UPSC Key: Census 2027, Green Credit Programme and India-China relations

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Population and associated issues, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: The Registrar General of India (RGI) has sought a Rs 14,618.95-crore budget to conduct the Census 2027, which will be the first “Digital Census” and collect data on caste, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the census and its significance?

— What is the history of census in India?

— What is the difference between Census, caste census and SECC?

— How is the census conducted in India?

— Read about the Office of Registrar General of India.

— What are the powers and functions of RGI?

Key Takeaways:

— Earlier this month, the RGI, which comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), circulated a note seeking the approval of the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC), a central body under the Ministry of Finance that appraises government schemes and projects. Once cleared by the EFC, the MHA will move a proposal for the approval of the Union Cabinet.

— The amount sought is for both phases of the Census: the houselisting operation that will be conducted from April to September 2026, and population enumeration that is scheduled to begin in February 2027 in the entire country, except for Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, where it will be conducted in September 2026. During houselisting, details on housing conditions, household amenities, and assets possessed by the households will be collected.

— According to sources, the next Census will be the first digital one as data will be collected through dedicated mobile applications developed for the purpose. The option to self-enumerate will also be provided to the public and caste data will also be captured electronically, sources said. 

— On April 30, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) had decided to include caste enumeration in the Census. It is learnt that the RGI is also developing a website, Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS), for the real-time monitoring and management of the entire exercise.

— The Centre had notified on June 16 its intention to conduct the Census 2027. This is the first time that the decennial Census has been delayed by six years. In December 2019, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal to conduct the Census in 2021 for Rs 8,754.23 crore and update the National Population Register (NPR) for Rs 3,941.35 crore. 

— The Census 2021 was also planned in two phases — houselisting operations from April to September 2020 and population enumeration from February 9 to 28, 2021 — but could not be conducted following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Do You Know:

— The first non-synchronous, nationwide census was in 1872. This census involved counting individuals across most parts of the country; however, it did not include all territories under British control. It was non-synchronous census. 

— The first synchronous census of India was conducted in 1881.It was conducted by W.C. Plowden.

— The Census 2027 will be the 16th decadal Census overall and the eighth since Independence. During the exercise, village, town and ward-level population data on various parameters are collected. This includes data on housing conditions, amenities and assets, demography, religion, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, language, literacy and education, economic activity, migration, and fertility. 

— As per the 2011 Census, the country’s population was 1.21 billion as of March 1, 2011. It is projected to climb to 1.41 billion this year. With a projected population of 143.6 crore in 2027, the cost of Census will be approximately Rs 101.8 per person.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget | Census 2027 and Registrar General of India: A must-know for UPSC Exam 

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Census : 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements with reference to the census in India:

1. The first All India Census was attempted in 1872.

2. From 1881, decennial censuses became a regular feature.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (UPSC-CDS(II) – 2024)

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

‘Partners not rivals’: India & China 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations, Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Underlining the move to repair bilateral ties — after a five-year military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised on Sunday that the two countries were “partners, not rivals”, marking an important shift in India’s position on China as both sides work towards gradual normalisation.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know the history of India-China relations.

— How are the current global order and Trump’s policies impacting India’s relations with China?

— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and China?

— India-China Border Dispute: Know the Background

— Read about the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

— What is the significance of SCO?

Key Takeaways:

— The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit here — this is Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. The two sides agreed on a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution” of the border issue, and flagged the importance of a multipolar world, free trade and “role of their two economies to stabilise world trade,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

— The meeting — their second in the last 10 months — comes in the backdrop of the deepening trust deficit between India and the United States over the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration.

— Significantly, the MEA said Modi noted that “India and China both pursue strategic autonomy, and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens.” Xi said the two countries should strengthen “multilateral cooperation to safeguard common interests”, and should “not let the border issue define the overall China-India relationship”, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement.

