1 . PRAMAAN – Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Environment | Forest Conservation | Sustainable Forest Management | Biodiversity | Agroforestry
- India issued its first PRAMAAN certificates under the Indian Forest and Wood Certification Scheme (IFWCS) in September 2026, marking the transition of the scheme from a policy framework to field-level implementation.
- The first certificates were awarded to Andhra Pradesh Forest Development Corporation (APFDC) for plantations covering 33,000 hectares, and to a bamboo farmer from Odisha associated with the Odisha Bamboo Development Agency.
- The certified plantations underwent field and management audits, with certification based on an independent assessment rather than voluntary self-declaration.
- IFWCS was launched by MoEFCC in December 2023 to provide a credible national framework for certification of forests, wood and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and connect certified products with domestic and international markets.
- PRAMAAN is intended to help Indian producers and exporters meet emerging global requirements for responsible and deforestation-free timber sourcing, where market access increasingly depends on verifiable sustainability credentials.
- Certification is available across Forest Management, Tree Outside Forest Management and Chain of Custody, bringing both forest plantations and tree-based farming within the certification system.
- Forest Management certification is assessed against the Indian Forest Management Standard, which forms part of the National Working Plan Code (NWPC) 2023.
- Certification bodies under PRAMAAN are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) under the Quality Council of India (QCI), providing the independent certification architecture.
- The scheme also has a livelihood dimension by bringing smallholder farmers, rural and tribal communities, forest-dependent communities, women SHGs and marginal landholders engaged in agroforestry, NTFP collection/processing and tree-based agriculture into certified markets.
- Chain of Custody (CoC) certification tracks certified forest products through the supply chain, helping establish that the material reaching the final market can be traced back to its certified source.
- Tree Outside Forests (TOF) refers to trees grown outside formally designated forest areas, including trees on farms, plantations and agroforestry systems; PRAMAAN therefore extends certification beyond conventional forests.
2. Steel Industry Safety Council (SISC)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Industry | Manufacturing | Industrial Safety | Occupational Health & Safety | Disaster Management
- The Ministry of Steel has decided to establish the Steel Industry Safety Council (SISC) as an apex-level industry safety body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel.
- SISC will focus on strengthening safety standards, accident prevention, safety practices and safety awareness across the steel industry.
- The Council will be headed by the Secretary, Ministry of Steel, and include senior Ministry officials, CEOs of integrated steel producers and representatives of DGMS, PESO, NDMA and recognised steel technology institutions.
- SISC will assess the safety situation, facilitate studies, approve industry safety standards and recommended practices, and review serious accidents, accidents and near-miss incidents.
- A Steel Industry Safety Directorate (SISD) will be established to provide technical and professional support to SISC, with expertise in process safety, blast furnaces, steel melting, rolling mills, coke ovens, refractory systems, electrical and mechanical safety, occupational health, fire engineering and disaster management.
- SISD will oversee implementation of SISC decisions, conduct periodic safety audits and reviews, maintain and disseminate accident/near-miss information, investigate serious incidents and review emergency preparedness and safety training.
- SISD will also develop and issue Steel Industry Safety Standards, Recommended Practices and Guidelines suited to Indian conditions.
- Near-miss incidents are events that could have resulted in an accident or injury but did not; systematic recording and analysis of near misses can help identify hazards before they cause major accidents.
- Occupational safety covers protection of workers from workplace hazards, while emergency preparedness focuses on the ability of an industrial facility to respond effectively to accidents, fires, explosions and other emergencies.
3. International Whaling Commission (IWC-70)
Syllabus Mapping: GS-III: Environment | Marine Biodiversity | Species Conservation | International Environmental Conventions |
- IWC-70, the 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), is being held in Hobart, Australia, from 28 September–2 October 2026, where India reaffirmed its commitment to cetacean conservation.
- India emphasised science-based conservation, international cooperation and practical measures to address threats to whales and other cetaceans.
- India highlighted the need for better scientific information on population status, distribution, movements, breeding ecology and threats to support evidence-based conservation decisions.
- India called for greater cooperation among range countries, scientific institutions, governments, researchers and local communities to develop practical and locally appropriate conservation measures.
- IWC-70 coincides with the 80th anniversary of the signing of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, signed in Washington, D.C., on 2 December 1946.
