Main Point :-   (i) The portal is connected to multiple government databases—Him Bhoomi, Him Parivar, Aadhaar, and the Public Distribution System (PDS)—to facilitate automatic verification and minimize manual documentation.

      (ii) Eligible beneficiaries can apply online directly or through Lokmitra Kendras by visiting https://himparivar.hp.gov.in/ekalyan.

(iii) Applicants are digitally notified about application errors, verification status, and approvals, allowing them to track the process conveniently from home.

      - RCS-UDAN operates on a market-driven approach where airlines assess passenger demand on specific regional routes and submit proposals during the bidding rounds. Selected airlines receive financial support, such as Viability Gap Funding (VGF), making air travel affordable while ensuring the economic viability of the operations.

Main Point :-   (i) The UDAN scheme has successfully operationalized 625 routes, connecting 90 airports, including 15 heliports and 2 water aerodromes, enhancing regional air connectivity across India.

      (ii) Over 1.49 crore passengers have benefited from affordable regional air travel, with 3 lakh UDAN flights operated, improving accessibility and convenience for citizens.

(iii) The scheme has contributed to the growth of regional airlines like Flybig, Star Air, and IndiaOne, facilitating air connectivity to key destinations and boosting trade, healthcare, and tourism across India.

Main Point :-   (i) This 56-page anthology features 39 poems that explore deep human emotions such as the pain of broken relationships, introspective solitude, and the resilience of hope inspired by the calmness of nature.

      (ii) Anupama Sharma, a lecturer by profession, is also a passionate poetess who enjoys bike riding, trekking, and sports. Her poetic works reflect both personal introspection and a strong message advocating mental well-being.

      - The 14th Dalai Lama has received several prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize (1989) for his nonviolent struggle, the Ramon Magsaysay Award (1959) for Community Leadership, and the PV Narasimha Rao Memorial Award (2024) for his contributions to peace and leadership.

Main Point :-   (i) Gold Mercury International recognizes global leaders, individuals, companies, and organizations across eight award categories, including Global Health, Global Science & Technology, Global Culture, Global Resources, Global Economic & Social Policy, Global Peace & Security, Global Environment, and International Law & Humanitarian Affairs.

      (ii) Notable recipients of the Gold Mercury Award include former U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford for their diplomatic efforts in nuclear disarmament, as well as Prof. Robert Gallo, the American biomedical researcher who discovered the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) as the cause of AIDS.

(iii) Other prominent awardees include global organizations like the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the Red Cross for their humanitarian contributions worldwide.

      - The signing ceremony was attended by Chief Minister of HP Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, and Telangana's Energy Minister.

Main Point :-   (i) The hydropower projects, located on the Chenab River, will create 5,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in Himachal Pradesh. Telangana has paid an upfront premium of Rs. 26 crore and will provide free power to Himachal Pradesh at varying percentages over the next 40 years, after which both projects will be transferred to Himachal Pradesh.

      (ii) Telangana will also contribute 1.5% of the project costs to the Local Area Development Fund (LADF) and offer an additional 1% of free power for LADF after commissioning. Affected families will receive benefits equivalent to 100 units per month for 10 years.

(iii) The projects will harness the perennial waters of Himachal Pradesh's Himalayan rivers, which provide hydropower generation for 9-10 months annually, aligning with Telangana's Clean & Green Energy Policy 2025 for sustainable energy development.

      - The Revenue Deficit for FY 26 is estimated at Rs 6,390.07 crore, and the Fiscal Deficit is projected at Rs 10,337.97 crore, which constitutes 4.04% of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Main Point :-   (i) To promote natural farming, the government plans to bring an additional 1 lakh farmers into this practice during FY 26, building upon the 1.58 lakh farmers who are already engaged in it.

      (ii) Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, the daily wage rate has been increased from Rs 300 to Rs 320 to support rural workers.

(iii) As part of the ‘Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi Yojana’, Rs 1,500 financial assistance will be provided to women turning 21 between January 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, as well as those working in others' homes from June 1, 2025, and their eligible daughters. Additionally, a Special Task Force (STF) will be formed to tackle rising drug abuse in the state.

      - The MoU between TRIFED and HPMC was recently signed and exchanged between TRIFED GM Mamta Sharma and HPMC GM Sunny Sharma.

Main Point :-   (i) The collaboration aims to strengthen tribal marketing strategies by shifting from a business-to-consumer (B2C) model to a business-to-business (B2B) approach.

      (ii) These strategic partnerships focus on empowering tribal artisans and entrepreneurs by promoting handloom, handicrafts, and forest products, while also enhancing horticultural and forest product processing.

      - The MoU between TRIFED and HPMC was recently signed and exchanged between TRIFED GM Mamta Sharma and HPMC GM Sunny Sharma.

Main Point :-   (i) The collaboration aims to strengthen tribal marketing strategies by shifting from a business-to-consumer (B2C) model to a business-to-business (B2B) approach.

      (ii) These strategic partnerships focus on empowering tribal artisans and entrepreneurs by promoting handloom, handicrafts, and forest products, while also enhancing horticultural and forest product processing.

      - Further allocations include ₹70 crore for the beautification of Palampur city, ₹135 crore for sewerage projects, and funding for the construction of a heliport in the region.

Main Point :-   (i) Key initiatives include the establishment of a dairy processing plant with a capacity of 1.5 lakh liters per day at Dagwar in Kangra district. Additionally, 96 electric bus charging stations will be installed to promote eco-friendly transportation.

      (ii) The state government plans to secure approval for additional MLA-priority projects from NABARD by March 2025. For the fiscal year 2024-25, ₹1,087.77 crore has been allocated under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), marking a 5.28% increase from the previous year.

      - IREDA will invest Rs. 174.22 crore for a 5% stake, with SJVN also investing a similar amount to acquire up to a 10% joint stake in GMR Upper Karnali Hydro Power Ltd and Karnali Transmission Co Pvt Ltd, projects executed by GMR Nepal in partnership with SJVN.

Main Point :-   (i) The joint venture agreement establishes a comprehensive framework for planning, construction, operation, and maintenance of the project under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. The USD 1.5 billion project will operate for 25 years from its Commercial Operation Date (COD).

      (ii) Out of the total power generated, Nepal will utilize only 108 MW for domestic consumption, while 792 MW will be exported to countries like India and Bangladesh, promoting renewable energy and enhancing regional energy security.

(iii) The project exemplifies cross-border collaboration by harnessing hydropower potential, offering both environmental and economic benefits.

      - The agreement was signed in the presence of Dr. Raj Kumar Upadhyay, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of C-DOT, Dr. Rahul Shrestha, Principal Investigator from IIT Mandi, Dr. Rohit B. Chaurasiya, Co-Investigator from IIT Jammu, as well as C-DOT Directors Pankaj Kumar Dalela and Shikha Srivastava.

Main Point :-   (i) The collaboration aims to develop a Wideband Spectrum-Sensor (WSS), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip designed to optimize spectrum usage for broadband services, especially in rural areas. The project also aims to generate intellectual property (IP) for spectrum sensing technology, critical for dynamic spectrum access.

      (ii) The project will design an advanced spectrum sensing algorithm to identify unused frequency bands (spectrum holes) in communication systems, enabling interference-free operation.

(iii) The project focuses on developing hardware-efficient communication algorithms to detect underutilized frequency bands above 2 GHz, demonstrating a wideband cognitive radio module for the 6 GHz satellite band and testing designs using Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) to improve spectrum utilization.