Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 February 2025

Topic: Space and IT

1. China approved the construction of the first South China Sea deepwater ‘space station’.

• This cold seep ecosystem research facility will be below the 2000m surface in the South China Sea.
• The facility will be one of the deepest and most technologically complex underwater installations.
• It will become fully operational by around 2030. It will have room for six scientists on missions that will last as long as a month.
• This planned facility will be used to study cold seep ecosystems.
• The South China Sea holds 70 billion tonnes of methane hydrates.
• It has many rare mineral deposits, including cobalt and nickel concentrations three times higher than land-based mines.
• This facility will have a long-term life support system that will be needed if scientists are to build and operate a permanent monitoring network to track methane fluxes.
• The scientists on board the facility will be able to conduct real-time experiments and adjust protocols in extreme conditions.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. N. Chandrasekaran has received the “The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire” honour.

• Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has been conferred with the United Kingdom’s “The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division).
• It is the prestigious honorary civilian award to foreign nationals. He receives this award for his contributions to UK-India business relations. 
• The list of foreign recipients of this British honours includes other notable figures such as Dagmar Dolby, Eric Schmidt, Jason Furman and Rajinder Dhatt.
• The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions in fields such as the arts, sciences, charitable endeavours, and public service.
• Natarajan Chandrasekaran has been the chairman of Tata Sons since 2017.
• He also chairs the boards of key Tata Group companies, including Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tata Power, and Air India. 

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

3. The government is organizing a nationwide special campaign to register on the National Fisheries Digital Platform.

• A special nationwide campaign for registration on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP) and the expediting of registration approval is going to be organized by the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying from 14th to 22nd February 2025.
• The Ministry is collecting applications from eligible stakeholders for availing various benefits under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PMKSSY).
• This nationwide effort will focus on organizing camps at major fisheries centres and potential areas across the country in collaboration with State/UT Fisheries Departments, the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), and Common Service Centres (CSCs).
• It aims to expedite the registration process, increase approval rates, and encourage eligible stakeholders to avail various benefits, such as credit facilities, aquaculture insurance, and performance grants under PMKSSY.
• Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMKSSY), a Central Sector Sub-Scheme under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), is operational from the year 2023-2024 with an outlay of ₹6,000 crore.
• Its main objectives are to formalize the fisheries sector, enhance access to institutional finance, promote aquaculture insurance, improve value chain efficiency, and strengthen fish safety and quality assurance systems.
• By addressing key challenges such as fragmentation, difficulty in accessing credit, and low value chain efficiency, PMKSSY strives to build a more resilient and sustainable fisheries sector while ensuring enhanced livelihoods for fishermen and fish farmers.

Topic: State News/Manipur

4. Central government has imposed President's Rule in Manipur days after CM Biren Singh resigned.

• On 13 February, the Home Ministry announced that the president's rule had been imposed in Manipur under Article 356 of the Constitution.
• The incident came days after Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh submitted his resignation to the state governor.
• As per the powers conferred by Article 356 and other enabling provisions of the Constitution, the President has assumed all functions of the Government of Manipur and all powers vested in or exercisable by its Governor.
• The President also declares that the legislative powers of the State shall be exercised by or under the authority of the Parliament.
• President’s Rule:
  • President's rule means suspending the state government under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution and imposing direct control of the central government on it.
  • This happens when the state government fails to function according to constitutional provisions.
  • President's rule can be imposed when the Governor reports to the President that the state government cannot function in accordance with the Constitution, has lost its majority in the Legislative Assembly, or there is a law-and-order problem or has failed to comply with constitutional obligations.
  • President’s Rule is initially imposed for six months and can be extended up to three years with Parliamentary approval every six months.
  • President's rule can be lifted by the President at any time without the need for parliamentary approval.
  • The first President's rule in India was imposed on 20 June 1951 in the state of Punjab.

Topic: International News

5. US and India will double bilateral trade in five years.

• On 13 February, PM Narendra Modi said at a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump that India and Washington will work to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030.
• Trump acknowledged India's recent move to reduce tariffs on select imports and said he would begin negotiations on trade imbalances and hoped to reach an agreement.
• The remarks came hours after Trump signed a presidential memorandum outlining plans to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on foreign countries, including India.
• The US would impose the same tariff rates as India, while the trade deficit with India could be bridged by sale of oil and gas.
• The simple average tariff on countries granted Most Favoured Nation status in India is 17%, while the US levies a tariff of 3.3%.
• The US's total goods trade with India is projected to reach $129 billion in 2024.
• India's surplus with the US, its second-largest trading partner, reached $45.7 billion last year.
• Starting this year, the US will increase its military sales to India and eventually provide the Asian ally with F-35 fighter jets, aimed at countering the "threat of radical Islamic terrorism."

Topic: Banking/Finance

6. RBI has allowed small finance banks (SFBs) to offer pre-sanctioned credit lines.

• Credit lines on UPI were introduced by RBI in September 2023 for banks and third-party apps.
• At the present time, transactions through linked savings accounts, overdraft accounts, prepaid wallets, and credit cards are facilitated by UPI.
• Credit lines will now be an additional source of funding. Users will be required to give explicit consent before using pre-sanctioned credit lines.
• UPI system can now be used for payments through a pre-sanctioned credit line issued by a scheduled commercial bank to individuals.
• Small finance banks’ customers can access pre-approved credit lines through UPI.
• This will same as they use linked bank accounts or credit cards.
• They can get short-term credit instantly without the need of a separate loan application.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. 12th All India Pension Adalat was chaired by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh in New Delhi.

