5 March 2025

• Polity: AI tools in India's courts addressed a judicial backlog of over 50 million cases.
• Economy: The Income Tax Bill, 2025 received closer scrutiny with its simplification goals assessed.
• Space: NASA's PUNCH mission launched on 6 March to study the solar corona and solar wind.
• Schemes: Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats initiative and PM-SYM for unorganised workers both in focus.
• Environment: The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 opened offshore mining to private participation.

GS area: Polity (Judiciary), Science and Technology

India's judiciary faces a backlog of over 50 million cases. Artificial intelligence tools are being tested to accelerate case research and improve access to justice.

• SUPACE: The Supreme Court's own AI portal assists judges in case research. It summarises documents and precedents but does not render decisions.
• NCRB's AFRS: The National Crime Records Bureau's Automated Facial Recognition System assists in identifying suspects across databases.
• US comparison: The Stargate AI Initiative (100 billion dollar investment) is being used for legal risk assessment tools in the US. The contrast sharpens the discussion on AI governance.
• Bail risk assessment: The Delhi High Court explored AI-based bail recommendation tools, raising concerns about algorithmic bias and due process.
• Constitutional anchor: Article 39A requires free legal aid to ensure justice is not denied for economic reasons. AI tools can help by lowering the cost of legal research for lower courts and lawyers.
• Judicial backlog causes: Inadequate infrastructure, adjournment culture, low judge-to-population ratio (India has about 21 judges per million people against a recommended 50).

AI in judiciary is NOT about replacing judges. UPSC questions test whether a candidate understands that AI assists research while humans exercise judicial discretion.

Static linkage: Judiciary, governance, science and technology.

GS area: Economy (Taxation)

The Income Tax Bill, 2025 is a consolidation and simplification exercise replacing the Income Tax Act, 1961.

• Scale: The 1961 Act had 298 sections and 298 pages of primary text. The 2025 Bill is leaner.
• Tax year concept: Replaces "previous year" and "assessment year" with a single "tax year" (financial year).
• VDA classification: Virtual Digital Assets treated as property and capital assets (30 per cent tax).
• Wealth Tax integration: Provisions formerly in the Wealth Tax Act incorporated.
• Section 54E removed: This outdated capital gains rollover provision has been deleted.
• Criticisms: The Bill does not reduce tax rates or eliminate complexity at the computation level. It rearranges structure without deep reform. Privacy concerns remain over enhanced data access provisions.

The simplification goal reflects the broader objective of reducing tax litigation. India has over 4.8 lakh income-tax appeals pending at various tribunals.

Static linkage: Economy (taxation policy), governance reform.

GS area: Government Schemes, Society

The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan (PM-SYM) scheme was in focus as part of coverage of the unorganised sector.

• Launch: February 2019.
• Target beneficiary: Unorganised sector workers with monthly income below 15,000 rupees aged 18 to 40.
• Benefit: Pension of 3,000 rupees per month after age 60.
• Contribution structure: Flexible monthly contribution of 55 to 200 rupees (depending on age at enrolment). Government matches the contribution.
• Voluntary: Scheme is voluntary, not mandatory.
• Implementation: Through Common Service Centres (CSCs) and Jan Dhan accounts.

The gig and platform worker economy creates a class of workers who are outside EPFO (formal provident fund) but also lack access to any pension. PM-SYM addresses this gap partially. The Code on Social Security 2020 has definitions for gig workers but no mandatory contribution yet.

Static linkage: Social security, labour policy, government schemes.

GS area: Economy (Resources), Environment

The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 opened India's seabed mineral wealth to private participation.

• Original Act: Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. The Union government owns and regulates offshore minerals.
• Amendment: 2023 amendment allows private companies (not just public sector) to bid for offshore mineral exploration and production blocks.
• Concern: Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution opposing the amendment, citing environmental risks to coastal livelihoods and marine ecosystems.
• Minerals at stake: Heavy mineral sands (ilmenite, rutile, garnet, zircon) in the Exclusive Economic Zone. Also polymetallic nodules in the deep sea.
• Regulatory body: The Atomic Minerals Directorate governs atomic minerals (like ilmenite, used in titanium production).

India's EEZ extends 200 nautical miles from the baseline. The Area beyond national jurisdiction (the "High Seas") is governed by UNCLOS and the International Seabed Authority.

Static linkage: Economy (resources), environment, maritime law.

GS area: Economy (Commodities), International Relations

Sudan's civil war disrupted global supply of Gum Arabic, a key ingredient in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.

• Sudan's share: Provides approximately 70 per cent of global Gum Arabic supply.
• Source: Derived from the Acacia senegal tree (commonly called the "Sahel tree") grown in Sudan's Kordofan and Darfur regions.
• Uses: Beverage stabiliser, tablet binder in pharmaceuticals, emulsifier in candy, cosmetics and ink.
• Trade significance: A strategic commodity whose disruption creates supply chain risks for global food processing companies.
• Conflict context: Sudan's Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces conflict began April 2023.

Commodity geopolitics: the Gum Arabic case parallels the semiconductor supply chain dependence on Taiwan or the cobalt dependence on the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Static linkage: International relations, economy (commodities), world geography (Africa).

GS area: Polity (Local Governance), Society

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj launched the Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats initiative.

• Scale: One model women-friendly panchayat per district nationwide.
• Launch date: 5 March 2025.
• Objective: Create templates for gender-responsive local governance, safe infrastructure and women-led development.
• Constitutional basis: Article 243D mandates reservation of not less than one-third of seats for women in Panchayats. Several states have extended this to 50 per cent.
• Article 243G: Gives Panchayats authority over 29 subjects listed in the Eleventh Schedule, including women and child development.
• Alignment: The initiative connects to the NFHW (National Framework on Health and Wellness) and the PESA Act (for tribal area panchayats).

Static linkage: Polity (local governance, panchayati raj), women's issues.

• PUNCH mission: NASA launched the Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere mission on 6 March 2025 to study the solar corona and solar wind in unprecedented detail.
• Hydrogen trucks: India's first hydrogen-powered heavy trucks were flagged off, using IOCL's pilot refuelling stations.
• Kabul context: A suspect in the 2021 Abbey Gate bombing at Kabul airport was arrested, reviving discussion of India's position on Afghanistan under the Taliban.