Pearl Farming – History, Types, India’s Role, PMMSY Details?
Pearl Farming (Mariculture/Aquaculture): Freshwater and Saltwater pearls. Types: Natural (rare), Cultured (nucleus inserted). Key Species: Hyriopsis cumingii (Freshwater, Vietnam Mussel), Pinctada fucata (Saltwater, India/Japan). Hazaribag Cluster: India’s 1st Pearl Farming Cluster (Jharkhand); PMMSY under; ₹22 crore investment; 800 trained farmers; 1.02 lakh pearls produced. PMMSY: Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana – launched May 2020; ₹20,050 crore outlay; Blue Revolution component. NFDB: National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad. India’s Marine Production: 2nd largest fish producer globally. Blue Economy: Sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth.
India Semiconductor Mission – History, Approved Projects, Global Context?
India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): Launched 2021; Outlay ₹76,000 crore; Nodal Agency: MeitY. Objective: Make India a global semiconductor hub. Approved Projects (till May 2026): 12 projects; ₹1.64 lakh crore cumulative investment. Key Projects: Tata Electronics (Dholera, Assam), Micron Technology (Sanand, Gujarat), CML-GaN LED (Dholera), SSPL OSAT (Surat). GaN Technology: Gallium Nitride – used in LED displays, power electronics, 5G. OSAT: Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test. Global Context: USA CHIPS Act ($52B); EU Chips Act (€43B); India’s market to reach $63B by 2026. Semiconductor shortage: COVID-19 triggered global crisis 2021-22.
ECLGS – History, All Versions, NCGTCL Details?
ECLGS: Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme. Launched: May 2020 (COVID relief). Versions: ECLGS 1.0 (MSMEs/businesses); 2.0 (26 stressed sectors); 3.0 (Hospitality, Travel, Leisure); 4.0 (Healthcare, Civil Aviation); 5.0 (West Asia crisis, 2026 – ₹2,55,000 crore). NCGTCL: National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited – 100% GoI owned; manages CGTMSE, CGFMU, ECLGS guarantees. CGTMSE: Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises. MSME Definition (2020 revised): Micro (Investment ≤₹1 cr, Turnover ≤₹5 cr), Small (≤₹10 cr, ≤₹50 cr), Medium (≤₹50 cr, ≤₹250 cr). Ministry: MSME + Finance jointly.
Hantavirus – Classification, Types, Symptoms, Global Outbreaks?
Hantavirus: Family Hantaviridae; Genus Orthohantavirus. Zoonotic disease – transmitted via rodents (urine, feces, saliva). Types: Old World (Europe/Asia – HFRS: Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome); New World (Americas – HPS: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome). Andes Virus: Only strain with confirmed human-to-human transmission (close contact); found in South America. MV Hondius Outbreak (2026): Atlantic Cruise Ship; 8 cases, 3 deaths; CDC alert May 2, 2026. Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, muscle aches → HPS (respiratory failure). CFR: HPS – 38%. No approved vaccine; supportive treatment only. WHO Risk: Low (limited human-to-human spread in most strains).
International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) – Formation, Members, 7 Big Cats?
IBCA: International Big Cat Alliance. Launched: April 9, 2023 by PM Narendra Modi (50 years of Project Tiger). HQ: New Delhi. Status: Treaty-based Intergovernmental Body (January 2025). Members: 95 Big Cat range countries. 7 Big Cats: Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar, Puma. First Summit: June 1-2, 2026, New Delhi; ‘Delhi Declaration’ on Transboundary Conservation. India Tiger Stats: 3,167 (2022 Census) – 70% of world’s wild tigers. Project Tiger: 1973; 54 Tiger Reserves in India. Cheetah Reintroduction: Kuno National Park, MP (2022, from Namibia). Minister: Bhupender Yadav (Environment).
NSE Electronic Gold Receipts – EGR Framework, SEBI Role, BSE Comparison?
EGR: Electronic Gold Receipts – SEBI-regulated instrument. Legal Basis: Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (amended). Framework: Physical gold stored in SEBI-accredited vaults → Dematerialized as EGR in Demat account → Tradeable on Stock Exchange. NSE EGR: Launched May 4, 2026. First trade: 1,000g gold bar. BSE EGR: Launched Muhurat Trading, Diwali 2022. Benefits: Price transparency, no making charges, small denominations, settlement T+1. NSE: National Stock Exchange; Founded 1992; HQ Mumbai; World’s largest derivatives exchange. SEBI: Securities and Exchange Board of India; Founded 1988; Statutory 1992; HQ Mumbai; Chairman: Madhabi Puri Buch. Gold: India imports ~800-900 tonnes/year; 2nd largest consumer globally.
India-Vietnam Relations – History, Strategic Partnership Evolution, Key Areas?
India-Vietnam: Diplomatic relations since 1972. Partnership Upgrades: Strategic Partnership (2007) → Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2016) → Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (May 2026). Vietnam President 2026: To Lam. Visit: May 5-7, 2026 – First State Visit. Trade Target: $25 billion by 2030 (current ~$15B). Key Areas: Defence manufacturing, Maritime Security, Semiconductors, Rare Earth Minerals, AI, Digital Tech. Act East Policy: Vietnam is a key pillar. South China Sea: Both support UNCLOS, Freedom of Navigation. ASEAN: Vietnam – member since 1995. India’s Rare Earth: Vietnam has 22M tonnes reserves (2nd largest globally). Bodh Gaya: To Lam visited – Buddhist diplomacy.
PM GatiShakti – Multi-Modal Connectivity, Railway Projects Link?
PM GatiShakti National Master Plan: Launched October 13, 2021. Objective: Integrated multi-modal connectivity infrastructure. Pillars: Comprehensiveness, Prioritization, Optimization, Synchronization, Analytical, Dynamic, Cooperative. 16 Ministries integrated on GIS-based digital platform. Railway Multi-Tracking (May 2026): ₹23,437 crore; 901 km; 6 states (MP, Rajasthan, UP, Karnataka, AP, Telangana); 19 districts; 4,161 villages; 83 lakh population. Components: Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Waterways, Logistics Parks. NIP: National Infrastructure Pipeline (₹111 lakh crore, 2019-2025). Logistics Performance Index: India improved – 38th (2023) from 44th (2018).