Daily Current Affairs- 20th August 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 20th August 2025

Indian Railways Commissions First Removable Solar Panel System Between Tracks at BLW, Varanasi

In the News: Indian Railways commissioned the country's first removable solar panel system installed between active railway tracks at the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) in Varanasi. The pilot installation, spanning Line‑19 of the BLW workshop, was inaugurated by BLW’s General Manager, Naresh Pal Singh, on Independence Day. This innovation marks a milestone in the Railway’s journey toward sustainability and maximizing usage of existing infrastructure.

Key Points:

• Technical Specifications:
  • Length of array: 70 meters of track.
  • Panel count: 28 bifacial monocrystalline panels.
  • Installed capacity: 15 kWp.
  • Panel dimensions and weight: 2278 × 1133 × 30 mm; 31.83 kg each.
  • Efficiency: Around 21.31% module efficiency (with 144 half‑cut PERC bifacial cells).
  • Power density: Approximately 220 kWp per km.
  • Energy generation potential: About 880 units per km per day; estimated 3.21 lakh units per km annually.
  • System design features: Rubber mounting pads, epoxy bonding, IP‑68 junction box, max voltage 1500 V.
• Advantages & Sustainability Impact: This solution uses the unused space between tracks, avoiding additional land acquisition—a major logistical and cost advantage. It enables energy generation without hindering train movement and offers a scalable model for yard lines across the 1.2‑lakh‑km Indian Railways network. Estimated energy generation is roughly 321,000 kWh per year per km if widely implemented.
• Vision & Future Potential: The project aligns with Indian Railways' broader push toward renewable integration and climate action, serving as a pioneering model that complements rooftop solar and supports the net‑zero carbon emissions goal. Officials have recognized this as a robust, replicable innovation for the future of rail energy solutions.

Cabinet Approves Online Gaming Bill to Regulate E-Sports and Ban Online Betting

In the News: The Union Cabinet of India, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, intended to regulate the online gaming industry while explicitly banning online betting and real-money games.

Key Points:

• Legislation Approved and Scope:  The Online Gaming Bill, 2025 received Cabinet approval on August 19, 2025, distinguishing between skill-based e‑sports and chance-driven betting, with the latter now considered punishable under law.
• Promotion of E-Sports and Safe Gaming : The legislation officially recognizes and supports e-sports, educational, and social games, viewing them as positive, skill-oriented digital engagement.
• Ban on Online Money Games : A complete ban has been imposed on all forms of real-money gaming, digital betting, and monetary gambling platforms, regardless of whether these games involve skill or chance.
• Regulatory Oversight : The bill proposes creating a central regulatory authority—often referred to as a National e‑Sports or Online Gaming Authority—to oversee the sector, establish guidelines, and manage compliance.
• Penalties and Enforcement
  • Offering or facilitating real-money games: up to 3 years imprisonment and/or ₹1 crore fine.
  • Advertising such games: up to 2 years imprisonment and/or ₹50 lakh fine.
  • Financial facilitation (like fund transfers by banks) for these games: similarly strict penalties.
  • Repeat offences attract harsher penalties—3 to 5 years imprisonment and fines rising to ₹2 crore.
• Motivation Behind the Bill : Aimed at addressing rising social and financial harms linked to addictive online money games—including fraud, money laundering, addiction, suicides, and potential terror financing—while simultaneously encouraging innovation in safe, skill-based gaming.
• Industry Response and Risks
  • Stakeholders have warned the ban may devastate India’s real-money gaming (RMG) sector, which has attracted significant investment (including platforms like Dream11, MPL, Games24x7, WinZO, Zupee) and generates substantial revenue and jobs.
  • Experts caution it could drive users toward unregulated offshore platforms, undermining the very protections the bill aims to establish.
• Legislative Progress : Following Cabinet approval, the bill was introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on August 20, 2025, via voice vote amidst some opposition protests—moving to the Rajya Sabha next, before eventual Presidential assent.

ECI Unveils 28 Reform Initiatives to Strengthen Electoral System in Six Months

In the News: The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the implementation of 28 major reform initiatives over the past six months to bolster the electoral system—enhancing transparency, efficiency, inclusivity, and integrity across the board.

