Elephant Conservation in India

Source:TH 

Why in News?  

On 12^th August, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) celebrated World Elephant Day in Coimbatore, focusing on human-elephant conflict.

How India is Ensuring the Conservation of Elephants? 

• Elephants in India: India hosts over 60% of the world’s wild Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), specifically the Indian elephant subspecies (Elephas maximus indicus).  
  • As the country’s National Heritage Animal, they play a crucial role as ecosystem engineers, aiding in seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and climate regulation. 
  • As keystone (ecosystem shapers), umbrella (protecting coexisting species), and flagship species (symbols of conservation), Elephants sustain tropical forests and perennial rivers. 
• Status of Asian Elephants in India: The Asian elephant, India’s largest terrestrial mammal, is found mainly in the south, northeast, and central regions. 
  •  About 28,000–30,000 live in fragmented populations across four regions, making habitat and corridor conservation crucial. 
• Protection Status of Asian Elephants: IUCN Red List (Endangered), Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Schedule I), and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (Appendix I). 
• Project Elephant: It is a centrally sponsored scheme, launched in 1992 under MoEFCC, Project Elephant supports 22 states/UTs in conserving elephants, their habitats, and migration corridors.  
  • It focuses on protection, conflict mitigation, and captive elephant welfare through funding, infrastructure, and anti-poaching measures. 
  • The Project Tiger and Project Elephant Scheme has been merged from FY 2023-24 and is now known as Project Tiger & Elephant. 
• Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees):  It is an initiative by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) to mitigate human-elephant conflict using "bee-fences".  
  • It involves strategically placing bee boxes along elephant paths to deter them from entering human habitations, thus reducing both human and elephant fatalities.  
• Achievements in Elephant Conservation: The wild elephant population in India has increased from 27,669-27,719 in 2007 to 29,964 in 2017, reflecting the success of conservation efforts. 
  • India has designated 33 Elephant Reserves across 14 states, providing critical habitats for elephants. 
  • These Elephant Reserves overlap with Tiger Reserves, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Reserved Forests which are protected under Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, Indian Forest Act, 1927 and other local State Acts. 
  • The MoEFCC and state forest departments have ground-validated 150 elephant corridors across 15 states, ensuring safe movement for elephants between fragmented habitats. 
  • Project Elephant has also started using geospatial tools such as Land Use Land Cover (LULC) analysis and satellite data to monitor changes in elephant habitats and identify potential threats. 
• Monitoring and Future Directions: The CITES-led Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme monitors illegal elephant killings to guide conservation action, while Wildlife Institute of India Elephant Cell supports conservation through technical expertise, capacity building, and frontline staff training.

What are the Challenges in Elephant Conservation? 

• Elephant- Train Collisions: According to a recent MoEF&CC survey, between 2009- 2024, 186 elephants died in train collisions across India, mostly in Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala, and Uttarakhand.  
  • Causes include railway tracks through elephant corridors, poor visibility, high train speeds, and lack of timely alerts. These areas also threaten other wildlife like gaurs, deer, and leopards. 
• Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: Expanding settlements and infrastructure projects shrink and break forests into small patches. 
  • Identified elephant corridors in India  which are essential for seasonal movement and genetic exchange, are under heavy human pressure and risk being completely blocked in some areas. 
• Rising Human–Elephant Conflict: Shrinking habitats push elephants into crop fields and villages, causing major damage to livelihoods.  
  • This leads to 400–500 human deaths annually and over 60 elephant deaths, mostly from retaliation. 
  • Climate change affects elephants by disrupting habitats, water, and food sources, worsening human-elephant conflict.  
    • Extreme weather events like droughts and floods force elephants into human-populated areas. 
• Poaching for Ivory and Other Body Parts: Targeted killing of tusked males for ivory has skewed sex ratios in many populations.  
  • Poaching for meat, skin, and tail hair is still prevalent, particularly in Northeast India, despite the 1989 CITES ivory trade ban. 
• Infrastructure-Related Threats: Low-hanging power lines causing electrocution, and injuries from crude bombs meant for other animals pose serious risks. 
• Accidental Deaths: Elephants often fall into open wells, trenches, and pits, especially in human-modified landscapes, leading to fatal injuries. 
• Limited Resources for Conservation: Many elephant habitats are in remote areas with poor monitoring and patrolling infrastructure.  
  • For instance, Odisha’s Similipal has limited forest staff and poor access roads, leading to weak management and a higher risk of poaching and conflict. 

