Current Affairs – July 05, 2025

{{GS1 – A&C – Sites} Krishnagiri Stone Inscription

• Context (TH): A 13^th century stone inscription was discovered in Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu, which records an endowment to a Buddhist monastery.

• It mentions a trader who endowed revenue to the Buddha Vihar in Kadaikoottur (Kadagathur,TN).
• It refers to “Buddha Devan” and depicts two Buddhist symbols-Chakra and Stupa.
• This is the first inscription mentioning a Buddhist monastery discovered in Tamil Nadu.

Credit: TH

Anaimangalam Copper Plate

• The Anaimangalam copper plates are the earliest reference to a Buddhist monastery in South India.
• It record Rajaraja Chola I‘s grant of Anaimangalam village to Chudamani Vihara in Nagapattinam.
  • Mara Vijayatunga Varman of Sri Vijaya built the vihara in his father Sri Chudamani Varman’s name.
• Also called Leiden Plates, they are preserved at Leiden University in the Netherlands.
• The bilingual charter has Sanskrit (genealogy, invocations) and Tamil (administrative) plates.

Commonly Used Symbols in Inscriptions

Symbol	Religion	Significance / Meaning
Mukkodai	Jainism	Triple umbrella denoting spiritual authority
Swastika	Jainism	Fourfold existence; auspiciousness
Hand‑wheel	Jainism	Symbol of non-violence and discipline
Conch	Vaishnavism	Symbol of divine sound and creation
Chakra	Vaishnavism	Discus representing protection and dharma
Shrivatsa	Vaishnavism	Mark of Vishnu; symbol of prosperity
Tirusoolam	Shaivism	Shiva’s trident; cosmic control
Chakra	Buddhism	Wheel of Dharma (Buddha’s teaching)
Stupa	Buddhism	Buddha’s relics and enlightenment
Triratna	Buddhism	Triple jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

{GS2 – Governance – Pollice Reforms} Custodial Deaths in India

• Context (TH): The recent custodial death in Tamil Nadu underscores persistent gaps in police accountability and a recurring pattern of impunity despite legal safeguards and public outrage.

Systemic Impunity and Institutional Failure

Despite formal inquiries and arrests, no police personnel were convicted for custodial deaths between 2017 and 2022. This reflects deep-rooted structural issues, including:

• Weak Institutional Will: A lack of political and administrative resolve to ensure accountability.
• Poor Evidence and Delayed Justice: Inadequate witness protection, delayed trials, and substandard evidence collection weaken prosecution.
• Absence of Independent Probes: Custodial death cases are rarely investigated by impartial bodies, compromising credibility.
• Institutional Solidarity: A culture of protecting fellow officers often shields the guilty from legal consequences.
• Human Rights Cases: Between 2017 and 2022, 74 cases of human rights violations ranging from illegal detention to custodial torture and deaths were filed. However, most resulted in little to no accountability, reflecting a dismal conviction rate and a deeper failure of the justice system.

Tamil Nadu’s disproportional Caste and Custodial Violence Dalits face a disproportionate burden of police excesses:  In 2022, 38.5% of detenues in Tamil Nadu were Scheduled Castes, despite being only 20% of the state’s population. Preventive Detention Misused: Tamil Nadu had 2,129 preventive detenues as of December 31, 2022, almost half of India’s total. These include many not formally charged with a crime but held under laws like Goondas Act, disproportionately impacting marginalised communities.

Legal and Constitutional Safeguards

• Article 21: Guarantees the right to life and protection from arbitrary state action.
• Section 176(1A), CrPC: Mandates judicial inquiry in case of custodial deaths.
• NHRC Guidelines: Require immediate reporting, post-mortem videography, and independent investigation.
• SC Judgments: D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (1997) laid down mandatory procedural safeguards during arrest and detention.

