Daily Current Affairs - 19th November 2025
- TPP
- Nov 19
- 14 min read
Updated: Nov 21
Comprehensive UPSC Current Affairs Summary | MoSPI Releases NIC, NAP-AMR) 2.0., PMFBY, Vanashakti Judgment, 6th National Water Awards, Base Effect, CCPI, Gaza Peace Plan and more.
If you missed Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP) | Sept - Oct 2025, read it here.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the National Industrial Classification (NIC) – 2025.
The NIC is a fundamental tool used for statistical surveys, censuses, economic research, and policy formulation.
About National Industrial Classification (NIC) – 2025
NIC 2025 updates the earlier NIC 2008 classification.
The NIC system was originally introduced in 1962.
NIC 2025 has been prepared by MoSPI in alignment with the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC) Revision 5.
ISIC Revision 5 is developed by the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) to standardize global economic activity classifications.
Major Changes in NIC 2025
NIC 2025 introduces a structural change by shifting from the 5-digit coding structure of NIC 2008 to a 6-digit coding structure.
The 6-digit coding system allows greater granularity, meaning more detailed classification of economic activities.
The 6-digit system also offers greater flexibility, enabling accurate representation of new and emerging sectors.
NIC 2025 formally recognizes indigenous sectors such as Ayush-based healthcare.
It also recognizes the handloom industry, which is an important traditional craft sector.
NIC 2025 includes renewable energy as a distinctly recognized sector.
It includes fintech, referring to technology-enabled financial services.
It includes e-commerce, meaning online buying and selling platforms.
It includes digital intermediation, meaning digital platforms that connect buyers and sellers or service providers and users.
Salient Features of NIC 2025
NIC 2025 enhances the classification of intermediation services, which are services that facilitate transactions between two parties.
New classes have been created for intermediaries in the power sector, retail sector, logistics sector, healthcare sector, and education sector.
NIC 2025 distinctly represents the digital economy, which includes technology-driven economic activities.
It specifically classifies cloud infrastructure, referring to remote servers used for storage and computing.
It classifies blockchain, which is a decentralized digital ledger technology.
It classifies platform-based services, meaning services delivered through digital platforms or apps.
It classifies web search portals, which are platforms used for internet searches.
NIC 2025 integrates environmental and green economy activities, reflecting India’s focus on sustainability.
It includes activities related to carbon capture, meaning technologies that trap and store carbon dioxide emissions.
It includes activities related to waste management, such as recycling and disposal systems.
It includes environmental remediation, meaning actions that restore polluted environments.
These inclusions align NIC 2025 with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
NIC 2025 is technology agnostic, meaning it does not distinguish activities based on traditional or modern production techniques.
The Union Minister has launched the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR) 2.0.
NAP-AMR 2.0 will be implemented for the period 2025–29.
About NAP-AMR 2.0
NAP-AMR 2.0 builds upon the gaps identified in the first National Action Plan (2017–2021).
It aligns with the Global Action Plan on AMR developed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It includes specific action plans for each stakeholder ministry or department.
These action plans include defined timelines for implementation.
These action plans also include allocated budgets for monitoring.
NAP-AMR 2.0 aims to enable effective monitoring of progress in AMR-related actions.
Key Strategies of NAP-AMR 2.0
The plan focuses on increasing the ownership of AMR-related efforts within responsible stakeholders.
It establishes well-defined mechanisms for strengthening inter-sectoral coordination, meaning cooperation across sectors such as health, agriculture, and environment.
It prioritizes enhancing laboratory capacity for detecting antimicrobial resistance.
It focuses on improving infection control in healthcare facilities, meaning better protocols to prevent the spread of infections.
It aims to ensure stronger engagement with the private sector, which includes private hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and diagnostic labs.
About Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms evolve mechanisms that make them resistant to antimicrobial drugs.
Microorganisms include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, all of which can develop resistance.
AMR means that medicines designed to kill these organisms become ineffective.
Impact of AMR
AMR is a global health threat, causing around 4.95 million deaths annually worldwide.
Out of these, 1.27 million deaths are directly attributed to AMR.
AMR increases the healthcare burden, because ineffective treatment raises healthcare expenses for families.
AMR weakens productivity, which reduces economic output.
AMR increases financial losses, affecting both national and global economic development.
AMR causes delays in effective treatment, because resistant infections do not respond to standard medicines.
AMR negatively impacts food production, due to reduced effectiveness of antimicrobials used in livestock and agriculture.
AMR threatens medical procedures, such as surgeries and chemotherapy, which rely on effective antibiotics to prevent infection.
AMR risks causing a reversal of medical progress, making once-treatable infections difficult or impossible to cure.
The Government has introduced new modalities under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to strengthen farmer protection.
The revised PMFBY framework will be implemented from Kharif 2026.
