Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 07-07-2025

Fresh Nipah Virus Cases in Kerala: Kerala has confirmed new cases of Nipah virus, leading to heightened vigilance in Malappuram and Palakkad, with an alert in Kozhikode due to the risk of further spread.

• Why it’s news: Nipah is a highly lethal virus with epidemic potential, and new cases indicate an ongoing public health threat.

Extensive Surveillance and Contact Tracing: Over 400 individuals are under observation, with dedicated teams conducting tracing, symptom monitoring, and quarantines.

• Why it’s news: This demonstrates a robust response to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.

Activated Medical Infrastructure: Isolation wards and ICU facilities have been prepared, with several patients already under treatment and in intensive care.

• Why it’s news: Highlights the critical medical resources being deployed to manage the outbreak and care for the infected.

Containment Measures Implemented: Affected areas are declared containment zones, with mask mandates, movement restrictions, and door-to-door awareness campaigns in place.

• Why it’s news: Shows active steps being taken to limit the virus’s spread and inform the public.

High-Level Oversight: The Health Minister is actively involved, conducting review meetings to ensure a swift and coordinated response.

• Why it’s news: Indicates the seriousness with which the government is treating the outbreak and the importance of coordinated efforts.

Nipah Virus Overview: It’s a zoonotic virus (animal to human transmission) with high fatality (40-75%) and can spread through contaminated food and human-to-human contact. Symptoms range from fever and headache to severe encephalitis and death.

• Why it’s news: Provides essential context on the nature of the virus, its severity, and transmission routes, which is crucial for public understanding and prevention.

Prevention and Treatment Status: No specific antiviral treatment or vaccine exists; management is supportive. Prevention focuses on avoiding bats, pigs, contaminated fruits/sap, and strict infection control.

• Why it’s news: Underscores the challenges in combating the virus and emphasizes the importance of preventive measures.

• Downplaying Seismic Risk: EIA relies on a limited 2019 study, overlooking broader earthquake hazards in a highly seismic region.
• Neglect of Independent Research: Independent studies show the region is highly seismically active, prone to ground shaking, liquefaction, and subsidence.
• Lack of Transparency: Critics allege the clearance process prioritized technical/financial factors over environmental/safety concerns.
• National Green Tribunal (NGT) Involvement: NGT had imposed a stay, calling for re-evaluation of environmental and coastal regulation clearances.

Formal Recognition vs. Data Gap: The Union Budget 2025-26 recognized gig/platform workers and extended social protection. However, the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) still lacks a dedicated classification for them, creating a policy-data disconnect.

Classification Deficiency: PLFS categorizes gig workers under broad terms like ‘self-employed’ or ‘casual labour,’ failing to capture their unique characteristics (algorithmic control, no formal contracts, irregular hours, multi-platform engagement).

Consequences of Invisibility: This lack of distinct classification leads to exclusion from welfare schemes (as PLFS guides beneficiary targeting), misrepresentation of job insecurity and income volatility, policy blind spots, and legal ambiguity for enforcing the Code on Social Security, 2020.

Gig Economy’s Significance: It facilitates a transition from informal to formal sectors, enhances financial autonomy for marginalized groups, fosters entrepreneurship, drives digital adoption, and contributes to tax revenue.

Key Challenges: Gig workers face a lack of comprehensive social security (fragmented support from existing schemes), income instability (below minimum wage, platform commissions), exploitative conditions (long hours, algorithmic pressure), arbitrary deactivation, and customer harassment.

Proposed Solutions: Update PLFS to distinctly capture gig work features, integrate tech-enabled surveys with e-Shram for targeted welfare, strengthen legal frameworks for portable social security (insurance, paid leave, pensions), and mandate transparent grievance redressal systems.

Need for Statistical Representation: True recognition of gig workers requires both legal inclusion and accurate statistical representation through evolved PLFS classification or new survey modules for inclusive policymaking.

Shift in India’s Export Composition: India’s foreign exchange earnings from invisible exports (services and remittances) have surpassed visible goods exports for the first time.

• Why in News: This signifies a structural shift in India’s economic engagement with the world, highlighting its growing strength in the services sector.

Dominance of Invisible Exports: Invisible exports reached $576.54 billion in 2024-25, exceeding goods exports of $441.79 billion.

