Project Pari
Syllabus: GS 1/Culture
In News
- The Ministry of Culture is committed to preserving public art installations created under the Public Art of India (PARI) project.
Project PARI (Public Art of India)
- It is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture to celebrate and enhance the public art scene in India.
- It is executed by the Lalit Kala Akademi and the National Gallery of Modern Art.
- It showcases India’s diverse regional art forms, such as Phad, Thangka, Gond, and Warli, through over 200 artists.
- At present, the ‘Public Art of India’ (PARI) project has been implemented only in Delhi.
- It aims to stimulate dialogue and reflection through public art that blends India’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary themes
- It is a part of continuous effort of the Government in blending India’s rich cultural history with contemporary themes in public art by providing incentives to the talented artists.
Source: PIB
World Happiness Report 2025
Syllabus: GS1/ Human Geography
Context
- The Wellbeing Research Centre has released the World Happiness Report 2025.
About
- Published by: University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
- Parameters: Social support, GDP per capita, health, life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perception of corruption.
- Ranking: Finland emerged as the ‘happiest’ country again, followed by Denmark and Iceland.
- Afghanistan ranked the lowest followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon.
- India ranked 118 out of 147 countries, India’s lowest ranking was 144 on the list in 2012, while its scores peaked in 2022 at 94.
| Do you Know? – The UN declared March 20 as the International Day of Happiness in 2012. – The concept of World Happiness Day was first proposed by Bhutan in the 1970s, a country known for prioritizing Gross National Happiness over Gross Domestic Product. |
Source: TOI
Indo-U.S. Cultural Property Agreement
Syllabus :GS 2/IR
In News
- The Cultural Property Agreement (CPA) has been signed with the United States of America (USA).
Indo-U.S. Cultural Property Agreement
- It aims to prevent smuggling of Indian antiquities.
- The agreement aligns with Article 9 of the 1970 UNESCO Convention, which enables countries whose cultural patrimony is in jeopardy from pillage to seek international cooperation.
- It is preventive in nature and has no timelines or target numbers.
- So far, 588 antiquities have been repatriated from the USA, out of which 297 received in 2024.
- It has provision for fostering cooperation and mutual understanding in the matters of technical assistance, illicit trade and pillage of cultural property.
- India collaborates with different international organizations including UNESCO and INTERPOL as per requirement.
Do you Know?
- Initiatives like the Kashi Culture Pathway and the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration (NDLD) 2023 underscore the growing international consensus on the urgent need to combat illicit trafficking.
Source :PIB
Unified Pension Scheme for Central Govt. Staff Notified
Syllabus: GS2/Governance
Context
- The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has issued the regulations for the operationalisation of the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) under the National Pension System (NPS).
About
- Effective Date: The new regulations take effect from April 1, 2025.
- Enrollment Deadline: Employees must choose to enroll in UPS within three months from April 1, 2025.
- Once enrolled, the decision is final and cannot be reversed.
- Eligibility:
- Existing central government employees in service as of April 1, 2025, and covered under NPS.
- New recruits joining central government services on or after April 1, 2025.
- Former employees who were under NPS but retired or voluntarily retired on or before March 31, 2025.
- Monthly Contribution: 10% of basic pay (including non-practising allowance, if applicable) + dearness allowance.
- Government Contribution: The central government will match the subscriber’s 10% contribution.
- Additional Contribution: The government will contribute an extra 8% of the combined basic pay and dearness allowance.
- Guaranteed Payout: A minimum payout of Rs 10,000/month is assured after 10 years of qualifying service.
Source: PIB
Oeko-Tex Certification for Eri Silk
Syllabus :GS 3/Economy
In News
- The North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Ltd. (NEHHDC) under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, has obtained Oeko-Tex certification for eri silk from Germany.
| Oeko-Tex – It is a worldwide certification for textiles such as yarns, fabrics, buttons, linens, terry cloth, thread, and other accessory materials that tests for harmful substances in raw, semi-finished and finished textile materials and products. – The Oeko-Tex certification ensures that the final product is safe for human use. |
Eri Silk
- Silk is a natural protein fiber primarily composed of fibroin.
- It is produced by insect larvae to form cocoons.
- Eri Silk is a pure and genuine form of silk produced by the Samia Cynthia Ricini worm.
- The word “Eri” comes from “erranda,” the Assamese word for castor, as the worms feed on castor oil plant leaves.
- It is processed without killing the silkworm, making it known as Ahimsa Silk or Non-violent Silk.
- It is known as the “father of all cultured and textured silks.”
- It is found mainly in Northeast India (Meghalaya, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh) and some parts of China, Japan, and Thailand.
Silk Production in India
- India is the 2nd largest producer of Silk in the World.
- India is the only country in the world that produces all four major varieties of silk – Mulberry, Eri, Tassar, and Muga.
- South India is the leading silk producing area of the country and is also known for its famous silk weaving enclaves like Kancheepuram, Dharmavaram, Arni, etc.
Source :PIB
Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP)
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
In News
- The Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) launched under the National Logistics Policy (NLP) in September 2022, recently achieved a milestone of over 100 crore API transactions.
What is ULIP?
- ULIP is a key component of the National Logistics Policy (NLP), launched in 2022. It’s also closely linked to the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
- Purpose: To create a single window logistics platform, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs in India’s logistics sector.
- To integrate data from various government and private sector sources, providing real-time visibility of logistics operations.
- It is conceptualized by NITI Aayog.
- ULIP is operated by NICDC Logistics Data Services Ltd. (NLDSL), a joint venture between the Government of India, represented by the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT), and Japanese IT firm NEC Corporation.
Source: DD News
Caracal
Syllabus: GS3/Species in News
Context
- Rajasthan’s Forest Minister shared a photo to celebrate the “first photographic record” of a caracal in Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve.
About
- Appearance: The Caracal is a primarily nocturnal cat species known for its distinct and pointy ears, which give the animal its name.
- The word caracal is derived from the Turkish word ‘karakulak’, meaning ‘black ears’.
- Distribution: They are native to dozens of countries across Africa, Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia.
- In India: In recent years, the population of the Caracal has seen a sharp decline in Asia and is estimated to be not more than 50 in India. They are now only found in parts of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
- In 2021, the National Board for Wildlife and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change added its name to the list of critically endangered species.
- Threats: Habitat loss and hunting by humans.
- IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC).
- CITES: It is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), under appendices I and II.
| Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve – Location: It is the 3rd tiger reserve in Rajasthan, after Ranthambore & Sariska Tiger Reserves. 1. Part of the Vindhyan range, extending from the Chambal River to Kalisindh. 2. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2013. – Area Includes: Mukandra National Park, Dara Sanctuary, Jawahar Sagar Sanctuary, and part of Chambal Sanctuary (from Garadia Mahadev to Jawahar Sagar Dam). |
Source: IE
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