Consumer Watchdog: CCPA in Action

Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated regulatory action against the unauthorized online sale and advertisement of hazardous chemicals, explosive substances on digital platforms.

»     The action aims to strengthen consumer safety, public security, and responsible e-commerce practices.

CCPA - Central Consumer Protection Authority 

»     Established: under Section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

»     Ministry: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

»     Functions: 

      o  Protect, promote, and enforce the rights of consumers as a class

      o  Prevent violation of consumer rights

      o  Prevent unfair trade practices, etc

Digital Playtime: Online Gaming on the Rise

»     Supreme Court upheld the GST authorities'' decision to levy 28% GST retrospectively on online gaming platforms as constitutionally valid.

»   Ruling: Online gaming activities, including fantasy sports and other digital games involving stakes on uncertain outcomes, constitute betting and gambling under GST framework.

Online Gaming

»    Indian online gaming market generated INR 232 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to INR 316 billion by 2027.

»    Government enacted Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 and notified corresponding rules for online gaming governance. 

      o   These establish a strong legal framework to curb harmful online money gaming and protect users from the financial, psychological, and social distress caused by predatory gaming platforms.

Electoral Roll Revision: SC Endorses EC’s Powers

The Court in ADR vs. ECI Case (2025) held that the Election Commission has the power to conduct SIR under Article 324 of the Constitution, read with Representation of the People Act, 1950, and its Rules.

Key Highlights of Supreme Court’s Judgement

»     SIR satisfies the threerequirements of proportionality – 

       o  Fulfils Legitimate Purpose – Maintaining credible electoral process through accuracy of electoral roll.

       o  Means pursued are not excessive – Structured house-to-house enumeration, verification and scrutiny by designated officers and availability of remedies. 

       o  Least Restrictive Option – Statewide SIR was proportionate to scale of the problem. 

»     Election Commission is empowered to examine questions bearing upon citizenship but consequence of such citizenship determination is limited. 

       o  It affects the individual''s entitlement to be included in the electoral rolls and thereby the right to participate in the electoral process. 

       o  It does not, however, operate to divest the individual of claims to citizenship, nor does it foreclose decision on citizenship by the competent authority under the Citizenship Act.

SIR

»     SIR refers to a large-scale, intensive revision of electoral rolls by the Election Commission of India under its constitutional and statutory powers.

»     Legal and Constitutional Framework:

       o  Article 324 (1): Grants the ECI superintendence, direction and control of elections to Parliament and State Legislatures.

       o  Representation of the People Act, 1950: Section 21(3) empowers the ECI to order special revision of electoral roll.

           Ø  Section 16 disqualifies a non-citizen from being enrolled in the electoral roll. 

       o  Registration of Electors Rules, 1960: Specifies procedures for enrolment, revision, etc. 

FAC: Key Body for Forest Clearances

FAC has granted in-principle approval for the diversion of over 3,000 hectares of forest land across several states for key infrastructure projects.

FAC-Forest Advisory Committee:

»     Overview: Statutory body constituted under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 

»     Chairman: Director General of Forests.

»     Function: It plays a crucial role in evaluating proposals for the diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes like mining, dam construction, and road building.

IBC Completes 10 Years of Implementation

IBC, enacted in 2016 and last amended in 2026, is an umbrella legislation consolidating Indian laws relating to the reorganization and insolvency resolution of corporate persons, partnership firms, and individuals.

Achievements of IBC

»     Decline in NPAs: Bank GNPA levels fell sharply from 11.5% in FY18 to 2.3% in FY26.

»     Improved Recoveries: IBC accounted for 52.3% of total bank recoveries in FY25 with total recoveries crossing ₹4.11 trillion.

»     Record PSB Profits: Public Sector Banks (PSBs) reported a combined net profit of ₹1.98 trillion in FY25.

»     Shift in Control under IBC: The IBC has shifted decision-making power from defaulting promoters to creditors.

Issues Associated with IBC

»     Delays in Corporate Insolvency Resolution: Reaching 744 days as of March 2026, against the mandated time limit of 330 days.

»     Decreased Recovery: Relative to liquidation value has reportedly fallen by about 30 per cent.

»     Implementation: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Fund provided for in the original Code remains unoperationalised.

»     Technological Deficit: While e-courts exist, there is a lack of technological fluency among some judges.

Way Forward:

»     Strengthening Institutional Capacity: Expansion of NCLT/NCLAT Benches and establishment of special fast-track courts. 

»     Operationalise individual insolvency: To address defaults in partnerships and proprietorships, which form the backbone of Indian entrepreneurship.

