Crest Learning UPSC

9 feb………👇

1. Location & Physical Setting • Benue State lies in central Nigeria, part of the Middle Belt. • Drained by the Benue River (tributary of the Niger), creating fertile alluvial plains ideal for farming. 2. Agro-ecological Transition Zone • Acts as a transition belt between: • Semi-arid Sahel (north) → pastoralism (grazing-based livelihoods) • Humid Guinea savanna (south) → settled agriculture • This overlap naturally brings farmers and herders into close spatial contact. 3. Climate Change & Resource Stress • Northward desertification + erratic rainfall reduce pasture in northern Nigeria. • Fulani herders migrate southward seasonally, increasing pressure on Benue’s croplands and water bodies. • Shrinking common property resources (grazing corridors, wetlands) heighten conflict. 4. Land Use & Demography • Benue is called Nigeria’s “food basket” → intensive cultivation of yam, rice, maize. 5. Political Geography (Middle Belt Fault Line) • The Middle Belt is a buffer zone between Nigeria’s Muslim north and Christian south. • Here, ethnic, religious, and livelihood geographies intersect, so resource disputes often acquire communal overtones

➡️How India is Tackling the Mental Health Crisis • Problem scale: • Mental health issues are rising, especially among children and youth (15–29 years). • As per the World Health Organization, a large share of people with mental illness receive no treatment. • In India, 70–90% treatment gap exists due to stigma, low awareness, and shortage of professionals. • Government response: • Strengthening premier institutions like National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) and regional centres. • Mental health services integrated into Ayushman Bharat through Health and Wellness Centres. • Launch of Tele MANAS (24×7 tele-mental health support). • Key constraints: • Severe shortage of psychiatrists and counsellors. • Mental health receives less than 2% of the health budget. • Over-focus on hospitals; community-level care remains weak. • What is needed: • More funding for preventive and community-based care. • Integration of mental health into schools and workplaces. • Expansion of trained mental health workforce and stigma reduction. takeaway India has expanded mental health infrastructure and digital services, but low funding, manpower shortages, and weak community care limit their impact.

➡️Heavier Ions Improve Multi-Ion Cancer Therapy What is multi-ion cancer therapy? • It is an advanced radiation therapy that uses charged particles (ions) instead of X-rays. • Common ions used: carbon, oxygen, neon. • Especially useful for radiation-resistant tumours. How does ion therapy work? • Ions travel through the body and release most of their energy at a specific depth (called the Bragg peak). • This allows doctors to: • Hit the tumour precisely • Minimise damage to surrounding healthy tissue What is the main problem? • Range uncertainty: • The ion beam may stop slightly before or after the tumour • This risks: • Under-treating the cancer • Damaging healthy organs • This is the biggest technical challenge in ion-beam therapy. What is the new finding? • Researchers found that using heavier ions (like oxygen): • Reduces range uncertainty • Narrows the error margin by over 7% • Heavier ions travel more predictably inside the body. Why are heavier ions better? • They: • Scatter less inside tissues • Deliver higher biological damage to cancer cells • Improve target accuracy Why is this important? • Makes ion therapy: • Safer • More precise • More effective for hard-to-treat cancers • Could lead to better outcomes with fewer side effects.

➡️Over One-Third of Cancers Preventable •Acc. to Global study published in Nature Medicine (medical journal). Key Finding • Over one-third (~38%) of cancer cases worldwide are preventable. • In 2022: • Total cancer cases: 18.7 million • Preventable cases: ~7.1 million Major Preventable Risk Factors • Tobacco use – largest contributor • Alcohol consumption • Infections • Obesity / high BMI • Physical inactivity • Air pollution • Occupational hazards Contribution by Major Risk Factors • Smoking: 15.1% of new cancer cases globally (largest single factor) • Infections: 10.2% • Alcohol: 3.2% Infection-Related Cancer • HPV (Human Papillomavirus) → cervical & other cancers • Helicobacter pylori → stomach cancer Gender Differences • Preventable cancers: • Men: ~45.4% • Women: ~29.7% • Tobacco is the main driver among men. Regional Patterns • Low & middle-income countries: • Infections are major cancer drivers • High-income countries: • Smoking & high BMI more significant • East Asia: • Six major cancers in men linked mainly to tobacco use Public Health Significance • Cancer prevention possible through: • Tobacco control • HPV & Hepatitis-B vaccination • Improved sanitation • Better air quality • Healthy diet & physical activity • Early screening Around 38% of global cancers are preventable, with tobacco, infections and alcohol being the biggest modifiable risk factors.

