The Union Government has decided to expand the scope of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) by including crop damage caused by animals as an eligible ground for insurance payouts. This addresses a long-pending demand of farmers and strengthens income security in agriculture.

About Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was launched on 18 February 2016 by the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers’ Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture.
The scheme aims to provide financial protection to farmers against crop losses arising from natural calamities, pests, and diseases.
It offers crop insurance at affordable premium rates and is implemented through a network of insurance companies and banks.

Objectives of PMFBY

The scheme seeks to provide financial assistance to farmers suffering crop loss due to unforeseen events.
It aims to stabilise farmers’ income and ensure continuity in farming activities.
PMFBY encourages the adoption of modern agricultural practices and promotes crop diversification.
It also enhances farmers’ creditworthiness while protecting them from production risks.

Eligibility Criteria

All farmers, including sharecroppers and tenant farmers, growing notified crops in notified areas are eligible under the scheme.
Coverage is compulsory for loanee farmers availing Seasonal Agricultural Operations loans from financial institutions.
For non-loanee farmers, participation in the scheme is voluntary.
Farmers must possess valid land ownership or land tenure documents and should not have received compensation for the same loss from any other source.
Special efforts are made to ensure adequate coverage of SC, ST, and women farmers.

Premium Structure

Farmers pay a maximum premium of 2% of the sum insured for Kharif food and oilseed crops.
For Rabi food and oilseed crops, the premium is 1.5%, while for commercial and horticultural crops, it is 5%.
The remaining premium amount is subsidised by the government.
In North-Eastern States, Jammu & Kashmir, and Himachal Pradesh, the government bears the entire premium cost.

Coverage under PMFBY

The scheme covers crop losses due to natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and hailstorms.
It also includes losses caused by pests and diseases and post-harvest losses arising from localised risks like landslides.
Losses due to war, nuclear risks, malicious damage, and other preventable causes are excluded from coverage.

Claim Settlement and Compensation

PMFBY aims to settle insurance claims within two months of harvest, ensuring timely compensation and reducing farmers’ dependence on informal credit sources.

Technology-Driven Implementation

The scheme uses satellite imagery, drones, and mobile applications to assess crop losses accurately.
The National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP) facilitates digital interaction among farmers, banks, and insurers.
YES-TECH supports remote sensing-based yield estimation, while CROPIC uses geotagged photographs for real-time crop damage assessment.

Conclusion

The expansion of PMFBY to include animal-induced crop damage enhances the scheme’s comprehensiveness and reinforces the government’s commitment to farmer welfare and agricultural resilience.

More than 1,500 academics have raised serious concerns and organised demonstrations in Kolkata to protest the Central Government’s proposal to repeal the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Act, 1959. The move has triggered widespread debate over academic autonomy and the future governance of the Institute.

Background of the Indian Statistical Institute

The Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) was founded by Professor P. C. Mahalanobis on 17 December 1931 in Kolkata.
Initially established as a registered society, ISI has played a pivotal role in statistical research, education, and training in India, contributing significantly to national planning and policy formulation.

About the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) Act, 1959

The ISI Act, 1959 provides the legal framework governing the functioning of the Indian Statistical Institute.
The Act applies to the Institute, its governing bodies, employees, and students.
It was enacted to formally recognise ISI’s contributions to national development and to ensure it receives autonomy and institutional support to perform its academic and research functions effectively.
The Act declared ISI an Institution of National Importance.
The Act comes under the administrative control of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.

Objectives of the ISI Act, 1959

The primary objective of the Act is to strengthen the institutional status of ISI and safeguard its role in advanced statistical research and education.
It aims to balance academic autonomy with appropriate government oversight to ensure accountability and alignment with national priorities.

Salient Features of the ISI Act, 1959

Academic Powers

The Act empowers ISI to award degrees and diplomas in disciplines such as statistics, mathematics, quantitative economics, computer science, and allied subjects.

