GK One-Liners

What: The Delhi government approved its first artificial rain pilot project using cloud seeding technology to combat severe air pollution and improve air quality, particularly during winter months when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches hazardous levels. Cloud seeding involves dispersing chemical agents like silver iodide into clouds to induce precipitation, which can help settle particulate matter and pollutants.

How: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur will serve as the technical partner, providing scientific expertise and operational guidance. Aircraft will spray silver iodide or other hygroscopic materials into suitable clouds to trigger condensation and rainfall. The project will be implemented during periods of favorable meteorological conditions, with monitoring systems tracking effectiveness in reducing PM2.5 and PM10 levels across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Why: Highly relevant for UPSC GS3 (Environment – Air Pollution, Climate Change) and current affairs. Topics include National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), air quality management, and technological solutions for pollution control. This connects to Delhi’s recurring pollution crisis, crop residue burning in neighboring states, and debates on the efficacy and environmental impact of artificial weather modification techniques.

What: The government approved construction of 2.34 lakh (234,000) houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-Urban) 2.0 scheme, advancing the mission to provide affordable housing for all urban poor and economically weaker sections (EWS). PMAY-Urban 2.0 is the revised phase of the flagship housing scheme targeting urban slums and low-income households.

How: The scheme provides central assistance through four verticals: In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR), Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS), Affordable Housing in Partnership (AHP), and Beneficiary Led Construction (BLC). State governments and urban local bodies identify beneficiaries through the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) database, with focus on women-headed households, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (SC/ST), persons with disabilities, and minority communities.

Why: Critical for UPSC GS2 (Governance – Social Sector Schemes) and GS3 (Economy – Urbanization). Topics include Housing for All by 2030 (aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 11), urban poverty alleviation, slum-free cities, and inclusive development. Banking exams test government schemes, housing finance, and urban development programs. This connects to the National Urban Housing Fund (NUHF), Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models, and challenges of rapid urbanization.

What: Four Indian universities secured positions in the top 100 of the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, which measures institutions’ progress toward achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This achievement reflects India’s improving performance in higher education quality, research output, and commitment to social and environmental sustainability.

How: THE Impact Rankings evaluate universities across 17 SDGs including quality education, gender equality, clean energy, climate action, and partnerships for goals. Indian institutions improved their performance through enhanced research on sustainability, community engagement programs, inclusive admission policies, green campus initiatives, and partnerships with industry and civil society. The rankings assess both research publications and operational practices that contribute to global development goals.

Why: Important for UPSC GS2 (Education – Higher Education Policy) and current affairs. Topics include National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, university rankings, research ecosystem, SDGs implementation, and India’s pursuit of educational excellence. Banking exams test international rankings, educational initiatives, and global competitiveness. This connects to debates on quality versus quantity in higher education, research funding through Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA), and India’s goal of becoming a global knowledge hub.

What: India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cyprus to enable Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services in the European Union (EU) member nation. This agreement allows Indian tourists, students, and the diaspora in Cyprus to make seamless digital payments using UPI-enabled apps, eliminating the need for currency exchange and international card transactions.

How: The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) will collaborate with Cypriot payment infrastructure providers to integrate UPI with local merchant networks. Indian visitors can scan QR codes at shops, restaurants, and service providers to make instant rupee-to-euro conversions through their UPI apps. This follows similar agreements with countries including Singapore, UAE, France, and Nepal, expanding UPI’s global footprint.

Why: Critical for banking exams testing digital payment systems, NPCI initiatives, and fintech developments. For UPSC GS3 (Economy – Digital Economy, Financial Inclusion), topics include UPI’s global expansion, Digital India, cashless economy, and India’s leadership in payment technology innovation. This connects to cross-border payment systems, remittance corridors, India Stack technology, and the country’s soft power through technological exports.

What: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) won the Digital Payments Award 2024-25, recognizing its contributions to financial inclusion and digital payment adoption across India, particularly in rural and remote areas. IPPB operates through the extensive network of India Post offices, serving as a crucial last-mile financial services provider for underbanked populations.

How: IPPB provides digital banking services including savings accounts with doorstep banking, Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AEPS), UPI services, micro-ATMs, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) accounts, insurance, and pension products. The bank leverages India Post’s 1.55 lakh post offices and 3 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) to deliver banking services in remote villages, enabling digital transactions where traditional banks have limited reach.

Why: Highly relevant for banking exams covering payment banks, financial inclusion, and postal services modernization. For UPSC GS3 (Economy – Banking Sector, Digital Payments), topics include differentiated banking licenses, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), JAM trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile), and last-mile connectivity. This connects to debates on rural banking infrastructure, direct benefit transfer efficiency, and the role of postal networks in India’s digital financial ecosystem.

What: IIT Kanpur was designated as the technical partner for Delhi’s artificial rain pilot project, bringing scientific expertise in atmospheric sciences, cloud physics, and environmental engineering to combat the capital’s severe air pollution crisis. The institute will design the cloud seeding protocol, select appropriate meteorological conditions, and monitor the project’s environmental and health impacts.

How: IIT Kanpur researchers will analyze weather patterns, cloud formations, wind directions, and humidity levels to identify optimal windows for cloud seeding operations. The team will coordinate aircraft operations for dispersing silver iodide or sodium chloride particles, establish ground monitoring stations to measure pollution levels (PM2.5, PM10), and evaluate the effectiveness of induced rainfall in settling airborne pollutants across Delhi-NCR.

Why: Important for UPSC GS3 (Science & Technology – Applied Research, Environment) and current affairs. Topics include IITs’ role in public policy solutions, weather modification technology, air quality management, and scientific approaches to pollution control. This connects to the National Clean Air Programme, research and development (R&D) in climate science, public-private-academic partnerships, and debates on artificial weather intervention’s efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and potential ecological impacts.