Quit India Movement Day

Source: IE 

Why in News?

India celebrates 8^th August every year as Quit India Movement Day, also known as August Kranti Diwas, to commemorate the Quit India Movement (QIM), which demanded the immediate end of British rule in India. 

What was the Quit India Movement?

• Launch and Purpose: Launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 8th August 1942 during the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay, the movement demanded the immediate end of British rule following the failure of the Cripps Mission. 
• Gandhi's Call: Gandhi gave the powerful call of “Do or Die” at the Gowalia Tank Maidan (now August Kranti Maidan), urging Indians to demand an immediate end to British rule. 
• Slogan and Symbolism:  The slogan “Quit India” was coined by Yusuf Meherally, a socialist and trade unionist from Bombay, who had also created the earlier slogan “Simon Go Back.”  
  • During the movement, Aruna Asaf Ali became a prominent figure, famously hoisting the Indian flag at the Gowalia Tank maidan as a symbol of defiance. 
• Rise of New Leaders: New leaders like Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia, Jayaprakash Narayan rose to prominence during this movement.  
  • Women also played a significant role, leading protests and sacrificing their lives, such as Matangini Hazra, who died with the Tricolour in hand, and Sucheta Kripalani, who later became India’s first female Chief Minister (Uttar Pradesh). 
• Nature of the QIM:  The QIM was distinct from earlier peaceful protests like Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience, as it was a mass uprising demanding the complete withdrawal of British rule. 
  • Though Gandhi emphasized non-violence, the movement was accommodating of violence in self-defense. It allowed spontaneous actions like sabotage and guerrilla attacks against British properties. 
  • Widespread protests, strikes, and sabotage erupted across India, with students and youth taking the lead, especially in urban centers, after Congress leaders were arrested. 
  • The Muslim community largely stayed absent from the QIM, it was seen as a Hindu nationalist cause, highlighting the growing communal divide and the Muslim League's push for a separate state. 
• Legacy: The movement became a key turning point in India’s freedom struggle, demonstrating unity and determination that ultimately led to the end of British rule. 
  • The Quit India Movement was a watershed moment that shaped India’s future politics. In his speech at Gowalia Tank Maidan, Gandhi said power would belong to the people of India. The movement marked the freedom struggle truly belonging to “We the People.” 

What were the Events that Led to the Quit India Movement?

• Impact of World War II (1939-1945): Britain involved India in World War II without consulting Indian leaders. The Congress demanded full independence in exchange for support, but Britain refused, causing widespread anger. 
• Failure of the Cripps Mission (March 1942): The Cripps Mission was sent by the British in March 1942 to secure India’s support in World War II and resolve the political crisis.  
  • Stafford Cripps proposed granting India dominion status after the war, with a Constituent Assembly where provinces and princely states could opt out.  
  • Gandhi met Cripps but rejected the proposal, calling it a “post-dated cheque on a crashing bank” because it encouraged division and failed to offer immediate independence. The mission ultimately failed to meet Indian demands. 
• Nationalist Sentiment and Economic Hardships: By 1942, growing frustration over British delays in granting independence, political repression, wartime exploitation, and the export of rice from Bengal during the war caused a food crisis that eventually led to the Bengal famine of 1943.  
  • The famine worsened public suffering and fueled anger against British rule. 
• Fall of Burma (1942): The Japanese invasion of Burma brought the war to India’s doorstep, heightening invasion fears and urgency for British withdrawal.  
  • Meanwhile, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose formation of the Indian National Army intensified the fight for independence. 
• Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership: Facing rising demands for independence, Gandhi launched the Quit India call, declaring, “We shall either free India or die in the attempt.”  
  • On 8th August 1942 the All-India Congress Committee passed the Quit India Resolution, urging non-violent mass resistance. 

What were the Outcomes of the Quit India Movement?