Policy Recommendations

• Independent Police Complaints Authorities: Strengthen them with statutory backing and operational autonomy.
• Fast-Track Judicial Mechanisms: Special courts for custodial violence cases to ensure time-bound justice.
• Mandatory Use of CCTV and Bodycams: Ensure functional, tamper-proof surveillance in all lockups and custody zones.
• Strengthen NHRC Oversight: Grant the Commission more prosecutorial powers and resources.
• Police Reforms: Implement recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and the Prakash Singh case directives to ensure accountability and professional conduct.
• Community Policing and Sensitization: Promote human rights education and anti-caste discrimination training in police academies.
• Legislative Safeguards: Enact a standalone law against custodial torture, as recommended by the Law Commission and international obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT).

{GS2 – IR – Issues} Issues of Deportation

• Context (TH): India intensified its crackdown on undocumented migrants post-2024 Pahalgam attack, leading to pushbacks that raised legal & human rights concerns.

Deportation vs Pushback

• Deportation is a legal process involving arrest, court trial & identity verification before removal. Pushback is extra-legal, done without due process, often by Border Security Force at the border.
• Deportation ensures judicial oversight, pushbacks bypass legal safeguards. Pushbacks risk human rights violations & wrongful expulsion of Indian citizens.

Jurisdiction

• Union List Subjects: Citizenship & foreign affairs are centrally governed.
• Power Delegation: Deportation authority rests with Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) but is delegated to state District Magistrates /police.
• Disputed Citizenship: Referred to the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) for final determination.

Legal Provisions

• Foreigners Act, 1946 (now repealed): Regulated detention/deportation.
• Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025: Consolidates all previous laws under one framework.
• Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act, 2000: Penalizes transporters of undocumented persons.
• Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950: Allows expulsion if presence harms public interest or ST rights in Assam.

Challenges

• Lack of Legal Safeguards: Pushbacks often bypass judicial procedures, violating due process & raising concerns over arbitrary actions by enforcement agencies.
• Risk of Wrongful Deportation: Indian citizens especially linguistic minorities in border states like West Bengal & Assam, undermining their constitutional rights.
• Absence of a Refugee Law: India has no domestic refugee legislation & is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention, creating a legal vacuum in handling asylum seekers.
• Centre-State Discord: States face operational & ethical challenges in executing Centre-directed deportation drives.
• Human Rights Concerns: Pushbacks can contravene international principles like non-refoulement, which prohibit returning individuals to countries where they face persecution.
• Poor Identification Infrastructure: Lack of robust biometric verification systems & accurate documentation increases the chances of misidentification & administrative errors.

Way Forward

• Strengthen legal frameworks for identifying, detaining & deporting foreigners.
• Use biometric verification & digital ID checks to avoid misidentification.
• Enact a national refugee law to handle humanitarian crises.
• Improve Centre-State coordination on border security & migrant handling.
• Balance national security with human rights commitments.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Gender Budgeting for Equity and Inclusion

• Context (PIB): The Union Budget 2025–26 allocated a record ₹4.49 lakh crore, four times the 2014–15 figure. This marks a strong, sustained push toward gender equity in public spending.

What is Gender Budgeting?

• Gender Budgeting refers to a fiscal policy tool that analyses how government budgets impact women and aims to bridge gender-based gaps in resource distribution, access, and outcomes.
• It is not about separate budgets for women, but about mainstreaming gender priorities across all schemes and policies

India’s Gender Budgeting Framework

• Introduced in 2005–06 as part of the Union Budget, the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) institutionalized the practice of gender-responsive budgeting.
• Three-Part Framework:
  1. Part A: Schemes with 100% allocation exclusively for women.
  2. Part B: Schemes with at least 30% of the budget earmarked for women.
  3. Part C (Introduced in 2024–25): Schemes with less than 30% allocation towards women and girls, enabling a holistic representation of all women-related spending.
• Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub: Launched in June 2025 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) as a centralized digital repository for policies, data, and training materials.

