DAILY PRELIMS CA — 15 SEPTEMBER

Context: India and Uruguay announced negotiations to expand the India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement.
Timeline: Signed in 2004 | entered into force on June 1, 2009.
MERCOSUR Bloc: Full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia + Venezuela is suspended.
Scope: Restricted to trade in goods | excludes services, investment, IPR, and government procurement.
Tariff Coverage: Offers 10% to 100% tariff margin preferences | covers ~450 Indian and 452 MERCOSUR tariff lines.
Digital Integration: First Additional Protocol introduced electronic Certificates of Origin (e-CoO).
Expansion Target: Negotiations aim to transition the restricted PTA into a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.

Context: A severe mass fish kill occurred in the river near Alandi in Pune district.
Origin: Near Kurvande village near Lonavala in the Sahyadri ranges, Maharashtra.
River System: Major tributary of the Bhima River | Belongs to the Krishna River basin.
Course: Flows eastward across Pune district + passes through pilgrimage towns of Dehu and Alandi.
Infrastructure: Valvan Dam forms Valvan Lake near Lonavala for hydroelectricity generation.
Cultural Significance: Associated with Maharashtra's Varkari tradition | Central to the Pandharpur Wari pilgrimage.
Nature: Rain-fed seasonal stream | Receives maximum discharge during the southwest monsoon.

Context: India produced its first Badri calf through Ovum Pick-Up and In Vitro Fertilization (OPU-IVF) technology at Pantnagar.
Origin & Status: Native to Uttarakhand (Pahadi cattle) | First certified breed from the state by ICAR-NBAGR
Species: Humped cattle (Bos indicus) | Adapted to high-altitude cold environments and steep slopes
Key Traits: Small, agile frame with sure-footed hooves + inward curved horns | High disease resistance on low-input grazing
Milk Quality: Modest yield (~1-3 L/day) | Rich in A2 beta-casein protein, antioxidants, and minerals
Technology: Multiplied via OPU-IVF and embryo transfer | Enables rapid multiplication using surrogate cows

Context: Union Home Minister addressed the 6th edition of the conference held in Mumbai.
Nodal Agency: Organized annually by Department of Official Language | under Ministry of Home Affairs
Origin & Venue: Initiated in 2021 | rotates across Indian cities annually + 6th edition held in Navi Mumbai
Constitutional Basis: Article 343 declares Hindi in Devanagari script as official language of the Union
Constitutional Basis: Article 351 mandates duty on Union Government to promote and develop Hindi
Implementation Body: TOLICs / NARAKAS execute official language policies at municipal level for central offices and banks
Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar: Highest national award for institutional Hindi compliance | First prize won by Department of Financial Services
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar: Awarded to citizen authors and officials for original Hindi non-fiction and technical literature

PRELIMS CA 15 SEPT 2026