Current Affairs – March 05, 2025

{GS1 – A&C – Religion} Mandala System

• Context (IE): The concept of Mandala shaped Indian political, religious, and artistic thought & influenced governance in Southeast Asian kingdoms.

Concept of Mandala

• Literally meaning “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit, mandala is a circular geometric configuration, representing interconnected systems in spiritual, artistic, and political domains.
• Origins: Prevalent in Buddhism (1^st century BCE India), the Mandala spread via the Silk Road to East Asia by the 6^th century, while Hinduism featured it in the Rig Veda (1500–500 BCE).
• Symbolism: Represents shifting influence in governance, art, and architecture, with mandala entry symbolising the cosmic transformation from suffering to joy.

Depictions of the Mandala system

• It depicted a Chakravartin ruler governing expanding territories through trade and warfare.

Rajamandala Theory

• Introduced in Kautilya’s Arthashastra (300 BCE), depicting a kingdom as concentric circles of power.
• Layers of Influence:
  • King at Center: Controls the core territory, collecting rent.
  • Taxed Regions: Protected by the king in return for taxes.
  • Tributary States: Pay tribute under the king’s indirect control.
  • Enemies: Located beyond the tributary states, subject to hostility or alliances.
  • Allied States: Enemies of the king’s enemies, used strategically.

Hinduism

• Temple Designs: Major temples at the centre, surrounded by smaller shrines in concentric patterns.
• Tantric Influence: Found in Odisha, representing spiritual and cosmic realms.

Buddhism

• Stupas: Circular paths (pradakshina) around central relics. Chakra symbolising influence.
• Borobudur Temple (Java, 900 AD) and Emperor Ashoka integrating Buddhist principles of governance in expansion, were inspired by mandala principles.

Jainism

• Sam-sharana Mandala: Tirthankaras in circular assemblies preaching to audiences sitting concentrically.

Modern Indian Art

• Deep-rooted in ancient philosophy, the mandala continues to appear in thangka paintings.
• Central in Tantric and Neo-Tantric spiritual movements, influencing contemporary Indian artists.

Evolution from Mandala to Islamic Governance

• Mandala System: Hierarchical yet fluid, with tributary relationships and shifting power dynamics.
• Iqta System (Islamic Rule): Sultans granted land (iqta) for military service, maintaining centralised control, unlike the flexible Mandala system.
• Mughal Adaptation: Akbar briefly revived circular governance through his Diwan-e-Khas, where he sat centrally on a lotus throne.

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance Amendment Rules, 2025

• Context (PIB): The government has amended Aadhaar rules to allow private entities to use Aadhaar authentication for delivering services, enhancing governance, innovation, and public welfare.

Key Highlights

• Issued by: Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)
• Legal Basis: Section 7 of the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits, and Services) Act, 2016 allows its use for subsidies and benefits funded by the Consolidated Fund of India.
• Amendment: Expands Aadhaar authentication beyond govt entities to enhance governance, drive innovation, and improve service accessibility through Aadhaar-enabled systems across multiple sectors.

Amendments Under the 2025 Rules

• Expansion to Pvt Entities: Allows non-govt entities to use Aadhaar authentication for service delivery.
• Sectoral Inclusion: Extends authentication use to e-commerce, healthcare, travel, tourism & hospitality.
• Secure Transactions: Ensures trusted and seamless interactions between service providers and users.
• Privacy Compliance: Aadhaar authentication data cannot be stored beyond six months, adhering to Supreme Court guidelines.

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} Aadhaar Good Governance Portal

• Context (BS): The central govt has launched the Aadhaar Good Governance Portal.

About the Portal

• Launched by: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Legal Basis: Aligned with the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance (Social Welfare, Innovation, Knowledge) Rules, 2025, under the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
• Purpose: Streamline the approval process for Aadhaar authentication requests to support good governance, improve service delivery, and enhance ease of living.
• Open to govt and private entities. Supports face authentication and simplifies KYC verification.

Benefits Across Various Sectors

• Healthcare: Facilitates faster and more secure patient identification, improving treatment efficiency.
• Education: Simplifies student authentication for admissions and examinations, ensuring accuracy.
• E-commerce & Aggregators: Enables secure identity verification, reducing fraud risks.
• Financial Services: Enhances accuracy in loan approvals and banking transactions.
• Workplace Management: For employee attendance, streamlining HR and administrative functions.

Key Facts About Aadhaar

• Initiated in 2009: A 12-digit unique identity number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to provide a verifiable identity for residents of India.
• Biometric & Demographic Data: Linked to an individual’s fingerprints, iris scan & demographic details.
• Mandatory for Services: Used for various govt services & accepted by private entities for identification.

{GS2 – IR – Africa} Mission 300 *

• Context (DD): The World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), along with key partners, have launched Mission 300.

