<\/span><\/h3>\nContext:<\/strong> A team of researchers using NASA\u2019s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Chandra X-ray observatory has discovered a bizarre black hole.<\/p>\nKey Facts<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- The newfound black hole, designated\u00a0LID-568,\u00a0is a\u00a0low-mass supermassive black hole\u00a0that existed just\u00a01.5 billion\u00a0years after the Big Bang.<\/li>\n
- The black hole was feeding on a surrounding cloud of matter at almost\u00a040-times greater\u00a0than what astro-physicists thought was the upper limit.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About Black Hole<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- A black hole is an\u00a0extremely dense object\u00a0whose gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it.<\/li>\n
- A black hole\u00a0does not have a surface, like a planet or star. Instead, it is a region of space where matter has collapsed in on itself.<\/li>\n
- This catastrophic collapse results in a huge amount of mass being concentrated in an incredibly small area.<\/li>\n
- A black hole is formed when a really massive star runs out of fuel to fuse, blows up, leaving its core to implode under its weight to form a black hole.<\/li>\n
- The center of a black hole is a\u00a0gravitational singularity,\u00a0a point where the general theory of relativity breaks down, i.e. where its predictions don\u2019t apply.<\/li>\n
- A black hole\u2019s great\u00a0gravitational pull emerges as if from the singularity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>Estimation and Measurement of India\u2019s Digital Economy<\/strong>: <\/strong>23 January 2025<\/span><\/h3>\nContext<\/strong>: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released a comprehensive report titled\u00a0\u2018Estimation and Measurement of India\u2019s Digital Economy\u2019.<\/p>\nAbout<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- The report uses globally adopted methodologies developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).<\/li>\n
- The report is an attempt to compile the\u00a0first set of credible, comprehensible, and current estimates of India\u2019s digital economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Major Highlights\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- India\u2019s digital economy\u00a0stood at 11.74% of the national income in 2022-23 and is likely to rise to 13.42% by 2024-25.<\/li>\n
- Growth:\u00a0India\u2019s digital economy is expected to\u00a0grow almost twice\u00a0as fast as the overall economy, contributing to nearly\u00a0one-fifth of national income by 2029-30.<\/li>\n
- In less than six-years, the share of the digital economy will become larger than that of agriculture or manufacturing in the country.<\/li>\n
- Employment Generation:\u00a0<\/strong>In 2022-23, the digital economy accounted for 14.67 million workers, or 2.55% of India\u2019s estimated work force.<\/li>\n
- India\u2019s digital economy is\u00a0steadily moving beyond the realm of the ICT\u00a0industries, diffusing across all parts of the economy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>Geographical Indication (GI) Tags<\/strong>: <\/strong>24 January 2025<\/span><\/h3>\nContext:<\/strong> The Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, set a target of reaching\u00a010,000 Geographical Indication (GI) Tags by 2030.<\/p>\nKey Facts<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- The number of GI tags\u00a0issued by the department till date stands at 605.<\/li>\n
- The number of authorized users for GI tags increased from 365 to 29000 and the number of patents granted increased from 6000 to 100000, in the last 10 years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About GI Tag<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- A geographical indication (GI) is a\u00a0sign used on products\u00a0that have a\u00a0specific geographical origin\u00a0and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.<\/li>\n
- GIs are part of the\u00a0intellectual property rights\u00a0that come under the\u00a0Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property.<\/li>\n
- GI\u00a0registration is administered by the\u00a0Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999.<\/li>\n
- Agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts, and industrial products.<\/li>\n
- For a period of 10 years,\u00a0it can be renewed from time to time for a further period of 10 years each.<\/li>\n
- The first GI tag in the country was given to the famous\u00a0Darjeeling tea.<\/li>\n
- Uttar Pradesh\u00a0retains its position as the state with the most GI-tagged products in India, reaching a total of 75.<\/li>\n
- Tamil Nadu\u00a0follows behind with 58 GI products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Benefits of GI Tag<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- It confers\u00a0legal protection\u00a0to Geographical Indications in India which in turn\u00a0boost exports.<\/li>\n
- Prevents\u00a0unauthorised use\u00a0of a Registered Geographical Indication by others.<\/li>\n
