31 October 2025 Current Affairs (With PDF)

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Cyclone Montha

Cyclone Montha made landfall along the Bay of Bengal coast, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds to eastern coastal regions of India.

About Cyclone Montha

• Meaning: The name “Montha” means a fragrant flower in Thai language.
• Origin: Named by Thailand as part of the tropical cyclone naming system maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones.
• Nature: A tropical cyclone, which is a non-frontal, low-pressure system that forms over warm tropical oceans and rotates rapidly around a central eye.

Global Terminology

Conditions Required for Formation of a Tropical Cyclone

• Warm Ocean Waters: Sea Surface Temperature (SST) above 27°C extending to a depth of at least 60 metres.
• Coriolis Force: Essential for cyclonic rotation - hence absent near the Equator (within 5° latitude).
• Pre-existing Low-Pressure Area: Acts as a seedling disturbance for cyclone genesis.
• High Humidity: Especially in the lower to middle troposphere (up to 5 km).
• Weak Vertical Wind Shear: Allows the storm to organize and strengthen.
• Upper Air Divergence: Facilitates the outflow of rising air, aiding intensification.

Classification (IMD Criteria – North Indian Ocean)

Significance

• Cyclone Montha reaffirms the increasing frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones in the Bay of Bengal due to climate change and rising sea surface temperatures.
• Highlights the importance of IMD’s early warning systems and disaster preparedness under the National Cyclone Risk Mitigation Project (NCRMP).

NITI Aayog report on Service sector

NITI Aayog has released two analytical reports on India’s services sector titled: “Insights from GVA Trends and State-level Dynamics” and “Insights from Employment Trends and State-level Dynamics”

Key Highlights of the Reports

1. Services at the Core of India’s Employment Transition:

• The services sector employed 188 million workers (2023–24), making it India’s second-largest employer.
• In 2024–25, the sector contributed ~55% of Gross Value Added (GVA), while the primary and secondary sectors accounted for 16% and 29%, respectively.
• Despite its economic dominance, the sector offers fewer jobs - mostly informal and low-paying.

2. Employment Landscape:

• Added approximately 40 million jobs in six years, second only to the construction sector.
• Acts as a labour shock absorber, comprising:
  - High-value services: IT, finance, healthcare, professional services - productive but limited job creation.
  - Traditional services: Trade, transport - large employers, yet mostly informal.
• India’s transition toward a service-led economy remains slower than comparable emerging economies.

3. Employment Profile:

• Spatial Dimension: Around 60% of urban workers are employed in services, compared to less than 20% of rural workers.
• Gender Dimension: Only 10.5% of rural women work in services, against 60% of urban women; wage disparities persist.
• Age Profile: Dominated by prime-age workers, with youth facing job instability.
• Education: Higher education enhances access to service jobs but does not eliminate informality.
• Informality: About 87% of workers lack social security coverage; rural women earn less than half of men’s wages.

4. Roadmap for Transformation:

• Formalisation and Social Protection: Extend coverage to informal, gig, and MSME workers.
• Inclusion: Promote women’s and rural youth participation through skilling and digital inclusion.
• Future-ready Skills: Invest in technology-driven skilling for digital and green jobs.
• Regional Balance: Encourage Tier-2/3 service hubs and state-level service clusters to drive equitable growth.

NDCs Synthesis report

The UNFCCC has released its latest Synthesis Report on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), evaluating global progress towards the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target.

About Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

• Legal Basis: Under Article 4 of the Paris Agreement (2015).
• Purpose: NDCs represent each country’s plans to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
• Countries are expected to update and enhance their NDCs every five years, reflecting increased ambition.

Key Findings of the 2025 UNFCCC Synthesis Report

1. Emission Reduction Gap:

• NDCs from 64 Parties, representing 30% of 2019 global emissions, fall short of the reductions required for the 1.5°C goal.
• To limit warming to 1.5°C, global emissions must fall by 60% by 2035.
• However, current NDCs project only a 17% reduction by 2035.

2. Greenhouse Gas Record Levels:

• According to the WMO Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, concentrations of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O hit record highs in 2024, exacerbating climate risks.