Financial Provisions

It provides for grants, loans, and other forms of financial assistance from the Central Government.
The Institute’s accounts must be audited by qualified auditors, ensuring financial transparency.

Government Oversight

Certain actions of the Institute—such as amending its objectives, altering its memorandum, or disposing of specific properties—require prior approval from the Central Government.
The Act allows the Central Government to constitute committees to prepare ISI’s programme of work and periodically review its activities.

Powers of the Central Government

The Central Government is authorised to issue directions to the Institute in matters of policy.
Under specific circumstances, the Act permits the assumption of control over the Institute by the Central Government.

Significance of the Act

The ISI Act, 1959, has been central to preserving ISI’s academic excellence, national relevance, and institutional autonomy.
Concerns over its proposed repeal stem from fears that it could undermine the Institute’s independence and weaken India’s statistical and research ecosystem.

A Rainbow Water Snake was recently recorded for the first time in Uttar Pradesh, with photographic evidence obtained from the buffer area of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. This sighting highlights the rich and relatively under-documented herpetofaunal diversity of the Terai region.

About Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is located along the Indo–Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh.
It was established in 1988 and covers a total area of 1,284 square kilometres.

The reserve comprises Dudhwa National Park and two adjoining wildlife sanctuaries—Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
Its buffer zone also includes forest areas of North Kheri, South Kheri, and Shahjahanpur forest divisions.

Topography and River System

The reserve represents a typical Terai–Bhabar ecosystem of the Upper Gangetic Plains biogeographic province.
Several rivers and streams flow through the reserve, all of which are tributaries of the Ghaghara River.
The Sharda River flows near Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, while the Geruwa River passes through Katerniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Suheli and Mohana streams flow through Dudhwa National Park.

Vegetation and Flora

The vegetation type is classified as North Indian Moist Deciduous Forest, with some of the finest Sal (Shorea robusta) forests in India.
Associated tree species include Terminalia alata (Asna), Lagerstroemia parviflora (Asidha), Adina cordifolia (Haldu), Mitragyna parviflora (Faldu), Gmelina arborea (Gahmar), and Holoptelea integrifolia (Kanju).

Fauna of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

The reserve supports a wide range of mammalian species such as tiger, leopard, swamp deer (barasingha), rhinoceros, chital, hog deer, barking deer, sambar, wild boar, and ratel (honey badger).
It is also a significant bird habitat, with around 400 bird species, including floricans and black-necked storks.

Rainbow Water Snake:

Scientific Classification

The Rainbow Water Snake’s scientific name is Enhydris enhydris.

Distribution

It is distributed across South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Laos.

Habitat

The species inhabits freshwater ecosystems such as marshlands, rural ponds, wetlands, and rice paddies.

Physical Features

The snake can grow up to 130 cm in length.
It is identified by two pale stripes running along the length of its body on either side of the vertebral line, which converge on the crown of the head.
Its body colour ranges from medium brown to greenish-brown, with the head and neck appearing more olive-toned.
The belly is pale, marked by a thin brown mid-ventral line.

Behaviour

The Rainbow Water Snake is slightly venomous and primarily fish-eating, posing little threat to humans.

Conservation Status

According to the IUCN Red List, the Rainbow Water Snake is classified as Least Concern.

The Chief of the Indian Navy recently announced that India will soon induct its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman, strengthening the country’s strategic deterrence capability.

About INS Aridhaman

INS Aridhaman is India’s third indigenously built nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine and the second submarine of the Arihant class.
It is being constructed under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) Project, India’s classified programme for building nuclear submarines.
The submarine is being built at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam, with major technological inputs from Indian scientific and defence establishments.

Technical Features of INS Aridhaman

Displacement and Propulsion

INS Aridhaman has a displacement of approximately 6,000 tonnes when surfaced and 7,000 tonnes when submerged.
It is powered by an 83 MW pressurised water nuclear reactor, developed and supplied by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

Armament and Combat Capabilities

INS Aridhaman is equipped with four vertical launch tubes capable of carrying:

• Up to 24 K-15 “Sagarika” submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each with a range of about 750 km, or

• Longer-range K-4 ballistic missiles with a range of up to 3,500 km, enabling strategic and intercontinental strike capability.

