• Location and Collaboration: The center will be established at the National Skill Training Institute (NSTI) in Kanpur with the support of the French government.
• Main Objective: To provide world-class training in areas such as aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), defense manufacturing, and airport operations.
• PM-SETU Scheme: This ₹60,000 crore scheme aims to upgrade 1,000 ITIs in the country. In addition to Kanpur, Centers of Excellence are also proposed in Ludhiana, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bhubaneswar, tailored to regional industrial needs.
• Strategic Importance: This initiative is part of the India-France Year of Innovation, which will further deepen technological cooperation between the two countries.

PM-SETU:

• Full name: Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs
• Launch: October 4, 2025
• Type: Central Scheme
• Objective: To modernize 1,000 government ITI institutes across the country under a 200 hub and 800 spoke model, making 2 million youth employable in 5 years.

• The meeting was chaired virtually by Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, from the Indian side, and Steve Ainsworth, Divisional Manager, Bilateral Relations and Trade, from the New Zealand side.
• Key Crops: The main focus of the discussion was the development of kiwifruit and pipfruit (apples and pears). Kiwifruit has been identified as a 'priority crop' for India.
• Action Plans: The meeting agreed on the effective implementation of the 'Kiwifruit Action Plan' and 'Pipfruit Action Plan'.

Horticulture:

• Father: Liberty Hyde Bailey in the world; Dr. M.H. Marigowda in India

Major classifications (branches):

• Pomology: Cultivation of fruits
• Oleiculture: Cultivation of vegetables
• Floriculture: Cultivation of flowers and ornamental plants
• Arboriculture: Cultivation of trees and shrubs
• Horticulture is a major component of the agricultural sector in India, contributing over 33% to agricultural gross value added (GVA).

• Objective: To promote agricultural vocational training, strengthen farmer extension services, and build capacity in modern agricultural practices in rural India.
• Duration: The agreement is initially valid for 5 years.

Key Areas:

• Vocational Training: Developing curriculum aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) in agriculture and allied sectors.
• Lead Farmers Platform (LFP): To disseminate technology to the grassroots level using the DRF's 'Lead Farmers Platform' model.
• Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Promoting sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices through ICAR's scientific expertise.
• Target States: The program will be initially implemented in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):
• Nature: It is an autonomous body under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• Established: On July 16, 1929, on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Agriculture.
• Nodal Ministry: Agricultural Research and Education under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Department of Agriculture (DARE)
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Dr. Reddy's Foundation (DRF):

• A family trust established by the Dr. Reddy's family, it has been working since 1996 to create lasting impact in education, livelihoods, healthcare, and community development.
• Key programs: MITRA (rural livelihoods), SASHACT (girl child education), GROW (vocational training), and PHC (primary healthcare).
• In December 2025, DRF was recognized as an award-winning institution by NCVET.

• What it is: An open-source, end-to-end voice AI stack.
• Foundation: Developed and deployed on the infrastructure of India's national language platform, Bhashini.
• Objective: To make 'Voice' the most natural interface for technology, enabling citizens to access government services by speaking their local language. It is designed to understand the nuances of over 700 dialects.
• Development: Led by the Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD), developed in collaboration with EkStep Foundation, AI4Bharat, and IIIT Hyderabad (COSS).

• Goal and Scope: Under this scheme, digital entrepreneurs will be selected across 8,000 Nyay Panchayats in Uttar Pradesh.
• Priority for Women: 50 percent of the scheme's beneficiaries will be women, hailing from the same local area.
• Financial Assistance: Selected entrepreneurs will be provided with an interest-free loan of ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh to start a business.
• This initiative is part of the government's broader goal of transforming youth from "job seekers" to "job creators," for which a provision of ₹1,000 crore has also been made in the budget under the Chief Minister's Youth Entrepreneur Development Campaign.

• Donald Trump stated that after the Supreme Court struck down several of his original tariff proposals, he would impose a new global 10 percent tariff using alternative laws.
• Prior to this announcement, India and the US had an interim trade agreement that set the tariff at 18%. According to White House officials, this rate will now be reduced to 10%.

