Daily Current Affairs - 13th September 2025

Preparing for UPSC 2026 or State PCS? This compact roundup for 13 September 2025 brings you exam-ready current affairs with GS linkages, Prelims facts, and MCQ cues. Themes span Culture & Heritage, Polity & Governance, Economy & Infrastructure, Environment & Ecology, Science & Tech, Internal Security, and International Relations—helping you revise faster and write sharper answers.

In today’s edition, map the PM’s launch of the Gyan Bharatam portal to cultural preservation, archival standards, and Budget 2025–26 promises—refresh manuscript definitions (what counts vs. lithographs/printed volumes) and scripts (Brahmi–Maithili) for Prelims. Track MoEFCC’s nod to translocate 8 tigers to Sahyadri TR —use it to discuss predator–prey balance, human–wildlife conflict, NTCA protocols, and pitfalls like prey-base gaps. Decode the Union’s Opium Licensing Policy 2025–26 under the NDPS Act/Rules—distinguish gum-opium authority, notified tracts (MP/RJ/UP), CBN’s role, and alkaloids (morphine/codeine/thebaine).

For agri-tech governance, note m-Kisan reaching 3.8 crore farmers across 13 states—language/localization design and low-tech SMS access as case study for inclusive digital public infrastructure. In security & maritime affairs, cover India at the 4th Coast Guard Global Summit (bid to host 2027) and revisit ICG’s mandate, motto Vayam Rakshamah, and wartime role vis-à-vis the Navy. Environment bytes include cicadas returning to Silent Valley—life cycle, tymbal acoustics, and bioindicator value. In foreign policy, India backs a UNGA resolution for a two-state solution & ceasefire in Gaza—connect normalization, demilitarization debates, and collective security guarantees. Science & tech highlights feature S.N. Bose Centre’s control of gold nanoparticle aggregation—implications for diagnostics, imaging, and drug delivery. Infrastructure lens: the Bairabi–Sairang broad-gauge line finally plugs Mizoram into the national rail grid—logistics, market access, and Northeast integration talking points. And in IP/privacy law, the Delhi High Court’s interim order on Abhishek Bachchan’s personality rights—link Article 21, passing off, and the contour of uncodified publicity rights in India.

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PM Launches Gyan Bharatam Portal to Digitize and Preserve India’s Vast Manuscript Heritage

1. The Prime Minister launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal aimed at preserving India’s manuscript heritage.

2. The portal will facilitate digitizing manuscripts, making them more accessible and aiding the preservation of cultural knowledge.

3. The Gyan Bharatam Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 for the survey, documentation, and conservation of India’s manuscripts.

   • A manuscript is a handwritten composition on materials like paper, bark, cloth, metal, or palm leaf, dating back at least 75 years.

   • Manuscripts hold significant scientific, historical, or aesthetic value.

4. Lithographs, which involve drawing on stone and transferring images to paper, and printed volumes are not considered manuscripts.

5. India is home to the ‘memory of the world’, with an estimated 10 million manuscripts written in about 80 ancient scripts.

   • Some examples of these scripts include Brahmi, Kushan, Gaudi, Lepcha, and Maithili.

6. Approximately 75% of these manuscripts are in Sanskrit, while the remaining 25% are in regional languages.

7. Manuscripts provide evidence of human activities and show the ancestors’ devotion to knowledge, science, and learning despite centuries of destruction.

8. They offer insights into various societal aspects such as culture, politics, and economics; for example, Kautilya’s Arthashastra.

9. Other initiatives for manuscript conservation include the National Manuscripts Mission (NMM), launched in 2003 by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture.

10. The National Library of India, Kolkata holds about 3600 rare and historically important manuscripts.

11. The Asiatic Society of Bengal, founded in 1784 by Sir William Jones, undertakes the digitization of ancient manuscripts.

MoEFCC Approves Translocation of 8 Tigers to Sahyadri Tiger Reserve to Boost Population and Restore Ecology

1. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted approval for the translocation of eight tigers.

2. This approval is given under Section 12 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

3. According to the Act, prior permission is required from the Central Government for translocating Schedule I animals.

4. For other wild animals, permission must be obtained from the State Government.

5. The MoEFCC retains the right to revoke the permit if any safety issues or mishaps occur during translocation.

6. The approved translocation involves eight tigers: three males and five females.

7. These tigers will be moved from Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve to the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.

