GK One-Liners

What: The Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Yojana, or VB-GRAM G, is a centrally sponsored rural livelihood and employment scheme launched from Mukkavarippalli village in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. It was jointly launched by Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, with a total outlay of Rs 7.5 lakh crore over five years.

How: The scheme is administered under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) and is designed to guarantee employment and livelihood support to rural populations. It builds on the Viksit Bharat vision, targeting gram-level implementation with convergence across existing rural schemes.

Why: Centrally sponsored schemes with large financial outlays are high-frequency in UPSC Prelims and state PSC exams. Questions often test the parent ministry, launch location, outlay, and the full expansion of the acronym. This scheme’s Rs 7.5 lakh crore figure and its MoA&FW linkage are key facts to retain.

What: The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) completed 10 years on 1 July 2026, having been originally approved on 1 July 2015 with an initial outlay of Rs 50,000 crore. The scheme was subsequently extended in 2021 for another five years with a revised outlay of Rs 93,068.56 crore.

How: PMKSY focuses on end-to-end irrigation solutions under the theme “Har Khet Ko Pani, Har Boond Ko More Crop.” It has created or restored irrigation potential across 24.61 million hectares and benefited over 27 million farmers, with total budgetary support of Rs 64,407 crore as of August 2025.

Why: PMKSY is a recurring subject in UPSC GS-III (agriculture, water management) and in state PSC exams. Milestone anniversaries prompt factual questions on beneficiary figures, hectarage covered, and outlay revisions. The scheme’s twin goals of irrigation coverage and water-use efficiency are also relevant for Mains answers.

What: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has officially notified the Borjuli site as a Biodiversity Heritage Site (BHS) in Sonitpur district, Assam. This brings Assam’s total count of officially notified BHSs to three, the others being Majuli BHS and Hajong Tortoise Lake BHS.

How: A Biodiversity Heritage Site is designated under Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. State governments, in consultation with local bodies and the NBA, can notify areas that are unique, ecologically fragile, and of high value for biodiversity — including wild crop relatives, endemic species habitats, or sacred groves. Borjuli is notable for its wild rice diversity.

Why: BHS notifications are a standard topic in UPSC Prelims under Environment & Ecology. Examinees should know the legal basis (Biological Diversity Act, 2002), the designating authority (State Government with NBA), and the names of notified sites per state. Assam’s three BHSs, and the linkage of Borjuli to wild rice germplasm conservation, are high-yield facts.

What: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have jointly developed India’s first indigenous tactical aerostat — a tethered, balloon-based aerial surveillance platform. It offers operational coverage of up to 20 kilometres and is equipped with electro-optical (EO) cameras, infrared (IR) sensors, and communication relay systems.

How: An aerostat is a lighter-than-air vehicle anchored to the ground by a tether. Unlike satellites or drones, aerostats provide persistent, low-cost surveillance by hovering at fixed altitudes for extended periods. The system can relay communications and monitor border or conflict zones continuously without requiring active propulsion.

Why: Indigenous defence technology development — especially IIT-DRDO collaborations — is a recurring theme in UPSC Science & Technology and Defence sections. Candidates should note the “first indigenous” tag, the 20 km coverage range, and the sensor suite. This also ties into the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence narrative relevant to GS-III and essay topics.

What: West Bengal received 23 new Geographical Indication (GI) tags in June 2026, bringing its total GI registrations to 59. This makes it the 3rd highest state nationally in GI tags, behind Uttar Pradesh (83 GI tags) and Tamil Nadu (76 GI tags). Among the new additions is the Jolbhora Sandesh from Chandannagar, Hooghly.

How: GI tags are registered under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, administered by the Geographical Indications Registry under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). A GI tag legally protects the name and quality of region-specific products — agricultural, handicraft, or manufactured — from imitation.

Why: GI tag rankings and milestone figures are standard Prelims questions across UPSC, SSC, and state PSCs. Key facts: UP leads nationally, Tamil Nadu is 2nd, West Bengal is 3rd. The governing legislation (GI Act, 1999), the administering registry, and notable new additions like Jolbhora Sandesh are all exam-relevant. GI tags also appear in IPR (Intellectual Property Rights) and trade chapters of GS-III.

What: Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit assumed charge as the 51st Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 1 July 2026, succeeding Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor who retired on 30 June 2026. He has been conferred the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 2026 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) in 2023.

How: The Vice Chief of Air Staff is the second-highest position in the IAF after the Chief of Air Staff. The VCAS assists the Chief in administration, operations, and policy, and acts as Chief during the latter’s absence. Appointments at this level are approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

Why: Senior defence appointments — particularly numbered positions such as “51st VCAS” — are direct Prelims questions. Candidates should know the rank (Air Marshal), the position (VCAS, IAF), the date of assumption (1 July 2026), the predecessor (Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor), and the awards held. Defence appointments from the Army, Navy, and Air Force appear frequently in current-affairs sections of all competitive exams.