MSME Ministry Upgrades NSIC to Schedule ‘A’ Category CPSE

• The Ministry of MSME has upgraded the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) from a Schedule ‘B’ to a Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), recognizing its consistent Excellent performance.

What are Category CPSE?

• Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) are companies where the direct holding of the Central Government is 51% or more.
• To streamline management and salary structures, the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) classifies these entities into four distinct schedules: A, B, C, and D.

Governing Act & Authority:

• Governing Act: Most CPSEs are incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (or previous versions like the 1956 Act) or created as Statutory Corporations through specific Acts of Parliament.
• Administrative Authority: The Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), under the Ministry of Finance, is the nodal agency for categorization and policy formulation.

History:

• The categorization system was introduced in 1965 following recommendations from the ‘Committee on Top Posts.’
• It was designed to create a hierarchy based on the size of operations and strategic importance, primarily to determine the pay scales and seniority of Board-level executives (CMD, Directors).

The Four Categories:

1. Schedule A: The highest tier, comprising large-sized enterprises with significant national and strategic importance.
2. Schedule B: Mid-sized enterprises.
3. Schedule C: Smaller enterprises or those with niche operations.
4. Schedule D: The smallest tier, often used for initial categorization of new CPSEs.

Key Features of Categorization:

• Quantitative Parameters: Evaluation is based on the last five years of performance in terms of investment, capital employed, net sales, profit before tax, and number of employees.
• Qualitative Factors: Factors include national importance, complexity of problems, level of technology, and prospects for expansion.
• Governance Structure: Higher schedules (like ‘A’) typically allow for a more robust board structure and higher-ranking executive positions.
• Salary Links: The schedule directly determines the Industrial Dearness Allowance (IDA) pay scales for the Chairman, Managing Director, and other Board members.

Significance of the Upgrade:

• Moving to Schedule ‘A’ grants the organization greater financial and operational powers, reducing the need for frequent ministerial approvals for large projects.
• reflects the entity’s comparative advantage and potential to become a global player.

- Source: PIB

ASTraM: Actionable Intelligence for Sustainable Traffic Management

• Former Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof recently visited the Bengaluru Traffic Management Centre to study the ASTraM system, an AI-driven platform that has gained international interest for its ability to predict and manage urban traffic congestion.

About ASTraM:

• ASTraM is an advanced AI-based big data platform designed for macro-level traffic management.
• Unlike traditional GPS applications that only show current traffic, ASTraM acts as a smart traffic engine that provides holistic, real-time situational awareness to city authorities.

Developed By:

• The system was developed through a collaborative effort between the Bengaluru Traffic Police and Arcadis, a prominent Dutch design and consultancy firm.

Aim:

• The primary objective of ASTraM is to transform traffic policing from a reactive model (responding to complaints) to a proactive, data-driven model.
• It aims to reduce congestion, improve road safety, and streamline incident reporting through automated intelligence.

How it Works?

• The platform functions by pooling massive amounts of data from various streams:
• Data Integration: It ingests live feeds from CCTV cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, and open data sources.
• Analysis: The AI engine processes this data to identify patterns in both recurring (daily bottlenecks) and non-recurring (accidents/protests) congestion.
• Communication: The system batches detected issues and sends automated alerts to relevant traffic officers at 15-minute intervals, ensuring localized intervention.

Key Features:

• Situational Awareness: Provides a bird’s-eye view of the city’s traffic health on a centralized dashboard.
• Predictive Analytics: Monitors trends to forecast potential traffic chokeholds before they paralyze the roads.
• Incident Reporting Bot: Uses automated tools (BOTs) to log and report accidents or road obstructions quickly.
• Event Management: Helps police prepare for large-scale events like processions or public unrest by simulating traffic impacts.
• Dashboard Analytics: Offers deep-dive data for long-term urban planning and infrastructure adjustments.

Significance:

• Consolidates multiple media formats into one actionable picture, far outperforming manual monitoring or social media complaints.
• By providing more localized and accurate data than general mapping apps, it helps prevent accidents caused by human or GPS errors.

New GDP Series (Base Year FY23)

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has officially overhauled India’s national accounts, shifting the GDP base year from 2011-12 to 2022-23 and introducing significant methodological shifts to improve accuracy.

