Current Affairs 05 June 2025

Content :

1. Next Census to conclude by March 2027, says govt.
2. BESS in India’s clean energy transition
3. The seeds of sustainability for India’s textile leadership
4. Is global warming becoming a distraction?
5. Has the environmental crisis in India exacerbated?
6. Govt. to bring new national policy on senior citizens
7. West Asia crisis could delay IMEC, says MEA official

Next Census to conclude by March 2027, says govt.

Key Announcements

• India’s next Census will conclude by March 1, 2027.
• This will be the first digital Census of India.
• It will also be the first post-Independence Census to include caste enumeration.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Issues , Governance)

Timeline & Reference Dates

• Two-phase Census to be completed by February 28, 2027.
• Reference date:
  • March 1, 2027 (for most of India).
  • October 1, 2026 (for snow-bound areas in Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand).
• The notification of Census phases is expected on June 16, 2025, under Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948.
• No official start date for the enumeration has been declared yet.

Significance of Digital Census

• Expected to improve data accuracy, efficiency, and real-time data processing.
• May involve use of mobile apps or digital forms by enumerators.
• Data privacy and infrastructure readiness will be critical challenges.

Caste Enumeration

• For the first time since Independence, caste data will be collected during the Census.
• May help in policy formulation, welfare targeting, and social justice planning.
• However, it could also lead to political and social complexities (e.g., demand for revised quotas).

Political Implications

• Under Article 82 and Article 170, the first Census after 2026 will form the basis for delimitation (redrawing of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies).
• Currently, constituencies are based on 1971 Census due to a freeze implemented by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment and extended by the 84th Amendment (2001) till after the 2026 Census.
• Hence, 2027 Census data could trigger a major political shift, especially in representation from high-population states.

Challenges Ahead

• Delayed by 16 years (last Census was in 2011).
• COVID-19 delayed the originally scheduled 2021 Census.
• Logistical scale, training digital enumerators, and cybersecurity are major operational challenges.
• Political sensitivities around caste data and regional population growth disparities may influence national debates.

BESS in India’s clean energy transition

Changing Energy Paradigm

• The climate crisis has redefined energy security: now based on availability, accessibility, affordability, and environmental acceptability.
• Environmental acceptability highlights the trade-offs in emissions, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
• Renewables meet this criterion well, aligning with SDG 7 (access to clean energy).

Relevance : GS 3(Energy , Environment and Ecology)

Need for Energy Storage

• Intermittency of renewables (solar, wind) limits their reliability.
• Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) offer:
  • Grid stability
  • Demand-supply balancing
  • Peak load management
  • Decentralised energy delivery (e.g. microgrids)
• BESS enables lower GHG emissions and greater renewable integration.

Technological & Cost Trends

• Battery prices have fallen ~90% over 15 years.
• BESS is favored due to:
  • Affordability
  • Scalability
  • Fast deployment
  • Geographic flexibility
• Yet, full potential is blocked by:
  • Regulatory hurdles
  • Lack of financing
  • Technical barriers
  • Critical mineral constraints

India’s BESS Progress & Targets

• Target: 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 (217.62 GW achieved by Jan 2025).
• BESS Target: 47 GW by 2032.
• Supportive policies:
  • Viability Gap Funding (VGF)
  • Waiver of interstate transmission charges (till June 2025)

Key Challenges (Economic Survey 2024–25)

• Grid upgrade investments lagging
• Slow BESS adoption by large users
• Limited access to critical minerals
• Delays in large-scale agreements
• Need for innovation and investment in:
  • Battery procurement
  • Grid infrastructure
  • Mineral supply chains

Role of Partnerships

• Public-private-philanthropic alliances can:
  • Offer concessional financing
  • Enable technical capacity building

• Delhi BESS Pilot (BSES Rajdhani, IndiGrid, GEAPP):
  • Provides a technical playbook
  • Supports regulatory reform
  • Helps scale future BESS efforts

India as a BESS Leader

• India’s leadership in renewables must be complemented by strong BESS rollout.
• Strategic actions:
  • Domestic battery manufacturing
  • Recycling initiatives
  • Flexible grid integration
  • Consortium-led collaboration (e.g., BESS Consortium under GEAPP)
• BESS is essential for energy independence, climate goals, and secure, reliable power systems.

The seeds of sustainability for India’s textile leadership

Context & Need for Sustainability

• India is among the world’s largest textile manufacturers but faces challenges due to:
  • Geopolitical tensions
  • Fragmented supply chains
  • Volatile prices
• Sustainable transformation is needed to maintain global competitiveness and long-term leadership.
• Market leadership now depends not just on finance, but also adaptability, innovation, and resilience.

