Current Affairs – August 16-17-18, 2025

{GS1 – Geo – PG – Geomorphology} Cascadia Subduction Tsunami Risk

• Context (HT): Recent study warns of a potential mega-tsunami if a large earthquake strikes the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) off the US Pacific Coast.

• A Cascadia mega-tsunami could lower sea levels by 6.5 feet and unleash waves up to 1,000 feet high far exceeding typical tsunamis.

Cascadia Subduction Zone A 600-mile fault line running from Northern California to Vancouver Island. It is a convergent plate boundary where the Juan de Fuca Plate slides beneath the North American Plate. Accumulates tectonic stress over centuries & sudden release triggers giant earthquakes & tsunamis. Current estimates are 15% probability of a magnitude 8.0+ earthquake within the next 50 years. Credit: Researchgate

{GS2 – MoLE – Schemes} Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana

• Context (PIB): PM Narendra Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana in his Independence Day 2025 speech, with ₹1 lakh crore outlay to generate 3.5 crore jobs.

About Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY)

• PM-VBRY is a Central Sector Scheme, successor to the Employment-Linked Incentive Scheme.
• Nodal Ministry: The scheme is implemented under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• Core Objective: It aims to catalyse large-scale job creation and workforce formalisation across sectors.
• Implementation: Incentives are disbursed through EPFO & PAN-linked accounts via DBT mechanism.
• Tenure: The scheme runs for two years, extended to four years in manufacturing.
• Target Groups: Benefits first-time employees entering the formal sector and incentivises employers.
• Eligibility Threshold: Employees with monthly wages below ₹1 lakh are eligible under the scheme.
• Support for Employees: Employees receive a wage incentive of up to ₹15,000 in two instalments.
  • First instalment after six months, second after twelve months upon financial literacy training.
• Incentives for Employers: Employers receive up to ₹3,000 monthly per new employee under the scheme.

{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} PM Modi’s Independence Day 2025 Speech

• Context (PIB): PM Narendra Modi delivered the Independence Day 2025 Address from Red Fort, outlining transformative missions and reforms for Viksit Bharat 2047.

Major Announcements

• The breadth of commitments underscores a developmental state model balancing sovereignty, social justice, and technological modernity.

National Security and Foreign Policy

• Indus Treaty: India’s withdrawal secures irrigation resources, strengthening farmers’ long-term rights.
• Sudarshan Chakra: Indigenous missile shield targeted by 2035, reinforcing credible deterrence.

Economic and Reform Agenda

• Tax Relief: Income up to ₹12 lakh exempted, stimulating broader domestic consumption growth.
• GST Reforms: Next-generation GST changes promised, reducing compliance burdens on businesses.
• Legal Task Force: High-powered body constituted to modernise laws for the contemporary economy.
• Manufacturing Mission: Zero-defect production targeted, enhancing global export competitiveness.

Energy, Technology, and Resources

• Nuclear Expansion: Ten new reactors sanctioned, raising national capacity tenfold by 2047.
• Deep Sea: Deep Water Exploration Mission launched to discover hydrocarbons & critical minerals.
• Critical Minerals: 1,200 sites are surveyed to secure critical minerals under the Critical Mineral Mission.
• Semiconductor Mission: ‘Made in India’ chip scheduled for launch by December 2025.
• Fertiliser Self-Sufficiency: Domestic production expansion pledged to reduce import dependence.

Youth, Employment, and Innovation

• Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana: Aims to generate 3.5 crore jobs via ₹15,000 employer incentive per youth.
• BioE3 Policy: Policy reframed to promote patents and affordable biomedicine output.

Women and Social Empowerment

• Lakhpati Didis: Target of three crore Lakhpati Didis advanced before schedule.
• Namo Drone Didis: Women SHGs recognised as transformative players in rural technological adoption.
• Eastern Priority: Projects launched to integrate Eastern Bharat with national development.
• Bicentenary: Jyotirao Phule’s bicentenary commemorated with “priority to the backward” slogan.

Public Health

• Obesity Reduction: Citizens urged to reduce cooking oil consumption by ten percent.
• Fitness Promotion: Preventive health is positioned as an essential family and societal responsibility.
• Sports Expansion: Sports reforms reiterated to strengthen the grassroots-to-Olympics athlete pipeline.

{GS2 – Governance – Laws} Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2025

• Context (IE): The Uttarakhand Cabinet has approved amendments to the Freedom of Religion Act, 2018, making it one of the strictest anti-conversion laws in India.

Key Provisions of the 2025 Bill

• Expanded Definition: Covers “incitement or conspiracy by any means, including digital platforms” (emails, messaging apps, social media).
• New Offences: Derogatory depiction of one religion against another; concealment of religion for marriage (punishable with 3-10 years in jail and ₹3 lakh fine).
• Victim Definition: Now includes guardians and legal heirs.
• Property Seizure: District Magistrate authorised to confiscate property obtained unlawfully.
• Burden of Proof: Accused must prove innocence, departing from standard criminal law principles.

