The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution launched the ‘Anna Chakra’ PDS Supply Chain optimization tool and SCAN Portal to modernize the PDS system.

About Anna Chakra

• It is a Public Distribution System (PDS) Supply Chain optimization tool that leverages advanced algorithms to identify optimal routes and ensure seamless movement of food grains.
• It is an initiative of the Department of Food Public Distribution developed in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP) and IIT-Delhi.
• It is Integrated with the PM Gati Shakti platform and FOIS (Freight Operations Information System) portal of the Railways through the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).

About SCAN (Subsidy Claim Application for NFSA) Portal

• Aims to provide a single window submission of subsidy claims by states, claim scrutiny and approval by DFPD facilitating expeditious settlement process through end-to-end workflow automation.

Hornbill Festival has completed 25 years of its celebration. 

• Nagaland Government has organized it every year since 2000.

About Hornbill Festival

• It is named after the Hornbill (Buceros bicornis), a bird highly admired and revered by the Nagas for its qualities of alertness and grandeur.
• It is called the ‘Festival of Festivals’, it encourages inter-tribal interaction (Naga tribes) and promotion of the cultural heritage of Nagaland.
• It is held at the heritage village of Kisama, near Kohima.
  • The heritage village aims to conserve the ethnic cultural heritage through a common management approach.

The third Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite was recently launched on a Vega-C rocket from French Guiana.

About Copernicus Programme

• It is the European Union’s Earth observation programme, coordinated by the European Commission in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), EU Member States and other EU Agencies.
• It is a system of satellites, airborne data, and ground stations providing free global monitoring across six areas: atmosphere, marine, land, climate, emergency response, and security.
  • Consider as the largest Earth observation system globally with its 12 families of Sentinel satellites.

At the Business 4 Land Forum during COP16 of UNCCD private sector’s key role in supporting sustainable land use was emphasized

• UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification), 1994 is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management.

About Business 4 Land Initiative (2024)

• It is the UNCCD’s main initiative to engage the private sector in sustainable land and water management. 
• Aim: Restore 1.5 billion hectares of land by 2030, supporting Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and improving drought resilience.

The Parliament passed the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak 2024. 

• The bill seeks to remove redundancies and replace the Aircraft Act, 1934, which has been amended 21 times.

Key Highlights 

• The bill focuses on enhancing safety, regulatory oversight, and consumer protection while aligning with international standards.
• It empowers Central Government to make rules to implement the Convention relating to international civil aviation.
• Others: Second Appeal System regarding penalties introduced, new offences and penalties added.

The post of Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has remained vacant for over five years now.

About Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD)

• Background: Section 74 of Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides for appointment (by centre) of a CCPD & 2 Commissioner to assist Chief Commissioner at the Centre.
  • It was originally set up under the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights & Full Participation) Act, 1995.
• Mandate: Take steps to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities.

World Health Organization (WHO) has granted prequalification to molecular diagnostic test for tuberculosis (TB) called Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra.

• The test is the first to meet WHO's prequalification standards for TB diagnosis and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

About Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra

• It detects the genetic material of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, in sputum samples. 
• Simultaneously, the test identifies mutations associated with rifampicin resistance, a key indicator of multidrug-resistant TB.

Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) has developed a new product, nano-NPK fertilizer. 

About Nano NPK Fertliser

• It contains nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in nanoparticle form. 
• Significance: It will facilitate better nutrient uptake by plants. 
  • It will also reduce nutrient wastage & lower fertilizer requirement.

Nano Fertilizers

• Nano fertilizers are nutrients that are encapsulated or coated within nanomaterial. 
  • It enables controlled release, & its subsequent slow diffusion into the soil.
• IFFCO had launched world's first 'Nano Liquid Urea' fertiliser in 2021 & then Nano-DAP in 2023.