Positive Impacts

• Institutionalisation: Mandatory inclusion of Gender Budget Statements in Union Budgets ensures accountability.
• Capacity Building: Training manuals and handbooks published by MoWCD have strengthened technical implementation.
• State Engagement: Increasing adoption of GRB models at the state level fosters decentralized gender inclusion.
• Monitoring Focus: Shift from input-based tracking to impact-based outcome measurement, including sex-disaggregated data collection.
• Policy Innovation: GRB has influenced the design of women-centric schemes (e.g., Mission Shakti), enhancing both economic and social empowerment.

Challenges

• Implementation Gaps: Schemes often lack outcome-oriented gender metrics.
• Low Allocations in Some Ministries: Not all departments reflect proportional commitment.
• Data Deficiency: Insufficient sex-disaggregated data continues to hamper evaluation.
• Skewed Focus: Concentration on select welfare schemes may overlook cross-sector gender impacts (e.g., transport, energy, environment).
• Need for Institutionalization at Local Levels: Panchayats and municipal bodies often lack awareness and capacity to integrate gender concerns.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Gender Budget Cells across central and state levels with trained personnel and performance targets.
• Mandate outcome-based assessments across schemes, not just allocation tracking.
• Expand Part C coverage to enhance visibility of indirect benefits to women.
• Promote gender mainstreaming in non-traditional sectors like climate adaptation, STEM education, and digital infrastructure.
• Leverage the Knowledge Hub for inter-ministerial learning and cross-state collaboration.
• Encourage citizen feedback and participatory planning, especially involving grassroots women’s organizations.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} India’s AI Growth Needs Gender Inclusion

• Context (IE): As India advances in its AI-driven digital transformation, a key concern emerges , the lack of gender inclusivity in the design and deployment of AI systems.

Why Gender Inclusion in AI Matters

• Economic Potential: The IMF estimates that gender parity in workforce participation could boost India’s GDP by up to 27%. As AI becomes central to India’s economy, excluding women from its development weakens innovation, talent diversity, and future growth.
• Global Alignment: Gender-inclusive AI helps India advance key UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as quality education, gender equality, decent work, and fostering innovation.
• Beyond Users, Toward Creators: Women must be empowered as data scientists, policymakers, and entrepreneurs, not just consumers, to ensure inclusive, ethical, and effective AI solutions.

Gender Gap in India’s AI Ecosystem

• Underrepresentation in Workforce: Though India produces one of the highest proportions of female STEM graduates globally, very few women are in AI or machine learning careers.
• Limited Participation: As per NASSCOM (2023), women constitute only 29% of those enrolled in AI and data science courses at top institutions.
• Barriers: Gendered social norms, limited mentorship, skilling gaps, and inadequate workplace support hinder women’s entry and growth in tech sectors.
• Algorithmic Bias: A UNESCO study found AI tools were 30% more likely to recommend men for leadership roles, reflecting how biased datasets can be unless actively corrected.

Way Forward

• Localized Skilling as a Catalyst: State-led models offer scalable templates for gender inclusion in AI.
  • Odisha: Mission Shakti + AI Skilling -Training tribal and rural SHG women in AI concepts.
  • Telangana: WE Hub & T-AIM -Supporting women-led AI startups.
  • Tamil Nadu: Naan Mudhalvan -Integrating AI education with focus on female STEM participation.
• Policy & Skilling Intervention: Launch gender-sensitive AI bootcamps, fellowships, and curricula while integrating gender equity goals within Digital India and Skill India missions.
• Responsible AI Governance: Mandate algorithmic audits and fairness checks, especially in sensitive sectors like recruitment and healthcare.
  • Strengthen enforcement of NITI Aayog’s AI Ethics Guidelines with gender-specific metrics.
• Include Private Sector: Encourage corporate participation through diversity hiring targets, career re-entry pathways, and leadership training initiatives for women in AI.

{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Political Representation of Women

• Context (IE): Despite passing the Women’s Reservation Bill, women’s representation in leadership roles show poor participation.

