1 . India Releases Four Key Publications at CBD COP-17
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Biodiversity Conservation | Environmental Governance | International Environmental Conventions |
- At the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP-17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Yerevan, Armenia, India released four publications focusing on biodiversity conservation, biosafety, institutional capacity and Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). The side event was organised by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in partnership with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and UNDP.
- The four publications address interconnected aspects of India’s biodiversity commitments:
- Guidelines for the Designation of India’s Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (I-OECMs), 2026: Provide criteria and guidance for recognising conservation outcomes beyond conventional protected areas. Under the CBD framework, OECMs refer to geographically defined areas outside protected areas that are governed and managed to achieve positive and sustained long-term in-situ conservation outcomes. They recognise the contribution of diverse landscapes and management systems to biodiversity conservation.
- 5th National Report on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: Reflects India’s reporting on biosafety governance. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000; in force since 2003) is a supplementary agreement to the CBD that seeks to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology, particularly in relation to transboundary movements.
- The Convention on Biological Diversity Handbook: Reference Guide and Indian Perspective: Seeks to improve understanding of the CBD process and strengthen informed participation and continuity in implementation.
- India’s ABS Success Story: Documents India’s experience in Access and Benefit Sharing, highlighting its position as a globally acknowledged leader in this area.
- The Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted at CBD COP-15 in 2022, provides the broader international roadmap for biodiversity action up to 2030 and beyond. It comprises 4 long-term goals for 2050 and 23 action-oriented targets for 2030. Its prominent commitments include the 30×30 target, which seeks to conserve at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030, alongside restoration, sustainable use and biodiversity finance.
2. Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Manufacturing | Industrial Policy | MSMEs | Employment Generation | Export Promotion
- The Union Cabinet approved the Khelo India Sports Goods Manufacturing Scheme with an outlay of ₹1,856.67 crore for FY 2026–27 to FY 2033–34. Announced in Union Budget 2026–27, it aims to develop India into a globally competitive hub for sports goods manufacturing, reduce import dependence and promote exports.
- Around four integrated zones, each potentially covering more than 300 acres, will bring manufacturers, suppliers, testing facilities, design and prototyping centres together. They will be developed through convergence with the BHAVYA Scheme and NICDC Industrial Parks.
- A combined allocation of ₹1,130 crore will support manufacturing expansion through:
- Anchor Investment Support: 20% capital expenditure assistance for investors committing at least ₹100 crore.
- Turnover Linked Support: Incentives of up to 15% for manufacturers investing at least ₹10 crore.
- Existing sports goods clusters will receive support for upgrading common facilities and shared infrastructure. This is significant because nearly 90% of India’s sports goods production is undertaken by small and micro enterprises.
- An allocation of ₹105 crore will support certification from International Sports Federations, covering 70% of first-time certification costs and 50% of renewal costs. This will improve product quality and facilitate access to international markets.
- Centres of Excellence will promote R&D in sports equipment, material sciences, protective gear and advanced manufacturing. DPIIT-registered sports start-ups will be eligible for grants of up to ₹20 lakh, with research support encouraged through convergence with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
- India’s major sports goods manufacturing clusters are Jalandhar (Punjab) and Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). India has an established presence in cricket bats and protective equipment, but its sports equipment exports remain relatively limited compared with the global market.
3. NAMASTE Scheme – Promoting Safety and Dignity of Sanitation Workers
Syllabus Mapping: GS-II: Government Welfare Schemes | Vulnerable Sections | Social Justice | GS-III: Occupational Safety |
- National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) is a Central Sector Scheme, launched in July 2023, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- Target beneficiaries: The scheme initially focused on Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs). In June 2024, waste pickers engaged in solid waste management were also included, extending its coverage.
- Sanitation workers are identified and digitally profiled through Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), facilitating access to welfare benefits, occupational safety measures and livelihood support.
- Workers receive Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, safety training and access to mechanised cleaning equipment. The scheme also strengthens Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs) with modern safety devices for hazardous cleaning operations.