- The IWC was established under this Convention as the global body responsible for the management of whaling and conservation of whales; it currently has 89 member governments. India has been an IWC member since 1981.
- Cetaceans occurring in Indian waters receive the highest level of legal protection under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, while Marine Protected Areas provide additional protection to marine biodiversity.
- Project Dolphin adopts a holistic approach to conservation of dolphins, whales, porpoises and associated aquatic ecosystems.
- India has also identified the Arabian Sea humpback whale among 25 species for focused conservation efforts.
- Cetaceans are marine mammals comprising whales, dolphins and porpoises; conservation therefore covers a broader group than whales alone.
- The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (1946) provides the legal basis for the IWC and its international framework for whaling management and whale conservation.
4. People’s Plan Campaign 2026–27 – “Sabki Yojana, Sabka Vikas”
Syllabus Mapping: GS-II: Panchayati Raj | Decentralisation | Participatory Governance | Local Planning | Rural Development
- Special Gram Sabhas will be held across India on 2 October 2026 to discuss governance reforms, implementation of citizen-centric schemes and local development priorities.
- The occasion also marks the launch of People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) 2026–27 – “Sabki Yojana, Sabka Vikas”, under which Gram Panchayats will prepare their GPDPs for FY 2027–28 through participatory and evidence-based planning.
- The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is coordinating the campaign with other Ministries/Departments under a Whole-of-Government approach to grassroots development.
- Panchayat-focused initiatives include Finance Commission grants, Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, eGramSwaraj, AuditOnline, Own Source Revenue (OSR), SVAMITVA and Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI).
- The Panchayat Advancement Index enables Panchayats to identify their achievements and development gaps, which can then inform Gram Sabha discussions and priorities for the year ahead.
- The campaign brings schemes from different sectors into Gram Sabha discussions, including VB-G RAM G, Jal Jeevan Mission, SBM-Grameen, Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari, ONORC, PMGKAY, DILRMP and PMKSY.
- More than 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayats prepare and upload their development plans on eGramSwaraj, providing a digital platform for Panchayat-level planning.
- Gram Sabha discussions will also cover new criminal laws, digital transformation, cooperatives, women and child protection initiatives, and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
- The campaign seeks to strengthen participatory governance by allowing citizens to provide feedback on schemes, identify local gaps and participate in determining village-level development priorities.
- People’s Plan Campaign (PPC) has been implemented across States/UTs since 2018 to facilitate holistic, inclusive and participatory Panchayat Development Plans.
- Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) is the local development plan prepared by a Gram Panchayat through a participatory process, reflecting local needs, available resources and development priorities.
5. Sādhana Shrinkhla 2026 – Training Institution Transformation
Syllabus Mapping: GS-II: Governance | Civil Services Capacity Building | Institutional Reform | Citizen-Centric Governance p|
- Capacity Building Commission (CBC) is organising Sādhana Shrinkhla 2026 under Mission Karmayogi to transform government Training Institutes into strategic, competency-driven Capacity Building Institutions.
- Sādhana stands for Strengthening Adaptive Development and Humane Aptitude for National Advancement.
- The initiative builds on Sādhana Saptah 2026 (2–8 April), consultations through four Regional Task Forces and the National Departmental Summit (15 May 2026) on institutionalising capacity building.
- “Four regional workshops are being conducted/planned across Vijayawada, Guwahati, Lucknow and Pune.”
- The objective is to move Training Institutes from standalone training providers to strategic Capacity Building Institutions, anchored in Capacity Building Plans (CBPs) that translate role-based competency requirements into targeted institutional action.
- The workshops will focus on institutional governance and leadership, operational effectiveness, collaboration, training quality, faculty development and adoption of digital and emerging technologies.
- Training quality enhancement will be aligned with the Karmayogi Quality Framework (KQF), while the broader objective is to provide the “Right Capacity Building, for the Right Role, at the Right Time.”
- Implementation will be anchored in the Unified New-Age National Training Initiative (UNNATI) portal, which will connect 900+ Training Institutions on a common platform for institutional visibility, cooperation and data-informed improvement.
- UNNATI Exchange (UXchange) will enable Training Institutions to share and access training courses, faculty and infrastructure, promoting collaboration and co-sharing.
- The consultations will contribute to finalising the Training Institution Transformation Framework and extend Mission Karmayogi’s capacity-building approach across government, from ASHA workers to senior civil servants.