Many provisions mirror the UP anti-conversion law of 2024, with identical punishments (5-14 years + ₹1 lakh fine) for conversions involving minors, women, or SC/ST persons & life imprisonment for trafficking-linked cases. A key difference is that the UP law allows third-party complaints, while the Uttarakhand Bill limits them to victims and relatives.

Punishments

• Fraudulent conversion entails 3-10 years jail with ₹50,000 fine.
• If victim is minor, woman, SC/ST, or disabled punishment is 5-14 years with ₹1 lakh fine.
• Mass conversion (2+ people) attracts 7-14 years with ₹1 lakh fine.
• Conversion through threats, assault, trafficking, or marriage ploy: Up to life imprisonment (20 years) + rehabilitation compensation to victims.
• Foreign or banned funding results in 7-14 years rigorous jail with ₹10 lakh fine.

Comparison with Earlier Laws 2018 Act: Maximum punishment capped at 5 years for forced conversion. 2022 Amendment: Toughened provisions — 2–7 years jail, cognizable & non-bailable offences, prior declaration before DM, family members allowed to file FIRs. 2025 Bill: Much stricter — harsher punishments, broader definitions (including digital incitement), stronger powers for District Magistrates, limits third-party complaints (unlike UP law).

{GS2 – Governance – Reforms} Prison Reform in India

• Context (TH): Recently, the Supreme Court directed the immediate release of prisoners detained beyond sentence completion, exposing systemic lapses in prison governance.

Current Framework of Prison Governance

• Prison governance reflects India’s federal structure, balancing state autonomy with national standards.
• Constitutional Entry: Prisons fall under the State List, Entry 4, in the Seventh Schedule.
• Primary Law: The Prisons Act 1894 and state manuals regulate prison administration.
• Administration: State Home Departments manage prisons, deciding priorities and resource use.
• Oversight Bodies: Courts and NHRC inspections ensure rights compliance and procedural safeguards.
• Advisory Role: BPR&D issues reform guidelines, promoting uniform prison administration standards.
• Legal Aid: NALSA provides free services to inmates, preventing unlawful, prolonged detention.
• Special Laws: Juvenile Justice Act and Probation of Offenders Act enable non-custodial sentencing.

Rationale for Urgent Prison Reforms

• Reforming prisons transforms them from punitive warehouses into rehabilitative state institutions.

• Fundamental Rights: Humane prisons uphold dignity under Article 21 and equality under Article 14.
• Rehabilitation: Reform-oriented systems reduce recidivism, strengthening long-term public safety.
• Overcrowding Relief: Probation, parole, etc., reduce occupancy, improving management.
• Legal Efficiency: Timely inmate release prevents illegal detention, reinforcing judicial authority.
• Reintegration: Skills training curbs reoffending, supporting social stability and crime reduction.
• International Commitments: Mandela Rules compliance elevates India’s human rights reputation.

Mandela Rules: The UN Standard Minimum Rules mandate humane treatment, guiding reforms to improve prison conditions and protect inmate rights.

Structural and Operational Deficiencies in Indian Prisons

• Persistent deficits in infrastructure, staffing, and technology undermine prison reform goals.

• Overcrowding: Occupancy exceeding 130% worsens health, hygiene, mental well-being, and safety.
• Undertrial Crisis: Undertrials form 77% of inmates, prolonging detention and delaying rehabilitation.
• Infrastructure Deficit: Dilapidated facilities reduce inmate dignity, safety, & rehabilitation effectiveness.
• Delayed Release: Prisoners completing sentences remain confined, violating judicial directives.
• Health Challenges: Limited medical and mental healthcare increases disease, mortality, and stress levels.
• Gender Sensitivity: Women inmates face inadequate maternity care, sanitation, and security provisions.

Governmental Interventions for Prison Modernisation

• Targeted initiatives integrate technology, skill-building, and humane management principles.
• Model Prison Manual 2016: Establishes humane standards for uniform prison management nationwide.
• E-Prisons Project: Digital inmate records prevent detention beyond the authorised sentence term.
• Open Prisons: Semi-open facilities aid reintegration and lower security-related expenditure.
• Legal Aid Clinics: Prison-based lawyers expedite trials for underprivileged and indigent inmates.
• Swachh Jail Campaign: Hygiene drives improve prison living standards and health outcomes.
• State Reforms: Kerala cafeterias, Tihar industries enhance inmate income and self-reliance.