• British Repression: The British government responded with harsh repression, arresting key leaders, but the movement caused a temporary collapse of British authority in several regions. 
• Emergence of Parallel Governments: In places like Ballia (Uttar Pradesh), Tamluk (West Bengal), and Satara (Maharashtra), local parallel governments briefly challenged British authority, signaling the strong desire for self-rule. 
• Increased National Unity: The movement unified Indians across regions and classes in the struggle for full independence, strengthening the collective resolve against colonial rule. 
• Divisions within Indian Politics: The movement also exposed divisions within Indian politics, with the Muslim League largely staying away, highlighting the growing rift between Congress and the League over the future of India. 
• Path to Independence: While the movement did not immediately end British rule, it set the stage for India’s independence in 1947, as it showed the British that their hold on India was no longer tenable. 

Conclusion

The Quit India Movement was a watershed moment in India’s freedom struggle, a bold, fiery demand for liberty that captured the spirit of millions willing to sacrifice everything for their country’s independence. 

Drishti Mains Question: Discuss the significance of the Quit India Movement in shaping India’s struggle for independence.

Inland Water Transport in India

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

National Waterway-57 (Kopili River) in Assam has been operationalised, boosting Inland Water Transport under Maritime India Vision 2030 and PM Gati Shakti. 

• Now, four National Waterways in Assam- Brahmaputra (NW 2), Barak (NW 16), Dhansiri (NW 31), and Kopili (NW 57), are fully operational.

How Can Inland Waterways Support India’s Maritime Vision 2030? 

• Eco-friendly Transport: IWT is an environmentally friendly option, emitting only 32-36 g CO₂ per ton-km, far lower than 51-91 g by road. 
  • It causes negligible noise and water pollution, aligning with India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Panchamrit climate goals. 
  • IWT seamlessly integrates with rail, road, and sea transport, strengthening multimodal logistics hubs and also aids in decongesting transport systems, facilitating faster cargo movement. 
• Cost-effective & Fuel Efficient: IWT is the most cost-effective mode of transport, costing just Rs 0.25-0.30 per ton-km, significantly cheaper than Rs 1.0 by rail and Rs 1.5 by road. 
  • It is also highly fuel-efficient, moving 105 ton-km per litre, compared to 85 by rail and 24 by road. 
• Logistics & Economic Gains: Inland Waterways can reduce logistics costs from 14% to 9% of GDP, saving India approximately USD 50 billion annually. 
  • This improves India’s global competitiveness, helping achieve the goal of becoming a top 25 logistics performer by 2030. 
  • Inland cruise tourism & ferry services on rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Kerala backwaters boost employment, promote eco-tourism, and align with Blue Economy goals. 
• Strategic Connectivity: IWT requires minimal land acquisition, avoiding displacement and ecological disruption. 
  • It ensures last-mile access to remote and eco-sensitive regions, such as the Northeast, and Sundarbans. 
  • It also supports national security and disaster resilience by enabling efficient movement of goods and personnel during emergencies. 

What are the Key Challenges in Unlocking the Full Potential of Inland Waterways in India? 

• Seasonal Navigability Constraints: Most Indian rivers are non-perennial, with significant depth fluctuations during dry seasons, limiting year-round navigation. 
• Infrastructure Gaps: National Waterways lack essential infrastructure such as jetties, terminals, vessels, and navigational aids. 
  • There's inadequate multimodal integration, poor mapping of industrial clusters, and high capital costs with limited access to financing. 
• Inadequate Depth: Many waterways lack the required draft (minimum water depth), limiting navigation for large cargo vessels and reducing efficiency and cargo capacity. 
• Underutilisation of Waterways: Only 3.5% of trade in India moves via waterways, much lower than China (47%), Europe (40%), and Bangladesh (35%), signaling underuse of the potential. 
• High Siltation & Environmental Concerns: Frequent siltation requires regular and costly dredging to maintain the necessary channel depth and ensure navigability. 
  • Limited first/last-mile connectivity and time delays push industries towards road/rail transport. 
  • Dredging and port developments also degrade aquatic ecosystems and disrupt riverine communities.

What Measures Should be Taken to Improve the IWT in India? 

