News In Short-20-03-2025

World Puppetry Day

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• India Habitat Centre (IHC) has organized special performances to commemorate World Puppetry Day.

About

• Every year on March 21st, World Puppetry Day seeks to recognize puppetry as a global art form. 
  • It’s also a day to honor puppeteers around the world.
• The art of puppetry includes the making and manipulation of puppets for use in some kind of theatrical performance, for stage, television, or film. 
• A puppet is a figure—human, animal, or abstract in form—that is moved by human effort, not mechanical aid.

Puppetry in India

• Puppetry is an ancient performing art, used for storytelling, entertainment, and social commentary.

• Major Types:
  • String Puppets (Kathputli): Popular in Rajasthan and Gujarat, controlled by strings.
  • Shadow Puppetry: Leather puppets used to cast shadows, popular in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.
  • Rod Puppetry: Puppets controlled with rods, found in West Bengal and Assam.
  • Glove Puppets: Worn on the puppeteer’s hand, notably in Kerala (Pavakathakali).

Source: AIR

‘Squad’ Alliance

Syllabus: GS2/IR/Regional Groupings

Context

• India has been invited to join the multilateral alliance Squad to prevent China’s influence in the South China Sea. 

About

• The Squad is an informal alliance formed in 2024 with countries such as Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the United States. 
  • The group now plans to invite India and South Korea to join it.
• The defence forces of this alliance have conducted joint maritime activities in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in the South China Sea.
• Aim: The Squad’s joint maritime activities are aimed at providing strategic responses to tensions in the Philippines’ waters in the South China Sea.
• Currently, India is a part of Quad, an alliance of the US, Japan, and Australia, which informally tries to keep a check on China’s dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The Quad is a tactical grouping that operates at a higher, more strategic level, across the Indo-Pacific.

Source: LM

APAAR ID

Syllabus: GS2/ Education

Context

• Activists and parents have raised concerns over the rapid push by schools to create APAAR IDs, despite it being voluntary.

What is the APAAR ID?

• APAAR (Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry) ID is a unique 12-digit code that will help students to digitally store, manage, and access all their academic credits, including Score card, marksheets, gradesheet, degrees, diplomas, certificates & co-curricular accomplishments. 
• This initiative is part of the ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ program launched by the Ministry of Education, aligning with the new National Education Policy of 2020.
• The ID is generated through the Unified District Information System For Education Plus (UDISE+) portal, which contains regional academic statistics and data on schools, teachers and students.

Source: TH

Revised National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)

Syllabus: GS 3/Economy

In News

• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD) to strengthen the dairy sector.
  • The revised NPDD allocates an additional ₹1000 crore, bringing the total outlay to ₹2790 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).

About the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD)

• It is a Central Sector Scheme launched in 2014 (revised in 2021) aims to modernize and expand dairy infrastructure, ensure sustained growth and productivity, and enhance farmers’ income.
• Component A: Dairy Infrastructure Enhancement:
  • Focus: Strengthening core dairy infrastructure, particularly in underserved regions.
  • Methods: Supporting the creation of Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCSs) and Milk Producer Companies (MPCs).
  • Examples: Funding milk chilling plants, milk testing labs, and quality certification systems.
• Component B: Dairying Through Cooperatives (DTC):
  • Focus: Sustainable development of dairy cooperatives.
  • Collaboration: Implemented with assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
  • Scope: Enhancing production, processing, and marketing infrastructure.
  • Area: Implemented in 9 states.

Achievements 

• The NPDD has benefited over 18.74 lakh farmers, created over 30,000 jobs, and increased milk procurement capacity. 
• Under the revised programme, 10,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies and two Milk Producer Companies will be formed, generating 3.2 lakh new jobs and advancing technology use in the sector.

Source: PIB

Implementation of Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission

Syllabus :GS 3/Economy

In News

• The Union Cabinet approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) with an additional allocation of ₹1,000 crore, bringing the total budget to ₹3,400 crore for the 2021-2026 period under the 15th Finance Commission.

Rashtriya Gokul Mission

• It was launched in December 2014  with a view to conserve and develop indigenous bovine breeds.
• The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is implementing the Rashtriya Gokul Mission.
• It focuses on the development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds, genetic upgradation of the bovine population, and enhancing milk production and productivity, thereby making dairy farming more profitable for farmers.

Major Components  – Nationwide Artificial Insemination Program: It aims to boost the milk production and productivity of bovines, including indigenous breeds.  – Progeny Testing and Pedigree Selection: It aims to produce high genetic merit bulls, including bulls of indigenous breeds.  – Implementation of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Technology: The technology has an important role in genetic upgradation of bovine population in single generation.  – Sex-Sorted Semen Production: The Department has established sex sorted semen production facilities at 5 government semen stations located in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.  – Multi-purpose Artificial Insemination Technicians in Rural India (MAITRIs): Under the scheme MAITRIs are trained and equipped to deliver quality Artificial Insemination services at farmers’ doorstep.

Latest Revisions 

• The revised mission will be implemented as a Central Sector component of the Development Programmes scheme
• It introduces two new initiatives and here first will  provide 35% capital assistance for establishing Heifer Rearing Centres .
  • Second will offer a 3% interest subvention on loans for purchasing High Genetic Merit (HGM) IVF heifers. 
  • Core activities, including strengthening artificial insemination networks, supporting breed improvement programs, and establishing Centres of Excellence, will continue.

Achievements 

• The mission has led to a 63.55% increase in milk production over the past decade and a rise in per capita milk availability from 307 grams/day in 2013-14 to 471 grams/day in 2023-24. 
• The Nationwide Artificial Insemination Programme (NAIP) has covered over 8.39 crore animals, benefiting 5.21 crore farmers. 
• RGM has introduced advanced breeding technologies, including 22 IVF labs, resulting in 2,541 high-genetic-merit calves.
• The development of Gau Chip and Mahish Chip for indigenous bovines and Gau Sort technology highlights India’s progress in self-reliance for dairy technology.

Source :PIB

Ashwini Radar

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The Ministry of Defence has signed a capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of the Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR) ‘Ashwini’ for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

About Ashwini Radar

• Designed and developed by Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), DRDO.
• Uses state-of-the-art solid-state technology for superior performance.
• Capable of detecting and tracking targets up to 200 km.
• Can track high-speed fighter jets as well as slow-moving aerial threats like Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters.

Source: TH