UPSC Key: India-Italy upgrade ties, Highway Farm Forestry, and Veera Pasi

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Italy?

— What is the significance of Italy for India?

— How is India recalibrating its relationship with other western countries in wake of changing world order?

— What is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC)?

Key Takeaways:

— These decisions were taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome. Italy was the final stop on Modi’s six-day tour of Europe which took him to Norway for the India-Nordic summit and on bilateral visits to Sweden and the Netherlands. From tech to innovation, defence to green energy, India is deepening ties with Europe amid turbulence in the global order.

— The Prime Minister’s visit to Italy reaffirms a strategic partnership in motion, coming as it does after intense leader-level engagement, anchored by the Joint Strategic Plan of Action 2025-29, the operational roadmap for the partnership.

— Italy increasingly views India not just as a market, but as a major power and an indispensable partner for Europe. Its championing of IMEEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor) as a founding member makes it the western anchor of the corridor.

— She said they want to increase trade from 14 billion euros to 20 billion euros. “This is a very ambitious target, which can be achieved also by taking advantage of the potential stemming from the free trade agreement signed between the EU and India.”

— The two countries also signed a pact on maritime transport and ports to strengthen India’s maritime infrastructure.

— The two sides also signed pacts on mobility of Indian nurses to Italy, a roadmap on higher education and research, pacts on agriculture, export of Indian seafood to Italy, pact on Ayurveda, research in climate change among others.

From the POLITICS page: India-Italy joint statement: Focus on terror, tech & unblocking of Hormuz

—- According to the joint statement, the two leaders “strongly condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross border terrorism.”

— On innovation, the joint statement said that they announced the creation of INNOVIT India, an innovation hub located in India aimed at strengthening cooperation between the respective innovation ecosystems, support startup acceleration programs, market access and business matching.

— Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a human-centric, secure, trustworthy and robust Artificial Intelligence, and they agreed to collaborate in this domain including in “third countries”, it said.

— The prime ministers placed particular emphasis on opportunities for cooperation in the field of “supercomputing.” It said that both leaders agreed to launch a ‘Dialogue on Maritime Security’, with the aim of increasing maritime security cooperation, coordination and the exchange of information and best practices in the maritime domain.

— On higher education and mobility of students, they welcomed the launch of ‘ICI-Italy Calls India: A University-Enterprise Talent Bridge’ aimed at enhancing the talent of Indian students enrolled in Italian universities by offering concrete pathways for guidance, matching and qualified integration into Italian enterprises.

— On cultural cooperation, they underlined culture as a key pillar of bilateral dialogue and welcomed the signing of an MoU on “Italy’s participation in the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal”.

— The two leaders also encouraged the organization of an Italy-India Cultural Forum bringing together institutions, experts, and representatives of the creative industries.

— On the MoU for cooperation in critical minerals, the statement said both countries agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in the field of critical minerals by establishing a structured framework for collaboration, with particular emphasis on sustainability and resilient supply chains.

Do You Know:

— The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a connectivity project that seeks to develop a seamless infrastructure of ports, railways, roads, sea lines and pipelines to enhance trade among India, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean region and Europe.

— The IMEC aims to capitalise on the existing trade routes between India and the Arab Gulf and the Eastern Mediterranean and Europe and build the missing infrastructure to link the Gulf and Mediterranean regions.

— The project is an outcome of the growing diplomatic and political convergence between India, the Arab Gulf monarchies, Israel, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) with a common understanding for the need to enhance sea and land connectivity towards greater economic exchanges among these regions.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor: Significance and Prospects for India

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2023)

The ‘Stability and Growth Pact’ of the European Union is a treaty that

1. limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union

2. makes the countries of the European Union to share their infrastructure facilities

3. enables the countries of the European Union to share their technologies

How many of the above statements are correct

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Govt pitch to US nuclear mission: Scale up capacity, small modular reactors key

Syllabus:

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

What’s the ongoing story: Alongside a stepped-up role for the private sector in nuclear plant operations, India is doubling down on its domestic civil nuclear programme based on its mainstay, pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs), and remains open to collaborating with external players to scale up projects built on this technology.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are small modular reactors?

— What are the major legislation related to nuclear energy production in India?

— What are PHWRs?

— What are light water reactors (LWRs)?

— What are the major initiatives taken by India for Nuclear energy development?

— What are the advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear energy?

— What is the three-stage nuclear programme of India?

