Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology addressed the 3rd International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH–2025) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

Key Initiatives Highlighted by Minister in ICGH-2025

• Four Hydrogen Valley Innovation Clusters (HVICs) Across India Announced
  • Conceptualized by Department of Science and Technology (DST) and now integrated under Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)’s National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM).
  • Significance: They are designed to showcase India’s first large-scale hydrogen demonstration projects.
    • They serve as living laboratories for innovation, standardization, and policy development.
  • Objective: Four Hydrogen Valleys are being developed across the country to demonstrate the full hydrogen value chain from production and storage to transport and utilization.
  • Total investment: ₹485 crore, including:
    • ₹169.89 crore under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)
    • ₹315.43 crore from industry and consortium partners
• Major R&D Boost Through the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme:
  • The Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Scheme, launched in November 2025, marks a major structural shift.
  • Corpus: ₹1 lakh crore, with ₹20,000 crore allocated to DST
  • Aim: The scheme aims to strengthen deep-tech and clean energy innovation while encouraging active participation from startups and industry. 
  • Policy Shift: Initiative represents a shift from government-driven funding to a more collaborative, sustainable model that ensures long-term scientific and economic resilience.
• Institutional Integration Through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
  • ANRF is highlighted as a landmark reform.
  • Statutory Body: Established under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023. 
  • ANRF acts as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction to the scientific research in the country.
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Science and Technology.
  • Precursor: Precursor: Replaces the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB).
  • Function: To fund, promote, and coordinate research and innovation across academic institutions, R&D labs, and industries.
• MAHA-EV Mission Strengthening Indigenous Hydrogen & Mobility Technologies
  • MAHA-EV (Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas – Electric Vehicle): Advances indigenous batteries, fuel cells, EV components, and hydrogen-based mobility.
  • Supports development of scalable charging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure.
  • Reinforces Atmanirbhar Bharat in green mobility.
• Mission Innovation 2.0: Mission Innovation” was first coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
  • Under Mission Innovation 2.0, India is working with international partners to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen to USD 2 per kilogram and to replicate its Hydrogen Valley model globally by 2030
• India’s Position in the Global Hydrogen Transition: India is projected as a key driver of the global shift toward a self-reliant hydrogen economy.
  • Clean energy is now framed as an economic, technological, and strategic imperative, not merely an environmental choice.
  • India aims not just to adopt but to invent and lead in hydrogen technologies.

About Green Hydrogen

• It is produced using renewable energy, such as solar or wind power, instead of fossil fuels. 
  • Hydrogen made this way is considered “green” if the total emissions from the process are very low, not more than 2 kg of CO₂ equivalent for every 1 kg of Hydrogen produced. 
• Green Hydrogen can also be produced by converting biomass (like agricultural waste) into hydrogen, as long as emissions remain below the same limit.
• How is Green Hydrogen Produced?
  • Green hydrogen production relies on electrolysis, a process in which water (H₂O) is split into hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) by applying an electric current through an electrolyzer using renewable energy, while grey hydrogen requires carbon combustion.
  • Key factors in its production include:
    • Electrolyzers: Devices that split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
    • Renewable Energy Sources: Solar, wind, and hydropower provide the necessary electricity for electrolysis, ensuring zero carbon emissions.
    • Water Resources: Sufficient water supply is required, as one ton of hydrogen production needs approximately nine tons of water.

Types of Hydrogen (Refer Image)

National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM)

• Objective: Make India a global hub for green hydrogen production, use, and export.
• Key Targets:
  • 5 MMT annual green hydrogen production by 2030.
  • Add 125 GW renewable energy capacity for hydrogen production.
  • Save ₹1 lakh crore in fossil fuel imports and reduce 50 MMT CO₂ emissions annually.
• Mission is expected to create over 6 lakh jobs, reduce fossil fuel imports by more than ₹1 lakh crore, and avoid nearly 50 MMT of greenhouse gas emissions every year by 2030.

Sectoral Innovation & Implementation Under NGHM

• Mission focuses on four key pillars, including policy and regulatory framework, demand creation, research and development & innovation, and enabling infrastructure and ecosystem development
• Sub Schemes under the NGHM:
  • Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT): A financial incentive mechanism with an outlay of ₹ 17,490 crore up to 2029-30 provides incentives for the manufacturing of electrolysers that are used for production of green hydrogen.
    • It aims to support 4GW of domestic electrolyser manufacturing capacity and assist production of 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
  • Development of Green Hydrogen Hubs: In October 2025, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced the recognition of three major ports as Green Hydrogen Hubs under the NGHM
    • Three Major Ports: Deendayal Port Authority (Gujarat), V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (Tamil Nadu), and Paradip Port Authority (Odisha).
    • These coastal gateways will serve as integrated centres for production, consumption, and future export.
  • Green Hydrogen Hubs: States and regions capable of supporting large scale production and/or utilization of hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.
    • Green hydrogen projects planned in Gujarat, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.

