Current Affairs

Current Affairs: 29th October 2025

• Cyclone Montha makes landfall;rain batters several parts of A.P.

Context: The severe cyclonic storm Montha began its landfall near Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh around 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

• The storm triggered very heavy rain in the State as well as Odisha.
• In Andhra Pradesh, Ulavapadu in SPSR Nellore district recorded the day’s maximum rain of 167 mm.Kakinada received only light showers till 7 p.m.
• The IMD withdrew red alerts issued for a few districts, and issued orange alerts for the districts of Srikakulam, Parvathipuram Manyam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitharama Raju, Anakapalli, Eluru, NTR, Krishna, Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla, and Nandyal.
• Two days of heavy rain left crops on over 43,000 hectares submerged and affected 83,000 farmers, as per the initial assessment by the agricultural department. Paddy and cotton were the worst-hit.
• The estimated loss to the power sector crossed ₹2,200 crore, with massive damage to substations, transformers, and power lines.
• The Kakinada district administration opened 401 relief camps. At least 35,000 people have been evacuated so far.
• “The number of people to be evacuated is expected to rise as 67 villages and five towns and Kakinada city are falling in the cyclone-affected area,” said Kakinada District Collector S. Shan Mohan. Nearly 1,600 school bus services have been deployed to evacuate people.
• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed the NDRF and SDRF teams to be deployed in and around Kakinada.
• Twenty trains, 10 originating in Visakhapatnam, and 11 operating from various divisions of South Central Railway (SCR) in Andhra and one from Bhubaneswar, passing through Visakhapatnam, were cancelled due to heavy rain and gales.
• A total of 32 flights from Visakhapatnam were cancelled. The Vijayawada airport cancelled 16 flights, while four flights from Tirupati were cancelled on Tuesday.

• Crops, power sector bear cyclone’s brunt

Context: Paddy and cotton are the worst hit, together accounting for more than 80% of the total damaged area in Andhra Pradesh; power sector records losses worth around ₹2,200 crore; restoration work under progress; Chandrababu Naidu orders round-the-clock monitoring in vulnerable districts

• Cyclone Montha has inflicted extensive damage on agriculture and power infrastructure across Andhra Pradesh.
• The preliminary assessment by the Agriculture Department reveal that over 43,000 hectares of crops have been submerged, affecting nearly 83,000 farmers across 292 mandals and 1,712 villages.
• According to the three power distribution companies in the State — APEPDCL, APCPDCL, and APSPDCL — the total estimated loss to the power sector would be around ₹2,200 crore, with large-scale damage done to power substations, transformers, poles, and power lines.

Worst- hit crops

• According to the Agriculture department’s data, paddy and cotton are the worst hit, together accounting for more than 80% of the total damaged area.
• Paddy fields in 31,267 hectares were inundated, while cotton crops over 15,680 hectares suffered extensive damage due to continuous rainfall and flooding.
• Among the districts, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema reported the highest crop damage with 10,099 hectares being submerged.
• In addition to paddy and cotton, maize over 4,393 hectares and blackgram in 3,004 hectares were damaged, while bajra, redgram, and soybean suffered partial losses. The report noted that 53 hectares of nurseries were affected in several regions, compounding the impact on farmers’ livelihoods.
• The officials said that restoration work of power infrastructure was progressing rapidly, despite heavy rains and flooding in several coastal areas.
• With teams working round-the-clock and power being restored in a phased manner, the authorities hope that supply to all urban centres and essential installations would be normalised within the next 24 hours.

• ‘Rising sea surface temperatures leading to more cyclones’

Context: Since 2010, Andhra Pradesh has borne the brunt of at least 10 major tropical cyclones, some of them categorised as severe and very severe cyclonic storms. Tamil Nadu and Odisha have also been affected by these storms.

• Meteorologists have identified a common element in these storms — the high intensity of the storms and the trails of destruction they left — and they blame the rapid rise in sea surface temperature (SST) over the last few decades.

Rising SST

• According to Prof. S.S.V.S. Ramakrishna, former Head of Department (HoD) of Oceanography and Meteorology, Andhra University, the Bay of Bengal has recorded a consistent rise in the SST.
• Sea temperatures have regularly exceeded the 20°C to 30°C mark, creating an ideal environment for the formation of tropical cyclones.
• “As the water gets warmer, latent heat energy increases, increasing the possibility of cyclones. In the last 50 years, studies conducted by IITM Pune have indicated that the SST in Bay of Bengal has gone up by 0.5°C to 1°C,” he said.
• Prof. O.S.R.U. Bhanu Kumar, former HoD, from the same department, attributed the changing factor to global warming and climate change. The warming of the atmosphere increases the capacity of air to hold moisture, leading to heavier rainfall during cyclones.
• In recent times, positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and La Niña have contributed to more favourable conditions for cyclonic formations over the Bay of Bengal, he said.
• Both experts cautioned that deforestation and degradation of coastal ecosystems like mangroves and wetlands, have reduced the natural buffers, amplifying the damage caused by cyclones.

• Centre approves terms of 8th Central Pay Commission

Context: The panel, headed by Justice Ranjana Desai (retd.), will make its recommendations within 18 months of its constitution; it will propose changes in salaries of Union government employees.

• The Union Cabinet has approved the Terms of Reference of the eighth Central Pay Commission (CPC), the body in charge of deciding the pay structure and retirement benefits of Union government employees, the government announced.
• The government had announced the formation of the CPC in January this year to examine and recommend changes in the salaries and other benefits of Central government employees.

‘Formed in quick time’

• “As you know, the in-principle approval for the formation of the eighth Central Pay Commission was granted only recently in January, and within a short span, the commission has now been formally constituted,” Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said at a press conference announcing the Union Cabinet’s decisions here.
• “This is a major step that involves extensive consultations. Several Ministries with large numbers of Central government employees, such as Defence, Home, Railways, and the Department of Personnel and Training, were part of the process,” he said.
• The Commission will comprise one chairperson, one part-time member and one member-secretary. It will make its recommendations within 18 months of the date of its constitution. Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (retd.) will act as the chairperson.
• Professor Pulak Ghosh of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, has been appointed a part-time member, while Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain will serve as the member-secretary.
• “There are about 50 lakh Central government employees, and consultations were also held with many State governments, most of which extended their cooperation,” Mr. Vaishnaw added.
• The government said the CPC would have to keep several factors in mind while coming up with its recommendations. These included the economic conditions in the country and the need for fiscal prudence, the need to ensure that adequate resources are available for developmental expenditure and welfare measures, the unfunded cost of non-contributory pension schemes, the impact of its recommendations on State finances, as well as the current emolument structure, benefits and working conditions of employees of Central public sector undertakings and the private sector.

• Cabinet increases fertilizer subsidyfor winter crops

Context: The Union Cabinet decided to provide ₹37,952 crore as fertilizer subsidy for the ongoing rabi crop of this winter season. The subsidy on phosphorous (P) and sulphur (S) fertilizers was increased by ₹736 crore, while the subsidy for nitrogen (N) and potash (K) will remain the same as the kharif (summer) crops.

• “The subsidy approved for 2025 rabi season is higher by about ₹14,000 crore from the previous rabi season (2024). During the last rabi season, the subsidy was about ₹24,000 crore,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told presspersonjs after the Cabinet meeting.
• The subsidy for phosphate will be increased to ₹47.96 a kg from ₹43.60 a kg in the 2025 kharif season; the subsidy for sulphur will be higher at ₹2.87 a kg, up from ₹1.77 a kg (kharif); and the subsidy rate for nitrogen and potash will remain ₹43.02 a kg and ₹2.38 a kg, respectively.
• The rates will be applicable from October 1, 2025 till March 31, 2026.
• The Centre had fixed the subsidy rate considering the import price, and other factors, including nutrient requirement, subsidy burden, and maximum retail prices, Mr. Vaishnaw said.
• The Centre had provided a special package to ensure adequate availability of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and triple super phosphate (TSP) to farmers, he added.
• Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of all farmers for increasing the subsidy.
• Cabinet increases fertilizer subsidyfor wThe Union Cabinet on Tuesday decided to provide ₹37,952 crore as fertilizer subsidy for the ongoing rabi crop of this winter season. The subsidy on phosphorous (P) and sulphur (S) fertilizers was increased by ₹736 crore, while the subsidy for nitrogen (N) and potash (K) will remain the same as the kharif (summer) crops.
• “The subsidy approved for 2025 rabi season is higher by about ₹14,000 crore from the previous rabi season (2024). During the last rabi season, the subsidy was about ₹24,000 crore,” Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told presspersonjs after the Cabinet meeting.

• As SIR expands, questions on EC’s power to conduct it, check citizenship pending in SC

Context: The Election Commission’s authority to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls remains under question in the Supreme Court, even as the poll body announced the SIR’s second phase that will cover 51 crore voters in 12 States and Union Territories, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry.

• The Supreme Court, in a July 10 order, had highlighted the basic questions posed by petitioners challenging the first phase of the SIR exercise in Bihar. These primarily included whether the Election Commission (EC) has the “very powers to undertake the exercise”.
• Second, the court had flagged the petitioners’ objection to the “procedure and the manner in which the SIR exercise is being undertaken”.

Violating voters’ rights

• The court recorded the petitioners’ argument that the SIR, notified on June 24 under Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, broke that law as well as the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, apart from violating the fundamental rights of the voters.
• However, later orders of the court on the SIR had diverged into ensuring that voters were not arbitrarily excluded from the electoral rolls in Bihar.
• Though the court did not stay the Bihar SIR exercise, it made several timely interventions to infuse more transparency into the process, order the inclusion of Aadhaar as a 12th document of proof, and to ensure the publication of the draft electoral roll, among other steps.

Learning experience

• An October 9 hearing gave the first indication that a pan-India SIR had more or less become fait accompli, though the court has agreed to hear arguments on the constitutionality of SIR exercise from November 4.
• Addressing the EC’s counsel and senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, Justice Surya Kant, who headed the Bench, orally observed that “you [EC] have decided to carry out SIR on a pan-India basis. So, this experience [with Bihar] would have made you wiser now… The next time you introduce a SIR module, owing to what you experienced now, you would also bring some improvements.”
• The second phase of the SIR in 12 States and U.T.s has indeed introduced modifications, such as the inclusion of Aadhaar as a proof of identity and the exemption from filing documents in the enumeration stage. The onus to be included on the voters’ list, however, continues to be on the elector. The process of enumeration itself does not have the benefit of any statutory backing.
• Again, the question about the EC’s jurisdiction to delve into the citizenship claims of an already registered voter without any formal objection lodged against the person continues to remain open.
• A cardinal point raised by petitioners was whether citizenship comes under the EC’s purview when specific statutes like the Citizenship Act and the Foreigners Act address the issues of acquisition of Indian citizenship and illegal aliens, respectively.
• IIP growth dips to 3-month low of 4% as mining, consumer non-durables slip

Context: Industrial activity dipped marginally to a three-month low of 4% in September. The data also show that the growth in industrial activity during the first half of the financial year was the slowest in at least five years.

• Growth in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, stood at 3.2% in September last year. However, growth had since accelerated to 4.3% by July 2025, following which it slowed again.
• The overall index grew 3% in the April-September period, the first half of the financial year 2025-26. This is the slowest in at least five years, the period for which data are readily available.
• The index grew 24% in the first half of 2021-22, owing to the low base of the previous pandemic-affected year 2020-21. In the first half of 2022-23, the index grew 7%, which slowed to 6.3% and 4.1% in the corresponding periods of 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• In September, the slowdown in industrial growth was mainly led by the mining, primary goods, and consumer non-durables sectors. Activity in the mining sector contracted 0.45% in September 2025 from a growth of 6.6% in August 2025 and a growth of 0.2% in September 2024.
• The consumer non-durables sector continued to contract for the second consecutive month in September 2025, by 2.9%, compared with a contraction of 6.4% in August 2025, and a growth of 2.2% in September last year.
• According to Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at the Bank of Baroda, this could be due to the fact that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate cuts were implemented late in the month.
• “As the GST cuts have targeted this industry, it can be assumed that the real impact will be seen in October-November as dealers have been facing a challenge of selling products with the older price labels,” Mr. Sabnavis said.

• ‘Moving villagers from tiger reserves must be voluntary’

Context: The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry has mandated that the relocation of forest-dwelling communities from tiger reserves must be an “exceptional, voluntary, and evidence-based measure”.

• The Ministry’s new policy framework also spells out the mechanisms that allow communities to continue living in the forests and the procedures to be followed for obtaining their consent for relocation.
• The policy calls for a National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation, through which the Environment Ministry and the Tribal Affairs Ministry can jointly set procedural standards, timelines, and accountability.
• It also suggests a National Database on Conservation-Community Interface to record and track relocations, compensation, and status post-relocation. It recommends annual independent audits of relocation projects by empanelled agencies that assess compliance with the Forest Rights Act, the Wildlife Protection Act, and human rights standards.
• Communities may choose to continue living in the “traditional forest habitats” while exercising their Individual Forest Rights or Community Forest Rights under the FRA, the policy says, emphasising that this must be an option for villages located within the reserves.

Serious concerns

• This brief, titled “Reconciling conservation and community rights: a policy framework for relocation and coexistence in India’s Tiger Reserves”, was sent last week to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change from the office of the Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
• The Tribal Affairs Ministry noted that it has been receiving several representations from State governments and Gram Sabhas, flagging “serious concerns” about the non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
• Last year, the National Tiger Conservation Authority’s directive to States asking them to prioritise relocation of villages in core areas of tiger reserves drew protests from several Gram Sabhas and forest rights activists.There were 591 villages and 64,801 families within the core areas of tiger reserves, according to the NTCA.

• Trade talks with EU reduced ‘outstanding issues’, says Goyal

Context: India and the European Union have “significantly” reduced the gaps in their negotiating positions after three days of trade discussions in Brussels, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said.

• Mr. Goyal and his EU counterpart, Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, held discussions to provide a political push to help get the negotiations for an India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) over the finish line.
• “The talks have significantly reduced our outstanding issues and allowed us to create the framework that will help deliver a win-win for our economies,” Mr. Goyal said on X, describing the discussions as “intense” but “very productive”.
• Mr. Goyal posted a video statement by the two Ministers, in which Mr Šefčovič characterised the talks as having occurred in an atmosphere of “full transparency and trust”. The Commissioner also said that “further work is required”. He said substantial progress had been made in a number of areas and the sides had given specific guidance to their teams on industrial tariffs.
• Mr. Šefčovič confirmed that a high-level EU trade delegation led by Director-General Sabine Weyand would be in New Delhi next week to conclude “technical tariff negotiations”. A trade delegation from the European Parliament is in New Delhi this week to better understand the challenges and opportunities presented by the trade negotiations. Some of the sticking points have included tariffs around agricultural products, a sensitive area for both sides and particularly for India. Tariffs on European automobiles being sold in India have also been under discussion in recent weeks. Regulatory issues, including the EU’s carbon tax on imports (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism), have been contentious issues to work through.
• “The negotiations and discussions have laid the foundation for a robust and balanced agreement,” Mr. Goyal said.

• HAL signs pact with Russian firm for civil aircraft production

Context: Aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and the Russian company United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) have signed a memorandum of understanding for production of the civil commuter aircraft SJ-100.

• The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft. As on date, more than 200 aircraft have been produced and are being operated by more than 16 commercial airline operators.
• HAL said the SJ-100 would be a game changer for short-haul connectivity under the UDAN scheme in India. Under this arrangement, HAL will have the rights to manufacture SJ-100 aircraft for domestic customers.

Production in India

• “This collaboration between HAL and UAC is the result of mutual trust between the organisations. This will also be the first instance wherein a complete passenger aircraft will be produced in India. The last such project was HAL’s production of AVRO HS-748, which started in 1961 and ended in 1988,” HAL said.
• It is estimated that over the next 10 years, the Indian aviation sector will require over 200 jets in this category for regional connectivity and an additional 350 aircraft for the Indian Ocean region to serve nearby international tourist destinations, it said.
• “The manufacturing of the SJ-100 aircraft marks the beginning of a new chapter in Indian aviation industry. Manufacturing will also strengthen the private sector and create direct and indirect jobs in the aviation industry,” the Bengaluru-headquartered PSU said.
• The MoU was signed in Moscow, Prabhat Ranjan from HAL and Oleg Bogomolov from UAC.

• Cloud-seeding trials done in Delhi to tackle air pollution

Context: Amid surging pollution levels, the Delhi government, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, conducted two cloud-seeding trials to induce rain. However, negligible rainfall was observed till late in the evening. The first such trial was conducted on October 23.

