Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

India’s first portal on arrested narco offenders. It is part of the narcotics coordination mechanism (NCORD) portal that was launched by Union Home Minister.

• A first-of-its kind database of arrested narcotics offenders has been made operational for use by various central and State prosecution agencies tasked to enforce anti-drugs laws in the country.
• The portal NIDAAN or the National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-offenders — has been developed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
• It is part of the narcotics coordination mechanism (NCORD) portal that was launched by Union Home Minister in Chandigarh during the national conference on ‘Drug trafficking and national security’.
• The NIDAAN platform sources its data from the ICJS (inter-operable criminal justice system) and the e-Prisons (a cloud-based application) repository and it is planned to integrate it in the future with the crime and criminal tracking network system or CCTNS.
• The ICJS, an initiative of the Supreme Court e-committee, was created to enable seamless transfer of data and information among different pillars of the criminal justice system, like courts, police, jails and forensic science laboratories, from one platform.
• “NIDAAN is a one-stop solution for all narcotics offenders’ related data and will help investigative agencies as an effective tool to connect the dots while probing narcotics cases.
• The idea to create such a portal was to enhance the capability of all the law enforcement agencies working against drug crimes.
• NIDAAN hosts data about those accused who have been arrested and jailed for drugs offences and those who are “directly or indirectly involved in the produce, manufacture, possession, selling, purchase, transport, warehousing, usage, consumption, inter-state import and export, import into India, export from India or transhipment of any narcotics or psychotropic substance.
• The blueprint prepared for the operation and usage of the portal, any agency can search for the crime history, personal details, fingerprints, court cases and appeals made etc. with regard to a drug offender from any part of the country.
• A distinct feature called ‘criminal network’ on the portal can also be accessed by agencies, as part of which specific links of an accused to other crimes, linked police FIRs and those who visited them in jail can also be accessed.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

In eight years, this will be the first time the RBI would have let retail inflation slip beyond the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent for three straight quarters.

• The Reserve Bank of India will call a special meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) after October 12 to discuss a report it will have to submit to the Union government explaining the reasons for the average retail inflation remaining above the upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent for three consecutive quarters.
• The Union government, in consultation with the RBI, fixes the inflation target for the central bank every five years. 
• It had fixed it at 4 per cent plus/ minus 2 per cent (upper limit 6 per cent, lower limit 2 per cent) for the period August 5, 2016 to March 31, 2021, and retained it for the next five years ending March 31, 2026.
• A monetary policy framework was signed between then RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan (on behalf of the RBI) and then Finance Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi (on behalf of the President) on February 20, 2015. 
• The RBI Act, 1934, was amended in May 2016, giving effect to this framework agreement.
• The framework agreement requires the RBI to submit a report to the Union government if it is in breach of the inflation targets for three consecutive quarters. 
• The average retail inflation in January-March 2022 and April-June 2022, according to data released by the National Statistics Office, was 6.34 per cent and 7.28 per cent, respectively. 
• In July this year, it stood at 6.71 per cent. The data for August and September is scheduled to be released on September 12 and October 12, respectively.
• Upon failing to meet the inflation target, the RBI would have to state the reasons for failure to achieve the target, propose remedial actions to bring it down to 4 per cent, and also provide an estimate of the time-period within which the target would be achieved. 
• These would be presented in a report to the Union Ministry of Finance.
•  It would be up to the government to make the RBI report public. The special meeting of the MPC would discuss the RBI report before it is submitted.

Monetary Policy Committee (MPC)

• Under Section 45ZB of the amended RBI Act, 1934, the central government is empowered to constitute a six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
• The Section 45ZB lays down that “the Monetary Policy Committee shall determine the Policy Rate required to achieve the inflation target”.
• Section 45ZB says the MPC shall consist of 6 members:

Composition

• RBI Governor as its ex officio chairperson,
• Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy,
• An officer of the Bank to be nominated by the Central Board,
• Three persons to be appointed by the central government.
• This category of appointments must be from “persons of ability, integrity and standing, having knowledge and experience in the field of economics or banking or finance or monetary policy”.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

NASA’s BioSentinel will carry microorganisms to deep space to help scientists better understand the effects of deep space radiation on biological lifeforms.

