- SKYMET FORECASTS NORMAL MONSOON – LA NINA WEAK
SUBJECT: GEOGRAPHY
- La Niña(linked to increased rainfall)was weak and brief; El Niño(linked to reduced rainfall)is ruled out.
- Second half of the monsoon (August–September) expected to be better than the first half.
- Seasonal winds bringing heavy rainfall to India, primarily from June to September.
- Significance:
- Agriculture: 52% of India’s farmland depends on monsoon rains.
- Economy: Impacts GDP, food inflation, and rural livelihoods.
- Factors Influencing Monsoon: El Niño: Warmer Pacific waters, often reduces rainfall.
- La Niña: Cooler Pacific waters, often increases rainfall.
- Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD): Temperature difference in the Indian Ocean; positive IOD enhances rainfall.
2. INDIA, UAE TO DEEPEN DEFENCE COOPERATION
SUBJECT: BILATERAL
- Agreement to make defence industry cooperation an “integral part” of bilateral ties.
- Focus on co-production, co-development, innovation, and technology.
- Commitment to deepen Coast Guard cooperation through a formal MoU.
- Rajnath Singh: Emphasized the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with UAE as a priority for India.
- Sheikh Hamdan: Highlighted the trust-based, history-driven relationship aimed at innovation and prosperity.
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2017): Covers defence, energy, trade, and counter-terrorism.
- Defence Cooperation Agreement(2018), Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA, 2022).
- Defence Cooperation: Joint military exercises (e.g., Desert Cyclone).
3. THE BIMSTEC SUMMIT PROVIDED A PLATFORM FOR BILATERAL MEETINGS
SUBJECT: BILATERAL
- BIMSTEC(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) aims to bridge SAARC(South Asia) and ASEAN(Southeast Asia).
- The grouping has been stagnant due to a lack of purpose and political tensions, especially after the collapse of India-Pakistan ties post-2014, which stalled SAARC.
- Outcomes: Agreements on a BIMSTEC chamber of commerce and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway(connecting India’s Northeast to the Pacific).
- Focus on disaster management, free trade agreement (FTA), and customs agreements under the ‘Vision 2030’ document.
- Bilateral Meetings:
- India-Bangladesh:PM Modi and Muhammad Yunus discussed minority treatment, border killings, and Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India.
- India-Nepal:Modi met K.P. Sharma Oli to resolve tensions over a delayed invite.
- Myanmar’s Inclusion: General Min Aung Hlaing attended, with Modi urging democratic restoration in Myanmar and Bangladesh.
4. RGI FLAGS DELAY BY HOSPITALS IN REPORTING BIRTHS, DEATHS
SUBJECT: SOCIAL ISSUES
- The Registrar-General of India (RGI)issued a circular on March 17,highlighting delays by hospitals (both private and government) in reporting births and deaths within the mandatory 21 day period under the Registration of Birth and Death (RBD) Act, 1969.
- Current Status:90% of births and deaths are registered, but the goal of 100% universal registration remains unmet due to non-compliance by hospitals.
- Violations Observed: Hospitals wait for relatives to request registration or direct them to report events themselves.
- Some private hospitals fail to report events to the concerned registrar.
- Legal Implications:Under Section 23(2) of the RBD Act, negligence in registration is punishable with a fine.
- Registrars often delay entering events into the online portal, causing inconvenience to citizens.
- Birth and death certificates must be issued within 7 days, as per RGI guidelines.
- Importance of Timely Registration: With the Census delayed since 2021, civil registration records are crucial for estimating population and updating the National Population Register (NPR), ration cards, property registration, and electoral rolls
5. GENOME STUDY : 180 MILLION GENETIC VARIANTS FOUND IN 9772 INDIVUDUALS
SUBJECT: SCIENCE
- Blood samples from 20,000 individuals; 10,074 underwent whole genome sequencing.
- Median sample size: 159 (non-tribal), 75 (tribal)
- Populations: Tibeto-Burman, Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic tribes, and non-tribes.
- Findings: 180 million genetic variants identified. ○ Variants include those associated with diseases, rare variants, and those unique to India or specific communities.
- Next Steps: Analyze variants for disease relevance, therapeutic responses, and adverse effects.
- Develop low-cost diagnostic kits and advance personalized medicine.
- Data Storage:Genome sequence data is stored at the Indian Biological Data Centre, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad.