8. The translocation aims at reviving the tiger population in the northern Western Ghats.

9. The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had earlier approved this tiger translocation plan.

10. One key benefit of translocation is the restoration of ecological balance by improving predator-prey dynamics in underpopulated reserves.

11. Translocation also helps in mitigating human-animal conflicts by reducing tiger pressure in overcrowded reserves.

12. Another benefit is the rewilding of landscapes by reviving areas where tigers were previously locally extinct.

13. However, concerns include protests from local communities over the introduction of new tigers.

14. Territorial disputes may arise between translocated tigers and resident tigers.

15. Poor forest management practices, such as inadequate prey augmentation, can also hinder translocation success.

16. The Sahyadri Tiger Reserve was notified in 2010 by merging Chandoli National Park and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary.

17. It is located in the Sahyadri Ranges of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra.

18. The reserve is the northernmost tiger habitat in the Western Ghats.

19. Key water bodies include the Shivsagar reservoir of the Koyana River and the Vasant Sagar reservoir of the Warana River.

    • The flora of the reserve includes species such as Anjani, Jambhul, and Pisa.

    • The fauna includes wild dogs, leopards, gaur, sambar deer, four-horned antelope, mouse deer, giant squirrel, Indian long-billed vulture, endemic hornbills, and the Indian river tern.

Union Govt Announces Annual Licensing Policy for Opium Cultivation 2025-26, Regulated Under NDPS Act

1. The Union Government announced the Annual Licensing Policy for Opium Cultivation for the year 2025-26.

2. This licensing policy is issued annually under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Rules, 1985.

   • The NDPS Rules are framed under the NDPS Act, 1985, which governs narcotic drugs in India.

3. The opium poppy plant is the natural source of opium gum, which contains important alkaloids.

   • Alkaloids are naturally occurring organic nitrogen-containing compounds essential for medical uses.

   • Key alkaloids in opium include morphine, codeine, and thebaine.

     • Morphine is a commonly used analgesic, meaning it relieves pain.

     • Codeine is used primarily in the manufacture of cough syrups.

4. Besides opium gum, the plant is also grown for edible seeds and seed oil.

5. India is the only country authorized by the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (1961) to produce gum opium.

6. While 11 other countries cultivate opium poppy, they do not extract gum from it.

7. The NDPS Act empowers the Central Government to permit and regulate opium poppy cultivation for medical and scientific purposes.

8. Under the NDPS Act, the Central Government notifies specific tracts where opium cultivation licenses can be issued every year.

9. Currently, opium cultivation is permitted in notified tracts in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.

10. The Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN), Gwalior, under the Ministry of Finance, is responsible for issuing cultivation licenses to farmers.

11. Licensed cultivators are required to sell their entire opium produce to the CBN.

12. The price of opium is fixed by the Government to regulate the trade and ensure fairness.

SEBI Board Unveils SWAGAT-FI Framework, Eases IPO Norms & Boosts Foreign Investment Access

1. The SEBI Board meeting approved various measures aimed at easing business operations in the securities market.

2. The meeting introduced the SWAGAT-FI framework to improve an investment-friendly environment and reduce regulatory complexity.

   • SWAGAT-FI stands for Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors.

3. This framework targets Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs).

4. FPIs invest in listed securities such as equity, bonds, and derivatives on public markets.

5. In contrast, FVCIs invest primarily in venture capital funds, supporting early-stage companies.

6. The meeting also launched the India Market Access Platform, a digital gateway to facilitate seamless entry and compliance for foreign investors.

7. This platform simplifies the process of investing in India’s securities markets for foreign participants.

8. SEBI approved the reclassification of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as equity.

9. This change enables mutual fund schemes to invest more in REITs, which allow individuals to invest in large-scale, income-producing real estate.

10. The Board relaxed Initial Public Offering (IPO) norms for large issuers and extended the timelines to meet the Minimum Public Shareholding (MPS) requirements.

    • An IPO is when a company sells its shares to the public for the first time, a necessary step to get listed on a stock exchange.

11. Additionally, a new category of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) schemes was introduced, limited exclusively to accredited investors.

    • Accredited Investors are individuals or entities that meet specific income, net worth, or professional criteria, allowing them to invest in securities not registered with SEBI.

