15 March 2025

• Agriculture: India's Green Revolution turned 57, with Swaminathan Commission recommendations still only partially implemented.
• Water: The global groundwater crisis deepened, with India accounting for 25 per cent of global extractions.
• Labour: MGNREGA wage arrears of 23,446 crore rupees remained unpaid to workers across states.
• Health: Tanzania declared the end of the Marburg outbreak. Globally, preparedness for the next epidemic was under review.
• Heritage: Six new sites were added to India's UNESCO Tentative List.

GS area: Economy (Agriculture), History (Post-Independence)

India's Green Revolution, which began in the mid-1960s, completed 57 years.

• Green Revolution: Began in India around 1966-67. Led by MS Swaminathan in partnership with Norman Borlaug's high-yielding dwarf wheat varieties.
• Crops: Initially wheat (Punjab), then rice. HYV seeds, chemical fertilisers and assured irrigation.
• Impact: Wheat production rose from 11 million tonnes (1966) to 27 million tonnes (1972).
• Swaminathan Commission (NCSF) report, 2006: Recommended the Comprehensive Crop Insurance Scheme, soil health restoration, guaranteed C2+50% MSP, women farmers' land rights and a Farmers' Commission.
• C2+50% MSP: The demand persists. Government calculates MSP as A2+FL (paid-out costs plus family labour), not including imputed land rent (C2).
• Second Green Revolution: Calls for extending productivity gains to eastern India, pulses and millets, reducing water intensity and climate resilience.
• Millets: India led the International Year of Millets 2023. Millets are drought-resistant and nutritionally rich.

Static linkage: Economy (agriculture, food security, MSP).

GS area: Environment, Geography

A major international study on groundwater depletion placed India's crisis in global context.

• India's extraction: 25 per cent of all global groundwater extracted in India. About 230 billion cubic metres per year.
• Over-exploited blocks: 1,592 assessment units (blocks/talukas/firkas) are over-exploited.
• Water table decline: Up to 0.5 metres per year in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain campaign. Focus on water conservation in water-stressed districts every monsoon season.
• CGWA: Central Ground Water Authority regulates groundwater extraction. Under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• National Water Policy 2012: Calls for a participatory approach and treats water as a common heritage.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana: A 6,000 crore rupee centrally sponsored scheme for participatory groundwater management in seven water-stressed states.

Static linkage: Environment (water), geography.

GS area: Governance, Economy (Rural)

Parliamentary data revealed that MGNREGA wage arrears stood at 23,446 crore rupees, representing payments owed to workers for completed work.

• MGNREGA: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. Guarantees 100 days of unskilled manual work annually to any rural household whose adult members volunteer.
• Legal entitlement: Wages must be paid within 15 days of completion of work. Delays attract compensation to the worker.
• Wage structure: MGNREGA wages are set state-wise. Range: 221 rupees per day (Nagaland) to 357 rupees per day (Haryana) as of 2024.
• Coverage: About 5 to 7 crore households seek employment annually.
• Mate provision: Fiftieth day of work must be provided within 15 km of the village under the Act.
• Social audit: A mandatory institution under the Act. Gram Sabhas conduct public hearings on implementation. Ombudsman system for complaints.
• States with highest pending wages: Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Static linkage: Economy (rural development, labour rights), governance.

GS area: Science and Technology (Space)

Aditya-L1, India's first solar observatory, observed a stealth coronal mass ejection (CME), a rare event without an associated solar flare.

• Aditya-L1: Launched September 2023. Stationed at the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1), 1.5 million km from Earth.
• L1 point: A gravitationally stable position. A spacecraft here can observe the Sun continuously without eclipse.
• VELC: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph, the primary payload. India's contribution; built by IIA, Bengaluru.
• Stealth CME: A coronal mass ejection that has no corresponding solar flare signature. Harder to predict. Can still cause geomagnetic storms.
• Geomagnetic storm risk: CMEs cause disturbance in Earth's magnetic field (geomagnetic storms), disrupting satellites, power grids, communication and GPS.
• Space weather: NOAA (US) and ESA operate space weather monitoring. India's ISRO is building its space weather monitoring capacity through Aditya-L1.

Static linkage: Science and technology (space, ISRO).

GS area: Culture, History

Six new sites were added to India's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, bringing the total to over 50 sites under consideration.

• New sites added: Hoysala temples (Belur, Halebid, Somnathapura), Satavahana Buddhist sites in Andhra Pradesh, Modhera Sun Temple (Gujarat), and three other cultural/natural sites.
• Tentative List: A pre-requisite for nomination to the World Heritage List. A site must be on the tentative list for at least one year before formal nomination.
• Current WHL sites in India: 42 sites (as of the latest inscription).
• Last inscription: Hoysala temples were inscribed in the World Heritage List in 2023. Santiniketan (Visva Bharati) was also inscribed in 2023.
• UNESCO World Heritage Convention, 1972: India ratified in 1977. UNESCO has 195 member states.
• Criteria: Sites must meet at least one of 10 criteria for Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

Static linkage: Culture (world heritage), history.

GS area: Governance, Science and Technology

The Pratibimb (integrated real-time governance dashboard) was in focus for expanding its government services monitoring scope.

• Pratibimb: An initiative of the Prime Minister's Office to provide real-time monitoring of flagship scheme implementation.
• Data integration: Pulls in field data from MGNREGA, PM-KISAN, health missions, housing schemes and others.
• Comparison: Operates alongside iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) and MyScheme portals.
• PRAGATI: The Programme for Responsive Governance and Timely Implementation. Monthly PM-chaired reviews of key projects using video conferencing. Tracks 1,000-plus projects.
• DBT Mission: Direct Benefit Transfer through Jan Dhan accounts eliminates leakages. Over 35 lakh crore rupees transferred since 2013.

Static linkage: Governance (digital governance, scheme monitoring).

GS area: Health, International Relations

The World Health Organization confirmed that Tanzania's Marburg Virus Disease outbreak was officially over after the 42-day countdown.

• Outbreak declared over: March 15, 2025.
• WHO 42-day rule: Twice the maximum incubation period (21 days) without a new confirmed case.
• Tanzania's 2025 outbreak: Kagera region. Number of cases confirmed. Filoviridae family. Same family as Ebola.
• Egypt rousette bat: The natural reservoir, found across Africa. Index case often traced to bat exposure in mines or forests.
• WHO International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005: Legally binding framework for disease surveillance and response. Requires states to report potential Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC).
• Post-outbreak: WHO recommends active surveillance, risk communication and preparedness planning.

Static linkage: Health (infectious diseases, WHO).

• SEBI's T+0 settlement: SEBI extended T+0 settlement (same-day trade settlement) to more securities, part of India's effort to match global market efficiency. Most global markets use T+1.
• India-Saudi Arabia energy cooperation: Saudi Aramco was reported to be in advanced talks for a stake in Indian refineries. Saudi Arabia is India's second-largest oil supplier.