UPSC Key: World Air Quality Report 2024, Baloch Insurgency and The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025

New Delhi is most polluted capital, Byrnihat in Meghalaya tops list of cities

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: NEW DELHI continues to be the world’s most polluted capital while Meghalaya’s Byrnihat is the world’s most polluted metropolitan area, according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report released on Tuesday.

Key Points to Ponder:

• The 7th annual World Air Quality Report for 2024 by IQAir-What are the key findings?

• What is PM 2.5?

• Map Work-Byrnihat

• Why Meghalaya’s Byrnihat has the most polluted air in the world?

• Delhi continues to rank among the most polluted capitals globally, while industrial hubs like Byrnihat are emerging as new pollution hotspots—Discuss

• What are the key initiatives taken by the Indian government to control air pollution?

Key Takeaways:

• With an average annual PM 2.5 concentration of 91.8 µg/m3, New Delhi remained the most polluted capital city followed by Chad’s N’Djamena (91.6) and Dhaka (78).

• In fact, between 2018 and 2024, New Delhi has topped the list — except in 2022 when N’Djamena edged past it.

• PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5, which remains suspended in the air, has significant adverse effects on health, causing and worsening respiratory illnesses as well as leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

• While the World Health Organization (WHO) annual guideline for PM 2.5 is 5 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3), India’s Central Pollution Control Board has set it at 40 µg/m3.

• Major sources of PM 2.5 include combustion engines, power generation, industrial activities, crop burning and agricultural practices, and wood and coal burning.

• According to the latest report, prepared by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir, 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat topping the chart with an annual average PM 2.5 concentration of 128.2 µg/m3.

• The other cities are Mullanpur (Punjab), Faridabad, Loni, Gurgaon, Ganganagar, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Muzaffarnagar, Hanumangarh, Noida, New Delhi (Central Delhi) and Delhi (average for the rest of the city).

• India is the fifth most polluted country, with an average PM 2.5 of 50.6 µg/m3 — 10 times higher than the WHO annual PM 2.5 guideline value of 5 µg/m3.
In 2023, India was the third most polluted country.

• The report has relied on data from over 40,000 air quality monitoring stations at 8,954 locations in 138 countries, territories and regions. It was analysed by IQAir’s air quality scientists.

Do You Know:

• According to the 7th annual World Air Quality Report, thirteen of the world’s 20 most polluted cities are in India. The most polluted city in the world is Byrnihat on the border of Assam and Meghalaya, according to the report. IQAir examined data collected from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations in 138 countries.

• The report looked specifically at concentrations of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, one of the smallest but most dangerous of pollutants.
PM2.5 comes from sources such as the combustion of fossil fuels, and can cause respiratory problems, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and stroke or heart attacks

• Airborne particulate matter (PM) is not a single pollutant, but rather is a mixture of many chemical species. It is a complex mixture of solids and aerosols composed of small droplets of liquid, dry solid fragments, and solid cores with liquid coatings. Particles vary widely in size, shape and chemical composition, and may contain inorganic ions, metallic compounds, elemental carbon, organic compounds, and compounds from the earth’s crust. Particles are defined by their diameter for air quality regulatory purposes. Those with a diameter of 10 microns or less (PM10) are inhalable into the lungs and can induce adverse health effects. Fine particulate matter is defined as particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter (PM2.5).

• Only seven countries met the WHO guidelines for annual average PM2.5 level. They are Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Estonia, Grenada, Iceland, and New Zealand. Oceania is the cleanest region, with 57% of the regional cities meeting the WHO guideline value. The region comprises three countries — Australia, French Polynesia and New Zealand.

• No city in East Asia, South East Asia and West Asia met the WHO guidelines, the report said.