• NASA’s Artemis I mission is an uncrewed mission, there will be some living passengers on board. BioSentinel, a shoebox-sized CubeSat, will carry microorganisms in the form of yeast into deep space so that scientists can fill critical gaps in the knowledge about the health risks of radiation in deep space.
• The primary objective of BioSentinel is to monitor the vital signs of yeast to see how the microorganism fare when exposed to the radiation of deep space. 
• Yeast cells have biological mechanisms that are similar to human cells, including DNA damage and repair. 
• Due to this, scrutinising yeast in space will help us better understand the risks of space radiation to humans as the space agency plans missions to the Moon and beyond. 
• For this, BioSentinel will study yeast cell growth and metabolic activity after exposure to a high-radiation environment.
• BioSentinel is just one of the Artemis I mission’s ten secondary payloads that will hitch a ride to deep space. 
• All of these satellites are mounted in the Orion stage adapter on the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. 
• They will be ejected into space to carry out science and technology investigations in deep space. 
• BioSentinel is the only satellite to carry a life science experiment.
• A key component of BioSentinel’s mission is a novel biosensor. 
• NASA refers to it as a “miniature biotechnology laboratory” that is designed to measure how living yeast cells respond to long-term space radiation exposure. 
• It has a set of microfluidic cars, which allows the controlled flow of extremely small volumes of liquids, to provide a habitat for yeast, along with a way for scientists to observe them in real-time.
• Alongside the biosensor, the BioSentinel will carry a radiation detector instrument which characterises and measures radiation.
• There is an identical set of specimens and instruments at NASA’s Ames Research Centre in Silicon Valley. The sets of data from space and the research centre will be compared to measure the yeasts’ response to different gravity and radiation environments.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

In his ninth Independence Day address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort, Prime Minister hailed “Nari Shakti”, and urged people to pledge to not do anything that lowers the dignity of women.

He also paid tribute to women freedom fighters for showing the world the true meaning of India’s “Nari Shakti”. A look at the women he named in his speech:

Rani Laxmibai

• The queen of the princely state of Jhansi, Rani Laxmibai is known for her role in the First War of India’s Independence in 1857. 
• Born Manikarnika Tambe in 1835, she married the king of Jhansi. 
• The couple adopted a son before the king’s death, which the British East India Company refused to accept as the legal heir and decided to annex Jhansi.
• Refusing to cede her territory, the queen decided to rule on behalf of the heir, and later joined the uprising against the British in 1857.
• Cornered by the British, she escaped from Jhansi fort. 
• She was wounded in combat near Gwalior’s Phool Bagh, where she later died. Sir Hugh Rose, who was commanding the British army, is known to have described her as “personable, clever…and one of the most dangerous Indian leaders”.

Jhalkari Bai

• A soldier in Rani Laxmibai’s women’s army, Durga Dal, she rose to become one of the queen’s most trusted advisers. 
• She is known for putting her own life at risk to keep the queen out of harm’s way. 
• Till date, the story of her valour is recalled by the people of Bundelkhand, and she is often presented as a representative of Bundeli identity.
• According to Ministry of Culture’s Amrit Mahotsav website, “Many Dalit communities of the region look up to her as an incarnation of God and also celebrate Jhalkaribai Jayanti every year in her honour.”

Durga Bhabhi

• Durgawati Devi, who was popularly known as Durga Bhabhi, was a revolutionary who joined the armed struggle against colonial rule. 
• A member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha, she helped Bhagat Singh escape in disguise from Lahore after the 1928 killing of British police officer John P Saunders.
• During the train journey that followed, Durgawati and Bhagat Singh posed as a couple, and Rajguru as their servant. 
• Later, as revenge for the hanging of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev, she made an unsuccessful attempt to kill the former Punjab Governor, Lord Hailey.
• Born in Allahabad in 1907 and married to Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) member Bhagwati Charan Vohra, Durgawati, along with other revolutionaries, also ran a bomb factory in Delhi.

