Prelims Mantra – (09/10/2025)

International Developments

Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA):

• • Context: Russia’s lower house of parliament moves to withdraw from plutonium agreement with the U.S.
  • The PMDA is a bilateral agreement signed in 2000 between the United States and Russia to eliminate a minimum of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium each, making it unusable for nuclear weapons.
  • Disposition methods include fabricating mixed oxide (MOX) fuel for irradiation in civil nuclear reactors, or through immobilization, with the aim of achieving the “spent fuel standard”—highly irradiated and unattractive for weapons use.
  • The PMDA specifies strict monitoring and transparency measures, including inspections and joint consultative commissions to ensure irreversibility of plutonium disposition.
  • Amended in 2010, the PMDA accommodated changes in Russian nuclear policy and included U.S. support funding and additional implementation protocols.
  • The total amount covered is roughly enough for 17,000 nuclear warheads, making this a major step in irreversible arms reduction and nuclear security.
  • The PMDA remains a key symbol of post-Cold War disarmament, though future status and implementation remain uncertain due to recent diplomatic tensions.

 

(TH)

Science & Technology

Cyber Frauds:

“I dream of a Digital India where cyber security becomes an integral part of our national security” – PM Narendra Modi

• • Rising Threat: Cybersecurity incidents in India surged from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024, with reported frauds amounting to ₹36.45 lakh on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP) as of February 28, 2025.
  • National Response: The Union Budget 2025 allocated ₹782 crore for cybersecurity projects, underscoring its status as a national security priority.
  • Key Agencies:
    • CERT-In conducts cyber mock drills
    • NCIIPC protects critical infrastructure in sectors like power, banking, and telecom.
    • I4C (Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre) .
  • Citizen initiatives: National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and Helplines.
  • Financial Safeguards: The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) has saved over ₹5,489 crore across 17.82 lakh complaints.
  • Legal & Regulatory Measures: The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 bans online money gaming to curb fraud avenues.
  • Capacity Building: CyTrain portal.
  • Advanced tools: Samanvaya Platform, Sahyog Portal.
  • Awareness: Cyber Crisis Management Plan (CCMP), Bharat National Cybersecurity Exercise 2025.
  • Future focus: Emphasis on public-private collaboration, innovation under NM-ICPS, and cyber awareness to secure India’s digital transformation.

 

(PIB)

Geography & Environment

Prosopis juliflora:

• • A thorny evergreen tree or shrub, growing up to 15 m tall, with bipinnate leaves, golden-yellow fragrant flowers in spikes, and deep roots; native to the Americas but widely introduced in arid regions globally.
  • Highly invasive due to rapid growth, high seed production, long seed viability, and deep root systems, often outcompeting native vegetation and reducing biodiversity.
  • Thrives in arid and semi-arid climates (250–800 mm annual rainfall), tolerates drought, saline, alkaline (pH up to 10.5), and degraded soils, making it suitable for land reclamation and dune stabilization.
  • It is a tree originally introduced to India from South America and the Caribbean in the 19th century.
  • In the 1960s and 1970s, the Gujarat Forest Department brought it to the Banni grassland in the Kutch region to combat soil salinisation and boost green cover.
  • Now known locally as ‘gando bawar’, or the mad tree, this invasive species covers 50-60% of the original grassland area.
  • Prosopis is very thirsty and guzzles water from surface soil, thus competing with grasses and native trees such as Acacia.
  • India has an estimated 139 invasive alien species, mostly insect pests of crops.