Political Representation of Women in India

• Representation: In 2023, women held 26.9% of global parliamentary seats.
  • In Parliament: Female representation in Parliament falls to 13.8% in 2025 (Global Gender Gap Index 2025).
  • State Legislatures: At the state level, women form just 9% of Assembly candidates, with no state exceeding 20% women MLAs.
  • Local bodies: Women held 44% of seats in local governance as of 2022 (13.75 lakh representatives).
• Female Voter: Despite a rise in female voter turnout from 46.6% (1962) to 65.8% (2024), party leadership roles remain male-dominated (e.g., 1 of 40 Congress district presidents in Gujarat is a woman).
• Women contesting elections: The number of women contesting Lok Sabha polls rose from 45 in 1957 to 797 in 2024, but election success rates remain low.

Need

• Gender Equality Goal: Women’s political participation is crucial to achieve SDG 5 & ensure equal leadership opportunities in public life.
• Policy Focus: Women leaders often push for key issues like healthcare, education & domestic violence, ensuring inclusive policymaking.
• Social Progress: Women’s involvement strengthens democracy, inclusion & harmony, as highlighted in the Beijing Declaration (1995).
• Economic Impact: Closing gender gaps in leadership could boost global GDP by $28 trillion by 2025 (McKinsey report).
• Cleaner Governance: Countries with more women in power often show lower corruption & stronger economic growth.

Challenges associated

• Structural Barriers: Women are often denied leadership roles, party tickets & decision-making authority due to male-dominated systems.
• Political Will: Parties hesitate to field women citing low chances of winning, creating a cycle of exclusion & under-preparedness.
• Financial Constraints: Lack of financial independence deter women from entering or sustaining political careers.
• Intimidation: Women in politics face gender-based violence, online trolling & proxy representation, especially at the grassroots.

Government Initiatives

• Constitutional Guarantees: Articles 325 & 326 of IC provide equal voting rights, while Articles 84 & 173 allow all citizens, including women to contest elections.
• Seat Reservations:
  • 33% seats reserved for women in Panchayats & Urban Local Bodies via 73^rd & 74^th Amendments.
  • Women’s Reservation Act, 2023 (106^th Amendment) mandates 33% seats in Lok Sabha & State Assemblies (to be implemented post-delimitation & census).
• International Commitments: India is committed to CEDAW & the Beijing Declaration, promoting gender equality in political spaces.
• ECI’s Efforts: Initiatives like SVEEP & all-women staffed ‘Pink Booths’ aim to improve women’s participation in elections.
• Training: Bodies like the National Commission for Women (NCW) & NGOs conduct capacity-building programs to prepare women for political roles.

Way Forward

• Political parties’ reforms: Amend laws to require parties to allocate at least 33% of election tickets to women adopting voluntary internal quotas & accountability.
• Capacity building: Tap into SHGs, NGOs & panchayats to identify potential women leaders & provide leadership training & exposure.
• Political Environment: Enforce codes of conduct, provide facilities (transport, washrooms, safety) & create a culture of respect within parties.
• Supportive ecosystem: Offer election funding, campaign subsidies & access to digital platforms to overcome economic barriers.
• Promote gender sensitization within political parties & civil society to challenge stereotypes & normalize women’s political leadership.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} SDG Progress Report 2025

• Context (PIB): The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released SDG Progress Report 2025 and National Indicator Framework – Handbook.

About National Indicator Framework (NIF) NIF is India’s official statistical tool to monitor performance on the 17 UN SDGs. MoSPI formulates it with inputs from line Ministries, UN agencies, and expert groups. The framework enables national-level evidence-based tracking and policy planning for SDGs. NIF 2025 tracks 284 national indicators, down from 290 in the previous cycle.

