📰 Daily Current Affairs Notes — Saturday, August 15, 2026

Sources scanned: PIB India, The Hindu, Indian Express, PRS India, RBI, NITI Aayog, and Chhattisgarh State Government portals.

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BRICS 2026 Summit in New Delhi: Finance Ministers Oppose Unilateral Tariffs and Address Global Trade Disruptions — [International Relations: GS Paper II]

1. The Core News Report

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, bringing together leaders and delegations from member nations to deliberate on multilateral economic cooperation, currency mechanisms, and geopolitical flashpoints. Ahead of the high-level leaders' summit, BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors concluded their consultative meetings, with the second formal meeting held in Mumbai following an opening session on August 12. In their joint ministerial statement, member countries registered formal concern over the growing trend of "unilateral imposition" of tariffs and trade restrictions, which undermine the rules-based multilateral trading architecture under the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Addressing the BRICS Business Forum, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored the acute vulnerabilities faced by developing economies due to non-tariff trade barriers and ongoing disruptions across vital maritime routes. Concurrently, participating heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, noted the structural shift in global economic power toward emerging markets, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized the need to facilitate cross-border trade settlements outside mechanisms dominated by a select few traditional reserve currencies. Parallel bilateral engagements in New Delhi addressed wider regional stability across West Asia and Eastern Europe.

The summit highlights India’s strategic posture within an expanded BRICS architecture, aiming to advance the interests of the Global South while maintaining institutional balance between emerging multipolar dynamics and existing international financial frameworks.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: BRICS serves as a key platform for India to champion Global South priorities, press for Bretton Woods institutional reforms, and counter unilateral protectionist measures without endorsing exclusionary anti-Western blocs.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Institutional structure of BRICS, its expansion, New Development Bank (NDB), and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).
  • GS Paper II: Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India; effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests.
  • GS Paper III: Effect of trade policies and unilateral tariffs on Indian exports and balance of payments.
  • Essay: Multi-alignment and strategic autonomy as pillars of Indian foreign policy in a fragmented world.
  • Interview: Balancing strategic partnerships in the Quad alongside multilateral commitments within BRICS.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Summit hosting details, member composition of multilateral organizations, and recent global trade summits.
  • Mains Paper: Paper VII (International Organizations and Contemporary International Affairs).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Export of mineral and metallurgical products from Chhattisgarh (such as iron ore and aluminium) subjected to global tariff barriers and maritime freight volatility.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: Second BRICS Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting held in Mumbai; 18th BRICS Summit hosted in New Delhi.
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: BRICS, WTO Marrakesh Agreement, Bharat Mandapam (New Delhi).

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. Consider the following statements regarding the BRICS grouping:

     1. The Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) is a framework established by BRICS to provide liquidity support to members during short-term balance of payments pressures.
     2. The New Development Bank (NDB) operates with equal voting shares among its original founding members.
        Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
        (A) 1 only
        (B) 2 only
        (C) Both 1 and 2
        (D) Neither 1 nor 2
        Correct Answer: (C) — Both statements are correct. The CRA provides short-term liquidity through currency swaps, and the NDB gave equal 20% voting power to each of its five founding members.

  2. In the context of international trade discussions at multilateral platforms like BRICS, which of the following is the primary criticism against "unilateral tariffs"?
     (A) They conform strictly to WTO Appellate Body guidelines.
     (B) They undermine the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) principle and disrupt global supply chains.
     (C) They eliminate domestic currency volatility in developing nations.
     (D) They automatically increase concessional financing from the World Bank.
     Correct Answer: (B) — Unilateral tariff impositions violate standard multilateral trading principles, particularly MFN, and trigger supply chain fragmentation.

• Possible Mains Questions:

  1. "The expansion and evolving agenda of BRICS reflect the deepening desire of the Global South for a diversified and equitable multilateral order." Analyze India's challenges and opportunities in steering BRICS towards balanced global governance. (250 words / 15 marks)

• Keywords / Tags: BRICS 2026 Unilateral Tariffs Global South WTO De-dollarization

• Related Topics for Revision:

  • New Development Bank (NDB) and CRA operational modalities
  • WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism crisis

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Securing Critical Mineral Supply Chains: India Advances Overseas Lithium Acquisitions in Australia, Chile, and Argentina — [Economy & Resources: GS Paper I & III]

1. The Core News Report

The Union Ministry of Mines announced that India is in advanced discussions to acquire lithium blocks in Australia and Chile, alongside pursuing five additional lithium blocks in Argentina. Union Minister of Mines G. Kishan Reddy revealed the developments while emphasizing the urgent requirement for public and private Indian mining entities to secure critical mineral assets abroad to fuel the domestic energy transition and manufacturing ecosystem.

