Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib ropeway projects in Uttarakhand under the National Ropeways Development Programme – Parvatmala Pariyojana.

About Parvatmala Pariyojana

• Launched: Union budget 2022-23.
• About: Aims to develop over 250 ropeway projects in five years under PPP mode.
• Ministry: Implemented by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) through National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML).  
• Benefits of ropeways: 
  • Multiple cars propelled by a single power-plant and drive mechanism, reducing both construction and maintenance costs.
  • Can handle large slopes and large differences in elevation.

India has supported Mauritius in its stance on sovereignty over Chagos archipelago.

• Chagos archipelago has been under British control since 1814 when they were ceded to Britain with Mauritius. 
• It was constituted as British Indian Ocean Territory in 1965 and kept under British control even after Mauritius’s independence in 1968.
• In 2024, UK and Mauritius signed an agreement to return sovereignty of Chagos archipelago to Mauritius. 

About Chagos archipelago

• It is a group of atolls comprising 58 islands, located in Indian Ocean.
• Its largest atoll – Diego Garcia – hosts a major US military base. 

China has reportedly deployed a new Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR) in Yunnan province near the Myanmar border, significantly enhancing its surveillance capabilities over India.

• LPARs can track multiple targets including ballistic missiles, with high precision, playing a critical role in early warning system and air defence networks. 
• Unlike traditional radars, which rely on mechanical rotation, LPARs use electronically controlled antennas to scan vast areas almost instantly.
• Besides China, only the US and Russia operate similar LPAR systems.

As of now, the 75/25 initiative has achieved 89.7% of its target, providing treatment for hypertension to 42.01 million individuals and treatment for diabetes to 25.27 million individuals. 

About 75/25 Initiative

• Launched: On World Hypertension Day 2023.
• Aim: To provide standardized care to 75 million individuals living with hypertension and diabetes by December 2025 through Primary Health Centres (PHCs).
• It utilizes the strategies under National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD). 

India’s Venture Capital (VC) funding surges 43% to $13.7 billion in 2024.

About VC

• It is a form of private equity and a type of financing for startup companies and small businesses with long-term growth potential.
• Venture capital usually takes the form of equity shares or a future claim on equity, such as convertible debt, which in return allows the venture capital firm to receive a share of ownership in the business. 
• Venture capitalists provide backing through financing, technological expertise, or managerial experience.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) declared the Jammu and Kashmir-based organization as unlawful associations under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, imposing a five-year ban on the organization.

About Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967

• Origin: Introduced as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Ordinance, 1966, in response to secessionist movements like the Naxalbari uprising.
• Objective: It provides for effective prevention of certain unlawful activities of individuals and associations and for dealing with terrorist activities.
• 2019 amendment added key provisions: 
  • Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) can now approve seizure of terrorist-linked properties, expediting investigations.
  • Central Government can designate individual terrorist

Recently, a UK-based biotech company developed gene-edited bananas that are less likely to turn brown when bumped during harvesting and transportation.

Browning process of Bananas

• Bananas boast a colourful life cycle, they start at a deep green, change to bright yellow, and end at an unappetising brown.
• These changes are a product of their ripening process, which is caused by a hormone called ethylene. 
• Ethylene triggers the activity of genes linked to the production of enzyme Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO), responsible for turning bananas brown. 
  • In gene-edited bananas, genes linked with PPO have been silenced. 

Lok Sabha Passed the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025.

About the Bills of Lading Bill, 2025

• It will replace the colonial-era Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856. 
• It empowers the Central Government to issue implementation directives.
• It also includes a standard repeal and saving clause to eliminate colonial elements.

Need of New Bill

• Supports India’s growing role in global trade by simplifying shipping processes and reducing disputes.
• Streamlines business processes and reduces litigation risks.
• Provides clarity for carriers, shippers, and lawful goods holders