Highlights of the SDG Progress Report 2025

SDG	Criteria	Current	Change %	Base Year
SDG 1: No Poverty	Social protection coverage	64.3%	192%	2016
SDG 2: Zero Hunger	Gross value added per agricultural worker	₹94,110	54%	2015–16
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation	Access to improved rural drinking water	99.62%	5.3%	2015–16
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy	Renewable energy share in electricity generation	22.13%	38%	2014–15
	Per capita renewable energy capacity	156.31 watts	144%	2014–15
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure	Total internet subscriptions	954.4 million	216%	2015
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	Rural Gini coefficient of household expenditure	0.237	16%↓	2011–12
	Urban Gini coefficient of household expenditure	0.284	22%↓	2011–12
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities	Waste recycling plants	3,036	266%	2019–20
	Municipal solid waste processed	80.7%	349%	2015
SDG 15: Life on Land	Forest area share	21.76%	0.42%	2015

Key Challenges Highlighted

• Fiscal Gaps: Insufficient resource alignment in sectors like energy and welfare.
• Gender Gap: Inequality persists in health, employment, and digital access.
• Road Safety: Progress remains slow in reducing traffic fatalities.
• Net Sown Area: Growth remains limited despite better Gross Value Added (GVA).

{GS3 – Envi – Plastic Pollution} Microplastics

• Context (IE | TH): Microplastics pose a rising threat to heart health, having been detected in the pericardium, myocardium, and major arteries, indicating deep tissue infiltration..
• They induce oxidative stress and inflammation, promote plaque formation in arteries (atherosclerosis), which can rupture, cause blood clots, and result in heart attacks.

What Are Microplastics?

• Microplastics are minute plastic particles formed from:
  • Primary microplastics: Intentionally manufactured for use in cosmetics, detergents, etc.
  • Secondary microplastics: Formed from breakdown of larger plastic items (bottles, bags, packaging).

• Common types include PET, PP, PVC, PE, and PS, all of which are non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for centuries.

Credits: The Conversation

Impacts of Microplastics

• On Environment: The presence of microplastics disrupts the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They affect the soil health, water quality, nutrient cycling, and the organisms that inhabit these environments. These have cascading effects on the entire food web.
• On Aquatic Life: Microplastics are ingested by various marine organisms, ranging from zooplankton to fish, seabirds, and marine mammals. The ingestion can cause physical harm, such as blockage of digestive systems and internal injuries.
  • Microplastics can accumulate in the tissues of organisms and transfer toxic chemicals associated with the plastic particles through the food chain.
• On Agriculture: Irrigation by microplactic contaminated water allowing these particles to enter food.
• On Human Health: Ingestion of microplastics by humans through water, food, and air can result in genetic modifications and several diseases. Microplastics are already detected in human blood.
  • Recent studies indicate that microplastics are cardiotoxic, they can impair heart function, damage blood vessels, & contribute to CVDs such as Heart attacks/failure Arrhythmias, Ischemic strokes, etc.

Many microplastics carry Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) which further compound health risks by disrupting hormonal balance and contributing to cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. What are Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs)? EDCs are harmful chemicals found in plastics that interfere with the body’s hormonal system. Common types include: Bisphenol A (BPA) & BPS: Found in food containers, bottles, and thermal papers Phthalates (e.g., DEHP, DBP): Used in cosmetics, toys, and medical tubing PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances): Present in non-stick cookware and food packaging EDCs mimic or block hormones like estrogen, testosterone, and thyroid hormones. This leads to hormonal imbalances, reproductive issues (low sperm count, poor egg quality), increased risk of cancers, metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity

Steps taken to deal with Microplastic crisis

Global Action

• UN Plastic Treaty: In 2022, the UN Environment Assembly established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to draft a Global Plastic Treaty.
  • The INC-5.2 meeting in August 2025 is expected to finalize a legally binding framework to address plastic pollution.
• Basel Convention Amendment: Controls transboundary movement of plastic waste.

India’s Measures

• Single-Use Plastic Ban: Enforced from July 1, 2022.
• 3R Strategy: Focus on Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle principles.
• Biodegradable Alternatives: Calls are growing to adopt biodegradable alternatives like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and to strengthen plastic waste segregation and recycling. Public campaigns highlighting the health and environmental risks of microplastics.