• Why in News: This metric is crucial for understanding the health of India’s current account and its ability to finance imports.

Key Drivers of Invisible Growth: Services exports, particularly IT, financial, and professional services ($387.54 billion), and NRI remittances ($135.43 billion) are the main contributors.

• Why in News: Demonstrates India’s global competitiveness in skilled labor and the significant role of its diaspora.

Resilience of Invisible Trade: Services and transfers are less susceptible to geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and supply chain disruptions compared to goods.

• Why in News: This resilience provides a buffer against global economic volatility, contributing to India’s macroeconomic stability.

Balancing the Current Account: India’s substantial surplus in invisibles helps offset its persistent goods trade deficit.

• Why in News: Explains how India manages its Balance of Payments despite being a net importer of physical goods.

Comparative Advantage in Skills: India’s economic strength lies in exporting its human capital and services, not just material goods.

• Why in News: Positions India strategically in the global economy, leveraging its intangible assets for growth.

Prime Ministerial Visit & Highest Honour: PM Modi’s visit was the first by an Indian PM since 1999, during which he received ‘The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’ for global leadership, diaspora engagement, and COVID-19 humanitarian efforts.

Disaster Resilience & Biofuels: Trinidad and Tobago joined India’s CDRI and Global Biofuel Alliance initiatives.

Grant Assistance for Community Projects: India will fund up to five small grassroots development projects annually.

Pharma & Medical Cooperation: An MoU enhances collaboration for affordable medicines and medical treatment in India.

Diplomatic Training: Trinidad and Tobago diplomats will receive training from Indian institutes and experts.

Diaspora & Education Support: OCI card facility extended to the 6th generation of Indian diaspora; cultural centers to be re-established.

Digital Collaboration: Agreement to collaborate on India Stack solutions like DigiLocker; Trinidad and Tobago to adopt UPI.

Agricultural & Healthcare Support: India gifted agro-machinery and supports millet cultivation; CARICOM relations strengthened.

Historical Ties & Diaspora: Deep historical ties since 1845, with Indian diaspora forming a significant part of the population.

Economic Relations: Bilateral trade shows growth, with India exporting pharmaceuticals and vehicles.

• Why: Supercapacitors are vital for rapid energy storage in electronics and EVs, but often lack storage capacity. This material addresses that gap.

• Why: This aligns with the global push for sustainable energy solutions.

• Lanthanum doping reduced nanoparticle size, increasing surface area for better energy storage.
• It improved electrical conductivity for faster charge-discharge cycles.
• Achieved remarkable energy retention (118%) and perfect coulombic efficiency (100% energy retention during use).
• Why: These improvements directly translate to more efficient and capable supercapacitors.

• Why: This validates the material’s ability to be used in actual devices.

• Why: This indicates the path towards widespread adoption of this advanced energy storage technology.

Why in News: India is celebrating the International Day of Cooperatives (July 5, 2025) and four years of the Ministry of Cooperation, focusing on empowering MSMEs, especially artisans, through initiatives like the PM Vishwakarma scheme.

Financial Empowerment & Resource Pooling:

• Allows MSMEs to pool funds, reducing reliance on high-interest loans (e.g., PM Vishwakarma offers 5-7% credit).
• Enables sharing of resources like machinery and raw materials, lowering costs and boosting efficiency.

Enhanced Market Access:

• Facilitates collective marketing, branding, and quality certifications, increasing MSME visibility and competitiveness.
• Helps tap into national and global markets.

Technology Adoption:

• Supports cluster-level training centers for skill upgrades and adoption of modern techniques (digital tools, automation).

Synergy with Government Schemes:

• Acts as an effective delivery mechanism for schemes like PM Vishwakarma, ensuring MSMEs receive financial, technical, and market support.

Sustainable & Inclusive Growth:

• Empowers women entrepreneurs and promotes rural development (e.g., SEWA, Lijjat Papad).
• Supports circular economy through waste initiatives.

Key Contributions of Cooperatives in India:

• Provide 13.3% of direct employment, engaging 29 crore members.
• Significant role in agricultural credit, sugar production, and fertilizer distribution.
• Promote financial inclusion through cooperative banking.
• Crucial for food security and women empowerment.

