• Early Intervention in NCDs: Preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) increasingly depends on timely intervention, which requires investment in robust primary healthcare networks. In addition, emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and telemedicine demand innovative digital health infrastructures.

• Objectives of Prevention and Care: The focus is on preventing illnesses, enabling early detection, and managing chronic conditions closer to people’s homes. These strategies not only improve health outcomes in India but also offer valuable lessons for other nations.

• Challenges of an Ageing Population: India’s ageing population, coupled with socio-economic inequalities, makes health a critical challenge. Preparing for future health needs requires preventive measures, healthy nutrition, and technological innovation. Integrating healthy ageing initiatives into primary care will test and transform current health systems.

• Shift in Causes of Death: India has witnessed a transition from infectious diseases to NCDs as the leading causes of mortality. In 1990, diarrhoeal diseases topped the list with an age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of 300.53 per lakh, whereas by 2023, ischaemic heart disease accounted for the highest number of deaths, with an ASMR of 127.82 per lakh.

• Other Major Causes: In 2023, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) was the second leading cause of death (ASMR 99.25 per lakh), followed by stroke (ASMR 92.88 per lakh).

• Progress in Mortality and Life Expectancy: While the overall all-cause ASMR decreased from 1,513.05 per lakh in 1990 to 871.09 in 2023, life expectancy at birth improved by approximately 13 years, from 58.46 in 1990 to 71.56 in 2023. For men, it increased from 58.12 to 70.24, and for women from 58.91 to 72.96.

• Mental Health Trends: Globally, mental health disorders have risen sharply, with anxiety disorders increasing by 63% and depressive disorders by 26%. Factors such as sexual abuse and intimate partner violence contribute significantly to these conditions and their broader health impacts.

• Risk Factors Across Age Groups:

  • Children under 5: Primary risks include child and maternal malnutrition, pollution, and unsafe water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).

  • Children aged 5–14: Iron deficiency is the main risk, followed by malnutrition and other health factors.

  • Age 15–49: Leading risks are unsafe sexual practices and occupational injuries, with high BMI, elevated systolic blood pressure, and smoking also contributing.

  • Age 50–69: High blood pressure emerges as the top risk, followed by smoking, high blood sugar, and kidney dysfunction.

• Global Insights: The report, compiled through rigorous scientific methods and a network of over 16,500 collaborators, provides policymakers, healthcare leaders, and researchers with crucial evidence to inform health strategies and interventions

1.Consider the following statements regarding Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in India:

1. NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory diseases.

2. Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption are major risk factors for NCDs.

3. In India, the leading cause of death has shifted from infectious diseases to NCDs in the last three decades.

4. Primary prevention and early detection are not considered effective strategies for NCD control.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) All of the above

Strategic and Security Issues:

• Pakistan has accused the Taliban of providing refuge to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for several attacks inside Pakistan. Formed in 2007 under Baitullah Mehsud, the TTP seeks to establish a strict Islamic emirate in Pakistan and opposes the government’s cooperation with the US war on terror.
• Despite the Taliban’s assurances that Afghan territory will not host terrorist activities, the group has been hesitant to act decisively against the TTP, reflecting ideological and cultural affinities.

India-Afghanistan Relations:

• The press conference and subsequent interactions highlight the evolving diplomatic landscape. India continues to engage with the Taliban regime cautiously, balancing strategic interests, regional stability, and human rights concerns, particularly regarding women’s education and safety.

Health and Development Context – NCDs:

• Separately, India faces a significant public health challenge with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which account for nearly two-thirds of global mortality and morbidity.
• According to the latest Global Burden of Disease report, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are the leading causes of death in India, marking a shift from infectious diseases. Life expectancy has improved from 58.46 years in 1990 to 71.56 years in 2023, while the all-cause age-standardized mortality rate has decreased significantly.
• Preventive strategies, early detection, and management through strong primary care networks are crucial. Emerging tools like AI and telemedicine, combined with innovations in digital health, can help manage chronic conditions closer to communities.
• An ageing population and socio-economic disparities further underline the importance of integrating healthy ageing into primary healthcare frameworks, highlighting the broader challenges India faces in public health.