Way Forward

• Research and Surveillance: Launch longitudinal cardiotoxicity studies across Indian populations. Develop national biomonitoring programs to track microplastic presence in blood and organs.
• Health System Preparedness: Include microplastic screening for high-risk CVD patients.
• Encourage alternatives: glass, steel, and BPA-free products. Also promote antioxidant-rich diets to combat oxidative stress.
• Policy and Regulation: Strengthen enforcement of Plastic Waste Management Rules, incentivize eco-friendly product development, and integrate microplastic impact assessments into environmental and health policies.

{GS3 – IE – Banking} India’s Digital Finance Gap

• Context (IE|TP): Recent data from the Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS 2022–23) by NSSO reveals that over two-thirds of Indians using digital devices are unable to carry out basic digital financial transactions, underlining an alarming divide in digital literacy and financial inclusion.

India’s Digital Finance Divide: Statistics

• Access-Ability Gap: India leads with 50% of global real-time digital transactions and 87% fintech adoption, but only 31.7% of device users can perform digital banking, highlighting a major gap between access and ability.
• Rural-Urban Gap: While 43.48% of urban users can perform digital transactions, only 24.95% of rural users can, highlighting persistent infrastructure and awareness gaps in rural India.
• Age Gap: Digital transaction capability peaks at 43.7% among those aged 26-35 but drops to just 18.4% for seniors above 60, reflecting usability challenges and fear of fraud among older users.
• Gender Gap: Only 21.1% of women can transact digitally compared to 39.9% of men, highlighting a persistent digital gender divide rooted in unequal access, education, and autonomy.
• Wealth Gap: Digital banking use is strongly linked to economic status. In the lowest rural expenditure quintile, just 13.56% can transact online.
  • Even in the wealthiest rural quintile, over 60% still cannot use digital financial services.

Implications

• Exclusion from Welfare Schemes: Nearly 7 Cr MNREGA workers were excluded due to the mandatory Aadhaar-based payment system, illustrating how digital requirements can become barriers for the poor.
• Cybersecurity Threats: Digital arrest scams and cyber frauds tripled between 2022 and 2024, with a 21-fold rise in money lost exposing vulnerabilities of low digital awareness.
• Inequality Widens Gaps: As private players move to 5G, BSNL lags on 4G rollout, highlighting public-private disparity. The digital push benefits the connected, sidelining those without access or skills.
• Undermines Governance: Digital exclusion threatens the efficacy of e-governance, financial inclusion, and social welfare delivery.

Key Recommendations

• Invest in Infrastructure: Expand broadband and mobile coverage in rural and remote areas. Subsidize internet access and devices for low-income households.
• Accessibility & Localization: Ensure user interfaces are accessible to persons with disabilities. Create multilingual, culturally contextualized digital content.
• Digital literacy campaigns in regional languages, targeting rural areas and low-income households.
• Simplified user interfaces: Particularly for the elderly and first-time users.
• Women-centric technology interventions: Provide direct mobile access, training & financial autonomy.
• Awareness Drives: Combat fear of fraud, with grievance redressal and cyber hygiene.

{GS3 – IE – Employment} Labour Reforms Without Inclusive Rights

• Context (IE): Strikes by gig and domestic worker unions highlight growing discontent with India’s 2019–20 labour reforms, which promised universal protections but have fallen short.

• Over 90% of India’s 600 million workers are informal and remain largely excluded from key safeguards under the new labour codes.

Limitations of Existing Legal Frameworks

• Lack of Guarantees: Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008 now merged into Code on Social Security did not ensure fair wages, decent working conditions, or legal recognition for informal workers.
• Partial Inclusion: While the Code on Social Security, 2020 includes gig & platform workers, it excludes informal sectors such as domestic workers, agricultural labourers, street vendors, & retail employees.
• Barriers to Registration: Registration on the e-Shram portal is voluntary and poses challenges for digitally illiterate or socio-economically marginalised populations.
• Non-functional Welfare Boards: Welfare Boards mandated under the new Code are largely non-operational across most states, with Kerala being one of the few effective exceptions.

