22 March 2025

• World Water Day: March 22 is World Water Day; 2025 theme was "Glacier Preservation."
• Environment: A new study showed forest finance needs 460 billion dollars annually but receives less than 2 per cent of that.
• Technology: NavIC was integrated into India's National Geospatial Policy 2022 for civilian applications.
• Health: India's e-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform crossed 196 million consultations.
• Energy: India crossed 1 billion tonnes of coal production for the first time.

GS area: Environment (Water, Climate)

March 22 is World Water Day, first observed in 1993 after a resolution at the UN Earth Summit (Rio de Janeiro, 1992).

• 2025 theme: "Glacier Preservation." The day focuses on the water stored in glaciers as freshwater reserves.
• Glacial contribution: Glaciers feed over 1 billion people through seasonal meltwater in Asia and South America.
• Himalayan glaciers: India depends on the Himalayan cryosphere for rivers like Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra and Yamuna.
• IPCC on glaciers: The Sixth Assessment Report (2021-22) projected 80 per cent glacier loss in the Hindu Kush Himalaya under high-emission scenarios.
• Stockholm Water Prize 2025: Awarded to Prof. Günter Blöschl (Austria) for his work on hydrological extremes (floods and droughts).
• UN-Water: The UN coordination body for water. Focal point for World Water Day.

Static linkage: Environment (water, climate change).

GS area: Environment (Forests, Climate Finance)

A report highlighted that global forest conservation requires 460 billion dollars annually but receives less than 6 billion dollars per year.

• Return on investment: Forests provide 6 dollars in benefits for every 1 dollar invested (carbon storage, watershed services, biodiversity).
• Global forest area: About 4 billion hectares. About 31 per cent of Earth's land surface.
• Deforestation rate: 10 million hectares per year (approximately 12 football fields per minute).
• REDD+: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change mechanism to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. India has prepared a National REDD+ strategy.
• India's forest cover: 24.6 per cent of geographic area (ISFR 2023). The legal forest area (classified) is about 21.7 per cent.
• Green Bonds: One instrument for mobilising forest finance.

Static linkage: Environment (forests, climate finance).

GS area: Science and Technology (Space), Governance

India's NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) satellite navigation system was integrated into civilian applications under the National Geospatial Policy 2022.

• NavIC: India's regional navigation satellite system. Originally called IRNSS (Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System).
• Coverage: Primary service area: India and up to 1,500 km beyond borders.
• Satellites: 7 operational (3 geostationary + 4 geosynchronous orbit).
• Accuracy: Better than 20 metres in the service area; 10 metres with dual frequency.
• Applications: Maritime navigation, disaster management, vehicle tracking (mandated in fleet vehicles), agriculture.
• National Geospatial Policy 2022: Liberalised geospatial data access for civilians and companies. Replaced cumbersome licensing with self-certification.
• Competition: GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China), QZSS (Japan).

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

GS area: Science and Technology (AI), Health, Governance

India's e-Sanjeevani telemedicine platform crossed 196 million consultations, while AIIMS hospitals rolled out AI diagnostic tools.

• e-Sanjeevani: India's national teleconsultation service. Launched 2019. Under the National Health Mission.
• 196 million consultations: One of the world's largest telemedicine platforms.
• AIIMS AI Centre: AI-powered diagnostic tools deployed for radiology (chest X-ray analysis for TB), ophthalmology (diabetic retinopathy) and pathology.
• Telehealth access: Bridges rural-urban disparity. Reduces out-of-pocket expenditure.
• Digital Health Mission (ABDM): Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Health ID (ABHA), Health Records, Registry of Healthcare Professionals.
• Privacy: Health data is among the most sensitive personal data categories under the DPDP Act, 2023.

Static linkage: Science and technology (AI, health), governance.

GS area: Economy (Energy, Mining)

India's coal production crossed 1 billion tonnes for the first time in FY2024-25.

• CIL dominance: Coal India Limited accounts for about 80 per cent of production. The remaining 20 per cent comes from SCCL (Singareni Collieries) and captive mines.
• Top coal states: Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
• Raniganj coalfield: India's oldest (established 1774, East India Company era). West Bengal.
• India's coal reserves: 352 billion tonnes.
• Energy transition tension: Coal is at odds with India's Panchamrit goal of net zero by 2070 and 500 GW renewable by 2030.
• Just Transition: India advocates for equity in clean energy transition given development imperatives.

Static linkage: Economy (energy, mining), environment.

GS area: Governance, Economy (Financial Inclusion)

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) ran SwaYaan NIDAR, a financial literacy initiative, reaching 42,560 participants.

• NISM: National Institute of Securities Markets. A public institution established by SEBI. Headquartered in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
• SwaYaan NIDAR: Translated as "Self-Learning Fearless." Aims to equip small investors with basics of financial markets.
• Financial literacy gap: NCFE-FINDEX survey showed India's financial literacy rate at 27 per cent (below the global average of 33 per cent).
• SEBI mandate: Market regulator. Also runs the Investor Protection and Education Fund (IPEF) for financial literacy.
• Digital financial inclusion: India's Jan Dhan accounts (530-plus million) and UPI (14 billion monthly transactions) have expanded financial access, but literacy lags.

Static linkage: Economy (financial inclusion), governance.

GS area: International Relations (South America), Economy (Agriculture)

Suriname earned about 1 million US dollars from passion fruit exports to India, a result of an agricultural cooperation MoU.

• Suriname: South American nation on the north coast. Former Dutch colony. Independent since 1975. Capital: Paramaribo.
• Indian diaspora: About 27 per cent of Suriname's population is of Indian origin (descendants of indentured labourers brought by Dutch colonists from 1873 to 1916).
• Agriculture cooperation: India-Suriname MoU on agricultural research. Passion fruit variety developed with ICAR input.
• India-CARICOM: India also engages with Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which Suriname is a member.
• Indentured labour history: After the abolition of slavery, British and Dutch colonial powers brought indentured labourers from India (primarily UP and Bihar) to Mauritius, Fiji, Trinidad and Suriname.

Static linkage: International relations (South America), history (Indian diaspora).

• Namibia: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah: Formally inaugurated as President in March 2025, becoming Africa's first elected female head of state. SWAPO party.
• Women's Premier League 2025: The Women's Premier League cricket tournament saw expanded participation, supporting BCCI's women's cricket growth strategy.