Current Affairs – April 18-19, 2025

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Climatology} Norwesters *

• Context (IE): India Meteorological Department (IMD), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, and National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF), Delhi, are jointly developing India’s first research testbed for studying Norwesters.
• The testbed will cover West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand regions to investigate thunderstorm formation, development, and propagation.
• It will use drones, mobile vans, and high-end instruments to gather real-time data, enhancing forecasting accuracy and enabling timely nowcast warnings (within 3 hours) to save lives and reduce damage.

What are Norwesters?

• Norwesters are localised, intense thunderstorms, locally known as Kalbaisakhi in Bengal (meaning “calamity of the month of Baisakh”) or Bordoisila in Assam.
• It strikes eastern & northeastern India, southern Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, primarily during the pre-monsoon season (March to May).
• They are characterised by violent winds, torrential rain, hail, lightning, and occasionally tornadoes.
• Norwesters are mesoscale convective systems, meaning they operate on a scale of tens to hundreds of kilometres and are driven by intense localised convection.

Formation of Norwesters

• The process begins with intense daytime heating of the landmass during the pre-monsoon months, particularly over the Chhotanagpur Plateau in Jharkhand and Bihar.
• It creates a low-pressure zone that draws in warm, moist air from the Bay of Bengal, while cooler, drier air from the northwest prevails at higher altitudes. The interaction between these air masses sets the stage for thunderstorm development.
• These systems evolve into fast-moving derechos with strong straight-line winds, intensifying over the Gangetic plains by drawing moisture from the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta.

A derecho is a large, rapidly moving cluster of thunderstorms that produces powerful straight-line winds, often resulting in extensive damage.

Impact of Norwesters

Destructive Impacts

• Loss of Life & Property: Lightning, squalls (100+ km/h), hail, and occasional tornadoes cause fatalities and infrastructure damage. E.g., April–May 2024 storms in eastern India killed at least five people;
• Crop Damage: Strong winds and hail severely affect jute, paddy, and fruit crops.
• Power outages, transport delays, and structural damage are common due to intense winds.

Positive Impacts

• Pre-monsoon rains support pre-Kharif crops like jute, paddy & tea in eastern India & Bangladesh.
• Heat Relief: Sharp temperature drops bring relief from March–April heatwaves (35–40°C+).

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Children} SC Guidelines on Child Trafficking

• Context (TP): In the Pinki v. State of Uttar Pradesh case, Supreme Court issued comprehensive directions to prevent child trafficking.

Child Trafficking

• As per the UN, child trafficking involves recruitment, transportation, or harbouring of children for exploitation including forced labour, begging, or sexual abuse.
• India accounts for nearly one-third of global child trafficking victims with most cases linked to forced labour, domestic servitude, and commercial sexual exploitation.

SC Guidelines for Child Trafficking Victims

• Dedicated AHTUs Nationwide: All states and UTs must establish Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) at the district level with adequate staff, infrastructure, and funding.
• Treat Missing Child Cases as Trafficking: Consider all missing children as potential victims of abduction/trafficking unless proven otherwise; Compulsory reporting of all trafficking cases by police or AHTUs.
• Rehabilitation Fund Allocation: State governments must operationalise Rehabilitation Funds under Section 13(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Care and Rehabilitation) Draft Bill.
• Immediate Compensation: Courts must ensure interim compensation is granted to child victims under Section 357A CrPC regardless of the accused being identified or tried.
• SOPs for Support Services: States must develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure safe accommodation, food, clothing, counselling, medical aid, and education for rescued children.
• DCPU Accountability: District Child Protection Units must coordinate with police and Child Welfare Committees to provide follow-up care and family tracing.
• Establish state-level Anti-Human Trafficking Bureaus, improve Child Welfare Committees, enforce regular inspections in hazardous industries, and create child-friendly courts for victims.
• Monitoring: State Legal Services Authorities to monitor implementation & submit reports to SC.
• Central Government Role: Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) must issue directions and ensure inter-state coordination in rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

