PSBs Sanction ₹10,907 Crore in Solar Loans

What’s the News?

• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have sanctioned over 5 lakh loan applications amounting to ₹10,907 crore under the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
• The scheme provides collateral-free loans at concessional interest rates to support households in installing rooftop solar systems.
• Loans are processed digitally via the JanSamarth Portal, ensuring a streamlined, paperless, and fast-track experience for beneficiaries.

Scheme Overview & Key Features

• Objective: Promote decentralized solar power generation and reduce electricity bills for households through net metering.
• Target: Install 1 crore rooftop solar systems across India.
• Loan Enhancements:
  • Co-applicants now allowed to improve credit eligibility.
  • Removal of capacity-based caps, enabling larger system installations based on consumer needs.
• Implementation Support:
  • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) oversees the scheme.
  • PSBs act as primary financial conduits, offering loans up to ₹7.5 lakh per beneficiary.

Additional Info

• PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana:
  • Launched in February 2024 as part of India’s Panchamrit strategy to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
  • Provides central financial assistance (CFA) of up to ₹78,000 per system, in addition to bank loans.
  • Aims to generate 45,000 MW of rooftop solar capacity nationally.
• JanSamarth Portal:
  • A unified digital platform for credit-linked government schemes.
  • Integrates 200+ banks and NBFCs and supports 12+ welfare schemes, including solar, MSME, and education loans.

Sources

• newsonair

CBIC Introduces System-Based Auto-Approval for IFSC Code Registration

What’s the News?

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has rolled out a system-based auto-approval mechanism for the registration of incentive bank accounts and IFSC codes across all customs locations in India.
• Under this reform, requests for registering the same incentive bank account and IFSC code for a given importer or exporter will be automatically approved without manual intervention.
• The move aims to expedite IGST refunds, duty drawback processing, and other export-related incentive disbursements directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.

Trade Facilitation & Digital Governance

• Objective: Enhance Ease of Doing Business by reducing procedural delays in customs-related financial processes.
• Operational Workflow:
  • Exporters/importers submit bank account and IFSC details once during initial registration.
  • Subsequent requests to use the same bank account and IFSC for incentive claims are auto-approved by the system.
  • Eliminates repetitive document submission and manual verification bottlenecks.
• Impact:
  • Faster disbursal of export incentives like RoDTEP, RoSCTL, and drawback claims.
  • Reduces compliance burden and improves predictability for trade stakeholders.

Additional Info

• Legal Basis: The reform is implemented through a CBIC circular, building on earlier procedural guidelines such as Circular No. 25/2023-Customs (dated July 28, 2023), which outlined documentation and timelines for AD Code and IFSC registration.
• AD Code (Authorised Dealer Code):
  • A unique 14-digit code issued by banks for foreign trade transactions.
  • Mandatory for filing shipping bills and claiming export benefits.
  • Now seamlessly linked with auto-approved IFSC for faster validation.

Sources

• newsonair

India Condemns Pakistan at UN Security Council

What’s the News?

• During the UN Security Council Open Debate on Women, Peace and Security, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, launched a sharp condemnation of Pakistan, accusing it of “bombing its own people” and perpetrating a “systematic genocide” during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• India specifically cited Operation Searchlight, under which the Pakistani military allegedly carried out a state-sanctioned campaign of genocidal mass rape against 400,000 women.
• The remarks were made in response to Pakistan’s repeated allegations on Jammu and Kashmir, which India dismissed as “delusional tirades” and “propaganda” aimed at diverting global attention from its own human rights record.

Context of India’s Statement at UNSC

• Event: UNSC Open Debate marking 25 years of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on Women, Peace and Security.
• India’s Position:
  • Highlighted its “unblemished and unscathed” record on women’s participation in peacekeeping and conflict resolution.
  • Referred to Indian women peacekeepers as “messengers of peace”, quoting External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
  • Accused Pakistan of military dominance, economic collapse, persecution of minorities, and harboring UN-proscribed terrorists.
• Diplomatic Strategy:
  • Countered Pakistan’s narrative on Kashmir by shifting focus to Pakistan’s historical and ongoing human rights violations.
  • Emphasized that “the world sees through Pakistan’s propaganda.”

