12 November 2025 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Government to Establish Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) in All Cities with Population Over 2 Lakh

• At Co-Op Kumbh 2025 (International Conference on the Urban Cooperative Credit Sector) in New Delhi, the Union Minister of Cooperation announced the plan to establish UCBs in all Indian cities with populations exceeding 2 lakh within five years.
• Two digital platforms—Sahkar Digi-Pay and Sahkar Digi-Loan—were also launched to enhance financial inclusion through digital payment and lending services for even the smallest UCBs.

About Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)

1. Definition:

• Cooperative banks that operate primarily in urban and semi-urban areas to serve small borrowers and low/middle-income groups.

2. Origin:

• Rooted in the Cooperative Credit Societies Act, 1904 and its 1912 amendment.

3. Registration:

• Under State Cooperative Societies Acts (single-state UCBs), or
• Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 (multi-state UCBs).

Regulatory Framework

UCBs operate under dual regulation:

Note: The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020 empowered the RBI to intervene in governance and supersede management boards if necessary.

Significance of UCBs

• Financial Inclusion: Provide affordable credit and savings facilities to small traders, artisans, and salaried employees.
• Community-Based Operations: Serve local needs with trust-based banking.
• Priority Sector Lending (PSL): UCBs must allocate 60% of total credit to PSL sectors.
• Complementary Role: Bridge the gap between rural cooperatives and commercial banks in urban financial ecosystems.

Challenges

• Regional Concentration: Most UCBs are clustered in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Dual Regulation: Creates compliance overlaps and delays in corrective actions.
• Competition: Facing growing competition from Small Finance Banks (SFBs), FinTechs, and digital NBFCs.
• Governance & NPAs: Weak governance, limited professional management, and high NPAs in some UCBs.

Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) Launched

• Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
• Under: Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0

About DRAP

1. Type:

• Year-long, targeted initiative under SBM-U 2.0.

2. Objective:

• Accelerate India’s goal of Lakshya Zero Dumpsites by September 2026.

3. Coverage:

• Prioritises high-impact dumpsites with about 8.8 crore metric tonnes (MT) of legacy waste.

4. Eligibility:

• All States/UTs with ongoing legacy waste remediation projects.
• Priority: Sites containing >45,000 MT of legacy waste.
• No minimum threshold for UTs and North-Eastern states.

About Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0

1. Launched:

• 2021

2. Aim:

• Achieve Garbage-Free Status for all cities.
• Remediate all legacy dumpsites and convert them into green zones.

What is Legacy Waste?

• Refers to aged municipal solid waste accumulated in landfills/dumpsites.
• Composition: Partially or fully decomposed biodegradable matter, plastics, and inert materials.
• Concentration: Around 80% of India’s legacy waste is in 214 sites across 202 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

Dumpsite Status in India

Major Environmental Concerns

• Leachate: Polluted liquid formed when water filters through waste, contaminating soil and groundwater.
• Landfill Gas: Mix of methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) produced under anaerobic decomposition — major greenhouse gases.

Significance

• Reduces methane emissions and groundwater contamination.
• Frees up valuable urban land for productive reuse (parks, solar farms, housing).
• Advances India’s commitments under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities) and Climate Action (SDG 13).

India’s Development Cooperation Model: A Distinct Alternative to Conventional Aid

India’s approach to global development cooperation emphasizes mutual respect, demand-driven support, and South-South solidarity, presenting a distinct alternative to the conventional aid model dominated by Western donors and China.

Key Features of India’s Development Cooperation Model

1. Demand-Driven Approach

• Projects are initiated based on requests from partner countries, not imposed externally.
• Ensures local ownership and alignment with national priorities.
• Example: India-UN Development Partnership Fund (est. 2017 under UNOSSC) — supports projects in 50+ developing nations.

2. Capacity-Building Focus

• Emphasizes human resource development, institutional strengthening, and technology transfer.
• Example: Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme — trained officials from 160+ countries.

3. Priority to Vulnerable States

• Focus on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and African nations.
• Example: Indian Development and Economic Assistance Scheme (IDEAS) — provides concessional lines of credit through EXIM Bank of India.

4. Blending Local Ownership with Multilateral Credibility

• Combines bilateral trust with UN-backed transparency and accountability.
• Example: India-UN Global Capacity-Building Initiative under the Ministry of External Affairs.

