Daily Current Affair-13th-August-2025

News at a Glance

Topic	GS Paper(s)	Why in News
Supreme Court Order on Stray Dog Removal	GS2 – Governance – Issues	Supreme Court directed Delhi-NCR authorities to permanently remove stray dogs to shelters with strict timelines, vaccination, monitoring, and helpline/victim-support mandates to curb child dog-bite incidents
India’s Consumer Dispute Redressal System	GS2 – Governance – Issues	Nationwide pendency (~5.8 lakh), vacancies in state/district commissions, and long delays undermine the CPA 2019 redressal machinery; calls for leadership strengthening, summary disposal, and awareness drives
PM E‑DRIVE Scheme Extended	GS2 – MoHI – Schemes	PM E‑DRIVE for EVs extended two years (till 2027–28) due to unspent funds; two- and three-wheeler incentives end after FY 2025–26; aims to accelerate EV adoption and charging networks
Russian Territorial Control in Ukraine	GS2 – IR – Issues	Russia controls about one-fifth of Ukraine, including key hubs like Crimea, parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, impacting war dynamics and European security
Mitigating Ethanol Blending Challenges	GS3 – Environment – RE	On World Biofuels Day, measures highlighted to address food-fuel conflict, vehicle wear, efficiency loss, and to scale E20/E100, 2G fuels, hybrid flex-fuel, CBG blending, and SAF pathways
World Elephant Day 2025	GS3 – Environment – Species	India hosts global event in Coimbatore; focus on HEC mitigation, habitat connectivity; Asian elephant is Endangered (IUCN), Schedule I (WPA), Appendix I (CITES); India has ~60% of global wild population
New Freshwater Crab Genus & Species (Kerala)	GS3 – Environment – Species	Kerala University researchers described a new crab genus (Kasaragodina) and species (Pilarta vaman) from Western Ghats headwaters, indicating pristine riparian habitats and high endemism
Narrow-Banded Rain Snake in Mizoram	GS3 – Environment – Species	New species Smithophis leptofasciatus recorded in Mizoram’s montane streams; semi-aquatic, nocturnal; indicator of intact riparian ecosystems in sensitive elevations
Monsoon-Driven Disasters (Uttarakhand–Delhi)	GS3 – Disaster Management – Issues	Recent flash floods and waterlogging show compound risks from extreme rain, landslides, degraded ecosystems, and governance gaps; calls for nature-based urban hydrology and resilient planning
India’s First Animal Stem Cell Biobank	Prelims – Sci – Bio	NIAB launched a state-of-the-art animal stem cell biobank for regenerative medicine, One Health, livestock productivity, and BioE3-aligned biotech growth
Simultaneous Commissioning: Udaygiri & Himgiri	Prelims – S&T – Defence	Indian Navy to commission two Project 17A stealth frigates together for the first time; advanced indigenous multi-mission platforms with CODOG/IPMS and layered weapons/sensors
First Freight Train to Kashmir	Prelims – In News	First freight train reached Anantnag (Kashmir) via USBRL, completing valley connectivity Katra–Srinagar, including the world’s highest rail arch bridge over Chenab

India’s Consumer Dispute Redressal System (GS2 – Governance – Issues)
 Context:
 Despite CPA 2019 and the CCPA’s enforcement powers, delays, vacancies, and low awareness have eroded the effectiveness of consumer dispute resolution.

Key Facts

• System Architecture: Three-tier redressal commissions (District, State, National) plus CCPA for inquiries, recall/refund orders, and curbing unfair trade practices.
  
  
• Pendency and Timelines: About 5.8 lakh cases pending nationwide; statutory disposal within 3–5 months contrasts with ~2-year real timelines; pandemic backlog compounded delays.
  
  
• Capacity Deficits: Vacancies in 18 state and 218 district commission presidents; 62 state and 518 district member posts vacant; limited infrastructure (courtrooms, staff, e-filing capacity).
  
  
• Low Uptake Signals: In Delhi, <5,000 filings annually symptoms of low awareness, perceived procedural costs, travel/time costs, and cynicism about outcomes.
  
