UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 15 June 2025

What is Rudrastra?

June 15, 2025

Rudrastra Latest News

India’s latest homegrown battlefield tech marvel Rudrastra was successfully tested by the Indian Army.

About Rudrastra

It is a hybrid Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drone developed by Solar Aerospace and Defence Limited (SDAL).

Features of Rudrastra

It can not only take off like a helicopter but also cruise like an aircraft, making it versatile and hard to spot.
The drone is equipped with smart warheads meant for anti-personnel roles, meaning it can target enemy soldiers and positions with high accuracy.
It can hit targets more than 50 km away.
In tests at the Pokhran range, it demonstrated a full range of 170 km and stayed in the air for nearly 90 minutes, relaying real-time video and returning on its own.
It even dropped an airburst munition that exploded low to the ground, damaging a wide area, perfect for enemy camps or artillery.
It’s meant for deep strikes, think enemy artillery guns or terrorist hideouts well inside hostile territory.
The drone can quietly sneak in, strike, and return, all without risking lives. It gives the Army a powerful “stand-off weapon” that works from a safe distance

Source: ET

Rudrastra FAQs

Q1: What is a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle?

Ans: Vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft have the capability to take off from a standstill, rise straight up, fly from one place to another, and then set down vertically again.

Q2: What is the difference between stand-off and stand-in weapons?

Ans: Typical stand-off weapons include cruise missiles, glide bombs and short-range ballistic missiles. Standoff missiles belong to the larger class of ranged weapons and are complemented by the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW), a missile with a shorter range that is fired by an aircraft after penetrating enemy airspace.

Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project

June 15, 2025

Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project Latest News

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister recently set a firm Nov 2026 deadline for the completion of the long-delayed Shongtong-Karcham hydroelectric project.

About Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project

It is a hydropower project, on the river Satluj in the Kinnaur District of Himachal Pradesh.
It is a run-of-river project.
Capacity: 3 × 150 MW Francis turbines, totaling 450 MW; produces 1,594 million units per year.
The gross head and net head of the project will be 128.57 m and 126.58 m respectively.
The total number of penstocks, pipes, or long channels that carry water down from the hydroelectric reservoir to the turbines inside the actual power station is expected to be 3 in number.
The penstock length will be 5.1 m. The project is expected to generate 1,593.93 GWh of electricity.
The project is being developed and currently owned by Himachal Pradesh Power.

Source: TOI

Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project FAQs

Q1: The Shongtong Karcham Project is located in which district of Himachal Pradesh?

Ans: Kinnaur

Q2: On which river is Shongtong Karcham hydropower project located?

Ans: Satluj River

Q3: What is the total installed capacity of the Shongtong Karcham Hydroelectric Project?

Ans: 450 MW

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY)

June 15, 2025

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana Latest News

Consumption of petroleum products, especially diesel and cooking gas in Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) Islands, has jumped in recent years, aided by Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

It is a flagship scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) launched in May 2016.
Objective: To make clean cooking fuel such as LPG available to the rural and deprived households which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes, etc.
Benefits:

- Rs. 1600 for a 14.2 kg cylinder or Rs. 1150 for a 5 kg cylinder.
- Additionally, All PMUY beneficiaries will be provided with their first LPG refill and stove (hot plate), both free of cost, along with their deposit-free connection.
- Priority would be given to the states which have lower LPG coverage (compared to the national average) as on 1st Jan 2016.

Eligibility: An adult woman belonging to a poor household and not having an LPG connection in her household will be eligible under UJJWALA 2.0. The beneficiaries should belong to any of the following categories:

- Eligible as per the SECC 2011 list

- Belongs to SC/ST households, be a beneficiary of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), Forest dwellers, Most Backward Classes (MBC), Tea and Ex-Tea Garden Tribes, People residing in river islands (Beneficiary will submit supporting document).
- If she is not falling in the above 2 categories, then she can stake her claim to be a beneficiary under a poor household by submitting a 14-point declaration (as per prescribed format).
Exclusions: Male members from a household cannot apply for the scheme.

Source: DH

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana FAQs

Q1: In which year was the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) launched?

Ans: 2016

Q2: The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana is implemented by which Ministry

Ans: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

Q3: What is the main objective of PMUY?

Ans: To provide clean cooking fuel (LPG) to rural and deprived households.

Sharda River

June 15, 2025

Sharda River Latest News

Four teenagers drowned after being swept away while bathing in the Sharda River recently.