• Objective: To provide affordable, reliable and sustainable electricity to 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
• Launched By: World Bank & AfDB in collaboration with Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People & Planet (GEAPP), Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) & Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP).
• Approach: Mobilization of public-private investment for large-scale hybrid electrification.
• Social Impact: Employment generation, women-led energy enterprises & community involvement.

{GS3 – Agri – Exports} India’s Agriculture Trade Surplus Shrinking

• Context (IE): India’s agriculture trade surplus is narrowing despite steady export growth.

Current Status of Agri Trade Balance

Major Export Commodities

• Marine Products: India’s top agricultural export, but recently declined due to shifting global demand.
• Rice: Strong performance in basmati and non-basmati varieties, making India a global leader.
• Spices: India dominates in exports of chilli, cumin, turmeric, and other key spices.
• Coffee & Tobacco: Benefiting from production issues in competitor countries.
• Sugar & Wheat: Exports restricted due to domestic supply concerns.

Major Import Commodities

• Edible Oils: India remains highly dependent on imports to meet domestic demand.
• Pulses: Increased imports due to insufficient domestic production.
• Spices: India is a net importer of pepper and cardamom despite being a global leader in other spices.
• Cotton: Shifted from an exporter to an importer due to production issues and rising demand.

Key Influencing Factors

• Global Prices: Falling commodity prices affect export competitiveness.
• Trade Policies: Export restrictions on essential crops impact the trade balance.
• Climate & Supply Disruptions: Weather conditions in key producer nations affect global supply chains.
• Geopolitical Risks: Policy shifts in major importing nations influence India’s exports.

Way Forward

• Enhance Domestic Production: Reduce import dependency on key commodities.
• Balanced Trade Policies: Support exports while ensuring domestic food security.
• Infrastructure Development: Strengthen supply chains to improve global competitiveness.
• Market Diversification: Expand export destinations to reduce reliance on specific markets.

{GS3 – Envi – Air Pollution} Carbon Intensity

• Context (TH): China reduced its carbon intensity by 3.4% in 2024.

• A measure of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions per unit of output or activity.
• Common units: Tonnes of CO₂ emitted per tonne of steel produced, Grams of CO₂ emitted per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity or CO₂ emissions per unit of GDP growth for national output.
• Lower carbon intensity indicates cleaner production and energy efficiency.

Why Does It Matter?

• Essential for achieving net-zero goals and limiting global warming.
• Affects energy costs, as renewable energy sources reduce overall expenses.
• Influences national policies for sustainable development and economic growth by helping to measure and manage emissions in line with climate targets.

Challenges in Reducing Carbon Intensity

• Intermittency of Renewables: Solar and wind energy depend on weather conditions and cannot be guaranteed at all times.
• Storage Issues: Renewable energy storage solutions are still developing, making reliance on fossil fuels necessary during low production periods.
• Economic Growth vs. Emission Cuts: Countries face difficulty balancing economic growth with emission reduction targets.

Global Efforts at Carbon Intensity Reduction

• China: Committed to peaking emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.
• EU: Green Deal aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050.
• USA: Inflation Reduction Act includes major climate-focused investments.
• India: Pledges to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 with a focus on renewable energy expansion.

Carbon Footprint Vs. Carbon Intensity

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Miyawaki Method at Mahakumbh 2025

• Context (IE): The Miyawaki afforestation technique has been employed at Mahakumbh 2025.

Miyawaki Technique

• Developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s to restore degraded ecosystems and enhance biodiversity.
• Known as ‘Pot Plantation Method’, it involves dense planting (2-4 different types within every square meter) of native species to mimic natural forest ecosystems.
• Widely used for urban afforestation to counteract pollution and environmental degradation.

Benefits

• Rapid Growth: Up to 10 times faster than conventional methods.
• Native Species & Biodiversity: Focuses on local plant varieties, creating self-sustaining ecosystems that enhance flora and fauna diversity.
• Environmental Benefits: Absorbs high levels of CO₂ & dust particles, mitigates urban pollution. Helps counter heat island effect & acts as a natural barrier against noise & dust. 30x denser growth improves oxygen levels & air quality.
• Minimal Maintenance: Requires care for only 3 years, after which the forest becomes self-sustaining.
• Land Restoration & Green Spaces: Converts barren, unproductive land into lush green forests, benefiting both urban and rural landscapes.
• Climate Resilience & Sustainability: Enhances ecosystem stability, supports soil & water conservation, improves soil fertility.

Challenges

• High Initial Costs: Requires investment in soil enhancement and planting infrastructure.
• Manpower Intensive: Needs trained personnel for proper execution in the early stages.
• Not a Universal Solution: Alone, it cannot replace large-scale afforestation or address deforestation and resource depletion.
• Urban Planning Limitations: To be complemented by sustainable development and green city planning.

