Daily Current Affairs 2025  

22/08/2025

WhatsApp Email Facebook Share

CA-22/08/2025

The Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) recently conducted a public hearing for environmental clearance for the proposed 1,200 MW Kalai-II hydroelectric project, located on the Lohit River in Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh and developed by THDC India Limited.

• The project estimate is about ?14,000 crore, aiming to generate free power worth ?318 crore annually and contribute ?2.2 crore per year to the Local Area Development Fund upon commissioning.
• The public hearing, chaired by the Anjaw deputy commissioner, attracted over 350 affected persons from 33 villages. Discussions focused on compensation, employment guarantees, and land rates, with assurances that 50% of jobs would be reserved for land-affected families and that stakeholders’ issues would be addressed in accordance with policy.
• The project is expected to create approximately 1,700 direct jobs and improve local infrastructure, including roads, healthcare, and education.
• Some villagers have raised concerns about transparency in conducting the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA), and previously there have been protests regarding compensation and the large area of submergence that will directly affect up to 1,500 people from major villages, especially in the Hawai Circle.
• Officials highlighted that the initiative could bring long-term development benefits, citing similar hydropower projects like Uttarakhand’s Tehri Dam as examples. APSPCB officials explained the clearance process, and plans include exposure visits for affected village representatives to witness such infrastructure projects.

Project Profile

Capacity: 1,200 MW, with six turbines each of 190 MW.
Type: Run-of-river with pondage, using a concrete gravity dam.
Developer: THDC India Limited (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited).
Estimated Cost: ?14,000 crore.
Reservoir Capacity: 318.8 million cubic meters; gross head of 125 m.
Job Creation: ~1,700 direct jobs, 50% reserved for land-affected families.
Major Concerns: Communal transparency, land compensation, and disruption for affected villages.

The region remains divided, with most participants welcoming the project's development potential, but a section of villagers continues to express concerns over land rates, compensation, and employment guarantees. The environmental clearance process and final project approval will depend on the resolution of these issues and government compliance with regulatory norms.

Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project,FAQs

1. Which of the following statements about the Kalai-II hydroelectric project’s employment provisions is MOST accurate? 
A) All jobs created will be offered exclusively to residents of Anjaw district. 
B) Approximately 1,700 direct jobs will be created, with at least 50% reserved for families affected by land acquisition. 
C) Employment guarantees were not discussed during the public hearing. 
D) Only temporary construction jobs will be created, with no specific reservation for local families. 
 
2. What is a primary concern raised by villagers regarding the Kalai-II hydroelectric project? 
A) The project’s estimated cost exceeding ?20,000 crore. 
B) Lack of transparency in Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and the large area of submergence affecting up to 1,500 people. 
C) The use of outdated turbine technology that reduces power generation capacity. 
D) Insufficient infrastructure development plans in sectors like healthcare and education.


 
Champa Raspeda, a young woman from Odisha’s Malkangiri district, has become the first-ever member of the Didayi tribe—a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)—to clear the NEET 2025 exam. She has secured admission to Fakir Mohan Medical College & Hospital, Balasore, marking a landmark moment for her community.

• Inspiration and Support: Champa’s story is celebrated as one of resilience and community empowerment. Coming from a marginal farming background in Amlibeda village, she persevered through financial hardships, interrupted studies, and social challenges, aided by government initiatives, free NEET coaching, and her teachers.
• Community and Government Response: Odisha’s Chief Minister hailed her as an inspiration for tribal youth and expressed hopes that she would return as a doctor to serve the poor and backward people of her region. Her achievement symbolizes a breakthrough for the Didayi and other PVTGs in medical and higher education.
• Development Context: The Didayi tribe consists of around 9,800 people living in remote hill and forest villages of the Malkangiri district. Historically, they have faced challenges associated with poverty, low literacy, and lack of healthcare. Government schemes like the Didayi Development Agency (DDA) and support from the SC & ST Development Department have played crucial roles in tribal upliftment.
• Significance: Champa’s success follows similar milestones by members of other PVTGs (e.g., Mangala Muduli of the Bonda tribe). Such achievements signal a new chapter of empowerment, social transformation, and hope for Odisha’s most vulnerable tribal groups.

Overview of the Didayi Tribe

The Didayi Tribe (also spelled Didai, Didiya, or Dire) is an indigenous community primarily residing in the Malkangiri district of Odisha, with some presence in Koraput district (Odisha) and parts of East Godavari (Andhra Pradesh). They are recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)—one of 13 such groups in Odisha.

