News Context

• PM Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first hydrogen-powered train, NaMo Green Rail, from Jind, Haryana, inaugurating the Jind-Sonipat route (89 km).
• Manufactured by ICF (Integral Coach Factory), Chennai, it is the first hydrogen train in Asia and the second in the world after Germany’s Coradia iLint (2018).
• It aligns with Indian Railways’ Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030 target.

How Hydrogen-Powered Trains Work

• Hydrogen stored onboard reacts with oxygen in fuel cells, generating electricity and water vapour as the only emission.
• The electricity powers traction motors for propulsion; excess electricity is stored in onboard batteries for peak demand.
• Hydrogen is stored in roof-mounted tanks at 350 bar pressure.
• Maximum speed of 110 km/h; carries approximately 1,200 passengers.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell — Key Facts

• A fuel cell converts the chemical energy of hydrogen directly into electricity through an electrochemical reaction (not combustion): Hydrogen + Oxygen → Electricity + Water vapour.
• Fuel cells are more energy-efficient than internal combustion engines.
• PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cells are the most commonly used type for transport applications.

India’s Green Hydrogen Policy Framework

• The National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved in January 2023 with an outlay of ₹19,744 crore.
• Target: 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of green hydrogen production by 2030, positioning India as a global green hydrogen hub.
• SECI (Solar Energy Corporation of India) plays a key role in green hydrogen procurement and tendering.

Types of Hydrogen — Colour Coding for Prelims

News Context

• A labourer, Naresh Ganjhu from Jharkhand, died after a concrete protective layer collapsed during construction work 900 metres inside the Silkyara tunnel from the Barkot end.

Silkyara Tunnel — Key Facts

• Located on the Yamunotri National Highway in Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.
• Spans a total length of 4.5 km, connecting Silkyara with Dandalgaon in the same district.
• A key component of the Char Dham all-weather road project; a double-lane tunnel among the longest under the project.
• Once completed, it will reduce the travel distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri by approximately 26 km.

Char Dham Project — Key Facts

• A highway expansion initiative to widen 889 km of hill roads for all-weather connectivity in the Char Dham circuit; envisaged in 2016.
• Covers four major shrines of Uttarakhand — Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri — all located in the upper Himalayas.
• Implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways through NHIDCL and NHAI.

News Context

• India’s highest commercial lilium farm has been launched at Choglamsar, Leh, Ladakh, spread across 93,000 sq. metres on the banks of the Sindhu (Indus) River.
• Over 50,000 premium lilium bulbs have been planted; the first bloom is expected in the first week of September.
• Located at an altitude of nearly 3,265 metres, it surpasses the existing highest flower field at Mana, Uttarakhand (3,200 metres).

Why Ladakh is Ideal for Lilium Cultivation

• Ladakh’s cold climate offers ideal conditions, as lilium bulbs thrive at temperatures of -4°C to 4°C.
• Bulbs begin multiplying naturally after three years, increasing future yields without additional investment.

Lilium — Key Facts for Prelims

• Among the world’s most sought-after cut flowers due to its ornamental appeal and long shelf life.
• Widely used in the floral and hospitality industries; premium varieties fetch ₹150 to ₹200 per stem in the domestic retail market.

News Context

• CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) will allow taxpayers to view data on their foreign assets and income received from over 100 countries under the AEOI framework.
• Information for calendar years 2022, 2023, and 2024 has been displayed in the Annual Information Statement (AIS) on the Income Tax e-Filing portal.
• The move aims to enhance taxpayer services and promote voluntary tax compliance.

What is AEOI

• A system for regular exchange of financial account information between tax authorities of different countries under international agreements, developed by the OECD.
• Objective: To promote global tax transparency and curb tax evasion by enabling access to information on residents’ foreign financial assets.
• Information exchanged includes foreign bank accounts, custodial accounts, financial investments, interest, dividends, and other specified financial income.

Key International Standards Under AEOI

News Context

• The US CDC reported 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis from 34 states since May 1, substantially higher than 249 cases reported by the same time last year.
• No specific food item has been confirmed as the source yet.

What is Cyclosporiasis

• A gastrointestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis.
• Spreads through the faeco-oral route — consumption of food or water contaminated by faeces containing the parasite; it does not spread from person to person.
• Symptoms usually begin about one week after exposure. Previous outbreaks were linked to leafy greens, lettuce, spinach, basil, cilantro, raspberries, and snow peas.

