Current Affairs – August 06, 2025

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} Organ Transplantation in India

• Context (NOA): India ranks third globally in organ transplants, as highlighted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoFWH) at the 15^th Organ Donation Day in New Delhi.

About Organ Transplantation in India

• Organ transplantation involves replacing a failing organ with an organ from a living or deceased donor.
• Legal Framework: The Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act (THOTA)1994 regulates organ transplants and bans commercial trade.
  • The 2023 revised guidelines eliminated the upper age limit and the state domicile requirement for deceased donor registration.
• National Programme: The National Organ Transplant Programme by the MoFWH promotes organ donation via a nationwide coordination network.
• Apex Body: The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, under the MoHFW, establishes policies, protocols, and manages the national organ registries.

Gaps in Organ Donation in India

• India leads globally in living donor transplants, but its deceased donation rate (<1 per million) is significantly lower than the global average (10 per million).
• Low Public Awareness: Myths and beliefs restrict voluntary deceased donor registrations in India.
• Rural–Urban Gap: Most centres are located in cities; rural areas lack transplant infrastructure.
• Geographic Skew: Southern states lead in donations; the north and northeast are underrepresented.
• Workforce Shortage: Lack of trained coordinators and surgeons weakens transplant delivery nationwide.
• Ethical Concerns: Coercion and trafficking cases erode public trust in donation systems.

Read More > Guidelines for Organ Transportation

{GS2 – Governance – Issues} Six Years After Abrogation of Article 370

• Context (IE): On August 5, 2019, Article 370 was abrogated, altering Jammu & Kashmir’s constitutional relationship with the Union of India.

• Six years on, J&K stands at a crossroads of promised peace, progress, and integration.

Abrogation of Article 370

• Presidential Amendment: Article 370 was revoked through a Presidential Order, supported by a parliamentary resolution under Article 367.
• Reorganisation: The erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).

Read More > Article 370, Legal

J&K Progress Report (2019–2025)

• Political Stability: Democratic processes restored with an elected NC-led government, though key powers like police and services remain with the Lieutenant Governor.
• Security Gains: Militant activity significantly reduced — only 28 terrorists killed in 2025 (down from 67 in 2024), and local recruitment dropped from 129 in 2019 to just 1 in 2025.
• Tourism Growth: Record 2.11 crore tourists visited in 2024, with tourism contributing 7% to the GDP.
• Economic Expansion: GST rose by 12%, excise by 39%, and non-tax revenues by 25%; GDP doubled from ₹1.17 lakh crore (2015–16) to ₹2.63 lakh crore (2024–25).
• Infrastructure & Financial Revival: 5.74 lakh smart meters installed, T&D losses cut by 25%; banking sector turned from ₹1,139 crore loss (2019–20) to ₹1,700 crore profit (2023–24), with NPAs halved.

Read More > Infrastructure Development in Jammu & Kashmir

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Women Entrepreneurship in India

• Context (PIB): Women entrepreneurship in India is being actively promoted to enhance inclusive growth and increase their share in the MSME sector.

Current Facts and Data

• Women-Owned MSMEs: Over 46.7 lakh women-owned MSMEs are registered on the Udyam portal.
• Informal Dominance: 70.5% of micro-enterprises on the Udyam Assist Platform are women-owned.
• Low Share: Less than 1% of Indian women are formal entrepreneurs compared to 3% of men.
• Self-Employment Trend: 67.4% of working women were self-employed (PLFS).

Significance of Women Entrepreneurship in India

• Jobs Contribution: Employ over 2.84 crore people, boosting GDP and formal job creation.
• Demographic Dividend: With women forming 48% of India’s population, their inclusion in entrepreneurship taps a vast, underutilised human resource base.
• Startup Diversity: India hosts 76,000+ women-led startups, enhancing innovation, diversity, and problem-solving capacity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Poverty Reduction: With 67.4% of working women self-employed (PLFS), entrepreneurship enables income generation and financial independence, helping reduce poverty.

{GS3 – IE – Trade} Reorienting India’s Trade Strategy

• Context (IE): Recently, the US imposed 25% tariffs on key Indian exports, exposing overdependence on a single market and underscoring the need for export diversification and agricultural reforms.

Impact of Tariffs

• US tariffs could lower India’s GDP growth by 20-30 basis points in FY2025-26, from an estimated 6.5% to approximately 6.2 – 6.3%.
• Key Affected Sectors: Gems & jewellery, pharmaceuticals, smartphones, marine products.
  • Worst-Hit: Diamond cutters (Gujarat) and shrimp farmers (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha).

Structural Challenges Revealed

• Export Dependency: The US accounted for 18% of India’s total exports in 2024, highlighting India’s over-reliance on a single market and vulnerability to policy shocks.
• High Agri Tariffs: With a 64.3% average tariff, India has limited room for reciprocal trade responses.
• Erosion of Trade Norms: US’s unilateral tariffs violate WTO’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) principle, weakening the global trade framework.