NGHM Applications Across Industry, Mobility, and Infrastructure

• Industrial
  • Fertilizers: Replacing fossil-fuel-based feedstocks with Green Ammonia. 
    • Recent auction for a long-term supply of green ammonia to fertilizer units, with an aggregate procurement capacity of 7.24 lakh metric tonnes per annum,at a price of ₹55.75 per kg.
  • Petroleum Refining: The Mission is seamlessly facilitating the replacement of fossil-based hydrogen with green hydrogen in refineries, directly reducing the carbon footprint of this essential industry.
  • Steel: Five pilot projects have been initiated in collaboration with public and private steel producers to evaluate the use of Green Hydrogen for iron reduction and other process applications. 
    • These pilots are designed to assess the technical feasibility, economic viability and safety of hydrogen-based steelmaking in Indian operating conditions.
• Mobility and Transport
• • Road Transport: In March, five major pilot projects were initiated involving 37 hydrogen vehicles (buses and trucks), and 9 refueling stations across 10 different routes. 
  • Shipping: A port-based Green Hydrogen Pilot Project was commissioned at V.O. Chidambaranar Port in September 2025 featuring the 10 Nm³/hr facility that will supply green hydrogen for applications such as street lighting and an EV charging station. 
    • Deendayal Port Authority, Kandla has commissioned a megawatt-scale, indigenous Green Hydrogen Facility with an annual production capacity of nearly 140 metric tonnes.
    • 750 m³ Green Methanol Bunkering and Refuelling Facility is being developed to support cleaner maritime operations and establish a Coastal Green Shipping Corridor between Kandla and Tuticorin.
  • High-Altitude Mobility: NTPC in November 2024 was commissioned the world’s highest altitude(3,650 m) Green Hydrogen Mobility Project in Leh, which includes 5 hydrogen intra-city buses and a fuelling station proving the fuel’s reliability in extreme conditions. 
    • This station shall mitigate the carbon emissions of approx. 350 MT/year and contribute 230 MT/year of pure oxygen into the atmosphere which is equal to planting of approx. 13000 trees.
• Enabling Framework: Beyond direct incentives, a comprehensive enabling framework is being established to de-risk investments and accelerate development.
• • Policy Framework: To facilitate the delivery of low-cost renewable energy for hydrogen production, the government has provided a waiver of Interstate transmission charges and ensured a time-bound grant of Open Access.
  • Skill Development: A coordinated skill development programme is being implemented, which has already led to the certification of more than 5,600 trainees in hydrogen-related qualifications, building a future-ready workforce.

Challenges to Green Hydrogen Production

• High Cost of Producing Green Hydrogen: The cost of producing green hydrogen depends on two critical factors which make the production of green hydrogen expensive:
  • Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE): It is the average cost of generating renewable electricity over a project’s lifetime. 
    • A higher LCOE directly increases green hydrogen production costs, as renewable electricity is the primary input for its production.
    • Currently, there is a substantial disparity between green hydrogen production costs ($5.30–$6.70 per kg) and traditional grey/blue hydrogen production costs ($1.90–$2.40 per kg). 
  • Electrolyzer Costs: Electrolyzers are devices used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. 
    • These systems rely on advanced technology, but due to relatively low demand, the cost of electrolyzers remains high.
    • Alkaline electrolyzers cost approximately $500–$1,400 per kilowatt (kW).
    • Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) systems are even more expensive, ranging from $1,100 to $1,800 per kW.
• High Borrowing Costs: The cost of capital, particularly in developing markets like India, is often high.  
  • Studies show that a rise in weighted average cost of capital (WACC) from 10% to 20% can increase the cost of hydrogen by up to 73%.
  • Since investment costs contribute 50–80% of the LCOE in renewable energy projects, even a small increase in WACC can significantly drive up production costs.
• Infrastructure Limitations: Lack of pipelines, storage facilities, and hydrogen refueling stations for transport and industrial use.
  • Currently, India has only a couple of operational hydrogen filling stations, in Faridabad and Gurugram, insufficient for scaling adoption.
• Energy and Water Demand: Electrolyzers consume 9 liters of water per kg of hydrogen, creating challenges in water-scarce regions.
  • Dependence on freshwater resources limits scalability, making seawater electrolysis an underdeveloped alternative.
• Storage and Transportation Challenges: Hydrogen is highly flammable and requires high-pressure tanks or cryogenic temperatures for storage and transport.
  • Liquid hydrogen storage requires temperatures below −252.8°C, which involves expensive cryogenic infrastructure.
• Lack of Standardization and Certification: Absence of harmonized global standards for hydrogen production, carbon intensity, and safety protocols.
  • Divergent definitions of “green hydrogen” allow biomass-based hydrogen, which still emits some carbon, to qualify.
• Dependence on Fossil Fuels in Energy Grid: Risk of using coal-dominated grids for electrolyzer operation when renewable energy is unavailable (e.g., at night).
  • India’s grid relies on 70% coal-based electricity, which undermines the carbon neutrality of green hydrogen projects.
• Nascent Technology and Workforce Skills: Need for R&D in efficient, low-cost electrolyzers and non-freshwater-based production methods.
  • Workforce skill gap in hydrogen production, storage, and infrastructure development.
  • The ministry of skill development and education (MSDE) estimates a demand for 2.83 lakh jobs in production and storage, along with 11,000 roles in electrolyser manufacturing by 2030 for green hydrogen production units.
• Competing Renewable Energy Needs: Diversion of renewable energy from grid decarbonization to green hydrogen production could slow progress toward overall energy transition goals.
  • India’s 2030 green hydrogen plan requires 125 GW of additional RE capacity, over and above the 500 GW target under the Paris Agreement.