• “Today, the clouds had very little moisture content. We are doing a sortie tomorrow morning and the clouds are expected to have higher moisture content than today, and there are better chances of rainfall,” Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT-Kanpur, said.
• He said they were generating data from the trials. “We are learning a lot, as cloud seeding has never been done for pollution control in Delhi or India before this.”
• As per officials, 0.1 mm rainfall was observed in Noida and 0.2 mm in Greater Noida around 4 p.m.
• Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said more trials would be done in the coming days. He said the humidity was only 15% to 20%.

• NDRF posted teams in five States aheadof cyclone landfall

Context: Ahead of Cyclone Montha’s landfall on Tuesday night, the National Disaster Response Force deployed 25 teams across Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu, while another 20 teams were on standby.

• “The Director General, NDRF, has directed all formations to maintain a high level of readiness to provide immediate response for search, rescue, and relief operations,” the organisation said in a statement.
• Each team is equipped with boats, cutting equipment, communication equipment, and other specialised rescue tools to carry out evacuation, relief and restoration operations.
• Coordination meetings are being held with the National Disaster Management Authority and their State-level counterparts and district administrations. The NDRF teams are also conducting public-awareness campaigns and community-sensitisation activities in vulnerable areas through local administrations to ensure timely evacuation and adherence to safety advisories.
• Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also reviewed the Indian Railways’ preparedness to deal with the aftermath of the cyclone. The meeting assessed readiness along the east coast, focusing on passenger safety, train regulation and coordination with local administrations.

• UN report finds countries’ emission reductions short of goal set in Paris

Context: Ahead of the Conference of Parties (COP 30) in Belem, Brazil, next month, the United Nations made public a “synthesis report” on Tuesday that finds countries are poised to reduce emissions by only 17% of 2019 levels by 2035 — well below what is required to keep earth from heating up by 1.5 degrees Celsius or even 2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

• To keep temperatures below these limits, countries must cut emissions by 37% and 57%, respectively, of 2019 levels by 2035.
• The synthesis is based on countries’ updated nationally determined contributions (NDC), which are promises to cut fossil fuel emissions or plant forests (to capture carbon dioxide) until 2035. Tuesday’s report is only a partial picture as only 64, out of a potential 190 countries, have submitted updated NDCs until September 30. India is among the countries that is yet to submit updated NDCs, after its last submission in August 2022.
• While conversation in the lead-up to climate COPs generally end to weigh heavily towards emissions reductions, the NDCs that have been submitted so far are also stressing two other important pillars of climate action — adaptation and resilience, with 73% of the new NDCs including an ‘adaptation’ component, the report notes. Adaptation refers to steps that must be taken by countries to adapt to ongoing and future impact from warming.
• “All NDCs go beyond mitigation to include elements, inter alia, on adaptation, finance, technology transfer, capacity building and addressing loss and damage, reflecting the comprehensive scope of the Paris Agreement,” the report notes.
• With regard to greenhouse gas emission (GHG) reductions, the total GHG emission level resulting from the implementation of Parties’ new NDCs is projected to be around 13 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2035, which is 6% below what they promised in their previous NDCs (submitted from 2020-2022).

Domestic pledges

• Afforestation, reforestation and adding solar energy were identified as the options with the greater need for support. Some Parties have announced domestic pledges and projects, such as tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, enhancing low-carbon hydrogen production and expanding Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) capacity.

• ‘Ready to share solar expertise with other parts of the world’

Context: Union Minister for Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said India’s experience with PM Surya Ghar and PM Kusum had been ‘excellent’ and it was ready to share its expertise and experience in the solar sector with other countries.

• New Delhi has been looking to showcase the PM-Kusum (Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthan Mahabhiyan) and PM Surya Ghar Yojana to several African countries and island nations, he said at the International Solar Alliance (ISA) here on Tuesday.
• This could be of particular use for Africa, which has so far been able to tap only 4% of its arable land through irrigation due to lack of rural power. “We are ready to share our expertise and experience, and we [the government] are also supporting ISA to expand this in other parts of the world and member countries of ISA,” he said.
• Mr. Joshi informed that 10 lakh solar rooftops had been completed and 21 lakh were nearing completion under PM Surya Ghar.

• India’s diaspora diplomacy and the limits of cultural nationalism abroad

Context: The Indian diaspora has been in the spotlight in various countries in recent weeks. A section of the diaspora has attracted attention for its display of faith and culture, crossing the limits of acceptable public behaviour in developed countries. The immersion of Ganapati statues in waterbodies and the display of Deepavali fireworks in public places are examples.

• After Deepavali revellers set two houses on fire in Edmonton, Canada, an official police statement said: “Light up your home, not your neighbour’s roof.” Three men have been charged with arson. Anti-immigrant and nativist protesters in Australia have singled out Indians, and in the U.S. and Canada, nationalist campaigners have a special focus on people of Indian origin these days.
• The higher visibility of these incidents could also be because a section of Indians aggressively promotes cultural exhibitionism as a matter of community pride and right — for instance, in the use of firecrackers on Deepavali wherever they are. In the midst of all this, the Indian diaspora is being urged by some observers to advocate Indian positions in the United States.
• The Indian national movement was spread around the world in British colonies, and in the U.S. and Canada, but the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, consciously decided to keep the new Republic aloof from PIO (person of Indian origin) politics in foreign countries. He did not want India to be seen as interfering in the domestic politics of another country through the diaspora, and he urged PIO to stay loyal to the countries that they had adopted.

Rise of Hindutva

• Issues of discrimination and racism were not narrow Indian concerns, and were raised as matters of universal human rights. This approach was consistent with the concept of territorial nationalism that guided Indian thinking then, as opposed to cultural nationalism.
• The rise of Hindutva and a parallel fresh surge in the outflow of Indians expanded a global network of cultural nationalists from the 1990s. With the ascent of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister in 2014, this approach gained further momentum. Mr. Modi addressed diaspora rallies in several countries, most notably the U.S.
• Exactly around this time, the fear of foreign interference in domestic politics became a central concern in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and several European countries. At various points in U.S. history, immigrants from specific regions or countries have been subjects of special scrutiny. In recent years, allegations of Chinese and Russian interference have dominated public discourse. Even Israel, which had a free pass as an autonomous actor in U.S. domestic politics for decades, is facing increased scrutiny and resistance. Not only left-leaning figures such as Bernie Sanders, but also Christian conservatives such as Marjorie Taylor Greene and media figure Tucker Carlson now call out Israel’s influence in U.S. domestic politics.
• It may be noted that foreign influence operations per se are not illegal in the US, as long as they are openly registered as such.
• Historically, Indian immigrants were considered a benign presence in the U.S. and diverse within, as followers of all religions and speakers of several languages. But state-sponsored attempts to turn the diaspora into active members of Indian strategy have clashed with a rising fear of foreign interference in the West. India has escaped the kind of hostility that Russia and China face, but there is enough to suggest that New Delhi is not going unnoticed on this count in the West.

Nationalist hype

• India does not allow dual citizenship, but the U.S. does. India gave partial citizenship rights to PIOs through the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2003, by adding Sections 7A–7D to the Citizenship Act, 1955. This amendment introduced the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI), offering lifetime visa-free entry, exemption from police registration, and rights similar to those of NRIs in economic, educational, and financial fields for the community. In 2015, the technical categories of PIO and OCI were merged as OCI. India presents this arrangement as “dual citizenship in spirit, but not in law”.
• U.S. citizens can hold passports of more than one country, but some lawmakers, including Ms. Greene, are seeking more scrutiny on the issue. Fear of foreign interference in domestic politics is a universal concern of parties and state agencies in the West. Expectations from the diaspora to promote Indian interests in the U.S. or any other country must account for the reality that it is negotiating an era of heightened nationalism in host countries. Multi-alignment may not work for diaspora members always. After all, nationalist hype is not an exclusive preserve of India.

Current Affairs: 28th October 2025

• Cyclone setto cross coast; red alert in 16 A.P. districts

Context: Cyclone Montha is very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada evening or night as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday. A red alert has been issued for 16 districts in the State.

• The cyclonic storm triggered heavy rainfall in three north coastal districts and moderate rainfall in other stations of the State. Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, and Anakapalli received moderate to heavy rainfall.
• Stations in the central and south coastal parts of the State received light showers. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure that aid reaches without delay.
• Rainfall data compiled by the State Directorate of Economics and Statistics showed Jathara in Visakhapatnam district receiving the day’s highest rainfall of 92.25 mm, followed by Madhurawada with 86 mm and Kapuluppada with 85.25 mm.
• The alerts for SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema, Kakinada, Anakapalli, Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram, the IMD said.
• Red alerts have been issued for 16 districts and orange alerts for five districts. Except for SPSR Nellore and the eight districts of the Rayalaseema region, all other districts are under red alert as isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely, with the cyclonic storm likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm morning, the IMD added.
• It said the cyclonic storm over west-central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards at a speed of 13 kmph and remained over the same region at 8.30 p.m.
• It was positioned at 400 km east-northeast of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, 410 km south-southeast of Kakinada and 460 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and 640 km south-southwest of Gopalpur in Odisha.
• It is likely to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning. Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, it is likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast in the evening.
• Holding a high-level review meeting, Mr. Naidu has directed officials to issue hourly bulletins on Cyclone Montha. He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally enquired about the State’s preparedness and has assured all possible help. Mr. Naidu directed officials to keep 3,211 generators ready across 110 mandals for power backup at 2,707 villages. He instructed that National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF teams remain on standby, and that the Fire Services, Electricity, Roads and Buildings, and Panchayat Raj departments stay fully alert.

• Kakinada braces for cyclone impact

Context: More than 600 boats return to shore; 142 pregnant women relocated to government hospitals; 269 relief camps opened along the stretch between Kakinada and Uppada, 14,500 inmates of welfare hostels sent home as precautionary measure; special teams mobilised to tackle coastal erosion.

• With the sea churned by Cyclone Montha, the Andhra Pradesh government said that more than 600 boats, including mechanised boats engaged in fishing in the Bay of Bengal, had returned safely to the shore by Monday. As many as 142 pregnant women were shifted to nearby government hospitals as a precautionary measure, it added.
• As many as 269 relief camps have been opened, with evacuation under way mostly along the stretch between Kakinada and Uppada, which witnessed heavy wind and rains on Monday.
• As many as 40 boats and 140 swimmers have been deployed for relief operation along the coast, mostly on the Uppada coast. According to sources, more than 14,500 inmates of all the welfare hostels were sent home.

Emergency meet

• Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Kakinada district in-charge Minister P. Narayana, chairing a meeting on cyclone preparedness, said the Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Swamy Vari Devasthanam in Annavaram, along with the NGO Alluri Sitarama Raju and Akshaya Foundation, would supply 10,000 food packets at the relief camps.
• “As many as 80 personnel including 50 from the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed along the Kakinada coast,” he said.
• A team of 100 personnel of the Electricity Department from the Rayalaseema region have arrived for power restoration works in the district, the Minister said.
• Special teams have been mobilised in Uppada, Kothapalli, Tallarevu, Thondangi, and Kakinada Rural areas in expectation of heavy rain and coastal erosion. The police are guarding the Kakinada-Uppada road which is facing a threat of submergence from sea erosion. Most of the relief camps have been opened between the Kakinada and Uppada coastal belt with essential commodities to meet the requirement for one week, the Minister said.
• As many as 23 ambulances are ready to tackle emergencies. Medical and health staff at the Pithapuram and Tallarevu primary health centres will be dispatched during relief operations.
• Kakinada District Collector S. Shan Mohan, Rajya Sabha member Sana Sateesh, Kakinada City MLA Tangella Uday Srinivas, and Special Officer V.R. Krishna Teja were present at the meeting.

• 10,000 to be evacuated, water release from Godavari canals cut

Context: Nearly 10,000 people are being evacuated in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district, while 126 pregnant women expected to deliver within a fortnight have been shifted to nearby hospitals along the coastline. All of them are under medical care and will remain in government hospitals until Cyclone Montha makes landfall. As many as 120 relief camps have been opened across the district.

• “By Monday, we aim to evacuate 6,000 people out of the 10,000 likely to be affected along the coastline. Those living in thatched houses are being shifted immediately,” said District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar.
• On cyclone preparedness, Mr. Mahesh Kumar said hoardings are being removed along 400 km of State highways and 60 km of National Highway no. 216, as heavy winds are expected in the next two days. Farmers have been advised to stay away from fields.
• At a review meeting, the Collector said the Irrigation Department has been instructed not to release Godavari water into branch canals to prevent inundation of standing paddy crops, with heavy rain expected over the next 48 hours. Two teams each from the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed to respond to emergency calls and assist in relief operations. Irrigation officials have stopped releasing Godavari water into the Western and Central Delta to prevent flooding.

• Cyclone Montha:IMD issues yellow alert for 11 districts

Context: The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, which has forecast fairly widespread rainfall over Karnataka for the next few days owing to Cyclone Montha, has issued a yellow alert for 11 districts till 28^th oct.

• C.S. Patil, a scientist at IMD Bengaluru, said that Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Vijayapura, Bagalkot, Raichur, Koppal, and Gadag are likely to receive heavy rain.
• IMD synoptic meteorological features stated that Cyclone Montha is likely to move north-northwest wards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday morning. “Continuing to move further north-northwestwards, it is very likely to cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on October 28 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph,”  it stated.
• Mr. Patil said that the coastal districts are likely to receive extensive rainfall till Wednesday. He added that rainfall in these districts is expected to continue till November 2.
• He added that on27th oct, the coastal districts received extensive rainfall and many places in south interior and north interior Karnataka received rainfall.

• SIR 2.0 to begin in 12 States, U.T.s, cover 51 crore voters

Context: EC says exercise will be held in poll-bound Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry; Assam, which votes next year, is not on list; Trinamool Congress and DMK have raised concerns.

• The Election Commission kicked off the second phase of the special intensive revision of voter lists in 12 States and Union Territories, including poll-bound Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, and Puducherry. The revision will cover 51 crore voters.
• With the announcement of the second round, the voter lists of the States and Union Territories were set to be frozen. For now, there will be no SIR in Assam, scheduled to go to the polls next year, and a separate order will be issued later.
• “Under the Citizenship Act, there are separate provisions for citizenship in Assam. Under the supervision of the Supreme Court, the exercise of checking citizenship is about to be completed. The June 24 SIR order was for the entire country. Under such circumstances, this would not have applied to Assam,” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said at press conference.
• The exercise will be in focus in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, where the ruling parties — the Trinamool Congress and DMK — have raised concerns. The SIR will be conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep.
• The first phase of the SIR was held in Bihar following which more than 68 lakh names were deleted from the electoral rolls.
• Most States had the last SIR of the voter lists done between 2002 and 2004, and they have nearly completed the mapping of current electors according to the last exercise. Voter mapping involves standardising addresses and correcting discrepancies.
• In this phase of the SIR, the house-to-house enumeration will take place for a month from November 4 to December 4, and the draft rolls will be published on December 9. Claims and objections can be raised from December 9 to January 8. Notices will be issued, and hearings and verifications will take place between December 9 and January 31. Booth-level officers will be trained, and forms will be printed between October 28 and November 3. The final electoral rolls will be published on February 7, the poll body said.
• To a question on the demands for putting off the SIR exercise in Kerala where local body elections are scheduled, Mr. Kumar said the poll notification was yet to be issued.
• On the SIR in West Bengal, where the ruling Trinamool Congress has raised concerns about the exercise, the CEC said the Commission was doing its constitutional duty by carrying out the SIR, and the State government will perform its duties by giving all support and manpower needed.
• The poll body will give new EPIC cards to all voters as stated during the SIR in Bihar, Mr. Kumar said fresh voter IDs will be given to only those who have any change in their particulars.

• ‘Black hole activities suppress the birth of new stars around it’

Context:  A new study led by astronomers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) has found that black hole activities suppress the birth of new stars around it. Supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies are known to drive outflows of gas, and astronomers have long studied how feedback processes from these outflows can in turn determine the evolution of these galaxies.

• However, a key puzzle has been to understand the relative influence of this gas outflow versus radiation from the central regions on the behaviour and evolution of the host galaxy.
• The astronomers have uncovered key insights into these powerful forces shaping the universe.
• The Department of Science and Technology said that the study reveals that both intense radiation from around the black holes as well as the high-speed jets they emit can work together to eject gas from the centres of galaxies, potentially shutting down star formation in their central regions and regulating galactic growth.
• Using cutting-edge archival data from international astronomical facilities like the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Telescope at optical wavelengths and the Very Large Array (VLA) at radio wavelengths, both located in the United States, the researchers studied over 500 relatively nearby galaxies hosting active galactic nuclei (AGN).
• “AGN are energetic galaxy centres that emit copious radiation and gas, powered by matter falling onto their supermassive black holes, many millions of times more massive than our Sun,” the department said.
• “We found that outflows of warm ionized gas are widespread in AGN, and while radiation from the black hole is the main driver, galaxies with radio jets show significantly faster and more energetic outflows,” said Payel Nandi, a Ph.D. student at IIA and the lead author of the study.
• Their investigation further showed that such outflows, which are high-speed streams of gas pushed out from galactic centres, are more than twice as likely in galaxies detected in radio wavelengths (56%) compared to those without radio emission (25%).
• “These powerful winds can travel at speeds of up to 2,000 km per second, fast enough to escape the gravitational pull of the galaxy itself,” the department said.
• Dhruba J. Saikia from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and co-author said that these findings are an important step in understanding the complex inter-relationships between supermassive black holes, radio jets, star formation, and evolution of their host galaxies.

