Daily Prelims Notes 18 March 2025

March 18, 2025
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Daily Prelims Notes

18 March 2025

Table Of Contents

1. UNESCO Tentative List: Six New Sites from India

Sub: Sci

Sec: Art and Culture

Introduction

Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, announced in the Lok Sabha on March 17, 2025, that six sites have been added to India’s tentative list by UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre.
This is a mandatory step before sites can be nominated for the World Heritage List in the future.
With these additions, India now has 62 sites on the tentative list.

Brief Descriptions of the Newly Added Tentative UNESCO Sites (2025)

Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana) – A prehistoric site in Nagarkurnool district, featuring large standing stones (menhirs) that are believed to be part of Iron Age burial and ritual traditions.
Palace-fortresses of the Bundelas (Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh) – A collection of fortresses and palaces built by the Bundela Rajputs, known for their Indo-Islamic architectural styles, including the famous Orchha Fort Complex.
Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh) – A biodiversity hotspot in the Bastar region, famous for its limestone caves, dense forests, and endemic wildlife like the Bastar Hill Myna.
Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes (Multiple States) – A series of rock and pillar edicts issued by Emperor Ashoka, spread across India, reflecting his governance principles and the spread of Buddhism.
Chausath Yogini Temples (Multiple States) – Circular or hypaethral (open-air) temples dedicated to 64 Yoginis, an esoteric tradition of Tantric worship, found in states like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh.
Gupta Temples in North India (Multiple States) – Hindu temples from the Gupta period (4th–6th century CE), representing early Nagara-style architecture, known for their intricate carvings and structural advancements.

Context and Significance

The six new sites were added on March 7, 2025, as per the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO.
These additions are significant for India’s cultural and natural heritage preservation efforts.
The tentative list serves as an inventory of properties that India intends to nominate for UNESCO inscription in the future.

Current Status of India’s UNESCO Heritage Sites

As of March 2025, India has 43 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List:
- Cultural category – 35 sites.
- Natural category – 7 sites.
- Mixed category – 1 site.
India hosted the World Heritage Committee meeting for the first time in 2024, during which:
- The Moidams (mound-burial system of the Ahom Dynasty in Assam) received the UNESCO World Heritage tag.

Conclusion

The addition of six new sites to the tentative list strengthens India’s cultural and natural heritage representation at UNESCO.
These sites hold historical, architectural, and ecological significance and could contribute to India’s global heritage recognition in the future.

2. Scholarship Amounts and Performance of Social Justice Ministry’s Schemes

Sub: Schemes

Sec: Education

Context

The House panel on Social Justice highlighted that the annual scholarship amounts offered to Scheduled Caste (SC), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students under various educational schemes are insufficient to cover the costs of quality education.
The panel recommended regular reviews of scholarship amounts to contain inflation.

Issues in Scholarship Disbursal

Delays in scholarship disbursal have been observed, leading to spillovers into the next academic session.
The budgetary allocation for educational scholarships has declined over the years:
- ₹7,830.26 crore in 2023-24
- ₹6,410.09 crore in 2022-23
- ₹3,403.51 crore till February 2025 (FY 2024-25)
Scholars have reported delays in fellowship disbursals under the National Fellowship for OBCs and SCs.

Underperformance of Other Flagship Schemes

The House panel observed that several flagship schemes of the Ministry related to livelihood assistance and skill training were underperforming, failing to meet spending and beneficiary targets.
Key schemes examined:
- PM-VISVAS (Interest subvention for income-generating loans)
  - Only 13.05% of allocated funds spent for SCs in FY 2024-25.
  - Only 8.3% of the allocated ₹11.95 crore spent for OBCs.
  - Government’s target of benefiting 15 lakh individuals by 2025-26 is difficult to achieve.
  - So far, ₹7.452 crore spent from ₹251 crore allocation, benefiting 47,809 OBC and 44,006 SC individuals.
- Venture Capital Fund for SCs and OBCs
  - SC category: ₹393.87 crore loans sanctioned to 143 SC-led companies (out of a ₹750 crore corpus).
  - OBC category: ₹94.08 crore loans sanctioned to 18 OBC-led companies (out of a ₹180.92 crore corpus).

Budgetary Allocation and Recommendations

72.5% of the Social Justice Department’s budget is spent on scholarships and educational schemes.
The committee urged the government to focus on other schemes as well and seek additional funds if needed.

Frequent Changes in Guidelines of Social Justice Schemes

The panel observed frequent changes in guidelines of several schemes:
- PM-AJAY (Pradhan Mantri AnusuchitJaati Abhyuday Yojana)- Focuses on infrastructure development and livelihood schemes for Scheduled Castes
- SHRESHTA (Scheme for Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas)-Provides residential education for SC students in quality private schools.
- NAMASTE (National Action Plan for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem)-Aims at eliminating manual scavenging and promoting mechanized sanitation.
- PM-VISVAS (Vanchit Ikai Samooh aur Vargon ki Aarthik Sahayata Yojana)-Provides interest subvention on income-generating loans for SCs and OBCs.
The panel recommended that guidelines should be finalized only after stakeholder consultations to ensure effectiveness.

Scholarship Schemes for SC, OBC, Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic, and EWS Students

Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Provides financial assistance to SC, OBC, and EWS students pursuing higher education beyond Class 10.
Covers tuition fees, maintenance allowance, and other educational expenses.

Pre-Matric Scholarship Scheme

Aimed at SC, OBC, and EWS students studying in Classes 9 and 10.
Helps in reducing dropout rates by providing financial aid for school education.