Rani Gaidinliu

• Born in 1915 in present-day Manipur, Rani Gaidinliu was a Naga spiritual and political leader who fought the British.
• She joined the Heraka religious movement which later became a movement to drive out the British. 
• She rebelled against the Empire, and refused to pay taxes, asking people to do the same. 
• The British launched a manhunt, but she evaded arrest, moving from village to village.
• Gaidinliu was finally arrested in 1932 when she was just 16, and later sentenced for life. She was released in 1947. 
• Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, according to the Amrit Mahotsav website, described Gaidinliu as the “daughter of the hills”, and gave her the title of ‘Rani’ for her courage.

Rani Chennamma

• The queen of Kittur, Rani Chennamma, was among the first rulers to lead an armed rebellion against British rule. Kittur was a princely state in present-day Karnataka.
• She fought back against the attempt to control her dominion in 1824 after the death of her young son. 
• She had lost her husband, Raja Mallasarja, in 1816. She is seen among the few rulers of the time who understood the colonial designs of the British.
• Rani Chennamma defeated the British in her first revolt, but was captured and imprisoned during the second assault by the East India Company.

Begum Hazrat Mahal

• After her husband, Nawab of Awadh Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled after the 1857 revolt, Begum Hazrat Mahal, along with her supporters, took on the British and wrested control of Lucknow. 
• She was forced into a retreat after the colonial rulers recaptured the area.

Velu Nachiyar

• Many years before the revolt of 1857, Velu Nachiyar waged a war against the British and emerged victorious. 
• Born in Ramanathapuram in 1780, she was married to the king of Sivagangai. 
• After her husband was killed in battle with the East India Company, she entered the conflict, and won with support of neighbouring kings.
• She went on to produce the first human bomb as well as establish the first army of trained women soldiers in the late 1700s,” says the Amrit Mahotsav website. 
• Her army commander Kuyili is believed to have set herself ablaze and walked into a British ammunition dump. 
• She was succeeded by her daughter in 1790, and died a few years later in 1796.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

Hyderabad-based Creasent Handicraft Artisans Welfare Association has filed an application for securing a Geographical Indications tag for lac bangles that are manufactured in the city. 

• The Geographical Indications Registry, Chennai has accepted the application and the coveted tag may add to the lustre of the bangles which is a favourite of tourists and are part of the trousseau for brides from the city.
• The GI tag helps in easy identification of a product based on the area of production. 
• It adds to the marketing muscle of the unique product. 
• GI tag will pave a way to brand the Hyderabad Lac Bangles better in India and abroad. 
• The lac bangles can be seen in the shops that line the Laad Bazaar area near Charminar shimmering with mirror work and encrusted precious stones. 
• They are handcrafted in the homes by an army of workers who use molten lac and shape them into bangles and turn them into speckled shimmering wonders.

GI in Telangana State

• Hyderabad Haleem
• Warangal Durries
• Nirmal Toys
• Karimnagar filigree
• Pochampally Ikat 

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The Centre has announced raising the allocation under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) by Rs 50,000 crore to Rs 5 lakh crore.

• As per data by the government and banks, loans of about Rs 3.67 lakh crore have been sanctioned under ECLGS till August 5, and Rs 2.54 lakh crore had been disbursed till April 30. 
• The ECLGS was unveiled as part of the comprehensive package announced by the government in March 2020 to aid the MSME sector in view of the economic distress caused by the Covid pandemic and lockdowns.
• The tourism sector was one of the worst hit, as people postponed/cancelled their business and leisure travel plans. 
• With high immunisation levels, progressive roll-back of restrictions and overall economic recovery, conditions are in place for sustained growth in demand for these sectors as well. 
• This additional guarantee cover is expected to support the recovery of these sectors as well.

Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS):

• Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme(ECLGS) launched as part of the Covid-19 relief package called the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.
• The aim is to provide Rs 3 lakh crore worth of collateral-free, government guaranteed loans to micro, small and medium enterprises(MSMEs) across India. Further, it aims to mitigate the distress caused by the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
• National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company(NCGTC) is the guarantee provider under the ECLGS scheme.

Objective

To provide fully guaranteed and collateral free additional credit to MSMEs, business enterprises, MUDRA borrowers and individual loans for business purposes to the extent of 20% of their credit outstanding as on 29th February, 2020.

• 100% guarantee coverage is being provided by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company, whereas Banks and Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) provide loans.
• Eligibility: Borrowers with credit outstanding up to Rs. 50 crore as on 29th February, 2020, and with an annual turnover of up to Rs. 250 crore are eligible under the Scheme.
• On 1st August, 2020 the government widened the scope of the Rs. 3 lakh crore-ECLGS scheme by doubling the upper ceiling of loans outstanding and including certain loans given to professionals like doctors, lawyers and chartered accountants for business purposes under its ambit.
• Tenor of loans provided under the Scheme is four years, including a moratorium of one year on principal repayment.
• Interest rates under the Scheme are capped at 9.25% for Banks and Financial Institutions (FIs), and 14% for NBFCs.

Benefits of the Scheme

• The scheme is expected to provide credit to the sector at a low cost, thereby enabling MSMEs to meet their operational liabilities and restart their businesses and recover early.
• The Scheme is expected to have a positive impact on the economy and support its revival.

National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Ltd (NCGTC) 

• It was set up by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India to, inter alia, to act as a common trustee company to manage and operate various credit guarantee trust funds.
• NCGTC was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1956 in 2014 with a paid up capital of ₹10 crore, with its registered office at Bandra (East), Mumbai.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Due to global warming, any change in the surface air temperature and the net radiation balance tends to produce larger changes at the north and south poles. These changes are more pronounced at the northern latitudes and are known as the Arctic amplification.

• On August 11, Finnish Meteorological Institute researchers published their study in the Communications Earth & Environment journal, concluding that the Arctic is heating four times faster than the rest of the planet. 
• The warming is more concentrated in the Eurasian part of the Arctic, where the Barents Sea north of Russia and Norway is warming at an alarming rate seven times faster than the global average.

What is Arctic Amplification? What causes it?

• Global warming, the long-term heating of the earth’s surface, hastened due to anthropogenic forces or human activities since pre-industrial times and has increased the planet’s average temperature by 1.1 degrees Celsius. 
• While changes are witnessed across the planet, any change in the surface air temperature and the net radiation balance tend to produce larger changes at the north and south poles. 
• This phenomenon is known as polar amplification; these changes are more pronounced at the northern latitudes and are known as the Arctic amplification.
• Among the many global warming-driven causes for this amplification, the ice-albedo feedback, lapse rate feedback, water vapour feedback and ocean heat transport are the primary causes. 
• Sea ice and snow have high albedo (measure of reflectivity of the surface), implying that they are capable of reflecting most of the solar radiation as opposed to water and land. 
• In the Arctic’s case, global warming is resulting in diminishing sea ice. As the sea ice melts, the Arctic Ocean will be more capable of absorbing solar radiation, thereby driving the amplification. 
• The lapse rate or the rate at which the temperature drops with elevation decreases with warming. 
• Studies show that the ice-albedo feedback and the lapse rate feedback are responsible for 40% and 15% of polar amplification respectively.

What are the consequences of Arctic Warming?