India’s overseas exploration and acquisition drive is spearheaded primarily by Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL)—a joint venture formed by three central public sector enterprises: National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL), and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd. (MECL). KABIL has already been operationalizing agreements in Argentina's Catamarca province, which forms part of South America’s famed "Lithium Triangle" along with Chile and Bolivia.

The acquisition push aligns with India’s Critical Minerals Strategy and the National Electric Mobility Mission. The Union Government has called for enhanced private sector participation in high-risk overseas mineral exploration and processing, backed by legislative enabling mechanisms introduced through recent amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: Lithium is an essential component for lithium-ion battery storage, electric vehicles (EVs), grid-scale storage, and consumer electronics. With domestic discoveries still under exploratory staging, securing overseas reserves is a national geostrategy imperative to curb import reliance.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Lithium Triangle countries, KABIL mandate, critical minerals list, and the MMDR Amendment Act provisions.
  • GS Paper I: Distribution of key natural resources across the world, including South America and Australia.
  • GS Paper III: Mineral security, renewable energy targets, manufacturing (PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries), and import dependency risks.
  • Essay: Resource geopolitics and self-reliance in the 21st-century green industrial revolution.
  • Interview: Assessing the commercial and environmental viability of deep exploration overseas versus domestic mining.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: CPSEs involved in KABIL (NALCO, HCL, MECL), mineral classifications, and major mineral reserves.
  • Mains Paper: Paper IV (Applied & Behavioral Science / Environment and Natural Resources) and Paper V (Indian and Chhattisgarh Geography and Economy).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Exploration of critical and strategic minerals (like lithium, tin, and nickel) in Chhattisgarh's mineral-rich Bastar craton and Surguja zones; role of the State Mineral Development Corporation.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: Five blocks targeted in Argentina; joint venture KABIL formed under Ministry of Mines.
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: MMDR Amendment Act, KABIL, "Lithium Triangle" (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile), Catamarca Province.

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL) is a joint venture comprising which of the following public sector enterprises?
     (A) NMDC, SAIL, and NTPC
     (B) NALCO, Hindustan Copper Ltd., and MECL
     (C) ONGC Videsh, Coal India, and BHEL
     (D) GAIL, MOIL, and NMDC
     Correct Answer: (B) — KABIL was incorporated with the equity participation of NALCO, HCL, and MECL in the ratio of 40:30:30.

  2. The geographical region widely known as the "Lithium Triangle", which holds the majority of global brine lithium reserves, encompasses which group of countries?
     (A) Brazil, Colombia, and Peru
     (B) Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile
     (C) Mexico, Australia, and Canada
     (D) South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia
     Correct Answer: (B) — The Lithium Triangle refers to Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile in the Andean plateau.

• Possible Mains Questions:

  1. Critical minerals are the bedrock of modern clean energy technology and industrial resilience. Discuss the geopolitical and economic challenges India faces in securing critical mineral supply chains, and evaluate the policy measures adopted by the government. (250 words / 15 marks)

• Keywords / Tags: Critical Minerals Lithium Triangle KABIL MMDR Act Energy Security

• Related Topics for Revision:

  • MMDR Amendment Act (classification of critical and strategic minerals)
  • Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC)

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Human Spaceflight Readiness: The Environmental Control and Life Support System of ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission — [Science & Technology: GS Paper III]

1. The Core News Report

As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) advances towards human spaceflight verification trials, technical focus has converged on the qualification of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS). The ECLSS constitutes the critical mission backbone designed to sustain three astronauts inside the sealed Crew Module operating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometres.

Because human spaceflight environments cannot rely on terrestrial biogeochemical cycles, the ECLSS must maintain a tightly regulated cabin environment. The system manages the supply and partial recycling of breathable oxygen, the scrubbing of exhaled carbon dioxide using chemical adsorbents, and the continuous removal of trace atmospheric contaminants. Additionally, it regulates cabin barometric pressure (maintaining sea-level equivalent gas mixture of oxygen and nitrogen), humidity levels, and active thermal management to dissipate heat generated by onboard avionics and human metabolism.

