- FREE SPEECH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF HEALTHY SOCIETY : SC
SUBJECT: POLITY
- Supreme Court Ruling: The Supreme Court quashed a hate speech case against Congress MP Imran Pratapgadhi, emphasizing that free speech (including poetry, theatre, stand-up comedy, and satire) is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a)of the Constitution.
- Reasonable Restrictions: Restrictions on free speech must not be harmful or oppressive and should not overshadow the right itself.
- Law enforcement must apply “standards of reasonable minds” before initiating criminal action.
- Gujarat Police filed a case against the MP for inciting discord through a poem, but the court found the poem to be a non violent reference to Mahatma Gandhi’s principles.
- Judgment Details:Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted that free speech is essential for a healthy society, and individual opinions should not be criminalized due to insecurity or criticism.
2. INDIA’S GEOPOLITICAL VISION SHOULD BE LARGER
SUBJECT: BILATERAL
- Russian President Vladimir Putin praised India’s role as a “noble mission” in mediating the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but India’s reticence in regional conflicts raises questions.
- India’s Role: India has played a role regionally(e.g., helping Sri Lanka in 2009, Maldives in 1988) and globally(e.g., International Solar Alliance, climate action), but its approach to conflicts like Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza has been cautious.
- Challenges:India’s bilateral relations with the West and Global South are strong, but its reticence in conflicts stems from cultural caution and a focus on economic growth over proactive geopolitical engagement.
3. CABINET OKAYS RS22929, CRORE SCHEME FOR ELECTRONICS COMPONENT MANUFACTURING
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- The scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet, aims to boost electronics manufacturing over six years.
- Targets: ₹59,350 crore in investments, ₹4,56,500 crore in production, and 91,600 direct jobs.
- Focuses on passive components and sub-assemblies (e.g., displays, cameras, circuit boards, lithium-ion batteries).
- Incentives are linked to employment generation, not production.
- Aligns with India’s “Make in India” initiative and the goal of becoming a global electronics manufacturing hub.
- Reduces dependency on imports (e.g., from China) and promotes self reliance in critical components like semiconductors.
4. COFFEE OUTPUT LIKELY TO BE HIGHER IN 2026 THAN LAST TWO YEARS
SUBJECT: AGRICULTURE
- India’s coffee production for 2025-26 is projected at3.52 lakh metric tonnes, higher than the last two years.
- Favorable blossom showers and global coffee price increases (due to climate change) are driving the growth.
- Coffee Board CEO K.G. Jagadeesha noted challenges in coffee farming due to climate variability.
- India is a major coffee producer (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu), and this increase can boost exports.
5. EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- PAC Report: The 19th report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticized the GST regime for non-auditing and non-finalization of the States’ Compensation Fund for over six years.
- GST Challenges:GST revenue growth has been 14% annually (2017-22), but States face delays in compensation, affecting fiscal autonomy. The PAC highlighted ₹32,577.73 crore in inconsistencies.
- Establish a formal mechanism with the CAG for timely audits, and increase States’ GST revenue share to 70-80%(from 50%).