• Other key findings of the report are:
—Only 17% of cities across the world met WHO air pollution guidelines.
—Out of the 138 countries and regions, 126 (91.3%) exceeded the WHO annual PM 2.5 guideline value of 5 µg/m3.
—Central and South Asia were home to the top seven most polluted cities in the world.
—The most polluted major city in the US was Los Angeles.
—The five most polluted countries, according to the report, were Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Congo, and India, with annual average PM2.5 concentrations of 91.8 µg/m3, 78 µg/m3, 73.7 µg/m3, 58.2 µg/m3, and 50.6 µg/m3 respectively.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Delhi is more polluted than NCR cities for 2nd year in a row: Data

📍Delhi’s air worst among capitals, Byrnihat’s the world’s most foul: new report

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering Similar Theme:
1. In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? (2016)
1. Carbon dioxide
2. Carbon monoxide
3. Nitrogen dioxide
4. Sulfur dioxide
5. Methane
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering Similar Theme:
📍Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards? (2021)

For us, Mauritius is family: PM meets country’s new leadership

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests and Indian Diaspora

What’s the ongoing story: In a strategic outreach to the new leadership in Mauritius, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met newly-elected Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and President Dharam Gokhool Tuesday as he began a two-day visit to the island nation.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Chagos archipelago, Agalega islands and Mauritius

• What is the issue of Chagos archipelago?

• What is India’s stand on Chagos archipelago?

• How Mauritius serves as a key partner in India’s Indian Ocean strategy?

• The India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) is India’s first FTA with an African nation—Analyse its impact on bilateral trade and investment between the two countries.

• Discuss the challenges posed by China’s growing presence in the region and how India can leverage its partnerships with countries like Mauritius to counterbalance China’s influence.

Key Takeaways:

• The engagement with the new leadership is important in the context of the Indian government’s involvement in developing infrastructure in Mauritius under the governments led by Anerood and Pravind Jugnauth.

• The decision to develop infrastructure in Agalega islands was taken during the tenure of the Jugnauths. Delhi is now making an effort to reach out to the new regime led by Ramgoolam. Mauritius has been ruled by the Ramgoolams and the Jugnauths ever since the country became independent in 1968. Speaking at an event for the Indian diaspora in Port Louis, which was also attended by Ramgoolam, Modi underlined India’s role as a “trusted ally in combating illegal fishing, piracy, and maritime crimes”.

• Modi also visited the Ayurveda Garden in the State House, established in collaboration with the Government of India. The Prime Minister noted that Mauritius is an important partner for India in advancing the benefits of traditional medicine, including Ayurveda.

• For India, China’s increasing footprint in the Indian Ocean region has been a cause of concern, and it wants to work closely with island countries like Mauritius. Notably, Mauritius faced the devastating Cyclone Chido last year, particularly affecting Agalega. India managed to mobilise its naval assets and utilise the facilities created in Agalega to deliver assistance and relief material.

• The two sides are looking at moving on defence and maritime security, and are likely to sign a technical agreement on sharing white-shipping information between the Indian Navy and the Mauritius authorities. It will further enhance maritime security of Mauritius, safety of its trading corridors, and enhance regional cooperation in real-time data-sharing.

Do You Know:
C. Raja Mohan Writes:

• Few countries are closer to India than Mauritius. The ties that bind Delhi to Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, are many. They include the island’s large Indian-origin population, constituting nearly 70 per cent of its 1.3 million people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the island state, almost exactly a decade after his last visit in March 2015, is about lending deeper strategic substance to this special bilateral relationship.

• But the geopolitics of the region have become even more contested and demanding over the last decade. India has its task cut out in raising its game in Mauritius and the Western Indian Ocean islands as more actors, including Europe, Russia, China, Gulf states and Turkey, jostle for greater influence in the region.

• When Britain gave independence to Mauritius in 1968, it separated part of the Chagos archipelago into the “British Indian Ocean Territory” and gave the island of Diego Garcia on lease to the United States, which set up a major military base on the island. Over the last couple of decades, Mauritius had mounted a patient but powerful global campaign to reclaim its sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago.

• The UK-Mauritius agreement on Chagos holds profound legal, geopolitical, and humanitarian significance. From the legal standpoint, the agreement reaffirms Mauritius’s sovereignty over Chagos.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍From Delhi to Port Louis

📍With stand on Chagos Islands, India sends a message to neo-imperialist powers

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
2. The Agalega Islands, which are being developed with Indian assistance, are significant for which of the following reasons?
a) They are a hub for Indo-Pacific trade and commerce.
b) They serve as a key surveillance and security point in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
c) They are an important tourist attraction for Mauritius.
d) They contain vast reserves of mineral resources beneficial for India-Mauritius economic ties.