What are Measures Needed for Elephant Conservation? 

• Mitigation of Elephant- Train Collision: MoEF&CC suggested mitigation measures such as building ramps, underpasses, overpasses, and installing Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) to monitor and alert train operators about elephant movements. 
• Chili Powder Fences and Beehives: Surrounding crops with fences coated in a mixture of chili powder and waste engine oil serves as a strong deterrent to crop-raiding elephants, thereby reducing human-animal conflict. 
  • Installing beehives along farm boundaries deters elephants, as they avoid bees; also provides farmers with honey income. 
• Banana Trap Crops: Planting fodder crops like banana and napier grass along forest edges to divert elephants from main crops. 
• Strengthen Habitat Protection: Reconnect fragmented habitats through land acquisition, Gram Sabha-led consent, and voluntary relocation, as recommended by the Elephant Task Force (2010). 
• Technological Interventions: Using GPS Collar Tracking monitor elephant movement in real-time for conflict prevention. Predict migration routes and hotspots for human-elephant conflict. 
• Capacity building: Strengthen forest staff in remote areas with better equipment, veterinary units, and non-lethal conflict training. 
• Community Participation and Empowerment: Expand programs like Gaj Yatra program and Gaj Shilpi initiative involving people to raise awareness about elephant conservation. 

Drishti Mains Question: Asian elephants in India are considered keystone species. Analyze the challenges faced in their conservation and suggest strategies for their long-term survival.

Strengthening Disaster Resilience in the Indian Himalayan Region

Source:IE

Why in News?

The flash flood that struck Dharali village in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, is a stark reminder of the increasing threat of disasters caused by extreme weather events in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR). 

What are the Factors Driving for Frequent Disasters in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR)? 

• Tectonic Activity and Earthquake Risk: The Himalayas are still rising because the Indian plate is colliding with the Eurasian plate. This ongoing tectonic movement makes the region one of the most seismically active zones in the world. 
  • Major fault lines like the Dhaulagiri and Indus-Ganga faults, located in India’s Seismic Zone IV and V, absorb stress from plate collisions, and sudden release of this stress triggers earthquakes. 
  • High earthquake potential often triggers landslides, avalanches, and even flash floods by destabilising slopes and blocking rivers. 
  • Example: 2005 Kashmir Earthquake (Magnitude 7.6) caused massive destruction in Jammu & Kashmir. 
• Fragile Geology: The Himalayas are geologically young mountains made of sedimentary rocks, which are loose and easily eroded. 
  • Steep slopes mean gravity naturally pulls down loose soil and rock, leading to frequent landslides, especially after rain or seismic tremors. 
• Glacial and Snow-Related Hazards: The region contains thousands of glaciers and high-altitude snowfields. Climate change is accelerating their melt, leading to the rapid expansion of Himalayan Glacial Lakes. 
  • In the Hindu Kush Himalayas, glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates and could lose up to 75% of their volume by 2100. 
  • When these lakes burst (form Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), they cause sudden, destructive flooding downstream. 
    • For instance, in 2023 a GLOF from South Lhonak Lake destroyed the Teesta III Dam at Chungthang, Sikkim. 
• Extreme Rainfall Events and Cloudbursts: The IHR often receives intense, short bursts of rainfall due to orographic lift (moist air rising over mountains). 
  • Cloudbursts can release more than 100 mm of rain in an hour over a small area, causing flash floods and landslides. 
  • In July 2021, cloudbursts in Chamoli, Uttarkashi, and Pithoragarh triggered flash floods and landslides, causing severe loss of life and infrastructure. 
• River Dynamics and Flash Floods: Himalayan rivers are young, fast-flowing, and carry heavy sediment loads. 
  • Landslides or glacial melt can block rivers temporarily, creating natural dams. When these break, sudden flash floods occur. 
  • Additionally, China’s proposed dam on the Brahmaputra could alter river dynamics and create a potential “water bomb” risk for India. 
• Deforestation and Land Use Changes: Clearing forests for roads, hydropower projects, tourism facilities, and agriculture removes tree roots that naturally stabilise slopes, making them more prone to erosion, landslides, and excessive water runoff during heavy rains.  
  • In Joshimath (2023), land subsidence was linked to unregulated construction and hydropower tunnelling in fragile hill slopes. 
  • Projects like Char Dham caused deforestation and soil loss, especially in sensitive areas like the Bhagirathi Eco Sensitive Zone, increasing disaster vulnerability and harming glaciers. 

