Current Affairs 09 August 2025

Content

1. Contractors to incur higher penalties for subpar roads
2. In the name of a nation
3. Balancing Oil, Trade, and Geopolitics
4. The Two-Rupee Doctor
5. Rain, landslides, flash floods: an uncertain mix

Contractors to incur higher penalties for subpar roads

Road Quality & Contractor Accountability

• Defect liability period for contractors increased from 5 to 10 years.
• Penalties include seizure of bank/performance guarantees, blacklisting, and investigations for deliberate faults.
• ₹40,000 crore investment to identify and fix accident-prone spots across the country.
• Innovations in road materials: use of rubber, plastic, and recycled waste for durability.
• Pre-cast drains made mandatory to reduce waterlogging damage.
• Safety-first approach in vulnerable regions (Himalayas, flood-prone zones), even if costs rise.
• Strengthened accountability and resilience measures aim to improve quality, reduce repair costs, and make infrastructure climate-resilient.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance) , GS 3(Infrastructure)

Toll Tax & Logistics Cost Reduction

• Annual ₹3,000 FASTag pass for passenger vehicles → reduces average per-toll cost to ~₹15.
• Four-wheelers form 80% of highway traffic.
• Logistics cost currently 16% of GDP; target to bring it down to 9% by December 2025.
• Example: Mumbai–Pune Expressway reduced travel time from 9 hours to 2 hours, saving fuel and costs.
• Lower logistics costs enhance competitiveness, facilitate trade, and improve supply chain efficiency.

Ethanol Blending & Biofuel Push

• E20 (20% ethanol blend) rollout — part of strategy to reduce ₹22 lakh crore fossil fuel import bill.
• Farmers benefit: Corn prices rose from ₹1,200 to ₹2,600/tonne; tripled cultivation in Bihar & UP.
• Early ethanol use caused vehicle corrosion; solved via ARAI design modifications.
• Flex-fuel vehicles running fully on ethanol cost ~₹25–₹30/litre vs ₹110 for petrol.
• Mileage drop acknowledged due to lower calorific value but offset by macroeconomic and rural benefits.
• Accusations of personal gain denied — ethanol plants reportedly loss-making and small-scale.
• Ethanol blending supports energy security, rural income diversification, and environmental goals, though it faces efficiency trade-offs and political economy challenges.

Automobile Industry & Trade Resilience

• Indian automobile exports not dependent on the U.S.; diversified markets in Africa, South Asia, Latin America.
• Exports include: electric Mercedes, Toyota flex engines, Maruti Suzuki vehicles, and two-wheelers (50% exported).
• Confident of growth despite U.S. tariff issues.
• Export diversification reduces vulnerability to trade disruptions and aligns with industrial self-reliance goals.

Major Infrastructure & Connectivity Projects

• Delhi–Mumbai, Delhi–Katra, Delhi–Dehradun Expressways expected to significantly cut travel time and logistics costs.
• Improved port connectivity to boost exports, trade, and investment.
• Logistics cost already reduced by 6–10% through ongoing projects (based on IIT/IIM studies).
• Strategic expressway development integrates domestic supply chains with global markets, enhancing India’s economic competitiveness.

Governance & Political Observations

• Election results’ fairness concerns are under Supreme Court review.
• Gadkari distances himself from Maharashtra political manoeuvres, focusing on national issues.
• Stresses that leadership succession questions are to be addressed by party president.
• Maintaining focus on policy performance and avoiding entanglement in regional politics reinforces governance credibility.

Facts for Prelims

• Contractor defect liability: 10 years.
• FASTag annual pass: ₹3,000; per-toll cost ~₹15.
• Logistics cost target: 9% of GDP by Dec 2025 (current: 16%).
• Ethanol blending target: E20; full ethanol vehicle fuel cost: ₹25–₹30/litre.
• Corn price rise post-ethanol demand: ₹1,200 → ₹2,600/tonne.
• Mumbai–Pune Expressway: travel time cut from 9 hrs to 2 hrs.