Relevance : GS 3(Sustainability)

Regenerative Farming (Regen Farming)

• Why important: Tackles raw material sourcing issues, soil degradation, and climate vulnerability.
• Already being implemented:
  • 1 million+ hectares under pilot projects via Ministry of Agriculture.
  • Aurangabad success: 6,000+ farmers with improved yields, lower chemical use, better incomes.
• Enables:
  • Farmer inclusion in global supply chains
  • Enhanced climate resilience
  • Cost-effective, low-input farming
  • Breaking gender barriers in agriculture
• Strengthens traceability, quality, and supply chain accountability.

Traceability Solutions

• Demand for traceable products is growing — 37% of consumers prioritize this (2023 survey).
• Traceability now supports:
  • Brand trust, authenticity, and consumer transparency
  • Sustainability storytelling beyond logistics
• India-specific examples:
  • Kasturi Cotton initiative – boosts global trust in Indian cotton
  • India-U.K. FTA (pending) could amplify sustainability-based textile exports
• EU & UK markets demand traceable, ethical products — offers India a competitive edge.

Product Circularity

• India contributes 8.5% of global textile waste — a serious concern.
• Circularity strategies:
  • Longer product lifecycles
  • Design for recyclability, reuse, and biodegradability
  • Plastic-free packaging and sustainable post-use disposal
  • Reengineering factory waste into new designs or soil-restorative products
• Benefits:
  • Job creation
  • Reduced raw material reliance
  • Aligns with REIAI and Viksit Bharat vision of self-reliance and innovation

Strategic Outlook

• Industry target: $350 billion by 2030 + 35 million new jobs
• India’s leadership must be:
  • Volume-driven and values-driven
  • Focused on climate alignment and tech innovation
• Emphasis on genuine sustainable action, not greenwashing

Conclusion: The Way Forward

• India must lead by “Making in India for the world”, but responsibly and sustainably.
• Key to future textile leadership:
  • Regenerative farming
  • Tech-led traceability
  • Product circularity
• Decisions today will shape a resilient, future-proof textile economy.

Is global warming becoming a distraction?

On Global Mean Warming Thresholds

• The 2ºC threshold in the Paris Agreement (later shifted to 1.5ºC) is not rooted in precise climate science, but rather in early economic models (e.g., Nordhaus, 1970s).
• These thresholds are arbitrary markers and don’t account for the non-linear, localised, and sudden nature of climate impacts.
• Warming levels like 1.5ºC, 1.75ºC, or 2ºC don’t make a practical difference when preparing for real-time disasters.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Flaws in Climate Models

• Models for projecting long-term global warming (beyond 2050) are highly uncertain due to:
  • Unpredictability of future emissions.
  • Unknown future tech, policies, and social shifts.
• Multiple models and datasets produce varying temperature estimates, making it difficult to confirm if 1.5ºC has been breached or not.
• Short-term warming spikes (e.g., 2023–2024) may not indicate long-term trends.

 Is Global Mean Warming a Distraction?

• Yes, focusing too much on global averages may divert attention from:
  • Local, actionable disaster risk reduction.
  • Real-time adaptation needs and resilience building.
• There is a disconnect between abstract global metrics and ground-level preparedness.

Real Threat: Climate Disasters

• Disasters such as heatwaves, floods, and droughts are increasing in:
  • Frequency
  • Intensity
  • Duration
• Rising insurance and livelihood losses highlight the urgent need for preparedness.

What Needs More Focus Instead?

• Short- to medium-term climate predictions (daily to decadal timescales) are more critical.
• Hyperlocal data and early-warning systems can:
  • Enhance disaster response.
  • Guide adaptive infrastructure planning.
• Importance of:
  • Tracking accuracy of forecasts.
  • Ensuring timely dissemination to local agencies.
  • Documenting system failures.

Tropics and Beyond: Equitable Action Needed

• Tropics are climate risk hotspots, but even temperate zones (e.g., Valencia floods) are now vulnerable.
• Global initiatives like UN’s “Early Warnings for All” aim to bridge warning-system gaps in poorer nations.

Key Takeaway

Climate risks are not predetermined — human agency and institutional preparedness determine the impact.

➤ Mitigation must continue, but resilience, adaptation, and operational disaster management deserve equal, if not more, attention.

Has the environmental crisis in India exacerbated?

India’s environmental crisis has worsened over the past decade, marked by rising emissions, biodiversity loss, and severe pollution. Despite global awareness, systemic issues and unsustainable development practices continue to deepen ecological damage.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Yes — significantly over the last decade.

• Rising Carbon Emissions:
  • India’s CO₂ emissions increased from 2.33 billion tonnes (2015) to 3.12 billion tonnes (2024) — nearly 34% growth.
  • Still heavily reliant on coal (≈70% of electricity generation).

• Biodiversity Loss:
  • Deforestation, wetland degradation, and monoculture farming are threatening India’s rich ecological zones like the Western Ghats and Northeast.
  • Ecosystem disruptions and species extinction risks have increased.

• Severe Pollution:
  • India consistently ranks among the most polluted countries.
  • Air quality in cities like Delhi remains hazardous.
  • Water pollution from untreated sewage and industrial effluents continues to degrade rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna.