About New GDP Series (Base Year FY23):

• The GDP base year is a standard reference point used by economists to calculate Real GDP.
• By using prices from a specific stable year (now 2022-23), the effect of inflation is removed, allowing the government to measure the actual increase in production and output of the economy.

New Base Year:

• Current: 2011-12
• Revised: 2022-23 (FY23)
• Frequency: India periodically updates this to align with the International System of National Accounts (SNA).

Aim:

• The primary goal is to improve accuracy by reflecting modern consumption patterns, the rise of the digital economy, and updated industrial technologies that were not prevalent in 2011.
• It seeks to align Indian national accounts with global statistical standards.

Key Changes in the New GDP Series:

1. Advanced Inflation Adjustment (Deflation)

• Granular Deflators: The number of price indicators has tripled (from ~180 to ~600), utilizing specific CPI and WPI components to ensure real output isn’t distorted by broad price averages.
• Double Deflation: In a major technical shift for manufacturing and agriculture, inputs and outputs are now deflated separately.
• This prevents profit fluctuations caused by raw material costs from being miscounted as actual production growth.
• Targeted Indices: The use of composite economy-wide indices has been replaced by sector-specific and unit-value indices, tailoring the measurement to the unique price movements of specific industries.

2. Enhanced Household & Informal Sector Capture

• From Proxies to Actuals: Instead of using old survey data to guess current activity, the series now uses annual level estimates from the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprise (ASUSE) and the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
• Capturing the Gig Economy: New data codes specifically track the contribution of platform workers (e.g., delivery partners and aggregator drivers).

3. Integration of Big Data & Administrative Datasets

• GST & Digital Footprints: GST data is now a primary tool for cross-validating corporate growth and allocating economic activity across states.
• Sectoral Tracking: The series incorporates e-Vahan data for a precise count of road transport services and the Public Finance Management System (PFMS) for real-time tracking of government spending.

4. Structural Consistency & Accuracy

• SUT Integration: The Supply and Use Tables (SUT) framework is now used to bridge the gap between Production-side and Expenditure-side GDP, significantly reducing statistical discrepancies.
• Refined Consumption (PFCE): Private Final Consumption Expenditure is now estimated using a triangulated approach (Surveys + Commodity Flow + Production data) and follows the latest global COICOP 2018 standards.
• Smoothing Quarterly Jumps: By adopting the Proportional Denton method, the NSO has eliminated the step problem—the artificial spikes often seen in quarterly reports—ensuring a smoother, more realistic short-term growth trend.

Implications:

• The GDP will now accurately account for newer sectors, such as digital services and gig-economy activities, which were underrepresented in the 2011 series.
• Double deflation will provide a more realistic picture of Value Added in factories by isolating profit margins from actual production volume.

CBSE will Introduce a Third Language in Class 6

• CBSE is set to implement the revised three-language formula from Class 6, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
• English Status: Under the new framework, English will be categorised as a “foreign” language.
• Composition: Students will study three languages in total; at least two of which must be native to India (e.g., Hindi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu).
• Continuity: National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 recommends continuing all three languages until Class 10.

About Three-Language Formula

• Three-Language Formula aims to promote multilingualism and national unity while preserving regional linguistic identities.
• Origin: First formally proposed by the Kothari Commission (1964-66) and adopted in the 1968 National Policy on Education, it has since been updated under NEP 2020.
• Medium: The policy advocates using the mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction at least until Grade 5, and preferably until Grade 8.
• Flexibility: States, regions, and students may choose their own languages. One or more languages may be changed in Grade 6 or 7.
• No Imposition: NEP 2020 explicitly states that no language, particularly Hindi, will be imposed on any state by the Centre.

India-Israel Elevated Bilateral Ties to Special Strategic Partnership

• PM Narendra Modi concluded his second state visit to Israel, following his inaugural landmark visit in 2017.