➡️Dal Lake Resettlement Project Current development • ₹416.72-crore Dal Lake resettlement project scrapped after 17 years. • Implemented by Jammu and Kashmir Government. • Reason: Only 27% progress since approval in 2009. • Shift from relocation → in-situ eco-hamlet conservation. • 58 hamlets inside the lake to be developed as eco-hamlets. • ₹212.38-crore Integrated Management Programme for Dal–Nigeen Lake (sewerage, STPs). Dal Lake – High-Yield Prelims Facts • Type: Urban freshwater lake • Location: Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir • Nickname: Jewel in the Crown of Kashmir • Unique feature: • Floating gardens (Raad) → made of aquatic weeds & silt • Famous for: • Houseboats & Shikaras • Linked lake: • Nigeen Lake Ecological & Environmental Issues (PYQ-relevant) • Eutrophication (nutrient loading from sewage) • Untreated sewage inflow • Encroachment • Shrinking lake area • Weed proliferation Legal / Policy Framework • Covered under Wetlands (Conservation & Management) Rules, 2017 • India is a signatory to Ramsar Convention • ⚠️ Dal Lake is NOT a Ramsar site

➡️Fungal Metabolism & New Therapies • Problem: Fungal infections are a serious but underestimated health threat, causing rising illness and deaths; they also damage crops and worsen food insecurity. • New finding: Scientists at CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) found that fungal metabolism plays a key role in how fungi become infectious. • Key insight: • Fungi can switch between two forms: • Yeast form (small, mobile) • Filamentous form (invasive, hard to kill) • This switch is driven not only by genes but by energy-producing metabolic processes. • Why metabolism matters: • Inside the human body, stress (nutrient lack, temperature, immune pressure) triggers fungi to become filamentous. • Metabolic pathways like glycolysis and sulfur-amino-acid production help fungi invade tissues. • Therapeutic significance: • Targeting fungal metabolism, instead of only genes, offers a new treatment strategy. • Metabolism could be the “Achilles’ heel” of fungal pathogens. takeaway Targeting fungal metabolism opens a promising new route to treat infections that are increasingly resistant to existing drugs.

➡️FNTA Deal & Separate State Demand • What happened: The Centre signed a tripartite agreement with the Nagaland government and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) to create the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA). • What FNTA is: A new administrative body within Nagaland, meant to give greater autonomy to eastern Nagaland districts. • ENPO’s stand: ENPO says FNTA is the first step, not the final goal, towards its long-standing demand for a separate State. • Background: • ENPO represents eight tribes of eastern Nagaland. • Has demanded a separate State since 2010, citing neglect and underdevelopment. • Important clarification: • FNTA does not create a new State. • Eastern Nagaland remains within Nagaland. • Political message: • ENPO urges unity among tribes for future governance and development. • Calls FNTA the beginning of an administrative journey. • Why it matters • Raises issues of regional autonomy, federalism, and sub-state identity movements. • Example of asymmetric governance to manage regional aspirations. takeaway The FNTA agreement grants greater autonomy to eastern Nagaland but is seen by ENPO as an initial step towards its demand for a separate State. Why Eastern Nagaland Demands a Separate State • Chronic underdevelopment despite being part of Nagaland • Administrative neglect due to remoteness and weak local governance • Unequal distribution of funds and projects compared to western Nagaland • Distinct tribal identity of eight tribes seeking better representation • Long-pending demands since 2010 with limited response from the State • Belief that self-governance will bring faster development and accountability • FNTA seen as interim autonomy, not a final solution

8 feb……👇

M23 • M23 (March 23 Movement) is an armed rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. • Formed in 2012, named after a 2009 peace agreement it says was not implemented. • Active mainly in North Kivu region. • Seizes territory and attacks state targets; recently used drones. • Accused of attacking civilian infrastructure. • The African Union said such attacks may amount to terrorism. • Seen as a major source of regional instability in Central Africa.

