News In Short-26-04-2025

National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination campaign 2025-26

Syllabus: GS2/ Health

Context

• Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, launched the National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination campaign 2025-26.

Measles

• Measles is a highly contagious viral disease, which affects mostly children. 
• It is transmitted via droplets from the nose, mouth or throat of infected persons. 
• Symptoms usually appear 10–12 days after infection, including high fever, runny nose, bloodshot eyes, and tiny white spots on the inside of the mouth. 

Rubella

• Rubella is an acute, usually mild exanthematous fever affecting susceptible children and young adults worldwide.
  • It is also called German measles.
• Symptoms: Low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face.

Indian Scenario

• India focuses on achieving and maintaining over 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of the MR vaccine in every district
• In 2024, the country saw a significant decline in measles and rubella cases, with measles dropping by 73% and rubella by 17% compared to 2023.
• U-WIN Digital Platform: It aims to streamline vaccination services by offering online registration, appointment booking, and digital certification.

Source: AIR

Bihar’s Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana

Syllabus :GS2/Governance 

In News

• The Bihar Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister sanctioned ₹15,995 crore as subsidy under the Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana for 2025-26.
  • The amount is ₹652 crore more than the previous year’s allocation.

Mukhya Mantri Vidyut Upbhokta Sahayta Yojana

• It was introduced in Bihar to provide substantial electricity subsidies, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on consumers and promote equitable access to power across the state.​
• The subsidy is  aimed at reducing the per-unit cost for consumers, and will be provided directly to the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) via the Reserve Bank of India. 
  • This subsidy will be reflected in consumers’ monthly energy bills and is sanctioned for the period from April 2025 to March 2026, helping to offset higher electricity tariff rates.

Source :TH

Viksit Vibrant Villages Program

Syllabus: GS3-Infrastructure, Internal Security & Miscellaneous

Context

• The registration for the Viksit Vibrant Villages Program officially commenced via the MY Bharat Portal.

About the Viksit Vibrant Villages Program

• The Viksit Vibrant Villages Program, a joint initiative to revitalize remote border regions, will be held in Leh-Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand from 15th to 30th May 2025.
• Spearheaded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the program will be implemented with support from local governance bodies and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). 
• Key Features:
  • Youth-Led Development: A total of 500 MY Bharat volunteers will be mobilized from across the country to work directly with communities in 100 selected villages.
    • 10 MY Bharat volunteers will be selected from the Union Territories and 15 from each participating state.
  • Scope of Engagement: Volunteers will drive grassroots development through initiatives including—
    • Community Engagement, Youth Leadership Development, Cultural Promotion, Healthcare Awareness and Support, Skill-building and Education, Environmental Protection Best Practices, Career Counselling Sessions, Fitness Activities (Sports, Yoga, Meditation), and Open Mic, Essay, Fireside Chat, etc on My Dream India.
• Strategic Significance: 
  • The program aims to dismantle the long-standing notion of border villages being “the last on the map.” Instead, it seeks to celebrate them as ‘first villages’ in India’s journey towards a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
  • By fostering youth leadership, community participation, and strategic engagement, the Viksit Vibrant Villages Program is expected to lay the foundation for sustainable development and national integration in border areas.

Source: PIB

Demise of former ISRO Chairman Dr. K. Kasturirangan 

Syllabus :GS3/Space 

In News

• Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Dr. K. Kasturirangan passed away in Bengaluru .

About Dr. K. Kasturirangan

• He  was born on October 24, 1940, in Ernakulam, Kerala.
• He earned a B.Sc. (Hons) and M.Sc. in Physics from Bombay University.
• He completed his Ph.D. in Experimental High Energy Astronomy in 1971 at the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad.
• He started his career as an X-ray astronomer and went on to serve as Secretary, Department of Space.