— Know about India’s thorium reserve

Key Takeaways:

— Less than six months after the landmark legislation opened up India’s nuclear sector, a visiting high-powered American nuclear delegation has been informed, in meetings with top government functionaries, of New Delhi’s two clear objectives following the legal changes: scale up nuclear power to step up base-load capacity, and progressively enter the manufacturing value chain of small modular reactors (SMRs).

— Based on heavy water and natural uranium, PHWRs are a technology India’s nuclear establishment has mastered — but one that is increasingly out of sync with the light water reactors (LWRs), or pressurised water reactors, that are now the most dominant type worldwide. The Americans, Russians and French are among the leaders in LWR technology.

— The problem with LWRs, from an Indian perspective, is high project costs, which translate into a high per-unit cost of power. As a result, there is a sense in policy circles that PHWRs will remain the main focus, with the government willing to explore possibilities on the fuel front, including the potential for thorium fuel.

— SMRs are an area where foreign expertise and funding are being actively sought.

— It is learnt that foreign funds, including sovereign funds from West Asia, have expressed early interest in part-financing India’s stated objectives to scale up nuclear power, including entering the manufacturing value chain of SMRs. SMRs are increasingly seen as important for nuclear energy to remain a commercially competitive option in the future.

— In December last year, Parliament passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, marking a major shift in how India’s tightly-controlled nuclear power sector will be governed.

— For the first time, the Act enabled private players to enter the operations side of the sector, as well as areas such as fuel management, which had remained under tight public-sector control for decades.

From the Explained page: How thorium as nuclear fuel can help India meet its long-term energy needs

— So, a quicker shift to thorium — that India has in abundance — remains critical to India’s energy security or, in fact, energy independence. Large reactor capacity that can produce uranium-233 (U-233) from thorium at scale while also producing electricity is a prerequisite for this purpose.

— Thus, the first criticality of the 500 MWe (megawatt electric) prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) that would open the path to growing such a capacity through fuel breeding marks a key milestone for India. Thorium can also enable India’s transition to a significant energy exporter from being a major energy importer.

Do You Know:

— SMRs are essentially advanced small nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of 30MWe to 300 MWe (megawatt electrical) per unit. Conventional nuclear reactors, the kind which are currently installed in India and elsewhere, usually have capacities to produce 500 MW of electricity or more.

— The relatively simpler and modular design of SMRs—enabling their components to be assembled in a factory instead of being constructed on-site—lowers costs and allows flexible deployment, making them a much more attractive proposition in recent years.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How is Nuclear Energy Mission and Small Modular Reactors relevant for UPSC Exam?

📍Govt sets up new nuclear mission

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

📍With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (UPSC CSE 2018)

📍Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India? (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

NATION

Soaring prices, import curbs push Odisha’s filigree artisans to the brink

Syllabus:

Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

What’s the ongoing story: For the better part of the last three decades, Ajay Dey’s routine was unvarying. He would complete his morning routine and head for his family’s filigree workshop in Cuttack’s Shaikh Bazar at 10 am, spending hours manipulating silver into intricate items… But the recent government curbs on silver imports threaten to upend a livelihood already shaken by soaring prices of the precious metal.

Key Points to Ponder:

— How does the import of silver impact the foreign exchange reserve of India?

— Know about Rupa Tarakasi

— What are the criterias to give a GI-tag to any artwork?

— What are the cultural significance of these GI tags?

— What are the reasons for the increase in silver prices?

Key Takeaways:

— He isn’t alone in this dilemma. Last week, the central government decided to raise the customs duty on imports of gold and silver to 15% from 6% and eventually put silver imports for domestic consumption under the restricted category, meaning prior government approval is required.

— The development — announced by the government to save precious foreign exchange — comes at a time when a persistent supply deficit and higher industrial demand, coupled with geopolitical tensions, have sent prices soaring.

— For the nearly 500 artisans of the Geographical Indication-tagged Tarakasi artwork in Odisha’s Cuttack, already reeling under soaring prices, the latest measure spells bad news, especially as the festival season from September to March approaches.

— A 1,000-year-old city, Cuttack is famous for its Rupa Tarakasi (silver filigree) work of intricate design and fine craftsmanship. In Odia, “tara” means wire and “kasi” means to design.

— As part of Rupa tarakasi, silver bricks are transformed into thin fine wires or foils and used to create jewellery, artefacts or showpieces. The famed handicraft work received a geographical indication (GI) tag in March 2024.