• The causes and consequences of Arctic amplification are cyclical what might be a cause can be a consequence too.
• The Greenland ice sheet is melting at an alarming rate, and the rate of accumulation of sea ice has been remarkably low since 2000, marked by young and thinner ice replacing the old and thicker ice sheets. 
• The Greenland ice sheet saw a sharp spike in the rate and extent of melting between July 15-17 this year. 
• The unusual summer temperatures resulted in a melt of 6 billion tonnes of ice sheet per day, amounting to a total of 18 billion tonnes in a span of three days, enough to cover West Virginia in a foot of water.
• Greenlandic ice sheet holds the second largest amount of ice, after Antarctica, and therefore it is crucial for maintaining the sea level. 
• In 2019, this was the single biggest cause for the rise in the sea level, about 1.5 metres. 
• If the sheet melts completely, the sea level would rise by seven metres, capable of subsuming island countries and major coastal cities.
• The warming of the Arctic Ocean and the seas in the region, the acidification of water, changes in the salinity levels, are impacting the biodiversity, including the marine species and the dependent species. 
• The warming is also increasing the incidence of rainfall which is affecting the availability and accessibility of lichens to the reindeer.
• The Arctic amplification is causing widespread starvation and death among the Arctic fauna.
• The permafrost in the Arctic is thawing and in turn releasing carbon and methane which are among the major greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. 
• Experts fear that the thaw and the melt will also release the long-dormant bacteria and viruses that were trapped in the permafrost and can potentially give rise to diseases.

What is the impact on India?

• In recent years, scientists have pondered over the impact the changing Arctic can have on the monsoons in the subcontinent. The link between the two is growing in importance due to the extreme weather events the country faces, and the heavy reliance on rainfall for water and food security.
• A study titled ‘A possible relation between Arctic sea ice and late season Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall extremes’ published in 2021 by a group of Indian and Norwegian scientists found that the reduced sea ice in the Barents-Kara sea region can lead to extreme rainfall events in the latter half of the monsoons in September and October. 
• The changes in the atmospheric circulation due to diminishing sea ice combined with the warm temperatures in the Arabian Sea contribute to enhanced moisture and drive extreme rainfall events. 
• In 2014, India deployed IndARC, India’s first moored-underwater observatory in the Kongsfjorden fjord, Svalbard, to monitor the impact of the changes in the Arctic Ocean on the tropical processes such as the monsoons.
• According to the World Meteorological Organization’s report,‘State of Global Climate in 2021’, sea level along the Indian coast is rising faster than the global average rate. One of the primary reasons for this rise is the melting of sea ice in the polar regions, especially the Arctic. 

The Arctic amplification furthers the idea that “what happens in the Arctic does not remain in the Arctic” and can substantially affect tropical processes far south.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

India has taken rapid strides in reducing child mortality since 2014 from 45 per 1,000 live births to 35 per 1,000 live births in 2019.

• Union Minister of State for Health virtual launch of the ‘Paalan 1000’ National Campaign and Parenting App at the Early Childhood Development Conclave in Mumbai.
• Paalan 1000’ focuses on the cognitive development of children in the first two years of their life. 
• The app will provide practical advice to caregivers on what they can do in their everyday routine and will help clear doubts.
• A baby’s brain development begins during pregnancy and is influenced by the pregnant woman’s health, nutrition and environment.
• The first 1,000 days encompasses conception as well as the first two years of a growing child’s life and during this period, the child needs the right nutrition, stimulation, love and support. 
• The first 1,000 days establishes a solid platform for a child’s physical, mental, emotional, cognitive and social health.
• The app combines coaching for parents, families and other caregivers with services designed to meet the families’ basic needs.
• The programme is aligned with the mission of the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), emphasising responsive care and focused interventions during the first 1,000 days.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

A day after a made-in-India howitzer gun, the ATAGS,  Defence Minister handed over several new defence systems, including the F-INSAS, the Nipun mines, the Landing Craft Assault (LCA), to the Army.

What is the F-INSAS System?