The system also integrates automated fire detection and suppression mechanisms, specialized closed-loop water management, and compact solid/liquid human waste collection modules. ISRO is validating indigenous sub-systems alongside ground-tested redundancies to ensure crew survivability under all planned phases and contingency abort profiles.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: Human spaceflight systems demand near-zero failure probability. Indigenizing ECLSS technologies elevates India's aerospace capabilities from unmanned satellite launch expertise to advanced human-rated bio-astronautics.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Components of Gaganyaan, LEO parameters, functions of ECLSS, human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle.
  • GS Paper III: Awareness in the fields of Space, indigenization of technology, and developing new technology.
  • Essay: India’s frontier scientific missions: Fostering technological leapfrogging and national inspiration.
  • Interview: Justifying capital-intensive human space exploration relative to socio-economic public expenditure priorities.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: ISRO missions, Gaganyaan parameters, Indian space launch vehicles.
  • Mains Paper: Paper IV (Applied & Behavioral Science: Science and Technology in India; Space Programs of ISRO).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Academic institutions in Chhattisgarh (e.g., NIT Raipur, IIT Bhilai) engaging in materials research and advanced sensor development relevant to national space applications.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: 400 km Low Earth Orbit mission profile; designed for a three-member crew module; LVM3 launcher.
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: ISRO, Human Space Flight Centre (HSFC), ECLSS architecture.

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. In the context of manned space missions like ISRO's Gaganyaan, which of the following is NOT a primary function of the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS)?
     (A) Atmospheric pressure and gas composition regulation
     (B) Carbon dioxide removal and humidity control
     (C) Trajectory orbital correction and propulsion steering
     (D) Fire detection, suppression, and metabolic thermal control
     Correct Answer: (C) — Trajectory correction and propulsion steering are governed by the Reaction Control System (RCS) and orbital propulsion systems, not the ECLSS.

  2. Which launch vehicle has been human-rated by ISRO to carry out the orbital module launches under the Gaganyaan mission?
     (A) PSLV-XL
     (B) LVM3 (GSLV Mk III)
     (C) SSLV-D2
     (D) GSLV Mk II
     Correct Answer: (B) — The Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) has been human-rated as the HLVM3 for the Gaganyaan mission.

• Possible Mains Questions:

  1. "Human spaceflight missions transition a nation's space program from functional utility to high-end bio-astronautics and precision life sciences." Discuss the key technological barriers overcome by ISRO in developing the Gaganyaan mission, highlighting the significance of the ECLSS. (150 words / 10 marks)

• Keywords / Tags: ISRO Gaganyaan ECLSS Human Spaceflight LVM3

• Related Topics for Revision:

  • Vyommitra humanoid robot testing
  • Crew Escape System (CES) and Pad Abort Tests (PAT)

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External Sector Resilience and Monetary Policy: Foreign Exchange Reserves Hit Record High Amid Global Inflation Risks — [Economy: GS Paper III]

1. The Core News Report

India’s foreign exchange reserves registered an unprecedented single-week jump of $44.903 billion, reaching a historic peak well above the previous record of $740.803 billion, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The expansion was driven primarily by revaluation gains in foreign currency assets, changes in gold reserve valuations, and capital inflows.

Concurrently, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra addressed macroeconomic stability, stating that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will conduct a thorough reassessment of growth-inflation dynamics at its forthcoming meeting. The central bank highlighted that renewed volatility in international crude oil prices, exacerbated by geopolitical supply bottlenecks around the Red Sea and West Asian export terminals, presents an upside risk to headline retail inflation. The extent of the domestic inflationary pass-through will hinge on global price persistence and downstream fuel excise management.

In the domestic debt markets, the RBI undertook a rare market intervention by partially canceling a scheduled government bond auction for the first time in a year. The central bank accepted bids worth only ₹45.06 billion against a notified borrowing target of ₹110 billion for the 6.20% 2029 sovereign bond, demonstrating the central bank's reluctance to accept elevated yield demands from primary dealers during periods of transient liquidity friction.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: Robust forex reserves provide an indispensable external balance sheet buffer against global currency shocks, securing adequate import cover and currency stability. Simultaneously, RBI’s debt-auction interventions signal yield-curve management.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Components of Foreign Exchange Reserves (FCA, Gold, SDRs, Reserve Tranche Position in IMF); RBI auction mechanisms.
  • GS Paper III: Indian Economy, issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, and inflation management; RBI Monetary Policy framework.
  • Essay: Macroeconomic stability as the foundation for high sustained economic growth.
  • Interview: Examining the trade-offs between yield management by RBI and the market-driven discovery of sovereign debt pricing.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Composition of Forex reserves, inflation indices (CPI vs. WPI), role of the RBI Governor and MPC.
  • Mains Paper: Paper V (Economic and Social Development of India: Monetary policy, functions of RBI, public debt management).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Impact of fuel price transmission on state transportation, mining transport logistics, and state revenue collection from Value Added Tax (VAT) on petroleum products.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: Weekly reserve jump of $44.903 billion; Reserve threshold exceeding $740.803 billion baseline; Section 45ZB of RBI Act (MPC constitution).
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: Reserve Bank of India, Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Foreign Currency Assets (FCA).

