Prelims Focus 20th July 2026

Manasbal Lake

In News: With the return of the migratory birds, Manasbal Lake is making strides towards ecological recovery.

• It is the deepest lake in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, which is surrounded by freshwater.
• It is believed that the name Manasbal was derived from the name of the lake Manasarovar.
• The Mughal garden, called the Jaroka, built by Nur Jahan, overlooks the lake.
• Over 46 species of birds from 23 families are found at the Mansbal Lake, such as Mallard, White-headed Duck, Eurasian Hoopoe, Eurasian Collared Dove, Lesser Pied Kingfisher, Golden Eagle, Grey-backed Shrike, Tickell’s Thrush, etc.
• It is a warm monomictic lake and circulates for a brief time every year.
• A monomictic lake is never ice-covered and is thermally stratified for the majority of the year.
• There is an outlet channel from the lake to the Jhelum River. Water is artificially controlled for outflow.

World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO)

In News: On the sidelines of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai, China, the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO).

• WAICO is an international organization for cooperation, capacity building and establishing a common standard on AI among developing countries, with its permanent headquarters in Shanghai.
• It is the first standing institution of its kind that is specifically targeted at the Global South.  It has representatives from 29 countries. 
• China will offer 5,000 training opportunities for AI and build AI cooperation centres with ASEAN, the African Union, BRICS, SCO, League of Arab States, and CELAC.
• It will facilitate the sharing of technology, open-source AI models, and joint AI development.
• The countries that join such a framework with WAICO will not have to implement AI laws, such as the EU AI Act, OECD AI Principles, or the G7 Hiroshima Process. 

Investment Friendliness Index (IFI)

In News: The report ‘Investment Friendliness Index (IFI)’ has been released by NITI Aayog.

• It provides a systematic and data-based approach for evaluating the effectiveness of States and UTs in developing, facilitating and maintaining an investment-friendly environment. 
• It assesses investment attractiveness in the following eight pillars: Infrastructure, Business climate, Resources, Government policy, Regulatory Ease, Institutional Environment, Financial Health, and Environmental Resilience.
• It includes 84 indicators, which include secondary data measures as well as perception-based measures based on a primary investor survey.
• The States/UTs have been categorized into four performance levels:
  • Top Performers (scores higher than 50).
  • Frontrunners (45–50).
  • Emerging Performers (≥40 – <45).
  • Aspiring States (below 40).

National Commission for Minorities

In News: HARBIT SINGH GREWAL, a member of the Union government, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Union government’s National Commission for Minorities (NCM).

• The Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. 
• The first Statutory National Commission was set up in 1993.
• Initially, five religious communities, viz., Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) were notified as minority communities by the Union Government.
• In 2014, they were also notified as another minority community.
• The Commission is composed of: A Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson, and five Members as per Section 3(2) of the NCM Act 1992.
• The Central Government is to nominate 7 persons from amongst persons of eminence, ability and integrity.
• The term of office for each Member is three years from the date of his/her assumption of office.
• Objective: The organisation is set up to safeguard and protect the interests of minorities as provided in the Constitution of India and laws enacted by the Parliament and the State Legislatures.

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