Baloch rebels hijack Pak train, say 30 killed, 100 are hostage

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story: Separatist militants launched an attack on the Jaffar Express, a passenger train carrying around 500 people in southwestern Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Tuesday. Radio Pakistan has reported that 27 militants have been killed so far and 155 passengers have been rescued.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Balochistan

• What is the Jaffar Express and what happened?

• What is the BLA and the Majeed Brigade?

• What is behind the Baloch insurgency?

• What are the historical roots of the Baloch insurgency in Pakistan?

• How recent geopolitical developments, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), have intensified the conflict?

• Examine how the instability in Balochistan affects India, Iran, Afghanistan, and China.

• The development of Gwadar Port under CPEC has been a source of tension in Balochistan. Discuss the economic, political, and security challenges posed by this project.

Key Takeaways:

• Insurgents of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) stopped a long-distance train in a rugged, mountainous area south of Quetta and took passengers hostage on Tuesday (March 11). In a statement, the BLA said they had killed 20 Pakistani Army personnel, shot down a military drone, and were holding 182 people hostage, Reuters reported on Tuesday evening.

• The nine-coach Jaffar Express, which was headed to Peshawar from Quetta, was targeted between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar in the Bolan area of Kachhi district, a Balochistan government spokesperson said. Armed men stopped the train with around 500 people on board in Tunnel No. 8, Controller Railways Muhammad Kashif said.

• The train, named after Mir Jaffar Khan Jamali, a Baloch tribal leader who was close to Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, began running between the capital of Balochistan province and Rawalpindi more than 20 years ago. In 2017, the train was extended to Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for a journey of more than 1,600 km, touching several important Pakistani cities along the way.

Jaffar Express route map.

Do You Know:

• The BLA are a Baloch ethnonationalist group who emerged in the early 2000s with the aim of achieving independence for Balochistan. Pakistan banned the organisation in 2006, and the United States designated it as a global terrorist organisation in 2019.

• The Majeed Brigade has been active since 2011, and has been involved in other strikes, including on a complex near Balochistan’s Gwadar port in March 2024, which resulted in the deaths of several security personnel and militants.

• Balochistan is the largest but least populated of Pakistan’s four provinces – Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It has substantial reserves of oil and gas, alongside gold and copper deposits, but has lagged in economic growth compared to other regions in the country.

• Leaders of the ethnic Baloch minority have long blamed the central government for the region’s economic backwardness, as well as the stranglehold of Punjab over the country’s resources.

• After Partition, Balochistan remained independent until March 1948 as part of a friendship treaty with the new state of Pakistan. The Khan of Kalat, the main tribal leader whose writ ran over much of the region, was keen to remain independent, but came under tremendous pressure to join Pakistan, including from his feudatories, the rulers of Makran, Las Bela, and Kharan.

• He signed the instrument of accession, but the sentiment in favour of Baloch independence remained alive.

• Tens of thousands of Baloch nationalists and civilians have been killed in the insurgency over the past decades. Pakistan has accused India of aiding the Baloch insurgent groups – an allegation that India has strongly denied.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍The Baloch insurgents behind the Pakistan train hijacking

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering Similar Theme:
3. What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (2017)
(a) India’s trade with African countries will enormously increase.
(b) India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.
(c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.
(d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.

IN PARLIAMENT

Foreigners Bill introduced in LS; Opp says violates fundamental rights on many counts, refer to panel

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Main Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, seeking to streamline various services related to immigration and foreigners, including their entry, exit and stay in the country, was introduced in the Lok Sabha Tuesday with the Opposition calling it a “violation” of constitutional provisions and demanded the Bill to be referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Key Points to Ponder:

• The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025-Know key features

• Discuss the key provisions of the proposed immigration bill in India.

• How does proposed immigration bill aim to tackle passport fraud and illegal immigration?

• Analyse the security implications of illegal immigration in India.

• What steps should the government take to strengthen border control and immigration laws?

