UPSC Prelims Current Affairs for 5 June 2026

Screw Pine

June 5, 2026

Screw Pine Latest News

Recently, it was observed that farmers in Odisha’s Ganjam district have switched from paddy to kewra cultivation or Screw Pine cultivation due to repeated crop raids by wild boars.

About Screw Pine

The Screw Pine or kewra or kewda plant (pandanus odorifer) is a small branched tree or shrub.
It is a common species of the family Pandanaceae.
It is a monocot, more closely related to grasses and palms than to conifers.
It grows naturally in tropical coastal environments.
Appearance
- It is a small, slender, branching tree with a flexuous trunk supported by brace roots.
- With rosettes of long-pointed, stiffly leathery, spiny, bluish-green, fragrant leaves.
- It is known for its distinctive prop roots and long, narrow leaves.
Distribution: It is found wild in southern India, Burma and the Andamans.
- It grows abundantly in the coastal regions of Orissa, especially along the Ganjam coast between Rushikulya river to the north and Bahuda river to the south.
Required Climatic Conditions
- Climate: It requires bright, direct sunlight and thrives in warm, humid conditions.
- Soil: It prefers loamy soil that is rich in organic matter and retains moisture well.
- Rain: Moderate rainfall (1,500–2,000 mm annually)
Applications

- It is widely used to flavour food, in the aromatic, perfumery and cosmetics industry as well as in Ayurvedic medicines.
- The flowers (only male) are used to extract fragrance/oil.
- The leaves of the plant are used to make mats, baskets and bags.
Ecological Significance: It plays a vital role in stabilising shorelines and supporting biodiversity — making it a keystone species in Indian coastal ecosystems.

Source: DTE

Screw Pine FAQs

Q1: Which species of Screw Pine is most important commercially for Kewda oil extraction?

Ans: Pandanus odorifer syn. Pandanus fascicularis - main source of Kewda oil/attar in India

Q2: What is an important ecological role of Screw Pine in coastal areas ?

Ans: Dense thickets with prop roots stabilize dunes, prevent coastal erosion, act as bio-shield

National Awards for e-Governance

June 5, 2026

National Awards for e-Governance Latest News

Recently, the Union government named 16 projects of the Central, state and local governments across the country as the winners of the National Awards for e-Governance.

About National Awards for e-Governance

NAeG are presented every year to recognize and promote excellence in implementation of e-Governance initiatives.
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
The NAeG Awards, 2026 consist of:
- Trophy, Certificate and an incentive of Rs 10 lakh for Gold Awardees and Rs 5 lakh for Silver Awardees to be awarded to Central Ministry/Department/State/UT/ District/Organisation/Gram Panchayat for being utilised for implementation of project/programme or bridging resources gaps in any area of public welfare.
This year 16 Awards are being conferred under the NAeG 2026. Of these 10 will be Gold Awards and 6 will be silver Awards.
The seven categories for the NAeG 2026, are

- Government Process Re-engineering by Use of Technology for Digital Transformation
- Innovation by Use of AI and Other New Age Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services
- Best e-Gov Practices/Innovation in Cyber Security
- District Level Initiatives in e-Governance
- Grassroots Level Initiatives by Gram Panchayats or equivalent Traditional Local Bodies for Deepening/Widening of Service Delivery
- Replication and Scaling of Nationally Awarded and Mission-Mode e-Governance Projects by States/UTs/Districts,
- Digital transformation by Use of Data Analytics in Digital Platforms by Central Ministries/States/UTs.

Source: PIB

National Awards for e-Governance FAQs

Q1: The National Awards for e-Governance were instituted in which year?

Ans: Instituted in 2003 to recognize and promote excellence in e-Governance

Q2: National Awards for e-Governance are presented by which Ministry/Department?

Ans: DARPG, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions presents NAeG

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority

June 5, 2026

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Latest News

Recently, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated the flagging off of the first-ever sea shipment of botanical-infused ready-to-cook millet functional foods from Karnataka to New Zealand.

About Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority

It is a statutory body established by the Government of India under the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority Act in December, 1985.
Nodal Ministry: It works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Objective: To develop and promote the export of scheduled products.
APEDA is headed by a Chairman appointed by the Central Government.
Headquarters: New Delhi
- APEDA has set up 15 Regional Offices at Mumbai, Bengaluru, Telangana, Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Chennai, Kochi, Tripura, Srinagar, Jammu, and Ladakh

Functions of APEDA

Setting the standards and specifications for the scheduled products.
Registration of exporters of the scheduled products on payment of required fees.
Carrying out an inspection of products to ensure the quality of such products.
Training in various aspects of the industries connected with the scheduled products.
Development of industries relating to the scheduled products and undertaking surveys, feasibility studies, etc.
It is responsible for providing financial assistance, information, and guidelines for the development of scheduled products.
It also functions as the Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for the implementation of accreditation of the Certification Bodies under National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for Organic exports.

