1. 27th Eastern Zonal Council Meeting: Key Issues and Regional Cooperation

Context

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah, chaired a meeting of Eastern Zonal Council in Ranchi, Jharkhand.

About the Zonal Council Meeting

• The 27th meeting of the Eastern Zonal Council also discussed a wide range of issues of national importance.
• The issues included implementation of Fast Track Special Courts (FTSC) for speedy trial and speedy disposal of rape cases against women and children.
• It included brick-and-mortar banking facility within the designated radius of each village.
• Implementation of Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112) and various issues of common interest at the regional level including nutrition, education, health, power, urban planning and strengthening of cooperative systems.

About Zonal Councils

• The idea of creation of Zonal Councils was mooted by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1956 when during the course of debate on the report of the States Reorganisation Commission.

Objectives of Setting up Zonal Councils

• Bringing out national integration;
• Arresting the growth of acute State consciousness, regionalism, linguism and particularistic tendencies;
• Enabling the Centre and the States to co-operate and exchange ideas and experiences;
• Establishing a climate of co-operation amongst the States for successful and speedy execution of development projects.

Composition of Zonal Councils

• The Northern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, National Capital Territory of Delhi and Union Territory of Chandigarh;
• The Central Zonal Council, comprising the States of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh;
• The Eastern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim and West Bengal;
• The Western Zonal Council, comprising the States of Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territories of Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli;
• The Southern Zonal Council, comprising the States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

North-Eastern Council

• The North Eastern States Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland are not included in the Zonal Councils and their special problems are looked after by the North Eastern Council, set up under the North Eastern Council Act, 1972.
• The State of Sikkim has also been included in the North Eastern Council vide North Eastern Council (Amendment) Act, 2002 notified in 2002.

Organizational Structure of Zonal Council

• Chairman – The Union Home Minister is the Chairman of each of these Councils.
• Vice Chairman – The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time.
• Members– Chief Minister and two other Ministers as nominated by the Governor from each of the States and two members from Union Territories included in the zone.
• Advisers– One person nominated by the Planning Commission for each of the Zonal Councils, Chief Secretaries and another officer/Development Commissioner nominated by each of the States included in the Zone.

Functions of the Council

• Any matter of common interest in the field of economic and social planning;
• Any matter concerning border disputes, linguistic minorities or inter-State transport;
• Any matter connected with or arising out of, the reorganization of the States under the States Reorganisation Act.

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2. Aspirational DMF Programme

Context

• The Union Ministry of Coal and Mines has released the operational guidelines for the ‘Aspirational DMF Programme’, aiming to align District Mineral Foundation (DMF) initiatives with the Aspirational District Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Block Programme (ABP).

Highlights of the Programme

• Purpose: The guidelines ensure that DMF funds—collected from mining companies for the benefit of mining-impacted communities—are used in sync with central flagship schemes and local development needs, especially in areas of health, nutrition, education, agriculture, and rural infrastructure.
• Approach: District Collectors and State Nodal Officers are urged to treat DMF as a mission for holistic development, ensuring 100% saturation and impactful, community-centered activities.
• Recognition: States such as Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Goa were felicitated for adopting revised PMKKKY 2024 guidelines into DMF rules.

Aspirational DMF programme

• The programme is built on the framework of the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) and aims to maximize the developmental impact of DMF funds in India’s most underserved and mining-affected regions.
• Priority Sectors include Health and Nutrition, education, agriculture and water resources, basic Infrastructure & skill development.

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3. Earth Intelligence

Context

• The cumulative direct revenue from Earth intelligence for technology product and service providers is projected to reach $20 billion between 2025 and 2030, according to Gartner.

About Earth Intelligence

• Earth intelligence refers to the use of AI and advanced analytics on Earth observation data—such as satellite images, drone footage, and IoT sensor data—to generate actionable insights for industries and governments.
• It can identify fallen trees blocking railroad tracks after a storm, monitor the temperature of every metal refinery to assess global production, count vehicles to analyse traffic patterns and consumer trends, and track sea cargo to evaluate shipping activity.
• It would significantly impact every industry as it rapidly moves from government to the private sector.
• In India, Earth intelligence is already being used for mineral exploration, disaster management, and agricultural productivity, with initiatives like AI-driven mineral targeting and drone-based land surveys.

