DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS IAS | UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam – 5th March 2025

Syllabus:

• Prelims – CURRENT EVENT

Context: The Centre approved the upgradation of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) as the country’s 25th and 26th Navratna companies respectively.

Background: –

• All seven listed Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) of the Indian Railways now have Navratna status. The Indian Railways have a total 12 CPSEs.

Key takeaways

• The Government of India classifies Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) into Maharatna, Navratna, and Miniratna categories to grant them varying degrees of financial and operational autonomy. This classification aims to enhance efficiency, competitiveness, and decision-making powers in India’s public sector enterprises.

Criteria for grant of Maharatna status to CPSEs

• The CPSEs meeting the following criteria are eligible to be considered for grant of Maharatna status.
  • Having Navratna status
  • Listed on Indian stock exchange with minimum prescribed public shareholding under SEBI regulations
  • An average annual turnover of more than Rs. 25,000 crore during the last 3 years
  • An average annual net worth of more than Rs. 15,000 crore during the last 3 years
  • An average annual net profit after tax of more than Rs. 5,000 crore during the last 3 years
  • Should have significant global presence/international operations.

Criteria for grant of Navratna status to CPSEs

• Navratnas are the second category of the central government-owned ‘Ratna’ companies, placed between the Maharatnas and the Miniratnas.
• The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) of the Ministry of Finance picks the CPSEs for Navratna status. Six indicators are considered: (i) ratio of net profit to net worth, (ii) ratio of manpower cost to total cost of production or services, (iii) ratio of profit before depreciation, interest, and tax (PBDIT) to capital employed or return on capital employed, (iv) ratio of profit before interest and taxes (PBIT) to turnover, (v) earning per share, and (vi) inter-sectoral performance of the company.
• The six indicators carry weights from 10 (for earning per share) to 25 (for ratio of net profit to net worth).
• If a CPSE has a composite score of 60 or higher for all six indicators, and has obtained an Excellent or Very Good MOU rating in three of the last five years, it is eligible to be considered for Navratna status.

Criteria for grant of Miniratna status to CPSE 

• Miniratna Category-I status: – The CPSEs which have made profit in the last three years continuously, pre-tax profit is Rs.30 crores or more in at least one of the three years and have a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-I status.
• Miniratna Category-II status: – The CPSEs which have made profit for the last three years continuously and have a positive net worth are eligible to be considered for grant of Miniratna-II status.
  • Miniratna CPSEs should have not defaulted in the repayment of loans/interest payment on any loans due to the Government.
  • Miniratna CPSEs shall not depend upon budgetary support or Government guarantees.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – AGRICULTURE

Context: Punjab has utilised 100% of the Rs 4,713 crore allocated to it by the Centre under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme.

Background: –

• As of February 28, with 21,740 projects, Punjab is at the No.1 position in the country for the highest number of sanctioned projects, said the state government.

Key takeaways

• The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) is a central sector scheme, started in 2020 with an aim to provide medium to long-term financing for agriculture infrastructure projects at the post-harvest stage.
• When the scheme was started, it was meant for post-harvest management and processing at the primary level, but now, integrated processing at the secondary level has also been included. 
• For example, a kinnow farmer could earlier get funds under the scheme for grading, waxing, and packaging of the crop (primary post-harvest processes), but since 2024, can also avail money to make and sell juices, jams, etc. out of his kinnow produce (secondary level).
• However, the secondary level funds are available only to those involved in the primary processing too.
• This scheme offers credit guarantees and interest subvention. Farmers, agripreneurs, primary agriculture cooperative societies, farmers producer organisations, start-ups, state sponsored public-private partnerships, state-agencies can apply for funds under this scheme.
• All loans under this financing facility have interest subvention of 3% per annum up to a loan limit of ₹2 crores. This interest subvention is available for a maximum period of 7 years. In case of loans beyond ₹2 crores, interest subvention is limited up to ₹2 crores.
• Under the AIF, one can take benefits of other state and central subsidies as well. Credit guarantee support is through the Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABSanrakshan) Scheme.

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus:

• Prelims & Mains – CURRENT EVENT

Context: A proposal by the Trump administration to secure $500 billion worth of profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for U.S. wartime assistance highlights the strategic importance of these resources.

Background:

• World’s 5% critical raw materials are currently present in Ukraine. 19 million tonnes of proven reserves of graphite are found in Ukraine. Lithium deposits, one third of all of Europe’s, lie in Ukraine.
• Ukraine also had 7% of world’s titanium production which is utilised in manufacturing aeroplanes to power stations. Ukraine is also the host of significant deposits of rare earth metals.

Key takeaways

• Rare Earth Elements (REEs) or Rare Earth Metals are a set of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table — the 15 lanthanides, plus scandium and yttrium, which tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides, and have similar chemical properties. 
• Despite their name, most rare earth elements are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust, but they are rarely found in concentrated, economically exploitable forms.
• REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE).
• The 17 Rare Earths are cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and yttrium (Y).
• Major Producers:
  • China: Dominates global REE production (over 60%) and reserves (37%). Key mining areas include Inner Mongolia and Sichuan.
  • Australia: Second-largest producer, with significant reserves in Mount Weld.
  • United States: Mines REEs at Mountain Pass, California.

Why are REEs important?

• REEs are an essential — although often tiny — component of more than 200 consumer products, including mobile phones, computer hard drives, electric and hybrid vehicles, semiconductors, flatscreen TVs and monitors, and high-end electronics. 
• Rare Earth elements are also used in space shuttle components, jet engine turbines, and drones.
• Scandium is used in televisions and fluorescent lamps, and yttrium is used in drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.