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Way Forward for Green Hydrogen in India

• Comprehensive Policy Framework: Develop a comprehensive policy framework extending beyond production incentives to address financing barriers.
  • Introduce long-term hydrogen purchase agreements and partial loan guarantees to reduce investor uncertainty.
  • Establish “regulatory sandboxes” to experiment with new business models safely and efficiently, drawing from fintech innovations.

• Innovative Financing Mechanisms: Indian banks should adopt non-traditional financing structures tailored to hydrogen’s unique challenges, such as uncertain demand and long project timelines.
  • Modular project financing could allow phased scaling of facilities, reducing upfront capital requirements.
  • “Anchor-plus” financing models can secure base capacity investments from industrial customers, with flexible instruments financing additional capacity.
  • Equipment leasing for electrolyzers can transform prohibitive upfront costs into manageable operational expenses, replicating the success of solar and wind sectors.
• Focus on Pilot Projects and Cost-Effective Business Models: Launch early projects in industrial hubs that integrate financial structuring and demonstrate cost-viable business models.
  • Emphasize delivering green hydrogen at competitive prices for industries like steel and ammonia production.
• Infrastructure Development: Establish hydrogen hubs with integrated production, storage, and distribution systems.
  • Develop pipelines, refueling stations, and other logistics to facilitate large-scale adoption.
  • Establish localised industrial clusters in states like Odisha, Maharashtra, and Gujarat to promote regional self-sustaining hydrogen corridors.
• Promote R&D and Skill Development: Invest in indigenous technologies for electrolyzers and alternative hydrogen production methods.
  • Launch training programs to build a skilled workforce for hydrogen production and infrastructure management.
• Encourage International Collaboration: Forge partnerships with key importing countries like Japan and the EU for technology transfer, market access, and export facilitation.
• Carbon Pricing and Disincentives for Fossil Fuels: Introduce carbon pricing mechanisms to make green hydrogen competitive and phase out grey hydrogen in industrial sectors.

Conclusion

Green hydrogen stands at the center of India’s clean energy strategy, driving the shift toward a low-carbon and self-reliant economy. Building on one of the world’s most competitive renewable energy bases, the National Green Hydrogen Mission is expanding domestic production, scaling innovation, and opening global markets for green hydrogen and its derivatives.

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The Global Carbon Project’s 2025 assessment shows that India’s carbon emissions rose by only 1.4%, a sharp slowdown compared to 4% in 2024.

