Content :

1. AI flight with 242 on board crashes in Ahmedabad
2. Retail inflation eases to six-year low
3. Central schemes must pass ‘effectiveness’ test to continue
4. IAEA board censures Iran for not complying with nuclear obligations
5. Science behind right AC temperature

AI flight with 242 on board crashes in Ahmedabad

Incident Overview

• An Air India London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Flight AI 171) crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad.
• Crash site: Into a medical college hostel in Meghani Nagar, 5 km from the airport.
• Time of crash: Within 40 seconds of take-off at 1:38 p.m., as captured on CISF CCTV footage.
• Fatalities: All 242 on board (230 passengers + 12 crew) feared dead; 1 survivor identified — British national Viswashkumar Ramesh.
• Ground casualties: At least 24 people killed at the crash site (students and residents), per local police.

Relevance : GS 3(Disaster Management )

Emergency Signals & Communication

• Pilots issued a ‘Mayday’ alert immediately after take-off — indicating a life-threatening emergency.
• No further communication was received from the cockpit post-Mayday, suggesting a rapid systems failure or incapacitation.

Passenger Demographics

• 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian among the passengers.
• Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was confirmed among the deceased.

Aircraft Details

• Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, known for its advanced safety systems.
• This is the first-ever crash involving a 787 Dreamliner variant, raising serious concerns for Boeing.

Investigation & Response

• Authorities are searching for the black box (Flight Data Recorder & Cockpit Voice Recorder) to determine the cause.
• Potential cause: Still under investigation, with fuel explosion (1.25 lakh litres) contributing to the inability to rescue.

Official & Humanitarian Response

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the survivor and assured a detailed inquiry.
• Air India & Tata Sons Chairman N. Chandrasekaran announced:
  • ₹1 crore compensation to each victim’s family.
  • Relief flights from Delhi & Mumbai for kin of victims.

Broader Implications

• Raises aviation safety concerns in India and globally regarding the Dreamliner fleet.
• May lead to grounding and technical review of Boeing 787s in India and abroad.
• Highlights the need for improved emergency response protocols and urban planning near airports.

Retail inflation eases to six-year low

Headline Trend: Retail Inflation at 6-Year Low

• Retail inflation (CPI) dropped to 2.8% in May 2025, the lowest in 75 months (since February 2019).
• Marks a major disinflationary trend — average retail inflation in FY 2025–26 (so far) stands at 2.99%, lowest for the first two months since 2017–18.

Relevance : GS 3 (Inflations)

Food Inflation Drives Decline

• Food and beverages inflation eased to 1.5% in May, down from 2.1% in April.
• This is the 7th straight month of slowing food inflation.
• Deflation in:
  • Vegetables
  • Pulses
  • Spices
  • Meat
• Offset by:
  • Double-digit inflation in edible oils and fruits, showing uneven food price movements.

RBI Policy Implication

• Recent RBI interest rate cuts have supported economic activity.
• Given the current low inflation, further rate cuts are unlikely in the near term — a pause in the monetary easing cycle is expected.
• Signals price stability, giving the central bank more flexibility but also caution due to uneven food trends.

Economic Implications

• Positive for consumers, improving real incomes and consumption demand.
• Eases input cost pressure for businesses, especially in food processing and FMCG sectors.
• May allow fiscal space for the government to sustain growth-oriented spending without inflation risks.

Broader Economic Context

• Low inflation aligns with global disinflationary trends, especially in oil and commodity markets.
• Supports macroeconomic stability, attracting foreign investment.
• Helps maintain the inflation target band (4% ± 2%) under the RBI’s Monetary Policy Framework.

Central schemes must pass ‘effectiveness’ test to continue

Core Directive from Finance Ministry

• Only schemes with proven effectiveness via evaluation reports will be allowed to continue beyond FY 2025–26.
• All Central (54) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (260) expiring by March 31, 2026, will undergo reappraisal.
• Evaluation conducted by:
  • Third parties (for Central Schemes)
  • NITI Aayog (for Centrally Sponsored Schemes)

Relevance  : GS 2(Governance)

Sunset Clause Mandated

• Every scheme must have a defined sunset date — discourages indefinite continuation.
• Ensures fiscal prudence and accountability for outcomes.
• Objective: Improve the quality of government expenditure by ending unproductive schemes.