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4. Eklavya Model Residential Schools: An inclusive education Paradigm

Context

• Central Government and UNICEF to provide career counselling for Eklavya students.

About Eklavya Schools

• The Eklavya Schools is a Central Sector Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to provide quality education to the tribal children.
• The government aims to establish one EMRS in every block having more than 50% ST population and at least 20,000 tribal persons (as per Census 2011).
• The target is to set up 728 EMRSs across the country by 2026. 
• To promote sports, 15 Centres of Excellence for Sports (CoE for Sports) will be set up in EMRSs.
• The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous body, has been created to manage and implement the scheme.

Additional Facts

• The programme has been in operation since 1998 and was revamped during the year 2018-19 to expand the geographical outreach and enhance the quality of facilities.
• The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), an autonomous organization, has been set up under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to establish and manage EMRS across the country.

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5. Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) API: Next Big thing in Agriculture

Context

• Google recently launched the Agricultural Monitoring and Event Detection (AMED) API that provides information on crops and field activity across India.

About AMED, API

• It is developed by Google DeepMind, in collaboration with local partners including TerraStack and researchers from IIT-Kharagpur under the broader Google AI initiatives in India.
• The AMED API is an open-source AI-based agricultural monitoring tool developed by Google DeepMind and Google’s Partnerships Innovation team.
• It offers field-level crop insights and historical land-use data to improve decision-making across India’s agriculture sector.
• The AMED API details the type of crop on a given field, crop season,  and the field’s size and also provides historical information about the agricultural activity on it for the last three years.

Objectives

• Enable real-time, granular insights into agricultural activities across individual fields.
• Empower agri-tech developers, financial institutions, and policymakers with crop-specific and location-based intelligence.
• Support sustainable farming, climate adaptation, and data-backed rural lending systems.
• AMED API builds on the Agricultural Landscape Understanding (ALU) Research API that the company launched last year.

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6. Lake Turkana: A biodiverse and Cultural magnificence

Context

• Recently, scientists have extracted 18-20 million-year-old enamel proteins from extinct mammal fossils from the Lake Turkana Basin.

About Lake Turkana

• Lake Turkana is the largest desert Lake in the world and known for its greenish blue color.
• It is located in the remote northern region of Kenya.
• Lake Turkana is a part of OMO-Turkana basin which stretches into four countries: Ethiopia, South Sudan, Kenya, Uganda.
• It stands as Africa’s fourth-largest lake and the largest permanent desert lake in the world.
• It is designated as the UNESCO World Heritage site and is renowned for its unique biodiversity and cultural significance.

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7. S-400: India’s Sudarshan Chakra

Context

• Central government identifies domestic firm for S-400 maintenance.

About S-400

• S-400  Missile system, also known as “Sudarshana Chakra”, is one of the world’s most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, developed by Russia’s Almaz-Antey. India’s acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf in 2018.
• India’s S-400 air defence system is named “Sudarshan Chakra” after Lord Vishnu’s mythological weapon, symbolising swift and precise destruction.
• The S-400 missile system is developed by Russia. It was designed and manufactured by Russia’s Almaz Central Design Bureau as part of the country’s advanced air defense capabilities.
• India signed the five S-400 missile system deal with Russia in October 2018, boosting India-Russia relations.
• Speed:S-400 missile system is renowned for its exceptional speed. Its missiles can reach a maximum speed of up to 17,000 km/h (approximately Mach 14), allowing them to intercept fast-moving targets, including high-speed aircraft and ballistic missiles.
• It can operate at altitudes between 10 meters and 30 kilometres, including intercepting ballistic missiles near the edge of space.

Missile Range

• S-400 missile system’s missile range varies depending on the specific missile type. The system’s radar can detect targets up to 600 km away.
• 9M96E/9M96E2: These missiles have an engagement range of up to 120 km, ideal for intercepting medium-range threats.
• 48N6E3: With a range of approximately 250 km, this missile is effective against high-speed aircraft and missiles.
• 40N6E: The longest-range missile in the S-400 arsenal, capable of engaging targets at distances up to 400 km, providing a robust defence against advanced threats.