• F-INSAS stands for Future Infantry Soldier As A System, a programme for infantry modernisation aimed at increasing the operational capability of the soldier. 
• As part of the project, soldiers are being equipped with modern systems that are lightweight, all-weather-all-terrain, cost-effective and low maintenance.
• The full-gear of the F-INSAS system includes an AK-203 assault rifle. It has a range of 300 metre, and is being made at Korwa near Amethi in a Russia-India joint venture.
• The F-INSAS includes a multi-mode hand grenade, which can be used in defensive and offensive modes.
• In defensive mode, the grenades are to be hurled when the thrower is in a shelter or has a cover, while the target is in the open and can be harmed by fragmentation. 
• In the offensive mode, the grenades do not fragment and the adversary is harmed by the blast or is stunned. The weapon kit also has a multi-purpose knife for close quarters combat.
• Apart from this, the F-INSAS provides soldiers with ballistic helmets and ballistic goggles for protection against small projectiles and fragments, along with a bullet-proof vest. 
• The helmet and the bullet-proof jacket are capable of protecting the soldier against 9 mm bullets and ammunition fired from AK-47 rifles.
• The F-INSAS also comes with hands-free, secured advanced communications set for real-time exchange of information with the command post and fellow soldiers for enhanced situational awareness.

What is the F-INSAS modelled on?

• Conceived in the 2000s, F-INSAS is one among many soldier modernisation programmes across the world. 
• The US has Land Warrior, while the UK has FIST (Future Integrated Soldier Technology). 
• According to estimates, over 20 armies around the world are following such programmes. 
• The DRDO had conceptualised the F-INSAS (not to be confused with INSAS or Indian Small Arms System) in line with the targets of the Army’s Infantry Soldier Modernisation Programme with an aim to optimise the soldier’s performance across the full spectrum and duration of a military operation.

What are Nipun mines?

• Nipun mines are indigenously designed and developed anti-personnel mines, termed by the DRDO as ‘soft target blast munition’.
• These mines are meant to act as the first line of defence against infiltrators and enemy infantry. 
• They have been developed with the efforts of Armament Research and Development Establishment, a Pune-based DRDO facility, and Indian industry. 
• Anti-personnel mines are meant to be used against humans as against anti-tank mines that are aimed at heavy vehicles. 
• They are smaller in size and can be deployed in large numbers. 

What is the Landing Craft Assault?

• The Landing Craft Assault (LCA) is meant to serve as a replacement for the boats with limited capabilities currently in use in the Pangong Tso lake. 
• The LCA, which has been indigenously developed by Goa-based Aquarius ShipYard Limited, is said to have better launch, speed and capacity to operate across water obstacles in eastern Ladakh. 
• Similar vessels are already in operation in the Indian Navy.

Some other Defence Systems

• Other than these systems and equipment, the Defence Minister also formally handed over to the Army a thermal imaging sight for T-90 tanks; hand held thermal imager; and frequency-hopping radio relay for tactical communication across much longer ranges.
• Further, Downlink Equipment with Recording Facility to help helicopters in surveillance missions was also handed over. 
• Using this system, reconnaissance data is recorded and can be accessed only when the helicopter returns to the base.
• Some other defence systems included, Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicles; Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles and Mini Remotely Piloted Aerial System surveillance, detection and reconnaissance at the infantry battalion and mechanised units level.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Prime Minister announced that India has achieved its target of blending 10% sugarcane-extracted ethanol in petrol, ahead of schedule.He rooted for energy independence stating that, “we need to be Aatmanirbhar (self-sufficient) in our energy sector”. India is one of the world’s biggest oil importing nations.

What is Ethanol Blending?

• Blending ethanol with petrol to burn less fossil fuel while running vehicles is called ethanol blending. 
• Ethanol is an agricultural by-product which is mainly obtained from the processing of sugar from sugarcane, but also from other sources such as rice husk or maize. 
• Currently, 10% of the petrol that powers your vehicle is ethanol. Though we have had an E10 or 10% ethanol as policy for a while, it is only this year that we have achieved that proportion. 
• India’s aim is to increase this ratio to 20% originally by 2030 but in 2021, when NITI Aayog put out the ethanol roadmap, that deadline was advanced to 2025.
• Ethanol blending will help bring down our share of oil imports (almost 85%) on which we spend a considerable amount of our precious foreign exchange. 
• Secondly, more ethanol output would help increase farmers’ incomes.
• The NITI Aayog report of June 2021 says, “India’s net import of petroleum was 185 million tonnes at a cost of $55 billion in 2020-21,” and that a successful ethanol blending programme can save the country $4 billion per annum. 