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. Which of the following components are included in India's Foreign Exchange Reserves held by the Reserve Bank of India?

     1. Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs)
     2. Gold holdings
     3. Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)
     4. Reserve Tranche Position (RTP) in the International Monetary Fund
        Select the correct answer using the code given below:
        (A) 1 and 2 only
        (B) 1, 2, and 3 only
        (C) 1, 3, and 4 only
        (D) 1, 2, 3, and 4
        Correct Answer: (D) — All four components constitute India's official foreign exchange reserves.

  2. When the Reserve Bank of India partially cancels or rejects bids in a sovereign bond auction, what is its primary operational objective?
     (A) To increase the statutory cash reserve ratio of commercial banks.
     (B) To prevent yields from rising to levels inconsistent with orderly debt management.
     (C) To immediately reduce foreign direct investment in equities.
     (D) To deplete its domestic foreign exchange reserves.
     Correct Answer: (B) — The RBI rejects high yield bids to prevent sovereign borrowing costs from spiking and to anchor the government yield curve.

• Possible Mains Questions:

  1. Explain the economic significance of building large foreign exchange reserves for an emerging market economy like India. How does imported energy price volatility complicate the dual mandate of price stability and growth management for the RBI? (250 words / 15 marks)

• Keywords / Tags: Forex Reserves RBI MPC Inflation Sovereign Bond Auction Crude Oil Volatility

• Related Topics for Revision:

  • Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework under the RBI Act, 1934
  • Open Market Operations (OMOs) and Operation Twist mechanisms

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Legislative Scrutiny of Civil Society Funding: Joint Parliamentary Committee to Convene on FCRA Amendment Bill — [Polity & Governance: GS Paper II]

1. The Core News Report

The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) constituted to scrutinize the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Amendment Bill will hold its first formal proceedings on September 18. The 31-member panel, comprising members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, will receive detailed briefings from senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the operational and regulatory necessity of the proposed amendments.

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act regulates the receipt and utilization of foreign donations by individuals, associations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to ensure that such flows do not adversely affect internal security, public interest, or democratic processes. Successive statutory revisions in past years introduced mandates requiring foreign contributions to be received exclusively through dedicated accounts at the State Bank of India's New Delhi Main Branch, restricted sub-granting to other NGOs, and capped administrative expenditure out of foreign receipts.

The upcoming JPC scrutiny is expected to examine further regulatory tightenings, compliance obligations, definitions of political or public interest interference, and the balance between national security surveillance and the operational independence of developmental civil society organizations.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: The FCRA is a key regulatory instrument at the intersection of national security and the non-profit developmental sector. Parliamentary committee scrutiny ensures bi-partisan oversight over executive powers and fundamental freedoms under Article 19.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Types of Parliamentary Committees (Standing vs. Joint Parliamentary Committees), composition, and powers of JPCs; key provisions of the FCRA.
  • GS Paper II: Parliament and State Legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges; Development processes and the development industry: the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations.
  • Essay: Civil society as the third pillar of democracy: Regulation versus autonomy.
  • Interview: Balancing external fund transparency to deter foreign interference while safeguarding genuine developmental work.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Parliamentary committees, constitutional provisions related to bills referred to committees, Union Home Ministry jurisdiction.
  • Mains Paper: Paper III (Constitution and Polity of India: Parliamentary system and Parliamentary Committees).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Non-governmental organizations operating in tribal welfare, healthcare, and education across Bastar and Surguja; ensuring adherence to FCRA norms while executing state-assisted rural development projects.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee; Article 105 (powers and privileges of Parliament and its committees); Article 19(1)(c) (freedom to form associations).
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, Ministry of Home Affairs (Foreigners Division), SBI New Delhi Main Branch mandate.