Key Points:

• Reform Pillars: The 28 initiatives are structured under six key pillars: Stakeholder Engagement, Electoral System Cleanup, Technology Adoption, Electoral Roll Purity, Ease of Voting & Capacity Building
• Stakeholder Engagement: A total of 4,719 all-party meetings were conducted nationwide:
• 40 by Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs)
• 800 by District Election Officers (DEOs)
  • 3,879 by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs)
    Engaging over 28,000 political representatives.

• Additionally, 20 high-level meetings were held with presidents and senior leaders of national and state political parties.

• Electoral System Cleanup:

• Delisted 334 inactive Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) and identified 476 more for delisting.
• Mapped roles for 28 stakeholders in alignment with constitutional and legal mandates, including the Representation of the People Acts, Conduct of Election Rules, and related guidelines.
• Technology Adoption:

• Launched ECINET, a unified digital platform consolidating over 40 apps for voters, officials, and political parties.
• Introduced 100% polling station webcasting for full visibility during elections.
• Enabled real-time voter turnout monitoring, updated every two hours.
• Mandated VVPAT slip counting in case of mismatches with EVM data.
• Electoral Roll Purity:

• Conducted a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar to ensure accurate voter rolls—no eligible voters omitted, no ineligible included; complemented by pre–by-election roll updates in four states.
• Linked death registration data to promptly update rolls.
• Eliminated duplicate EPIC numbers across the electoral database.
• Fast‑tracked EPIC issuance to 15 days, supplemented with SMS notifications to electors.
• Ease of Voting:

• Capped the maximum number of voters per polling station at 1,200, down from 1,500, to reduce congestion.
• Introduced mobile deposit facilities outside polling stations for voter convenience.
• Redesigned voter slips for improved clarity—featuring serial and part numbers prominently
• Allowed candidate booths just outside the 100-meter radius of polling stations, easing campaign access.

Parliament Clears Landmark Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, 2025 to Boost Critical Mineral Production

In the News: The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2025 was passed by the Lok Sabha, and subsequently cleared by the Rajya Sabha on August 19. The legislation modernizes India’s mineral sector, with a strong emphasis on enhancing production of critical and strategic minerals—key to supporting sectors like clean energy, electric vehicles, and advanced technologies.

Key Points:

• Expansion of Mining Leases
  • Leaseholders can now add other minerals, including critical and strategic minerals like lithium, graphite, cobalt, nickel, gold, and silver, without paying additional fees or royalties.
  • Non-critical minerals have royalty and auction premium obligations, depending if it's a mined area or auctioned lease.
• Enhanced Trust for Exploration & Development
  • The National Mineral Exploration Trust has been renamed the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust.
  • Its scope expanded to finance not just exploration but also mineral development, both domestically and overseas, including offshore areas.
  • Contribution increased from 2% to 3% of royalty, boosting funding for mining projects.
• Captive Mine Reforms
  • The existing 50% sales cap for captive mines has been removed, allowing full sale of excess minerals post end-use requirements.
  • Sale of mineral dumps is now permitted, helping reduce environmental hazards and generate additional state revenue.
• Deep-Seated Mineral Access
  • Permits a one-time extension of existing leases to access deep-seated minerals (depth >200 meters). Extensions allowed:
    • Up to 10% on existing mining lease areas;
    • Up to 30% for composite licenses.
• Mineral Exchanges for Regulation
  • Introduces framework to oversee and regulate mineral exchanges—electronic trading platforms for minerals and metals.
  • Central government will set detailed rules for registration, trading fees, insider-trading prevention, and grievance mechanisms.
• Strategic and Economic Impact
  • Supported by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who noted that the reforms reflect India’s drive toward economic security, transparent mining, and resource independence, aided by a ₹32,000 crore allocation under the National Critical Mineral Mission.
  • The Mission seeks to strengthen domestic supplies and overseas asset acquisition in countries like Argentina, Australia, and Zambia.
  • Proponents describe the bill as foundational to India’s self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) ambitions and a step towards integrating India more fully into global critical minerals markets.