Framework for Prevention and Control

• Constitutional Backing: Art 23 & 24 of IC prohibit trafficking and forced labour, especially of children.
• Indian Penal Code: Sec. 370 & 370A criminalise trafficking and exploitation, including that of minors.
• JJ Act, 2015: Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act mandates protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration of trafficked children.
• POCSO Act, 2012: Protects children from sexual offences, often linked with trafficking cases.
• CrPC Section 357A: Provides for victim compensation schemes across states.
• Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956: Criminalises trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation.
• Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) [CALPR] Act, 1986: Bans employment of children under 14 years and bans hazardous work for adolescents aged 14-18.
• National Child Labour Project (NCLP): Rehabilitates child labourers through district-level programs.
• PENCIL Portal: Ensures proper enforcement of the CALPR Act and NCLP Scheme.
• TrackChild Portal: Developed by MWCD to digitally trace missing and trafficked children.
• UJJAWALA Scheme: Centrally Sponsored Scheme under MWCD for prevention, rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration of trafficked women and children.
• Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs): Already functional in many districts but require urgent strengthening and uniformity.
• Draft Trafficking in Persons Bill, 2021: Seeks to unify laws on human trafficking, rehabilitation, and protection through institutional mechanisms at national, state, and district levels.
• India is a member of UN Convention on Rights of Child & Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, 1993.

{GS3 – IE – Banking} Rising Gold Loan NPAs in India

• Context (IE): A significant surge in gold loan non-performing assets (NPAs) was reported in 2024.

Gold Loans: Loans secured against gold as collateral for meeting personal, agricultural or business needs. NPAs: Loans where repayment (principal or interest) is overdue for more than 90 days. Gold Loan NPAs: An alarming rise in gold loan NPAs indicates borrower distress and deeper systemic challenges in the financial sector.

Current Scenario of Gold Loan NPAs

• Gold loan NPAs saw a sharp rise, with commercial banks & NBFCs both experiencing significant increases.
• Total gold loan outstanding rose to ₹11.11 lakh crore in Dec. 2024 from ₹8.73 lakh crore a year ago.
• Evergreening practices were curbed, with full principal and interest repayment now mandatory before repledging, effective from September 2023.

Reasons for Rising Gold Loan Defaults

• Economic Slowdown: Decreased income and job insecurity led to repayment challenges.
• Rising Household Debt: Borrowers took loans for essential needs like healthcare, education, and family support but couldn’t repay.
• Over-Leveraging: Gold price surge encouraged higher borrowing but many underestimated repayment obligations.
• Low Financial Literacy & Borrower Mismanagement: Poor understanding of loan terms and interest costs; Unawareness of financial consequences of default & how defaulting impacts credit scores.
• Operational Shortcomings on the part of Lenders: Inadequate oversight of outsourced activities, incorrect risk weight application, and lack of end-use monitoring.
• RBI raised concerns over weak loan-to-value (LTV) monitoring, poor risk assessments, non-transparent gold auctions, third-party agent use without due diligence, and improper gold valuation practices.

LTV is the maximum loan amount a lender is willing to offer relative to appraised value of the collateral.

RBI’s New Framework and Draft Guidelines

• RBI aims to ensure prudent lending and reduce systemic risk.
• Loan-to-Value cap for consumption loans is set at 75%, with restrictions on using the same gold for both consumption and income-generating loans.
• Bullet Repayment Loans (where the entire principal is repaid in a lump sum at the end of the loan term, with periodic interest payments during the term) are capped at a 12-month tenor.
• Loans must be based on repayment capacity, with detailed end-use records and fund tracking.
• Advances against primary gold, silver, and related financial assets (e.g., ETFs) are banned, with mandatory ownership verification.
• Align Gold Loan policies with credit & risk norms, setting borrower-specific & sectoral exposure limits.

Impact

• Liquidity Concerns for Financial Institutions: Rising defaults reduce the availability of fresh credit and increase capital stress.
• Declining Credit Quality: NPAs jeopardize financial health of financial institutions and lower investor confidence.
• High Debt Servicing Burden: Low-income borrowers struggle with repayments due to irregular incomes and rising costs.
• Financial Exclusion Risk for Borrowers: Defaults harm credit histories, limiting access to formal credit in the future.

{GS3 – Infra – Initiatives} Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel

• Context (CW): Construction of the Silkyara Bend-Barkot Tunnel, improving Char Dham access.