Major Trends Highlighted in the Report

• Slower Growth in India’s Carbon Emissions in 2025: India’s carbon emissions in 2025 are projected to increase by 1.4%, significantly lower than the 4% rise in 2024.
  • Significance: Indicates a cooling of emission growth compared to recent years.
  • Key Drivers:
    • A favourable monsoon that reduced cooling-related electricity demand.
    • Strong growth in renewable energy, which helped reduce dependency on coal.
  • India remains the third largest global emitter, with 3.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually (2024), led by the U. S. (4.9 billion tonnes) and China (12 billion tonnes)
  • Per capita emissions: 2.2 tonnes/year, the second lowest among the 20 largest economies.
• Global Emission Patterns in 2025: Global fossil fuel CO₂ emissions expected to rise to 38 billion tonnes, a 1.1% increase.
  • The rise is driven across all major fuel types:
    • Coal: +0.8%
    • Oil: +1%
    • Natural Gas: +1.3%
  • Land-use emissions:
    • Permanent deforestation continues at ~4 billion tonnes CO₂/year.
    • Reafforestation and forest regrowth offset only half of this.
• Regional Emission Trends: 
  • China: Emissions expected to increase 0.4%, a slower rise than previous years.
    • Reason: Moderate energy consumption with exceptional renewable energy expansion.
  • United States: Emissions projected to grow by 1.9%.
  • European Union: Emissions to rise by 0.4%.
  • These trends reflect slower but continuing increases in major economies.
• Slowing Global CO₂ Growth Over the Past Decade: Total CO₂ emissions (fossil + land-use change) grew 0.3% per year over the last decade, compared to 1.9% per year in the decade before.
  • Indicates broader global deceleration in emission growth rates, though not enough to align with climate targets.
• Near-Exhaustion of the 1.5°C Carbon Budget:The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C is “virtually exhausted”.  
  • The remaining budget for 1.5°C is 170 billion tonnes of CO2, equivalent to four years at the 2025 emissions levels.
  • Scientific Assessment:
    • Climate change is already reducing land and ocean carbon sink efficiency, signalling worsening planetary feedbacks.

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The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has released the draft Seeds Bill, 2025, inviting public comments. 

• The Bill proposes to overhaul India’s seed regulation framework, replacing the Seeds Act, 1966 and Seeds (Control) Order, 1983, to address modern agricultural practices and rising concerns over fake and poor-quality seeds.
• This is the third attempt to overhaul seed regulation since 1966, after earlier unsuccessful attempts in 2004 and 2019.

Objectives of the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025

• Regulate the quality of seeds and planting materials in the market.
• Ensure farmers’ access to high-quality seeds at affordable prices.
• Curb the sale of counterfeit, mislabelled, re-packed, and poor-quality seeds.
• Strengthen mechanisms to verify the originality and quality of seeds.
• Protect farmers from crop losses and debt due to spurious seeds.
• Align seed regulations with technological advancements and complex seed markets.

Key Regulatory Provisions

• Registration of Distributors/ Dealers: All dealers and distributors must obtain a valid registration certificate from the State Government before they can sell, stock, offer for sale, export, import, or supply seeds.
• Mandatory Registration of Seed Varieties: 
  • As per Section 13 bill, no seed of any kind or variety except farmers’ varieties or those produced exclusively for export can be sold for sowing or planting unless registered under Section 14(2).
  • Existing varieties already notified under Section 5 of the Seeds Act, 1966 will be deemed registered under the new law.
• Categories of Offences: The draft Seeds Bill classifies offences into three categories – Trivial Offences, Minor Offences and Major Offences
• Decriminalisation and Penalties:
  • Minor technical offences will be decriminalised to ease compliance for small-scale seed producers.
  • Serious major violations, including the deliberate manufacturing or commercial selling of spurious or non-registered seeds, will attract stringent financial penalties
• Seed Imports: The Central Government may permit import of an unregistered seed kind or variety for research and trial purposes, subject to conditions specified in the notification.
• Institutional Mechanism: The draft defines the constitution and roles of Central  and State Seeds Committee, which will coordinate implementation, standard-setting, seed regulation, and grievance redress.

Rationale for Stricter Rules

• Fake seeds often mimic popular branding and fail to germinate, Deliver lower yields, Causing financial distress to farmers.
• In 2024–25, of 2.53 lakh seed samples tested across 24 States/UTs, 32,525 samples were found sub-standard. 

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About Seeds Act, 1966

• Objective: To regulate the quality of seeds sold for agriculture, ensuring farmers get reliable, high-quality seeds.
• Key Provisions:
• • Regulates notified kinds/varieties of seeds: Only those seeds that are officially notified by the government come under the Act.
  • Minimum Seed Standards: The act specifies mandatory standards for germination, physical purity, genetic purity, packaging, and labelling.
  • Institutional Framework: The act provides for seed testing laboratories, seed analysts, and seed inspectors at state levels.
  • Seed Certification: Establishes voluntary seed certification. Certified seeds must meet prescribed quality standards.

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The October retail inflation (CPI) fell to 0.25%, the lowest since January 2012. However, the decline is attributed to a statistical anomaly rather than an actual fall in prices, highlighting the urgent need to update the CPI series, whose base year remains 2012.

Reason for the Sharp Decline

• High Base Effect: 
  • Food inflation in October 2024 was exceptionally high (~9.7%), creating a favourable base that mechanically pushed the year-on-year food inflation into negative this year.
  • This anomaly significantly dragged down overall CPI because of the large weight of food (~46%) in the basket.
• Impact of GST Rate Reductions:
  • Recent GST rate cuts reduced prices of several goods, especially in clothing and footwear, contributing to softer inflation.