• Examine the role of biometric passports and e-visas in enhancing immigration security. How can technology help prevent fake passport usage?

Key Takeaways:

• The Bill repeals and replaces the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000, and three pre-independence laws, the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920, the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, and the Foreigners Act, 1936.

• The Bill would establish an overarching Bureau of Immigration (Section 5) with a Commissioner at its head, who will be assisted by Foreigners Regional Registration Officers, Foreigners Registration Officers, Chief Immigration Officers and other Immigration officers designated by the Centre. The Bureau will fall under the Centre and will be in charge of performing “immigration functions” such as regulating the entry and exit of foreigners along with any other functions that the Centre prescribes.

Do You Know:

• A carrier has been defined as a person or entity “engaged in the business of transporting passengers or cargo by air, water or land by aircraft or ship or any other mode of transport”.

• Under Section 17, carriers entering or leaving India are required to share information related to the passengers and crew with an immigration officer or with a District Magistrate/Police Commissioner when asked. Section 17 also carries a host of other duties that a carrier must abide by, including ensuring the removal of foreigners whose entry has been denied. Any violation is subject to a penalty of up to Rs 50,000.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in Parliament: Its provisions, criticism

THE IDEAS PAGE

Green shoots in the Valley

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers

What’s the ongoing story:  Rohit Kansal, Dipankar Sengupta Writes: Tourism, horticulture are among key areas that will be critical to this transformation

Key Points to Ponder:

• ‘The revocation of Article 370 was seen as a turning point for Jammu & Kashmir’s economic development’—Analyse the opportunities and challenges associated with private-sector investments in J&K

• Discuss the key infrastructural initiatives taken in Jammu & Kashmir and their impact on the private sector.

• Examine the role of sustainable tourism in ensuring economic growth of Jammu & Kashmir while preserving the region’s fragile environment.

• ‘The horticulture sector in J&K has immense potential for economic growth and employment generation’—What are the challenges faced by the sector and suggest measures to boost horticulture-based industries?

• Discuss the role of the J&K Industrial Policy 2021-30 in promoting business and investment in the region.

• Evaluate the role of road, rail, and air connectivity in economic transformation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Key Takeaways:
Rohit Kansal, Dipankar Sengupta Writes:

• Jammu and Kashmir has been in the news since the beginning of this year for the right reasons. On January 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sonmarg Tunnel, a strategically significant project that will lead to year-round connectivity to the tourist resort of Sonmarg and eventually to Ladakh.

• Then, on January 25, the trial run of the Jammu Srinagar Vande Bharat was completed, making Srinagar fully ready to welcome the arrival of the first train connecting the Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country. On the same day, one of India’s top cement companies announced its intention to acquire a majority stake in J&K’s largest cement company, making it the first such large private investment in manufacturing in the Valley.

• It is easy to read these developments as a result of the policy of physical and economic integration of the region followed by the Centre post 2019. A concerted infrastructure push has seen massive improvements not just in rail and road infrastructure but also in hydropower capacity and power infrastructure.

Do You Know:
Rohit Kansal, Dipankar Sengupta Writes:

• The increased integration opens real possibilities for an economic transformation which would permanently steer the region away from its current dependence on the Centre’s support for nearly half of its expenditure. Three key areas stand out as critical to this transformation. The first one is clearly tourism. The rapidly expanding rail and road network will bring increasing numbers of tourists.

• Another low-hanging fruit is horticulture. However, yields per hectare in crops like apple — the mainstay of this sector —- are currently low. One estimate puts the current yields at less than an eighth of those in Italy and New Zealand.

• At 9.5 per cent, J&K’s growth rate is promising. However, it has so far been largely driven by public investment and government expenditure. The overwhelming response to the 2021 New Industrial Development Scheme for J&K provides the possibility of strongly supplementing this with private investment-led growth.