In the name of a nation

Geographical & Demographic Context

• Border Geography
  • West Bengal–Bangladesh border: 2,216 km, of which ~450 km is unfenced → facilitates legal and illegal movement.
  • Terrain includes rivers, chars (river islands), agricultural fields — difficult to fence fully.
• Population
  • Significant Bengali–speaking population in bordering districts.
  • Historic migration patterns mean linguistic and cultural similarity across the border.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance ,Federalism , Fundamental Rights)

Nature of the Recent Incidents

• Migrant workers from West Bengal, working in various Indian states, have been subjected to:
  • Identity verification drives.
  • Detentions exceeding the 24-hour legal limit in some cases.
  • Alleged forced repatriation across the international border.
• Geographical spread of incidents: Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana.
• Occupations: Construction labour, factory workers, carpenters, agricultural labourers.

Legal & Administrative Framework

• Citizenship Determination
  • Governed by Citizenship Act, 1955 and rules thereunder.
  • Common documents used: Birth certificate, Aadhaar, voter ID, passport.
  • Issue: Genuine documents do not always prevent detention due to verification disputes.
• Police Detention Norms
  • Article 22(2) of Constitution + CrPC Section 57: Production before magistrate within 24 hours mandatory.
• Border Management
  • Union Government responsibility (Union List – Entry 19: Citizenship, naturalisation, aliens).
  • State governments handle local law & order (State List – Entry 2: Police).

Socio-Economic Drivers of Migration

• Push Factors from West Bengal
  • Industrial share in national output declined from ~24% at independence to ~3.5% by 2021.
  • NSO’s Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises: 3 million jobs lost (2015–16 to 2022–23) in WB’s informal sector.
  • Low agricultural income; seasonal unemployment.
• Pull Factors in Other States
  • Higher wages in manufacturing, construction, services.
  • Established migrant worker networks in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Delhi.

Historical Context of Cross-Border Movement

• 1905 Partition of Bengal: Administrative division along communal lines, annulled in 1911.
• 1947: Creation of East Pakistan → religious migration in both directions.
• 1971: Bangladesh Liberation War → large refugee influx.
• 2015 Land Boundary Agreement:
  • Exchange of enclaves between India and Bangladesh.
  • Residents given choice of nationality.
  • Many enclave residents migrated within India after formal integration.

Documentation & Verification Challenges

• Language Similarity: Dialects and accents of border districts often identical on both sides.
• Document Gaps: Many rural citizens lack complete documentation or have inconsistencies (dates, spelling).
• Verification Infrastructure: Varies across states; inter-state communication gaps can prolong verification.

Security & Border Management Concerns

• Border Vulnerabilities
  • Unfenced stretches used for illegal migration, cattle smuggling, and small-scale cross-border crime.
• Post-2024 Context
  • Geopolitical changes in Bangladesh have led to enhanced scrutiny of border-linked movement.
• Identification Challenge
  • Differentiating citizens from undocumented migrants in a culturally homogenous zone.

Humanitarian & Labour Welfare Aspects

• Impact on Workers
  • Loss of employment due to sudden return.
  • Financial instability for families reliant on remittances.
• Labour Rights
  • Need for clarity on what documentation migrants must carry for inter-state movement.
  • Awareness gaps on legal rights during detention and verification.

Governance & Policy Gaps

• Lack of a centralised, portable worker identity system that can be verified across states.
• Absence of real-time inter-state police communication protocols for quick citizenship verification.
• Border districts need integrated socio-economic development to reduce outmigration pressure.

Balancing Oil, Trade, and Geopolitics

Context & Trigger

• Event: PM Modi–President Putin phone conversation (Aug 8) amid heightened Indo-US trade tensions.
• Trigger: US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50%, citing India’s continued purchase of Russian oil despite Western sanctions and geopolitical pressure.
• Backdrop: Ukraine war still ongoing; India and China maintain independent oil-import policies from Russia, drawing Western criticism.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

India–Russia Relations: Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership

• Nature of Partnership:
  • Established in 2010.
  • Encompasses defence (S-400s, nuclear submarines), energy (nuclear plants, oil imports), space cooperation, and multilateral coordination (SCO, BRICS, G20).

• Current Significance:
  • Russia remains a key oil supplier to India post-Ukraine war.
  • India seeks diversification in energy sources but prioritises affordable crude.
  • Engagement continues despite US secondary sanctions risk.