About Consumer Price Index (CPI)

• CPI measures the change in the retail prices of a representative basket of goods and services consumed by households over time.
• Published By: National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
• Frequency: CPI is released monthly.
• Base Year: The current reference base year is 2012.
• CPI basket: The comprehensive basket comprises 299 specific items.
• Components: Consumer Price Index has 6 main components with differing weights 
  • Food and beverages (~46% weight)
  • Pan, tobacco, and intoxicants (2.38%)
  • Clothing and footwear(6.53%) 
  • Housing  (10.07%)
  • Fuel and light (6.84%)
  • Miscellaneous (services such as education, health care etc.) (28.32%)
• Types: 
  • CPI for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW): Compiled by the Labor Bureau.
  • CPI for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL): Compiled by the Labor Bureau.
  • CPI for Rural Laborers (CPI-RL): Compiled by the Labor Bureau, it reflects price movements specifically for rural laborers.
  • CPI Combined: Compiled by the NSO.

Significance of CPI

• Primary Inflation Gauge: It serves as India’s main measure of retail inflation, capturing changes in consumer prices across urban and rural India.
• Monetary Policy Anchor: Acts as the nominal anchor for RBI’s inflation-targeting framework (4% ± 2%), guiding interest-rate decisions.
• Indexation Tool: It is used for indexation such as Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees and various social-sector transfers.
• Real Sector Analysis: It helps deflate national accounts to derive real GDP and other real economic indicators.

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Need for the Urgent Update

• Outdated Consumption Basket: CPI is built on the 2012 consumption basket, which no longer reflects current household spending (digital services, new goods, higher urbanisation).
• Misleading Inflation Weights: Stale weights can distort inflation readings, particularly food inflation, due to base-effect anomalies.
• Policy Accuracy Risk: Since RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee uses CPI to set interest rates, inaccurate inflation numbers risk policy misjudgment, affecting growth, credit, and financial stability.

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Experts argue that Hepatitis A, now a leading cause of acute liver failure in India, deserves priority inclusion in the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).

What is Hepatitis?

• Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by viral infections.
• The major viral types are Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, each differing in mode of transmission, severity, prevention, and long-term complications.
• While Hepatitis B and C often lead to chronic liver disease, Hepatitis A and E generally cause acute, short-term infections, but can still lead to severe outcomes in vulnerable groups.

About Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection caused by the Hepatitis A virus (HAV).
• Transmission: It is typically transmitted through the fecal-oral route, meaning that the virus spreads through contaminated food, water, or contact with an infected person’s stool.
• Symptoms: Patients commonly experience fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes), pale stools, and dark urine.
• Prevention: Vaccination remains the most effective preventive tool. Improved sanitation, safe water supply, and strict food hygiene also significantly reduce transmission.
  • Types of Vaccines: Two vaccine types are available,  live attenuated and inactivated. Both provide 90–95% protection, and immunity lasts 15–20 years or even lifelong.
• Risk Factors: 
  • lack of access to safe water
  • Travel to regions with poor sanitation
  • Consumption of contaminated food or water
  • Close household or school contact with infected individuals
  • Children in overcrowded living conditions

Why Hepatitis A Needs Priority Attention

• Historically, Hepatitis A infected most Indians in early childhood, causing mild illness and conferring lifelong immunity.
• With improved sanitation, fewer children are exposed early, leaving adolescents and adults susceptible  groups in whom Hepatitis A causes severe disease.
• Recent outbreaks in Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi have seen clusters of Acute liver failure, Hospitalisation and even deaths

Government Initiatives to tackle Hepatitis

• National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP):
• • Launched to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
  • Focuses on awareness, testing, vaccination, surveillance, and treatment for Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
• India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP): Hepatitis B is included under India’s UIP which provides free of cost vaccination. 
  • Private vaccination for Hepatitis A exists but is not universally accessible due to cost barriers.
• Indigenous Vaccine Development: India has developed its own Hepatitis A vaccine (Biological E’s Biovac-A), a live-attenuated vaccine, improving affordability and availability.

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About Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)

• Origin: 
• • Launched as the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1978.
  • Renamed as the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) in 1985.
• Aim: To provide free vaccination against preventable diseases to all children and pregnant women.
• Implementation: Vaccines are administered through government health facilities, private hospitals, and fixed immunisation sessions at Anganwadi centres and outreach sites.
• Administered by: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare
• Coverage: 12 vaccines are currently covered (including Measles, Polio, Pentavalent, HPV in selected states).

