Current Affairs 9 April 2026
NCDs
- NCDs (chronic diseases) are long-term conditions not directly transmissible between people.
- Risk Factors:
- Behavioural – Tobacco use, unhealthy diets including excess salt, sugar and fats, harmful use of alcohol and insufficient physical activity
- Metabolic – hypertension, overweight/obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol
- Environmental – Air pollution, chemical exposure, noise pollution.
- Over 80% (over 47 million) of all deaths worldwide are attributed to NCDs and injuries.
- Four main NCDs responsible for the majority of these deaths are cardiovascular diseases (heart attacks/stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.
- Over 80% of premature NCD deaths now occur in low- and middle-income countries.
PLISFPI
- Type: Central Sector Scheme
- Ministry: MOFPI
- Total outlay: ₹10,900 crore
- Duration: 6 years (2021-22 to 2026-27)
- Objectives: Create global food manufacturing champions, Promote Indian food brands internationally, Generate off-farm employment, Ensure better prices to farmers & higher income.
CEC
- Article 324 of the Constitution provides that CEC shall not be removed from his/her office except in like manner and like grounds as a judge of the Supreme Court.
- A removal motion stating ground of removal can be introduced in either House of Parliament.
- Speaker/Chairman may admit or refuse the motion and if admitted, a three-member committee is formed to investigate charges.
- If committee finds the CEC guilty of proved misbehaviour or incapacity, then both the Houses must pass the resolution with a special majority.
- After passage of removal motion, the President issues the removal order.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- Ministry: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- Statutory Body: Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
- Mandate: Lays down science-based standards and regulates food manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import ensuring safety.
- Key Initiative: Eat Right India.
- Governing Structure: Food Authority with Chairperson and 22 members (one-third being women).
Lakes of Jammu and Kashmir
- Dal Lake: Urban lake in Srinagar, having floating gardens called Raad.
- Wular Lake: Second largest freshwater lake of Asia with Jhelum River as its main source. Situated on foothills of Haramuk Mountain.
- Hokersar Lake: Known as Queen of Wetlands, it is a sanctuary for migratory birds.
- Manasbal Lake: Mughal Garden called the Jaroka, built by Nur Jahan overlooks the lake.
Sundarbans
- It is world’s largest area of mangrove forests.
- Location: lies on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal spanning India (40%) and Bangladesh (60%).
- Protection: UNESCO World Heritage Site, Biosphere reserve under UNESCO man and biosphere program, and Ramsar site.
- Rivers: Muriganga, Raimangal, Harinbhanga, Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla etc.
- Fauna: Supports single largest population of tigers globally (adapted to amphibious life).
- Flora: Salt-tolerant plants like Sundari.
About ICAR (HQ: New Delhi)
- Origin: Established registered society under Societies Registration Act, 1860 as Imperial Council of Agricultural Research
- based Royal Commission on Agriculture report ( under Lord Linlithgow )
- Ministry: under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
- Ex-officio President : Union Minister of Agriculture
- Role: Apex body for coordinating and guiding agricultural research and education (including horticulture, fisheries, animal sciences).
- Eg. research related to Green revolution technologies
- Key initiatives
- Krishi Vigyan Kendras linking agricultural research and farmers at district level
- National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture(NICRA) to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change
Qeshm Island (Iran)
- Location: Lies near Bandar Abbas, separated by Khuran (Clarence) Strait.
- Largest island in the Persian Gulf.
- Strategic Importance: Close to Strait of Hormuz , critical global oil shipping route, provides Iran strategic leverage over maritime traffic.
- Terrain: Rocky coastline with sandy bays & mudflats