• 23 Mar 2026

Banana Cluster in Maharashtra

Why in News? 

On the occasion of Gudi Padwa, Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced approval for a ₹200‑crore ‘Banana Cluster’ project in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, aimed at enhancing banana cultivation and strengthening agricultural infrastructure. 

Key Points 

• Objective: The project aims to develop a complete banana value chain including production, processing, storage, and marketing, enhancing both farmer income and export potential. 
• Cluster Infrastructure: Facilities under the cluster include Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), mechanisation, bio-control units, fruit covering, pre-cooling chambers, cold storage, ripening chambers, refrigerated vans, processing units, and export infrastructure. 
• Financial Support: Subsidies for these facilities will be provided through the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) and the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), ensuring direct benefits to farmers. 
• Recognising that bananas are not covered under MSP for long-term storage, the government is considering alternative mechanisms to compensate farmers if market prices fall below a predetermined cost or model price, under schemes like PM-AASHA (Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanraksan Abhiyan). 
• Significance: Jalgaon, also known as the ‘Banana City’, plays a pivotal role in India’s horticulture sector and contributes significantly to agricultural development. 

Read More: Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), PM-AASHA 

Nita Ambani Conferred KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 in Odisha

Why in News? 

Nita M. Ambani, Founder and Chairperson of the Reliance Foundation, was recently honoured with the KISS Humanitarian Award 2025 for her extensive contributions to social development. 

Key Points 

• About: The KISS Humanitarian Award is an annual international award conferred by the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. 
• Objective: The award was initiated in 2008 to recognize and felicitate individuals for their exemplary and distinguished service to humanity across the globe. 
• 2023 Award: Bill Gates was honoured with the KISS Humanitarian Award 2023 for his global philanthropic endeavours. 

Butis Bargabhimae: New Estuarine Fish Species Discovered in West Bengal

Why in News? 

Scientists in West Bengal have identified a new species of estuarine fish — a type of gudgeon goby — in the Rupnarayan River, highlighting India’s rich and largely unexplored freshwater biodiversity. 

Key Points: 

• Discovery: Researchers from Tamralipta Mahavidyalaya and Vidyasagar University discovered the fish in the Rupnarayan River near Tamluk in West Bengal. 
• New Species: The newly identified fish was named Butis Bargabhimae.  
  • It belongs to the Butid family, a group of small bottom‑dwelling fishes commonly referred to as gudgeon goby. 
  • The species name, Bargabhimae, is a tribute to the Hindu deity Bargabhima, a significant cultural and religious figure in the Tamluk area of West Bengal. 
• Habitat: Gudgeon Goby typically live in the brackish waters where rivers meet the sea. 
• Implications: The finding underscores the need for conservation efforts in India’s rivers and estuaries, which support rich biodiversity but face threats from pollution, habitat alteration, and climate change. 
• Significance: Estuarine fish like gudgeon goby play crucial roles in aquatic ecosystems, serving as both prey and predator within food webs, and as indicators of environmental health and water quality. 

Read More: Biodiversity 

Punjab Demands Water Dues from Rajasthan

Why in News? 

The Chief Minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, has revived an inter-state water dispute with Rajasthan by demanding ₹1.44 lakh crore as dues for river water supplied to Rajasthan since 1960 under a historic agreement.  

Key Points: 

• Background: The dispute traces its origin to a 1920 agreement between the princely state of Bikaner, undivided Punjab, and the British administration, under which water from the Sutlej River was supplied to Bikaner through canal systems. 
  • Claim: Punjab has written to the Rajasthan government seeking ₹1.44 lakh crore as water royalty dues for water drawn from rivers flowing through its territory since 1960, citing colonial‑era agreements still in force. 
• Impact of Indus Waters Treaty: After the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty, India gained full control over the eastern rivers — Sutlej River, Beas River, and Ravi River — leading to reorganisation of internal water distribution and the discontinuation of the earlier royalty system. 
• Subsequent Agreements: In 1981, a tripartite agreement between Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan reallocated the waters of the Ravi and Beas rivers, with Rajasthan receiving about 8.6 million acre-feet (MAF) — the largest share. 
  • The allocation formalised Rajasthan’s entitlement and supported the expansion of the Indira Gandhi Canal system, which carries water from the Harike Barrage in the Tarn Taran district of Punjab deep into the Thar desert. 
• Punjab’s Argument: Punjab’s core argument rests on the riparian principle: that states through which rivers flow should have primary rights over their waters. 
  • Rajasthan does not lie in the basin of the Ravi, Beas or Sutlej, making it a non-riparian state.  
  • Punjab argues that allocating a larger share to such a state, especially in a water-stressed scenario, is inequitable. 
    • As per the Central Ground Water Board assessment for 2024-25, Punjab has the highest groundwater extraction rate in India at 156.36% of the annual extractable resource, far above the national average of 60.63%. 

