Current Affairs – June 11, 2025

{GS1 – IS – Population} State of World Population Report, 2025

• Context (TH): The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s 2025 State of World Population (SOWP) Report, titled ‘The Real Fertility Crisis’, was released.

Key Findings

• Population: World population stands at 8.2 billion, with disparities between high-income and low-income countries.
  • India’s population is estimated to reach 1.46 billion in 2025, making it the most populous country.
• Reproductive Rights: Real crisis is unmet fertility goals – not underpopulation and overpopulation.
  • Women and girls continue to struggle to exercise autonomy over preventing pregnancy. Roughly half of all pregnancies are unintended.
• Barriers for Reproductive Freedom: Economic precarity, gender discrimination, lack of support from partners and communities, low-quality sexual and reproductive healthcare, lack of access to services like affordable childcare or education.
• Marginalized Sections: Despite significant advances in sexual and reproductive health and rights, the most marginalized people have experienced the fewest gains.
• Recommendations:
  • Secure reproductive health and rights for all, including accurate information about fertility.
  • Promoting gender-equal partnerships in which women are not disproportionately responsible for childcare, and in which men experience the rewards of caretaking.
  • Recognize immigration to address declines in economic productivity and workforce shortages.

Findings about India

Fertility Rate & Demographic Information

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Declined to 1.9 births per women (from nearly 5 children per woman (1970)), falling below the replacement level (2.1).
• State-wise Fertility Disparity creating “high fertility & low fertility duality”, which reflects differences in economic opportunities, access to healthcare, education levels, & prevailing gender and social norms.
  • Fertility has fallen below the replacement level (2.1) in 31 States/UTs, but remains high in Bihar (3.0), Meghalaya (2.9), and Uttar Pradesh (2.7).
• Adolescent fertility rate remains high at 14.1 per 1,000 women aged 15–19 (China (6.6), Sri Lanka (7.3), and Thailand (8.3)).

• Age distribution: 68% of the population is of working age (15-64 years). Elderly population (65 and older) stands at 7%.
• Life expectancy at birth is projected to be 71 years for men and 74 for women.

Modern Challenges for Reproductive Freedom

• Financial Limitations: Job insecurity, housing constraints, and the lack of reliable childcare are making parenthood feel out of reach.
• Health Barriers: Poor general wellbeing, infertility, and limited access to pregnancy-related care.
• Future Anxiety about climate change, political and social instability etc.
• Other: Growing loneliness pandemic, shifting relationship patterns, difficulties in finding supportive partners, social stigma around reproductive decisions, and deeply entrenched gender norms.

Recommendations: Five key pillars for rights-based approach

• A rights-based, demographic resilience, society’s ability to adapt to population change without sacrificing human rights.
• Expanding Sexual Reproductive Health Services with universal access to contraception, safe abortion, maternal health, and infertility care.
• Removing Structural Barriers by investing in childcare, education, housing, and workplace flexibility.
• Promoting Inclusive Policies: Extending services to unmarried individuals, LGBTQIA+ persons, and other marginalised groups.
• Improving Data & Accountability beyond fertility rates to measure unmet family planning needs and bodily autonomy & fostering social change through community initiatives.

{GS3 – Agri – Initiatives} Empowering women in agriculture for food security

• Context (TH): 2026, declared the International Year of the Woman Farmer, highlights women’s crucial role in food security and calls for gender-equal, climate-resilient agricultural development.

Feminisation of Agriculture: Trends

• Rising Female Participation: As per Periodic labour force survey (PLFS) 2023-24, 76.95% of rural women are engaged in agriculture.
  • 33% of agricultural workers and ~50% of self-employed farmers are women.
• Agriculture Census 2015-16: 73% of rural women are involved in farming and allied sectors.
• Low Land Ownership: Only 12.8% of operational land holdings are owned by women, which constitutes 10.34% of the area of holdings.
• Rural Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLPR): FLPR rose from 41.5% in 2022-23 to 47.6% in 2023-24, largely due to male out-migration.
• Shift in Women’s Roles: In Andhra Pradesh, women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) are engaging in organic farming and direct marketing, indicating a move from labourers to farm managers.

