Facts In News 23-01-2026

Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity Targets

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• Recently, the Government of India has notified Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets for additional carbon-intensive sectors under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS).

About India’s Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)

• It forms the operational backbone of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) that was notified in 2023 under the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022.
• It seeks to enable India’s transition toward a low-carbon economy, aligning with its net-zero commitment by 2070 and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
• Key objectives include reducing GHG emissions, facilitating carbon pricing, promoting sustainable growth, and enhancing global competitiveness.

Framework and Structure

• Compliance Mechanism: Obligated industries need to meet the notified Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensity (GEI) targets. Entities that reduce emissions beyond their targets can earn Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs).
• Offset Mechanism: These credits can be traded with other entities that are unable to meet their emission obligations, thereby ensuring flexibility and economic efficiency in compliance.

Institutional Structure

• Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE): Central implementing agency; develops rules, methodologies, and MRV systems.
• Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC): Regulates the carbon credit trading platform and market transactions.
• National Steering Committee (NSC): Policy-level oversight and coordination among ministries.
• Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) & Power Exchange India Limited (PXIL): Facilitate electronic trading of Carbon Credit Certificates.

Coverage of Sectors

• The CCTS initially covered four sectors like aluminium, cement, chlor-alkali, and pulp & paper.
• Recently, in January 2026, the government expanded coverage to include petroleum refineries, petrochemicals, textiles, and secondary aluminium.

Source: PIB

Land Acquisition related issues for the Great Nicobar mega project 

Syllabus:GS2/Governance

In News

• Tribal Council members in Little and Great Nicobar allege that district officials are pressuring them to surrender ancestral lands for the ₹92,000-crore Great Nicobar mega project. 
  • They say they were asked to sign a vague “surrender certificate” without details, despite the land being traditionally inhabited by the Nicobarese before the 2004 tsunami. 

Land Acquisition Policy of India

• The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 replaced the colonial-era Land Acquisition Act of 1894 to create a fair and transparent framework for land acquisition in India. 
• It is being Implemented from January 1, 2014 and ensures higher compensation, mandatory consent, and comprehensive rehabilitation for affected families, though farmers allege gaps in its proper implementation.

Features 

• It provides compensation of up to twice the market value in urban areas and four times in rural areas, and requires consent from 70% of affected families for PPP projects and 80% for private projects.
• It mandates Social Impact Assessments to evaluate social, economic, and environmental impacts. 
• It restricts acquisition of irrigated multi-cropped land, ensures rehabilitation benefits such as housing, livelihood support, employment or annuity, and infrastructure in resettlement areas, and defines “public purpose” to prevent arbitrary acquisitions.
• It also stipulates that unused land be returned within five years, offers grievance redressal through the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation, and Resettlement (LARR) Authority
• It  ensures transparency through public consultations, and provides additional safeguards for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, while exempting certain strategic sectors like defence and railways from select provisions.

Challenges in Implementation

• The Act faces several challenges in its implementation that make full implementation of the Act difficult. 
• Some of the challenges are
  • Procedural requirements often delay land acquisition for development projects
  • Compensation costs can put a strain on both public and private project budgets
  • Balancing development needs with social justice remains a contentious issue.

Source :IE

“Secondary particulate” top cause of Delhi winter pollution : CAQM report 

Syllabus:GS3/Environment

In News

• A CAQM-commissioned analysis found that Delhi’s winter air pollution is mainly driven by secondary particulate matter (27%), followed by transport emissions (23%), biomass burning including waste and crop residue (20%), dust (15%), and industrial sources (9%).

Key Highlights of report 

• It is prepared after a Supreme Court directive and  compiles existing studies rather than identifying new sources and notes inconsistencies in past methodologies.
• It highlights the key role of ammonia—mainly from fertilisers and livestock—in forming secondary particulates such as sulphates and nitrates, which make up 25–60% of PM2.5 and pose serious health risks. 
• The CAQM also announced plans for new emissions inventory and source apportionment studies for 2026 to improve forecasting and policy support.

