CURRENT-AFFAIRS

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• The United States has recently sanctioned a USD 52.8 million government-to-government agreement for the sale of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Sonobuoys, which will be integrated with the Indian Navy’s Romeo helicopters.
• About Sonobuoys:
  • Sonobuoys are compact, disposable devices used in underwater acoustics and sonar technology to detect and analyze sounds in the ocean, especially for tracking submarines and other submerged objects. They are a fundamental component in anti-submarine warfare, assisting in tracking potentially hostile submarines both in open waters and near coastlines. Data from these devices can enable accurate targeting with air-launched torpedoes. Sonobuoys were first employed during World War II to locate German U-boats.
• Deployment:
  • Sonobuoys are typically deployed by dropping them from aircraft or launching them from ships or submarines. Once in the water, they descend to a specific depth and begin monitoring for acoustic signals to identify potential submarine threats. To pinpoint the exact location of a target, multiple sonobuoys can be used in a coordinated pattern.
• Types of Sonobuoys:
  • Passive Sonobuoys: These devices listen for and record sounds without emitting any signals themselves, using a hydrophone to detect sound energy from a target.
  • Active Sonobuoys: These emit a sound pulse and analyze the returning echoes to locate targets, using a transducer to generate the acoustic signal.
  • Special Purpose Sonobuoys: These provide environmental data, such as water temperature and ambient noise levels.
• Components:
  • A typical sonobuoy includes a buoyant cylindrical or spherical housing, acoustic sensors, a power source or battery, and a communication system (e.g., radio transmitter) to transmit data to the aircraft or ship that deployed it.
• Additional Uses:
  • Beyond anti-submarine warfare, sonobuoys are also employed in scientific research and environmental studies, including tracking the behavior of whales and other marine animals.

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• The Union Environment Minister recently assured that the development of a port and airport in the pristine Nicobar Islands “will not disturb or displace” any members of the Shompen tribe.
• About the Shompen Tribe:
• Isolation: The Shompen are among the most isolated tribes globally and are one of India's least studied Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
• Habitat: They live in the dense tropical rainforests of Great Nicobar Island, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Approximately 95% of the island is covered in rainforest. Their habitat is a significant biological hotspot, encompassing two National Parks—Campbell Bay National Park and Galathea National Park—and one Biosphere Reserve, the Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve.
• Population: According to the 2011 Census, the Shompen population was estimated at 229, but their exact number remains uncertain.
• Lifestyle: The Shompen are semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers. Their livelihood primarily consists of hunting, gathering, fishing, and rudimentary horticulture. They live in small groups, with territories often marked by the rivers that traverse the rainforest. Typically, they establish temporary forest camps, living at each site for several weeks or months before relocating.
• Diet: They collect a variety of forest plants, with the pandanus fruit, known locally as larop, being a staple food.
• Language: The Shompen speak their own language, which includes various dialects. Communication between different bands can be challenging due to these dialectal differences.
• Physical Appearance: Shompen individuals are of short to medium stature with a round or broad head shape, narrow nose, and a broad facial profile. They display Mongoloid features such as light brown to yellow-brown skin and slanted eyes.
• Social Structure: Shompen families are nuclear, consisting of a husband, wife, and their unmarried children. The eldest male in a family typically oversees all activities involving women and children. While monogamy is the general practice, polygamy is also permitted.

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• Researchers have recently discovered that humpback whales not only create ‘bubble-nets’ but also employ various techniques to optimize their feeding efficiency with this distinctive tool.
• About Humpback Whales:
• Size and Appearance: Humpback whales are among the larger whale species. Their scientific name is Megaptera novaeangliae. They are named for the distinctive hump on their dorsal fin and the unique appearance of their back when they dive.
• Distribution: Humpback whales are found in all of the world’s oceans. They undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling vast distances annually between polar feeding grounds in the summer and tropical or subtropical breeding areas in the winter.
• Physical Characteristics: Typically, humpbacks measure between 12 to 16 meters in length and weigh around 36 metric tons. Their coloration is generally black or grey with white undersides on their flukes, flippers, and bellies. The term Megaptera, meaning "large-winged," refers to their long, white, wing-like flippers that can be up to one-third of their total body length. They also have prominent knobs on their head, jaws, and body, each associated with one or two hairs.
• Behavior: Humpback whales are known for their social feeding behaviors, often seen in groups. They are also renowned for their complex songs, created by males and audible up to 20 miles away.
• Feeding Technique: They utilize a unique feeding method called bubble netting. This involves releasing bubbles while swimming in a spiral pattern beneath a food-rich patch of water. The bubbles create a barrier that traps the prey in a concentrated area, allowing one or more whales to surface and feed more effectively.
• Lifespan: Humpback whales can live up to 80 to 90 years.
• Conservation Status: According to the IUCN Red List, humpback whales are classified as Least Concern.