Location and Population

• Concentrated in the Kondakamberu ranges of the Eastern Ghats.
• Population estimates vary, ranging from ~7,250 to 8,890 individuals.
• They are found in about 42 remote hill settlements adjacent to streams, with scattered and bamboo-fenced houses.

Language and Ethnicity

• Language: Didayi (classified under Austroasiatic/Munda family).
• Racial stock: Proto-Australoid.

Social Organization

• Patriarchal society with a traditional village council (lepar) and elders managing disputes and sociopolitical affairs.
• Five totemic clans (bonso), which are exogamous; marriage practices include negotiation, elopement, intrusion, and service. Customs such as bride price, widow remarriage, levirate, and sororate are prevalent.

Religion and Festivals

• Animistic beliefs with deep reverence for nature, earth, and a pantheon of gods and goddesses (e.g., Buro Bhairo, Nanagiri, Goa, Sendia, etc.).
• Numerous festivals and rituals: Lendi Pande, Bhairo Puja, Sibolove Hia, Goesendia Hia, Ghia Pande, Chait Parab, and more.

Occupation and Economy

• Traditionally dependent on shifting cultivation (slash-and-burn) and wetland paddy farming.
• Supplementary livelihood by collecting and selling forest produce (fruits, roots, wood, mushrooms).
• Engaged in horticulture, kitchen gardening, bamboo basketry, weaving of handloom clothes, archery, and broom-making.

Culture and Art

• Rich traditional arts and crafts, including bamboo work, weaving, pottery, painting, and vibrant music and dance, especially during community rituals.
• Night-time dances and locally brewed rice beer are part of their celebrations.

Identity and Relations

• The Didayi people consider the Bonda tribe as their elder brothers and the Gadaba and Paraja as close brethren.
• Their self-identity is "Gatare," meaning "the people".

Notable Developments

• In 2025, Champa Raspeda became the first Didayi member to clear NEET, marking significant progress in education within the community.
• The Didayi tribe represents a unique blend of ecological adaptation, cultural richness, resilient social structures, and efforts to preserve their traditions in the face of modernization.

Didayi Tribe,FAQs

1. Which of the following best describes the social organization and marriage customs of the Didayi tribe? 
A) Matriarchal society with monogamous marriages and strict endogamy within clans 
B) Patriarchal society with exogamous totemic clans, including negotiated marriages, elopement, and customs like bride price and levirate 
C) Egalitarian society with arranged marriages only and no practice of widow remarriage or sororate 
D) Clanless society practicing polygamy and prohibiting any form of marriage negotiation 
2. What is the significance of Champa Raspeda’s achievement in the context of the Didayi tribe and Odisha’s Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)? 
A) She became the first Didayi woman to win a national sports championship, inspiring tribal youth in athletics 
B) She is the first member of the Didayi tribe to clear the NEET exam, symbolizing educational breakthrough and hope for medical and social upliftment of PVTGs 
C) She led a government initiative to eradicate poverty in Malkangiri district through improved agricultural techniques 
D) She documented the oral history of the Didayi tribe, leading to increased recognition of their cultural heritage
 
 

• RBI’s current inflation mandate sets a Consumer Price Index (CPI) target of 4% with a tolerance band of +/- 2%, forming the flexible inflation targeting (FIT) framework adopted since 2016.
• The RBI invites public feedback on four main aspects: whether monetary policy should focus on headline or core inflation; if the 4% target remains optimal for balancing growth and stability; whether the 2-6% tolerance band needs revision or removal; and if the fixed 4% target should be replaced by a range.
• The paper highlights that raising the inflation target above 4% amid current global geopolitical and economic uncertainties could be interpreted by investors as weakening the framework, thus hurting policy credibility and investor confidence.
• Lowering the target below 4% is also cautioned against, given India’s inflation dynamics and high global food prices.
• The RBI emphasizes that ignoring food inflation by targeting only core inflation (excluding food and fuel) risks overlooking the cost of living for poorer households.
• The FIT framework has proven effective, with average inflation reducing from 6.8% pre-2016 to 4.9% since. The system has shown resilience through the pandemic and global shocks, and the RBI seeks to retain the stability it offers.
• The government, in consultation with the RBI, will make the final decision on any modifications after the review scheduled for completion by March 2026.
• The RBI has invited feedback from stakeholders by September 18, 2025.

• Raising the target now, amidst global geopolitical and economic uncertainty, might be interpreted as a dilution of the inflation targeting framework.
• It may signal weakening policy commitment, risking a loss of credibility with domestic and international investors.
• This loss of confidence could erode the policy and institutional gains, possibly destabilizing fiscal discipline and external economic stability.
• It might adversely affect foreign investment sentiment, as stable and low inflation is crucial for maintaining investment and growth.