Click here to Read: Indian Himalayan Region

What Measures can be Adopted to Mitigate Disaster Risks in the Indian Himalayan Region? 

• Develop a Comprehensive Early Warning System: Install and maintain solar-powered automated sensors and cameras at high-risk glacial lakes for real-time monitoring and timely alerts to downstream communities. 
• Engineering and Geo-Technical Interventions: Structural measures like check dams, spillways, controlled drainage channels, and catchment dams must be implemented despite logistical challenges posed by high altitudes.  
  • These reduce the speed and volume of floodwaters during extreme weather events. 
• Sustainable Tourism Management:  Adopt a Green Tourism Framework with tourist caps in peak seasons, promote eco-friendly models like homestays, enforce waste and water-use norms, and direct tourism revenue to ecosystem restoration and disaster mitigation. 
• Region-Specific Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): The Himalayan ecosystem demands a customized EIA framework considering its unique geology, climate variability, and hydrology, ensuring that developmental activities do not increase disaster vulnerability. 
  • Revise the National Building Code for hill regions to mandate earthquake-resistant and landslide-resilient designs. 
• Mainstreaming Climate and Disaster Resilience in Development: Developmental projects in the IHR must integrate disaster risk reduction as per the Sendai Framework and climate adaptation to prevent increasing hazard exposure, especially in infrastructure and urban planning. 
• Integrated Watershed and River Basin Management:  Adopt ridge-to-valley watershed restoration with afforestation, wetland revival, and stream bank stabilisation, restore traditional water systems. 
  • enforce floodplain construction limits, and establish basin-level governance for upstream–downstream disaster links. 
• Community Awareness and Preparedness: Educate and engage downstream populations on cascading hazards like landslides, flash floods, and glacier melt, empower Panchayats for local preparedness, and promote participatory hazard mapping with community-owned shelters. 
• Integrated Multi-agency Coordination: Encourage collaboration between National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Central Water Commission, State governments, and scientific institutions for risk assessment, monitoring, and mitigation. 

Conclusion 

Balancing development with ecological safeguards is essential for Himalayan stability. Strengthening land-use regulations, climate-resilient infrastructure, and community preparedness supported by initiatives like the National Mission on Himalayan Studies (NMHS) can reduce disaster risks while advancing goals for safe and sustainable settlements. 

Drishti Mains Question: Discuss the reasons for disasters in the Indian Himalayan Region and evaluate the challenges in managing these disasters effectively.

Iron-Age Settlement Discovered in Topra Kalan

Source: IE 

Why in News? 

Evidence of human settlements dating back around 1500 BC has been discovered from Topra Kalan village in Haryana. 

• This period marks the transition from the Indus Valley Civilization (Bronze Age) (3300 BC to 1300 BC), to the Iron Age in India (around 1500 BC to 600 BC). 

What are the Key Archaeological Evidences Discovered at Topra Kalan? 

• Topra Kalan village: Topra Kalan village is the original site of the Delhi-Topra Ashokan pillar, which bears the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka’s edicts.  
  • It was relocated to the national capital in the 14th century by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. 
  • It is linked to ancient Buddhist activity as documented by Sir Alexander Cunningham and Hiuen Tsang, highlighting its significance in the Mauryan period (322- 185 BC). 
• Key Archaeological Evidences Discovered: 
  • Artifacts such as Painted Grey Ware (PGW), stamped pottery, moulded bricks, beads, and various pottery types like Black-and-Red Ware, reflecting cultural phases of late Bronze Age and early Iron Age Northern India. 
  • Structural remains such as walls, platforms, and room-like enclosures were uncovered at 4-5 meters depth, alongside a dome-like construction believed to be a Buddhist stupa. 