The scheme adds crop loss due to wild animal attacks as the fifth add-on cover under Localised Risks.
Wild animal attacks refer to crop damage caused by animals identified by the State as frequent destroyers of crops.
The scheme has restored paddy inundation as a localised calamity cover, which was removed in 2018.
Paddy inundation means crop damage caused by prolonged waterlogging or submergence of paddy fields.
State governments will notify the list of wild animals that cause crop damage.
States will also notify vulnerable districts based on historical data on wildlife-related damage.
Farmers must report crop losses within 72 hours through the official crop insurance mobile app.
Farmers must attach geo-tagged photos, meaning photos embedded with real-time location coordinates, for verification.
PMFBY: Comprehensive Crop Risk Coverage
Prevented Sowing / Planting / Germination
PMFBY covers Prevented Sowing, Planting, or Germination when crops cannot be sown due to deficit rainfall.
It also covers Prevented Sowing when adverse seasonal conditions restrict sowing operations.
Standing Crop Protection (Sowing to Harvesting)
PMFBY protects Standing Crops from sowing to harvesting against drought.
It protects Standing Crops against dry spells, flood and inundation.
Post-Harvest Loss Protection
PMFBY covers Post-Harvest Losses for up to two weeks after harvest for crops left in the field for drying.
Post-Harvest coverage includes protection against hailstorms.
Post-Harvest coverage includes protection against cyclones.
Post-Harvest coverage includes protection against unseasonal rains.
Total Risk Protection
PMFBY offers Total Risk Protection by combining pre-sowing, standing crop, and post-harvest coverage.
Localized Calamities & Add-On Wildlife Protection
PMFBY covers localised calamities, such as hailstorm.
It covers localised calamities like landslide.
It covers other localised risks identified by the State.
States may offer an Add-On Wildlife Damage Coverage in high-risk districts.
The Wildlife Damage add-on covers losses due to wild animal attacks in those areas.
Risk Exclusions under PMFBY
PMFBY excludes War Risks, meaning crop losses caused by war or war-like events.
PMFBY excludes Nuclear Risks, meaning losses caused by nuclear radiation or fallout.
PMFBY excludes Malicious Damage, meaning intentional destruction of crops by individuals.
PMFBY excludes other preventable risks, meaning losses that could have been avoided by reasonable precaution.
About PM Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)
PMFBY was launched in 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.
PMFBY is implemented as a Central Sector Scheme, meaning funding comes largely from the Central Government with predefined sharing pattern.
Aims & Objectives
The scheme aims to provide financial support to farmers suffering crop loss or crop damage.
The scheme aims to stabilize farmers’ income after crop losses.
The scheme aims to ensure continuous credit flow to the agriculture sector.
The scheme also promotes innovative and modern agricultural practices.
The scheme encourages crop diversification, meaning growing varied crops instead of relying on a single crop.
Eligibility
The scheme covers all farmers, including sharecroppers.
It also covers tenant farmers, meaning farmers who cultivate land owned by others on rental terms.
The scheme applies only to farmers growing notified crops in notified areas declared by the State.
Premium Payable by Farmers
Farmers pay 2% premium for Kharif crops, 1.5% premium for Rabi crops, 5% premium for commercial crops.
Farmers pay 5% premium for horticultural crops.
Government Premium Contribution
The premium is shared 50:50 between the Central Government and State Governments.
North-Eastern and Himalayan States follow a 90:10 cost-sharing ratio, meaning the Centre pays 90% and the State pays 10%.
The Supreme Court has recalled its earlier Vanashakti judgment, which had barred ex-post-facto environmental clearances (EC).
The Vanashakti judgment had struck down a 2017 notification issued by the Centre.
The judgment had also struck down a 2021 Office Memorandum (OM) that allowed ex-post-facto ECs.
Ex-post-facto EC means an environmental clearance granted after a project has already started or been completed, instead of before commencement.
Reasoning Behind Recalling the Vanashakti Judgment
A. Legal Reasons
The Chief Justice of India observed that the Vanashakti judgment had ignored legal precedents of coordinate benches.
Ignoring earlier binding judgments made the decision per incuriam, meaning delivered without considering relevant law.
The D. Swamy vs Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (2021) case held that post-facto EC can be granted in exceptional situations.
The Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd (2020) case discouraged post-facto ECs but regularized existing post-facto clearances.
In the Alembic case, the Court directed project proponents to pay monetary penalties as compensation.
B. Economic and Environmental Reasons
The Supreme Court stated that enforcing the Vanashakti ruling would require demolition of completed public projects.
Demolition of large structures may increase pollution, due to debris generation and reconstruction emissions.
About Ex-Post-Facto Environmental Clearance
An ex-post-facto EC allows a project to continue despite not obtaining prior EC before starting the project.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 explicitly requires prior environmental clearance before beginning any project.
