Why in the News?
The Centre has announced reopening of the application window for the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for White Goods (Air Conditioners and LED Lights), following the strong response and success of earlier rounds.
About the PLI Scheme for White Goods:
- Objective: To create a complete component ecosystem for ACs and LED lights, integrating India into global supply chains and boosting domestic manufacturing.
- Approval: Cleared by the Union Cabinet in April 2021; implemented by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
- Duration: Implemented over seven years (FY 2021–22 to FY 2028–29) with a total outlay of ₹6,238 crore.
- Incentives: Provides 4–6% incentive on incremental turnover (over base year 2019–20) for both domestic sales and exports, applicable for five years to eligible companies.
- Eligibility:
- Applicant must be a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013.
- Eligibility depends on achieving threshold levels of incremental sales and investments.
- Entities availing benefits under any other PLI scheme for the same products are not eligible.
- Beneficiaries So Far: 83 companies with committed investment of ₹10,406 crore have been approved under the scheme, covering AC and LED components across the entire value chain.
- Employment and Exports: Expected to create jobs, expand exports, and enhance self-reliance in components that were earlier imported.
| [UPSC 2025] Statement I: Some rare earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors.
Statement II: Some rare earth elements have phosphorescent properties.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Options
(a) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I
(b) Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I
(c) Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct
(d) Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct |
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Why in the News?
On the Cauvery dispute, Karnataka CM has said that water will be released to Tamil Nadu since the rainfall is adequate, while stressing the Mekedatu Dam’s role in water balance and clean energy.
Back2Basics: Cauvery River
- Origin & Course: Rises at Talakaveri, Brahmagiri range (Kodagu, Karnataka); flows ~800 km through Karnataka & Tamil Nadu into the Bay of Bengal.
- Catchment: Spreads across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry.
- Tributaries: Harangi, Hemavati, Kabini, Suvarnavathi, Bhavani.
- Nature: Perennial river, sustained by both advancing & retreating monsoons.
- Protected Areas: Cauvery WLS, Biligirirangan Hills, Pushpagiri, Muthathi, Ranganathittu, Bhimeshwari, Nagarhole, Bandipur.
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About Cauvery Water Sharing Dispute:
- Colonial Origins: Began in 1892 (Madras Presidency vs Mysore); 1924 Agreement (50 years, expired 1974).
- Post-Independence: Disputes arose with dam projects by Karnataka (1960s–80s); Supreme Court referred to Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT).
- Interim Phase: Cauvery River Authority (CRA, 1998) issued temporary orders.
- CWDT Final Award (2013): Tamil Nadu 419 TMC, Karnataka 270, Kerala 30, Puducherry 7.
- Karnataka’s Obligation: In normal years, release 177.25 TMC to TN, including 123.14 TMC in SW monsoon.
- Challenges: Disputes sharpen in weak monsoons, triggering use of a “distress formula”.
- Legal Basis: Governed by Article 262, Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956; Seventh Schedule entries 17 (State List) & 56 (Union List).
About Mekedatu Dam Project:
- Location: Deep gorge at Cauvery–Arkavathi confluence near Kanakapura, Karnataka.
- Design: Balancing reservoir of ~66 TMC capacity.
- Objectives: Provide Bengaluru drinking water, generate 400 MW hydropower, regulate flows to TN in drought years.
- Importance: Karnataka argues it benefits both states by ensuring regulated water release.
- Opposition: Tamil Nadu objects, fearing reduced downstream availability.
- Current Status: Karnataka insists on moving ahead, requiring Centre & TN’s clearance.
| [UPSC 2022] Gandikota canyon of South India was created by which one of the following rivers?
Options: (a) Cauvery (b) Manjira (c) Pennar* (d) Tungabhadra |
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Why in the News?
This newscard is an excerpt from a photo published in ‘The Hindu’.
About Erra Matti Dibbalu:
- Location: Found between Visakhapatnam and Bheemunipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, stretching 5 km along the coast, with widths ranging from 200 m to 2 km.
- Meaning: In Telugu, “Erra Matti” means red soil and “Dibbalu” means mounds, describing the reddish sand dunes.
- Geological Heritage: Listed among the 34 National Geological Heritage Monument Sites of India by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
- Formation: Created around 12,000–18,500 years ago through the combined effect of tectonic activity (2.5 million–11,000 years ago), sea-level changes, monsoonal variability, and global climatic shifts.
- Composition: Derived mainly from Khondalite rocks of the Eastern Ghats hinterland, with the red colour due to oxidation of iron-rich sediments.
Significance:
- Geological Value: Acts as a paleo-environment indicator, providing evidence of climate change, sea-level fluctuations, and coastal evolution during the late Quaternary period.
- Archaeological Importance: Artefacts from Mesolithic and Neolithic periods and sediment layers dating back to the Late Pleistocene epoch have been found here.
- Conservation Status: Declared a National Geo-heritage Monument (2016) and included in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites (2025) for global recognition and protection.
- Unique Landscape: Features badland topography with sand dunes, buried channels, gullies, and dendritic drainage patterns.
- Rare Formation: Only two other similar red sand dune systems exist globally—the Teri dunes in Tamil Nadu and one site in Sri Lanka.
| [UPSC 2014] When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following:
1. Deep gorges 2. U-turn river courses 3. Parallel mountain ranges 4. Steep gradients causing land sliding
Which of the above can be said to be the evidence for Himalayas being young fold mountains?
Options: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 2 and 4 only (c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4* |
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Why in the News?
China’s State Council has approved the creation of a national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao in Chinese, Bajo de Masinloc/Panatag Shoal in the Philippines).
About Scarborough Shoal:
- Geography: A triangle-shaped chain of reefs and rocks in the South China Sea, about 200 km from Luzon (Philippines) and 800+ km from Hainan (China).
