Content:
- Cabinet decides to include caste count in next Census
- Digital access a part of fundamental right to life and liberty: SC
- Is natural hydrogen the fuel of the future?
- Ex-RAW chief appointed head of reconstituted NSAB
- Study highlights lack of access to right antibiotics in eight countries
Cabinet decides to include caste count in next Census
Context : Key Decision
- Cabinet approval: Union Cabinet has approved caste enumeration in the next decennial Census.
- Announcement: Made by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday.
- First time post-Independence: First full caste count since 1931, marking a major policy shift.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance)
Background Context
- Previous Census: The last Census was held in 2011; the 2021 Census has been delayed indefinitely, initially due to COVID-19.
- Historic gap: Since 1931, only Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) have been counted in official Census data.
- 2011 SECC: The Socio-Economic Caste Census was conducted separately from the regular Census and did not mandate caste disclosure.
Implementation Details
- Statutory backing: Caste count to be part of the second and final phase of the upcoming Census with legal support.
- Digital format: Next Census to be conducted digitally via a mobile app.
- App to include a dropdown directory of castes in an “other” column.
- Software for this feature is under testing.
Potential Implications
- Data-driven policy: Will provide authentic data for OBC and caste-based welfare schemes.
- Wider debates: May spark fresh debates on reservation, social justice, and affirmative action frameworks.
- Administrative challenge: Managing caste enumeration accurately across India’s diverse social landscape.
Digital access a part of fundamental right to life and liberty: SC
Context : Key Verdict
- Supreme Court ruling: Digital access is now recognized as an integral part of the fundamental right to life and liberty under Article 21.
- Judgment authored by: Justice R. Mahadevan, with Justice J.B. Pardiwala on the Bench.
Relevance : GS 2(Polity , Fundamental Rights, Judiciary)
Context of the Case
- Petition focus: Highlighted the digital exclusion of persons with disabilities during mandatory procedures like digital KYC (Know Your Customer).
- Barrier to access: Many marginalised individuals struggle to navigate digital platforms, affecting their access to governance and welfare services.
Key Observations by the Court
- Inclusivity emphasized: Court underscored that digital transformation must include the disabled, underprivileged, and historically excluded.
- State’s obligation: The government is constitutionally bound to create an inclusive digital ecosystem.
- Warning against exclusion: Highlighted the risk that rapid digitization without accessibility measures could entrench social inequalities.
Broader Constitutional Implication
- Article 21 expanded: The judgment reinforces that right to life and liberty includes dignified, equitable digital access.
- Link to welfare state: Digital exclusion undermines access to benefits, violating the spirit of social justice.
Impact and Way Forward
- Policy reform push: Urges the government to redesign digital platforms to be disability-friendly and universally accessible.
- Tech with empathy: Reinforces that tech-led governance must not leave behind the most vulnerable.
- Legal precedent: Sets a significant benchmark for future digital rights and accessibility jurisprudence in India.
Is natural hydrogen the fuel of the future?
What is Natural Hydrogen?
- Occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust — unlike manufactured hydrogen (gray, blue, green).
- Formed via serpentinisation, radiolysis of water, and organic matter breakdown at depth.
- Known to be 98% pure in some locations (e.g., Bourakébougou, Mali).
Relevance : GS 3(Technology ,Energy Security)
Why Was It Previously Overlooked?
- Considered a geological curiosity for decades.
- Belief: Hydrogen’s small size and reactivity prevent large underground accumulations.
- Not part of traditional oil & gas exploration frameworks.
What Changed Recently?
- Accidental discovery in Mali (1987) confirmed large pure hydrogen seeps.
- Studies and models (e.g., USGS 2022) now indicate huge potential reserves globally.
- Scientific recognition that certain tectonic and hydrothermal zones can store hydrogen.
Global Reserve Potential
- USGS estimate: Even if 2% of natural reserves are exploitable, they could meet global hydrogen demand for 200 years.
- Notable deposits found in France, Australia, U.S., Albania, Canada, etc.
- 92 million tonnes estimated in France’s Lorraine and Moselle regions alone.
India’s Potential
- India has favourable geology for natural hydrogen:
- Ultramafic/mafic rocks, ophiolite complexes, volcanic-sedimentary cratons (e.g., Dharwar, Singhbhum).