Economic Diplomacy – India-UK Relations:

• 
  UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to India underscores the role of trade diplomacy. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) aims to double bilateral trade to $120 billion by 2030, reducing tariffs and opening avenues for sectors like textiles, apparel, leather, and advanced machinery.
• India’s domestic reforms, including trade facilitation, industrial cluster development, and skill enhancement, remain critical to leveraging such agreements. Programs like Make in India, Startup India, and Skill India, along with Aadhaar, DigiLocker, ONDC, and UPI’s global outreach, form a connected ecosystem enhancing India’s competitiveness

• Following clashes between Taliban fighters and Pakistani security forces that resulted in the deaths of 58 Pakistani soldiers, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister and Taliban leader Amir Khan Muttaqi stated that the situation was under control.
• He emphasised a preference for peaceful resolution but added that alternative measures exist if dialogue fails. His visit to New Delhi, continuing until October 16, sent a clear message to Pakistan regarding Afghanistan’s stance.
• Muttaqi’s press conference marked a departure from the previous exclusion of women journalists, which he explained as a “technical issue.” During the event, questions about gender discrimination and girls’ education were raised.
• He claimed that of the 10 million students currently enrolled in schools and educational institutions, 2.8 million are girls and women. While religious seminaries offer education up to graduation, certain restrictions persist in specific areas.
• However, since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, nearly 100 edicts have restricted women’s movement and access to higher education, work, and public spaces. Women are required to cover themselves fully in public and face restrictions on singing or reading aloud at home.

What are the benefits of Production Linked Incentives?

Production Linked Incentives (PLI) Scheme is a flagship initiative by the Government of India aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing, enhancing exports, and making India a global manufacturing hub. Here are the key benefits of the PLI scheme:

Boosts Domestic Manufacturing

• Encourages companies to increase production within India rather than importing goods.

• Reduces dependency on foreign countries for key products and promotes self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat)

 Prelims

1.Consider, the following statements : (UPSC 2023)

Statement-I : India accounts for 3.2% of global export of goods.

Statement-II : Many local companies and some foreign companies operating in India have taken advantage of India's ‘Production-linked Incentive’ scheme.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I

(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I

(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect

(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

Ethanol Blending

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international Significance

For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment and Ecology

Context:

The programme for blending of ethanol in petrol was initiated primarily to help sugar mills make timely payments to farmers, by creating an additional revenue stream from the processing of cane.

Read about:

How is Ethanol produced?

What are the uses of Ethanol?

Key takeaways:

• Ethanol is primarily produced through the fermentation of sugars by yeast. In sugarcane or molasses, sugar exists as sucrose, whereas grains contain starch—a complex carbohydrate that must first be extracted and converted into simple sugars before fermentation, followed by distillation and dehydration to yield ethanol with up to 99.9% alcohol concentration.
• Ethanol used in fuel is highly pure alcohol (99.9%) suitable for blending with petrol, distinct from 94% rectified spirit used in paints, pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and other industries, as well as 96% extra neutral alcohol meant for potable liquor.
• Until 2017-18, ethanol production in India relied mainly on C-heavy molasses, the dark brown byproduct of sugarcane processing, which contains sucrose that cannot be economically crystallized into sugar.
• From the 2018-19 supply year, mills began producing ethanol from B-heavy molasses, which has higher fermentable sugar content, and directly from cane juice or syrup.
• The government incentivized this shift by offering higher prices for ethanol produced from these sources to compensate mills for the revenue lost due to reduced sugar recovery.
• The impact was significant: ethanol supplied to oil marketing companies (OMCs) increased from 38 crore litres in 2013-14 to nearly 189 crore litres in 2018-19, while the nationwide ethanol blending in petrol rose from 1.6% to over 4.9%.
• Additionally, from 2018-19, separate ex-distillery prices were set for ethanol derived from rice, maize, and damaged foodgrains, providing further support to sugar mills.
• These incentives encouraged sugar mills to use grains as an off-season feedstock, leading to the establishment of ethanol distilleries solely based on grains in states including Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Maize and rice, often surplus or broken/damaged, sourced from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) or open markets, became the main raw materials.
• Two main factors shifted the focus from sugar to cereal grains. First, poor sugarcane harvests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, due to drought, reduced the availability of B-heavy molasses and cane juice/syrup, lowering sugar used for ethanol production from 45 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to 24-35 lakh tonnes in subsequent years.
• Second, differential pricing made grain-based ethanol more profitable. For 2024-25, ethanol from maize fetched Rs 71.86 per litre, higher than the rates for C-heavy molasses (Rs 57.97), B-heavy molasses (Rs 60.73), cane juice/syrup (Rs 65.61), or FCI surplus rice and broken/damaged grains (Rs 58.50–64).
• Policy challenges remain. First, India has excess ethanol production capacity, with 499 distilleries investing roughly Rs 40,000 crore to produce 1,822 crore litres annually, while technical limits exist on blending more ethanol in petrol. Second, the “fuel versus food” debate persists.
• While ethanol blending has created a lucrative market for maize, traditionally used in poultry and livestock feed, the concern is less pronounced with sugarcane, as domestic sugar consumption is relatively stable, leaving more surplus cane available for biofuel production

