Today's Brief 1/08/2025

1 .The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme

General Studies Paper-II (250 Marks) – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relation

, launched by the Indian government in February 2019, offers crucial financial support to eligible landholding farmer families across the country.

Through this central sector scheme, each qualifying family receives ₹6,000 annually, disbursed in three equal installments of ₹2,000 every four months.

These funds are directly transferred to the farmers' bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), aiming to help them cover input costs for farming, ensure good yields, and meet their household needs.

To be eligible, farmers must own cultivable land, and their family, defined as a husband, wife, and minor children, must complete mandatory eKYC and link their Aadhaar to their bank accounts.

However, certain high-income individuals and professionals are excluded from the scheme, ensuring the benefits reach those who need them most.

2 .Piprahwa relics of Lord Gautam Buddha: In a significant cultural and diplomatic achievement, India has successfully repatriated the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Gautam Buddha from Hong Kong after 127 years.

The relics, which include gemstones believed to have been enshrined with the Buddha's cremated remains, were discovered in 1898 at an ancient Buddhist stupa in Piprahwa, Uttar Pradesh, by British civil engineer William Claxton Peppé.

A portion of these relics was retained by Peppé's descendants and recently appeared for auction at Sotheby's in Hong Kong in May 2025.

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Culture, intervened swiftly, issuing a legal notice and asserting that the relics are an inalienable part of India's cultural and religious heritage.

3 . Kamchatka Peninsula,

General Studies Paper-I (Mains) - Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

located in the Russian Far East, is a vast and untamed land often called the "Land of Fire and Ice."

Stretching over 1,250 kilometers between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean, it's a geological marvel, boasting over 300 volcanoes, nearly 40 of which are active, making it a key part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire."

This intense volcanic activity has also sculpted a landscape dotted with numerous hot springs, geysers like those in the famous Valley of Geysers, and bubbling mud pools.

Beyond its fiery heart, Kamchatka features diverse ecosystems ranging from expansive tundra to dense forests, supporting a rich array of wildlife.

It's especially renowned for its high concentration of Kamchatka brown bears, which thrive on the abundant salmon in its pristine rivers, alongside other species like Steller's Sea Eagles and various marine mammals.

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