02 MAY 2025

IAF Tests India’s First Night-Capable Expressway Airstrip on Ganga Expressway

The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently conducted a significant exercise involving fighter jets and transport aircraft on a newly constructed airstrip section of the Ganga Expressway in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. This drill highlights advancements in India’s defence infrastructure and operational capabilities.

Key Highlights of the Exercise:

• Location: A 3.5-kilometre-long airstrip built on the under-construction Ganga Expressway near Piru village in the Jalalabad region of Shahjahanpur district.
• Aircraft Involved: A diverse range of IAF assets participated, including fighter jets like Rafale, Sukhoi-30 MKI, Mirage-2000, MiG-29, and Jaguar, along with transport aircraft like the C-130J Super Hercules and AN-32, and Mi-17 V5 helicopters.
• Activities: The exercise included low fly-pasts, landings, and take-offs (“land and go” drills) by various aircraft.
• Unique Capability: This airstrip is India’s first on an expressway designed for both day and night operations by fighter aircraft. Previous expressway airstrips (like on Lucknow-Agra, Purvanchal, and Bundelkhand Expressways) were limited to daytime operations only.
• Technical Features:
  • The airstrip uses reinforced pavement strong enough for heavy military aircraft.
  • It features advanced precision approach lighting and a CAT II Instrument Landing System (ILS). The CAT II ILS is crucial as it allows aircraft landings in significantly reduced visibility conditions (like fog or night) compared to basic CAT I systems, requiring a Decision Height (DH) as low as 100 feet and Runway Visual Range (RVR) down to 300-350 meters.
• Security: Over 250 CCTV cameras were installed for surveillance and security during the exercise, managed in coordination with the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA).

Significance for India:

• Enhanced Defence Preparedness: This demonstrates the IAF’s ability to use civilian infrastructure like expressways as alternative runways during wartime, national emergencies, or when primary airbases might be unusable. This adds strategic depth and flexibility.
• 24/7 Operational Capability: The night-landing capability significantly boosts the IAF’s ability to conduct operations round-the-clock, a crucial factor in modern warfare and emergency response scenarios.
• Dual-Use Infrastructure: This is a prime example of creating dual-use infrastructure, where assets primarily built for civilian connectivity also serve critical defence needs. This aligns with efficient resource utilization.
• Strategic Location: While specific strategic advantages weren’t detailed in all reports, the development of such facilities enhances the military’s reach and response time across different regions. One report mentioned its potential advantage due to relative proximity to the western border.
• Disaster Response: Such airstrips can be invaluable during Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, enabling faster deployment of aid and personnel to affected areas.
• Technological Advancement: The use of CAT II ILS on an expressway airstrip showcases the integration of advanced aviation technology into strategic infrastructure projects.

About the Ganga Expressway:

• It is a 594-kilometre-long, 6-lane (expandable to 8) access-controlled expressway currently under construction in Uttar Pradesh.
• It connects Meerut in Western UP to Prayagraj in Eastern UP, passing through 12 districts.
• The project is being executed by UPEIDA under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model (DBFOT – Design, Build, Finance, Operate, Transfer).
• The estimated cost was around ₹36,230 crore.
• While facing some delays, the UP government aims to make it operational, potentially before the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in 2025.
• This will be Uttar Pradesh’s fourth expressway featuring an emergency airstrip, but the first with night-landing capabilities.

NITI Aayog & GAME Partner to Boost Local Entrepreneurship Across India

India’s premier policy think tank, NITI Aayog, has joined hands with the Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) in a strategic partnership. Their goal is to cultivate strong, local entrepreneurship ecosystems in various parts of India, aiming to drive economic growth and job creation from the ground up.

Key Aspects of the Collaboration:

• Focus: To nurture place-based (localized) entrepreneurship ecosystems, meaning support systems tailored to the specific needs and resources of a particular region.
• Pilot Locations: The initiative will initially be launched in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), and Uttar Pradesh, with plans for future expansion.
• Collaborative Approach: The partnership aims to bring together all key local players:
  • Government bodies
  • Corporates
  • Educational institutions
  • Financial institutions
  • Successful local entrepreneurs (“champions”)
  • Community organizations
• Methodology:
  • Adopting a bottom-up approach to understand and address the unique challenges faced by entrepreneurs in each pilot region.
  • Implementing GAME’s proven strategies, which include improving access to finance, providing capacity-building programs, undertaking policy advocacy to remove hurdles, and encouraging community-driven initiatives.
• Ultimate Goal: To create self-sustaining local ecosystems that foster innovation, promote inclusive growth, and turn entrepreneurship into a widespread movement, ultimately generating large-scale employment.

Why is this Important?