Particulate matter (PM) 

• It refers to tiny solid particles and liquid droplets in the air, some visible and others microscopic.
  • It mainly includes PM10 (particles 10 micrometers or smaller) and PM2.5 (fine particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller), which are about 30 times thinner than a human hair. 
• Sources : PM comes either directly from sources like construction, roads, fires, and smokestacks, or forms in the atmosphere through chemical reactions involving pollutants from vehicles, industries, and power plants.
• Types :  Primary pollutants come directly from sources like road dust, construction, open burning, vehicle exhaust, and industries.
  • Nitrous oxides, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds, constitute primary particulate matter. 
  • Secondary particulate matter forms when released gases, called precursor pollutants, react in the air—affected by humidity, temperature, and sunlight—creating fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Source :TH

Theyyam

Syllabus:GS1/Culture 

In News

• In Kannur, a centuries-old Theyyam shrine, banned photography after the family faced a negative experience during last year’s Theyyam season.

Theyyam

• Theyyam, an ancient ritualistic performance art, is unique to north Kerala, where divine energy is believed to descend among the people, transcending caste hierarchies.
• It is predominantly performed by the Malayan and Vannan communities.
• It honors family, village, and regional deities, including Hindu gods, goddesses, forest and warrior spirits, as well as select Muslim figures, reflecting intercultural acceptance. 
• Grand temple or family festivals, known as Kaliyattam, or larger Perumkaliyattam held once in 12 or more years, showcase the art form. 
• Theyyam blends dance, music, painting, sculpture, and literature, serving as both a spiritual practice and an enduring cultural heritage of North Malabar.

Source :TH

Kerala Literature Festival

Syllabus: GS1/ Culture

Context

• The ninth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) commenced at Kozhikode Beach on January 22, 2026.

About the Festival

• The Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) is the largest literary event in India, attracting over half a million attendees across four vibrant days.
• Founded in 2016, the festival is organised by the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation and co-promoted by DC Books.
• KLF is held annually on the beaches of Kozhikode (Calicut), India’s first UNESCO City of Literature.
• Significance: KLF features a diverse line-up of speakers, including Nobel laureates, Booker Prize winners, Oscar winners, celebrities, acclaimed authors and thought leaders.
  • It also hosts performances of music, dance, theatre and other performative and participatory arts.

Significance of Kozhikode

• Kozhikode Known as the “City of Spices”, has historically been a major centre of trade, cultural exchange, and intellectual activity.
• Renowned Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama touched down the Indian subcontinent on the shores of Calicut in 1498.

Source: TH

Hirakud Wetland Emerges as a Major Migratory Bird Haven

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment 

Context

• The Hirakud wetland in Sambalpur district of Odisha has recorded the arrival of 4.21 lakh birds during the current migratory season.

About Hirakud Wetland

• Location: The wetland is part of the Hirakud Reservoir, one of the largest man-made reservoirs in India, built across the Mahanadi River with a total length of almost 26 kilometres.
  • The reservoir also produces around 350 megawatts of hydropower and irrigates 436,000 hectares of land.
• Biodiversity Hotspot: It is a critical stopover for birds along the Central Asian Flyway, hosting 128 species of birds. Species include Pintail, Shoveler, Teal, Pochard, Bar-headed Goose, and rare Eurasian species like Ruffs.
• Ramsar Site: It was designated a Ramsar site of global ecological importance in 2021.
• The Wetland provides a mosaic of habitats such as open water, mudflats, marshes, and shallow wetlands, which are ideal for migratory birds.

Source: AIR

India welcomes Spain joining Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative

Syllabus: GS2/IR

Context

• India has welcomed Spain joining the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)

• It was launched by India in November 2019 at the ASEAN-led East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok.
• It draws on existing regional cooperation architecture and mechanisms to focus on seven thematic areas, viz. :
  • Maritime Security;
  • Maritime Ecology;
  • Maritime Resources;
  • Capacity Building and Resource Sharing;
  • Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
  • Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; and 
  • Trade, Connectivity and Maritime Transport.
• Objectives : Its objective was to promote cooperation for a free and open Indo-Pacific and the rules-based regional order, which will contribute towards strengthening safety, stability and development in the maritime domain. 