Key Outcomes of PM Modi’s Visit to Israel

• Bilateral Ties: India-Israel ties were formally elevated to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity“.
• Knesset: PM Modi received the Speaker of the Knesset Medal, the highest honour of the Israeli parliament. He became the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset.
• Digital Payments: UPI will be operationalised in Israel for Indian tourists, professionals, and cross-border remittances.
• Workforce: Israel will hire 50,000 Indian workers over five years across commerce, services, hospitality, and manufacturing.
• Finance: The ‘India-Israel Financial Dialogue’ was launched to align banking regulations and boost fintech growth.
• Cybersecurity: An ‘Indo-Israel Cyber Centre of Excellence’ is to be set up in India to combat digital threats and protect critical infrastructure.
• Agriculture: The India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture (IINCA) will advance precision farming and satellite-based irrigation.
• The bilateral ‘Villages of Excellence’ programme will scale Israel’s agricultural best practices across Indian villages.
• Emerging Tech: An NSA-led Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET) initiative will track breakthroughs in AI, quantum computing, and critical minerals.
• Multilateral: Both nations committed to fast-tracking the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and deepening the I2U2 quadrilateral.
• Academia: The India-Israel Academic Cooperation Forum (I2I Forum) will conduct annual university-led research dialogues.

Overview of India-Israel Trade Relations

• Trade Volume: India-Israel bilateral merchandise trade stood at $3.62 billion in FY 2024-25.
• Decline: This marks a sharp decline from the record high of $10.77 billion in FY 2022-23, driven by regional instability and Red Sea disruptions.
• Trade Rank: India is Israel’s 2nd largest trading partner in Asia and among top ten partners globally.
• Trade Balance: The balance of trade currently favours India.
• Key Exports: Pearls, precious stones, petroleum products, and organic chemicals.
• Key Imports: Rough diamonds, electrical machinery, fertilisers, and defence equipment.
• FTA: Both nations have initiated formal negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Diplomatic Reset in India-Canada Relations

• Canadian PM Mark Carney’s visit to India signalled a formal reset of bilateral ties following the 2023 diplomatic crisis over the Nijjar assassination allegations.

Factors Behind the India-Canada Diplomatic Crisis

• Vote-Bank Politics: Canada’s accommodation of Khalistani sympathisers undermined India’s sovereignty and security interests.
• Divergent Worldview: Conflicting stances on cross-border terrorism, human rights, and free speech absolutism widened the foreign policy gap.
• Intelligence Standoff: The Five Eyes Alliance’s mobilisation over Nijjar assassination allegations escalated the bilateral dispute into a multilateral crisis.
• Migration Friction: Canada imposed strict new visa caps, while India suspended e-visa services, disrupting mobility of the Indian diaspora.
• Extradition Failure: Canada’s refusal to act on Interpol Red Corner Notices remains an unresolved bilateral friction point.

Key Developments Reshaping India-Canada Relations

• Political Reset: The newly elected Canadian administration reinstated High Commissioners and retracted public allegations.
• Trade Revival: India and Canada resumed CEPA negotiations and revived the bilateral CEO Forum.
• Security Frameworks: NSA-level dialogues were renewed for intelligence-sharing, law enforcement, and counter-terrorism cooperation.
• Tech Cooperation: Joint commitments on AI, critical minerals, and digital public infrastructure (DPI) unlocked new frontiers for bilateral cooperation in emerging technologies.
• Energy Security: The re-established Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED) and new long-term uranium agreements integrated strategic energy supply chains.

RailTech Policy & Portal and e-Railway Claims Tribunal (e-RCT) Launched

• Ministry of Railways launched the RailTech Policy & Portal and the e-Railway Claims Tribunal (e-RCT) under the “52 Reforms in 52 Weeks” initiative.

About RailTech Policy & Portal

• RailTech Policy framework aims to engage industry innovators to promote indigenous innovation within Indian Railways.
• It introduces a dedicated RailTech Portal to foster structured collaboration between the railways and the startup ecosystem.
• Funding Mechanism: The portal facilitates a grant-based funding model in which the government provides up to 50% of development costs for viable projects.
• Administrative Efficiency: The platform lowers entry barriers for small innovators by replacing complex legacy tenders with a unified submission process.
• Focus Areas: Priority is given to high-impact technologies like AI-based Elephant Intrusion Detection Systems (EIDS) and drone-based rail fracture detection.

e-Railway Claims Tribunal (e-RCT)

• e-RCT is an AI-enabled platform that automates the litigation process for railway-related claims.
• The system integrates all 23 benches of the Railway Claims Tribunal into a unified national network.
• The platform enables transparent case processing, ensuring the timely delivery of justice to claimants.
• Accessibility: It enables beneficiaries to file petitions and submit documents electronically from anywhere, removing the need for physical travel.