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The WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) Report 2025 highlights that AMR in India is a “serious and escalating threat”

About  Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) 

• The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) was launched by the WHO in 2015.
• It aims to standardise AMR data collection, support countries in surveillance capacity, and create comparable global databases.

Key Findings of the GLASS Report

• High Resistance Rates: In 2023, around one-third of bacterial infections in India were resistant to common antibiotics, a rate significantly higher than the global average of one in six.
• Contributing Factors: Overuse, misuse of antibiotics, and weak surveillance are key contributors to India’s AMR crisis. 
  • The widespread over-the-counter access to antibiotics, self-medication, and hospital contamination exacerbate the situation.
• Health Burden: India’s high infectious disease burden and inadequate healthcare infrastructure make it disproportionately vulnerable to AMR.
• Infection Hotspots: Resistance was particularly high in serious infections such as those caused by E.coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, especially in ICUs.

India’s Surveillance and Data Limitations

• Inconsistent Data Representation: 
  • Most AMR surveillance comes from tertiary hospitals, skewing the national resistance rates as these centers handle severe, complicated infections. 
  • There is a need for a more comprehensive national surveillance network that includes secondary and primary care facilities.
• Incomplete National Estimates:
  • AMR levels in India, especially for gram-negative pathogens, are among the highest globally. 
  • The ICMR’s  Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance and Research Network (AMRSN) and NCDC’s National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (NARS-Net) are key data sources, but their scope remains limited to major hospitals, leading to a potential overestimation of national resistance levels.

Challenges and Limitations in Tackling AMR

• Slow Progress in Implementation: Despite the National Action Plan on AMR (NAP-AMR), only a few states have formally launched state-specific action plans.
• Limited Regulatory Enforcement: India’s antibiotic stewardship remains inadequate, with Kerala’s AMR plan standing out as a model for other states to follow.

Global and National Initiatives

• International Collaboration: The WHO emphasizes urgent surveillance improvements and rational antibiotic use globally. 
  • India’s active participation in GLASS is crucial but requires better representation of data from rural and community health sectors.
• Global AMR Threat: AMR costs the global economy billions annually, with high resistance rates in developing countries, leading to higher mortality rates and increased healthcare costs.
• Kerala’s Success: Kerala’s Antimicrobial Resistance Intervention for Health (AMRITH) program aims to stop the OTC sale of antibiotics and has seen slight reductions in AMR levels. 
  • The state enforces penalties for non-compliance and conducts awareness campaigns to educate the public on responsible antibiotic use.
• Awareness and Literacy: Kerala’s antibiotic literacy program, set to be completed by December 2025, aims to build public awareness and education on rational antibiotic use, which is crucial to combating AMR.
• Policy Interventions: The 2019 Ban on Colistin (previously used widely as a growth promoter in livestock) is considered a major positive step.

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Policy Recommendation

• Strengthen Surveillance Networks: India must expand its surveillance network to include secondary and primary care hospitals, ensuring that data reflects national resistance levels more accurately.
• National Coordination: Implement coordinated AMR action plans at the state and national levels to improve regulation, data-sharing, and antibiotic usage.
• Public Awareness: Expand public education on AMR, ensuring that communities understand rational antibiotic use and the long-term impact of misuse.
• Global Cooperation: India must continue to engage internationally to develop new antibiotics and global policies that prevent AMR escalation.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several political leaders paid tributes to India’s first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on his 136th birth anniversary, observed nationwide as Children’s Day.

About Jawaharlal Nehru

Early Life and Education

• Birth: Jawaharlal Nehru was born on 14 November 1889 in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh.
  • Commemoration: His birthday is celebrated as Children’s Day in India in recognition of his affection for children.
• Family Background: He was born into an affluent Kashmiri Pandit family, with his father Motilal Nehru being a noted lawyer and nationalist.
• Education: He received early education at home and later studied at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where exposure to Western political ideas shaped his worldview.
• Legal Training: He completed legal studies in England before returning to India in 1912.

Political Awakening

• Entry into Politics: After returning to India, he joined the Indian National Congress, which was leading the struggle against British rule.
• Influence of Gandhi: His meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1916 profoundly influenced his commitment to non-violence and mass mobilisation.
• Initial Participation: He actively participated in the Home Rule League (1919) and the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22).
• Organisational Roles: Served multiple terms as General Secretary of the AICC from 1923.
• Ideology: Advocated secular nationalism, socialism, scientific temper, anti-imperialism, and internationalism.