»     Improving Asset Valuation: Shift from liquidation value to enterprise value to better reflect a company''s potential and reduce the haircuts taken by creditors.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC)

»     Applicability: The Code applies to companies incorporated under the Companies Act, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs), personal guarantors to corporate debtors, partnership firms, and individuals.

Four Pillars of IBC Code:

»     Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI): The regulator responsible for overseeing IPs and IUs.

»     Insolvency Professionals (IPs): Regulated professionals who manage corporate debtors (CD) and resolution processes.

»     Information Utilities (IUs): Electronic repositories that collect and validate financial data to provide evidence of default.

»     Adjudicating Authority (AA): NCLT adjudicates insolvency proceedings for Companies/LLPs and DRT for Individuals/ Partnerships.

India Advances Green Tech with Hydrogen Fuel Cells

Indian Railways has approved introduction of Hydrogen Fuel Cell-based trainset on Jind-Sonipat section.

Hydrogen fuel cell

»     Definition: It is an electrochemical device that converts chemical energy directly into electrical energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen.

»     Mechanism: Unlike traditional internal combustion engines, fuel cells generate power without burning fuel, resulting in zero harmful emissions. The only by products are water and heat.

       o  Overall Reaction: H₂ + ½O₂ → H₂O + Electricity + Heat.

»     Major Types of Fuel Cells:  Proton Exchange Membrane (PEMFCs), Solid Oxide fuel cell (SOFCs), Alkaline Fuel Cells (AFCs), etc.

International Criminal Court Upholds Rule of Law

Hungary’s Parliament approves continued membership in International Criminal Court

International Criminal Court (ICC)

»     Headquarter: Hague, Netherlands

»     Origin: Founded by Rome Statute (Adopted in 1998 and entered in force in 2002) as the world''s first permanent international criminal court.

»     Jurisdiction: investigate, prosecute, and try individuals (not groups or States) accused of committing serious crimes

       o  Crimes under ICC’s jurisdiction: Genocide, Crimes against humanity, War crimes, crime of aggression.

»     Membership: 125 member countries

       o  India, Israel, US, Russia and China are not parties to the Rome Statute.

»     Funding: mainly by States Parties

»     Enforcement: ICC''s decisions are binding

Judicial Independence via Collegium System

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the elevation of five persons as Judges of the Supreme Court (SC).

Collegium System

»     President appoints the judges of Supreme Court and High Court (HC) under Article 124 and 217 of the Constitution respectively.

»     The judges are recommended for appointment by the collegium consisting of:

       o  Chief Justice of India and four other senior-most SC judges for recommending appointments in SC.

Chief Justice of HC and two other senior judges of the concerned HC for recommending appointments in HC 

Long-Tailed Duskhawker: A New Biodiversity Find

Long-Tailed Duskhawker (Gynacantha khasiaca), a dragonfly, was recorded from the Namdapha National Park.

»   Dragonflies belong to the order Odonata, rank among the world’s fastest flying insects and have nearly 360-degree field of view.

»   The are crucial components of freshwater ecosystems and are instrumental in controlling mosquito population. 

Namdapha National Park

»   Location: Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh at the tri-junction point of India, Myanmar and China.

»   It comprises catchment of Noa-Dihing River, a tributary of Brahmaputra River. 

»   Highest point in park is Dapha Bum.  

»   Bordered by Kamlang Wildlife Sanctuary, Patkai Hill Ranges, and international border with Myanmar. 

»   Fauna: All four big cats i.e., Tiger, Leopard, Clouded leopard and Snow leopard in a single Protected Area.

Queen Pineapple: Sweet Success Story

Mission Queen Pineapple launched for promoting GI-tagged Queen Pineapple.

»   Pineapple declared State Fruit of Tripura.

Mission Queen Pineapple

»   Ministry: Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) with Tripura Government.

»   Timeline: Three-year roadmap (Q2 FY2026 to Q4 FY2028)

»   Objective: To integrate farmers across the entire pineapple value chain from production to exports.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

»   Origin: Native to tropical and subtropical America.

»   Distribution: Introduced globally by Portuguese during the 16th century.

»   Major producers: Costa Rica, Brazil, China, India and Thailand.

»   Fruit Type: Botanically classified as a Multiple Fruit (Composite Fruit).

SARTHAK-PDS: Cabinet Nod for Modern PDS

The Scheme for Assistance in Ration Transport and Handling-Income with Automation in PDS (SARTHAK-PDS) integrates two schemes:

»     Assistance to State Agencies for intra-State movement of foodgrains and FPS dealers’ margin under NFSA” 

»     Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in PDS (SMART PDS).

