UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 16 March 2026

Drawida vazhania

March 16, 2026

Drawida vazhania Latest News

A team of researchers recently identified a new earthworm species named Drawida vazhania from the Vazhani dam area of the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in the Thrissur district of Kerala.

About Drawida vazhania

It is a new species of earthworm.
It was discovered from the Vazhani Dam area of the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary in the Thrissur district of Kerala.
Belonging to the genus Drawida, which is naturally restricted to the south, southeast, and east asian region, it belongs to the family Moniligastridae.
D. vazhania, with a small body size, is a member of the Barwelli species group.
D. vazhania can be easily differentiated from other members of the Barwelli group by the presence of a grooved male genital field, a kidney- or bean-shaped prostate, a narrow tubular C-shaped prostatic capsule, and a distinct small sessile atrium on the body wall.
With the new finding, the total number of Drawida species reported from India and the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot has risen to 83 and 55, respectively.

Source: TH

Drawida vazhania FAQs

Q1: What is Drawida vazhania?

Ans: It is a newly discovered species of earthworm.

Q2: Where was Drawida vazhania discovered?

Ans: It was discovered near Vazhani Dam in the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary.

Q3: What is a notable physical characteristic of Drawida vazhania?

Ans: It has a small body size.

Q4: Which feature distinguishes Drawida vazhania from other members of the Barwelli group?

Ans: The presence of a grooved male genital field.

Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project

March 16, 2026

Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project Latest News

The Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the 120 MW Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project recently.

About Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project

It is a 120 MW run-of-river hydropower project planned on the Kopili River basin in Assam.
The project is situated in the West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao (also known as North Cachar Hills) Autonomous District Council (ADC) areas of Central Assam.
The project is being developed and currently owned by Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL).
It is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under its Assam Power Sector Investment Program.

Key Facts about Kopili River

It is an interstate river in Northeast India that flows through the states of Meghalaya and Assam.
It is the largest south bank tributary of the Brahmaputra in Assam.
Originating in the Meghalaya plateau, it flows through the districts of Karbi Anglong and Nagaon before merging with the Brahmaputra.
Its total length is 256 km, of which 78 km form the common border of Meghalaya and Assam and the remaining 178 km lie in Assam.

Source: SA

Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project FAQs

Q1: What is the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project?

Ans: It is a 120 MW run-of-river hydropower project planned on the Kopili River basin in Assam.

Q2: On which river basin is the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project planned?

Ans: The Kopili River basin.

Q3: Which international organization is funding the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project?

Ans: Asian Development Bank.

NMDC Limited

March 16, 2026

NMDC Limited Latest News

NMDC Limited has become the first mining company in India to produce 50 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore in a single financial year.

About NMDC Limited

NMDC Limited (formerly National Mineral Development Corporation) is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).
Incorporated in 1958, it is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel, Government of India.
Since inception, it has been involved in the exploration of a wide range of minerals, including iron ore, copper, rock phosphate, limestone, dolomite, gypsum, bentonite, magnesite, diamond, tin, tungsten, graphite, beach sands, etc.
It is India's largest iron ore producer and exporter, producing more than 45 million tonnes of iron ore from three mechanized mines in Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.
It also operates the only mechanized diamond mine in the country at Panna in Madhya Pradesh.
The company has been categorised by the Department of Public Enterprises as a "NAVRATNA" Public Sector Enterprise in 2008.
It has its registered office in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Source: DDN

NMDC Limited FAQs

Q1: What is NMDC Limited?

Ans: It is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) engaged in mineral exploration and production.

Q2: Under which ministry does NMDC Limited function?

Ans: The Ministry of Steel.

Q3: Which mineral is NMDC Limited the largest producer of in India?

Ans: Iron ore.

Q4: Where is India’s only mechanized diamond mine operated by NMDC located?

Ans: At Panna Diamond Mine.

United Nations Environment Programme

March 16, 2026

United Nations Environment Programme Latest News

Recently, in a new report, Safe disposal of unused medicines by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) warned that the improper disposal of medicines poses serious risks to both environmental and public health.