— Though the exact origin of the filigree art in Cuttack is unclear, it is known to have existed as far back as the 12th century, with the art form receiving considerable patronage under the Mughals.

— Typically, Tarakasi art is hereditary, with artisans learning it from their ancestors and supplying products to jewellery shops across the country and to Utkalika, the Odisha state-owned agency. The grand chandi medhas – or silver filigree tableaux – are also popular in puja pandals.

— Even before the central government’s measures, soaring silver prices, shrinking income and duplicate filigree products had led to significant attrition in the artisan community. With younger generations from artisan families opting for other career options, official sources put the number of artisans now at 500 – a quarter of the 3,000 that existed in 1996.

— Silver prices have shot up by over 200 percent since January 2025, with demand boosted by sectors such as solar energy, electric vehicles and semiconductors. Then, last week, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for the adoption of austerity measures, the government hiked customs duty on gold and silver imports.

— For Tarakasi artisans, the measure sounds a death knell for an already shaky industry. According to artisans, silver, which cost Rs 1 lakh per kg last May, now stands at Rs 3 lakh.

Do You Know:

— India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act, 1999, that came into force with effect from 15th September 2003.

— A Geographical Indication (GI) is a tag used on products that originate from a specific geographical area and have qualities or a reputation that are characteristic of that region. This tag signifies the product’s unique identity and authenticity. It helps to raise awareness and build trust among consumers.

— Once a product gets this tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name. This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed. The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection to that item, prevention against unauthorised use by others, and promoting exports.

— In India, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, awards GIs. Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to get the GI tag.

— A GI registration is given to an area, not a trader, but once a product gets the registration, traders dealing in the product can apply to sell it with the GI logo. Authorised traders are each assigned a unique GI number.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why is Pashmina, the ‘Soft Gold,’ important for UPSC Exam?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Which of the following has/have been accorded ‘Geographical Indication’ status? (UPSC CSE 2015)

1. Banaras Brocades and Sarees

2. Rajasthani Daal-Bati-Churma

3. Tirupathi Laddu

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies? (UPSC CSE 2019)

EXPLAINED

Why Rahul Gandhi unveiled statue of ‘forgotten hero’ of 1857 revolt

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement

Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues

What’s the ongoing story: On Wednesday, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi unveiled a statue of Veera Pasi, a “forgotten hero” who had fought the British during the Revolt of 1857, in Raebareli.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What were the main causes of the Revolt of 1857?

— Who were the important figures of the Revolt of 1857?

— Which regions were unaffected by the Revolt of 1857?

— What changes were brought about after the revolt?

— This revolt is also called ‘first war of independence’, ‘sepoy mutiny’. Why?

— How did the East India Company’s rule change after the revolt?

— What is oral history and what is its significance for subaltern history?

— Know about the important Pasi leaders and why they are significant for UP’s politics?

Key Takeaways:

— While this was not the first attempt by a political party to woo the Pasi community in Uttar Pradesh through an icon from the community, Gandhi’s move in his parliamentary constituency is significant ahead of the state Assembly election next year.

A statue of Veera Pasi. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

— Veera Pasi was a trusted companion and commander of Rana Beni Madhav Baksh Singh, the ruler of the Shankarpur Estate in modern-day Raebareli during the 19th century.

— A Dalit belonging to the Pasi caste, Pasi was born on November 11, 1835, into an impoverished family in Lodhwari village of Raebareli district.

— He lost his parents at an early age and went to live at his sister’s house. In the local dialect, a brother living with his sister’s family was called “Veerna”, which later evolved into the name “Veera”.

— Pasi was recruited by Singh for his army, after he was impressed by the former’s strength and went on to become one of his most trusted lieutenants. According to local folklore, when the British captured Singh during the 1857 revolt, Pasi displayed remarkable bravery by rescuing Singh from prison. The British government then announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for the capture or information on Pasi’s whereabouts.

— While Veera Pasi doesn’t feature too prominently in the history books, oral history has kept his legacy alive in Raebareli and adjoining areas where the Pasi community resides in sizeable numbers. As per local folklore, Pasi died while trying to protect Singh from the British forces.

— Over the last few years, political parties in UP have worked towards invoking Dalit icons from the past and their contribution to the freedom struggle.

— In 2024, after the general election, Awadhesh Prasad, Samajwadi Party (SP) MP from Faizabad (Ayodhya), had invoked “Veerangana” Uda Devi and “Maharaja” Bijli Pasi, two prominent personalities of the Pasi (Dalit) community while taking oath in the Lok Sabha.

