UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 2 : (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April (2025)
• Compassion in Healthcare
Compassion in Healthcare
GS Paper 3:
• Underwater Cables
Underwater Cables
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• Digital Child Abuse Due to AI
Digital Child Abuse Due to AI
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• Baku to Belem Roadmap
Baku to Belem Roadmap
• Tariff
Tariff
• ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment)
ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment)
• Karaganda Region
Karaganda Region
• Gorkha
Gorkha
• Kannadippaya GI Tag
Kannadippaya GI Tag
Mapping:
• Dhansiri River
Dhansiri River
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025
#### GS Paper 2 :
Compassion in Healthcare
Syllabus: Health
Source: TH
Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) recently released a report highlighting the need for compassion in primary healthcare.
What is Compassion in Healthcare?
• Definition: Compassion involves empathy, active listening, and responsive action tailored to the patient’s context and emotions.
E.g. WHO defines it as “awareness, empathy, and action” in patient care.
• Human-Centric: Prioritises dignity, emotional support, and inclusivity in healthcare delivery
E.g. BHS’s Amrit Clinics in Rajasthan focus on tribal patient dignity.
• Continuous Engagement: Involves building trust through sustained interaction and community engagement.
• Personalised Support: Care is adapted to socio-economic realities, especially in crisis situations.
E.g. An ASHA in Gujarat helps domestic violence survivors navigate care discreetly.
• Whole-System Response: Includes compassionate behaviour by staff at every level—ASHAs, doctors, and administrators alike.
Importance of Compassion in Healthcare:
• Boosts Patient Trust: Encourages early treatment-seeking and better adherence to medical advice.
E.g. TB patients like Tukaram trusted Amrit clinics due to dignified treatment.
• Enables Responsive Systems: Improves PHC response in disaster or epidemic situations.
E.g. Tamil Nadu’s post-tsunami response was coordinated and compassionate.
• Supports Vulnerable Groups: Empowers ASHAs to identify and support violence survivors or elderly.
E.g. Gujarat’s SWATI-trained ASHAs provide discreet referrals.
• Enhances Health Outcomes: People-centred care reduces mortality, relapses, and mental trauma.
• Strengthens Health Infrastructure: Compassionate systems attract higher footfall and engagement.
E.g. Amrit Clinics saw a rise from 40,000 to 51,930 patients in 3 years.
Challenges to Compassion in India’s Health System
• Overburdened Staff: PHC doctors manage 40+ national programs, reducing time per patient.
E.g. Rajasthan PHC doctors juggle administration, reporting, and patient care.
• Systemic Fragmentation: Decentralisation without accountability hampers compassionate delivery.
E.g. Eastern India PHCs lacked epidemic training seen in Tamil Nadu.
• Lack of Training: Compassion and trauma-informed care are not integrated into medical education.
• Infrastructure Gaps: Shortages of drugs, diagnostics, and logistics disincentivise compassionate action.
• Stigma and Fear: Patients facing abuse or sensitive issues fear judgment from known community staff.
E.g. SWATI bypasses PHCs for counselling to protect survivor identity.
Way Ahead:
• Curriculum Reform: Include empathy and trauma-informed care in health education and in-service training.
• Strengthen Support Systems: Increase staffing and provide psychosocial support to frontline workers.
E.g. Tamil Nadu trains public health teams annually for disaster response.
• Decentralised and Sensitive Care: Empower ASHAs with referral pathways and community-based solutions.
• Technology + Trust: Digital tools must not replace human engagement but enhance outreach and diagnostics.
• Systemic Integration: Embed compassion into health policies and audits, ensuring it is measurable and not aspirational.
Conclusion:
Compassion is not a soft skill but a strategic necessity in healthcare. India’s examples—from Amrit Clinics to Tamil Nadu’s disaster response—show that when systems are responsive and respectful, outcomes improve significantly. A compassionate approach ensures equity, effectiveness, and trust—pillars for a robust public health future.