In Common Cause vs Union of India (2017), the Supreme Court held that retrospective or post-facto EC is alien to environmental jurisprudence, meaning it is not permissible under environmental law.
Environmental Clearance (EC) in India
An Environmental Clearance (EC) is mandatory for projects that may significantly impact the environment.
The EIA Notification, 2006 lists over 39 categories of activities, such as mining, infrastructure, and power plants, that require prior EC.
Project Categorization under EIA Notification
Projects are categorized into Category A and Category B.
Category A projects are appraised at the Central level by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
Category B projects are appraised at the State level by the State/UT Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).
The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has launched multiple digital initiatives to modernise warehousing operations.
These initiatives aim to improve supply chain efficiency across the food distribution network.
The initiatives also aim to enhance transparency in the Public Distribution System (PDS).
BHANDARAN 360
Bhandaran 360 has been introduced by the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC).
Bhandaran 360 is a cloud-based ERP platform, meaning it manages enterprise operations through internet-hosted software.
The platform integrates HR functions into warehousing operations.
It integrates finance functions into a unified digital system.
It integrates warehouse management functions across all CWC warehouses.
It integrates contract monitoring into digital workflows.
Bhandaran 360 enables real-time monitoring of warehouse operations.
It ensures standardization across all CWC warehouses, improving uniformity and efficiency.
Smart EXIM Warehouse System
CWC has introduced the Smart EXIM Warehouse System for container freight stations (CFS/ICD).
It has also been introduced for general warehouses to improve cargo handling operations.
The system uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to automate warehouse processes.
It uses the Internet of Things (IoT) for sensor-based monitoring.
It uses FASTag technology for automated vehicle identification at gates.
It uses OCR/ANPR, meaning Optical Character Recognition and Automatic Number Plate Recognition, for vehicle and cargo tracking.
It uses GNSS, meaning Global Navigation Satellite System, for precise location monitoring.
The system enables gate automation, reducing manual processes at entry and exit points.
It improves yard management, ensuring better control of cargo movement.
It provides cargo tracking for end-to-end visibility.
It supports smart inventory management, ensuring accurate stock information.
ANNA DARPAN
ANNA DARPAN has been introduced by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
ANNA DARPAN is a microservices-based platform, meaning it uses modular digital components for flexible operation.
It is designed as a mobile-first platform, ensuring easy access on smartphones.
It replaces the older Depot Online System used by FCI.
ANNA DARPAN integrates procurement operations into a single digital interface.
It integrates storage operations within the platform.
It integrates movement operations for transporting foodgrains.
It integrates sales operations for foodgrain distribution.
It integrates labour management into the digital system.
It integrates contract management into real-time workflows.
ANNA DARPAN provides real-time dashboards, helping track operations instantly.
It enables faster decision-making across the food supply chain.
ASHA Platform
The Department of Food and Public Distribution has launched the ASHA platform, also known as Anna Sahayata Holistic AI Solution.
ASHA is an AI-based digital platform designed for beneficiary feedback.
It allows beneficiaries to share feedback on ration distribution digitally.
It uses AI-enabled calls, meaning automated voice calls powered by artificial intelligence.
It allows beneficiaries to provide feedback in their preferred language.
Significance of the Digital Initiatives
These initiatives support the Government’s mission to reduce logistics costs across the food supply chain.
They help minimize turnaround time, meaning they reduce delays in warehouse and distribution operations.
They strengthen overall supply chain efficiency in food distribution.
They promote an integrated logistics ecosystem under PM Gati Shakti, which aims to unify transport and logistics networks.
They ensure accurate delivery of subsidized foodgrains.
They ensure faster delivery of foodgrains.
They ensure dignified delivery, meaning more transparent and citizen-friendly service.
Under the 6th National Water Awards (2024), Maharashtra has secured the 1st rank in the Best State category.
Gujarat has secured the 2nd rank in the Best State category.
Haryana has secured the 3rd rank in the Best State category.
About National Water Awards
The National Water Awards are instituted by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
This department functions under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which oversees India’s water resource management.
The purpose of the awards is to create awareness about the importance of water among the public.
The awards aim to motivate citizens to adopt best water usage practices, meaning efficient and sustainable use of water.
Categories of National Water Awards:
The awards are presented in 10 distinct categories.
Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college), Best Civil Society and Best individual.
Some economists have stated that the recent fall in India’s inflation rate is partly due to a highly favourable base effect.
The Base Effect refers to the impact of the reference point, such as a base year, base month, or base data value, on percentage-based indicators.
The base effect occurs because current data is compared to the base period, which influences the final growth or inflation figure.
The base effect can distort trends if the base period had abnormally high values, making current growth appear artificially low.
The base effect can also distort trends if the base period had abnormally low values, making current growth appear artificially high.
The base effect is widely used in calculating inflation indicators such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
It is also used in calculating inflation through the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
The base effect is further applied when calculating GDP growth rates, which compare current output with the base period output.
