About Anna Chakra:

• It is a supply chain optimization tool under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
• It is an operations research–based decision support system designed to optimise state-specific food grain logistics under India’s Public Distribution System (PDS).
• The initiative was developed through a Government–UN–Academia partnership, involving:
  • The Department of Food and Public Distribution,
  • The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India, and
  • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
• It leverages advanced algorithms to identify optimal routes and ensure seamless movement of food grains across supply chain nodes. 
• It is integrated with the PM Gati Shakti platform and FOIS (Freight Operations Information System) portal of the Railways through Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP).

What is Franz Edelman Award?

• It recognizes the world’s most impactful, high-value applications of advanced analytics.
• It is widely regarded as the “Nobel Prize of Operations Research and Analytics”.
• It recognizes and reward outstanding examples of operations research, management science, and advanced analytics practice in the world.
• Award: Winner gets a $10,000 prize.

About ASC Arjun:

• It is a humanoid robot introduced by the Indian Railways.
• The robot will operate alongside Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel to assist in station operations, particularly during periods of heavy passenger movement. 
• It is designed and developed entirely in Visakhapatnam using home-grown technology.
• Features of ASC Arjun:
  • It is equipped with a Face Recognition System (FRS) for intrusion detection, AI-based crowd monitoring and real-time alert generation for RPF control rooms.
  • It can also make automated public announcements in English, Hindi and Telugu to assist passengers and promote safety awareness.
  • It also features semi-autonomous navigation with obstacle-avoidance capability,
  • It can patrol station platforms round the clock, supporting surveillance and optimising manpower deployment.
  • It is also fitted with fire and smoke detection systems to aid timely response during emergencies.
  • It has been designed for passenger interaction, offering gestures such as a ‘Namaste’ for passengers and salutes for RPF personnel, along with an interface to provide information and assistance.

About Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar:

• It is an annual award instituted to recognize and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organizations in India in the field of disaster management.
• The award is announced every year on the 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
• Eligibility
  • Only Indian nationals and Indian institutions are eligible to apply for the award.
  • Institutions, voluntary organisations, corporate entities, academic/research institutions, response/ uniformed forces or any other institution may apply as an institution for the award.
  • The candidate for the award must have worked in the area of Disaster Management like Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Rescue, Response, Relief, Rehabilitation, Research/ Innovations or Early Warning related work in India.
• Selection Process: A Screening Committee may be constituted by Member secretary/ member, NDMA to screen all the applications received.
• Award:
  • In case the winner being an institution, it shall receive a certificate and a cash prize of Rs.51 This cash prize shall be utilized by the winning institution for Disaster Management related activities only.
  • In case of the winner being an individual, winner shall receive a certificate and a cash prize of Rs.5.00 lakhs.

About PLI Scheme for White Goods:

• It aims to create a robust domestic component ecosystem for the Air Conditioners and LED Lights industry and position India as an integral part of the global supply chains.
• Objectives: It proposes a financial incentive to boost domestic manufacturing and attract large investments in the White Goods manufacturing value chain.
• Incentives: The scheme will extend an incentive of 4-6% on incremental turnover over base year (2019-20) of goods sold in India and exported to global markets, to eligible companies for a period of 5 years.
• Eligibility:
  • Applicants can be any company that should be incorporated in India under the provisions of the Company Act, 2013.
  • Eligibility shall be subject to the achievement of thresholds of net incremental sales of Eligible Products for the respective financial year over the base year and cumulative incremental investment in the preceding financial year.
  • Any entity availing benefits under any other PLI Scheme of Govt. of India will not be eligible under this scheme for the same products.
• Duration: It is to be implemented over FY 2021-22 to FY 2028-29
• Nodal Ministry: The scheme was notified by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

About Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme:

• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative, meaning “Save the Girl Child, Educate the Girl Child,”
• It is a flagship initiative of the Government of India launched in 2015.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and is component of SAMBAL sub-scheme under Mission Shakti.
• Aim: It aims to address the declining child sex ratio, prevent gender-based discrimination, and promote education and empowerment of girls across the country.
• Objectives of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
  • Prevent Gender-Based Discrimination: Combat societal norms and practices that lead to discrimination against the girl child.​
  • Improve Child Sex Ratio (CSR): Address the declining number of girls per 1,000 boys by curbing practices like female foeticide.​
  • Promote Education for Girls: Ensure access to quality education for girls, thereby empowering them to lead independent lives.​
  • Enhance Participation of Girls: Encourage the active participation of girls in various spheres, including sports, arts, and leadership roles.​
  • Strengthen Existing Schemes: Integrate and reinforce existing government schemes aimed at the welfare of the girl child.
• It was initiated as a tri-ministerial effort of Ministries of Women and Child Development, Health & Family Welfare and Ministry Of Education.
  • From 2021-22, the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Ministry of Minority Affairs have also been added as partners.