— Uda Devi was part of the royal guard of Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh and participated in the 1857 revolt. She is credited with having mobilised people to take up arms against the British. In November 2022, the SP had commemorated Uda Devi’s death anniversary at its party headquarters.

— Bijli Pasi is among the most prominent Dalit icons, having ruled over some parts of UP in the medieval period. The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in UP has announced plans to renovate and redevelop Bijli Pasi’s fort in Lucknow as a tourist destination.

— Ajay Kumar, assistant professor at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University’s sociology department, says that mainstream historical writing has often neglected the contributions and experiences of Dalits, Adivasis, and other marginalised communities.

— “Since these communities traditionally possessed relatively few written records, their histories survived through folk tales, folk songs, memories, and oral traditions. These oral traditions became important carriers of their social experiences, struggles, and collective consciousness,” he added.

— The Pasis make up around 7 per cent of the state’s Scheduled Caste population, making them the largest group among Dalits in UP after the Jatavs. While they also have significant presence in other states, their largest population is in UP. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, when the SP won 37 seats, the party had received a boost as five Pasi candidates fielded by the SP had won, compared with three of the BJP.

— With the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party steadily declining in UP — its vote share fell from 22.23% in the 2017 Assembly election to 12.88% five years later, with the vote share roughly proportional to the population of Jatav-Ravidasi Dalits, who are its core support base — everyone, from the SP and the Congress to the Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram) led by Chandrashekhar Azad is trying to fill that space.

Do You Know:

— The rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Indian Independence, began on May 10, 1857. In the revolt, Indian sepoys rose up against the might of the British officers of the East India Company. This revolt witnessed an extraordinary amount of violence unleashed by both sides.

— The introduction of the newly Enfield rifle became the immediate cause of the outbreak of the Revolt. The cartridges had a covering that was believed to be made of animal fat (beef and pork), and which had to be bit open before the cartridges could be used.

— This was viewed by the soldiers as a direct assault on their religious beliefs by the British who intended to bring an end to their religion and propagate Christianity.

— Along with economic exploitation in the form of increased rents, illegal acquisitions of land, and decline of traditional handicrafts, several other factors contributed to the outbreak of the Revolt.

— The increased interference of the Britishers in Indian affairs, Doctrine of Lapse, the annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie on the grounds of alleged misgovernance of Awadh and failing to introduce reform had an adverse effect on the Bengal Army, leading to the outbreak of the revolt.

— The Revolt ended the rule of the East India Company in India by an Act of Parliament known as the Queen’s Proclamation of 1858. With this, the rule of the Indian empire was taken over by the British crown.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍5 Important events in Indian history that happened in May

📍Why is the Revolt of 1857 important for UPSC?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Who was the Governor-General of India during the Sepoy Mutiny? (UPSC CSE 2006)

(a) Lord Canning

(b) Lord Dalhousie

(c) Lord Hardinge

(d) Lord Lytton

(4) What was/were the object/objects of Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858)? (UPSC CSE 2014)

1. To disclaim any intention to annex Indian states.

2. To place the Indian administration under the British Crown.

3. To regulate East India Company’s trade with India.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

(a) 1 and 2

(b) Only 2

(c) 1 and 3

(d) All of the above

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

The 1857 uprising was the culmination of the recurrent, big and small local rebellions that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British rule. Elucidate. (UPSC CSE 2019)

Rising night-time heat an urgent health hazard

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment; Disaster and disaster management.

What’s the ongoing story: While most of the conversation about extreme heat during Indian summers is centred around peak daytime temperatures and the spells of heatwaves, it is slowly becoming evident that warmer nights could pose a greater health risk to human beings, particularly those living in low and middle-income housing units.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are heatwaves?

— What are the reasons for the increase in the occurrence of heatwaves?

— Night-time warming could be a major contributor to heat-related mortalities. What steps need to be taken to address it?

— What is the urban heat island effect?

— What are heat action plans?

— Is heatwave a notified disaster in India?

Key Takeaways:

— Both day and nighttime average temperatures are on the rise in India, but recent data suggest that nighttime temperatures could be increasing at a faster rate. Experts say indoor thermal exposure could be a bigger threat to public health than exposure to heat outdoors during the daytime.

— A cooler evening and night allow the human body to recover from the heat experienced during the daytime. But if nighttime temperatures also remain high, the body is unable to recoup, and exposure to heat becomes prolonged and sustained, without any relief in between.