• Apart from intellectual competency and moral qualities, empathy and compassion are some of the other vital attributes that facilitate the civil servants to be more competent in tackling the crucial issues or taking critical decisions. Explain with suitable illustrations. (UPSC-2022)
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025 GS Paper 3:
Underwater Cables
Syllabus: Science and Technology
Source: TH
Context: Airtel’s 2Africa Pearls subsea cable has landed in India, boosting internet capacity by 100 Tbps, highlighting the growing need for robust undersea cable infrastructure.
What Are Underwater Cables?
• Definition: Undersea or submarine cables are fibre-optic cables laid on the ocean floor that enable global internet and telecommunication connectivity.
• Coverage: As of early 2025, there are over 600 active and planned cables globally, spanning 1.48 million kilometres.
How Do They Work?
• Fiber-Optic Technology: Cables carry data using light signals transmitted through hair-thin glass fibres, encoded by lasers at high speeds.
• Signal Reception: Receptors on the other end decode the light signals into usable internet data.
• Seabed Placement: Cables are either buried near shores or laid directly on the ocean floor in deeper regions.
• Routing Strategy: Careful mapping avoids fault lines, anchor zones, and fishing areas to minimize damage risk.
• Transmission Capacity: Each cable can carry hundreds of terabits per second, enabling seamless global data flow.
Key Features of Submarine Cables:
• Thickness: Comparable to a garden hose; core fibres are as thin as a human hair.
• Protection Layers: Composed of plastic, steel wiring, and insulation; extra armouring is used near coastlines.
• Examples:
• Shortest: CeltixConnect (131 km between Ireland and the UK).
• Longest: Asia-America Gateway (20,000 km).
• Landing Points: Connect to onshore landing stations, which then distribute the data via terrestrial networks.
• Global Coverage: Nearly all coastal nations are connected, with redundancy through multiple cables to avoid data blackouts.
Significance of Underwater Cable Connectivity:
• Backbone of Internet: Enables global data transfer including emails, streaming, financial transactions, and more.
• Economic Enabler: Supports $10 trillion in global financial flows and 80% of trade via internet infrastructure.
• Digital Sovereignty: Reduces reliance on satellite-based or foreign-controlled connectivity options.
• National Security: Secure data transfer critical for defense and governance (e.g., encrypted diplomatic comms).
• Growth Driver: Fuels digital economy and innovation (e.g., cloud services, OTT platforms, remote work).
Challenges Associated with Subsea Cables in India
• Vulnerability to Disruptions: Cuts in Red Sea cables affected 25% of India’s internet in 2023.
• Limited Landing Points: 95% of subsea cables land in a 6 km zone in Mumbai, creating a chokepoint.
• Complex Regulations: Over 51 permissions needed to land cables, delaying deployment.
• Lack of Repair Infrastructure: India lacks domestic repair vessels, relying on foreign ships with clearance delays.
• Man-made Damages: Fishing trawlers and dredging often damage cable lines (e.g., Versova coast, Mumbai).
Way Ahead
• Regulatory Reforms: Streamline multi-agency permissions through single-window clearances.
• Geographical Diversification: Develop new landing points (e.g., Vishakhapatnam, Kochi) to reduce chokepoint risk.
• Build Repair Capacity: Invest in Indian subsea cable repair ships and depots to reduce response time.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Encourage investments from telecom and digital giants for infrastructure sharing.
• Strategic Planning: Integrate cable infrastructure into India’s Digital Public Infrastructure roadmap for resilience
Conclusion:
Undersea cables are vital to India’s digital economy, yet the country’s current infrastructure is highly centralized and underprepared for disruptions. Streamlined regulation and strategic expansion are essential to ensure digital resilience and global competitiveness. A robust undersea ecosystem will power India’s vision of Digital Bharat.
• What is the basic principle behind vaccine development? How do vaccines work? What approaches were adopted by the Indian vaccine manufacturers to produce COVID-19 vaccines?
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Digital Child Abuse Due to AI
Context: The International AI Safety Report 2025 and the U.K.’s draft law criminalising AI tools generating CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) have sparked global discussions.