Invisible Workers and Exclusion from Benefits

• Domestic Workers: Lack recognition as employees, and are not covered under ESI, PF, or even maternity benefits. Private households do not qualify as “establishments” under current laws, and enforcement of the POSH Act remains negligible.
• Agricultural Labourers: Excluded from all four labour codes. Schemes like PM-KISAN benefit landowners, while landless labourers are left with minimal protections.
• Retail and Small-Shop Workers: Although covered under the Code on Wages, but enforcement is poor. Small shops often avoid registration. Workers fear job loss if they report violations.
• Gig and Platform Workers: Arbitrary pay cuts, lack of social protection, and denial of basic rights plague their employment. No guaranteed minimum wage, safety net, or dispute resolution forum.

Way Forward

A Rights-Based Approach

India needs to pivot from a welfare-based to a rights-based labour regime. This includes:

• Enacting a central law akin to the Rajasthan Platform-based Gig Workers (Welfare) Act, 2023, which mandates worker registration and welfare funds.
• Passing the long-pending National Policy for Domestic Workers.
• Creating Portable Smart ID cards linked to Aadhaar and e-Shram, to ensure mobility across jobs, sectors, and states.

Strengthening Institutional Architecture

• National and State Welfare Boards must be made operational with: Adequate funding, tripartite representation (workers, employers, government) and decision-making authority.
• Establishing Local Labour Ombudsmen at district or ward levels for: Wage dispute resolution, protection against harassment and monitoring workplace conditions.

Aligning with Global Standards

• India should ratify:
  • ILO Convention 189: Decent work for domestic workers
  • ILO Convention 184: Health and safety in agriculture

{GS3 – Infra – Energy} Oil and Gas Exploration at Andaman basin

• Context (TH): The Union Petroleum Minister stated that the Andaman Basin, with its untapped hydrocarbon reserves, could emerge as India’s equivalent of Guyana’s offshore oil fields.

• The Guyana Basin, in the Atlantic Ocean off South America, is a deep-water oil reserve.

Hydrocarbon Potential of the Andaman Basin

• Regional Discoveries: Gas reserves have been discovered in nearby basins like North Sumatra (Indonesia) and Irrawaddy-Margui (Myanmar), indicating regional hydrocarbon potential.
• Geological Evidence: Geophysical surveys have identified “mud volcanoes” in the Baratang Formation, suggesting the presence of hydrocarbons in Middle and South Andaman.
• Vast Unexplored Area: The 2025–26 Standing Committee report on P&NG, noted that the 2.25 lakh sq km Andaman Basin forms a major part of India’s unexplored offshore sedimentary basins.

Economic Potential

• A successful discovery (Guyana-like basin) may:
  • Propel India’s economy toward $20 trillion mark.
  • Boost domestic oil production (~90.6% imported at present).
  • Impetus to India’s Energy Security as demand grows in future.
  • Create jobs and ancillary infrastructure in remote island regions.

{Prelims – In News} Captive Non‑Public Network (CNPN) Demand Survey

• Context (PIB): The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) has launched a new module on the Saral Sanchar portal to survey demand for CNPN frequency bands.

Saral Sanchar is a web portal by DoT for transparent and online processing of telecom licenses and registrations.

About CNPN

• A CNPN is a private 4G/5G network created by an enterprise exclusively for its internal use.

DoT Guidelines on CNPN

• DoT issued guidelines in 2022 to let enterprises build private 4G/5G networks for internal use.
• Eligibility: Only firms with a net worth of ₹100 crore or their integrators could apply.
• Access: Spectrum was available via leasing from telecom operators or direct allotment from the DoT.
• Revision: DoT moved to IMT bands due to better device support, reliability and rising demand.

International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) Bands IMT bands are globally designated spectrum used for high-speed networks. These bands are recognised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, Geneva). These are licensed and interference-free, exclusively allocated by the government.