About El Chichon Volcano:

• El Chichón, also known as Chichonal, is a stratovolcano in Mexico.
• This volcano is made up of several lava domes and a tuff ring.
  • A tuff ring is a low, wide ring of volcanic ash and rock.
• El Chichón sits between two larger volcanic areas: the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Central America Volcanic Arc.

About Hakki Pikki Tribe:

• ‘Hakki-Pikki’ is one of the major tribal communities in Karnataka.
• In Kannada, the word ‘Hakki’ stands for ‘bird' and ‘Pikki’ stands for the verb ‘to catch’.
• Therefore, the community is known as the ‘bird catcher,’ which is their traditional occupation.
• They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.
• Language:
  • Despite being surrounded by Dravidian languages and living in southern India, the community speaks an Indo-Aryan language.
  • Their mother tongue was designated 'Vaagri' by scholars.
  • They communicate in 'Vaagri' at home but speak in Kannada when conducting daily business.
  • UNESCO has listed ‘Vaagri’ as one of the endangered languages.
• Rituals and Customs:
  • The tribe follows Hindu traditions and celebrates Hindu festivals.
  • They follow a clan-based social structure and practice endogamy within their clan.
  • The tribe prefers cross-cousin marriages.
  • The society is matriarchal, where the groom gives dowry to the bride’s family.

About Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs):

• Denotified Tribes (DNTs) are those communities which were once notified under the Criminal Tribes Acts, enforced by the British Raj between l871 and I947.
  • Once a tribe becomes “Notified” as criminal, all its members were required to register with the local magistrates, failing which they would be charged with a ‘crime’ under the Indian Penal Code.
• After Independence, this Act was repealed in 1952, and the communities were “denotified”, hence the name.
• The DNTs are among the most neglected, marginalised, and economically deprived communities, with most living a life of destitution.
• Historically, these communities never had access to private land or home ownership and used forests and grazing lands for their livelihood and residential use.

Status of DNTs in India:

• In India, roughly 10 percent of the population are DNTs.
• In 2014, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment constituted a National Commission for De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNT) for a period of three years-
  • to prepare a state-wise list of castes belonging to DNTs  
  • to suggest appropriate measures in respect of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes that may be undertaken by the Central Government or the State Government.
• The Ministry constituted the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) in 2019.
  • The Board has been mandated to formulate and implement welfare and development programmes for these communities.
• The Renke Commission (2008) was earlier commissioned to identify and list the DNT communities.

Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED):

• It was launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment for the welfare of DNT communities.
• It is being implemented by DWBDNCs.
• Aim: To provide free competitive exam coaching, health insurance, housing assistance, and livelihood initiatives at the community level, and financial assistance for construction of houses will be provided to the members of DNTs Communities.

About Project Vault:

• It is launched by the United States to stockpile rare earths and critical minerals, aiming to shield American companies from global supply disruptions.
• It is a public-private partnership that will buy and store critical minerals and rare earth elements.
  • These minerals are used in products such as smartphones, batteries, jet engines, and electric vehicles.
• The project is similar to the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which stores emergency oil supplies. However, instead of crude oil, Project Vault will focus on minerals.

About Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary:

• It is located in Gujarat.
• Nal Sarovar literally translates to ‘Tap Lake’.
• It is declared as a Ramsar site.
• Flora:
  • The common aquatic plants are Cyperus sp., Scirpus sp., Typha ungustata, Eleocharis palustris, Ruppia, Potamogeton, Vallisnaria, Naias, Chara, etc.
  • It also includes locally famous ‘pilu’ trees which harbor a red berry type edible fruit.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to various species of birds, including migratory birds that travel from places as far away as Europe and Siberia.
  • Apart from these, typical species like pelicans, ducks, herons, and storks can be found easily.

About SAMRIDH Programme:

• The Startup Accelerator of MeitY for Product Innovation, Development, and Growth (SAMRIDH) is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY).
• Aim: It aims to support existing and upcoming Accelerators to select and accelerate potential IT-based startups to scale. 
• Among others, the program focuses on accelerating the startups by providing customer connect, investors connect and connect to international markets.
• Financial Support: It provides financial support to selected accelerators.
• Implementation: It is being implemented by MeitY Start-up Hub (MSH), Digital India Corporation (DIC).

