Daily PIB Highlights (11-07-2025)

Topic- 1: Bharat 6G Alliance: Focus on Indigenous Innovation and Global Leadership

GS-3: Science and Technology – Developments and their Applications

The context:

The Union Minister of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, recently reviewed the progress of the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA), reaffirming the Government’s commitment to making India a global leader in 6G technology by 2030.

Bharat 6G Alliance Progress Review – Key Highlights

• • The Union Minister of Communications, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, reviewed the progress of the Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA).
  • He emphasized the government’s strong support for advancing next-generation communication technologies like 6G.
  • The Minister urged the Alliance to work towards India achieving 10% of global IPRs (Intellectual Property Rights) in 6G.
  • Detailed presentations were given by working group leaders on India’s path to becoming a global 6G leader by 2030.
  • Key innovations were showcased in Indigenous RAN (Radio Access Network), inclusive rural networks, and cross-sector 6G applications.
  • The Alliance now includes 80 organizations, with over 30 being startups, showing India’s growing interest in 6G innovation.
  • B6GA highlighted developments in using 6G for agriculture, healthcare, and smart, sustainable infrastructure.
  • The government reaffirmed its support through policies, increased research funding, and spectrum allocation for testing.
  • The Minister called for a focused and strategic roadmap, along with regular monitoring of each working group’s progress.
  • The Bharat 6G Alliance was formed following the 2023 Bharat 6G Vision Document and brings together academia, industry, and public institutions to build a strong 6G ecosystem.

About Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA):

• • It is a collaborative platform which aims to achieve universal and affordable connectivity, promote indigenous technology, and establish India as a global leader in the telecom sector.
  • This platform consists of public and private companies, academia, research institutions, and standards development organizations, and aims to lead the development and deployment of 6G technology in India.
  • It will forge coalitions and synergies with other 6G Global Alliances, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
  • The Alliance will enable India to become a leading global supplier of IP, products and solutions of affordable 5G and 6G and other future telecom solutions,
  • Aim: To bring together Indian startups, companies, and the manufacturing ecosystem to establish consortia that drive the design, development and deployment of 6G technologies in India.
  • One of the key goals of B6GA is to facilitate market access for Indian telecom technology products and services, enabling the country to emerge as a global leader in 6G technology.

 

Source: PIB

Topic- 2: Agra Rejuvenates: From Landfill to Landmark

GS-3: Environment & Governance Schemes

The context:

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban (SBM-U) 2.0, Agra Municipal Corporation has transformed the Kuberpur landfill into the Integrated Waste Management City of Agra, setting a national model in sustainable solid waste management, land reclamation, and urban environmental transformation.

Agra Rejuvenates: From Landfill to Landmark

• • Agra has transformed the Kuberpur landfill site into a clean and green area under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban.
  • In 2007, the Kuberpur site was a regular landfill where huge amounts of waste were dumped daily.
  • In 2019, Agra Municipal Corporation began cleaning the site using bioremediation and biomining, with expert help and private collaboration.
  • A waste-to-compost plant was started in 2019 with a capacity of 300 TPD, which was later expanded to 500 TPD.
  • By December 2024, around 1.9 million metric tons of old waste were removed, reclaiming 47 acres of land.
  • On the reclaimed land, 10 acres were planted with trees using the Miyawaki technique, and 5 acres were made into a modern sanitary landfill.
  • Four Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) with a total capacity of 405 TPD were set up to handle waste efficiently.
  • 100% waste segregation at the source and door-to-door collection of segregated waste have been made compulsory.
  • In January 2025, a 65 TPD plastic waste plant began turning plastic into affordable water pipes for farmers.
  • The site is now an “Integrated Waste Management City” and also serves as a learning center for students and researchers.

• • Agra’s Remarkable Journey: From a Toxic Dumpsite to a Green, Sustainable City – In its mission to create a clean and waste-free city by implementing the 3R principles—Reduce, Reuse, Recycle—Agra Municipal Corporation, under the SBM-U has achieved a historic milestone. This success is not just a technological advancement but also an exemplar of environmental conservation, sustainable development, and public awareness.

Facts:

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) 2.0:

• • Launched in 2021, the SBM Urban 2.0 has the target of clearing around 2,400 legacy landfill sites in the country by 2025-2026.
  • Legacy waste dumpsites are places that contain solid waste that has been collected and stored for years in an unscientific and uncontrolled manner.
  • Funding: To get funding from SBM Urban 2.0, cities are supposed to submit action plans to the MoHUA for bioremediation of their legacy landfills and then reuse of the land cleared.
  • Process: Converting the waste into different categories, leading to the –
  • Creation of refuse derived fuel (RDF) for waste-to-energy plants,
  • Recycling of construction and demolition waste and bio-soil that can be used for road construction

What is Biomining?