• As a late entrant to this race, J&K needs vast improvements in governance capacities and faster response times. J&K is today at the cusp of a major transformation. A virtuous cycle of developments— from targeted public investment, strong infrastructure growth, committed central support and increasing private investor confidence — bodes well for its future.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Jammu and Kashmir economy expected to grow at 7.06 % in 2024-25: Economic Survey

EXPRESS NETWORK

In Arunachal’s East Kameng district, STEM labs at govt schools enrich learning

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Important aspects of governance

What’s the ongoing story: At Sagali, 81 km from Arunachal Pradesh’s capital Itanagar, a government school has a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) lab — a dedicated space where students can explore, learn, and apply the concepts through hands-on experiments, projects, and activities.

Key Points to Ponder:

• ‘The introduction of STEM labs in government schools in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Kameng district highlights the importance of innovative education models in remote areas’—Comment

• Discuss the potential impact of STEM education on socio-economic development in India’s North-eastern states.

• Identify the challenges and suggest policy measures to improve STEM accessibility and quality.

• What are the role of initiatives like Atal Tinkering Labs and STEM labs in bridging the urban-rural education divide?

• The success of STEM education in East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, reflects the importance of community-driven educational reforms—What lessons can be learned from this model?

• How can STEM education contribute to the long-term development of the North Eastern region, particularly in fields like biotechnology, renewable energy, and digital innovation?

Key Takeaways:

• STEM labs typically provide a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment that fosters critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. These labs often feature state-of-the-art equipment, software, and technologies that enable students to design, build, test, and refine their projects.

• From access to cutting-edge technologies, such as 3D printers, robotics, and coding software, the lab provides resources to students for data analysis, simulation, prototyping, and testing.

• While the goals of a STEM lab can vary, depending on the context, common objectives include developing STEM literacy and fluency, encouraging curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

• It also helps in preparing students for STEM-related careers and post-secondary education, besides fostering problem-solving skills and providing access to resources and opportunities for the underrepresented groups.

Do You Know:

• The STEM labs initiative has led to East Kameng district’s Deputy Commissioner Sachin Rana winning the Excellence in Governance Awards 2024, organised by The Indian Express, in the category of Innovative Education.

• Four innovation labs and one language lab have been built under the initiative, empowering students with technology and skills.

• “When we went to Arunachal Pradesh, we found that many things that are easily available in the rest of the country were not available
there… We developed almost 180 projects that were linked to the curriculum of the students. We made sure they learn various skills. They were given toolkits and 3D printers. Over 50,000 labs will be created in this financial year across the country. To identify a vendor in a remote place like Arunachal who can deliver this kind of a thing of international standard was the biggest challenge,” Rana said.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍National STEM Day 2024 today, know why it is celebrated on November 8

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering Similar Theme:
4. Which of the following government initiatives are related to promoting STEM education in India?
1. Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL)
2. INSPIRE (Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research)
3. PRAGATI (Providing Assistance for Girls’ Advancement in Technical Education Initiative)
4. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1, 2, and 3 only
c) 1, 2, 3, and 4
d) 2, 3, and 4 only

EXPLAINED

Sugar, wheat & food inflation

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country,

What’s the ongoing story: This is the time when the rabi (winter-spring) crop, especially wheat, is still in the field and one can’t be fully sure about the yields to be harvested. But the production concerns aren’t confined to wheat. Equally, if not more, serious is the situation with regard to sugar. The output prospects and stocks position, which also matters for food inflation, seems most uncertain in these two commodities today.

Key Points to Ponder:

• ‘Food inflation has been a persistent challenge in India’s economy’—Why?

• Discuss the major factors influencing food price volatility with a special focus on wheat and sugar.

• ‘India’s food security policies often face a trade-off between ensuring affordability for consumers and maintaining profitability for farmers’—Critically analyse this statement.

• How do erratic monsoons and extreme weather conditions contribute to food inflation?

• Examine the effectiveness of mechanisms such as the Public Distribution System (PDS), Minimum Support Price (MSP), and buffer stock management in controlling food inflation.

• India’s wheat and sugar export restrictions have global trade implications. How do such policy decisions impact India’s agricultural trade relations, particularly with developing countries?

Key Takeaways:

• In wheat, the silver lining is the opening stocks before the new crop’s procurement from April 1.

• Last year’s stocks in government godowns on April 1, at 75.02 lakh tonnes (lt), were the lowest for this date since the 58.03 lt of 2008 and just over the required minimum buffer of 74.6 lt.

