News at a glance
| No. | Topic | GS Paper(s) | Why in News (Aug 6, 2025) |
| 1 | PAHAL (Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG) | GS-2, GS-3 (Economy, Welfare) | Decade of reforms, Guinness record as world’s largest cash transfer |
| 2 | India–Philippines Strategic Partnership | GS-2 (IR) | Ties elevated; new five-year action plan, defence, Indo-Pacific focus |
| 3 | India-UN Global Capacity Building | GS-2 (IR), GS-3 (SDGs) | India, UN launch SDG skills/training programs for Global South |
| 4 | India Electric Mobility Index Report | GS-3 (Economy, S&T, Envi) | NITI Index highlights EV surge, market growth, statewise progress |
| 5 | Indri Lemur Conservation | Prelims (Environment/Bio) | New research; critical status, urgent habitat protection needed |
1. PAHAL (Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG) Scheme
Why in News:
The PAHAL scheme’s performance and reforms were in focus, marking over a decade since its national rollout and continual relevance for subsidy reform and Aadhaar-based service delivery.
Context & Comprehensive Details:
- About: PAHAL (Pratyaksha Hastaantarit Labh/DBTL) is India’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system for LPG subsidies, launched nationwide in 2015.
- How it works: LPG consumers purchase cylinders at market price. The central government transfers the subsidy amount directly into their Aadhaar or bank-linked accounts within days of delivery.
- Eligibility: Consumers with taxable family income >₹10 lakh are excluded.
- Modes: Subsidy can be Aadhaar-based (preferred) or bank account-based.
- Achievements:
- Covered over 30 crore consumers; entered Guinness Book of Records as world’s largest cash transfer program.
- Eliminated fake/duplicate connections, plugged leakages, improved delivery and targeting, increased financial inclusion.
- Helped the government save over ₹1.5 lakh crore since inception.
- Covered over 30 crore consumers; entered Guinness Book of Records as world’s largest cash transfer program.
- ‘Give It Up’ Campaign: Encouraged economically well-off consumers to voluntarily surrender subsidies for reallocation to the needy.
- Significance: Essential for direct benefit delivery, targeted welfare, leak-proof subsidy system, and efficient use of government resources.
2. India–Philippines Strategic Partnership
Why in News:
India and the Philippines elevated their bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership during the Philippine President’s India visit, including a new “Plan of Action 2025–2029,” major agreements in defence, maritime, economic, and people-to-people spheres, and the release of a commemorative postage stamp.
Context & Comprehensive Details:
- Background: The Philippines is a key ASEAN country; India–Philippines relations have grown amid common regional security concerns.
- Key Points of Strategic Partnership:
- Defence: Comprehensive cooperation: joint exercises, technology transfer, and operational exchanges across Army, Navy, Air Force.
- Maritime Security: Convergence on Indo-Pacific strategy, support for UNCLOS and freedom of navigation.
- Trade and Investment: Commitments to enhance economic ties.
- Development & Health: Healthcare, food security, and infrastructure among focus sectors.
- Counterterrorism: Joint condemnation and cooperation on terror prevention.
- Defence: Comprehensive cooperation: joint exercises, technology transfer, and operational exchanges across Army, Navy, Air Force.
- Plan of Action: Sets actionable goals for next five years underlines commitment to a “free, open, transparent, rules-based” Indo-Pacific, highlights joint working groups and annual dialogue mechanisms.
- Significance: Strengthens India’s Act East Policy, enhances regional stability, creates new opportunities for Indian defence and economic engagement in Southeast Asia.
3. India-UN Global Capacity Building Initiative
Why in News:
India and the United Nations launched the first phase of a major Global Capacity Building Initiative to help Global South countries achieve the SDGs, expanding India’s development partnership
Context & Comprehensive Details:
- What: Launched as a South-South Cooperation effort to share Indian expertise and best practices tailored to beneficiary countries’ national priorities.
- Main Features:
- Initial projects cover food security (rice fortification in Nepal), digital health (Zambia & Laos), census preparedness (Caribbean nations), and vocational skills (South Sudan).
- Delivered through Indian training institutes under the ITEC (Indian Technical & Economic Cooperation) umbrella, with 12,000 annual training slots for 160+ countries.
- Collaboration with UN agencies like WFP, UNDP, and UNESCO for maximum alignment with SDGs.
- Supported by UN India SDG Country Fund and philanthropic partners like the Gates Foundation.
- Initial projects cover food security (rice fortification in Nepal), digital health (Zambia & Laos), census preparedness (Caribbean nations), and vocational skills (South Sudan).
- Significance:
- Reflects India’s global role and “development diplomacy,” builds soft power, and consolidates the outcomes of India’s G20 presidency in taking the Global South along the path to 2030 SDG targets.
- Reflects India’s global role and “development diplomacy,” builds soft power, and consolidates the outcomes of India’s G20 presidency in taking the Global South along the path to 2030 SDG targets.
4. India Electric Mobility Index Report
Why in News:
NITI Aayog released a landmark report, “Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity: Electric Vehicles in India,” tracking state progress, challenges, and growth trends in e-mobility.
Context & Comprehensive Details:
- Market Growth:
- EV sales rose from 50,000 in 2016 to 2.08 million in 2024.
- India aims for 30% EV share by 2030; current penetration is >40% of global average.
- EV sales in July 2025: 1,88,804 (notably, rise in E-4Ws, E-rickshaws, E-cargo, but dip in E-buses).
- EV sales rose from 50,000 in 2016 to 2.08 million in 2024.
- Policy & Infrastructure:
- FAME II, PLI scheme, state EV policies, and increasing charging network are enabling rapid adoption.
- Challenges include slow pace in passenger vehicle adoption, high upfront costs, battery and component localization, and varied progress across states.
- FAME II, PLI scheme, state EV policies, and increasing charging network are enabling rapid adoption.
- Economic & Environmental Impact:
- Potential $200 billion market, reduced import dependence, lower emissions, support for renewable energy uptake.
- Sector generates jobs and enables Make in India in advanced clean-tech sectors.
- Potential $200 billion market, reduced import dependence, lower emissions, support for renewable energy uptake.
5. Indri Lemur Conservation
Why in News:
Research provided new insights into the intestinal microbiome of the Indri Lemur, highlighting continued urgent conservation needs for this critically endangered species.
Context & Comprehensive Details:
- About the Species:
- Largest surviving lemur, locally called “babakoto”, exclusively found in Madagascar’s northeastern rainforests.
- Classified as Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List); only 1,000–10,000 remain, declining rapidly.
- Major threats: habitat loss (slash-and-burn, logging), hunting (despite local taboos), and low breeding success (none survived >1 year in captivity).
- Largest surviving lemur, locally called “babakoto”, exclusively found in Madagascar’s northeastern rainforests.
- Conservation Value:
- Key for forest health (seed dispersal); new research on microbiomes may assist captive care and reintroduction attempts.
- Key for forest health (seed dispersal); new research on microbiomes may assist captive care and reintroduction attempts.