SARTHAK-PDS

»     Duration: Up to 31 March 2031 (16th Finance Commission cycle).

»     Outlay: ₹25,530 crore over five years.

»     Coverage: Around 81.35 crore NFSA beneficiaries.

Key Features:

       o  Unified national databases, AI-enabled analytics dashboards, automated grievance redressal systems, etc to monitor distribution networks in real time.

       o  Standardised digital processes and ISO-certified protocols to improve transparency.

»     Aim: Provides financial support for intra-state transport, handling, and FPS margins, while creating a unified, citizen-centric and interoperable PDS to improve last-mile delivery and reduce leakages.

Public Distribution System (PDS)

»     Eligibility under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA): Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households are eligible to receive 35 kg of foodgrains per family per month, whereas the Priority Households (PHH) beneficiaries are eligible to receive 5 kg of foodgrains per person per month.

»     Ministry: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

»     Operated Jointly: 

       o  Centre (through Food Corporation of India): Procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of food grains.

       o  States: Operational  responsibility including allocation within State, identification  of eligible families, issuing of Ration Cards and supervision of Fair Price Shops. 

Union Health Ministry Publishes NHA Data

NHA 2022-23 is the tenth report on health expenditure estimates prepared by the National Health Accounts Technical Secretariat (NHATS), National Health Systems Resource Centre, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare using the System of Health Accounts (2011) framework.

»     System of Health Accounts is an internationally standardized framework for tracking health expenditures and resource flows in health systems.

Key Findings:

»     Government Health Expenditure (GHE) as a share of the country''s GDP grew from 1.15% to 1.43% over the period 2013-14 to 2022-23.

»     Expenditure on Primary Health Care by Government has more than doubled from ₹0.5 Lakh Crores to ₹1.4 Lakh Crores between 2013-14 and 2022-23

»     Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) dropped from 64.2% to 43.4%.

»     Social Security Expenditure (SSE) on healthcare increased from 6% to 9.9% between 2013-14 and 2022-23.

Government Initiatives for Healthcare

»     National Health Mission (NHM): Provide accessible, affordable and quality health care to the rural population, especially to the vulnerable groups.

»     Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY): Provides cashless health cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization.

»     Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP): To provide high-quality generic medicines at prices 50% to 90% cheaper than branded equivalents.

Water Budgeting Initiative Revives Rural India

During the assessments conducted under Atal Bhujal Yojana in 2023-24 and 2024-25, 180 out of 229 blocks have shown measurable improvement in groundwater levels.

Water Budgeting

»     Definition: A systematic assessment that calculates water availability against demand within a defined geographical unit (village, watershed, block, etc.) to ensure balanced use.

»     Calculation: Weighs inputs (rainfall, surface inflows, groundwater recharge) against outputs (evapotranspiration, runoff, groundwater discharge).

»     Balancing Demand & Supply

       o  Agriculture Alignment: Water budgeting aligns crop planning with local water availability, improving productivity and reducing risk. 

       o  Livestock Integration: Accounts for rising water demand from allied sectors such as livestock and fisheries, supporting diversified rural livelihoods.  

Government Initiatives aiding Water Budgeting

»     Atal Bhujal Yojana (2019): Mandates Gram Panchayat level water budgets and revives traditional conservation systems like Gokatte, Bawdi, Johad, and Tanka. 

»     National Water Mission (NWM): Promotes water budgeting as a core element of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and emphasizes women-led participation. 

»     Varuni App: Developed under Indo-German project with NITI Aayog support; automatically generates block-level water budgets using rainfall, land-use, etc data. 

»     State-Level Action:

       o  Mukhyamantri     Jal Swavlamban Abhiyan (Rajasthan): Launched in 2016 based on "Four Waters Concept"; led to about a 4% rise in groundwater levels.

Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan (Maharashtra): Launched in 2014 using geotagging and app-based monitoring; helped make over 11,000 villages drought-free

Yamuna Conservation Drive Gains Momentum

Supreme Court constituted a committee under Union Home Secretary to prepare a comprehensive plan to clean up the river Yamuna.

Yamuna River

»   Longest tributary of the Ganga and one of India''s most sacred rivers.

     o  It was once a tributary of River Ghaggar (most likely the Saraswati River referred to in the Veda).

»   Origin: Rises from the Yamunotri Glacier on the slopes of the Bandarpunch Massif in the Great Himalayas, Uttarakhand.

»   Course: Flows through Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.

     o  Joins the Ganga River at Prayagraj (Triveni Sangam).

     o  Longest river in India which does not directly flow to the sea.

»   Major Tributaries: Tons (largest), Chambal (longest), Sindh, Betwa and Ken.