— The Chinese Foreign Ministry statement quoted Xi as saying that “being good-neighborly friends and partners for mutual success, and achieving a ‘Dancing of the Dragon and the Elephant’ should be the right choice for both China and India”. According to the statement, Xi also said that “last year’s successful meeting in Kazan marked the restart of China-India relations, with exchanges and cooperation between the two countries making continuous progress”.

— Listing the steps towards stabilisation of ties, the two leaders noted the “need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and tourist visa,” it said. On resuming direct flights, Misri later said the aviation authorities had met and would discuss the next steps.

From “ In 2 readouts, a message and a signal: ‘Strategic autonomy, fair trade’”

— In Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in the shadow of the border stand-off and the deepening chill in the US, both countries have displayed one of their deepest convergences as they work towards repairing ties and regaining trust. A detailed analysis of both readouts is telling.

— First, India underlined that Modi and Xi framed the two countries as “development partners and not rivals.”

— Second, the Prime Minister noted that India and China both pursue “strategic autonomy”, and their relations should not be seen through a “third country lens”.

— Third, demonstrating strategic autonomy, the Indian statement underlined that “the two leaders deemed it necessary to expand common ground on bilateral, regional, and global issues and challenges, like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms”.

— Fourth, both Modi and Xi have taken personal ownership of the thaw. This was reflected in the Indian readout that “both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024”. 

— Fifth, Modi linked the bilateral relationship as a global imperative. He said that a stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion people need to be on the basis of “mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.”

— Sixth, the Prime Minister “underlined the importance of peace and tranquility on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations.” The statement said that the two leaders noted with satisfaction the “successful disengagement last year” and the calm since then.

— Seventh, based on its positive assessment of the ties, the Indian statement listed the next steps — direct flights and expansion of bilateral trade and investment. These have been key Chinese demands.

Do You Know:

From “Trump heat, Tokyo-Tianjin warmth: Modi begins to rejig power relations’”

— C. Raja Mohan writes- “In barely three days, India has set in motion a significant diplomatic effort to rearrange its great-power relations amid the turbulence unleashed over the last six months by US President Donald Trump.

— “Tokyo and Tianjin, two cities Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited in the last few days, could not be more different, geopolitically. Tokyo, the capital of Japan, has been one of Washington’s closest allies since the Second World War. Tianjin, a port city that once served imperial Beijing, now represents China’s rise as a challenger to American primacy in Asia and beyond.”

— “That India has simultaneously deepened ties with Japan and accelerated re-engagement with China—two Asian great powers with little strategic convergence—is not so much a testament to Delhi’s diplomatic “magic touch” as it is to the ripple effects of Trump’s dramatic reorientation of US policy.”

— “In Tokyo, Modi signed a raft of agreements to intensify commercial, technological, security and human-resource cooperation with Japan. In Beijing, Modi and Xi Jinping agreed to consolidate commitments to end the five-year chill in bilateral ties, stabilise the boundary, lift restrictions on economic exchanges, and explore common ground on regional and global issues.”

— “By turning up the heat on friends and foes alike, Trump is compelling Asian actors to recalibrate their relations. In riding roughshod over partners such as Australia, India, Japan and South Korea on trade, and by threatening to weaponise security ties, he has forced them both to strengthen bonds with one another and to reduce tensions with China.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍A reconnection in Tianjin 

📍Thaw in China chill: Direct flights, Mansarovar Yatra, easing of visas

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) “Belt and Road Initiative” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of : (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) African Union

(b) Brazil

(c) European Union

(d) China

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’, In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbor. (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

EXPRESS NETWORK

Govt ties green credits to canopy density, to award it after 5 years

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change- that do not require subject specialization.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions,  Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: In a new set of rules, the Union Environment Ministry will now award green credits generated for tree plantation under the Green Credit Programme (GCP) only after five years, based on a minimum canopy density of 40 per cent and tree survival. 

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Green Credit Programme (GCP)?

— What are the objectives of GCP?

— What do you understand by the term “carbon credit”?

— What are the environmental and socio-economic impacts of the GCP?