• Lowering the inflation target below 4% is also considered potentially inappropriate.
• Given India’s structural economic characteristics, such as volatile food prices and external shocks, a lower target might not reflect realistic inflation dynamics.
• It could constrain monetary policy flexibility to respond to supply shocks and upward price pressures, especially in food and fuel.
• The RBI's assessment suggests that lowering the target may be hard to justify amid rising global food prices and inflation pressures.

• Headline Inflation measures the total inflation rate including all items in the consumer basket, notably food and fuel, whose prices tend to be highly volatile. It better reflects the overall cost of living for the population because it includes essential and frequently purchased items.
• Core Inflation excludes volatile food and fuel prices and is seen as a more stable measure of underlying inflation trends. It helps policymakers focus on persistent inflationary pressures rather than short-term fluctuations caused by external shocks.

• RBI prefers to maintain the current 4% inflation target to preserve credibility and economic stability.
• The choice between headline vs. core inflation as the policy target involves weighing the volatility and welfare relevance of headline inflation against the stability and predictive value of core inflation.
• RBI is seeking stakeholder feedback on these issues to decide on the framework going forward, with a review due in March 2026.

• A minimum area of 5 hectares if isolated, or
• A minimum area of 2 hectares if contiguous with government-notified forests,
• And it must have a canopy density of at least 40% (0.4).

• Linear, compact, or agro-forestry plantations
• Orchards outside government-notified forests from being treated as forests.

• The court reaffirmed the 1996 landmark judgment in the case of T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India, which expanded the definition of forest to include all lands that resemble the dictionary meaning of forest. This includes all lands that may not be officially notified as forest but have forest-like characteristics, irrespective of ownership or record status.
• Expert committees: The Court directed all States and Union Territories (UTs) to constitute expert committees promptly to identify all "forest-like areas," "unclassified forest lands," and "community forest lands" within their jurisdiction using this broad definition. These committees are to conduct comprehensive surveys, mapping, and prepare reports on these forest areas.
• Survey and mapping:The survey and mapping process must comply with the 2011 Lafarge Umiam Mining guidelines. This includes using GIS-based decision support systems, and district-wise mapping of plots qualifying as forests under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. It also includes identifying core, buffer, and eco-sensitive zones of protected areas, wildlife corridors, and lands diverted from forest use.
• States and UTs are required to submit the consolidated report of identified forest lands to the Central government within six months (or by March 31, 2024, as per latest timelines). These records will be digitized and made publicly available on official websites.
• The Supreme Court interim order in February 2024 also stayed the 2023 amendments to the Forest Conservation Act that had narrowed the definition of forests, restoring the broader 1996 definition.
• The Court underscored holding Chief Secretaries and administrators of States/UTs personally accountable for non-compliance with these directives.
• Recent notifications like Haryana's definition of forest reference the Supreme Court-directed dictionary meaning but have faced criticism for being too narrow and excluding ecologically sensitive but unclassified forest-like areas.

• The definition is seen as too narrow and restrictive, likely excluding ecologically important but low-density forest areas, especially in the Aravalli region known for its naturally sparse and thorny vegetation due to low rainfall and rocky terrain.
• Environmentalists argue the 40% canopy density threshold is unrealistic for the Aravallis and other dry regions of Haryana.
• The minimum area requirement (5 hectares or 2 hectares) is considered too high for a dry state like Haryana, potentially leaving smaller but ecologically critical forest patches without protection.
• The exclusion of linear, compact, agroforestry plantations, and orchards outside government-notified forests is also criticized as these plantations often have ecological functions.
• Critics also say this definition contradicts the 1996 Supreme Court Godavarman judgment which mandated a broad, dictionary-based interpretation of "forest" to ensure protection for diverse forest-like areas.
• Allied concerns include the risk of increased unregulated urbanization, illegal mining, and real estate encroachments in vulnerable forest regions like the Aravalli ridge.
• Some retired forest officers and experts have characterized the move as potentially supporting exploitative interests by excluding many important forest areas from legal safeguards.

• Corridors in Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs),
• Studies by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) from 2016 and 2021,
• Quadrennial All-India Tiger Estimation (AITE) data.

• Tiger corridors are vital for the safe movement of tigers between habitats, enabling gene flow, maintaining genetic diversity, reducing human-animal conflicts, and ensuring long-term survival.
• This move by NTCA simplifies project clearances for development by easing the requirement for statutory clearance from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) for projects falling outside these minimal pathways.

Download Pdf