ Seed funding support: ₹50 lakh
✅ Aim: Promote indigenous 5G, AI & IoT solutions

📍 Prakriti 2026 – Carbon Markets Conference
✅ Organised by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in New Delhi
✅ Indian Carbon Market Portal launched
✅ Focus: Carbon finance, climate action & global partnerships

🔆 DEFENCE

📍 INS Taragiri (Project 17A)
✅ To be commissioned on 3 April 2026 at Visakhapatnam
✅ Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd
✅ Stealth frigate with 75%+ indigenous content
✅ Equipped with MR-SAM, ASW systems & supersonic missiles

🔆 STATES

📍 Telangana Budget 2026–27
✅ Outlay: ₹3.24 lakh crore
✅ Target: $1 trillion state economy by 2034
✅ GSDP growth rate: 10.7% (above national average)

📍 Bihar Diwas 2026
✅ Observed on 22 March
✅ Bihar formed in 1912, separated from Bengal Presidency

🔆 SCHEMES

📍 REPM Manufacturing Scheme
✅ Aim: Create 6,000 MTPA capacity for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets
✅ Outlay: ₹7,280 crore
✅ Strategic use in EVs, renewables, defence & electronics

🔆 IMPORTANT DAYS

📍 World Water Day 2026
✅ Observed on 22 March
✅ Theme: “Water and Gender”
✅ Linked to SDG-6 (Clean Water & Sanitation)

📍 International Day of Forests
✅ Observed on 21 March
✅ Theme: “Forests and Economies”

🔆 AWARDS / BOOKS

📍 Guinness World Record
✅ Bhupathiraju Anmish Varma — fastest climb of Seven Volcanic Summits
✅ Completed expedition in 92 days

📍 Book Launch
✅ Kailash Satyarthi releases “Karuna: The Power of Compassion”

🔆 SPORTS

📍 Khelo India Tribal Games 2026
✅ Host: Chhattisgarh
✅ Venues: Raipur, Jagdalpur, Surguja
✅ Dates: 25 March – 3 April 2026

📍 Squash – Indian Open 2026
✅ Women’s Singles Winner: Anahat Singh
✅ Men’s Singles Winner: Abhay Singh

📍 Swimming World Record
✅ Cameron McEvoy (Australia) sets 50m freestyle record — 20.88 sec

#CurrentAffairs

🔆 Barabar Caves

📍 About
✅ Oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India (Mauryan period: 322–185 BCE).
✅ Location: Barabar Hills, Makhdumpur (Jehanabad district, Bihar) — ~24 km north of Gaya.
✅ Two groups → Barabar Hill (4 caves) and Nagarjuni Hill (3 caves).

📍 Historical Significance
✅ Ashokan dedicatory inscriptions in name of “King Piyadasi” (Ashoka) for Ajivika ascetics.
✅ Nagarjuni caves dedicated by Dasharatha Maurya (Ashoka’s grandson).
✅ Considered birthplace of Ajivika sect.

📍 Architectural Features
✅ Carved from single granite rock with mirror-like Mauryan polish.
✅ Lomas Rishi Cave: earliest chaitya arch (chandrashala) → prototype for later caves (Ajanta, Karla).
✅ Unique echo effect inside chambers.

📍 Religious & Cultural Aspects
✅ Primarily Ajivika caves (later Buddhist, Jain & Hindu associations).
✅ Baba Siddhanath (Shiva) Temple atop Barabar Hill — Gupta period origin.

📍 Important Caves (Barabar Hill)
✅ Sudama Cave
✅ Lomas Rishi Cave
✅ Karan Chaupar Cave
✅ Visvakarma Cave

➡️ These caves strongly influenced later Indian rock-cut architectural tradition.

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