— People are confined in small spaces for several hours at a stretch. The situation gets aggravated inside houses without natural ventilation or access to air-conditioning.

— A recent study by Climate Trends, a Delhi-based climate-focused research organisation, in 50 houses in Chennai, all medium and low-income residential units, showed that the occupants were frequently sleeping in temperatures in excess of 32° Celsius. Sometimes, night-time temperatures even exceeded 35° Celsius, very similar to peak day-time temperatures in the city.

— Health impacts of indoor heat exposure have not been widely studied in India till now, but a few global studies suggest that night-time warming could be a major contributor to heat-related mortalities.

— India’s average temperature has increased by about 0.7° Celsius between 1901 and 2018, according to the 2020 comprehensive climate change assessment over the Indian region. Both day and night-time temperatures have increased during this time, but at different rates.

— In the 30 years between 1986 and 2015, the temperature of the warmest day of the year increased by about 0.63° Celsius, while that of the coldest night increased by 0.4° Celsius. This would suggest that the rise in daytime temperature was more pronounced than the nighttime temperatures, and that is true for this period.

— The same assessment said that the temperature of the warmest day of the year could rise by 4.7° Celsius by the end of this century, while that of the coldest night could jump by as much as 5.5° Celsius. Night-time temperatures are all set to rise at a faster rate. This has already begun to happen, according to more recent data by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

— While the rapid rise in night-time temperatures is happening everywhere, it is more pronounced in urban spaces, mainly because of what is called the urban heat island effect.

— There could be a difference of 4-6° Celsius or more in the nighttime temperatures of a city centre or a dense residential area of a city, and its outskirts. As we build more, this effect is likely to get further aggravated.

— Most of urban India goes to sleep in small houses that are poorly designed and lack natural ventilation. If these houses lack air-conditioners, there is little nighttime relief for the human body.

— At least 23 states and more than 200 cities now have heat action plans that get implemented every summer. A bulk of that is focused on dealing with heatwave-like situations. But a heatwave is a very specific event and is declared when very specific temperature criteria are satisfied.

— It happens, maybe, two or three times a month. Extreme heat, on the other hand, is a constant in Indian summer. And so is the trend of rising night-time temperatures.

— One component of most heat action plans is about long-term measures that need to be taken to reduce impacts. These include coordinated efforts to improve urban infrastructure, come up with better low-cost housing and increase green spaces. There is a need for paying greater attention to these aspects of the heat action plan.

Do You Know:

— A heat wave is a condition of higher temperatures than the average normal temperature of any place. For any place, ‘heatwave’ conditions are declared according to the historical temperature average of that place. IMD uses a multi-criteria framework to declare heatwave conditions.

— Temperature thresholds for declaring heatwave conditions vary across plain, coastal, and hilly regions:

Plain regions:  ≥40°C temperature

Coastal regions:  ≥37°C temperature

Hilly regions: ≥30°C temperature

— A departure of 4.5°C – 6.4°C from the normal average temperature at any place is considered a heatwave condition, and a departure of more than 6.4°C is declared a severe heatwave.

— A 2023 report by IMD on heatwaves and cold waves cited studies that have suggested that southern India could be experiencing severe heatwaves by the end of this century. These studies also suggest heatwaves have been becoming more frequent and intense in the last half century, and their average duration is also on the rise.

— Incidentally, a heatwave is not yet considered a notified disaster under the Disaster Management Act in India. The Sixteenth Finance Commission, which submitted its report last year, recommended that both heatwaves and lightning be included as notified disasters.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Amid growing heatwaves, how India protects its heat-exposed populace 

📍Why women are key stakeholders in environmental governance 

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) What are the possible limitations of India in mitigating global warming at present and in the immediate future? (UPSC CSE 2010)

1. Appropriate alternate technologies are not sufficiently available.

2. India cannot invest huge funds in research and development.

3. Many developed countries have already set up their polluting industries in India.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. (UPSC CSE 2013)

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

Our highway policy needs a green reset

Syllabus:

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

What’s the ongoing story: Vinod Mathur, Rajkumar Sapra and Vinod Kumar wrote: India is expanding its highways at an unprecedented pace. Under Bharatmala and Vision 2047, thousands of kilometres of expressways and highways are reshaping connectivity, reducing logistics costs and accelerating economic growth.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is Bharatmala and Vision 2047?

— What are the pros and cons of Highway Farm Forestry (HFF)?