• Promoting MSMEs: This aligns with the government’s focus on strengthening the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, which is crucial for India’s economy and employment.
• Job Creation: Fostering mass entrepreneurship is seen as a key strategy to address unemployment and underemployment, particularly at the local level.
• Balanced Regional Development: By focusing on specific locations (place-based), the initiative aims to reduce regional disparities and promote growth beyond major metropolitan hubs.
• Leveraging Local Strengths: The bottom-up approach ensures that solutions are built using local resources, knowledge, and addressing specific local market needs.
• Role of NITI Aayog: This partnership highlights NITI Aayog’s role in fostering collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society organizations to achieve developmental goals. It reflects its function as a catalyst and facilitator in policy implementation.
• Ecosystem Approach: Recognizes that entrepreneurship doesn’t happen in isolation. It requires a supportive environment (ecosystem) with access to finance, markets, mentorship, and networks.

About the Partners:

• NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India): The Government of India’s apex public policy think tank, playing a key role in designing strategic and long-term policies and programmes and fostering cooperative federalism.
• Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME): Launched in 2018, GAME works as a catalyst to boost mass entrepreneurship in India through research, pilot programs, and policy advocacy. It focuses on tackling challenges like access to credit and markets, empowering women entrepreneurs, strengthening MSMEs, and promoting sustainable business models, having already supported over 300,000 entrepreneurs.

Punjab-Haryana Water Dispute Escalates Over BBMB Order

The long-standing issue of water sharing between Punjab and Haryana has flared up again, following a recent directive by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The BBMB ordered the release of additional water to Haryana, a move that has been met with unified and strong opposition from Punjab.

The Current Flashpoint:

• Haryana’s Request: On April 23, Haryana requested 8,500 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water daily from the Bhakra-Nangal project, which is 4,500 cusecs more than its current allocation (around 4,000 cusecs).
• BBMB’s Decision: In a meeting, the BBMB voted in favour of releasing the extra water to Haryana. Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi supported the move, while Punjab opposed it, and Himachal Pradesh abstained from voting.
• Punjab’s Reaction: All political parties in Punjab unanimously rejected the BBMB decision, stating Punjab has “not a single drop to spare.” The Punjab government has refused to open the additional sluice gates at the Nangal dam required to release the extra water.
• Legal Recourse: Both states are exploring legal options. Haryana plans to approach the Supreme Court to secure the water, while Punjab is contesting what it calls an “unprecedented” and “forcible allocation” by the BBMB.

Arguments from Both Sides:

• Haryana:
  • Cites urgent need for drinking water, especially in water-scarce districts like Hisar, Sirsa, and Fatehabad.
  • Accuses Punjab of playing “dirty politics.”
  • Claims it has not received its rightful share of water.
• Punjab:
  • Argues Haryana has already withdrawn 3.110 Million Acre-Feet (MAF) of water this year, exceeding its annual allocated share of 2.987 MAF (i.e., over 104% usage).
  • Points to significantly lower water levels in major reservoirs like Bhakra (Sutlej), Pong (Beas), and Ranjit Sagar (Ravi) compared to last year, mainly due to less winter snowfall in the Himalayas.
  • States it cannot spare water, especially with agricultural needs looming.

Understanding BBMB and Water Sharing:

• Origin: The Bhakra Management Board was set up under Section 79 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, after Punjab was divided into Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. It was renamed BBMB in 1976.
• Mandate: BBMB manages the Bhakra Dam (Himachal Pradesh) and Nangal Dam (Punjab) on the River Sutlej, as well as projects on the River Beas like the Pong Dam and Pandoh Dam (Beas-Sutlej Link), both in Himachal Pradesh.
• Role: It plays a crucial role in the operation, maintenance, and distribution of water and power from these projects among the partner states: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi.
• Allocation Process: BBMB determines the water allocation for each state at the beginning of the water accounting year (around September-August). For the current year, the allocations were roughly: Punjab 5.512 MAF, Haryana 2.987 MAF, and Rajasthan 3.318 MAF.

Broader Context:

• This dispute highlights the increasing pressure on water resources, exacerbated by factors like climate variability (reduced snowfall affecting reservoir levels).
• Inter-state water disputes are complex, involving historical agreements, riparian rights principles, and political sensitivities.
• Experts suggest dialogue and adherence to agreed-upon quotas are essential. Short-term releases, if unavoidable (like for drinking water), should ideally be compensated later to maintain the sanctity of the overall allocation.

Centre Unveils 30-Point Action Plan for Yamuna Rejuvenation

The Government of India has finalized a comprehensive 30-point action plan aimed at cleaning and rejuvenating the heavily polluted Yamuna River in Delhi. This multi-agency plan, developed following a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2025, focuses on tackling pollution, restoring the river’s ecosystem, and ensuring clean drinking water for Delhi’s residents.