Strategic Response Options for India

• To mitigate the impact of US tariffs and build long-term trade resilience, India must adopt a multi-pronged strategy across exports, agriculture, and diplomacy.

Export Diversification

• Expand trade ties beyond the US to regions like the EU, ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America.
• Promote non-traditional exports such as green technology, electronics, and processed foods.

Agricultural Reforms

• Strengthen agricultural R&D, especially in biotech crops like BT brinjal and GM mustard.
• Modernise agri-supply chains to enhance efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses.
• Improve export competitiveness by addressing non-tariff barriers and ensuring quality compliance.

Balanced Trade Negotiations

• Offer selective concessions to the US, such as increased imports of crude oil and defence equipment.
• Lower tariffs on high-end goods like whiskey, luxury cars, and premium agri-products under controlled import quotas.
• Safeguard food security sensitivities while negotiating tariff-rate quotas.

Boost Services Exports

• Scale up services exports in untargeted areas like IT, fintech, consulting, education, and legal services.
• Leverage India’s global services strength to offset goods trade vulnerabilities, especially with the US.

Read More > India-U.S Trade Tensions

{GS3 – Infra – Transportation} NITI Aayog Report on India’s Electric Mobility Transition

• Context (PIB): NITI Aayog‘s report “Unlocking a $200 Billion Opportunity: Electric Vehicles in India” outlines India’s EV roadmap and investment potential.

Key Findings of the Report

• India’s EV market shows momentum but remains constrained by profound structural asymmetries.
• Sales Expansion: EV sales grew from 50,000 in 2016 to 2.08 million in 2024.
• Adoption Gap: India’s 7.6% EV share remains well below the global average of 16.5%.
• Segment Divergence: Two & 3-wheelers dominate owing to low cost & suitability for short distances.
• Trip Pattern: Predominance of short (<10 km) urban trips aligns well with current EV range limitations.
• Vehicle Limitation: The weight and range of batteries restrict the viability of electric trucks.
• Battery Dependency: India relies heavily on imports due to limited domestic battery innovation.

Major Challenges Identified

• High Upfront Costs: Limits EV adoption, especially in commercial and logistics fleets.
• Policy & Regulatory Gaps: Fragmented approvals and unaligned policies delay infrastructure rollout.
• Charging Infra Gaps: Low utilisation & high GST make public charging stations commercially unfeasible.
• Consumer Distrust: Safety, resale concerns, and limited awareness reduce confidence.
• Battery Ecosystem Gaps: Heavy import dependence, lack of innovation, and poor recycling systems weaken long-term sustainability.

Recommended Policy Interventions

• Mandate Pathway: Implement phased mandates in freight, public transport, and commercial fleets.
• Blended Finance: Mobilise concessional capital to reduce perceived risk in commercial EV lending.
• Leasing Mechanism: Decouple battery ownership via leasing and digital performance tracking.
• Battery R&D: Support indigenous research into low-cost and sustainable battery chemistries.
• Behavioural Nudges: Launch national outreach and data platforms to address behavioural resistance.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} Matri Van initiative

• Context (PIB): The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the Matri Van initiative in Gurugram, Haryana, as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ program.

About Matri Van initiative

• Matri Van is an urban afforestation project to develop a 750-acre theme-based urban forest in the Aravalli Hill area, along the Gurugram–Faridabad Road.
• Objective: To restore the Aravalli ecology, increase green cover, and promote biodiversity in the Delhi-NCR region.
• Collaborative Framework: The initiative is being implemented with active participation from CSR firms, NGOs, MNCs, schools, and government bodies.
• Ecological Restoration: Focuses on replacing degraded shrubs with long-rotation native tree plantations to rejuvenate the landscape.

Read More > Aravalli Green Wall Project

{GS3 – DM – Cloudburst} Cloudburst

• Context (IE): A cloudburst near Dharali village in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, triggered Kheerganga river flooding, causing flash floods, landslides, and fatalities.

About Cloudburst

• A cloudburst is a sudden, intense rainfall event concentrated over a small area.
• Threshold Classification: It is typically ≥100 mm/hour over a 20-30 km² region.
• Rain Source: It forms within cumulonimbus clouds under unstable and moisture-rich conditions.
• Langmuir Effect: Raindrops coalesce until gravity overcomes updrafts, triggering a sudden downpour.
• Altitude Range: Common between 1,000-2,500 m in Himalayan regions like Uttarakhand & Ladakh.
• Seasonal Pattern: Most occur between June and August under southwest monsoon surge conditions.
• Geo-Hydrological: Combines meteorological & surface hydrology risks, causing compound disasters.
• Climate Change: IPCC notes rising frequency due to increased warming and rainfall extremes.

