Prelims Current Affairs includes National Handloom Day, Pangong TSO Peaks Expedition, LPG Subsidy Reform, BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival, 64th National Exhibition of Art and India Cine Hub Portal.

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. NATIONAL HANDLOOM DAY

• Observed on: 7 August every year

• Purpose: To honour India’s handloom weavers, preserve India’s rich textile heritage, and encourage the use of sustainable, handcrafted textiles.

• Inception: Declared in 2015 to mark the launch of the Swadeshi Movement in Calcutta on 7 August 1905, which encouraged Indians to boycott foreign goods and support local hand-weaving industries.

• The 11th National Handloom Day will be celebrated on 7 August 2025 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

SIGNIFICANCE & ECONOMIC ROLE

• • Supports over 30 lakh weavers and allied workers, making it the second-largest rural employment sector after agriculture.

  • Handloom textiles account for nearly 22% of all cloth produced in India.

  • It helps promote sustainable fashion, supports local livelihoods, and preserves traditional crafts for future generations.

PLACE IN NEWS

2. PANGONG TSO PEAKS EXPEDITION – LADAKH

Current Context: A Joint Expedition Team has successfully summited Mount Merag-III and Mount Kangju Kangri, the highest peaks in the Pangong Tso region of Ladakh.

ABOUT PANGONG TSO (LAKE)

• Altitude: Located at an altitude of 4,350 meters

• Type: World’s highest saltwater lake

• Location:

  • One-third of the lake is in India

  • Two-thirds lies in China

• Special Features:

  • Changes color – appears blue, grey-green, or red at different times

  • Freezes completely during winters despite being salty

• Ecological Importance:

  • Breeding ground for several migratory birds in summer like:

    • Bar-Headed Geese

    • Brahminy Ducks

    • Black Necked Cranes

    • Seagulls

SCHEME

3. PAHAL SCHEME – LPG SUBSIDY REFORM

Current Context: The Government has deactivated more than 4 crore duplicate or inactive domestic LPG connections under the PAHAL Scheme, as informed in Parliament.

ABOUT PAHAL (DBTL) SCHEME

• Full Form: Pratyaksh Hanstantrit Labh – Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG

• Launched By: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas

• Coverage: Over 17 crore LPG users, making it the largest cash transfer program in the world

OBJECTIVES

• Ensure transparency and stop diversion

• Remove duplicate/fake LPG connections

• Transfer subsidies directly to users’ bank accounts

• Improve availability and delivery of LPG

• Allow self-selection for subsidy

ORGANISATION

4. BIMSTEC TRADITIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Current Context: The first-ever BIMSTEC Traditional Music Festival was hosted at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

ABOUT BIMSTEC

• Full Form: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation

• Established: 6 June 1997 (via Bangkok Declaration)

• Headquarters: Dhaka, Bangladesh

MEMBER COUNTRIES (7)

• South Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka

• Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Thailand

POLICY AND PROGRAMME

5. 64TH NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ART BY LALIT KALA AKADEMI

Current Context: The 64th National Exhibition of Art (NEA) was recently inaugurated in New Delhi by the Lalit Kala Akademi, India’s National Academy of Art.

ABOUT LALIT KALA AKADEMI

• Founded: 5 August 1954

• Founder: Inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister of Education

• Status: Became a statutory authority in 1957 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860

• Headquarters: New Delhi

FUNCTIONS

• Promotion of Indian Art in India and abroad

• Organizes exhibitions, camps, and cultural exchanges

• Maintains permanent art collections including tribal, modern, and folk art

• Has regional centres in: Chennai, Lucknow, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Garhi (Delhi)

• Funding: Ministry of Culture

NATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ART

• Started in 1955

• Most prestigious visual art event showcasing artistic excellence in India annually

MISC

6. INDIA CINE HUB PORTAL – FILM FACILITATION PLATFORM

Current Context: The central government has recently urged state governments to actively use the India Cine Hub Portal to promote global film production within the country by providing streamlined facilities and permissions.

ABOUT INDIA CINE HUB PORTAL

• Launched On: 28 June 2024

• Developed By: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India

• Set Up At: National Film Development Corporation (under the Ministry)

• Purpose: To promote India as a global filming destination by easing the process of film production, especially for foreign filmmakers

OBJECTIVES

• Create a film-friendly ecosystem across the country

• Provide a single-window clearance system for all film shooting-related approvals

• Facilitate filmmaking permissions, incentive disbursement, and resource mapping

• Attract foreign and domestic filmmakers to shoot in India

FEATURES OF THE PORTAL

• Geographic Information System (GIS)-based location mapping

• Common application form for ease of approvals

• Streamlined permission system for faster filming clearances

• Helps in promoting ease of doing business in the Indian film sector

• Encourages local employment and tourism growth through filmmaking

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