Current Events of National and International Importance
U.S. slaps 126% levy on Indian solar imports
Context: Tariffs were slapped on India, Indonesia and Laos following an ongoing probe; In FY23, India exported $1 billion worth photovoltaics to the U.S.
- The Trump administration slapped 126% levy on solar cell imports from India following a ‘preliminary’ determination that subsidised exports from Indian firms were hurting the competitiveness of U.S. solar firms and contravened World Trade Organization agreements on subsidies.
- The tariffs were collectively imposed on February 24 on India, Indonesia and Laos following a probe by the U.S. Department of Commerce on a complaint by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, a coalition of leading U.S. solar firms.
- Indian firms under the U.S. Commerce Ministry’s radar included Mundra Solar Energy Pvt. Ltd. and Mundra Solar PV Ltd. — both part of Adani Group — Premier Energies Photovoltaic Private Ltd., Waaree Energies Ltd. and Waaree Solar Americas. The department set initial rates of 86%-143% for Indonesia and 81% for Laos.
Framework deal
- This levy comes after New Delhi and Washington agreed on a framework for the India-U.S. trade deal to cut tariffs on India’s exports to 18% from 50% earlier. After this, the U.S. Supreme Court quashed Trump tariffs, calling them unconstitutional. President Trump then came up with a new 15% baseline duty on several imports.
- On February 24, per a notice on the U.S. Commerce Ministry site, it was Adani firms that were specifically named with a duty rates of 125.87% though these rates, as of now, apply to all Indian exporters.
Facts:
- Currently duties of up to 40% are imposed on such export of solar cells.
- According to data cited by U.S. authorities, Indian firms in 2022 exported 232 mega watts (MW) worth of solar cells which rose to 2049 MW in 2023 and 2297 MW in 2024.
- In 2022-23 $1,000 million worth photovoltaics were exported and that rose to $1,939.92 million in 2023-24. Exports stood at $954 million in April-December 2025.
Current Events of State Importance and Important Government Schemes and Programs
Gruha Arogya scheme to be expanded to GBA areas soon
Context: With the proposed rollout, the Health Department aims to replicate the rural model in urban areas, The State government will soon expand Gruha Arogya to Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) areas, marking a major step towards strengthening urban public health delivery.
- Gruha Arogya has recorded significant success in rural Karnataka, with dedicated health workers reaching over 35 lakh families and screening more than 1 crore people for 14 major non-communicable diseases.
- The programme has emerged as a model for doorstep preventive healthcare, with officials citing encouraging public response and measurable improvements in early detection.
- With the proposed rollout of Gruha Arogya 2.0 in GBA regions, the Health Department aims to replicate the rural model in urban areas, ensuring systematic household outreach, timely screening, and continuity of care.
- It seeks to shift the focus of public health from reactive treatment to proactive prevention.
State launches free prophylaxis treatment for haemophilia patients
Context: In a significant step toward improving the quality of life for those with rare genetic blood disorders, the Karnataka government launched the ‘Kusuma Sanjeevini’ programme.
- The initiative is aimed at providing high-end prophylactic treatment and emergency transport services free of cost to haemophilia patients across the State.
Treatment protocol
- Haemophilia, a rare inherited disorder where blood fails to clot normally due to a deficiency in coagulation factors VIII or IX, has long forced patients into a gruelling treatment cycle. Traditionally, patients required intravenous factor replacement therapy two-three times a week for life – a process that is particularly painful for children with difficult venous access.
- Under the new scheme, the State is introducing Emicizumab, a non-factor monoclonal antibody. Unlike traditional infusions, this drug is administered subcutaneously (under the skin) just once a month. Results from a pilot group of 200 patients showed “zero bleeds” over a year, suggesting the drug could effectively prevent the joint deformities and physical disabilities common in chronic cases.
- With this rollout, Karnataka becomes the first large State in South India, after Kerala, to implement a prophylactic programme of this scale. “By moving to a monthly subcutaneous dose, we are helping these patients, especially children, return to the mainstream of society, allowing them to attend school and play like their peers,” the Health Minister said during the launch.
- The State has sanctioned ₹42.55 crore for the programme, with ₹17 crore specifically dedicated to the procurement of the new drug. While the annual cost of treatment for a single patient can reach ₹5 lakh, the government will provide it entirely free of charge.
- Currently, 2,621 haemophilia cases are registered in Karnataka, including 2,089 with Haemophilia-A. The State has identified 1,000 high-risk patients to be transitioned to this new prophylactic regimen immediately.
Free transport
- To further ease the burden on families, the government launched a dedicated 108 ambulance “pick-up and drop” service. Given that bleeding episodes can quickly become life-threatening, these ambulances will ensure rapid transport to any of the 36 Integrated Treatment Centres for Hemoglobinopathies and Haemophilia (ICHH) located across the State.