• Man-animal conflict management task force will be formed: Khandre

Context: The announcement comes in the wake of back-to-back tiger attacks in a span of 10 days in Sargur.

• Eshwar B. Khandre, Minister for Forests, Ecology and Environment, stated on Monday that a conflict management task force to address human-wildlife conflict will be constituted in the State.
• While chairing a meeting of the officials in Bandipur, following a tiger attack in which a farmer was killed in Sargur, the Minister said that the task force will be a State-level entity and will comprise local representatives, NGOs and environmental experts.
• The meeting was a fallout of back-to-back tiger attacks in a span of 10 days in Sargur in which one farmer died while the other victim is under treatment but battling for life in a private hospital in Mysuru. Mr. Khandre said that the task force will take up educational awareness activities and sensitise people living in villages along the forest periphery on preventive measures to be taken to avoid conflict. The task force will visit schools in the forest periphery and sensitise students about wildlife and function as a bridge to promote amity between the Forest Department and the villagers, he said.
• The Minister directed the officials and the local administration to clamp down with prohibitory orders to prevent people from crowding during combing operations. The urgency for such a measure stems from the fact that the operations are hindered by the crowd which congregates to watch the exercise and courts a danger. On the imperatives of timely communication to the villagers of the presence of wild animals, the Minister said the public should be informed through loudspeakers if elephants or tigers enter residential areas, and information must also be disseminated through social media for greater reach.
• A command centre will be established for continuous monitoring of the presence of wild animals, and it will be equipped with thermal cameras, drones, and state-of-the-art technology. WhatsApp messages will be forwarded on sighting wild animals close to the villages, the Minister said, calling for its urgent implementation.
• Mr. Khandre emphasised the need to increase foot patrolling in conflict zones so that precautions could be taken to avoid injury or crop loss. To redress staff shortage and fill vacant posts, the officials were directed to initiate the recruitment process. In addition to it, frontline staff could be outsourced, Mr. Khandre said.
• The Minister instructed Chief Wildlife Warden P.C. Rai to submit a report within five days on possible measures that could be taken to prevent elephants and tigers from straying out of the forests. The officials were instructed to take up tentacle fencing, solar fencing, and dig elephant-proof trenches where necessary to supplement the rail barricades being installed in areas that are hotspots for human-elephant conflicts.
• Mr. Khandre said that farmers have attributed the rise in conflict situations to an increase in wildlife safaris and the disturbances being caused in forests and hence he would discuss the issue with officials.

• India’s maritime global trade to get a boost with proposed Great Nicobar project: Shah

Context: India aims to be among the top five ship-building countries and significantly increase the port-handling capability by building new mega ports, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in Mumbai on Monday, adding that the proposed Great Nicobar project will boost the country’s maritime global trade multiple times.

• He was speaking at the inauguration of the fourth edition of the India Maritime Week 2025.
• The $5-billion Great Nicobar infrastructure project, which will include a power plant, transshipment port and airport, has been criticised by activists and local population, citing environmental concerns and violation of forest rights.
• He said that the government plans to increase the country’s port handling capacity to 10,000 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) from the present 2,700 MTPA (major and non-major ports combined). India’s maritime strength was due to its strategic location, he said.
• “Our coastline of over 11,500 km is spread across 13 coastal States. Maritime business contributes to 60 per cent of our GDP [Gross Domestic Product]. Today, over 100 countries are participating in the India Maritime Week. We have 350 speakers, over 500 companies, over one lakh delegates and we expect an investment of ₹10 lakh crore,” he said.
• Mr. Shah highlighted India’s growing leadership in the Indo-Pacific. “Leveraging its maritime position, democratic stability, and naval capability, India is acting as a bridge between the Indo-Pacific and the Global South, fostering development, security, and environmental progress,” he said.
• Speaking at the event, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said India would soon bring down the logistics cost to single digit to nine per cent. “We are still at 16 per cent against China and Europe’s 8 per cent and 12 per cent respectively,” he said.
• Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said 680 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) worth ₹10 lakh crore were slated to be signed during the India Maritime Week.

• Justice Surya Kant, part of poll bond, Article 370 verdicts, set to be next CJI

Context: The Chief Justice of India (CJI), B.R. Gavai, recommended Justice Surya Kant, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court, as his successor to office, and the 53rd Chief Justice of India.

• The government had in the previous week written to Chief Justice Gavai seeking his recommendation.
• However, the CJI was on an official visit to Bhutan. Chief Justice Gavai gave his recommendation immediately on his return and met Justice Kant with the recommendation letter on Monday, the first working day of the court after the Deepavali holidays.
• Chief Justice Gavai is scheduled to retire on November 24.

• Under the Memorandum of Procedure for the appointment of the Chief Justice of India, and Supreme Court Judges, the Union Law Ministry seeks the recommendation of the outgoing Chief Justice for the next appointment, following which the latter replies to the government.

Key cases

• Justice Kant has been a part of several impactful decisions of the apex court, including the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which removed the special status to the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. He was also part of the Bench which held the electoral bonds scheme unconstitutional. He was a member of the Benches which heard the Pegasus spyware case, and the suspension of the sedition law.
• He was born on February 10, 1962 at Hisar in Haryana. Justice Kant earned his Bachelor’s degree in Law in 1984 from Maharishi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He started his legal practice at the Hisar district court and shifted to Chandigarh in 1985 to practice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• He was the youngest Advocate-General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, and designated as senior advocate in March 2001. He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004. Justice Kant was appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in October 2018.
• He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on May 24, 2019. He is due to retire on February 9, 2027.

• India welcomes Gaza peace plan, wishes for early end to Ukraine war: Jaishankar

Context: India recognises that enduring conflicts have the potential to disrupt food security and threaten energy flows, and, therefore, it welcomes the Gaza peace initiative by U.S. President Donald Trump and wishes for an early end to the conflict in Ukraine, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

• Speaking at the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Jaishankar spoke in favour of deepening maritime connections in the ASEAN region. “We are also witnessing conflicts that have significant repercussions, near and far. Deep human suffering apart, they undermine food security, threaten energy flows and disrupt trade. India, therefore, welcomes the Gaza peace plan. We also seek an early end to the conflict in Ukraine,” he said.
• Earlier, Mr. Jaishankar met Secretary of State Marco Rubio as India-U.S. relations continue to remain uneasy after Mr. Trump imposed penalty tariffs on India for buying Russian crude.
• Mr. Jaishankar, on his part, did not specifically refer to the challenges that India is facing because of Mr. Trump’s campaign to cut down Russian energy exports but pointed at “reliability of supply chains and access to markets” as an area of “growing concerns”. “Energy trade is increasingly constricted, with resulting market distortions. Principles are applied selectively and what is preached is not necessarily practised,” he said, supporting “adjustments” and “resilient solutions”.
• “Multipolarity is not just here to stay but to grow. All these warrant serious global conversations,” he said. He expressed India’s commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation in the ASEAN region.

• NDRF teams on the ground, schools closed in Odisha

Context: The Odisha government on Monday deployed disaster response forces and shut down schools in eight districts, which are likely to be impacted by Cyclone Montha. “We have deployed 24 teams of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and five units of National Disaster Response Force mostly in southern Odisha districts.

• As southern Odisha districts are likely to receive heavy rain under the atmospheric system, we have remained alert,” said Suresh Pujari, State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister. The schools and anganwadi centres have been shut down for two days— keeping the potential heavy rain in mind.

• CIC appointments in ‘two or three’ weeks, Centre tells top court

Context: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Monday that vacancies in the Central Information Commission (CIC), which has no Chief Information Commissioner and is down to just two Information Commissioners out of a total sanctioned strength of 10, will be filled in “two or three” weeks.

• Appearing before a Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, Additional Solicitor-General K.M. Nataraj said the shortlisted names of candidates had been forwarded to the high-profile selection committee of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and a nominee of the government.
• However, petitioners, represented by advocate Prashant Bhushan, countered that there was a complete information blackout on the appointment process to the Central Information Commission, and “names are air-dropped without any transparency”.
• Mr. Bhushan, appearing for Anjali Bhardwaj, Commodore Lokesh Batra (retd.) and Amrita Johri, said it was an irony that the appointments to the very apex body under the Right to Information (RTI) Act were shrouded in opacity while pendency was touching 30,000.
• He said even the Chief Information Commissioner had retired. Nothing had been done since the last order of the Supreme Court 10 months ago, directing the government to fill the vacancies. He said the government was applying the slow-choke to RTI.
• “The best way to kill the RTI is to not make any appointments… If they do make appointments, they select persons out of the blue. Names are just air-dropped. There is no information on who is being appointed,” Mr. Bhushan, along with advocates Rahul Gupta and Cheryl D’souza, submitted.
• Mr. Nataraj said the petitioners could not decide the suitability of the candidates, and their eligibility was decided by the RTI Act.
• He said the petitioners ought to wait till the appointments were actually made before complaining.

• Is the Dogri language losing resonance in India?

Context:  Is the Dogri language declining at the same rate across rural and urban landscapes in the Jammu region?

Human society is rapidly moving towards the extinction of its linguistic heritage. According to one report by UNESCO, India has topped the list of countries with the maximum number of dialects on the verge of extinction. According to D.G Rao, former Director of the Central Institute of Languages, India has lost over 220 languages in the last 50 years.

Is Dogri in decline?

• In recent years, growing concern has emerged over the gradual decline of the Dogri language in the Jammu region. Globalisation, migration, and the pursuit of economic opportunity often encourage speakers to prioritise widely used languages, while regional ones fade into disuse.
• Political choices and a lack of active interest among native speakers further deepen this crisis. Against this backdrop, Dogri finds itself at a crossroads. Although the J&K Official Languages Bill, 2020 gave it the long-overdue recognition as one of the Union Territory’s five official languages, its status on paper has not translated into meaningful presence on the ground. Unlike other regional languages that have secured space in school curricula or administrative use, Dogri remains largely absent from formal education.

Why is Dogri not being spoken?

• The decline of Dogri in the Jammu region can be looked at through three critical lenses — government policy, generational perspectives, and the rural-urban divide.
• One of the central reasons for the decline of Dogri lies in the absence of sustained government support.
• Unlike Urdu, Kashmiri, and Hindi, Dogri had to wait until 2003 for constitutional recognition. This long delay meant that by the time Dogri gained official status, it had already fallen behind in terms of institutional backing and visibility.
• A survey conducted by the authors further underscores this policy gap. The research employed a random sampling method, selecting households at intervals of three to four units to ensure representativeness. The sample was distributed across 20 different locations in the Jammu region; 130 people filled the survey form completely.
• Nearly half of the respondents (48%) from the Jammu region believe that the government has failed to provide adequate policy support for Dogri. Another 43.2% felt that the language offers little relevance for employment prospects or career advancement.
• Additionally, the survey revealed a stark generational divide in Dogri proficiency. The oldest respondents, those aged 60 and above, displayed the strongest connection to the language, with full proficiency in speaking and an intermediate score in reading and writing.
• However, among respondents aged 41-60, writing proficiency dropped sharply to just 0.25%, reflecting the gradual erosion of literacy in the language. Respondents under 20 years of age show 0% proficiency in reading and writing Dogri.
• The survey also revealed a striking contrast between rural and urban populations in terms of Dogri language usage. Approximately 56% of respondents from rural areas actively speak Dogri, with around 15% demonstrating the ability to write it. In contrast, among urban respondents, only 45% reported speaking Dogri, and only 4% had any proficiency in writing it.

What is the way ahead?

• To address India’s linguistic crisis, two challenges must be addressed. First is technical — with the 2021 Census on hold, one lacks updated data on how many languages are endangered, and where urgent intervention is needed. Without this knowledge, both awareness and policy remain adrift. Secondly, one must shed the mindset that equates English alone with progress. The decolonisation of linguistics is the larger task at hand.

ಪ್ರಚಲಿತ ವಿದ್ಯಮಾನಗಳು: 26 & 27 ನೇ ಅಕ್ಟೋಬರ್ 2025

• ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ‘ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ’ ಮಸೂದೆ

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಅಧಿವೇಶನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಂಡನೆಗೆ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆ l ವಿಶೇಷ ಮಂಡಳಿ, ನಿಧಿ ಸ್ಥಾಪನೆ: ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರಿಗೆ ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ವೇತನ, ವಾರಕ್ಕೆ 48 ಗಂಟೆ ದುಡಿಮೆ, ಒ.ಟಿ , ವಾರಕ್ಕೊಂದು ರಜೆ, ವಿಶ್ರಾಂತಿ, ವಾರ್ಷಿಕ ರಜೆ ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಒಳಗೊಂಡ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ಉದ್ದೇಶದ ‘ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ (ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ) ಮಸೂದೆ– 2025’ ಅನ್ನು ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಅಧಿವೇಶನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮಂಡಿಸಲು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಸಿದ್ಧತೆ ನಡೆಸಿದೆ.

• ಉದ್ದೇಶಿತ ಮಸೂದೆಯು ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಅಧಿಸೂಚಿತವಾಗಿರುವ ಎಲ್ಲ ನಗರ ಪಾಲಿಕೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಅನ್ವಯ ಆಗಲಿದ್ದು, ಮಸೂದೆಯ ಕರಡನ್ನು ಸಿದ್ಧಪಡಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.
• ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ವಿಶೇಷ ಮಂಡಳಿ ಮತ್ತು ನಿಧಿ ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸುವ ಬಗ್ಗೆಯೂ ಮಸೂದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾವವಿದೆ. ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ನಿಧಿಗೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರು, ಉದ್ಯೋಗದಾತರು, ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸುವ ಏಜೆನ್ಸಿಗಳು ನೀಡುವ ಅಥವಾ ಪಡೆಯುವ ಸಂಭಾವನೆಯ ಶೇ 5ರಷ್ಟು ಸೆಸ್‌ ಪಾವತಿಸಬೇಕಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂಬ ಅಂಶ ಈ ಮಸೂದೆಯಲ್ಲಿದೆ.
• ಅಲ್ಲದೆ, ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆ ನಿಯಮಗಳ ಅಡಿ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಲಾಗುವ ಎಲ್ಲ ದಂಡಗಳು, ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಅಥವಾ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ನೀಡಿದ ಅನುದಾನಗಳು, ಮಂಡಳಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್‌ ಹೂಡಿಕೆ ಗಳಿಂದ ಗಳಿಸಿದ ಬಡ್ಡಿ ಆದಾಯಗಳು, ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ, ಉದ್ಯೋಗದಾತರ ನೋಂದಣಿಯ ಶುಲ್ಕವೂ ಈ ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ನಿಧಿಗೆ ಜಮೆ ಆಗಲಿದೆ.
• ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಹಕ್ಕುಗಳನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸಲು ಮತ್ತು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಒದಗಿಸಲು ರೂಪಿಸಿರುವ ಈ ಕರಡು ಮಸೂದೆಯು ಲಿಖಿತ ಒಪ್ಪಂದ, ಕಡ್ಡಾಯ ನೋಂದಣಿ, ಕನಿಷ್ಠ ವೇತನ, ನಿಗದಿತ ಕೆಲಸದ ಸಮಯ, ವಾರದ ರಜೆ, ಹೆರಿಗೆ ರಜೆ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಅನೇಕ ಸೌಲಭ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಕರಡು ಮಸೂದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾಪಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.
• ನೋಂದಣಿ: ಮಸೂದೆಯ ಪ್ರಕಾರ, ಉದ್ಯೋಗದಾತರು, ಸೇವಾ ಪೂರೈಕೆ ದಾರರು ಹಾಗೂ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಒಳಗೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುವ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ನೋಂದಣಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು.
• ಡಿಜಿಟಲ್ ಪೋರ್ಟಲ್‌ ಮೂಲಕವೇ ನೋಂದಣಿ ಮಾಡಲು ಅವಕಾಶ ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಲಾಗುವುದು. ನೋಂದಣಿ ಮಾಡಿ ಕೊಳ್ಳದೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರನ್ನು ನೇಮಕ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವಂತಿಲ್ಲ. ನೋಂದಣಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡರೂ ಕಾಲ ಕಾಲಕ್ಕೆ ನವೀಕರಿಸದಿದ್ದರೆ ಉದ್ಯೋಗದಾತರಿಗೆ ಆರಂಭಿಕ ಹಂತದಲ್ಲಿ ದಂಡ, ಆ ನಂತರ ಸೆರೆವಾಸ ವಿಧಿಸಲು ಮಸೂದೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾವಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಗೃಹ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಸುರಕ್ಷತಾ ನಿಯಮಗಳನ್ನು ಉಲ್ಲಂಘಿಸಿದರೆ ದಂಡ ಮತ್ತು ಶಿಕ್ಷೆಗಳಿರಲಿವೆ.

