Today's Brief 30/05/2025

1 .The National Florence Nightingale Awards 2025 

General Studies Paper-II (250 Marks) – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations were presented by the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 30, 2025.

These prestigious awards, instituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, recognize the exceptional service and dedication of nurses and nursing professionals.

This year, 15 nurses from various parts of India and diverse healthcare settings were honored for their significant contributions to strengthening public health and promoting community welfare. Each awardee received a Certificate of Merit, a cash prize of ₹1,00,000, and a medal.

The awards aim to motivate nursing professionals, raise awareness about the crucial role of nurses in healthcare, and set high benchmarks for quality nursing care across the nation.

The recipients for 2025 included ANMs like Smt. Reba Rani Sarkar and Smt. Sujata Ashok Bagul, LHVs such as Smt. Bina Pani Deka, and nurses like Miss Dimple Arora and Maj Gen Sheena P D, among others, all acknowledged for their unwavering commitment to their profession.

2 .Katchatheevu

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

is a small, uninhabited islet situated in the Palk Strait, serving as a geographical separator between India and Sri Lanka. Though barren and without permanent inhabitants, its historical, cultural, and political significance, particularly for the fishing communities of Tamil Nadu, India, is profound.

Historically, it served as a traditional resting spot for fishermen from both nations and hosts the annual St. Anthony's Church festival, drawing pilgrims from both sides.

The island's sovereignty, ambiguous during the British colonial period, was formally resolved in 1974 through the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Boundary Agreement, which saw India cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.

A subsequent 1976 agreement further delineated maritime boundaries and exclusive economic zones, restricting cross-border fishing. Despite the agreement allowing Indian fishermen to visit the islet, it did not explicitly grant them fishing rights in the surrounding waters.

This omission has led to ongoing disputes, with the Sri Lankan Navy frequently arresting Indian fishermen for allegedly violating the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), causing significant hardship to their livelihoods.

Consequently, the cession of Katchatheevu remains a contentious political issue, especially in Tamil Nadu, where various parties continue to advocate for its retrieval or the restoration of traditional fishing rights for Indian fishermen in the area.

3 .Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS):

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

The Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) is a crucial Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Government of India to ensure that farmers have access to short-term credit at affordable interest rates, primarily through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) system.

The Union Cabinet recently approved its continuation for the financial year 2025-26, reiterating the government's commitment to supporting the agricultural sector.

Under MISS, farmers can avail short-term crop loans up to ₹3 lakh at a subsidized interest rate of 7% per annum.

The government provides an interest subvention of 1.5% to the lending institutions, which include Public Sector Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Cooperative Banks, and Private Sector Banks.

A key feature of the scheme is the Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) of an additional 3%, which reduces the effective interest rate for farmers to a mere 4% if they repay their loans on time.

For loans taken exclusively for animal husbandry or fisheries, the interest benefit is applicable for amounts up to ₹2 lakh.

The scheme also provides relief in the event of natural calamities, offering a 2% interest subvention for the first year on restructured crop loans, and up to 5 years in cases of severe calamities.

The Kisan Rin Portal (KRP), launched in 2023, has further streamlined the process by digitizing the tracking and disbursement of interest subvention claims, enhancing transparency and efficiency in the system.

Overall, MISS plays a vital role in increasing the flow of institutional credit to agriculture, thereby enhancing productivity, promoting financial inclusion for small and marginal farmers, and helping to achieve the goal of doubling farmers' income.

4 . The IISS Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia's leading annual defense and security forum, held at Singapore's Shangri-La Hotel every June since 2002. Organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) ,

it gathers defense ministers, military chiefs, and security experts to discuss critical Indo-Pacific issues like U.S.-China relations, maritime disputes, North Korea's threats, and emerging military technologies

The event is known for keynote speeches by major powers, including the U.S. Secretary of Defense and China's Defense Minister, making it a key platform for regional security dialogue.

Often called Asia's version of the Munich Security Conference, it plays a vital role in shaping defense policies in the region.

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