In News:

The Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Scheme was launched by the Government of India to promote clean energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum, and control pollution. By harnessing solar power through rooftop installations, the scheme provides households, institutions, and commercial entities with access to low-cost, sustainable electricity, while contributing to India’s climate goals.

Solar Rooftop System

• Definition: Installation of solar photovoltaic (SPV) panels on rooftops of residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings.
• Types:
  1. With Battery Storage – Stores excess solar energy for later use.
  2. Grid Connected (SPV System) – Converts DC power from solar panels into AC power, which is used for captive consumption and surplus energy is fed into the grid. During low solar generation, the grid compensates for the shortfall.

Objectives of the Programme

• Achieve 40,000 MW capacity by 2022 (target set under the National Solar Mission).
• Central government allocation: ?11,814 crore.
• Phase II incentives:
  • Up to 40% subsidy for systems up to 3 kW.
  • 20% subsidy for systems between 3–10 kW.
• Increase the role of Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) in promotion and implementation.

Advantages of Grid-Connected Rooftop Solar

• Economic:
  • Reduces consumer electricity bills.
  • No additional land requirement as panels are roof-mounted.
  • Short gestation period compared to large-scale power projects.
• Technical:
  • Minimises transmission and distribution losses.
  • Reduces congestion and improves voltage at tail ends of distribution lines.
• Environmental:
  • Cuts carbon emissions.
  • Strengthens long-term energy and environmental security.

Implementation & Nodal Ministry

• Implemented by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
• MNRE promotes research, innovation, and global collaboration in renewable energy sectors (solar, wind, hydropower, and biogas).
• Broader goals include:
  • Increasing renewable energy share in India’s energy mix.
  • Reducing dependence on oil-based energy.
  • Supporting clean cooking, heating, and energy equity across regions.

In News:

The Sundarbans Tiger Reserve (STR) in West Bengal has become India’s second-largest tiger reserve after the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) approved the state government’s proposal to expand its area by 1,044.68 sq km. With this addition, STR now spans 3,629.57 sq km, moving up from the seventh to the second position among the country’s 58 tiger reserves, next only to Andhra Pradesh’s Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (3,727.82 sq km).

Expansion Details

• The newly added area includes three tiger-bearing forest ranges of South 24 Parganas district: Matla, Raidighi, and Ramganga.
• The expansion brings all tiger-bearing mangrove forests under the unified management of STR, ensuring uniform application of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines.
• The proposal was first conceived nearly two decades ago, revived in 2022–23, and formally cleared by NBWL in August 2025 after approvals from the State Wildlife Board and NTCA.

Location and Ecological Importance

• STR is located in the coastal districts of West Bengal, at the southernmost tip of the Gangetic delta, bordering the Bay of Bengal.
• It is part of the world’s largest delta, formed by the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers.
• STR is unique as it is the only mangrove habitat in the world (shared with Bangladesh) that supports a significant tiger population.
• It also holds the status of a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve.

Boundaries

• East: International boundary with Bangladesh (rivers Harinbhanga, Raimangal, Kalindi).
• South: Bay of Bengal.
• West: River Matla (boundary with South 24-Parganas Forest Division).
• North-West: Rivers Bidya and Gomdi.

Biodiversity

• Flora: True mangroves, mangrove associates, halophytic herbs, shrubs, weeds, epiphytes, and parasitic plants.
• Fauna: Bengal tiger, estuarine crocodile, fishing cat, Gangetic and Irrawaddy dolphins, king cobra, water monitor lizard, and numerous bird and fish species.

Conservation and Development Implications

• Estimated tiger population: ~101 (80 within STR, 21 in adjoining forests). The number is expected to increase with better management.
• Expansion is expected to enhance:
  • Central funding for tiger conservation.
  • Tourism potential and local economic benefits.
  • Infrastructure and staff capacity within the reserve.
• Conservationists welcome the move as long overdue, while some forest officials caution about manpower shortages (currently only 40% of sanctioned strength).