Challenges:

• Misconceptions about cooperatives being government-controlled.
• Weak financial support and liquidity issues for cooperative banks.
• Regulatory complexity and bureaucracy.
• Low digital adoption and isolated operations.
• Governance deficits like poor transparency and accountability.

Measures Needed:

• Policy reforms: Tax benefits, prioritizing in public procurement, simplified compliance.
• Financial support: Linking cooperatives to MUDRA, CGTMSE, NABARD; promoting digital banking training.
• Infrastructure: Adopting digital tools, building Common Facility Centers.
• Market linkages: Promoting collective branding (“CoopMade”), linking to e-commerce platforms.
• Awareness campaigns and grassroots mobilization.

• Why: This signifies a major achievement in India’s pursuit of nuclear self-reliance and demonstrates its capability in designing and operating large-scale reactors.

• Why: This 700 MW model represents a technological upgrade from existing PHWRs, enhancing clean energy production.

• Why: This technology is known for its safety, cost-efficiency, and suitability for India’s resource availability.

• Why: This expansion is crucial for meeting India’s clean energy goals and bolstering energy security through domestically developed technology.

• Why: This underscores the commitment to safe operation and adherence to international safety standards.

• Why: It showcases progress in India’s three-stage nuclear power program, moving towards greater energy independence.

Why in News: The 62nd Bonn Climate Change Conference, a mid-year meeting, took place in Bonn, Germany. It prepares for the 30th UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Brazil.

What it is: The Bonn Climate Change Conference, formally Sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SBs), is a regular UNFCCC summit. It involves SB members, Indigenous groups, international organizations, scientists, and civil society to review implementation and set the COP agenda.

Key Players:

• Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI): Reviews implementation and facilitates financial/technical support for developing nations.
• Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA): Provides scientific input from the IPCC to policymakers.

Key Takeaways:

• Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA): Progress on indicators, but finance/Means of Implementation disagreements delayed consensus. A draft list of 100 indicators is expected at COP30.
• Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP): Agreement to establish a Belém Action Mechanism for sharing fair transition strategies.
• National Climate Plans (NDCs): Most countries missed the deadline for updated NDCs, potentially hindering the 1.5°C target. Brazil urged submissions by September 2025.
• Climate Finance: Developing nations pushed for fulfillment of pledges (USD 1.3 trillion annually by 2030). Wealthier countries proposed private finance, but public grants were deemed essential.
• Loss and Damage: The fund remains underfunded (USD 768 million pledged vs. USD 1 trillion needed). Pledged amounts significantly exceed actual contributions.

Scheme Approval & Objectives:

• Union Cabinet approved the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme with a ₹99,446 crore outlay.
• Aims to create employment, especially in manufacturing, and formalize the workforce.
• Targets enhancing private sector employment, promoting youth and job retention, encouraging skill advancement, and reducing economic disparity.
• Expects to create over 3.5 crore jobs and benefit 1.92 crore newly employed individuals.

Implementation Details:

• To be implemented by the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) from August 1, 2025, to July 31, 2027.
• Newly recruited employees (salary up to ₹1 lakh) will receive a one-month EPF wage (up to ₹15,000) in two installments via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
• Establishments registered with EPFO will receive up to ₹3,000 per month for two years for each additional employee sustained for six months; manufacturing sector gets incentives for third and fourth years.

Context: Employment Status in India:

• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) shows slight improvements in urban LFPR and WPR.
• All-India LFPR and WPR remained relatively steady.
• Rural unemployment declined slightly; urban male unemployment increased, while urban female unemployment dropped.

Concerns and Expert Opinions:

• Trade unions (except BMS) question the scheme, fearing worker’s money incentivizes employers, citing PLI scheme misuse.
• Experts doubt EPFO’s implementation role as it’s a custodian of savings, not a job-creating agency.
• Concerns exist about reimbursement mechanisms and the lack of government funds in EPFO’s books.
• Suggestions include shifting the scheme to the Ministry of MSMEs and ensuring simpler, transparent processes.

PM’s “Jai Anusandhan” Vision vs. GM Crop Stagnation:

• Prime Minister’s call for innovation backed by ₹1 lakh crore RDI fund is hindered by the stalled commercial adoption of GM crops due to regulatory hurdles.

What are GM Crops?

