UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 24 June 2025

Dravidogecko Coonoor

June 24, 2025

Dravidogecko Coonoor Latest News

Recently, a new species of gecko, believed to be present only around Coonoor, has been discovered in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.

About Dravidogecko Coonoor

It is the new species of gecko discovered in Coonoor Hills of the Upper Nilgiris, Western Ghats, India.
Habitat: It is found in a matrix of montane forests and monoculture plantations amidst human habitations.
It is noted in both urban as well as natural habitats, including the walls of a building, on the branches of plants, and in tree bark and wall crevices.
It is the only species of gecko endemic to the high elevation regions of the Western Ghats.
Following the discovery of the new gecko species in Coonoor, the number of Dravidogecko species found across the Western Ghats now stands at nine.

What is Gecko?

These are reptiles and are found on all the continents except Antarctica.
These colorful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
These are mostly small, usually nocturnal reptiles.
Geckos are spread across six families: Carphodactylidae, Diplodactylidae, Eublepharidae, Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae, and Sphaerodactylidae.

Source: TH

Dravidogecko Coonoor FAQs

Q1: What is a reptile?

Ans: Reptiles are a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates characterized by their keratinous epidermal scales.

Q2: Where are the Western Ghats located?

Ans: A chain of mountains running parallel to India's western coast, approximately 30-50 km inland, the Ghats traverse the States of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Estimates Committee of Parliament

June 24, 2025

Estimates Committee Latest News

The Lok Sabha Speaker recently inaugurated the national conference marking the platinum jubilee of the Parliamentary Estimates Committee in Mumbai’s Vidhan Bhavan complex.

About Estimates Committee

It was constituted for the first time in 1950.
It is a parliamentary committee consisting of 30 members, elected every year by the Lok Sabha from amongst its members, to examine the budget estimates of the Union Government.
The Chairperson of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst its members.
A Minister cannot be elected as a member of the Committee and if a member after selection to the Committee is appointed a Minister, the member ceases to be a Member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
The term of office of the Committee is one year.

Estimates Committee Functions

It has powers to examine the budget estimates and
- to report what economies, improvements in organisation, efficiency, or administrative reform, consistent with the policy underlying the estimates, may be effected;
- to suggest alternative policies in order to bring about efficiency and economy in administration;
- to examine whether the money is well laid out within the limits of the policy implied in the estimates; and
- to suggest the form in which the estimates shall be presented to Parliament.
The Committee may continue the examination of the estimates from time to time throughout the financial year and report to the House as its examination proceeds.
It shall not be incumbent on the Committee to examine the entire estimates of any one year.
The Demands for Grants may be finally voted on notwithstanding the fact that the Committee has made no report.
The Committee does not exercise its functions in relation to such Public Undertakings as are allotted to the Committee on Public Undertakings by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha or by the Speaker.

Estimates Committee Working

Soon after it is constituted, the Committee selects such of the estimates pertaining to a Ministry/Department of the Central Government or such of the statutory and other bodies of the Central Government as may seem fit to the Committee.
The Committee also examines matters of special interest which may arise or come to light in the course of its work or which are specially referred to it by the House or the Speaker.
The Committee, from time to time, appoints one or more Sub-Committees/Study Groups for carrying out detailed examinations of various subjects.
The observations/recommendations of the Committee are embodied in its Reports which are presented to Lok Sabha.
The Ministry or Department concerned is required to take action on the observations/recommendations conclusions contained in the Report within a period of six months or as directed by the Committee.
The replies of the Government are examined by the Committee and an Action Taken Report is presented to Lok Sabha.
The replies to the recommendations contained in the Action Taken Reports are laid on the Table of Lok Sabha in the form of Statements.

Source: IE

Estimates Committee FAQs

Q1: In which year was the Estimates Committee of Parliament first constituted?

Ans: 1950

Q2: How many members are there in the Estimates Committee?

Ans: 30

Q3: Who appoints the Chairperson of the Estimates Committee?

Ans: Speaker of Lok Sabha

Q4: What is the term of office of the Estimates Committee?

Ans: 1 year

Q5: Can the Estimates Committee examine the entire budget estimates of a year?

Ans: No, it is not required to examine the entire estimates.

Operation Midnight Hammer

June 24, 2025

Operation Midnight Hammer Latest News

The operation that the US launched on Iran was named Operation Midnight Hammer, the Pentagon announced recently.

