UPSC Prelims
PIB Snippets
Govt Schemes & Environment
Daily PIB Snippets: August 4, 2026
Key updates on India’s 101st Ramsar Site, PM-SYM Enrolments, and V2V Communication Standards.
Ramsar Sites
101 Sites in India
PM-SYM Enrolment
50+ Lakh Workers
V2V Communication
5.875 to 5.925 GHz
1
Glaw Lake and Ramsar Sites
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Glaw Lake & Biodiversity
- Context: Glaw Lake in Lohit district became Arunachal Pradesh’s first Ramsar site, making it India’s 101st Ramsar Site.
- Geography: A pristine freshwater lake located within the Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary in the Eastern Himalayas, fed by perennial mountain streams.
- Biodiversity: Supports four species of big cats (Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard) and provides a habitat for the critically endangered White-Bellied Heron.
- Flora & Culture: Over 150 tree species and 49 orchid species are recorded in its catchment area. The lake is considered sacred by the local Mishmi community.
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Ramsar Convention Facts
Global Network
Signed in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran. It has 172 member countries and features over 2,500 protected sites covering 2.5 million sq. km globally.
Country Leaders
The UK has the most sites (176), followed by Mexico (144). Brazil holds the largest geographical area under protection (267,000 sq. km).
India ratified the Ramsar Convention on February 1, 1982. It is one of the oldest and largest inter-governmental accords for environmental preservation, trailing only CBD and UNFCCC in scale.
2
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM)
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Scheme Features & Eligibility
- Context: The government recently highlighted that PM-SYM has successfully enrolled over 50 lakh unorganised workers since its launch.
- About PM-SYM: A voluntary and contributory pension scheme launched on March 15, 2019 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment. It assures a minimum monthly pension of ₹3,000 after attaining 60 years of age.
- Implementation: Handled by LIC as the Pension Fund Manager. Enrolments take place through Common Service Centres (CSCs). It is a 100% centrally funded scheme regarding the government’s matching contribution.
- Eligibility: Unorganised workers (aged 18-40 years) with a monthly income of ₹15,000 or below. Excludes income taxpayers and existing members of EPFO, ESIC, or NPS.
Contribution Structure: Requires equal contributions from the subscriber and the Central Government. The monthly premium ranges from ₹55 (entry at 18 years) to ₹200 (entry at 40 years). Upon the subscriber’s death, the spouse is entitled to 50% of the pension as a family pension.
3
Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) Communication Systems
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V2V Systems & AIS-230 Standard
- Context: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways proposed amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (1989) for implementing V2V systems. The DoT exempted the 5.875 GHz to 5.925 GHz frequency band from licensing.
- What is V2V? A technology that allows nearby vehicles to exchange real-time information (speed, position, direction, acceleration) to provide warnings beyond a driver’s direct line of sight. It complements Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
- AIS-230 Standard: The Indian standard setting technical, functional, positioning (GNSS), and cybersecurity requirements for factory-installed V2V On-Board Units using C-V2X technology.
Emergency Brake Alert
Instantly warns trailing vehicles when a lead vehicle applies sudden, hard emergency brakes.
Forward Collision Warning
Alerts drivers of an imminent rear-end collision risk with a vehicle ahead in their lane.
Wrong-way Driving
Detects and alerts drivers if they or oncoming vehicles are moving in the wrong direction.
Emergency Vehicle Alert
Notifies drivers of approaching emergency vehicles so lanes can be safely cleared in advance.
