‘First significant’ results from payload onboard maiden solar mission Aditya-L1

• Using data from the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC), scientists were able to observe the precise onset of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun.
• The Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) can damage the electronics in satellites in near-earth space and disrupt radio communication networks on the earth. Understanding and predicting CMEs is crucial for protecting technology and infrastructure.

Aditya L1 mission

• The Aditya-L1 mission is India’s first dedicated scientific mission to study the Sun. The mission aims to observe and analyze various aspects of the Sun from Lagrangian Point 1 (L1).
• Lagrangian Point 1 (L1) is a position in space where the gravitational forces of two celestial bodies, such as the Sun and Earth, are in equilibrium. At this point, Aditya-L1 can continuously observe the Sun without any interference.

DANA Causes Flash Floods in Spain

• Catastrophic flash floods in Spain caused havoc mainly attributed to the DANA Phenomenon.
• Known in Spain as DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) or high-altitude isolated depression, this system can develop independently of typical jet streams, unlike regular storms.
• Formation Mechanism: Cold air moves over warm Mediterranean waters, causing warm air to rise quickly.

o   This forms dense, moisture-filled clouds that can stay in one area, increasing the likelihood of severe flooding.

• DANA mostly occurs in autumn, when summer’s warm surface heat meets sudden cold air from polar regions, creating a low-pressure system that remains over a specific region.

Dedicated Freight Corridors influenced India’s GDP.

• A study by the University of New South Wales highlights that Dedicated Freight Corridors have positively influenced India’s GDP.
• About the Study

• The research utilized diverse data, including freight costs, industry inputs, and population statistics, and concluded that the DFCs significantly benefited western regions and lower per-capita GDP states through reduced freight costs.
• DFCS has boosted Indian Railways’ revenue by 2.94% between FY 2018–19 and FY 2022–23. The improved efficiency in freight transport has led to reduced freight costs and shorter travel times, contributing to a 0.5% reduction in commodity prices.

• What are Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs)?

• They  are dedicated routes for freight transport that allow for faster and higher-capacity transport, improving supply chains and boosting export-import activities.
• The DFC initiative was announced in the Railway Budget for FY 2005-06.

o   The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) was established as a Special Purpose Vehicle in 2006 for the corridors’ construction and operation.

• Latest Developments 

• Two DFCs were initiated by the Ministry of Railways in 2006:

o   Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor (EDFC): 1,337 km from Sonnagar, Bihar to Sahnewal, Punjab (completed).

o   Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC): 1,506 km from Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai to Dadri, Uttar Pradesh (93% commissioned, expected completion by December 2025).

• In addition to the Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), India has proposed four more DFCs:

o   East-West DFC: Kolkata to Mumbai

o   North-South DFC: Delhi to Chennai

o   East Coast DFC: Kharagpur to Vijayawada

o   Southern DFC: Chennai to Goa

• Need for Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs)

• Alleviate congestion: The Golden Quadrilateral of Indian Railways connects major metros—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Howrah—and is overburdened.

o   Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs) will reduce congestion, improve efficiency, and support India’s growing transport demands.

• Boosting Freight Efficiency and Reducing Travel Time: DFCs provide dedicated tracks for freight, allowing faster and uninterrupted movement of goods.
• Economic Impact: Aim to reduce logistics costs, benefiting industries and increasing revenue for Indian Railways. FY 2018-19 and FY 2022-23, DFCs contributed to a 2.94% revenue growth for Indian Railways.
• Reduced Freight Costs and Commodity Prices: DFCs improve efficiency, lower transportation costs, and can reduce commodity prices.

Exercise VINBAX-2024 

The 5th Edition of Vietnam Indian Bilateral Army Exercise “VINBAX-2024” commenced at Ambala, India.

• Instituted in 2018, exercise VINBAX is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and Vietnam.
• Aim of the exercise is to foster collaborative partnership, promote inter-operability and share best practices between the two sides under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter on Peace Keeping Operations.
• This edition marks a significant increase in the scope with Bi Service level participation for the first time by personnel of Army and Air Force from both the countries.

