Current affairs -SIR,NISAR (3).pptx for daily polishing of your current affairs part.for preparation

Current affairs is a must read topic for preparation of Upsc exams

1. What is SIR? Special Intensive Revision (SIR)  is an electoral roll revision exercise initiated by the  Election Commission of India (ECI) , starting with Bihar in June 2025. Its stated aim is to ensure that only eligible citizens are included in the voters’ list, and ineligible entries (such as deceased persons or those who have permanently shifted) are removed 

2. Why Was SIR Introduced? The ECI claims SIR is necessary to: Cleanse electoral rolls  of dead, duplicate, or untraceable entries. Ensure electoral integrity  by verifying citizenship and residence status. Standardize voter verification  across India, starting with Bihar as a pilot However, critics argue that the timing—just months before Bihar’s Assembly elections—raises concerns about political motives and disenfranchisement 

3. Constitutionality and Legal Concerns The  Supreme Court  is currently hearing multiple petitions challenging SIR’s legality. Key constitutional concerns include: Violation of Article 326  (universal adult suffrage): SIR allegedly shifts the burden of proof of citizenship onto voters, especially those added after 2003  Contradiction with the 1995 Lal Babu Hussein judgment : The SC had ruled that once a person is on the electoral roll, the burden of proof lies with the objector, not the voter  Lack of due process : Critics argue that voters are being asked to prove citizenship without being informed of the grounds for suspicion 

4. Why Is SIR Criticised? Mass disenfranchisement : Up to  94 lakh voters  may be excluded in Bihar alone  Disproportionate impact on migrants, Dalits, minorities, and the poor : Many lack the required documents and awareness  No additions, only deletions : The process has been described as a purge rather than a revision  Reverse burden of proof : Voters must now prove citizenship, which critics say is unconstitutional 

5. What Are the 11 Valid Documents for SIR? Birth Certificate  (from Registrar of Births/Deaths) Class 10 Board Certificate Passport Residential Certificate Caste Certificate Land Ownership Papers Family Register Government Scheme Beneficiary Certificate Certificate from Village Pradhan Certificate of Citizenship Entry in Register of Citizenship

6. Which Common Documents Are  Not  Accepted? Despite being widely available, the following are  not accepted  as proof of citizenship under SIR: Aadhaar Card Voter ID Card Ration Card The Supreme Court has urged the ECI to reconsider accepting these documents, but the EC has so far declined

7. What Made SIR Compulsory? The ECI argues that the electoral rolls were inflated and needed cleansing. However: The  Electors to Adult Population Ratio (EP Ratio)  in Bihar was already close to the national average (97%) before SIR Post-SIR, the EP Ratio dropped to  88% , indicating a massive exclusion of eligible voters The exercise appears to be more about  deletion than correction , raising fears of targeted disenfranchisement.

8. SIR has sparked a national debate on: Citizenship verification vs. voter rights Electoral transparency vs. political manipulation Legal safeguards vs. bureaucratic overreach The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearings will be crucial in determining the future of this exercise and its constitutional validity.

9. Important facts Article 326 of the Indian Constitution mandates that elections to the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and the Legislative Assemblies of States be conducted on the basis of adult suffrage. This means that every citizen of India, who is at least eighteen years old and not otherwise disqualified under the Constitution or any law, is entitled to be registered as a voter. 

10. "Electors to Adult Population Ratio The term "Electors to Adult Population Ratio" (also known as Elector-Population Ratio or EP Ratio) refers to the ratio of the total number of individuals registered as electors (voters) against the projected adult population in a specific area (e.g., a state or constituency)

11. Representation of the People Act, 1950 Allocation of seats and delimitation of constituencies:  Determines the number of seats in the House of the People and State Legislative Assemblies, as well as the geographical boundaries of these constituencies. Qualifications of Voters and Preparation of Electoral Rolls : Specifies who is eligible to vote and outlines the process for preparing and revising electoral rolls. Officers : Defines the roles and duties of electoral officers, such as the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officers, and Electoral Registration Officers.

