Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 10th April 2025

 National News 

1. As per a study by IIT Kharagpur, surface ozone pollution is severely impacting India’s key food crops. 

• This is especially true in regions like the Indo-Gangetic Plain and central India. 
•  As per researchers, this is obstructing India’s ability to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of eliminating poverty and hunger by 2030. 
•  The study was led by Prof. Jayanarayanan Kuttipurath and his team at IIT Kharagpur’s Centre for Oceans, River, Atmosphere, and Land Sciences (CORAL).
•  It underscores the growing risks from increasing ozone levels to vital crops such as wheat, rice, and maize. 
•  According to IIT Kharagpur, surface ozone, a strong oxidant, harms plant tissues. 
•  The study calls for urgent action to reduce and monitor air pollution in order to protect crop health and ensure food security. 
•  Using data from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase-6 (CMIP6), the study projected the impact of ozone-induced yield losses. 
•  The results show that wheat could see up to a 20% drop in yields under high-emission scenarios.
•   Rice and maize may lose about 7% of their yields. 
• The Indo-Gangetic Plain and Central India are especially vulnerable. 
• Ozone exposure levels in these areas could exceed safe limits by six times. 
•  While the National Clean Air Programme targets urban pollution, the study points out that agricultural areas are often neglected.
•   The researchers advocate for focused policies to monitor and reduce ozone pollution in farming regions.

 International News 

2. Centre approves ₹63,000-crore deal for procuring 26 Rafale-M jets from France 

• The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved a nearly ₹63,000 crore deal for the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets from France for the Indian Navy, official sources confirmed. The contract is expected to be concluded later this month. 
•  It includes 22 single-seater jets that can operate from aircraft carriers and four twin-seater trainer jets, which are not carrier-compatible. 
•  The CCS approval for the government-to-government deal is the final step, and the agreement now awaits formal conclusion. It is expected to be signed during the French Defence Minister’s visit to India likely later this month. 
•  This leaves another mega deal with France for three additional Scorpene class conventional submarines awaiting CCS approval, before it can be finalised. The delivery of the jets will begin three-and-a-half years after the contract is signed and is expected to be completed in about six and-a-half years, official sources said. 
•  The Indian Air Force operates 36 Rafale jets, acquired under a ₹60,000-crore deal signed in September 2016. The Indian Navy got the opportunity to witness the performance of the Rafale-M jets aboard the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the bilateral Varuna exercise last month. 
• On July 13, 2023, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, had accorded initial approval for the procurement of 26 Rafale-M fighters and three additional Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines. The Navy currently operates two aircraft carriers —INS Vikramaditya,which was procured from Russia, and the indigenously built INS Vikrant, which was commissioned in September 2022. 

3. India and Russia have finalized six strategic initiatives. 

•  These aim to deepen investment partnerships between the two nations. 
•  The decision was made during the eighth meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Priority Investment Projects. 
• The meeting was held in New Delhi. It focused on enhancing economic collaboration. 
•  The session promoted joint ventures in sectors of shared interest.
•   The India-Russia Investment Forum was also held alongside the meeting. 
•  More than 80 participants took part in the forum. 
• These included business leaders, startups, and financial entities. 
•  Logistics firms, trade bodies, scholars, and government representatives also attended. 
•  Participants came from both India and Russia. 

 India-Russia relations:

•   Russia remains India’s major defence partner. India and Russia coordinate closely in global forums such as BRICS, SCO, and G20. 
•  In December 2010, two nations elevated Strategic Partnership to the level of a Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. 
• Pharmaceuticals, IT, steel, diamonds, aviation, fertilizers, infrastructure, heavy engineering and food products are priority areas for expanding bilateral economic cooperation between India and Russia.

 4. India ends transshipment facility for Bangladesh exports, cites congestion 

• India has withdrawn the transshipment facility it had extended to Bangladesh as it was creating “significant congestion” in Indian airports and ports, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday. 
• The move is not aimed to impact Bangladesh’s trade with Nepal and Bhutan, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly press briefing. The move comes days after Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser to Bangla desh’s interim government, visited Beijing and made statements that were deemed to be controversial as he advocated greater Chinese trade ties with northeastern India, using Bangladesh ports. Indian officials refused to confirm whether the withdrawal of transshipment facilities was linked to his remarks. 
•  “The transshipment facility extended to Bangladesh had over a period of time resulted in significant congestion at our airports and ports. Logistical delays and higher costs were hindering our own exports and creating backlogs. 
•  The facility, therefore, has been withdrawn with effect from April 8, 2025. To clarify, these measures do not impact Bangladesh exports to Nepal or Bhutan transiting through Indian territory,” Mr. Jaiswal said. 
•  On Tuesday, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs issued a notification terminating the transshipment facility for Bangla desh’s trade with Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal. In 2020, India had started allowing the transshipment of cargo from Bangladesh through Indian Land Customs Stations, which would then be sent to their final destinations using Indian ports and airports. 
•  The facility is essential for the export of ready-made items from Bangladesh, as these are sent to countries such as Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar through Indian ports and airports. 

