Current Affair Category: Geography

Why in news ? Between 1981 and 2010, Arctic sea ice extent in September — when it reaches its minimum extent — shrunk at a rate of 12.2% per decade, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).  What is Sea Ice : Sea Ice refers to frozen seawater that forms, grows, and melts […]

Recent Temperature Anomaly: Event: February 2, 2025, temperatures at the North Pole soared 20°C above average, surpassing the melting threshold for ice. Extreme Observation: On February 1, temperatures in Svalbard, Norway, were 18°C above the 1991–2020 average, rising further by the next day. Expert Commentary: Mika Rantanen, Finnish Meteorological Institute, termed it an extreme winter […]

Why in News?  Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Union Budget, announced a five-year mission to “facilitate significant improvements in productivity and sustainability of cotton farming, and promote extra-long staple (ELS) cotton varieties.” What is Extra-long Staple Cotton? Cotton is categorized based on fibre length into short, medium, and long staple. In India, […]

Approval of National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM):  The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the mission with a budget of ₹16,300 crore. Purpose of NCMM: To promote exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery of critical minerals, both domestically and at offshore locations. Goal: Reduce dependence on critical mineral imports and ensure self-reliance in critical mineral supply. Comprehensive Value Chain: The […]

What is the status of the Smart Cities Mission? Why did the implementation of smart cities bypass local government and depend on Special Purpose Vehicles? What has happened to the mission in Shimla? Almost a decade has passed since the Indian government announced the concept of “smart cities” as the new lighthouses of urbanisation. The […]

Fueling Surge in Exports: India is the seventh-largest coffee producer globally with exports reaching $1.29 billion in FY 2023-24, nearly double the $719.42 million in 2020-21. Over 9,300 tonnes of coffee exported in January 2025 to key buyers like Italy, Belgium, and Russia. Rich Heritage of Coffee in India: Coffee cultivation in India began in […]

the year 2024 was the warmest on record for both India and the world, as announced by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD). However, the warming over India was measured at 1.2°C above the 1901-1910 average, considerably less than the 1.6°C or higher experienced globally over land surfaces. This discrepancy […]

IMD’s Vision 2047: Transforming India’s Meteorological Landscape IMD’s Vision 2047 is a strategic framework designed to advance India’s weather forecasting capabilities and enhance resilience to climate change. This vision aligns with India’s broader developmental goals and the global sustainability agenda. Key Goals and Objectives: Precision Forecasting: Achieve zero-error accuracy for three-day weather forecasts. Target 90% […]

Historical Legacy of IMD: Established in 1875, IMD originated after catastrophic events like the 1864 Calcutta cyclone and monsoon failures of 1866 and 1871, which highlighted the need for centralized meteorological services. IMD has evolved into a cornerstone institution for weather and climate services, supporting disaster management, agriculture, aviation, and public safety. 150th Foundation Day […]

Why in News ? The Z-Morh tunnel is being built under the mountain glacier Thajiwas Glacier between Gagangir and Sonamarg in Ganderbal district of Kashmir ensuring all-weather connectivity to Sonamarg boosting tourism. The strategic location of the Sonamarg tunnel will help in bypassing the major avalanche zones of NH-1 in the hung area which will […]