About Operation Midnight Hammer

It is the codename for a covert U.S.–led military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities carried out around midnight on June 21–22, 2025.
It aimed to cripple Iran's nuclear program.
The coordinated assault involved over 125 military aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, the deployment of 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, and more than 30 Tomahawk missiles launched from US submarines in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.
This attack was the first time that the United States used its largest bunker-busting bomb, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), in an operational conflict.
Targeted Sites:
- The operation targeted two uranium enrichment facilities at Fordow and Natanz and one facility at Isfahan, which conducts several activities related to Iran’s nuclear program.
- Natanz and Fordow are the only operational enrichment facilities in Iran.
- The US attacked Natanz and Fordow with B-2 bombers equipped with MOPs and only attacked Isfahan with Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Why is Fordow so important?

Located deep within a mountain 29 kilometers north of the Iranian city of Qom, the Fordow uranium enrichment facility stands as a highly protected and strategically central site within Iran’s nuclear program.
Its subterranean placement provides significant protection against potential aerial bombardment, a design choice indicative of its critical role.
The facility is approximately 54,000 square feet and is believed to house 3,000 centrifuges.
Under the terms of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Iran was explicitly prohibited from conducting enrichment activities at Fordow.
However, following the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement in 2018 during the first Trump administration, Iran resumed enrichment activities at the site.

Source: TOI

Operation Midnight Hammer FAQs

Q1: What was the main objective of Operation Midnight Hammer?

Ans: Disabling Iran's nuclear enrichment facilities.

Q2: Which advanced U.S. aircraft was used to drop bunker-buster bombs during the operation?

Ans: B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber

Q3: Which massive bunker-busting bomb was used for the first time in Operation Midnight Hammer?

Ans: GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)

Q4: Why is the Fordow nuclear facility considered strategically important?

Ans: It is located deep within a mountain, making it highly protected.

India’s First Off-Grid Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant

June 24, 2025

Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant Latest News

Adani Group recently commissioned India's first off-grid 5-megawatt green hydrogen pilot plant in Kutch, Gujarat.

About India's First Off-Grid Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant

Location: Kutch, Gujarat
It is a 5 MW green hydrogen plant developed by Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL), the clean energy arm of Adani Enterprises Ltd.
- An off-grid green hydrogen plant is a facility that produces hydrogen using electrolysis powered by renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, and is not connected to the main electrical grid.
- This means the plant relies entirely on its own renewable energy generation for the hydrogen production process.
The ANIL plant is fully powered by solar energy and works with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), which enables it to operate completely off-grid.
It features a fully automated and controlled electrolyser system, which is designed to respond to real-time renewable energy inputs.
- This provision, also known as a closed-loop system, aids in flexibility of operations, particularly in addressing the shifting nature of solar power, while ensuring efficiency, safety, and performance.
The initiative is aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), a flagship Government of India programme that aims to reduce import dependence, improve energy self-sufficiency, and ramp up decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries, all in fulfilment of India's Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Source: TH

Green Hydrogen Pilot Plant FAQs

Q1: Where is India’s first off-grid green hydrogen pilot plant located?

Ans: Kutch, Gujarat

Q2: Which company developed India’s first off-grid green hydrogen pilot plant?

Ans: Adani New Industries Limited (ANIL)

Q3: What powers the off-grid green hydrogen plant in Kutch?

Ans: Solar energy with battery storage.

Q4: What technology is used at the plant to produce green hydrogen?

Ans: Electrolysis using renewable energy.

Evaporative Demand

June 24, 2025

Evaporative Demand Latest News

The rising evaporative demand in India is exposing significant gaps in the country’s climate data and research.

About Evaporative Demand

Evaporative demand is a measure of how thirsty the atmosphere is.
It determines the near-maximum of how much water will evaporate from a given piece of land if sufficient water is available.
It does not necessarily relate to actual evaporation rate, as if there is little water supply there can only be a small evaporation rate, no matter how large the demand.
It is driven by atmospheric factors including temperature, wind speed, humidity and cloud cover.
Periods of high evaporative demand are connected to droughts and increased fire danger.
Tracking extended periods with above normal evaporative demand can be a useful way to detect drought onset, drought intensification, and elevated fire danger.
Above normal temperatures, clear skies, and wind speed, and below normal humidity all drive evaporative demand up and lead to quicker drying at the surface.
Soil moisture is reduced which leads to less water available for plants and vegetation becomes stressed and more flammable.
When extended periods of below normal precipitation overlap with extended periods of above normal evaporative demand fuels become critically dry favoring rapidly spreading wildfires.

What is a Thirstwave?

It denotes three or more contiguous days of intense evaporative demand.
While heat waves are caused by particular temperature and wind patterns, a thirstwave is the product of temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed.
When temperatures rise, the consequences include more heat as well as the mechanics of water exchange between land and atmosphere, which in turn alters humidity, wind, and solar radiation.
In a warming world, the researchers found that thirstwaves have grown more intense, are more frequent, and are lasting longer.