‘ವಾಗ್ದಾನ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಿ’

• ‘ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಗೃಹ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ ಮಸೂದೆ’ಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಸಂಘಟನೆಗಳ ಒಕ್ಕೂಟದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಸಚಿವ ಸಂತೋಷ್‌ ಲಾಡ್‌ ಚರ್ಚೆ ನಡೆಸಿದ್ದರು. ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರಿಗೆ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಒದಗಿಸಲು ಅಗತ್ಯವಾದ ವೆಚ್ಚವನ್ನು ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಾಲೀಕರಿಂದ ಭರಿಸುವ ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾವ ಕೈಬಿಡುವುದಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಭರವಸೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದರು. ಸಚಿವರು ಮಸೂದೆಯನ್ನು ಅಂಗೀಕರಿಸುವಾಗ ಈ ವಾಗ್ದಾನವನ್ನು ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಒಕ್ಕೂಟದ ಸಂಚಾಲಕಿ ಜಬೀನಾಖಾನಂ ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

‘ಕಲ್ಯಾಣ’ಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಏನೇನು?

lಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಚಿಕಿತ್ಸಾ ವೆಚ್ಚ  lಮಕ್ಕಳ ವಿದ್ಯಾಭ್ಯಾಸದ ವೆಚ್ಚ

lಅಪಘಾತ ಸಂಭವಿಸಿದರೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ lಇಬ್ಬರು ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ಸೀಮಿತಗೊಳಿಸಿ ವೇತನ ಸಹಿತ ಮಾತೃತ್ವ ರಜೆ

lಮರಣ ಹೊಂದಿದರೆ ಅಂತ್ಯಕ್ರಿಯೆಗೆ ಸಹಾಯಧನ lನಿವೃತ್ತಿ ಹೊಂದಿದರೆ ಪಿಂಚಣಿಗೆ ಅವಕಾಶ

lಲೈಂಗಿಕ ಶೋಷಣೆ, ಕಳ್ಳಸಾಗಣೆಗೆ ತಡೆ lಜಾತಿ, ಲಿಂಗ, ವರ್ಗ, ಜನಾಂಗ, ಧರ್ಮ, ಪ್ರದೇಶದ ಆಧಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ತಾರತಮ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ತಡೆ

lಪ್ರತಿ ನೋಂದಾಯಿತ ಘಟಕಕ್ಕೆ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಟ ಗುರುತಿನ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ

ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಮೊದಲು

• ದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರಿಗೆ ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಒದಗಿಸಲು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರವು ಮುಂದಾಗಿದೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಕರಡು ಮಸೂದೆ ತಯಾರಿಸಿ, ರಾಜ್ಯಪತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಕಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಇಲಾಖೆಯ ಹೆಚ್ಚುವರಿ ಆಯುಕ್ತ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್‌ ಜಿ. ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ಮನೆ ಕೆಲಸದವರ ಕುಂದು ಕೊರತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪರಿಹರಿಸುವುದಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ರಾಜ್ಯಮಟ್ಟ ದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಲಹಾ ಮಂಡಳಿ, ಜಿಲ್ಲಾ ಮಟ್ಟದ ಕುಂದುಕೊರತೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ಸಮಿತಿ ರಚನೆ ಆಗಲಿದೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

• ಎಸ್‌ಐಆರ್‌: ಇಂದು ವೇಳಾಪಟ್ಟಿ ಘೋಷಣೆ?

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ದೇಶದಾದ್ಯಂತ ಮತದಾರರ ಪಟ್ಟಿಯ ವಿಶೇಷ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಪರಿಷ್ಕರಣೆ (ಎಸ್‌ಐಆರ್) ಕೈಗೊಳ್ಳಲು  ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಚುನಾವಣಾ ಆಯೋಗ ಸಜ್ಜಾಗಿದ್ದು,  ವೇಳಾಪಟ್ಟಿ ಘೋಷಿಸುವ ಸಾಧ್ಯತೆ ಇದೆ.

• ಹಲವು ಹಂತಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪರಿಷ್ಕರಣೆಗೆ ಚಿಂತನೆ ನಡೆದಿದೆ. ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಸಮೀಪಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲ ಹಂತದ ಎಸ್‌ಐಆರ್‌ ನಡೆಯಬಹುದು.
• ಚುನಾವಣೆ ಸಮೀಪಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕೇರಳ, ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು, ಪುದುಚೇರಿ, ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಬಂಗಾಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲ ಹಂತದ ಎಸ್‌ಐಆರ್ ನಡೆಯುವ ಮುನ್ಸೂಚನೆ ಇದೆ. ಜತೆಗೆ, ಕೇಂದ್ರಾಡಳಿತ ಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳು ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ 10–15 ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಪರಿಷ್ಕರಣೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ. ಬಹುತೇಕ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 2002 ಮತ್ತು 2004ರ ನಡುವೆ ಎಸ್‌ಐಆರ್‌ ನಡೆದಿತ್ತು.

• ಗ್ರಾ.ಪಂ.ಗೆ ಅನುಮೋದನೆ ಅಧಿಕಾರ

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ನಿಯಮ ರೂಪಿಸಿದ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಇಲಾಖೆ: ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ವ್ಯಾಪ್ತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಯೋಜನಾ ಪ್ರದೇಶ ಹೊರತುಪಡಿಸಿದ ಜಾಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ನಿಯಮ ಗಳನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಮತ್ತು ಪಂಚಾಯತ್ ರಾಜ್‌ ಇಲಾಖೆಯು ಸುತ್ತೋಲೆ ಹೊರಡಿಸಿದೆ.

• ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಯ ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಯೋಜನಾ ಪ್ರದೇಶದ ಹೊರಗೆ ಇರುವ ಹಾಗೂ ಭೂಪರಿವರ್ತನೆಗೆ ಒಳಗಾದ ಜಮೀನುಗಳಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಈ ನಿಯಮ ಅನ್ವಯವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಪೂರ್ವಾನು ಮೋದನೆ ಪಡೆದ ಈ ಬಡಾವಣೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿನ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳಿಗೆ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಯೇ ಖಾತೆ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಡಲಿದೆ. ಭೂಪರಿವರ್ತನೆ ಇಲ್ಲದೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಲಾದ ಬಡಾವಣೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಇದು ಅನ್ವಯವಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

• ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸುವುದಕ್ಕೂ ಮುನ್ನ ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ, ಪರಿವರ್ತಿತ ಜಮೀನಿನ ಮಾಲೀಕ ಬಡಾವಣೆಯ ವಿನ್ಯಾಸವನ್ನು ರಚಿಸ ಬೇಕು. ಬಡಾವಣೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇರಲಿರುವ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ರಸ್ತೆಗಳು, ಉದ್ಯಾನ, ಚರಂಡಿ, ಒಳಚರಂಡಿ, ನೀರಿನ ಕೊಳವೆ ಮಾರ್ಗ, ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯ ನೀರು ಸಂಸ್ಕರಣ ಘಟಕ, ವಿದ್ಯುತ್ ಜಾಲಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಇಲಾಖೆ ಅಥವಾ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರಗಳಿಂದ ನಿರಾಕ್ಷೇಪಣಾ ಪತ್ರ ಪಡೆಯಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಸುತ್ತೋಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸೂಚಿಸಿದೆ.
• ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ದಾಖಲೆಗಳನ್ನು ಒಳಗೊಂಡ ಅರ್ಜಿಯನ್ನು ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಿ, ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಲು ಅನುಮತಿ ಪಡೆಯಬೇಕು. ಹೀಗೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಲಾದ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಯಲ್ಲಿನ ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ರಸ್ತೆಗಳು, ಉದ್ಯಾನ, ಚರಂಡಿ– ಒಳಚರಂಡಿ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ, ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯ ನೀರು ಸಂಸ್ಕರಣಾ ಘಟಕಗಳು, ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಬಳಕೆಯ ಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳನ್ನು ಹಕ್ಕು ಪರಿತ್ಯಾಜನಾ ಪತ್ರದ ಮೂಲಕ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಕೊಡಬೇಕು. ಹೀಗೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಕೊಟ್ಟ ನಂತರ ಅವುಗಳ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಯ ಹೊಣೆಗಾರಿಕೆಯು ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಯದ್ದಾಗಿರಲಿದೆ ಎಂದಿದೆ.
• ಇನ್ನು ಬಡಾವಣೆಯ ಮೂಲೆ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳು, ನಾಗರಿಕ ಬಳಕೆ (ಸಿ.ಎ) ನಿವೇಶನಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಮಧ್ಯಂತರ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳನ್ನು ಅಡಮಾನ ಒಪ್ಪಂದದ ಅಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಒಪ್ಪಿಸಬೇಕು. ನಿಗದಿತ ಅವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಡಾವಣೆಯನ್ನು ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಿದರೆ, ಅಡಮಾನ ಒಪ್ಪಂದವನ್ನು ರದ್ದುಪಡಿಸಬೇಕು ಮತ್ತು ನಿವೇಶನ ಗಳನ್ನು ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿದಾರರಿಗೆ ಹಿಂತಿರುಗಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಸೂಚಿಸಿದೆ.
• ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಲಾದ ಬಡಾವಣೆ ಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಮೂಲಭೂತ ಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳು ಯಾವುದೇ ದೋಷದಿಂದ ಕೂಡಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಖಚಿತಪಡಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಉದ್ದೇಶದಿಂದ, ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿದಾರರು ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಖಾತರಿ ಒದಗಿಸ ಬೇಕು. ಮೂಲ ಸೌಕರ್ಯ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ತಗುಲಿರುವ ಒಟ್ಟು ವೆಚ್ಚದ ಶೇ 10ರಷ್ಟನ್ನು ಬ್ಯಾಂಕ್ ಭದ್ರತೆ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ, ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿ ಎಂಜಿನಿಯ ರಿಂಗ್‌ ಇಲಾಖೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇರಿಸಬೇಕು. ಒಂದು ವರ್ಷದ ನಂತರ ಅದನ್ನು ವಾಪಸ್‌ ಪಡೆಯಬಹುದಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ತಿಳಿಸಿದೆ.

ಸುತ್ತೋಲೆಯ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಅಂಶಗಳು

lಮೂಲಭೂತ ಸೌಕರ್ಯ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಇಲಾಖೆ/ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರ ಗಳಿಂದ ವಿನ್ಯಾಸ ಅನುಮೋದನೆ ಪಡೆದ ನಂತರವಷ್ಟೇ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಅರ್ಜಿ ಸಲ್ಲಿಸಲು ಅವಕಾಶ

lಗ್ರಾಮೀಣಾಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಇಲಾಖೆ, ಜಲ ಸಂಪನ್ಮೂಲ ಇಲಾಖೆ, ಎಸ್ಕಾಂಗಳಿಂದ ನಿರಾಕ್ಷೇಪಣಾ ಪತ್ರ ಪಡೆಯುವುದು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯ

lಮೂಲಭೂತ ಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ವೇಳೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿತ ಇಲಾಖೆ/ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರ/ವಿಭಾಗಗಳಿಗೆ ಒಟ್ಟು ವೆಚ್ಚದ ಶೇ5 ರಿಂದ ಶೇ10 ರವರೆಗೆ ಮೇಲ್ವಿಚಾರಣಾ ಶುಲ್ಕ ಪಾವತಿಸಬೇಕು

lಬಡಾವಣೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿನ ರಸ್ತೆ, ಉದ್ಯಾನ, ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಬಳಕೆ ಪ್ರದೇಶ, ನಾಗರಿಕ ಬಳಕೆ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳನ್ನು ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಗೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಡುವುದು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯ

• ಗುಡ್ಡೆಹಳ್ಳಿ: ದೈತ್ಯ ಪತಂಗ ಪತ್ತೆ

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಗುಡ್ಡೆಹಳ್ಳಿ ಗ್ರಾಮದಲ್ಲಿ 24 ಸೆಂ.ಮೀ ಅಗಲದ ರೆಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊಂದಿದ್ದ ದೈತ್ಯ ಪತಂಗ (ಅಟ್ಲಾಸ್ ಮೋತ್) ಕಂಡುಬಂದಿದೆ. ಹವ್ಯಾಸಿ ಛಾಯಾಗ್ರಾಹಕ ರವಿ ಗೌಡಾ ಎಂಬುವವರು ದೈತ್ಯ ಪತಂಗದ ಚಿತ್ರ ಸೆರೆಹಿಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. 

• ‘ಕರಾವಳಿ ಭಾಗದ ಕಾಡುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ದೈತ್ಯ ಪತಂಗ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ. ಪ್ರಪಂಚದಲ್ಲಿ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಾತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಪತಂಗಗಳ ಪೈಕಿ ಇದೂ ಒಂದು. ಕೆಲ ನಿರ್ದಿಷ್ಟ ಮರಗಳ ಎಲೆಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಇಡುತ್ತವೆ. ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಪತಂಗ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಇಟ್ಟು ನಂತರ ಸಾಯುತ್ತದೆ’ ಎಂದು ಕೀಟ ತಜ್ಞರು ಮಾಹಿತಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

• ‘2026: ಕಡಲ ಸಹಕಾರ ವರ್ಷ ಘೋಷಣೆ’

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌–ಭಾರತ ಪಾಲುದಾರಿಕೆ: ಹಿಂದೂಮಹಾಸಾಗರ–ಪೆಸಿಫಿಕ್ ಪ್ರದೇಶದ ವಿದ್ಯಮಾನಗಳಿಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿ ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಪಾತ್ರವಹಿಸಬೇಕು ಎಂಬ ವಿಚಾರವನ್ನು ಭಾರತ ಯಾವಾಗಲೂ ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸುತ್ತಾ ಬಂದಿದೆನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ, ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ.

• ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ಮತ್ತು ಭಾರತ ನಡುವಿನ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಪಾಲುದಾರಿಕೆಯು ಜಾಗತಿಕ ಸ್ಥಿರತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಬಲ ಅಡಿಪಾಯ ವಾಗಲಿದೆ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ 2026 ಅನ್ನು ‘ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌–ಭಾರತ ಕಡಲ ಸಹಕಾರ ವರ್ಷ’ ಎಂಬುದಾಗಿ ಘೋಷಿಸ ಲಾಗುವುದು ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ಸಾಗರ ಸುರಕ್ಷತೆ ಹಾಗೂ ‘ನೀಲಿ ಆರ್ಥಿಕತೆ’ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿ ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ಸದಸ್ಯ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗಳ ನಡುವೆ ಸಹಕಾರ ಕೂಡ ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದ ಈ ಘೋಷಣೆ ಮಾಡಲಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ವಿವರಿಸಿದರು. ಮಲೇಷ್ಯಾದ ಕ್ವಾಲಾಲಂ ಪುರದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರಂಭವಾದ ಮೂರು ದಿನಗಳ ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ಶೃಂಗಸಭೆಯನ್ನು ವರ್ಚುವಲ್‌ ಮೂಲಕ ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿ ಅವರು ಮಾತನಾಡಿದರು.
• ‘ವಿಶ್ವದ ಹಲವೆಡೆ ಈಗ ಅನಿಶ್ಚಿತ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಇದೆ. ಈ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಭಾರತ ಮತ್ತು ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ನಡುವಿನ ಪಾಲುದಾರಿಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಗಮನಾರ್ಹ ಪ್ರಗತಿ ಸಾಧಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ’ ಎಂದರು.
• ‘ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ, ಪ್ರವಾಸ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಮತ್ತು ತಂತ್ರಜ್ಞಾನ, ಆರೋಗ್ಯ, ಹಸಿರು ಇಂಧನ, ಸೈಬರ್‌ ಭದ್ರತೆ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಪ್ರಮುಖ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಆಸಿಯಾನ್‌ ಸದಸ್ಯ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗಳ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ಸಹಕಾರ ಹೆಚ್ಚುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಸದಸ್ಯ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರಗಳ ಜನರ ನಡುವಿನ ಸಂಬಂಧ ಬಲಪಡಿಸುವುದು, ಸಾಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಕ ಪರಂಪರೆ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಕಾರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಲಾಗುವುದು’ ಎಂದು ಮೋದಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು.