  
• Process Frictions: Multiple adjournments, insistence on lengthy affidavits/written statements for simple matters, weak case-flow management, and limited ODR tooling.
  
  
• CCPA Levers: Suo motu inquiries, search/seizure, cease-and-desist, penalties for misleading ads/endorsements; potential underutilisation at state/district interface.

• Way Forward:
  
  
  • Fill vacancies on fixed timelines; appoint domain experts (consumer law/e-commerce/product quality).
    
    
  • Introduce summary disposal tracks for low-value/low-complexity complaints.
    
    
  • Scale ODR (video hearings, digital evidence intake), strict adjournment caps, and KPI-linked court management.
    
    
  • Intensify IEC campaigns (regional languages); integrate with Jan Samarth/UMANG for access and status-tracking.
    
    

PM E‑DRIVE Scheme Extended (GS2 – MoHI – Schemes)
Context:
The EV support scheme is extended two years (till 2027–28 or corpus exhaustion); two-/three-wheeler incentives sunset after FY26, shifting focus to infrastructure and heavier segments.

Key Facts

• Design Evolution: From retail subsidy orientation to ecosystem-building charging infra (slow/fast/DC), depot charging, e-trucks/logistics electrification, interoperability standards.
  
  
• Policy Stack Integration: Complements PLI schemes (cells/vehicles), state EV policies, tariff rationalisation (time-of-day), and distribution utility readiness plans.
  
  
• Demand–Supply Balance: Sunset of 2W/3W incentives mitigates fiscal cost and nudges maturity; heavier-segment incentives target hard-to-abate logistics emissions.
  
  
• Grid and Battery Chain: Calls for distribution upgrades (transformers, feeders), load management, battery recycling/EPR compliance, and safe second-life applications (stationary storage).
  
  
• Equity & MSMEs: Fleet electrification benefits MSME logistics; requires concessional finance, carbon credits, and viability-gap support in early deployment corridors.
  
  
• Risks: Range anxiety, charger uptime O&M, inter-operability gaps, and resale valuation uncertainty; mitigate with service-level standards, roaming, and data-sharing protocols.
  
  

Russian Territorial Control in Ukraine (GS2 – IR – Issues)
Context:
Russia holds around 20% of Ukrainian territory altering Europe’s security posture and global economic risks.

Key Facts

• Strategic Geography:
  
  
  • Crimea anchors Black Sea fleet logistics and sea-lane influence.
    
    
  • Donbas (Luhansk/Donetsk) gives metals/chemicals base and logistics hubs.
    
    
  • Zaporizhzhia nuclear risk elevates crisis potential.
    
    
  • Kherson corridors ensure a contiguous land bridge to Crimea.
    
    
• NATO–EU Response: Accelerated NATO enlargement, rearmament cycles, sanctions regimes, energy decoupling (Russian gas), and Ukraine aid; shifts in global arms markets.
  
  
• Global Spillovers: Food (grain corridors), fertiliser access, shipping insurance costs; energy price volatility reshapes importers’ inflation and current accounts.
  
  
• India’s Balance: Strategic autonomy (defence spares, oil sourcing), G20 role, humanitarian line, and adherence to UN Charter principles; careful diplomatic signalling.
  
  

Mitigating Ethanol Blending Challenges (GS3 – Environment – RE)
Context:
India reaffirms biofuel strategy under World Biofuels Day, addressing food–fuel tradeoffs and vehicle durability concerns amid E20 rollout.

Key Facts

• Feedstock Strategy:
  
  
  • Prioritise B-/C-heavy molasses; cap juice diversion during sugar deficits.
    
    
  • Route surplus/broken rice, maize, sorghum, sweet potato via dynamic procurement.
    
    
  • Scale 2G ethanol (agri residue, bamboo) and pilot seaweed-to-ethanol (coastal value chains).
    
    
• Engine/Market Measures:
  
  
  • OEM-certified E20 vehicles from 2025; expand E100 access nodes for flex-fuel pilots.
    