About United Nations Environment Programme

It is the leading global authority on the environment.
It was founded in 1972 after a UN General Assembly resolution.
Mandate: It was conceived to monitor the state of the environment and coordinate responses to the world’s greatest environmental challenges.
Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Structure

United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA): UNEA is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental issues, comprising all UN member states. It meets biennially to set global priorities, adopt resolutions, and guide UNEP’s overall policy direction.
Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR): It acts as the main advisory body to UNEA and helps in preparing its agenda.
Secretariat: The UNEP Secretariat, led by the Executive Director, implements UNEA decisions and oversees day-to-day operations.
Regional and Thematic Offices: UNEP functions through multiple regional offices in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe, Latin America, West Asia, and North America.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Functions

It develops and supports global environmental treaties, such as the CBD, CITES, and Minamata Convention.
Hosts secretariats of major environmental conventions and supports the negotiation of new environmental agreements.
It publishes authoritative research and assessments, including the Global Environment Outlook and Emissions Gap Report.
It supports developing countries with environmental capacity building, funding, and technical assistance.

Source: DTE

United Nations Environment Programme FAQs

Q1: Where is UNEP headquartered?

Ans: Nairobi

Q2: What is UNEP's primary goal?

Ans: To address global environmental issues

Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary

March 16, 2026

Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary Latest News

Recently, nine species were recently discovered during a faunal survey by Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) at Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary.

About Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary

Location: It is located in the state of Tamil Nadu.
This wildlife sanctuary serves as a buffer zone for the Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala, as it is situated on the border of Tamilnadu and Kerala.
It is home to a diverse variety of flora and fauna shrubs and evergreen forests to mammals.
Vegetation: It mainly consists of scrub forest (at the foothills) to dense evergreen forest and shola grasslands (at the top).
Flora: Banyan Tree, Syzygium zeylanicum, Nothopegia vajravelui, Memecylon flavescens, Symplocos oligandra, Symplocos wynadense, Meiogyne ramarowii,
Fauna: The sanctuary is home to elephants, tigers, leopards, Nilgiri tahr, gaurs, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar deer, wild boar, porcupine, Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque.
- The wood snake is endemic to the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary

Source: TOI

Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary FAQs

Q1: Where is the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary located?

Ans: Tamil Nadu

Q2: Which animals are found in the Megamalai Wildlife Sanctuary

Ans: Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Lion-tailed Macaque and Nilgiri Tahr etc

Jnanpith Award

March 16, 2026

Jnanpith Award Latest News

Recently, Tamil lyricist and author R. Vairamuthu has been selected for the Jnanpith Award for the year 2025.

About Jnanpith Award

It is the highest literary honour of India, given to writers who have excelled in literature in different Indian languages.
It was instituted in 1961.
Award: The prize carries a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, a bronze statuette of Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), and a citation.
It is sponsored by the cultural organization Bharatiya Jnanpith.
The first recipient of the award was Malayalam poet G. Sankara Kurup, who received the award in 1965 for his collection of poems Odakkuzhal.

Eligibility and Rules

It is given every year to an author for his/her outstanding contribution towards Indian literature through creative writing in any of the Indian languages mentioned in Schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution and English.
Only those creative writers who are alive and are Indian citizens, can be proposed for the Award.
A language which receives the award in a particular year is not eligible for consideration for the next two years.
A writer who receives the Award once will not be considered again.
The Award may not be given in a particular year if the Jnanpith Award Selection Board feels that there is no suitable name which comes up to the expected standard of the Award.

Source: TH

Jnanpith Award FAQs

Q1: What is the Jnanpith Award given for?

Ans: Outstanding contribution to Indian literature

Q2: Who was the first recipient of the Jnanpith Award?

Ans: G. Sankara Kurup,

Central Adoption Resource Authority

March 16, 2026

Central Adoption Resource Authority Latest News

The Central Adoption Resource Authority issued nationwide directions to strengthen adoption procedures, safeguard records and protect children’s identity.

About Central Adoption Resource Authority

It is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
Through Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act 2015), CARA attained the status of a statutory body.
Mandate: Primarily deals with the adoption of orphan, abandoned, and surrendered children through its associated/recognised adoption agencies.
It is designated as the Central Authority to deal with intercountry adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, 1993, ratified by the Government of India in 2003.
Headquarters: New Delhi.

Functions of Central Adoption Resource Authority

To promote In-country adoptions and to facilitate Inter-state adoptions in coordination with State Agency;
To regulate Inter-country adoptions;
To frame regulations on adoption and related matters from time to time as may be necessary;
To carry out the functions of the Central Authority under the Hague Convention on protection of Children and Cooperation in respect of Intercountry Adoption;
Any other function as may be prescribed.
It monitors and regulates bodies such as the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA), Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency (AFAA), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), and District Child Protective Units (DPUs)

Source: PIB

Central Adoption Resource Authority FAQs

Q1: What is CARA's primary role?