The CCPI compares the climate performance of 63 countries and the European Union.
These 63 countries and the EU together account for over 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The CCPI is published by Germanwatch, a German environmental and development organization.
It is also published by the NewClimate Institute, which is a research organization working on climate policy.
The CCPI is jointly published by the Climate Action Network (CAN), which is a global civil society coalition on climate issues.
Ranking Details
The CCPI has no country ranked in the top three positions.
Denmark is ranked 4th in the CCPI.
The United Kingdom (UK) is ranked immediately after Denmark.
Morocco follows the United Kingdom in ranking.
What CCPI Measures
The CCPI assesses climate mitigation performance in the category of GHG Emissions, which includes total and per capita emissions.
It evaluates performance in Renewable Energy, meaning the share and growth rate of clean energy sources.
It evaluates Energy Use, meaning how efficiently countries consume energy.
It evaluates Climate Policy, meaning the strength and implementation of national and international climate policies.
Findings for India
India ranks 23rd in the latest CCPI.
India has shifted from a high performer to a medium performer in this year’s CCPI.
India currently has no national coal exit timeline, meaning no fixed year to stop coal use.
New coal blocks continue to be auctioned, expanding coal-based activity.
Key demands for India include a time-bound coal phase-down, meaning planned reduction of coal use over time.
Another key demand is an eventual coal phase-out, meaning complete removal of coal from the energy mix in the long term.
The CCPI also recommends redirecting fossil fuel subsidies away from coal, oil, and gas.
It recommends channeling these subsidies towards decentralised, community-owned renewable energy, which refers to locally controlled clean energy systems.
A major technical outage occurred at Cloudflare, a global web infrastructure and security company.
The outage was triggered by a latent bug, meaning a hidden software flaw that activates under specific conditions.
The bug originated in Cloudflare’s bot-mitigation system.
The outage caused significant global service disruptions across multiple platforms.
The disruptions affected X, formerly known as Twitter, also affected ChatGPT, along with other internet services.
About Bot-Mitigation System
A bot-mitigation system is designed to block bad bots from accessing digital platforms.
Bad bots include botnets, which are networks of compromised devices controlled remotely.
Bot mitigation protects websites, servers, and IT ecosystems from harmful automated activity.
A bot is an automated software program designed to perform tasks without human intervention.
Some bots perform useful tasks, such as indexing webpages for search engines.
Some bots perform harmful tasks, such as stealing data from websites.
Harmful bots can also spread spam, overwhelming websites with unwanted content.
Harmful bots may launch Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, which flood servers with traffic to make them unavailable.
Techniques Used in Bot Mitigation
Bot mitigation relies on analysing behaviour patterns, meaning how users or bots interact with a website.
It uses IP checks to detect suspicious or repeated access attempts.
It uses CAPTCHA, which is a challenge-response test to differentiate humans from bots.
It uses machine learning (ML) tools, which identify and block evolving bot behaviour through data-driven models.
The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry inaugurated the Trade Intelligence and Analytics Portal.
The portal aims to deliver transparent and accessible trade intelligence, meaning information on trade flows, agreements, and market trends that can be easily understood and used.
The objective of the portal is to support businesses and strengthen evidence-based policymaking, which uses data and facts to guide policy decisions.
Key Features
The portal enhances FTA utilization, which means improving exporters’ effective use of Free Trade Agreements to reduce tariffs and access foreign markets.
It provides country and commodity intelligence tools, which help businesses identify focus products for each target market.
The portal improves efficiency by replacing old fragmented trade portals with a unified and scalable system, enabling seamless access to trade data.
It promotes empowerment by helping small and remote businesses access clear market insights, allowing them to compete effectively in domestic and international markets.
India has been re-elected to the Codex Executive Committee for the Asia region at the 48th Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48).
The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an intergovernmental body established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1963.
Its primary objective is to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the international food trade.
Membership is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO and WHO interested in international food standards, which are guidelines to ensure food safety and quality globally.
The current membership includes 189 members, comprising 188 countries (including India) and 1 organization, the European Union (EU).
The CAC convenes annually, with sessions alternating between Geneva and Rome.
The UN Security Council has approved a US-backed Gaza Peace Plan.
The plan is a proposed framework aimed at ending the Israel–Hamas conflict through ceasefire, humanitarian relief, governance reform, and reconstruction.
The Gaza Peace Plan was primarily brokered by the United States, with mediation support from Qatar and Egypt.
Its key feature is a ceasefire mechanism, ensuring an immediate, internationally monitored halt in hostilities to stabilize Gaza.
The plan also provides for a hostage–prisoner exchange, which is the mutual release of hostages held by Hamas and detainees held by Israel.
Other components include governance reform in Palestine and the deployment of an international stabilization force to maintain peace and security.