Supreme Court Urges Govt to Protect Homebuyers, Proposes Revival Funds & Uniform RERA Rules

1. The Supreme Court (SC) has called upon the Central Government to safeguard the interests of homebuyers.

2. The SC made several suggestions to prevent the liquidation of viable residential projects.

3. The Right to Shelter in India is recognized as a fundamental right under the broader scope of the Right to Life guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution.

4. The housing sector in India faces multiple challenges, starting with a shrinking share of affordable housing.

5. Affordable homes, which accounted for over 50% of new launches in 2018, now make up only 17% of the total housing supply.

6. Another challenge is the existence of stalled projects caused by financial mismanagement by real estate developers.

7. Over 5 lakh housing units across 44 cities remain stalled due to these systemic issues.

8. The high price of land is also a significant problem, with the top ten cities occupying only 0.2% of the national land mass.

9. Additionally, the lack of uniformity in RERA rules across different states creates regulatory challenges.

   • RERA refers to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, which regulates the real estate sector to protect buyers.

10. As a key recommendation, the SC suggested the Union Government consider establishing a revival fund under NARCL.

    • NARCL stands for the National Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd, which helps revive stressed assets.

11. The SC also recommended expanding the SWAMIH Fund, a special window dedicated to Affordable and Mid-Income Housing.

12. Another suggestion was to create a Corporate Body for stalled projects similar to NARCL to manage and revive these housing units.

13. The court emphasized the need to bring uniformity in RERA rules across all states to reduce regulatory discrepancies.

14. Finally, the SC directed the constitution of a committee chaired by a retired High Court Judge to oversee these measures.

m-Kisan Portal Empowers 3.8 Crore Farmers Across 13 States with Vital Agri Information via SMS

1. The m-Kisan portal has reached nearly 3.8 crore farmers across 13 states in India.

   • m-Kisan is an SMS-based portal designed to provide agricultural information and services directly to farmers.

2. The portal enables all Central and State government organizations in the agriculture and allied sectors to communicate with farmers.

3. It delivers information, advisories, and services to farmers in their preferred language.

4. The portal also customizes content based on farmers’ preferred agricultural practices and geographical location.

5. The use of SMS technology ensures accessibility even for farmers with basic mobile phones.

6. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) is responsible for the management and implementation of the m-Kisan portal.

India Joins 4th Coast Guard Global Summit in Rome, Bids to Host 2027 Edition

1. India participated in the 4th Coast Guard Global Summit held in Rome.

2. India has also made a bid to host the next edition of the Summit in 2027.

3. The Indian Coast Guard was established in 1977 to safeguard India’s maritime interests.

4. It operates under the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for national defense affairs.

5. The primary mission of the Indian Coast Guard is to protect India’s ocean and offshore resources such as oil, fish, and minerals.

6. It also provides assistance to mariners in distress, ensuring the safety of life and property at sea.

7. The Coast Guard enforces maritime laws related to the sea, including preventing poaching, smuggling, and the trafficking of narcotics.

8. Another key role is to preserve the marine environment and ecology, including the protection of rare species.

9. The Indian Coast Guard also collects scientific data to support environmental and strategic objectives.

10. During wartime, it acts as a backup force for the Indian Navy.

11. The official motto of the Indian Coast Guard is "VAYAM RAKSHAMAH", which translates to "WE PROTECT."

Cicadas Resurface in Kerala’s Silent Valley, Filling Forest with Their Iconic Song

1. Cicadas have made a return to Silent Valley National Park in Kerala.

2. Cicadas belong to the insect order Hemiptera and superfamily Cicadoidea.

3. They are a conspicuous group of insects, meaning they are easily noticeable due to their size, sound, or presence.

4. Cicadas are found mostly in warm and temperate biomes, which are regions with moderate to hot climates.

5. All cicada species follow a three-stage life cycle consisting of egg, nymph, and adult stages.

6. Adult female cicadas typically lay their eggs in the woody tissues of plants, such as branches and twigs.

7. One of the most distinctive features of cicadas is their exceptionally loud song.

   • This sound is produced by most species using tymbals, which are drum-like structures located on the sides of their abdomen.

   • The sound is generated through the rapid buckling and unbuckling of the tymbals, creating a high-volume call.

   • These songs are mainly used by male cicadas to attract females during the mating season.

India Backs UN Resolution for Two-State Solution, Ceasefire & Lasting Peace in Gaza

1. India has voted in favour of a UN General Assembly resolution endorsing the New York Declaration.

2. The resolution supports the peaceful settlement of the Palestine issue through the implementation of the two-state solution.