12. Representation of the People Act, 1951 Conduct of Elections : Covers the entire electoral process, from notification of elections to the counting of votes and declaration of results. Qualifications and Disqualifications for Membership:  Sets out criteria for becoming a member of Parliament or a State Legislature, and specifies circumstances that can lead to disqualification. Corrupt Practices and Electoral Offences:  Defines corrupt practices and other offenses during elections, and outlines penalties for them. Election Petitions and Dispute Resolution:       Provides a mechanism for resolving disputes arising out of or in connection with elections

13. THANK YOU  

14. What is NISAR? NISAR  stands for  NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar . It is the  first joint Earth observation satellite  developed by  ISRO (India)  and  NASA (USA) .  Launched on  July 30, 2025 , by ISRO’s  GSLV-F16  rocket from  Sriharikota , it is designed to monitor  Earth’s surface changes  with unprecedented precision 

15. Mission Objectives Track  land and ice deformation Monitor  ecosystems ,  vegetation , and  soil moisture Study  natural disasters  like earthquakes, floods, landslides, and volcanic activity Map  coastal and oceanic processes Support  agriculture ,  climate change research , and  disaster response

16. Technical Highlights & Terms Explained

17. 1. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) A radar system that simulates a large antenna by combining multiple radar echoes over time. It allows  high-resolution imaging  regardless of weather or lighting conditions.

18. 2. Dual-band Radar L-band SAR (NASA) : Uses longer wavelengths (~24 cm) to penetrate vegetation and soil. S-band SAR (ISRO) : Uses shorter wavelengths (~9.4 cm) for surface-level details like crops and water

19. 3.  SweepSAR Technology

20. 4. Polarisation Refers to the orientation of the radar wave’s electric field. NISAR uses  horizontal and vertical polarisation  to distinguish between soil, snow, vegetation, etc.

21. 5. Sun-Synchronous Orbit A type of orbit where the satellite passes over the same part of Earth at the same local solar time. NISAR orbits at  747 km altitude  with  98.4° inclination

22. Mission Configuration Weight : 2,392 kg Antenna : 12-meter unfurlable mesh reflector Orbit : Polar sun-synchronous Resolution : 3–10 meters spatial; centimeter-scale vertical mapping Revisit Time : Every 12 days Mission Life : Designed for 5 years

23. Applications Disaster Mapping : Damage proxy maps within 5 hours Agriculture : Crop monitoring, soil moisture, biomass estimation Climate Science : Ice sheet dynamics, sea level rise Urban Planning : Land subsidence detection Environmental Monitoring : Wetlands, forests, water bodies 

24.  Collaboration & Data Access NASA : Provided L-band radar, antenna, avionics, and ground stations ISRO : Developed S-band radar, satellite bus, launch services, and data processing Open Data Policy : Data will be freely available to users within hours of acquisition

25. GSLV – Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV is designed to launch  heavy satellites  (typically >2,000 kg) into  Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO)  or  Geostationary Orbit (GEO) . Three-stage rocket : Solid fuel first stage Liquid fuel second stage Cryogenic third stage  (uses super-cooled liquid hydrogen and oxygen) Payload capacity : Up to  5,000 kg  to Low Earth Orbit (LEO); ~2,500 kg to GTO

26. GSLV – Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Used for : Communication satellites, weather satellites, and missions like  NISAR 🔹 Cryogenic Engine: A  cryogenic engine  operates at extremely low temperatures. It provides  higher thrust efficiency , crucial for lifting heavier payloads into higher orbits.

27.  PSLV – Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV is optimized for launching  lighter satellites  into  Polar Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)  and  Low Earth Orbit (LEO) . Four-stage rocket : Alternating solid and liquid fuel stages Payload capacity : Up to  1,750 kg  to SSO Highly reliable : Over  50 successful launches Used for : Earth observation satellites, remote sensing, and interplanetary missions (e.g.,  Mars Orbiter Mission )

28. Comparison Summary Feature GSLV PSLV Orbit Target Geostationary / GTO Polar / Sun-Synchronous / LEO Payload Capacity Up to 5,000 kg (LEO) Up to 1,750 kg (SSO) Stages 3 (includes cryogenic) 4 (solid + liquid) Use Cases Heavy comm satellites, NISAR Earth observation, small sats Reliability Moderate Very high

29. LEO – Low Earth Orbit LEO refers to orbits  between 160 km and 2,000 km  above Earth’s surface. Fast orbit time : ~90 minutes per revolution Used for : Earth observation, remote sensing, communication, and scientific satellites Examples : International Space Station (ISS), Earth imaging satellites High-resolution imaging due to proximity Lower launch cost and fuel requirement