About Digital Child Abuse Due to AI:
• What is Digital Child Abuse via AI? It refers to the creation, possession, and dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using AI tools like generative AI, deepfakes, and image synthesis technologies. These depictions may or may not involve real children.
• It refers to the creation, possession, and dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) using AI tools like generative AI, deepfakes, and image synthesis technologies. These depictions may or may not involve real children.
• How Does It Happen?
• Generative AI creates realistic yet fake images, videos, or audio of minors. AI image tools can manipulate existing photos or create content from scratch. Misuse of platforms like deepfake generators, AI art tools, and virtual avatars poses serious exploitation risks.
• Generative AI creates realistic yet fake images, videos, or audio of minors.
• AI image tools can manipulate existing photos or create content from scratch.
• Misuse of platforms like deepfake generators, AI art tools, and virtual avatars poses serious exploitation risks.
• Impacts:
• Mental Trauma: Affects children’s mental health, dignity, and right to life. Legal Grey Areas: Current laws fail to criminalise content where no real child exists, making enforcement weak. Tool Abuse: Offenders can hide behind the tech, making early intervention difficult. Cross-border Proliferation: AI-CSAM spreads quickly over VPNs, cloud platforms, and dark web forums. Threat to Safe Online Spaces: It erodes digital trust and endangers online child safety ecosystems.
• Mental Trauma: Affects children’s mental health, dignity, and right to life.
• Legal Grey Areas: Current laws fail to criminalise content where no real child exists, making enforcement weak.
• Tool Abuse: Offenders can hide behind the tech, making early intervention difficult.
• Cross-border Proliferation: AI-CSAM spreads quickly over VPNs, cloud platforms, and dark web forums.
• Threat to Safe Online Spaces: It erodes digital trust and endangers online child safety ecosystems.
Relevance in UPSC Exam Syllabus:
• GS Paper II (Governance, Polity & Laws):
• Cyber laws, POCSO Act, IT Act, and policy reforms around online child safety. Role of government and international cooperation in regulating emerging technologies.
• Cyber laws, POCSO Act, IT Act, and policy reforms around online child safety.
• Role of government and international cooperation in regulating emerging technologies.
• GS Paper III (Cybersecurity & Technology):
• AI misuse, data privacy, ethical use of tech. Current and futuristic threats to national security & human rights via ICT.
• AI misuse, data privacy, ethical use of tech.
• Current and futuristic threats to national security & human rights via ICT.
• GS Paper IV (Ethics & Integrity):
• Ethical governance in AI use, protection of vulnerable sections. Moral responsibility of platforms and developers to prevent misuse.
• Ethical governance in AI use, protection of vulnerable sections.
• Moral responsibility of platforms and developers to prevent misuse.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Baku to Belem Roadmap
Source: TOI
Context: India, at the 11th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Brazil, urged all 11 BRICS nations to support the ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’, which aims to mobilise $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 for climate action.
About ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’:
• What is the ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’?
• The ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’ is a finance mobilisation framework initiated between COP29 (Baku, Azerbaijan) and COP30 (Belem, Brazil). It aims to chart a path for mobilising $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 for climate action in developing countries.
• The ‘Baku to Belem Roadmap’ is a finance mobilisation framework initiated between COP29 (Baku, Azerbaijan) and COP30 (Belem, Brazil).
• It aims to chart a path for mobilising $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 for climate action in developing countries.
• Organisations Involved:
• UNFCCC COP Presidencies (Azerbaijan and Brazil) are mandated to lead the process.
• UNFCCC COP Presidencies (Azerbaijan and Brazil) are mandated to lead the process.
• Objectives of the Roadmap:
• Scale Climate Finance: Mobilise $300 billion from public sources and $1.3 trillion overall annually by 2035. Promote Equity: Ensure just transition pathways for developing nations. Address Barriers: Identify systemic challenges such as high cost of capital and regulatory constraints. Leverage MDBs: Expand roles of multilateral development banks in concessional lending. Strengthen Global Partnerships: Enable co-financing from public and private sources.
