Daily Prelims Pinpointer
July 11, 2026
Quick-revision notes for UPSC Prelims — Ken-Betwa Link Project, Wildlife CAMPA (Gangetic Dolphin, Snow Leopard, One-Horned Rhino), TRAI 1600 Number Series, and e-Zero FIR Initiative.
Topic 01 of 04
Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)
Geography · Water
GS Paper 1 & 3
India’s First River Interlinking
Key Facts
Status: India’s first river interlinking project under implementation
Approved: December 2021 — Union Cabinet; cost ₹44,605 crore
Objective: Transfer surplus Ken water to deficit Betwa in Bundelkhand
Irrigation: 10.62 lakh hectares; Drinking water: 62 lakh people
Power: 103 MW hydropower + 27 MW solar power
Implementing agency: NWDA (National Water Development Agency, est. 1982)
Two Phases
- Phase 1: Construction of Daudhan Dam + 221 km long canal
- Phase 2: Lower Orr Dam, Bina Complex and Kotha Barrage construction
Ken River — Key Facts
- Originates from Kaimur Hills (Vindhya Range), near Ahirgawan, Satna district, MP
- Flows through MP and UP; joins Yamuna near Chilla, Banda district, UP
- Total length: ~427 km; major tributaries: Sonar, Bearma, Kopra, Mirhasan
Betwa River — Key Facts
- Originates from Vindhya Range near Bhopal, Raisen district, MP
- Flows through MP and UP; joins Yamuna near Hamirpur, UP
- Total length: ~590 km; major tributaries: Dhasan, Sindh, Birma, Jamni
National Perspective Plan (NPP) — River Interlinking
- NPP formulated by Ministry of Water Resources (now Jal Shakti) in 1980
- Envisages 30 river interlinking projects — 14 Himalayan + 16 Peninsular component
- Ken-Betwa is a Peninsular Component project
- NWDA set up in 1982 under Jal Shakti Ministry to implement NPP
UPSC Angle: KBLP = India’s first river interlinking project under implementation. Peninsular Component of NPP. NWDA = implementing agency (est. 1982). Phase 1 = Daudhan Dam + 221 km canal. Ecological concern = 9,000 ha of Panna Tiger Reserve submerged. Both Ken and Betwa are Yamuna tributaries flowing through MP and UP.
📰 Source: The Hindu
Topic 02 of 04
Wildlife Conservation: National CAMPA Projects
Environment & Ecology
GS Paper 3
Biodiversity Conservation
Key Facts
National CAMPA: Constituted under Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act, 2016
Chairperson: Union Minister of Environment
Projects approved: Gangetic Dolphin, Snow Leopard, Indian One-Horned Rhino
CAMPA purpose: Compensatory afforestation fund for forest diversion projects
🐬 Gangetic River Dolphin
Platanista gangetica gangetica
India’s National Aquatic Animal. Found in Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna and Karnaphuli-Sangu river systems (India, Nepal, Bangladesh). Practically blind — navigates by echolocation. Threatened by fishing nets, pollution, dams and habitat loss.
IUCN: Endangered
CITES: Appendix I
WPA: Schedule I
🐬 Indus River Dolphin
Platanista gangetica minor
Found in Beas River, Punjab (India) and Indus River in Pakistan. Also practically blind — uses echolocation. Beas Conservation Reserve in Punjab was created specifically to protect this subspecies.
IUCN: Endangered
CITES: Appendix I
WPA: Schedule I
🐆 Snow Leopard
Panthera uncia
Found in high-altitude zones of J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Project Snow Leopard launched in 2009 — to protect the species and its high-altitude mountain ecosystem.
IUCN: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
WPA: Schedule I
🦏 Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros unicornis
Primarily found in Kaziranga National Park, Assam (~70% of global population). Also in Pobitora WS, Orang NP (Assam), Jaldapara & Gorumara (WB), Dudhwa TR (UP), Chitwan NP (Nepal). India Vision 2020 aimed at increasing population through translocation.
IUCN: Vulnerable
CITES: Appendix I
WPA: Schedule I
UPSC Angle: National CAMPA = Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016, chaired by Union Environment Minister. Gangetic Dolphin = National Aquatic Animal, blind, echolocation, Endangered. Indus Dolphin = Beas River, Endangered. Snow Leopard = Project 2009, Vulnerable. One-Horned Rhino = Kaziranga 70% global pop, Vulnerable. All three = CITES Appendix I + WPA Schedule I.
📰 Source: The Hindu
Topic 03 of 04
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)
Polity & Governance
GS Paper 2
Regulatory Body
Key Facts
Established: Under TRAI Act, 1997
Composition: 1 Chairperson + 2 full-time + 2 part-time members
Tenure: 3 years or until age 65, whichever is earlier
Appointment: Chairperson and all members appointed by Central Government
1600 series: Reserved for regulated entities and govt-to-citizen communication
140 series: Promotional calls — blockable only via DND Registry managed by TRAI
Functions of TRAI
- Regulates service quality, tariffs, interconnection, spectrum management and consumer protection
- Issues regulations, orders and recommendations guiding telecom policy and market practices
- Promotes growth of telecommunications and India’s role in the global information society
- 1600 number series calls cannot be blocked by caller identification applications — ensures trusted govt-citizen communication
TDSAT — Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal
- TRAI Act amended in 2000 to establish TDSAT
- Adjudicates disputes among licensors, licensees, service providers and consumer groups
- Hears appeals against directions, decisions and orders issued by TRAI
UPSC Angle: TRAI = statutory regulatory body under TRAI Act 1997. Composition = 1 chair + 2 full-time + 2 part-time, appointed by Central Govt, tenure 3 years or 65. TDSAT established by 2000 amendment. 1600 series = trusted govt-citizen calls, cannot be blocked. 140 series = promotional calls, only DND Registry can block. Questions often ask about TRAI composition, TDSAT and number series distinctions.
📰 Source: The Hindu
Topic 04 of 04
e-Zero FIR Initiative & Cybercrime Reporting
Internal Security
GS Paper 3
Digital Governance
Key Facts
Purpose: Faster action against financial cyber frauds
Helpline: 1930 integrated with National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
Mechanism: Complaints → electronic FIRs for immediate police action
Integration: CCTNS (Crime & Criminal Tracking Network and Systems)
Legal framework: Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)
Coordinator: I4C (Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre)
How e-Zero FIR Works
- Complaints through 1930 helpline are electronically transmitted to police for immediate action
- System converts complaints into electronic FIRs without procedural delays
- Enables real-time coordination among police agencies across jurisdictions handling cybercrime
- Integrates with CCTNS for seamless registration and processing
- I4C (Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre) coordinates implementation
What is Zero FIR?
- Allows registration of a criminal case irrespective of territorial jurisdiction
- Registered Zero FIR is transferred to the competent police station for investigation
- Ensures timely action without delay because of jurisdictional issues — key protection for victims
- Applies to all cognizable offences — provides immediate police intervention rights
- Operates under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) — the new criminal procedure code replacing CrPC
UPSC Angle: e-Zero FIR = 1930 helpline + National Cybercrime Reporting Portal integration. Legal framework = BNSS (not CrPC). Integrated with CCTNS. Coordinated by I4C. Zero FIR = FIR regardless of jurisdiction, then transferred. Key distinction: Zero FIR (any cognizable offence) vs e-Zero FIR (specifically financial cybercrime). Connect to cybersecurity, digital governance and BNSS provisions.
📰 Source: Indian Express