About Key Facts about Sharda River

It is a river of northern India and western Nepal.
Course:

- It rises as the Kali River in far northern Uttarakhand state in the Great Himalayas on the eastern slopes of the Nanda Devi massif.
- The river then flows generally south-southwest, where it constitutes the border between Uttarakhand state and Nepal.
- Descending from the mountains, it enters the Indo-Gangetic Plain at Barmdeo Mandi (Nepal), widening there above the Sharda Barrage. Below that point it is known as the Sharda River.
- The Sharda then continues southeastward into India through northern Uttar Pradesh state before joining the Ghaghara River (a tributary of the Ganges) southwest of Bahraich, after a course of about 300 miles (480 km).
Its major tributaries are the Dhauliganga, Goriganga, and Sarju.
The Sharda Barrage (dam), near Banbasa (Uttarakhand), is the source of the Sharda Canal (completed 1930), one of the longest irrigation canals in northern India.

Source: TOI

Sharda River FAQs

Q1: Which river is known as the Sharda river?

Ans: The Sharda River is the name given to the Mahakali River in India.

Q2: The Sharda River originates in which Indian state?

Ans: Uttarakhand

Q3: The Sharda River forms the international boundary between India and which country?

Ans: Nepal

Servants of India Society

June 15, 2025

Servants of India Society Latest News

Tensions between the Pune-based Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics (GIPE) and parent Servants of India Society (SIS) have flared again, with both trading allegations over control of a key bank account.

About Servants of India Society

The Servants of India Society (SIS) was founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, along with G.K. Devadhar, A.V. Patwardhan, and N.A. Dravid, in Pune, Maharashtra, on June 12, 1905.
According to Gokhale, the society's objectives were to train individuals who were willing to devote their lives to the country's cause in a religious spirit, for political education and agitation and to promote the national interest of the Indian people through constitutional means.
The members of the society were considered as young missionaries of Indian nationalism.
Several young Indian nationalists, including V.S. Sreenivasa Sasthri, Hriday Nath Kunzru, and A.V. Thakkar, enrolled as a members of the SIS.
Members go through a five-year training period and agree to serve on extremely modest salaries.
In 1915 Gokhale was succeeded as president by Srinivasa Sastri (1869–1946).
The organization has its headquarters in Pune (Poona) and branches in Chennai (Madras), Mumbai (Bombay), Allahabad, Nagpur, and other locales.
Though the number of members has dwindled over time, the society has been influential in its demonstration of the ideals of social service.

Source: TOI

Servants of India Society FAQs

Q1: Who was the founder of the Servants of India Society?

Ans: Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Q2: What was the main aim of the Servants of India Society?

Ans: Political education and national service through constitutional means.

Q3: In which year was the Servants of India Society founded?

Ans: 1905

DNA Identification

June 15, 2025

DNA Identification Latest News

After the Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, authorities are using DNA analysis to identify the remains of those killed in the accident.

About DNA Identification

It is the gold standard for identifying human remains, especially after mass fatality events in which bodies might not be easy to identify otherwise.

Collection and Storing Samples of DNA

As soon as an individual dies, their DNA begins to degrade.
DNA survives much better in cold and dry conditions, than when it is hot and humid. Once collected, stored in as cool and dry an environment as possible.
DNA samples should be frozen at minus 20 degrees Celsius, or, in the case of soft tissues (skin, muscles, etc.), they may be stored in 95% ethanol.
DNA from soft tissues degrades much faster than that from hard tissues (bones and teeth).
This is because cells in hard tissues are largely protected from the effects of putrefaction and decomposition.

Methods to Analyse DNA Samples

Short Tandem Repeat (STR) Analysis

It evaluates short tandem repeats, which are essentially short repeating sequences of DNA.
STRs are used for DNA identification as they widely vary between individuals. “After analysing 15 or more of these hyper-variable regions of DNA… the resulting profile can be used to ascertain family relationships with a high degree of confidence,
STRs are typically found on nuclear DNA which is located within the nucleus of a cell.
Therefore, to carry out STR analysis it is essential that the nuclear DNA extracted from the sample is not degraded.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Analysis

It is used when nuclear DNA is degraded or unavailable.
Mitochondrial DNA is found within the cell’s energy-producing organelles known as mitochondria.
As mtDNA is present in multiple copies within the cell, it is easier to recover from human remains that are not well preserved.
This is used for identification because mtDNA is passed down by the mother, unchanged, to all her children.
This means that samples from a person’s remains can be matched with reference samples from their mother, maternal grandmother, sibling, maternal aunts or uncles, and distant relatives as long as they belong to the maternal line of inheritance.