About Yuva Sahakar Scheme:

• Yuva Sahakar Cooperative Enterprise Support and Innovation Scheme” aims to encourage newly formed cooperative societies with new and/or innovative ideas.
• It encourages young entrepreneur Cooperative Societies which are in operation for a minimum of 3 months.
• Loan facility: The loan provided under the scheme is a long-term loan (up to 5 years) and as an incentive, NCDC provides 2% interest subvention on its applicable rate of interest on term loan for the project activities.
• Implementation: It is being implemented by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) across the country.
• Features of Yuva Sahakar Scheme:
  • NCDC has produced a dedicated fund with liberal traits entitling youth to avail the scheme.
  • It provides more incentives to the cooperatives working in the North-Eastern region and the aspirational districts.
  • Exclusive benefits are provided for women, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates.

About AI Stack:

• An AI stack is the complete set of tools and systems that work together to build and run AI applications. 
• It makes artificial intelligence work in the real world, from the apps people use every day to the data, computing power, networks etc.
• It is made up of five layers:
  • Application Layer
    • It represents the user-facing component of the AI stack.
    • It includes AI-powered apps and services such as health diagnostic tools, farming advisory platforms, chatbots, and language translation applications.
    • This layer turns complex AI processes into simple, user-friendly services that people can easily use.
  • AI model layer
    • It acts as the brain of AI systems. AI models are trained on data to recognize patterns, make predictions, and take decisions.
    • It is the core intelligence that determines how effectively applications can understand, predict, and respond to real-world needs. 
    • Example: They help detect diseases from X-rays, predict crop yields, translate languages, or answer questions through chatbots.
  • Compute layer
    • It provides the computing power required to train and run AI models. During training, compute processes vast amounts of data so the model can learn and improve. 
    • It is the critical enabler that determines the scale, speed, and sophistication of AI innovation.
  • Data Centres and Network Infrastructure Layer
    • Data centres are where AI systems are stored and operated, while networks like the internet, broadband, and 5G move data between users, computers, and AI models.
    • The data centres and network infrastructure layer provides the foundational backbone that enables AI systems to operate at scale and in real time. 
  • Energy Layer: It keeps the entire AI stack running. AI data centres consume large amounts of electricity because powerful computers are needed to train and operate AI systems.

About Bharat Taxi:

• Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
• It is a government-supported initiative developed under the Union Ministry of Cooperation and the National e-Governance Division (NeGD).
• It is India’s first cooperative taxi network, allowing drivers to become shareholders and co-owners.
• Promoted: It is being jointly promoted by leading cooperative and financial institutions including NCDC, IFFCO, AMUL, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NABARD, NDD Band NCEL.
• Key Features of Bharat Taxi Initiative:
  • Driver-Owned Fleet: Drivers can purchase shares and become cooperative members, giving them transparency and decision-making power.
  • Zero Commission: Unlike private cab aggregators that take a large cut, Bharat Taxi transfers the full fare to the driver.
  • Transparent, No-Surge Pricing: Fares will remain predictable, with no surge charges.
  • Platform Integration & Technical Architecture: Integration of the Bharat Taxi platform with national digital platforms such as DigiLocker, UMANG, and API Setu.
  • Security, Compliance & Infrastructure: Ensuring adherence to Government of India’s data protection norms and cybersecurity standards and advising on robust technical infrastructure.

About BRICS Centre for Industrial Competencies:

• It was launched in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
• Objective: It serves as a one-stop centre providing integrated support services to manufacturing companies and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across BRICS countries.
• It is a network-driven initiative under UNIDO, supporting SMEs, industrial modernization, and digital transformation in BRICS.
• It focuses on strengthening Industry 4.0 competencies.
• Implementation: The National Productivity Council (NPC) has been designated as the India Centre for BRICS Industrial Competencies. 

Key Facts about BRICS:

• It is a group of major emerging economies that work together for economic cooperation, development, and global governance reforms.
• The acronym ‘BRIC’ was coined by Jim O’Neill(Goldman Sachs economist) in 2001 to denote four emerging economies – Brazil, Russia, India, and China.
• Aim: To strengthen South-South cooperation and increase the voice of developing countries at the global level.
• Member Countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Indonesia.