• Integrated & Sustainable Infrastructure Development:  Enhance multimodal connectivity under PM Gati Shakti and Sagarmala by linking IWT with rail, road, and coastal networks.  
  • Revive dormant waterways (e.g., Kopili model) in states like Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal with sustainable dredging, EIA compliance, and green vessels for eco-friendly navigation. 
• Private Participation & Financial Incentives: Promote PPP in vessel manufacturing, terminal development, and cargo handling by offering tax benefits, financial incentives, and setting up Inland Waterways Development Funds.  
  • Encourage innovation in logistics through e-platforms, River Information Systems (RIS), and GPS tracking. 
• Cargo & Passenger Movement Boost: Integrate IWT with economic hubs like PM MITRA Parks and Mega Food Parks to improve cargo flows.  
  • Expand passenger transport via Cruise Bharat Mission and incentivize cargo movement under the Jalvahak Scheme through scheduled services on key National Waterways. 
• Capacity Building & Community Development: Invest in skilling workforce in riverine areas for IWT operations and maintenance.  
  • Conserve traditional navigation through Riverine Community Development Scheme, fostering employment and sustainable livelihoods at the grassroots level. 

Conclusion 

Inland Water Transport (IWT) is a cost-effective, fuel-efficient, and eco-friendly mode of cargo movement. Its development under initiatives like Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti can Strengthen IWT to achieve sustainable logistics and India’s USD 5 trillion economy vision. 

Drishti Mains Question: Discuss the potential and challenges of Inland Water Transport (IWT) in India. Suggest measures for its effective integration into the national logistics network.

ISRO Space Analog Mission ‘HOPE’

Source: ISRO 

Why in News? 

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has inaugurated the Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) space analog mission at Tso Kar Valley (Ladakh) to simulate and study challenges linked to long-duration space missions. 

What is the HOPE Mission?

• About: It is part of ISRO's Indian Human Spaceflight Programme, aimed at simulating space-like conditions to test technologies and human health protocols for future interplanetary missions, particularly those involving the Moon and Mars. 
• Objective: To study critical physiological, psychological, and operational challenges and improve mission planning and preparedness for human space exploration in human spaceflight. 
  • It focuses on epigenetic, genomic analysis, health monitoring protocols, and microbial sample techniques. 
• Site Selection: Tso Kar Valley, Ladakh was selected for its Mars-like environment-high UV radiation, low air pressure, salty frozen ground, and cold temperatures (15°C to -10°C).  
  • Oxygen levels are only 40% of sea level, and the rocky, sandy soil resembles Martian soil. 
  • It enables testing of life support systems, habitat technology, and rover movement, while supporting research on using In-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and astrobiology. 
• Significance: The mission plays a crucial role in preparing for future crewed missions to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) including Gaganyaan, and an Indian lunar landing by 2040. 
  • It generates vital data, strengthens technological readiness and health protocols, and promotes Atmanirbhar space research through public-private-academic collaboration. 

WHO Classified Hepatitis D as Carcinogenic

Source: IE

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reclassified Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) as carcinogenic. 

Hepatitis 

• About: It is a liver inflammation from viral infections, autoimmune disorders, alcohol/drug toxicity. It can be acute or chronic, leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer. 
• Symptoms: Often asymptomatic initially, later fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, dark urine, pale stools, joint pain, jaundice. 
• Causes: Hepatotropic viruses (A, B, C, D, E), others like Varicella, SARS-CoV-2 & non-viral causes such as alcohol, drugs, autoimmune hepatitis, fatty liver. 
• Prevalence:  In 2022, WHO reported 254 million hepatitis B cases, 50 million hepatitis C cases, and 1.3 million deaths, with half of chronic cases in those aged 30–54. 
• Hepatitis D: It is a defective virus that depends on the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) for infection and replication.  
  • Risk: Causes co-infection or superinfection with HBV, increasing risk of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer) by 2–6 times compared to HBV alone. 
  • Prevalence: Low but likely underreported in India, especially among intravenous drug users and chronic HBV patients. 
  • Diagnosis,Treatment & Prevention: Diagnosis relies on the HDV-RNA test, with limited treatment options, though new drugs like bulevirtide show promise. 
    • Prevention depends on universal Hepatitis B vaccination, which has about 50% coverage in India.  
    • Key measures include safe blood transfusions, needle safety, safe sexual contact, and screening high-risk groups. 
• Key Initiatives: 
  • WHO’s 2022–2030 Strategy:  Reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% from 2015 levels, targeting 520,000 cases and 450,000 deaths annually by 2030. 
  • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program: Eliminate viral hepatitis from India by 2030. 
  • National Viral Hepatitis Control Program. 
  • India's Universal Immunization Programme (UIP). 
  • World Hepatitis Day. 

