Published on: May 16, 2025
Snippets : 16 MAY 2025
Snippets : 16 MAY 2025
- The Karnataka government has officially notified that the Greater Bengaluru Area (GBA) will be limited to the existing Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) jurisdiction, covering 709 sq km. This was confirmed in a notification issued by the Urban Development Department (UDD), coinciding with the enactment of the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Act, 2024. Although the Act allows for expansion up to 1,000 sq km, the current decision rules out the inclusion of nearby panchayats. The GBG Act introduces a new administrative framework, allowing the creation of up to seven municipal corporations, with an initial plan for three. The Act also mandates the formation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, which will hold financial and planning powers, and must be established within 120 days. Until then, governance will continue under the BBMP Act, 2020, with current officials maintaining temporary powers.
- Former Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar is UPSC Chairman .
- Centralised Information Management System (CIMS) is a comprehensive digital platform developed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to centralize and modernize data collection, storage, analysis, and reporting from regulated financial entities (REs). Its primary purpose is to streamline reporting processes—especially for digital lending apps (DLAs)—and improve the efficiency of regulatory data management. CIMS uses state-of-the-art big data technologies for aggregation, mining, and advanced statistical analysis, integrating data from various sectors including financial, corporate, and external markets. The cloud-based system allows secure, electronic submissions, significantly enhancing the RBI’s oversight capabilities and decision-making processes. For REs, it simplifies reporting, ensures better compliance, and strengthens coordination with the RBI. It is now mandatory for all REs to report DLA-related information via the CIMS portal.
- Colombia has officially joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) following a high-level summit of Latin American leaders in Beijing. This marks a strategic move to deepen its global partnerships, especially in infrastructure and trade. Geopolitically, Colombia is known as the “Gateway of South America” due to its location connecting South, Central, and North America, and it shares land borders with Venezuela, Brazil, Panama, Peru, and Ecuador, along with maritime access to both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. With vast natural resources like petroleum, coal, and gold, and ecological diversity across the Andes and tropical lowlands, Colombia is well-positioned for foreign investment. The country joined the OECD in 2020, aligning with global development standards. India and Colombia have also signed an Audio-visual Co-production Agreement, boosting cultural cooperation. The BRI, launched by China in 2013, aims to enhance infrastructure, trade, and connectivity across continents through the Silk Road Economic Belt (land) and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (sea). With over 140 participating countries, the initiative seeks to reduce trade barriers, promote economic growth, and expand China’s global influence. While it offers major benefits like job creation and improved market access, challenges such as debt risks, governance issues, and environmental concerns persist. Nonetheless, projections indicate a 4.1% increase in trade flows, up to 3.9% GDP growth in East Asia-Pacific, and a global GDP boost of $7.1 trillion annually by 2040.
- Standing Committee of the State Board for Wildlife (SBWL) approved a proposal to establish Karnataka’s first marine wildlife sanctuary in Apsarakonda, Uttara Kannada district, encompassing rocky outcrops over 7.5 km from Manki to Kasarakoda, along with 835.02 hectares of adjoining forests and 5,124.302 hectares of the Arabian Sea, with Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre emphasizing that the sanctuary involves no private lands and will not impact local livelihoods but will enhance conservation efforts for whales, sharks, dolphins, and other marine species; the proposal will be further discussed before the board and possibly submitted to the cabinet, while also approving water supply projects inside Nagarahole Tiger Reserve for seven villages, and infrastructure development for adivasi hamlets in the Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife division.
- A bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justices Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran directed states and Union Territories to hand over the possession of lands, which are recorded as ‘forest land’ and which are in possession of the revenue department, to the forest department.
- The Chhattisgarh High Court is actively monitoring development initiatives at Madku Dweep, a site of significant local importance. Located on the banks of the Shivnath River in Bilaspur district, Madku Island spans approximately 24 hectares and is renowned for its historical and archaeological significance. The island, named for its frog-like shape, is also called Kedar Tirth and Harihar Kshetra Kedar Dweep. Archaeological excavations have uncovered prehistoric stone tools, epigraphs, coins, and stone inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century BC, written in Brahmi and Shankha scripts. The island houses several ancient idols of Lord Shiva, Ganesha, Shiv-Parvati, Nandi, and other deities, with 19 temples excavated—eighteen facing east and one facing west—exhibiting architectural styles similar to the Kalchuris. Additionally, Madku Dweep hosts the annual Masihi Mela, a prominent Christian fair held every February since 1909, attracting visitors from across Chhattisgarh and beyond.
- A study conducted by scientists and experts on the offshore breakwater system utilizing geotube technology along the Poonthura coastal stretch in Kerala revealed significant and remarkable transformations in the coastal landscape behind the offshore breakwater. Geotubes are large, permeable fabric tubes filled with dredged or hydraulically filled materials, constructed from durable, high-strength polypropylene woven geotextile that allows water to escape while retaining solid particles, making them effective for dewatering and erosion control. These tubes serve as artificial barriers, commonly known as breakwater tubes, creating a synthetic shield against waves and tidal action, thereby reducing shoreline erosion and protecting beaches, dunes, and coastal infrastructure. Installed in various sizes and shapes to suit specific site conditions, geotubes are versatile and adaptable solutions for coastal defense, seawalls, and shoreline stabilization, effectively limiting wave impact and helping to retain sand and shorelines in diverse environments such as waterfronts, contaminated sites, and inland waterways.