• 4.531 km long, two-lane, bi-directional tunnel with an integrated escape passage.
• Tunnel Route: Connects Silkyara & Barkot on NH-134 (formerly NH-94) in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand.
• Cost: Estimated at ₹853 crore under the Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) mode. Funded under National Highway Original [NH(O)] Scheme by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
• Baba Baukhnag Temple consecrated at the tunnel mouth. Baukhnag is a local deity revered in Uttarkashi, believed to protect travelers and workers in the Himalayan region.
• Part of Chardham Plan: A strategic component of Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana.
  • Reduces travel time by approximately one hour between Barkot and Yamunotri, enhancing connectivity between Gangotri and Yamunotri, two critical Char Dham pilgrimage destinations.

Engineering Features

• 90% of the tunnel was excavated through weak phyllite rock formations.
• Construction Technique: Built using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), which uses real-time rock monitoring to optimize reinforcement methods, especially suited for variable geology.

Phyllite is a fine-grained, foliated metamorphic rock with a silky sheen formed from the low-grade metamorphism of shale or slate.

{Prelims – Awards} MacGregor Memorial Medal

• Context (TH): Five military personnel were awarded the MacGregor Memorial Medal by the Chief of Defence Staff at United Service Institution of India (USI), New Delhi, organised by Ministry of Defence.

• Instituted in 1888 in memory of Major General Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, founder of the United Service Institution of India (USI).
• Open to all ranks (serving and retired) of Indian Armed Forces, Territorial Army, Reserve Forces, Rashtriya Rifles and Assam Rifles.
• Initial Scope: Recognised acts of military reconnaissance and exploratory journeys, particularly British Army expeditions in regions like Central Asia, Afghanistan, Tibet and Burma.
• Expanded Criteria Post-Independence: In 1986, eligibility was broadened to include military adventure activities besides reconnaissance and exploration.

Notable Past Recipients

• Captain F.E. Younghusband (1890): Known for Central Asian expeditions.
• Major General Orde Charles Wingate (1943): British Army officer; creator of special forces units.
• Major Z.C. Bakshi, VrC (1949): Decorated veteran and military strategist.
• Col. Narinder Kumar (1978–81): Honoured for pioneering exploration of the Siachen Glacier.
• Cdr. Dilip Donde and Lt. Cdr. Abhilash Tomy: Recognised for solo global circumnavigations by sea.

United Service Institution of India

• India’s oldest autonomous think tank on defence and national security.
• Established: 1870 in Simla by Col. (later Maj. Gen.) Sir Charles MacGregor.
• Current Location: New Delhi.
• Mandate: Advancement of military knowledge, national security literature and professional development of defence personnel.

Also refer to Inter-Services Organisations (ISO) Act.

{Prelims – In News} Flash Ironmaking

• Context (SCMP.com): China’s new ironmaking technology called ‘flash ironmaking’ poised to revolutionise the global steel manufacturing industry.

• It involves injecting finely ground iron ore powder into an extremely hot furnace, triggering an “explosive chemical reaction’.
• The new method also works exceptionally well for low or medium-yield ores that are abundant in China.

Significance

• 3,600-Fold Increase in the Speed of Ironmaking: It can complete the ironmaking process in just 3 to 6 seconds, compared to the 5 to 6 hours required by traditional blast furnaces.
• Zero Carbon Emissions: As it eliminates the need for coal entirely, it would also enable the steel industry to achieve the coveted goal of “near-zero carbon dioxide emissions”

{Prelims – In News} Meghayan-25

• Context (PIB): Indian Navy hosted 3^rd edition of its Meteorological and Oceanological Symposium ‘Meghayan-25’ at Nausena Bhawan, Delhi, to commemorate the foundation of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and observe World Meteorological Day 2025.

• 2025 Theme: ‘Closing the Early Warning Gap Together’, focuses on enhancing early warning systems for climate, ocean and disaster risk resilience.
• World Meteorological Day is celebrated globally on 23^rd March.
• Major Institutions Participated: IMD, IITM, INCOIS, IAF, SAC-ISRO, IIT-Madras, etc.