Read More:  Inter‑state water dispute, Sutlej Yamuna Link Dispute, Indus Waters Treaty 

Amogh Jwala Exercise in UP

Why in News? 

The Indian Army’s Southern Command recently concluded Exercise Amogh Jwala at the Babina Field Firing Ranges in Uttar Pradesh. 

Key Points 

• Duration: The exercise was carried out over 13 days (March 6–18, 2026). 
• Objective: To validate technology-driven mechanised warfare capabilities in a multi-domain operational environment. 
  • It demonstrated the integrated employment of mechanised forces with attack helicopters, fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, counter-drone systems and network-enabled battlefield platforms under a robust command and control architecture. 

Read More:  Unmanned aerial systems 

PMMSY Boosts Fisheries Development in Haryana

Why in News? 

The implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) has significantly boosted fisheries development in Haryana through increased investments and expansion of aquaculture infrastructure. 

Key Points: 

• Scheme: The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) is a flagship scheme aimed at sustainable development of the fisheries sector, enhancing fish production, productivity, and income of fish farmers. 
  • The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying with effect from the financial year 2020-21 has been implementing PMMSY. 
  • Fisheries projects in Haryana have been approved at a total cost of ₹760.87 crore, with a central share of ₹262.16 crore. 
• Infrastructure Development: Key initiatives include development of grow-out/rearing ponds, establishment of fish kiosks, Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), biofloc units, hatcheries, feed mills, cold storage units, and an integrated aqua park.   
  • The scheme has created new employment opportunities, especially for women and Scheduled Caste communities. 
• Technological Interventions: Adoption of modern aquaculture techniques such as RAS and biofloc systems has improved efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in fish farming. 
  • RAS is a closed-loop fish farming system that filters and reuses water, maintaining optimal water quality through continuous filtration. It enables high-density fish farming with minimal land and water use, significantly reducing disease risks and environmental impact.  
  • Biofloc Technology: Biofloc systems utilize beneficial microbes to convert organic waste into feed, improving water quality and fish health. This eco-friendly and cost-effective method is ideal for high-density farming and supports sustainable practices.  
• Blue Revolution: The initiative has contributed to a ‘Blue Revolution’ in Haryana, expanding aquaculture activities and strengthening the fisheries sector.  
• Significance: The programme reflects the government’s focus on diversification of agriculture, rural livelihood generation, and strengthening sectors like fisheries.  

Note: Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) is a Central Sector Sub-scheme of PMMSY with an outlay of ₹6000 crore that includes assistance from the World Bank and Agence Française de Développement (AFD). PM-MKSSY is being implemented in all the States and Union Territories for a period of four years from FY 2023-24 to FY 2026-27.  

Read More: PMMSY, Blue Revolution, PM-MKSSY 

MoSPI Organised SDG and Gender Statistics Workshop in Bihar

Why in News? 

A two-day Capacity Building Workshop on Monitoring Frameworks of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Environment Accounts, and Gender Statistics was organised in Patna, Bihar.  

Key Points: 

• Organising Authority: The workshop was conducted by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation in collaboration with the Government of Bihar and United Nations Development Programme(UNDP). 
• Key Themes: The workshop focused on three major areas — SDG monitoring frameworks, environment accounting, and gender statistics. 
• Objective: Emphasis was laid on timely, robust, and disaggregated data collection for effective policy formulation and monitoring of development outcomes.  
• Reports Released:  
  • Environmental Accounting Explainer Series: Pollination Services 
  • Planet in Focus: Advancing Environmental Sustainability under the SDGs 
  • Delivering Prosperity at Scale: India’s Economic Transformation through the SDGs 
• SDG Monitoring Initiatives: It includes National Indicator Framework, Panchayat Advancement Index, and NER District SDG Index, along with global best practices. 
• Gender Statistics: Women’s work, mobility, gender data gaps, and gender-responsive policymaking, along with international experiences were highlighted. 
• Environmental Accounting: Environmental sustainability key themes including the implementation of environmental accounting frameworks in India, valuation of forest ecosystem services, and state-level experiences in forest accounting, Economic valuation of biodiversity and pollination services were discussed.  
  • State-level initiatives to strengthen environmental statistics systems and the economic evaluation of organic farming and agroforestry under the TEEB project were examined. 
    • TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) is a global initiative that highlights the economic value of biodiversity and supports integrating ecosystem considerations into policymaking and business decisions.  
• Significance: The workshop reflects India’s commitment to data-driven governance, sustainable development, and inclusive growth aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. 

Read More: SDGs, UNDP, Viksit Bharat 2047,  Inclusive growth