IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs Analysis
Archives
(PRELIMS Focus)
Modhera Sun Temple: Heritage, Solar Architecture & India’s First Solar Village
Art & Culture
Why in News?
The Modhera Sun Temple was recently highlighted in the 138th Mann Ki Baat for its nearly 1,000-year heritage and Modhera’s transformation into India’s first 24×7 solar-powered village (Surya Gram).
Key Facts
- Location: Mehsana district, Gujarat, on the banks of the Pushpavati River.
- Builder: Constructed around 1025 CE during the reign of Solanki (Chaulukya) ruler Bhimadeva I.
- Deity: Dedicated to Surya (Sun God).
- Architecture: Exemplifies the Maru-Gurjara style, characterised by intricate sculptural ornamentation.
- Major components:
- Garbhagriha (sanctum)
- Sabhamandapa/Rangamandapa
- Surya Kund/Rama Kund — a large stepped water tank with numerous miniature shrines.
- The temple is oriented eastward, with the rising Sun at the equinoxes illuminating the shrine through the mandapa—reflecting sophisticated astronomical and architectural planning.
- It is a protected monument under ASI and is not currently used for regular worship.
- Modhera is on UNESCO’s Tentative List, not the World Heritage List.
Solar Village Link
Under MNRE’s solarisation project, Modhera was equipped with a 6 MW solar PV plant, 15 MWh battery storage, rooftop solar systems, smart meters and solar EV charging infrastructure. The project was inaugurated in October 2022.
Sources:
Dakhla Oasis: Roman-Era Tomb & Cross-Cultural Heritage
History
Why in News?
A 1,700-year-old pyramid-shaped tomb has been discovered at Bir Al-Shaghala in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis. Dating to the late 3rd/early 4th century CE, the tomb reflects the interaction of Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultural traditions.
Key Facts
- Location: Western Desert of Egypt, west of the Nile; part of the chain of Egyptian desert oases.
- Ancient centre: Mothis (modern Mut) was the oasis capital during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.
- Historical importance: Dakhla served as a crossroads linking Egypt with the Sahara and Libya and contains evidence of human habitation extending back thousands of years.
- Tomb: Built mainly of mudbrick, with a pyramid-shaped superstructure; believed to have been used for a man and his wife.
- A 14-step staircase leads to a sandstone entrance decorated with Egyptian hieroglyphic funerary spells.
- A 19-line funerary elegy in Ancient Greek was found on a stone stele, dedicated to a man named Pisechtes, who may have been a judge.
- Other finds include a sandstone offering table, purification basin, pottery and a bronze coin depicting Emperor Constantine.
- The entrance contains imagery from Imy-Duat (Amduat), an ancient Egyptian funerary text concerning the sun god’s journey through the underworld.
Sources:
Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026
Economy
Why in News?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) released the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2026 on 25 September 2026. The latest edition shows that tourism-development conditions have strengthened globally, with 101 of 110 economies improving their scores between 2024 and 2026.
Key Facts
- Published by: World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group.
- Frequency: Biennial.
- 2026 coverage: 110 economies.
- India: 31st, improving from 39th in 2024.
- Japan: Ranked 1st in 2026; followed by the United States, Spain, Australia and France.
- The TTDI measures the factors and policies enabling sustainable and resilient development of travel and tourism.
- The index evaluates dimensions such as:
- Enabling environment
- Travel & tourism policy and enabling conditions
- Infrastructure and services
- Travel & tourism demand drivers
- Sustainability
India: Key Takeaways
India’s improvement is associated with its cost-competitive travel environment, cultural resources, natural assets, tourism infrastructure and air connectivity. However, workforce skills, environmental sustainability and infrastructure quality remain important challenges.
Sources:
Begonia rajvikramanii: New Begonia Species from the Western Ghats
Environment & Ecology
Why in News?
Researchers from the Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) have identified Begonia rajvikramanii, a new species of flowering plant, from the Rosemala forests of Kollam district, Kerala. The species was formally described in Phytotaxa in September 2026.
Key Facts
- Scientific name: Begonia rajvikramanii
- Family: Begoniaceae
- Order: Cucurbitales
- Genus: Begonia — one of the world’s largest flowering-plant genera, with around 2,200 accepted species.
- Discovery region: Rosemala, Kollam, Kerala, in the Western Ghats.
- Habitat: Wet rocky cliffs and road-cut walls at approximately 200–350 m elevation.
- Flowering/fruiting: August–April.
- The species was found during an exploration for wild ornamental plants.
