Prelims Pinpointer 16 Feb 2026

Bio-Based Chemicals and Enzymes

What are Bio-Based Chemicals and Enzymes?

• Bio-based chemicals: Industrial chemicals derived from biological feedstocks like sugarcane, corn, and biomass residues.
• Production process: Manufactured through fermentation and enzymatic bioprocesses instead of petrochemical refining.
• Product range: Includes organic acids, bio-alcohols, solvents, surfactants, and polymer intermediates.
• Industrial applications: Used in plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and specialty manufacturing.
• Enzymes: Biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions in industrial and biological processes.
• Sectoral use: Widely applied in detergents, food processing, textiles, pulp, paper, and pharmaceuticals.
• Energy efficiency: Function effectively at lower temperatures and pressures, reducing industrial energy demand.
• Environmental value: Lower emissions and greener processing make them climate-friendly industrial inputs.

Need for Bio-Based Chemicals in India

• Agricultural strength: India’s vast agricultural base ensures abundant renewable feedstock supply.
• Fermentation expertise: Experience from vaccine and pharmaceutical sectors supports biomanufacturing scale-up.
• Import substitution: Sector growth can reduce dependence on petrochemical imports.
• Trade example: India imported nearly $479.8 million worth of acetic acid in 2023.
• Farmer income: Biomass utilisation creates new revenue streams for agricultural communities.
• Rural industrialisation: Bio-processing industries can generate decentralised employment opportunities.
• Global positioning: India can emerge as a supplier of sustainable industrial raw materials.
• Policy push: Department of Biotechnology prioritises this sector under the BioE3 policy framework.

Challenges Involved

• Cost competitiveness: Bio-based chemicals remain costlier than petrochemical alternatives at early scale.
• Investment barriers: High capital requirements discourage private sector participation.
• Feedstock reliability: Consistent biomass supply chains remain underdeveloped.
• Infrastructure gaps: Large-scale fermentation, processing, and storage facilities are limited.
• Market adoption: Downstream industries hesitate to shift from established petrochemical inputs.
• Standards ecosystem: Certification, quality assurance, and procurement frameworks remain evolving.
• Technology scale-up: Commercialisation of lab innovations requires pilot plants and biofoundries.
• Transition risks: Industry awaits cost parity and performance certainty before large adoption.

Winter Olympics 2026

Context: The 2026 Winter Olympics, officially the 25th Winter Olympic Games, will be held in northern Italy under the title Milano Cortina 2026.

Host & Venue

• Hosted by Italy.
• Co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, famous winter sports centres.
• Italy’s fourth Olympic event:
  •  1956: Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics
  • 2006: Turin Winter Olympics
  • 1960: Rome Summer Olympics 

Motto & Mascot

• Official Motto: “IT’s Your Vibe” (IT symbolises Italy).
• Mascot: Tina, a white stoat.
• Branding also features “The Flo”, inspired by the snowdrop flower.

Events & Participation

• Total 116 medal events spread across 16 winter sports.
• Around 2,900 athletes expected from nearly 90 countries.
• New Sport Added
  • Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) introduced for the first time.
  • Combines uphill climbing and downhill skiing on mountain terrain.
• Russia & Belarus Participation
  • Athletes allowed under “Individual Neutral Athletes” status. This policy continues from Paris Olympics 2024 due to the Russia–Ukraine conflict.
• India’s Presence
  • Abhinav Bindra chosen as Olympic torchbearer.
  • Arif Khan qualified in Slalom event.

About Winter OlympicsGlobal multi-sport event for snow and ice sports.Held once every four years.First Winter Olympics: Chamonix, France (1924).Governing body: International Olympic Committee (IOC).

PM RAHAT Scheme

Context: The Government of India recently launched the PM RAHAT Scheme to ensure immediate and cashless treatment for road accident victims across the country.

What is PM RAHAT?

• A national scheme focused on saving lives after road accidents.
• Ensures assured emergency medical care without financial delay.
• Covers victims on all categories of roads.
• Core Objective
  • Provide life-saving treatment in golden hour.
  • Reduce deaths due to delayed hospitalization.
  • Offer financial clarity to hospitals treating accident victims.

Key Features of the Scheme

• Cashless Treatment
  • Every eligible victim gets cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh.
  • Applicable at designated hospitals.
• Emergency Response Linkage
  • Integrated with Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) – 112.
  • Victims or Good Samaritans can dial 112.
  • Helps locate nearest hospital and ambulance quickly.
• Digital Integration
  • Linked with:
    • eDAR (Electronic Detailed Accident Report): Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.
    • TMS 2.0: National Health Authority.
  • Ensures fast claim processing and transparency.

• Funding & Reimbursement
  • Payments made through Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVAF).
• Funding sources:
  • Insured vehicle cases: Paid via General Insurance Companies’ contributions.
  • Uninsured / Hit-and-Run cases: Funded by Government budget support.
• Grievance Redressal
  • Complaints handled at district level.
  • Managed by a Grievance Redressal Officer.
  • Works under District Road Safety Committee chaired by DM/DC.
    

Cheer Pheasant

Context: Recent observations highlight that hunting and habitat degradation continue to be the biggest threats to the ground-dwelling Cheer Pheasant.

About Cheer Pheasant

• Also known as Wallich’s pheasant or Chir pheasant.
• Belongs to the pheasant family- Phasianidae (Ground-dwelling Himalayan bird species)
• Habitat
  • Found on steep, rocky hillsides with scrub vegetation.
  • Prefers grassy slopes with scattered stunted trees.
  • Occurs at elevations between 1,200–3,350 metres.
• Geographical Distribution
  • Native to the Western Himalayas.
  • Range extends from:
    • Northern Pakistan
    • Kashmir
    • Himachal Pradesh
    • Uttarakhand
    • Up to central Nepal
• Key Characteristics
  • Builds a simple ground nest, hidden under grass or rocks.
  • Shows strong site fidelity. Birds often breed near birthplace.
  • Depends on grasslands shaped by traditional practices like grass cutting and controlled burning.
• Diet
  • Feeds mainly on roots, tubers, bulbs, and buried seeds.
  • Also consumes insect larvae and earthworms.

Conservation Status

• IUCN: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

PM-DAKSH Scheme

Context: Recent data placed in the Lok Sabha showed that less than half of trainees under PM-DAKSH (2021–2024) secured placements.

About PM-DAKSH Scheme

• Full Form: Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi Yojana.
• A Central Sector Scheme launched in 2020-21.
• Focuses on skill development for socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
• Aim
  • To provide quality skill training through recognised institutions.
  • To improve employability and livelihood opportunities of beneficiaries.
• Target Beneficiaries
  • Scheduled Castes (SCs)
  • Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
  • Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
  • Denotified Tribes (DNTs)
  • Safai Karamcharis / Waste pickers
• Types of Training Programmes
  • Up-skilling / Re-skilling programmes
  • Short-term skill training
  • Long-term training courses
  • Entrepreneurship Development Programmes
• Eligibility Criteria
  • Age group: 18–45 years.
  • Income limit:
    • OBC & EWS: Family income below ₹3 lakh annually.
    • No income limit for SCs, DNTs, Safai Karamcharis.
• Institutional Convergence
  • Scheme has been merged with Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).
  • Aligns training with the broader national skill development framework.