What are the major contributing factors?

1. Fossil Fuel Dependency:
   1. Dominance of coal, oil, and gas in power and transport.
   1. Lack of sufficient transition to renewable energy sources.

• Deforestation and Land-Use Change:
  • Increased forest clearances for mining, infrastructure, and dam projects.
  • Encroachment in biodiversity-rich regions.

• Agricultural Intensification:
  • Monoculture crops promoted by agro-industries.
  • Overuse of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and plastic mulch.
  • Resultant soil degradation and water pollution.

• Waste Mismanagement and Urbanisation:
  • India generates 62 million tonnes of waste/year, with only 20% scientifically processed.
  • Overflowing landfills, untreated sewage, and industrial waste polluting water bodies.

• Overconsumption and Industrialisation:
  • Global North’s consumption patterns shift environmental burdens to countries like India.
  • Export-driven industrial growth often disregards environmental safeguards.

India’s Position in Global Context:

• Per capita emissions low (~1.9 tonnes) vs. U.S. (~14.7 tonnes), yet aggregate emissions rising.
• Climate injustice: Poor communities in India suffer disproportionately from pollution and extreme weather.
• Victim of climate impacts caused by historical emissions of wealthier countries (e.g., erratic monsoons, heatwaves, floods).

What needs to be done?

• Global Accountability:
  • Developed nations must cut emissions, provide climate finance, and stop outsourcing pollution.

• Corporate Regulation:
  • Impose strict environmental laws and carbon taxes.
  • Ban trade with corporations that do not comply with green norms.

• Ecological Development:
  • Promote low-carbon livelihoods, organic farming, and community-led conservation.
  • Integrate environmental goals into urban planning, infrastructure, and economic policy.

Govt. to bring new national policy on senior citizens

Context : India is witnessing a rapid rise in its elderly population, projected to reach 20% by 2047. In response, the government is drafting a new national policy to address the evolving needs of senior citizens.

Relevance : GS 2(Social Justice, Governance)

Demographic Shift:

• Senior citizens made up 8.23% of the population in 2011; projected to reach 12.16% by 2026 and 20% by 2047.
• The upcoming policy aims to address the ageing population challenge based on these projections.

Draft Policy Development:

• The policy is currently in the draft stage under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
• It is being developed in consultation with stakeholders to reflect future demographic realities.

Fourth National Council Meeting:

• Key topics discussed: digital inclusion, elder abuse redressal, community engagement, and intergenerational bonding.
• Proposal to institutionalise NGOs and senior citizen associations for implementation and feedback.

Elder Care Infrastructure:

• Emphasis on setting minimum standards for old age homes and care institutions.
• Focus on improving quality and monitoring of assisted living devices provided under government schemes.

Existing Schemes Reviewed:

• Progress reviewed under:
  • Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY): Over 5 lakh senior citizens provided with free assisted living devices.
  • Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) and Senior Citizen Portal also assessed for effectiveness.

Policy Vision:

• Aims for a rights-based, inclusive, and welfare-oriented approach.
• Seeks to prepare India for an ageing society with appropriate social, economic, and institutional support mechanisms.

West Asia crisis could delay IMEC, says MEA official

Geopolitical Concerns

• West Asia crisis (e.g. Israel-Palestine conflict, Iran tensions) may delay IMEC’s implementation.
• Conflict zones pose risks to infrastructure, investment, and continuity of mega-projects.
• Stability is key to smooth transit and long-term investor confidence.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Nature of IMEC

• IMEC is a proposed multi-modal economic corridor (ship-rail-road) linking:
  • India → Gulf → Europe.
• Envisioned as a strategic alternative to the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Announced during the G20 Summit in India (2023).

Competition from BRI

• China’s BRI presents a competing connectivity project with existing routes and financing.
• BRI enjoys wider global penetration; IMEC is relatively nascent.
• IMEC must differentiate itself through efficiency, political alignment, and private sector interest.

Operational Challenges

• Harmonisation issues across partner countries flagged as a major non-political hurdle:
  • Regulatory standards
  • Technical and phytosanitary regulations
  • Transport network compatibility
  • Customs, taxation, and digital systems
• Without this, delays and inefficiencies could erode transit-time gains.

Need for an Institutional Framework

• Call for an IMEC Secretariat/headquarters to coordinate between stakeholders.
• Lack of institutional coordination may lead to project dilution or collapse.

Funding Issues

• IMEC needs dedicated funding, ideally from private beneficiaries.
• Government-only financing may be insufficient for such a large-scale project.

Customs Bottlenecks

• While IMEC promises faster cargo transit, inconsistent customs rules at each transit point may nullify time savings.

Strategic Significance

• IMEC aligns with India’s goals of:
  • Diversifying trade routes
  • Enhancing connectivity to Europe
  • Countering Chinese influence
• Success depends on regional stability, coordination, and stakeholder commitment.