Published on: April 26, 2025
Snippets :26 APRIL 2025
Snippets :26 APRIL 2025
- A recent study conducted over 12 months by the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and NGO Astha reveals stark health disparities among people with disabilities in Bengaluru Rural and Tumakuru districts. Covering 758 respondents (388 from Bengaluru Rural and 370 from Tumakuru), the study found that 96% of people with disabilities in Tumakuru and 88% in Bengaluru Rural lack health insurance, and over 90% had not accessed health services or assistive aids in the past year. Locomotor disabilities were the most common, with a significant number of respondents being unemployed and fully dependent on family, and literacy rates were particularly low—47% illiteracy in Bengaluru Rural and 24% in Tumakuru. The majority of families earned less than ₹1 lakh annually. While most individuals in Bengaluru Rural had UDID cards, half of those in Tumakuru did not, citing lack of awareness, disinterest, and documentation issues. The report highlights deep economic, educational, and social exclusion, increased vulnerability to climate-related health issues, and a significant impact on life opportunities. Recommendations include promoting disability-friendly public services, subsidised healthcare, better insurance access, timely updating of UDID cards, community-based healthcare models involving NGOs and private sectors, and caregiver training through self-help groups, aligning efforts with the RPwD Act, 2016.
- India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) expects Karnataka’s nominal GSDP growth for FY26 to be around 11.5%, notably higher than the 6.5% projected in the state’s budget, supported by an average growth rate of 11.6% during FY19–FY24 and a revised FY25 growth estimate of 12.8%. With this strong growth, Karnataka’s fiscal deficit for FY26 is likely to align with the budget estimate, and the debt burden could be slightly lower than the projected 24.9% of GSDP. Including state guarantees, combined liabilities stood at 25.3% of GSDP in FY24, expected to reduce to 23.8% in FY25 RE. Revenue receipts for FY26 are budgeted to grow by 13.5%, and revenue expenditure by 9.8%, with the state’s own tax revenue—making up 70% of revenue receipts—projected to grow 15.4%, meeting the Rs 2.08 lakh crore target. Fiscal performance in FY25 showed a revenue deficit of Rs 26,130 crore (0.9% of GSDP), lower than the budgeted Rs 27,350 crore (1.0%), due to lower-than-expected revenue expenditure, while nominal GSDP growth stood at 12.7% against a projected 12.3%, slightly improving deficit ratios. Government guarantees rose 15.4% in FY24 to around Rs 44,250 crore, impacting the state’s overall debt profile.
- Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given assent to the Greater Bengaluru Governance (GBG) Bill, 2024, which proposes a new three-tier governance structure consisting of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) headed by the Chief Minister, City Corporations (maximum of seven), and Ward Committees at the grassroots level. The Act allows the government to redefine city boundaries beyond current BBMP limits and create new corporations like Bengaluru North, South, and East. The GBA will receive grants from the central and state governments, with an expected annual budget of ₹3,000 crore, while City Corporations will generate ₹3,500–₹4,500 crore each through property tax, advertisement charges, and building approval fees. The GBA will have 19 members, including representatives from parastatal agencies and elected officials, and an IAS officer will serve as Chief Commissioner. The GBA must be formed within four months and will handle major citywide planning and projects. Historically, Bengaluru’s urban governance evolved through the KMC Act (1976), BBMP Act (2008), BBMP Restructuring (2020), and now the GBG Act (2024), which replaces the BBMP framework.
- The 2025 Conferences of the Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions are being held in Geneva from April 28 to May 9 to address hazardous chemicals like chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos, labeled as “moderately hazardous” by the WHO, remains approved for use on 18 crops in India despite being banned in over 40 countries and is linked to neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, irreversible brain damage in unborn children, and environmental contamination. Pesticide Action Network (PAN) India advocates for listing chlorpyrifos under Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention for prior informed consent before trade and under Annex A of the Stockholm Convention for a global ban, citing the availability of safer alternatives. A 2022 report revealed illegal use of chlorpyrifos and other agrochemicals like paraquat, indicating regulatory gaps in India. The Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC), established in 1970 under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and governed by the Insecticides Act, 1968, is responsible for the safe regulation, registration, and oversight of insecticides to protect human, animal, and environmental health.