5. Principles and Ethos

• Non-conditional support, respect for sovereignty, and cost-effectiveness.
• Example: Vaccine Maitri initiative during COVID-19 demonstrated humanitarian solidarity over strategic leverage.

Contrasting China’s Model

India’s Bioeconomy to Reach $300 Billion in Coming Years: MoS for Science & Technology

At the 2nd Foundation Day of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), the Union Minister announced plans for a 200-acre BRIC Bio-Enterprise Innovation Park in Faridabad.

About BRIC

• Established: 2023
• By: Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology
• Formed by: Merging 14 autonomous DBT institutions to streamline innovation and R&D.
• Objective: Promote industry–academia collaboration and accelerate biotech innovation.

What is Bioeconomy?

• Definition: Sustainable use of renewable biological resources (plants, microorganisms, biomass, etc.) to produce food, energy, and industrial goods.
• Significance: Supports sustainability, green growth, and environmental resilience.

India’s Bioeconomy Status

1. Growth: $10 billion (2014) 

• $165.7 billion (2024)
• Target: $300 billion by 2030

2. Top States (2024):

• Maharashtra (1st), Karnataka (2nd).

Major Initiatives Supporting Bioeconomy

1. BioE³ Policy (2024):

• Biotechnology for Economy, Environment & Employment.
• Aims to boost high-performance biomanufacturing aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat.

2. National Biopharma Mission – Innovate in India (i3):

• Implemented by BIRAC; co-funded by World Bank ($250 million).
• Supports 100+ projects & 30 MSMEs.

3. Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC):

• Section 8, Schedule B public sector enterprise under DBT.
• Promotes startup innovation and translational research.

4. Bioenergy Initiative:

• India achieved 20% ethanol blending (E20) in petrol by 2025, 5 years ahead of schedule.

Climate Investment Fund

• Spain and Germany have jointly committed $100 million to the Accelerating Resilience Investments and Innovations for Sustainable Economies (ARISE) program under the CIF during COP-30 (UNFCCC) in Brazil.
• Objective of ARISE: Help developing nations “turn climate risk into opportunity” and strengthen economic adaptive capacity to climate change.

About Climate Investment Fund (CIF)

• Established: 2008
• By: World Bank and regional Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).
• Coverage: Supports 70+ low and middle-income countries.
• Purpose: Provide concessional and blended finance to help developing nations adopt low-carbon and climate-resilient pathways, Integrate climate goals into national development strategies.

Structure of CIF

• Clean Technology Fund (CTF): Supports large-scale low-carbon technologies (e.g., renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transport).
• Strategic Climate Fund (SCF): Aims to pilot new approaches and models for climate resilience and sustainable forest management.

World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO)

At the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) meet in South Korea, China proposed the creation of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (WAICO) to establish global norms and governance standards for Artificial Intelligence.

About WAICO

• Objective: To shape global standards for AI cooperation and promote equitable, inclusive, and transparent AI development.
• Announced at: 2025 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), Shanghai.
• Guiding Framework: Draws on principles of China’s 2023 Global AI Governance Initiative (GAIGI).

Core Principles (from GAIGI)

• Human-centric Design: Ensuring AI benefits humanity and aligns with ethical values.
• Data Sovereignty: Respecting each nation’s right over its data resources.
• Algorithmic Transparency: Encouraging clarity and fairness in AI decision-making.

Strategic Purpose & Global Implications

• Reimagining Global AI Governance: Offering an alternative model to Western-led frameworks.
• China’s Soft Power Expansion: Positions China as a leader in shaping digital governance norms.
• Balancing U.S. Influence: A counterpoint to U.S.-backed initiatives like the AI Safety Summit (Bletchley Declaration) and OECD AI Principles.

Mitra Shakti Exercise 2025

The 11th edition of the India–Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise Mitra Shakti 2025 began at Belagavi, Karnataka.

About Mitra Shakti

• Type: Bilateral annual joint military exercise.
• Participants: Indian Army and Sri Lankan Army.
• Hosting: Conducted alternately by India and Sri Lanka.
• Objective: Enhance interoperability, military cooperation, and counter-terrorism operations under the UN mandate.
• Significance: Strengthens India–Sri Lanka defence ties and promotes regional stability in the Indian Ocean region.

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