Daily Current Affairs | UPSC CSE | 4 November 2025

On November 4, 2025, India witnessed significant developments, including the review of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to address farmers’ grievances. Additionally, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team won its first ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. Furthermore, the Fifteenth Finance Commission released grants for rural local bodies, enhancing local governance.

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Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana

Why in News: Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan recently chaired a high-level meeting to review farmers’ grievances and delays in insurance claim settlements under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) — India’s flagship crop insurance programme launched to provide financial protection against crop losses.

Overview

• Launched: 2016
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
• Objective:
  To provide comprehensive risk coverage and financial support to farmers in case of crop loss or damage due to natural calamities, pests, and diseases.
• Coverage:
  • All farmers, sharecroppers, and tenant farmers growing notified crops in notified areas are eligible.
  • Farmers must provide Aadhaar, land records, and crop sown declarations.

Farmer-Friendly Features:

1. Premium Capping

Crop Type	Maximum Farmer Premium
Kharif Crops	2% of Sum Insured
Rabi Crops	1.5% of Sum Insured
Commercial / Horticultural Crops	5% of Sum Insured

Remaining premium shared equally by Centre and States/UTs (50:50).

Some States waive farmers’ share to reduce burden further.

2. Comprehensive Risk Coverage

Covers entire crop cycle — from pre-sowing to post-harvest.

Risks Covered:

1. Basic Yield Losses — due to drought, floods, cyclones, hailstorms, pest attacks, and diseases.
2. Add-on Covers (Optional):
   • Prevented Sowing: Compensation up to 25% of the Sum Insured if crops can’t be sown due to adverse weather.
   • Mid-Season Adversity: Relief when yield expected to fall below 50% of normal due to prolonged drought or floods.
   • Post-Harvest Losses: Coverage up to 14 days after harvest for crops left in field for drying.
   • Localized Calamities: Covers damage to individual farms (hailstorm, landslide, etc.).
   • Wild Animal Damage: Optional add-on with extra premium; protocols set by MoEF&CC and GIC Re.

Exclusions: Losses due to war, riots, theft, grazing, or preventable negligence.

3. Technology & Transparency

• DigiClaim Module: Automated claim calculation via National Crop Insurance Portal (NCIP).
• PFMS Integration: Claims credited directly to farmers’ bank accounts.
• Remote Sensing & Smart Sampling: Used for faster, accurate yield estimation.

Claim Settlement and Liability

• Catastrophic Losses: If losses exceed 350% of collected premium, excess burden shared equally (50:50) between Centre and State.
• Penalty for Delay:
  • Insurance companies must pay 12% penal interest per annum for delays beyond stipulated period after receipt of yield data.

Implementation Mechanism:

Stakeholder	Responsibility
Centre & States/UTs	Subsidize premiums and notify crops/areas.
Insurance Companies	Conduct surveys and settle claims.
State Agriculture Department	Collect yield data and monitor implementation.
Farmers	Register and pay nominal premium.

Source: PIB

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ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025

Why in News: The Indian Women’s Cricket Team created history by winning their first-ever ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final at Navi Mumbai. The victory marks India’s maiden World Cup triumph in women’s cricket and the country’s first major ICC title in women’s cricket.

Key Highlights

• Host Country: India
• Edition: 13th ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup
• Final Match Venue: Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Winner: India
• Runner-up: South Africa
• Winning Margin: India won by 52 runs

Match Summary

• India’s Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
• India’s Score: 298/7 (50 overs)
• South Africa’s Score: 246 all out
• Turning Point:
  • Deepti Sharma’s outstanding bowling spell (5 wickets for 39 runs) triggered South Africa’s collapse.
  • Shafali Verma anchored the innings with 87 runs and contributed 2 wickets, showcasing all-round brilliance.

Awards

Category	Winner	Performance
Player of the Match	Shafali Verma	87 runs + 2 wickets
Player of the Tournament	Deepti Sharma	5/39 in final; consistent all-round performance

Historical Context

• First Women’s World Cup Held: 1973, hosted and won by England.
• Previous Winners:
  • Australia – 7 titles
  • England – 4 titles
  • New Zealand – 1 title (2000)
  • India – 1 title (2025, first non-Western nation to win)
• India’s Past Performance:
  • 2005 & 2017: India reached finals under Mithali Raj’s captaincy, but finished runner-up on both occasions.
• India’s Hosting Record: Hosted the Women’s World Cup four times – 1978, 1997, 2013, and 2025.

Source: PIB

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Finance Commission

Why in News: The Union Government has released the second installment of the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) Untied Grants for Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in Odisha for the financial year 2025–26. These grants support local governance and rural development through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

About the Finance Commission

• Constitutional Provision: Article 280 of the Constitution of India.
• Function: To recommend the distribution of financial resources between the Union and the States (vertical devolution), and among the States (horizontal devolution).
• Composition:
  • Chairperson: Person with experience in public affairs.
  • Four Members: Eminent experts in economics, finance, public administration, and governance.