— What are the challenges with the GCP? 

— What measures should be taken to achieve a balance between environmental conservation and socioeconomic development?

Key Takeaways:

— Crucially, it said that the credit for tree plantation will be non-tradable and non-transferable, except in the case of transfer between the holding company and its subsidiary companies.

— One of the key incentives of GCP was market-based trading of credits. The Green Credit Rules provide for market-based trading of the green credits on a market platform.

— However, those involved in tree plantation under GCP will still be allowed a one-time exchange of green credit for compensatory afforestation obligations, to meet corporate social responsibility requirements or for other legal tree planting obligations. The credit will cease after exchanging it for compliance with legal obligations.

— The new methodology to calculate green credit under GCP was notified on August 29. It replaces the methodology first notified on February 22, 2024. As per the tweaked methodology, those who have invested in tree plantation activities will earn green credits on completion of a minimum of five years of restoration activities on degraded forest land and after achieving a minimum canopy density of 40 per cent.

— “The Green Credit shall be calculated based on the vegetation status, including the change in the canopy density and the number of surviving trees,” the government notification stated.

— This replaces the earlier benchmark of awarding green credit subject to a minimum density of 1,100 trees per hectare, within two years of plantation. The notification added that one green credit will be awarded for each new tree that is more than five years old. The credit will be awarded after evaluation and verification of the restoration activities carried out by designated agencies.

— Under the Green Credit Rules, companies or groups participating in tree-plantation are allotted degraded land parcels through state forest departments. The forest departments are responsible for the plantation. The notification also stated that the credit for tree plantation may be used for reporting under environmental, social, and governance leadership indicators. 

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched GCP in November 2023 at the United Nations Climate Conference in Dubai to promote voluntary actions for environmental protection. So far, 57,986 hectares of degraded forest land have been registered under GCP, as per government data. Ministry officials could not be reached for a comment on the tweak in methodology.

Do You Know:

— Under GCP, the environment ministry seeks ‘voluntary actions’ from companies, individuals, or groups for environmental protection activities such as tree plantation, water conservation, and waste management, among others, and awards credits in return.

— The revised methodology for tree plantation-based green credits puts into focus the growth and survival of trees, rather than the earlier benchmark of trees per hectare. This is important as government plantation and afforestation initiatives often face criticism for not focusing on survival, and quality and density of canopy. Revising credit generation only after a minimum of 5 years of work also stresses on the health of plantations.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What is the Green Credits scheme, which PM Modi mentioned at COP28 by Amitabh Sinha

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Regarding “carbon credits”, which one of the following statements is not correct? (UPSC CSE 2011)

(a) The carbon credit system was ratified in conjunction with the Kyoto Protocol

(b) Carbon credits are awarded to countries or groups that have reduced greenhouse gases below their emission quota

(c) The goal of the carbon credit system is to limit the increase of carbon dioxide emission

(d) Carbon credits are traded at a price fixed from time to time by the United Nations Environment Programme.

(4) The concept of carbon credit originated from which one of the following? ( UPSC CSE 2009)

(a) Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro

(b) Kyoto Protocol

(c) Montreal Protocol

(d) G-8 Summit, Heiligendamm

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Discuss global warming and mention its effects on the global climate. Explain the control measures to bring down the level of greenhouse gases which cause global warming, in the light of the Kyoto Protocol, 1997. (UPSC CSE 2022)

10 months of cyberfraud registry: 13 lakh transactions declined, 5,000 cr saved 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Cyber Security.

What’s the ongoing story: Ten months after launching the online ‘suspect registry’ system, the Centre has declined 13 lakh fraudulent transactions and saved Rs 5,111.80 crore.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are cybercrimes?

— What are the various cyber crimes in India?

— How ordinary citizens end up as cyber mules facilitating online fraud?

— What are the key causes behind the cybercrimes in India?

— What measures have been taken by the government to tackle cyber crimes?

— What is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C)?