What are the Key Features of the Iron Age in India? 

• About: The Iron Age is a prehistoric period that followed the Bronze Age & it was characterized by the widespread use of iron for tools, weapons, and other implements.  
  • Iron making involved collecting ore, melting it, and shaping tools. 
• Iron in India: The Rigveda mentioned ayas which referred to copper/alloys & iron is not mentioned in this period.  
  • In later texts like the Atharvaveda, ayas/karshnyas refers to iron & other metals mentioned are rajata (silver), trapu (tin), and sisa (lead). 
  • But in the early historic period, ironworking appears in Buddhist texts and Kautilya’s Arthashastra, showing its use became important then. 

• Associated Cultures: 
  • In North India: 
    • Black-and-Red Ware (BRW): This pottery is distinguished by its black interiors and red exteriors, created through an inverted firing technique.  
      • BRW is found in the Harappan context (Gujarat), Pre-Painted Grey Ware (PGW) context in northern India, and in Megalithic contexts in southern India, marking an important phase during the Iron Age.
        
    • Painted Grey Ware (PGW) Culture: PGW culture is known for its grey pottery decorated with black geometric patterns. 
      • Iron artifacts have been found at PGW sites, especially in the Ganga valley and South Indian Megaliths during the 1st millennium BCE. 
    • Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) Culture: The NBPW culture period marked the widespread use of iron technology in the Indian subcontinent.
      • Characterized by fine, wheel-made, highly polished black pottery, NBPW is prominent in northern India.  
      • The period from 700 BC to 100 BC saw the rise of states and urban centres in the Ganga valley, marking the Second Urbanization. This era also coincided with the Mauruyan empire & spread of Buddhism in the region. 
    • The NBPW culture period marked the widespread use of iron technology in the Indian subcontinent.
    • The NBPW culture period marked the widespread use of iron technology in the Indian subcontinent.
    • Iron Age in South India: In peninsular India, the Iron Age is represented mainly by the Megalithic culture associated with habitation sites like Naikund (Vidarbha), where iron-smelting furnaces were discovered & Paiyampalli (Tamil Nadu), known for abundant iron slag.  
      • Recent excavations at Sivagalai, Tamil Nadu (2019–2022) indicate that iron might have been introduced as early as the fourth millennium BCE. Mastery over fire control technology was essential for iron extraction in this region. 
    • Iron Age in Other Regions: 
      • Central India (Malwa): Important sites include Nagda, Eran, and Ahar dating between 750–500 BCE. 
      • Middle and Lower Ganga Valley: Post-Chalcolithic pre-NBPW sites such as Pandu Rajar Dhibi, Mahisdal, Chirand, and Sonpur date to around 750–700 BCE. 

Biochar-Led Carbon Drawdown for Sustainable Growth

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

With the Indian carbon market set to be launched in 2026, CO₂ removal technologies such as biochar are poised to play a pivotal role in reducing emissions and ensuring sustainable growth. 

What are the Key Statistics Related to India's CO2 Emissions?  

• Total Emissions: India contributes only 4% of global cumulative GHG emissions (1850–2019), with per capita emissions at about one-third of the world average. 
  • India reduced its GDP emission intensity by 36% (2005–2020). 
  • India is the 3rd largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the USA. 
• Emission Hotspots: 
  • India’s power sector, dominated by coal-based thermal plants, is the largest source of CO₂ emissions, contributing about 50% of the country’s fuel-related emissions. 
  • The transport sector, especially road transport, accounts for around 12% of India’s energy-related CO₂ emissions. 
• These sectoral trends underscore the urgency of advancing scalable CO₂ removal pathways, with solutions like biochar offering significant potential to offset emissions and support India’s low-carbon transition. 

What are the Potential Applications of Biochar? 

• About: Biochar is a carbon-rich charcoal produced through pyrolysis of agricultural residue and organic municipal waste. 
  • India produces over 600 million tonnes of agricultural residue and 60 million tonnes of municipal waste yearly. Much of this is burned or dumped, causing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.  
  • Utilizing 30-50% of this waste for biochar could remove around 0.1 gigatonnes of CO₂-equivalent each year. 

