News In Shorts: 11 March 2026

Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS)

Context: Chandigarh recently achieved 99.93% literacy, becoming a fully literate Union Territory under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram.

• Chandigarh is the sixth State/U.T. in the country and the second Union Territory (after Ladakh) to achieve the feat.

About Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS)

• ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram is a national initiative launched by the Government of India to promote lifelong learning and bridge gaps in basic literacy and life skills among adults.
• Objectives: To empower individuals aged 15 years and above with foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, and continuing education, aligning with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020.
  • Under NEP 2020, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) is defined as the essential ability to read with comprehension, write, and perform basic mathematical operations (addition, subtraction).
• Scheme Type and Tenure: It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented for the period 2022–2027.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Education, through the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL)
• Key Features
• • Lifelong Learning: Promotes continuous education and knowledge-sharing across society.
  • Digital and Financial Literacy: Enhances digital awareness and financial empowerment.
  • Critical Life Skills: Provides training in legal literacy, civic awareness, and digital skills.
  • Volunteer Incentives: Student volunteers receive academic credits, certificates, and recognition for participation.
• Digital Platform: The ULLAS mobile application provides access to learning materials through the DIKSHA Portal, enabling flexible and inclusive adult education.

4th National Agro-RE Summit

Context: Union Minister of New & Renewable Energy addressed the 4th National Agro-RE Summit in New Delhi, highlighting the role of renewable energy in strengthening the rural economy and increasing farmers’ incomes.

About 4th National Agro-RE Summit

• Organised by:  National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) in collaboration with the India Agrivoltaics Alliance.
• Objective: Aims to integrate renewable energy with agriculture

Key Highlights of the Summit

• Rural Transformation: Renewable energy—especially rooftop solar—is improving reliable power access for farms and households, reducing electricity costs and boosting rural productivity.
  • Solar irrigation pumps reduce diesel dependence and irrigation costs, saving farmers between ₹5,000–₹6,500 per acre annually while ensuring reliable daytime irrigation.
• PM-KUSUM 2.0: Government is preparing a successor scheme featuring a dedicated 10 GW Agri-PV component to promote the co-location of solar panels with crops.
• Agrivoltaic Potential: India’s potential is estimated between 3,000 GW and 14,000 GW. 
  • It can increase annual farmer income from ₹60,000 to over ₹1 lakh per acre.
• PM Surya Ghar Yojana Progress: Over 31 lakh households have already adopted rooftop solar, reducing electricity bills and enhancing rural energy access
• Renewable Energy Expansion (2014 vs 2026):
  • Non-fossil Fuel Capacity: 81 GW→  275 GW.
  • Solar Capacity: 2.8 GW → 143 GW.
  • Wind: 21 GW → 55 GW.
  • Biopower: 8.1 GW → 12 GW.
• Target: 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity

Agrivoltaics 

• Definition: Simultaneous use of land for both solar energy generation and agriculture.
• Benefits: Improves land-use efficiency, provides shade to crops (reducing water evaporation), and generates secondary income for farmers (“Urjadaata”).

PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan)

• Launch: Flagship scheme of the Government of India launched in 2019.
• Benefits: Aimed at providing solar pumps to farmers, converting diesel pumps to solar power, and increasing income by selling surplus electricity.
• Objective: Aims to add Solar capacity of 34,800 MW by March 2026.
• Subsidy share: 
  • General States: 30% Centre + 30% State subsidy; farmers contribute up to 40%.
  • Special Category States: 50% Centre + 30% State subsidy; farmers contribute up to 20%.
• 3 components:
  • Component-A: Setting up of 10,000 MW of Decentralized Ground/ Stilt Mounted Grid-Connected Solar or other Renewable Energy based Power Plants.
  • Component-B: Installation of 14 Lakh Stand-alone Solar Agriculture Pumps.
  • Component-C: Solarisation of 35 Lakh Grid Connected Agriculture Pumps including Feeder Level Solarization.

About PM Surya Ghar

• Launch: It is a central scheme to provide free electricity to households in India, launched in 2024.
• Benefits: Under the scheme, a subsidy (covering up to 40% of the installation cost) is provided to households for installing rooftop solar panels.

Prasar Bharati’s PB-SHABD Service

Context: Prasar Bharati announced free access to its logo-free news feed service, PB-SHABD (till 2027).

About PB-SHABD( Prasar Bharati – Shared Audio-Visuals for Broadcast and Dissemination)

• Launch: In March 2024 as a shared feed service for media organizations.
• Objective: To provide daily news feeds in video, audio, text, photo and other formats to the subscribers from the media landscape
• Features:
  • Operational Infrastructure: Delivers over 1000 daily news stories across formats through a network of 1500+ reporters and 60 edit desks operating 24×7.
  • Language Reach: Content is uploaded in all major Indian languages via Regional News Units (RNUs) and headquarters.
  • Live Feed: Offers exclusive, logo-free coverage of events of national importance, investiture ceremonies, and press briefings.
  • No credit is required on using content from this platform
  • Media Repository: Acts as an archival library for access to historical footage along with curated special packages,editorials, weather updates.