Global Models to Guide Indian Prison Reform Adopting proven international practices can recalibrate India’s correctional philosophy. Scandinavian Model: Norway’s open cells and inmate autonomy foster dignity and responsibility. Halfway Houses: Japan offers supervised housing with job placement assistance for ex-prisoners. Digital Monitoring: South Korea’s GPS anklets replace custody for low-risk offenders. Education Integration: US universities run accredited courses inside correctional facilities. Mental Health Units: Canada integrates psychiatric hospitals within prisons for acute cases.

Read More> Prison Reforms

{GS2 – Social Sector – Health – Diseases} National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission

• Context (HT): Recently, India crossed 6 crore screenings under NSCAEM (launched July 2023), identifying 2 lakh cases and 16.7 lakh carriers, against the target of 7 crore by FY26.

About Sickle Cell Disease

• Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder caused by an abnormality in haemoglobin. When both parents carry the sickle cell trait, their child has a significant chance of being born with it.
• SCD is a group of inherited red blood cell (RBC) disorders that affect haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen through the body.
• Symptoms: Pain, anaemia, jaundice, stroke, organ failure, etc.
• Treatment: A blood and bone marrow transplant were the only cure for SCD, but it was not for everyone because of the dearth of donors and the associated risk.

Read More > Sickle Cell Disease

National Sickle Cell Anaemia Elimination Mission (NSCAEM)

• Aims: To eliminate SCA as a public health problem in India before 2047.
• It is executed in a mission mode as part of the National Health Mission (NHM).

Key Achievements

• Mass Screening: Over 60.7 million individuals have been screened across 300+ districts in 17 high-prevalence states.
• Geographic Concentration: 95% of detected SCD cases are concentrated in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
• Cost Efficiency: Diagnostic costs reduced from ₹100 to ₹28 per kit.
• Genetic Counselling: Focus on counselling and awareness campaigns to prevent transmission and improve disease management.
• Health Card: Over 26.3 million Sickle Cell Health/Genetic Status Cards issued, marking individuals as normal, carrier, or diseased.
• Centres of Excellence: 15 medical institutions selected as Centres of Excellence to offer care & diagnosis.

Future Course of Action

• Awareness Expansion: Plans to intensify counselling, awareness, & genetic card distribution.
• Community Leverage: Utilising community platforms to ensure all carriers & patients get timely care.
• Research Advancement: Enhancing research to generate actionable insights for refining SCD interventions in the future.

Read More > NSCAEM

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Children} Smartphone Overuse in India

• Context (LM): Advancing technology has transformed smartphones into a constant “memory on demand,” influencing human thoughts and communication.

Smartphone Penetration and Usage Trends in India Rural Access: 90% of rural teenagers aged 14–16 own smartphones (ASER 2024). Operational Skill: 82.2% of rural teenagers aged 14–16 use smartphones fluently. Usage Contrast: 57% of rural teens use phones for learning, while 76% for social media. Screen Time: Indians spend five hours daily on smartphones, with 69% on entertainment apps. Child Screen Time: Children under five average 2.2 hours daily—twice the WHO limit.

Impacts of Excessive Smartphone Use

• Cognitive Decline: Notifications and distractions impair focus, memory, and academic performance.
• Sleep Disruption: Screen exposure disturbs circadian rhythm, lowers sleep quality, and increases anxiety and depression.
• Physical Strain: Long use causes eye strain, fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain.
• Digital Addiction: Reward-based apps foster compulsive use, reducing in-person interaction and weakening social skills.

Key Steps to Ensure Healthy Smartphone Use

• Parental Guidance: Set device limits, monitor children’s usage, and encourage regular digital detox.
• School Education: Integrate lessons on healthy device use and mindful digital habits in curricula.
• Tech Design: Mandate do-not-disturb defaults, usage dashboards, and transparent app algorithms.
• Community Support: Create peer-support programmes promoting balanced smartphone use.
• Research Funding: Invest in long-term studies on digital media’s effects on youth.

Institutional and Legal Interventions Digital India: Incorporates responsible-device-use modules into national literacy programmes. Chandigarh Guidelines: The Union Territory limits student screen time through school advisories. National Mental Health Programme: Runs awareness campaigns on adolescent digital addiction. IT Rules 2021: Mandates age-gating and content moderation on digital platforms. Delhi HC Ruling (2025): Rejects total smartphone ban in schools, orders regulated usage norms. IAP Guidelines: Advises no screens for children under two; up to 1 hour supervised for ages 2–5.

Read More > Social Media Addiction in Children

{GS3 – IE – Industry} GST Rationalisation in Automobile Sector

• Context (IE): The Union Government is considering an overhaul of GST slabs on automobiles to rationalise tax incidence across small, mid-size, and luxury vehicles.