{GS3 – Envi – Terms} Wallace Line *

• Context (TH): Wallace observed a sharp biodiversity shift between Asia and Australia, leading to the discovery of the Wallace Line.

What is the Wallace Line?

• Proposed by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1863, it is a bio-geographical boundary separating the ecozones of Asia & Australia, marking a stark difference in species distribution across its sides.
• Runs through the Lombok Strait (Bali-Lombok) and the Makassar Strait (Borneo-Sulawesi).
• Distinct Faunal Distribution Across the Line: West of the Wallace Line (Asia) hosts tigers, elephants & orangutans, while east (Australia) features kangaroos, marsupials & cockatoos, with only birds & marine animals crossing the boundary.

Formation and Geological Influence

• Continental Drift: Australia broke away from Antarctica and moved toward Asia (~35 million years ago), forming deep-water channels that blocked land species migration.
• Pleistocene Epoch Influence: Lower sea levels exposed land bridges, but deep waters maintained the boundary.
• Sulawesi’s Unique Species Mix: Houses both Asian-origin species like anoas and Australian-origin marsupials due to its complex geological past.

Significance

• Wallace’s findings laid the foundation for biogeography, the study of species distribution.
• It ties into evolutionary theory, demonstrating how geography influences species adaptation.
• Research shows that tropical conditions in the Malay archipelago allowed Asian species to migrate south, whereas Australian species struggled to move north.

{GS3 – IE – Industry} Navratna Status for IRCTC and IRFC *

• Context (IE): The centre approved the upgradation of IRCTC and IRFC as the country’s 25^th and 26^th Navratna companies, respectively.

About Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)

• IRCTC: Extended arm of Indian Railways and is the sole entity authorised to sell train tickets online.
• Established: In 1999, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Railways, IRCTC has played a crucial role in railway catering, tourism, and online ticketing.
• Ownership: The Ministry of Railways currently holds a 62.40% stake in IRCTC.
• Listed on both National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in 2019.

About Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC)

• IRFC: Established in December 1986 as the dedicated financing arm of Indian Railways.
• Primary Function: Raise extra-budgetary resources through market borrowings at competitive rates.
  • It mobilizes funds through taxable and tax-free bonds, term loans from banks and financial institutions (FIs), as well as External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs).
• Ownership: The Ministry of Railways holds an 86.36% stake in IRFC.
• Listing on Stock Exhange: In January 2021, it was listed on the NSE and BSE.

Also Read > Maharatna, Navratna and Miniratna CPSEs

{GS3 – Infra – Transportation} Braesse’s Paradox *

• Context (DTE): Bengaluru’s large-scale road expansion projects spark debate about Braesse’s paradox.

• It refers to a counterintuitive phenomenon in urban transport planning where increasing road capacity to alleviate congestion can worsen the situation.
  • It is named after German engineer Karl Braesse.
• How it worsens the Traffick Situation?
  • Adding more lanes or roads often triggers induced demand, attracting more vehicles and ultimately worsening congestion.
  • Instead of providing long-term relief, these expansions encourage increased traffic, frequently leading to congestion levels that are just as bad—or even worse—over time.
• It is particularly significant for cities like Bengaluru, where traffic congestion has become a critical issue.
  • Bengaluru is ranked as 3^rd slowest city globally, according to TomTom Traffic Index 2024, released by Tom Tom, a Dutch location technology firm.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Why is Mars Red?

• Context (ToI | DH): Study suggests Mars’ red colour resulted from a wetter past, not due to iron rusting in dry conditions.

Presence of Ferrihydrite

• Ferrihydrite Presence: Mars’ red dust primarily consists of ferrihydrite, an iron mineral, the formation of which requires water and oxygen, reinforcing theories that Mars once had liquid water.
• Distribution: Found abundantly in dust and likely embedded in Martian rock formations.

Mars

• Fourth planet from the Sun and second-smallest (half of Earth’s size) in the solar system.
• Orbit and Rotation: One Martian day (Sol) has 24.6 hours; One Martian year has 687 Earth days. Seasons last longer due to its elliptical orbit.
• Surface and Geology:
  • Covered with craters, valleys, volcanoes & canyons.
  • Valles Marineris: A canyon system 10 times larger than the Grand Canyon.
  • Olympus Mons: The largest volcano in the solar system (3x taller than Mt. Everest).
  • Evidence of ancient rivers, lakes & massive floods. Ice caps exist at the poles, indicating the presence of frozen water.
• Moons: Two small, irregularly shaped moons, Phobos and Deimos, likely captured asteroids. Phobos may disintegrate in 50 million years, potentially forming a ring.
• Atmosphere:
  • Very thin, composed mostly of CO₂, nitrogen, and argon.
  • Extreme temperatures (-153°C to 20°C). Frequent, long-lasting dust storms.

