The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), recently highlighted the programme's progress, noting over 1 lakh enrolments.

About the C2S Programme

• It is an umbrella capacity-building initiative launched by the MeitY in 2022
• Target: Development of 85,000 industry-ready professionals across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels.
• It has provided access to SMART lab facilities. 

Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Environmental (Protection) Fund Rules, 2026 to streamline use of the Environmental Protection Fund.

About Environmental Protection Fund

• Legal Basis: Constituted under Section 16 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in the Public Account of India.
• Corpus: Accumulates fines under Air (1981), Water (1974), and Environment (1986) Acts.
• Allocation: 75% of funds are remitted to States/UTs, while 25% is retained by the Centre.
• Utilization: Earmarked for monitoring networks, remediation of contaminated sites, and R&D in clean technology.
• Oversight: Managed by a Project Management Unit and audited by the CAG.
• Institutional Capacity: Finances the strengthening of regulatory bodies like CPCB and SPCBs.

India recently launched the Responsible Nations Index (RNI) to prioritize ethical governance and global responsibility over mere economic strength.

About the Responsible Nations Index (RNI)

• Developed by the World Intellectual Foundation (WIF) with JNU and IIM Mumbai.
• Framework: Global index evaluating 154 countries on responsibility.
• Parameters: Assesses nations on ethical governance, social well-being, environmental stewardship, and global responsibility.
• Methodology: 58 indicators from international data sources.
• Top Rank: Singapore (1^st), Switzerland (2^nd), Denmark (3^rd).
• India’s Rank: 16^th, ahead of US (66), China (68).

Government has increased Central Silk Board approval limit to speed up projects. 

About Central Silk Board

• Overview: It is a statutory body established in 1948 by an Act of Parliament.
• Ministry: Ministry of Textiles

Silk in India 

• Rank: India is the second largest producer of silk and also the largest consumer of silk in the world.
• Types: Mulberry, Oak Tasar & Tropical Tasar, Muga and Eri.
  • 92% of the country's total raw silk production comes from mulberry
• Major Silk Producing State/UTs: Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has approved the Technology Development Board (TDB) and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) as the first Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs) under the RDI Scheme. 

About Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme:

• Aim: Provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors at low/nil interest rates to spur private investments.
• Fund allocation: ₹1 lakh crore
• Two-Tiered Funding Mechanism
  • Special Purpose Fund (SPF): Established within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), acting as the custodian of funds. 
  • Second Level Fund Managers: Funds from SPF are allocated here, in the form of long-term concessional loans or equity funding (for startups). 

Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have sanctioned over ₹52,300 crore to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under a new Credit Assessment Model (CAM).

About new Credit Assessment Model (CAM), 2025

• Model leverages borrowers’ digital footprints to enable faster, data-driven and objective appraisal of MSME loan applications.
  • It uses digitally fetched and verifiable information to automate loan processing for MSME.
• Loan applications under it are sourced through the Jan Samarth Portal.
  • JanSamarth connects all stakeholders like beneficiaries, financial institutions, Central/State Government Agencies, & Nodal Agencies on a common platform. 

A powerful winter storm has paralysed the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia's Far East, burying streets and homes under massive amounts of snow.

About Kamchatka Peninsula

• Political Features
  • Part of the Far Eastern Federal District of the Russian Federation.
  • Sparsely populated region (~3 lakh)
• Geographical Features 
  • Location: Between the Sea of Okhotsk on the west and the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea on the east.
  • Mountain ranges: Sredinny and Vostochny.
  • River: Kamchatka River
  • Climate: Mostly Tundra Climate.