PIB Snippets
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UPSC Prelims & Mains
PIB Snippets — September 18, 2026
Today’s official releases — India’s first soil carbon payments under the ‘Aadi’ programme, the 51st Doppler Weather Radar under Mission Mausam, proposed CCTV mandates at medical stores, and Semicon 2.0’s launch at SEMICON India 2026
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India’s First Soil Carbon Payments — ‘Aadi’ Programme
News Context
- India recorded its first-ever soil carbon payments, with over 2,500 farmers in Punjab and Haryana receiving ₹2.9 crore for adopting regenerative farming practices under the ‘Aadi’ programme by Grow Indigo, with technical support from ICAR.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Launched 2019; run by Grow Indigo with ICAR support; covers over 2 million acres and 1 lakh+ farmers across seven states; promotes Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), reduced tillage and crop residue management.
- Uses the Verra VM0042 carbon-credit methodology; payments via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT); first payments released at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.
- DSR sows seeds directly into fields instead of transplanting in flooded (puddled) fields — reducing water and labour needs.
- Impact: saved ~45 billion litres of water (2019–2022); kept over 2 lakh tonnes of crop residue from burning; Punjab recorded only 5,114 farm-fire cases in 2025 — the lowest since monitoring began, ~93% lower than 2021.
Source: PIB
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India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar — Mission Mausam
News Context
- Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) at Sambalpur, Odisha, improving weather monitoring and early warnings for Western Odisha under Mission Mausam.
Key Facts for Prelims
- DWR works on the Doppler effect to track storms and measure wind velocity; operated by IMD under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- Odisha’s total DWRs now 3 (after Gopalpur, Paradip); national count grew from 14 (2014) to 51 (2026), with ~40 more planned under Mission Mausam (target ~81).
- Mission Mausam also expands Automatic Weather Stations, rain gauges, radiosonde stations and microwave radiometers for a multi-layered forecasting network.
| Year | Doppler Weather Radars |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 14 |
| 2026 (present) | 51 |
| Planned | ~81 total |
Source: PIB
💊
Amendments to Drugs Rules, 1945 — Mandatory CCTV
News Context
- The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945 via Draft Gazette Notification G.S.R. 791(E) (8 September 2026), including mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores selling Schedule H, H1 and X drugs.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Schedule H — sold only with a doctor’s prescription; Schedule H1 — certain antibiotics/anti-TB drugs needing stricter record-keeping; Schedule X — high-risk narcotic/psychotropic drugs under very strict control.
- DTAB (Drugs Technical Advisory Board) advises on drug regulation; DCC (Drugs Consultative Committee) ensures uniform implementation across States/UTs.
- Aim: curb antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and strengthen accountability under the CDSCO framework.
Source: PIB
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Semicon 2.0 and SEMICON India 2026
News Context
- PM Modi inaugurated SEMICON India 2026 (“Silicon to Systems: Building the Ecosystem”) at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi (17 September), following Cabinet approval of Semicon 2.0 on 15 July 2026 with an outlay of ₹1,27,500 crore.
Key Facts for Prelims
- Semicon 1.0 (Dec 2021, ₹76,000 crore): 12 units approved, including 1 silicon fab, 1 SiC fab, 1 GaN Micro LED Display fab and 9 ATMP/OSAT units across Gujarat, Assam, UP, Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh.
- Semicon 2.0’s six pillars: R&D, Chip Design, Machines & Materials, more Fabs, Talent Development, and strengthening ATMP/OSAT.
- India’s semiconductor demand projected at USD 110 billion by FY2030, exceeding USD 200 billion by FY2035; spent ~USD 150 billion on imports during FY17–FY25.
- Taiwan accounts for over 60% of global chip production and ~90% of advanced chips; India hosts ~7% of the world’s semiconductor GCCs.
SCL, Mohali
Develops flight-grade chips for satellites/rockets — e.g. the Vikram processor and Aditya-L1’s radiation-hardened ADC chips.
India-Germany Partnership
Semiconductor Ecosystem Partnership signed January 2026; India also joined Pax Silica (Feb 2026).
Source: PIB
