Daily Current Affairs

May 5, 2025

Current Affairs

Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor

Context: The Chennai-Vladivostok Maritime Corridor connecting India and Russia, offering shorter routes and increased cargo volumes, has emerged as a strategic sea link.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts about Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor.

Mains: One key component in India-Russia bilateral relations.

Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor

  • Chennai-Vladivostok EMC is an emerging strategic maritime route connecting Chennai Port (India's East Coast) with Vladivostok Port (Russia's Far East).
  • Envisioned during: Eastern Economic Forum (2019) in Vladivostok, Russia.
  • It covers a distance of around 10,458 kms and passes through the Sea of Japan, East China Sea, South China Sea, Malacca Strait and Bay of Bengal.
  • Acts as an alternative to the Suez Canal route, enhancing India's energy security, reducing logistics costs, and bolstering Eurasian connectivity.
  • It is a key component of India's efforts to diversify trade routes amid geopolitical disruptions such as the Red Sea crisis.
Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor

Recent Developments: 

  • Surge in Cargo Volumes (FY25): The EMC has seen a sharp increase in cargo traffic:
  • Coal shipments surged by 87%.
  • Crude oil transport rose by 48%.
  • The uptick is linked to geopolitical disruptions in the Red Sea (Houthis targeting ships) and need for alternate and secure energy trade routes for India.

Advantages of Eastern Maritime Corridor

  • Reduced distance: The route is ~45% shorter, enabling lower transit times, reduced freight costs and enhanced competitiveness of Indian exports to Russia.
    • Mumbai to St. Petersburg via Suez Canal: 16,066 kms
    • Chennai to Vladivostok via EMC: 10,458 kms
  • Port Infrastructure and Regional Development: EMC has improved cargo handling at non-major ports like Dhamra, Gangavaram, and Krishnapatnam. Chennai Port is being developed as a container aggregation hub for the East Coast.
  • Importing coking coal from Russia’s Far East is cheaper and faster. It further augments the supply to East Coast steel plants, reducing dependency on distant suppliers. India’s crude steel capacity is largely concentrated on the East Coast (over 70%). India is heavily dependent on imported coking coal:
    • Historically, Australia supplied 70–75% of India’s imports.
    • This share has reduced to around 60%, with increased imports from Russia and the US.
  • Broader Economic Impact: EMC has potential to open new export markets for Indian goods in Russia and Northeast Asia, spur industrial growth in East Coast states (Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha) and generate employment through port-led development.
  • Russia's Far East could serve as a future base for Fertilizer production units, LNG export terminals. These would cater to India’s agricultural and energy sectors respectively.

Way Forward

  • Resolving operational challenges like harsh winters in Vladivostok which limit shipping during certain months. Other issues include container imbalances and logistical bottlenecks. Both India and Russia are working on logistics optimisation and bilateral cooperation in port and maritime development.
  • Enhancing Trade Mechanism: The countries must work towards developing financial mechanisms to support bilateral trade by establishing Rupee-Rouble trade settlements.

EMC is not just a trade route but a strategic instrument in India's ‘Act East’ and ‘Indo-Pacific Policy’, and Russia's ‘Pivot to Asia’ strategy. The corridor symbolises India-Russia synergy in building resilient, multipolar trade systems in the face of global disruptions.

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project

Context: Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Telangana is under scrutiny due to structural failures and design flaws, raising concerns over dam safety, governance, and financial viability.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Location of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project.

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project

Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project
  • World’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project.
  • Built on: Godavari River in Telangana.
  • Purpose: To ensure irrigation, drinking water, and industrial water supply to drought-prone and water-scarce areas of Telangana by lifting water from the Godavari River and distributing it across districts.
  • Lift irrigation: Unlike traditional gravity-based irrigation systems, water does not rely on gravity to flow in canals from higher ground to lower; rather pumps or surge pools are used to lift water to a higher elevation, from where it is distributed to fields via a canal system.
  • The project sprawls over approximately 500 km in 13 districts, with a canal network of 1800 km. The project started in 2019.
  • As per the project master plan, of the 240 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water- 169 TMC (>70%, is meant for irrigation); 30 TMC is for Hyderabad municipal area; 16 TMC for miscellaneous industrial uses, and 10 TMC to provide drinking water to nearby villages.
  • The vast bulk of this water (195 TMC) will come from the Medigadda Barrage. 20 TMC will from Sripada Yellampalli project, and another 25 TMC will be groundwater.
kaleshwaram project

Crisis at Medigadda Barrage

  • In 2023, a pillar at the Medigadda Barrage sank which led to partial submergence and flooding. The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) visited the site for a technical assessment. 
  • Subsequently, the state government requested a thorough inspection of all three barrages: Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla.