Key Objectives and Action Areas:

The plan is built around several core pillars:

• Enhancing Environmental Flow (E-flow): Increasing the minimum water flow required to sustain the river’s ecological health.
• Sewage Management: Treating sewage effectively before it enters the river.
• Drain Management: Tapping and treating polluted water from major drains.
• Flood Plain Protection & Riverfront Development: Removing encroachments and restoring the river’s natural floodplains.
• Solid Waste Management: Addressing issues of solid waste dumping, especially plastics.
• Septage and Dairy Waste Management: Managing waste from unsewered areas and dairies.
• Governance, Monitoring & Public Outreach: Ensuring effective implementation, surveillance, and citizen engagement.

Specific Targets and Timelines:

• Boosting E-flow:
  • Discharge 773 MLD (Million Litres per Day) of treated water from Coronation Pillar & Yamuna Vihar Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) downstream of Wazirabad barrage by September 2026.
  • Release an additional 6.23 cumecs (cubic meters per second) of treated water from the Okhla STP.
• Sewage Treatment Upgrade:
  • Create approximately 500 MLD additional STP capacity by March 2029.
  • Build new STPs at strategic locations (e.g., Delhi Gate, Shastri Park).
  • Connect 1,799 unauthorised colonies to the formal sewage network.
• Floodplain Restoration:
  • A dedicated Special Task Force will remove floodplain encroachments by September 2026.
  • Implement 10 floodplain restoration projects (e.g., Mayur Nature Park).
• Waste Management:
  • Immediate focus (next 3 months from May 2025) on removing plastic and trash from drains.
  • Set up biogas plants for managing dairy waste.

Implementation Framework:

• Key Agencies Involved: The plan requires coordinated efforts from central and Delhi agencies including:
  • Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
  • National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)
  • Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
  • Delhi Government
  • Delhi Jal Board (DJB)
  • Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD)
• Funding: A dedicated “Yamuna Kosh” (Yamuna Fund) is proposed to support revitalization initiatives and ensure complete treatment of wastewater from major drains.
• Timelines: Specific tasks have deadlines ranging from June 2025 to March 2029.

Significance:

• Urban River Management: This plan addresses the critical challenge of rejuvenating a major river flowing through a densely populated megacity, tackling issues common to many urban rivers in India.
• Pollution Abatement: Directly targets major sources of pollution – untreated sewage, industrial effluents (via drains), solid waste, and agricultural runoff (dairy waste). This aligns with SDG Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Ecological Restoration: Restoring E-flow and protecting floodplains are crucial for reviving the river’s biodiversity and natural self-purification capacity.
• Inter-Agency Coordination: The success hinges on effective collaboration between multiple central and state-level agencies, a common challenge in large-scale projects.
• Governance & Enforcement: Establishing a dedicated task force and fund indicates a focus on implementation and long-term sustainability.

Political Context:

The initiative follows the BJP’s pledge in its 2025 Delhi Assembly election manifesto to clean the Yamuna, criticizing past efforts. Plans also include developing the Yamuna Riverfront, similar to Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront.

India-Denmark Energy Partnership Renewed

India and Denmark have renewed their five-year energy cooperation MoU, reaffirming their joint commitment to accelerate the transition to clean energy and support India’s net-zero by 2070 target. This renewed pact builds on earlier collaborations in areas such as offshore wind, renewable integration, and capacity building, and introduces new focus areas including cross-border electricity trading and EV charging infrastructure.

Context

• Original MoU (2020–2025):
  • Signed on June 5, 2020, the first MoU under the India-Denmark Energy Partnership (INDEP) promoted cooperation in offshore wind, energy modelling, and grid integration.
  • The pact was set to expire on June 5, 2025.
• Net-Zero Ambition:
  • At COP26 (Glasgow 2021), India committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2070, alongside five targets under Panchamrit.
  • The net-zero by 2070 pledge covers key sectors, though details on GHG coverage remain to be clarified.

Key Highlights of the Renewed MoU

• Broadened Scope:
  • Power System Modeling and variable renewable energy integration.
  • Cross-border Electricity Trading frameworks to facilitate regional power exchanges.
  • Development of EV Charging Infrastructure to support India’s growing e-mobility sector.
• Knowledge Exchange:
  • Joint Training Programs and Expert Interactions between Indian ministries (Power, New & Renewable Energy) and Danish institutions (Danish Energy Agency, DTU).
  • Study Tours for Indian officials to Denmark, leveraging Danish best practices in offshore wind and grid planning.
• Institutional Mechanisms:
  • Establishment of a Joint Centre of Excellence on offshore wind and renewables in India.
  • Continuation of the Energy Policy Dialogue at ministerial level to monitor progress.