30. SSO – Sun-Synchronous Orbit A special type of  polar orbit  where the satellite passes over the same part of Earth at the  same local solar time  every day. Altitude  around  600–800 km 🔹 Used for: Earth observation satellites Environmental monitoring Agricultural and forestry applications 🔹 Advantages: Consistent lighting conditions for imaging Ideal for comparing changes over time

31. GTO – Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit An  elliptical orbit  used as a transition path to reach  Geostationary Orbit (GEO) . 🔹 Characteristics: Perigee (closest point): ~200–300 km Apogee (farthest point): ~35,786 km Inclined and elliptical 🔹 Used for: Launching communication satellites to GEO Intermediate orbit before circularizing at GEO

32. GEO – Geostationary Orbit A  circular orbit  at  35,786 km  above the equator where the satellite appears  stationary  relative to Earth. Orbital period: 24 hours (matches Earth’s rotation) Fixed position over one longitude 🔹 Used for: Weather satellites Communication satellites TV broadcasting 🔹 Advantages: Continuous coverage of a specific region Ideal for real-time data transmission

33. Summary Orbit Type Altitude Range Key Use Cases Unique Feature LEO 160–2,000 km Imaging, ISS, science Fast orbit, close to Earth SSO ~600–800 km Earth observation Consistent sunlight GTO Elliptical (200–35,786 km) Transfer to GEO Intermediate orbit GEO 35,786 km Communication, weather Appears stationary

34. Thank You https://www.isro.gov.in/Mission_GSLVF16_NISAR_Video_Gallery.html

35. NABARD

36. NABARD's organizational structure : Full Name : National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Established : 12 July 1982 under an Act of Parliament  Headquarters : Mumbai Ownership : NABARD is 100% owned by the Government of India. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) divested its remaining stake in NABARD in 2019. Vision :  Development Bank of the Nation for fostering rural prosperity   Mission : Promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development through participative financial and non-financial interventions

37. Organizational Structure 7 Subsidiaries : NABCONS (Consultancy) NABFINS (Microfinance) NABKISAN (Producer Organizations) NABVENTURES (Agri Startups) NABFOUNDATION (Developmental Activities) NABSanrakshan ( managing credit guarantee funds for agriculture, allied activities, and other priority sectors,) NABSAMRUDDHI ( credit facilities and financial support to  non-farm activities, with a particular focus on areas like green finance, wellness, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) initiatives, and the textiles and handicrafts value chains.)

38. NABARD plays a pivotal role in India's rural economy by:  Acting as an Apex Financing Agency:  Channels credit to the agriculture sector and other allied activities in rural areas. Building Institutional Capacity:  Strengthening and developing rural financial institutions to improve efficiency and outreach. Promoting Rural Infrastructure Development:  Supporting irrigation projects, rural roads, markets, and other essential facilities. Encouraging Sustainable Agriculture:  Promoting the adoption of eco-friendly farming practices and technologies. Fostering Rural Innovation:  Supporting rural startups, agri-businesses, and rural artisans to diversify the economy. Driving Financial Inclusion:  Facilitating access to banking services, credit, and insurance for underserved rural populations.

39. Important recent news Focus on Climate Action and Innovative Solutions: NABARD, in collaboration with GIZ India, organized a roundtable on "Taking Climate Finance Forward- Need for innovative Solutions", highlighting its commitment to the climate agenda. Collaboration with UNDP India: An MoU signed with UNDP India focuses on co-creating data-driven innovations in agriculture and food systems for smallholder farmers,

40. Important recent news IT Integration of Regional Rural Banks: The IT integration of amalgamated RRBs on the 'One State One RRB' principle is expected to be completed by September 30, 2025. Promoting Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs): NABARD has promoted over 6,215 FPOs and conducted FPO Melas to enhance marketing and branding of their products.

41. Important recent news Support for Rural Infrastructure: NABARD continues to provide significant loan assistance to state governments for the creation of rural infrastructure through schemes like the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) and NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance (NIDA). Investment in Agri-Fintech Startups: NABARD acquired a 10% stake in agri -fintech startup 24x7 Moneyworks Consulting to boost rural credit digitization,. Plans for Green Bonds: NABARD plans to issue its first-ever green bonds to raise funds for sustainable projects.

42. Thank You