State PCS - Uttar Pradesh (UP PCS)

• 08 Oct 2025

Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) Conclave 2025

Why in News?

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, speaking at the Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) Conclave 2025 at International Rice Research Institute – South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC), reaffirmed Uttar Pradesh’s goal of becoming a global food basket by 2030 in line with its $1 trillion economy vision.

• The Chief Minister also launched new agricultural knowledge products, mechanisation innovations, and distributed mini kits to farmers to boost modernisation and technology adoption in agriculture.

Key Points

• About: The DSR Conclave 2025 is a platform for policymakers, scientists, and industry leaders to explore actionable pathways for resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart agricultural development in UP and beyond.
• Global Food Basket Vision: During a session on making UP the global food basket by 2030, the Chief Minister emphasised sustainable, climate-smart, and technology-driven agricultural transformations, marking the 150th anniversary of the UP Department of Agriculture.
  • He underscored the state's ambition to support the Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR), including partners like the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Potato Centre (CIP). These collaborations will leverage advanced technologies to boost food production and quality.
• Agricultural Progress and Achievements: Uttar Pradesh is a key contributor to India’s food production, contributing 21% of the national output despite comprising only 11% of the country’s cultivable area. 
  • Over the past eight years, state government efforts have led to a fivefold increase in agri-food production, particularly in cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and vegetables.
  • The success is a result of state-driven initiatives like the Soil Health Card, crop insurance, and the Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, benefiting over 10 crore farmers annually.
• Capacity Building: The state's four agricultural universities, with plans for another, are central to the research and knowledge-sharing efforts that are driving agricultural transformation.
• Traditional Agricultural Wisdom: The Chief Minister highlighted that the rich agricultural traditions of Uttar Pradesh, such as the iconic Kalanamak rice, part of the One District One Product initiative, hold historical significance, having been offered as Mahaprasad by Lord Buddha.

Abhidhamma Divas

Why in News? 

The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), in partnership with Gautam Buddha University, Antarrashtriya Baudh Shodh Sansthan, and the Ministry of Culture, celebrated International Abhidhamma Day(Abhidhamma Divas) on 6^th–7^th October 2025 at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida. 

Key Points 

• About: Abhidhamma Divas commemorates the occasion when the Buddha preached the Abhidhamma to the gods of Tavatimsa Heaven, led by his mother Mahamaya, and later shared it with his disciple Arahant Sariputta. 
  • It commemorates the descent of Lord Buddha from the celestial realm of the thirty-three divine beings (Tāvatiṃsa-devaloka) to Sankassiya (Sankisa Basantapur, Farrukhabad) in Uttar Pradesh.  
  • The importance of this location is highlighted by the presence of the Asokan Elephant Pillar. 
• Mark of Event: Abhidhamma Divas coincides with the end of the rainy retreat (Vassa) and the Pavāraņā festival. 
  • Rainy retreat (Vassa) is an annual three-month monastic retreat practised especially in the Theravada Buddhist tradition during the monsoon season. 
  • The Pavāraṇā festival marks the conclusion of Vassa, where monks come together to confess any faults or mistakes made during the retreat and invite their fellow monks to point out any shortcomings they may have noticed.  
  • Pavāraṇā festival is celebrated on the full moon day of the 11th lunar month, which is usually in October. 
• Key Functions:  
  • An International Conference on “The Relevance of Abhidhamma in Understanding Buddhist Thought: Text, Tradition and Contemporary Perspectives” was held to explore Abhidhamma’s philosophical, ethical, and psychological dimensions in the modern context. 
  • A special exhibition of over 2,500 Buddhist stamps from 90 countries, curated by Mr Vinod Kumar, was showcased, offering a glimpse into Buddhist heritage through philately. 
  • Two thematic exhibitions were organised, including "Buddha Dhamma on Body and Mind" and a display highlighting the Piprahwa relics, emphasising Buddha's spiritual and cultural legacy. 
  • The event featured screenings of two films—“Dissemination of Buddha Dhamma in Asia” and “Kushok Bakula Rinpoche – The Extraordinary Story of an Extraordinary Monk,” directed by Dr Hindol Sengupta.

Abhidhamma Pitaka 

• The Abhidhamma Pitaka is the last of three Pitakas that constitute to Pali Canon, one of the most popular scriptures of Theravada Buddhism.  
  • The Abhidhamma Pitaka is a detailed scholastic analysis and summary of the Buddha's teachings in the Suttas. It deals with the philosophy, doctrine, psychology, metaphysics, ethics, and epistemology of Buddhism 
  • The other remaining Pitakas of Tipitaka are the Vinaya Pitaka and the Sutta Pitaka.  
    • Vinaya Pitaka is the monastic rules of conduct for monks and nuns of the Sangha.  
    • Sutta Pitaka contains suttas (teachings/discourses) delivered by the Buddha and his close disciples. 
• The Abhidharma Pitaka consists of seven different books. 
  • Dhammasangani (Enumeration of Phenomena)  
  • Vibhanga (Book of Treaties)  
  • Dhatukatha (Discussion with Reference to the Elements)  
  • Puggalapanatti (Description of Personality)  
  • Kathavatthu (Points of Controversy)  
  • Yamaka (Book of Pairs)  
  • Patthana (Book of Relations) 
• The Government of India declared Pali a Classical Language, recognising its significance as the canonical language of Theravada Buddhist texts, including the Abhidhamma Pitaka.

World Cotton Day 2025

Why in News? 

Union Ministers Shri Giriraj Singh and Shri Pabitra Margherita attended the World Cotton Day 2025 celebration in New Delhi on 7th October.  

• The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Textiles and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), with the theme "Cotton 2040: Technology, Climate & Competitiveness."

Key Points 

• About: World Cotton Day was established in 2019 when four cotton-producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali, collectively known as the Cotton Four—proposed to the World Trade Organisation the idea of celebrating World Cotton Day on 7th October.  
• Objective: It aims to create awareness of the need for market access for cotton and cotton-related products from least developed countries, foster sustainable trade policies and enable developing countries to benefit more from every step of the cotton value chain. 
• Interesting Facts About Cotton: 
  • The top five cotton-producing countries are China, India, Brazil, the United States of America, and Pakistan, which together account for more than three-quarters of global production. 
    • India is the largest producer of cotton globally, accounting for 23% of total global cotton production. 
  • Cotton sustains about 24 million growers and benefits over 100 million families globally.  
  • Cotton is the second-most used fibre globally after polyester, making up approximately 20% of total fibre demand. 
  • Approximately 80% of cotton is used in apparel, with the remainder used in home textiles and industrial products. 
• Governance in India: The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), established in July 1970 under the Ministry of Textiles, stabilises cotton prices through price support measures and supports the domestic textile industry with commercial purchasing operations, especially during the lean season.