Symptoms and Treatment

• Main symptom: frequent, explosive, watery diarrhoea; other symptoms include bloating, loss of appetite, stomach cramps, fatigue, weight loss and sometimes vomiting or low-grade fever.
• Vulnerable groups — children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals — may experience severe illness.
• CDC recommends 7 to 10 days of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for adults and children above two months; hydration is also recommended.
• Diagnosis uses stool PCR tests and stool microscopy; prevention involves thoroughly washing fresh produce under clean running water.

News Context

• The Union Health Ministry launched the national HPV vaccination programme under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), targeting girls aged 9 to 14 years across India, free of cost.
• India became the first country in South Asia to include the HPV vaccine in the national immunisation schedule.

HPV — Key Facts

• HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally, with over 200 strains identified.
• High-risk strains HPV 16 and HPV 18 are responsible for approximately 70% of all cervical cancer cases worldwide; HPV also causes cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and throat.
• Low-risk strains HPV 6 and 11 cause genital warts; most infections are asymptomatic and resolve on their own.

Cervical Cancer in India — Key Statistics

• Second most common cancer among Indian women, after breast cancer; India accounts for approximately one-fifth of the global burden of cervical cancer deaths.
• About 1.25 lakh new cases and 75,000 deaths occur annually in India.
• WHO’s global target: 90% vaccination coverage, 70% screening coverage, and 90% treatment access by 2030.

HPV Vaccine — Key Facts

• CERVAVAC is India’s first indigenously developed HPV vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), Pune — a quadrivalent vaccine targeting strains 6, 11, 16, and 18.
• Received DCGI approval in 2022, developed with support from DBT and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
• Other global HPV vaccines: Gardasil (4-valent and 9-valent) by Merck and Cervarix (2-valent) by GSK.
• Most effective when administered before sexual debut, hence targeting 9–14-year-old girls; managed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

News Context

• The Centre is considering reintroducing MDR on UPI transactions for large merchants with annual turnover of ₹1 crore to ₹1.5 crore, applicable only to UPI transactions exceeding ₹2,000.
• Proposed MDR rate: 5 to 7 basis points; the Payments Council of India had earlier recommended 0.30% for large merchants.
• 90% of UPI merchants fall within the small enterprise category and are expected to remain exempt.

History of UPI MDR

• MDR on UPI was removed in January 2020 to accelerate digital payment adoption across India.
• Post-removal, the government provided subsidies to banks and payment companies to compensate for processing costs, though allocation fell short of industry expectations.
• The proposed revival marks a significant policy shift after six years of zero-MDR on UPI.

What is MDR

• Merchant Discount Rate is a fee paid by merchants to banks and payment service providers whenever a customer makes a digital payment.
• It covers costs of processing transactions, maintaining payment infrastructure, and settling funds; expressed as a percentage of transaction value or in basis points.

UPI & NPCI — Key Facts

• UPI (Unified Payments Interface) was launched in 2016 by NPCI with 21 member banks.
• Annual UPI transaction volumes grew from 20 million (FY17) to nearly 242 billion (FY26); total transaction value surged from ₹0.07 lakh crore (FY17) to approximately ₹314 lakh crore (FY26).
• NPCI is the umbrella organisation for retail payments and settlement systems in India, established under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, as a joint initiative of RBI and IBA.
• It is a “Not for Profit” company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013; NPCI International is its global arm.

What is Windfall Tax

• A higher-than-normal tax on industries that earn unexpected, above-average profits due to external global or geopolitical factors beyond their control.
• Triggered by commodity shortages, wars, pandemics, or sudden policy changes — not by business expansion or investment; most commonly levied on oil, gas, and mining industries.
• Individual taxes on inheritance, lottery winnings, and game-show prizes can also be construed as windfall taxes.

India’s Windfall Tax Framework

• India introduced windfall tax in July 2022, becoming one of the first countries to levy it on domestic crude oil production and fuel exports.
• Levied through SAED (Special Additional Excise Duty) under the Central Excise Act; reviewed fortnightly based on international crude oil prices and refinery margins.
• Applies to exports of petrol, diesel, and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).

Objectives of Windfall Tax

• To appropriate a portion of extraordinary profits for public good, since such profits arise from external factors rather than business efforts.
• Acts as a supplementary revenue stream for the government and prevents private refiners from exporting instead of meeting domestic fuel demand during supply crunches.

Global Windfall Tax Context

• UK introduced a 25% Energy Profits Levy on oil and gas companies in 2022, later increased to 35%.
• EU implemented a temporary solidarity contribution from fossil fuel companies in 2022–23; Italy, Romania, and Spain also introduced windfall taxes on energy companies post the Russia-Ukraine conflict.