• Scale Climate Finance: Mobilise $300 billion from public sources and $1.3 trillion overall annually by 2035.
• Promote Equity: Ensure just transition pathways for developing nations.
• Address Barriers: Identify systemic challenges such as high cost of capital and regulatory constraints.
• Leverage MDBs: Expand roles of multilateral development banks in concessional lending.
• Strengthen Global Partnerships: Enable co-financing from public and private sources.
• Key Features:
• Holistic Planning: Combines climate grants, concessional loans, and private investment instruments. Transparency Framework: Encourages stakeholder consultations and open reporting. Non-Debt Focused Tools: Promotes non-debt creating climate instruments. Technical Report (not political): Emphasises evidence-based mapping over political negotiations. Multilateral Participation: Inclusive of private sector, MDBs, and developing country coalitions like BRICS and G77.
• Holistic Planning: Combines climate grants, concessional loans, and private investment instruments.
• Transparency Framework: Encourages stakeholder consultations and open reporting.
• Non-Debt Focused Tools: Promotes non-debt creating climate instruments.
• Technical Report (not political): Emphasises evidence-based mapping over political negotiations.
• Multilateral Participation: Inclusive of private sector, MDBs, and developing country coalitions like BRICS and G77.
Tariff
Source: BS
Context: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled a sweeping “Liberation Day” tariff policy, imposing a 10% baseline duty on all imports and higher country-specific tariffs, including 27% on Indian exports.
About Tariff:
• What is a Tariff?
• A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported goods and services, collected at customs to regulate foreign trade and protect domestic industries.
• A tariff is a tax imposed by a government on imported goods and services, collected at customs to regulate foreign trade and protect domestic industries.
• Types of Tariffs:
• Ad Valorem Tariff: Levied as a fixed percentage of the item’s value (e.g., 10% on imported vehicles). Specific Tariff: Charged as a fixed amount per unit (e.g., $5 per kg of sugar). Compound Tariff: Combines both ad valorem and specific tariffs (e.g., 5% of value + $50/unit). Anti-Dumping Tariff: Applied to goods sold below fair market value to protect local industries. Countervailing Duties: Imposed to neutralize foreign government subsidies to exporters. Reciprocal Tariff: Enforced in response to similar duties levied by another country.
• Ad Valorem Tariff: Levied as a fixed percentage of the item’s value (e.g., 10% on imported vehicles).
• Specific Tariff: Charged as a fixed amount per unit (e.g., $5 per kg of sugar).
• Compound Tariff: Combines both ad valorem and specific tariffs (e.g., 5% of value + $50/unit).
• Anti-Dumping Tariff: Applied to goods sold below fair market value to protect local industries.
• Countervailing Duties: Imposed to neutralize foreign government subsidies to exporters.
• Reciprocal Tariff: Enforced in response to similar duties levied by another country.
• Why Countries Impose Tariffs?
• Protect Domestic Industry: Makes foreign goods more expensive to promote local products. Correct Trade Imbalances: Discourages excessive imports to reduce trade deficits. Revenue Generation: Tariffs provide income, especially for countries with low tax bases. Foreign Policy Tool: Used to retaliate or exert pressure in global trade negotiations.
• Protect Domestic Industry: Makes foreign goods more expensive to promote local products.
• Correct Trade Imbalances: Discourages excessive imports to reduce trade deficits.
• Revenue Generation: Tariffs provide income, especially for countries with low tax bases.
• Foreign Policy Tool: Used to retaliate or exert pressure in global trade negotiations.
• Who Actually Pays the Tariff?
• Importers: Directly pay the tariff when goods arrive at customs. Consumers: Face higher retail prices as businesses pass on the cost. Businesses: May absorb the cost, affecting profit margins and pricing strategies. Exporters: Sometimes lower prices to stay competitive, reducing their own revenue.
• Importers: Directly pay the tariff when goods arrive at customs.
