28 October 2025

• Cyclone Montha, developing over the west- central and southwest Bay of Bengal, is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam around Kakinada on Tuesday evening/night.
• The India Meteorological Department (IMD) classified it as a severe cyclonic storm with sustained winds of 90–100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph.
• A red alert has been issued for 16 districts and orange alert for 5 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has convened emergency measures and coordination among disaster management agencies, with assistance assured by the Prime Minister.
• The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) warned of high waves (2–4.7 m) and storm surges likely to inundate low-lying coastal regions.

Key Points

• Rainfall: Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall recorded in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Srikakulam; highest rainfall at Jathara (92.25 mm).
• Wind Speed: Predicted maximum sustained winds of 100 kmph; gusts up to 110 kmph.
• IMD Tracking: Cyclone positioned ~410 km south-southeast of Kakinada as of 8:30 p.m. Monday; moving north-northwest at 13 kmph.
• Preparedness:
  • NDRF & SDRF on standby.
  • 3,211 generators and satellite communication systems deployed.
  • Evacuation from vulnerable coastal zones underway.
• Infrastructure & Health Measures:
  • Power backup in 2,707 villages.
  • 108 & 104 ambulances mobilized for emergency response.
  • Sanitation and disease prevention prioritized post- cyclone.

Static Linkages

• Tropical Cyclones:
  • Form over warm ocean waters (≥26°C) with Coriolis force aiding cyclonic rotation.
  • Classified by IMD under the system: Depression → Deep Depression → Cyclonic Storm → Severe Cyclonic Storm → Very Severe → Extremely Severe → Super Cyclone.
• Bay of Bengal vs. Arabian Sea:
  • Bay of Bengal generates ~80% of India’s cyclones due to warmer waters and conducive wind patterns.
• Institutional Framework:
  • IMD – nodal agency for cyclone forecasting.
  • NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority) – policy formulation and coordination.
  • NDRF – specialized response teams.
• Legal Backing: Disaster Management Act, 2005 empowers both Union and State authorities to manage such disasters.
• Technological Support: INCOIS provides real- time ocean state forecasts and tsunami warnings.

Cons/Challenges:

• Coastal Andhra Pradesh remains highly vulnerable due to dense population and low- lying terrain.
• Infrastructure fragility—power lines, roads, and communication networks prone to collapse.
• Evacuation resistance among locals due to livelihood dependency on coastal areas.
• Post-disaster disease management remains a recurring weak link.

BIG TECH’S DICREGARD FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

• India’s Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 (DMRA) prohibits advertisement of drugs claiming to cure certain diseases or disorders (54 listed conditions).
• Despite this, Big Tech platforms (social media, search engines, e-commerce) continue to host paid advertisements promoting unverified ayurvedic and homeopathic “cures” for diabetes, cancer, etc.
• These practices violate the DMRA and expose serious gaps in the enforcement of digital advertising laws in India.
• Experts have called for stronger accountability mechanisms for Big Tech and legal reforms to ensure compliance with Indian laws on public health.

Key Points

• DMRA, 1954 aims to protect public health by restricting misleading drug ads.
• Big Tech claims “intermediary” immunity but acts as “publisher” by selling ad space.
• PNDT Act, 1994 faced similar non-compliance earlier.
• Indian courts have not imposed criminal liability on violators.
• Weak enforcement emboldens Big Tech; global firms exploit legal loopholes.

Static Linkages

• Article 47 – State duty to improve public health.
• Entry 19, List III – Regulation of drugs and poisons.
• Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 – Regulates manufacture and sale. Doctrine of Due Diligence – IT intermediaries must prevent unlawful content.
• Medical Ethics: “Do no harm” principle.

Critical Analysis

• Pros:
  • Protects citizens from false medical claims.
  • Upholds consumer rights & health safety.
  • Reinforces legal sovereignty.
• Challenges:
  • Weak enforcement & jurisdictional gaps.
  • Misuse of “intermediary immunity.”
  • Lack of digital ad regulation authority.

Way Forward

• Amend DMRA to cover digital advertisements.
• Mandate local compliance officers under Indian law.
• Create Digital Advertising Regulatory Authority.
• Enable criminal prosecution for repeated violations.
• Strengthen coordination: CDSCO– MeitY–CCPA.
• Promote AI-based ad screening and digital literacy.

NORTH-SOUTH CARBON MARKET START

• On September 17, 2025, the European Union (EU) and India unveiled the New Strategic EU– India Agenda, outlining cooperation across five pillars — prosperity and sustainability, technology and innovation, security and defence, connectivity and global issues, and enabling mechanisms.
• Under the “Clean Transition” pillar, the EU proposed to link India’s Carbon Market (ICM) with its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).
• This linkage implies that carbon prices paid by Indian exporters domestically could be deducted from CBAM levies at EU borders — potentially avoiding double carbon taxation.
• However, institutional, price, and political hurdles threaten to delay or derail the integration.

Key Points

• India’s Carbon Market (ICM) stems from the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS), 2023, under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022, operationalised by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
• The EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) is a mature carbon pricing model with a cap-and- trade mechanism and prices averaging €60– €80/tonne CO₂.
• India’s credit prices currently range between€5–€10/tonne, far below EU levels, raising compatibility concerns.
• The CBAM, effective from 2026, covers imports of carbon-intensive goods (steel, cement, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity, hydrogen).
• CBAM deductions will apply only if India’s market demonstrates compliance-grade verification, transparent emissions registries, and legal caps comparable to the EU’s ETS.
• The EU–India linkage, if implemented, could shield exporters from dual carbon costs and incentivise industrial decarbonisation.