3. Emission Trajectories:

• If fully implemented, new NDCs could peak global GHG emissions soon and enable a strong decline by 2035, though still insufficient for the 1.5°C pathway.

4. Scope and Ambition:

• 89% of Parties now have economy-wide targets, compared with 81% earlier, showing progress in coverage and transparency.

5. Conditionality and Finance:

• Many mitigation actions (e.g., afforestation, solar energy) depend heavily on external financial and technological support.
• Private finance mobilization remains weak due to low profitability and high perceived risk in climate projects.

India’s Updated NDC (Submitted August 2022)

India’s Updated First NDC includes the following 2030 targets:

• Reduce Emissions Intensity of GDP by 45% from 2005 levels.
• Achieve 50% cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources.
• Create additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through enhanced forest and tree cover.

Relocation of Forest dwellers

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has submitted a policy brief titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights: A Policy Framework for Relocation and Co-existence in India’s Tiger Reserves” to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), emphasizing the protection of forest dwellers’ rights during conservation efforts.

Key Recommendations

1. Voluntary Relocation Only:

• Movement of forest dwellers from tiger reserves must be voluntary, based on free, prior, and informed consent.
• No forced eviction or inducement should be used.

2. Legal Safeguards under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006:

• FRA prohibits eviction of Scheduled Tribes or Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs) until their rights are recognized and verified.
• FRA applies to all protected areas, including National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Tiger Reserves.

3. Proposed Framework:

• Creation of a National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation (NFCCR), jointly developed by MoTA and MoEFCC, to ensure equitable conservation practices.

Challenges in Relocation

• Rights vs Protection Models: Conventional conservation often views local communities as threats, undermining the FRA’s inclusive, participatory approach.
• Livelihood Disruption: Displacement severs traditional forest-based livelihoods and disrupts economic and cultural ties.
• Developmental Inequities: Forest-rich tribal areas face infrastructure deficits, poor skill development, and lag behind industrialized regions.
• Balancing SDGs: Policy must reconcile SDG-1 (No Poverty) with SDG-13 (Climate Action) through community-inclusive conservation.

Path Forward

• Community Co-management: Treat forest dwellers as partners and stewards, not outsiders, in biodiversity protection.
• In-situ Development: Improve healthcare, education, electrification, water access, markets, and mobility within forest settlements.
• Integrate Indigenous Knowledge: Utilize traditional ecological wisdom for sustainable ecosystem management.
• Conditional Incentives: Link central and state fiscal transfers to measurable outcomes in FRA implementation and co-management performance.

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released payments to Red Sanders cultivators under India’s Access and Benefit Sharing framework, marking progress in ensuring fair returns for local communities using biological resources sustainably.

What is ABS?

Definition: ABS refers to the rules and mechanisms for how genetic resources (plants, animals, microorganisms) and associated traditional knowledge are accessed, and how the benefits (monetary or non-monetary) from their utilization are fairly shared between the providers (local communities, nations) and users (researchers, industries, companies).

Global Framework

1. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992:

• First global treaty recognizing sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources.
• Mandates fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

2. Bonn Guidelines (2002):

• Voluntary framework providing guidance on implementing ABS.

3. Nagoya Protocol (2010):

• Legally binding protocol under CBD.
• Establishes clear rules for access, prior informed consent (PIC), and mutually agreed terms (MAT) for benefit-sharing.

India’s Framework

1. Law:

• Biological Diversity Act, 2002.

2. Regulator:

• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).

3. Institutions:

• NBA: at national level
• State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs): at state level
• Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs): at local body level

4. Mechanism:

• Ensures users (e.g., pharma, cosmetics, research) seek approval before accessing biological resources.
• Benefits (royalties, technology transfer, capacity building, etc.) are shared with local communities conserving those resources.

Example: Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus)

• Endemic to Andhra Pradesh, valued for its high-quality timber and phytochemical properties.
• The ABS payments to cultivators recognize community stewardship and encourage sustainable harvesting under legal trade frameworks.

Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has undertaken major reforms aimed at modernizing and democratizing rehabilitation education for persons with disabilities (PwDs) in India.

About Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)

1. Establishment:

• Initially set up as a registered society in 1986.
• Became a statutory body in 1993 through the Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992.
• Functions under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

2. Nature:

• Apex body responsible for regulating and monitoring the training of professionals in the field of rehabilitation and special education.
• Ensures that persons with disabilities receive services from qualified and certified professionals.

Key Objectives and Functions

1. Standardization and Regulation:

• To standardize training courses for professionals engaged in rehabilitation, education, and service delivery for PwDs.
• Prescribes minimum standards of education and practical training.

2. Accreditation and Recognition:

• Grants recognition to institutions running rehabilitation-related courses.
• Maintains a Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) of qualified professionals.

3. Policy and Programme Development:

• Formulates and updates training policies and curricula in line with technological and societal advancements.
• Works towards integration of rehabilitation services with mainstream education and healthcare systems.

4. Professional Regulation:

• Ensures that unqualified individuals are prohibited from providing rehabilitation services.

Recent Reforms and Initiatives

• Curriculum Modernization: Integration of digital, inclusive, and competency-based modules.
• Increased Accessibility: Expansion of training opportunities through online and hybrid modes.
• Capacity Building: Collaboration with universities and NGOs to create a wider talent pool of rehabilitation professionals.
• Skill Alignment: Alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Skill India Mission for employability enhancement.

International Solar Alliance Assembly

The Eighth Session of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly was convened in New Delhi, reaffirming the global commitment to advancing affordable and sustainable solar energy solutions.

About the International Solar Alliance (ISA)

• Genesis: Launched jointly by India and France in 2015 during COP21 (Paris) to promote global solar energy adoption.
• Nature: A treaty-based intergovernmental organization, representing the largest such alliance from the Global South.
• Headquarters: Gurugram, India - the first intergovernmental organization headquartered in India.
• Membership: Currently includes 124 Member and Signatory Countries. After the 2020 amendment, all UN member states are eligible to join.
• Aim: To ensure clean, reliable, and affordable solar energy access, supporting sustainable growth and improved quality of life.
• Mission: To mobilize $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while driving down technology and financing costs.

Major Collaborative Initiatives

• SolarX Startup Challenge: Promotes solar innovation and entrepreneurship.
• STAR-C Initiative: Strengthens solar technology application and resource centres.
• Global Solar Facility: Provides financial de-risking mechanisms for solar projects.
• One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG): Advocates for transnational solar power connectivity.

Key Highlights of the 8th ISA Assembly

• Launch of SUNRISE Initiative: Solar Upcycling Network for Recycling, Innovation & Stakeholder Engagement - a global platform for solar waste recycling, green jobs, and circular economy promotion.
• SIDS Procurement MoU: 16 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) signed an MoU with ISA and the World Bank for joint solar procurement and capacity building.
• Flagship Reports Released: Ease of Doing Solar 2025, Solar Trends 2025
• Other Announcements: Launch of a Global Capability Centre, envisioned as a “Silicon Valley for Solar” in India. Introduction of the ISA Academy, an AI-driven online learning platform for global solar capacity building.

India’s Soil Health

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released its Sustainable Food Systems Report (2025), highlighting worrying trends in India’s soil health based on data from the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme.

Key Findings

1. Soil Nutrient Deficiencies:

• Nitrogen (N): 64% of soil samples tested low in nitrogen.
• Organic Carbon (SOC): 48.5% of samples were low in soil organic carbon, a key indicator of soil structure, fertility, and microbial health.
• Climate Risk Link: Over 43% of districts with very high climate risk also had low SOC levels.
• Micronutrients:
  - Boron: 55.4% of samples deficient.
  - Zinc: 35% deficient.

2. Fertilizer Imbalance:

• Urea Dominance: Urea accounted for 68% of total fertilizer consumption (2023–24), indicating overuse of nitrogenous fertilizers and neglect of balanced nutrient application.