NDSA Findings

  • NDSA had found a lack of proper geo-technical investigations, design deficiencies, construction defects, failure of modelling studies, structural distress, absence of robust quality control, operation and maintenance failures and dam safety aspects  ignored.

NDSA Recommendations

NDSA has recommended a full suite of actions from structural rehabilitation to strengthening of the barrages.

  • Rehabilitation of the design, and a comprehensive assessment of health and safety of the entire barrage.
  • Immediate stabilisation measures to arrest the ongoing distress.
  • Comprehensive geotechnical studies and advanced geophysical assessments to establish a reliable baseline of the ground conditions and structures for future interventions.
  • Hydraulic design aided by appropriate hydraulic model studies and structural design through appropriate mathematical modelling software. 

Ethanol production from Maize: Fuel vs Feed debate

Context: Ethanol production from Maize has raised its prices, making livestock feed costlier and hurting soybean farmers due to cheaper feed substitutes. Thus, it has triggered a broader fuel vs. feed debate.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Biofuels: Food vs fuel debate. 

Agriculture is a source of food, feed, fibre and fuel. Traditionally, crops like cotton were used for multiple purposes (lint, oil, cattle feed).  Now, maize (corn) is being diverted increasingly toward making ethanol, a biofuel. This has brought the Fuel vs. Feed dilemma to the centre of India’s agricultural and energy policy.

Why is Maize used in Ethanol Production?

  • Maize grains contain 68-72% starch and 1-3% of other carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose and fructose). Its high starch content (68–72%) makes it ideal for fermentation into ethanol, which is then blended with petrol to reduce India’s fuel import bill.
  • One tonne of maize gives ~380 litres of ethanol, a 99.9% pure alcohol that can be blended with petrol.
  • In FY23, sugar mills/distilleries supplied ~31 crore litres of ethanol produced from 0.8 MT of maize. In FY24, this rose to ~286 crore litres, consuming 7.5 MT of maize.
  • For the FY25 supply year (November-October), oil marketing companies have contracted over 480 crore litres of maize ethanol. The corresponding maize requirement would be over 12.7 MT. 
image 11

Impact of diverting Maize for Ethanol Production: 

The large-scale use of maize for ethanol production has created significant ripple effects across multiple sectors: 

  • Price Surge: The diversion of maize for biofuel has completely upset the demand-supply balance. The surge in demand from it has led to a shortage of grain and pushed up prices. All-India average prices of maize have surged from Rs 14,000-15,000 to Rs 24,000-25,000 per tonne in the last four years.
  • Feed Shortage: Reduced availability of maize for livestock feed (especially poultry and cattle). Poultry and dairy industries face rising production costs, affecting consumer prices and margins.
  • Pressure on Soybean Farmers: Ethanol byproduct DDGS (Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles) is now used as a cheaper protein substitute in animal feed. This has reduced demand for soyabean DOC, leading to a 30% drop in soyabean prices. Farmers are selling below MSP causing income distress.
  • Export Decline: Earlier maize surplus allowed exports (3.7 MT in FY22). With 12.7 MT maize now being diverted for ethanol, exportable surplus has vanished.

Stakeholder Demands:  

  • India now allows up to 0.5 mt of maize imports annually at 15% customs duty, with quantities beyond that attracting 50% duty. Also, it does not permit imports of genetically modified (GM) maize. 
  • The feed industry is urging the government to ensure affordable maize availability for livestock feed to control rising input costs. They are also demanding duty-free import of genetically modified (GM) maize, strictly for ethanol production only, not for food or feed.
  • Soyabean Farmers demand price support interventions, higher procurement, and promotion of soy-based feed to protect income.

Way Forward

The government should adopt a balanced approach: 

  • Boost domestic maize productivity through better seeds, irrigation, and technology.
  • Diversify ethanol feedstocks instead of over-relying on maize.
  • Allow limited imports of GM maize exclusively for industrial ethanol use, with strict regulatory checks.
  • Support soyabean farmers with MSP enforcement and encourage soy-based feed innovation.

