The Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) has completed its first year, marking a year of focused, district-level action to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen agricultural development across selected districts.
The PMDDKY was launched in 2025 to support farmers and improve agricultural outcomes across 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts in India. It aims to address developmental gaps in agriculture through coordinated planning and the effective utilisation of existing government schemes.
The initiative integrates 36 schemes from 11 different departments, promoting convergence among government programmes and improving the efficiency of resource utilisation.
The scheme seeks to increase agricultural productivity in selected districts by addressing major constraints affecting agricultural development.
It encourages the adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices to improve farm resilience and support long-term agricultural development.
The scheme aims to augment post-harvest storage facilities at the panchayat and block levels, helping improve storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses.
It seeks to improve irrigation infrastructure and access to irrigation facilities to support agricultural productivity.
The scheme aims to facilitate the availability of both short-term and long-term agricultural credit, enabling farmers to meet their cultivation and investment requirements.
The scheme focuses on 100 Aspirational Agricultural Districts selected on the basis of agricultural development indicators.
The districts were identified using three major indicators: low agricultural productivity, low cropping intensity and low agricultural credit disbursement.
The selection process also considered the share of net cropped area and operational holdings in each State and Union Territory. The selection ensures that every State has at least one district under the scheme.
PMDDKY is a six-year initiative, beginning in 2025–26. It follows a focused district-level approach to improve agricultural outcomes through coordinated implementation and monitoring.
The scheme follows a three-tier implementation structure involving district, state and national-level institutions.
The District Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana Samiti, headed by the District Collector or District Magistrate, prepares and implements the District Action Plan.
The State Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana Samiti, headed by the Chief Secretary of the State, reviews and monitors the District Action Plans.
Two committees oversee implementation at the national level.
The National Executive Committee is headed by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
The National Monitoring Committee is headed by the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW).
The Central Asian Conservation Network (CACN) has launched the Central Asian Flyway Digital Hub to strengthen knowledge-sharing and support the conservation of migratory birds along one of the world's major migration routes.
The Central Asian Flyway Digital Hub has been developed by the Central Asian Conservation Network (CACN). Its primary objective is to improve the sharing of information, knowledge and resources for the conservation of migratory birds across the Central Asian Flyway.
The digital platform brings together information on bird species, important flyway sites, conservation initiatives, educational resources and opportunities for public participation.
It will also provide dedicated portals to document bird collisions and record sightings of marked birds, helping improve monitoring and understanding of bird migration.
The platform provides educational and awareness materials designed to make information about migratory birds and their conservation accessible to children, teachers, local communities, birdwatchers and the general public.
This portal enables users to document bird deaths and injuries caused by collisions with infrastructure. The information can help identify risks to migratory birds and support conservation planning.
This portal allows users to record observations of marked birds. Such records help researchers understand bird movements, migration routes and patterns of migration.
The Digital Hub will continue to expand by incorporating new information on bird species, educational resources, conservation projects and monitoring data.
The Digital Hub can strengthen cooperation among researchers, conservation organisations, birdwatchers and local communities by making relevant information more accessible.
Its bird-collision reporting and ringing-and-resighting facilities can support scientific monitoring, identification of threats and evidence-based conservation measures for migratory birds.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is making progress in developing an indigenous Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) to strengthen the air-defence capabilities of Indian warships.
The VL-SRSAM is an indigenously developed Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM) designed and developed by the DRDO for the Indian Navy.
It is primarily a ship-based air-defence weapon designed to neutralise aerial threats at close ranges. Its major objective is to intercept sea-skimming targets, such as missiles and drones that fly close to the ocean surface to evade early radar detection.
The missile has a length of 3.93 metres, a diameter of 178 mm and a wingspan of 508 mm. It is powered by a solid-propellant rocket motor and can achieve speeds of up to Mach 4.
According to the provided information, it has an operational range of up to 80 km and can engage targets at altitudes of up to 16 km.
One of the most important features of VL-SRSAM is its vertical launch capability. The missile is fired vertically from a canister-based launcher before turning towards its designated target.
This system provides 360-degree engagement capability, allowing a warship to respond to threats approaching from different directions without rotating the vessel or mechanically repositioning the launcher.
The missile system relies on a Multi-Function Radar (MFR) equipped with Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology.