— What is agroforestry?

— Roadside agroforestry can become a viable rural enterprise. Elaborate.

— What is the National Transit Pass System?

— Suggest measures to tackle air pollution on highway corridors

Key Takeaways:

— This transformation is creating an ecological and public-health burden. Highway corridors are increasingly becoming zones of pollution accumulation, landscape fragmentation and agricultural risk. Since many highways pass through densely populated agricultural regions, the impacts extend beyond the carriageway itself.

— India needs a policy shift: Highways must no longer be viewed merely as transport infrastructure, but as ecological and socio-economic landscapes. One promising solution is Highway Farm Forestry (HFF).

— HFF is a market-linked agroforestry approach in which farmers adjoining highways voluntarily cultivate commercially viable tree crops instead of pollution-sensitive food crops. These “Tree Crop Buffer Zones” can reduce pollution exposure, strengthen timber supply chains, improve ecological connectivity and generate additional income.

— Unlike earlier social-forestry programmes that struggled because of weak market linkages and top-down implementation, HFF is profitability-driven. Farmers will adopt tree cultivation only if returns exceed existing land-use income.

— The economic rationale is also compelling. India imports nearly Rs 70,000 crore worth of wood and wood products annually. HFF could reduce import dependence, create rural employment and strengthen timber industries in line with the “Make in India” agenda.

— Conventional roadside green belts based solely on public land acquisition are difficult to scale across the highway network, given the high cost of acquiring adjoining land. A more practical approach is a differentiated “Tiered Zone Framework”.

— Highways nearest to pollution-affected belts  — roughly within 100 m — should prioritise tree-based systems, while areas beyond can continue mixed agroforestry or conventional agriculture depending on local ecological and livelihood conditions.

— Properly designed roadside tree systems can function as ecological stepping stones in fragmented landscapes, supporting pollinators, birds and local microclimates. Plantation biomass can also support carbon sequestration and help farmers participate in emerging carbon markets.

— Implementation will require institutional coordination and farmer support. Farmers need quality planting material, extension services, predictable markets and simplified regulations.

— Encouragingly, the National Transit Pass System introduced in 2023 has already addressed a major bottleneck by enabling seamless interstate movement of timber through a “One Nation, One Pass” framework.

Do You Know:

— Agroforestry is defined as the cultivation and use of trees and shrubs with crops and livestock in agricultural systems. It aims at achieving a more ecologically diverse and socially productive output from the land than is possible through conventional agriculture. Agroforestry seeks positive interactions between its components and is also known as ‘social forestry’.

— Simply put, it involves raising trees and agricultural crops either on the same land or in close association in such a way that all land including the waste patches is put to good use. It applies agricultural practices that are compatible with the cultural patterns of the local population and has many benefits.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Why forests demand more effective monitoring

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(6) In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species? (UPSC CSE 2015)

(a) Tropical moist deciduous forest

(b) Tropical rain forest

(c) Tropical thorn scrub forest

(d) Temperate forest with grasslands

(7) The “Miyawaki method” is well known for the: (UPSC CSE 2022)

(a) Promotion of commercial farming in arid and semi-arid areas

(b) Development’ of gardens using genetically modified flora

(c) Creation of mini forests in urban areas

(d) Harvesting wind energy on coastal areas and on sea surfaces

ALSO IN NEWS
Boost to India-South Korea defence cooperation as Rajnath visits Seoul	Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday met his South Korean counterpart, Ahn Gyu Back, in Seoul, where both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of defence cooperation and discussed ways to further expand collaboration in areas such as industry, production, maritime security, emerging technologies, military exchanges, logistics and regional security. He also met the South Korean Minister for Defence Acquisition Program Administration, Lee Yong-chul, and both agreed to harness the symbiotic efforts to create avenues for joint development, production, and exports.
War is top political violence risk for firms: Allianz report	Businesses are currently more worried about war as a political violence risk than civil unrest, as conflicts in Europe and West Asia disrupt global trade and increase risks for companies’ operations and assets, according to Allianz Risk Barometer 2026. In the ‘gray zone’ between peace and open warfare, threat actors are leveraging technology, criminal networks and disinformation to attack critical infrastructure, high-profile companies and individuals, blurring the lines between state and non-state actors while undermining detection efforts, Munich-based Allianz said in its ‘Political violence and civil unrest trends 2026’ report.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (a)  2. (c)  3. (a)   4. (a)  5. (a)  6. (a)  7. (c)

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