Daily PIB Highlights (18th & 19th April 2026)

Topic 1: Conclusion of the 7th Session of the 18th Lok Sabha

GS Paper 2: Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Context: The Seventh Session (Budget Session) of the 18th Lok Sabha, which commenced on January 28, 2026, concluded today. Speaker Shri Om Birla provided a summary of the House’s performance, legislative output, and productivity.

Session Productivity & Sittings

The session demonstrated high functional efficiency despite the heavy legislative and budgetary agenda.

• • Productivity: Approximately 93 percent.
  • Duration: 31 sittings totaling 151 hours and 42 minutes.
  • Key Event: The President of India addressed a joint sitting on January 28, 2026.

Budgetary Process (Union Budget 2026-27)

The primary focus of this session was the passage of the Union Budget:

1. Presentation: February 1, 2026.

2. General Discussion: Lasted 13 hours with 63 members participating.

3. Demands for Grants: Discussed between March 16–18, 2026.

4. Appropriation Bill: Passed on March 18, 2026.

5. Finance Bill: Passed on March 25, 2026.

Legislative Business

A total of 12 Government Bills were introduced, and 09 were passed.

• • Major Bills Passed:
    • The Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026
    • The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026
    • The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026
    • The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026
    • The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, 2026
  • The Delimitation & Constitution Amendment Debate: A combined discussion on the Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill lasted over 21 hours. Notably, the Constitution Amendment Bill was not passed.

Procedural Highlights & Discussions

The House utilized various parliamentary tools to address matters of national and international importance:

• • Rule 193 (Short Duration Discussion): A 6-hour discussion on “Efforts to free the country from Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)“.
  • Zero Hour: 326 matters of public importance were raised.
  • Rule 377: 650 matters were taken up for the attention of the Government.
  • Question Hour: 126 starred questions were answered orally.
  • International Relations: The Prime Minister made a statement on the West Asia conflict on March 23, 2026.

Technological & Scientific Milestones

• • Nuclear Milestone: The House was informed of the successful first criticality of India’s 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) on April 16, 2026.
  • Multilingualism: 181 statements were made in 18 Indian languages, utilizing the Parliament’s simultaneous interpretation system.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
Productivity	93% for the 7th Session.
Appropriation Bill	Authorizes the government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Fund of India.
Rule 193	Discussion without a formal motion or voting (Short Duration).
Rule 377	For matters that cannot be raised as questions or during Zero Hour.
PFBR	India’s 1st indigenous 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam.

Conclusion:

The Seventh Session was a blend of high legislative output and rigorous budgetary scrutiny. While the failure to pass the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill highlights the complexities of parliamentary consensus.

 

Topic 2: Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool)

GS Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.; Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.

GS Paper 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the creation of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMI Pool) with a sovereign guarantee of ₹12,980 crore to ensure continuous and affordable insurance coverage for India’s maritime trade.

Rationale Behind the BMI Pool

The initiative is a strategic response to increasing global volatility and India’s heavy dependence on international insurance markets:

1. Geopolitical Instability: Conflicts and sanctions in volatile maritime corridors (e.g., Red Sea, Black Sea) often lead to the sudden withdrawal of insurance coverage or exorbitant premiums by global insurers.

2. Sanctions Resilience: Ensures that Indian trade remains unaffected by third-party sanctions that might force international groups to stop covering Indian-flagged or destined vessels.

3. Reducing Dependency: Currently, Indian vessels rely heavily on the International Group of Protection and Indemnity (IGP&I) Clubs for third-party liabilities.

4. Sovereign Control: Strengthening self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in the maritime services sector.

Key Features of the Pool

The BMI Pool functions as a domestic risk-sharing mechanism:

• • Coverage Scope: Covers all critical maritime risks including:
    • Hull and Machinery: Damage to the vessel itself.
    • Cargo: Protection for the goods being transported.
    • Protection and Indemnity (P&I): Third-party liabilities like oil pollution, wreck removal, crew injury, and collision.
    • War Risk: Protection against losses due to conflict.
  • Capacity: The combined underwriting capacity of the pool members is approximately ₹950 crore.
  • Sovereign Guarantee: Backed by a ₹12,980 crore guarantee from the Government of India, providing the necessary financial “buffer” to manage large-scale claims.
  • Applicability: Available for Indian-flagged vessels, controlled vessels, or any vessel carrying cargo starting from or destined for Indian ports.

Strategic Benefits

• • Affordability: Provides a domestic alternative to volatile international premiums, keeping freight costs stable.
  • Expertise Building: Helps develop specialized marine underwriting, legal expertise, and claims management skills within India.
  • Continuity of Trade: Ensures that even during global crises, essential supplies (fuel, food, raw materials) can reach Indian shores without insurance bottlenecks.
  • Governance: A dedicated Governing Body will oversee the pool’s formation and operational functioning to ensure transparency and financial discipline.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
BMI Pool	Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool.
Sovereign Guarantee	₹12,980 crore.
Underwriting Capacity	~₹950 crore.
Risks Covered	Hull & Machinery, Cargo, P&I, and War Risk.
Nodal Body	Governed by a specially constituted body under the Ministry/Cabinet.
P&I Insurance	Protection & Indemnity (Covers third-party liabilities).

Conclusion:

The BMI Pool is a critical infrastructure for India’s Economic Sovereignty by insulating maritime trade from global geopolitical shocks and reducing the “drain” of insurance premiums to foreign clubs.

 

Topic 3: SEED Scheme – Empowering De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Communities

GS Paper 2: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

Context: The Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC) has reported unprecedented progress under the SEED (Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs) during the financial year 2025–26.