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8. Sanchar Mitra: Youth as digital Ambassadors

Context

• The Department of Telecommunication rolls out Sanchar Mitra Scheme nationwide to empower youth.

About the Scheme

• Mobilize student volunteers from technical fields (telecom, electronics, IT, cybersecurity) to raise awareness on: Telecom safety, Cybersecurity, Prevention of telecom frauds and Government digital initiatives.
• Under the Scheme, student volunteers designated as Sanchar Mitras will be empowered to raise awareness among public for issues like cyber fraud, Digital safety, emf radiation etc.

Objectives of the Scheme

• It aims to enhance public awareness about telecom services and citizen-centric initiatives for better safety
  
• It will empower users to manage and protect their mobile connections through awareness campaigns
  
• It aims to prevent telecom frauds, especially related to SIM misuse and digital identity theft.
  
• It will also provide a platform for grievance redressal and user-friendly access to telecom services.
  
• Educate communities—in urban/rural areas, schools, and public spaces—promoting secure, responsible telecom use.
• Facilitate feedback from citizens to DoT, helping shape policy and improve telecom services 
• Assist in incident reporting, guiding people on how to report lost/stolen phones, forged SIMs, or suspicious activity.

Features of Sancha Mitra

TAFCOP Portal Integration

• The users can check how many mobile numbers are linked to their Aadhaar document.
• It will help in reporting and blocking unauthorized or fraudulent numbers.

User Dashboard

• It provides a single interface to manage telecom subscriptions.
  It will be helpful in viewing, updating, or request changes to your mobile number status.

Awareness Campaigns

• It helps to educate citizens on issues like spam calls, fraud messages, SIM cloning, etc.

Multilingual Support

• It will be more accessible as it is available in multiple regional languages for better accessibility.

Benefits of the Scheme

• It will help in enhanced transparency and security in telecom services.
• Better fraud detection and SIM misuse prevention.
• Faster grievance resolution through centralized tracking.

Conclusion

• The Sanchar Mitra Scheme is a grassroots, youth-powered movement to protect Indians in the digital realm—combining education, technology, and community outreach to make telecom usage safer for everyone.

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9. Catastrophe Bonds: Redefining Disaster Resilience

Context

• Recently experts have advocated for India to consider catastrophe bonds (cat bonds) as a financial instrument to manage disaster risk and post-disaster reconstruction costs.

About CAT bonds

• Cat bonds are a unique hybrid insurance-cum-debt financial product that transforms insurance cover into a tradable security. 
• These are high-yield debt instruments, issued by a sponsoring entity (like a government), through intermediaries such as the World Bank or ADB, and bought by investors.
• If a specified disaster occurs, the investor may lose part or all of their principal, which is then used for relief and reconstruction.
• If no disaster occurs during the bond period, investors earn attractive coupon payments.
• When a cat bond is created, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) is also set up. This SPV is like a temporary company made just for handling that bond. It makes sure that:
• The money is safe and not mixed with other government or company funds.
• Investors are protected from fraud or misuse.

Advantage of CAT bonds

• Risk Diversification: As noted by Nobel Laureate Harry Markowitz, adding cat bonds helps diversify investor portfolios since disaster risk is uncorrelated with traditional financial markets.
• Faster Payouts: Unlike conventional insurance claims which may take months to settle, cat bonds disburse funds quickly after a trigger event, enabling immediate disaster response.
• Reduced Burden on Governments: They provide pre-arranged financing, protecting government budgets from sudden shocks due to disaster recovery expenses.
• Wider Capital Base: These instruments tap into global financial markets, going beyond traditional reinsurance capacities.
• Promotion of Mitigation Efforts: Issuers with stronger disaster preparedness and mitigation policies can avail lower premiums, promoting risk-reducing behaviours.