In News:

The Government of India has undertaken multiple initiatives for the welfare and empowerment of marginalized groups, including the transgender community. A significant step in this direction is the launch of a 15-day Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) under the Support for Marginalized Individual for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE) scheme.

About the Programme

• Inaugurated at Garima Greh, a shelter home for transgender persons in Delhi.
• Organized by the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment (DoSJE) and implemented by the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development (NIESBUD).
• Initially, 25 transgender candidates will be trained, with a target of 18 programmes nationwide on a pilot basis, benefitting around 1800 persons.
• Training includes:
  • Business opportunity identification and market survey
  • Knowledge of the entrepreneurship ecosystem
  • Financial aid support schemes and banking procedures
  • Entrepreneurial accounting, taxation, and regulatory compliances
  • Exposure visits (e.g., incubation centres of NSIC)
• Trainees will prepare business plans and be linked with banks for financial support. Post-training, 6 months of handholding support will ensure sustainability of enterprises.

Financial Inclusion Measures

On the request of DoSJE, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has included the transgender community in the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) category. This ensures easier access to credit and financial services for entrepreneurial ventures.

The SMILE Scheme – Key Features

The SMILE scheme is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It has two components:

1. Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons
2. Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Persons Engaged in Begging

Provisions under SMILE

• Education: Scholarships for transgender students (Class IX to Post-Graduation).
• Skill Development & Livelihood: Training support under PM-DAKSH.
• Healthcare: Composite medical support through convergence with PM-JAY, including gender-reaffirmation surgeries in selected hospitals.
• Housing: Garima Greh shelters providing food, clothing, skill training, recreational and medical support.
• Protection & Legal Support: Establishment of Transgender Protection Cells in each state for timely investigation and prosecution of offences.
• Information Support: National Portal & Helpline for grievance redressal and information dissemination.

Significance

• Promotes economic empowerment and self-reliance of transgender persons.
• Ensures financial inclusion through PSL categorization.
• Strengthens India’s commitment towards an inclusive “Viksit Bharat” by addressing social and economic vulnerabilities of marginalized groups.

In News:

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck the Drake Passage, the stretch of ocean between South America’s Cape Horn and the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.

About Drake Passage

• Location: Lies between Cape Horn (South America) and the South Shetland Islands (Antarctica).
• Geography: A deep and wide waterway connecting the southwestern Atlantic and southeastern Pacific Oceans; also the narrowest stretch of the Southern Ocean, spanning nearly 800 km between South America and the West Antarctic Peninsula.
• Climatic Role: Marks a climatic transition zone, separating the cool, humid subpolar conditions of Tierra del Fuego from the frigid polar climate of Antarctica.
• Navigation: Considered among the roughest seas in the world due to the collision of cold southern currents and warmer northern waters, which create strong eddies, compounded by powerful westerly winds around Cape Horn.
• Historical Importance: Before the opening of the Panama Canal, it served as a vital maritime trade route in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Naming: The passage is named after Sir Francis Drake, the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.

In News:

India has rejected Nepal’s claims over Lipulekh Pass after the resumption of India–China trade through this border point. The issue has once again brought the strategic and political importance of the pass into focus.

Location & Geography

• Situated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, near the trijunction of India, Nepal, and China.
• Altitude: ~5,334 metres (17,500 feet).
• Serves as a gateway to the higher Himalayan ranges and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Historical & Trade Importance

• A traditional trade route connecting India with Tibet for centuries.
• In 1992, Lipulekh became the first Indian border post opened for official trade with China.
  • Later followed by Shipki La (Himachal Pradesh, 1994) and Nathu La (Sikkim, 2006).

Religious Significance

• Forms an integral part of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, an important Hindu pilgrimage route to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet.

Strategic Significance

• Its geopolitical location near the trijunction makes it strategically vital for India’s border security and connectivity with Tibet.
• The dispute with Nepal underscores its sensitive nature in regional geopolitics.