India, Algeria sign MoU on Defence Cooperation

• India and Algeria signed the Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) to elevate defence ties, foster mutual understanding, and strengthen strategic interests.
• About Algeria (Capital: Algiers)

• Situated:  Maghreb region of North Africa on the Mediterranean coast.

o   Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia are referred to as the Maghreb countries.

• Bordered By:  Mediterranean Sea on the North, Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Republic and Mauritania on the West, Mali and Niger on the South, Libya and Tunisia on the East.
• Physiography: The major mountain ranges in Algeria are the Atlas Mountains, which run from the Moroccan border to the eastern border of Tunisia. The highest peak in Algeria is Mount Tahat, which is located in the Ahaggar Mountains.

o   Chelif River is the longest and most important river of Algeria.

International Solar Alliance (ISA)

It is an intergovernmental organization launched in 2015 by India and France at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris.

Objectives:

o   Achieve 1000 GW of solar capacity worldwide by 2030.

o   Mobilize over USD 1 trillion in solar investments for member countries.

o   Develop financial mechanisms to reduce solar energy costs.

o   Establish solar energy as a mainstream source globally.

Evolution: Initially for tropical countries, ISA expanded its scope in 2020, allowing all UN member states to join. Currently, over 110 countries have signed the ISA Framework Agreement, with 90 full members.

o   It became the first international intergovernmental organization headquartered in India at National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in Gurugram.

Governance Structure:

o   ISA Assembly: The main decision-making body comprising representatives from member countries.

o   Steering Committee: Provides strategic guidance and oversight.

o   Secretariat: Administrative body responsible for implementing decisions.

o   Director General: Leads the ISA Secretariat for a term of 4 years with the possibility of re-election.

Some Important Initiatives of ISA

• Solar Technology Application Resource Centre (STAR-C): Provides training and technical support for solar deployment.
• Scaling Solar Applications for Agriculture Use (SSAAU): Promotes solar use in agriculture (e.g., irrigation, cold storage).
• ISA CARES: Ensures solar-powered healthcare in remote areas.
• One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG): Aims to create a global solar grid for energy sharing.
• Solar Parks Program: Assists in developing large solar parks.
• ISA Awards: Recognizes achievements in solar innovation.
• Rooftop Solar Program: Supports rooftop solar adoption in urban areas.

Israel’s Peace Talks in Gaza and Lebanon

Cease-fire talks are underway to resolve two related conflicts in the Middle East that have killed tens of thousands of people and threaten to spiral into a wider regional war.

Since the 7 Oct. 2023, attacks by Hamas in which about 1,200 people in Israel were killed and around 250 were taken hostage, more than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 3,000 people have been killed in Lebanon.

Israel-Hamas

Who are the players?

• Qatar and Egypt mediate on behalf of Hamas, which does not directly participate in the talks.
• The chief of Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence service, David Barnea, is one of his country’s primary negotiators, along with Ronen Bar, the head of the Shin Bet, the domestic security service, and Nitzan Alon, a top military general.
• The C.I.A. director William J. Burns is playing a lead role for the U.S. in talks, along with the White House’s Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk.

What are they negotiating?

• The central idea behind the cease-fire is that fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas would stop, the Israeli military would withdraw from the enclave, and Hamas would release the roughly 100 hostages remaining in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel.
• Multiple versions of the short-term proposal are still under discussion. One would release female hostages along with male captives over age 50 in return for a set number of Palestinian prisoners.
• In another version, Hamas would release four hostages over roughly 10 days, according to a second official briefed on the negotiations.

What are the biggest obstacles?

• The specifics are where everything gets tricky: the terms, timeline and details of an Israeli withdrawal; who would be in charge in the enclave after Israel’s withdrawal; and the details of the hostage-for-prisoner exchange.
• Hamas insists that Israel commit to a full and permanent withdrawal of its military from Gaza.
• Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, says his country must maintain control of an eight-mile-long stretch of Gaza near Egypt, known to Israelis as the Philadelphi Corridor, to ensure Hamas can no longer smuggle arms.
• Hamas has rejected the scaled-down proposal that emerged from weekend discussions in Qatar, signaling that the impasse will be hard to break.

Israel-Hezbollah

Who are the players?

