News Context

• Ministry of Jal Shakti highlighted JSJB’s success — over 1.58 crore artificial groundwater recharge structures built as of September 2026, a key theme at the Ministry’s first Departmental Summit.

Key Facts

• Launched 6 September 2024; guided by 3Cs — Community, CSR, Cost. Approach: Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society.
• JSJB 1.0 → 27 lakh+ structures (May 2025); JSJB 2.0 → 1.5 crore+ (May 2026); June 2026 merged with Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain to form JSJB: Catch the Rain.
• Linked: Jal Jeevan Mission 2.0 (Har Ghar Jal, FHTC).

News Context

• Ministry of Cooperation’s plan, via PACS: as of July 2026, 313 PACS completed godowns, creating over 1.80 lakh MT storage capacity — reducing grain wastage and strengthening food security.

Key Facts

• Launched as pilot 31 May 2023; Ministry of Cooperation (2021); anchor: PACS; implementing agency: NCDC. World’s largest grain storage plan in the cooperative sector — a convergence, not a new fund.
• PACS = lowest tier of the 3-tier cooperative credit structure: PACS → DCCBs → StCBs.

Financial Benefits

• AMI subsidy raised from 25% to 33.33%; margin money cut from 20% to 10%. With 3% AIF interest subvention, effective PACS interest rate falls to 1%. FCI provides assured hiring for eligible godowns.

News Context

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released ‘RAKSHA’, laying out India’s strategic roadmap for global defence partnerships over the next 10 years.

Four Pillars

• Strategic Partnerships: deepening bilateral/multilateral security cooperation.
• Capacity Building: more joint exercises, training, best-practice sharing.
• Indigenous Exports: promoting Make-in-India defence platforms.
• Maritime Security: India as Net Security Provider and First Responder in the IOR.

Related Concepts

• Joint exercises: Malabar, Yudh Abhyas, Varuna, Garuda. Groupings: QUAD, BIMSTEC, IONS. India’s regional vision: SAGAR → expanded to MAHASAGAR.

News Context

• Union Home Secretary chaired a review of Himalayan States/UTs’ preparedness against GLOFs and Snow Avalanches — early warning, monitoring vulnerable glacial lakes, evacuation planning.

Core Concepts

• GLOF: sudden release of water from a glacial lake dammed by moraine/ice, triggered by avalanches, landslides, earthquakes, heavy rain; worsened by climate change. E.g. 2023 South Lhonak Lake GLOF (Sikkim), damaged the Teesta-III dam.
• Snow Avalanches: rapid snow flow down steep Himalayan slopes, triggered by fresh snowfall, temperature rise, wind, or human activity.

Key Institutions

• NDMA (headed by PM), Central Water Commission, IMD, DGRE (DRDO avalanche forecasting lab, Chandigarh/Manali), MHA (nodal ministry).

News Context

• Dr. Jitendra Singh launched BIO-NIVESH, a platform connecting biotechnology innovators with investors to boost private capital into biotech startups.

Key Facts

• Anchored by BIRAC and DBT; approach “Whole of Government plus Whole of Nation.” Inaugural edition: 20 startups, ~50 investors; a recurring platform across cities.
• BIRAC: Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council — Section 8 company under DBT (Ministry of Science & Technology); a Second-Level Fund Manager under the RDI Fund.

News Context

• NAMASTE’s Occupational Safety Training Programme inaugurated in West Bengal for Durgapur Municipal Corporation sanitation workers — promoting safe, mechanised sanitation and worker dignity.

Key Facts

• Full form: National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem. Nodal: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, jointly with MoHUA; implementing agency NSKFDC. Replaced SRMS.
• Three pillars: Safety, Dignity, Mechanisation. Training: 5 days/30 hours, certificate + ₹1,000 stipend at 70% attendance. Workers called “Safaimitras.”
• Manual scavenging banned under the 2013 Act (Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act).