   • The two-state solution refers to the creation of an independent Palestinian State existing peacefully alongside Israel.

3. The New York Declaration calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to end the ongoing violence.

4. It demands the establishment of a sovereign, independent, and economically viable Palestinian State.

5. The declaration also includes the disarmament of Hamas, the militant group currently controlling Gaza.

6. It proposes the exclusion of Hamas from governance in Gaza to ensure political stability and security.

7. The declaration emphasizes normalization of relations between Israel and Arab countries.

   • Normalization refers to the process of establishing formal diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between Israel and Arab states.

8. The declaration also calls for collective security guarantees to protect all parties and promote long-term peace.

9. Overall, the New York Declaration aims to promote a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Indian Scientists Discover New Way to Control Gold Nanoparticle Clumping, Boosting Medical & Tech Uses

1. Scientists from S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences have discovered a method to control the aggregation of Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs).

   • Gold Nanoparticles (AuNPs) are tiny particles of gold ranging in size from 1 to 100 nanometers (nm).

2. These nanoparticles are known for their unique photothermal properties, which allow them to convert light into heat.

3. They also exhibit chemical and physical stability, meaning they resist degradation and maintain their structure over time.

4. AuNPs are valued for their low toxicity, making them suitable for use in medical and biological applications.

5. They offer ease of surface modification, meaning their surfaces can be chemically altered to attach drugs, antibodies, or other molecules.

6. Due to these properties, Gold Nanoparticles are widely used in biosensors, medical imaging, diagnostics, and targeted drug delivery.

7. However, uncontrolled aggregation—the clumping together of nanoparticles—can reduce their reliability and functionality in these applications.

8. Controlling aggregation is therefore critical to maintaining their efficacy and precision in scientific and medical uses.

9. Apart from practical applications, AuNPs also play a key role in fundamental nanoscience research.

10. They are especially important in studies of light–matter interactions, which explore how light behaves when it meets different materials at the nanoscale.

PM Inaugurates Bairabi–Sairang Rail Line, Connecting Mizoram to Indian Railways for First Time

1. The Prime Minister inaugurated the Bairabi–Sairang broad gauge railway line.

2. This railway line connects Mizoram’s capital, Aizawl, to the Indian Railways network for the first time.

   • The term "broad gauge" refers to a wider railway track, which supports higher speed and load capacity compared to narrow gauge tracks.

3. This rail link marks a significant milestone in integrating Mizoram with the national transportation infrastructure.

4. Rail connectivity through this route will ensure the timely and reliable supply of essential goods.

5. These goods include food grains, fertilizers, and other critical commodities needed for daily life and agriculture.

6. The improved transport route will enhance logistical efficiency, which refers to the smooth and cost-effective movement of goods.

7. It will also improve regional accessibility, making remote areas more reachable by rail.

8. The railway line will improve access to hospitals, universities, and markets for the people of Mizoram.

9. This improved access will help strengthen educational, cultural, and economic ties across the region.

10. Overall, the Bairabi–Sairang railway line will contribute to the holistic development of Mizoram and surrounding Northeastern states.

Delhi High Court Protects Abhishek Bachchan's Personality Rights in Landmark Order

1. The Delhi High Court recently passed an interim order in favor of actor Abhishek Bachchan.

2. The court order aims to protect his personality rights from unauthorized commercial exploitation.

3. It restrains various entities from misusing his image, name, voice, or any other element of his persona without consent.

   • Personality rights refer to an individual’s exclusive control over the commercial use of their identity.

4. These rights include control over one’s name, photograph or image, voice, behavior, and other distinct attributes of the individual.

5. The term "commercial use" means using someone’s identity or persona for monetary gain, such as in advertisements, merchandise, or promotions.

6. In India, personality rights are not codified under a specific law or statute.

7. However, they are recognized and protected under common law principles, which are court-made laws based on precedents.

8. Personality rights in India are also protected under Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the Right to Privacy.

9. The Right to Privacy includes the right of a person to control how their personal identity is used by others.

10. Additionally, intellectual property laws such as copyright, trademark, and passing off are used to enforce personality rights.

11. For instance, misusing a celebrity’s name or image can be challenged under the law of passing off, which protects against false endorsement or misrepresentation.

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