Daily Current Affairs Update – 01 July 2025

1. MNRE Issues Revised Guidelines on National Bioenergy Programme

Context:
 The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) updated guidelines for the National Bioenergy Programme, which aims to promote renewable energy from biomass and waste.

Key Highlights:

• Launched: 2022, with a total budget of ₹1,715 crore (Phase-1: 2021–26).
• Objective: Utilize surplus biomass for power generation and provide additional rural income.
• Components:
  
  
  • Waste to Energy: Projects generating biogas, BioCNG, power, or syngas from urban, industrial, and agricultural waste.
  • Biomass Programme: Supports briquette/pellet manufacturing and non-bagasse cogeneration.
  • Biogas Programme: Promotes biogas plants for clean cooking, small power, sanitation, and women’s empowerment.
    
    
• Revised Features:
  
  
  • Simplified approvals, especially for MSMEs.
  • Two-stage Central Financial Assistance (CFA) disbursal.
  • Flexible, performance-based funding and streamlined inspections.
  • Tech integration (IoT monitoring), market access, and support for stubble burning solutions.
    
    

2. Delhi’s First Artificial Rain (Cloud Seeding) Initiative

Context:
 Delhi is set to conduct its first artificial rain via cloud seeding, led by IIT Kanpur, to combat air pollution.

Key Points:

• Method: Dispersal of chemicals (silver iodide, potassium iodide, dry ice) into clouds using aircraft.
• Types: Hygroscopic (liquid clouds) and glaciogenic (ice formation in supercooled clouds).
  
  
• Benefits:
  • Enhances rainfall in drought areas.
  • Supports agriculture and mitigates wildfires.
  • Reduces air pollution and regulates weather.
    
    
• Concerns:
  • Risk of floods, landslides, environmental damage, and health risks due to chemical buildup.
    
    
• Way Forward:
  • Use should be guided by research, safeguards, and clear regulations.
    
    

3. Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Land to Promote Agroforestry

Context:
 New rules aim to simplify agroforestry and encourage integration of trees on farmland.

Key Features:

• Oversight: State Level Committee (SLC) to promote agroforestry, advise on timber production, and ease felling/transit rules.
  
  
• Registration: Plantation areas to be registered in the National Timber Management System.
  
  
• Permits: Felling permit for >10 trees; NOC for ≤10 trees per landholding.
  
  
• Agroforestry in India:
  
  
  • Covers 8.65% of India’s area; over 10% tree cover on agricultural land.
  • Types: Agrisilviculture, Silvopasture, Agrosilvopastoral.
    
    
• Benefits:
  
  
  • Environmental (tree cover, sustainable land use, NDCs).
  • Economic (income, productivity, soil/water conservation).
  • Social (employment, rural standards).
    
    
• Initiatives: National Agroforestry Policy (2014), SMAF, GROW initiative, Forest Act amendment (2017, bamboo as grass).
  
  

4. UN Reports Highlight India’s Achievements in Child and Maternal Health

Context:
 UN reports on maternal and child mortality show India’s significant progress.

Key Achievements:

• Zero-Dose Children: Reduced from 0.11% (2023) to 0.06% (2024).
• Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR): 86% decline since 1990 (global average: 48%).
• Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR): 78% decline (global: 61%).
• Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR): 70% decline (global: 54%).
• Polio-Free Status: Maintained since 2014.
• Universal Immunization Programme:
  
  
  • Covers 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore infants annually.
  • Now includes 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.
  • Mission Indradhanush and digital tracking (U-WIN platform) boost coverage.
    
    

 

 

5. National Turmeric Board Headquarters Inaugurated in Nizamabad, Telangana

Context:
 The National Turmeric Board, notified in October 2023, was inaugurated to promote the turmeric sector.

Key Points:

• India: Largest producer, consumer, and exporter (70% of global production).
• Major States: Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh (63.4% of production).
• Exports: Over 62% of world trade; major markets include Bangladesh, UAE, USA, Malaysia.
• Role of Board: R&D, value addition, awareness, yield improvement, supply chain enhancement.
• GI-Tagged Turmeric: Sangli, Waigaon (Maharashtra); Erode (Tamil Nadu); Lakadong (Meghalaya).
  
  

6. Remittances to India Reach Record High

Context:
 RBI reports remittances to India at $135.46 billion in 2024–25, a 14% jump from the previous year.

Key Points:

• Significance:
  • Over 10% of India’s $1 trillion current account inflows.
  • 47% of the $287 billion merchandise trade deficit.
  • Surpass FDI as a stable source of external finance.
    
    

7. ECI Initiates Delisting of 345 Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs)

Context:
 ECI moves to delist RUPPs that haven’t contested elections in six years and whose offices can’t be located.

Key Points:

• Legal Basis: Registered under Section 29A of RPA, 1951; ECI can delist but not de-register.
  
  
• Concerns:
  
  
  • Non-compliance, financial irregularities, tax abuse, fake donations, no electoral participation.
    
    
• Recommendations:
  
  
  • Law Commission (2015): Automatic de-registration after 10 years of inactivity.
  • ECI (2016): Amend law to empower de-registration.
    
    

8. Other Key Topics

• Kolhapuri Chappals: GI-tagged traditional leather sandals from Maharashtra; recently featured in global fashion.
• Botrytis Fungi: Unique fungal reproduction—chromosomes split among nuclei; affects grapes (noble rot).
• Dhole Comeback: Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus) rediscovered in Assam’s Kaziranga-Karbi Anglong landscape.