 

(TH)

Schemes and Initiatives in the News

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan):

• • Context: Government is looking to showcase the PM-KUSUM programme to several African countries and island nations.
  • Launched March 2019 to enhance energy and water security for farmers using solar energy.
  • Targets 34,800 MW solar capacity with central support of ₹34,422 crore by March 2026.
  • Component A: 10,000 MW decentralized solar power plants, installed by farmers and co-operatives on available land.
  • Component B: 14 lakh standalone solar pumps, replacing diesel pumps in regions lacking grid supply.
  • Component C: Solarization of 35 lakh existing grid-connected pumps, allowing sale of surplus power to DISCOMs.
  • Financial Model: 60% subsidy (central/state), 30% loan, 10% farmer payment.
  • Day-time reliable power, reduced diesel use, enhanced income from power sales, and job creation.
  • Promotes domestic solar manufacturing and supports India’s clean energy targets for 2030.
  • Performance incentive: DISCOMs earn ₹0.40/unit or ₹6.6 lakh/MW for 5 years per purchase.
  • Largest global initiative: Over 3.5 million farmers benefit, model replicated internationally.
  • It is meant to boost solar energy infrastructure in agriculture by setting up 100 GW of solar power plants in farmer owned land.
  • It was to have added a solar capacity of 308 GW by 2022 but has missed targets. The Centre then set a new target, of 348 GW with a deadline of March 2026.
  • About 70% of the pumps have been installed. On the other hand, only 6% of decentralised grid-connected renewable energy power plants, and 16%-25% of grid-connected solar pumps have been installed.

 

(TH)

e-NAM Platform Expanded:

• • The e-NAM (National Agriculture Market) platform (launched in 2016) has added 9 new agricultural commodities, increasing the total number of tradable commodities to 247.
  • The 09 new commodities added are:

1. Green Tea

2. Tea

3. Aswagandha Dry Roots

4. Mustard Oil

5. Lavender Oil

6. Mentha Oil

7. Virgin Olive Oil

8. Lavender Dried Flower

9. Broken Rice

• • The expansion aims to meet growing demand from farmers and traders for wider market access and deeper integration across states.
  • Tradable parameters for the new commodities were developed by the Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) in consultation with state agencies and experts.
  • Standardized quality parameters ensure transparent, quality-based pricing, helping farmers get remunerative prices and reducing dependence on middlemen.
  • The move strengthens e-NAM as a digital, quality-driven marketplace, enhancing farmers’ economic resilience.

 

(PIB)

Terms in the News

Zeolites:

• • These are microporous, crystalline aluminosilicate materials with a three-dimensional structure of linked silica and alumina tetrahedra, forming a sponge-like network of uniform-sized cavities and channels.
  • Natural Formation: Zeolites occur naturally as a result of a chemical reaction between volcanic glass and saline water, a process that can take thousands of years.
  • Synthetic Formation: Synthetic zeolites are manufactured in a much shorter timeframe and can be designed with specific structures not found in nature.
  • Found in various applications including agriculture, soil decontamination, and even in some food processing and winemaking.

 

(TH)

Miscellaneous

Health:

• • The WHO is yet to issue a Global Medical Products Alert on Coldrif syrup, the cough syrup which has allegedly caused the child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
  • WHO has sought clarification from India on whether the cough syrup linked to over 15 child deaths in the country have been exported to other countries.
  • Coldrif cough syrup containing a toxic compound diethylene glycol (DEG). It was manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals, based in Tamil Nadu.
  • The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation issued a directive to all State and Union Territory Drug Controllers, calling for strict enforcement of the Drugs Rules, 1945, with specific emphasis on the mandatory testing of raw materials and finished pharmaceutical products before release in the market.

 

(TH)

Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2025:

• • It was awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar Yaghifor developing Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), a new class of porous materials with highly ordered, sponge-like molecular structures.
  • MOFs are built by linking metal ions with organic carbon-based molecules, creating stable crystals with large, customizable cavities that can trap and store specific substances.
  • MOFs have precisely designed structures, allowing control over size, shape, and chemical affinity for targeted applications.
  • Key applications include harvesting water from desert air, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing hydrogen or toxic gases, and removing pollutants like PFAS from water.
  • The concept began with Robson’s 1989 experiments; Kitagawa and Yaghi later developed stable, functional MOFs, laying the foundation for reticular chemistry, designing materials at the molecular level.
  • MOFs are now used in carbon capture, clean energy storage, drug delivery, and environmental remediation, with over tens of thousands of variants designed to date.

