Prelims Focus 4th April 2025

Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025

In News: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released the “NITI NCAER States Economic Forum” portal.

• The FHI initiative assesses the economic health of states in India.
• The evaluation covers 18 main states that contribute considerably to India’s GDP, demography, public expenditure, sales, and fiscal balance.
• Sub Indices: Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
  • Data for the index is sourced from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) for the 2022-23 financial year.
• Key Findings
  • Odisha ranks 1st in the FHI, followed by Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.
  • States account for about two-thirds of public spending and one-third of general revenue, influencing the state’s monetary stability.
  • Debt Concerns: West Bengal and Punjab face growing debt burdens and increasing debt-to-GDP ratios. 

Purchasing Managers’ Index

In News: Manufacturing interest in India saw a quality improvement in March 2025, with the Seasonally Adjusted Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) growing to 58.1, the highest in 8 months, up from 56.3 in February.

• • The growth was in particular driven by a rise in new orders, with the brand new orders index achieving an 8-month high of 61.5.

• Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)

• • The PMI more often than not measures the condition of a country’s sectors, including manufacturing, services and standard business interest, through monthly surveys of respondents in distinct nations. 
  • It is a type of economic indicator which is compiled through groups consisting of S&P Global, HSBC and others, using information from essential companies representing key international economies. 
  • The index varies between 0 and 100; a reading above 50 is a sign of development, while below 50 suggests a decline in the typical manufacturing activity.

Chandrayaan’s ChaSTE

In News:  Iis part of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on August 23, 2023, at the Shiv Shakti Point. ChaSTE provides the first-ever thermal data from this high-latitude lunar region.

• ChaSTE, or Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment, is a key scientific payload aboard Chandrayaan-3’s Vikram lander, designed to study the thermal behavior of the Moon’s surface. 
• It is equipped with a temperature probe featuring a controlled penetration mechanism capable of reaching up to 10 cm beneath the lunar soil. 
• The probe is fitted with 10 individual temperature sensors, enabling it to measure temperature variations at different depths. 
• ChaSTE has provided the first-ever temperature-depth profile of the Moon’s south pole, offering valuable insights into the thermal properties of the lunar topsoil. 
• Developed by ISRO’s Space Physics Laboratory in collaboration with the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, this experiment contributes significantly to understanding the Moon’s environment and supports future lunar exploration.

Kochi’s Bioluminescent Backwaters

In News: Kochi’s glowing blue backwaters enchant tourists with their bioluminescent beauty, yet this captivating phenomenon highlights ecological challenges driven by nutrient enrichment and plankton blooms.

• Bioluminescent backwaters are natural water bodies where bioluminescent organisms, such as plankton, emit light when disturbed. One notable example in India is Kochi’s Bioluminescent Backwaters.

Kochi’s Bioluminescent Backwaters:

• Location: Kochi, Kerala

• Bioluminescence Period: Typically occurs between March and May each year.
• Cause: The bioluminescence is primarily due to plankton blooms, which are often linked to nutrient overload in the water.
• Ecological Concerns: While the phenomenon is visually stunning, it also signals potential ecological issues related to water quality and nutrient imbalances.

Download as PDF