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• The Union Cabinet has recently approved the 'BioE3' (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) Policy, aimed at advancing high-performance biomanufacturing within the Department of Biotechnology.
• About the BioE3 Policy:
• Objective: The BioE3 Policy, spearheaded by the Department of Biotechnology, focuses on enhancing high-performance biomanufacturing. This involves using advanced biotechnological processes to produce a range of products, from medicines to materials, and to tackle challenges in farming and food production. It also promotes the development of bio-based products.
• Innovation and Support: The policy emphasizes innovation-driven support for research, development, and entrepreneurship across various thematic sectors. It aims to speed up the development and commercialization of technology by establishing biomanufacturing and bio-AI hubs, as well as biofoundries.
• Economic and Workforce Impact: By prioritizing regenerative bioeconomy models of green growth, the policy is expected to boost the expansion of India’s skilled workforce and significantly increase job creation.
• Strategic Focus Areas: To align with national priorities, the BioE3 Policy will target several strategic and thematic sectors:
• High-value bio-based chemicals
• Biopolymers and enzymes
• Smart proteins and functional foods
• Precision biotherapeutics
• Climate-resilient agriculture
• Carbon capture and utilization
• Marine and space research

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• The Union Cabinet has recently approved the continuation of three existing umbrella schemes, which have now been consolidated into a unified central sector scheme named “Vigyan Dhara” under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• About the Vigyan Dhara Scheme:
• Overview: Vigyan Dhara is a new central sector scheme that integrates three previous umbrella schemes of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) into a single framework.
• Components: The scheme encompasses three major components:
• Science and Technology (S&T) Institutional and Human Capacity Building
• Research and Development
• Innovation, Technology Development, and Deployment
• Objective: Managed by the DST, Vigyan Dhara aims to boost India’s science and technology capabilities through a more coordinated and efficient approach. The scheme's total proposed funding is Rs. 10,579.84 crore for the 15th Finance Commission period, spanning from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Efficiency and Integration: By merging the three schemes into one, Vigyan Dhara is expected to improve fund utilization efficiency and ensure better synchronization among its various sub-schemes and programs.
• Goals: The primary goal of Vigyan Dhara is to advance S&T capacity building, foster research, and drive innovation and technology development, thereby strengthening the national Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) ecosystem.
• Key Focus Areas:
• Research: Promoting basic research with access to international mega facilities, translational research in sustainable energy and water, and collaborative research through international partnerships.
• Human Resource Development: Building a skilled workforce to enhance the country’s science and technology sector and increase the number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) researchers.
• Gender Inclusivity: Implementing targeted interventions to boost female participation in S&T, with the aim of achieving gender parity in the STI field.
• Alignment with Vision: All programs under Vigyan Dhara will align with DST’s 5-year goals and support the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The R&D activities will be coordinated with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

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• The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) was launched by the government on August 24, 2024, replacing the National Pension System (NPS), which had been in place for 21 years. The new scheme adopts a framework that closely mirrors the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
• Key Features of the Unified Pension Scheme:
• Guaranteed Pension: UPS guarantees government employees a monthly pension equivalent to 50% of their last drawn salary for life.
• Dearness Relief: The pension includes periodic adjustments for dearness relief, in line with inflation rates.
• Family Pension: In the event of an employee's death, their family will receive a pension amounting to 60% of the deceased employee’s pension.
• Superannuation Payout: Retirees will receive a lump sum payment in addition to gratuity benefits upon retirement.
• Minimum Pension: Employees with at least 10 years of central government service are assured a minimum monthly pension of ₹10,000.
• Contributions Under the UPS:
• Employee Contribution: Employees are required to contribute 10% of their salary.
• Government Contribution: The government will contribute 18.5% of the salary. This contribution may be adjusted based on periodic actuarial evaluations to maintain the scheme’s sustainability.
• Transition from NPS to UPS:
• National Pension System (NPS): The NPS, implemented for employees who joined on or after January 1, 2004, linked pension benefits to the accumulation of contributions from both employees and the government, invested in market-linked securities.
• Switch Option: Employees who joined after 2004, including those who have already retired, will have the option to transition from the NPS to the UPS. This switch is anticipated to benefit approximately 99% of NPS members.

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• The Great Nicobar Project is an extensive development initiative aimed at the comprehensive advancement of Great Nicobar Island, situated strategically at the southern tip of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Approval and Timeline: Approved by the Ministry of Environment in November 2022, the project is a key element of India's strategy to boost its strategic presence and infrastructure in the region. It is planned to unfold over a 30-year period in several phases.
• Objectives: The project is intended to address and counter regional expansionist activities, particularly those by China, and to protect India's maritime interests by curbing illegal activities such as poaching by fishers from Myanmar.
• Impact on Local Communities: Great Nicobar Island is inhabited by the Shompen, a hunter-gatherer tribe, and the Nicobarese. The project area includes a tribal reserve where approximately 237 Shompen and 1,094 Nicobarese reside. Of the reserve’s 751 square kilometers, 84 square kilometers are proposed to be reclassified for the project’s development.

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• H1N1 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus, commonly referred to as swine flu. It affects both humans and pigs, predominantly causing respiratory illnesses.
• Transmission: The virus spreads through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. It can also be transmitted by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus.
• First Case in India: The initial confirmed case of H1N1 in India was identified in May 2009. Since then, the virus has led to several outbreaks, with notable spikes in case numbers occurring in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
• Regional Impact: The states with the highest mortality rates include Punjab (41 deaths), Kerala (34 deaths), and Gujarat (28 deaths). The highest number of cases has been reported in Delhi, Gujarat, and Kerala.
• New Strain: The National Institute of Virology in Pune has detected point mutations in the H1N1 virus, leading to the emergence of a new strain known as the Michigan strain. This new strain has replaced the previously dominant California strain, contributing to the increased number of cases and higher mortality rates observed in 2024.