Major Launches and Initiatives

• MOSDAC-IN Web Services: Jointly developed by Directorate of Naval Oceanology and Meteorology (DNOM) and Space Application Centre-ISRO, a platform offers customised satellite-derived weather products for Indian Navy with access for individual Naval Meteorological Offices.
• Relaunch of ‘Sagarmanthan‘ Journal: The Navy’s professional Meteorological and Oceanological journal was revived after 10 years with the 10^th edition released during the symposium.

World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) promoting global cooperation in meteorology, hydrology and climate science.
• Established in 1950, succeeding International Meteorological Organisation (IMO) formed in 1873.
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.
• Membership: 193 countries and territories.
• Role in Global Governance: Facilitate international cooperation in development of meteorology and coordinate international exchange of weather & climate data & supports early warning systems globally.

Governance Structure

• World Meteorological Congress: WMO’s supreme body consisting of representatives of all members. It meets at least every four years to set general policy and adopt regulations.
• Executive Council: It consists of 36-members which meets annually and implements policy.
• Secretariat: It is headed by a secretary-general appointed by the congress for a four-year term, serves as the administrative centre of the organization.

{Prelims – In News} WAVES 2025

• Context (PIB): The Anti-Piracy Challenge under WAVES 2025 has announced its finalists.

Anti-Piracy Challenge

• A flagship initiative under Create in India Challenge, part of WAVES 2025.
• Goal: Combat online piracy, safeguard intellectual property, and secure India’s digital content ecosystem.
• Tech Solutions Promoted: Includes AI-based content security, fingerprinting, watermarking, blockchain encryption, steganography.
• Significance: Aims to reduce $1.2 billion annual loss from piracy and shield 158 million users by 2029.

About WAVES 2025

• It stands for World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit, an international platform aimed at discussing innovation, regulation, and growth in the global media and entertainment industry.
• Organized By: Ministry of Info. & Broadcasting with partners like CII, IPHouse, TCS, and Hack2Skill.
• Vision: Position India as a global media and content innovation hub.
• Boosts the $30 billion creative economy employing nearly 8% of India’s workforce; Contributes to the growth of India’s Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector, currently the 5^th largest globally.
• Cultural Diplomacy: Aims to expand India’s global soft power through creative exports & collaborations.
• Media Sectors Covered: Films, Broadcasting, TV, Radio, Print, Animation, VFX, Comics, Gaming, Sound, Advertising, and Social Media.
• Tech Domains in Focus: Generative AI, Augmented Reality, Virtual & Extended Reality, digital platforms.

{Prelims – PIN World – Africa} Tuti Island

• Context (France 24): Tuti Island has been devastated by two years of war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

• Location: Tuti Island, located at the confluence of the Blue and White Niles in Khartoum, Sudan.
• Formed by: Covering an area of approximately 8 square kilometres, the crescent-shaped island was formed by the deposition of silt.
• Inhabitants: The Tuti people, trace their roots to the Mahas who settled there in the 15^th century.
• Other Threats to Island:
  • Climate change has disrupted Nile’s flooding cycle, leading to severe flooding events on Tuti Island.
  • Low rainfall and high evaporation rates have led to desertification and severe droughts, threatening agriculture and livelihoods.

Also Read> Nile River

{Prelims – PIN World – Asia} Mount Lewotobi

• Context (MB): Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province erupted recently.

• Location: Situated on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia.
  • Located at the convergence of the Eurasian, Australian and Pacific tectonic plates.
  • Lies within Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, a seismically active zone prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
• Volcano Type: Stratovolcano (composite volcano) featuring steep profiles & periodic explosive eruptions.
• Twin Structure: Comprises two peaks, Lewotobi Lakilaki (male) and Lewotobi Perempuan (female), separated by a 2 km saddle at 1232 m elevation.
  • Lakilaki (1584 m) has a 400m wide summit crater; Perempuan (1703 m) has a broader 700m crater.
  • Eruption History: Lakilaki has erupted frequently in 19^th & 20^th centuries; Perempuan only twice in recorded history.
• Volcanic Features: Hosts small lava domes and a prominent flank cone named Iliwokar on Perempuan’s east flank.

Broader Volcanic Context in Indonesia

• Indonesia has 127 active volcanoes due to the country’s plate boundary dynamics, making it the most volcanically active country globally.
• Past deadly eruptions like Mount Tambora (1815) underscore the scale of volcanic hazards in the region.

