In News:

The Ayush Suraksha Portal was launched in May 2025 by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, in compliance with the Supreme Court's directive. The portal marks a major step in enhancing regulatory oversight, public safety, and pharmacovigilance within the Ayush sector.

Objective

The portal aims to:

• Monitor and act on misleading advertisements.
• Track and respond to adverse drug reactions (ADRs).
• Promote transparency, accountability, and public participation in the regulation of traditional medicine systems.

Key Features

• Centralised digital platform for real-time reporting and analysis of misleading advertisements and ADRs.
• Accessible to the general public, healthcare professionals, and regulatory authorities.
• Ensures direct citizen participation by allowing users to report issues and track action taken.
• Developed with technical support from the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS).
• Integrated with the National Pharmacovigilance Program for Ayush.

Institutional Integration

The portal coordinates with multiple regulatory and enforcement bodies:

• Ayush vertical under CDSCO
• Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MoI&B)
• Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
• National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM)
• National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH)
• Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)
• Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
• State Licensing Authorities (SLAs)

Significance

• Meets the Supreme Court’s deadline ahead of time, reinforcing legal compliance.
• Enables real-time regulatory action, inter-state coordination, and data-driven governance.
• Enhances public trust and safety in the use of traditional medicines.
• Reflects the Ministry of Ayush’s commitment to evidence-based practices and responsible governance.

In News:

The President of India recently conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards 2025 to exemplary nursing professionals in a formal ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

About the National Florence Nightingale Awards

• Established: 1973
• Administered by: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
• Purpose: To honour exceptional contributions of nursing personnel across India in recognition of their meritorious service to society.

The award is open to nurses working in government, private, and voluntary healthcare settings, including hospitals, community health centres, educational institutions, and administrative roles.

Award Components

• Certificate of Merit
• Cash Prize: ?1,00,000
• Medal of Honour

About Florence Nightingale

• Florence Nightingale (1820–1910) was a pioneering English nurse, social reformer, and statistician, widely considered the founder of modern nursing.
• She gained recognition during the Crimean War for organizing the care of wounded soldiers in Constantinople (now Istanbul).

She also revolutionized nursing education by establishing the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, the first institution based on scientific nursing principles.

In News:

On the 300th birth anniversary of Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar, the Prime Minister will participate in the Mahila Sashaktikaran Maha Sammelan in Bhopal to honour her enduring legacy.

Historical Background

• Born: 31 May 1725
• Ruled: Malwa region (1767–1795) as part of the Maratha Confederacy
• Dynasty: Holkar
• Capital: Maheshwar (now in Madhya Pradesh)

Initially serving as a regent, Ahilyabai Holkar became the sovereign ruler after her husband and father-in-law’s deaths. Her rule is widely regarded as the golden age of the Holkar dynasty.

Governance and Administrative Reforms

• Ahilyabai was known for her equitable justice system, exemplified by the sentencing of her own son for a capital crime.
• She abolished discriminatory practices, such as the law confiscating property from childless widows.
• Courts for dispute resolution were established, and she remained accessible to the public, holding daily audiences.
• She broke gender norms by not observing purdah, a rare move for female rulers of the time.

Military Leadership

• Trained under Malhar Rao Holkar, she led her forces in battle.
• Appointed Tukoji Rao Holkar (Malhar Rao’s adopted son) as army commander.
• In 1792, she engaged a French officer, Chevalier Dudrenec, to modernize her army by establishing four battalions.

Cultural and Architectural Contributions

• A patron of literature and arts, she invited scholars like Moropant, Ananta Gandhi, and Khushali Ram to her court.
• Promoted craft and industry, notably founding the Maheshwar textile industry—famous today for Maheshwari sarees.
• Commissioned the construction and restoration of hundreds of Hindu temples and dharamshalas across India.
• Her most iconic act was the renovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi in 1780.
• Also contributed to infrastructure development, including roads, wells, forts, and rest houses.