Major Role in the Freedom Struggle

• Anti-Simon Protest: He was lathi-charged in Lucknow (1928) while protesting against the Simon Commission.
• Constitutional Work: “He contributed to the drafting of the Nehru Report (1928), chaired by Motilal Nehru, which proposed constitutional reforms.”
• Poorna Swaraj Declaration: As President of the Lahore Session of the Congress (1929), he proclaimed complete independence (Poorna Swaraj) as the national goal.
• Policy Drafting: He authored the Fundamental Rights and Economic Policy Resolution (1929–31), later adopted at the Karachi Session (1931).
• Civil Disobedience: He was repeatedly imprisoned during the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930s) for participating in protests against colonial rule.
• Congress Presidentship: He presided over the Lucknow Session of the Congress (1936).
• Quit India Movement: He played a central role in the Quit India Movement of 1942 and was imprisoned for several years for demanding immediate independence.
  • “He presented the Quit India Resolution on behalf of Mahatma Gandhi on 7 August 1942.”
• INA Trials: After release in 1945, he helped organise the legal defence for INA officers.
• Interim Government: He headed the Interim Government (1946) as de facto Prime Minister.
• Books Written: The Discovery of India, Glimpses of World History etc. 

Role in Constitution-Making

• Objectives Resolution: Moved the historic Objectives Resolution (1946), which later formed the Preamble and guiding principles of the Constitution.
• Advocated parliamentary democracy, federalism, secularism, and socio-economic justice.

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Leadership After Independence

• First Prime Minister: He became the first Prime Minister of independent India on 15 August 1947 and served until 27 May 1964.
• Nation-Building: He worked to establish a sovereign, democratic, and secular Indian state through robust institutional frameworks.
• Economic Vision: He introduced planned economic development, promoted public sector industries, and supported land reforms.
• Scientific Temper: “Established premier institutions such as IITs, CSIR, and DRDO, and initiated India’s space and atomic research programmes.”
• State Reorganisation: He constituted the States Reorganisation Commission (1953) to reorganise states on linguistic lines.
• Foreign Policy: He shaped India’s independent foreign policy and co-founded the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), emphasising peace and neutrality during the Cold War.

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Gujarat ATS recently arrested three men, including a doctor, for attempting to produce ricin for a suspected terror attack targeting public locations in multiple cities.

About Ricin

• Ricin is a highly toxic protein-based poison extracted from the seeds of the Ricinus communis (castor) plant.
  • The plant is native to tropical Africa, specifically the Ethiopian region, but it is also considered indigenous to the southeastern Mediterranean Basin and India.
• Ricin occurs in the solid residue of castor seeds, which are widely used in industrial castor oil production.
• Extraction: Castor beans contain 30–60% oil, and the remaining solid fraction holds 1–5% ricin.
  • The toxin can be extracted with relatively simple methods, increasing misuse risk.
• Toxicity: Even 1 mg of ricin can be fatal when ingested by an adult.
  • After absorption, ricin binds to ribosomes, halting protein synthesis and causing cell death.
• Impact on Health:
  • Ingestion: Causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms, low blood pressure, hallucinations, and eventual organ failure.
  • Injection or Inhalation: Leads to rapid systemic collapse; inhalation causes chest tightness, cough, and respiratory distress.
• Treatment Challenges: No antidote exists; treatment is supportive, including induced vomiting or gastric lavage if done early.
  • Rare occurrence delays diagnosis, complicating clinical management.
• Regulation: Listed as a Schedule 1 toxin under the Chemical Weapons Convention due to extremely high misuse potential.

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About Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)

• CWC is a global disarmament treaty that bans the development, stockpiling, transfer, and use of chemical weapons and mandates their verified elimination.
• Establishment: The  Convention entered into force in April 1997.
• Implemented By: Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), headquartered in The Hague, which oversees verification.
  • OPCW won the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
• Schedules of Chemicals Under CWC
  • Schedule 1: Contains extremely lethal agents like Sarin and ricin with tightly restricted production and transfer.
  • Schedule 2: Includes precursors with limited commercial use requiring declarations and inspections.
  • Schedule 3: Covers dual-use industrial chemicals like phosgene requiring large-scale production reporting.
• India’s Status: India is an original signatory and active State Party to the CWC, complying fully with its verification and disarmament obligations.

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The Union Agriculture Minister presented the Plant Genome Saviour Awards in New Delhi, marking the Silver Jubilee (25th year) of the PPV&FRA Act.

Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA)

• The PPV&FRA is a statutory authority established under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001 to safeguard breeders’ innovations and farmers’ traditional seed rights.
• It promotes conservation, innovation, and equitable benefit sharing in India’s agricultural ecosystem.
• Nodal Ministry: The PPV&FRA functions under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, with its headquarters located in New Delhi.
• The primary objectives of the PPV&FRA are to:
  • Grant intellectual property rights to plant breeders for their innovations in developing new plant varieties
  • Recognise and reward farmers and communities who conserve traditional varieties and biodiversity
  • Promote the protection of farmers’ rights to save, use, sow, resow, exchange, share, and sell farm-saved seed of registered varieties
  • Encourage research and innovation in plant breeding and agriculture
  • Maintain the National Register of Plant Varieties (NRPV) and ensure the documentation and conservation of valuable germplasm resources

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Plant Genome Saviour Awards 2024–25 

• Introduction: The Plant Genome Saviour Awards, instituted under the PPV&FRA, recognise farmers, communities, and institutions that protect traditional seed varieties, conserve plant genetic resources, and contribute to on-farm biodiversity preservation.
• Award Categories: The scheme covers multiple categories including individual farmer awards, community awards, and recognitions for institutions engaged in conservation and sustainable use of indigenous seeds.
• Benefits for Awardees: Awardees receive financial support of up to ₹15 lakh, along with national recognition, to strengthen conservation efforts and promote traditional crop diversity.
• Awardees for 2024–25: 
  • Community Seed Bank (Telangana),
  • Shiksha Niketan (West Bengal),
  • Mithilanchal Makhana Producers’ Association, CRS–Na Dihing Tenga Unyan Committee (Assam), and individual farmers 

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Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response Site

Context: WHO inaugurated a Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response site at AIIMS, New Delhi, to strengthen rapid global health emergency capabilities.

Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response Site

• Introduction: The site is part of WHO’s expanding global network designed to improve readiness for pandemics and epidemics.
• Origin: Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Agreement was launched by the World Health Assembly in December 2021.
• Objective: It aims to enable swift investigation, data collection, and research during outbreaks to support timely public health decision-making.
• Role: The site will operate continuously even in non-pandemic periods to maintain a robust, trained, and responsive health system for future emergencies.

What is a Pandemic?

• A pandemic is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the worldwide spread of a new disease. An example is an influenza pandemic, which happens when a new influenza virus emerges, spreads globally, and most people lack immunity to it.
  • The last pandemic was declared by WHO for COVID 19 in 2020.

World Diabetes Day

Context: World Diabetes Day is observed on 14 November, and the 2025 theme highlights how diabetes affects individuals across all life stages, requiring integrated and lifelong care.

World Diabetes Day

• Introduction: World Diabetes Day is a global WHO-supported initiative aimed at raising awareness about diabetes, its prevention, and the need for accessible, quality care.
• 2025 Theme: Diabetes Across Life Stages
  • The 2025 theme emphasizes that diabetes impacts people from childhood to old age, requiring age-specific diagnosis, prevention, and management strategies.

What Is Diabetes?

• Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body fails to regulate blood sugar due to inadequate insulin production or insulin resistance, leading to long-term organ damage.
• Types of Diabetes
• • Type 1: Autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing cells, usually diagnosed young, requiring lifelong insulin therapy.
  • Type 2: Caused by lifestyle factors and insulin resistance, most common, managed with diet, exercise, or medication.
  • Type 3: Associated with brain insulin resistance and linked to Alzheimer’s disease, currently under scientific study.
  • Type 4: Age-related insulin resistance, typically affecting elderly individuals.
  • Type 5: Stemming from early-life undernutrition with low BMI, presenting as “lean diabetes” and poorly responsive to standard treatments.

India’s Diabetes Burden

• India has seen diabetes cases rise from 32 million in 2000 to nearly 90 million adults by 2024, with prevalence reaching around 10.5%.
• Current estimates suggest 1 in 9 adults lives with diabetes, with undiagnosed cases and preventable complications posing a severe challenge to India’s health system.

Garuda Air Exercise

Context: An Indian Air Force contingent has reached France to participate in Garuda-2025.

About the Garuda Air Exercise

• Introduction: Garuda is a bilateral air exercise conducted between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force, reflecting the long-standing and deep defence partnership between India and France.
• Scope and Objectives: The exercise aims to improve air-combat interoperability, facilitate the exchange of best operational practices, and enhance joint mission planning and execution in a high-intensity, simulated combat environment.
  • It also strengthens defence ties under the broader India–France strategic partnership covering defence, technology, and security cooperation.
• Venue: Garuda-2025 is being held at the Mont-de-Marsan Air Base in France, a major operational hub of the French Air and Space Force.
• 2025 Operational Focus
  • Su-30 MKI fighter jets of the IAF will operate alongside French Rafale aircraft.
  • The exercise will emphasise combined air operations, advanced air-combat manoeuvres, and mission simulation drills.
• It showcases the professionalism, tactical skills, and operational capabilities of both air forces while reinforcing mutual trust and cooperation.

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