The radar scans the surrounding airspace, detects and identifies potential threats, prioritises targets and provides information to the Weapon Control Computer (WCC).
During the terminal phase of flight, an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker guides the missile towards its target with high accuracy.
This enables the missile to engage aerial threats effectively, including those that may be difficult to detect because of their low-altitude flight profiles.
VL-SRSAM will enhance the Indian Navy’s ability to protect warships against anti-ship missiles, drones and other aerial threats, particularly those approaching at low altitudes.
Sea-skimming missiles fly close to the ocean surface, making them difficult to detect early because of radar-horizon limitations. A rapid-response ship-based air-defence system is therefore important for protecting naval vessels.
The development of VL-SRSAM supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing by strengthening India's indigenous missile-development capabilities and reducing dependence on foreign weapon systems.
The Indian Navy will commission Mangrol, the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
Mangrol is the third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), Kochi. It is named after Mangrol, a coastal town and prominent fishing harbour in Gujarat’s Junagadh district.
The vessel is designed to detect and counter underwater threats in coastal and shallow waters, thereby strengthening the Indian Navy’s coastal defence capabilities.
Mangrol is equipped with modern weapons and sensors, including the Abhay Hull-Mounted Sonar, lightweight torpedoes, an indigenous anti-submarine rocket launcher, and the Maareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System.
The vessel is powered by three diesel engines with waterjet propulsion. This configuration provides high manoeuvrability, making it suitable for operations in shallow and coastal waters.
Mangrol can undertake underwater surveillance, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine warfare-related tasks. It can also operate alongside maritime patrol aircraft, helicopters and other warships to detect and counter submarine threats.
The induction of Mangrol will strengthen the Indian Navy’s ability to protect ports, harbours and coastal approaches against underwater threats. It will also improve maritime surveillance and support wider fleet operations, enhancing India’s coastal security preparedness.
The alleged movement of fishing boats and the laying of fishing nets in restricted areas of the Pong Dam Reservoir, including its right-side barrier and reserve zone in lower Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, have raised security concerns.
The Pong Dam, also known as the Beas Dam, is an earth-fill embankment dam constructed on the Beas River in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
The construction of the dam began in 1961 and was completed in 1974. At the time of its completion, it was considered the tallest dam of its type in India.
The dam is approximately 133 metres high, with a base width of around 610 metres.
It was constructed primarily for hydroelectric power generation and irrigation.
The spillway is controlled by six radial gates located on the southern side of the dam. A powerhouse is situated at its base for electricity generation.
The construction of Pong Dam created an artificial lake known as Maharana Pratap Sagar, named after the celebrated ruler of Mewar.
The reservoir is also known as Pong Reservoir or Pong Dam Lake.
It covers an area of more than 240 square kilometres and serves several important ecological and economic functions.
Maharana Pratap Sagar was declared a bird sanctuary in 1983 because of its rich waterfowl diversity. It was subsequently designated a Ramsar Site in 2002, recognising its importance as a wetland of international significance.
The reservoir provides an important habitat for resident and migratory birds, particularly during winter.
Important bird species found here include:
Bar-headed goose
Red-necked grebe
Northern lapwing
Common teal
Spot-billed duck
Eurasian coot
Black stork
Egrets
The Pong Dam Reservoir is an important habitat for aquatic biodiversity and migratory birds. It also functions as a fish reservoir and breeding ground, supporting commercial fishing and local livelihoods.
The lake is surrounded by the Dhauladhar mountain range, which forms part of the western Himalayas.
Since the reservoir is connected to the perennial Beas River, it receives water throughout the year. The dam also helps regulate water levels in the reservoir.
The dam supports irrigation and hydroelectric power generation, contributing to agricultural production and energy supply.
The reservoir provides important habitats for migratory waterbirds and other wildlife. Its designation as a Ramsar Site highlights the need to conserve its ecological character.
The reservoir supports fish breeding and commercial fishing, contributing to local economic activity.
The recent concerns regarding fishing boats and nets in restricted areas highlight the importance of regulating access to sensitive dam infrastructure and protecting reservoir operations.
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In every Lecture. Director Sir will provide conceptual understanding with around 800 Mindmaps.
We provide you the best and Comprehensive content which comes directly or indirectly in UPSC Exam.
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