Titles and Recognition

• Referred to as ‘Punyashlok’, meaning one as pure as sacred chants.
• British historian John Keay called her the ‘Philosopher Queen’.

Demise and Succession

Ahilyabai passed away on 13 August 1795 at the age of 70. She was succeeded by Tukoji Rao Holkar, who later abdicated in favour of Jaswant Rao Holkar. Jaswant Rao remained the last Holkar to rule independently until 1804.

In News:

The Union Minister of Jal Shakti recently launched Swachh Survekshan Grameen (SSG) 2025, India’s largest rural sanitation survey, conducted by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Objective and Scope:

SSG 2025 is designed to evaluate the impact and sustainability of rural sanitation outcomes achieved under the Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (SBM-G) Phase II, particularly focusing on the Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus Model.

• The survey aims to rank all States, Union Territories, and Districts based on both quantitative and qualitative sanitation indicators.
• 21,000 villages across 761 districts in 34 States/UTs will be covered.

Key Assessment Components:

The evaluation follows a structured framework with four major components:

• Service-Level Progress (SLP): Based on data from district self-assessments and verification of ODF Plus Model villages.
• Direct Observation of Sanitation Status: Field-based observations in sampled villages, households, and public places such as schools and Common Service Centers (CSCs).
• Infrastructure Functionality Check: Includes assessment of:
  • Plastic Waste Management Units (PWMUs)
  • Faecal Sludge Management (FSM) plants
  • GOBARdhan plants
  • Swachhata Green Leaf Rating (SGLR) sites
• Citizen Feedback: Collected through a dedicated mobile application and direct interviews, ensuring community participation and transparency.

Key Innovations in SSG 2025:

• Geo-fencing for data authenticity and integrity.
• Emphasis on Jan Bhagidari (public participation) to sustain and validate sanitation achievements.
• Engagement of an independent agency for unbiased survey implementation.
• Launch of Swachhata Chronicles Volume III and a compendium of best practices from States to promote knowledge sharing.

Significance:

• Reinforces India’s commitment to sustainable sanitation and rural development.
• Encourages evidence-based policy interventions and fosters competitive federalism.
• Highlights sanitation as a continuous developmental journey, not a one-time target.

In News:

The rare lizard species Calotes zolaiking has been recorded for the first time in Meghalaya, marking a significant extension of its known habitat and triggering grassroots conservation efforts.

About Calotes zolaiking

• Scientific Classification: Belongs to the Calotes genus under the Agamidae family.
• First Described: In 2019 from Aizawl district, Mizoram.
• Appearance: About 5 inches in length; green body with dark patches and strongly keeled scales (scales with a raised ridge).
• Behaviour: Arboreal (tree-dwelling), diurnal, fast runners, and capable swimmers.
• Diet: Insectivorous—feeds on insects and small invertebrates.

Distribution and Habitat

• New Sighting: Mawmluh village, East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya, April 2024.
• Range Extension: Approx. 172 km aerially from the original Mizoram locality.
• Genus Distribution: Found across India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and parts of Oceania.
• India's Richness: 14 known Calotes species in India; 9 recorded in the Northeast region.

Conservation Significance

• Community Role: Local residents Goldenstar Thongni and Banyllashisha Wankhar played a key role in identifying and collecting specimens.
• Catalyst for Conservation: The species' discovery has motivated the local community in Mawmluh and Sohra (Cherrapunji) to strengthen forest protection amidst threats from limestone mining and industrial activities.
• Sacred Groves: Traditional conservation spaces like sacred groves are being revitalized in light of the new biodiversity significance.
• Scientific Impact: The find was featured in Zootaxa, a peer-reviewed taxonomy journal, adding global recognition.

Broader Ecological Relevance

• Biodiversity Surveys: The discovery underscores the need for continuous herpetofaunal surveys in the Khasi Hills due to forest degradation.
• Historical Context: Cited alongside Stoliczkia khasiensis, a snake species last seen in 1870, highlighting the risk of species being lost without systematic documentation.