Static Linkages

• Carbon Pricing Instruments: Market-based tools (cap-and-trade, carbon tax).
• Paris Agreement, Art. 6: Allows carbon market cooperation.
• Energy Conservation Act, 2001 (Amended 2022): Legal base for carbon trading.
• WTO Principles: Non-discrimination; CBAM seen as potential trade barrier.

Critical Analysis

• Pros:
  • Avoids double taxation on exporters.
  • Incentivises decarbonisation and global cooperation.
  • Strengthens India–EU climate ties.
• Cons:
  • Institutional gaps in India’s carbon market.  Large carbon price disparity.
  • Risk of EU interference in India’s policy space.  WTO and sovereignty concerns.

Way Forward

• Build robust MRV and compliance mechanisms.
• Align carbon prices with CBAM expectations.  Set up India–EU joint carbon task force.
• Ensure WTO-compatible trade clauses and industry readiness.

DEVIL IN THE DETAILS

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 States and Union Territories, following its pilot exercise in Bihar.
• The revision aims to remove inaccuracies caused by migration, deceased voters, and duplication, which were highlighted by political parties, especially the Indian National Congress.
• However, the Bihar experience revealed gender disparities, data anomalies, and potential voter exclusion, especially among women and temporary migrants.
• The process now includes a 54-day notice period for hearing and verification to improve transparency.

Key Points

• Objective: To ensure accurate and updated electoral rolls before upcoming elections.
• Timeline: Approximately one month for enumeration and one month for claims and objections.
• New Provision: 54-day “Notice Period” for verification and inclusion hearings.
• Findings in Bihar:
  • Gender ratio fell from 907 to 892 women per 1,000 men post-SIR.
  • Disproportionate exclusion of women aged 18– 29 under “permanently shifted” category.
  • Statistical anomalies despite ECI’s claim of fair verification.
• Procedural Concern: Burden of verification rests heavily on citizens and political party agents (BLAs) rather than on ECI’s Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
• Digital Access Issue: Online enumeration option is limited due to digital divide and literacy barriers.
• Judicial Intervention: After the Supreme Court’s direction, ECI was required to publish names and reasons for deletion to allow re-registration.

Static Linkages

• Universal Adult Franchise as part of Democratic Ideals in the Constitution.
• Article 324: Vests the superintendence, direction, and control of elections in the ECI.
• Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1950 – governs preparation and revision of electoral rolls.
• RPA, 1951 – deals with the conduct of elections and related disqualifications.
• Model Code of Conduct and its role in ensuring fairness in electoral processes.
• SC Judgement (PUCL v. Union of India, 2003) – upheld voter’s right to know as part of Article 19(1) (a).
• Digital Literacy Mission & Digital India Programme – relevance in ensuring inclusive access to electoral reforms.
• Delimitation and Electoral Roll Revision as part of periodic electoral integrity measures.

Critical Analysis

• Pros:
  • Cleans voter lists, improves accuracy.
  • 54-day verification enhances transparency.
• Cons:
  • Risk of disenfranchisement of women, youth, migrants.
  • Overreliance on party agents.  
  • Digital and literacy barriers.

• Bihar, long regarded as a “low-level equilibrium trap” economy (as per Richard Nelson, 1956), is now among India’s fastest-growing states.
• Nominal GSDP projected to grow 22% in FY 2025–26, touching nearly ₹11 lakh crore.
• Bihar’s economy is diversifying from agriculture dependence toward industry (26.6%) and services (58.6%).
• The state recorded 8.22% CAGR in GSDP (2004–2017) and a revenue surplus of 0.8% of GSDP — signaling a fiscal turnaround.
• Capital expenditure now forms 14% of the budget, prioritizing infrastructure and productive assets over consumption subsidies.

Key Points

• Structural Transformation:
  • Agricultural employment declined from 72.6% (2004) to 43.8% (2017).
  • Growth drivers: construction, telecom, financial services, and logistics.
• Infrastructure Surge:
  • Centre approved ₹33,000 crore for 875 km of highways and ₹1 lakh crore for rail capacity projects.
  • Upcoming six regional airports and a greenfield international airport near Patna.
• Fiscal Prudence: Revenue surplus & higher capital spending signal efficient fiscal management.
• Human Capital: Literacy and education levels improving but secondary and tertiary education lag national averages.
• Diaspora Linkages: 7.2% of population works in other states; remittances form major income source for 50% of households.
• Governance Focus: Push for digital transparency, institutional reforms, and ease of doing business.

Static Linkages

• Low-Level Equilibrium Trap: Cycle of low income–savings–investment.
• Lewis Model: Shift from traditional to modern sectors.
• FRBM Act, 2003: Ensures fiscal prudence.   
• Institutional Economics (Douglass North): Governance quality drives growth.

Critical Analysis

• Pros:
  • Fiscal discipline, infrastructure surge, inclusive focus
  • Better Centre–State synergy
• Challenges:
  • Weak private investment  Low skill quality
  • Regulatory delays, underused tourism potential

Way Forward

• Channel remittances into investment
• Reform bureaucracy for private capital  
• Align education with job markets
• Develop “Brand Bihar” tourism  
• Sustain capital-led fiscal policy.