 

(TH)

World Habitat Day 2025:

• • Theme: “Urban Solutions to Crisis” – focused on building resilient, inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready cities amid challenges like climate change, migration, and rapid urbanisation.
  • Event: Held on October 8, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, chaired by MoS for Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Tokhan Sahu, with MoHUA Secretary Shri Srinivas Katikithala and UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp in attendance.
  • Key Message: Emphasis on investing in urban resilience, empowering local governments, and leveraging Public-Private–People Partnerships (PPPP) to turn cities into engines of growth.
  • Flagship Schemes Highlighted: PMAY-Urban, AMRUT, PM SVANidhi, and Swachh Bharat Mission.
  • Panel Discussions: focused on Integration of urban and peri-urban areas, urban flooding response, building equitable cities – ensuring no citizen is left behind.
  • Vision: Aligned with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, aiming to transform urban challenges into opportunities.

 

(PIB)

 

PRACTICE MCQ’S

 

 

Q1. Which of the following statements is the primary objective of e-NAM platform?

a) To replace all physical mandis with digital markets across India

b) To promote quality-based pricing and reduce farmers’ dependence on intermediaries

c) To allow direct export of agricultural produce without government oversight

d) To phase out the role of state Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs)

Answer: B

Explanation: The expansion of e-NAM aims to ensure transparent, quality-driven trade by introducing standardized tradable parameters, which link prices directly to the quality of produce. This empowers farmers to get remunerative prices and reduces reliance on middlemen, fostering a more inclusive and efficient agricultural market.

 

Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the World Habitat Day 2025:

1. It was observed by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

2. It focused on integrating flagship urban schemes with social inclusion and climate action and promoted Public-Private–People Partnerships (PPPP).

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only

b) 2 only

c) Both 1 and 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

Explanation:

It was observed by the the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).

It focused on urban resilience and inclusivity amid contemporary challenges, and the event emphasized the integration of major MoHUA schemes with social and climate goals as well as PPPP for strengthening urban transformation.

 

Q3. With reference to India’s efforts to combat cyber frauds as of 2025, consider the following statements:

1. The number of cybersecurity incidents in India more than doubled between 2022 to 2024.

2. The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has played a key role in blocking communication channels used by fraudsters.

3. The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) has successfully enabled real-time freezing of fraudulent transactions.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only

d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: D

Explanation:
All three statements are correct.

• • Statement 1 is supported by data CERT-In, showing a sharp rise in incidents from 10.29 lakh in 2022 to 22.68 lakh in 2024, indicating an expanding cyber threat surface.
  • Statement 2 is accurate: I4C has blocked 83,668 WhatsApp accounts and 3,962 Skype IDs linked to cyber frauds, disrupting criminal communication networks.
  • Statement 3 is verified: The CFCFRMS has saved over ₹5,489 crore across 17.82 lakh complaints by enabling prompt reporting and transaction freezing

 

Q4. Consider the following statements regarding the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) scheme:

1. It aims to install decentralized grid-connected solar power plants.

2. The financial structure of PM-KUSUM involves 60% government subsidy, 30% bank loan, and 10% beneficiary contribution.

3. The scheme seeks to solarize existing grid-connected agricultural pumps and supports selling surplus power to DISCOMs at fixed tariffs.

4. By March 2026, the scheme targets adding 34,800 MW solar capacity.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

a) 1, 2 and 3 only

b) 2, 3 and 4 only

c) 1, 3 and 4 only

d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: D

Explanation:

All four statements are correct and reflect key features and objectives of PM-KUSUM as of 2025:

• • Statement 1 covers the target and scope of Component-A for decentralized solar plants.
  • Statement 2 accurately describes the scheme’s 60:30:10 financial model benefitting farmers.
  • Statement 3 addresses Component-C, the solarization of pumps with DISCOM power sale mechanisms.
  • Statement 4 reflects the scheme’s ambitious target and global recognition (ISA replication plans) up to March 2026.

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