• Plants whose DNA is modified using genetic engineering for traits like pest/disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, improved nutrition, etc.
• Also known as GE plants, transgenic crops, LMOs, or biotech crops.

Benefits of GM Crops:

• Higher yields, addressing food security.
• Reduced need for synthetic pesticides (e.g., Bt cotton).
• Longer shelf life, reducing food waste.

GM Crop Status in India:

• Only Bt cotton officially approved and widely adopted since 2002, covering over 90% of cotton area.
• Bt Brinjal approved in 2009, but under moratorium.
• GM Mustard (DMH-11) received conditional environmental clearance in 2022, but commercialisation is stalled.

Impact of Bt Cotton:

• Led to a surge in cotton production and productivity, boosting farmers’ incomes and agri GDP.
• India became a major cotton producer and exporter.

Challenges in Cotton Sector Post-2015:

• Yield decline due to pest outbreaks, tangled regulations, and prohibition of next-gen seeds (e.g., HT-Bt cotton).
• Illegal cultivation of HT-Bt cotton indicates demand.
• Cotton Seed Price Control Order (2015) reduced royalty fees, discouraging innovation and leading to reduced participation by global biotech firms.
• India turned into a net importer of raw cotton.

Way Forward for GM Crops:

• Transparent, science-based regulatory framework.
• Encourage public-private R&D.
• Support pilot programs for GEAC-cleared GM crops.
• Review the Cotton Seed Price Control Order to balance affordability and innovation.
• Spread awareness to counter misinformation.
• Integrate GM tech with climate-smart agriculture.

Conclusion: Embracing gene technology and GM crops is crucial for India’s productivity, food security, reduced import dependency, and farmer empowerment.

Low-Cost Sensor Developed: Scientists at CeNS, Bengaluru, have created a sensor that is affordable and effective. This is news because it offers a more accessible way to monitor a dangerous pollutant.

Detects Toxic Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂): The sensor specifically targets SO₂, a harmful gas released by vehicles and industry that causes respiratory problems. This is important for public health.

Highly Sensitive: It can detect SO₂ at very low concentrations (down to 320 ppb), exceeding the capabilities of many existing commercial sensors. This means it can identify threats earlier.

Combines NiO and NdNiO₃: The sensor uses a combination of nickel oxide (NiO) as the gas receptor and neodymium nickelate (NdNiO₃) as the signal transducer. This innovative material science approach is key to its performance.

Real-time Monitoring with Alerts: The sensor provides instant SO₂ detection and features a user-friendly alert system (green for safe, yellow for warning, red for danger). This makes it practical for immediate public safety actions.

Portable Prototype: A pocket-sized, lightweight prototype has been developed, making it ideal for use in various locations like industrial areas and urban spaces. Its portability is a significant advantage.

Addresses Limitations of Existing Tech: It overcomes the issues of high cost, energy intensity, and low sensitivity found in current SO₂ monitoring technologies. This offers a practical solution to a pressing environmental and health problem.

SEBI Bans Jane Street: India’s securities regulator banned US-based proprietary trading firm Jane Street from the market.

• Why: For manipulative trading practices that earned them ₹4,843 crore unlawfully and disrupted market integrity.

Manipulative Trading Tactics: Jane Street used a “marking the close” strategy on the Bank Nifty index.

• Why: They aggressively bought stocks and futures to inflate the index, then sold them aggressively to push prices down. This created artificial volatility and misled small investors. They also profited from index options by buying cheap puts and selling expensive calls.

Bypassing Regulations: Jane Street used its Indian arm, JSI Investments Pvt Ltd, to circumvent rules.

• Why: Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have restrictions on certain cash market activities like intraday trading, which using a domestic entity allowed them to bypass.

SEBI’s Actions: Imposed a ₹4,843 crore penalty and barred Jane Street from the Indian securities market.

• Why: To penalize the manipulative behavior and protect market integrity. SEBI ordered the firm to transfer unlawfully earned money to an escrow account.

Market Impact & Future Reforms: The case highlights the need for stronger market safeguards in derivatives trading.

• Why: Experts suggest SEBI may introduce stricter position limits, real-time monitoring, tighter margin requirements, enhanced disclosures, and refined circuit breakers to prevent similar manipulations.