KARNATAKA ISSUES

• The Karnataka Government has formed a Delimitation Committee, headed by M. Maheshwar Rao, to redraw ward boundaries in five new Bengaluru corporations. Each ward will represent around 20,000 people (±25%), respecting natural boundaries, community interests, and constituency limits. Bengaluru’s population surged from 85 lakh (2011) to 144 lakh (2023), necessitating balanced representation. This exercise ensures fair governance, equitable leadership opportunities, and better urban management amid rapid growth, with special considerations for hilly and forested regions.

SCHEMES

• APEDA has launched the BHARATI initiative (Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement) to boost agri-food exports. Beginning September 2025, it will support 100 startups with training in product development, export readiness, packaging, and sustainability. Focus areas include organic food, GI-tagged items, AYUSH products, and AI/Blockchain-based solutions. Aligning with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Digital India, BHARATI targets $50 billion agri-food exports by 2030, fostering innovation, reducing wastage, and strengthening India’s global agri-food presence.

ECONOMY

• Despite RBI cutting repo rates by 100 basis points in seven months, India’s 10-year bond yield rose by 26 basis points. Normally, rate cuts reduce yields, but inflation worries and higher government borrowing needs reversed the trend. Proposed GST slab reforms may cause revenue shortfalls of ₹50,000–60,000 crore, prompting increased borrowing. Greater supply of bonds lowers prices, raising yields. Investors expect higher borrowing costs, steepening the yield curve. RBI may use OMOs or Operation Twist to stabilize yields.

ENVIRONMENT

• On August 31, 2025, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, killing over 800 people. Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates slip, releasing energy as seismic waves. Shallow quakes are more destructive. Afghanistan is highly vulnerable due to its location on the collision zone of Indian and Eurasian plates, with multiple fault lines and a history of deadly quakes. India too is earthquake-prone, with 59% of land at risk, especially the Himalayan region.

SCIENCE

• At the Semicon India 2025 conference, India unveiled Vikram 3201, its first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor developed by ISRO and SCL, Chandigarh. Designed for rockets and satellites, it withstands –55°C to +125°C and is an upgrade of the 16-bit Vikram 1601. With 64-bit floating-point operations, Ada programming support, and on-chip 1553B bus, it enhances navigation, mission management, and communication. Successfully tested on PSLV-C60, it reduces foreign dependence, boosts Atmanirbhar Bharat, and supports India’s semiconductor ecosystem expansion.
• Scientists at Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru, with ISRO, have designed PRATUSH Radiometer (Probing ReionizATion of the Universe using Signal from Hydrogen), a radio telescope mission to be placed on the Moon’s far side. Operating in the 30–250 MHz range, it will study the Cosmic Dawn, when the first stars and galaxies formed. Using a single-board computer for control, PRATUSH aims to reveal insights into the universe’s “dark ages,” star formation, and cosmic evolution.

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

• The Supreme Court directed State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) and DISCOMs to clear old regulatory assets within 4 years, settle new ones in 3 years, and cap them below 3% of Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR). Regulatory assets are deferred costs arising when tariffs don’t match supply costs due to subsidy delays or fuel price hikes. While they initially stabilize tariffs, they later burden consumers and strain DISCOM finances. The Court stressed audits, recovery plans, cost-reflective tariffs, and timely subsidies.
• The Indian Army recently conducted Exercise Yudh Kaushal 3.0 in the high-altitude Kameng region of Arunachal Pradesh.
• The 14th edition of the India – Thailand joint military Exercise MAITREE-XIV was held at Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi, Meghalaya