Additional Info

• UNSCR 1325 (2000):
  • Landmark resolution recognizing the disproportionate impact of armed conflict on women.
  • Calls for increased participation of women in peace processes, protection from gender-based violence, and integration of gender perspectives in peacekeeping.
  • India has contributed over 1,500 women peacekeepers to UN missions since 2007, including the first all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) in Liberia.
• Operation Searchlight (1971):
  • Military crackdown launched by the Pakistan Army on March 25, 1971, in then-East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
  • Aimed to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement; led to widespread atrocities, including mass killings, arson, and sexual violence.
  • Estimated 3 million deaths and 200,000–400,000 cases of rape, as documented by international historians and the Hamoodur Rahman Commission (Pakistan’s own inquiry, though suppressed for decades).

Sources

• newsonair

Election Commission Launches Pan-India SIR of Voter Rolls

What’s the News?

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated a pan-India Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise to update and purify electoral rolls across all states and Union Territories.
• Announced by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the exercise follows the successful implementation of SIR in Bihar, where 69 lakh names were removed from voter lists due to deaths, duplicates, and ineligible entries.
• The nationwide SIR will follow a standardized verification model, incorporating Aadhaar as the 12th proof of identity (though not as proof of citizenship or domicile), and will allow claims and objections even after final publication.

Special Intensive Revision (SIR): Objectives & Process

• Primary Goal: Ensure accurate, authentic, and updated electoral rolls by removing ineligible voters and adding eligible ones.
• Key Features:
  • Door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
  • Use of digital tools and biometric validation for de-duplication.
  • Public display of draft rolls with time for claims/objections before finalization.
  • Inclusion of Aadhaar as a supporting ID document per Supreme Court directives.
• Bihar Pilot Outcomes:
  • 65 lakh deletions in the draft list (August 1, 2025).
  • Additional 3.66 lakh removals before final publication (September 30, 2025).
  • Final voter count in Bihar: 7.43 crore.

Additional Info

• Legal & Constitutional Framework:
  • Conducted under Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the ECI.
  • Governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (Section 10–13) for electoral roll preparation and revision.
• Aadhaar & Voter ID:
  • Supreme Court ruling (2025): Aadhaar can be used as proof of identity but not citizenship or date of birth.
  • Section 9 of Aadhaar Act, 2016: Explicitly states Aadhaar is not proof of domicile or citizenship.
• Electoral Reforms Context:
  • Part of ECI’s broader electoral integrity initiative ahead of upcoming state and national elections.
  • Aligns with National Electoral Roll Purification and Authentication Programme (NERPAP) launched in 2015.

Sources

• newsonair

Cabinet Approves ₹24,634 Crore for Railway Multi-Tracking Projects Across Four States

What’s the News?

• The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved four major railway multi-tracking projects worth ₹24,634 crore to enhance rail connectivity and logistics efficiency in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh.
• These projects will add 894 km to the Indian Railways network through third and fourth lines on high-density corridors, benefiting 3,633 villages with a combined population of over 85 lakh, including two Aspirational Districts—Vidisha (MP) and Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh).
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the move as a boost to PM GatiShakti, enhancing freight movement, passenger convenience, and job creation.

Project Details & Strategic Significance

• Approved Projects:
  • Bhusaval–Wardha (Maharashtra): 314 km, ₹9,197 crore
  • Gondia–Dongargarh (Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh): 85 km, ₹2,223 crore
  • Vadodara–Ratlam (Gujarat–Madhya Pradesh): 259 km, ₹8,885 crore
  • Itarsi–Bhopal–Bina (Madhya Pradesh): 237 km, ₹4,329 crore
• Completion Timeline: All projects targeted for completion by 2030–31.
• Operational Impact:
  • Will increase freight capacity by 78 million tonnes per year.
  • Key for transporting coal, cement, steel, food grains, containers, and fly ash.
  • Decongests the Golden Quadrilateral and Diagonal rail corridors, which carry 41% of India’s rail traffic.

