12 July 2025
(Current Affairs Notes - Prelims)

CSS-IDWH

• Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats (CSS-IDWH)

• It provides financial and technical assistance to the State/UT Governments for activities aimed at wildlife conservation.

• Components of IDWH:

• Support to protected areas

• Protection of wildlife outside protected areas

• Mitigation of Human Wildlife Conflict

• Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats

• Recently, Gharial and Sloth Bear were recommended for inclusion under Species Recovery Programme of CSS-IDWH.

• Gharial (IUCN: Critically Endangered) is usually found in freshwater rivers. Adult males sport a large bulb at the tip of their snout, called the 'ghara'.

• Sloth Bear (IUCN: Vulnerable) is mostly found in Peninsular India, Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau, Gangetic Plain and North East. It is a small bear with a shaggy coat and feeds predominantly on termites and ants.

Maratha Military Landscapes in UNESCO World Heritage List

• These are a network of twelve forts built around 17th–19th Centuries CE.

  • • In Maharashtra: Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg

    • In Tamil Nadu: Gingee Fort

• These demonstrate strategic military vision, innovation, regional adaptation and architectural ingenuity.

• Recently, these were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List to become India’s 44th site in the List.

• These are added because of living cultural tradition, unique architecture & technology, and strongly connected to important historical events and traditions.

 Frontiers 2025: The Weight of Time Report

• It spotlights emerging environmental issues before they escalate into global or regional crises.

• Environmental Issues highlighted in the Report

  • • Climate warming could reactivate and remobilize dormant microbes

    • River barriers like dams affect the river ecosystem

    • Environmental risks like heatwaves, air pollution and floods disproportionately threaten increasing population of older adults

    • Biomagnification and bioaccumulation of persistent contaminants

• The report was released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

AI Alliance Network (AIANET)

• An informal voluntary network and community to share information and expertise.

• It seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies.

• It is administered by AI Alliance Russia.

• Digital India Foundation (DIF) is a founding member of the AIANET.

• Recently, DIF has objected to the membership application of Pakistan to AIANET.

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

• EFTA includes four European nations i.e., Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland.

• India has signed a trade agreement with EFTA called Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).

• Recently, Switzerland completed the ratification process of the trade agreement signed between India and EFTA.

RhoDIS

• Rhino DNA Index System India Programme

• It was launched in 2016, by Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

• It uses a DNA indexing system to get a genetic signature unique to each individual rhino.

• Recently, Assam Forest Department started DNA profiling of Rhino horns to add it to RhoDIS.