• • It is the technique of extracting metals from ores and other solid materials, typically using micro-organisms (bacteria, archae, fungi, or plants).
  • Biomining techniques may also be used to clean up sites that have been polluted with metals.

About the Miyawaki Technique:

Dense, multi-layered plantation method that mimics natural forests.

• • It was developed by renowned Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s.
  • It is a revolutionary method for creating dense forests in limited spaces.
  • It is often referred to as the ‘pot plantation method’, it involves planting trees and shrubs close to one another to accelerate their growth. Plants grow 10 times faster with this technique, making it a practical solution for urban areas.
  • This method mimics natural forests by using a mix of native species planted densely.

 

Source: PIB

Topic- 3: Fossil Leaf Study Reveals How Himalayas Transformed Kashmir’s Climate 4 Million Years Ago

GS-1 & 3: Geography & Environment and Climate Change

International Relations (IR) 

The context:

A pioneering study by Indian scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP) has uncovered how tectonic uplift of the Pir Panjal Range—a sub-Himalayan mountain range—drastically altered the climate of the Kashmir Valley about 4 million years ago.

The Finding:

• • Scientists have discovered that the Kashmir Valley once had a warm, humid subtropical climate, unlike its current cool Mediterranean-type climate.
  • This discovery came from fossilized leaves found in the Karewa sediments, studied by researchers at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow.
  • The fossil leaves showed plant species that no longer exist in the region, indicating a major past climate shift.
  • Researchers linked this change to the uplift of the Pir Panjal mountain range, which blocked the Indian summer monsoon from reaching the valley.
  • This mountain growth dried up the area over time and changed its vegetation and climate completely.
  • Scientists used a technique called CLAMP to study leaf features like shape and edges to estimate past temperature and rainfall.
  • They also compared the fossil plants with their modern relatives using the coexistence approach to understand the old climate conditions.
  • The findings showed that about 4 million years ago, Kashmir was a lush, rainy, and warm landscape.
  • The research helps us understand how tectonic forces like mountain building can cause long-term climate changes.
  • The study also offers valuable lessons for predicting future climate changes and protecting sensitive regions like the Himalayas.

The Greater Himalayas (Himadri/Inner Himalayas/Central Himalayas)

• • Composed of Archaean rocks like granite, gneiss, and schist.
  • Orientation changes across regions:
    • Southeast across northern Pakistan, India, and Nepal.
    • Eastward across Sikkim and Bhutan.
    • Northeast across northern Arunachal Pradesh.
  • Home to several of the world’s highest peaks, including:
    • Nanga Parbat, Mount Everest, Kanchenjunga, and Namcha Barwa.
  • The slopes are steep in the north and gentler in the south

The Pir Panjal range

• • The Pir Panjal range in Kashmir is the longest and the most important range.
  • It extends from the Jhelum river to the upper Beas river for over 300 km.
  • It rises to 5,000 metres and contains mostly volcanic rocks.

Passes in Pir Panjal

• • Pir Panjal Pass (3,480 m), the Bidil (4,270 m), Golabghar Pass (3,812 m) and Banihal Pass (2,835 m).
  • The Banihal Pass is used by the Jammu-Srinagar highway and Jammu-Baramula railway.
  • The Kishanganga, the Jhelum and the Chenab cut through the range.
  • Southeast of the Ravi, the Pir Panjal continues as Dhaola Dhar range, passing through Dalhousie, Dharmshala, and Shimla.

Important Valleys

• • Between the Pir Panjal and the Zaskar Range of the main Himalayas, lies the valley of Kashmir. (average elevation is 1,585 m above mean sea level)
  • The synclinal basin of the valley is floored with alluvial, lacustrine [lake deposits], fluvial [river action] and glacial deposits. {Fluvial Landforms, Glacial Landforms}
  • Jehlum River meanders through these deposits and cuts a deep gorge in Pir Panjal through which it drains. (Kashmir is like a basin with very few outlets)
  • In Himachal Pradesh there is Kangra Valley. It is a strike valley and extends from the foot of the Dhaola Dhar Range to the south of Beas.
  • On the other hand, the Kulu Valley in the upper course of the Ravi is transverse valley.