Key Drivers of Feminisation of Agriculture

• Male Out-Migration: 2011 Census indicated 33.7% of rural males migrate for better job opportunities, leaving women to manage farms.
• Economic Transformation: Decline of agricultural employment and growth in industry/services has drawn men away, as seen in Punjab with mechanisation and contract farming.
• Economic Distress: In Odisha, women turn to subsistence farming and animal husbandry due to a lack of alternative jobs and income sources.
• Rural Distress: Declining agricultural production, higher input costs, and climate change have worsened rural economic conditions, forcing women to step into agriculture.

Significance of women’s empowerment in agriculture

• Role in Food Security: Women contribute to 60–80% of food production in developing countries. Nearly half of the global food supply depends on women farmers.
• Knowledge Holders: Preserve and transmit indigenous knowledge on seed selection, soil health, herbal medicine, and water management.
• Sustainable Practices: Women tend to adopt eco-friendly, regenerative agriculture due to focus on family nutrition and local resilience.
• Strengthened Decision-Making: Empowering women in agriculture boosts their participation in decision-making, increasing their agency over household and agricultural matters.
• Improved Livelihoods: Access to land and credit can help women secure a better livelihood, reducing poverty and economic dependency.

How does Climate Change impact women’s involvement in Agriculture?

• Economic Vulnerability: Reduced crop yields due to climate shocks lead to income loss, increasing household and caregiving burdens on women.
  • In Bundelkhand, recurring droughts forced many women to migrate for daily-wage work as agriculture became unsustainable.
• Resource Access: Lack of land ownership prevents women from accessing credit, insurance, and climate-resilient farming schemes. Equal resource access could boost women’s farm yields by 20–30% (FAO).
• Water Scarcity: Declining groundwater levels force women to walk long distances for water, reducing time for farming. E.g. In Rajasthan, women walk several kms daily to fetch water for irrigation.

Government Initiatives for women security in Agriculture

• Mahila Kisan Sashaktikaran Pariyojana (MKSP): A sub-scheme under DAY-NRLM to empower women in agriculture. Recognises women as ‘Kisan’, providing training in agroecology, sustainable agriculture, and capacity building.
• Budgetary Support: 30% allocation under the National Food Security Mission reserved for women farmers in several states.
  • 50%–80% subsidy on farm machinery through the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanisation.
• Green Agriculture Project (FAO + Government of India): Focus on climate resilience and gender mainstreaming.
• Climate Adaptation Projects: ENACT Project in Assam (WFP + Government of Norway) to promote flood-resistant rice, digital advisories, and women-led seed banks.

Way Forward

• Financial Inclusion: Expand access to microcredit, crop insurance, and formal banking for women farmers. Secure women’s rights to land ownership, irrigation tools, and water-saving technologies.
• Policy reforms: Incorporate gender-disaggregated data into agricultural planning and scheme implementation. Push for land tenure reforms to legally recognise women’s land rights.
• SHGs & Women-Led Value Chains: Support women-led agricultural value chains, processing units, and market linkages. Build capacity in cooperatives and collectives to achieve economies of scale.
• Social Security Net: Ensure universal social protection, including maternity support, pensions, and disaster relief, to offset climate-related and caregiving burdens.

{GS3 – Envi – CC} Climate Change Performance Index 2025

• Context (IE): The CCPI 2025 was released, assessing climate action progress in 63 countries and the EU.

About Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI)

• Published by: Germanwatch, Climate Action Network (CAN) International, and NewClimate Institute (since 2005). Published annually since 2005.
• Coverage: 63 countries + European Union, accounting for over 90% of global GHG emissions.
• Objective: Enhance transparency and evaluate progress toward Paris Agreement goals.
• Assessment Criteria: Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions (40% of overall ranking), Renewable Energy (20%), Energy Use (20%), and Climate Policy (20%).