What are first generation and second generation ethanols?

• With an aim to augment ethanol supplies, the government has allowed procurement of ethanol produced from other sources besides molasses which is first generation ethanol or 1G. 
• Other than molasses, ethanol can be extracted from materials such as rice straw, wheat straw, corn cobs, corn stover, bagasse, bamboo and woody biomass, which are second generation ethanol sources or 2G.

How have other countries fared?

• Though the U.S., China, Canada and Brazil all have ethanol blending programmes, as a developing country, Brazil stands out. 
• It had legislated that the ethanol content in petrol should be in the 18-27.5% range, and it finally touched the 27% target in 2021.

How does it impact the auto industry?

• At the time of the NITI Aayog report in June last year, the industry had committed to the government to make all vehicles E20 material compliant by 2023. 
• This meant that the petrol points, plastics, rubber, steel and other components in vehicles would need to be compliant to hold/store fuel that is 20% ethanol. Without such a change, rusting is an obvious impediment.

Are there other alternatives?

• Sources in the auto industry state that they prefer the use of biofuels as the next step, compared to other options such as electric vehicles (EV), hydrogen power and compressed natural gas. 
• This is mainly because biofuels demand the least incremental investment for manufacturers. 
• Even though the industry is recovering from the economic losses bought on by the pandemic, it is bound to make some change to comply with India’s promise for net-zero emissions by 2070.

Concerns

Efficient Utilization of Land

• The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) in a report in talks about the inefficient land use in ethanol production.
• The report’s states that we can use land far more efficiently by generating renewable power for EV batteries.
• For example, to match the annual travel distance of EVs recharged from one hectare generating solar energy, 187 hectares of maize-derived ethanol are required, even when one accounts for the losses from electricity transmission, battery charging and grid storage.

Water intensive crop

• The water needed to grow crops for ethanol is another debating point.
• For India, sugarcane is the cheapest source of ethanol.
• On average, a tonne of sugarcane can produce 100 kg of sugar and 70 litres of ethanol — meaning, a litre of ethanol from sugar requires 2,860 litres of water.
• There has been, therefore, a move toward waste-based extraction, such as through coarse grains.

Supply of Raw Materials

• The supply of coarse grains may still be a problem.
• The abnormally wet monsoon seasons may have helped in recent years to raise grain output, but in its August 2021 analysis.
• The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is sceptical that those production increases can be sustained.
• Thus sugar cane would likely continue to be the primary source for ethanol even with the 12 planned farm waste — or 2G ethanol — distilleries.

Food security

• There are already indications that more sugarcane is being grown and that the Government of India encouraged more corn production, with its use for ethanol production cited as a reason for this push.
• As was evident in India’s wheat harvest earlier this year, climate change-induced heatwaves are a worrying factor and can lead to lower-than-expected harvests with little notice.
• Given the uncertainty about future production, India may not find it easy to simultaneously strengthen domestic food supply systems, set aside adequate stocks for lean years, maintain an export market for grains, and divert grain to ethanol at the expected rate in coming years, and this is an issue that warrants continued monitoring.

Conclusion

Ethanol From Wastes:

This would bring both strong climate and air quality benefits, since these wastes are currently often burned, contributing to smog.

Water Crisis:

The ethanol policy should ensure that it doesn’t drive farmers toward water-intensive crops and create a water crisis in a country where its shortage is already acute.

Prioritize Crop Production:

With our depleting groundwater resources, arable land constraints, erratic monsoons, and dropping crop yields due to climate change, food production must be prioritized over crops for fuel.

Alternative Mechanism:

To achieve the key goal, 

That is emissions reduction, alternative mechanisms-enhanced Electric Vehicles uptake, installation of additional renewable generation capacity to allow zero-emissions recharging, etc.-need to be evaluated.