Limitation of CAT bonds

• Trigger Threshold Rigidity: If the disaster is slightly below the predefined threshold (e.g., a 6.5M earthquake when the bond requires 6.6M), no payout is triggered, even if damages are severe.
• Opportunity Cost: If no disaster occurs, the premium paid may appear wasteful, especially in resource-scarce settings.
• Design Complexity: A poorly designed bond may exclude many probable risk scenarios, rendering it ineffective.
• High Premiums for High-Risk Regions: Hazard-prone regions may attract higher premiums, reducing cost-effectiveness unless supported by global intermediaries.

Potential for CAT bonds

• Disaster Exposure: India is one of the most disaster-prone countries globally, facing regular cyclones, floods, landslides, and earthquakes.
• Low Insurance Penetration: Disaster risk insurance remains poorly developed, leaving most individual assets and livelihoods uninsured.
• Government Funding: India allocates ₹1.8 billion annually (since FY21–22) for disaster mitigation and capacity building, signalling readiness for proactive risk management.

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10. Special Intensive Revision

Context

• The Supreme Court began hearing petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, raising constitutional and procedural concerns ahead of the upcoming assembly polls.

About Special Intensive Revision

• A Special Intensive Revision involves door-to-door verification of electoral rolls through house-to-house enumeration.
• It is Conducted under Section 21(3) of the RPA act 1950, and Article 324 of the Constitution, empowering ECI for electoral roll supervision.
• It is of hybrid nature which combines features of both intensive and summary revisions, requiring additional documentation in selected cases.

Type of Electoral Revision in India

• An intensive revision involves preparing fresh electoral rolls through house-to-house visits, recording eligible voters as of a set date. 
• This is done when existing rolls are outdated or inaccurate, usually before major elections or after constituency changes. 
• In contrast, a summary revision is a regular annual update where draft rolls are published, and citizens can request additions, deletions, or corrections without home visits. 
• A special revision occurs in exceptional situations like missed areas, major errors, or legal or political needs. 
• It may follow either summary or intensive methods, depending on what is required to maintain accurate and inclusive voter lists.

Why is Special Intensive Revision needed

• Rapid migration, urbanisation, and dual enrolment have inflated electoral rolls (ECI, 2025) has led to duplicate entries.
• Accusations of voter roll manipulation in states like Maharashtra necessitated re-verification 
• Bihar’s last SIR was in 2003; outdated records can compromise electoral integrity leading to long gap since last Special Intensive Revision.
• SIR seeks to enhance voter roll credibility before high-stakes elections, especially in politically sensitive states to ensure transparency.

History and Purpose of SIR

• Since Independence, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has conducted intensive revisions of electoral rolls multiple times — in 1952–56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983–84, 1987–89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003, and 2004.
• Early Focus – The first revisions aimed to correct serious flaws in the rolls used for the 1951–52 Lok Sabha election, caused by public inexperience, administrative gaps, and the absence of a formal electoral law. 
• A notable issue was the mass exclusion of women, many of whom did not share their names with officials.

Understanding the working of SIR process

• BLOs distribute pre-filled forms to each household with voter details and seek updated documents.
• Voters, especially those enrolled after 2003, must now submit documents like birth certificates or parents’ proof.
• Electoral Registration Officers decide on inclusion/deletion, with powers to refer doubtful cases under Citizenship Act 1955
• The entire revision is expected to be completed by July 25, just months ahead of the Assembly elections.

Other Trends

• Phased Approach – To improve accuracy, the ECI adopted a phased revision strategy — covering sections of each state yearly before major elections.
• Changing Priorities Over Time – By the 1980s, focus shifted toward preventing ineligible entries, especially foreign nationals. 
• Border states often reported such concerns, prompting the ECI to issue guidelines stressing that no name could be removed without due process, placing the burden of proof on the objector.
• Role of EPIC – In 1993 and 1995, intensive revisions helped introduce Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), although that wasn’t their main purpose.
• Shift to Summary Revisions – As voter lists improved and costs grew, the ECI made summary revisions the norm.

Conclusion

• The Bihar SIR presents a complex intersection of constitutional powers, voter rights, and administrative discretion. While electoral roll accuracy is critical, due process and citizen dignity must remain central. A balanced, transparent, and inclusive approach is vital for upholding democratic integrity.

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