    
  • Differential pricing to address lower volumetric energy; consumer awareness on mileage changes.
    
    
  • CBG 4% blending in CNG by 2030; SAF pathways from used cooking oil, municipal waste.
    
    
• Water & Sustainability: Target low-water feedstocks, drip for cane, and life-cycle GHG accounting tied to incentives.
  
  

New Freshwater Crab Genus & Species in Kerala (GS3 – Environment – Species)
Context:
 Discovery of Kasaragodina (new genus) and Pilarta vaman (new species) in Western Ghats.

Key Facts

• Biogeography & Endemism: Micro-endemic headwater taxa signal high conservation value of Ranipuram and Gavi streamscapes.
  
  
• Ecosystem Functions: Leaf-litter processing, nutrient recycling, and benthic regulation support stream biodiversity; sensitivity to siltation and flow alteration.
  
  
• Threats & Conservation: Road-building, resort sprawl, sand/gravel extraction, pesticide runoff; urge riparian buffer norms, spring-shed protection, and community-led biomonitoring.
  
  

Monsoon-Driven Disasters (GS3 – Disaster Management – Issues)
Context:
Recent extreme events underline intertwined hazards from climate variability and land-use decisions.

Key Facts

• Risk Multipliers:
  
  
  • Hill towns: slope cutting, unreinforced retaining walls, septic seepage destabilising soils.
    
    
  • Cities: covered drains, encroached wetlands, and undersized outfalls creating backwater effects.
    
    
• Policy Fixes:
  
  
  • Blue–Green Infrastructure (bioswales, permeable pavements, detention basins).
    
    
  • Early Warning Systems down to micro-catchments; siren/IVRS alerts.
    
    
  • Enforce construction bans on floodplains; mandatory sponge-city features in new layouts.
    
    
  • Retrofitting critical lifelines (hospitals, power) for flood continuity; parametric insurance pilots.
    
    

India’s First Animal Stem Cell Biobank (Prelims – Sci – Bio)
Context:
 NIAB launches a first-of-its-kind biobank for animal stem cells.

Key Facts

• Use Cases: Regenerative therapies (musculoskeletal, wound healing), reproductive biotech (gametes/embryoids), disease modelling (zoonoses, prion disorders).
  
  
• One Health & Agri: Faster vaccine candidates, genetic resilience in livestock, reduced antibiotic dependency via cell therapies.
  
  
• Governance: Ethical sourcing, biosecurity, IP frameworks, and public–private translational pathways.
  
  

Simultaneous Commissioning of Udaygiri & Himgiri (Prelims – S&T – Defence)
Context:
First-ever simultaneous commissioning of two P-17A frigates.

Key Facts

• Capability Edge: Reduced signatures, networked sensors, long-range precision weapons, ASW suites suitable for carrier groups and sea-lane security.
  
  
• Industrial Ecosystem: Parallel production at GRSE/MDL indicates maturing domestic shipbuilding; supply-chain deepening in sensors, composites, and propulsion.
  
  

First Freight Train to Kashmir (Prelims – In News)
Context:
First freight run to Anantnag via USBRL completes valley connectivity.

Key Facts

• Logistics Dividend: Cheaper inbound essentials, outbound horticulture/handicrafts, smoother e-commerce penetration.
  
  
• Strategic Layer: Faster mobilisation, year-round redundancy versus road closures, enhanced disaster logistics.
  
  
• Engineering Legacy: Chenab arch, long tunnels, wind/seismic design learnings for future Himalayan projects.
  
  

Israel’s Plan to Control Gaza (GS2 – IR – West Asia)
 Context:
 Post-war intent to retain Israeli security control over Gaza, replacing Hamas.

Key Facts

• Governance Scenarios: Israeli-overseen local councils; PA return; or UN-administered interim each faces legitimacy, security, and service delivery hurdles.
  
  
• International Law: Occupation classification, humanitarian access, and reconstruction financing are major sticking points; impacts on regional normalisation tracks.