- A four-year study (2021–2024) by Respirer Living Sciences analyzed PM10 pollutant levels across Indian cities, aiming to identify critical areas, key contributors, and suggest data-driven solutions. All 11 cities surveyed exceeded the national PM10 annual standard of 60 µg/m³, with Delhi (214.3 µg/m³), Patna (189.1 µg/m³), and Chandigarh (136.9 µg/m³) being the worst-affected. Despite interventions, no significant reduction in pollution was observed, and PM10 remains a persistent hazard. Seasonal variations showed winter spikes due to temperature inversions and biomass burning, while summer had lower levels due to better atmospheric dispersion. Southern cities like Bengaluru (71.3 µg/m³), Chennai (63.2 µg/m³), and Hyderabad (75.8 µg/m³) also exceeded limits but were comparatively less affected than northern counterparts. In Bengaluru, major contributors included traffic congestion, construction, open waste burning, and dry weather, with hotspots like Silk Board, RVCE-Mailasandra, City Railway Station, Kasturi Nagar, and residential areas like BTM Layout and Hombegowda Nagar being worst-hit.
- Labeo uru and Labeo chekida, two new species of freshwater Rohu fish, have been discovered in the Western Ghats region of India.
- A recent study led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics focused on galaxy NGC 1052-DF2, which appears to lack dark matter, a hypothetical form of matter that constitutes 27% of the universe’s mass-energy content and plays a crucial role in galaxy formation and structure. Dark matter is invisible and detectable only through its gravitational effects, and its leading candidates include Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), axions, and Massive astrophysical compact halo objects (MACHOs). In contrast, dark energy makes up 68% of the universe, is distributed evenly throughout space and time, and accelerates the universe’s expansion through a repulsive force. While dark matter provides cosmic “scaffolding” for galaxies, dark energy has a global effect on the universe, driving its expansion and acceleration.
- Indian scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics have developed a novel method to estimate the abundance of Helium in the Sun’s photosphere using indirect spectral analysis. Since Helium spectral lines are not visible in the Sun’s photosphere, the scientists used spectral lines of neutral Magnesium and Carbon, as well as molecular lines of MgH, CH, and C₂, to estimate the Helium abundance. By matching the atomic and molecular abundances of Magnesium and Carbon for different Helium-to-Hydrogen ratios, the researchers confirmed that the Helium-to-Hydrogen ratio in the Sun’s photosphere is approximately 0.1, validating the assumed solar value. This method provides a more precise estimate of Helium abundance in the Sun’s photosphere than traditional methods.
- BRIC-inStem, Bengaluru, in collaboration with CMC Vellore, has successfully conducted India’s first-in-human gene therapy trial for Haemophilia, a rare genetic bleeding disorder. Gene therapy involves modifying or replacing faulty genes to treat or prevent diseases, and this trial marks a significant milestone in India’s biomedical research. Haemophilia affects about 1 in 10,000 people, with India having a substantial patient load. BRIC-inStem, a national umbrella organization integrating 14 autonomous research institutions, has been pioneering translational and regenerative research, including gene therapy, and has made notable contributions to biomedical innovation, such as developing anti-viral germicidal masks and a pesticide shield for farmers.
- The Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign 2025-26 aims to achieve 100% immunization coverage by administering two doses of the M-R vaccine to all eligible children, targeting the prevention of measles and rubella. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can lead to serious complications or death in young children, especially those who are malnourished or immunocompromised. Rubella, while generally mild, poses a significant risk during pregnancy, potentially causing Congenital Rubella Syndrome with irreversible birth defects. The campaign seeks to eliminate these vaccine-preventable diseases through comprehensive immunization efforts.
- The Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer INS Surat recently successfully test-fired a medium-range surface-to-air missile in the Arabian Sea. INS Surat, the fourth and final ship of the Project 15B Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, is one of the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world, with 75% indigenous content. Commissioned in January 2025, it features advanced network-centric capabilities, state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages, and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance operational efficiency. With a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and a length of 164 meters, INS Surat is equipped with surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, and torpedoes, and has speeds exceeding 30 knots. Designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, INS Surat is a potent and versatile warship.
