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India Launches First-Ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems at UNCCD COP17, in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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India launched its first-ever Guide to Grasslands and Other Open Natural Ecosystems (ONEs) of India at the 17th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), on 17.08.2026. The document highlights the rich diversity, ecological significance and socio-economic importance of India’s grasslands, savannas, deserts and other open natural ecosystems. It marks an important step towards strengthening their conservation, restoration and sustainable management. The Guide brings together information on major Open Natural Ecosystems across India, covering their geographical settings, ecological characteristics, biodiversity, and the communities and tribes associated with them. It also contains thematic sections on pastoralism, fire ecology and carbon sequestration. India’s ONEs range from Himalayan and Terai grasslands to the Thar and Banni landscapes, Deccan savannas, rocky plateaus, ravines, scrublan...
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Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems

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The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, for the phased implementation of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication systems in motor vehicles. The 5.875 GHz to 5.925 GHz frequency band has been considered for V2V and other Intelligent Transportation System applications. The Department of Telecommunications, through G.S.R. 466(E) dated 10 June 2026 , has exempted the use of this frequency band from licensing requirements. V2V communication enables nearby vehicles to exchange real-time information, including their speed, position, direction, acceleration, etc. This information can provide advance warnings to drivers or vehicle systems in safety-critical situations, including sudden braking, forward-collision risk, unsafe lane changes and the approach of emergency vehicles. Unlike conventional vehicle-safety systems, which primarily depend on onboard sensors and driver reaction, V2V communic...
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GOBARdhan: Fuelling Clean Energy and Rural Growth

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  GOBARdhan: Turning Waste into the Engine of India's Growth India currently meets nearly 50 per cent of its natural gas requirement through imports, making energy security a strategic priority. Recent geopolitical developments and disruptions along the Strait of Hormuz, a route that carries nearly 55 to 60 per cent of India's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) imports, have underscored the importance of strengthening domestic energy production. In this context, the Union Cabinet approved GOBARdhan, the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, with a total outlay of ₹ 23,731 crore on 06 August 2026 . Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBARdhan) was originally launched under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in 2018 as an integral component of Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SWM), converting bio-waste - animal waste, kitchen leftovers, crop residue and market waste, into biogas and bio-slurry, thereby ensuring cleanliness in villages and improving rural lives. Earlier, the ...
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Cabinet approves GOBARdhan, India’s National Unified Scheme for Compressed Biogas, with an outlay of Rs.23,731 crore

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  The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved GOBARdhan, the National Circular Bioenergy Scheme, with a total outlay of Rs.23,731 crore. GOBARdhan marks a defining moment in India’s clean energy journey. It will transform the country’s abundant agricultural residue, cattle dung, press mud, municipal organic waste and other biomass resources into clean fuel, organic manure, rural income and national economic value. The Scheme will be implemented from FY 2026-27 to FY 2035-36 and will establish Compressed Biogas as a major pillar of India’s future energy mix. Through assured demand, remunerative and stable pricing, capital assistance, pipeline infrastructure, credit support and technology development, GOBARdhan will provide the strong and predictable framework required to take India’s CBG sector to national scale. The Scheme aims to increase domestic Compressed Biogas (CBG) production nearly ten-fold, mobilize large-scale private investment and ...
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The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026

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  The Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026 was introduced in Rajya Sabha on July 28, 2026.  It seeks to amend the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006.  The Act aims to facilitate the promotion and development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Classification of MSMEs:   The Act classifies enterprises as MSMEs based on investment in: (i) plant and machinery in case of manufacturing, and (ii) equipment in case of services.  It also specifies thresholds of investment for classification between micro, small, and medium enterprises.  The Bill removes the thresholds and modifies the criteria.  It empowers the central government to classify enterprises as MSMEs based on: (i) investment in plant and machinery or equipment and (ii) turnover.  The thresholds will be specified by notification. Registration:   Under the Act, a person intending to establish a medium enterprise en...
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