• Magnetosphere: No global magnetic field, exposing the surface to high radiation levels, but traces suggest existence 4 billion years ago.
• Exploration History: Among the most studied planets.

{Prelims – In News} Sunset Anxiety

• Context (IE): Sunset anxiety is more prevalent than previously believed.

• Sunset anxiety is a non-clinical term describing the unease or distress experienced as the sun sets. It can evoke emotions such as regret, emptiness, remorse, hollowness etc.
• Unlike general anxiety, which is linked to ongoing stressors or mental health conditions, sunset anxiety is specifically triggered by the transition from day to night.
• It may stem from deeper psychological associations with this daily shift.
• Disruptions in the circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock regulating sleep-wake cycles) can also intensify these feelings, making the transition from daylight to darkness more unsettling.

{Species – Mammals} Narwhals (Monodon monoceros)

• Context (DTE): For the first time, scientists have captured footage of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) using their iconic tusks for hunting, providing crucial insights into their behaviour.

• Often referred to as the ‘unicorns of the sea’, narwhals are strange and beautiful creatures.
• Habitation: Arctic waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia.
• Physical Description: Males are distinguished by their long, spiral tusks, which are actually elongated teeth with sensory capability. Some narwhals have up to two tusks, while others have none.
  • Narwhals change colour as they age. Newborns are blue-grey, juveniles are blue-black, and adults are mottled grey. Old narwhals are nearly all white.
• Diet: The feed on Greenland halibut, Arctic and polar cod, squid and shrimp.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: LC
• Threats: Oil and gas development (collisions and underwater noise), climate change, pollution etc.

{Species – Mammals} Pangolin *

• Context (IE): The World Pangolin Day 2025 is celebrated on the third Saturday of February.

• They are scaly, nocturnal mammals known for their ability to curl into a ball for defence.
• Distribution: Globally, there are 8 pangolin species, four each in Africa and Asia.
• Habitat: Forests and Grasslands
• Physical Description: They are the only mammals wholly covered in scales (made up of keratin), and they use those scales to protect themselves from predators in the wild.
  • Pangolins have no teeth; they pick up food with their sticky tongues.
• Diet: Insectivores primarily feed on ants and termites using their long, sticky tongues.
• Threats: Habitat Loss, Illegal Wildlife Trade, Hunting, Poaching etc.

Credit: World Wildlife Fund

Conservation Status

Pangolins in India

• India is home to 2 species – the Indian pangolin and the Chinese pangolin, and both are listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.

Indian Pangolin

• Indian Pangolin: Large anteater covered dorsally by 11-13 rows of scales.
• Distribution: Indian Pangolin is widely distributed in India, except in arid regions, the high Himalayas and the North-East. The species also occurs in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Credit: WWF

• Physical Description: The adult male is about one-third larger than the female. Terminal scale is present on the ventral side of the tail of the Indian Pangolin, which is absent in the Chinese Pangolin.
• Habitat: Open land, grasslands and degraded habitats. They can adapt well to modified habitats.

Chinese Pangolin

• Distribution: Himalayan foothills in Eastern Nepal, Bhutan, Northern India, North-East Bangladesh and China, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam etc.
• Chinese pangolins spend the winter months in deep burrows that maintain stable temperatures.

  

  Credit: IUCN

• Habitat: Adaptable to a wide range of habitats, including primary and secondary tropical forests, limestone and bamboo forests, grasslands and agricultural fields.
• Physical Description: Distinguished from other Asian pangolins by their helmeted appearance, smaller scales than Indian pangolins, larger ear pinna, and narrowing near the distal end of the tail.

{Species – Mammals} Population Status of River Dolphins in India – 2024

• Context (IE): PM Released ‘Population Status of River Dolphins in India – 2024’, India’s First Comprehensive Riverine Dolphin Population Estimate.

About the Survey

• The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) conducted the first comprehensive riverine dolphin population estimation between 2021 and 2023 under the Union Environment Ministry.
• The dolphin population survey was conducted under Project Dolphin across the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems.

Key Findings

• Total Population: 6,327 dolphins across 28 rivers in eight states.
• River wise Distribution: Estimated 3,275 dolphins in Ganga River, 2,414 in its tributaries, 584 in Brahmaputra River (main stem), and 51 in its tributaries.
• State-wise Distribution: Uttar Pradesh (2,397) recorded the highest number, followed by Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.
• Indus River Dolphins: Only 3 Indus River dolphins were found, all in the Beas River, Punjab.

Also Read > Gangetic Dolphin and Indus River Dolphin.