Additional Info

• PM GatiShakti National Master Plan:
  • Launched in October 2021 with a vision to integrate infrastructure planning across 16 ministries.
  • Aims to reduce logistics costs from 14% to 8% of GDP and improve multimodal connectivity.
• Aspirational Districts Programme:
  • Launched in 2018 by NITI Aayog to transform 112 districts through convergence, collaboration, and competition.
  • Focus areas include health, education, agriculture, financial inclusion, and infrastructure.

Sources

• newsonair (PM Modi)
• newsonair (Railways)

India’s First Cooperative Multi-Feed Compressed Biogas Plant Inaugurated in Maharashtra

What’s the News?

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated India’s first cooperative multi-feed Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
• The plant, promoted by Shri Chhatrapati Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana, is a pioneering model that integrates sugarcane waste, agricultural residue, and organic municipal waste as feedstock.
• The initiative aligns with the National Bioenergy Programme and supports the Sugarcane Development and Sugar Industry by enabling sugar mills to diversify into green energy production.

Compressed Biogas (CBG) & Cooperative Model

• Plant Capacity:
  • Produces 5 TPD (tonnes per day) of CBG.
  • Generates 15 TPD of organic manure as a by-product.
• Feedstock Mix:
  • Sugarcane trash and press mud from sugar mills.
  • Agricultural residues (e.g., rice straw, corn stover).
  • Municipal solid waste (organic fraction) sourced from urban local bodies.
• Cooperative Structure:
  • Owned and operated by a sugar cooperative, ensuring farmer participation and revenue diversification.
  • Part of a broader plan to support 15 sugar mills in Maharashtra to set up similar CBG units with government backing.

Additional Info

• SATAT Initiative (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation):
  • Launched in 2018 by Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas in collaboration with MoPNG, MoRTH, and MoF.
  • Aims to produce 15 MMT (million metric tonnes) of CBG annually by 2028–29 through 5,000 plants.
  • CBG is priced at ₹46–52/kg, comparable to CNG, and used as transport fuel and industrial feedstock.
• National Bioenergy Programme:
  • Merged Biogas and Biomass-based Power Generation schemes under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
  • Provides central financial assistance (CFA):
    • ₹10,000 per tonne/day for CBG plants (max ₹40 lakh).
    • ₹25 lakh for community biogas plants.

Sources

• pib

DDWS and BISAG-N Partner to Develop GIS-Driven Platform

What’s the News?

• The Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) to develop a GIS-integrated Decision Support Platform for the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (SBM(G)).
• The platform will enable real-time visualization, analytics, and granular monitoring of rural water supply and sanitation infrastructure at the household and scheme levels.
• This initiative strengthens the digital backbone of rural development missions and aligns with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for integrated infrastructure planning.

GIS-Integrated Platform: Features & Objectives

• Core Functions:
  • Creation of unique IDs for Rural Piped Water Supply Schemes (RPWSS).
  • Household-level tracking of functional tap connections under JJM.
  • Thematic mapping of sanitation assets (e.g., individual household latrines, solid/liquid waste management systems).
• Technical Support by BISAG-N:
  • End-to-end development including database design, vector data capture, digital photogrammetry, and ground control surveying.
  • Integration of satellite imagery and geo-tagged field data for accuracy.
• Strategic Benefits:
  • Enhances convergence with other rural schemes (e.g., MGNREGA, PMAY-G).
  • Improves resource allocation, transparency, and accountability in implementation.
  • Supports evidence-based policy decisions through spatial analytics.