REEs and India

• Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. 
• Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Mains – GS 2

Context: The obesity epidemic just got bigger with a new Lancet study predicting that 21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women in India will be overweight or obese — totalling up to 44.9 crore or nearly a third of the country’s projected population — by 2050.

Background: –

• Globally, more than half of all adults and a third of children and adolescents will become overweight or obese by 2050, the study says.

Key takeaways 

• Among young men, the prevalence of overweight or obesity increased from 0.4 crore in 1990 to 1.68 crore in 2021, and is projected to reach 2.27 crore by 2050.
• Among young women, the number rose from 0.33 crore in 1990 to 1.3 crore in 2021, and is projected to increase to 1.69 crore by 2050.
• Childhood obesity is also on the rise:
  • Boys: 0.46 crore (1990) → 1.3 crore (2021) → 1.6 crore (2050).
  • Girls: 0.45 crore (1990) → 1.24 crore (2021) → 1.44 crore (2050).

Causes and Impact of Rising Obesity

• The rising prevalence of obesity in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), combined with persistent childhood malnutrition and the burden of infectious diseases, poses a severe challenge to healthcare systems.
• The “Double Burden” of Malnutrition: Childhood undernutrition often leads to metabolic adaptations, resulting in higher fat accumulation and obesity in adulthood. This, in turn, increases the risk of early-onset lifestyle diseases such as:
  • Type 2 Diabetes
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Certain Cancers
• Unhealthy Dietary Shifts: Increased consumption of ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats is a major driver of the obesity epidemic.
• Multinational food and beverage corporations are increasingly targeting LMICs, where weaker regulations, population growth, and rising per capita income provide fertile ground for market expansion.
• Between 2009 and 2019, India, Cameroon, and Vietnam recorded the highest annual growth in ultra-processed food and beverage sales per capita.

Policy Gaps and the Need for a Comprehensive Strategy

• The study highlights that current policies are inadequate to curb the obesity epidemic.
• Global Scenario: Only 40% of countries have an operational policy or strategy to tackle obesity.
• Low and Middle-Income Countries: This figure drops to just 10%, indicating a critical lack of regulatory interventions.

Way Forward: Addressing Obesity as a National Priority

• Experts emphasize that obesity must be officially recognized as a major Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) and integrated into India’s public health framework. A National Obesity Programme should focus on:
  • Awareness Campaigns: Promoting healthier dietary habits and physical activity through mass media.
  • School-Based Interventions: Implementing nutrition education, healthy meal policies, and fitness programs.
  • Workplace Wellness Initiatives: Encouraging corporate wellness programs to reduce sedentary lifestyles.
  • Regulation of Processed Foods: Imposing higher taxation on unhealthy foods and strict regulations on food advertising.
  • Access to Treatment: Expanding healthcare services for obesity management, including nutrition counseling and medical interventions.
  • National Obesity Registry: Establishing a database to track trends, interventions, and health outcomes related to obesity.

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus:

• Prelims – GEOGRAPHY

Context: A recent six-day survey conducted by NGO Aaranyak has shed light on the escalating human-wildlife conflict (HWC) in the Majuli River Island district of Assam.

Background: –

• Wildlife such as rhinos, wild buffaloes, wild boars, elephants, and tigers have increasingly damaged crops and livestock, posing severe risks to the largely agrarian population, nearly 90% of whom depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Key takeaways

• Majuli, the world’s largest river island, is situated on the Brahmaputra River in Assam.

Geographical Significance

• Formed by the fluvial action of the Brahmaputra River and its tributaries, Majuli is a dynamic landmass undergoing constant erosion and deposition.
• The island spans an area of ~352 sq. km (as per recent estimates), but continuous riverbank erosion has significantly reduced its size over the years.
• Declared as India’s first island district in 2016.

Cultural and Historical Importance

• Spiritual Hub: Majuli is known as the cradle of Neo-Vaishnavism, founded by Srimanta Sankardeva in the 15th century.
• Satras (Vaishnavite Monasteries): The island is home to several Satras, which serve as cultural and religious centers promoting Assamese traditions, art, and music. Notable ones include: Kamalabari Satra, Auniati Satra, Dakhinpat Satra.
• Traditional Art & Dance: The island is renowned for its mask-making tradition, Sattriya dance, and handloom weaving.
• Biodiversity Hotspot: Majuli hosts migratory birds, indigenous flora, and fauna, making it a vital ecotourism destination.

Source: NorthEast News

Q1.) Which of the following statements regarding Rare Earth Elements (REEs) is correct?

1. A) Rare Earth Elements are found only in China.
2. B) India has no reserves of Rare Earth Minerals.
3. C) Rare Earth Elements are critical for the renewable energy sector.
4. D) Rare Earth Elements are not used in defense applications.

Q2.) Consider the following statements regarding Majuli River Island:

1. Majuli is the largest river island in the world, located on the Brahmaputra River in Assam.
2. It is known for its unique Vaishnavite culture and the presence of several Satras (monastic institutions).
3. Majuli has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich biodiversity and cultural significance.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Q3.) With reference to the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme, consider the following statements:

1. The scheme provides financial support for post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets.
2. It is implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
3. Only government agencies and cooperatives are eligible to avail benefits under this scheme.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Comment the answers to the above questions in the comment section below!!

ANSWERS FOR ’  Today’s – Daily Practice MCQs’ will be updated along with tomorrow’s Daily Current Affairs

Q.1) – b

Q.2) – c

Q.3) – a