Key Highlights of CCPI 2025

• No country ranks in the top 3, showing that none is on track to meet 1.5°C targets.
• Top Performers: Denmark tops the list at 4^th place, followed by the Netherlands, UK (a notable climber due to coal phase-out and halting fossil fuel licenses), Philippines, Morocco, and Norway.
• Out of 64 countries, only 22 show progress, while 42 countries lag behind.
• G20 countries emit ~75% of global GHGs; only India & UK are high performers.
• Bottom Performers (Rank 58–67): Japan, Argentina, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, Canada, South Korea, Russia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran.
• India’s Performance: India ranks 10^th with a score of 67.99, slipping two spots but remaining in the top 10 performers.
  • Rated high in GHG emissions & energy use, medium in climate policy, & low in renewable energy.
  • Progress areas: Expansion of large-scale solar power projects, implementation of Rooftop Solar Scheme, increasing EVs adoption & introduction of new energy-efficiency standards.
• Concern: Continued reliance on coal and plans for increased production raise questions about long-term sustainability.

{GS3 – Envi – RE} Wind Energy in India

• Context (TH): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has released draft amendment to the process for including wind turbine models in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers (RLMM).
• This aligns with NITI Aayog’s 2024 roadmap, emphasising localisation of both hardware and control systems.

Key Highlights

• Data Localization: Mandates that all operational wind turbine data must be stored in India, with no real-time data sharing or control conducted from outside the country.
• Control Sovereignty: It prohibits foreign entities from remotely accessing or controlling Indian wind farms operations.
• Domestic R&D Requirements: Requires Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to establish research & development centers in India within six months of the amendment’s issuance.
• Increased Localization Standards: OEMs must disclose the sourcing of key turbine components (blades, towers, gearboxes, generators) and demonstrate domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Wind Energy in India: Status & Potential

• Wind Power Capacity: India has the 4^th largest installed wind power capacity in the world
• Installed Capacity: As of April 2025, India has the total cumulative installed wind capacity of 50.04 GW, mostly from onshore projects.
  • Gujarat has the highest installed wind power capacity in the country, followed by Tamil Nadu. These two states account for around half of India’s installed wind capacity.
• Potential Capacity: National Institute of Wind Energy estimated wind power potential of about 695.5 GW at 120 meter and 1,164 GW at 150 meter above ground level in the country.
  • Other major wind energy potential states include Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, etc.
• Target: As India pushes towards achieving 500 GW of non-fossil-based electric installed capacity by 2030, including an ambitious target of over 100 GW from wind.

Challenges of the Wind Energy Sector

• Land Acquisition: Acquiring land for large wind farms is difficult due to legal, social, and ecological concerns.
• Grid Integration & Transmission Infrastructure: India’s grid capacity is sometimes insufficient to accommodate large-scale, intermittent wind energy generation, leading to potential instability and transmission bottlenecks.
• Seasonal and Fluctuating Winds: Wind speeds vary by season, making energy output less predictable.
• Offshore Delays: Although India has a strong offshore wind potential, actual development has been slow due to a lack of infrastructure and high costs.
• Ageing Infrastructure and Repowering: Many older wind turbines in India are inefficient and require repowering or refurbishment.

Government Initiatives for Wind Sector

• National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy (2018): Encourages combining wind and solar in one project to ensure continuous power supply and efficient land use.
• Offshore Wind Policy (2015): Provides framework for developing offshore wind farms in Indian waters, including permissions and grid planning.
• Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme: For implementation of Offshore Wind Energy Projects.
• Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO): Mandates power distribution companies to source a certain percentage of electricity from renewable energy sources, including wind.

Way Forward

• Boost Offshore Projects: Start with pilot offshore wind farms and scale up gradually.
• Grid and Storage Upgrade: Invest in smart grids and energy storage (like batteries) to handle variable wind output.
• Private Sector Investment: Create attractive policies and incentives to bring in more private players.
• Repowering Old Turbines: Replace older, low-capacity wind turbines with modern, efficient ones to increase output from existing sites.
• Hybrid Projects: Promote projects that combine solar and wind to ensure steady energy supply and efficient land use.

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Axiom-4 Mission

• Context (PIB | IE): India returns to human spaceflight with Axiom Mission 4, its first since 1984.