• Upcoming Diplomacy:
  • Modi invited Putin to India later in 2025 — signals India is not caving to Western pressure.

US–India Trade Tensions

• Immediate Issue:
  • Trump administration’s tariff hike from 25% to 50% — now highest globally for India.
  • Negotiations for a trade agreement paused — pending political resolution.

• Underlying Issues:
  • Market access disputes: India’s resistance to genetically modified (GM) products.
  • Divergent positions on digital trade, agricultural subsidies, and tariff protection.

• Geoeconomic Impact:
  • Trade slowdown could affect $120+ billion bilateral trade.
  • Tariffs may hurt Indian exports in key sectors (textiles, engineering goods, gems & jewellery).

China Factor

• Xi–Putin Meeting:
  • Shows strengthening China–Russia axis.
  • China publicly welcomes Modi’s possible visit to SCO summit in Tianjin — suggests Beijing seeking to keep India in regional multilateral frameworks despite bilateral tensions.
• Parallel Position: India and China both assert oil purchases from Russia are in national interest.

Energy Security & Russian Oil

• HPCL Update:
  • Cut Russian oil processing to 13.2% of crude basket (June quarter) — not due to geopolitics but reduced price advantage.
  • Russian crude discount fell from $12/bbl (2022-23) to $2.2/bbl (2024-25).

• Policy Stance:
  • No government directive to stop Russian oil imports.
  • Refiners free to seek alternatives if economics unfavourable.

• Strategic Implication:
  • India’s Russian oil imports more a market economics question now than geopolitics.
  • Lower discounts reduce incentive; diversification may increase.

Multilateral & Strategic Implications

• SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation):
  • India’s continued participation — signals balanced engagement with Eurasian powers.
• G20 & BRICS:
  • India’s position — strategic autonomy, not bloc alignment.
• US–Russia Rivalry Spillover:
  • India faces balancing act — avoiding alienating either partner.

India’s Strategic Autonomy Doctrine

• Core Principle: “Issue-based alignment” — engages with multiple poles without joining permanent blocs.
• Application Here:
  • Continues Russian energy engagement despite US pressure.
  • Pauses trade talks with US, but avoids retaliatory tariffs immediately.
  • Keeps channels open with China at SCO, despite LAC tensions.

Possible Outcomes (UPSC Analytical Angle)

• Short Term:
  • Trade slowdown with US.
  • Greater dependence on alternative energy suppliers if Russian price advantage continues to shrink.
  • Putin visit likely to result in new defence/energy agreements.
• Medium Term:
  • If Trump’s tariff policy hardens, India may pivot towards Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) FTA with Russia & Central Asia.
• Long Term:
  • India will push for multi-alignment, increasing role in BRICS+, SCO, G20 to counter overdependence on any single power.

The Two-Rupee Doctor

Relevance : GS 4(Ethics – Personalities), Essay Examples

• Lifelong commitment to service over profit, exemplified by charging₹2 for consultation for five decades despite rising costs.
• Guided by a value-based upbringing—medicine as a duty, not a means to wealth—reflecting intergenerational ethical transmission.
• Prioritised accessibility for the poorest through early morning hours, enabling daily-wage workers to seek treatment without loss of income.
• Maintained professional integrity by prescribing only generic medicines and avoiding unnecessary tests, resisting pressures of medical commercialisation.
• Operated with humility and simplicity, choosing a modest clinic setup over lucrative hospital or corporate offers, proving impact doesn’t require scale.
• Built trust and social capital—patients travelled up to 90 km, showing the power of credibility over marketing.
• Demonstrated that small, consistent acts of public service can have transformative societal impact, even without institutional backing.
• Lived ideals of equity, justice, and compassion, ensuring healthcare dignity for all, especially the underprivileged.
• Legacy continues through value-oriented practice of his son, showing sustainability of ethical models through personal example.
• Serves as a reminder that moral leadership at the grassroots can bridge governance gaps in critical sectors like health.