Maize-Ethanol debate underscores the challenge of balancing energy security with food and feed needs. While ethanol production supports India’s green energy goals and offers price benefits to maize farmers, it must not come at the cost of livestock industries or other crop growers like soyabean farmers.

Also Read: What are biofuels? 

What are Agri Photovoltaics?

Context: Agri Photovoltaics (APVs) offer a sustainable solution to boost farmers’ income by combining solar energy generation with crop cultivation. To scale effectively in India, APVs need supportive policies, standardised norms and strong financial incentives.

Relevance of the topic:

Prelims: Key facts related to Agri Photovoltaics.

Mains: How Agri Photovoltaics can transform Indian Agriculture. 

Agri Photovoltaics

  • APV is a system that allows solar panels to be installed above farmland, enabling both electricity generation and crop cultivation on the same land.
  • Two common designs in APVs include:
    • Growing crops between rows of solar panels
    • Solar panels raised about 2 metres above the ground, allowing crops to grow underneath.
  • First proposed in 1981 by German scientists. APVs aim to maximise land-use efficiency and create dual income streams for farmers - from agriculture and solar energy.

Benefits of Agri Photovoltaics

  • Dual Revenue stream for Farmers: Farmers can earn both from crop cultivation and solar energy - either through lease income or direct energy sales to the grid. Ensures stable and diversified income, reducing dependence on unpredictable crop yields.
  • Efficient Land Use: Allows simultaneous food and energy production on the same land. Increases productivity per unit of land, vital for a country with just 2.4% of global land and 18% of population.
  • Improved Microclimate for crops: APVs may also create favourable microclimatic conditions that reduce water loss from and heat stress on plants.
  • Energy security: Supports India's solar mission and rural electrification by decentralising energy production. Contributes to India’s solar energy targets and aids to commitment to Net Zero emissions by 2070.
challenges in APVs Adoption

Challenges to Adoption of Agri Photovoltaics 

  • High Capital Expenditure: While a typical 1-MW ground-mounted solar plant in 5 acres of land would cost around Rs 2.7 crore, an APV system will incur an additional 11% due to the specialised infrastructure it requires.
  • Lack of Standardised Guidelines: India currently lacks standardised norms for APVs, leading to ambiguity in project design and implementation. In contrast, countries like Japan and Germany have clear regulatory frameworks regarding panel height, crop yield loss, and land-use criteria for APV projects.

Japan mandates that:

  • APV structures must be temporary and removable.
  • Panel height must be at least 2 meters.
  • Crop yield loss must not exceed 20%.
  • Projects are reviewed every 3 years to assess their agricultural impact.

Germany, through its framework DIN SPEC 91434, requires:

  • At least 66% of the original agricultural yield (reference yield) must be maintained.
  • Only up to 15% of arable land can be used for solar infrastructure.

This ensures that agriculture remains the central focus, even with high energy output.

  • Low Feed-in Tariff (FiT) reducing project viability: Feed-in Tariff (FiT) is the fixed price at which power producers like farmers or solar developers can sell electricity back to the grid. FiT is often too low, reducing project viability. E.g., Under the PM-KUSUM scheme in Rajasthan, the FiT is ₹3.04/unit. At this rate, the payback period for a 1-MW ground-mounted solar plant is 15 years, which discourages investors due to the long return period.
  • Land Availability and Size: In India, over 86% of farmers are small and marginal, owning less than 2 hectares of land. Implementing APVs on smaller farms may not always be economically feasible due to land constraints and high initial costs.
  • Lack of farmer training and technical knowledge. 
image

Way Forward

  • Learn lessons from Germany and Japan to develop national APV guidelines, incorporating clear specifications on panel height, permissible crop yield loss, and land-use norms.
  • Introduce a higher Feed-in Tariff (FiT), aligned with the thermal average power purchasing cost for State DISCOMs (₹4.52/unit), to reduce the payback period to just four years. This would make APV systems more economically attractive.
  • Expanding institutional support through grants or NABARD’s credit guarantee for APV investments candidates also lower financial barriers to smallholders.
  • Leveraging farmer institutions such as FPOs and cooperatives which can help farmers pool resources and provide stronger market linkages. 
  • Capacity-building programmes training and equipping farmers with the expertise to manage APV systems.
  • Revamp PM KUSUM scheme on agricultural solarisation to accommodate APVs in its delivery system could help scale the innovation across the country.