The Druzhba Oil Pipeline

• The Druzhba oil pipeline is at the center of a geopolitical standoff following a complete halt in flows due to drone attacks, leading Hungary and Slovakia to veto new EU sanctions on Russia.

About The Druzhba Oil Pipeline:

• The Druzhba Pipeline (translating to Friendship in English) is one of the world’s longest and largest crude oil pipeline networks.
• Established during the Soviet era, it serves as the primary artery for transporting Russian and Kazakh oil to the industrial heartlands of Central and Eastern Europe.

Located In:

• The network originates in Almetyevsk, Tatarstan (Russia), where it collects oil from Western Siberia, the Urals, and the Caspian Sea.
• It spans approximately 4,000 kilometers, crossing the Russia-Belarus border before splitting into two massive branches.

States/Countries it Goes Through:

1. Russia: The starting point and primary source.
2. Belarus: The central transit hub at Mazyr where the line splits.
3. Northern Branch: Travels through Poland to reach Germany.
4. Southern Branch: Travels through Ukraine to supply Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.
5. Historical Branches: Connected to Lithuania and Latvia (currently inactive).

Aim:

• The pipeline was originally constructed in the 1960s to establish friendly relations through the reliable supply of cheap energy from the Soviet Union to its Eastern European allies.
• Today, its aim remains the provision of energy security to landlocked Central European nations that lack easy access to seaborne oil.

Key Features:

• Massive Scale: The system crosses 45 major rivers and over 200 railways and highways.

Two-Pronged Distribution:

• Northern Branch: Supplies refineries in Płock (Poland) and Schwedt (Germany).
• Southern Branch: Connects to the Odesa-Brody pipeline and supplies the Duna (Hungary) and Tisza refineries.
• Capacity: At its peak, it pumped over 1 million barrels per day, accounting for roughly 1% of the total global oil supply.
• Strategic Bypass: Russia built the BPS-2 (Baltic Pipeline System) to reduce reliance on the Druzhba transit through Belarus and Ukraine.

Chandrashekhar Azad

• Prime Minister paid heartfelt tributes to the revolutionary Chandrashekhar Azad marking his Martyrdom Day and recalling his supreme sacrifice and unwavering resolve against injustice.

About Chandrashekhar Azad: Who He Was?

• Chandrashekhar Azad (born Chandra Shekhar Sitaram Tiwari) was one of India’s most fearless and potent revolutionaries.
• Known for his mental and physical dexterity—earning him the nickname Quick Silver—he led a militant youth movement and famously vowed never to be captured alive by the British.

Early Life:

• Birth: July 23, 1906, in Bhabra, Alirajpur (Madhya Pradesh).
• Education: He grew up in poverty and later attended a Sanskrit school in Varanasi.
• The Naming: After being arrested at age 15 during the Non-Cooperation Movement, he told the magistrate his name was Azad (Free), his father’s name was Swatantra (Independent), and his home was Jail. Following a severe flogging, he adopted Azad as his permanent title.

Contribution to Freedom Movement:

• Shift to Militancy: Disappointed by the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement after the Chauri Chaura incident, he embraced extremist methods to achieve independence.
• Kakori Conspiracy (1925): He was a key participant in the Kakori train robbery. While others were caught, Azad successfully evaded capture and fled to Jhansi.
• Lahore Conspiracy (1928): Along with Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, he executed the assassination of British officer John Saunders to avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.

Organizations Associated:

• Hindustan Republican Association (HRA): Joined under the leadership of Ram Prasad Bismil.
• Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA): After the crackdown on the HRA, Azad reorganized the group into the HSRA, serving as a key leader alongside Bhagat Singh.
• He used the name Balraj to sign official HSRA statements and lived under the disguise of a teacher named Harishankar in Jhansi.

Last Days:

• On February 27, 1931, Azad was betrayed and surrounded by police at Alfred Park (now Azad Park) in Allahabad.
• After a fierce gun battle where he helped his comrade Sukhdev Raj escape, Azad died at the age of 24.

Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT)

• India affirmed its support for commencing negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) at the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.
• The FMCT is a proposed multilateral treaty to prohibit the future production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices.
• Targeted Materials: It primarily targets Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) and separated plutonium, the essential fissile materials used in nuclear warheads.
• Exemption: It allows the production of fissile material for non-weapons uses, such as civilian nuclear energy or naval propulsion reactors.
• Scope: It applies equally to all states, including ‘Nuclear Weapon States’ and countries outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) framework.
• Negotiation Body: Conference on Disarmament in Geneva is the primary forum mandated to negotiate the FMCT on a consensus basis.
• NPT is a landmark international arms control agreement adopted in 1968 to prevent nuclear weapon proliferation and promote peaceful nuclear cooperation among states.

