1 . Mephedrone (Meow-Meow / MD)
Syllabus Mapping:GS3: Internal Security; Drug Trafficking; NDPS Act
- Recently, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a major narcotics network and seized Mephedrone, a synthetic psychotropic substance, along with precursor chemicals under anti-drug operations.
- Mephedrone (4-Methylmethcathinone/4-MMC) is a synthetic cathinone, popularly known as “Meow-Meow”, “MCAT”, “Drone”, “White Magic” or “MD”.
- It is a New Psychoactive Substance (NPS) and acts as a central nervous system stimulant.
- Chemically, it is a synthetic analogue of cathinone, the naturally occurring stimulant found in the Khat (Catha edulis)
- Mephedrone increases the release of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, producing euphoria, alertness and stimulant effects.
- It is commonly encountered as white crystalline powder, crystals, capsules or tablets.
- Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, Mephedrone is notified as a Psychotropic Substance, making its manufacture, possession, sale and transport illegal except for authorised scientific or medical purposes.
- Synthetic drugs such as Mephedrone, Methamphetamine, MDMA and LSD are increasingly classified as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) due to their laboratory synthesis and abuse potential.
2. NIDAR 2.0 (National Innovation Challenge for Drone Application and Research)
Syllabus Mapping:GS3: Science & Technology; Drones; Semiconductor Mission
- Recently, MeitY, in collaboration with the Drone Federation India (DFI), launched NIDAR 2.0 (2026–27) under the SwaYaan Initiative.
- Unlike the first edition, NIDAR 2.0 shifts the focus from drone applications to indigenous drone electronics, autonomous systems and core drone components, with students developing drones powered by India’s indigenous VEGA processor.
- NIDAR 2.0 introduces two competition tracks:
- Drone Innovation – Autonomous swarm drones, GPS-denied navigation, disaster response.
- Component Innovation – Indigenous flight controller & autopilot based on the VEGA processor.
- VEGA Processor is India’s indigenous RISC-V-based processor, developed by C-DAC under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) Programme of MeitY to reduce dependence on foreign chip architectures.
- The top 100 teams will receive VEGA processor development kits for testing and integration.
- The challenge supports India’s vision of becoming a Global Drone Hub by 2030 under the Drone Rules, 2021 and Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Drones & Drone Components.
3. SwaYaan Initiative
Syllabus Mapping:GS3: Science & Technology; Drones; Skill Development
- Recently, NIDAR 2.0 was launched under the SwaYaan Initiative to promote indigenous drone technologies and human resource development in the UAS ecosystem.
- SwaYaan stands for Capacity Building for Human Resource Development in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Drone & Allied Technologies).
- It is a national initiative of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY), approved in July 2022 with an outlay of about ₹89.87 crore for five years.
- It aims to develop a skilled workforce, research ecosystem and indigenous technologies in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), supporting the vision of making India a Global Drone Hub by 2030.
- The programme follows a Hub-and-Spoke model involving 30 premier institutions, including IISc, IITs, IIITs, NITs, C-DAC and NIELIT.
- The initiative is organised around five thematic verticals:
- Aeromechanics
- Drone Electronics
- Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) Algorithms and Simulation
- Drone Applications
- Allied UAS Technologies
4. RBI Swap Initiatives for FCNR(B), ECB & OFCB
Syllabus Mapping:GS3: Indian Economy; Banking; External Sector
- Recently, the Union Finance Minister reviewed the progress of the RBI’s swap initiatives relating to FCNR(B) deposits, External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) and Overseas Foreign Currency Borrowings (OFCBs) to strengthen India’s external sector.
- Banks were advised to intensify outreach to the NRI diaspora and leverage IFSC Banking Units (IBUs) at GIFT-IFSC for mobilising foreign currency resources.
- FCNR(B) (Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank)) Account is a term deposit maintained by NRIs in designated foreign currencies.
- FCNR(B) deposits are insulated from exchange-rate risk, as both principal and interest are maintained in the same foreign currency.
- Eligible currencies:USD, GBP, EUR, JPY, AUD and CAD.
- Tenure:1–5 years.
- Special RBI swap window (2026) applies to fresh USD FCNR(B) deposits of 3–5 years mobilised up to 30 September 2026.
- Under the special window, RBI provides banks a concessional USD–INR swap, reducing hedging costs and encouraging mobilisation of foreign currency deposits.
- OFCB (Overseas Foreign Currency Borrowing) refers to foreign currency borrowings by banks from overseas markets to augment foreign currency resources.
5. Guinness World Record through Miyawaki Plantation
Syllabus Mapping:GS3: Environment; Afforestation; Urban Forestry
- Recently, the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Constituency (Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation) created a Guinness World Record by planting over 3.61 lakh saplings in one hour using the Miyawaki afforestation method, surpassing the previous record held by Assam (2023).
- Miyawaki Method was developed by Akira Miyawaki, a Japanese botanist.
- It involves high-density plantation of native (indigenous) species, resulting in the rapid development of multi-layered forests.
- A typical Miyawaki forest consists of 3–5 native species per square metre, creating a dense canopy.
- The method follows a multi-layer vegetation structure comprising shrubs, sub-trees, tree layer and canopy trees, mimicking a natural forest.
- No chemical fertilisers or pesticides are ordinarily used; emphasis is placed on native species, soil improvement and organic mulching.
- After the initial 2–3 years of maintenance, the forest is expected to become largely self-sustaining.
- Miyawaki forests generally exhibit faster growth and higher carbon sequestration and biodiversity than conventional plantations under suitable conditions. (Indicative feature often cited for the technique.)
- The method is particularly suitable for urban forests, degraded lands, institutional campuses and roadside green belts, where land availability is limited.