• ‘ಭಾರತದ ಕಾಫಿ ವಿಶ್ವ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ’

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಮನದ ಮಾತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಕಾಫಿ ಉಲ್ಲೇಖಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ: ‘ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ದೇಶದ ವಿವಿಧ ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುವ ಕಾಫಿ ವಿಶ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ’ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನರೇಂದ್ರ ಮೋದಿ ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

• ಮನದ ಮಾತು 127ನೇ ಆವೃತ್ತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾತನಾಡಿದ ಅವರು, ‘ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ, ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು ಮತ್ತು ಕೇರಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಾಫಿ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಜನಪ್ರಿಯತೆ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇದು ಭಾರತದ ಕಾಫಿಯನ್ನು ಜಗತ್ತಿನಾದ್ಯಂತ ಗುರುತಿಸುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡಿದೆ. ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಈಶಾನ್ಯ ಭಾರತದಲ್ಲೂ ಕಾಫಿ ಬೆಳೆಯಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ’ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಚಿಕ್ಕಮಗಳೂರು, ಕೊಡಗು ಮತ್ತು ಹಾಸನ, ತಮಿಳುನಾಡಿನ ಪುಲ್ನಿ,  ಶೆವರಾಯ್, ನೀಲಗಿರಿ ಮತ್ತು ಅಣ್ಣಾಮಲೈ, ಕೇರಳದ ವಯನಾಡ್, ತಿರುವಾಂಕೂರು ಮತ್ತು ಮಲಬಾರ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾಫಿ ಬೆಳೆಯಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ ಎಂದಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ಒಡಿಶಾದ ಕೊರಾ ಪುಟ್‌ ಕಾಫಿಯೂ ಜನಪ್ರಿಯತೆ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ದೇಶದ ವಿವಿಧೆಡೆ ಬೆಳೆಯುವ ಕಾಫಿಯ ವೈವಿಧ್ಯ ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಗಮನಾರ್ಹ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ಕೆಲವರು, ಕಾಫಿ ಕೃಷಿ ಮೇಲಿನ ಒಲವಿನ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದಾಗಿ ಖಾಸಗಿ ಕಂಪನಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿನ ತಮ್ಮ ಲಾಭದಾಯಕ ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ತೊರೆದು ಕಾಫಿ ಕೃಷಿಗೆ ಮುಂದಾಗಿ, ಯಶಸ್ವಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಕಾಫಿ ಬೆಳೆಯಿಂದ ಹಲವಾರು ಮಹಿಳೆಯರ ಜೀವನವೂ ಹಸನಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಅವರು ಹೇಳಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
• ದೇಶದ ಒಟ್ಟು ಕಾಫಿ ಉತ್ಪಾದನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ಪಾಲು ಶೇ 70ರಷ್ಟಿದೆ. ನಂತರದ ಸ್ಥಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇರಳ ಮತ್ತು ತಮಿಳುನಾಡು ಇವೆ.

• ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ಮಿತಾ ವಿಶ್ವದಾಖಲೆ

ಸಂದರ್ಭ: ಭಾರತದ 16 ವರ್ಷ ವಯಸ್ಸಿನ ವೇಟ್‌ಲಿಫ್ಟರ್‌ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ಮಿತಾ ಭೊಯಿ ಅವರು ಏಷ್ಯನ್ ಯೂತ್ ಗೇಮ್ಸ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ 158 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. ಭಾರ (66 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. + 92 ಕೆ.ಜಿ.) ಎತ್ತಿ ಚಿನ್ನ ಗೆದ್ದರಲ್ಲದೇ, ಆ ಹಾದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಲೀನ್ ಆ್ಯಂಡ್‌ ಜರ್ಕ್‌ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ನೂತನ ವಿಶ್ವ ದಾಖಲೆಯನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿದರು.

• 44 ಕೆ.ಜಿ.ಯೊಳಗಿನ ಬಾಲಕಿಯರ ವಿಭಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರೀತಿಸ್ಮಿತಾ ಅವರು ಸ್ನಾಚ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ 66 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. ಮತ್ತು ಕ್ಲೀನ್ ಮತ್ತು ಜರ್ಕ್‌ನಲ್ಲಿ 92 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. ಎತ್ತಿದರು. ಮೊದಲೆರಡು ಯತ್ನಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ರಮವಾಗಿ 87 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. ಹಾಗೂ 90 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. ಭಾರ ಎತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಅವರು ಮೂರನೇ ಯತ್ನದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಸಾಧನೆ ಮಾಡಿದರು.
• 60 ಕೆ.ಜಿ.ಯೊಳಗಿನ ಬಾಲಕರ ಸ್ಪರ್ಧೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹಾರಾಜನ್‌ ಆರುಮುಗಪಾಂಡ್ಯನ್‌ ಅವರು ಒಟ್ಟು 256 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. (114 ಕೆ.ಜಿ. + 142 ಕೆ.ಜಿ.) ಭಾರ ಎತ್ತಿ, ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಪದಕಕ್ಕೆ ಕೊರಳೊಡ್ಡಿದರು.
• ಚೀನಾದ ಶೆನ್‌ ಷುವಾನ್ಫಾ (261 ಕೆ.ಜಿ.) ಸ್ವರ್ಣದ ಪದಕ ತಮ್ಮದಾಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡರು.

Current Affairs: 26th & 27th October 2025

• Andhra Pradesh bracesfor cyclone as IMD issueshigh alert for 23 districts

Context: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday put the entire administrative machinery on high alert as the India Meteorological Department issued red and orange alerts for 23 of the 26 districts in the State in view of Cyclone Montha.

• The IMD said the deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal was likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm.Thereafter, it was likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and was very likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalinga- patnam around Kakinada in the evening or night.
• While crossing, the severe cyclonic storm could have a maximum wind speed of 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph, it said.
• According to the IMD bulletin, the deep depression lay about 780 km southeast of Kakinada and 790 km south-southeast of Visakhapatnam.
• The Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai, forecast light to moderate rain in a few places over the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
• Heavy rain is likely to occur in isolated places in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Vellore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and Tiruvannamalai districts and Puducherry.
• Cyclone alert has been issued for Andhra Pradesh, Yanam and adjoining South Odisha coasts so that officials could begin taking precautionary measures.
• Red alert, which indicates a possibility of extremely heavy rainfall, has been sounded for seven districts of Andhra Pradesh — SPSR Nellore, Prakasam, Bapatla, Krishna, West Godavari, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema and Kakinada.
• The IMD has warned that the sea condition may be ‘very rough’ along and off the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts. It would further worsen, becoming ‘very rough’ to ‘high’.

• Montha is the third severe cyclonic storm after Asani in 2022 and Michaung in 2023 to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast.

• During a teleconference with senior officials, Mr. Naidu reviewed the preparedness of all the departments. He instructed the officials to ensure there was no disruption to power supply, telecom connectivity, or drinking water systems.
• Mr. Naidu urged officials of all departments to ensure there was no loss of life or property. “Alerts should be sent through SMS, social media, IVRS [Interactive Voice Response] calls, and WhatsApp. Ensure that information from the village level reaches the State control room in real time,” the Chief Minister said.
• Mr. Naidu said State and national disaster response teams have already been deployed in the coastal districts, and that predictive models and real-time data were being used for accurate analysis.

• Cyclone Montha: Widespread rainfall forecast till Oct. 30

Context: The India Meteorological Department (IMD), Bengaluru, has forecast fairly widespread rainfall over Karnataka for the next four days owing to Cyclone Montha.

• “Fairly widespread rainfall is expected over Karnataka from October 27 to 30 because of the anticipated cyclone,” IMD, Bengaluru, director.
• The IMD said that a depression over east-central Arabian Sea moved nearly south-westwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 8.30 a.m .on Sunday over the same region, about 970 km west to northwest of Mangaluru.
• For coastal Karnataka on October 27, the IMD has forecast heavy to very heavy rain and thundershowers with sustained winds at one or two places over Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts and heavy rain and thundershowers with sustained winds at one or two places over Dakshina Kannada district.
• For north interior Karnataka, it has forecast heavy rain and thundershowers with gusty winds at one or two places over Belagavi and Dharwad districts and light to moderate rain and thundershowers at many places over Bagalkot, Bidar, Gadag, Haveri, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayapura, and Yadgir districts.
• For south-interior Karnataka, IMD has forecast heavy rain and thundershowers with gusty winds at one or two places over Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, and Hassan districts.
• “Light to moderate rain and thundershowers are likely to occur at a few places over Ballari, Bengaluru (Rural), Bengaluru (Urban), Chamarajanagar, Chickballapur, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Kodagu, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Bengaluru South, Tumakuru and Vijayanagara districts,” IMD said.
• For Bengaluru city and the neighbourhood the forecast for the next 36 hours is generally cloudy skies with light to moderate rain. It added that the maximum and the minimum temperatures are very likely to be around 27°C and 20°C respectively.

• India-ASEAN ties making steady progress, says PM

Context: Modi says strong partnership is emerging as robust foundation for global stability, development; he announces further deepening of cooperation in the domain of maritime security in 2026.

• India-ASEAN strategic partnership has continued to prosper despite the prevailing “era of uncertainties”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Delivering his opening remarks virtually at the 22nd ASEAN-India summit being held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Modi described ASEAN as a “cultural partner” of India, and announced further deepening of India-ASEAN cooperation in the domain of maritime security in 2026.
• “Even in this era of uncertainties, India-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to make steady progress. And this strong partnership of ours is emerging as a robust foundation for global stability and development,” the Prime Minister said in his remarks that were telecast to the summit.

‘Shared values’

• Mr. Modi welcomed Timor-Leste as the newest member of ASEAN, and said India and ASEAN together represented nearly one-fourth of the global population and the two sides were connected by “historical ties and shared values”.
• “The 21st century is our century, the century of India and ASEAN,” he said.
• Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who co-chaired the ASEAN-India summit, said India-ASEAN relationship was rooted in the “values of friendship, trust, and shared interests”.
• “Among the issues and matters discussed were efforts to finalise the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) and the implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action 2026-2030 to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, education, food security and technological development,” Mr. Ibrahim said.
• He appreciated close ties between India and the ASEAN region in the fields of education, economy, and culture. Mr. Modi said the AITIGA could “unleash the full economic potential” of India-ASEAN relationship.
• Mr. Modi said India and the ASEAN member-states in Southeast Asia were “companions in the Global South”, and promised that India would work with the ASEAN countries to advance digital inclusion, food security, and resilient supply chains “amid global challenges”.
• The Prime Minister referred to India’s active participation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief activities in the ASEAN region, and said that to deepen maritime relation between the two sides, 2026 would be declared “ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation”.
• Mr. Modi mentioned the danger posed by terrorism and reminded the need for unity in fighting terror. “At the same time, we are steadily advancing our cooperation in education, tourism, science and technology, health, green energy, and cybersecurity,” he said, highlighting the “shared cultural heritage” and “people-to-people” ties between India and the ASEAN member-states.
• While addressing the heads of governments of the ASEAN region, Mr. Modi conveyed his condolences to the Royal Family and the people of Thailand on the passing of the Queen Mother.
• The ASEAN summit began with the arrival of heads of the member-countries as well as President Donald Trump of the United States.

• U.S. seeks stronger ties with Pakistan, but not at India’s expense, says Rubio

Context:  The U.S. sees an opportunity to expand its strategic relationship with Pakistan but it will not be at the expense of its historic and important ties with India, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.

• Ahead of his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, Mr. Rubio, referring to India’s energy ties with Russia, said New Delhi has already expressed a desire to diversify its procurement of crude oil.
• The U.S. Secretary of State was interacting with journalists ahead of his trip to Malaysia for the ASEAN summit.
• Mr. Rubio, to a question on the U.S. ties with Pakistan, said New Delhi is “concerned for obvious reasons” and that Washington’s relationship with Islamabad will not be at the expense of the ties with New Delhi.
• “But, I think they (India) have to understand we have to have relations with a lot of different countries. We see an opportunity to expand our strategic relationship with Pakistan,” he said.
• “I think the Indians are very mature when it comes to diplomacy and things of that nature. Look, they have some relationships with countries that we don’t have relationships with. So, it’s part of a mature, pragmatic foreign policy,” he said.
• “I don’t think anything we’re doing with Pakistan comes at the expense of our relationship or friendship with India, which is deep, historic, and important,” Mr. Rubio added.
• The U.S.-Pakistan ties have witnessed an upswing in the last six months, especially after President Donald Trump’s meeting with Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir following the military conflict between India and Pakistan in May.

India-Russia oil trade

• To another question on if India will be willing to really shove off its purchases of Russian oil for a trade deal with the U.S., Mr. Rubio said New Delhi has already expressed an interest in diversifying its oil portfolio.

• U.K. interested in e-Courts project; team to visit India next week

Context: The United Kingdom has evinced interest in the e-Courts project that seeks to digitise entire court records, and a delegation from that country would be in the national capital next week to interact with top Union Law Ministry officials.

• The ambitious e-Courts project is currently in its third phase with an aim to upgrade the digital infrastructure of subordinate judiciary across the country.
• Officials said a delegation from the United Kingdom will visit the Department of Justice here on November 6 and interact with top officials and members of the e-committee of the Supreme Court.
• The e-committee is the governing body charged with overseeing the e-Courts Project conceptualised under the “National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary-2005”.
• Under the ongoing phase three of the project, a total of 3,108 crore documents will be digitised.
• As part of Phase-III, the system will be migrated to cloud technology, and the cost estimated for providing 25 petabytes (according to existing requirement) of cloud storage is ₹1,205.20 crore.
• The project also seeks to establish and expand the scope of virtual courts for the hearing of cases by creating a robust digital infrastructure. A sum of ₹413.08 crore is the cost estimate for the establishment of 1,150 virtual courts.
• Phase three of the project was cleared by the Union Cabinet in September 2023.

• Japan seeks Indian workers but people-to-people ties lag

Context: Japan, with one-third of its population over the age of 65, requires a workforce, academics for research, and a market for its goods, while India, with 65% of its 1.4 billion population under 35, faces rising pressure to create opportunities for its youth.

• Since 1981, when Suzuki Motor Corporation set up a factory in India to manufacture the Maruti car, the Japanese company has been a byword for bilateral ties, Kenichi Ayukawa, executive vice-president and chief global marketing officer, who headed Maruti Suzuki operations in India from 2013 to 2022, says.
• Suzuki was among the first to bring Japanese engineers to India to streamline processes and train Indian workers to build the car. With both New Delhi and Tokyo seeking solutions to Japan’s ageing population and India’s burgeoning youth population, the company is now reversing that trend.
• “Suzuki is now trying to invite a lot of Indians to Japan, training them and helping them develop technology in Japan,” Mr. Ayukawa said, accompanied by Indian scholar and Suzuki executive Chandrali Sarkar. Ms. Sarkar first came to Japan to study at Keio University and has been working on India operations at Suzuki’s Hamamatsu headquarters, about 250 km from Tokyo, since 2022. She noted that while some hesitation among Indians stems from limited Japanese language skills, the broader challenge is unfamiliarity with Japan.
• “Japan should know more about India and vice versa. Especially the next generation needs to connect, and we need more Indian students, engineers, professionals to come to Japan,” said Kenji Hiramatsu, Chairman of the Institute for International Strategy at The Japan Research Institute (JRI), and Japan’s Ambassador to India from 2015 to 2019. “It is important that we change the mindset of Indian youth that Japan is a special partner for India,” he added, noting that the current number of Indians studying in Japan is far below its potential.

Japan opens doors

• According to a parliamentary response from the Indian Ministry of Education last year, Japan ranks 34th among countries where Indian students pursue higher education. Only about 1,500 Indian students are currently registered in Japan, a small fraction of more than 3.3 lakh foreign students in the country.
• Employment figures are similarly modest: about 54,000 Indians work in Japan, one-fourth of the 2.3 lakh Nepali citizens among a total of 23 lakh foreign workers.
• To address this shortfall, Japan is preparing to open its doors to thousands like Ms. Sarkar under an “Action Plan” launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in August. The plan aims to facilitate five lakh workforce exchanges over the next five years, including the movement of 50,000 skilled personnel from India to Japan.
• Officials in the Cabinet Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs point to the “perfect complementarity” between the two countries. Japan, with one-third of its population over the age of 65, requires a workforce, academics for research, and a market for its goods. India, with 65% of its 1.4 billion population under 35, faces rising pressure to create opportunities for its youth amid stricter immigration policies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and Chinese restrictions on high-tech and semiconductor exports.
• Despite decades of growing government-to-government and business-to-business ties, the officials said, people-to-people connections between India and Japan continue to lag.

