PNGRB Proposes LPG Interoperability Framework

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has proposed an interoperable LPG delivery framework to tackle long delays in cylinder refills.

Key Features of the Proposal

• Under the proposal, if a distributor fails to deliver a cylinder within 24 hours of booking, the order will be automatically routed to the nearest available distributor, regardless of oil marketing company (OMC).
• This means that a customer of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) can receive a refill from a nearby BPCL or HPCL distributor, transforming three separate silos into a unified national LPG delivery system.
• Pilot Phase: Proposal includes a phased rollout, starting with pilot projects in select urban and rural areas to test coordination systems.

Rationale Behind the Proposal

• Delivery Delays: Over 1.7 million LPG-related complaints are registered annually, with nearly half concerning delivery delays.
• Service Excellence: With 32 crore domestic LPG connections and near 100% coverage, the challenge is no longer access but ensuring timely, reliable delivery for households.
• Universal Service Obligation: All three OMCs are under MoPNG and sell LPG at uniform prices, sharing a common mandate to guarantee fuel access nationwide.

India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement

• The India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) was signed in March 2024 and is scheduled to come into effect from 1 October 2025.

• The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) is an intergovernmental organisation consisting of four major non-EU countries: Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.

India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA)

• The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) is a comprehensive free trade agreement aimed at enhancing market access and simplifying customs procedures to improve trade facilitation.
• FDI Commitment: EFTA nations pledged a binding commitment of $100 billion in FDI over 15 years, aiming to generate one million direct jobs in India.
• Tariff Reduction: Tariffs will be eliminated on 92.2% of product categories, covering 99.6% of Indian exports, ensuring broader and more competitive market access.
• Sector Protection: India excluded sensitive sectors such as dairy, soya, coal, and certain farm products to protect domestic livelihoods and reduce trade imbalances.
• Service Mobility: TEPA promotes Indian service exports, while Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) facilitate professional mobility in nursing, architecture, and accountancy.
• IPR Safeguards: Intellectual property provisions under TEPA align with TRIPS standards but prohibit patent evergreening, safeguarding India’s generic medicines industry.

India Welcomes the US’s Plan for Gaza Peace

• PM Modi welcomed US President Trump’s 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

Key Provisions of the Peace Plan

• Gaza to become a deradicalised, terror-free zone without threats to its neighbours.
• Immediate ceasefire and suspension of all military operations.
• Hostage (living or dead) release within 72 hours of Israel’s acceptance.
• An interfaith dialogue will be launched to promote tolerance and reconciliation.
• Creation of a special economic zone, an international investment drive, and job creation.

Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge

Recently, Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge in China’s Guizhou province has been opened.

• With 625 metres above the Beipan River, the bridge currently stands as the world’s highest bridge.
• Its 1,420-metre main span makes it the largest-span bridge constructed in a mountainous terrain.
• The bridge reduces cross-canyon travel time by two hours, boosting regional connectivity.
• France’s Millau Viaduct bridge remains the tallest by structural height with 343 metres.

India’s Re-Election to the ICAO Council

• India has been re-elected to Part II of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) during its 42^nd Assembly Session in Montreal, Canada.

• Significance: India secured more votes as compared to the 2022 elections, indicating increased international confidence in its aviation leadership.

International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

• ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations that establishes global standards and cooperation frameworks for international civil aviation.
• Establishment: It was established by the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention), became a UN specialised agency in 1947, and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
• Membership: ICAO has 193 member states, and India has been a founding member since 1944.
• Structure: It includes the Assembly, a sovereign body of all 193 States (meets every three years), the 36-member Council (governing body with a three-year term), the Secretariat (handles daily operations), and Regional Offices (for local aviation development).

Extension of RoDTEP Export Incentive Scheme

• The Government of India has extended the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) incentive scheme for exporters until March 31, 2026.

Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme

• RoDTEP is an export incentive scheme launched in 2021 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Objective: It seeks to eliminate hidden domestic taxes on exports, thereby enhancing global competitiveness and encouraging sustained export growth.
• Nodal: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under MoCI, notifies eligible items, rebate rates, and guidelines. The Department of Revenue, under the Ministry of Finance, implements the scheme.
• WTO Ruling: It replaces the previous Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), which a WTO dispute panel ruled an unlawful subsidy.
• Rebate Mechanism: Exporters receive reimbursements for central, state, and local duties that were not refunded. This ensures that exported products are zero-rated (0% domestic tax) in international markets.
• Tax Coverage: It compensates for hidden taxes and levies, such as VAT on fuel, electricity duty, mandi taxes, municipal fees, and stamp duties on exports.
• Digital Refunds: Rebates are issued as transferable digital duty scrips (e-scrips) in automated ledgers, making the process transparent and efficient.
• Sector Scope: The scheme covers all sectors but focuses on labour-intensive ones. It prohibits overlapping claims from other schemes.
• Eligibility Base: Benefits also extend to Advance Authorization holders, Export-Oriented Units, and Special Economic Zone units, broadening access for diverse categories of exporters.
• Rate Formula: Rebates are granted based on product-specific rates, usually calculated as a percentage of the Freight on Board (FOB) value or a fixed per-unit amount.
• Fund Allocation: As of FY 2024-25, total disbursements under RoDTEP have exceeded ₹57,976 crore, showcasing a substantial fiscal commitment.

Sugarcane Production in India

• The Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare announced that a dedicated team will be set up within the ICAR for sugarcane research and policy development.

Sugarcane

• Sugarcane is a kharif-season cash crop, classified as a large perennial grass (Saccharum species), grown mainly in hot and humid regions.
• Climatic Condition: Optimal growth requires a temperature of 21–27°C and 75–150 cm annual rainfall.
• Soil & Harvest: Thrives on deep loamy soils; it is a long-duration crop harvested from October to March in tropical regions and from February to May in the subtropical areas.
• Cultivation Methods: Primarily through stem cuttings (called setts), traditional methods include flatbed or trench planting, ratooning, and intercropping with pulses or oilseeds.

Sugarcane Production in India

• India is the world’s 2^nd largest producer of sugarcane after Brazil; it is also the world’s largest producer and consumer of sugar. (PIB)
• Major States: Uttar Pradesh is the leading producer, followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.
• Uses: Sugarcane is used for producing sugar, jaggery (gur), khandsari (unrefined sugar), ethanol (as a biofuel), molasses, animal feed, bagasse-based paper, and electricity cogeneration.
• Varieties: Include the sugarcane variety 0238 among others, which has a high sugar content but is susceptible to red rot disease.

• Key Challenges: Production suffers from high water demand, fertiliser overuse, red rot disease, soil fertility loss due to monocropping, labour shortages, delayed payments, and climate risks.
• Potential Solutions: Include intercropping, drip irrigation under “Per Drop More Crop,” disease-resistant varieties, mechanisation, and new value-added products to boost farmers’ profits.

NBA Sanctions Funds for Red Sanders Conservation 

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for Red Sanders conservation.

• The funding is provided under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.

Key Highlights

• Aim: To raise 1 lakh Red Sanders saplings to be supplied to farmers under the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) programme.
• Funding Source: Benefit-sharing amounts collected from Red Sanders users are channelled back to stakeholders.
• Distinct from sale proceeds, ensuring community-level reinvestment in conservation.

Red Sanders

• Habitat: The species, Pterocarpus santalinus, is native to the Southern Eastern Ghats.
• Red Sanders typically grow in rocky, degraded, & fallow lands with red soil under a hot & dry climate.
• Use: Recognised for its high commercial value (used in furniture, musical instruments, & medicines).
• Threat: Smuggling and over-exploitation.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Endangered | CITES: Appendix II | WPA,1972: Schedule IV

Environmental Surveillance

Environmental surveillance using wastewater is emerging as a key tool in India for early detection of disease outbreaks and public health preparedness.

• Definition: Tracking pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites) in sewage, hospital effluents, soil, and public spaces to provide early warning of disease outbreaks.
• Mechanism: Pathogens from secretions of infected individuals enter sewage or public spaces, where samples are collected and analysed using genome sequencing to track disease trends and variants.
• Purpose: Detect infections before clinical cases emerge, especially asymptomatic or mild cases, providing a realistic picture of disease burden.

Importance of Environmental Surveillance

• It detects changes in pathogen load before clinical spikes, allowing timely public health responses.
• It captures the true spread, whereas traditional detection often underestimates infections.
• It helps allocate resources, prepare healthcare systems, and design targeted interventions.
• Tracks the effectiveness of vaccination campaigns or sanitation interventions.