• During the 12th All India Pension Adalat, interaction between the Minister and pensioners from different states was held.
• He provided on-the-spot redressal of their pension-related grievances.
• Pension cases pending for over 120 days in 16 departments, as well as ministries were sought to be resolved during the Pension Adalat.
• During the Adalat, about 180 cases of ministries were discussed.
• The forum eliminated the need to approach courts for litigation as it provided forum for the redressal of pension-related grievances.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. Union Minister S.P. Singh Baghel released the Devolution Index Report.

• S.P. Singh Baghel released a devolution index report titled ‘Status of Devolution to Panchayats in States – An Indicative Evidence-Based Ranking, 2024’ in New Delhi.
• The report evaluates six critical dimensions of the Panchayats: Framework, Functions, Finances, Functionaries, Capacity Building, and Accountability.
• This report provides insights into the progress of decentralization across states and the country's union territories.
• As per the report, devolution to Rural Local Bodies has increased from 39.9% to 43.9% between 2013-14 to 2021-22.
• This report also highlighted that how autonomous panchayats are in making and implementing independent decisions.
• Karnataka is at the top of the Index. Kerala and Tamil Nadu secured second and third spots, respectively.
• Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, are under the category of 'medium scoring States’.
• Uttar Pradesh has jumped from the 15th rank in the previous index to the 5th position in this year’s Index.
• The Index ranks States/UTs on six identified dimensions based on their overall scores.
• The top 10 States in Panchayat Devolution Index (DI Score > 55) are:

Topic: International News

9. Romania’s President Iohannis resigned due to fear of impeachment.

• Romania’s centrist President Klaus Iohannis has resigned from his post.
• He has taken this decision after the threat of impeachment by far-right parliamentary parties for a contentious election.
• His resignation comes after a top court annulled the presidential election amid allegations of Russian meddling.
• In January 2025, tens of thousands of Romanians protested for vote cancellation and some demanded Iohannis to resign.
• In January, three far-right opposition parties, which control about 35 per cent of parliament, filed a motion to impeach Iohannis.
• Iohannis has already served a maximum of two five-year terms.
• The Senate chief will become interim president of Romania after Iohannis' resignation.

Topic: Important Days

10. National Women's Day 2025: 13 February

• National Women's Day is celebrated every year on 13 February in India.
• The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, a renowned political leader, poet, and supporter of women's rights.
• The day honors Sarojini Naidu’s contributions to the freedom movement and women's empowerment while also recognizing the struggles, dreams, and achievements of women and promoting gender equality and leadership.
• Sarojini Naidu was born on 13 February 1879 in Hyderabad.
• She is known for her literary works, particularly patriotic poems. She is called the Nightingale of India (Bharat Kokila).
• She was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1925. She was the first Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress.
• International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on 8 March.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

11. India's drug regulator has approved Bharat Biotech’s lumpy skin disease vaccine, Biolumpivaxin.

• The highly anticipated Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) vaccine for dairy cattle and buffaloes has been introduced by Biovet, a group company of Bharat Biotech.
• The company claims that Biolumpivaxin is the world’s safest and first-ever Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) marker vaccine, receiving approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO).
• The quality, safety, and efficacy of the vaccine have been rigorously tested at both ICAR-NRCE and Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), meeting the highest global standards.
• This new indigenous live-attenuated marker vaccine has been developed by Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Equine Research Center (ICAR-NRCE), Hisar in collaboration with Biovet using the vaccine strain LSD Virus.
• This vaccine is expected to play a crucial role in India's self-reliance in veterinary healthcare.
• Over the past two years, significant losses have been caused in India by Lumpy Skin Disease, with approximately 200,000 cattle killed and millions more losing their milk production capacity.
• Lumpy skin disease is a transboundary animal disease that has significantly impacted India's cattle health and dairy industry.
• The disease causes skin nodules, fever, swollen lymph nodes, decreased milk yield, and difficulty walking.
• The LSD virus is spread mainly through the bites of mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects.

Topic: Indian Economy

12. Government is planning to revive the idea of Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP).

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme completed a session on “Conceptual Framework of Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP) Measurement” on 10 February.
• The government is planning to develop a framework to comprehensively capture the impact of knowledge on economic and social life in the country.
• GDKP will be used to measure and understand the contribution of knowledge-based activities to the Indian economy.
• NITI Aayog had proposed the idea of Gross Domestic Knowledge Product (GDKP) in 2021.
• At that time MOSPI The National Statistical Commission had pointed out then that the concept note did not provide the methodology for capturing the data and computation of GDKP.
• The National Statistical Commission pointed out that the methodology for capturing the data and computation of GDKP is not clear.
• Currently, all expenditures on Intellectual Property Products (IPP) are recorded under Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF).

Topic: Books and Authors

13. Jagdeep Dhankar launched Gopichand Hinduja’s book “I Am?”.

• Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, launched the book “I Am?”.
• The book explores the universal values of Bharatiyata.
• It aims to promote inclusivity, spiritual reflection, and multicultural understanding.
• This book is compiled by business leader and Chairman of the Hinduja Group, Mr. Gopichand P. Hinduja.
• The book promotes the harmonious coexistence of different cultures and faiths.