- It promotes\u00a0economic prosperity of producers\u00a0of goods produced in a geographical territory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>Deep Ocean Mission<\/strong>: <\/strong>24 January 2025<\/span><\/h3>\nContext:<\/strong> India is preparing to deploy its first human-operated underwater submersible as part of the\u00a0Deep Ocean Mission.<\/p>\nAbout Submersible\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- The submersible will initially operate at depths of up to 500 meters, with future plans to extend its reach to 6,000 meters.<\/li>\n
- It aims to explore underwater resources, enhance understanding of deep-sea ecosystems, and boost India\u2019s blue economy.<\/li>\n
- Key objectives include identifying critical minerals, rare metals, and new marine biodiversity, contributing to sustainable fisheries and conservation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About Deep Ocean Mission<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- The Deep Ocean Mission, launched on September 7, 2021, by the Ministry of Earth Sciences.<\/li>\n
- It is a Central Sector Scheme approved by the Cabinet.<\/li>\n
- A key project\u00a0under this mission,\u00a0Samudrayaan, focuses on developing the MATSYA 6000 manned submersible.<\/li>\n
- The mission also includes the deployment of the Ocean Mineral Explorer (OMe 6000), an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) used for deep-sea mineral exploration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>National Voters\u2019 Day<\/strong>: <\/strong>25 January 2025<\/span><\/h3>\nContext:<\/strong> India is observing the\u00a015th National Voters\u2019 Day\u00a0on\u00a0January 25, 2025, marking 75 years of the Election Commission of India\u2019s (ECI) dedicated service to the nation.<\/p>\nAbout National Voters\u2019 Day<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- Historical Background:\u00a0<\/strong>Established in 2011\u00a0to mark the foundation of the Election Commission of India (January 25, 1950).<\/li>\n
- 15th National Voters\u2019 Day (2025):\u00a0Theme:<\/strong>\u00a0\u201cNothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure\u201d<\/em>, emphasizing the critical role of voting in democracy.<\/li>\n
- Key Activities:<\/strong>\n
\n- Presentation of the\u00a0\u2018Best Electoral Practices Awards\u2019\u00a0to outstanding state and district officials.<\/li>\n
- Special initiatives to commemorate 75 years of the ECI, including:\n
\n- A\u00a0commemorative postal stamp.<\/li>\n
- A\u00a0nationwide essay competition\u00a0on\u00a0\u201cDemocracy and India\u2019s Future\u201d<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/span>Importance of National Voters\u2019 Day<\/strong>: <\/strong>25 January 2025<\/span><\/h3>\n\n- Promotes Voter Awareness:<\/strong> Educates citizens about their\u00a0right to vote\u00a0and the importance of participation in elections.<\/li>\n
- Reinforces the idea that\u00a0every vote matters.<\/li>\n
- Encourages Voter Registration:<\/strong> Focus on enrolling\u00a0first-time voters, especially young individuals.\n
\n- Provides Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to new voters.<\/li>\n
- All citizens aged\u00a018 or above\u00a0on January 1 of the concerned year, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, or gender, are eligible to vote.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Raises Electoral Literacy:<\/strong> Organizes campaigns to explain the\u00a0voting process\u00a0and the impact of every vote.<\/li>\n
- Honors Contributions:<\/strong> Recognizes individuals and organizations for spreading voter awareness and ensuring smooth electoral processes.<\/li>\n
- Strengthens Democracy:<\/strong> Encourages\u00a0active participation\u00a0to strengthen India\u2019s democratic fabric.<\/li>\n
- Digital Innovations:<\/strong> Enhanced use of\u00a0mobile apps\u00a0like the Voter Helpline App and initiatives like\u00a0Remote Voting Pilots\u00a0for migrant workers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
About Election Commission of India<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n- Constitutional Authority:<\/strong>\n
\n- Articles\u00a0324\u2013329\u00a0empower the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct elections for:<\/li>\n
- Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the offices of the\u00a0President and Vice President.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Composition:\u00a0<\/strong>Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners (ECs).<\/li>\n
- Appointment Process\u00a0(as per the 2023 Act):<\/strong>\n
\n- A\u00a0Search Committee, chaired by the Union Law Minister, prepares a panel of names.<\/li>\n
- The\u00a0Selection Committee\u00a0(Prime Minister, a Cabinet Minister, and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) finalizes the appointments.<\/li>\n
- Appointed by the\u00a0President of India.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Tenure:<\/strong> Six years or up to 65 years of age (whichever is earlier).<\/li>\n
- Removal:<\/strong> The CEC can only be removed like a judge of the Supreme Court.\n
\n- ECs can only be removed on the recommendation of the CEC.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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