Fifteenth Finance Commission (15th FC)

• Constituted on: 27th November 2017
• Chairman: N. K. Singh
• Reports Submitted:
  1. Interim Report (FY 2020–21) – tabled in Parliament in February 2020.
  2. Final Report (FY 2021–26) – tabled in February 2021.
• Coverage Period: 2020–21 to 2025–26 (6 years)
• Valid Until: FY 2025–26

Devolution Formula

1. Vertical Devolution (Centre–States share)

• Share of States in Central Taxes: 41% (reduced from 42% under 14th FC after J&K’s reorganization).

2. Horizontal Devolution (Inter-State distribution)

Criteria	14th FC (2015–20)	15th FC (2020–21)	15th FC (2021–26)
Income Distance	50.0	45.0	45.0
Area	15.0	15.0	15.0
Population (1971)	17.5	–	–
Population (2011)	10.0	15.0	15.0
Demographic Performance	–	12.5	12.5
Forest Cover	7.5	–	–
Forest and Ecology	–	10.0	10.0
Tax and Fiscal Effort	–	2.5	2.5
Total	100	100	100

Types of Grants under XV-FC for Rural Local Bodies (RLBs)

1. Untied Grants (General Grants)

• Purpose:
  • To meet local developmental needs as determined by the Panchayats themselves.
  • Funds can be used for any of the 29 subjects under the Eleventh Schedule (e.g., agriculture, rural housing, roads, education, health, women & child welfare, etc.).
• Restrictions: Cannot be used for salary payments, wages, or establishment costs.
• Autonomy: PRIs have discretion to decide local priorities.
• Release Mechanism: Released by the Ministry of Finance in two installments per year, based on recommendations of Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti.

2. Tied Grants (Conditional Grants)

• Purpose: To be used exclusively for essential public health, sanitation, and water management services.
• Permitted Uses:
  1. Sanitation & ODF Maintenance:
     • Solid and liquid waste management
     • Faecal sludge treatment
     • Household waste disposal
  2. Drinking Water & Water Management:
     • Drinking water supply
     • Rainwater harvesting
     • Water recycling & reuse
• Restriction: Cannot be diverted to other purposes.

Utilization Framework

• Implemented by District Panchayats, Block Panchayats, and Gram Panchayats.
• Must adhere to transparency, accountability, and financial propriety norms.
• Expenditure is subject to audit and monitoring by both State and Union agencies.

Source: PIB

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Biosphere Reserves

Why in News: On November 3, the world celebrates the International Day for Biosphere Reserves, which recognizes regions where nature and communities coexist harmoniously. In September 2025, India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve (Himachal Pradesh) was added to UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)—becoming India’s 13^th UNESCO-recognized Biosphere Reserve.

About Biosphere Reserves

Biosphere Reserves (BRs) are designated regions that represent the world’s major ecosystem types—terrestrial, marine, and coastal—recognized under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.

They serve as living laboratories demonstrating how human beings and nature can coexist sustainably.

Administered under:

• UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme
• Operates under the guidance of MAB International Coordinating Council (MAB-ICC) comprising 34 Member States

Nomination:

• Proposed by national governments
• Remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the country.

Objectives of Biosphere Reserves

1. Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems
2. Fostering scientific research, education, and monitoring
3. Promoting sustainable development that benefits both people and nature

Zonation Structure of a Biosphere Reserve

Zone	Function
Core Area	Strictly protected region for conservation of biodiversity, landscapes, species, and genetic resources. Human interference is prohibited.
Buffer Zone	Surrounds the core area; allows activities like ecological research, education, and monitoring compatible with conservation goals.
Transition Area	Outermost zone where local communities engage in sustainable agriculture, forestry, tourism, and economic activities.

India’s Biosphere Reserves

• Total BRs in India: 18
• UNESCO-recognized BRs: 13
• Administering Body: Biosphere Reserve Division, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
• Scheme: Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for Biodiversity Conservation, under the Conservation of Natural Resources and Ecosystems (CNRE) programme.
• Budget Allocation: Doubled from ₹5 crore (2024–25) to ₹10 crore (2025–26)

Important Facts

Parameter	Details
First UNESCO-recognized BR (India)	Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
Latest Recognized BR (2025)	Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve, Himachal Pradesh
Largest BR (Area-wise)	Great Rann of Kutch Biosphere Reserve, Gujarat (12,454 km²) — yet to receive UNESCO recognition
Total Area Covered by India’s BRs	91,425 km²
Administering Ministry	MoEFCC
UNESCO’s MAB Launch Year	1971

UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)

• A global network of designated BRs that serve as models for balancing conservation and sustainable use.
• Promotes knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and international cooperation in ecosystem management.

India now has 18 Biosphere Reserves, 13 of which are UNESCO-recognized. With the inclusion of Himachal Pradesh’s Cold Desert BR in 2025, India continues to champion biodiversity conservation through sustainable coexistence under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme.

Source: PIB

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