Additional Info

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):
  • Launched in 2019 with the goal of providing Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) to all rural households by 2024 (extended to 2028 for full coverage).
  • As of October 2025, over 85% of rural households have FHTCs.
  • Funded through 50:50 Centre-State cost sharing (90:10 for Himalayan & NE states).
• Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen):
  • Phase II (2020–25) focuses on Open Defecation Free Plus (ODF+) status—ensuring sustained toilet usage and solid/liquid waste management in all villages.
• BISAG-N:
  • An autonomous institute under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
  • Specializes in geospatial technology applications for governance, agriculture, disaster management, and infrastructure.

Sources

• pib

Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 Awarded for Macroscopic Quantum Phenomena in Electric Circuits

What’s the News?

• The Nobel Prize in Physics 2025 has been awarded jointly to John Clarke (University of California, Berkeley), Michel H. Devoret (Yale University & UC Santa Barbara), and John M. Martinis (UC Santa Barbara) for “the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in an electric circuit.”
• Their groundbreaking experiments in the mid-1980s demonstrated that quantum effects—typically confined to atomic scales—can manifest in human-scale engineered systems, specifically superconducting electrical circuits.
• This work laid the experimental foundation for quantum computing, ultra-precise sensors, and quantum simulation technologies.

Breakthrough: Quantum Physics at Macroscopic Scale

• Core Discovery:
  • Using Josephson junctions (two superconductors separated by a thin insulator), the trio showed that collective electron pairs (Cooper pairs) in a superconducting circuit behave as a single quantum entity, exhibiting:
    • Quantum tunnelling: The system “tunnels” through an energy barrier it classically cannot surmount.
    • Energy quantisation: The circuit absorbs/emits energy only in discrete, quantized units—like an artificial atom.
• Experimental Setup:
  • Conducted at UC Berkeley under extreme electromagnetic shielding to isolate quantum signals.
  • Measured voltage emergence from a zero-voltage quantum state via tunnelling—a macroscopic signature of quantum behavior.
• Impact:
  • Validated theoretical predictions by Anthony Leggett (Nobel 2003) on macroscopic quantum coherence.
  • Enabled the development of superconducting qubits, now a leading platform for quantum computers (e.g., Google’s Sycamore, where Martinis played a key role).

Additional Info

• Quantum Tunnelling:
  • A quantum phenomenon where a particle passes through a potential barrier despite lacking classical energy to overcome it.
  • First explained by George Gamow (1928) to describe alpha decay in radioactive nuclei.
• Josephson Junction:
  • Invented by Brian Josephson (Nobel 1973).
  • Critical component in SQUIDs (Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices) used in MRI, geology, and quantum metrology.

Sources

• nobelprize

Uttarakhand Abolishes Madrasa Board

What’s the News?

• The Governor of Uttarakhand, Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.), has given assent to the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill, 2025, effectively abolishing the Madrasa Education Board in the state.
• All madrasas and minority educational institutions—including those run by Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist, and Parsi communities—must now obtain recognition from the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority and affiliate with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education (UBSE).
• Starting July 2026, these institutions will be required to follow the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, integrating core subjects like science, mathematics, and social sciences into their syllabi.

Key Provisions of the Minority Education Bill, 2025

• Abolition of Madrasa Board:
  • Repeals the Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016 and the Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019.
• Mandatory Affiliation & Curriculum:
  • Institutions must teach NEP-aligned subjects alongside religious instruction.
  • Emphasis on vocational training, digital literacy, and modern technical education.
• Recognition Criteria:
  • Institutions must be registered under the Societies Registration Act, Trusts Act, or Companies Act.
  • Land, bank accounts, and assets must be held in the institution’s name.
  • Recognition can be withdrawn for financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, or activities harming social or religious harmony.

Additional Info

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020:
  • Aims for universalization of education from preschool to secondary level by 2030.
  • Promotes multidisciplinary, holistic learning with flexibility in subject choice.
  • Encourages integration of vocational education from Class 6 onwards.
• Constitutional Context:
  • Article 30(1): Grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions.
  • Article 29(2): Prohibits denial of admission based on religion, race, caste, or language in state-aided institutions.
  • The Bill does not restrict minority rights but ensures academic parity and accountability.

Sources

• newsonair