Ans: To oversee adoption processes in India

Q2: Under which ministry does CARA function?

Ans: Ministry of Women and Child Development

Great Indian Bustard

March 16, 2026

Great Indian Bustard Latest News

Recently, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed that Project Great Indian Bustard (GIB) has entered the fourth year of its captive breeding programme.

About Great Indian Bustard

It is a large terrestrial bird endemic to the Indian subcontinent.
Habitat: The bird is primarily found in dry grasslands and scrublands, which are rapidly declining due to agricultural expansion and development.
Distribution: Its core population survives in the Thar Desert, mainly in Jaisalmer and Barmer districts of Rajasthan.

Characteristics of Great Indian Bustard

It is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world.
It has a horizontal body posture, long bare legs, and resembles an ostrich in appearance.
Both sexes are similar in size, with the heaviest individuals reaching up to 15 kg (33 pounds).
Life Span: The bird has a lifespan of 12–15 years.
Diet: These birds are opportunist eaters. Their diet ranges widely depending on the seasonal availability of food. They feed on grass seeds, insects like grasshoppers and beetles, and sometimes even small rodents and reptiles.

Conservation Status of Great Indian Bustard

IUCN: Critically Endangered
CITES: Appendix 1
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule 1

Source: PIB

Great Indian Bustard FAQs

Q1: Which state in India has the largest population of Great Indian Bustards?

Ans: Rajasthan

Q2: What is the Great Indian Bustard's habitat?

Ans: Grasslands

Dimethyl Ether

March 16, 2026

Dimethyl Ether Latest News

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) in collaboration with a processing engineering partner is ready to scale up the Dimethyl Ether technology to an industrial scale demonstration.

About Dimethyl Ether

It is a synthetically produced alternative to diesel for use in specially designed compression ignition diesel engines.

Properties of Dimethyl Ether

It has a very high cetane number, which is a measure of the fuel’s ignitibility in compression ignition engines.
Under normal atmospheric conditions, DME is a colorless gas.
It burns cleaner, emitting minimal amounts of soot, nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and particulate matter.
Furthermore, DME exhibits thermal efficiency that is comparable to traditional fuels, making it a viable substitute
It can be a viable alternative fuel and engine technology to adapt to conventional diesel engines used in India’s economy’s agricultural and transport sectors.

Application of Dimethyl Ether

It is used extensively in the chemical industry and as an aerosol propellant.
It is used in chemical industries and also to produce dyes and plastics.

Source: IE

Dimethyl Ether FAQs

Q1: Why is DME considered an environmentally friendly fuel?

Ans: It is because DME contains low sulfur content.

Q2: What is the chemical formula of Dimethyl Ether?

Ans: CH3OCH3

Henckelia Monophylla

March 16, 2026

Henckelia Monophylla Latest News

Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India have rediscovered a rare plant Henckelia monophylla, native to Arunachal Pradesh after nearly 189 years.

About Henckelia Monophylla

It is a rare plant species endemic to Arunachal Pradesh.
It is a member of the Gesneriaceae family.
The plant was first collected in 1836 by British botanist William Griffith in the Mishmi Hills.
Habitat: It is a perennial herb that typically grows in moist, forested habitats.

Characteristics of Henckelia Monophylla

Plants in the Henckelia genus are usually characterised by upright or slightly trailing stems and simple leaves that are often ovate or lance-shaped.
The plants produce axillary inflorescences bearing one or several tubular or funnel-shaped flowers, often with delicate colouration.
Their fruits develop as elongated capsules containing numerous tiny seeds, enabling them to reproduce effectively in suitable ecological niches.

Key Facts about Botanical Survey of India

It is the apex taxonomic research organization of the country which is under the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.
It was established on 13thFebruary 1890 under the direction of Sir George King.
Mandate: The mandate of the organization has been broadened to biosystematics research, floristic studies, documentation, database of National Botanical collection, digitization of herbarium specimens etc.
Headquarter: Kolkata

Source: LM

Henckelia Monophylla FAQs

Q1: What is Henckelia Monophylla?

Ans: A species of flowering plant in the family Gesneriaceae

Q2: Where is Henckelia Monophylla primarily found?

Ans: Arunachal Pradesh, India