UPSC Civil Services Current Affairs Articles

Exam-Focused Notes on RBI's Liquidity Injection Strategy

Key Facts and Figures

• Total Liquidity Injection: Rs 290,000 crore (~$32 billion).
• Open Market Operation (OMO):
  • Planned purchases of Government of India securities totaling Rs 200,000 crore.
  • Conducted in 4 tranches of Rs 50,000 crore each on:
    • December 29, 2025
    • January 5, 2026
    • January 12, 2026

Summary of VB - G RAM G Act and Its Implications

Legislative Framework:

• The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB – G RAM G) replaces the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
• Introduces expanded entitlements, timely wage payments, and revisions in fiscal responsibilities for states.

**Fiscal Responsibility Chan

Summary of Akash-New Generation (Akash-NG) Missile System Development

Development Overview

• Project Initiation: Initiated in the late 1980s by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme under Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
• Induction Timeline:
  • Original Akash missile inducted into Indian Air Force (IAF) in 20

Summary of Labour Codes and Their Impact

Overview of Labour Codes

• Laws: Four labour codes passed in 2019 and 2020 concerning:
  1. Industrial Relations
  2. Wages
  3. Social Security
  4. Occupational Health and Safety

Criticisms

• Tripartite Consultation: Passes without comprehensive tripartite discussions involving workers, employers, and the government, contravening b

Summary of Key Points

Constitutional and Legislative Framework

• Article 326 of the Indian Constitution mandates the basis of elections, specifically regarding the entitlement to vote.
• Representation of the People Act, 1950: Sections 16-19 govern enrolment in electoral rolls and set citizenship as a prerequisite.
• Article 11 of the Constitution allows Parliament to make pr

ISRO BlueBird Block-2 Satellite Launch Summary

Key Details:

• Launch: ISRO launched the BlueBird Block-2 on the LVM-3 rocket at 8:24 am.
• Weight: Nearly 6,100 kg, making it ISRO's heaviest satellite.
• Orbit: Satellite is positioned in a low Earth orbit (LEO) at approximately 520 km altitude.
• Significance: Largest commercial communications satellite for

Key Highlights from the LVM-3 Mission

1. Launch Details:

   • Launch vehicle: LVM-3 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III).
   • Mission: Third commercial mission for LVM-3.
   • Payload: US communication satellite Bluebird Block-2.
   • Payload weight: Approximately 6,100 kg (heaviest satellite launched by an Indian rocket).

2. Performance Metrics:

   • This launch marke

• Weather Events: A severe winter storm struck California on December 24, 2025, leading to heavy rainfall, mudslides, and snow in mountainous areas. Southern California could experience its wettest Christmas in years, with rain accumulation expected between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 cm).

• Evacuations and Warnings:

  • Evacuation warnings were issued for areas vulnerable to mudslides, par

Key Facts and Highlights: Aravalli Hills Mining Regulations

1. Supreme Court Directive:

   • On November 20, the Supreme Court ordered a halt on granting new mining leases in the Aravalli Hills until the Management Plan on Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is finalized.
   • Established a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills: landforms at 100 meters or more above local relief.

Summary of Key Points on Mining in the Aravallis

Supreme Court Ruling

• Date of Judgment: November 20, 2025
• Order: A prohibition on fresh mining leases in the Aravallis until a Management Plan for Sustainable Mining (MPSM) is established under central supervision.

Environmental Concerns

• Impacts of Mining: Rampant mining has resulted in:
  • Groundwater depletion

Summary Notes on the Article

Environmental and Ecological Insights

• Predation and Ecosystem Balance: The article discusses the critical role of predation in maintaining ecological balance. Without predators, populations of prey species can explode, leading to ecological collapse within days.
• Insect Population Explosion: An estimated 10 quintillion insects exist at any moment.

Summary of Key Facts and Developments: Granting "Holy City" Status to Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo

1. Government Notification: The Punjab government has officially granted “Holy City” status to Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo through a recent notification.