- It is morphologically closest to Begonia tenera, found in India and Sri Lanka, but differs in several diagnostic morphological characters and is therefore recognised as a distinct species.
- It has been named after R. Raj Vikraman, former Head of the Garden Management Division at JNTBGRI, recognising his contribution to ex-situ plant conservation.
- Only about 200 mature individuals have been observed, occupying less than 5 km².
- Its preliminary IUCN-category assessment is Data Deficient (DD) pending further assessment.
- The Western Ghats currently harbour about 23 Begonia species.
Source:
Livestock Insurance Portal: Digital Transformation of Livestock Insurance
Economy
Why in News?
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) launched the Livestock Insurance Portal on 28 September 2026 in New Delhi. It is a single digital platform for delivering livestock insurance services under the Livestock Insurance activity of the National Livestock Mission (NLM).
Key Facts
- Ministry: Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying.
- Implementing department: Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD).
- Coverage: Livestock insured under the government’s Livestock Insurance activity.
- Portal: Provides an end-to-end digital ecosystem connecting farmers, State Governments, insurance companies and implementing agencies.
- Key functions:
- Digital policy issuance/enrolment
- Premium management
- Beneficiary verification
- Claim processing and settlement
- Real-time policy monitoring
- Reporting and data-driven management
- Available in Hindi, English and 11 regional languages, improving accessibility for livestock farmers.
- More than 30 lakh animals had already been insured during 2026 when the portal was launched.
- Livestock insurance protects farmers against risks such as animal mortality, disease outbreaks, accidents and natural calamities.
Static Linkage: National Livestock Mission
The NLM is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme focused on sustainable livestock development, entrepreneurship, breed improvement and employment generation. The Livestock Insurance activity operates under its framework.
Sources:
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2315538®=3&lang=1
Polylactic Acid (PLA): Bio-based Biodegradable Plastic
Science & Technology
Why in News?
India has formally launched the commercial use of bio-based biodegradable plastic based on Polylactic Acid (PLA) under the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment) framework. The initiative aims to translate biotechnology research into sustainable industrial products.
Key Facts
- PLA is a bio-based, biodegradable thermoplastic polymer produced from renewable feedstocks such as corn starch and sugarcane.
- Production: Glucose → fermentation → lactic acid → polymerisation → PLA.
- Properties: Lightweight, thermoplastic, compostable/biodegradable under suitable conditions and derived from renewable biological resources.
- Applications:
- Food packaging and containers
- Medical sutures and biomedical applications
- 3D-printing filaments
- Other disposable and packaging products
- Environmental relevance: Can reduce dependence on fossil-based plastics and potentially lower lifecycle carbon emissions when sustainably produced.
- Indian initiative: Balrampur Chini Mills Ltd. (BCML) is developing a 100-tonne-per-annum pilot-scale R&D facility for PLA and co-polymers at Kumbhi, Uttar Pradesh, supported by a ₹75 crore BIRAC grant.
- India had earlier inaugurated its first demonstration facility for PLA bioplastic at Jejuri, Pune, in 2024.
Sources:
(MAINS Focus)
Green Highways: India's Journey Towards Sustainable Road Infrastructure
GS III – Infrastructure / GS III – Environment
Sustainable Infrastructure, Green Cover, and Circular Economy
Introduction
India’s green highway approach is transforming road infrastructure through plantation, climate-resilient design, and resource-efficient construction. Over the last five years, more than 3.61 crore saplings have been planted across approximately 1.32 lakh km of National Highways. From Miyawaki forests to recycled construction materials and indigenous bio-bitumen technology, green practices are shaping highway development. The National Highways network has grown by nearly 61%, from 91,287 km (2014) to 1,46,572 km (March 2026). Satellite-based monitoring through the National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) is strengthening scientific assessment of green cover.
Green Highways Policy, 2015: Policy Framework
Objectives
- Evolve a policy framework for plantation along National Highways.
- Reduce air pollution and dust (trees as natural sinks).
- Arrest soil erosion at embankment slopes.
- Moderate wind and incoming radiation.
- Create employment opportunities for local people.
Implementation
- Stakeholders: Self-Help Groups, private agencies, State Forest Departments, Forest Corporations, contractors.
- Monitoring: Plantation Cell; regional offices of NHAI.
Greening the Corridors: Plantation and Afforestation
Scale of Plantation
- Saplings Planted: 3.61 crore+ (last five years).
- Coverage: ~1.32 lakh km of National Highways (as of July 2026).
- Monitoring: Drone and satellite-based (supplementing site visits).
Techniques
- Miyawaki Plantations: Dense forests in limited spaces; plants grow up to 10 times faster.