• A major reason for the stocks depleting to a 16-year-low was the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. During 2023-24 (April-March), a record 100.88 lt of wheat was offloaded from the Food Corporation of India’s stocks into the open market. Much of those sales, including 6.73 lt under the Bharat Atta scheme offering wheat flour at a subsidised retail price of Rs 27.5/kg, happened in the run-up to the polls from November 2023.

• While the aggressive open market sales then helped moderate wheat prices, it was, however, a risky gamble. Had the 2023-24 crop turned out bad – like in the previous two years – government agencies would have struggled to procure sufficient wheat to replenish the barely above-buffer stocks. Thankfully, production was reasonable enough to enable procurement of 266 lt, more than the 262 lt and 188 lt of 2023 and 2022 respectively, although nowhere near the 341-434 lt range of the preceding four years (see table).

Wheat procurement data.

• This time, though, the Narendra Modi government hasn’t taken any risk. It has offloaded a mere 9.59 lt of wheat under the open market sale and Bharat Atta schemes during April-January 2024-25, and may do not more than 30 lt for the entire fiscal. Government stocks as on March 1 were around 140 lt and are projected at 120 lt at the start of the new procurement season from April 1. That’s higher than last year’s 75 lt opening stocks.

Do You Know:

• Ground reports point to a bumper crop in central India. This wasn’t the case last time, when grain yields fell due to the delayed onset of winter (affecting the crop’s vegetative growth and tillering) followed by foggy weather with lack of sunshine in January (leading to poor pollination and seed setting).

• There have been no such major temperature anomalies or fog/smog conditions this time. Rajbir Yadav, principal scientist at the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute, expects average wheat yields in MP to be 15-20% more than last year.

• Initial estimates by the Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association pegged gross production of the sweetener for the 2024-25 season (October-September) at 333 lt. This – after deducting 40 lt of sugar diverted to make ethanol for blending with petrol – translated into a net output of 293 lt, down from 319 lt in 2023-24.

• Clearly, the impact of subpar 2023-24 rainfall in Maharashtra and Karnataka, besides the increased susceptibility of the dominant Co-0238 sugarcane variety in UP to red rot disease and top shoot borer pest attacks, have been underestimated. And it is showing in the production numbers too.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Retail inflation at 5-month low of 4.31% in January on easing of key food prices

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering Similar Theme:
📍There is also a point of view that Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) set up under the State Acts have not only impeded the development of agriculture but also have been the cause of food inflation in India. Critically examine. (2014)

THE WORLD

Ukraine agrees to 30-day ceasefire with Russia, conclude mineral deal with US

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story: In a dramatic turn of events, Ukraine has expressed readiness to enact an immediate 30-day ceasefire in its war with Russia, contingent on Moscow’s agreement.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Ukraine has expressed readiness to enact an immediate 30-day ceasefire in its war with Russia-What you know about the same?

• What will be the impact of the recent ceasefire and Ukraine’s mineral deal with the US on global geopolitics?

• The war in Ukraine has had long-term effects on the global economy, food security, and strategic alliances. Discuss how a ceasefire could alter these dynamics?

• Examine the importance of Ukraine’s mineral deal with the US and its impact on the global supply chain.

• In the context of the Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, analyse the effectiveness of international mediation and peace agreements.

Key Takeaways:

• The declaration came after high-level talks in Saudi Arabia between US and Ukrainian officials, where the United States announced it would lift its freeze on military aid and intelligence sharing to Kyiv. This marks a potential breakthrough in efforts to pause the devastating conflict that has ravaged Ukraine for more than three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

• The ceasefire proposal, according to a joint statement from the White House and Kyiv, offers a temporary truce that could be extended if both sides agree. It represents the first significant diplomatic push since Donald Trump’s administration took office earlier this year. While Ukraine has signalled its commitment to the plan, all eyes are now on Russian President Vladimir Putin to reciprocate.

