News In Short-3-04-2025

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Syllabus: GS1/ History, Famous Personalities

Context

• April 3 marks the death anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Maratha Empire.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (1630-1680)

• Birth: Born as Shivaji Bhosale, he is widely revered for his progressive leadership, military strategies, and fight for Swarajya (self-rule).
• He was influenced by Maharashtra saints like Tukaram, Dnyaneshwar, and Ramdas, who advocated social equality and spiritual awakening.
• Coronation (1674): He crowned himself at Raigad Fort, marking the beginning of the ‘Rajyabhisheka Era’.
• Administrative Reforms:
  • Established the Ashta Pradhan Mandal (a council of eight ministers) to assist in governance.
  • Reformed the revenue system, replacing the Jagirdari system with the Ryotwari system to ensure direct taxation.
• Military & Naval Strength:
  • Engaged in alliances and conflicts with the Mughals, Bijapur Sultanate, Golkonda Sultanate, and European powers.
  • Built a strong naval force to secure trade routes, protect coastal territories, and challenge European dominance.

Legacy

• The Indian Navy’s INS Shivaji, the UNESCO World Heritage Site—Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly known as Victoria Terminus) are named after him.
• In 1890’s Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Shivaji festival to stimulate nationalism among young Maharashtrians by holding up the example of Shivaji for emulation.
• The Indian Navy’s new Ensign and new design for Admirals’ shoulder piece are inspired by the legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Source: IE

North Sentinel Island

Syllabus: GS1/ Places In News

In News

• A US citizen has been arrested for illegally entering North Sentinel Island of Andaman, home to one of the world’s last uncontacted tribes.

About 

• Location:
  • Situated in the Bay of Bengal.
  • Part of the South Andaman administrative district, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India.
  • Lies approximately 50 km west of Port Blair.
• Geographic Features:
  • Encircled by coral reefs, making maritime access extremely difficult.
  • Bordered by white-sand beaches, mangrove forests, and dense tropical vegetation.
  • The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake uplifted the island, exposing more coral reefs, thus expanding its landmass.
• Sentinelese – Indigenous Inhabitants:
  • One of the last uncontacted peoples on Earth.
  • Known for rejecting all outside contact; aggressive toward intruders.
  • Live as hunter-gatherers, using bows, arrows, spears, and dugout canoes.
  • Population size (estimated 50–150).
• Legal Protection & Governance:
  • Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Protection of Aboriginal Tribes) Regulation, 1956: Prohibits travel within 5 nautical miles (9 km) of the island.
    • No prosecution of Sentinelese for defensive aggression.
  • Restricted Area Permit (RAP): RAP requirement was revoked in 2018 for 29 islands, but North Sentinel remains off-limits.
    • No tourism, filming, fishing, or visits allowed.

Source: TH

Katchatheevu Island

Syllabus :GS 1/Places 

In News

• The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Union government to take steps to retrieve the Katchatheevu island from Sri Lanka.
  • As it is crucial for protecting Tamil Nadu fishermen’s traditional fishing rights and alleviating the hardships caused by the Sri Lankan Navy’s actions.

Katchatheevu

• Katchatheevu is a small, uninhabited island covering approximately 285 acres in the Palk Strait, situated between Tamil Nadu, India, and northern Sri Lanka. 
• It lies 14.5 km south of Delft Island and about 16 km northeast of Rameswaram.
• The island is barren, lacking drinking water or infrastructure, except for a Catholic church dedicated to St. Anthony.

Dispute

•  It began in 1921 between the British colonial governments of Madras and Ceylon and it was resolved through two bilateral agreements signed in 1974 and 1976 by India and Sri Lanka. 
• These agreements established that Katchatheevu belongs to Sri Lanka and defined the maritime boundaries between the two countries, including their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). 
• The agreement also allowed Indian fishermen to visit Katchatheevu for the annual St. Anthony’s festival, but prohibited fishing activities in Sri Lankan waters.

Do you know ? – India’s gains from the agreements included diplomatic advantages with Sri Lanka, especially during a time when Sri Lanka was strengthening ties with China. – Additionally, India secured sovereign rights over the Wadge Bank near Kanniyakumari, which holds valuable marine resources.

Governments Stand

• The Union government has consistently rejected demands for retrieval, arguing that the 1974 and 1976 agreements resolved the matter, with Katchatheevu now firmly under Sri Lankan jurisdiction. 
• The issue remains unresolved in the Supreme Court, with the Union government asserting that no Indian territory was ceded to Sri Lanka.

Source :TH

President of Chile Visit to India

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• The President of Chile is on a state visit to India, marking 76 years of diplomatic ties.

Key Discussions:

• Trade and Economic Relations: The expansion of the India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (2017) was highlighted.
  • Both leaders launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to deepen economic integration.
• Mining and Critical Minerals: They discussed cooperation in critical minerals for emerging technologies and clean energy.
  • A key agreement for cooperation between CODELCO (Chile’s National Copper Corporation) and Hindustan Copper Limited was concluded.
  • CODELCO, the world’s largest copper producer, aims to expand its market in India and reduce reliance on China.
• Antarctic Cooperation: A Letter of Intent was signed to strengthen Antarctic cooperation and scientific exchanges.

About Chile

• Chile is a long, narrow country on the west coast of South America.
• Its coastline stretches over 6,437 km but is only about 91 km wide.
• Cape Horn: Located at the southern tip of South America, Cape Horn is known for high winds and treacherous waves.
• The world’s driest desert is the Atacama Desert, located in northern Chile.
• Chile is located along a highly seismic and volcanic zone, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, due to the subduction of the Nazca and Antarctic plates in the South American plate.
• Escondida is the largest copper mine in the world, producing over 5% of global supplies.