Proposed GST Reforms

• Entry Segment: Cars under 1200 cc, under 4 metres, and bikes ≤350 cc may shift from 28% to 18%.
• Mid-Size Adjustment: Cars above 1200 cc (petrol) or 1500 cc (diesel) may see tax fall from 43% to 40%.
• Luxury Retention: Luxury cars & SUVs will enter the 40% slab but face cess to maintain ~50% incidence.

Significance: Aims to boost demand in the affordable segment while ensuring revenue neutrality through higher taxation on luxury vehicles.

{GS3 – Infra – Transportation} Indian Ports Bill, 2025

• Context (ET): The Lok Sabha has passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, to modernise governance, strengthen environmental safeguards, and replace the century-old Indian Ports Act, 1908.

About the Indian Ports Bill, 2025

• The Bill upgrades port governance, dispute resolution, and environmental safeguards nationwide.

Regulatory Framework and Institutional Setup

• Maritime Council: Creates the Maritime State Development Council, chaired by Union Ports Minister.
  • Council Role: Advises on national port policy, data, and tariff transparency.
• State Boards: Grants statutory recognition to State Maritime Boards managing non-major ports.
  • Board Functions: Plan infrastructure, issue licences, set tariffs, and ensure compliance.
• DRC Formation: Mandates state-level Dispute Resolution Committees for non-major port disputes.
  • Jurisdiction Bar: Civil courts excluded; appeals go directly to the respective High Courts.

Management and Operational Control

• Conservator: States appoint conservators to supervise and regulate all port operations.
  • Duties: They direct vessel movement, control diseases, and impose necessary penalties.
  • Authority: Harbour masters and health officers function directly under the conservators’ supervision.
• Major Tariffs: Tariffs at major ports are fixed by the respective authority boards.
  • Non-Major: Tariffs at non-major ports are set by boards or concessionaires.

Environmental Safeguards and Safety

• Convention Compliance: Enforces MARPOL and Ballast Water Management Convention standards.
• Preparedness Plans: Requires ports to maintain pollution control and waste reception plans.
  • Central Audits: Plans are reviewed periodically by the central government for compliance.
• Penalty Scope: Retains and expands penalties for offences endangering vessel safety.
  • New Offences: Penalise pollution non-reporting, unauthorised operations, & DRC order violations.

Strategic Development

• Port Notification: Centre may notify new ports or alter limits after state consultation.
• Mega Ports: Centre can specify criteria for classifying ports as mega ports.
• Integration Goal: Encourages linking ports with inland waterways and multimodal transport.

{Prelims – IR – ASEAN} AITIGA Joint Committee Meeting

• Context (PIB): India hosted the 10^th AITIGA Joint Committee meeting in New Delhi to advance the review of AITIGA.

• Participation of all 10 ASEAN member states to enhance effectiveness, accessibility, & trade facilitation.
• Next meeting scheduled for October 2025 in Jakarta (Indonesia), hosted by Malaysia.

The ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) signed in 2009 and implemented in 2010, is under renegotiation to modernise the tariff liberalisation framework. ASEAN makes up about 11% of India’s global trade, reaching USD 123 billion in 2024–25.

Read More > India-ASEAN FTA Discussions

{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Soursop Leaves as a Potential Cancer Cure

• Context (TOI): A recent study found fungi in soursop leaves with strong anticancer effects against cervical cancer cells, underscoring alternative therapeutic potential.

About Soursop

• Soursop, or graviola, is the fruit of Annona muricata, a tropical broadleaf evergreen tree.
• Native Origin: The tree is originally native to the South & Central Americas and Caribbean islands.
• Indian Distribution: Cultivation occurs mainly across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, & adjoining southern regions.
• Bioactive Compounds: Leaves contain acetogenins, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, & phytosterols.
• Nutrient Benefits: The fruit offers antioxidants, antibacterial effects, & low-calorie nutritional support.

Anti-Cancer Potential of Soursop

• Acetogenins: These compounds inhibit mitochondrial pathways, selectively killing malignant cells.
• Antioxidants: Flavonoids in soursop offer antioxidants that prevent cancer-causing free radical damage.
• Fungi: Endophytic fungi like Sir-SM2, inhabiting leaves, exhibit strong anticancer activity.
• Aerial Parts: Experimental evidence confirms aerial parts suppress multiple cancer cell types.

Credit: TOI

{Prelims – S&T – Defence} INS Tamal PASSEX

• Context (PIB): INS Tamal participated in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with the Italian Navy ship ITS Trieste before entering Naples harbour.

Passage Exercises are short naval drills enhancing interoperability between friendly maritime forces.

• Key Highlights: The exercise featured manoeuvres, flying operations, & advanced communication drills.
• Port Call Engagements: It included cross-deck visits, dignitary meetings, and Indo-Italian cultural events.
• Significance: The port call highlighted India–Italy defence cooperation and best practice exchanges.

Read More > India-Italy: Bilateral Relations