{Prelims – S&T – Defence – Exercises} DUSTLIK-VI

• Context (PIB): 6^th edition of DUSTLIK-VI began at the Foreign Training Node, Aundh (Pune).

• Theme: Joint Multi-Domain Sub-Conventional Operations in a Semi-Urban Scenario.
• It is the annual joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan.
• Core Objectives: Enhancing interoperability, sharing best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) and developing joint responses to terrorist actions.
• Operational Elements: Establishment of a Joint Operations Centre, raids, search-and-destroy missions, helipad securing by special forces, and firepower support from air assets.
• Air Support Focus: Includes use of drones, counter-UAS systems, SHBO (Special Heliborne Operations), STIE (Small Team Insertion & Extraction), reconnaissance and logistics support.
• The Indian Air Force will also provide logistical support to sustain operations in hostile environments, underlining the air-land integration capabilities.
• Strategic Significance: Strengthens military-to-military ties, builds mutual trust, and augments India-Uzbekistan defence cooperation.

About Uzbekistan

• A landlocked Central Asian country; one of only two doubly landlocked countries (not only landlocked, but also surrounded by other landlocked countries) in the world. (The other is Liechtenstein).
• Bordering Countries: Shares boundaries with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan & Turkmenistan.

• Topography: 80% covered by the Kyzyl Kum desert; eastern and northeastern regions are mountainous (Tian Shan Range); fertile Fergana Valley lies in the east.
• Water Bodies: Major rivers include the Amu Darya and Syr Darya; environmental crisis at the Aral Sea due to water mismanagement.
• Fertile valleys support intensive agriculture; rest of the terrain dominated by desert scrub and arid lands.
• Rich in gold (4th largest reserves globally), natural gas, oil, coal, uranium & copper.
  • Energy Security: India has signed a contract with Uzbekistan for uranium ore concentrates supply.
• Geopolitical Importance: Central to India’s extended neighbourhood policy and regional security frameworks like SCO.
  • India ranks among Uzbekistan’s top 10 trade partners for the year 2023-24.

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System

• Context (News18): Philippines has confirmed the deployment of US anti-ship missile system Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction (NMESIS) for this year’s Balikatan military exercises.

Credit: US Naval Ship

Key Features

• Anti-ship Missile System: Designed to give small, mobile units the ability to strike maritime targets with precision from land-based positions.
  • NMESIS successfully demonstrated its ability to engage a surface target at sea, validating its potential as a “ship killer” for the Marine Corps.
• Range: It is built around the Naval Strike Missile, a sea-skimming, precision-guided weapon with a range of approximately 100 nautical miles.
• Launch Platform: The ROGUE-Fires Carrier, which serves as the mobile launch platform for the NMESIS system, is based on the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) chassis.

Significance

• Its configuration allows for rapid deployment and remote operation, minimizing the exposure of personnel in contested environments.
• As a combat system, NMESIS plays a vital role in enabling the U.S. Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept.

{Species – Discovery} Clinidium lalitae

• Context (Assam Tribune): The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has identified a new species of beetle belonging to the subfamily Rhysodinae.

Credit: Assam Tribune

• The newly found species, discovered in the Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, has been named ‘Clinidium lalitae’, in tribute to the late Dr. Lalita Ray Chaudhury, a respected coleopterologist and former scientist at ZSI.
  • Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is a biodiversity hotspot known for its endemic flora and fauna.
• The ‘Clinidium lalitae’ beetle is characterised by its unique morphology and belongs to a rare group of ground beetles that inhabit forest floors.
• Significance: They play a significant ecological role in nutrient cycling and soil health.

{Species – Discovery} Leptobrachium aryatium

• Context (TH): A newly discovered frog species has been named after a prestigious Assam college.

Credit: The Hindu

• Leptobrachium aryatium, a new-to-science frog recorded in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest on the southwestern part of Guwahati bordering Meghalaya.
• Physical Description: It has fiery orange-and-black eyes, a unique reticulated throat pattern, and a smooth, rhythmic call at dusk.
• Studied first in 2004, the frog from the Garbhanga Reserve Forest was initially identified as the Leptobrachium smithi.