Implications

• Declining soil fertility threatens crop productivity, food security, and farmers’ income.
• Reduced carbon sequestration capacity, undermining climate change mitigation efforts.
• Long-term damage to soil biodiversity and water-holding capacity.

Recommendations

• Expand Soil Monitoring: Include physical indicators (texture, compaction) and biological indicators (microbial activity) under the SHC framework.
• Fertilizer Policy Reform: Link subsidies to balanced and efficient nutrient use rather than chemical quantity.
• Promote Biochar: Use biochar to enhance fertility, improve moisture retention, and increase carbon storage in soils.

About the Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme

1. Launched:

• 2015

2. Implemented by:

• Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

3. Objective:

• To assess soil fertility and provide nutrient-based recommendations to farmers.

4. Indicators Covered (12 Total):

• Macronutrients: N, P, K, S
• Micronutrients: Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B
• Others: pH, Electrical Conductivity, Organic Carbon

5. Recent Update:

• Since 2022–23, the SHC Scheme has been merged under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) as part of the ‘Soil Health & Fertility’ component.

East Asia Summit (EAS)

20th East Asia Summit adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Peace and Stability, aiming to implement joint projects under the EAS Plan of Action (2024–2028) aligned with ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future vision.

About East Asia Summit (EAS)

• Established: 2005 (First Summit – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Nature: A leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on strategic, political, and economic issues promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in East Asia.
• Meetings: Held annually among Heads of State/Government.

Membership (18 Countries)

• ASEAN 10: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
• Plus 8: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United States, and Russia.

Key Points

• Acts as the premier forum for the Indo-Pacific region’s strategic dialogue.
• Provides a platform to address issues such as maritime security, counterterrorism, connectivity, climate change, and regional economic integration.
• India participates as a founding member, advocating the vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Eighth Central Pay Commission (8th CPC)

The Union Cabinet has approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Central Pay Commission, which will recommend revisions in pay, pension, and service conditions for Central Government employees.

About the Central Pay Commission (CPC)

• A temporary expert body constituted periodically by the Government of India.
• Its purpose is to review and recommend changes in:
  - Pay structure
  - Allowances and pensions
  - Service conditions of Central Government employees (including defence personnel and pensioners).
• The recommendations aim to ensure parity, motivation, and fiscal sustainability.

About the 8th CPC

1. Composition:

• Chairperson
• One Part-Time Member
• One Member-Secretary

2. Timeline:

• Will submit its report within 18 months of constitution.

3. Effective Date of Implementation:

• 1 January 2026 (expected).

4. Scope of Review:

• Prevailing economic conditions and fiscal prudence.
• Cost implications of non-contributory pension schemes.
• State finances and impact on public expenditure.
• Comparative analysis of CPSUs and private sector pay structures.

AmazonFACE Project (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment Project)

Scientists in Brazil have launched the AmazonFACE Project near Manaus to study how the Amazon rainforest will respond to future atmospheric CO₂ concentrations and climate conditions.

About the Project

1. Full Form:

• Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment (FACE).

2. Location:

• Near Manaus, Brazil (Central Amazon).

3. Lead Institutions:

• Brazilian and international scientific collaboration.

4. Objective:

• To simulate future atmospheric CO₂ levels in a natural forest environment.
• To understand how tropical rainforests respond to rising CO₂, temperature, and humidity.

5. Method:

• Uses open-air experimental rings that release controlled amounts of CO₂ to mimic future atmospheric conditions (similar to 2050–2070 projections).
• Continuous monitoring of CO₂ absorption and forest processes every 10 minutes.

Key Focus Areas

• Carbon Uptake Capacity: How much carbon the Amazon can continue to absorb under higher CO₂ levels.
• Photosynthesis Efficiency: Whether trees will increase or plateau in carbon fixation.
• Forest Resilience: Assessing long-term health, biodiversity, and adaptation under climate stress.

Significance

• First-of-its-kind large-scale CO₂ enrichment experiment in a tropical forest ecosystem.
• Helps predict whether the Amazon will remain a carbon sink or turn into a carbon source under climate change.
• Contributes to global carbon cycle modeling and climate policy planning.

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