— Read about the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.

— What is Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System?

Key Takeaways:

— The registry, created based on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and developed by Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), contains data of 1.4 million cybercriminals linked to financial fraud and various cyber-crimes, which has been shared with all banks.

— Launched by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 10 last year, it can be accessed by States/ UTs and central investigation and intelligence agencies.

— Data accessed by The Indian Express shows they have frozen around 3,54,884 accounts in which fraudulent money was received, 11,10,566 unique accounts identified, and Rs 5,111.80 crore saved after fraudulent transactions were rejected between September 2024 and August 1 this year.

— There are 61 banks/ financial institutions onboard the suspect registry system. The official said that among them, “35 private sector-Indian banks, 12 nationalised banks, six regional rural banks, six wallet/ merchant and one private sector bank-foreign bank”.

— An analysis by agencies has revealed that this year, India is losing over Rs 1,000 crore monthly to cyber frauds. “In January, Rs 1,837 crore was cheated, Rs 1,573 crore in February, Rs 1,683 in March, Rs 1,314 crore in April, Rs 1,644 crore in May, Rs 1,584 crore in June and Rs 1,829 crore in July. Analysis also shows that more than 80% of cheating cases are recorded in the financial fraud category,” the official said. 

— An official said Rs 15.03 crore was refunded in January 2025, Rs 9.48 crore in February, Rs 9.87 crore in March, Rs 15.75 crore in April, Rs 14.60 in May, Rs 18.45 crore in June and Rs 11.73 crore in July.

Do You Know:

— The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), established in 2018, is a department under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) tasked with establishing a national-level coordination centre to address cybercrime-related issues.

— In September 2024, four I4C platforms were inaugurated — the Cyber Fraud Mitigation Centre (CFMC), the ‘Samanvaya’ platform, a Cyber Commandos programme and a Suspect Registry.

—  Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System (CFCFRMS) has been developed by the I4C and is operated by respective State/UT which brings together Law Enforcement Agencies of States/UTS, Banks and Financial Intermediaries on a single platform to take immediate action on the complaints regarding financial cyber frauds received through helpline number 1930.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India’s Cybercrime Challenge : Rise and Response

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. Service providers

2. Data centres

3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

What are the different elements of cyber security? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (UPSC CSE 2022)

 

EXPLAINED 

The scramble for fertilisers

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economy and General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Agriculture and issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices.

What’s the ongoing story: India has had a very good southwest monsoon this time, with cumulative rainfall during June-August at 6.1% above the historical average or normal for these three months. The rains have, moreover, been temporally and spatially well-distributed.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the necessity of fertilisers?

— What is the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) system?

— Significance of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and potassium for crops.

— What is the impact of imbalanced fertilisers?

— What are the concerns associated with overuse of fertilisers?

Key Takeaways:

— The monsoon’s timely arrival and progress has resulted in farmers planting more area under kharif crops this year. As on August 22, they had sown 420.4 lakh hectares (lt) under rice, 7.6% up over the 390.8 lh for the corresponding period (from June) last year. The other crop to have posted a notable acreage jump, from 83.6 lh to 93.3 lh or 11.7%, is maize.

— When the monsoon is good – rains ensure adequate soil moisture, apart from filling up reservoirs and recharging groundwater tables – farmers not only plant with gusto, reflected in higher acreages. They also buy more fertilisers supplying nutrients – such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) – that are as essential for plant growth as water and sunlight.

— While fertiliser demand has substantially gone up, there has been no commensurate supply increase.

— The effects of supply shortfalls were truly felt in July-August, which are the peak consumption months for kharif crops.

— Given this pattern of consumption, it’s not surprising that news reports and videos of farmers standing in serpentine queues to procure their bare minimum requirement of urea bags were in wide circulation from late-July.

— The government probably underestimated the increased demand for fertilisers during this kharif, particularly on account of rice and maize.

