UPSC ENGLISH QUIZ 23.08.2025

Explanation

• Minister of State for Jal Shakti informed the Rajya Sabha that elevated levels of selenium have been detected in a limited number of groundwater samples from Haryana and Punjab.

Selenium Levels in Groundwater

• Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) generates groundwater quality data on a regional scale through monitoring programmes and scientific studies.
• CGWB was formed in 1970, with a mandate to “develop and disseminate technologies for Scientific and Sustainable development and management of India’s Ground Water Resources.”
• In 2019, CGWB collected and analysed 5,956 groundwater samples for Selenium across 17 States/UTs.
• Only 4 samples from, Jhajjar district in Haryana and Rupnagar (Ropar) district in Punjab, exceeded the permissible Selenium limit of 10 parts per billion (ppb) specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

Explanation

• Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) expects to start producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on a commercial scale at its Panipat refinery by December 2025.
• IOC became the first company in India to receive International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) CORSIA certification for SAF production at its Panipat refinery.
• ISCC CORSIA is a certification system ensuring compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) criteria for SAF.
• Annual production capacity at the refinery will be 35,000 tonnes of SAF from used cooking oil (UCO).
• This capacity will be sufficient to meet India’s 1% SAF blending requirement for international flights by 2027.Feedstock for the production will mainly come from large hotel chains, restaurants and snack majors.
• ISCC CORSIA Certification is a prerequisite for commercial SAF production and sets a benchmark for other domestic refiners.

Explanation

• Rajya Sabha passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, replacing the Indian Ports Act of 1908.
• The legislation was originally introduced in the Lok Sabha.The legislation has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha, will soon be sent for Presidential assent.
• It is expected to transform governance at Indian ports, strengthen Centre–State coordination for port-led development and boost investor confidence in a sector crucial to the country’s trade ambitions.

Key provisions of the new Bill

• The Bill establishes the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) as a statutory consultative body to strengthen coordination between the Centre and coastal States.
• The MSDC will be responsible for preparing a National Perspective Plan to promote the integrated development of ports.
• Coastal States will be given the authority to form State Maritime Boards, ensuring uniformity and transparency in the governance of India’s 12 major and over 200 non-major ports.
• The Bill gives legal recognition to all State Maritime Boards created by coastal states. These Boards will manage and regulate non-major ports in their states.

Explanation

• Infrastructure projects for traffic management in Rajasthan & Odisha approved by the government.
• The development of a Green Field Airport at Kota-Bundi in Rajasthan has been approved by the Cabinet at a cost of ₹1,507 crore.
• A terminal building of 20,000 square meters capable of handling 1000 peak-hour passengers is included in the project.
• Kota is known as the industrial capital of Rajasthan and is also famous as an educational coaching hub.
• The airport project has been viewed as a critical step to manage future traffic growth in the region.
• The project is expected to boost both educational and industrial connectivity in Kota.
• The Cabinet has also cleared a 6-lane access-controlled Capital Region Ring Road project in Odisha at a cost of ₹8,307.74 crore.
• This Bhubaneswar Bypass is planned to divert heavy commercial vehicles away from the cities of Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Khordha.
• The road is expected to enhance freight movement efficiency while reducing logistics costs in Odisha and nearby eastern states.
• Socioeconomic growth and trade development in the region are expected to be strengthened.
• Nearly 74.43 lakh person-days of direct and 93.04 lakh person-days of indirect employment will be generated.

Explanation

• Lok Sabha has approved the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
• This Bill aims to revise the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017.
• It includes a proposal to set up a new IIM in Guwahati, Assam.
• Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the move meets a long-standing regional demand.
• The government has allocated ₹550 crore for the new IIM in Guwahati.
• At present, 21 IIMs are operating across the country.
• There is growing interest in opening IIM campuses in other countries.
• An IIM campus in Dubai will begin functioning next month.