PIB Snippets
Daily Digest
31 July 2026
PIB Snippets: Daily UPSC Prelims Notes — 31 July 2026
Four key government updates from today’s PIB releases — APEDA’s Mithila Makhana export milestone, the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool launch, RERA implementation, and the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme.
Today’s Topics
Makhana Export
300 kg to Singapore
First commercial GI-tagged export via APEDA
BMI Pool Capacity
$1.5 Billion
Sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore
Ethanol Blending (ESY 2024-25)
18.08% Average
Target: 20% (E20) by 2025-26
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APEDA — Mithila Makhana Export
Economy
APEDA facilitated the first commercial export of GI-tagged Mithila Makhana from Bihar to Singapore in July 2026 — a 300 kg consignment exported by a Bihar-based startup.
Makhana: Key Facts
- Mithila Makhana received its GI tag in 2022, recognising it as a product of the Mithila region of Bihar.
- Makhana (fox nuts/lotus seeds) is a high-nutrition crop grown in wetlands and ponds of Bihar, primarily in Darbhanga, Madhubani and Sitamarhi districts.
About APEDA
EstablishedDecember 1985, under the APEDA Act
MinistryCommerce and Industry
HeadquartersNew Delhi
Regional Offices15 across India; trade offices in New Delhi, Tokyo, New York
Functions of APEDA
- Development and promotion of exports of scheduled agricultural products; setting standards, registering exporters, and inspecting products for quality compliance.
- Functions as Secretariat to the National Accreditation Board (NAB) for implementing the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) for organic exports.
Source: PIB
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Bharat Maritime Insurance (BMI) Pool
Economy / Security
India launched the Bharat Maritime Insurance (BMI) Pool to reduce dependence on foreign maritime insurers and enhance maritime self-reliance, significant amid Red Sea disruptions and Middle East tensions raising maritime insurance premiums.
BMI Pool: Key Facts
Capacity$1.5 billion
Sovereign Guarantee₹12,980 crore ($1.4 billion)
Nodal MinistryDept. of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance
Pool AdministratorGIC Re (General Insurance Corporation of India)
- Governed by a Governing Body and an Underwriting Committee; combined underwriting capacity of pool members is approximately ₹950 crore.
Coverage
- Covers Hull and Machinery, Cargo, Protection and Indemnity (P&I), and War risks for Indian-flagged/controlled vessels and vessels to/from India.
- Claims up to $100 million are handled by the pool’s own capacity; claims beyond that trigger the sovereign guarantee as a last-resort safety net.
Why It Was Needed
- Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz disruptions sharply raised insurance premiums; sanctions risk can abruptly cut off foreign re/insurance support.
- Builds domestic underwriting expertise, conserves forex, and enhances India’s maritime self-reliance and financial sovereignty.
Source: PIB
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RERA Act, 2016 Implementation
Polity / Governance
The Supreme Court directed all states to fully implement RERA and ensure regulatory authorities are fully functional, after several homebuyers approached courts over delayed possession and non-refund of money; Nagaland, Meghalaya, Sikkim and some other states are yet to fully implement RERA as of 2026.
RERA: Key Facts
- RERA (Real Estate Regulation and Development Act) was enacted in 2016, in force from 1 May 2017, administered by MoHUA.
- A Concurrent List subject under Entry 6; applies to residential and commercial projects with land area over 500 sq. metres or more than eight apartments.
Key Provisions
- Promoters must deposit 70% of buyer funds in an escrow account; delayed possession requires interest payment at the same rate charged to buyers.
- Structural defect liability lasts five years after possession; project plan changes need consent of two-thirds of allottees; carpet area must be clearly defined.
Institutional Framework
- Each state establishes a RERA Authority for dispute adjudication; the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (REAT) hears appeals, with further appeal to the respective High Court.
Penalty Provisions
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Non-registration of project | Up to 10% of estimated project cost |
| Continued violation after conviction | Up to 3 years imprisonment or additional 10% fine, or both |
| Non-compliance by promoter | 5% of estimated project cost |
| Non-compliance by real estate agent | ₹10,000 per day of default |
| Non-compliance by allottee | ₹10,000/day or 5% of apartment cost, whichever higher |
Source: PIB
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Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme
Environment / Economy
Concerns were raised in Parliament over vehicle compatibility with E20 fuel; MoS for Petroleum Suresh Gopi clarified that E20 is safe for compatible vehicles and reduces carbon emissions, with India achieving 18.08% average ethanol blending in ESY 2024-25.
EBP Programme: Key Facts
- Aims to blend ethanol with petrol to reduce fossil fuel dependence and cut carbon emissions; implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
- Ethanol is produced primarily from sugarcane (molasses and juice), and increasingly from grains (rice, maize) and damaged food grains.
- NITI Aayog’s Ethanol Roadmap targets 20% blending by 2025-26, advanced from the earlier 2030 target; CCEA fixes ethanol procurement prices annually.
- Total ethanol procurement under EBP in ESY 2024-25 was approximately 7.21 billion litres.
E20 Compatibility Data
E20 Composition20% ethanol, 80% petrol
E10 CompatibilityCompatible with most vehicles
E20 RequirementNeeds modification for older vehicles
Flex Fuel VehiclesCan run on any blend from E0 to E100
Higher ethanol blends provide lower calorific value per litre but reduce PM, NOx and carbon monoxide emissions — E20 fuel must meet IS 2796 (BIS) specifications for petrol quality.
Source: PIB