Source: PIB

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority FAQs

Q1: APEDA was established under which Act?

Ans: APEDA Act, 1985. Came into effect on 13th Feb 1986

Q2: APEDA functions under which Ministry?

Ans: Under Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry

National e-Vidhan Application(NeVA)

June 5, 2026

National e-Vidhan Application Latest News

Recently, the West Bengal legislative assembly signed MoU for implementation of National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).

About National e-Vidhan Application

It is an online platform designed to digitize the legislative processes of all state and union territory assemblies.
It is one of the 44 Mission Mode Projects (MMPs) under the Digital India Programme of the Government of India.
It aims to make the functioning of all State Legislatures paperless and integrate all Legislative Houses on a single digital platform under the vision of ‘One Nation, One Application’.
NeVA is a device neutral and member centric application created to equip them to handle diverse House Business smartly by putting entire information regarding member contact details, rules of procedure, list of business, notices, bulletins, bills etc.
It assists the Chair of the House in conducting proceedings smoothly while enabling members to fulfill their responsibilities efficiently.
The NeVA platform is hosted on Meghraj 2.0, India’s cloud infrastructure, ensuring robust scalability, security, and data integrity.

Features of National e-Vidhan Application

It provides real-time access to key legislative documents, such as agendas, bills, and reports.
The platform features a secure digital repository, safeguarding the confidentiality and integrity of legislative data.
The platform also offers multilingual capabilities, catering to the linguistic diversity across states and regions, making it accessible to a broader range of users.
Its device-agnostic nature allows it to be accessed seamlessly across smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Source: PIB

National e-Vidhan Application FAQs

Q1: NeVA 2.0 was launched with which key addition?

Ans: NeVA 2.0 includes AI/ML based real-time translation and speech-to-text for regional languages

Q2: Which was the first State Legislative Assembly to go completely paperless using NeVA?

Ans: Nagaland Assembly

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

June 5, 2026

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana Latest News

Recently, the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) pulled up the government over its flagship skilling programme the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

About Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

It is a skill development programme launched by the government of India in 2015.
It aims to empower the youth of India to engage in industry relevant skill training and secure a better livelihood.
Implementing Agency: It is being implemented by the National Skill Development Corporations in partnership with multiple stakeholders.

Eligibility Criteria of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

Age Limit: Candidates aged 14 to 35 years are generally eligible for PMKVY training programs.
Nationality: Applicants must be Indian citizens to qualify for the scheme.
Educational Qualifications: PMKVY caters to individuals from diverse educational backgrounds, including those without formal education.
Employment Status: Priority is given to unemployed or underemployed individuals to enhance their employability.
Aadhar Card: An Aadhar card is often a mandatory requirement for applying to PMKVY programs.

Features of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana

Industry experts are consulted regularly in order to ensure that updated skill training is provided according to industry demands.
Short term training courses make it easy for people to acquire new skills within a short period of time.
Recognition to Prior Learning is also acknowledged through certification without undergoing the same training.
The scheme also aims to provide placement assistance for all the candidates trained in a certain skill.

Source: TH

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana FAQs

Q1: Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is the flagship scheme of which Ministry?

Ans: Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship

Q2: PMKVY 1.0 was launched in which year?

Ans: PMKVY 1.0 launched in July 2015.

MY Bharat Platform

June 5, 2026

MY Bharat Platform Latest News

Recently, the Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform has been awarded a Guinness World Records title for achieving the highest participation in an online quiz within one week.

About MY Bharat Platform

It is an autonomous body that has been set up by the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport.
It has been set up by the Government of India and registered as a society under Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860.
MY Bharat’s digital platform provides equitable access to opportunities for youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit Bharat.

Features of MY Bharat Platform

It is meticulously designed to cater to the needs of the dynamic youth demographic, aged between 15 and 29 years.
It provides an over-arching institutional mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development.
The platform connects youth with programs and learning opportunities in Businesses, Government Departments and Non-Profit Organisations.
To supplement theoretical learning in the classroom, youth need experiential learning programs that allow them exposure to work in practical situations in local businesses, in local self-government and in Government bodies.
MY Bharat platform will create such an eco-system and empower young individuals to become catalysts for community transformation.
The platform allows youth to generate their individual profiles listing their skill-sets and activities.
The platform would allow youth to network with each other and also potential mentors.
This platform offers a wealth of resources, mentorship programs, experiential learning opportunities, networks, and invaluable industry connections.

Source: DD News

MY Bharat Platform FAQs

Q1: What is the primary objective of MY Bharat platform?

Ans: It acts as an overarching enabling mechanism for youth development.

Q2: MY Bharat platform is an initiative of which Ministry?

Ans: Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports is the nodal ministry