Current Affairs, 25 February 2026

Seed source

Seed was bred artificially from wild brooders collected from the Ganga, to protect native genetic lines.

Species covered

Indian Major Carps, Mahseer, native catfishes, Chitala and freshwater scampi.

Inland capture fish output

India is the world's top producer of inland capture fish at 1.89 million tonnes, ahead of China.

ICAR-CIFRI

Established in March 1947 at Barrackpore, West Bengal; it is an ICAR institute for inland fisheries research.

Don’t confuse with River ranching vs cage culture: Ranching releases seed into open river waters to rebuild wild stocks. Cage culture grows fish in enclosures for production and profit.

Don’t confuse with ICAR-CIFRI vs NMCG: CIFRI is the ICAR research institute that carried out the ranching. NMCG is the body that runs Namami Gange.

Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.

1. 2015Mains GS3 · Q15Discuss Namami Gange and NMCG, causes of mixed results, and quantum leaps for Ganga.
2. 2018Mains GS1 · Q15Define blue revolution; explain problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Where NPG meets

The meeting was held at DPIIT, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

What NPG checks

Projects are checked for conformity with PM GatiShakti principles: integrated multimodal infrastructure, last-mile connectivity and a Whole of Government approach.

Manikpur–Itarsi

A third line of 518.532 km across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, linking northern and central India.

Silchar airport

A greenfield airport at Doloo, Silchar, Assam, proposed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, next to NH-27.

Surat Metro extension

A 4.4 km elevated extension of Corridor II from Saroli to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad HSR corridor, with three stations.

Don’t confuse with PM GatiShakti vs National Infrastructure Pipeline: GatiShakti is a planning and coordination platform for projects. The National Infrastructure Pipeline is a list of projects with investment estimates.

Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.

1. 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Discuss how Gati-Shakti needs government and private sector coordination for connectivity.
2. 2022Mains GS3 · Q1Explain why PPP is needed in infrastructure and its role in railway station redevelopment.
3. 2019Mains GS2 · Q17Examine how cross-sector cooperation and partnership drive India's development process.

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Conference

The conference was chaired by CEC Gyanesh Kumar. SECs of 30 States took part.

Resources to share

ECI proposed legally viable frameworks to share ECINET, EVMs, electoral rolls and the IIIDEM training infrastructure.

Law alignment

The declaration says ECI and SECs will work to align laws on Panchayat and Municipal elections with those on Parliament and State Legislature elections.

Follow-up

A State/UT-wise way forward is due to the Commission within three months.

Constitutional basis of SECs

Article 243K (Panchayats) and Article 243ZA (Municipalities) give the State Election Commission the power to supervise, direct and control local-body elections and prepare their electoral rolls. The Governor appoints the State Election Commissioner.

Don’t confuse with ECI vs State Election Commission: ECI (Article 324) conducts elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, President and Vice-President. The SEC (Articles 243K and 243ZA) conducts Panchayat and Municipal elections.

Don’t confuse with Chief Electoral Officer vs State Election Commissioner: The CEO is a State officer who works under the ECI's supervision for Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. The SEC is an independent constitutional authority for local bodies.

Laws, judgments and statutory bodies: 30 Prelims questions since 2013 (what the law says, who chairs, legal basis). In Mains, 44 news-triggered questions, most in GS2, asking for provisions and challenges.

1. 2022Mains GS2 · Q15Discuss the Election Commission of India's role through evolution of Model Code of Conduct
2. 2023Mains GS2 · Q3Comment on states' reluctance to empower urban local bodies functionally and financially
3. 2011Prelims Q11Which provisions the 73rd Amendment provides, including State Election Commissions conducting panchayat elections
4. 2017Prelims Q90Statements on Election Commission of India's composition, schedule-setting, and party split disputes

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.

Purpose

Him-CONNECT is meant to connect Himalayan researchers with start-ups, industry leaders, investors and policymakers.

Link to NMHS

The platform is to turn research supported under the National Mission on Himalayan Studies into solutions that can be implemented at scale.

India's climate goals

India's stated goals include 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, a 45% cut in emissions intensity of GDP from 2005 levels by 2030, and net-zero by 2070.

Global Stocktake

The first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement found the world is not on track to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Don’t confuse with NMHS vs Him-CONNECT: NMHS is the Ministry's mission that funds Himalayan research. Him-CONNECT is a platform to take that research to users and investors.

Don’t confuse with TERI vs MoEFCC: WSDS is organised by TERI, a research institute. Him-CONNECT is organised by the Ministry within the summit.

Environment: Prelims tests bodies, programmes and the law behind them; Mains asks why plans fall short.

1. 2019Mains GS1 · Q15How can mountain ecosystems be restored from development and tourism impacts?
2. 2017Mains GS3 · Q17How India, and its Himalayan and coastal states, will be affected by climate change.
3. 2014Mains GS1 · Q20Relationship between shrinking Himalayan glaciers and climate change symptoms in India.
4. 2026Prelims Q40Which is India's first Plan Vivo certified REDD+ project (includes Himalayan transboundary project)?

UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.