Agri Photovoltaics hold great promise for transformation. However, success depends on two pillars: economic incentives and a robust policy framework that ensures farming remains central. 

Thorium Fuelled Nuclear Reactors 

Context: Recently, China has successfully refuelled a working 2MW Thorium-fuelled molten salt reactor without causing a shutdown.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims & Mains: Thorium fuelled Nuclear reactors; Advantages of Thorium reactors over Uranium reactors. 

Thorium Reactor in China

  • China has developed a small, 2MW experimental Thorium Nuclear Reactor in the Gobi Desert, near the Mongolian border. It is operational from 2024. 
  • China is working towards developing a 10 MW Thorium Nuclear Reactor for commercial use by 2030. 
  • China’s efforts have put it at the forefront of both thorium-based fuel breeding and molten-salt reactors.
image 9

Thorium based Nuclear Reactors

  • Thorium (Th-232) is a fertile material that has to be converted to fissile material Uranium 233. The naturally occurring isotope Th-232 cannot be fissioned, but when irradiated in a reactor it absorbs neutrons and forms uranium-233, a fissile material that generates heat.
  • Coolant: Molten salt. China’s reactors use fluoride-based salts, which melt into a colourless, transparent liquid when heated to about 450 ºC. The salt acts as a coolant to transport heat from the reactor core.
  • Rather than solid fuel rods, molten-salt reactors use the liquid salt as a substrate for the fuel, such as thorium, to be directly dissolved into the core.
  • Compared to light water reactors in conventional nuclear power plants, molten salt reactors work at significantly higher temperatures. The result is that it can generate electricity much more efficiently.

Thorium reactors offer multiple Advantages: 

As the world confronts the twin challenges of climate change and energy security, Thorium is making a comeback. 

  • Less radioactive waste (burning thorium does not create plutonium, a highly toxic chemical element)
  • Cheaper alternative to Uranium and More fuel-efficiency
  • Far safer (because the fuel is already dissolved in liquid and they operate at lower pressures than do conventional nuclear reactors, which reduces the risk of explosive meltdowns)
  • Lower risk of nuclear weapons proliferation (its waste products are less weapons-grade than Uranium)  
  • Does not need to be built near watercourses, since the molten salts serve as a coolant. (Conventional uranium power plants that need huge amounts of water to cool their reactors).

India and its plan to use Thorium Reactors

  • India has the world’s largest reserves of thorium — a million tonnes — particularly in its monazite-rich coastal sands. 
  • As per the three-stage nuclear programme envisioned by nuclear scientist Dr Homi Bhabha, the country would use thorium reactors in the third stage. However, India has only commenced its second stage of nuclear programme in 2024. 

Also Read: Three-stage Nuclear Program of India 

India produces world's 1st Rice varieties using Genome Editing

Context: India has become the first country in the world to develop rice varieties using genome editing technology. Scientists have used Site-Directed Nuclease 1 and Site-Directed Nuclease 2 (SDN-1 and SDN-2) genome editing techniques to develop the seeds

The two new varieties give 25% more yield and use less water, and incorporate no foreign DNA. The new seeds will be available for farmers after the required clearances within six months and large-scale seed production will probably take place during the next three crop seasons.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Regulation of Gene Editing in Agriculture; SDN technology (SDN1, 2, 3 etc.)

New genetically Edited Rice Varieties

  • Scientists have developed two-genome edited, climate resilient, improved rice varieties-  'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala)' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1' , after receiving appropriate bio-safety clearance under India's simplified regulations for genome edited crops.
  • Developed by scientists from: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi and the Indian Rice Research Institute, Hyderabad.
  • Benefits of the New Varieties: 
    • Enhance production (25% more yield)
    • Crop needs shorter time, and thus saves water used for irrigation 
    • Reduces greenhouse gas emissions (by 20%)
  • Not GM Crop: The two new varieties incorporate no foreign DNA, so they are not genetically modified (GM). Hence the apprehensions about GM foods does not apply in this case.

India became the first country in the world to develop Genome-Edited (GE) Rice varieties. The new paddy varieties have the potential for revolutionary changes in higher production, climate adaptability, and water conservation.