- Identified sewer and septic tank workers and their families are linked with Ayushman Bharat–Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and other applicable health insurance schemes.
- Through the Swachhata Udyami Yojana (SUY) and support from the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC), workers can access financial assistance and capital subsidies to procure sanitation-related machines and vehicles. The scheme also promotes Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and alternative livelihood opportunities.
- Institutional Mechanism: NSKFDC: Implementing agency of the scheme + Urban Local Bodies: Responsible for worker identification, profiling and facilitating scheme benefits + Responsible Sanitation Authority (RSA): Oversees safe sanitation operations + Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSUs): Provide trained personnel and safety equipment for emergency sanitation operations.
- The scheme seeks to achieve zero fatalities in sanitation work, eliminate direct human contact with hazardous waste, ensure mechanised sanitation operations, develop a skilled workforce and promote entrepreneurship among sanitation workers.
- The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 prohibits employment as manual scavengers and hazardous manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks. It provides for rehabilitation of manual scavengers and reinforces the need for safe sanitation practices.
4. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Agriculture | Agricultural Credit | Rural Economy | Inclusive Growth | GS-II: Cooperative Societies
- The 93rd General Council Meeting of NCDC was held under the chairmanship of the Union Minister of Cooperation to review cooperative financing, institutional reforms and its future roadmap under the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi.
- Established under the National Cooperative Development Corporation Act, 1962, NCDC is a statutory corporation under the Ministry of Cooperation, providing financial assistance to cooperatives in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, processing, storage and marketing.
- NCDC has disbursed over ₹4.14 lakh crore since the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation. During FY 2025–26, its disbursements stood at ₹1,27,596 crore, with a net profit of ₹1,475 crore and zero net NPAs.
- The NCDC Amendment Act, 2026 expands avenues for financial assistance, equity participation and resource mobilisation. The Central Government has approved a ₹2,000 crore grant to enable NCDC to mobilise ₹20,000 crore from the market over four years.
- Sahakar Navachar Yojana promotes innovation and entrepreneurship in cooperatives through 100% grant assistance of up to ₹25 lakh. Its initial corpus is ₹10 crore, with 20% earmarked for the North-Eastern Region, hilly areas and disadvantaged sections.
- NCDC has been directed to develop projects to make the North-Eastern Region self-reliant in milk, eggs, fish and meat production by 2030, strengthening dairy, fisheries and animal husbandry.
- The meeting emphasised developing consortium and co-financing models with NABARD, State Cooperative Banks and commercial banks to improve credit availability to cooperative institutions.
- Article 43B, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011, directs the State to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic control and professional management of cooperative societies. Part IX-B (Articles 243ZH–243ZT) contains constitutional provisions relating to cooperative societies, subject to the Supreme Court’s 2021 judgment on its application to State cooperative societies.
5. PM-KISAN – Release of 24th Instalment
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Agriculture | Direct Benefit Transfer | Farmers’ Welfare | Agricultural Infrastructure | Crop Diversification- The Prime Minister is scheduled to release the 24th instalment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on 30 October 2026 from Banaskantha, Gujarat.
- PM-KISAN, launched in February 2019, is a Central Sector Scheme providing income support of ₹6,000 annually to eligible landholding farmer families in three equal instalments of ₹2,000, subject to prescribed exclusion criteria. The amount is transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
- Alongside the instalment release, 521 units established under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) will be dedicated to the nation, and 12 horticulture clusters will be inaugurated to promote high-value crops and improve farmers’ income opportunities.
- The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) is a financing facility of ₹1 lakh crore launched in 2020 to support post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets through medium- and long-term debt financing with interest subvention and credit guarantee support. It supports projects such as warehouses, cold storage facilities and primary processing centres.
- Under AIF, investments of approximately ₹1.75 lakh crore across more than 2.28 lakh projects have been reported. Strengthening storage, processing and market infrastructure can reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers’ access to markets.
- Horticulture clusters promote geographical concentration of production, processing, storage and marketing facilities for high-value crops. They support crop diversification and stronger value chains, potentially improving farmers’ returns.