Strategic Importance

• Denmark’s Expertise:
  • World leader in offshore wind technology and district heating solutions.
  • Proven track record in cost-effective large-scale renewable deployment.
• India’s Imperatives:
  • Rapidly growing electricity demand driven by industrialisation and urbanisation
  • Need to balance energy security with climate commitments, given coal still fuels over 70% of power generation.
  • Scaling up EV infrastructure aligns with the FAME India scheme and National E-Mobility Programme.

Data Points & Dates:

• June 5, 2020: Signing of original MoU.
• June 5, 2025: Expiry of the original pact.
• May 2, 2025: Renewal of the MoU by Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal and Ambassador Rasmus Kristensen in New Delhi.

Thailand Reports First Anthrax Death in Decades

Thailand has recorded its first anthrax-related death since 1994 after a 53-year-old man in Mukdahan province succumbed to the disease on May 1, 2025. A second confirmed case and three suspected infections have been identified in the same area, and authorities have traced 638 people potentially exposed through raw or undercooked beef. Containment measures include antibiotic prophylaxis, a 5 km quarantine zone, and plans to vaccinate over 1,200 cattle.

Background

• First fatality since 1994: A 53-year-old man in Mukdahan province died from anthrax on May 1, 2025, marking Thailand’s first anthrax death in over 30 years.
• Additional human cases: Authorities confirmed a second infection in the same province and are investigating three more suspected cases.
• Historical cases:
  • 2017: Two non-fatal human infections.
  • 2000: Fifteen recorded cases, no deaths.

Key Facts

• Potential exposures:
  • 638 people traced after eating raw or undercooked beef; 36 were involved in butchering livestock.
• Containment measures:
  • Antibiotic prophylaxis (doxycycline) administered to all exposed individuals.
  • 5 km quarantine zone around Khok Sawang village in Don Tan district.
  • Livestock vaccination: Plans to inoculate 1,222 cattle; no animal illness reported so far.
• Disease profile:
  • Caused by Bacillus anthracis; transmission via contact with infected animals or consumption of contaminated meat.
  • Not spread person-to-person.

Regional Context

• Laos outbreak: Reported 129 infections and one death in 2024.
• Vietnam cases: 13 cases confirmed in May 2023.

Inscription from Vikramaditya I Era

A 7th-century AD Old Kannada inscription was unearthed at Madapura Lake, Nyamati taluk, Davangere district, providing fresh insights into Badami Chalukya administration under Vikramaditya I (r. 654–681 CE). The slab—five feet long with 17 lines—documents a tax waiver, land donation, and the extent of the Ballavi administrative unit, while later carvings hint at continued cultural significance.

• Discovery Details
  • Found during lake desilting by villagers using a JCB at Madapura Lake on April 29, 2025.
  • Measures five feet in length, with 17 lines in Old Kannada script.
• Historical Context
  • Dates to Vikramaditya I’s reign (654–681 CE), third son of Pulakesin II who restored Chalukya stability and repelled Pallava incursions.
  • Vikramaditya I is credited with recapturing Vatapi and consolidating the empire after 642 CE turmoil.
• Content & Significance
  • Records an act by Singhavenna, a local officer who waived taxes for villagers, indicating early welfare measures.
  • Mentions a six-acre land donation (six mattaru) for lake construction, shedding light on landholding patterns.
  • References Ballavi as an administrative unit overseeing ~70 villages, illustrating organised local governance.
• Cultural Continuity
  • The same slab bears a 17th-century incomplete relief sculpture, suggesting the site’s religious or communal importance through later centuries.

Telangana’s Shatavahana Heritage

The ASI has documented 11 inscriptions in the Gundaram Reserve Forest, Telangana, dating from the 1st century BCE to 1st century CE, enriching our knowledge of Satavahana polity, Chutu alliances, and Telangana’s role as Asmaka. Two key stones bear trident and damaru symbols and reference Kumāra Hakusiri and his Chutu associates.

• Expedition & Documentation
  • ASI’s epigraphy branch conducted estampage in late April 2025, with forest department cooperation.
  • Eleven inscriptions were copied at Sitammalodi rock shelter, Peddapalli district.
• Dynastic Insights
  • References to Kumāra Hakusiri, Satavahana prince (son of Naganika & Satakarni I), highlight royal patronage and territorial control.
  • Inscriptions begin with trident (Ṭr̥iśūla) and damaru symbols—rare in early Deccan scripts—indicating Shaiva influence.
• Political Alliances
  • Mention of a Hāritiputra figure from the Chutu dynasty, called a mitasa (friend) of the Satavahanas, points to inter-dynastic collaboration.
  • Reinforces Telangana’s identification as part of Asmaka, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas.
• Socio-Cultural Dimensions
  • Evidence of Buddhist patronage (cave excavation for monks) and local governance structures.
  • Artifacts provide material for studying early Brahmi script evolution and religio-political symbolism.

 

 

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