- Status: Uninhabited but strategic, located near shipping lanes carrying $3 trillion in trade annually.
- Significance: The lagoon shelters boats, and surrounding waters hold rich fish stocks vital for Zambales and Pangasinan communities.
Disputes about it:
- Sovereignty Claims: Both China and the Philippines claim ownership.
- 2016 Arbitration Ruling: Permanent Court of Arbitration (The Hague) held China’s nine-dash line claim invalid, declaring Scarborough a traditional fishing ground under UNCLOS; China rejected the verdict.
- Philippines’ Grounds: Lies within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), making China’s reserve “illegitimate and unlawful.”
- International Response: The US, Japan, Australia, and Canada conduct naval patrols/drills supporting the Philippines and freedom of navigation.
| [UPSC 2022] Which one of the following statements best reflects the issue with Senkaku Islands, sometimes mentioned in the news ?
Options: (a) It is generally believed that they are artificial islands made by a country around South China Sea.
(b) China and Japan engage in maritime disputes over these islands in East China Sea.*
(c) A permanent American military base has been set up there to help Taiwan to increase its defence capabilities.
(d) Though International Court of Justice declared them as no man’s land, some South-East Asian countries claim them. |
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Why in the News?
PM has inaugurated the world’s first bamboo-based ethanol plant in Golaghat district, Assam, marking a significant step in India’s green energy journey.
| Note: Ethanol is prepared from bamboo using a multi-step biochemical conversion process that transforms its rich cellulose content into fermentable sugars, which are then fermented and distilled into ethanol. |
About Assam Bioethanol Plant:
- Overview: World’s first 2G bamboo-based bioethanol facility, developed jointly by Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), Fortum (Finland), and Chempolis OY.
- Feedstock: Uses 5 lakh tonnes of green bamboo annually, sourced from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and other NE states.
- Production Capacity: Generates 48,900 MT ethanol, 11,000 MT acetic acid, 19,000 MT furfural, and 31,000 MT food-grade CO₂ per year.
- Benefits: Adds ~₹200 crore annually to Assam’s rural economy; supports farmers and tribal communities with assured markets.
- Policy Enabler: Reclassification of bamboo (no longer a tree) allowed free cultivation and harvesting, unlocking industrial potential.
Back2Basics: Regulation of Bamboo in India
- Earlier Status: The Indian Forest Act, 1927 classified bamboo as a “tree”, though botanically it is a grass.
- Regulatory Impact: Even in non-forest areas, felling, cutting, and transport of bamboo required permits like timber, discouraging farmers and traders.
- 2017 Amendment: The Act was amended to remove “bamboos” from the definition of “tree” under Section 2(7), but only for non-forest areas.
- Policy Goal: Intended to ease regulatory burdens, promote bamboo cultivation and trade, and strengthen agroforestry.
- Current Rule: Bamboo on private/agricultural land can now be freely grown, cut, and transported without permits; bamboo in forest areas remains regulated.
- Scientific Alignment: Recognises bamboo correctly as a grass (Poaceae family).
- Significance: Supports rural farmers, artisans, and tribal communities by making bamboo a viable cash crop.
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| [UPSC 2023] According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels?
1. Cassava 2. Damaged wheat grains 3. Groundnut seeds 4. Horse gram 5. Rotten potatoes 6. Sugar beet
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Options: (a) 1, 2, 5 and 6 only * (b) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only (c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 |
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Why in the News?
Members of the Ho tribe in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district staged a protest for alleged interference in their traditional Manki-Munda governance system by removing village heads (Mundas).
About Ho Tribes:
- Location: Major community of Jharkhand (Kolhan, West Singhbhum), with presence in Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
- Language: Speak Ho language (Munda branch, Austroasiatic family), traditionally written in Warang Citi script.
- Livelihoods: Primarily agriculturalists, with farming, hunting, and forest produce as traditional occupations.
- Festivals: Mage Parab, Ba Parab, Sohrai, tied to agriculture, celebrated with dance, music, rituals.
- Resistance: Historically fought outsiders; staged Ho Revolt (1821–22) and Kol Revolt (1831) against British.
- Social Fabric: Clan-based, community-oriented, guided by customary law and collective decision-making.
What is the Manki-Munda System?
- Structure:
- Munda: Village head (hereditary), resolves disputes, represents village.
- Manki: Head of pidh (cluster of 8–15 villages), adjudicates inter-village disputes.
- Pre-British: Purely internal self-rule, no taxation or external sovereign authority.
- British Codification:
- Wilkinson’s Rules (1833–37) codified system into 31 rules, formally recognising Mankis/Mundas as British agents.
- Introduced private property; Ho became raiyats (tenants) instead of communal landholders.
- Led to demographic influx of dikkus (outsiders), rising from ~1,500 (1867) to ~15,700 (1897).
- Post-Independence: Kolhan Government Estate dissolved (1947) but Wilkinson’s Rules still operative; Kolhan largely exempt from civil laws.
- Judicial View: In Mora Ho vs State of Bihar (2000), Patna HC treated Wilkinson’s Rules as customs, not law, but upheld their continuance.
- Current Practice: System governs village disputes; ~200 vacant posts filled by Gram Sabhas.
- Criticism: Hereditary leadership limits efficiency; many leaders lack education for modern administration.
- Reform Debate: Youth demand limiting hereditary succession and inclusion of non-tribal raiyats.
- Contemporary Role: Remains a symbol of tribal autonomy yet requires modernisation for democratic governance.
| [UPSC 2010] Which one of the following pairs of primitive tribes and places of their inhabitation is not correctly matched?
(a) Buksa : Pauri-Garhwal
(b) Kol : Jabalpur
(c) Munda : Chhotanagpur
(d) Korba : Kodagu* |
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