Rain, landslides, flash floods: an uncertain mix

Background & Context

• Incident Date & Location: 5 August 2025, Dharali village, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.
• Impact: At least 4 confirmed deaths, many missing, widespread destruction, hundreds homeless/stranded.
• Pattern: Part of a series of recent extreme weather disasters in Himalayan states (e.g., Himachal Pradesh over the past month).
• Significance for UPSC: Integrates Disaster Management (GS-III), Climate Change impacts (GS-I & GS-III), Geography (monsoon, Himalayan ecology), and Governance (mitigation & preparedness).

Relevance : GS 3(Disaster Management, Climate Change) ,GS 1(Geography)

Understanding Flash Floods

• Definition: Sudden, intense flooding in normally dry areas or in rivers/streams, usually within 6 hours of a triggering event.
• Primary Triggers in Hills:
  • Extreme Rainfall / Cloudbursts
  • Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs)
  • Landslide Dam Breach
  • Glacier/Ice Collapse into Rivers
• Mechanism in Hills:
  Heavy rainfall/ice collapse → landslides/mudslides → debris-laden water rushes downstream → destruction of infrastructure, vegetation, and lives.

Meteorological & Geological Dimensions

Rainfall & Cloudburst

• Uttarkashi Rainfall Data (Aug 5, 2025): 32 mm in 24 hrs → double normal daily rainfall, but not extreme by IMD standards.
• Cloudburst Definition (IMD): ≥100 mm rainfall in ~1 hr over ~10 km² area.
• Relevance: No confirmed cloudburst; rainfall was moderate but still caused devastation — indicates underlying ecological fragility.

Possible Triggers in Dharali Case

• Hypothesis: Breach in upstream glacial lake (yet unconfirmed).
• Possibility of GLOF like Chamoli 2021, where 3–4 million m³ of water was released suddenly.
• Moderate rain could have acted as a secondary trigger in an already fragile slope with saturated soil.

Himalayan Fragility & Vulnerability

• Young Fold Mountains: Unconsolidated rocks, weak formations, high erosion susceptibility.
• Seismic Activity: Continuous tectonic movements make slopes unstable.
• Anthropogenic Stress:
  • Road widening & tunnelling for highways/hydro projects.
  • Riverbank construction, slope cutting.
  • Tourism pressure → vehicular load, waste, unplanned infrastructure.
• Result: Even low-intensity triggers can cause disproportionate damage.

Climate Change Linkages

• Observed Trends:
  • Increase in frequency & intensity of extreme rainfall events in the Himalayas.
  • More cloudburst-like events and erratic precipitation patterns.
• Scientific Basis: Warmer atmosphere holds more moisture → higher precipitation intensity in short bursts.
• Implication: Higher unpredictability → challenges early warning systems.

Risk Factors Specific to the Incident

• Geomorphology: Steep slopes facilitate rapid downstream surge.
• Soil Saturation: Reduced infiltration capacity due to prior rains.
• Glacial Changes: Possible moraine-dammed lakes from glacier retreat.
• Human Settlement Patterns: Villages along riverbanks vulnerable to sudden surges.
• Construction Debris & Boulders: Can be swept downstream, amplifying destruction.

Challenges in Early Warning Systems

• Rainfall Prediction: Possible for heavy rainfall; difficult for hyper-local events like cloudbursts.
• Landslide Prediction: Progressing but limited — requires real-time soil moisture, slope stability, and seismic data.
• Flash Flood Prediction: Requires integration of meteorological + hydrological + geomorphic models — still nascent in India.
• Dharali Lesson: Even moderate rain can be disastrous; vulnerability mapping is as critical as rainfall forecasting.

Mitigation & Preparedness Strategies

Structural Measures

• Ban/restrict construction along active floodplains and riverbanks.
• Slope stabilization using vegetation, retaining walls.
• Safe storage/disposal of construction debris to prevent river blockage.
• Strengthen/relocate infrastructure away from high-risk zones.

Non-Structural Measures

• Early Warning Systems:
  • Use of Doppler Weather Radars in mountain valleys.
  • Integration with GLOF early warning tech (automatic lake level sensors).
• Community Preparedness:
  • Mock drills, evacuation plans.
  • GIS-based hazard mapping for all Himalayan districts.
• Policy Measures:
  • Enforce Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) regulations.
  • Integrate climate resilience in Himalayan State Development Plans.