• Capacity: 8 exaflops, making it one of the fastest AI supercomputing systems in India.
• Partnerships: G42, Cerebras, C-DAC, and Mohammed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI)
• This announcement follows the fifth India-UAE Strategic Dialogue held in December 2025 and the visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in January 2026.

• Continent: South America
• Capital: Caracas
• Official Language: Spanish
• Currency: Venezuelan Bolivar
• Borders: East – Guyana, West – Colombia, South – Brazil, North – Caribbean Sea
• The world's highest waterfall, Angel Falls, is located here.
• Lake Maracaibo is one of the largest lakes in South America.

• South America's largest (5th in the world) and Portuguese-speaking country, famous for the Amazon rainforest ("the lungs of the Earth") and major industrial cities such as São Paulo.
• Capital: Brasilia
• Largest city: São Paulo
• Official language: Portuguese
• Currency: Brazilian Real
• President: Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

• Book Subject: This book is a biography of the great 19th-century social reformer and spiritual leader Sri Narayana Guru, who fought against caste discrimination and preached the message of "One Caste, One Religion, One God."
• Publisher: Aleph Book Company
• Other Releases: Previously, a version of this book was also released during the Sivagiri pilgrimage in Kerala in December 2025.

Other Famous Books by Dr. Shashi Tharoor:

• An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India: He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2019 for this book. It analyzes the negative effects of British rule on India.
• Why I Am a Hindu: In this book, Tharoor discusses in detail his personal attachment to Hinduism and its inclusive nature.
• Pax Indica: This book focuses on India's foreign policy and international relations in the 21st century.
• India: From Midnight to the Millennium: Describes the development and challenges of post-independence India.
• Nehru: The Invention of India: A brief biography of India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.

1. Coal (Weight: 10.33%)

• Production increased by 3.1% in January 2026 compared to January 2025.
• The cumulative index for April-January 2025-26 decreased by 0.3% from the same period last year.

2. Crude Oil (Weight: 8.98%)

• Production decreased by 5.8% (YoY) in January 2026.
• The cumulative index was down by 2.1%.

3. Natural Gas (Weight: 6.88%)

• Production decreased by 5.0% in January 2026.
• The cumulative index was down by 3.4%.

4. Petroleum Refinery Products (Weight: 28.04%)

• The index remained almost stable at 147.2 (provisional) in January 2026 (no change YoY).
• The cumulative index increased by 0.1%.

5. Fertilizers (Weight: 2.63%)

• Production increased by 3.7% in January 2026.
• The cumulative index increased by 1.9%.

6. Steel (Weight: 17.92%)

• Production increased by 9.9% in January 2026.
• The cumulative index increased by 9.8%.

7. Cement (weight: 5.37%)

• Production increased by 10.7% in January 2026.
• Cumulative index increased by 9.1%.

8. Electricity (weight: 19.85%)

• Production increased by 3.8% in January 2026.
• Cumulative index increased by 0.8%.

• Sago is made from tapioca roots and is a staple food in many parts of India.
• SAGOSERVE, under the Tamil Nadu government, received GI registration for Salem Sago in March 2023.
• Traditionally, Salem Sago has been supplied to traders in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and West Bengal and exported to countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Vietnam, and Singapore.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA):

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Established: Effective February 13, 1986, under the Agricultural and Processed Products Export Development Authority Act, 1985, passed by Parliament
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Form: Statutory Body
• The 'BHARATI' (Bharat's Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement) initiative launched by APEDA will provide technical and operational support to 100 startups to boost India's agri-food exports to $50 billion by 2030.

• Theme: Indian Ocean Region: Addressing Emerging Maritime Challenges - Progressive Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats
• Organizer: Indian Navy
• Participants: Naval Chiefs and senior representatives from 14 countries in the Indian Ocean region
• Chief Guest: Minister of State for Defence Shri Sanjay Seth
• Host: Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi
• Key Points of Discussion: The conference focused on maritime security, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal fishing (IUU fishing), and other challenges affecting regional stability.