 

• Potential Applications of Biochar:  
  • Carbon Capture: Biochar’s stable structure enables it to sequester carbon in soil for 100 to 1,000 years, making it an effective long-term carbon sink that also enhances soil organic carbon and aids in the restoration of degraded soils.  
    • Modified biochar can adsorb CO₂ from industrial exhaust gases, but its efficiency is currently lower than conventional carbon capture technologies. 
  • Power Generation: Biochar production through pyrolysis in India can generate approximately 20–30 million tonnes of syngas and 24–40 million tonnes of bio-oil as valuable byproducts. 
    • Syngas can produce 8–13 Terawatt-hour (TWh) of electricity annually. 
    • Bio-oil can substitute 12–19 million tonnes of diesel or kerosene, helping reduce crude oil imports and cutting fossil fuel emissions by over 2%. 
  • Agriculture: Applying biochar improves water retention, especially in semi-dry and nutrient-depleted soils.  This leads to a 30-50% reduction in nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with 273 times the warming potential of CO₂, making its mitigation critical for climate action. 
  • Construction Sector: Incorporating 2-5% biochar into concrete improves mechanical strength, increases heat resistance by 20%, and captures approximately 115 kg of CO₂ per cubic metre. 
  • Wastewater Treatment: Biochar is a cost-effective way to clean polluted water. India produces over 70 billion litres of wastewater daily, but 72% remains untreated.  

What are the Other Key CO₂ Removal Technologies?  

• Bio-based Solutions: 
  • Afforestation & Reforestation: Large-scale tree planting to absorb atmospheric CO₂. 
  • Agroforestry: Integrating trees with crops/livestock for carbon sequestration and livelihood benefits. 
  • Soil Carbon Sequestration: Practices like conservation tillage and cover cropping to enhance soil organic carbon. 
• Ocean-based Solutions: 
  • Artificial Upwelling/Downwelling: Moving nutrient-rich waters to surface or transporting CO₂-rich surface waters to depths. 
  • Seaweed Cultivation & Sinking: Farming fast-growing seaweeds for carbon storage via harvest or sinking. 
• Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS): It combines biomass energy with CO₂ capture and geological storage, enabling renewable power with net negative emissions. 
• Direct Air Capture (DAC): It involves chemical processes extracting CO₂ directly from air for underground storage or product use. 
  • Eg: Climeworks (Switzerland), Carbon Engineering (Canada). 
• Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS): CCUS captures CO₂ from industrial emissions for reuse (synthetic fuels, building materials) or storage.

Conclusion 

Promoting biochar and other CO₂ removal technologies can turn the climate challenge into sustainable growth opportunities, helping India meet its Paris Agreement goals and build a low-carbon, climate-resilient future. 

Drishti Mains Question: In light of the recent push towards biochar production in India, discuss the role of CO₂ removal technologies in mitigating climate change. What are the challenges and opportunities associated with their large-scale deployment?

India’s 3rd Voluntary National Review on SDGs

Source: PIB 

Why in News? 

NITI Aayog presented its 3^rd Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) convened by the UN- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 

• India presented the first voluntary national review of SDGs in 2017 & second in 2020.

What are the Key Highlights of India's 3rd  Voluntary National Review (VNR)? 

• Implementation Strategy: India employs data tools like the SDG India Index, North-Eastern Region District SDG Index, and Multi-dimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to monitor progress, identify lagging areas, and guide policies. 
  • Its emphasis is placed on localizing SDGs through sub-national and district-level actions. 
• Key Progress: 
  • SDG 1 (No Poverty): An estimated 248 million people have escaped multidimensional poverty between 2013-14 and 2022-23, highlighting effective poverty alleviation strategies. 
  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger):  
  • The PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana has provided vital nutritional support to millions, aiming to assist approximately 81.35 crore beneficiaries. Starting in 2024, the scheme will continue for the next five years. 
  • SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):  POSHAN Abhiyaan and Ayushman Bharat have expanded access to quality nutrition and healthcare.  
    • Out-of-pocket health expenditure as a percentage of total health spending declined from 62.6% in 2014-15 to 39.4% in 2020-21. 
  • SDG 7 (Clean Energy Transition): Initiatives such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM, and PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana have accelerated India’s adoption of sustainable energy sources. 
  • SDG Progress Through Digital Financial Inclusion: India’s Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile (JAM) based Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) drives inclusive, transparent services. 
    • India accounted for 48.5% of global real-time payment volume in FY 2025, driven by a 41.7% increase in UPI transaction volume. 

