PIB Snippets — August 14, 2026
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958
AMASR Act — Key Facts for Prelims
- The AMASR Act, 1958 governs the protection and preservation of ancient monuments and archaeological sites in India.
- Administered by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) under the Ministry of Culture.
- Centrally Protected Monuments (CPMs) are declared under this Act. India has approximately 3,693 Centrally Protected Monuments under ASI protection.
Ancient Monument — Key Facts
- Under the AMASR Act, an ancient monument is any structure, erection, or monument of historical, archaeological, or artistic interest that has been in existence for not less than 100 years.
- It includes ruins, sites of antiquity, remains of historic importance, and literary and artistic specimens.
- Antiquity means any object, book, manuscript, or thing over 100 years old in certain categories.
Prohibited Area
A 100-metre zone around each Centrally Protected Monument, where no construction activity is permitted.
Regulated Area
A 200-metre zone beyond the Prohibited Area (100–300 metres), where construction needs NMA approval.
2010 Amendment
Introduced the concept of Prohibited/Regulated Areas and established the National Monuments Authority (NMA).
National Monuments Authority
Grants construction permissions in Regulated Areas and prepares heritage bylaws for each CPM.
Mission Mausam
Mission Mausam Update — News Context
- The Union Cabinet approved Mission Mausam with an outlay of ₹2,000 crore for FY 2024-25 to 2026-27.
- The mission aims to make India a weather-ready and climate-smart nation.
Mission Mausam — Key Facts for Prelims
- A Central Government mission launched in September 2024 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
- Total outlay: ₹2,000 crore over two years (FY 2024-25 to 2026-27).
- Aims to significantly upgrade India’s weather and climate forecasting capabilities.
Observation Networks
Expand and upgrade radar systems, weather stations, and satellite data systems.
HPC Infrastructure
Develop high-performance computing infrastructure for better weather modelling.
Forecast Accuracy
Improve weather forecasting accuracy, particularly for extreme weather events.
Sectoral Reach
Promotes weather-informed decisions across agriculture, disaster management, aviation and urban planning.
Implementing Agencies — Concepts for Prelims
- IMD (India Meteorological Department): primary weather forecasting agency.
- IITM Pune (Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology): develops climate models and forecasting systems.
- BharatFS (Bharat Forecast System): India’s indigenous global weather prediction model at 6 km resolution — the only such model globally at this resolution.
BioE3 Policy
BioE3 Environmental Outcomes — News Context
- India’s BioE3 Policy is generating significant environmental benefits through biomanufacturing replacing petrochemical-based production.
- Bio-based chemicals and biopolymers developed under BioE3 are reducing plastic waste and carbon emissions across industries.
BioE3 Policy — Key Facts for Prelims
- BioE3 stands for Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment.
- Approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024 for High-Performance Biomanufacturing.
- Implemented by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council).
Six Thematic Sectors — Concepts for Prelims
- Bio-based chemicals, biopolymers, APIs, and enzymes.
- Smart proteins and functional foods.
- Precision biotherapeutics.
- Climate-resilient agriculture.
- Carbon capture and utilisation.
- Futuristic marine and space research.
BioEnablers
Bio-AI Hubs, Biofoundries, and Biomanufacturing Hubs — 15 Bio-AI Hubs recommended under the “मूलांकुर” programme.
Strain Resource Centre
BioE3-SRC at BRIC-NCCS, Pune provides indigenous microbial strains with “freedom-to-operate” for commercialisation.
Funding Framework
DBT supports academia via Grant-in-Aid; BIRAC supports startups/SMEs/industry through co-funding and royalty sharing.
Scale of Rollout
270 projects recommended for funding; 17 bioenabler facilities supported in the first call; BioE3 Cells notified in Assam, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.