• Consumers: Face higher retail prices as businesses pass on the cost.
• Businesses: May absorb the cost, affecting profit margins and pricing strategies.
• Exporters: Sometimes lower prices to stay competitive, reducing their own revenue.
• What are Reciprocal Tariffs?
• Reciprocal tariffs mirror or adjust to the tariff rate imposed by another country.
• Reciprocal tariffs mirror or adjust to the tariff rate imposed by another country.
• g. If India levies 54% duty on U.S. goods, U.S. might impose 27% as a retaliatory reciprocal tariff.
• Used to counter trade imbalances and perceived unfair trade practices.
• Used to counter trade imbalances and perceived unfair trade practices.
• Impact on India
• India faces a 27% reciprocal tariff under the new U.S. policy. Export-heavy sectors like pharmaceuticals, steel, electronics, and textiles may suffer reduced market access. May trigger diplomatic negotiations or trade realignments with U.S. Could push India to diversify its export destinations and strengthen domestic value chains.
• India faces a 27% reciprocal tariff under the new U.S. policy.
• Export-heavy sectors like pharmaceuticals, steel, electronics, and textiles may suffer reduced market access.
• May trigger diplomatic negotiations or trade realignments with U.S.
• Could push India to diversify its export destinations and strengthen domestic value chains.
ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment)
Source: TH
Context: ChaSTE became the first instrument ever to successfully penetrate and measure temperature beneath the surface of any celestial body, providing valuable thermal data from the Moon’s south pole during the Chandrayaan-3 mission.
About ChaSTE (Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment):
• What is ChaSTE?
• An indigenous thermal probe onboard Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander. Developed by Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad and Space Physics Laboratory (SPL), VSSC, Trivandrum. It performs in-situ measurement of temperature and thermal conductivity of lunar soil.
• An indigenous thermal probe onboard Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander.
• Developed by Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad and Space Physics Laboratory (SPL), VSSC, Trivandrum.
• It performs in-situ measurement of temperature and thermal conductivity of lunar soil.
• How Does It Work?
• Rotary deployment mechanism pushes a probe with 10 sensors into the lunar surface. Measures temperature variations at 1 cm intervals up to 10 cm depth. Uses motor torque and resistance feedback to determine penetration depth. Operated from August 23 to September 2, 2023, on Moon’s south pole.
• Rotary deployment mechanism pushes a probe with 10 sensors into the lunar surface.
• Measures temperature variations at 1 cm intervals up to 10 cm depth.
• Uses motor torque and resistance feedback to determine penetration depth.
• Operated from August 23 to September 2, 2023, on Moon’s south pole.
• Aim of ChaSTE:
• Determine vertical temperature gradient on the Moon. Assess thermophysical properties of lunar regolith at high-latitude regions. Support detection of water ice and sub-surface composition.
• Determine vertical temperature gradient on the Moon.
• Assess thermophysical properties of lunar regolith at high-latitude regions.
• Support detection of water ice and sub-surface composition.
• Key Features:
• First-of-its-kind rotary-based deployment (unlike hammering used by earlier failed missions). First mission to successfully deploy thermal probe on another celestial body. Provides crucial data for future lunar missions and ISRO’s Artemis collaboration goals. Helps assess suitability of lunar polar regions for potential human settlement.
• First-of-its-kind rotary-based deployment (unlike hammering used by earlier failed missions).
• First mission to successfully deploy thermal probe on another celestial body.
• Provides crucial data for future lunar missions and ISRO’s Artemis collaboration goals.
• Helps assess suitability of lunar polar regions for potential human settlement.
• Timeline & Background:
• Flight model ready in 2017 (for Chandrayaan-2, later adapted for Chandrayaan-3). Part of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3, launched July 14, 2023, landed August 23, 2023.
• Flight model ready in 2017 (for Chandrayaan-2, later adapted for Chandrayaan-3).
• Part of ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3, launched July 14, 2023, landed August 23, 2023.