- Basement rock fractures, sedimentary basins, and hot springs as potential sites.
- Still largely unexplored but promising.
Industry Trends
- Growing interest: 40+ companies exploring by 2023 (vs. 10 in 2020).
- Companies claim low extraction cost (~$1/kg) — cheaper than green hydrogen.
- Major players:
- Koloma (U.S.): $245M raised from Amazon and Gates’ Breakthrough Energy.
- BP, Rio Tinto: Investing in UK-based hydrogen start-up Snowfox Discovery.
- American Association of Petroleum Geologists formed its first natural hydrogen committee.
Benefits of Natural Hydrogen
- Low carbon emissions and minimal environmental disruption (if harvested sustainably).
- Abundant, cheap, and naturally renewable.
- Could significantly help in decarbonising global energy systems.
Challenges & Uncertainties
- Exploration methods still evolving — no dedicated frameworks like hydrocarbons yet.
- Economic feasibility is site-specific; many deposits may be too scattered or deep.
- Still in nascent stages of development and global policy recognition.
Conclusion
Natural hydrogen holds enormous promise as a clean, cost-effective fuel. While still underexplored, it may become a game-changer in the global shift toward renewable energy — including for India, if proactive exploration and policy support follow.
Ex-RAW chief appointed head of reconstituted NSAB
Context and Timing:
- The reconstitution of NSAB comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack (April 22) that killed 26 people, escalating tensions with Pakistan.
- It coincides with high-level Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meetings chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
- The PM has given the armed forces “complete operational freedom” regarding India’s response to the terror attack.
Relevance : GS 3(Internal Security, Defence)
Key Appointment:
- Alok Joshi, former RAW Chief (2012) and 1976 batch IPS officer from the Haryana cadre, is appointed as the Chairman of the NSAB.
- His extensive experience in external and internal intelligence (RAW & IB) suggests a shift towards strengthening counter-terrorism and strategic foresight.
Composition and Continuity:
- Total strength remains at 16 members, with nearly 50% reconstituted.
- Rotation is termed “standard practice” to maintain fresh perspectives while ensuring institutional continuity.
Role and Significance of NSAB:
- Formed in December 1998, NSAB is part of the National Security Council (NSC) structure.
- It comprises experts outside government—from civil society, industry, military, media, etc.
- Functions:
- Conduct long-term strategic analysis.
- Offer policy options and recommendations on national security matters referred by NSC.
- Acts as a think tank to inform India’s strategic and security posture.
Study highlights lack of access to right antibiotics in eight countries
Key Findings:
- Only 7.8% of patients in India with carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative (CRGN) infections received appropriate antibiotics.
- Average appropriate treatment rate across eight LMICs: 6.9%.
- Countries studied: India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, South Africa.
- In India (2019), out of ~10 lakh CRGN infections, less than 1 lakh received proper treatment.
- Estimated ~3.5 lakh deaths in India due to lack of appropriate treatment.
Relevance : GS 2(Health)
Research Body:
- Conducted by Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP).
- Data sources: The Lancet’s GRAM study and IQVIA data for 2019.
Study Objectives:
- Evaluate access gap to appropriate antibiotics.
- Map the cascade of care using better data.
- Identify effective antibiotic stewardship programmes or innovations in LMICs.
Implications:
- High morbidity & mortality due to untreated drug-resistant infections.
- Increased healthcare costs and prolonged hospital stays.
- Contradiction in India’s case:
- Overuse and misuse of high-end antibiotics driving resistance.
- Inadequate access to those same antibiotics for patients who truly need them.
Expert View:
- Dr. Abdul Ghafur calls it a “paradox of access”:
- Irrational overuse of critical antibiotics.
- Simultaneously, denial of access to needy patients in critical condition.
- Highlights the urgent need for antibiotic access policies, rational prescribing, and regulatory reforms.
Broader Significance:
- Demonstrates structural gaps in public health systems in LMICs.
- Emphasises need for:
- Equitable drug distribution systems.
- Diagnostic infrastructure to guide targeted antibiotic use.
- International funding and support for antibiotic R&D and access.