- Compensatory Afforestation: Where tree felling is necessary.
- Tree Transplantation: For development projects.
NHAI Guidelines (September 2026)
- Compliance: Plantation works considered compliant for provisional completion certification only when at least 80% of available Right of Way (RoW) earmarked for plantation is covered.
- Survival Rate: Minimum 90% survival rate at inspection; same benchmark during O&M period.
- Replacement: Provisions for timely replacement of plants that do not survive.
Green Highways Excellence Awards
- Instituted: 2025.
- 2026 Weightage: Plantation survival, species diversity, native species, site-specific plans, protection measures.
- Winners (2026):
- Avenue Plantations: Chilakaluripet Bypass, NH-16, Andhra Pradesh.
- Median Plantations: Hyderabad–Yadgiri, NH-163.
- Land Parcels: Jamtha Clover Leaf Oxygen Bird Park, NH-44, Nagpur.
National Highways – Green Cover Index (NH-GCI)
First Annual Report (2025-26)
- Collaboration: National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO.
- Purpose: First scientific and quantitative assessment of green cover within RoW.
- Coverage: ~30,000 km of National Highways under O&M phase; 24 states.
- Methodology: Observations before and after monsoon; advanced space-based technologies.
- Outcome: Reliable baseline for monitoring and enhancing roadside plantations; enables comparison, ranking, and targeted interventions.
Driving the Shift to Sustainable Materials
Bio-Bitumen Technology
- Announced: January 2026; technology transfer.
- Developed By: CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP).
- Process: Post-harvest rice straw → pyrolysis → bio-oil → blended with conventional bitumen.
- Value Streams: Bio-binders, gaseous fuel, bio-pesticide fractions, high-grade carbon (batteries, water purification).
- Trial: 100-metre stretch on Jorabat–Shillong Expressway (NH-40), Meghalaya.
- Significance: India meets ~50% of bitumen requirement through imports; bio-bitumen reduces import dependence.
- Global First: India first country to scale bio-bitumen to industrial/commercial levels within same year.
Recycled and Industrial By-Products
- Fly Ash and Pond Ash: Embankments and structural works.
- Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP): Suitable highway works.
- Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste: Recycled aggregates.
- Other Materials: Plastic waste, slag, crumb rubber, bio-bitumen.
- Benefits: Resource efficiency, conservation of natural resources, reduced environmental impact.
Community Engagement and Public Awareness
Pollinator Corridors: “Trees for Bees”
- Location: Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.
- Approach: Flowering and locally suitable species for nectar and pollen across seasons.
- Purpose: Continuous habitat for bees and other pollinators.
Sustaining Green Cover: Andhra Pradesh
- Plantation (2010-2025): ~18 lakh seedlings (avenue and median plantations).
- Target (2026-27): 3.86 lakh saplings.
- World Environment Day 2026: ~3,200 saplings planted under “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam.”
Conclusion
India’s highway sector stands at the intersection of large-scale infrastructure delivery and environmental stewardship. From grassroots plantation to indigenous bio-bitumen, each initiative reflects a common thread: growth need not come at the expense of green cover. The Green Highways story is woven into India’s larger national priorities—climate action, self-reliance, and inclusive growth. As India’s highway network expands, its green cover is expanding alongside it. The vision of Viksit Bharat is reinforced through sustainable, technology-backed infrastructure.
Practice Question
- India’s green highway approach is transforming road infrastructure through plantation, climate-resilient design, and resource-efficient construction. Critically examine the initiatives, achievements, and challenges of sustainable highway development in India. (250 words, 15 marks)
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2316139®=3&lang=1
Literacy for All: India's Journey Towards Viksit Bharat
GS II – Social Justice / GS I – Society
Education, Literacy, and Human Development
Introduction
Literacy is a foundation of national development. UNESCO recognises literacy as a fundamental human right and a driver of equality, justice, inclusion, and the rule of law. In 1947, India’s overall literacy rate stood at just 14%, with female literacy at a mere 8%. Since then, India has made significant strides—from 18.32% (1951) to 74.04% (2011) in Census data, and 81.1% as per PLFS 2025. The Department of School Education and Literacy has, for the first time, defined literacy as “the ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills such as digital literacy and financial literacy.” A state/UT with 95% literacy is considered fully literate.