Source: TH

Evaporative Demand FAQs

Q1: What does evaporative demand mean?

Ans: Evaporative demand is a measure of the extent to which the environ- ment is 'trying' to evaporate water

Q2: What atmospheric condition causes increased evaporative demand?

Ans: Above-normal temperatures

Q3: What does high evaporative demand indicate about surface moisture?

Ans: The surface is drying faster.

Q4: What is the relationship between evaporative demand and droughts?

Ans: High evaporative demand contributes to drought onset and intensification.

Q5: What impact does high evaporative demand have on vegetation?

Ans: Makes vegetation more flammable.

Sustainable Development Report 2025

June 24, 2025

Sustainable Development Report 2025 Latest News

India ranks 99th on the 2025 SDG Index with a score of 67 in recently released Sustainable Development Report 2025.

About Sustainable Development Report 2025

It reviews progress made each year on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption by the 193 UN Member States in 2015.
It is published by the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Also Read: Sustainable Development Report 2024

Highlights of the Sustainable Development Report 2025

India has for the first time secured a place among the top 100 out of 193 countries ranked for their progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The SDG progress has stalled at the global level, with only 17 per cent of the 17 targets adopted by the U.N. member countries in 2015 projected to be achieved by 2030.
It is said that conflicts, structural vulnerabilities and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world.
European countries, especially the Nordic nations, continue to top the SDG Index, with Finland ranking first, Sweden second and Denmark third.
Many European countries face significant challenges including those related to climate and biodiversity, largely due to unsustainable consumption.
East and South Asia have outperformed all other global regions in terms of SDG progress since 2015 largely due to rapid socioeconomic development.
Most UN member states have made strong progress on targets related to access to basic services and infrastructure, including mobile broadband use (SDG 9), access to electricity (SDG 7), internet use (SDG 9), under-five mortality rate (SDG 3) and neonatal mortality (SDG 3).
Five targets show significant reversals in progress since 2015. These are obesity rate (SDG 2), press freedom (SDG 16), sustainable nitrogen management (SDG 2), the Red List Index (SDG 15) and the Corruption Perceptions Index (SDG 16).
The report said the top three countries most committed to the UN multilateralism are Barbados (1), Jamaica (2) and Trinidad and Tobago (3).
Among G20 nations, Brazil (25) ranks highest, while Chile (7) leads among OECD countries.

Source: TH

Sustainable Development Report 2025 FAQs

Q1: What is the main content of the sustainable development Report?

Ans: The report assesses the progress of all 193 UN Member States on the SDGs.

Q2: What is the main concept of sustainable development?

Ans: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Ambubachi Mela

June 24, 2025

Ambubachi Mela Latest News

Thousands of devotees have arrived in Assam for the Kamakhya Temple’s annual Ambubachi Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in Northast India.

About Ambubachi Mela

The Ambubachi festival is held during the monsoon, generally in June at the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam.
It is a shrine to the Goddess Kamakhya and one of the most important centres of Tantrik Shaktism.
The period of Ambubachi is believed to be the period of the goddess’s annual menstruation, and the shrine is closed for this.
At the end of the period, the shrine’s doors are opened ceremonially and devotees flock for darshan of the deity.
The festival is associated with fertility, with the onset of monsoon, and the common historical association across cultures of the Earth as a fertile woman. The name ‘Ambubachi’ itself translates to water flowing.

Key Facts About the Kamakhya Temple

It is situated on Nilachal Hill and adjoining the southern bank of the Brahmaputra River.
It is one of the most revered centres of Tantric practices. It is regarded as one of the oldest of the 51 Shakti Peethas in India.

Temple Architecture of Kamakhya Temple

It had been modelled out of a combination of two different styles namely, the traditional nagara and Saracenic or Mughal style of architecture.
This unusual combination has been named the Nilachala Style of Architecture.
This is the only temple of Assam having a fully developed ground plan.
It consists of five chambers, garbhagriha, antarala, Jagan Mohan, bhogmandir and natmandir or opera hall for performing traditional dance and music associated with sukti temples.
It is interesting to note that the superstructure of each of the above chambers exhibits different architectural features.
The main temple contains a modified Saracenic dome, the antarala carries a two-roofed design, the bhogmandir with five domes similar in appearance to the main temple and the natmandir having a shell-roof with apsidal end similar to some of the impermanent namghars or prayer halls found in Assam.

Source: IE

Ambubachi Mela FAQs

Q1: Who built the Kamakhya Temple?

Ans: The temple was erected by the Koch king Naranarayan in 1565.

Q2: Is Kamakhya a tantric temple?

Ans: Kamakhya Temples' Complex is widely recognized as the birthplace of a unique stream of Shakta Tantrism, the Kulachara Tantra Marga.