Daily PIB Highlights (20-05-2025)

Topic-1: Operation Olivia – Olive Ridley Turtle Conservation

GS-3: Environment and Ecology

The context:

In a major boost to marine conservation, the Indian Coast Guard’s (ICG) annual mission ‘Operation Olivia’ helped protect a record of over 6.98 lakh Olive Ridley turtles nested at the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha during February 2025.

About Operation Olivia – Olive Ridley Turtle Conservation:

• • It is conducted annually from November to May.
  • It is an important initiative of the ICG aimed at ensuring safe nesting grounds for Olive Ridley turtles particularly at Gahirmatha Beach and surrounding coastal areas of Odisha, which see the arrival of over eight lakh turtles each year.
  • The record mass nesting at the Rushikulya river mouth in Odisha stands as a testament to the ICG’s sustained efforts in safeguarding the endangered species through rigorous patrolling, aerial surveillance, and community engagement.
  • Since the inception of Operation Olivia. ICG has carried out over 5,387 surface patrol sorties & 1,768 aerial surveillance missions, significantly reducing threats such as illegal fishing and habitat disruption.
  • During this period, 366 boats involved in illegal fishing were detained, reaffirming the ICG’s strong enforcement role in protecting marine life.
  • Apart from surveillance, ICG has actively worked with local fishing communities by promoting the use of Turtle Excluder Devices and partnering with NGOs through formal MoUs to support sustainable fishing practices and conservation education.

About Olive Ridley Turtle

• • They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • It gets its name from the olive green colouration of its carapace (shell).
  • It is best known for its unique mass nesting, called Arribada, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

Conservation Status of Olive Ridley Turtle

• • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
  • CITES: Appendix I

Source: PIB

Topic- 2: Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan

GS- 3: Economy

The context:

Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development addressed a press conference at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, to brief about the launch of the nationwide “Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan”, starting from May 29, to 12 June 2025.

• • It is essential to build a foundation of developed agriculture, modern farming practices, and prosperous farmers.Agriculture, which remains the backbone of the Indian economy, not only provides livelihood to nearly half of the population but also underpins national food security.

About Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan:

• • It will unify efforts from various agricultural bodies, including ICAR’s 113 research institutes, agriculture universities, state government departments, innovative farmers, and farmer-producer organizations (FPOs).
  • Its aims to align scientific research with real-time farming needs. The Minister revealed that total food grain output increased from 3157.74 lakh tonnes in 2023–24 to 3309.18 lakh tonnes in 2024–25.
  • It will be rolled out annually before the sowing seasons of both Kharif and Rabi crops. During a recent Kharif Conference attended by state agriculture ministers, it was resolved to launch this initiative to ensure field-level implementation of agricultural research.
  • Currently, around 16,000 agricultural scientists are engaged in research, and the campaign aims to make their work directly accessible and useful to farmers.
  • It will include personnel from agricultural universities, research institutions, government departments, innovative farmers, and FPOs.
  • It will conduct daily sessions morning, afternoon, and evening engaging directly with farmers. The teams will assess local agro-climatic conditions, soil nutrient profiles, water availability, and rainfall patterns.
  • Using Soil Health Cards, they will recommend appropriate crops, high-yield seed varieties, ideal sowing techniques, and balanced fertilizer use, emphasizing scientific farming to lower costs and improve soil health.
  • Importantly, the campaign is designed as a two-way interaction.
  • Farmers will share their challenges, ask questions, and report field-level problems such as pest infestations, which will inform future research directions.
  • With an expected direct engagement of over 3 crore farmers,this innovative and inclusive campaign is poised to set a new benchmark in agricultural transformation and awareness in India.

Implementation:

• • 2,170 expert teams, each with 4+ scientists.
  • Covering 65,000+ villages across 723 districts between May 29 – June 12.
  • Involving:
    • Agricultural universities & ICAR’s 113 research institutes
    • State departments, innovative farmers, and FPOs
    • 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and ICAR scientists

Objective of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare:

• • It is to ensure food security for the country’s 1.45 billion people, while also guaranteeing availability of nutritious food, improving farmer incomes, and conserving natural resources for future generations.
  • India achieved record agricultural outputs this year: Kharif rice production stands at 1206.79 lakh metric tonnes, wheat at 1154.30 lakh metric tonnes, Kharif maize at 248.11 lakh metric tonnes, groundnut at 104.26 lakh metric tonnes, and soybean at 151.32 lakh metric tonnes.
  • These all-time high figures reflect a significant rise in production, which has filled national food reserves. With a vision of making India the “Food Basket of the World,”the campaign seeks to strengthen international food cooperation by boosting sustainable and surplus production.