• Satellite for armed forces to be launched next week

Context: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch military communications satellite CMS-03 on November 2 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

• The CMS-03 communication satellite, also known as GSAT-7R, will be launched by the Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3).

Heavy satellite

• “CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region including the Indian landmass. CMS-03, weighing about 4,400 kg, will be the heaviest communication satellite to be launched to Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Indian soil,” the ISRO said.
• The launch vehicle has been fully assembled and integrated with the spacecraft, and has been moved to the launch pad on Sunday for further pre-launch operations, it added.
• The launch of CMS-03 will be the first by the LVM3 rocket in over two years. The last time the rocket was deployed was in July 2023 to launch the historic Chandrayaan-3 mission from Sriharikota.

• Prepare for Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in November, Centre tells States

Context: In the run-up to the fifth Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on November 15, which will mark the end of tribal icon Birsa Munda’s 150th birth anniversary, the Union government has written to the States, including poll-bound Bihar, and Union Territories, saying they “must organise” commemorative events at the State and district levels from November 1 to 15.

• In a letter sent to the Principal Secretaries of Tribal Welfare Departments in the States and Union Territories last week, the Tribal Affairs Ministry said that since November 15 marked the end of Birsa’s 150th birth anniversary year, “all the States/UTs must participate in celebrating” the occasion.
• “However, States where the model code of conduct is in force are being requested to celebrate the Diwas adhering to the MCC.”
• The letter asked the States and Union Territories to “actively participate” in “inauguration or benefit disbursal targeting tribal populations, launch of tribal-focused schemes, capacity building” and highlighting government schemes such as PM-JANMAN, Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, and Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan.
• The letter said that for the national-level event at this year’s Janjatiya Gaurav Divas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected, and participation has been requested of 25 States and Union Territories, excluding Bihar.
• In the suggested activities annexed with the Tribal Affairs Ministry’s letter, the government has recommended the display of “Tribal Village Vision 2030” documents prepared under the Adi Karmayogi scheme, interactions of State VVIPs with PM-JANMAN beneficiaries, and painting exhibition of artworks by students of Eklavya school for tribal students. The list also recommends events like Adi Haats for products made by Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, self-help groups, and tribal artisans.
• The government has also suggested that the States and Union Territories hold campaigns for saturation of individual entitlements and contests in schools, colleges, to celebrate tribal heritage, in addition to arranging health awareness campaigns through Mobile Medical Units.

• Piyush Goyal to visit Brussels today as India-EU trade talks intensify

Context: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will visit Brussels on October 27 and 28 to hold high-level discussions with his counterpart in the European Union (EU) to provide “strategic direction and political impetus” to the ongoing negotiations on a free trade agreement between India and the European Union.

• At the same time, a delegation of the European Parliament Trade Committee will be in New Delhi from October 27 to 29 to enhance “mutual understanding amid intensive trade negotiations between the EU and India”.
• According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Goyal’s visit to Brussels and meeting with Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President and European Commissioner for Trade of the European Union, comes at a “crucial stage” in the negotiations.

‘Will cover key areas’

• “Building on the momentum generated by the 14th round of negotiations held earlier this month, the Minister’s visit aims to provide strategic direction and political impetus to the talks,” the Ministry said in a release.
• “Discussions are expected to cover key areas of the proposed FTA, including market access, non-tariff measures, and regulatory cooperation,” the release added. “The visit will also serve to review progress achieved so far and to identify areas requiring further convergence.”
• Mr. Goyal will hold a bilateral meeting with Mr. Šefčovič, which will be followed by a working dinner.
• This will not be considered a formal round of negotiations, but a continuation of discussions.
• While discussions were ongoing between India and the EU, the next formal round of negotiations had not yet been finalised as the issues holding up the deal required continuous communication rather than waiting for a formal round.
• These issues included market access, regulatory cooperation and agricultural sensitivities.
• The delegation of the Trade Committee will include seven members of the European Parliament, according to a press release issued by the European Parliament.
• “The main objective of this visit is to contribute to increasing our mutual understanding amid intensive trade negotiations between the EU and India,” the co-heads of delegation Cristina Maestre and Brando Benifei said in a joint statement. “The mission is timely taking place just a few months ahead of the deadline to conclude negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement by the end of 2025.”
• During their visit to India, the delegation will meet a variety of stakeholders.

• Hanle protects its dark skies and builds a future on stargazing

Context: With the motto ‘come for the mountains, stay for the stars,’ the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve is showing how the Himalayan skies are being preserved today and will be carried forward for future generations, with thousands of new visitors also lending a helping hand to the local economy.

• Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences. The sky is a free resource, and those who live away from city lights are fortunate to enjoy it for their passion, imagination, and even livelihoods.
• That’s the story of Hanle, a small Himalayan village that hosts one of the darkest skies in the world. Its Bortle-1 skies — the highest clarity rating on a nine-point scale — seem to say astronomy is for everyone.
• Located in Ladakh, Hanle is now protected as India’s first dark sky reserve. It’s managed as part of a memorandum of understanding between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru, the Union Territory of Ladakh, and the Ladakh Hill Development Council in Leh. Once a region of nomadic people, Hanle is now emerging as a stargazing destination.
• A dark sky reserve is a designated area with an exceptionally clear sky, and maintained that way by minimising light pollution. The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve, a unique government-funded and science-driven sustainable development initiative, is located within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, surrounding the Indian Astronomical Observatory, a research facility operated by IIA.
• The Observatory hosts two optical telescopes, the Himalayan Chandra Telescope and the GROWTH India Telescope (with IIT Bombay), and two Cherenkov telescopes — the High Altitude Gamma-Ray Telescope Array (with the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research) and the Major Atmospheric Cherenkov Experiment (with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre).
• “Countless clear sky nights, fewer atmospheric particles that absorb the celestial objects’ light, and low light pollution make Hanle an ideal location for astronomical observations,” Dorje Angchuk, the engineer-in-charge of the Observatory, said.
• To minimise light pollution at the reserve, the IIA has distributed lamp shades, blackout curtains, and bulbs of warm tones to all homes and infrastructure in the village, Mr. Angchuk said. In support of astrotourism, IIA scientists have trained 25 local youth, 18 of whom are women, as “Astronomy Ambassadors.” These ambassadors are equipped with telescopes and taught basic astronomy concepts. The night-sky tours they lead for visitors help them with a part-time income.

• Why has IUCN red-flagged the Western Ghats?

Context: The expansive Western Ghats and two national parks in India — Assam’s Manas national park and West Bengal’s Sundarbans national park — have been categorised as being of “significant concern” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) list of natural World Heritage sites across Asia.

Why did the IUCN state?

• The IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook 4 report released earlier this month attributes four threats to the loss of habitats and species in South Asia: climate change, tourism activities, invasive alien species, and roads. The report categorises the natural sites as “good”, “good with some concerns”, “significant concern”, and “critical”. The report uses four cycles of conservation assessments undertaken since 2014.
• “Each of these categories not only shows the potential for a site to preserve its values and underlying attributes but also indicates the urgency of measures that need to be taken to improve the conservation outlook and ensure the long-term conservation of all sites,” says the report. The IUCN assessment of over 200 natural and mixed World Heritage sites “offers the most in-depth analyses of threats facing natural World Heritage around the world and their protection and management status,” says Grethel Aguilar, IUCN director general, in the introduction to the report.
• The report points out that the percentage of sites with “a positive conservation outlook has, for the first time, decreased significantly.”

Do we have ‘good’ protected areas?

• Protected areas in South Asia are being usurped rapidly, obliterating natural habitats. Of the 228 sites assessed since 2014, some 63% of sites had a positive outlook in 2014, 2017 and 2020, however, ‘the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 shows that in 2025 only 57% of these sites have a positive conservation outlook.”
• The threats are also shapeshifting, “it is …notable that roads and railroads are now among the top five greatest threats to natural World Heritage in Asia, while in 2020 this was not the case.” The other threats include: forest fires, hunting, roadkill, waste disposal, encroachment, illegal logging etc.
• Of the 32 Asian sites categorised as “good with some concerns,” four happen to be in India — The Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area, Kaziranga National Park, Keoladeo National Park, and Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks. Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim has been rated “good” in its conservation outlook, valuing “attributes [that] are currently in good condition and likely to be maintained for the foreseeable future, provided that current conservation measures are maintained.”
• The Western Ghats, a mosaic of forests and grasslands, are older than the Himalayas and have an exceptionally high level of biological diversity and endemism, habitat to some 325 globally threatened (listed in IUCN’s Red List) flora, fauna, bird, amphibian, reptile and fish species, according to UNESCO. This includes the Nilgiri tahr, a stocky, agile goat found nowhere else in the world.

What makes the Ghats vulnerable?

• The Western Ghats are highly endangered not least by hundreds of hydropower projects such as the proposed ₹5,843 crore Sillahalla Pumped Storage Hydroelectric project in the Nilgiris, which involves constructing dams across River Sillahalla and River Kundah, with an aim to generate 1,000 MW of power for Tamil Nadu’s plains.
• Moreover, tourism is creating problems of garbage, often consumed by wild animals such as elephants and exacerbating conflict. Plantations are replacing natural ecosystems. And climate change has forced fauna to adapt by redistributing themselves from fast-warming lower altitudes to higher reaches, such as in the case of the Nilgiri flycatcher and the black and orange flycatcher. Exotic species are colonising natural forests, such as eucalyptus and acacia (both originally from Australia), which were introduced here during the colonial era. As for the Sundarbans mangroves where tigers swim, salinity, heavy metal contamination, and unsustainable resource extraction threatens the ecosystem. Sea level rise and frequent storm surges reduce mangrove biodiversity, says the report.

Is there hope yet?

• Outside India, seven sites in China have been proclaimed “best protected and managed protected areas,” including the Badain Jaran Desert-Towers of Sand and Lake, Chengjiang Fossil Site, and Mount Huangshan.
• The Natural World Heritage sites make up less than 1% of the Earth’s surface, but nurture more than 20% of mapped global species richness. “This includes over 75,000 species of plants, and over 30,000 species of mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles and amphibians,” says the report.

This report is timely. “The world has agreed to halt biodiversity loss through the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and the UNESCO World Heritage Convention is uniquely placed to meet these challenges by bridging the gap between nature and culture, and protecting places with extraordinary biodiversity, functional habitats and high ecosystem integrity,” says the report. “This report is more than a health check. It is a guide for action,” says Ms. Aguilar.

Current Affairs: 25th October 2025

• Imminent need to overhaul Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act: High Court

Context: Observing that “numerous incongruities pervade the Karnataka Cooperative Societies (KCS) Act, 1959 and the KCS Rules, 1960”, the High Court of Karnataka has said that there is an imminent need to overhaul this law, which has become “a patchwork of a series of piecemeal amendments over the decades and no longer suited to the modern socio-economic environment”.

• Pointing out that disputes relating to membership, disqualification, voter eligibility, appointment of administrators, and surcharge proceedings have time and again required judicial intervention in a large number of litigations to harmonise contradictory provisions of the KCS Act and the Rules, the court said recurring litigation indicated a systemic defect in the legislative framework itself. Justice Suraj Govindaraj made these observations while dealing with voter list and other issues related to holding elections to a multi-purpose primary rural agricultural cooperative society, Idagundi in Yellapur taluk of Uttara Kannada district.
• “The courts have attempted to apply the principle of harmonious construction in resolving the issues under this law, but where reconciliation itself becomes impossible, legislative reform is the only viable solution,” the court said.
• “It is therefore my considered opinion that a comprehensive overhaul of the statute is urgently required. Much like The Income-Tax Act, 1961 is being replaced by the Income-Tax Act, 2025… on account of the I-T Act, 1961 having been amended over 65 times in six decades had become overly complex,” observed Justice Govindaraj.
• As the new I-T law, which largely retains existing tax principles, aims to simplify the text and remove redundant provisions to reduce litigation and make compliance easier for taxpayers, a new, consolidated KCS Act for Karnataka is required to replace the current legislation, the court emphasised.
• “Just as the Companies Act was comprehensively revamped to address contemporary requirements, a modernised co-operative law must be framed to ensure efficiency, transparency, and alignment with constitutional principles of cooperative autonomy. Without such reform, cooperatives will remain entangled in unproductive litigation, stifling their true purpose of empowering members economically and socially,” the court observed.

Many areas of conflict

• The areas of conflict in the KCS Act and the Rules are manifold, like membership rights and disqualification, preparation of voter lists, conduct of elections, appointment of administrators, jurisdictional overlaps, surcharge proceedings, and audit obligations, the court said while pointing out that many provisions have been rendered otiose by technological and socio-economic changes. The court also requested the Karnataka State Law Commission to look into the issue and take appropriate action.

• PM SHRI signing a tactical decision: Minister

Context: Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty described Kerala’s decision to sign up for the Centrally sponsored PM School for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme as a “tactical” move designed to overcome denial of school education funds to the State by the Union government.

• At a press conference held to explain the State government’s position in the wake of strident opposition from coalition partner Communist Party of India (CPI) and others, Mr. Sivankutty said Kerala would continue its fight against the Union government policies of implementing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) agenda through education. However, the government was not ready to give up on funds for Samagra Shiksha and other projects, especially when the State was facing financial constraints, he said.
• The Minister said the State had lost ₹188.58 crore in the 2023-24 financial year and ₹513.54 crore in 2024-25. It was due ₹456.01 crore this financial year. This totalled ₹1,158.13 crore.
• The PM SHRI scheme would wind up by March 2027, he said. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for PM SHRI, the State would get the arrears due to Samagra Shiksha Kerala and two years of PM SHRI funds, which together came to ₹1,476.13 crore.
• Responding to criticism that by signing up for PM SHRI the State had accepted the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, the Minister said the argument was purely technical.
• The Union government had declared in October 2022 that the objective of Samagra Shiksha was to help implement the NEP, he said. Even when the State had received Central funds till 2023, it had implemented schemes in keeping with the State’s interests. There would be no change in that position, he said.

CPI opposition

• The Communist Party of India (CPI) State secretariat on Friday expressed its “profound disquiet” over the government inking the MoU for the PM SHRI keeping the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Cabinet “in the dark.”

• Baker’s yeast has the resilience to withstand Martian environment, find researchers

Context: Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and collaborators at the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, have found that Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has the resilience to withstand harsh conditions found in the Martian environment.

• Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is an indispensable ingredient in making bread, beer, and biotechnology products. IISc said that this organism holds clues to how life could survive in extraterrestrial conditions and the findings underscore how baker’s yeast could serve as an excellent model for India’s efforts in astrobiology research.
• It said that the team exposed yeast cells to high-intensity shock waves — similar to those produced by meteorite impacts on Mars — and perchlorate salts, which are toxic chemicals found in Martian soil.
• Using a High-Intensity Shock Tube for Astrochemistry (HISTA) in Bhalamurugan Sivaraman’s lab at PRL, they simulated shock waves reaching Mach 5.6 intensity. The team also treated yeast cells with 100 mM sodium perchlorate either in isolation or in combination with the shockwaves.
• “One of the biggest hurdles was setting up the HISTA tube to expose live yeast cells to shock waves — something that has not been attempted before — and then recovering yeast with minimum contamination for downstream experiments,” said lead author Riya Dhage.
• IISc said that the yeast cells survived when treated with shock waves and perchlorate, although the cells’ growth slowed down.

Key to resilience

• “The likely key to their resilience lies in their ability to produce ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates — tiny, membrane-less structures that help protect and reorganise mRNA when the cells are under stress. Shock waves triggered the assembly of two types of RNPs called stress granules and P-bodies, while perchlorate exposure led to the generation of P-bodies alone. Yeast mutants that were unable to form these structures were far less likely to survive,” IISc said.
• It added that the results show how RNP condensates may act as biomarkers for cellular stress under extraterrestrial conditions.
• “What makes this work unique is the integration of shock-wave physics and chemical biology with molecular-cell biology to probe how life might cope with such Mars-like stressors,” said Ms. Dhage.
• “We hope that this study will galvanise efforts to have yeast on board in future space explorations,” said Purusharth I. Rajyaguru, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry.

• Trouble in ‘soy State’

Context: Madhya Pradesh is India’s largest soybean producer, but young farmers are losing interest in farming, facing key issues such as improper implementation of minimum support price, seed quality, input cost and the possibility of the import of soybean and soybean meal from the United States.

• The oilseed was quite new to farmers in this area even though others in the State had been sowing it as far back as the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The reasons are many:

• Issues that ranged from climate change to the import-export policies of the Union Government. “The yield is very low.
• The price is also almost a ₹1,000 less used to be 15 years ago.
• Do not have any other alternative crops here as maize, a popular alternate crop, is what the nilgai likes.” The nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) is an antelope species which farmers consider to be a nuisance as it destroys crops.
• Import of soybean from the United States: “The government is already importing soybean oil and other edible oils. But if soybean is imported from the U.S.,crisis will deepen. The government should set its import-export policy right.