Karaganda Region
Source: SA
Context: Kazakhstan has discovered a major rare earth element (REE) deposit at the Kuirektykol site in the Karaganda Region, with an estimated 1 million tons of REEs, signalling a potential boost to global clean tech supply chains.
About Karaganda Region:
• Location: Located in central Kazakhstan.
• Geographic Features: It consists of arid plains, hills, and seasonal streams. Key landscapes include the Karkaraly National Park, Mount Aksoran (1,565m), and parts of the Kazakh Uplands.
• Rivers: Major rivers include the Ishim (Esil) and Nura, supported by the Irtysh–Karaganda Canal. Lake Balkhash lies in its southeast.
• Economic Importance: Historically known for coal mining and Gulag camps during Soviet times, the region remains a mineral-rich industrial hub.
About Rare Earth Elements (REEs):
• What are REEs? Rare earth elements are a group of 17 chemically similar elements, crucial for making electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, lasers, and defence technologies.
• Rare earth elements are a group of 17 chemically similar elements, crucial for making electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, lasers, and defence technologies.
• Global Importance: Despite being called “rare”, REEs are abundant but difficult to extract economically due to complex refining and environmental risks.
• Top Global Producer (2024): China remains the largest producer, accounting for over 60% of global REE output, followed by the USA and Australia.
• Uniqueness of REEs: High magnetic, luminescent, and catalytic properties. No viable alternatives in key green technologies. Strategic importance for net-zero transitions, defence, and AI electronics.
• High magnetic, luminescent, and catalytic properties.
• No viable alternatives in key green technologies.
• Strategic importance for net-zero transitions, defence, and AI electronics.
Gorkha
Source: PIB
Context: The Ministry of Home Affairs held a tripartite meeting with Gorkha representatives and the West Bengal government to address the long-standing identity and citizenship concerns of Indian Gorkhas.
About Gorkha:
• Who are the Gorkhas?
• Gorkhas are ethnic Nepali-speaking Indians, distinct from citizens of Nepal. The term “Gorkha” refers to a martial race with a legacy rooted in bravery, especially due to their service in the British and Indian armies.
• Gorkhas are ethnic Nepali-speaking Indians, distinct from citizens of Nepal.
• The term “Gorkha” refers to a martial race with a legacy rooted in bravery, especially due to their service in the British and Indian armies.
• Historical Origins:
• Descended from Rajputs and Brahmins who migrated from India to Nepal in ancient times. The name “Gorkha” originates from Guru Gorakhnath, with the town of Gorkha in Nepal central to their historical identity. The community spread widely post the Anglo-Gorkha War (1814–16) and after the Treaty of Sugauli.
• Descended from Rajputs and Brahmins who migrated from India to Nepal in ancient times.
• The name “Gorkha” originates from Guru Gorakhnath, with the town of Gorkha in Nepal central to their historical identity.
• The community spread widely post the Anglo-Gorkha War (1814–16) and after the Treaty of Sugauli.
• Settlement Regions:
• Major settlements include Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Assam, Sikkim, Dehradun, and Northeast India. Many Gorkhas settled in India during British rule as soldiers, miners, and plantation workers.
• Major settlements include Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Assam, Sikkim, Dehradun, and Northeast India.
• Many Gorkhas settled in India during British rule as soldiers, miners, and plantation workers.
• Key Characteristics:
• Known for discipline, military service, and resilience. Socially diverse, comprising groups like Tamang, Gurung, Rai, Limbu, Magar, Chhetri, and Bahun communities. Speak Nepali, which is part of the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• Known for discipline, military service, and resilience.
• Socially diverse, comprising groups like Tamang, Gurung, Rai, Limbu, Magar, Chhetri, and Bahun communities.
• Speak Nepali, which is part of the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• Citizenship and Legal Status:
• Gorkhas settled before 1950 and their descendants are legal Indian citizens. Despite this, they face periodic identity crises, often being wrongly labelled as foreigners or outsiders. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) between India and Nepal created confusion over nationality and rights.
• Gorkhas settled before 1950 and their descendants are legal Indian citizens.