Y Chromosome Analysis

Humans have two types of sex chromosomes, X and Y: biological males typically have one X and one Y chromosome, and biological females typically have two X chromosomes.
In this method, a panel of STR on Y chromosomes, passed on from father to son, is examined to match the remains of the victim with their male relatives.
“This can be useful when close relatives are not available for comparison: any member of the paternal line, including brothers, paternal uncles, and paternal male cousins, may be used for matching,”

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Analysis

It is used when the DNA to be analysed is highly degraded.
A SNP is a variation in the DNA sequence where a single base — A, C, G, or T — at a specific location differs among people.
Given that SNPs are unique to each person, they can be used for identification purposes with the help of reference samples taken from the victim’s personal belongings such as a toothbrush and hairbrush.

Source: IE

DNA Identification FAQs

Q1: Where is DNA found?

Ans: Most DNA is located in the cell nucleus (where it is called nuclear DNA), but a small amount of DNA can also be found in the mitochondria

Q2: What is the method of DNA identification?

Ans: The most common form of DNA analysis is called polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

PRASHAD Scheme

June 15, 2025

PRASHAD Scheme Latest News

After years of back and forth between the Karnataka government and the Centre, there is finally some progress on the development of Chamundi Hills under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD) scheme of the Central government.

About PRASHAD Scheme

The PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) was launched in the year 2014-2015 under the Ministry of Tourism.
It is a Central Sector Scheme with the objective of integrated development of identified pilgrimage destinations.
The primary objective of the scheme is to develop tourism infrastructure at pilgrimage and heritage sites, ensuring a more enriching experience for pilgrims and heritage enthusiasts.
Under the scheme, the ministry provides financial assistance to state governments and Union Territory administrations for the development of tourism infrastructure at these sites.
Additionally, the scheme incorporates voluntary contributions through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP).
The scheme aims at infrastructure development such as entry points (road, rail, and water transport), last-mile connectivity, basic tourism facilities like information/interpretation centers, ATMs/money exchange, eco-friendly modes of transport, area lighting and illumination with renewable sources of energy, parking, drinking water, toilets, cloakrooms, waiting rooms, first aid centers, craft bazaars/haats/souvenir shops/cafeterias, rain shelters, telecom facilities, internet connectivity, etc

Source: TH

PRASHAD Scheme FAQs

Q1: What does the acronym PRASHAD stand for?

Ans: Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive

Q2: In which year was the PRASHAD Scheme launched?

Ans: 2014-2015

Q3: Which ministry implements the PRASHAD Scheme?

Ans: Ministry of Tourism

Spartaeus Karigiri

June 15, 2025

Spartaeus Karigiri Latest News

Recently, a team of researchers has identified a new species of jumping spider and named it as Spartaeus karigiri.

About Spartaeus Karigiri

It is a jumping spider belonging to the Spartaeinae subfamily found in southern India.
It is for the first time that the genera Spartaeus and Sonoita (specific groups within subfamily), previously known only from Southeast Asia and Africa, have been found in India.
It is named after Karigiri, or Elephant Hill, in Devarayanadurga, Karnataka, where the spiders were first observed.

Features of Spartaeus Karigiri

It is known for its intelligent hunting skills and web-invasion tactics.
These species are known for their keen eyesight and unique hunting methods, often deceiving other spiders by mimicking prey.
With these findings, India’s spider fauna under the Spartaeinae subfamily has grown to 15 species across 10 genera.
In addition, Sonoita cf. lightfooti, a species previously thought to be confined to Africa, was also identified in Karnataka.

Source: TH

Spartaeus Karigiri FAQs

Q1: What are the characteristics of arachnids?

Ans: Arachnids have two body segments. They also have jointed legs and an exoskeleton. Arachnids have appendages with special uses and a free-flowing circulatory system.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

June 15, 2025

International Civil Aviation Organization Latest News

India was rated well above the global average in terms of its operations and airworthiness by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) when the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was last audited in November 2022.

About International Civil Aviation Organization

It is an intergovernmental specialized agency associated with the United Nations (UN).
It was established in 1947 by the Convention on International Civil Aviation (1944) known as Chicago Convention.
Headquarters: Montreal, Canada

Functions of International Civil Aviation Organization

It is dedicated to developing safe and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes and ensuring a reasonable opportunity for every state to operate international airlines.
It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security and facilitation, efficiency, and economic development of air transport as well as to improve the environmental performance of aviation.
It also serves as a clearinghouse for cooperation and discussion on civil aviation issues among its 193 member states.
It also promotes regional and international agreements aimed at liberalizing aviation markets.
It helps to establish legal standards to ensure that the growth of aviation does not compromise safety, and encourages the development of other aspects of international aviation law.

Source: IE

International Civil Aviation Organization FAQs

Q1: When was ICAO established?

Ans: 4 April 1947

Q2: Is India a member of ICAO?

Ans: India is one of the ICAO's founder members

Q3: What is the main goal of ICAO?

Ans: A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world