Global Geopolitical Shifts: BRICS and Expansion
- Original Membership: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa.
- Recent Expansion (Effective January 1, 2024): Five new permanent members were inducted.
- New Members:
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Iran
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Impact: The expansion significantly increases the bloc's global share of oil production and expands its representation across the Middle East and Africa.
- Decision Context: The 15th BRICS Summit (held in Johannesburg, South Africa) finalized the consensus on the new membership criteria.
National Economic Initiative: PM Viskarma Scheme
This scheme focuses on supporting traditional artisans and craftspeople (Vishwakarmas) through financial and skill development aid.
- Launch Date: September 17, 2023.
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
- Target Group: 18 identified traditional trades (e.g., blacksmiths, potters, barbers, sculptors).
- Financial Allocation: ₹13,000 crore budgeted over a five-year period (2023-2024 to 2027-2028).
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Skill Upgradation | Basic and Advanced training (stipend of ₹500/day during training). |
| Tool Kit Incentive | Financial assistance of ₹15,000 for modern tool purchases. |
| Credit Support (Collateral-Free) | Tranche 1: Up to ₹1 lakh (repayable in 18 months). Tranche 2: Up to ₹2 lakh (repayable in 30 months). |
| Interest Rate | Concessional interest rate of 5%. |
| Digital Transactions | Provision of ₹1 per successful digital transaction (up to 100 transactions/month). |
Indian Space Program: Chandrayaan-3 Mission Success
- Objective: Achieve a safe and soft landing on the lunar surface, demonstrate rover mobility, and conduct in-situ scientific experiments.
- Landing Date: August 23, 2023.
- Landing Site: Near the lunar South Pole region (designated as Shiv Shakti Point).
- Landing Module Name: Vikram.
- Rover Name: Pragyan.
- Key Scientific Findings:
- Detected minor lunar seismic activity near the landing site.
- Confirmed the presence of Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca), Iron (Fe), Chromium (Cr), Titanium (Ti), Manganese (Mn), Silicon (Si), and Oxygen (O) near the South Pole using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS).
- Recorded temperature variation of the lunar surface topsoil using the ChaSTE payload (Chandra’s Surface Thermo-physical Experiment).
- Distinction: India became the fourth nation globally to achieve a soft lunar landing and the first to land near the South Pole.