The MSP issue

• There is another issue that he and other farmer leaders are engaged with, which is proper implementation of the minimum support price (MSP) and procurement by the government in local markets.
• In the ongoing kharif season, the government had announced ₹5,328 as the MSP for a quintal of soybean. But in the Chhawani grain market of Indore, farmers have been selling their produce for as low as ₹ 3,000 per quintal.
•  “The government had promised MSP, but we are not getting even half the MSP after the harvest.
• Soybean cultivation gives huge losses. Both the Centre and State governments claim that they have doubled the income of farmers.

• The Union Government, in a statement on October 6, 2025, had said that the country’s overall oilseed sowing area, during the 2025 kharif season, had decreased by 10.62 lakh hectares compared to the previous year. The decrease in soybean alone was 9.1 lakh hectares. Madhya Pradesh is India’s largest soybean producer — over 40% — harvesting about 52 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) from about 53 lakh hectares.

• Farmers are not recovering even the input cost which is the reason for the decrease in cultivation.
• Earlier used to cultivate coarse cereals, millets and pulses earlier but switched to soybean based on what the government presented to them — soybean cultivation was linked to ensuring self-reliance in edible oil requirements and in meeting the protein needs of a huge population dependent on vegetarian food.
• “Now the prices of millets and pulses have increased and the prices of soybean have come down. We should not have shifted to soybean”.

The threat of imports

• The Executive Director of the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA), D.N. Pathak, has seen both the growth and the crisis in the soybean sector. He believes that any shortage in its cultivation will have a direct impact on protein availability as soybean in India is not an oilseed crop. Pathak said, “Only 18% or 19% of the soybean is used to make oil. It is basically a protein crop.” He said SOPA has been requesting the government to ensure that farmers get the correct price. “Productivity is low. It has been low for the last 30 to 40 years. It has not improved. A lot needs to be done to improve productivity. The industry should also work there. The government should certainly make efforts,” he said.
• Pathak said that talk about the import of soybean was being floated by an import lobby with vested interests.
• A trained professional in electronics, Pathak joined SOPA in 1994, as he had a deep interest in agriculture. It comes as no surprise as his family of farmers is from Uttar Pradesh. “We need about 7 million tonnes to 8 million tonnes of soybean meal,” he says. “This means that we must crush about 100 lakh tonnes of soybean, which is our production now. If we grow more, we export. But we cannot compete because our MSP is so high. So, if somebody were to bring soybean from the U.S., what will happen to this soybean which our farmers grow? Or is there a suggestion that we should not grow soybean? U.S. soybean is roughly $380 a tonne. Our soybean is $620 per tonne. So should we bring U.S. soybean at $380?”

The advent of soybean in the State

• In the 1980s, Madhya Pradesh first tried black soybean. The present variety, which is yellow soybean, reached farms by the first decade of 2000.
• Earlier, cooperative societies used to procure soybean till the end of the 1990s and production was good too.
• Losses: The biggest issue was the seeds. Low quality seeds resulted in a decrease in production and companies began to queue up offering fertilizers and pesticides to enhance production. But this did not work. Rather than it being from lab to land, seeds are coming from market to land,” he said.
• “Cultivation is down and yield is less. Traders are also worried about the future of soybean. The Bhavantar scheme is not helping farmers. Unless soybean meal is exported, it will be difficult to survive. If U.S. soybean comes here, it will be a double blow,” he said. Kailash said some farmers are keeping soybean for three to four years expecting that the prices will improve as export picks up. According to SOPA, on an average, India exports about two million tonnes of soybean meal; in this season, it could go down by 1.8 million tonnes. SOPA states that the reason for lack of demand for Indian soybean is its higher price.
• The Chhawani market is one of the biggest soybean markets in India. During the season, traders handle about 2,000 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes of soybean a month. Said Kailash, “Traders of this market brought yellow soybean and provided it to farmers for cultivation after the 1990s. The best time was between 1995 to 2015 when we used to get 6,000 tonnes per month.”
• Varun, a former secretary of the market, nodded in agreement. According to him, traders in the market deal with buyers from across the country. “We have a membership of about 1,500 traders. There are a lot of workers too in this market. The fluctuations in the soybean market have impacted traders. They are losing revenue. Such fluctuations are basically from the policies of the government. The import policy of the government is a problem. If the government allows imports of soybean, it will be a major problem.”

A reposing of faith in soybean

• In another part of Indore, despite the sentiment and arguments expressed from the ground, the scientific community has not lost hope in soybean and its future. The Director of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR)’s Indian Institute of Soybean Research, Kunwar Harendra Singh said: “From only 30,000 hectares during the 1970s, the country has now more than 12 million hectares under soybean cultivation. You will not see any other crop having expanded in such a way. So this is the big achievement as far as this crop is concerned.”
• He said that the present decrease in the area of sowing is primarily due to a decline in prices. “The government has been increasing the MSP, but the market rates were declining very fast. And then, other options like maize are in demand,” he said. “This is the only plant based group which has 40% protein… This needs the attention of the government and also different industries to create the awareness on how to use this good quality protein,” he added, pointing to the need for more research on the use of soybean as a human food.
• “The crop basically belongs to China, and in India earlier, only a few States such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and some of the northeastern States used to cultivate it. “More than 90% of soya is being used for cattle feed. We do not have value-added products. We can make different nutritional powders from this. But the industry has to come forward for that.”

• Gyan Bharatam Missionto ink pact with institutes

Context: It is a flagship initiative of Culture Ministry for identifying, digitising, preserving, and promoting India’s manuscripts; the institutes will be categorised as cluster centres and independent centres.

• The Gyan Bharatam Mission on manuscripts, under the Union Culture Ministry, will sign Memorandums of Understanding with around 20 institutes across the country for conservation, upkeep, and digitisation of manuscripts.
• While the 20 institutes will sign the MoUs on Saturday, 30 more will do so over the next few days, a senior official of the Union Culture Ministry. Some of these institutes are Asiatic Society Kolkata, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, Prayagraj, and Government Oriental Manuscript Library, Chennai.

• Gyan Bharatam is a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Culture for identifying, documenting, conserving, digitising, preserving, and promoting India’s vast manuscript heritage.
• It was announced during the Union Budget this year.
• The mission’s mandate is to preserve and establish a dedicated digital platform — known as the National Digital Repository (NDR) — to share India’s manuscript heritage worldwide.

• The institutions set to sign MoUs have been categorised into cluster centres and independent centres.
• In the case of a cluster centre, the institution shall be responsible for executing all manuscript-related activities of its own centre, as well as those of its designated cluster partner centres, which shall not exceed 20. In the case of the independent centres, the institution shall be responsible for executing all manuscript-related activities pertaining solely to its own collection.
• Gyan Bharatam shall provide the overarching framework, guidance, monitoring, and support for the execution of activities under this partnership. In addition, it shall also provide funding, necessary equipment, and budgetary allocations to the designated Centres, subject to approval of work plans, milestones, and quality verification.
• The various activities to be provided by the institutes with GB’s support have been categorised into survey and cataloguing, conservation and capacity building, technology and digitisation, linguistics and translation, research, publication, and outreach.
• The centres have also been asked to constitute a dedicated Gyan Bharatam Cell experienced in each vertical, in the spirit of voluntary service, to represent the Centre with sincerity, while also serving as a vital channel of communication to foster collaboration and ensure smooth coordination.

Funds in instalments

• As far as finances are concerned,funds shall be released in phased instalments in accordance with the implementation schedule and milestones outlined in the approved work plan.
• The first instalment (70%) shall be disbursed upon the annual budget, the second (30%) instalment shall be released only upon submission of progress reports, detailed financial report, submission of utilisation certificates (UCs) and other important documents.

• Manipur Nagas declare restrictions ahead of Muivah’s visit to Senapati

Context: The Nagas in Manipur have declared a ‘Genna’ in honour of National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) leader Thuingaleng Muivah ahead of his visit to the State’s Senapati on October 29.

• Genna, in Naga culture and traditions, refers to restrictions to ensure maximum participation when a national holiday or an important day for the community is observed.
• The NSCN is also referred to as the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, or NSCN (I-M).
• The United Naga Council (UNC), the apex Naga organisation in Manipur, issued a statement on Friday, declaring ‘Genna’ in Senapati “on the occasion of the civic reception in honour” of Mr. Muivah, the Ato Kilonser or “Prime Minister” of the “government” run by the NSCN (I-M). The UNC referred to Senapati as Tahamzam, a Naga name.
• Senapati, the headquarters of the Naga-majority district with the same name, is about 60 km north of Manipur’s capital, Imphal.
• The UNC said the ‘Genna’ requires all educational institutions and shops in Senapati to remain closed on the day of Mr. Muivah’s visit.
• The council also asked all community members to abstain from all other forms of economic and commercial activities, participate in community gatherings and programmes to celebrate the occasion.

• EC warns parties against misuse of AI-generated content during elections

Context: Ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly election, the Election Commission on Friday issued an advisory to all political parties on responsible use and disclosure of synthetically generated information and AI-generated content during election.

• In a letter to the heads of all political parties, the poll body said that it had been brought to its notice that “the misuse of hyper-realistic synthetically generated information, including depicting political leaders making electorally sensitive messages, is contaminating the level-playing field in the electoral arena, disrupting fair and equal conditions for all political participants, which is a sine qua non for preserving the integrity of the political campaigning during elections”.
• “The use of technology for creating, generating, modifying and altering information and publishing and transmitting synthetically generated information is a deep threat and challenge because of its ability to masquerade as truth and unwittingly trap political stakeholders into incorrect conclusions and therefore, ECI finds it particularly imperative to ensure that transparency and accountability are maintained to preserve electoral integrity and voter trust,” the letter said.

Previous guidelines

• The EC had issued detailed guidelines in May last year just before the general elections regarding responsible and ethical use of social media platforms, and an advisory, dated January 16, 2025, specifically addressing concerns around labelling of synthetic and AI-generated content used by political parties for election campaigning. The poll body asked political parties, candidates, and campaign representatives to ensure that any AI- generated or AI-altered image, audio, or video used or disseminated for campaigning purposes shall bear a clear, prominent, and legible label such as “AI-Generated”.

• RBI may limit banks’ market exposure

Context: The regulator has proposed that the total direct exposure to capital markets and acquisition financing be capped at 20% of their tier-1 capital. India’s central bank proposed limits to banks’ lending against stocks, bonds in capital markets, and for corporate acquisitions to ensure that lenders keep such businesses in check.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a draft circular proposing that banks’ total direct exposure to capital markets and acquisition financing be capped at 20% of their tier-1 capital, weeks after it said it would ease restrictions on funding mergers and acquisitions.
• Earlier this month, the regulator allowed banks to fund acquisitions and raised the cap on loans for buying shares at initial public offerings, as part of a raft of measures to boost bank lending in the world’s fifth-largest economy.
• It had also permitted unfettered bank lending against listed debt securities, and raised the limit for lending against equity shares from ₹2 million to ₹20 million.
• The RBI proposed that banks’ aggregate capital market exposure, including direct as well as indirect exposure through funds and guarantees, among others, should not exceed40% of their tier 1 capital, and the exposure towards acquisition finance shall not exceed 10%. Tier 1 capital, the highest-quality capital of a bank, includes equity, retained earnings, and certain instruments that can absorb losses.
• The changes allow domestic banks to lend for acquisitions by Indian corporates, a segment so far cornered by foreign lenders and credit funds.
• In its proposed rules for acquisition finance, the RBI said that banks may finance a maximum of 70% of the deal value, with at least 30% to be funded by the acquiring company.
• It said that commercial banks can offer acquisition finance only to listed entities that have a satisfactory net worth and been profitable for the last three years, adding that the loan should be fully secured by the shares of the target company.

NBFCs’ risk-weight

• Separately, it proposed revised risk-weight guidelines for non-banking financial companies’ infrastructure loans, a move that could lower capital requirements for lenders financing established projects.

• Advertising veteran Piyush Pandey passes away at 70

Context: The former chief creative officer, worldwide, and executive chairman of Ogilvy India was known to break Western influence on Indian advertising by popularising Hindi in ad films and taglines that caught the fancy of the masses.

• He was credited with blockbuster campaigns such as the Fevicol bus ad, the fish catch ad for Fevikwik, Pug and Zoozoos campaigns for Vodafone, Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hay campaign for Asian Paints, Kuch Khass Hay for Cadbury, Chal Meri Luna for Kinetic and the Abki Baar Modi Sarkar ad campaign for the BJP to name a few.
• Born in Jaipur in 1955, Mr. Pandey did his schooling in the city and moved to New Delhi, where he did his post graduation at St. Stephen’s College.

• Japan’s new PM commits to higher defence spend, ties with India, Quad

Context: Takaichi said she ‘looks forward’ to promoting the Japan-India Strategic and Global Partnership; ‘in order to promotethe main pillar of Tokyo’s diplomacy, a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, India is a crucial partner,’ says an Assistant Minister.

• In a dramatic announcement three days after she was sworn in, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said her government will ensure that Japan’s defence spending would increase to 2% of its GDP by March 2026, two years ahead of schedule, even as she pledged support for “security partnerships” like the Quad, which includes India. Ms. Takaichi, who said the government’s first priority is to tackle inflation and boost fiscal spending, was addressing the Japanese Parliament, or Diet, in an inaugural speech about her agenda in office.
• Ms. Takaichi, the country’s first woman Prime Minister, also responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message on her appointment, saying she “looks forward” to promoting the Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership.
• “The free, open, and stable international order with which we have become familiar is being significantly shaken by historical shifts in the balance of power and intensifying geopolitical competition,” Ms. Takaichi said, citing Russia, China and North Korea as “serious concerns” and promising to deepen Japan’s “multilateral security consultations” involving the U.S., South Korea, the Philippines, Australia, and the Quad.
• Toshihiro Kitamura said India was a “unique” country for its leadership of the Global South, and that Ms. Takaichi was committed to following former PM Shinzo Abe’s lead on the Indo-Pacific.

Crucial partner

• “In order to promote the main pillar of the Japanese diplomacy, a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, India is a crucial partner. Prime Minister Takaichi is fully committed to promote further cooperation with India,” Mr. Kitamura said.
• In the parliament speech, Ms. Takaichi also ordered a review of Japan’s National Security, Strategic and Defence plans that included the commitment on raising defence expenditure.
• Japan’s GDP last year was about $4 trillion (591 trillion Yen), and according to the National Security Strategy documents issued in 2022, defence spending was due to reach 11 trillion Yen, or 2%, only by the end of the financial year in 2027. The announcement on defence spending and the Indo-Pacific is significant as it comes a day before Ms. Takaichi leaves for Malaysia where she will meet with counterparts from ASEAN countries on October 26, and then will return to prepare for U.S. President Donald Trump’s three-day visit to Japan beginning October 27.
• Ms. Takaichi promised to elevate the Japan-U.S. relationship to “even greater heights”. It remains to be seen whether Ms. Takaichi will also raise the Quad and scheduling the Summit due to be held in India later this year, which has been stalled due to India-U.S. tensions on trade issues.
• Ms. Takaichi called Japan’s population decline its “biggest problem”, and struck a sharp note on immigration, suggesting controls on foreign nationals working in the country, including restrictions on land acquisition by them.
• Ms. Takaichi gave the parliament address after appointing her Cabinet, which includes several faces familiar to New Delhi. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi was a minister in the Shinzo Abe cabinet (2017-19), while Internal Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi was the Foreign Minister (2021-23), under former PM Fumio Kishida, and travelled to Delhi for the G20 and Quad Foreign Minister’s meeting. Meanwhile, 44-year-old Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi is the son of former Japanese PM Junichiro Koizumi, who travelled to India in 2005 to reset ties, set off strategic talks and launched the practice of annual summits with PM Manmohan Singh.

• India opposed to any move that may affect truce in Gaza

Context: A day after the Israeli Knesset passed a preliminary Bill on annexation of the West Bank, India reiterated that it opposes any “unilateral” moves that has the potential to dismantle the peace initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump.

• Speaking at the UN Security Council’s Quarterly Open Debate convened by Russia, India’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations P. Harish said India’s position is based on its assessment of the “overall Palestinian question” and emphasised that food and other requirements “must flow into Gaza in an unimpeded manner”.
• “The landmark initiative of the United States has generated diplomatic momentum towards peace and all parties must adhere to their obligations in this regard. We also remain firmly opposed to any unilateral moves by parties concerned. Now is the time for all parties to support ongoing peace efforts, rather than to derail them,” said Mr. Harish.
• The remarks came soon after the Knesset approved a Bill to apply Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank. The Bill titled “Application of Israeli Sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, 2025” was initiated by Member of Knesset Avi Maoz and was passed by a narrow margin. It was sent to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for discussion before being submitted for further votes.