About Prasar Bharati

• Introduction: India’s largest public broadcasting agency, established an autonomous statutory body, on 23 November 1997 under the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990.
  • It comprises Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR).
• Objective: To conduct public broadcasting services intended to inform and entertain the public.
• Headquarter : New Delhi

Ethylene Glycol

Context: In Rajamahendravaram, Andhra Pradesh, milk contaminated with ethylene glycol caused 11 deaths and created a public health emergency.

About Ethylene Glycol

• Ethylene glycol is a colourless, odourless, sweet-tasting organic compound widely used in industrial applications.
• Chemical Formula: C₂H₆O₂
• Major Uses: Commonly used in antifreeze, engine coolants, polyester fibre production, and PET plastics manufacturing.
• High Toxicity: It is highly poisonous when ingested, as the body converts it into toxic acids.
• Health Effects: Causes metabolic acidosis, kidney failure, neurological damage, and can lead to death in severe cases.
• Vulnerable Groups: Children and the elderly are particularly susceptible due to lower physiological tolerance.

Diethylene Glycol (DEG)

• Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a closely related chemical compound in the glycol family, structurally formed by linking two ethylene glycol units through an oxygen atom.
• Both chemicals are colourless, sweet-tasting liquids widely used as industrial solvents.
• Chemical Formula: While Ethylene glycol has the formula C₂H₆O₂, Diethylene glycol has the formula C₄H₁₀O₃ and a larger molecular structure.
• In pharmaceutical adulteration cases, DEG can mimic safer solvents such as glycerine or propylene glycol, making it a dangerous substitute in liquid medicines.

Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment (SAEIA)

Context: The Union government has proposed a Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment (SAEIA) to ensure continuity in the appraisal process.

Environment Impact Assessment Mechanism

• Project approvals in India are governed by the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006, which mandates environmental appraisal before major projects.
• State-Level Bodies: Environmental clearances for projects are handled by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) based on recommendations of State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC).
• Institutional Gaps: SEIAA and SEAC, which have a 3-year tenure, often face delays in reconstitution, leading to periods when they remain non-functional.
• To prevent disruption in environmental clearance processes, the government proposed SAEIA as an interim appraisal authority.

About the Standing Authority on Environment Impact Assessment

• Legal Basis: It will operate under the framework of the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2006.
• Composition: The authority will consist of ex-officio members appointed by the Central Government.
• Trigger for Activation: SAEIA will appraise projects when State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) or State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) are not functional.
• Automatic Escalation Mechanism: If a project application is not appraised within 120 days by SEAC, it will automatically be forwarded to SAEIA through the PARIVESH Portal.
• Objective: Ensure continuity in environmental appraisal, reduce administrative delays, and maintain investor confidence in project approvals.
• Accountability and Penalty Provisions: The draft also introduces accountability mechanisms.
  • Members of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), SEAC, and SEIAA cannot be removed before tenure except for proven misconduct or inefficiency.
  • Delays in processing environmental clearance proposals beyond prescribed timelines can be treated as a valid charge.

PARIVESH Portal

• PARIVESH stands for Pro-Active and Responsive facilitation by Interactive, Virtuous and Environmental Single-window Hub.
• It is an online system for submitting and tracking applications for environmental, forest, wildlife, and coastal regulation clearances.
• It digitises the approval process, enabling real-time monitoring, faster processing, and improved transparency in environmental clearances.

Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Context: The Union Cabinet recently extended the Jal Jeevan Mission till 2028, shifting focus from infrastructure creation to citizen-centric drinking water service delivery.

About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

• The Jal Jeevan Mission is a flagship rural water supply programme that aims to provide functional household tap connections (FHTC) with safe drinking water to every rural household in India.
• Nodal Ministry: The mission is implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which coordinates with State governments and local bodies for rural water supply management.
• Launch and Objective: The scheme was launched on 15 August 2019 to ensure the vision of “Har Ghar Jal”, guaranteeing 55 litres per capita per day (lpcd) of safe and adequate drinking water.
• Tenure: Initially planned to achieve universal coverage by 2024, the mission has now been extended until 2028 to complete remaining connections and strengthen service delivery.
• JJM 2.0 Objectives
• • To achieve universal rural tap water coverage by December 2028, certify all Gram Panchayats as Har Ghar Jal, and ensure sustainable and citizen-centric water services.
  • It also proposes a digital monitoring framework “Sujalam Bharat” to map drinking water systems from source to household taps.
    • Under “Sujalam Bharat” every village shall be assigned a unique Sujal Gaon / Service Area ID digitally mapping the complete drinking water supply system from source to tap.
• Funding Pattern: The mission follows a Centrally Sponsored Scheme model with cost sharing:
  • 100% funding by the Centre for Union Territories.
  • 90:10 for Himalayan and North-Eastern States.
  • 50:50 for other States.
• Significance: The mission improves public health, sanitation, and women’s welfare, reduces drudgery of water collection, and strengthens rural water governance and sustainable water management in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

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