Major Contributions

• Science and Technology  : He played a key role in advancing India’s space program.
  • He served as the fifth Chairman of ISRO from 1994 to 2003.
  • He directed the ISRO Satellite Centre and established India’s remote sensing satellite program.
  • He oversaw the activities related to the development of new generation spacecraft, Indian National Satellite (INSAT-2) and Indian Remote Sensing Satellites (IRS-1A & 1B) as well as scientific satellites.
  • He contributed to the development of India’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).
• Education and Policy: He headed several crucial committees like the ones on the Western Ghats and the National Education Policy.
  • He served as Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Chairperson of the Karnataka Knowledge Commission.
  • He was Member of the Rajya Sabha (2003–2009) and associated with the Planning Commission of India.
• Awards and Honors: He was awarded Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan for his contributions to science and service to the nation.

Source :TH

Line of Control (LoC)

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

Context

• The Indian Army reported incidents of small arms firing along the Line of Control (LoC) at some places in J&K, including at Kupwara in the Kashmir Valley.

About

• The LoC demarcates the points to identify Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) and India’s Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• The LoC came into being after the 1972 Simla Agreement and is a bilaterally agreed military line and not a legally recognised border.
• The origin of the existing LoC can be traced to the first Cease-Fire Line (CFL) established after the India-Pakistan war of 1947, which lasted until 1948.
  • In 1949, a UN-brokered ceasefire was announced, after which the 1949 Karachi Agreement was signed between the two armies, demarcating points that would define the de facto boundary between the two countries in Jammu and Kashmir.

Source: TH

India’s first wolf sanctuary : Mahuadanr

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

In News

• A recent study conducted in the Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary, Jharkhand, explores the relationship between tribal cultural practices and wolf denning behavior.

Mahuadanr Wolf Sanctuary 

• It is situated in Jharkhand and  was established in 1976 within the Palamau Tiger Reserve to conserve the endangered Indian gray wolf.
  • The sanctuary’s creation is largely credited to S.P. Shahi, an Indian Forest Service officer who championed the importance of Open Natural Ecosystems for wolf conservation. 
•  It features rugged grasslands, dense forests, and hills and  provides a diverse habitat for various wildlife, including leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, jackals, deer, and numerous bird species.
• It is India’s only protected area dedicated to the Indian gray wolf. 

The Grey Wolf(Canis lupus)

• It  was once found across the northern hemisphere from North America to India.
• Today, their range is more restricted, primarily in remote wilderness areas of Canada, Alaska, northern USA, Europe, and Asia.
• The species is included in CITES Appendix II, except populations from Bhutan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, which are listed on Appendix I.
• It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List .

Source :DTE

Musk Deer

Syllabus: GS3/Species in News

Context

• Breeding efforts for musk deer began in 1965, but India now lacks even the founder stock for the species.

About

• Appearance: Small, solitary ungulates active at night or twilight, belonging to the family Moschidae.

• Habitat: They live mainly in the Himalayan mountains, at elevations between 2,500 to 5,000 meters.
  • They can be found in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. 
• Species: In India, the main species is the Kashmir musk deer (Moschus cupreus), others species found are the Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) in different Himalayan regions.
  • The musk deer is the state animal of Uttarakhand.
• Musk: The males produce a special musk from a gland near their abdomen, which they use to mark territory and attract mates.
  • This musk is extremely valuable in the perfume industry and traditional medicine, which makes them targets for poaching.
• Threats: Habitat loss, poaching for musk, and climate change threaten their survival.
• Conservation status: It is classified as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Source: DTE

KG Suresh Appointed Director of India Habitat Centre

Syllabus: Miscellaneous

Context

• The India Habitat Centre (IHC) has appointed Professor KG Suresh as its new Director.

India Habitat Centre (IHC)

• The India Habitat Centre (IHC) was established in 1993. 
• It was founded to bring together individuals and institutions working in various habitat and environment-related areas.
• Architect: Renowned architect Joseph Allen Stein designed the IHC, known for its eco-friendly and people-centered architecture.
• Objectives:
  • Promote awareness in regard to habitat related environmental issues including water, air noise and waste pollution, energy and its conservation, water and human waste management and other such matters.
  • Document all relevant information pertaining to habitat, human settlements and environmental issues.
  • Promote education, research, training and professional development on habitat and human settlement and environment related issues.
  • Cooperate and collaborate with other national and international institutions in furtherance of the objectives of the centre.

Source: IE