Measuring Progress in Literacy
Historical Trends (Census)
- Overall Literacy: 18.32% (1951) → 74.04% (2011)
- Male Literacy: 27.15% → 82.14%
- Female Literacy: 8.86% → 65.46%
- Urban Literacy: 34.59% (1951) → 84.1% (2011)
- Rural Literacy: 12.10% → 67.8%
- Rural Female Literacy Growth (2001-2011): 26% (vs. 10% for rural males)
PLFS 2025 Estimates
- Urban Literacy (7+ years): 89%; (5+ years): 88%
- Male (7+): 93.1%; Female (7+): 84.8%
- Rural Literacy (7+ years): 77.4%; (5+ years): 76.4%
- Male (7+): 84.8%; Female (7+): 70.3%
- Overall Literacy Rate: 81.1%
School Enrolment and Retention (UDISE+ 2025-26)
- Enrolment: 24.72 crore+ students
- GER: Foundational (42.8%), Preparatory (91.7%), Middle (89.6%), Secondary (71.7%)
- Dropout Rates: Preparatory (1.8%), Middle (3.6%), Secondary (7.0%)
- Retention Rates: Foundational (98.5%), Preparatory (91.1%), Middle (83.7%), Secondary (51.9%)
- Transition Rates: Foundational→Preparatory (99.2%), Preparatory→Middle (93.8%), Middle→Secondary (88.3%)
Higher Education Expansion
- Enrolment: 3.42 crore (2014-15) → 4.50 crore (2023-24)
- GER: 23.7% → 30%
- Out-turn: 88.28 lakh → 1.09 crore+
- Target: 50% GER by 2035 (NEP 2020)
Key Government Initiatives
ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society)
- Type: Centrally sponsored; aligns with NEP 2020.
- Target: Adults aged 15+ who missed formal schooling.
- Vision: ‘Jan Jan Saakshar’; spirit of ‘Kartavya Bodh’ (Duty).
- Approach: Hybrid learning; ULLAS App (27 languages); volunteerism and Janbhagidari.
- Process: Surveyors identify non-literate individuals and volunteer teachers; learners connect with Voluntary Teachers; FLNAT assessment and certification.
- Progress: Target 5 crore learners (2022-27); outlay ₹1,037.90 crore; 4.03 crore registered learners; 52.20 lakh volunteers; 3.3 crore+ participated in FLNAT.
- Fully Literate States/UTs (2024-2026): Ladakh, Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir.
NIPUN Bharat
- Launched: July 2021; under Samagra Shiksha.
- Goal: Universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27; every child acquires foundational skills by Grade 2.
- Focus: Foundational Stage (ages 3-8 years).
Complementary Initiatives
- Samagra Shiksha: Equitable, inclusive, quality education; foundational learning, teacher development, vocational integration; aligned with SDG 4.
- PM SHRI: 14,500+ exemplar schools; holistic development.
- PM e-VIDYA: Multi-mode access to learning; benefits ~25 crore school-going children.
- PM POSHAN: One hot cooked meal to 11.20 crore students in 10.36 lakh schools.
Literacy for Viksit Bharat and Sustainable Development
Linkages
- SDG 4: Inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning.
- Economic Growth: Literacy positively associated with GDP and per capita income.
- Women’s Empowerment: Enhances equality, inclusion, and human rights.
- Employability: Enhances productivity, innovation, and economic participation.
- Green Jobs: Education and skills enable participation in green jobs and circular economy.
Multiplier Effects
- Across SDGs: Progress in literacy creates multiplier effects across sustainable development goals.
- Inclusive Development: Supports broad-based, sustainable development.
Looking Ahead
Sustained Implementation
- Regional and Gender Disparities: Greater attention needed to ensure benefits reach every section.
- Lifelong Learning: Connect foundational learning with adult education and future-ready skills.
- Literate, Skilled, Empowered Population: Foundation for a more inclusive, productive, and sustainable Viksit Bharat.
Conclusion
India’s literacy journey since Independence reflects a wider transformation in nation-building and human development. From 14% literacy in 1947 to 81.1% (PLFS 2025), India has made remarkable progress. Initiatives such as NEP 2020, ULLAS, and NIPUN Bharat are broadening the vision—connecting foundational learning with adult education, lifelong learning, and future-ready skills. Ten States/UTs have declared themselves fully literate. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat, sustained implementation, attention to regional and gender disparities, and a focus on lifelong learning will ensure that the benefits of literacy reach every section of society, creating a strong foundation for a more inclusive, productive, and sustainable future.
Practice Question
- India’s literacy journey from 14% in 1947 to 81.1% in 2025 reflects a wider transformation in nation-building and human development. Critically examine the progress, initiatives, and challenges in achieving universal literacy in India. (250 words, 15 marks)
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2316357®=3&lang=1