Jan Vishwas Bill 2025

In the News:  The Union Government introduced the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The bill aims to decriminalize minor offences across multiple central laws as a key step toward promoting both Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, and has been referred to a Select Committee for further review.
Key Points:

• Scope of Reform: The bill proposes amendments to 355 provisions across 16 central Acts administered by 10 ministries/departments.
  • 288 provisions would be decriminalized to promote Ease of Doing Business, and
  • 67 provisions would be amended to support Ease of Living, including under the NDMC Act, 1994, and the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
• First-Time Offences: For 76 specified offences across 10 laws, first-time contraventions would attract only an advisory or warning, rather than prosecution.
• Penalty Rationalization: The existing imprisonment clauses for minor, technical, or procedural defaults would be replaced with monetary penalties or warnings. Penalties would be graduated for repeated violations—proportionately increasing with non-compliance. Fines would be automatically revised upward by 10% every three years to maintain effectiveness without needing legislative updates.
• Decentralized Enforcement: Designated officials (rather than courts) would be empowered to impose administrative penalties—helping reduce the judicial burden.
  Examples of Decriminalized Conduct:
• The bill removes criminal tags from commonplace infractions such as:
  • Tethering a cow to a public pole,
  • Honking in a silence zone,
  • Using faulty weights, etc.,
    replaced with warnings or monetary penalties.

Constitution 130th Amendment Bill 2025

In the News: Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha. The bill proposes that the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, and State Ministers be removed automatically if they have been arrested and detained for 30 consecutive days on charges punishable by five years or more imprisonment—even without a conviction. The bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny.

Key Points:

• Trigger for Removal : Any minister—whether at the Union or State level, including the Prime Minister or a Chief Minister—who is detained for 30 consecutive days on allegations of serious crimes (with a minimum punishment of five years) will be automatically removed from office, even without a conviction. Removal can happen by the President or Governor depending on the position.
• Constitutional Amendments
  The bill proposes specific changes to:
  • Article 75, governing the Council of Ministers at the Union level;
  • Article 164, which deals with State Ministers and Chief Ministers; and
  • Article 239AA, applicable to Delhi's elected government.
• Reappointment Provision : Ministers removed under this provision can be reappointed to their offices once the detention ends.
• Rationale Presented by the Government : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) framed this as a necessity to uphold constitutionality and integrity in governance, citing recent cases where officials continued in office despite being jailed. Amit Shah emphasized that this measure prevents individuals from running governments from jail and enforces moral accountability.
• Political and Judicial Pushback :
  • West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee denounced the bill as a “super‑Emergency” and a "Hitlerian assault" on democracy.
  • Pinarayi Vijayan, CM of Kerala, described it as part of a neo-fascist strategy aimed at destabilizing non-BJP state governments by weaponizing investigations.
  • M.K. Stalin, CM of Tamil Nadu, called it a “black bill”, warning it erodes democratic norms and judicial fairness.
  • Congress leaders, including Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, labeled the move “draconian” and politically motivated—a tool to unseat opposition governments.
  • Prashant Kishor, political strategist, supported the reform—saying it stops governance from jail and addresses a long-overlooked gap.
• Legislative Status : Aside from its introduction, the bill has been referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for detailed examination.

Dubai Launches ‘One Freezone Passport’ to Streamline Business Licensing and Attract Global Investment

In the News: Dubai, via the Dubai Free Zones Council (DFZC), announced the launch of the One Freezone Passport, a pioneering initiative allowing companies with a licence in one free zone to operate across multiple other free zones without securing additional licences. The luxury brand Louis Vuitton became the first corporate adopter, demonstrating rapid multi-zone expansion under this new framework.

Key Points:

• Unified Licensing Across Free Zones : The One Freezone Passport allows businesses to access facilities and operate in multiple free zones using a single licence, eliminating the need for repetitive licences or registration procedures.
• Boost to Business Expansion & Speed : Louis Vuitton leveraged this scheme to set up a warehouse in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) and a corporate office at One Za’abeel in the DWTC Free Zone, completing the process in just five days, showcasing remarkable regulatory efficiency and speed.
• Strategic Integration of Free Zones : Dubai’s ecosystem comprises 30+ specialized free zones, each catering to different industries—tech, logistics, media, finance, healthcare, design, etc. The One Freezone Passport dismantles regulatory silos within this fragmented landscape, enabling seamless cross-zone operations.
• Alignment with Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) : The initiative supports Dubai’s broader Economic Agenda D33, aimed at enhancing global competitiveness, attracting investment, and positioning the city as a premier global business hub.