• The announcement followed a tumultuous two-week period during which US aid to Ukraine was suspended after a heated exchange between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

Do You Know:
• As Ukraine signals its readiness for a ceasefire, the focus now shifts to Russia. Putin has remained publicly noncommittal, with his spokesperson Dmitry Peskov warning against premature optimism. Speaking at a conference, Peskov cautioned that while some in Moscow were hopeful that the US would cease providing weapons to Ukraine, “you always need to be prepared for the worst”.

• In recent weeks, Russia has intensified its military campaign in western Russia’s Kursk region, where it is attempting to dislodge Ukrainian forces. On Tuesday, Moscow’s defence ministry claimed its troops had regained more than 100 square km of territory in the region, a key battleground since Ukrainian forces took control seven months ago.

• In addition to the ceasefire proposal, the US and Ukraine revived discussions of a minerals deal that would give the United States a 50% stake in revenues from Ukraine’s mineral wealth. Trump has framed the deal as a way to secure US economic interests in Ukraine, which he argues would act as a de facto security guarantee.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What to know ahead of talks between US and Ukraine in Saudi Arabia

ECONOMY

I-T Bill proposes govt can ‘override’ online access codes, sparks privacy concerns

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: A small phrase in the proposed Income Tax Bill, 2025, around search and seizure powers available to the government, has raised privacy concerns among digital rights activist and many tax consultancy firms — since the bill allows the government to break open, or “override” access controls, such as passwords, set up by users for their digital communication on social media platforms, email services, and possibly even communication on encrypted platforms such as WhatsApp.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Income Tax Bill, 2025-Know its key features and provisions

• What is virtual digital spaces?

• The proposed bill empowers authorities to access virtual digital spaces—What can be implication of the same?

• Discuss the key objectives and features of the new Income-Tax Bill, 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• While tax officials maintain that the Income-tax Bill has made no changes to the search and seizure provisions in the extant Income Tax Act, and any changes to the language have been made to make it easier to understand, there is one major addition in the bill, which is absent in the Act — the ability of income tax officers to override any access codes a person may have set on their phones or laptops.

• The I-Tax Act grants tax authorities the power to enter and search premises and forcibly open locks if an individual fails to provide requested documents or financial records after receiving an official summons. The legislation also authorises officials to examine electronic records.

• The proposed bill maintains these existing provisions while additionally empowering authorities to access virtual digital environments during search and seizure operations, including the ability to override any access codes of computer systems, or “virtual digital spaces,” that would otherwise restrict entry.

Do You Know:

• The bill defines a virtual digital space as a digital environment that is constructed and experienced through computer technology, and includes: (i) email servers; (ii) social media account; (iii) online investment account, trading account, banking account, etc.; (iv) any website used for storing details of ownership of any asset; (v) remote server or cloud servers; (vi) digital application platforms; and (vii) any other space of similar nature.

• This would mean that if the provision is retained in the Bill once it clears scrutiny from a Select Committee of Parliament, tax officials investigating an individual for potential tax evasion, or under-reporting income, could either use password-breaking software, or request companies that offer communication services to bypass a person’s log-in credentials. “Even phone companies like Apple could possibly be required to assist with breaking a person’s passcode,” a tax expert said, requesting anonymity.

• Privacy advocates believe that if the Digital Personal Data Protection Act would have been in force right now (the Act has still not been implemented, with draft rules currently undergoing consultation), it would make no difference to the proposal in the Income-tax Bill, since tax authorities are likely to be exempted from the privacy law’s scope — a criticism that has been levelled against the law for affording wide-ranging exemptions to government agencies.

• Officials said that under Section 132 of the existing I-T Act, tax authorities have been seizing electronic devices such as desktops and hard disks, and collecting evidence from communication platforms such as emails, WhatsApp, and Telegram. An official said that such evidence is crucial in calculating the amount of tax evasion.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How the new I-T Bill is different: Shorter, simplified, brings in concept of ‘tax year’

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering Similar Theme:
5. With reference to India’s decision to levy an equalization tax of 6% on online advertisement services offered by non-resident entities, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2018)
1. It is introduced as a part of the Income Tax Act.
2. Non-resident entities that offer advertisement services in India can claim a tax credit in their home country under the “Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements”.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b) 2.(b) 3.(c) 4.(c) 5.(d)

  

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