India’s Efforts in Environmental Surveillance

• Polio Monitoring (2001): Wastewater surveillance for polio began in Mumbai and was later expanded.
• COVID-19 Response: Wastewater-based monitoring launched in five cities, continues post-pandemic.
• Avian Flu: Environmental surveillance is used in outbreak-prone areas.
• ICMR Initiative (2025): Plans to monitor 10 viruses across 50 cities through wastewater surveillance.

Future Directions for Environmental Surveillance

• National System Development: Establish a comprehensive, integrated wastewater surveillance system linked with routine disease monitoring.
• Global Alignment: Align with WHO guidelines and adopt international best practices for comparability.
• Preparedness: Ensure rapid response mechanisms so early warnings translate into timely action.
• Innovation: Use Audio surveillance for cough detection in public spaces, combined with machine learning for respiratory disease monitoring.

Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA)

• Scientists proposed the Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) to detect gravitational waves from the Moon’s surface.

Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA)

• The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) is a proposed next-generation gravitational-wave detector, planned for deployment on the Moon’s surface.
• It will measure spacetime ripples caused by cosmic events through a network of lunar interferometers.
• LILA focuses on gravitational waves in the mid-frequency band, specifically 0.1 to 10 Hz. This range fills the “decihertz gap” that LIGO and Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) cannot access.
• Vanderbilt Lunar Labs in the United States leads the project, working with international partners.

Developmental Phases of LILA

1. Pioneer Phase: A lunar interferometer with 3-5 km long arms will be deployed using robotic landers to test mid-band sensitivity and technologies.
2. Horizon Phase: A triangular interferometer array with 40 km-long arms will be assembled by astronauts, using quantum sensors and advanced seismic isolation.

Lunar Suitability for LILA

• Atmospheric Vacuum: The lack of a lunar atmosphere creates a natural vacuum. This removes distortions like wind, pressure, and humidity that could interfere with gravitational-wave detectors.
• Seismic Noise: The Moon is far less seismically active than Earth, thus reducing vibrations that could mask faint gravitational-wave signals.
• Newtonian Noise: Without oceans or large mass movements, the Moon avoids Newtonian noise that distorts the accuracy of terrestrial detectors.

Scientific Significance of LILA

• Spectrum Coverage: LILA will cover the mid-frequency gravitational-wave range, complementing the high-frequency LIGO and the low-frequency ESA’s LISA.
• Astrophysical Discovery: By filling the decihertz gap, LILA allows the study of phenomena that are hard to access, e.g., intermediate-mass black holes.
• Lunar Geophysics: LILA’s sensitive instruments will collect data on the Moon’s deep interior and develop a three-dimensional structural model.

M.S. Swaminathan Award 2025

• 31^st M.S. Swaminathan Award for Environmental Protection was presented in Chennai.

• Award Recipients:
• Sahaja Samrudha (Mysuru): A people’s movement dedicated to preserving traditional farming practices and conserving indigenous crop varieties.
• Veerappan (Tamil Nadu): A 60-year-old fisherman recognised for propagating mud crabs and fish.

M.S. Swaminathan Award

• It was instituted in 2004 as a biennial award named after Dr M.S. Swaminathan.
• It recognises lifetime contributions to agricultural research and development.
• Prize: It carries a cash prize of ₹2 lakh, a medal, and a citation; it is open to all nationalities.
• Eligibility: Under 65 years, with at least two decades of work in India.
• Related awards: M.S. Swaminathan Memorial Women Award (women scientists) and Global M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace (global hunger alleviation).

Philippines

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake recently hit the coastal city of Cebu in the Philippines, resulting in several deaths and injuries.

• The Philippines is an island nation of Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean; its capital is Manila.
• Maritime Borders: The Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, the Sulu Sea to the southwest, and the Celebes Sea to the south.
• Climate: It has a tropical monsoon climate characterised by hot, humid, and rainy conditions.
• Geographic Features: Mount Apo is the highest mountain, the Cagayan River is the longest river, and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River in Palawan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Volcanoes: Active volcanoes include Mayon, Taal, & Pinatubo, which are part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.