News In Short-9-04-2025

Lodhi Garden

Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture

Context

• Lodhi Garden, located in the heart of New Delhi, marks 89 years of its establishment as a public garden.

About

• Lodhi Garden traces its origins back to the 14th and 15th centuries and was initially known as Bagh-e-Jud.
• The garden’s roots are entwined with the Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya Dargah and later became a burial site during the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties, showcasing Indo-Islamic architecture.
  • The garden was developed during the British Period and was inaugurated by Lady Willingdon on 9th April 1936.

Architectural Landmarks

• Tomb of Muhammad Shah: The oldest structure in the garden, built for the third ruler of the Sayyid dynasty. 
• Tomb of Sikandar Lodi is an octagonal tomb from the Lodi period.
• Sheesh Gumbad is known for its mysterious, unidentified graves and intricate glazed tile work.
• Bada Gumbad is a dramatic domed gateway that leads into a mosque with three domes.
• Khairpur Satpula Bridge: A water bridge built by Nawab Mirza, a noble in Emperor Akbar’s court, adding a Mughal connection to the garden.

Post-Independence Legacy

• Joseph Allen Stein, the American architect, shaped the current landscape of Lodhi Garden, including its gentle slopes, raised mounds, and fluid layout.
• Every year in March, the garden becomes a hub for the Nauroz celebrations — the Parsi New Year.

Source: IE

Online Gaming Under the PMLA

Syllabus: GS2/ Governance

Context

• The Union government has proposed the classification of online real-money gaming firms as “reporting entities” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002.

About

• Under the PMLA, a reporting entity is required to provide client and transaction information to the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND), which is under the purview of the Ministry of Finance.
• Earlier, the government had imposed a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on the full deposits made by users on real-money gaming platforms in 2023.

Gaming Industry in India

• According to a report by FICCI from March 2025, online gaming companies in India collectively earned a revenue of close to $2.7 billion in 2024. 
  • These companies make money by taking a cut from a user’s winnings. 
• The real-money aspect exposes the sector to money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal betting, in the absence of stringent checks.

Source: IE

Discovery of Small Hive Beetle in India

Syllabus :GS 3/Environment 

In News

• A scientist from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), identified the Small Hive Beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida, in Amdanga, West Bengal.
  • This is the first recorded instance of SHB in India.

Small Hive Beetle 

• SHBs are small, oval-shaped beetles (5-7 mm), reddish-brown in color.
• It is a notorious enemy of honey bees and has caused widespread damage to the apiculture industry globally.
• It infiltrates hives, laying eggs that hatch into larvae, which feed on honey, pollen, and bee brood, contaminating honey and causing colony collapse.
• Distribution : Originating in sub-Saharan Africa, SHB has spread globally to the United States, Australia, Canada, and parts of Asia.
  • India’s climate may favor the proliferation of SHB, making early detection and response crucial.
• Classifications: It is classified as an “Invasive Alien Species,” a category of non-native organisms that pose significant threats to biodiversity and local ecosystems.
  • The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has classified SHB infestation as a notifiable disease due to its destructive potential.

Concerns 

• The presence of SHB raises concerns about its impact on India’s honey bee population and apiculture industry. The beetle is known for rapidly multiplying and spreading.
• SHB could harm India’s beekeeping sector, jeopardizing honey production and the livelihoods of those dependent on it.

Measures to tackle them

• Experts emphasize the need for coordinated monitoring, containment strategies, and awareness campaigns to protect native pollinators and the apiculture industry in India.

Source :TOI

Volatility Index (VIX)

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy

Context 

• Recently, The India Volatility Index surged over 65% to 22.8, marking its highest single-day spike ever, indicating heightened risk and uncertainty in the market.

Volatility Index (VIX) 

• The term “VIX” is a trademark owned by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE).
• It measures the market’s expectation of volatility over the near term, reflecting the rate and magnitude of price changes, often associated with risk. 
• It is calculated as annualized volatility, expressed as a percentage, based on the order book of options for a specific underlying index.

India VIX

• It is specifically based on NIFTY Index Option prices. 
• It calculates the expected market volatility for the next 30 days by analyzing the best bid-ask prices of NIFTY Options contracts.
  • India VIX uses the CBOE’s computation methodology, with adjustments made for the NIFTY options order book, incorporating techniques like cubic splines.

Latest Updates 

• The recent  increase was driven by a sharp 5% sell-off in Indian equities, sparked by concerns over the impact of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and China’s retaliatory measures.
  • The spike in volatility is reminiscent of previous global market turmoil, such as in August 2015.

Source :ET

“Blue Category” Classification For Industries

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy

In News

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has introduced a new “Blue Category” in its industrial classification system, aimed at recognizing and incentivizing essential environmental service industries.

Revised classification for industries

• The Blue Category was created under the “precautionary principle,” based on the potential environmental impact of industries. 
• The Blue Category includes industries such as Waste-to-energy plants, some compressed biogas (CBG) plants, and other utilities involved in managing environmental concerns (e.g., waste management).
• These industries, although potentially high on the Pollution Index (PI), are recognized for their positive environmental externalities.
• Industries classified under the Blue Category will receive an additional two years of validity for their Consent to Operate (CTO), based on their Pollution Index (PI).

Pollution Index-Based Classification

CPCB classifies industries based on their pollution potential (PI):

For Example: Waste-to-energy plants are included in the Blue Category due to their essential role despite their high pollution potential.

Source :HT

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) Report on Air Pollution

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• A new analysis by non-profit Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) revealed data on India’s Air Pollution levels.

Key Points: 

• Delhi’s PM 10 Levels: Delhi recorded the highest Particulate Matter 10 levels among 130 cities under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in FY 2024-25.
  • Delhi’s annual average PM 10 concentration was 206 µg/m³, three times above the national standard of 60 µg/m³.
• Other Cities with High PM 10 Levels: Byrnihat (Assam) and Patna (Bihar) followed Delhi.
• NCAP Targets: The NCAP aims to reduce PM 10 levels by up to 40% by 2025-26 compared to the 2017 baseline.
  • PM 10 reductions are assessed on a financial year basis.
• Improvements and Declines: 77 cities showed improvements in PM 10 levels compared to 2017-18.
  • 23 cities saw increases in PM 10 levels, and 2 cities had unchanged levels.
• Cities with Over 40% Improvement: 21 cities, especially from Uttar Pradesh, showed over 40% improvement, including Bareilly, Varanasi, and Kanpur.
• Cities with Increased PM 10 Levels: Cities with a rise in PM 10 levels include Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Chhattisgarh.
• Significant Changes:
  • Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh) showed the largest reduction in PM 10 levels at 78%.
  • Jalgaon (Maharashtra) recorded the highest increase in PM 10 levels at 57%.
• Ongoing Challenges: Despite improvements, 91 of the 102 NCAP cities still exceeded the national PM 10 standard during FY 2024-25, with just one year left to meet NCAP targets.

Source: IE