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. With reference to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in India, consider the following statements:

     1. A JPC can only be established through an express provision within the Constitution of India.
     2. A JPC has members drawn from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in proportion to their relative strengths.
        Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
        (A) 1 only
        (B) 2 only
        (C) Both 1 and 2
        (D) Neither 1 nor 2
        Correct Answer: (B) — Statement 1 is incorrect because a JPC is an ad-hoc parliamentary committee set up through a motion adopted by Parliament, not an explicit constitutional body. Statement 2 is correct.

  2. Under the regulatory provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), where are all registered entities legally required to open their primary FCRA account to receive foreign donations?
     (A) Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai
     (B) State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch
     (C) Any nationalized bank at the district headquarters
     (D) NITI Aayog Darpan Portal Escrow Account
     Correct Answer: (B) — The FCRA requires that all foreign contributions must initially be received into a designated account opened at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch.

• Possible Mains Questions:

  1. "Parliamentary committees act as the institutional eyes and ears of the legislature, providing specialized and non-partisan scrutiny to complex bills." Examine this statement in light of the role played by Joint Parliamentary Committees in scrutinizing internal security and regulatory legislations. (150 words / 10 marks)

• Keywords / Tags: FCRA JPC Parliamentary Committees NGO Regulation Internal Security

• Related Topics for Revision:

  • Differences between Ad-hoc and Standing Parliamentary Committees
  • FCRA Amendment Act 2020 key restrictions

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Expanding the Bioeconomy: Accelerating Biotech Startups and Reforming Biotechnology Regulatory Frameworks — [Science & Technology: GS Paper III]

1. The Core News Report

India's biotechnology innovation ecosystem has registered significant acceleration, adding over 1,100 specialized biotechnology startups over the past year, as highlighted by veteran biologist and former Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan. Speaking on the institutional trajectories of science and higher education, he underlined the confluence of artificial intelligence, high-throughput biomanufacturing, and biobanking in transforming healthcare, agricultural sustainability, and industrial biosolutions.

The expansion of the bioeconomy is driven by institutional support through the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its public-sector enterprise, the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC). Emerging segments such as synthetic biology, neuroinformatics, precision therapeutics, and bio-agriculture are seeing rapid commercial translation. Concurrently, academic and industry platforms—including collaborative summits organized with technological institutes—have placed focus on modernizing biobanking protocols, clinical trial validation frameworks, and ethically compliant data-sharing mechanisms.

A central priority emphasized by experts is the ongoing modernization of India's regulatory frameworks governing genetic engineering and bio-innovations. Streamlining approval pathways while ensuring rigorous biosafety benchmarks remains crucial for Indian biotech enterprises to compete internationally in biopharmaceuticals and climate-resilient agriculture.

2. Examination Analysis (Why it is Important & Exam Relevance)

• Why it is Important: Biotechnology is a core pillar of India's goal to achieve a $300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. Rapid startup incubation requires a balance between regulatory safety (biosafety guidelines) and the ease of commercializing biomanufacturing innovations.

• UPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: DBT, BIRAC mandate, National Biotechnology Development Strategy, Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC).
  • GS Paper III: Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology.
  • Essay: Science, bioethics, and innovation as drivers of sustainable national development.
  • Interview: Resolving regulatory delays in approving genetically modified applications and biotherapeutics in India.

• CGPSC Relevance:

  • Prelims: Central scientific institutions, DBT programs, applications of biotechnology in agriculture.
  • Mains Paper: Paper IV (Applied and Behavioral Science: Bio-technology—introduction, scope, applications in agriculture, animal husbandry, and health).
  • Chhattisgarh Special: Utilization of agricultural biotechnology for enhancing local minor millets (Kodo, Kutki, Ragi) yield, biofertilizers in organic farming zones, and tribal herbal medicine value addition.

• Key Facts to Remember:

  • Important figures / Constitutional Articles / Committees: Over 1,100 biotech startups added within a year; target $300 billion national bioeconomy by 2030.
  • Reports / Organizations / Schemes / Acts / Locations / Dates: Department of Biotechnology (DBT), BIRAC, Environment (Protection) Act 1986 Rules for Hazardous Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms (1989).

• Possible Prelims MCQs:

  1. Which of the following bodies is the statutory authority in India responsible for the appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms into the environment?
     (A) Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)
     (B) Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC)
     (C) Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)
     (D) National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
     Correct Answer: (B) — The GEAC, functioning under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), is the statutory body under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for appraising environmental releases.

  2