• Despite this, they face periodic identity crises, often being wrongly labelled as foreigners or outsiders.
• The Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1950) between India and Nepal created confusion over nationality and rights.
Kannadippaya GI Tag
Source: TH
Context: Kannadippaya, a traditional tribal mat from Kerala, has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking it as the first tribal handicraft from the state to receive such recognition.
About Kannadippaya GI Tag*:*
• Kannadippaya, meaning “mirror mat,” is a handwoven mat made from soft inner layers of reed bamboo.
• State of Origin: It is crafted by tribal communities across Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Palakkad districts in Kerala.
• Unique Characteristics:
• Known for its reflective pattern, it provides thermal comfort—warm in winters and cool in summers.
• Eco-friendly and biodegradable, it aligns with global sustainability trends.
• Cultural Significance:
• Preserved by indigenous tribes like Oorali, Mannan, Muthuva, Malayan, Kadar, and Ulladan.
• Its revival is essential to sustaining tribal craftsmanship and livelihoods.
About Geographical Indication (GI) Tag:
• A GI tag is an intellectual property label that certifies a product’s origin and quality based on its geographical source.
• Issuing Authority:
• GI tags in India are governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.
• The Geographical Indication Registry under the Department of Industry Promotion and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Year of Inception: The first GI tag in India was awarded to Darjeeling Tea in 2004–05.
• Top GI Tag States: Uttar Pradesh leads in GI-tagged products, followed by Tamil Nadu.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 4 April 2025 Mapping:
Dhansiri River
Source: NIE
Context: An environmentalist from Assam has raised alarm over alleged hazardous effluent discharge by Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) into the Dhansiri River, prompting calls for CPCB investigation due to risks to aquatic life.
About Dhansiri River:
• What it is?
• Dhansiri is a perennial river and a major south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River, flowing through the northeastern states of Nagaland and Assam. It sustains aquatic biodiversity, supports local livelihoods, and shapes forest ecosystems like Dhansiri Reserve Forest and Intanki National Park.
• Dhansiri is a perennial river and a major south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra River, flowing through the northeastern states of Nagaland and Assam.
• It sustains aquatic biodiversity, supports local livelihoods, and shapes forest ecosystems like Dhansiri Reserve Forest and Intanki National Park.
• Origin and Course:
• The river originates from the Laisang Peak in Nagaland at an altitude of ~800 meters above mean sea level. It flows 352 km south to north, finally merging into the Brahmaputra at Dhansirimukh in Assam.
• The river originates from the Laisang Peak in Nagaland at an altitude of ~800 meters above mean sea level.
• It flows 352 km south to north, finally merging into the Brahmaputra at Dhansirimukh in Assam.
• States Flow Through:
• Passes through Chümoukedima and Dimapur districts in Nagaland and Golaghat district in Assam. Forms a natural boundary between Karbi Anglong and Nagaland in parts of its course.
• Passes through Chümoukedima and Dimapur districts in Nagaland and Golaghat district in Assam.
• Forms a natural boundary between Karbi Anglong and Nagaland in parts of its course.
• Length and Catchment Area:
• Total length: 352 km. Catchment area: ~12,584 sq km, making it crucial for the region’s hydrology and agriculture.
• Total length: 352 km.
• Catchment area: ~12,584 sq km, making it crucial for the region’s hydrology and agriculture.
• Major Tributaries: Fed by several important tributaries including: Dayang, Diphupani, Khora, Langlong, and Beopani
• Tributary Of: Brahmaputra River
• Unique Ecological Features:
• High fish diversity: A survey reported 34 species, including mahseer and catfish, vital for local fishery. Supports wetlands (bils) and dense forests—crucial for migratory birds and wildlife corridors.
• High fish diversity: A survey reported 34 species, including mahseer and catfish, vital for local fishery.
• Supports wetlands (bils) and dense forests—crucial for migratory birds and wildlife corridors.
Daily Current Affairs + PIB Summary 4 Apr 2025
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