To enhance stealth and survivability, the submarine is fitted with anechoic tiles for acoustic damping and advanced sonar systems, reducing detection by enemy anti-submarine warfare platforms.

Strategic Significance

As an SSBN, INS Aridhaman forms a critical component of India’s nuclear triad, ensuring a credible second-strike capability and strengthening nuclear deterrence.

History of India’s Nuclear Submarine Programme

INS Arihant

INS Arihant was the first submarine under India’s SSBN programme and the country’s first indigenously built nuclear submarine.
It was launched in July 2009 and commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2016.

INS Arighaat

The Indian Navy commissioned its second indigenous SSBN, INS Arighaat, in August 2024, further expanding India’s undersea nuclear deterrent.

Assam is witnessing widespread unrest after a Group of Ministers (GoM) proposed a new three-tier classification within Scheduled Tribes (STs) to grant ST status to six communities.
While the proposal has addressed the long-standing demands of applicant groups, it has triggered strong opposition from existing tribal communities, leading to protests across the state.

Recommendations of Assam’s Group of Ministers on ST Classification

Three-Tier ST Structure

The GoM has recommended the creation of a three-tier structure within the Scheduled Tribes category, as outlined below:

ST (Plains)

The existing ST (Plains) category will continue for the present tribal communities living in the plains.
Additionally, the Moran, Matak, and Koch Rajbongshi community of the undivided Goalpara district have been recommended for inclusion.
The GoM clarified that this inclusion would not affect the existing benefits or entitlements of current ST (Plains) communities.

ST (Hills)

The ST (Hills) category will remain unchanged, and existing hill tribes will continue to enjoy their current status and benefits.

ST (Valley)

A new category, ST (Valley), has been proposed for the Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes, and Koch Rajbongshi (excluding those from the undivided Goalpara district).
This new category aims to address the demands of these communities without diluting the rights of existing ST groups.

Reservation Mechanism under the Proposal

The GoM stated that the three-tier structure would allow Assam to reorganise reservations without reducing existing entitlements of ST (Plains) and ST (Hills).
Separate reservation quotas would be applicable for state government jobs and educational institutions.
However, for central government services, all communities would continue to be part of a single unified ST list.
The GoM also noted that Parliamentary approval through special legislation would be required to give statutory effect to this three-tier classification.

Constitutional Provisions Related to Scheduled Tribes

Definition of Scheduled Tribes

Article 366(25) of the Constitution defines Scheduled Tribes as those tribal communities recognised under Article 342.

Notification of Scheduled Tribes

Under Article 342, the President is empowered to notify Scheduled Tribes for each State or Union Territory, after consultation with the Governor.
Any subsequent inclusion or exclusion from the ST list can be carried out only by Parliament through legislation, and not through executive orders.

Criteria for Identifying Scheduled Tribes

The Constitution does not specify criteria for identifying Scheduled Tribes.
In 1956, the government constituted the Lokur Committee, which identified features such as primitive traits, distinct culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with the wider community, and social and economic backwardness as indicators of a tribe.
Historically, the 1931 Census referred to such communities as “backward tribes” living in excluded or partially excluded areas.

Judicial Position on ST Sub-Classification

In State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024), the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of sub-classifying Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The Court allowed States to create sub-groups within SCs and STs to ensure a more equitable distribution of reservation benefits.

Constitutional Provisions on Reservation in Services

Article 16(4)

It empowers the State to provide reservation in public employment for backward classes that are inadequately represented in State services.

Article 46

It directs the State to promote the educational and economic interests of weaker sections, especially SCs and STs, and to protect them from social injustice and exploitation.

Article 335

It mandates that the claims of SCs and STs be considered in appointments to Union and State services, while also ensuring the efficiency of administration.