Palestinian question

• Mr. Harish did not refer to the Knesset’s move but reminded that India’s position is “firmly rooted in its consistent stance on the developments since October 7, 2023 as well as the overall Palestinian question.”
• “India has clearly condemned terrorism; stressed there must be an end to destruction, despair and suffering of civilians and sought the immediate release of all hostages; held that humanitarian assistance, particularly, food, fuel and other necessities must flow into Gaza in an unimpeded manner,” said Mr. Harish who described President Trump’s peace initiative as an “enabler and catalyst in this regard”.
• He said that India supports “inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty” and that the two-state solution is the “only pragmatic path”.
• Mr. Harish highlighted India’s recognition of Palestine in 1988 when India began advocating certain important elements of its policy for the Israel-Palestinian conflict — “a sovereign, independent, viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security with Israel, within secure and recognised borders”.
• The Indian envoy said that the Palestinian people require support from the international community to “rebuild” their lives. He said peace in Palestine has regional implications and India seeks lasting peace in the region. He further reminded the Israeli and Palestinian stakeholders to “honour their respective commitments”.

Current Affairs: 24th October 2025

U.S. sanctions Russian oil majors; Indian refiners poised to cut buy

Context: Rosneft and Lukoil hit with sanctions for ‘funding Kremlin’s war machine’, pushing global oil prices up 3%; Trump saysIndia will cut down imports to ‘almost nothing’ by year-end; Indian firms are ‘recalibrating’ to align with govt. guidelines.

• U.S. President Donald Trump hit Russia’s two biggest oil companies with sanctions in his latest policy shift on Moscow’s war in Ukraine, prompting global oil prices to rise by 3%.
• Mr. Trump also reiterated his claim that India has agreed to “stop” buying oil from Russia and would bring its oil purchases down to “almost nothing” by the end of the year, and said he would persuade China to do the same. India and China are the two biggest buyers of Russian oil.
• Indian refiners — including Reliance, the top Indian buyer of Russian crude — are poised to sharply curtail imports of Russian oil to comply with the new U.S. sanctions, industry sources said.

‘Funding war’

• The U.S. sanctions target oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, which between them account for more than 5% of global oil output. The U.S. Treasury has given companies until November 21 to wind down their transactions with the Russian oil producers.
• “Given [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin’s refusal to end this senseless war, Treasury is sanctioning Russia’s two largest oil companies that fund the Kremlin’s war machine,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “We encourage our allies to join us in and adhere to these sanctions.”
• Oil and gas revenue, currently down 21% year-on-year, accounts for a quarter of Russia’s budget and is the most important source of funding for its war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
• Mr. Trump expressed confidence regarding India’s response to the sanctions. “India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop [buying Russian oil]… It’s a process. You can’t just stop… By the end of the year, they’ll be down to almost nothing, almost 40% of the oil. India, they’ve been great. Spoke to Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi yesterday. They’ve been absolutely great,” the U.S. President told reporters at the White House on Wednesday.
• Reliance Industries, which operates the world’s biggest refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat, has a long-term deal to buy nearly 500,000 barrels per day of crude from Rosneft and also buys Russian oil from intermediaries. It now plans to reduce or cease imports of Russian oil, including halting purchases under its deal with Rosneft, people familiar with the matter said.

‘Recalibration on’

• “Recalibration of Russian oil imports is ongoing and Reliance will be fully aligned to GOI [Government of India] guidelines,” a Reliance spokesman said in response to a query on whether the company plans to cut its crude imports from Russia.
• Nayara Energy, another private Indian refiner whose biggest shareholder is Rosneft, also buys oil from the Russian state company, but did not respond to a request for comment on the sanctions.
• State-owned oil refineries, including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum, are reviewing their Russian oil trade documents to ensure no supply will be coming directly from Rosneft and Lukoil, though trade sources said their purchases are typically made through intermediaries.
• “There will be a massive cut. We don’t anticipate it will go to zero immediately as there will be some barrels coming into the market” via intermediaries, a refinery source said.
• The U.S. sanctions came after Mr. Trump cancelled a planned summit with Mr. Putin in Budapest, saying that it would not achieve the outcome he wanted. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova shrugged off the likely impact of the sanctions, saying Moscow had developed a “strong immunity” to such restrictions. Moscow’s main revenue source comes from taxing output, not exports, which is likely to soften the immediate impact of the sanctions on state finances.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. for the new sanctions, saying they were “very important” but that more pressure would be needed to get Moscow to agree to a ceasefire.

Pan-India SIR to cover more than 10 States in first phase

Context: The Election Commission (EC) is all set to announce the schedule for a country-wide roll-out of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at a press conference in the next few days.

• The first phase of the process will be implemented in more than 10 States and one Union Territory, including election-bound Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal.
• The EC took stock of the preparedness of all States and Union Territories for the pan-India SIR, at the two-day conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) that concluded here on Thursday.

Schedule soon

• The full commission will now discuss the matter and take a call on the schedule, which would be announced soon.
• The process is expected to be rolled out in two phases, beginning with Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal, where Assembly elections are due in 2026.
• Those States where local body polls are scheduled to be held and are likely to experience harsh weather conditions during the winter will be tackled in later phases.
• The sources said the commission heard the points raised by the CEOs of all States at the conference and while it responded to general queries and held a presentation on the SIR, no concrete decisions were announced at the meeting. It was stated that a decision would be communicated to all CEOs after the meeting of the Election Commission members.
• The commission assessed the progress made on the directions previously issued to the CEOs to map the current electors with the electors as per the last SIR in the States and Union Territories, according to an official statement by the poll body.
• The statement said the commission also interacted one-to-one with the CEOs of poll-bound States/Union Territory of Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal.
• The two-day conference was held as a follow-up to the SIR preparedness conference held on September 10, during which all the States/U.T.s gave detailed presentations on the number of electors, qualifying date of last SIR, and the electoral rolls in their respective States/U.T.s as per the last completed SIR.
• The SIR process has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The court, while not questioning the EC mandate to conduct the SIR, had asked the poll body to include Aadhaar as the 12th document to prove identity.

Union govt. asks CJI to recommenda successor

Context: The Centre has, in a letter to Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai, sought his recommendation for naming his successor. The CJI is currently on a four-day visit to Bhutan. His office said he would come back and send his recommendation to the government.

• As per seniority norms, Justice Surya Kant is the next in line to become the 53rd CJI. Chief Justice Gavai is scheduled to retire on November 24.

• Under the Memorandum of Procedure for appointment of the CJI and Supreme Court Judges, the Law Ministry seeks the recommendation of the outgoing CJI on the next appointment. The letter from the government kickstarts the appointment process for the next CJI.

• Justice Kant became the youngest Advocate-General of Haryana on July 7, 2000, and was designated a senior advocate in March 2001.
• He was elevated as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 9, 2004 and was appointed the Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh in October, 2018.
• He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on May 24, 2019. He is due to retire on February 9, 2027.

Modi to participate in ASEAN meet virtually, drops Malaysia travel plan

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not travel to Malaysia to attend the 47th ASEAN summit on October 26, but will participate in it virtually. This was announced by him in a social media post.

• The annual summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a 10-nation grouping, and associated meetings will be held from October 26 to 28 in Kuala Lumpur.
• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not provided any reason for Mr. Modi’s decision, though Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that Mr. Modi had cited the “ongoing Deepavali celebrations” as the reason for the change in plans.

Jaishankar goes instead

• The Ministry announced that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar would represent Mr. Modi and lead the Indian delegation at the summit on October 27.
• “Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually, and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Mr. Modi said.
• In a statement posted on X, Mr. Ibrahim said he had discussed the details of the summit with Mr. Modi. “…I respect his decision and extended my greetings for a happy Deepavali to him and the people of India.”
• The summit will draw a host of dignitaries, including U.S. President Donald Trump. It was expected that the venue would be a meeting opportunity for Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump, especially as the India-U.S. relations remain uneasy after Mr. Trump imposed punitive tariff on India because of India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
• Mr. Trump and Mr. Modi exchanged greetings on Deepavali on Tuesday as the India-U.S. negotiations for a trade pact continue. The two sides, however, gave differing takes of the conversation with Mr. Trump telling a group of prominent Indian-Americans and Indian Embassy officials in the White House that the call focused on trade deal, purchase of Russian oil and “no war with Pakistan”, and the Indian sources maintaining that Pakistan was not discussed during the call.
• Officials had earlier given mixed signals about Mr. Modi’s travel plans for Kuala Lumpur saying that the Bihar election campaign requires the Prime Minister’s attention. Earlier, Mr. Trump had invited Mr. Modi to the Sharm-el-Sheikh peace summit for ceasefire in the Gaza Strip but India was represented at the event by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs.
• Since the U.S.’s imposition of 50% punitive tariff on India on August 7, Mr. Modi and Mr. Trump have spoken on multiple occasions, but have not met despite meeting opportunities. The official-level conversation has also become difficult as Mr. Trump continues to insist that he mediated an end to the May 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan, a claim that Indian officials have refused to confirm.

India, Bhutan review border management and security

Context: India and Bhutan reviewed border management and security in a meeting held at Thimphu from October 16-17, a statement by the Union Home Ministry.

• The Ministry said the two countries had reviewed bilateral security cooperation and border management issues, including mobile signal spillover, future road map for integrated check posts, maintenance of boundary pillars, and cross-border movement.
• Discussions covered capacity building for Bhutan’s police. The delegations expressed satisfaction at the constructive discussions and reiterated their resolve to work together for a secure border, the Ministry said.
• This was the 14th India-Bhutan Border Management and Security meeting. The last meeting was held in 2019. The Indian delegation was led by Rajendra Kumar, Secretary, Department of Border Management, Home Ministry, while the Bhutanese side was headed by Sonam Wangyel, Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Tri-services to get systems, platforms for ₹79,000 cr.

Context: The acquisitions are designed to enhance lethality, mobility and intelligence-gathering capabilities across the services; Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Rajnath, approves the proposals.

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved a series of capital acquisition proposals worth around ₹79,000 crore aimed at strengthening the operational capabilities of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
• The Defence Ministry said the approvals granted during a meeting at South Block would cover a wide spectrum of platforms and systems designed to enhance lethality, mobility, and intelligence-gathering capabilities across the Services.
• For the Army, the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of the Nag missile system (tracked) Mk-II (NAMIS), ground-based mobile ELINT System (GBMES), and high-mobility vehicles (HMVs) with material handling cranes.
• The NAMIS (Tracked) will bolster the Army’s ability to destroy enemy armoured vehicles, bunkers, and other fortified positions, while the GBMES will provide round-the-clock electronic intelligence on enemy emitters. The induction of HMVs is expected to significantly enhance logistic support in challenging terrains.
• For the Navy, the AoN was granted for the acquisition of landing platform docks (LPDs), 30 mm naval surface guns, advanced light weight torpedoes (ALWTs), electro-optical infrared search-and-track systems, and smart ammunition for 76 mm super rapid gun mounts.
• The LPDs will augment the Navy’s amphibious warfare capabilities and enable it to undertake joint operations with the Army and Air Force. They will also enhance India’s capacity to conduct peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief (HADR) missions. The indigenously developed ALWT by the DRDO’s Naval Science and Technological Laboratory is capable of engaging conventional, nuclear, and midget submarines.
• For the Indian Air Force, the AoN was accorded for the collaborative long-range target saturation/destruction system (CLRTS/DS) and other related systems. The CLRTS/DS features autonomous take-off and landing, navigation, target detection and payload delivery capabilities, aimed at augmenting the IAF’s long-range precision engagement capacity.
• The approvals reflect the government’s continuing emphasis on modernisation, self-reliance and indigenisation under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, officials said.

‘90% of Gaganyaan development work done’

Context: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman V. Narayanan said that about 90% of the development work on the Gaganyaan mission had been completed.

• “The Gaganyaan mission is going on very well. A lot of technological development has to take place. Number one, the rocket has to be human-rated, the life support system, the crew escape system and of course, human-centric products. I can say today that approximately 90% of the development work has been completed,” Mr. Narayanan said.

3 uncrewed missions

• He added that the crewed mission to launch the Indian astronauts into space would take place in 2027 and prior to that, ISRO would undertake three uncrewed missions.
• “Three uncrewed missions have to be accomplished, the first uncrewed mission with the humanoid Vyomitra is expected to take flight by the end of this year. We want to accomplish the crewed mission by 2027,” he said.

‘UPI leads in payment volume, RTGS value; debit card deals dip’

Context: In the half year ended June 2025, payment transaction volume was 12,549 crore, amounting to ₹1,572 lakh crore, according to a RBI report.

• In terms of volume, payment transactions grew from 3,248 crore in Calendar Year (CY) 2019 to 20,849 crore in CY 2024 and in terms of value from ₹1,775 lakh crore to ₹2,830 lakh crore during this period, according to Payment Systems Report, a bi-annual publication released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• In the half year (HY) ended June, transaction volume was 12,549 crore, amounting to ₹1,572 lakh crore. Almost all of the growth in payments was attributable to digital payment transactions.
• “In CY19, digital payments accounted for approximately 96.7% of the total payment transactions by volume and 95.5% by value,” as per the report.
• By CY24, these figures had risen to 99.7% in terms of volume and 97.5% in terms of value.
• The volume of UPI transactions has increased significantly from 1,079 crore transactions in CY19 to 17,221 crore transactions in CY24. The total value of transactions grew from ₹18.4 lakh crore in CY19 to ₹246.8 lakh crore in CY24.

• In H1 of CY25, the volume of UPI transactions stood at 10,637 crore amounting to ₹143.3 lakh crore in value.
• During the period CY19 to CY24, NEFT transactions more than tripled in terms of volume, from 262.2 crore to 926.8 crore. However, during the same period, in terms of value, they grew from ₹232.9 lakh crore to ₹432.8 lakh crore.
• In H1 of CY25, NEFT already processed 490.5 crore transactions, worth ₹237 lakh crore, indicating sustained growth and widespread adoption.

RTGS surges

• Large value payment system RTGS transactions volume grew from 14.8 crore in CY19 to 29.5 crore in CY24, while transaction value rose from ₹1,388.7 lakh crore to ₹1,938.2 lakh crore during this period.
• In CY25, by H1 alone, RTGS recorded 16.1 crore transactions amounting to ₹1,079.2 lakh crore, indicating sustained growth and usage.

Debit cards dip

• Transactions in debit cards witnessed a decline since 2019, both in volume and value. In volume terms, debit card transactions declined from 495.32 crore in CY19 to 173.80 crore in CY24, while in value terms, they declined from ₹6.83 lakh crore to ₹5.15 lakh crore during this period.
• In H1 2025, debit cards recorded 69.09 crore transactions valued at ₹2.22 lakh crore. While Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) transaction volume rose from 516.2 crore in CY19 to 698.9 crore in CY24, transaction value remained almost at the same level of ₹2.23 lakh crore during this period. During H1 of 2025, PPIs recorded transaction volume of 404.7 crore and value of ₹1.23 lakh crore.

India’s Russian crude imports in October remain ‘robust’: Kpler

Context: India’s imports of Russian crude oil remain ‘robust’, tracking at approximately 1.8 million barrels per day at present, provisionally up by 2,50,000 barrels per day from September, maritime data and analytics provider Kpler mentioned in a blogpost.

• The blogpost added Russian barrels remained the ‘largest single source of crude for India accounting for about 34% of the overall share and entailed ‘compelling discounts’ which were ‘too significant for refiners to ignore’.
• Thus, it sought to infer U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks initially made on October 15 suggesting India would reduce Russian crude imports, are “likely pressure tactics linked to trade negotiations.” India’s Russian oilpurchases have been the single major point of contention in the talks for a favourable U.S. trade deal.

‘Cutting imports costly’

• With Moscow accounting for 30-35% of the Indian basket off late, the blog held, “substitution would require rapid scaling from multiple suppliers at higher costs.”
• Kpler also observed though there has been a stronger push for diversification, Russian contracts are typically signed 6-10 weeks before arrival. “Rewiring all that takes time.”

‘Ethanol tender order may hit 350 makers’

Context: Ethanol producers have raised concerns on the recent ethanol tender order for the 2025-2026 ethanol supply year that reportedly favours new entrants in deficit zones.

• The published allocations indicate at least 350 distilleries are deprived of adequate procurement orders from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Many of the units were set up on an understanding with the OMCs or were part of earlier policy steps, as per the Grain Ethanol Manufacturrers Association (GEMA).
• GEMA said in a release that according to the “Allocation Methodology and Criteria” in the tender document, “The zones where the offers from the distilleries located in the zone are less than the requirement of the zone, this has been considered as deficit zone. For these zones, offers from vendors shall be considered in full for allocation.”
• The policy, which appears to support local sourcing in deficit areas, ignores surplus capacity promoted by the OMCs in neighbouring States. The allocation method bypasses distilleries established with understandings such as long-term off-take pacts and expression of interest.