In News:

The passage of the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 in both Houses of Parliament marks a landmark reform in India’s maritime governance. The new legislation replaces the colonial-era Indian Ports Act, 1908, bringing in a modern, transparent, and sustainability-driven framework for port development and operations.

Why the Reform was needed

• The 1908 Act, framed under colonial administration, had become outdated in the context of globalised trade, containerisation, and environmental challenges.
• India’s expanding maritime ambitions under the SagarmalaProgramme and Maritime India Vision 2030 required a contemporary law aligned with international standards.
• The reform is also tied to India’s long-term goal of becoming a leading maritime nation by 2047.

Key Objectives of the Bill

• Replace archaic colonial rules with a forward-looking framework.
• Strengthen cooperative federalism through Centre–State partnership in port governance.
• Promote ease of doing business with digitalised and simplified procedures.
• Encourage investment, including PPPs and FDI, by providing regulatory clarity.
• Standardise safety, security, and operational protocols across ports.
• Advance sustainability through green and smart port development.

Major Provisions

1. Institutional Reforms

• Maritime State Development Council (MSDC): A central–state body for coordinated planning, policy harmonisation, and dispute resolution.
• State Maritime Boards: Strengthened to manage non-major ports and oversee expansion/modernisation projects.
• Dispute Resolution Committees: Fast-track mechanisms for sectoral disputes among ports, operators, and users.

2. Operational Reforms

• Tariff Autonomy: Ports empowered to set competitive tariffs under transparent guidelines.
• Integrated Planning: Long-term strategies for cargo handling, multimodal logistics, and coastal shipping.
• Digitalisation: Introduction of the Maritime Single Window, e-clearances, and real-time vessel tracking to cut delays.
• Boost to Coastal & Inland Waterways: Greater connectivity with rail, road, and riverine transport.

3. Environmental & Safety Measures

• Mandatory Waste Reception Facilities and Ballast Water Management systems.
• Compliance with MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships).
• Emergency Preparedness Plans for accidents, natural disasters, and security threats.
• Promotion of renewable energy, electrification, and shore power systems to cut emissions.

Significance of the Bill

• Economic Growth: Ports as engines of trade, logistics, and job creation.
• Global Alignment: Brings India’s port governance on par with leading maritime nations.
• Sustainability: Push for eco-friendly, digitally enabled, and climate-resilient ports.
• Cooperative Federalism: Greater state participation ensures balanced and region-specific development.

The Bigger Picture

By integrating institutional, operational, and environmental reforms, the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 seeks to transform Indian ports into world-class hubs of trade and logistics. It not only aligns with global best practices but also supports the Prime Minister’s vision of “Ports for Prosperity”, contributing to India’s emergence as a maritime power by 2047.

In News:

Indian Railways has taken a major step towards achieving its net-zero carbon emission target by 2030 with the commissioning of India’s first removable solar panel system between railway tracks at Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi in August 2025.

About the Project

• Length of Installation: 70 metres
• Number of Panels: 28 removable panels
• Capacity: 15 KWp (Power density: 240 KWp/km; Energy density: 960 units/km/day)
• Special Feature: Panels are removable, enabling easy maintenance, emergency clearance, and seasonal adaptation.
• Design: Indigenously developed to be installed between tracks without disrupting rail traffic.

Technical Specifications of Panels

• Dimensions: 2278 mm × 1133 mm × 30 mm
• Weight: 31.83 kg per panel
• Type: 144 half-cut mono crystalline PERC bifacial collar cells (multi-bus bar)
• Efficiency: 20.15%
• Maximum Voltage: 1500V; Open Circuit Voltage (Voc): 49.71V

Significance

• Green Energy Transition: Promotes sustainable transport by reducing dependency on fossil fuels and cutting carbon footprint.
• Innovative Space Utilisation: Uses the space between tracks, avoiding land acquisition. Potential estimated at 3.5 lakh units/year/km of track. With IR’s 1.2 lakh km track length, the scalability is massive.
• Economic Efficiency: Supports auxiliary energy needs of railway units, lowering operational costs.
• Replicability: Being a pilot project, it serves as a model for adoption across Indian Railways.

