KARNATAKA

• Karnataka reported 7,293 cybercrime cases till June 2025, around 2,000 fewer than the same period in 2024 and 2023, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 73.4%. Experts caution that the apparent decline reflects a shift in fraud tactics rather than a true drop. Scams have evolved from phishing and OTP frauds to high-return courier and investment scams, while investigators struggle with low technical expertise, poor conviction rates, and under-resourced cyber units.
• A CSTEP report “Switch on, Smoke off” highlights that diesel generator (DG) sets are major PM2.5 emitters, with Patna, Noida, Bengaluru Urban, Mumbai, and North 24 Parganas among top districts. Bengaluru ranks 2nd–3rd across several DG size categories, while Belagavi also features in emissions. Frequent power cuts and heavy reliance in commercial (40%) and industrial (34%) sectors drive emissions. India’s 14.7 lakh DG sets released 42 Gg PM2.5 and 877 Gg NOx in 2022, worsening urban pollution.
• Between 2020 and July 2025, Karnataka reported 85,642 cybercrime cases under the IT Act, but only 204 convictions were achieved, reflecting a poor conviction rate of 0.23%. In 2024 alone, 22,472 cases were filed, with just 20 convictions. The dismal rate stems from procedural lapses in handling electronic evidence, cross-state witness issues, non-cooperation from intermediaries, and complex financial trails. Institutional gaps, limited cyber forensic training, and overburdened police further weaken outcomes, prompting reforms through IT Act amendments and specialized training.
• Karnataka, now ranked ninth in India for groundwater depletion, has introduced the Karnataka Groundwater (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Amendment Bill, 2025 to address the crisis. Highlighted by Minister N.S. Boseraju, the Bill mandates NOCs for borewells in notified areas, levies charges on groundwater extraction, and sets usage limits for large consumers. While exempting domestic and defence use, it aligns with Union guidelines, mirroring laws in 15 states. Concerns remain about over-extraction and the need for recharge-focused conservation.
• The number of farmer suicides in Karnataka has declined this year compared to 2023 and 2024. Between January and July 2025, 84 cases were reported, while the numbers stood at 1,082 in 2024 and 1,250 in 2023. Of the cases this year, 65 were deemed eligible for ex-gratia relief. Haveri recorded the highest toll over the past three years, followed by Belagavi and Kalaburagi. Officials attribute the decline to favorable rainfall, while the government has spent over ₹98 crore on compensation since 2023.
• eBay has chosen Bengaluru over Hyderabad to set up its first Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India, citing the city’s strong talent pool, said Mazen Rawashdeh, SVP & Chief Technology Officer. The 65,000 sq. ft centre will house 300+ engineers across AI/ML, product development, data analytics, and research. Rawashdeh emphasized that the GCC is not about expanding eBay’s India business but about creating a world-class tech hub, complementing centres in the U.S. and China.
• A Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report reveals that only 18% of candidates trained under the Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) secured jobs, well below the 70% target. The Skill Mission failed to meet its annual training goal of five lakh youth, training only 1.15 lakh from 2017-2023. The report highlighted significant financial mismanagement, including a lapse of ₹173.35 crore and the diversion of ₹7.56 crore in funds. Additionally, the mission failed to meet its targets for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates and exhibited regional disparities in implementation.

ECONOMY

• The Group of Ministers (GoM) on GST rate rationalisation has proposed scrapping the 12% and 28% slabs, merging them with 5% and 18% respectively, while introducing a new 40% top slab for luxury and sin goods. The move aims to simplify compliance, reduce prices for common goods, and boost consumption. Recommendations will be sent to the GST Council for a final decision, though states have flagged revenue concerns and sought continued compensation.
• The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, launched in 2020 to boost domestic manufacturing, has seen mixed results. While sectors like food products and specialty steel have high application clearances, “sunrise” sectors such as ACC batteries and solar PV modules are lagging. This is due to challenges like Chinese supply chain dominance, high capital costs, and firms failing to meet performance targets. The government is now considering new metrics like domestic value addition for a potential PLI 2.0 to ensure long-term competitiveness.
• To combat rising digital financial fraud, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will mandate that all banks implement AI-based systems to detect and block ‘mule accounts.’ These are accounts used by criminals to launder illicit funds. The new policy, backed by strong compliance checks, aims to curb money-laundering and protect citizens by identifying suspicious transaction patterns and account creation behaviors that manual systems often miss. This move will necessitate significant upgrades to bank systems and closer data integration with law enforcement databases.

ENVIRONMENT

• Kanichar Panchayat in Kerala’s Kannur district has become India’s first village panchayat to adopt a living lab approach for disaster resilience after 2022 landslides. Implemented by KSDMA, it combines community participation, research, and technology to make 4,600 households climate-resilient. Measures include SOPs, emergency routes, hyper-local alerts, weather-data sharing, and advanced tools like Automatic Weather Stations and an Early Landslide Warning System, developed with IIT-Roorkee and CSIR-CBRI. National-level efforts include GSI, ISRO, and NDMA initiatives.

SCIENCE

• Huntington’s Disease is a rare, inherited genetic disorder caused by mutations in the HTT gene, leading to abnormal CAG repeats. It causes progressive cognitive decline, psychiatric disturbances, and physical symptoms like chorea and stiffness, often resulting in death from complications such as pneumonia or suicide. With no cure, treatment focuses on managing symptoms through drugs and therapy, while research explores gene-based solutions. Despite its severity, the disease is not yet covered under India’s National Policy for Rare Diseases.
• On August 20, 2025, India successfully test-fired its Agni-5 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) from Chandipur, Odisha. Conducted by the Strategic Forces Command, the trial validated all technical parameters. The nuclear-capable, three-stage solid-fuel missile has a range of nearly 5,000 km and features indigenous technologies like a composite rocket motor, advanced avionics, ring laser gyro-based navigation, and a re-entry shield that withstands 4,000°C. First tested in 2012, Agni-5 signifies India’s near-ICBM capability.