About Axiom-4 (Ax-4) Mission

• The Axiom 4 Mission, the 4^th private astronaut mission to the ISS, is being operated by private US space company Axiom Space, in partnership with NASA and SpaceX.
• It will be launched aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
• Mission Duration: Crew will stay 14 days on ISS, conducting 60 scientific experiments across 31 nations.
• Research domains: Space biology, material science, microgravity impact, cognition studiescrop/seed growth in space.
• The mission will send the first Indian astronaut to the station as part of a joint effort between NASA and the Indian space agency. Also carries first astronauts from Poland & Hungary to stay aboard the ISS.
• Marks India’s return to crewed space missions after Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 flight.

India Focussed Space Research on ISS

• Microalgae Study: Investigating how microgravity and space radiation affect the growth and nutrient profile of edible microalgae.
• Cyanobacteria Research: Examining the growth and metabolic response of Spirulina and Synechococcus. It aims to develop self-sustaining life support systems for future space habitats.
• Voyager Tardigrades: Investigate the revival, survival, and reproduction of tardigrades sent to the ISS. It will inform future space exploration and help develop biotechnology applications on Earth.
• Other research planned: Crop Seeds on ISS, Myogenesis, STEMonstrations, Sprouts, Voyager Displays.
• Cognitive & Visual Studies: Assessment of screen use impacts on astronaut cognition and vision in zero gravity.

• Strategic Importance: Offers practical training in spaceflight operations, microgravity adaptation, and emergency readiness—key for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight.

{Prelims – PIN World – NA} Fuego Volcano

• Context (TP): Guatemala’s Fuego volcano erupted, spewing ash high into the atmosphere before subsiding after approximately 30 hours of intense volcanic activity.

Credits: NBC News

• Location: Southern Guatemala, about 18 km from Antigua city.
• Type: Stratovolcano; one of Central America’s most active volcanoes.
• Elevation: Around 3,763 meters above sea level.
• Tectonic Setting: Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone.
  • Formed by the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate.
  • Part of the Central American Volcanic Arc.
• Geology: Part of a complex with Acatenango volcano to the north. Built over the collapsed Meseta volcano (~8,500 years ago), which produced the Escuintla debris-avalanche deposit.
• Eruption History: Recorded 60+ eruptions since 1524.

{Prelims – PIN} Raja Bhabhut Singh

• Context (IE): Madhya Pradesh government renamed the Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary after 19^th century tribal leader Raja Bhabhut Singh.

  

  Credit: yp

• Raja Bhabhut belonged to Gond tribal community in present-day Narmadapuram (formerly Hoshangabad), Madhya Pradesh.
• He was born into the Jagirdar family of the Harrakot Raikheri branch, descended from Thakur Ajit Singh of the Pachmarhi Jagir.
• His father, Thakur Mohan Singh, fought against the British alongside Peshwa Appa Saheb Bhonsle in 1819–20.
• Role in the 1857 Revolt: He mobilized local communities and used his intimate knowledge of the Satpura terrain to wage guerrilla warfare against British forces.
  • Formed a key alliance with Tatya Tope.
  • Renowned for his swift, terrain-based attacks, he earned the title “Shivaji of Narmadanchal.”
  • He used guerrilla tactics to resist the British until 1860 when he was executed—by hanging or possibly firing squad.
• He is celebrated as a fearless Adivasi freedom fighter, especially among the Korku community.

Also Read > Tribal Communities & Their Contribution to Indian Culture

{Prelims – Sci – Bio – Diseases} Hernia

• Context (TH): Studies have indicated a surge in global prevalence of hernia cases between 1990 & 2019.

Credit: icm, rhm

• Protrusion of an internal organ/tissue through a weak spot or defect in the surrounding muscle or connective tissue (fascia), most commonly in the abdominal wall. It signifies both structural weakness and increased intra-abdominal pressure.
• Major Types of Hernia:
  • Inguinal Hernia: Most frequent, especially in males; occurs in groin & may descend into the scrotum.
  • Femoral Hernia: Appears just below the groin; more common in women, with a higher risk of strangulation.
  • Umbilical Hernia: Bulge near the navel; often congenital in infants, but also affects obese adults.
  • Hiatal Hernia: Upper stomach bulges into the chest cavity through the diaphragm.
  • Incisional Hernia: Occurs at the site of a previous surgical incision, indicating post-operative wall weakness.
• Causes and Risk Factors:
  • Mechanical strain: Heavy lifting, chronic coughing/sneezing, straining during bowel movements.
  • Systemic & medical factors: Obesity, poor nutrition, ascites, peritoneal dialysis, smoking, constipation, congenital defects, genetic predisposition, etc.
• Symptoms: Visible bulge (especially when standing, coughing, or lifting), pain or discomfort. Strangulated hernias may cause severe pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and bowel obstruction.
• Treatment: Surgery (open or laparoscopic, with or without mesh) is definitive. Watchful waiting may be suitable for asymptomatic cases. Umbilical hernias in children often resolve on their own by the age of 5.

