News in Shorts: 03 January 2026

Mannathu Padmanabhan

Context: Prime Minister Modi paid tribute to Mannathu Padmanabhan on his birth anniversary, remembering him as a visionary who dedicated his life to social reform, dignity and equality.

About Mannathu Padmanabhan

• Mannathu Padmanabhan, popularly known as Mannam, was born on January 2, 1878, in Perunna near Changanassery in Kerala.
• Nair Service Society (NSS): In 1912, he founded the Keraleeya Nair Samajam, which later evolved into the Nair Service Society (1915).
  • While the NSS focused on the social and educational upliftment of the Nair community, Padmanabhan’s vision went beyond sectional interests and aligned with Kerala’s broader social renaissance.
• Social Reform Initiatives: Advocated temple entry, inter-dining, and social mobility.
  • Fought against untouchability and caste-based discrimination within Hindu society.
  • Promoted women’s education and social reform within conservative structures.
  • Vaikom Satyagraha: Played a supportive role in the Vaikom Satyagraha (1924–25) against untouchability.
  • Guruvayur Satyagraha (1931): Played a significant role in Guruvayur Satyagraha to allow entry for untouchables into the Guruvayur Temple in present Thrissur district
• Contribution to Freedom Movement: Actively associated with the Indian National Congress.
  • Participated in the Quit India Movement (1942); imprisoned for nationalist activities.
  • Served as President of Travancore State Congress.
  • Opposed authoritarian rule in Travancore and demanded responsible government.
  • Served as a member of the Travancore Legislative Assembly.
• Honours: He was conferred the title ‘Bharata Kesari’ and later awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Gambia

Context: Recently, a migrant boat carrying over 200 people capsized off the Gambian coast, killing at least seven and highlighting risks on the Atlantic migration route to Europe.

About Gambia

• Introduction: The Gambia is a small West African country known for its narrow shape, Atlantic coastline, and dependence on river-based geography and trade.
• Location: It is located in West Africa, with a short coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and is almost entirely surrounded by Senegal on the north, south, and east.
• Geography: The country is centred around the River Gambia, which flows east to west and empties into the Atlantic, forming estuaries, wetlands, and sandy beaches.
  • The coastal region supports ports, fisheries, tourism, and migration routes.
• Vegetation and Climate: Vegetation includes mangroves, savannah grasslands, wetlands, and riverine forests, shaped by a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons.
• Strategic Importance: The Port of Banjul, located at the Gambia  river’s mouth, is vital for trade and transport.
  • The coastline is also a key departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe’s Canary Islands.

Tribal Status in Assam

Context: Recently, Assam’s apex tribal body Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) opposed the State government’s proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six communities, citing constitutional and political concerns.

Demand for Tribal Status in Assam

• Communities Considered: The Assam government recommended ST status for Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Matak, Moran, Tai Ahom, and Tea Tribes (Adivasis).
• State Recommendation: A Group of Ministers proposed classifying them under ST (Plain), ST (Hill), and ST (Valley) categories.
• Objective Cited: The move is linked to demands for political representation and reservation, especially in local bodies and the State Assembly.

Key Issues Raised by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA)

• Violation of Constitutional Principles: CCTOA argues that ST identification must be based on tribal characteristics, not political or electoral considerations.
• Threat to Existing ST Rights: Inclusion of six communities could dilute political and educational reservations of existing Scheduled Tribes.
• Contradiction with Expert Findings: Earlier expert bodies had classified several of these communities as OBCs or SCs, not STs.
• Reservation Ceiling Concern: Assam already exceeds the 50% reservation limit set by the Supreme Court, and further inclusion may worsen constitutional non-compliance.

Criteria for Scheduled Tribe Status

• Primitive Traits and Economy: Presence of traditional livelihoods and pre-modern socio-economic features.
• Distinctive Culture and Isolation: Unique language, customs, rituals, and relative geographical isolation.
• Social Backwardness: Educational and socio-economic disadvantage compared to other state populations.

Process of Granting ST Status

• State Initiation: State or UT government submits a proposal with supporting studies.
• Central Scrutiny: The proposal is examined by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).
• Final Approval: Following Union Cabinet approval, Parliament amends the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, with Presidential assent.

World’s First Carbon Tax

Context: The European Union has begun implementing the world’s first carbon border tax under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) from January 1.

• This tax imposes a carbon-linked levy on imports of carbon-intensive goods, with significant implications for India’s steel and aluminium exports.

About Carbon Tax

• A carbon tax is a type of penalty imposed on businesses for emitting greenhouse gases beyond acceptable levels. 
• It is typically charged on a per-ton basis of emissions released into the atmosphere.
• The primary aim of a carbon tax is to discourage carbon-intensive activities by making emissions financially costly, thereby incentivising cleaner production methods and reduced greenhouse gas output.

Types of Carbon Pricing Mechanisms

• Emissions-based tax: Levied directly on the volume of greenhouse gas emissions generated by an entity.
• Goods-based tax: Imposed on carbon-intensive goods or services such as coal, petrol, or diesel, based on the estimated emissions arising from their production and consumption.
• Cap-and-trade system: A market-driven mechanism where the government sets an overall emissions cap and allows firms to buy, sell, or trade emission permits within this limit.
• Carbon tariff: An environmental tariff imposed on imports based on their embedded carbon content, aimed at preventing carbon leakage from countries without comparable carbon pricing regimes.

Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)

• CBAM is a climate-related tariff introduced by the European Union on imports of carbon-intensive goods.
• It is part of the EU’s “Fit for 55 in 2030 package” .
  • It aims to achieve the target of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
• Importers are required to purchase CBAM carbon certificates, priced in line with auction rates in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
• The number of certificates to be surrendered each year depends on the quantity of goods imported and their associated emissions.
• Sectoral Coverage: Applies to goods from the power sector and energy-intensive industries such as cement, steel, aluminium, oil refining, paper, glass, chemicals, and fertilisers.

Regulation of Social Media

Context: Recently, the IT Ministry directed social media platform X to audit its AI chatbot Grok for generating morphed and obscene images of women.

Recent Advisory by the IT Ministry

• The Ministry ordered X to conduct a comprehensive technical, procedural, and governance-level audit of Grok to prevent the generation of obscene or derogatory content.
• Platforms were directed to remove or disable access to unlawful content without delay and submit an Action Taken Report within the prescribed timeline.

Provisions for Regulation of Social Media in India

• Legal Framework: The Information Technology Act, 2000, along with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, governs social media platforms and AI-enabled intermediaries.
  • Section 79 of the IT Act provides conditional safe harbour to intermediaries, subject to strict compliance with due diligence obligations.
• Due Diligence and Accountability: Platforms must proactively prevent the hosting and dissemination of obscene, pornographic, or harmful content, especially involving women.
  • Failure to comply can attract penalties under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
• Regulatory and Oversight Bodies: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is the nodal authority for regulating digital platforms.
  • Parliamentary Standing Committees on IT recommend policy and legislative measures for stricter online content regulation.
• Enforcement Powers: The government can order content takedown, access blocking, audits, and legal action against platforms and responsible officers for non-compliance.

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