Why in news?

Rajasthan is preparing to introduce a Bill to declare certain localities as “disturbed areas” to address what it describes as demographic imbalance and improper clustering. Though the draft is not public yet, it closely mirrors Gujarat’s 1991 Disturbed Areas Act.

While the state government presents the move as necessary to preserve communal harmony, the Gujarat law it draws from has faced sustained criticism over constitutional concerns and repeated judicial curbs on executive overreach in private property transactions.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act: An Overview
• Legal Scrutiny of the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act
• Free Consent and Fair Market Value: Limits on State Power

Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act: An Overview

• Enacted in 1991 after repeated communal riots, the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act was designed to prevent “distress sales” of property during periods of violence or intimidation.
• Its stated aim was to protect vulnerable property owners from being forced to sell assets below market value due to fear or coercion.
• How the Act Works?
  • Under the law, the state government can notify an area as a “disturbed area” based on a history of communal violence or mob unrest.
  • Once notified, any transfer of immovable property — including houses, shops or land — requires prior approval from the district collector.
  • Transactions carried out without this sanction are deemed void.
• Role of the District Collector
  • The collector is mandated to conduct a formal inquiry before granting approval, to ensure that the sale is voluntary and not the result of pressure, threat or inducement.
  • This administrative scrutiny is central to the functioning of the Act.
• Constitutional and Legal Concerns
  • Critics argue that by regulating property transactions, the Act effectively enables the state to influence the demographic composition of neighbourhoods.
  • This raises concerns under Article 19(1)(e), which guarantees the right to reside and settle anywhere in India, and Article 15, which prohibits discrimination on grounds such as religion or caste.
  • Legal scholars contend that the law risks curbing free movement and organic social integration under the guise of protection.

Legal Scrutiny of the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act

• The constitutional validity of the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act is currently being examined by the Gujarat High Court.
• Two key petitions, filed in January 2021 and August 2022, are pending before benches led by the Chief Justice.
• One petition filed by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind Gujarat sought an interim stay in 2024, alleging misuse of the Act to harass citizens.
• The High Court refused interim relief. The Supreme Court also declined to intervene, directing an expedited hearing in the High Court instead.
• Challenge to the 2020 Amendment
  • Petitioners, however, succeeded in challenging the 2020 amendment that expanded the Act’s scope.
  • The amendment introduced vague concepts such as “proper clustering” and “demographic equilibrium,” granting collectors wider discretionary powers.
  • In January 2021, the Gujarat High Court stayed the operation of these expanded provisions, preventing the state from issuing notifications under the amended language. This interim stay remains in force.
• Relevance to Rajasthan’s Proposal
  • The Rajasthan government’s stated objective of preventing “improper clustering” closely mirrors the language of the stayed Gujarat amendment, raising fresh constitutional and legal concerns.

Free Consent and Fair Market Value: Limits on State Power

• Collector’s Authority Under Judicial Review - Although the Disturbed Areas Act declares the collector’s decision final, the Gujarat High Court has consistently exercised judicial review under Article 226 to check administrative overreach and rights violations.
• Narrow Scope of Collector’s Inquiry - Through multiple rulings, the High Court has clarified that a collector’s role is strictly limited to verifying two factors: whether the sale reflects free consent and whether it is at fair market value. No other considerations are permitted.
• Law and Order Grounds Rejected - In a March 2020 case involving a Hindu seller and Muslim buyers in Vadodara, the High Court quashed a collector’s refusal based on police reports citing law and order concerns. The court held such inquiries irrelevant to the Act’s purpose.
• No Role for Neighbours’ Objections - The court has repeatedly ruled that neighbours have no legal standing in private property transactions.
• Police Reports as Extraneous Considerations - In October 2023, the High Court set aside another collector’s rejection that relied on police inputs. The court reiterated that relying on such extraneous grounds amounted to jurisdictional overreach.
• Core Purpose of the Act Reaffirmed - As recently as September 2025, the High Court emphasised that the Act’s sole objective is to prevent distress sales caused by coercion or fear — not to manage law and order or regulate demographic patterns.

