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January – 21

TNPSC BITS
❖ The Tamil Nadu State Coastal Zone Management Authority (TNSCZMA) has
approved the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for Kalaignar Convention
Centre in Muttukadu.
❖ The Union Ministry for Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the toolkit for
9th edition of Swachh Survekshan (SS), the world’s largest urban cleanliness
survey, in its new avatar–simpler, sharper, systematic and all-inclusive.
❖ Novak Djokovic has etched another remarkable milestone in tennis history by
surpassing Roger Federer’s record (429) for the most Tennis Grand Slam matches
played.
❖ The Former Supreme Court judge Justice Arun Mishra has been appointed as
Ombudsman and Ethics Officer of BCCI.

NATIONAL
New Guidelines for PM-Surya Ghar – Muft Bijli Yojana

❖ New Guidelines for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana has been issued by the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
❖ It is allowing two additional payment models for installing rooftop solar systems.
❖ This move is designed to make the process more flexible, secure, and accessible
for households across India.
❖ With these new options, more people can take the advantage of the scheme and
switch to solar power with ease.
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❖ Under the Renewable Energy Service Company (RESCO) Model, the third-party
companies install and maintain solar panels.
❖ Consumers only pay for the electricity they use, without any upfront costs.
❖ Under the Utility-Led Aggregation Model, State agencies or DISCOMs manage the
installation process and provide support for households.

Open Market sale scheme policy 2025

❖ The Centre announced a revision in the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic)
[OMSS(D)] policy for the year 2024-25.
❖ This policy aims to enhance food security and ensure efficient distribution of rice
to various stakeholders.
❖ The reserve price of rice has been fixed at Rs.2,250 per quintal (Pan-India) for the
sale to the State governments, State government corporations, and community
kitchens, without the requirement of participating in e-auctions.

iSNR and INR Konnect

❖ The Rubber Board has announced two new projects - iSNR and INR Konnect.
❖ They were unveiled during the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Rubber Act,
1947.
❖ The iSNR (Indian Sustainable Natural Rubber) aims at aligning Indian rubber
production with the stringent European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
standards.
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❖ A key feature of iSNR is its traceability certification.

❖ INR Konnect, a web-based platform, is designed to connect growers of untapped
rubber holdings with interested adopters to maximise plantation productivity.
❖ India is the third-largest producer of natural rubber globally, following Thailand
(1st) and Indonesia (2nd).
❖ India is the fourth-largest consumer of natural rubber.
❖ Kerala accounts for over 90% of India's natural rubber production.
❖ Other states include Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Tripura, Assam, and Meghalaya.

60 years of India Singapore relations

❖ India and Singapore unveiled a special joint logo to mark 60 years of diplomatic
ties.
❖ Bilateral trade expanded from USD 6.7 billion in FY 2004-05 to USD 35.6 billion
in 2023-24, making Singapore India’s 6th largest trade partner.
❖ India imported goods worth USD 21.2 billion from Singapore and exported USD
14.4 billion to Singapore.
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❖ Singapore was the largest source of FDI into India, with inflows of USD 11.774
billion.
❖ The Cumulative FDI from Singapore (April 2000–Sept 2024) reached USD 167.47
billion, 24% of India’s total FDI.
❖ Ethnic Indians make up around 9% of Singapore’s resident population (about 3.8
lakh), with an additional 3.8 lakh Indian expatriates residing in the country.

PRABHAAV Factbook and Bharat Startup Challenge

❖ PRABHAAV Factbook (Powering a Resilient and Agile Bharat for the Advancement
of Visionary Startups) was launched recently.
❖ It is the ultimate guide to India’s thriving startup ecosystem and its growth story
from 2016-2024.
❖ PRABHAAV captures the achievements of every region.
❖ Bharat Startup Challenge aims to unleash 75 challenges across various sectors.
❖ The challenge will see 20 industry leaders and innovators invite thinkers to solve
business challenges.