{Prelims – Sci – Bio – Diseases} Tourette Syndrome

• Context (TH): Tourette Syndrome was recently in news.

• Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder that may cause sudden, unwanted, and uncontrolled rapid and repeated movements or vocal sounds called tics. It is not contagious.
• It typically emerges between ages 2 and 15, with the average onset around six. TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms that last into adulthood.
• Affects an estimated 0.3% to 1% of global population, with a higher prevalence among boys than girls.
• Associated Disorders: Rarely occurs in isolation. Commonly coexists with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders.
• Treatment: There is no cure for Tourette syndrome, but treatments can help manage symptoms.
  • Treatments may include behavioral therapies like Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics.
  • Medications, particularly neuroleptics, may also be used to reduce tics.

{Species – Birds – NT} Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)

• Context (NDTV): A new study has found a 22% population decline in Emperor Penguin colonies.

Credit: NDTV

• Largest and heaviest of all penguin species and the world’s deepest-diving bird.
• Distribution: Found exclusively in Antarctica.
• Habitat: Lives on pack ice and surrounding Southern Ocean waters.
  • Highly ice-dependent, entire lifecycle tied to stable sea ice platforms for nesting & chick rearing.
• Physical Features: Black-and-white body with orange-yellow markings on the head, neck, and chest. Two layers of feathers, thick fat reserves, small beak and flippers to retain heat.
• Lifespan: 15–20 years.
• Diet: Feeds mainly on fish, krill, and squid beneath sea ice.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Near Threatened
• Significance: A vital indicator species for climate change, showing the direct impact of global warming on polar ecosystems. Survival depends on the preservation of Antarctic sea ice.

{Species – Misc} Tardigrades

• Context (IE): Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is leading the Voyager Tardigrades Experiment on the International Space Station to study their DNA repair and survival in space.

• Tardigrades, also known as “water bears” (not related to actual bears) or “moss piglets,” are multicellular aquatic micro-animals with a history that predates the dinosaurs by around 400 million years.
• Emerged approx. 600 million years ago and have survived all five of Earth’s mass extinction events.
• Distribution: Found globally — from high mountains and polar ice to ocean depths and tropical forests.
  • Most commonly found in moist environments like mosses, lichens, leaf litter, and soil.

• Habitat: Aquatic microhabitats requiring thin water films on terrestrial surfaces.
  • Survive extreme environments—hot springs, deep sea, deserts, & even outer space (in dormant state).
• Physical Features: Microscopic, eight-legged invertebrates with clawed feet. | Size: ~0.3 to 0.5 mm | No circulatory or respiratory system.
• Behaviour & Survival Mechanism: Among the toughest known organisms on Earth. Can survive temperatures from −272°C to 150°C, high radiation, the vacuum of space, and oceanic pressures.
  • Enters cryptobiosis and anhydrobiosis (extreme dehydration and drastically slows its metabolism), forming a “tun” state to survive stress.
  • Produces Cytoplasmic Abundant Heat Soluble Proteins (CAHS) proteins, which are gel-like cell protectants, Tardigrade Radiation Immunity Determinant 1 (TRID1) Protein, and high antioxidants for rapid DNA repair after radiation exposure.

• Lifespan: Can survive for decades in a dormant state; a few months to a couple of years when active.
• Diet: Feeds on plant cells, algae, and tiny invertebrates by sucking cellular fluids.
• Conservation Status: Not evaluated by IUCN.

• Significance: Key to space biology and biotechnology, with applications in astronaut health, radiation shielding, and cryopreservation.
  • 1^st animal to survive direct exposure to space during the European Space Agency’s Foton-M3 mission (2007).