State News 

5. The Apricot Blossom Festival 2025 will be celebrated in Ladakh to boost eco-tourism. 

•  From April 10, apricot-producing areas of both the Leh and Kargil regions of Ladakh are set to celebrate a series of events in connection with the Apricot Blossom Festival, 2025, to promote tourism in the Union Territory. 
•  Inspired by the Cherry Blossom Festival of Meghalaya in the Northeast, the Apricot Blossom Festival was introduced by Ladakh two years ago to boost eco-tourism in one of India’s most sought-after travel destinations. 
•  After successful celebrations in previous seasons in a few villages, more villages have been included in this year’s Apricot Blossom Festival. 
• In Kargil, the celebrations will begin on April 11 at Sanjak village and May 4 has been marked as the last day of the festival at Tar village, Ladakh. 
•  Tar was recognized as the Best Tourism Village in 2024 under the Responsible Tourism category by the Union Tourism Ministry. 
•  The apricot blossom season, which lasts for more than a month, is a time to celebrate the beauty of spring. 
•  Ladakh, one of the largest producers of apricots in the country, paints this season in shades of pink and white. 
• Although tourism in Ladakh usually begins in May, the Apricot Blossom Festival was introduced to make April a key month for attracting visitors and promoting lesser-known areas. 
•  In 2020, the Apricot Blossom Festival was started to help promote tourism, similar to how many people travel to Japan to see the cherry blossoms.

 6. National Tribal Youth Festival is being celebrated at the State Tribal Resource Centre, Kelsih, near Aizawl, Mizoram.

•  The festival began on April 8 and will run for four days, concluding on April 11. 
•  It commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. 
• The festival aims to honor tribal freedom fighters and inspire patriotism among youth and the public. 
•  Performances by top Mizo artists and members of the Mizo Zaimi Insuikhawm (MZI) are featured in the festival. 
•  Cultural presentations from the Mizo Cultural Organisation and various cultural groups highlight the Mizo culture. 
•  The celebration is described as a “Mosaic of Cultures.” 
• Famous guitarist Imnainla Jamir from Nagaland is participating in the festival. 
• Vawnchawi Vaiphei from Manipur is also performing at the event. 

Schemes and Committees News

 7. Poshan Pakhwada 2025 is being celebrated by Ministry of Women and Child Development. 

• The aim is to spread awareness about nutrition and improve community health. 
• This initiative is part of Mission Poshan 2.0. 
• It focuses on increasing community participation and empowering individuals. 
•  A key theme this year is the importance of the first 1,000 days of life. 
• This period spans from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday. 
•  It plays a crucial role in shaping long-term health and development.
•   Proper nutrition during this time supports better physical and cognitive growth.
•   It also leads to improved productivity and higher earning potential in adulthood.
•   The seventh edition of Poshan Pakhwada is being celebrated from April 8 to April 22, 2025. 
•  The event highlights the government’s strong commitment to ending malnutrition. 

 Themes of Poshan Pakhwada 2025: 

• Focus on the first 1000 days of a child’s life
•   Popularization of the beneficiary module in the Poshan Tracker App 
•  Management of malnutrition through CMAM (Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition) module
•  Healthy lifestyle to address childhood obesity. 

8. New scheme to modernise irrigation network gets Cabinet nod

•   The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved “Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M CADWM)” as a sub-scheme of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). 
•  This initiative, with an initial outlay of ₹1,600 crore, is set to run from 2025-26 and is designed to enhance the irrigation infrastructure in India. Its key goal is to modernise the irrigation water supply network, ensuring that water reaches the designated farming clusters from existing canals or other This will help farmers, a note from the Jal Shakti Ministry said, with small land-holdings, by improving water-use efficiency through the use of advanced technologies such as Supervisory Controcquisition and the Internet of Things. 
•  In addition to modernising the irrigation systems, the scheme aims to build sustainable farming practices in the country.

 Important Day News 

9. World Homoeopathy Day 2025: 10 April 

•  World Homoeopathy Day is observed every year on 10 April. 
• This important day marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.
•   The founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, was born on April 10, 1755 in Germany. 
•  A two-day conference is being organised in Gujarat on the occasion of World Homeopathy Day 2025 under the aegis of the Ministry of AYUSH. 
•  The two-day conference will be held from 10 to 11 April 2025 at Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar.
•  It is being jointly organised by Central Council for Research in Homeopathy (CCRH), National Commission for Homeopathy (NCH) and National Institute of Homeopathy (NIH).
•  The theme of the conference this year is ' अययन, अयापन एवंअनसंधान ु ', which refers to the three fundamental pillars of the development of homeopathy. 
•  In 2024, this conference was held in New Delhi in the august presence of President Smt. Draupadi Murmu. 

Ranks and Report News 

10. PLFS 2024 report: Rural unemployment sees marginal decline, urban labour participation rises.

•   On 9 April, the latest annual report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey from January to December 2024 was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 
•  According to the latest PLFS data, India's unemployment rate for persons aged 15 and above saw a slight decline from 5.0% in 2023 to 4.9% in 2024. 
• The report shows that the unemployment rate in rural areas declined marginally from 4.3% to 4.2%.
•  The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) held steady at 56.2% overall, reflecting a consistent engagement of the working-age population in the labour market. 
• The report shows that the labour force participation rate in urban areas has increased from 50.3% to over 51%. 
•  However, under the Principal and Subsidiary Status (PS+SS) methodology, there was a marginal decline in the LFPR, falling from 59.8% to 59.6%. 
• The Worker Population Ratio (WPR) at the national level was virtually unchanged, rising slightly from 53.4% to 53.5% and in urban areas from 47.0% to 47.6%.
•  A significant contributor to the decline in rural female participation was the decline in unpaid helpers in household enterprises, falling from 19.9% in 2023 to 18.1% in 2024.