• Total Budget: ₹12,014.91 crore (approximately ₹12,015 crore)
• Total New Stations: 13 (10 underground and 3 elevated)
• Funding: Central Government, Delhi Government, and international agencies

Three Major Corridors Approved:

• Ramakrishna Ashram Marg to Indraprastha (9.9 km): This corridor will provide direct connectivity to the 'Kartavya Path' and 'Central Vista' area. It will benefit approximately 60,000 government employees and 2 lakh tourists.
• Aerocity to IGI Airport Terminal-1 (2.26 km): This extension will better connect the domestic airport (T1) to the metro network via Aerocity.
• Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj (3.9 km): This route will help connect South Delhi areas like Saket, Chhatarpur, and Kalindi Kunj directly to the airport.
• Network Expansion: Upon completion of this phase, the total Delhi Metro network will cross the historic 400-kilometer mark.
• Pollution Reduction: It is estimated that this expansion will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by approximately 33,000 tons annually.
• Connectivity: It will provide an alternative and shorter route for those traveling between Noida and Gurugram.

Key Directives:

• 14,013 sq km in Rajasthan and 740 sq km in Gujarat declared as priority conservation areas.
• Ban on solar/wind projects larger than 2 MW in these areas; overhead power lines ordered to be laid underground.
• Energy companies directed to spend CSR funds on GIB conservation.

Great Indian Bustard:

• Scientific name: Ardeotis nigriceps
• State bird of Rajasthan
• Considered one of India's most critically endangered birds
• Considered a flagship species of grasslands

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix I
• Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS): Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule 1
• In June 2019, a conservation breeding facility was established in Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, by the MoEFCC, Government of Rajasthan, and the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).

• Under Article 243M(4)(b) of the Constitution, Parliament enacted the “Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996” (popularly known as the PESA Act) to extend the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution to Scheduled Areas with certain exceptions and modifications. Scheduled Areas are those areas declared by the Hon'ble President.
• Article 244(1) of the Constitution and the Fifth Schedule contain provisions relating to these areas.
• Since these areas are mentioned in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, they are also called Fifth Schedule Areas.
• Currently, areas covered under the Fifth Schedule are notified in 10 states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

• Event: The award was presented during the 6th edition of BW Legal World at a grand ceremony held in New Delhi.
• Selection Process: Shubham Awasthi was selected by a prestigious jury comprising senior legal experts, following a rigorous interview and evaluation process.
• Basis of the Award: He received this honour mainly for his impactful work in Public Interest Litigations (PILs), Constitutional Law, and Social Justice.
• About Shubham Awasthi:
• Humanitarian Role: Recently appointed as the Deputy Secretary General (India Chapter) of the London-based global organization World Humanitarian Drive (WHD).
• Global Representation: He was also in discussion for representing India at the “Trilateral Global Summit”, scheduled to be held in October 2025 at the British Parliament, London.

• In the second edition of the awards, Padma Vibhushan Professor Jayant Vishnu Narlikar was honoured posthumously with the Vigyan Ratna Award.
• Professor Jayant V. Narlikar was a renowned Indian astrophysicist and cosmologist.
• In the 1960s, he developed the Hoyle–Narlikar Theory, which sought to unify gravitation and matter creation, and proposed the concept of a steady-state universe.

Vigyan Shri Award:

• Eight scientists, including Dr. Yusuf Mohammad Sheikh, Jayan N., and Professor Mahan Maharaj, were conferred with the Vigyan Shri Award.

Vigyan Yuva – Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Category:

• Ankur Garg (ISRO)
• Professor Amit Kumar Agrawal (IIT Kanpur)
• Professor Arkaprava Basu (IISc Bengaluru)
• Vigyan Team Award: The Aroma Mission Team of CSIR received the Science Team Award.

• Historical Context: On December 24, 1986, the then President (Giani Zail Singh) approved the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
• This day is celebrated annually since 2000 to commemorate this historic moment.
• New Act: Although the basis is the 1986 law, considering the changing market over time (e-commerce), the government has now implemented the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, which has replaced the 1986 law.