Top Class Education Scheme

Supports meritorious SC, OBC, and EWS students pursuing higher education in prestigious institutions.
Covers full tuition fees, living expenses, books, and computer allowance.

National Fellowship for SCs and OBCs

Provides fellowships to SC and OBC students pursuing M.Phil. and Ph.D. in recognized institutions.
Covers stipends and contingency grants for research scholars.

National Overseas Scholarship

Financial aid for SC, OBC, and Denotified, Nomadic & Semi-Nomadic Tribe students to pursue Master’s and Ph.D. degrees abroad.
Covers tuition fees, travel, visa, and living expenses.

3. Trade discussions with U.S. ‘positive’, says official

Sub : IR

Sec: Indian and world

Context:

India and the U.S. are actively working to boost bilateral trade, with ongoing efforts from both sides to increase commerce between the two countries.
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal visited the U.S. between March 4 and 6, where he held positive talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
One of the main initiatives driving the engagement is “Mission 500,” which aims to increase the bilateral trade from $200 billion to $500 billion.

Mission 500: Long-term Goals

”Mission 500″ is an ambitious initiative launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump during their meeting in Washington, aiming to more than double bilateral trade between the two countries to $500 billion by 2030.
This initiative is supported by ongoing negotiations for a multi-sectoral bilateral trade agreement between the two countries.
To achieve this goal, both nations have agreed to negotiate a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), with the first phase expected to be finalized by fall 2025.
The BTA will address various sectors, including reducing tariffs, enhancing market access, and resolving existing trade disputes.
In addition to trade, the leaders have emphasized collaboration in critical and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, and wireless telecommunication.
This includes establishing semiconductor fabrication facilities in India to meet national security needs and promote technological advancement.

India-US trade:

In 2023, the total bilateral trade between India and the U.S. reached $190.08 billion, making the U.S. India’s largest trading partner, with India’s merchandise exports to the U.S. valued at $83.77 billion.
In February 2025, India’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $14.05 billion, the lowest in over three years.

Scheme to Promote Electric Passenger Cars (SPMEPC):

India’s government introduced the SPMEPC scheme in March 2024 to encourage the manufacturing of electric passenger cars.
Under this scheme, manufacturers that set up production facilities in India will benefit from a reduced customs duty of 15% instead of the standard 70%.
To qualify for the reduced duty, manufacturers must meet specific criteria, including achieving a minimum domestic value addition of 25% by the third year and 50% by the fifth year.

U.S. Tariffs and Trade Tensions:

U.S. President Donald Trump has raised concerns about India’s high tariffs, particularly on automobiles, and threatened to impose reciprocal tariffs starting April 2.
These tensions were discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to the U.S., with Trump expressing dissatisfaction over India’s trade policies and both nations agreed to continue working towards resolving the issue and reaching a fair-trade deal.

4. Impact of Climate Change on India’s Wheat Production

Sub : Geo

Sec: Eco Geo

Why in News

India recorded its warmest February in 124 years, with extreme heat warnings issued for March 2025.Wheat, India’s second-most consumed crop after rice, faces significant threats due to climate change-induced heat stress.

Impact of Climate Change on Wheat:

A 2022 study in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences noted that global warming affects wheat by:
- Reducing grain production and quality.
- Disrupting physiological and biochemical processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and nutrient absorption.
A 2024 study by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune, predicts the Indian Ocean will enter a “near-permanent heatwave state” due to global warming.
The frequency of marine heat waves is expected to rise from 20 days per year to 220-250 days per year.
Effects of Heat Waves on Wheat:
- Accelerates flowering and ripening, shortening the grain-filling period.
- Reduces starch accumulation, leading to lighter grains and lower wheat yield.
- Increases protein content but lowers starch, affecting milling quality.

Wheat:

Wheat is a Rabi crop sown between September and December, and harvested between February and May.
India cultivates wheat over approximately 29.8 million hectares.
Indian Wheat Type: Predominantly soft to medium-hard with medium protein content, similar to U.S. hard white wheat.
Durum Wheat: Known as pasta or macaroni wheat, is among the highest quality varieties in India.

Adaptability and Climatic Conditions:

Wide Adaptability: Grows in tropical, sub-tropical, temperate zones, and cold regions up to 60°N latitude.
Climate Tolerance: Withstands severe cold and snow, resuming growth in warm spring weather.
Altitude Range: Can be cultivated from sea level up to 3,300 meters.
Ideal Climate: Best grown in regions with cool, moist conditions during growth, followed by warm, dry weather for ripening.
Germination Temperature: Optimal germination occurs at 20-25°C, though seeds can germinate between 5-35°C.
Ripening Temperature: Ideal average temperature for ripening is around 14-15°C.
Climate Sensitivity: Rain after sowing hinders germination, and high/low temperatures during flowering harm the crop.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), wheat growth is categorized into four key stages:
- Germination to Emergence: Seedling development until the first leaf emerges.
- Growth Stage 1: Emergence to double ridge, where primordial leaves and spikelets begin forming.
- Growth Stage 2: Double ridge to anthesis, marking the transition to the reproductive stage. This is the most vulnerable to heat stress.
- Growth Stage 3: Grain-filling period from anthesis to maturity, critical for yield formation.

Indian and Global Wheat Production

Indian Top Producers: Uttar Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh > Punjab > Haryana > Rajasthan.
Top Producers: China, the EU, and India produce over 41% of the world’s wheat.
Leading Exporters: Russia, the United States, Canada, France, and Ukraine are the top five wheat exporters.
Despite large production, China and India are net importers with minimal global wheat exports.
Ukraine and Russia: Together, they contribute 14% of global wheat production, ranking 4th and 7th respectively