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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on May 24, 2025

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Directorate of Enforcement (ED)

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international significance

For Mains Examination: GS II - Indian Polity and Governance

Context:

Warning the Enforcement Directorate that it was “crossing all limits” and “violating the federal structure”, the Supreme Court Thursday stayed proceedings in the agency’s money-laundering investigation into government-run liquor retailer Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).

Read about:

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) comes under which Ministry or Organisation?

 Enforcement Directorate is a statutory body-True or False?

Key takeaways:

• The Enforcement Directorate (ED) initiated a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on accusations of corruption and procedural violations in Tamil Nadu's liquor distribution system. In March, the ED carried out raids at various sites, including the TASMAC headquarters. Following the Madras High Court’s refusal to provide relief, both the Tamil Nadu government and TASMAC approached the Supreme Court.

• On April 23, the Madras High Court rejected the petitions from the Tamil Nadu government and TASMAC that contested the ED’s searches. The court also dismissed allegations that ED personnel had mistreated TASMAC staff during these operations.

• Established in 1956, the ED gained prominence after the PMLA came into effect in 2005, having been enacted in 2002.

• A Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice A G Masih, while reviewing the Tamil Nadu government's appeal against the ED’s actions at TASMAC, instructed the ED to submit a response within two weeks.

• Representing the state, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal explained that the government itself had filed 41 FIRs between 2014 and 2021 against individuals who were allegedly accepting cash at liquor outlets — not against TASMAC. He noted that the ED only became involved in 2025 and subsequently raided the agency’s main office.

• In response, Chief Justice Gavai questioned Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, who represented the ED, about the legitimacy of bringing criminal charges against an institution rather than specific individuals.

• The Supreme Court ordered a temporary halt on any further legal proceedings against the petitioners until the matter is reviewed.

• Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing TASMAC, alleged that the ED had seized and cloned employees' phones during the investigation

Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC)

• The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation, commonly known as TASMAC, is a state-owned enterprise that holds a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• Established in 1983, TASMAC was created with the primary objective of regulating the sale of alcohol in the state and ensuring government control over liquor distribution.
• TASMAC operates under the direct supervision of the Tamil Nadu government. It is the sole licensed authority for the wholesale and retail trade of alcoholic drinks, including Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).
• By centralizing the distribution and retailing of alcohol, the state seeks to curb illegal liquor sales, enforce quality control, and collect significant revenue through taxation and profits. Indeed, TASMAC is a major source of income for the Tamil Nadu government, contributing thousands of crores annually to the state’s treasury.
• All liquor outlets in Tamil Nadu are operated by TASMAC, either directly through its retail stores or by granting licenses to contractors under strict regulation. These outlets are widely spread across urban and rural areas of the state. The corporation also maintains a warehouse system for stocking and supplying liquor to these outlets.
• TASMAC's role has often been controversial. While it provides a stable stream of revenue, it has also been criticized for promoting alcohol consumption, especially in economically weaker sections of society.
• In recent years, calls for prohibition and reforms in alcohol policy have grown stronger due to social and public health concerns. The corporation has also faced allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and lack of transparency in its operations

 Follow Up Question

Jal Jeevan Mission

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international Significance

For Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important aspects of governance

Context:

A number of MPs on Thursday sought an investigation into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the government’s flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM)

Read about:

What is the issue highlighted in Jal Jeevan Mission ?

Is the Jal Jeevan Mission a centrally sponsored scheme?

Key takeaways:

• The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2019, with the goal of providing piped water connections to 16 crore rural households by the end of December 2024, aiming for universal access.
• However, in the first five years, only 75% of the target was achieved. As a result, the government has decided to extend the mission’s deadline by another four years, setting a new completion date of December 31, 2028, to reach the remaining 4 crore households.
• At the time of the launch of the 'Har Ghar Jal' initiative in 2019, the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) sanctioned an outlay of Rs 3.6 lakh crore, although the Jal Shakti Ministry had sought Rs 7.89 lakh crore. Despite this, data on the mission's dashboard indicates that states approved schemes amounting to Rs 8.07 lakh crore between 2019 and 2024.
• This substantial rise in projected costs likely influenced the EFC’s decision to scale down the budget and limit the Centre’s contribution. Sources suggest that during an EFC meeting, the ministry defended the Rs 8.07 lakh crore requirement, which covered Rs 7.68 lakh crore in awarded works and Rs 38,940 crore for projects nearing award.
• Since the mission’s inception, the government has successfully provided piped water connections to approximately 12 crore rural homes.
• The combined spending by the Centre and states amounted to Rs 3.60 lakh crore (with the Centre contributing Rs 2.08 lakh crore and states Rs 1.52 lakh crore).
• To connect the remaining households, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) has estimated an additional Rs 5.5 lakh crore will be required — Rs 2.79 lakh crore from the Centre and Rs 2.71 lakh crore from the states.
• These financial requirements were highlighted during an informal gathering chaired by Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, which addressed the concerns raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) during the discussion on the ministry’s budget demands for FY 2025–26.
• The meeting occurred shortly after the government deployed 100 inspection teams across 135 districts in 29 states and Union Territories to assess the scheme’s progress amid rising concerns about budget overruns and suspected irregularities in the awarding of contracts.
• Despite invitations extended to 60 Lok Sabha MPs, only about 17 to 18 attended the session held at Parliament House Annexe, according to sources. The ministry refrained from issuing an official statement, though Minister Patil later posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the MPs provided "constructive" feedback.
• Earlier, a panel led by the Expenditure Secretary had proposed a 46% reduction in the ministry’s request for Rs 2.79 lakh crore in central funding to support the mission through December 2028. This was largely due to apprehensions that some states had approved inflated project contracts under the scheme.
• Since 2019, states have sanctioned 6.4 lakh water supply schemes with a combined estimated cost of Rs 8.29 lakh crore, more than double the original financial plan of Rs 3.60 lakh crore.
• To bridge the funding gap, the ministry had requested the EFC to approve an additional Rs 2.79 lakh crore, but only Rs 1.51 lakh crore was cleared — marking a 46% shortfall from the ministry’s proposed allocation.
• A report published by The Indian Express on May 21 revealed that a key amendment in tender regulations three years prior had removed financial checks, contributing to significant cost increases. As a result, 14,586 schemes saw a 14.58% hike, adding Rs 16,839 crore in unforeseen expenses.
• During the recent Thursday meeting, ministry officials gave presentations on various programmes, including Jal Jeevan Mission and Namami Gange. It is understood that written responses will be sent to MPs who raised questions, and a follow-up session is expected during the upcoming Monsoon session of Parliament

Follow Up Question

1. What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? (2019)

Asiatic lions

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international significance

For Mains Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

Context:

The latest population estimation exercise in Gujarat has recorded 891 lions, a 32% jump in population since 2020. In these five years, lions have also expanded their range by 17% — from 30,000 to 35,000 sq km — and now cover 58 talukas (up from 53 in 2020) in 11 districts

Read about:

How are Asiatic lions different from other lions?

What is the conservation status of the Asiatic lions?

Key takeaways:

• Over the past five years, Asiatic lions have established themselves in at least three additional regions — Barda Wildlife Sanctuary, Jetpur, and Babra-Jasdan — highlighting a positive trend in their recovery.
• Today, around 900 lions are dispersed across 358 sites, a development that contributed to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reclassifying the species from “critically endangered” to “endangered” back in 2008.
• However, a deeper analysis of the data suggests that the expansion of the lions' geographical range has not been matched by a proportional increase in their population. Since 1990, the territory inhabited by lions has grown by an impressive 430%, yet their population has only seen a 214% increase, revealing a slower rate of growth in actual numbers.
• This discrepancy is partly due to the limited number of protected habitats in the Saurashtra peninsula. Apart from Gir National Park, which remains the core sanctuary, the region has only a few smaller reserves like Pania, Girnar, Mitiyala, and Barda, which has been newly colonised.
• As these areas have reached their ecological capacity, lions have been forced to venture into less suitable terrains, including wastelands, farmlands, and agricultural plantations, often found alongside patches of natural vegetation.
• Official data supports this pattern. According to government figures, just 56% of Gujarat’s lion population lives within forest zones. Though recent census details are incomplete, the 2020 report highlighted a stark contrast in population density: 15.2 lions per 100 sq km in forested zones, compared to a mere 1.65 in non-forested areas.
• These non-forested regions, often near human settlements, are far from ideal for a top predator like the lion. A former chief wildlife warden admitted that there have been unofficial incidents of retaliatory killings, where lions died due to electrocution, falling into wells, or being shot under the claim of self-defense.
• During the announcement of the latest figures on May 21, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attributed the growth in lion numbers not only to favourable environmental conditions but also to the state’s consistent conservation efforts. Nevertheless, sustaining this progress will require further action.
• From a population of fewer than 200 lions in the 1960s, when Gir Forest received formal protection, the species has made a significant comeback. This growth, however, has been gradual, with the number not surpassing 300 until 1995, around the time lions began moving outside forest boundaries.
• Between 1990 and 2005, the lion’s range doubled from 6,600 sq km to 13,000 sq km, but the population only rose by 26%, from 284 to 359. Over the following 15 years, as their territory again doubled to 30,000 sq km, the presence of established satellite populations helped boost numbers by 88%, from 359 to 674.
• The most recent survey reaffirms this upward trend. Notably, this is just the second time since 2015 that the growth rate of the lion population has outpaced the expansion of its territory. Still, experts have pointed out that the use of absolute numbers without a stated margin of error is atypical for a scientific population assessment, raising questions about the methodology

