Prelims Current Affairs includes World Lung Cancer Day, World Wide Web Day, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, Ratadiya Ri Dheri Harappan site, RBI Digital Payments Index, Setubandha Scholar Scheme, and Pralay missile.

IMPORTANT DAY

1. WORLD LUNG CANCER DAY

Every year, 1 August is observed as World Lung Cancer Day to raise public awareness about lung cancer.

Purpose: To inform people about the dangers, causes, and early signs of lung cancer and to encourage early diagnosis and treatment.

ABOUT LUNG CANCER

• Lung cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the lungs and form tumors.

• Main Causes: Smoking (main cause), Air pollution, Exposure to chemicals like asbestos and radon, Genetic factors

• Common Symptoms: Long-lasting cough, Chest pain, Shortness of breath, Weight loss without trying

2. WORLD WIDE WEB DAY

Celebrated globally on 1 August.
Purpose: To celebrate the invention and use of the World Wide Web, which made it possible to access information, connect with people, and learn online.
Founder Honoured: Tim Berners-Lee, the British scientist who invented the WWW in 1989.

ABOUT WORLD WIDE WEB

• WWW is a system of interlinked web pages accessed using the internet.

• Invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989 while at CERN.

GEOGRAPHY

3. GLACIAL LAKE OUTBURST FLOODS (GLOFs)

Current Context: Recent flash floods in Nepal’s Lende River highlight GLOF dangers in the Himalayas.

ABOUT GLOFs

• Sudden release of water from a glacial lake formed due to melting glaciers.

• Example: South Lhonak GLOF in 2023, Sikkim.

Types:

1. Supraglacial Lakes: On top of glaciers; melt rapidly in summer.

2. Moraine-Dammed Lakes: At the toe of glaciers; held by loose rocks or ice; prone to outbursts.

Why Increasing?

• 2/3 caused by ice avalanches or landslides

• Weak moraine dams (e.g., Chorabari GLOF, 2013)

• Earthquakes

• Climate change → higher temps → faster melting → more lakes

HISTORY

4. RATADIYA RI DHERI – NEW INDUS VALLEY SITE IN RAJASTHAN

Current Context: New Harappan site in Jaisalmer desert region.

ABOUT:

• Urban phase (2600–1900 BC), planned settlement

• Bridges gap between Harappan sites in northern Rajasthan & Gujarat

Other Sites:

• Kalibangan: Northern Rajasthan, fire altars, ploughed fields, discovered by Luigi Pio Tessitori

ECONOMY

5. RBI DIGITAL PAYMENTS INDEX

Current Context: DPI rose to 493.22 (March 2025) from 465.33 (Sept 2024).

ABOUT:

• Launched Jan 2021 by RBI

• Base Year: March 2018 (Index = 100)

• Parameters & Weightage:

  1. Payment Enablers – 25%

  2. Payment Infrastructure (Demand Side) – 10%

  3. Payment Infrastructure (Supply Side) – 10%

  4. Payment Performance – 45%

  5. Consumer Centricity – 5%

SCHEME

6. SETUBANDHA SCHOLAR SCHEME

• Purpose: Integrate traditional Gurukul scholars with IIT research without formal degrees

• Ministry of Education + Indian Knowledge System division of CSU

• Fellowship:

  • PG: ₹40k/month + ₹1L annual research grant

  • Ph.D.: ₹65k/month + ₹2L annual grant

• Fields: Ayurveda, architecture, political theory, performing arts, mathematics, etc.

• Eligibility: 5 years Gurukul study + expertise in Shastras, max age 32

DEFENCE

7. PRALAY MISSILE

• DRDO-developed quasi-ballistic missile

• Range: 150–500 km

• Payload: 500–1,000 kg (conventional warheads)

• Accuracy: CEP < 10 m

• Speed: Mach 6.1 terminal phase

• Mid-air path change to avoid interception

Download Pdf