Indian Ocean Region:

• The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is the world's third largest ocean, covering approximately 20% of the Earth's surface.
• Borders: It is bordered by Asia (India, Pakistan, Iran) to the north, Africa to the west, Australia to the east, and the Southern Ocean to the south.
• Major Islands: Madagascar, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands.
• Approximately 70% of the world's container traffic and 80% of maritime oil trade passes through this ocean.
• Narrow passages such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Malacca, and the Bab-el-Mandeb are considered "lifelines" for global energy security.

• National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST):
• A constitutional body established under Article 338A of the Constitution of India (inserted by the 89th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003), active since 2004.
• Main Functions: To protect the socio-economic, educational, and cultural interests of Scheduled Tribes (STs), prevent exploitation against them, and monitor their constitutional rights.
• Composition: A Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and three other members (total of five), appointed by the President.
• Tenure: The Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and members serve a three-year term, and are eligible for a maximum of two terms.
• Membership Required: At least one woman member and a majority of members, including the Chairperson/Vice-Chairperson, must be from the ST community.
• Power: The Commission has the powers of a civil court and can investigate complaints.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Provisions Relating to Scheduled Tribes in India:

• In India, Scheduled Tribes (STs) are those tribes specified by the President under Article 342 of the Constitution. is
• Special administrative provisions are contained in the Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule.
• Definition (Article 366(25)): It defines the Scheduled Tribes notified under Article 342.
• Administration (Articles 244 and 244A): Providing for Tribal Advisory Councils in 10 states under the Fifth Schedule and Autonomous District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram under the Sixth Schedule.
• Educational and Economic (Article 46): Directs the State to promote the educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
• Political Reservation (Articles 330, 332, and 243): Reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha (Article 330), State Legislative Assemblies (Article 332), and Panchayats (Article 243).
• Employment (Article 16(4A)): Providing for reservation in promotions.
• Forest Rights Act, 2006: Recognizes the rights of traditional forest dwellers.
• PESA Act, 1996: Empowers Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas.
• National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC): Works for tribal economic upliftment

• Declared by UNESCO in 1999, it aims to commemorate the martyrs of the 1952 Bangladeshi Language Movement and preserve linguistic heritage.
• Historical Background: On February 21, 1952, police opened fire on students in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) who were fighting for official recognition of the Bengali language.
• Declaration: Declared by UNESCO in 1999, and recognized by the United Nations since 2000.

• Organized by: Jammu Tourism Directorate in collaboration with the Doda District Administration
• Venue: On the challenging waves of the Chenab River at Shibnote (Thathri), Doda
• Rafting:
• Rafting, also known as whitewater rafting, is a thrilling adventure sport in which a special inflatable boat (raft) is used to navigate through the strong currents and rapids of a river.

Main Grades:

• Grade 1 (Very Easy): Calm water and very small waves. Suitable for first-time rafters.
• Grade 2 (Easy): Clear paths and medium-sized waves.
• Grade 3 (Moderate): High and irregular waves, requiring skill to handle the raft.
• Grade 4 (Difficult): Long and difficult currents, possibly with large rocks and narrow passages.
• Grade 5 (Extremely Difficult): Very dangerous and long currents, for experts only.

Popular rafting destinations in India:

• Rishikesh (Ganges River): The rafting capital of India, many operators like Rafting In Rishikesh offer packages of various distances (12km, 16km, etc.).
• Kullu-Manali (Beas River): Organizations like Arctic Adventure offer challenging rafting up to 14km.
• Doda, Jammu and Kashmir (Chenab River): Recently, championships like the "Ultimate River Battle" were held here.
• Kolad (Kundalika River): Famous for year-round rafting in Maharashtra.
• National Governing Body: Indian Rafting Foundation

International Governing Body:

• International Rafting Federation (IRF): Established in 1997, it is considered the world's official governing body for rafting. It organizes World Championships (WRC) and sets globally recognized certification standards for raft guides.
• World Rafting Federation (WRF): This organization focuses exclusively on sport rafting and international competitions. The International Canoe Federation (ICF) has recognized it as an associate member.