Why in news?

India is facing a growing threat from antimicrobial resistance (AMR) driven by widespread antibiotic overuse. In 2021, an estimated 2.67 lakh deaths were linked to AMR.

Key data point to alarmingly high resistance levels — including evidence that 83% of Indians carry drug-resistant bacteria — alongside major treatment gaps and widespread antibiotic misuse, rendering routine infections harder to treat and threatening the foundations of modern medicine.

Experts warn that the global antibiotic pipeline is nearly dry, with few genuinely new drugs in development, putting modern medicine at serious risk.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Antimicrobial Resistance in India: A Growing but Largely Invisible Crisis
• Behaviour Drives Antibiotic Overuse in India
• A Drying Antibiotic Pipeline
• Role of Antibiotic Stewardship
• Role of Livestock, Environment and Humans
• Data Gaps Limit the Full Picture
• Exploring Alternative Therapies

Antimicrobial Resistance in India: A Growing but Largely Invisible Crisis

• AMR is emerging as a silent pandemic in India, intensifying both within hospitals and in the community.
• High antibiotic use in hospitals creates strong pressure on bacteria to evolve resistance through genetic mutations, which then spread rapidly via resistance genes, fuelled by antibiotic misuse.
• Patients often enter hospitals for unrelated conditions such as heart or kidney disease but acquire drug-resistant infections during treatment, sometimes with fatal outcomes.
• This hidden pathway makes AMR difficult to quantify accurately. Reliable global estimates only began emerging in 2021, and even now, comprehensive data remains limited.
• Beyond hospitals, common community infections such as typhoid, diarrhoea and pneumonia are increasingly becoming drug-resistant.
• Given that India accounts for about 18% of the world’s population, roughly one-fifth of global infections are estimated to occur in the country, underscoring the scale of the challenge despite the absence of precise national figures.

Behaviour Drives Antibiotic Overuse in India

• Antibiotic misuse in India is largely behavioural. Many people take antibiotics for common ailments like coughs, colds or diarrhoea without confirming whether the infection is bacterial.
• Antibiotics are often taken on pharmacists’ advice or prescribed prophylactically by doctors, reinforcing habitual overuse. This behaviour needs urgent correction.

A Drying Antibiotic Pipeline

• Although a few antibiotics have been approved in recent decades, almost none belong to new drug classes or use novel mechanisms.
• With no strong replacements in sight, continued misuse risks exhausting the effectiveness of existing drugs.
• Treating Routine Infections Is Getting Harder
  • Drug-resistant infections now require stronger, last-resort antibiotics.
  • Even community infections like UTIs and typhoid are becoming harder to treat due to repeated inappropriate antibiotic use.
  • Resistance to fluoroquinolones in Salmonella typhi is rising, while overuse of ceftriaxone and azithromycin risks rendering them ineffective.
  • However, resistance can reverse when drugs are withdrawn, as seen with older typhoid medicines regaining effectiveness.

Role of Antibiotic Stewardship

• Antibiotic stewardship is the effort to measure and improve how antibiotics are prescribed by clinicians and used by patients.
• Stewardship programmes are more effective than sudden bans. Kerala’s antimicrobial stewardship programme, launched in 2015, focused on rational prescribing and awareness.
• Only after nearly a decade did the state ban over-the-counter sales, with reasonable success. Responsible use requires public understanding, not just regulation.

Role of Livestock, Environment and Humans

• High resistance levels in humans are largely driven by human antibiotic use, not livestock.
• Studies by ICMR found significant overlap of resistance genes between human and hospital environments, but minimal overlap with animals.
• A key concern is antibiotic residues in food, which persist in the gut microbiome and act as a reservoir for resistance.

Data Gaps Limit the Full Picture

• India’s AMR data mainly comes from 25 tertiary hospitals under the ICMR network, where resistance rates are higher due to prior hospitalisation and antibiotic exposure.
• This limits nationwide representation. Wider surveillance, similar to Japan’s system covering around 2,000 hospitals, is needed.