Six-Point Strategy of the Ministry:

1. Increase production

2. Reduce production costs

3. Ensure fair pricing for produce

4. Compensate for losses due to natural disasters

5. Promote crop diversification, value addition, and food processing

6. Encourage natural and organic farming

Source: PIB

Topic- 3: Supercharging the future: India’s Scientists design fast-charging & long-lasting sodium-ion battery

GS-3: Science and Technology

The context:

Recently, scientists at JNCASR, Bengaluru, have developed a fast-charging and durable sodium-ion battery (SIB) as an affordable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

• • The battery uses NASICON-type cathode and anode materials and can charge up to 80% in just six minutes and last over 3000 charge cycles.
  • It was developed by a team led by Premkumar Senguttuvan and Ph.D. scholar Biplab Patra at JNCASR, under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
  • The anode material used is Na₁.₀V₀.₂₅Al₀.₂₅Nb₁.₅(PO₄)₃, enhanced through nanotechnology: particle downsizing, carbon coating, and aluminium doping.
  • These enhancements allow faster and safer sodium-ion movement, improving both charging speed and battery life.
  • Sodium, unlike lithium, is cheap and abundantly available in India, reducing dependence on imports and supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat in energy storage.
  • The battery has potential applications in electric vehicles, solar energy grids, drones, and rural electrification.
  • The technology has been validated through electrochemical cycling and quantum simulations, ensuring safety and stability.
  • Compared to lithium-ion batteries, this SIB avoids fire hazards and degradation issues.
  • While commercialization will require further development, the innovation represents a major step in India’s green energy and battery technology efforts.

Source: PIB

Topic- 4: The OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) scheme

GS-2: Polity & Constitution

The context:

British-Indian academic Nitasha Kaul’s OCI status has been cancelled by the Indian government for allegedly indulging in anti-India activities. The government cited her writings, speeches, and journalistic work as targeting India’s sovereignty and institutions.

• • The OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) scheme was introduced in August 2005, allowing registration of Persons of Indian Origin who were citizens on or after January 26, 1950.
  • An OCI card holder gets a life-long multiple entry visa and is exempt from police registration, regardless of stay duration in India.
  • As of 2023, there were over 45 lakh registered OCI card holders across 129 countries, with the highest numbers from the US, UK, Australia, and Canada.
  • On March 4, 2021, the Ministry of Home Affairs amended OCI rules requiring special permits for visiting protected areas, and for engaging in research, missionary, Tablighi, or journalistic activities.
  • The 2021 notification also classified OCIs as foreign nationals under economic, financial, and educational fields for FEMA purposes, reversing earlier parity with NRIs.
  • Applicants with parents or grandparents who were citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh are ineligible for OCI cards.
  • Foreign military personnel (serving or retired) are not entitled to OCI status.
  • OCI holders cannot vote, contest elections, hold constitutional posts, or generally take up government employment in India.

About the OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) scheme:

• • The Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Schemewas introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955, in August 2005. 

Who can be an Overseas Citizenship of India? 

• • The Central Government may, subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed, on an application made in this behalf, register as an OCI a foreign national
    • who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after, 26th January, 1950; 
    • who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26th January, 1950;
    • who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15th August, 1947;
    • who is a child or a grandchild or a great grandchild of such a citizen;
    • who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above;
    • who is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India- is eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder.
  • Besides, a spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or a spouse of foreign origin of an OCI Cardholder and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application is also eligible for registration as an OCI cardholder.
  • However, no person who or either of whose parents or grandparents or great-grandparents is or had been a citizen of Pakistan, Bangladesh, or such other country as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, shall be eligible for registration as an OCI Cardholder.
  • The foreigner has to be ordinarily resident of India to be eligible to apply for OCI registration in India.
    • ‘Ordinarily resident’ will mean a person staying in a particular country or in India for a continuous period of 6 months.

Source: IE

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