Follow Up Question

Mains

1.Discuss the benefits and challenges of ethanol blending in transportation fuels as a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy sources. (250 Words)

Prelims

• Quantum computing is an advanced field of computing that leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, the fundamental theory in physics that describes the behavior of matter and energy at the smallest scales.
• Unlike classical computers, which process information using bits that can exist in one of two states, 0 or 1, quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in a combination of both states simultaneously due to a property called superposition.
• This allows quantum computers to perform many calculations at once, offering a tremendous parallelism compared to classical machines.
• Another key principle in quantum computing is entanglement, a phenomenon where qubits become interconnected such that the state of one qubit directly affects the state of another, no matter the distance between them.
• This interdependence enables quantum computers to solve certain complex problems much faster than classical computers, particularly those involving optimization, cryptography, and simulations of quantum systems.
• Quantum computers also rely on quantum gates to manipulate qubits, which are different from the logic gates used in classical computing. These quantum operations exploit interference patterns of probabilities to amplify correct answers and cancel out wrong ones.
• The potential of quantum computing is immense. It promises breakthroughs in fields like drug discovery, by simulating molecules at the quantum level; material science, by modeling atomic interactions precisely; cryptography, by challenging current encryption methods; and artificial intelligence, by optimizing large datasets far more efficiently.
• However, the technology is still in a developmental stage, facing challenges like qubit stability (decoherence) and error correction, which make building large-scale, practical quantum computers extremely difficult.
• In essence, quantum computing represents a fundamental shift in how information can be processed, moving from the deterministic, sequential world of classical computing to a probabilistic, highly parallel quantum world, unlocking computational possibilities that were previously unimaginable

The National Quantum Mission (NQM) is an ambitious initiative launched by the Government of India to advance research, development, and applications in the field of quantum technologies. Quantum technologies include quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum sensing, and quantum materials—fields that have the potential to transform computing, secure communication, healthcare, defense, and other sectors.

The primary goal of the National Quantum Mission is to position India as a global leader in quantum technology by promoting cutting-edge research, developing indigenous quantum hardware and software, and fostering innovation through collaboration between academia, industry, and government institutions. The mission also aims to create a robust ecosystem for human resources, including training scientists and engineers with specialized skills in quantum science and engineering.

The National Quantum Mission focuses on four broad areas:

• Quantum Computing – Developing practical quantum computers and associated software platforms.

• Quantum Communication – Securing communication networks using quantum cryptography.

• Quantum Sensing and Metrology – Leveraging quantum properties for highly precise measurements and sensors.

• Quantum Materials and Devices – Creating materials and devices essential for building quantum systems.

1.Which one of the following is the context in which the term "qubit" is mentioned? (UPSC 2022)

A. Cloud Services

B. Quantum Computing

C. Visible Light Communication Technologies

D. Wireless Communication Technologies