Source:AIR

India’s First ‘State Bacterium’

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Tech

Context

• Kerala is set to become the first state in India to declare a state bacterium to highlight the importance of beneficial microbes
  • A bacterium is a microscopic, single-celled organism that belongs to the group prokaryotes.

India’s First ‘State Bacterium’

• The initiative focuses on the role of microbes in agriculture, health, and environmental sustainability, and seeks to move public perception beyond viewing microbes only as disease-causing agents.
• The state bacterium has been selected by an expert committee under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment.
• Importantly, the objective is not to conserve just one bacterium, but to represent and promote the entire spectrum of beneficial microbes.

Do You Know?

• India’s national microbe is Lactobacillus bulgaricus, declared in 2012, and used in yogurt production.

Source: BS

Study Shows India’s Deltas Sinking due to Human Activity

Syllabus: GS3/Environment

Context

• An international research team has found a systemic drop in land elevation across India’s river deltas driven mostly by human activities.

About

• The study covered 40 major deltas around the world, including six in India, at a spatial resolution of 75m.
• The team used a random forest machine learning model that correlated the subsidence rates with three stressors: groundwater storage, sediment flux, and urban expansion.

Major Findings

• Extent of Subsidence: Major Indian deltas Ganges-Brahmaputra, Brahmani, Mahanadi, Godavari, Cauvery and Kabani are actively sinking.
  • Over 90% area of the Ganges-Brahmaputra, Brahmani and Mahanadi deltas is affected.
• Subsidence vs Sea-Level Rise: In Ganges, Brahmani, Mahanadi, Godavari and Kabani, land is sinking faster than regional sea-level rise, worsening flood risks.
  • Even under the worst climate scenarios, Godavari delta subsidence exceeds projected global sea-level rise.
• High Subsidence Rates: 77% of Brahmani and 69% of Mahanadi delta areas are sinking at >5 mm/year, indicating severe instability.
• The Ganges-Brahmaputra and Cauvery deltas are particularly affected by unsustainable groundwater extraction while the Brahmani delta bears the brunt of rapid urbanisation.
• Factors Responsible: Unsustainable groundwater extraction, Rapid urbanisation and resource consumption.

Impacts of Subsidence

• Increased coastal and river flooding.
• Permanent land loss.
• Saltwater intrusion, contaminating freshwater and degrading agriculture.
• Damage to ports, transport networks.
• Rising resource conflicts and climate-induced migration.

Source: TH

Cabinet Approved ₹5,000 Crore Equity Infusion into SIDBI

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The Union Cabinet approved an equity infusion of ₹5,000 crore into the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) to expand the credit available to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

About

• The infusion will be made by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in three tranches in the financial years of 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 respectively.
• After the capital infusion, the number of MSMEs to be provided financial assistance is expected to increase from 76.26 lakh at the end of financial year 2025 to 102 lakh by the end of financial year 2027-28.
• The additional capital infusion would be necessary to help SIDBI maintain a strong capital to risk-weighted assets ratio (CRAR), as its risk-weighted assets are expected to grow with increased lending to MSMEs.

Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)

• SIDBI was established under an Act of the Parliament in 1990. 
• SIDBI is the Principal Financial Institution engaged in promotion, financing & development of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector and coordination of the functions of the various institutions engaged in similar activities.

Source: TH

Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM)

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• The DRDO will showcase the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) along with its launcher during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path.

About LR-AshM

• Developed by DRDO, the LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Missile designed to meet the coastal defence and strike requirements of the Indian Navy.
• The missile is capable of engaging both static and moving maritime targets and can carry multiple payload configurations. 
• It is a first-of-its-kind indigenous system, equipped with indigenous avionics and high-accuracy sensor packages.

Key Technical Features

• The LR-AShM employs a two-stage solid propulsion rocket motor.
  • Follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory.
• Achieves speeds up to Mach 10, with an average hypersonic speed of Mach 5.
• Uses indigenously developed sensors for terminal-phase guidance against moving targets.
• Low-altitude flight, high speed, and manoeuvrability significantly reduce detection by enemy ground- and ship-based radars.

Source: PIB