• Hezbollah’s leader as of late October is Naim Qassem, who took over after an Israeli airstrike killed the group’s longtime chief, Hassan Nassrallah. Mr. Qassem has signaled some openness to a cease-fire.
• Mr. Qassem has said he is in communication with Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s Parliament, who has long been a key intermediary between the United States and Hezbollah.
• Lebanon’s prime minister, Najib Mikati, is engaged in negotiations with international mediators.
• Mr. Hochstein, an Israeli-born U.S. energy policy official who became a key White House envoy on the conflict, trades messages with Hezbollah via Mr. Berri. Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., so American officials are barred from speaking with it directly.

What are they negotiating?

• Israel is conducting a ground war in southern Lebanon and carrying out airstrikes throughout the country.
• Its stated goal is to clear out Hezbollah’s forces from southern Lebanon, to enable about 60,000 people to return to their homes in northern Israel, without fear of Hezbollah rocket barrages.
• The Lebanese government is calling for the revival of a 2006 cease-fire plan outlined in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701.
• Hezbollah has said it will not stop fighting until Israel withdraws from Gaza, but in a speech in late October, its new leader, Mr. Qassem, suggested the group would be open to an agreement under “suitable” conditions, while pledging that it was also prepared to keep fighting a protracted conflict.

What are the biggest obstacles?

• Resolution 1701 failed. Hezbollah did not disarm or withdraw from southern Lebanon, and instead built up its arsenal to become the best-armed militia in the world.
• The Lebanese Army is not in a position to control Hezbollah, which is a major player in Lebanon’s national government, and the U.N. peacekeepers were not empowered to do so.
• Hezbollah has said its presence in the demilitarized zone is justified because Israel did not keep its commitment to withdraw completely from Lebanon.
• Israel wants any cease-fire deal to explicitly state that it can invade Lebanon again if the terms of an agreement are violated. That insistence has been a major sticking point in the negotiations.

 Namo Drone Didi scheme

• The Government has released the Operational Guidelines of Namo Drone Didi Scheme.
• According to the guidelines, the Scheme will be governed at the Central level by the Empowered Committee of the Secretaries from important departments. 

• Type:  Central Sector, scheme as part of the DAY-NRLM (Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission) initiative.
• Objective: Empower women through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing drones for rental services in agriculture. It aims to support 14,500 SHGs nationwide from 2024-2026.
• Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
• Key Features: 
  • Additional financing options through the Agriculture Infra Financing Facility (AIF), offering a 3% interest subvention on loans.
  • Additional batteries and propellers are provided, enabling coverage of up to 20 acres per day.
  • A central Empowered Committee will govern the scheme, comprising officials from various departments
• Financial Assistance: 80% subsidy up to Rs 8 lakh for SHGs to purchase drones.
• Drone Package: Each package includes essential accessories: spray assemblies, batteries, cameras, chargers, and measurement tools.
• Training Program: Each SHG will designate a drone pilot who will undergo 15 days of training in drone operation, focusing on agricultural tasks such as nutrient and pesticide spraying.
• Implementation and Oversight: Lead Fertilizer Companies (LFCs) will execute the scheme at the state level, coordinating with state departments, drone manufacturers, and SHG federations.
• IT-Based Drone Portal: The Drone Portal, an IT-based Management Information System (MIS), will provide end-to-end monitoring, fund disbursement, and real-time tracking of drone usage.

Significance

• Empowers Women: Supports Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) by providing income-generating opportunities through agricultural drone services.
• Modernizes Agriculture: Introduces drones for efficient fertilizer and pesticide application, increasing crop yield and productivity.
• Reduces Costs for Farmers: Drones save time and labor, making advanced farming practices more affordable.
• Promotes Rural Skill Development: Trains SHG members in drone operation and maintenance, boosting digital literacy in rural areas.
• Supports Government Initiatives: Aligns with DAY-NRLM and Kisan Drones, advancing goals for rural empowerment and sustainable agriculture.
• Enhances Technological Access: Brings cutting-edge technology to rural areas, fostering inclusivity in India’s agricultural sector.

