In News:

The traditional tribal mat Kannadippaya from Kerala has been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking a significant milestone in the protection and promotion of India’s tribal handicraft heritage.

About Kannadippaya

• Origin and Craftsmanship:Kannadippaya (literally, mirror mat) is a unique handicraft made by various tribal communities of Kerala, notably the Oorali, Mannan, Muthuvan, Malayan, Kadar, Ulladan, Malayarayan, and Hill Pulaya tribes. The craft is predominantly practiced in Idukki, Thrissur, Ernakulam, and Palakkad districts.
• Raw Material:The mat is woven using the soft inner layers of reed bamboo (Teinostachyumwightii) and other bamboo species such as Ochlandra sp., known locally by various names including Njoonjileetta and Kanjoora.
• Functional and Aesthetic Value:The mat’s reflective design gives it a mirror-like appearance. It offers thermal comfort by providing warmth during winter and cooling during summer, showcasing traditional ecological knowledge.
• Historical Significance:Historically, these mats were offered by tribal communities as a token of honour to kings, reflecting the cultural and symbolic value attached to the craft.

Significance of the GI Tag

• Cultural Recognition:Kannadippaya becomes Kerala’s first tribal handicraft to receive a GI tag, acknowledging its cultural uniqueness and heritage value.
• Economic Empowerment:The GI tag is expected to:
  • Provide market protection for tribal artisans.
  • Enable branding and certification, enhancing the product's authenticity.
  • Open national and international markets, especially for eco-friendly, sustainable products.
  • Encourage entrepreneurship among tribal communities, reducing dependency on intermediaries.
• Institutional Support:
  • The Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) played a pivotal role in securing the GI tag, along with contributions from experts.
  • The application was supported by tribal cooperatives like UnarvuPattikavarghaVividodeshaSahakarana Sangam and Vanasree Bamboo Craft, Idukki.

Challenges and the Way Forward

• Lack of Structured Market:Artisans have highlighted the absence of a robust marketing ecosystem. There is a need for State and Central government interventions to:
  • Facilitate marketing infrastructure and e-commerce platforms.
  • Provide training and capacity-building for artisans.
  • Encourage younger generations to take up the craft through incentives and education.
• Sustainability and Global Demand:Given the rising demand for eco-friendly and sustainable products globally, Kannadippaya has the potential to become a symbol of India’s green and inclusive development model.

In News:

With the national capital grappling with chronic air pollution every winter, the Delhi Government is exploring artificial rain (cloud seeding) as a potential mitigation strategy. In a recent high-level meeting chaired by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, experts and representatives from key institutions brainstormed the feasibility and logistics of implementing cloud seeding in Delhi's airspace.

What is Artificial Rain (Cloud Seeding)?

• Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification aimed at inducing rainfall.
• It involves spraying chemical agents such as silver iodide or salt particles into clouds to stimulate condensation and precipitation.
• Requires favourable meteorological conditions, especially adequate moisture and cloud density.
• Usually conducted using aircraft or ground-based dispersal systems.

Significance for Delhi:

• Rainfall helps settle airborne particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), thereby reducing pollution levels.
• Delhi’s air quality worsens in winter due to a combination of low wind speeds, crop residue burning, vehicular and industrial emissions, and construction dust.
• Artificial rain could serve as an emergency intervention to improve air quality during severe pollution episodes.

Key Highlights of the Meeting:

• Convened by Delhi Environment Department with participation from:
  • CPCB, DPCC
  • Ministry of Defence, MoEFCC
  • IIT-Kanpur, India Meteorological Department (IMD)
  • Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), AAI
• IIT-Kanpur scientists shared results from previous successful cloud seeding trials in Kanpur (2023), demonstrating its potential under ideal conditions.
• Past trials in 2018 also showed partial success, with rainfall occurring in 5 out of 6 attempts during pre-monsoon months.

Challenges Identified:

• Weather-dependence: Effectiveness relies heavily on cloud presence and moisture levels, which are limited in Delhi during winters.
• Airspace clearance and coordination among multiple agencies (civil aviation, defence).
• High costs and uncertain outcomes make it a supplementary, not primary, solution.

Complementary Measures Underway:

• Delhi’s 14-point action plan to curb dust pollution includes:
  • Anti-smog guns, covering construction sites, cleaning of construction vehicles, andregulated debris disposal.
• Exploring static ionisation systems as an alternative to cloud seeding for artificial precipitation.

In News:

In May 2025, Mount Marapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted, spewing a column of volcanic ash 1.5 km into the sky. The event has once again highlighted the seismic vulnerability of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic activity frequently triggers volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

About Mount Marapi

• Location: Situated in the Padang Highlands of western Sumatra, Indonesia.
• Type: A stratovolcano (composite volcano), consisting of successive layers of lava, ash, and pyroclastic material.
• Elevation: Rises to 2,891 meters (9,485 feet) above sea level, making it the highest peak in the region.
• Summit Feature: Contains the Bancah caldera (approx. 1.4 km wide), with multiple overlapping craters.
• Tectonic Setting: Lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismically active zone encircling the Pacific Ocean.
• Notable Eruption: In 1979, a deadly eruption-induced lahar (volcanic mudflow) caused by intense rainfall resulted in 60 fatalities.