Exploring Alternative Therapies

• Phage therapy, which uses bacteria-eating viruses, shows promise for infections like UTIs but requires precise matching and often virus combinations.
• Resistance can develop even here. Monoclonal antibodies are another emerging option, though still in early stages of development.

Why in News?

• Recent walkouts by Governors during inaugural sessions of State Legislative Assemblies in Opposition-ruled States like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have triggered a constitutional debate.
• These incidents relate to the Governor’s refusal to read or complete the customary address under Article 176(1), prompting concerns over the erosion of constitutional conventions and federal balance.
• The Karnataka government is reportedly considering approaching the Supreme Court (SC) for a judicial declaration on the issue, which is required to touch upon key constitutional principles of -
  • Parliamentary democracy,
  • Collective responsibility of the Cabinet,
  • Federalism,
  • Constitutional morality, and
  • Limited discretion of constitutional authorities.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Constitutional Position of the Governor
• Constituent Assembly Debates - Ambedkar’s Vision
• Judicial Interpretation and Key SC Judgments
• Challenges Highlighted and Way Ahead
• Conclusion

Constitutional Position of the Governor:

• Article 176(1):
  • It mandates that the Governor “shall” address the Legislative Assembly (or both Houses where a Legislative Council exists) at the beginning of the first session every year.
  • The address reflects the policies and programmes of the elected State Cabinet, not the personal views of the Governor.
  • The Governor acts indirectly as a communicator to the people, through their elected representatives.
• Aid and advice of the Council of Ministers:
  • A Council of Ministers, led by the Chief Minister, must aid and advise the Governor in performing their functions, except where the Constitution requires the Governor to act in their discretion (Article 163).
  • Selective reading, skipping paragraphs, or walking out amounts to constitutional impropriety.

Constituent Assembly Debates - Ambedkar’s Vision:

• The Governor has no independent functions.
• He is a constitutional head, not a political actor.
• He represents the people of the State as a whole, not any party or ideology.

Judicial Interpretation and Key SC Judgments:

• Shamsher Singh vs State of Punjab (1974) – Seven-Judge Bench:
  • Governors cannot take public stances critical of Cabinet policy. Any such conduct is an “unconstitutional faux pas”.
  • Even the limited discretion is not personal, but effectively “remote-controlled” by the Union Council of Ministers, which is accountable to Parliament.
• Nabam Rebia vs Deputy Speaker (2016) – Five-Judge Constitution Bench:
  • The Constitution explicitly defines areas of limited gubernatorial discretion, such as appointment of Chief Minister, dissolution of the House, Governor’s report under Article 356, and granting or withholding assent to Bills.
  • Addressing the House under Articles 175(1) and 176(1) is an executive function, not a discretionary one.
• Tamil Nadu Governor case:
  • The Supreme Court held that discretionary powers cannot be exercised to negate the authority of an elected government.
  • A subsequent Presidential Reference described the Governor as a “guide, philosopher and friend”, not an adversary.

Challenges Highlighted and Way Ahead:

• Politicisation of the Governor’s office: Centre–State friction especially in Opposition-ruled States.
  • Reinforcing constitutional morality - Governors must act as neutral constitutional heads, not political actors.
• Erosion of constitutional conventions: Codification of conventions - development of binding guidelines for gubernatorial conduct, possibly through an Inter-State Council or SC jurisprudence.
• Risk of turning the Governor into a parallel power centre: Judicial clarification - a clear SC declaration on the mandatory and non-discretionary nature of Article 176(1).
• Undermining the authority of elected State governments: Strengthening federalism - Respect for State autonomy and Cabinet supremacy in policy matters.

Conclusion:

• The recent gubernatorial walkouts mark a troubling departure from India’s parliamentary and federal ethos.
• The Constitution envisages the Governor as a constitutional sentinel, not a veto-wielding authority.
• Judicial precedents—from Shamsher Singh to Nabam Rebia—clearly establish that discretionary power is limited, defined, and non-personal.
• Upholding constitutional morality and democratic accountability is essential to prevent the Governor’s office from becoming, as the SC warned, a “reincarnation of colonial authority” inimical to responsible government.