Challenges & Concerns

• Financial Burden on SHGs: Although the scheme covers 80% of the cost, SHGs must secure the remaining 20% through loans, which could pose a risk for financially vulnerable groups if the economic benefits from drone usage in agriculture fall short of expectations
• Limited Training for Technical Complexity: The 15-day training may be insufficient for SHG members to handle complex tasks like pesticide spraying or troubleshoot unforeseen issues. 
• Bureaucratic Layers: Reliance on Lead Fertilizer Companies for coordination could introduce bureaucratic inefficiencies, slowing down the scheme’s implementation. 
• Environmental and Health Risks: Concerns have been raised about the potential impact on biodiversity, especially in ecologically sensitive areas. For example, conservationists in the Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu, expressed concerns that aerial spraying could harm pollinators and fragile ecosystems.

Way Ahead

• Enhanced Financial Support: Consider grants or subsidies instead of loans for the remaining 20% to prevent financial strain on SHGs.
• Extended Training Programs: Implement longer, comprehensive training programs, possibly including refresher courses, to ensure SHGs are better equipped to handle technical challenges.
• Environmental Safeguards: Establish clear guidelines for safe aerial pesticide application, especially near ecologically sensitive areas, to mitigate risks to biodiversity and health.

New planet with rich metal core

An international team of scientists led by the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, has discovered an exoplanet outside our solar system that is five times bigger and 60 times heavier than the Earth.

• Identified as TOI-6651b, the sub-Saturn class planet was discovered using the 2nd PRL Advanced Radial Velocity Abu Sky Search (PARAS-2) — a high-end spectroscope mounted on PRL’s 2.5m telescope at Mount Abu in Rajasthan.
• Located 690 light years away from the Sun, the newest discovered planet is only the fourth exo-planet located in the Neptunian desert to be ever discovered.
• Sub-Saturn planets have a size in between that of Neptune and Saturn. The Neptune desert is a region close to stars without Neptune-sized planets.
• TOI-6651b was located at the edge of the Neptunian desert. It is crucial for understanding the factors that shape the desert boundaries.
• The study, published in the Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics, stated that TOI-6651b orbited around its host star, a Sun-like star, in just 5 days.
• For comparison, Earth takes 365 days to complete one revolution around its host, the Sun.
• As the planet is revolving dangerously close to its parent star, this area receives strong irradiation from the star itself, which means that the close-by planets will be unable to retain their gaseous atmosphere for long as they evaporate, leaving behind a rocky core, as in this case.
• The core of the exoplent was largely (nearly 87 per cent) composed of rich metals like iron and was found to be rocky whereas the rest mass consisted of a low-density envopole of hydrogen and helium.
• Furthermore, the exoplanet’s surface temperature was measured at 1,500 degrees Kelvin (about 1,200 degrees Celsius), thus ruling out TOI-6651b from being habitable.

PARAS-2

• The researchers noted that PARAS-2, deployed on the 2.5m telescope at PRL’s observatory at Gurushikhar in Mount Abu, played a vital role in this discovery.
• Operating best in the 380 – 690 nanometre band, this fibre-fed spectrograph offers the highest resolution among spectrographs in Asia. It has been designed to discover super-Earth-like worlds.
• Its high resolution allowed us to discover the sub-Saturn exoplanet, which would not have been possible using its predecessor version.
• Our team is in the process of further refining the instrument so that even smaller planets can be discovered in future.
• The other three exoplanets discovered from the Neptunian desert region were 12-13 times larger than Earth and were termed massive gas giants minus any metallic composition.
• And notably, TOI-6651b, too, was once upon a time a gas giant but it has transformed over the years to its present state due to some tidal processes.

Nickel Toxicity and Sterols

• Researchers have discovered that exposing mammalian and fungal cells to the heavy metal nickel resulted in sterol deficiency.

o   Until this report, no one suspected nickel toxicity was related to sterol biosynthesis in fungi and animals.

• In fungi, including yeast, the major sterol is ergosterol. Blocking ergosterol biosynthesis can adversely affect fungal growth. 
• Most important agents humans use to fight fungal infections are azoles (like fluconazole) inhibit ergosterol biosynthesis.

