🔆 Critical Mineral Recycling Incentive Scheme (CMRIS)

📍 Launched by: Ministry of Mines
📍 Under: National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM)
📍 Type: Central Sector Scheme
📍 Tenure: FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31
📍 Outlay: ₹1,500 crore

📍 Key Objectives

✅ Promote recycling of critical minerals from secondary sources (e-waste, spent lithium-ion batteries, catalytic converters).
✅ Establish a secondary domestic supply chain to reduce import dependence.
✅ Target: 270 kilotons recycling capacity & 40 kilotons recovered minerals annually by FY 2031.

📍 Incentive Structure

✅ Incentives on Capex & Opex (reimbursement basis).
✅ Covers all recycling stages — collection → processing → extraction → purification.

📍 Beneficiary Classification

1️⃣ Group A – Large Recyclers:
• Revenue > ₹200 crore
• Investment ≥ ₹100 crore
• Capacity ≥ 10,000 tonnes
• Incentive Cap: ₹50 crore

2️⃣ Group B – Startups/Smaller Recyclers:
• Revenue < ₹200 crore
• Investment ≥ ₹25 crore
• Capacity ≥ 5,000 tonnes
• Incentive Cap: ₹25 crore
🟩 1/3rd of total outlay reserved for Group B startups.

📍 Feedstock Sources

E-waste, lithium-ion batteries, catalytic converters, secondary metal waste.
(Black-mass producers not eligible.)

📍 National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM)

✅ Promote R&D in advanced mineral processing & recovery.
✅ Develop Centres of Excellence and mineral processing parks.
✅ Build national stockpile for supply security.
✅ Encourage domestic & global investments in mining and recycling.
✅ ₹16,300 crore govt. funding + ₹18,000 crore PSU/private investment.

📍 Critical Minerals Covered

🔹 Lithium, Cobalt – EV batteries, electronics
🔹 Graphite, Nickel – Alloys, battery storage
🔹 Rare Earth Elements (REEs) – Defence, high-tech
🔹 Titanium, Tungsten – Aerospace
🔹 Vanadium, Molybdenum – Steel & energy

📍 Technological & Policy Support

✅ MMDR Act (1957) – 2023 Amendments: Enable faster exploration & approvals.
✅ GSI: 368 exploration projects underway.
✅ S&T PRISM Program: Supports startups/MSMEs in mineral R&D.
✅ KABIL (JV under MoM): Secured lithium mining rights in argentina.


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🔆 Molecular Clouds

📍 Why in News
✅ Scientists have traced small molecular clouds near the Milky Way disc and observed the magnetic field “skeleton” around them for the first time.
✅ This helps understand the role of magnetic fields in star formation.

📍 What are Molecular Clouds?
✅ Dense interstellar clouds made of gas and dust where molecules can form.
✅ The most abundant molecule is molecular hydrogen (H₂).
✅ They are also called stellar nurseries because new stars are born inside them.

📍 Formation of Stars
✅ Stars form when parts of a molecular cloud collapse under gravity.
✅ This collapse can be triggered by external disturbances such as shock waves from nearby supernova explosions.
✅ Our Sun is believed to have formed in a similar molecular cloud.

📍 Key Features
✅ Opaque / Dark Appearance: Dust grains absorb and scatter visible light → appear as dark nebulae.
✅ Irregular Shape: They lack clear outer boundaries and show complex filamentary structures.
✅ Cold Regions: Temperatures are typically very low (~10–20 K) enabling molecule formation.
✅ Magnetic Fields: Help regulate cloud collapse, fragmentation, and star-formation rate.

📍 Significance in Astronomy
✅ Help scientists study origin of stars and planetary systems.
✅ Provide clues about galactic structure and evolution.
✅ Important for understanding distribution of matter in the Milky Way.

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🔆 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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