➡️Eligibility Criteria for Deep-Tech Start-ups • What happened: The Centre has officially defined “deep-tech start-ups” through a gazette notification. • Who issued it: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) What is a Deep-Tech Start-up? • Works on new scientific or engineering knowledge • Focuses mainly on research & development (R&D) • Involves high technical/scientific uncertainty • Has long gestation periods and high capital needs • Creates or commercialises novel intellectual property (IP) Eligibility Criteria • Must apply to DPIIT for certification • Can be recognised as a start-up for up to 20 years • Turnover limit: up to ₹300 crore • (Normal start-ups: <10 years, turnover <₹200 crore) Restrictions • Deep-tech start-ups cannot invest in: • Real estate • Speculative assets • Shares/securities • Exception: if directly linked to core knowledge creation Certification Authority • Final decision by DPIIT • Based on guidance from an Inter-Ministerial Board: • DPIIT • Department of Science & Technology (DST) • Department of Biotechnology (DBT) Why this matters • Enables targeted support to technology-driven start-ups • Linked to funding under ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund • Fund managed by Anusandhan National Research Foundation • Deep-tech firms may get loans at 2–4% interest for up to 15 years

7 feb…..👇

➡️Rethinking Battery Strategy in India: Sodium-Ion Technology • Core issue: India’s heavy dependence on lithium-ion batteries creates risks due to import dependence, critical mineral scarcity, and supply-chain vulnerability. • Why sodium-ion batteries matter: • Sodium is abundant and widely available (unlike lithium, cobalt, nickel). • Reduces geopolitical and supply risks. • Enhances energy security for India. • Technology status: • Sodium-ion batteries have slightly lower energy density than lithium-ion (LFP). • But they are good enough for many uses like: • Grid storage • Stationary energy storage • Two-wheelers and short-range EVs • Cost & manufacturing advantage: • Can use existing lithium-ion manufacturing infrastructure with minor modifications. • Lower material costs and less exposure to global commodity price volatility. • Safety advantages: • Lower risk of thermal runaway. • Better performance at high and low temperatures. • Safer for large-scale storage applications. • Global and Indian outlook: • Sodium-ion batteries are moving from experimental to commercially viable. • Could reach meaningful scale by 2030–35. • India already has 20 GWh manufacturing capacity and scope for expansion. • Policy gap (implicit critique): • India’s battery policy is over-focused on lithium-ion. • Sodium-ion needs: • Inclusion in PLI schemes • Public procurement support • Pilot projects and regulatory approvals • Strategic takeaway: • Sodium-ion is not a replacement, but a complement to lithium-ion. • A diversified battery strategy makes India’s energy transition more resilient and affordable. Sodium-ion batteries offer India a safer, cheaper, and more secure complement to lithium-ion technology in its clean energy transition.

➡️India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) • What happened: India and the Gulf Cooperation Council signed the Terms of Reference (ToR) to start negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). • What ToR means: It is the formal starting point that sets the scope, areas, and rules for FTA negotiations. • GCC members: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE. • Why this is important: • GCC countries together are India’s largest merchandise trade partners. • Total trade with GCC is higher than India’s trade with the EU or the US. • Expected benefits for India: • Easier flow of goods and services • Greater policy predictability and stability • More investments from Gulf countries • Energy security diversification • Better opportunities for Indian workforce in GCC countries • Strategic significance: • Strengthens India’s engagement with West Asia • Supports India’s trade diversification strategy takeaway The India–GCC FTA talks aim to deepen trade, investment and energy cooperation with India’s most important trading bloc.