• 17 Sep 2025

Maharashtra Advocate General Resigns

Why in News?

Maharashtra’s Advocate General Birendra Saraf, who was appointed as AG in December 2022, has resigned, citing personal reasons.

• He will continue in office until January 2026, giving the government time to appoint his successor.

Key Points

• Constitutional Provision: The office of the Advocate General for the States is established under Article 165 of the Indian Constitution.
  • The Advocate General is the highest law officer in a state, corresponding to the Attorney General of India at the national level.
• Appointing Authority: The Advocate General is appointed by the Governor of the state.
• Eligibility:
  • The appointee must be qualified to be appointed as a judge of a High Court.
  • He must be a citizen of India and must have:
    • Held a judicial office for at least ten years, or
    • Been an advocate in a High Court for at least ten years.
• Term of Office:
  • The Constitution does not specify a fixed term for the Advocate General.
  • The office is held during the pleasure of the Governor, meaning the Governor can remove the Advocate General at any time.
• Resignation:
  • The Advocate General may resign at any time by submitting his resignation to the Governor.
  • Conventionally, he resigns when the Council of Ministers resigns or is replaced, as he is appointed on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
• Remuneration:
  • The remuneration of the Advocate General is not fixed by the Constitution.
  • The Governor determines his remuneration.
• Duties and Functions: As the chief law officer of the state government, the duties of the Advocate General include:
  • Providing Legal Advice: To advise the state government on legal matters referred to him by the Governor.
  • Additional Duties: To perform any other legal duties assigned to him by the Governor.
  • Discharge of Constitutional and Legal Functions: To discharge functions conferred on him by the Constitution or any other law.
  • Representation in Courts: The Advocate General is entitled to appear before any court within the state in the performance of his official duties.
• Legislative Rights: He has the right to speak and participate in the proceedings of both Houses of the State Legislature or any committee, provided he is named as a member.
  • However, he does not have the right to vote.
• Privileges and Immunities: He enjoys the privileges and immunities available to a member of the state legislature.

31st World Ozone Day

Why in News? 

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) organized the 31st World Ozone Day in New Delhi on 16th September 2025. 

Key Points

• About: World Ozone Day is observed on the 16th of September each year, commemorating the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987, a significant international treaty aimed at phasing out the production and consumption of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). 
• Theme: The theme for 2025, ‘From Science to Global Action’, emphasizes the power of scientific discovery in policy formulation and international cooperation to protect the planet and its future.

Ozone

• The ozone layer, located in the stratosphere between 10 and 40 kilometers above Earth's surface, shields us from harmful UV radiation. 
  • This protective layer, known as stratospheric ozone or good ozone , prevents adverse health effects like cataracts and skin cancer and safeguards agriculture, forestry, and marine life. 
  • However, man-made Ozone Depleting Substances have caused ozone depletion in the stratosphere.
• The international community recognized the need for action, leading to the Vienna Convention in 1985 and the subsequent Montreal Protocol in 1987. 
• The inclusion of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the Montreal Protocol led to the Kigali Amendment, with India ratifying it in September 2021. 

 Tropospheric Ozone

• Tropospheric (or ground-level) ozone, or bad ozone, is a short-lived climate pollutant that remains in the atmosphere for only hours to weeks.
• It does not have any direct emission sources; rather, it is a compound formed by the interaction of sunlight with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – including methane – and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emitted largely by human activities.

Vaishali Rameshbabu Wins FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Indian Grandmaster Vaishali Rameshbabu on her remarkable victory in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

Key Points

• Vaishali won $40,000 in prize money and secured a place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, the event that will determine the next challenger for the Women’s World Chess Championship.
  • Her victory in the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss is historic, making her the first player in the event’s history to win it twice. 
• With this win, Vaishali joins Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh as the third Indian woman to qualify for the prestigious  2026  Candidates Tournament.
  • The  Candidates  tournament will decide the challenger for the current Women’s World Chess Champion, Wenjun Ju of China, with players from China, Russia, and India already securing spots.
• In her previous performances, Vaishali finished 5th at the Norway Women’s Chess Tournament in May 2025 and was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Tan Zhongyi at the Women’s World Cup.