Follow Up Question

1.Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2019)
1. Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

India sets first-ever GHG emission intensity targets under CCTS

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international significance

For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment and ecology

Context:

MoEF&CC sets GHG reduction targets for 282 entities across four industrial sectors for two years with modest ambition compared to PAT

Read about:

Greenhouse gases (GHG)

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

Key takeaways:

• India has been steadily laying the groundwork for its first domestic compliance carbon market in recent years. The passage of the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 granted the government the authority to set up a national carbon trading system.
• This initiative builds upon the existing Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, an energy-efficiency program that covered more than 1,000 installations across 13 industrial sectors. Taking the next step, the Ministry of Power formally introduced the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) on June 28, 2023.
• Subsequently, in July 2024, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) released comprehensive regulations for implementing the compliance carbon market, followed by the announcement of India's approach to carbon offsets within the framework of the CCTS.
• Further developments came on April 16, 2025, when the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) published a draft of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Intensity Target Rules, 2025. These proposed rules require facilities in four major high-emission sectors to meet specific GHG emission intensity limits for the fiscal years 2025–26 and 2026–27, using data from 2023–24 as the baseline.
• Under the CCTS, India is adopting an intensity-based baseline-and-credit model. Each facility covered under the scheme is assigned a baseline level of GHG emissions, measured in terms of COâ‚‚ equivalent per unit of output for the base year. For each subsequent compliance period, more stringent intensity targets are established.
• Companies that operate below their assigned limits can generate carbon credits, while those exceeding them must either purchase credits or face penalties, which are set as environmental compensation at twice the average credit price.
• According to the BEE, these targets were shaped through a thorough process involving technical evaluations and stakeholder engagement to ensure their scientific validity and practical feasibility, given current technologies and cost implications. These sectoral benchmarks mark India's first mandatory emission intensity limits for industry, aligning with the country’s broader climate change mitigation goals

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) 

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) are gases in the Earth's atmosphere that trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect, which is responsible for warming the planet. These gases allow sunlight to enter the atmosphere freely but prevent some of the heat that the sunlight brings from leaving the atmosphere. This natural process is essential for life on Earth, but excessive emissions of these gases due to human activities are driving climate change.

Common Greenhouse Gases:

• Carbon Dioxide (COâ‚‚)

  • Source: Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas), deforestation, industrial processes.

  • Contribution: Primary driver of anthropogenic climate change.

• Methane (CHâ‚„)

  • Source: Agriculture (especially livestock), landfills, oil and gas extraction.

  • Impact: Has a much greater heat-trapping ability than COâ‚‚ over a short period (about 84–87 times more potent over 20 years).

• Nitrous Oxide (Nâ‚‚O)

  • Source: Agricultural and industrial activities, combustion of fossil fuels, and biomass.

  • Impact: Roughly 298 times more potent than COâ‚‚ over 100 years.

• Fluorinated Gases (like HFCs, PFCs, SF₆)

  • Source: Industrial processes, refrigeration, and air conditioning.

  • Impact: Synthetic gases with high global warming potentials (GWPs), even thousands of times greater than COâ‚‚.

 Follow Up Question