Understanding DNT, NT, and SNT Communities

• • DNT (De-notified Tribes): Tribes that were listed as “Criminal Tribes” under the British-era Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. These were “de-notified” in 1952, yet they continue to face social stigma.
  • Nomadic (NT) & Semi-Nomadic (SNT): Groups that do not have a fixed habitat and move from one place to another for their livelihood.
  • The Challenge: These communities are often the most marginalized, frequently falling outside the traditional SC/ST/OBC classifications, leading to a lack of access to basic rights and welfare.

Performance of the SEED Scheme (2025–26)

The SEED scheme operates on four pillars: Education, Health, Livelihood, and Housing.

1. Educational Empowerment

• • Achievement: Disbursed ₹26.75 crore, a massive 402.8% surge compared to the previous year.
  • Outreach: Reached 4,485 beneficiaries, reflecting a 714% increase.
  • Focus: Providing quality coaching for competitive examinations and scholarships for higher education.

2. Livelihood Development

• • Achievement: ₹16.00 crore channeled to empower 64,701 individuals.
  • Entrepreneurship: Facilitated the formation of 5,623 Self-Help Groups (SHGs) across eight states.
  • Impact: Encourages grassroots entrepreneurship and community-led economic resilience, moving away from traditional hand-to-mouth existence.

3. Health Coverage

• • Achievement: Issued 73,569 Ayushman Bharat cards to DNT community members.
  • Growth: A 419% increase over the previous year, ensuring that these underserved communities have a financial safety net for secondary and tertiary hospitalization.

Institutional Framework

• • DWBDNC: Established as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to specifically address the needs of these communities.
  • SEED Portal: A dedicated digital platform for transparent application and tracking of benefits by members of the DNT/NT/SNT communities.

Strategic Significance

1. Breaking the Stigma: By providing formal education and livelihood support, the government is helping these communities integrate into the mainstream economy.

2. Last-Mile Inclusion: Reaching communities that are “invisible” to traditional census and welfare mechanisms due to their nomadic nature.

3. Data-Driven Upliftment: The massive growth percentages indicate that the government’s identification and outreach processes (via the SEED portal) have become highly efficient in 2025–26.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
SEED Scheme	Scheme for Economic Empowerment of De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities.
Nodal Agency	DWBDNC (under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment).
Four Pillars	Education, Health (Ayushman Bharat), Livelihood (SHGs), and Housing (PMAY).
Criminal Tribes Act	The British law (1871) that originally marginalized these tribes.
Target 2025-26	Exponential growth in beneficiaries (714% in education, 419% in health).

Conclusion:

The performance of the SEED scheme in 2025–26 represents a historic milestone in India’s pursuit of inclusive growth.

 

Topic 4: India’s First Advanced 3D Semiconductor Packaging Unit (Odisha)

GS Paper 3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Indigenization of technology and developing new technology; Industrial Policy and its effects on industrial growth.

Context: The foundation stone for India’s first advanced 3D chip packaging unit was laid at Info Valley, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. This project, promoted by 3D Glass Solutions (USA), marks a significant leap in India’s semiconductor value chain.

What is 3D Semiconductor Packaging?

In traditional chip manufacturing, chips are placed side-by-side on a flat surface. In Advanced 3D Packaging, chips or components are stacked vertically.

• • Heterogeneous Integration: This process allows different types of chips (e.g., memory, logic, and analog) to be integrated into a single, compact package.
  • Glass Substrate Technology: The Odisha unit will use embedded glass substrates. Glass is superior to traditional plastic/organic substrates as it allows for more densely packed connections, better heat management, and faster data speeds.
  • 3DHI Modules: The facility will produce 3D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) modules, which are essential for ultra-high-speed computing.

Project Highlights & Economic Impact

The project is being implemented by Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (HIPSPL), the Indian subsidiary of 3D Glass Solutions Inc..

• • Investment: Total cost of ₹1,943.53 crore.
  • Financial Support: Approved Central support of ₹799 crore (under India Semiconductor Mission) and State support of ₹399.5 crore.
  • Capacity: Targeted production of 70,000 glass panels and 50 million assembled units annually.
  • Timeline: Commercial production expected by August 2028; full-scale volume by 2030.

Strategic Applications

The components manufactured at this facility will be “Dual-Use” (Civilian & Military) and power the next generation of technology:

1. AI & High-Performance Computing: Essential for data centers processing massive AI workloads.

2. 5G/6G Communications: Enabling the high-frequency signal processing required for future networks.

3. Defence & Aerospace: High-reliability electronics for automotive radar and photonics.

Odisha as a Semiconductor Hub

Odisha is carving a unique niche in the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) by focusing on specialized technologies:

• • Double First: Odisha is the only state hosting both India’s first Compound Semiconductor Fabrication unit and its first 3D Glass Substrate Packaging facility.
  • Policy Support: The Odisha Semiconductor Policy 2025 provides specific incentives for R&D and skill development, including stipends for engineering students.
  • Transition: The state is shifting its economic identity from “Resource-based” (minerals/metals) to “Technology-led”.

UPSC Prelims Fodder: Fact-Check

Feature	Details
Project Name	Heterogeneous Integration Packaging Solutions.
Location	Info Valley, Khordha district (Bhubaneswar), Odisha.
Technology	Advanced 3D Packaging / Glass Substrates.
Nodal Agency	India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) under MeitY.
Mobile Export	India emerged as a leading mobile phone exporter in 2025.

Conclusion:

While previous semiconductor announcements focused on traditional Silicon Fabrication (Dholera) or ATMP (Sanand), the Odisha 3D Packaging unit targets the high-end, future-tech segment.

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