FIDE Grand Swiss

• The FIDE Grand Swiss, launched in 2019 (with the women’s event starting in 2021), is a key tournament in the World Chess Championship cycle, featuring top global players and held biennially with 11 rounds in a Swiss system.
• Considered as one of the most difficult and unpredictable chess events, given its open nature, the top two finishers in both categories qualify directly for the World Candidates tournament, where a challenger for the title of world champion is chosen. 
• The 2025 edition ran from 4th to 15th September at the EXPO Centre in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. 
  • There were 116 players taking part in the Open and 56 players in the Women’s competition. 
  • The total prize fund for the event is $855,000 – $625,000 for the Open and $230,000 for the Women’s event. 

AI Centre Inaugurated in Uttarakhand

Why in News?

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, inaugurated the “Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Skill Development, and Innovation” at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University) in Uttarakhand. 

Key Points

• About: The Centre, a pioneering initiative in Uttarakhand, aims to lead AI research and development while prioritizing integrity in its application.
  • It houses an Apple iOS Development Centre, set up in collaboration with Apple and Infosys, along with the state's first NVIDIA AI and High-Performance Computing facility. 
• Cost: The Centre, built at a cost of over ₹10 crore, aims to promote innovation and research across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, environment, smart cities, and advanced industries.
• India's First Generative AI Ready Campus: Graphic Era University, ranked 48th in the NIRF 2025 rankings and accredited with an A+ grade by NAAC, is India's first Generative AI Ready Campus, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
  • The university's leadership envisions the Centre as a national hub for research, skill development, and innovation, aiming to prepare students for careers in emerging technologies. 
• Significance: In line with the government's Digital India, Startup India, and Skill India missions, the Centre is committed to fostering entrepreneurship and developing industry-ready talent.

India's 1st Gold at Speed Skating World Championships

Why in News?

Anandkumar Velkumar made history by becoming India's first-ever World Champion in skating, winning Gold in the Senior Men's 1000m Sprint at the Speed Skating World Championships 2025.

Key Points

• About: The Speed Skating World Championships is being held from 13th to 21st September 2025 in Beidaihe, China, where Anandkumar Velkumar won gold with a time of 1:24.924.
• Additional Medals: Velkumar also earned a Bronze in the 500m Sprint event, marking India's first-ever senior world championship medal in speed skating.
• Junior Competition Success: The championships also saw Krish Sharma winning Gold in the Junior Men's 1000m Sprint, contributing to India’s outstanding performance.

Speed Skating World Championships

• About: Since 1891, the ISU Speed Skating World Championships have been the sport's premier event, alternating between Single Distances and Allround & Sprint formats.
• Single Distances Format (introduced in 1996): Held in pre- and post-Olympic years, skaters compete for 16 World titles, including Men’s 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 5000m and 10,000m, Women’s 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m and  5000m, Mass Start, Team Pursuit, and Team Sprint.
• Allround Format: The Allround format, a cornerstone of Speed Skating tradition, has been contested by men since 1891 and women since 1936. 
• Sprint Format: Introduced in 1970, the Sprint Champion event tests speed and precision, with skaters racing the 500m and 1000m twice, and the combined results of these sprints determine the champion.

Rajasthan’s Millet Outlets Initiative

Why in News?

The Rajasthan Government has set up 152 millet outlets through cooperative societies in rural areas, surpassing its initial target of 34 by more than four times.

Key Points

• About: The opening of millet outlets was part of a larger strategy announced in the 2025-26 State Budget to generate employment opportunities in the region.
  • The ambitious project aims to popularize millets as a nutritious, affordable, and sustainable alternative to traditional grains in everyday consumption.
• Role of Cooperative Societies: The outlets are set up through organizations such as the Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation, District Cooperative Consumer Societies, and Kraya Vikray Sahakari Samitis.
  • These societies have been instrumental in promoting millets and encouraging their inclusion in the diet, thereby helping improve community health and well-being.
• Promotion of SHGs: In addition to millet products from cooperative institutions, products from women’s self-help groups are also available at these outlets, supporting women's empowerment and entrepreneurship in rural areas.

Millet

• It is a collective term referring to several small-seeded annual grasses that are cultivated as grain crops, primarily on marginal lands in dry areas in temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions.
• Some of the common millets available in India are Ragi (Finger millet), Jowar (Sorghum), Sama (Little millet), Bajra (Pearl millet), and Variga (Proso millet).
  • The earliest evidence for these grains has been found in the Indus civilization and was one of the first plants domesticated for food.
• It is grown in about 131 countries and is the traditional food for around 60 crore people in Asia & Africa.
• India is the world's largest producer of millets with a share of 38.4% of the world’s production (FAO, 2023).
• Among all the states, Rajasthan has covered the largest area under millet cultivation, followed by Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.