State PCS - Maharashtra (MPSC)

• 08 Oct 2025

India’s 1st Cooperative-Run Compressed Bio-Gas Project Launched

Why in News? 

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated India’s first cooperative-based Compressed Bio-Gas (CNG) and Spray Dryer Potash Granule Project at the Sahakar Maharshi Shankarrao Kolhe Cooperative Sugar Factory in Kopargaon, Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra. 

• He announced that similar units will be established in 15 cooperative sugar factories across the country, with Maharashtra expected to play a leading role. 

Key Points 

• About: The plant will produce 12 tons of CBG daily and 75 tons of potash from jaggery/molasses, reducing imports.  
• Compressed Biogas (CBG): It is a renewable fuel produced from biomass and organic waste (agricultural residue, cattle dung, sugarcane press mud, sewage) via anaerobic decomposition (breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen). 
• Properties: Similar calorific value (amount of energy released on complete combustion) to CNG. CBG can replace CNG in automotive, industrial, and commercial sectors. 
• CBG Benefits: 
  • Eco-Friendly: Cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, supporting India’s target of net zero emissions by 2070. 
  • Waste Management: Converts organic waste into fuel, reducing pollution and promoting a circular economy. 
  • Energy Security: Reduces oil imports and increases the share of natural gas in India’s energy mix (currently ~6%, targeted 15% by 2030). 
• India’s Initiatives: 
  • SATAT (Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation) Scheme: Aims to produce CBG by utilising 62 Million Metric Tonnes of annual waste, thereby reducing import dependence, generating jobs, and lowering vehicular emissions and pollution.  
  • National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC): Plans to support 15 sugar mills via NCDC for CBG and potash units. 

Cyclone Shakhti

Why in News? 

Cyclone Shakti, the season's first storm, has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm southwest of Gujarat, though it is not expected to significantly impact the Indian landmass. 

• Originating in the Arabian Sea and named by Sri Lanka, Cyclone Shakti has reached wind speeds of 100 km/h. 

Key Points 

• Definition: Cyclones are fast air circulations around low-pressure areas, rotating anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern, often causing storms and severe weather. 
• Cyclone Formation in Arabian Sea: The Arabian Sea, particularly its central and southern parts, serves as a warm pool with ideal Sea Surface Temperature (SST) (at least 27°C), favourable for cyclone formation. 
  • Also, the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a large weather system that moves eastward around the tropics.  
    • When its active phase is over the Arabian Sea, it creates favourable conditions for cyclones — including more moisture, low wind shear, and strong upward air movement. 
• Classification of Cyclones: IMD classifies low-pressure systems in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea by damage potential, following World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) guidelines.

• Naming of Cyclones: The WMO/ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) Panel on Tropical Cyclones, which includes 13 North Indian Ocean countries, manages cyclone naming for the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. 
  • The panel has a pre-set list of names submitted by 13 countries to be used sequentially. 
  • Names are chosen in order, column by column, regardless of where the cyclone forms. 

World Cotton Day 2025

Why in News? 

Union Ministers Shri Giriraj Singh and Shri Pabitra Margherita attended the World Cotton Day 2025 celebration in New Delhi on 7th October.  

• The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Textiles and the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), with the theme "Cotton 2040: Technology, Climate & Competitiveness."

Key Points 

• About: World Cotton Day was established in 2019 when four cotton-producing countries in sub-Saharan Africa—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali, collectively known as the Cotton Four—proposed to the World Trade Organisation the idea of celebrating World Cotton Day on 7th October.  
• Objective: It aims to create awareness of the need for market access for cotton and cotton-related products from least developed countries, foster sustainable trade policies and enable developing countries to benefit more from every step of the cotton value chain. 
• Interesting Facts About Cotton: 
  • The top five cotton-producing countries are China, India, Brazil, the United States of America, and Pakistan, which together account for more than three-quarters of global production. 
    • India is the largest producer of cotton globally, accounting for 23% of total global cotton production. 
  • Cotton sustains about 24 million growers and benefits over 100 million families globally.  
  • Cotton is the second-most used fibre globally after polyester, making up approximately 20% of total fibre demand. 
  • Approximately 80% of cotton is used in apparel, with the remainder used in home textiles and industrial products. 
• Governance in India: The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), established in July 1970 under the Ministry of Textiles, stabilises cotton prices through price support measures and supports the domestic textile industry with commercial purchasing operations, especially during the lean season.