Revised National Action Plan for Glanders

Context: 

Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) has released a Revised National Action Plan on Glanders to strengthen surveillance, prevention, control, and eradication of the disease in India.

About Revised Action Plan

• The National Action Plan for Control and Eradication of Glanders in India was first released by the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying on July 26, 2019
• The plan aims to control and eliminate the deadly equine disease, glanders, which is a contagious and often fatal disease of equines (a horse or other member of the horse family).
• DAHD will provide technical guidance, oversight, and financial support where required.

Objectives of the Revised Action Plan

• Early detection and timely reporting of cases.
• Containment and eradication of outbreaks.
• Prevention of disease spread through quarantine and movement controls.
• Training and capacity building of veterinary and field staff.
• Stakeholder awareness and participation.  

About Glanders

• Glanders is an infectious and life-threatening disease that mainly affects horses, donkeys or mules caused by the bacterium Burkholderia mallei.
• This disease is notifiable under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009.
• Glanders can be transmitted to humans. 

Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways

Context: 

Recently, NITI Aayog released the report titled ‘Rethinking Homestays: Navigating Policy Pathways’ in collaboration with the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for homestays and BnBs (Bed and Breakfast) 

Key Highlights of the Report

The report aims to build a resilient, inclusive, and heritage-conscious homestay sector in India.

Homestays provide culturally immersive experiences to travelers while fostering local entrepreneurship and employment.

Homestays calls for light-touch, transparent regulatory frameworks to:

• Ensure safety of tourists and homeowners.
• Protect heritage.
• Support inclusive and sustainable growth.

Stresses the importance of public–private collaboration in strengthening the homestay ecosystem.

Strategic Recommendations

• Adoption of flexible policy approaches tailored to local contexts.
• Capacity building programs to empower homestay hosts.
• Integration of digital platforms to enhance consumer trust and visibility.
• Promotion of state-level best practices and scalable models for governance.
• Encouragement of heritage-conscious development that balances authenticity with modern hospitality standards.

Significance of the report

• Homestays can uniquely blend cultural authenticity with livelihood creation, especially in rural and semi-urban regions.
• The report provides a roadmap for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and local communities to build a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable homestay sector.
• It also features case studies and state-level best practices to illustrate scalable models for homestay development and governance.

Ran Samvad-2025

Context: 

Recently, the Indian army hosted a two-day Tri-Service dialogue at the Army War College, Dr Ambedkar Nagar (Madhya Pradesh).

Ran Samvad 2025

• It serves as a platform for India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force to deliberate on doctrines, technology, and operational art in the changing character of warfare.
• It is a first-of-its-kind practitioner-led forum sessions driven by serving officers sharing operational experiences.
• It marks a step toward a confident, adaptive, and unified modern Indian military.
• The event was organised by HQ Integrated Defence Staff and Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS) in coordination with Army Training Command, under CDS guidance.

Key Themes of Discussion

• Information warfare: Narrative dominance, cognitive security, cyber & electromagnetic spectrum control.
• Grey-zone threats: Calibrated responses to coercion and sub-conventional challenges.
• Integrated operations: Synergy in planning, logistics, fires, and effects across Services.
• Future technologies: AI, autonomous systems, resilient networks, space-based surveillance, SATCOM, and advanced sensors.

Significance of the Samvad

• Operational realism: Anchored in real battlefield experiences.
• Joint warfighting: From deconfliction to true integration.
• Capability acceleration: Technology roadmap aligned to operational needs.
• Institutional learning: Lessons codified into doctrine, training, and force design.

Project Aarohan

Context: 

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), along with Vertis Infrastructure Trust, has launched a Project Aarohan to support the educational aspirations of toll plaza employees

More on the News

• The initiative aims to remove financial barriers and provide equal access to quality education for students from economically weaker sections and reflects the commitment of NHAI towards toll plaza employees and their families 
• The project aims to cover five hundred students from Class 11 to the final year of graduation. 
• Each student will receive an annual scholarship of 12 thousand rupees during the financial year 2025-26. Additionally, fifty bright students aspiring for postgraduate and higher studies will be supported with scholarships of 50 thousand rupees each. 

National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)

• NHAI was established under the NHAI Act of 1988, is responsible for the development, management, and maintenance of national highways.
• Its key functions include planning and implementation of highway projects, regulating the operation of vehicles on national highways, collecting tolls, and advising the central government on highway-related matters.