Push For Genome Editing

  • Under the budget announcement 2023-24, the government of India had allocated Rs 500 crore for genome editing in agricultural crops.
  • ICAR has launched initiatives to harness genome editing for the development of many crops, including oilseeds and pulses, livestock, fish, and microbial varieties.
  • Genome editing, particularly the CRISPR-Cas technology, is being hailed as a breakthrough in precision breeding. It enables scientists to make targeted changes in the native genes of living organisms, creating new and desirable traits without introducing foreign DNA.
  • Two key approaches: Site Directed Nuclease 1 (SDN1) and Site Directed Nuclease 2 (SDN2) - produce genetically edited organisms that are considered indistinguishable from naturally occurring or conventionally bred mutants. They are exempt from the stringent bio-safety regulations under Rules 7-11 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

GE Rice Varieties: (Kamala and Pusa DST Rice 1)

  • Scientists selected two widely cultivated mega rice varieties - Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204) and MTU1010 (Cottondora Sannalu).
  • Samba Mahsuri is known for its fine grain quality and premium market value, but it falls short in terms of climate resilience. It is vulnerable to pests, diseases, and climate stress.
  • MTU1010 is a high yielding early-duration variety (125-130 days) well-suited to Rabi season cultivation in southern India. But it too suffers from sensitivity to drought and soil salinity.
  • Through genome editing, ICAR scientists enhanced these varieties with better stress tolerance, improved yield, and climate adaptability, without compromising their existing strengths, and developed two new varieties 'Kamala' and 'Pusa DST Rice 1'.
  • Developed using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, these crops are free of foreign DNA and showcase impressive traits. 

Note: 

  • Genetically Edited (GE) crops are different from genetically modified (GM) crops. 
  • GE crops involve mere editing of genes naturally present in the host plant, leading to mutation or changes in their DNA sequence. No foreign genes or DNA are incorporated.
  • GM crops involve introduction of genes from unrelated species into host plants. E.g., genes from Bacillus thuringiensis (soil bacterium) in cotton crops.

Regulation of Gene Editing in Agriculture In India

  • Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are regulated in India by the ‘Rules for the Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Microorganisms/ Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells, 1989’. The rules are notified under the Environment Protection Act 1986 to regulate GMOs. 
  • There is no explicit mention of the term gene editing. Recently, an amendment was introduced to the aforesaid regulation in order to encourage gene editing in agriculture.
  • Gene editing techniquesusing native genome are allowed in India. However, gene editing techniques using foreign genomes are not allowed.
    • Gene editing techniques called SDN 1 and 2 (Site-Directed Nuclease) use native genome and hence, are allowed under the Rules under EPA, 1986. 
    • Gene editing techniques using foreign genomes like SDN 3, 4 and 6 are placed under GMO regulation, and therefore not allowed in India.
image 8

Common types of Gene Editing Techniques: 

  • SDN-1: Site-Directed Nuclease (SDN) 1 is a site-directed mutagenesis (production of genetic mutations) without using a DNA sequence template. SDN1 introduces a precise cut in the DNA at the targeted location → the cell’s natural repair mechanisms fix these breaks without introducing any foreign genetic material. 
  • SDN-2: In SDN 2, the edit involves a precise cut in the DNA at a target location → a small template from the same species is provided to guide the repair process. 
  • SDN-3: Involves the insertion of foreign DNA and falls under the category of GMOs. E.g., Bt cotton → gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) → inserted into cotton plants. 

Development of these two varieties using genome-editing technology has paved the way of using this innovative method in other crops too for higher yields, climate resilience and improved quality.

Delhi launches Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Yojana

Context: The Chief Minister of Delhi flagged off a fleet of registration vans for doorstep registration of beneficiaries of the Delhi government’s Vaya Vandana Yojana.

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Vaya Vandana Yojana. 

Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Yojana

  • Initiative of: Delhi government. 
  • Aim: To provide cashless treatment of up to ₹10 lakh for senior citizens aged 70 and above for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across public and private empanelled hospitals in Delhi. 
  • Mobile registration vans will conduct on-the-spot registrations in local neighbourhoods. Every citizen aged 70 or more can obtain the Ayushman Vaya Vandana Health Card simply by providing their Aadhaar and Delhi residence proof for registration.
  • This initiative combines ₹5 lakh coverage from the central government’s Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) with an additional ₹5 lakh provided by the Delhi government.
    • Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) is the largest health assurance scheme in the world. It offers health insurance worth ₹5 lakh per year per family for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation across public and private empanelled hospitals in India.
  • All eligible beneficiaries can avail benefit regardless of their financial background. 

The initiative aims at the welfare of senior citizens and seeks to eliminate all logistical challenges to accessible healthcare. 

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