Read More > Cloudburst

Factors of Cloudburst

• Orographic Uplift: Hills force moist air upward, triggering rapid condensation into dense clouds.
• Instability: Sudden changes in pressure or temperature trigger convective cloud formation.
• Airmass Convergence: Moist monsoon winds colliding with dry air intensify vertical uplift.
• High Humidity: Excess atmospheric moisture raises saturation levels and rapid cloud condensation.
• Low-Pressure: Regional depressions enhance vertical air movement in mountain catchment areas.
• Lightning Delay: Delayed discharge retains latent energy, allowing excess moisture within the clouds.

Hazards from Cloudburst

• Flash Floods: Sudden torrents overwhelm valleys, sweeping away people, properties, & infrastructures.
• Landslides: Rain-saturated slopes collapse, damaging infrastructure and blocking transport routes.
• Debris Flows: Mud, rocks, and trees surge downslope as destructive slurry-like flows.
• Ground Collapse: Excess saturation weakens subsurface layers, triggering sinkholes or subsidence.
• Riverbank Erosion: Turbulent runoff erodes riverbanks, destabilising slopes & threatening settlements.
• Landslide Lakes: Blocked rivers form temporary lakes that may breach without warning.
• Siltation Load: Sediment fills rivers and reservoirs, degrading water quality and storage capacity.
• River Course Shift: Repeated erosion alters drainage lines, increasing downstream flood vulnerability.

NDMA Guidelines on Cloudburst

• Risk Mapping: Use Geographic Information System & terrain data to delineate hyperlocal hazard zones.
• Radar Coverage: Expand Doppler infrastructure across cloudburst-prone hill districts.
• Land Regulation: Enforce slope-based construction control via microzoning techniques.
• Drainage Design: Build specialised urban drains to absorb short-duration, high-intensity rainfall.
• Rescue Training: Train terrain-trained emergency rescue teams with navigation & response gear.
• Rapid Deployment: Preposition mobile units with emergency power & communication capacity.
• Mock Drills: Conduct annual cloudburst simulation drills for readiness testing in high-risk zones.
• Rainfall Alerts: Issue SMS, app, or siren-based community warnings when rainfall exceeds pre-defined thresholds to enable timely local response.

Read More> Flash Floods, Landslides

{GS3 – S&T – BioTech} VEGF-C Nano Therapy for Liver Cirrhosis

• Context (PIB): Indian scientists have developed a novel nano-therapy for liver cirrhosis using VEGF-C nanocarriers, which promote lymphatic vessel regeneration, a key aspect affected in cirrhotic patients.

Scientific Breakthrough

• VEGF-C (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-C) is a pro-lymphangiogenic protein that promotes the growth of new lymphatic vessels.
• Reverse Micelle Technology used to create oral nanocarriers that enhance targeted lymphatic uptake.
• Developed by: Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi, and NIPER, Guwahati.
  • Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Nano Mission.
• Animal Trial Results:
  • Improved fluid drainage in gut lymphatic vessels
  • Reduced ascites and portal pressure (key cirrhosis symptoms)
  • Enhanced gut immune defence

Significance of the Innovation

• Medical Advancement: First non-invasive, targeted VEGF-C nano-therapy for advanced liver disease, addressing lymphatic damage.
• Public Health Relevance: Cost-effective and scalable alternative to liver transplant for cirrhosis patients in India.
• Policy Potential: Can be integrated into Ayushman Bharat–PMJAY liver care modules after human trial validation.

{Prelims – In News} Odisha Enables Women’s Night Shifts

• Context (ET): Odisha amended its Shops & Commercial Establishments Act, 1956, and issued guidelines allowing women to work night shifts under strict safety conditions

Key Provisions of the Guidelines

• Written Consent: Women must provide explicit written approval for night shift deployment.
• Minimum Staffing: At least three women must be present per night shift for support and safety.
• Transport Facility: GPS-enabled pick-up and drop-off must be provided for all women night workers.
• Infrastructure Mandate: Toilets, lighting, drinking water, and CCTV are mandatory safety norms.
• Age Restriction: Adolescent women are barred from night work in all establishments, in any capacity.

{Prelims – In News} Rhisotope Project

• Context (IE): South Africa launched the Rhisotope Project to combat rhino poaching by tagging horns with radioactive isotopes for detection and deterrence.

About Rhisotope Project

• Nuclear Tagging: Radioisotopes are injected into rhino-horns to embed radioactive signatures.
• Rhino-Safe Radiation: Emits low-dose gamma rays; safe for rhinos, harmful to smugglers.
• Border Detection: Isotopes allow rapid border detection using standard radiation portal monitors.
• Poaching Deterrence: Nuclear tagging creates legal & medical liabilities for potential horn traffickers.
• Implementation: Led by Witwatersrand University with IAEA support in Waterberg Biosphere Reserve.