GK One-Liners

What: The Union Cabinet approved ₹4,600 crore support for four new semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), taking the total approved projects to 10 with planned investment of approximately ₹1.6 lakh crore across six states. The newly cleared projects are by SiCSem, CDIL, 3D Glass Solutions, and ASIP Technologies.

How: These projects expand India’s semiconductor capabilities across fabrication, advanced packaging, and glass-substrate technology. The chips produced will benefit critical sectors including defence, electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. The ISM provides fiscal support through capital subsidies, interest subvention, and infrastructure assistance to attract investments.

Why: The India Semiconductor Mission (₹76,000 crore outlay) is crucial for reducing import dependence on chips from Taiwan, South Korea, and China. Questions on semiconductor policy, fab plants (like Tata-PSMC in Gujarat), and strategic importance of chip manufacturing are highly relevant for UPSC GS-III (Economy, Science & Technology). Understanding supply chain security in electronics demonstrates awareness of techno-strategic autonomy.

What: The Health Ministry launched SHRESTH (State Health Regulatory Excellence for Sustainable Transformation and Health), a first-of-its-kind index designed by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to benchmark and upgrade state drug-regulatory systems. The index uses virtual gap assessments and maturity certification to improve pharmaceutical regulation nationwide.

How: SHRESTH assesses states on parameters including staffing, infrastructure, licensing procedures, surveillance mechanisms, and responsiveness to drug quality issues. States file monthly data and are categorised as manufacturing-focused or distribution-focused based on their pharmaceutical sector profile. The index identifies gaps and provides roadmaps for capacity building.

Why: Drug regulation, CDSCO’s role, and pharmaceutical quality control are important topics for UPSC GS-II (Governance) and GS-III (Science & Technology). Understanding India’s drug regulatory framework, state-centre coordination in health matters (Concurrent List), and initiatives to combat spurious drugs demonstrates awareness of public health governance challenges.

What: Lok Sabha passed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025 to replace the outdated Indian Ports Act, 1908. The new legislation modernises port governance through digitisation, sustainability measures, tariff transparency, and stronger centre-state coordination through bodies like the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC).

How: The Bill establishes a comprehensive framework for both major ports (under Centre) and non-major ports (under states), promoting uniformity in regulations, safety standards, and environmental compliance. It facilitates port development, enhances ease of doing business for shipping lines, and supports India’s maritime trade expansion under Sagarmala Programme.

Why: India’s port infrastructure, major ports (12 currently), and maritime sector reforms are essential for UPSC GS-III (Infrastructure, Economy). Understanding the distinction between major and non-major ports, role of Maritime India Vision 2030, and legislative modernisation demonstrates awareness of India’s blue economy development and trade facilitation efforts.

What: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) sanctioned the ₹8,146.21 crore, 700-MW Tato-II hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Shi Yomi district. The project targets completion in 72 months and will generate approximately 2,738 million units of electricity annually, with free power allocation and local-area development benefits for the state.

How: Arunachal Pradesh has the highest hydropower potential in India (over 50,000 MW), but much remains untapped due to challenging terrain, environmental concerns, and connectivity issues. The Tato-II project on the Siang River system will add to India’s clean energy capacity while providing employment and infrastructure development in the strategically important northeastern region.

Why: Hydropower projects, especially in the Northeast and Himalayan states, are frequently tested in UPSC GS-I (Geography) and GS-III (Energy, Environment). Understanding run-of-river versus storage projects, state-wise hydropower potential, and the balance between development and environmental concerns (particularly for Siang/Brahmaputra basin projects) demonstrates comprehensive knowledge of India’s energy security landscape.

What: The government announced new defence industrial corridors in Maharashtra and Assam to deepen indigenous manufacturing, build supply chains, create employment, and support rising defence production and exports under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. These add to the existing corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu announced in 2018.

How: Defence Industrial Corridors create clusters of defence manufacturing units with shared infrastructure, testing facilities, and supplier ecosystems. The Maharashtra corridor leverages the state’s existing industrial base, while the Assam corridor addresses strategic needs in the Northeast. Both corridors aim to attract private investment and promote MSME participation in defence supply chains.

Why: India’s defence industrial corridors (UP corridor: Lucknow-Kanpur-Agra-Aligarh-Chitrakoot-Jhansi; TN corridor: Chennai-Hosur-Coimbatore-Salem-Tiruchirappalli) are important topics for UPSC GS-III and defence examinations. Understanding the strategic rationale, nodes/cities involved, and objectives of indigenisation demonstrates awareness of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem transformation.

What: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) signed a five-year Research & Development partnership with the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) to strengthen Aadhaar’s security and accuracy. The collaboration will focus on biometric liveness detection, improved matching algorithms, and fraud/anomaly detection using advanced data-driven methods.

How: Biometric liveness detection ensures that authentication uses a live person rather than photographs, masks, or synthetic fingerprints. Improved matching algorithms enhance accuracy in identifying individuals while reducing false rejections. Anomaly detection systems use statistical and machine learning techniques to identify suspicious patterns that may indicate fraud or identity theft.

Why: Aadhaar’s security architecture, UIDAI’s role, and biometric authentication are important topics for banking exams and UPSC GS-II (Governance). Understanding privacy concerns, Supreme Court’s Puttaswamy judgment, and technological measures to protect the world’s largest biometric database demonstrates awareness of digital governance challenges and solutions in India’s unique ID ecosystem.