Other Recent Railway Developments

• Green Logistics: In August 2025, the first salt-loaded freight rake from Sanosara (Bhuj–Naliya section) to Dahej carried 3,851.2 tonnes of industrial salt over 673.57 km, generating ?31.69 lakh in freight revenue. This initiative boosts regional industry and expands rail freight solutions.
• Electrification Innovation: Western Railway commissioned the country’s first 2×25 kV Electric Traction System at the Nagda–Khachrod section (Ratlam Division). Powered by two Scott-connected 100 MVA transformers, it enhances efficiency in overhead equipment (OHE) supply, marking a leap in electrification infrastructure.

Broader Context

• Indian Railways is rapidly expanding its solar adoption strategy, aligning with the National Solar Mission and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG-7: Affordable and Clean Energy).
• This innovation aligns with India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and helps advance the country’s energy transition pathway.

In News:

Water, being a State subject, places the responsibility for augmentation, conservation, and efficient management primarily on State Governments. However, the Central Government supplements efforts through technical and financial support. Recent assessments by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) highlight the growing challenge of water scarcity in India.

Water-Scarce Districts in India

• The “National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2024” jointly prepared by CGWB and State Governments, categorises districts based on groundwater status.
• Classification:
  • Over-exploited: 102 districts
  • Critical: 22 districts
  • Semi-critical: 69 districts
  • Total water-stressed districts:193
• Causes of Stress: Over-extraction for agriculture, rapid urbanisation, industrial demand, erratic monsoons, and climate variability.
• Geographic Spread: Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka are among the most affected.

Government Initiatives

1. Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) – 2019 onwards

• A mission-mode campaign for water conservation in 256 water-stressed districts.
• Scaled up nationwide with the tagline: “Catch the Rain – Where it Falls, When it Falls.”

2. Thematic Focus under JSA: Catch the Rain (CTR)

• 2023 – Source Sustainability for Drinking Water: Focused on 150 districts identified by Jal Jeevan Mission.
• 2024 – Nari Shakti se Jal Shakti: Focused on 151 districts identified by CGWB, highlighting women’s role in water management.
• 2025 – Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari: Focused on 148 districts, emphasising community participation, inter-sectoral convergence, and innovative financing.

3. Institutional Mechanism

• Central Teams: Comprising Central Nodal Officers (Additional Secretary/Joint Secretary level) and Technical Officers from agencies like CWC, CGWB, NIH, CSMRS, CWPRS, etc., for field monitoring and technical support.
• State Nodal Officers: Oversee campaign execution at state level.
• 148 Central Nodal Officers appointed for high-focus districts in JSA: CTR 2025–26.

Significance of Water Scarcity Data

• Drinking Water Security: Ensures reliable access in rural and urban areas.
• Climate Adaptation: Builds resilience against droughts and erratic rainfall.
• Policy Planning: Provides evidence for programmes such as Jal Jeevan Mission, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and achieving SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
• Public Awareness & Participation: Encourages community-led water conservation for sustainable outcomes.

In News:

According to the UN’s “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2025”, global undernourishment decreased to 8.2% (673 million individuals) in 2024, down from 8.5% in 2023.

India has been instrumental in this turnaround—its prevalence of undernourishment fell from 14.3% (2020–22) to 12% (2022–24), equating to 30 million fewer hungry people. These outcomes underscore India’s unique role in advancing SDG 2: Zero Hunger globally.

Defining Hunger: Layers and Causes

• Undernourishment: Insufficient calorie intake.
• Malnutrition: Poor diet quality lacking protein and essential micronutrients.
• Hidden Hunger: Micronutrient deficiencies (iron, iodine, vitamin A, zinc).