Drishti Mains Question: How does Voluntary National Review contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Discuss its significance in fostering transparency, accountability among countries.

 

Tuvalu

Source: TOI 

In a historic first, Tuvalu is set to relocate its population to Australia under the Falepili Union Treaty (2023), marking the world’s first planned migration due to climate change-induced sea-level rise. 

• Falepili Union Treaty: Australia will accept 280 Tuvaluans annually as permanent residents through a ballot-based “climate visa” starting in 2025, granting them equal rights to health care, education, housing, and jobs. 
  • Residents may return if conditions improve, though worsening floods and storms make this unlikely. 
• Reason for Migration: Rising sea levels threaten Tuvalu’s existence, with NASA predicting submergence of most of its land by 2050. 
  • Tuvalu's average elevation is only 2 meters above sea level, making the nation highly prone to floods, storms, and coastal erosion. 

Tuvalu  

• Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu is a Polynesian island country located midway between Hawaii and Australia in the South Pacific Ocean. It comprises nine islands (four reef islands and five coral atolls). 
  • Tuvalu, with Funafuti as its capital, gained independence from the United Kingdom in October 1978. 
• With no rivers, it has a tropical climate and one of the smallest populations in the world, around 11,000.  
• Tuvalu, a United Nations designated Least Developed Country, has a public sector–dominated economy supported by fishing licences.  
• The Tuvalu Trust Fund, set up with contributions from Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Japan, and South Korea, provides financial stability and funds development projects such as upgrading schools and fisheries centres. 

Read more: Tuvalu's Fight Against Rising Sea Levels

NASA’s Lunar Nuclear Reactor

Source: IE 

NASA is accelerating its plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030, with the goal of establishing a permanent human presence on the lunar surface, all while adhering to the Artemis Accords.

• Reactor Specifications: The reactor is expected to generate 100 kilowatts of power, which is smaller than on-shore wind turbines (typically generating 2-3 megawatts). 
  • Nuclear reactors are explored because solar power is unreliable on the Moon due to extended darkness, and nuclear energy provides consistent power for habitats, rovers, and missions, particularly in shadowed craters. 
  • The UN's 1992 Principles Relevant to the Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space recognize nuclear energy as essential for deep-space missions, especially when solar power is insufficient. 
• Global Competition: Nasa’s push comes after similar plans by China and Russia to set up automated nuclear power stations on the moon by 2035.  
  • Other countries, including India and Japan, are also trying to explore the moon and establish human settlements. 
• Legal Framework: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty allows peaceful use of nuclear power in space, setting guidelines for transparency, safety, and international cooperation. 
  • Also, the Artemis Accords provides for international cooperation in space exploration, emphasizing transparency, peaceful use, and responsible use of space resources. 

Read more:  Exploring Space, Advancing Life on Earth, India Joins Artemis Accords

GeM Marks 9 Years of Transforming Public Procurement

Source: PIB

The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) marked its 9th Foundation Day with the theme “Ease, Access and Inclusion.”

Government e-Marketplace

• About: GeM, launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce, is an online platform for procurement of goods and services by Central and State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Units (PSUs), and their affiliates. 
  • It is managed by GeM Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), a 100% government-owned, not-for-profit entity. 
  • The Ministry of Finance has made purchases through GeM mandatory for government purchases under the General Financial Rules, 2017. 
• Objective: It promotes transparency, efficiency, and fairness in government procurement, streamlining processes and curbing corruption.  
  • Independent assessments, including from the World Bank, validate GeM’s impact, noting an average cost saving of nearly 10% in government procurement. 
• Inclusivity: It empowers over 10 lakh MSEs, 1.3 lakh artisans and weavers, 1.84 lakh women entrepreneurs, and 31,000 startups in the GeM ecosystem. 
  • Also, GeM has introduced GeMAI, India’s first generative AI-powered public sector chatbot, with voice and text support in 10 Indian languages.

Read More: Government e-Marketplace