ECONOMY
State Revenue Dependency Trends
❖ Over the last decade, States have been relying more and more on transfers and
grants from the Centre.
❖ In the last decade (FY16 to FY25), 23-30% of the total revenue of States was
collected from the Centre as transfers.
❖ However, in the 2000s and the first half of 2010, the share was 20-24%.
❖ Also, close to 65-70% of the non-tax revenue of States was collected from the
Centre as grants in the last decade compared to the 2000s.
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❖ Many States are not efficiently collecting taxes using avenues at their disposal.
❖ For Tamil Nadu, the own tax revenue to GSDP ratio has gradually declined from
7.72% in FY13-15 to 6.17% in FY 22-24.
❖ This has also been the case in Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Delhi, and Madhya
Pradesh, too.
❖ While the ratio has risen in Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, and
Uttarakhand, it has remained stagnant in other States.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Planet Parade 2025

❖ The Four planets in our solar system - Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars have
been visible in the night sky to the naked eye.
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❖ Uranus and Neptune can also be seen alongside these planets, but with the help
of a telescope.
❖ A ‘planet parade’ refers to a situation when several planets in our solar system
are visible in the night sky, at the same time.

ENVIRONMENT
India on HCFCs

❖ India phased out hydrochlorofluorocarbons in manufacturing by the end of 2024.

❖ This phase out is part of the goals under the Montreal Protocol-1987.
❖ This international treaty that aims to eliminate the production and use of ozone-
depleting substances.
❖ HCFCs are chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, chlorine, and
fluorine.
❖ They have widely been used in the foam, refrigeration, and air conditioning
industries.
❖ Another element used as an alternative to CFCs and HCFCs is hydrofluorocarbon
(HFC).
❖ They commonly used in refrigeration, air-conditioning (AC), building insulation,
fire extinguishing systems and aerosols.
❖ In 2016, Montreal Protocol adopted the Kigali agreement where parties agreed to
control the use of HFCs as well.
❖ The Kigali Agreement set a goal to phase down HFCs by 85% by 2036 for
developed countries and by 2047 for developing countries.
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❖ India became a party to the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone
Layer in 1991 and signed the Montreal Protocol in 1992.

New Tarantula Species in Western Ghats

❖ A researcher described four new species of tarantulas, including one new genus,
from India’s Western Ghats.
❖ An entirely new genus of tarantulas called Cilantica is named after the Tamil
word for spider.
❖ The 2nd new species named Haploclastus bratocolonus (meaning “tree dweller”),
makes its home in hollow trees along rivers.
❖ Another species, Haploclastus montanus, was found living at elevations higher
than 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) in mountain forests.
❖ This was making it one of the highest-living tarantulas known from the region.
❖ Around 1,264 arachnid species are currently illegally traded worldwide.

REPORTS AND INDICES

Global risk report 2025
❖ The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its latest Global Risks Report 2025.
❖ Misinformation and disinformation are viewed as the most severe global risk over
the coming two years.
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❖ Extreme weather events ranked second and state-based armed conflict is viewed
as the third biggest threat.
❖ Over the next decade, extreme weather events remain the biggest concern.
❖ It is followed by biodiversity loss, critical change to the Earth’s systems and a
shortage of natural resources.
❖ Since the report’s first edition in 2006, extreme weather events have been
categorised under “environmental risks.”
❖ These events have climbed into the top six risks annually since 2014.
❖ It is ranking as the foremost global risk from 2017 to 2020 and regaining that
position in 2024.
❖ In the short term (2025-2027), extreme weather events rank as the second most
severe global risk.
❖ These events are now listed among the top five short-term risks in 28 countries,
up from 24 countries last year.

STATES
Tripura - Official State Emblem
❖ The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved the Tripura’s state emblem.
❖ The proposal of the state Emblem of the government of Tripura has been made
under Rule 4(2) of the State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules, 2007.
❖ In S. R. Bommai v. Union of India Case 1994, SC ruled that states can have their
own flags, as long as they do not dishonour the national flag.
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❖ Also, the Constitution of India does not prohibit the states from having their own
flags.

MISCELLANEOUS
Lokpal’s First Foundation Day 2025 – January 16

❖ The Foundation Day of the Lokpal of India was held for the first time on 16th
January at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
❖ The Lokpal of India was established by virtue of coming into force of Section 3 of
the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, on 16.01.2014.
❖ It is the statutory body without any constitutional status.
❖ Lokpal consists of one chairperson and a maximum of 8 members.
❖ The members of this are appointed by the president on the recommendation of a
Selection Committee.
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❖ The Jurisdiction of Lokpal includes the Prime Minister, Ministers, members of

Parliament, Groups A, B, C and D officers and officials of Central Government.

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