Read More: Global Hepatitis Report 2024,  World Hepatitis Day

 

First Auction for Green Ammonia by SECI

Source: PIB

Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has conducted its first-ever auction for Green Ammonia procurement under the SIGHT Scheme, as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). 

• SECI is a Navratna Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and plays a key role in the promotion and implementation of renewable energy projects across India. 

SIGHT Scheme 

• The Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme is a flagship initiative under the NGHM. 
• It aimed at strengthening the supply side of green hydrogen production through financial incentives to manufacturers. 
• It is implemented by the  Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) through SECI. 

Green Ammonia 

• It is carbon-free ammonia produced using green hydrogen (via water electrolysis) and nitrogen (from air). 
• It is used in climate-neutral fertiliser production, as a zero-carbon fuel in engines or fuel cells, and as a clean marine fuel alternative. 
• It can be easily stored and transported as a liquid under moderate pressure or low temperature, making it ideal for renewable energy storage and long-distance energy trade. 

Read More: National Green Hydrogen Mission

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

Source: PIB 

The Ministry of Tourism undertook a review of the Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS) following the CAG’s performance audit.  

• The review emphasized institutional strengthening, data-driven destination selection, infrastructure benchmarking, and integration of hard (infrastructure) and soft (capacity building) interventions.  
• Focus areas included monitoring, sustainable operations, promotion, and impact assessment for long-term sustainability. 

Swadesh Darshan Scheme (SDS & SD2.0) 

• Launched in 2014-15, SDS is a 100% centrally funded Central Sector Scheme aimed at sustainable and responsible tourism through integrated development of theme-based circuits (e.g., Buddhist, Heritage).  
• It provides financial support to States/UTs/Central Agencies for infrastructure development. 
• SD2.0 shifts to destination-centric, sustainable tourism, aligned with ‘Vocal for Local’ and Aatmanirbhar Bharat, encouraging private sector investment in tourism and hospitality. 
• Challenge-Based Destination Development (CBDD), a sub-scheme under SD2.0, follows a competitive model focusing on sustainability, digitalization, skill development, MSME support, and efficient management. 

Key Initiatives for Tourism Development 

• National Tourism Policy, 2022 
• Dekho Apna Desh Initiative   
• Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat  
• PRASAD Scheme 
• HRIDAY 
• Tribal Homestays under PM-JUGA 
• Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) for skill and employability enhancement.

Read More: Swadesh Darshan Scheme, Advancing Sustainable Tourism in India

MS Swaminathan Centenary Conference

Source: PIB 

The Prime Minister of India inaugurated the MS Swaminathan Centenary International Conference at New Delhi celebrating the legacy of the father of India’s Green Revolution. 

• Theme: Evergreen Revolution: The Pathway to Biohappiness. It focuses on food security, sustainability, and inclusive development. 
• Contribution of MS Swaminathan: He introduced high-yielding crops, boosting India’s food security, and collaborated with Norman Borlaug (Father of Green Revolution in the world) on semi-dwarf wheat, leading to an increase in wheat production. 
  • He was also a pioneer in mangrove restoration and sustainable farming, promoting an evergreen revolution for eco-friendly agricultural growth. 
• Recognition & Legacy: He was posthumously conferred the Bharat Ratna in 2024 and honoured as the Father of Economic Ecology by UNEP for linking agriculture with sustainable ecological practices. 

Read More: MS Swaminathan