A NCPF for 2026-2031 has been signed between India and the World Bank for a provision of $8-10 billion.

About NCPF

• The partnership prioritises private sector-led job creation by upgrading skills, reducing barriers for small and medium enterprises, and expanding opportunities-particularly for youth and women.
• The partnership identifies four strategic outcomes:
  • Boosting rural prosperity and resilience: By diversifying incomes beyond agriculture. 
  • Supporting urban transformation: As the country's urban population is projected to double to 800 million by 2050; 
  • Investing in people: Across health, education and skills.
  • Strengthening energy security, core infrastructure and climate resilience: Including renewable energy, e-mobility and green hydrogen.

Indian Railways speeds up Kavach 4.0 safety rollout.

About Kavach 4.0

• It is the latest and most advanced iteration of India’s indigenous Automatic Train Protection system. 
• Features:
  • Integrates microprocessors, Global Positioning System (GPS), and radio communication technologies.
  • Provides automatic protection against Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) and prevents collisions.
  • Continuously monitors and controls overspeeding, ensuring safe operations under low visibility/adverse weather conditions.
  • Generates alerts during wrong-direction and reverse movements.
  • Complies with SIL-4 safety standards, the highest level of safety integrity globally.

Bihar is setting up Grain ATMs to smoothen ration delivery.

About Grain ATMs

• It  is an automated machine that dispenses food grains (wheat and/or rice). 
• According to the World Food Programme (WFP), which launched a grain ATM project in Odisha in 2024, it can reduce waiting times by 70%. 
• The WFP developed the technology behind the machine and has worked in collaboration with the Food Corporation of India and various state governments.
• It enhances food security by ensuring faster, transparent, dignified and leak-proof delivery of food grains through technology-driven welfare systems.

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured the Helix Nebula.

• It will help scientists understand how dying stars recycle elements like carbon in space into stars and planets.

About Nebula

• They are huge cloud of gas and dust in space and are often called the birthplaces and graveyards of stars.
• Other objects in space
  • Cepheids: Stars which brighten and dim periodically.
  • Pulsars: Rotating neutron stars observed to have pulses of radiation at very regular intervals.

Centre considers recognising village commons as a distinct land-use category

About Village Commons

• Village commons are community-managed common property resources such as grazing lands, ponds and forests.
• Significance: Collectively used for livelihoods, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services,
• Status: Village commons cover about 15% of India’s geographical area. ( National Sample Survey Organisation, 1998)
• Issues faced by village commons: Encroachment, misuse, and ongoing pressures

The Finance Ministry said Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) will diversify their loan portfolios to enhance credit flow

About Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)

• Established under provisions of RRBs Act, 1976
• Ownership: Joint ownership of Government of India (50%), concerned State Government (15%), and Sponsor Bank (35%)
• Regulation: Regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and supervised by NABARD.
• Aim: Promote agriculture, trade, commerce, industry, and other productive activities in rural areas.
• Priority Sector Lending (PSL): Minimum 75% of total outstanding advances (revised in 2016), within RBI-prescribed sub-targets.

A recent study has shown that even a subtle solar Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) can trigger intense geomagnetic storms on Earth

About Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)

• It is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun’s corona.
• CMEs travel through space at very high speeds and can disturb Earth’s magnetosphere, causing geomagnetic storms.
• Causes: Often associated with solar flares and active sunspot regions.
• Impacts: Disruption in satellites, power grids, navigation systems and radio communications etc.

Union Environment Minister announces 2 New Wetlands to India's Ramsar List.

• The total wetlands in India is now 98 under the Ramsar Convention.

About Patna Bird Sanctuary

• It is a protected sanctuary in Etah district in Uttar Pradesh. It was founded in 1991. 
• It is the smallest bird sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh.
• It inhabits Aquatic birds e.g. Lesser Whistling-Duck, Graylag Goose, Comb Duck, Ruddy Shelduck, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, Indian Spot-billed Duck, Northern Shoveler,Northern Pintail.

About Chhari-Dhand Wetland Reserve

• Located on the edge of arid Banni grasslands and marshy salt flats of Rann of Kutch in Kutch district of Gujarat.
• Chhari means "salty" and Dhand means "shallow wetlands" in kutchi language.
• Home of endangered species: Dalmatian Pelican, Oriental Darter, Black-necked Stork, and Indian Skimmer.
• Area is also famous for "Chir Batti" or ghost lights, an unexplained glowing phenomenon seen on dark nights across the Banni grasslands.

The External Affairs Minister met Arab League ministers to strengthen ties.

About League of Arab States (or Arab League)

• It is an intergovernmental regional organization of Arab states in the Middle East and parts of Africa.
• Genesis: Formed in Cairo in 1945, following the adoption of Alexandria Protocol in 1944.
• Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt.
• Mandate: Strengthening relations between member states, coordination of policies and co-operation on political, security, economic and legal issues.
• Membership: 22 countries including Palestine (recognized as a country).
  • Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen are founding members.