 

Source: PIB

Topic- 4: Aadi KARMAYOGI: A Whole-of-Nation Movement for Responsive Tribal Governance

GS-1, 2 & 4: Society – Tribal Development &  Governance, Welfare Schemes, and Government Policies and Ethics: Responsive Governance

The context:

On Guru Purnima (10 July 2025), the Ministry of Tribal Affairs launched the first Regional Process Lab (RPL) under the Aadi KARMAYOGI – National Mission for Responsive Governance in Bengaluru. The mission aims to build a cadre of 2 million tribal change leaders to strengthen last-mile governance and empower tribal communities across India.

The Key Highlights:

• • The RPL in Bengaluru will train State Master Trainers (SMTs) from southern states like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
  • The mission was launched on Guru Purnima, symbolizing the nurturing of tribal change leaders as “Gurus” of governance.
  • Aadi KARMAYOGI is based on bottom-up governance and emphasizes tribal ethos, local leadership, and community empowerment.
  • The mission aligns with major initiatives like PM-JANMAN (Whole of Government) and DAJGUA (Whole of Society), aiming for a Whole-of-Nation
  • SMTs will lead State Process Labs (SPLs) and train District Master Trainers (DMTs) in a cascading capacity-building model.
  • The mission promotes real-time grievance redressal, participatory learning, and convergence across departments like Tribal Affairs, Rural Development, and Education.
  • Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are also involved to localize training and ensure culturally relevant tribal governance models.
  • The Ministry will organize the Aadikarita National Meet to honour outstanding SMTs and DMTs as champions of tribal empowerment and governance reform.

About the Mission Karmayogi (Civil services reform initiative):

• • Mission Karmyogi or National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB).
  • Mission Karmayogi aims to prepare Civil Servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive & innovative through transparency and technology.
  • This unique programme will help to lay the foundation for civil servants in the country.
  • There will be more focus on ‘on-site learning’ in complementing “off-site learning”

Objectives:

• • The stated aim of Mission Karmayogi is to provide a mechanism to continuously build capacity, update the talent pool, and provide equal opportunities for personal and professional growth and esteem of government officials at all levels.
  • Karmayogi seeks to shift the focus from rule-specific to role-specific.
  • The Mission will help training the officers to meet the challenges of the society.
  • It aims at building future-ready civil service with the right attitude, skills & knowledge, aligned to the vision of New India.
  • The endeavour is also to end the culture of working in the silos and to overcome the multiplicity of training curriculum because of the institutions spread all over the country.
  • It will improve the Human Resource management practices in the Government and will use scale & state of the art infrastructure to augment the capacity of Civil Servants.

Executing Bodies:

• • It will be steered by four new bodies.
  • The new entities will be a Prime Minister’s Public Human Resources Council, a Capacity Building Commission, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will own and operate the digital assets and technological platform for online training, and a Coordination Unit, which will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary

Celebrating Change Agents at the Aadikarita National Meet

• • To honour innovation, service, and commitment, the Ministry will soon host the “Aadikarita National Meet”, where outstanding SMTs and DMTs will be recognized as India’s tribal empowerment champions—true Karmayogisof governance transformation.

PM-JANMAN (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups development):

• • PM-JANMAN was launched on 15th November 2023, on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas,  to improve the socio-economic welfare of PVTGs.
  • It is implemented by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, in collaboration with the State governments and the PVTGs communities.
    • It encompasses various sectors, including safe housing under the PM-Awas Scheme, access to clean drinking water, improved healthcare, education, nutrition, road and telecommunications connectivity, as well as opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.
  • The plan also includes the establishment of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras for trading in forest produce, off-grid solar power systems for 1 lakh households, and solar street lights.
  • The scheme is expected to enhance the quality of life and well-being of the PVTGs, by addressing their multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and exclusion, and by recognizing and valuing their unique and valuable contribution to national and global development.

 

Source: PIB

Topic- 5: TALASH (Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub) Initiative – Fostering Holistic Development of Tribal Students

GS-1 & 2: Tribal Issues & Education, Welfare Schemes, Inclusive Development

The context:

The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS), in collaboration with UNICEF India, launched TALASH – Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills, and Self-Esteem Hub – a pioneering national initiative to ensure the all-round development of tribal students enrolled in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across India.

About the TALASH (Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub) Initiative

• • The TALASH initiative was launched by NESTS and UNICEF India to support the overall development of tribal students in Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).
  • TALASH stands for Tribal Aptitude, Life Skills and Self-Esteem Hub, focusing on self-awareness, life skills, and career clarity.
  • It is the first national programme in India designed specifically for the holistic growth of tribal school students.
  • TALASH will benefit over 38 lakh students across 28 States and 8 Union Territories through EMRSs.
  • The initiative includes psychometric assessments (inspired by NCERT’s ‘Tamanna’) to help students identify their strengths and receive career cards with suggested paths.
  • Career counselling is provided to guide students in choosing careers that match their talents and interests.
  • TALASH also includes modules on life skills such as communication, problem-solving, and emotional management to boost confidence and self-esteem.
  • A dedicated e-learning portal for teachers offers training and resources to help them mentor and support students better.
  • The rollout is happening in phases, with 189 teachers from 75 EMRSs already trained to implement the programme in their schools.
  • TALASH aligns with NEP 2020 and aims to bring equitable, inclusive, and technology-driven education to tribal students, ensuring long-term success through continuous feedback and updates.