— Both these are high nitrogen-consuming crops requiring three bags or more of urea per acre. This is unlike soyabean and pulses, which are naturally nitrogen-fixing and require hardly a bag of urea as a basal dose. As farmers expanded rice and maize acreages, while simultaneously planting less under soyabean and pulses, it has translated into additional demand.

— With the peak fertiliser consumption period for kharif over, the government will now have to plan supplies for the upcoming rabi winter-spring cropping season.

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(6) With reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government.

2. Ammonia, which is an input of urea, is produced from natural gas.

3. Sulphur, which is a raw material for phosphoric acid fertilizer, is a by-product of oil refineries.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Under cover of trade deficit 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies-II, III: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Economy.

What’s the ongoing story: Ashok Gulati writes- “US President Donald Trump’s frequent claims about stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan, which he believes could have gone nuclear, show that he wants to go down in history as a peacemaker. Interestingly, Pakistan has nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize and has managed a much-favoured treatment from the US. In contrast, India’s steadfast denial of Trump’s role in stopping the four-day conflict seems to have irked Trump.” 

Key Points to Ponder:

— Read about the imposition of 50% tariff by US on India. 

— What are India’s import and export trends with regard to the US?

— What can be the implications of the higher tariff imposed by the US on India?

— What are the Goods exempt from Trump’s tariffs?

— What are the sectors to be affected most by the higher tariff imposed by the US?

— What steps should be taken to manage the implications of higher tariffs?

Key Takeaways:

— “With high tariffs of 50 per cent, Indian exports to the US are going to suffer massive losses — they could be around $40-50 billion. While a federal appeals court ruled on August 29 that the President overstepped his powers in imposing the tariffs, enforcement of the order is on hold till mid-October, giving the administration time to appeal to the US Supreme Court. And if Trump doubles down on H-1B visas, the losses could be much higher. So, India has many stakes in its relationship with the US.”

— “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stood his ground so far. He told the nation that he is ready to suffer, but will not compromise. However, the EU, Japan, and South Korea have already made deals. China is the only country that has withstood Trump’s pressure tactics so far and even retaliated through its monopoly over rare earth minerals. India does not have that leverage. The Indian economy is less than one-seventh of the US economy. The only way to escape being crushed during this power play is to be extremely agile and smart.”

— “In such a situation, what should India do? Here are some pointers: First, there is no need to retaliate. We have quite a bit at stake, and we don’t have the leverage China has.”

— “Second, fast-track diversification of exports to other regions and countries, from Russia to Japan to Australia to the African continent to Latin America. We need to get going on free trade agreements (FTAs) with the EU, Russia, ASEAN, and the African Union and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).”

— “Third, make the expanded BRICS more proactive on trade by adhering to the rules. The US has already buried the World Trade Organisation (WTO) with its barrage of differential tariffs on various countries.”

— “Fourth, remain engaged with the US on trade negotiations and adopt a somewhat more flexible approach. We need to be pragmatic and weigh the net benefit of sourcing oil from Russia, which, as per our rough calculation, is not more than $6-7 billion. If we reduce that somewhat and increase imports from the US, that may help save our exports of $40 to $50 billion. All this will require smart negotiation and should not be seen as a compromise with sovereignty.”

— “Lastly, there is a lot to do on the home front, and second-generation reforms need to be undertaken, including a significant reduction in import duties. Otherwise, we help Trump in saying that India is the tariff king.”

Do You Know:

— Tariffs are taxes or duties imposed by a government on imported goods and services. Their objective is to make foreign products more expensive compared to domestically produced goods, thereby encouraging consumers to prefer local products. Tariffs also act as a protective measure for domestic industries against foreign competition. Additionally, they serve as a source of revenue for the government.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | From Trump’s reciprocal tariffs announcement to 90-day pause: Everything in between

📍Jaishankar hits out at US tariff, says talks on, ‘lines not cut’

📍Steep US tariffs could hit India’s PLI push and deepen private capex slowdown

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable examples. (UPSC CSE 2019)

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