Paper-I: Essays
Essay – 1:
From Meritocracy to Performance Governance: The Case for Public Service Reforms.
Essay – 2:
Socioeconomic Survey of Gender Minorities and Devadasis in Karnataka: A Step Towards Inclusive Policy-Making? Discuss.
Paper-II: General Studies 1
Paper-III: General Studies 2
Paper-IV: General Studies 3
What are carbon capture and utilisation technologies?
- Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) refers to a set of technologies that capture carbon dioxide emissions from industrial sources or directly from the air and convert them into useful products.
- This process removes carbon from the atmosphere and puts it into the economy as inputs for fuels, chemicals, building materials, or polymers. Unlike carbon capture and storage, where captured CO₂ is permanently stored underground rather than reused, CCU uses up the captured carbon.
Where does India stand today?
- India has begun supporting CCU through research funding from the Department of Science and Technology which has created a specific research and development roadmap for these technologies.
- The draft 2030 roadmap for Carbon Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) presented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural gas has identified projects that can be used for CCUS purposes. In the private sector, Ambuja Cements (Adani Group) is working on an Indo-Swedish CCU pilot with IIT Bombay to convert captured CO₂ into fuels and materials.
- JK Cement is collaborating on a CCU testbed to capture CO₂ for applications such as lightweight concrete blocks and olefins. Beyond cement, Organic Recycling Systems Limited (ORSL) is leading India’s first pilot-scale Bio-CCU platform, valorising CO₂ from biogas streams into bio-alcohols and specialty chemicals.
What are other countries doing?
- The EU Bioeconomy Strategy and Circular Economy Action Plan explicitly supports CCU as a way to turn CO₂ into feedstocks for chemicals, fuels, and materials, linking it to circularity and sustainability targets.
- ArcelorMittal and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. are working with a climate tech company, D-CRBN, to trial a new technology to convert CO2 captured at ArcelorMittal’s plant in Gent, Belgium into carbon monoxide which can be used in steel and chemical production.
- The U.S. uses a combination of tax credits and funding to scale CCUs, particularly for CO₂-derived fuels and chemicals. The UAE’s Al Reyadah project and planned CO₂-to-chemicals hubs leverage CCU with green hydrogen.
What are the risks ahead?
- The foremost risk in scaling CCU in India is cost competitiveness. Capturing, purifying, and converting CO₂ is energy-intensive and expensive. Without policy incentives, CCU-derived products will struggle to compete with cheaper, fossil-based alternatives.
- A second risk lies in infrastructure readiness. CCU requires co-located industrial clusters, reliable transport of CO₂, and integration with downstream manufacturing, all of which are unevenly developed across Indian industrial regions.
- Finally, the absence of clear standards, certification, and market signals creates uncertainty for investors and limits demand for CO₂-derived products.
- India has taken positive steps through the development of roadmaps to achieving CCU, and their appropriate implementation will be necessary for achieving India’s goals.
Paper-V: General Studies 4
Ethics Case Study – Fire Safety Violations in Commercial Buildings
Background:
A recent fire incident in a densely populated commercial area in Bengaluru exposed serious lapses in fire safety compliance. The building, housing multiple small shops and businesses, reportedly did not have adequate fire safety measures such as emergency exits, functional fire extinguishers, and proper electrical wiring. Fortunately, no major casualties were reported, but the incident raised concerns about negligence, regulatory oversight, and public safety.
Preliminary reports indicate that the building had previously received notices from the fire department regarding non-compliance. However, corrective measures were either delayed or partially implemented. Allegations have also surfaced that inspections were conducted superficially, and enforcement action was weak.
You are a senior district administrative officer responsible for ensuring public safety and enforcing municipal regulations.
Ethical Issues Involved
1.Public Safety vs Commercial Interests – Ensuring safety standards while businesses argue that strict enforcement increases costs.
2.Regulatory Accountability vs Bureaucratic Negligence – Whether officials failed in their duty by not enforcing compliance.
3.Corruption vs Integrity – Possibility of collusion or bribery leading to overlooking violations.
4.Development vs Safety Standards – Balancing rapid urban growth with adherence to safety norms.
5.Justice for Victims vs Administrative Reputation – Protecting institutional credibility while ensuring accountability.
Stakeholders
- Shop owners and business operators
- Employees and customers
- Local residents
- Fire Department officials
- Municipal authorities
- District administration
- Insurance companies
- General public
Options Available
Option 1:
Seal the building immediately and initiate strict legal action against owners and responsible officials.
Option 2:
Issue fresh notices, provide time for compliance, and impose monetary penalties without sealing operations.
Option 3:
Order an independent inquiry into the incident, enforce immediate safety upgrades, fix accountability, and launch a city-wide safety audit.