The initiative Significance:

• • Psychometric Assessments: Inspired by NCERT’s ‘Tamanna’ initiative, TALASH offers a common aptitude test to help understand each student’s strengths and interests. Based on the test results, students receive Career Cards that suggest the best career options suited to their skills and abilities.
  • Career Counselling : The platform guides students toward informed career decisions, helping them align their aspirations with their aptitudes.
  • Life Skills & Self-Esteem Modules: TALASH has special sections that help students learn important life skills like solving problems, communication skills, and handling emotions. These build confidence and self- value of students.
  • E-Learning for Teachers: A specialized portal equips educators with resources and training to effectively mentor and support students in their academic and personal journeys.

The national rollout of the TALASH initiative will follow a phased rollout across select cities for  a smooth and inclusive implementation.

• • “TALASH is a testament to our commitment to providing tribal students with opportunities to realize their full potential. Through this initiative, we aim to bridge gaps in education and empower the next generation of tribal leaders.”
  • The partnership between NESTS and UNICEF reflects a shared commitment to inclusive and equitable education. Through the use of technology and evidence-based tools, the TALASH initiative will enable tribal students, even in remote areas, to have access to quality resources. Aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, TALASH focuses on holistic development and equal learning opportunities for all.
  • TALASH will continue to evolve by incorporating feedback from students, teachers, and stakeholders, while regular evaluations and updates will help tailor the platform to the specific needs of EMRS students, ensuring its long-term success and relevance.

About NESTS: The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) is an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, dedicated to providing quality education to tribal students through Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) across India.

About UNICEF: UNICEF works in over 190 countries to promote the rights and well-being of every child, with a focus on education, health, and protection for the most vulnerable communities.

 

Source: PIB

Topic- 6: The National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) Partners with Tata Motors and Ex-Navodayan Foundation to Coach EMRS Tribal Students for JEE and NEET

GS-1 and 2: Society – Tribal Empowerment & Governance – Education, Welfare Schemes

The context:

On 9th July 2025, the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs signed a tripartite MoU with Tata Motors Limited (TML) and the Ex-Navodayan Foundation (ENF) to provide quality JEE/NEET coaching to students of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs).

About the NESTS-Tata Motors-ENF partnership:

• • NESTS, under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, has signed a tripartite MoU with Tata Motors Limited and the Ex-Navodayan Foundation (ENF) to coach tribal students for JEE and NEET exams.
  • The partnership aims to help Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) students prepare for India’s top engineering and medical entrance exams.
  • The five-year agreement starts from the academic year 2025-26 and aims to bridge the education gap for tribal students.
  • Over 1.38 lakh EMRS students across 28 States and 8 Union Territories are expected to benefit from this initiative.
  • The programme includes residential Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for intensive in-person coaching of talented Grade XI and XII Science students.
  • The first CoEs will be set up in Chankapur (Maharashtra) and Chintapalle (Andhra Pradesh), with plans for expansion based on success.
  • It also provides virtual coaching for all digitally-equipped EMRSs, especially targeting students in Grades IX to XII.
  • The coaching includes support for Olympiads, NTSE, and KVPY in addition to JEE/NEET, helping students build strong academic foundations.
  • This partnership aims to boost confidence, ambition, and national-level competitiveness among tribal youth.
  • It is a major step towards inclusive education, creating a talent pipeline from tribal communities for India’s future growth.

Significance:

• • Addresses critical need for quality coaching in tribal areas
  • Promotes social equity and access to national competitive exams
  • Strengthens confidence, aspirations, and academic skills of tribal students
  • Aligned with NEP 2020 vision of equity and excellence in education

About the Institutions:

• • NESTS: Autonomous body under Ministry of Tribal Affairs, runs EMRSs
  • ENF (Ex-Navodayan Foundation): NGO founded by Navodaya alumni; specializes in academic mentoring
  • Tata Motors: Partnering through CSR to support tribal education

Way Forward:

• • Expand CoEs to more tribal regions
  • Monitor outcomes for improvement and scalability
  • Integrate mentorship, digital access, and counselling support

 

Source: PIB

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