6 Fundamental Rights of Consumers:

• Right to Safety: Protection against hazardous goods
• Right to Information: Right to know the quality, quantity, purity, and price of the goods
• Right to Choose: Right to choose from various options at competitive prices
• Right to be Heard: Consumer grievances should be considered at appropriate forums
• Right to Redressal: Right to seek compensation against unfair trade practices
• Right to Consumer Education: To acquire knowledge and skills to become an informed consumer

World Consumer Rights Day: March 15

LVM3-M6 / BlueBird Block-2 Mission:

• Launch Vehicle: LVM3-M6 (also known as the 'Bahubali' rocket)
• Satellite (Payload): BlueBird Block-2
• Satellite Weight: Approximately 6,100 kg (6.1 tons)
• Satellite Weight: Approximately 6,100 kg (6.1 tons)
• Manufacturer: AST SpaceMobile (USA)

Other Features:

• This is the heaviest commercial satellite ever launched by ISRO from Indian soil.
• The biggest feature of the 'BlueBird Block-2' satellite is that it will be able to connect directly to your regular smartphone (4G/5G) via a satellite network. No special satellite phone or large antenna will be required.
• This satellite is equipped with a 223 square meter 'phased array antenna', which is the largest commercial antenna ever deployed in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
• This is a major commercial agreement between NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) and the American company AST SpaceMobile.
• NewSpace India Limited is the commercial arm of ISRO.

The LVM3 rocket is a three-stage vehicle:

• S200: Two solid strap-on motors
• L110: Liquid core stage (Vikas Engine)
• C25: Cryogenic upper stage (the most powerful stage)

Vinod Kumar Shukla: Literary Journey and Major Achievements

Major Works:

• Novels: The Servant's Shirt (which was also adapted into a film by renowned director Mani Kaul), There Was a Window in the Wall, We'll See When It Blooms
• Poetry Collections: Everything Will Remain to Be, That Man Left Wearing a New Warm Coat Like a Thought, Almost Jai Hind
• Distinctive Style: "Living like a thought"

'Samudra Pratap':

• Type: Pollution Control Vessel (PCV)
• Manufacturer: Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL)
• Length: Approximately 114.5 meters
• Displacement: Approximately 4,170 tons
• Main Function: Preventing oil spills at sea and environmental protection

Key Features:

• Equipped with state-of-the-art containment booms and oil skimmers to remove oil from the sea surface.
• The vessel is equipped with advanced radar and sensors that can detect even minute levels of pollution in the sea.
• A medium-sized helicopter (such as the ALH Dhruv) can land on this vessel.
• It has been built under the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) initiative, with more than 70% of its components being Indian-made.

Indian Coast Guard:

• Established: 1977, Headquarters: New Delhi, Motto: "Vayam Rakshamah" (We Protect), Director General: Director General Paramesh Shivramani, 26th, Motto: "Vayam Rakshamah"
• Regional Commands: Western Region: Mumbai, Eastern Region: Chennai, North-Western Region: Gandhinagar, North-Eastern Region: Kolkata, Andaman & Nicobar Region: Port Blair

Key Features of the Akash-NG Missile:

• Type: Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
• Range: Approximately 40 to 80 kilometers
• Maximum Speed: 2.5 Mach (2.5 times the speed of sound)
• Propulsion: Dual Pulse Solid Rocket Motor
• Radar System: Advanced version of the indigenous 'Rajendra' radar and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) :

• Established: 1958
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Under: Ministry of Defence, Government of India
• Main Objective: To develop advanced defense technologies and systems for the Indian Armed Forces

• A superkilonova is produced by the merger of two neutron stars (one of which has a mass less than that of the Sun) within a supernova. A red glow, similar to a kilonova, was observed first, followed by a blue light, similar to a supernova.
• IIT Bombay's STAR Lab and IIA participated in the multi-wavelength observations. This event, located 1.3 billion light-years away, will help in understanding the formation of heavy elements (gold, platinum).

• Season 5 start: January 2026
• New management: ONO Media
• Key persons: Akhil Gupta (CEO) and Dayan Farooqui (Chairman)

• Theme/Inspiration: Traditional red and blue wrestling mat
• PWL CEO Akhil Gupta