Chile is also rich in mineral resources such as lithium.

Source: PIB

Fluoride Pollution Crisis in Sonbhadra

Syllabus: GS2/Health

Context

• The incidents of fluoride poisoning seen in groundwater of Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh.
  • The contamination is 5 to 6 times higher than the prescribed safe limit.

About Fluoride

• Fluoride is a naturally occurring, non-biodegradable pollutant found in minerals, soil, water, and air.
• It is also released during the burning of coal bricks.
• The World Health Organization sets the maximum safe level of fluoride in drinking water at 1.5 mg/liter.
• In safe doses, fluoride helps prevent tooth decay and supports bone health.
• In excessive amounts, it causes dental and skeletal fluorosis, joint pain and stiffness & bone deformities. It also poses risks to wildlife and ecosystems.

Source: IE

Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• NITI Aayog, in collaboration with the Press Information Bureau, has released the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025.

About

• FHI initiative assesses the fiscal health of states in India.
• The analysis covers 18 major states that contribute significantly to India’s GDP, demography, public expenditure, revenues, and fiscal stability.
• Sub Indices: Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
• Data for the index is sourced from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the 2022-23 financial year.

Findings

• Odisha ranks 1st in the FHI, followed by Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.
• States account for about two-thirds of public spending and one-third of total revenue, influencing the nation’s economic stability.
• Debt Concerns: West Bengal and Punjab face growing debt burdens and increasing debt-to-GSDP ratios.

Source: PIB

SC Observations on Disqualification

Syllabus :GS 2/Governance 

In News

• Recently, the Supreme Court of India addressed petitions regarding the delayed disqualification proceedings of 10 Telangana MLAs who defected to the ruling Congress party.

About law on disqualification

• The disqualification of sitting members of a legislature is governed by Article 102 of the Indian Constitution and Section 8 of the Representation of the People (RP) Act, 1951.
  • The RP Act does not specify the authority responsible for this declaration, but Article 103 of the Constitution states that the President must decide if a sitting member becomes disqualified due to a conviction.
• A sitting member can be disqualified if convicted of certain offenses and sentenced to at least two years of imprisonment. 
• Section 8 of the RP Act lists various offenses for which conviction can lead to disqualification, including promoting enmity, bribery, rape, and corruption, among others.

Supreme courts ruling 

• The Supreme Court’s 2013 Lily Thomas judgment struck down Section 8(4) of the RP Act, which allowed a sitting member three months to appeal their conviction before disqualification could take effect.
  • The Court ruled that Parliament could not make special provisions for sitting members, as both candidates and sitting members are equally liable to disqualification under Article 102.

Latest Developments

• Recently, the Supreme Court  emphasized that a Speaker cannot use indecision to undermine the objective of the anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) and that courts are not powerless in such situations.
  • While the Court cannot direct a Speaker on how to decide, it can mandate that disqualification petitions be resolved within a reasonable timeframe.
• The Supreme Court has previously intervened in similar cases to push Speakers to decide on long-pending disqualification petitions.

Do you know? – The Tenth Schedule was  introduced in 1985 through the 52nd Constitutional Amendment, was designed to curb political instability caused by defections of legislators, which often led to the collapse of elected governments.  – The law mandates the disqualification of legislators who voluntarily leave their party or vote against their party’s instructions.  – Initially, the Schedule allowed exceptions, such as if one-third of a party’s members split or if a party merged with another with the approval of two-thirds of its members. However, the provision allowing splits (para 3) was removed in 2003 to strengthen the law.

Source :TH

India’s 10-year Bond Yields Declined

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

Context

• India’s benchmark 10-year bond yields fell sharply by nine basis points (bps) to 6.49% year-on-year after the RBI announced it would buy Rs 80,000 crore worth of bonds in April.

About

• Indian Bond Yields: Indian bond yields fell by 24 bps since March.
  • The 10-year yield has dropped 62 bps so far in FY 2024-25, its largest drop in five years.
• Indian Banking Sector Liquidity: Improved liquidity in India has led to falling bond yields, with Treasury bill cut-offs nearing 6.30%.
  • The 10-year bond yield is expected to drop further depending on liquidity.

What is Bond Yield?

• Bond yield is the return an investor can expect to earn from a bond, expressed as an annual percentage.
• Types of Bond Yields:
  • Current Yield: Annual coupon payment divided by the bond’s current market price.
  • Yield to Maturity (YTM): Total return if the bond is held until maturity, including coupon payments and any capital gain/loss.
  • Yield to Call (YTC): Yield assuming the bond is called (redeemed early) before maturity.
  • Yield to Worst (YTW): Lowest yield possible if the bond is called or matures early.
• Bond Price Relation: Price and yield are inversely related and as the price of a bond goes up, its yield goes down.
• Indicator: Bond yields reflect the return on investment and are influenced by interest rates and economic conditions. 

Source: IE

Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy 

In News

• Manufacturing activity in India saw a notable improvement in March 2025, with the Seasonally Adjusted Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rising to 58.1, the highest in eight months, up from 56.3 in February.
  • The increase was mainly driven by a rise in new orders, with the new orders index reaching an eight-month high of 61.5.

Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)

• The PMI primarily measures the condition of a country’s sectors, including manufacturing, services and overall business activity, through monthly surveys of respondents in different countries. 
• It is a type of economic indicator which is compiled by agencies such as S&P Global, HSBC and others, using data from major companies representing key global economies. 
• The index varies between 0 and 100; a reading above 50 is a sign of progress, whereas below 50 shows a decline in the overall production activity.

Source :TH