Asymmetry in National Green Tribunal Adjudication

• Analysis of over one lakh National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders since 2020 shows a strong bias in favour of project developers in environmental clearance appeals.
• The tribunal ruled in favour of developers in 80% of environmental and forest clearance appeals.
• The pro-project trend grew between 2024 and 2025, with 88% of industry appeals succeeding.

About National Green Tribunal (NGT)

• NGT is a statutory judicial body established under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010, to adjudicate environmental disputes in India.
• India became the third country (after Australia and New Zealand) and the first developing nation to create a specialised environmental tribunal.
• Objective: Efficient and expeditious disposal of environmental cases within six months and enforcement of environmental legal rights.
• Composition: It is headed by a Chairperson appointed by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India; other members include Judicial and Expert Members.
• Judicial Powers: It exercises civil court powers based on the principles of natural justice; it can act suo motu and is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
• Legal Jurisdiction: The NGT handles civil cases under seven environmental laws, including the Water Act 1974, the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, and the Environment Protection Act 1986.
• Exclusions: It lacks legal jurisdiction under the WPA, 1972; the Indian Forest Act, 1927; and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

Smew (Mergellus albellus)

• A rare Eurasian diving duck, Smew (Mergellus albellus), was recorded during the 7th waterbird census at Kaziranga National Park.
• The Smew is a Palearctic migratory diving duck and the sole living member of the genus Mergellus.
• Appearance: Males have a black-masked white body; females are grey with a rusty-red head.
• Habitat Preference: It breeds in the taiga zone of Eurasia, near freshwater lakes or slow-moving rivers surrounded by old-growth forest.
• Distribution: Breeding range spans the northern Palearctic, from Scandinavia through Russia to Siberia.
• In winter, it migrates south to Western Europe, the Eastern Mediterranean, Central Asia, China, Japan, and occasionally to Northern India.
• Seasonal Diet: The Smew is piscivorous in winter but shifts to aquatic insects, larvae, and amphibians during the breeding season.
• Nesting: It is an obligatory cavity nester, relying on tree holes high in old-growth trees, often abandoned by other birds.
• Sawbill: The species has a specialised serrated “sawbill” with a hooked tip for gripping slippery prey.
• Ecological Role: It is an indicator species of old-growth riparian forests and clear, fish-rich wetlands.
• Key Threats: Logging of hollow-bearing trees, wetland drainage, and climate change.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Least Concern; WPA: Schedule II.

Impatiens nagorum

• Scientists discovered a flowering plant species, Impatiens nagorum, in Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Nagaland.
• Family: It belongs to the family Balsaminaceae, commonly known as “balsams” or “touch-me-nots“.
• Etymology: The epithet nagorum honours the indigenous Naga tribes of the region.
• Morphology: The species has distinctive purple flowers, serrated leaves, and hairy lateral sepals.
• Habitat: It thrives in moist temperate broadleaf forests at an elevation of 2,336 m.
• Seed Dispersal: Like other Impatiens species, it exhibits ballistic seed dispersal; mature capsules burst open explosively upon touch to scatter seeds.
• Ecological Role: It serves as a specialised nectar source for high-altitude pollinators.

Tulip Festival 2026

• New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) organised the 4th edition of the annual floral event, the Tulip Festival 2026, at Shanti Path, New Delhi.
• The festival showcases nearly 5.5 lakh tulips. It is organised in collaboration with the Netherlands to celebrate and strengthen bilateral ties.
• The event features indigenous tulips developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to bloom during Delhi’s brief winter and spring window.
• Significance: This initiative aligns with the “Viksit Bharat @2047” vision by promoting local bulb cultivation and serves as a soft-power diplomatic tool.
• About Tulips
• Tulips are spring-blooming temperate plants native to the mountainous regions of Central Asia.
• They require a period of vernalisation (cold exposure at 5–10°C) for flowering.
• National Landmark: Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden in Srinagar is Asia’s largest tulip garden. The region imports 15 lakh bulbs annually from the Netherlands to maintain its floral display.