2. Legislative Action: This decision was preceded by a unanimous resolution passed by the Punjab Legis

Summary of Key Highlights: Victoria Public Hall Restoration

1. Inauguration Details:

   • Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the restored Victoria Public Hall in Chennai.
   • The inauguration took place on a formal occasion with traditional performances.

2. Restoration Project:

   • Initiated under the Singara Chennai 2.0 initiative, aimed at improving urban infrastructure a

Economic Data & FDI Trends:

• Net FDI Outflow: India experienced a net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outflow of $1.55 billion in October, following a outflow of $1.66 billion in September.
• Gross FDI Inflow: October saw a gross FDI inflow of $6.54 billion, lower than $7 billion in September and $7.17 billion in October 2024.
• First 7 Months of 2025-26 FDI:

Summary of Key Points on Rhinoceros Conservation

Current Status:

• Global rhinoceros population is fewer than 28,000 across all five species as of 2024.
• Southern African reserves, particularly the Greater Kruger region, lost 1,985 rhinos between 2017 and 2023, where annual poaching rates are around 6.5%.

Poaching Threats:

• Poaching driven by a multi-hundred-million-dol

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Liquidity Injection Plan

1. Liquidity Injection Amount: The RBI plans to inject Rs 290,000 crore (approximately $32 billion) into the banking system over the next month.

2. Mechanisms:

   • Open Market Operations (OMO):
     • RBI will conduct purchase auctions of Government of India securities totaling Rs 200,000 crore in four tranches of Rs 50,00

Electoral Roll Revision in Tamil Nadu - Key Highlights

Overview:

• The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tamil Nadu resulted in the deletion of 97.4 lakh names.
• The total strength of electors after deletions is approximately 5.44 crore.

Concerns Raised:

• Claims by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) regarding **100% distribution of 6.41 crore enumeration

Key Points on Forest Economy and Environmental Concerns in Himachal Pradesh

Economic Valuation of Forests:

• Total forest wealth of Himachal Pradesh: ₹9.95 lakh crore.
• Annual economic value of forests: ₹3.20 lakh crore, breakdown includes:
  • Carbon sequestration: ₹1.65 lakh crore.
  • Ecosystem services: ₹68,941 crore.
  • Biodiversity value: ₹32,901 crore.
  • Wat

India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Summary:

Bilateral Trade Goals:

• Aim to double bilateral trade from $1.3 billion (2024-25) in the next five years.
• Concluded negotiations on the FTA expected to be signed within 2-3 months after legal reviews.

Key Highlights of the FTA:

• India will reduce tariffs on 95% of products exported from New Zealand.
• New Zealand will eliminat

Summary of Research on Nanoinjection Drug Delivery for Breast Cancer

Research Institutions Involved:

• Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)
• Monash University, Australia
• Deakin University, Australia

Key Developments:

• Development of a nanoinjection drug delivery platform aimed at breast cancer treatment, focusing on minimizing damage to healthy tissues.
• The platfo

Summary of the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G), 2025 Act

Constitutional References

• Article 21: Guarantees the right to life and has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to include the right to livelihood (Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation, 1985).
• 73rd Constitutional Amendment: MGNREGA reinforced panchayat raj institut

Exam-Focused Notes on India-Russia Relations

Key Events:

• India-Russia Annual Summit: Held on December 4-5, 2025, marking a significant engagement in the context of strained West-Russia relations.
• First Visit Post-Western Embargo: Vladimir Putin's visit is noted as significant, being his first to India since the Western embargo following the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

His

Historical Context and Significance of Diu

1. Strategic Importance:

   • Diu served as a vital coastal town in medieval India, critical for mercantile activities due to its location.

2. Conflict and Power Struggles:

   • In 1509, the town became the center of conflict when Portuguese forces attempted to seize it from a coalition of Ottomans, Mamluks, and the Sultan of Gujarat.

Summary of Key Points from U.S.-Ukraine-Russia Peace Negotiations

International Negotiations and Peace Proposal

• The U.S. has drafted proposals for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, addressing many of Ukraine’s demands as stated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Zelenskyy reported that "nearly 90%" of Ukraine's requests have been integrated into the proposal which consists of