Sterols

• In Plants: Sterols are an important chemical component of the cell membranes of plants, animals, and fungi. The compound makes the membranes more rigid.
• In mammals including humans, the principal sterol is cholesterol.
• If it is present in high concentrations in the body, it tends to be deposited in the inner lining of our blood vessels. 
• As the deposits accumulate, they block the flow of blood, eventually leading to chest pain, heart attack, and/or stroke.
• Doctors widely used drugs called statins to reduce the amount of cholesterol the body makes — i.e. cholesterol biosynthesis — to avoid these adverse outcomes.
• The study could help in discovering a novel antifungal agent.

PM Vishwakarma Scheme

• About: Named after Lord Vishwakarma (deity of artisans and craftspeople in Indian culture); it was launched in 2023.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
• Type: Central Sector Scheme (fully funded by the Government of India)
• Objectives:  Provides comprehensive support to artisans and craftspeople across 18 specified trades (e.g., carpenter, blacksmith, potter, tailor, etc.).

o   Enabling artisans to sell their products both domestically and internationally.

o   Strengthen the local economy by promoting traditional crafts and artisanal products.

Key Features:

o   Recognition to Artisans: PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card.

o   Skill Upgradation:Basic Training: 5–7 days, stipend of Rs. 500/day.

§  Advanced Training: 15+ days, with stipend.

§  Toolkit Incentive: E-voucher of up to Rs. 15,000 for tools at start of Basic Training.

o   Credit Support to Artisans: Collateral-free loans up to Rs. 3 lakh, split into Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh tranches.

§  5% concessional interest, with an 8% government subvention.

o   Marketing Support: Includes quality certification, branding, onboarding on e-commerce platforms (e.g., GeM), and advertising for improved market linkage.

Recalling Laika

On 3 November 1957, the Soviet Union launched ‘Sputnik 2’ and made history by carrying the first-ever living creature to orbit the Earth, a dog named Laika.

The flight, which was meant to test the safety of space travel for humans, ended up being a one-way trip for Laika.

Sputnik 2 mission

• Sputnik 1, which launched on 4 October 1957, was a beach-ball-size sphere that just emitted beeps as it circled Earth. A month later, Sputnik 2 was launched.
• The engineers had planned it after Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev requested a flight to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Russia’s Bolshevik Revolution. Smithsonian Magazine said that the engineers learned from Sputnik 1 and created the second one with a compartment for a flying dog.
• At this time, the Soviet Union was leading the way in space exploration while the United States lagged. When Laika’s vessel, Sputnik 2, shot into orbit, the US fell even further behind.

Laika 

• Before humans went to space, there were concerns about their ability to survive long periods of weightlessness. NASA said, “American and Russian scientists utilised animals — mainly monkeys, chimps, and dogs — in order to test each country’s ability to launch a living organism into space and bring it back alive and unharmed.”
• Soviet rocket scientists wanted to send dogs to space to understand microgravity and other aspects of what spaceflight might do to a human body.
• The contenders also had to be female (easier to rig up) and brightly colored (so video footage of them would be clearer), NASA reported.
• The space engineers favoured those animals who were obedient and could tolerate loud noises and air pressure changes according to Smithsonian Magazine. This is where Laika came in.
• Laika was a stray dog picked up from the streets of Moscow just a week before the launch of Sputnik 2.
• NASA described her as a female part-Samoyed terrier originally named Kudryavka (Little Curly). She was later renamed Laika, which is Russian for “Husky” or “Barker.” In the US, she was eventually dubbed “Muttnik.” She weighed about 6 kg.
• According to the Associated Press, the dog was promoted to cosmonaut (a term referring to an astronaut in the Soviet or Russian space program) based on her ‘small’ size and ‘calm’ demeanour.
• Female dogs were considered anatomically better suited for close confinement.

What happened during the mission?

• Laika was placed inside a pressurised cabin, which allowed her room to lie down or stand.
• There was an air regeneration system that provided oxygen, food, and water dispensed in a “gelatinised form.” NASA said that Laika was fitted with a harness, a bag to collect waste, and electrodes to monitor vital signs.
• Initially, when the mission began, it was indicated that Laika was agitated but was eating her food.
• There was no capability of returning a payload safely to Earth at this time, so it was planned that Laika would run out of oxygen after about 10 days of orbiting the Earth. Because of the thermal problems she probably only survived a day or two, it said.
• The mission ended up providing scientists with the first data on the behaviour of a living organism orbiting in the space environment. Four years later, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit earth.
• Without animal testing in the early days of the human space program, the Soviet and American programs could have suffered great losses of human life.
• These animals performed a service to their respective countries that no human could or would have performed. They gave their lives and/or their service in the name of technological advancement, paving the way for humanity’s many forays into space, NASA said.