In News:

With growing attention on sustainable marine resources and coastal livelihood enhancement, the Government of India is promoting seaweed cultivation as part of its broader Blue Economy strategy. Recognized for its nutritional, economic, and ecological value, seaweed farming is emerging as a viable livelihood and environmental solution for India's coastal communities.

What is Seaweed?

Seaweed is a nutrient-rich marine plant that grows in shallow ocean waters. It is:

• Rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and 54 trace elements.
• Known to aid in managing non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular ailments, and hypertension.
• Used in food, cosmetics, fertilizers, medicines, and industrial gelling agents like agar, alginate, and carrageenan.

Global Significance and Industry Potential

• The global seaweed market is valued at US$ 5.6 billion and projected to reach US$ 11.8 billion by 2030 (World Bank).
• Major consumers: Japan, China, and South Korea.
• India possesses vast untapped potential with over 7,500 km of coastline and 844 identified seaweed species, of which ~60 are commercially viable.

Seaweed and the Blue Economy in India

Government Initiatives:

• Pradhan Mantri MatsyaSampada Yojana (PMMSY) (launched in 2020):
  • Total Outlay: ?20,050 crore.
  • ?640 crore allocated for seaweed development (2020–25).
  • Goal: Increase seaweed production to 1.12 million tonnes in five years.
  • Projects funded:
    • Multipurpose Seaweed Park in Tamil Nadu.
    • Seaweed Brood Bank in Daman & Diu.
    • Provision of 46,095 rafts and 65,330 monocline tubenets to farmers.

Supportive Regulatory Measures:

• Seaweed-based biostimulants regulated under the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.
• Integrated with Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) and MOVCDNER to promote organic farming.

Economic, Environmental & Social Benefits

Economic:

• Seaweed farming offers high returns — e.g., farming Kappaphycusalvarezii may yield up to ?13.28 lakh/hectare/year.
• Generates foreign exchange through exports of seaweed-based bio-products.

Environmental:

• Requires no land, freshwater, fertilizers, or pesticides.
• Absorbs CO?, combats ocean acidification, and enhances marine biodiversity.

Social:

• Provides alternative livelihoods for fishers.
• Particularly beneficial for women and youth, promoting inclusive growth in coastal regions.

Success Stories and Innovations

Women Empowerment in Tamil Nadu:

Four women from Mandapam, Tamil Nadu, trained under PMMSY, successfully cultivated seaweed, producing 36,000 tonnes despite cyclones and market challenges. Their venture created employment and inspired other women.

Tissue Culture Innovation:

The CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSIR-CSMCRI)developed tissue-cultured Kappaphycusalvareziiseedlings, leading to:

• 20–30% higher growth rates.
• Better carrageenan quality.
• Enhanced farmer productivity in Tamil Nadu’s coastal districts.

Challenges and Way Forward

Challenges:

• Vulnerability to climatic shocks (cyclones, salinity changes).
• Limited market access and value chain infrastructure.
• Need for increased awareness and skill-building in coastal areas.

Recommendations:

• Strengthen public-private partnerships and R&D for better cultivars.
• Expand seaweed farming cooperatives with financial inclusion mechanisms.
• Promote Blue Economy integration in coastal development policies.

In News:

To address the rising steel imports and strengthen domestic industry under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the Government of India has notified the DMISP Policy – 2025, mandating the exclusive use of Indian steel in government procurement and incorporating a reciprocity clause against non-cooperative foreign countries.

About the DMISP Policy – 2025

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Steel
• Aim:To promote the use of domestically produced iron and steel in government-funded projects, thereby reducing import dependence, enhancing self-reliance, and safeguarding the interests of the Indian steel industry.
• Key Objectives

• Promote Self-Reliance: Advance the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat by boosting domestic steel production and consumption.
• Curb Imports: Mitigate the adverse impact of rising steel imports on Indian steelmakers.
• Support Domestic Industry: Provide a level playing field to Indian steel manufacturers in public procurement.
• Encourage Value Addition: Increase domestic sourcing and manufacturing of capital goods used in steel production.

Salient Features of the Policy

• Mandatory Use of Indian Steel:
  • Applicable across all Union Ministries, PSUs, statutory bodies, and trusts.
  • Covers products such as flat-rolled steel, rods, bars, and rails.
  • Steel must meet the “Melt and Pour” condition — i.e., must be melted and solidified in India.
• Reciprocity Clause:
  • Nations that restrict Indian firms from participating in their public procurement (e.g., China) are barred from Indian government tenders.
  • Exceptions can be made only with the approval of the Ministry of Steel.
• Ban on Global Tenders (GTE):
  • GTEs for steel products are prohibited.
  • GTEs for capital goods (e.g., furnaces, rolling mills) are permitted only for contracts above ?200 crore, with prior clearance.
• Domestic Value Addition Requirement:
  • Capital goods used in steel production must have at least 50% local value addition.
  • Certification by statutory or cost auditors is mandatory.
• Procurement Applicability:
  • Mandatory for all government procurement above ?5 lakh.
  • Also extends to centrally funded but state-executed projects.
• Monitoring and Enforcement:
  • A Standing Committee chaired by the Secretary (Steel) will:
    • Oversee compliance and redress grievances.
    • Grant exemptions in case of non-availability of Indian products.
• Penalties for Non-Compliance:False declarations may result in blacklisting of suppliers and forfeiture of earnest money deposits.