Root Causes:

• Economic barriers: Poverty limits access to nutritious food (NITI Aayog Index: ~11.3% multidimensionally poor).
• Agricultural inefficiencies: Fragmented holdings, climate variability, poor irrigation, and 13% post-harvest losses.
• High food costs: A nutritious diet remains unaffordable for over 60% of Indians.
• Weak infrastructure: Poor cold storage and logistics aggravate food wastage.
• Health and sanitation challenges: NFHS-5 (2019–21): 35.5% of children under five are stunted; 19.3% are wasted.
• Macro-disruptions: Global conflicts, pandemics, and climate shocks affect food systems, impacting India too.

India’s Strategic Interventions: From Policies to Systems

• Public Distribution System (PDS) Reforms
  • Extensive digital overhaul: Aadhaar-based targeting, biometric authentication, real-time inventory tracking, and ONORC (One Nation One Ration Card) ensuring portability and inclusion for migrants and the vulnerable.
  • Served over 800 million beneficiaries during COVID-19—a monumental welfare scaling.
• Emphasis on Nutrition Over Mere Calories
  • Continued unaffordability of healthy diets (60%+ can’t afford) due to price inflation and weak linkages.
  • Nutrition-centric interventions:
    • PM POSHAN (2021): Expanded mid-day meals into nutrition-sensitive programs.
    • ICDS & POSHAN Abhiyaan: Enhanced focus on dietary diversity and maternal-child health.
    • AnaemiaMukt Bharat: Tackles widespread anaemia among women and children.
• Agrifood System Transformation
  • Promote nutrient-dense food affordability (pulses, fruits, vegetables, animal-source proteins).
  • Address 13% food loss via upgraded cold-chain infrastructure and logistics.
  • Support women-led enterprises and FPOs, especially in climate-resilient, biofortified crop cultivation.
• Digital Innovations in Agriculture: Tools such as AgriStack, e-NAM, and geospatial platforms enhance market access, planning, and transparency.

Strategies for Sustainable Impact

In News:

The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced new rules for overseas citizens of India that may impact their future registration or cancellation.

Background

The Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) Scheme was launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to strengthen India’s engagement with its diaspora. It provides certain residency, travel, and economic benefits to foreign nationals of Indian origin, while keeping intact India’s constitutional restrictions on dual citizenship.

Key Features of OCI

• Eligibility:
  • Persons who were citizens of India on or after 26 January 1950, or their children/grandchildren/great-grandchildren.
  • Excludes individuals who have ever been citizens of Pakistan or Bangladesh, and their descendants.
• Benefits:
  • Visa-free travel: Lifelong, multiple-entry, multi-purpose visa to India.
  • Economic & Educational Rights: Can pursue education, invest in India, and purchase property (except agricultural/plantation land).
  • Ease of Residency: Long-term residency without repeated visa applications.
• Restrictions:
  • No political rights (cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional posts).
  • No ownership of agricultural or plantation land.

New Rules Notified by MHA (2025)

The government has tightened the regulatory framework around OCI registration by amending rules under the Citizenship Act, 1955 (Section 7D).

Fresh Grounds for Cancellation

• Conviction-based: If an OCI cardholder is sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more.
• Charge-sheet-based: If charge-sheeted for an offence punishable with seven years or more.
• Applicability: These provisions apply irrespective of where the conviction or charge-sheet occurs (India or abroad), provided the offence is recognised under Indian law.

Existing Grounds (already under law)

An OCI card can also be cancelled if the person:

• Obtained registration through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of facts.
• Has shown disaffection towards the Indian Constitution.
• Has engaged in unlawful trade or communication with an enemy during war.
• Acts against the sovereignty, integrity, security of India, or its friendly relations with other countries/public interest.
• Within five years of registration, is sentenced to imprisonment for two years or more.

Significance of the Amendment

• Strengthens legal accountability of OCI cardholders.
• Ensures parity of standards between domestic and overseas citizens regarding serious offences.
• Reinforces national security and constitutional safeguards while maintaining diaspora ties.