SC Directions on Permanent Remission to Convicts

• The Supreme Court has issued directions aimed at standardising and improving the transparency of policies governing permanent remission to convicts in the country.
• Key Points of Ruling

• Policy Accessibility and Information: States must make remission policies accessible to all convicts, with copies available in prisons and uploaded on government websites.

o   Jail authorities must ensure that convicts eligible for remission are informed of these policies.

• Timely Communication of Decisions: States and Union Territories must notify convicts of any rejection of remission applications within one week.
• Updated Policy Availability: Any modifications to remission policies must be promptly made available in prisons and online.

Permanent Remission to convicts in India

• It means reducing or shortening the duration of the sentence or allowing for an early release from prison, either based on good conduct, special circumstances, or under certain legal provisions.
• The remission of sentences can be granted based on the following legal grounds:

o   Article 72 (President’s Power): The President of India has the power to grant pardon, reprieve, respites, or remission of punishment to any convict, including those convicted under death sentences.

§  It can be exercised after consultation with the Union Cabinet.

o   Article 161 (Governor’s Power): The Governor of a state has similar powers, for those sentenced by courts within that state.

§  The advice of the appropriate government binds the Head of the State.

o   Section 432 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC): It empowers the government (central or state) to grant remission or suspend a sentence of a convict.

§  It allows for the reduction of the sentence of a person sentenced to imprisonment, which could be either temporary or permanent, depending on the circumstances.

Types of Remission

• Full Remission: The complete removal or cancellation of the sentence, leading to the convict’s immediate release from prison. 
• Partial Remission: This reduces the duration of the sentence but does not eliminate it entirely. 
• Special Remission: Sometimes, remission is granted as part of a special amnesty, typically on national holidays like Independence Day or Republic Day, or in cases where the government decides to offer relief to certain categories of prisoners, such as elderly, sick, or women prisoners.

Laxman Naskar versus Union of India (2000)

• Under it SC laid down the following guidelines for considering premature release:

o   Whether the offence is an individual act of crime without affecting society at large;

o   Whether there is any chance of future recurrence of committing a crime;

o   Whether the convict has lost his potential to commit a crime; 

o   Whether there is any fruitful purpose of confining the convict any more;

o   Socio-economic condition of the convict’s family.

• Many landmark cases (such as Maru Ram v. Union of India (1981) or Union of India v. V. Sriharan (2016) highlight key principles concerning remission of sentences, such as:

o   The discretionary powers of the President and Governor to grant remission or commutation.

o   The relationship between executive powers and the judiciary in reviewing remission decisions.

o   The importance of rehabilitation, good conduct, and judicial oversight in the remission process, particularly with respect to life convicts and death row prisoners.

Conclusion

• Permanent remission is a power available to the state and central governments in India, designed to offer a second chance to convicts who have demonstrated rehabilitation, good conduct, or have special circumstances. 
• However, it is subject to strict legal frameworks, and the decision to grant such remission involves a thorough review of the convict’s case and circumstances.

Toy Train on Green Hydrogen

• Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, urged the Central government to explore the possibility of running trains on the Kalka-Shimla narrow-guage railway, a UNESCO world heritage site, on green hydrogen.
• The transition would help the state in achieving its goal of becoming a ‘green energy state’ by 2026.
• The State is on track to replace its current thermal power consumption of 1,500 Million Units (MUs) with renewable sources, including hydro, solar, and wind power.

What is Green Hydrogen?

• Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen that is produced using renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, or hydropower, through a process called electrolysis. 
• Electrolysis involves splitting water (H2O) into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) using an electric current. 
• When this electricity comes from renewable sources, the hydrogen produced is considered “green” because the overall process has a minimal environmental impact.
• Benefit: It is a clean burning element that can decarbonise a range of sectors including iron and steel, chemicals, and transportation.

o   Hydrogen can be stored for long periods of time which can be used to produce electricity using fuel cells.