Caps on Funding & New Outlay Norms

• Future outlays restricted to 5.5 times the annual average expenditure between 2021–22 and 2024–25.
• Fund-limited approach: Sanctions and disbursals over Finance Commission cycle must not exceed approved outlay.
• Ministries can propose new schemes with lesser expenditure or seek trade-offs with existing ones.

Impact on Demand-Driven Schemes like MGNREGS

• Even MGNREGS, a flagship rural employment scheme, will face financial limits.
• Projected beneficiary numbers will cap the fund allocation for each Finance Commission cycle.
• Ministries must seek explicit approval to exceed the cap if beneficiary numbers increase unexpectedly.

Sectors Affected

• Wide-ranging schemes across:
  • Social sectors: health, education, women and child development, tribal welfare
  • Infrastructure: rural/urban development, water, sanitation
  • Agriculture, environment, scientific research

Strategic Implications

• Promotes results-based budgeting and performance-linked funding.
• Encourages rationalisation of schemes and elimination of redundancies.
• Could cause social pushback if popular schemes face curtailment or stricter funding norms.

IAEA board censures Iran for not complying with nuclear obligations

IAEA Censure: First in 20 Years

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has formally censured Iran for non-compliance with nuclear safeguards — first such censure since 2005.
• Resolution passed by 19 countries, led by U.S., France, U.K., and Germany.
• Russia, China, Burkina Faso opposed; 11 abstained, and 2 didn’t vote.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Iran’s Immediate Retaliatory Measures

• Iran announced plans to:
  • Establish a new uranium enrichment facility in a more secure location.
  • Consider “other measures” in response to the “political resolution.”
• Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization and Foreign Ministry jointly condemned the resolution, citing unfair pressure.

Escalating Regional Tensions

• The U.S. and Israel have historically warned of military strikes if Iran’s nuclear program escalates.
• U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem imposed movement restrictions on staff due to security concerns.
• U.S. personnel and families in West Asia are reportedly being relocated as a precaution.

Diplomatic Divide

• The resolution reflects deepening geopolitical divides:
  • Western bloc pushing for compliance and accountability.
  • Russia-China bloc defending Iran or resisting Western pressure.
• The vote may be a precursor to efforts for reimposing UN sanctions on Iran later in 2025.

Implications for U.S.-Iran Talks

• Comes just days before Iran-U.S. talks in Oman, casting a shadow over potential diplomatic progress.
• Could harden Iran’s position, reducing chances of a revived nuclear agreement.

Strategic Significance

• Sets up a potential confrontation at the UN Security Council over sanctions.
• Indicates shrinking space for nuclear diplomacy in a region already on edge.
• Could derail broader West Asia stability, especially given concurrent crises in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

Science behind right AC temperature

Policy Proposal: Temperature Restriction for ACs

• The Union Ministry of Power is considering mandating air conditioner temperature limits between 20°C and 28°C for new ACs in households, hotels, and vehicles.
• Follows earlier attempts (2018, 2021) to fix default AC temperature at 24°C after consultations and awareness drives.

Relevance : GS 3(Science),GS 2(Governance)

Energy Efficiency Benefits

• According to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE):
  • Each 1°C increase in AC setting saves 6% electricity.
  • If all consumers adopt 24°C, India could save 20 billion units/year.
  • AC load in India projected to be 200 GW by 2030.
• ACs work on vapor-compression cycle:
  • Major power is consumed in the compressor.
  • Efficiency depends on operating within optimal refrigerant temperature range.

Health Risks of Lower Temperatures

• Temperatures below 18°C can:
  • Increase blood pressure (by 6–8 mm Hg due to vasoconstriction and sympathetic activation).
  • Raise risk of hypertension, asthma, and respiratory infections.
• WHO (2018) recommends 18°C as minimum safe temperature in temperate climates.

Vulnerable Populations Affected

• Children, elderly, and infants have impaired thermoregulation:
  • Children in Japan, NZ, and UK studies slept and breathed better at >18°C.
  • Older adults (50+ years) in cold homes faced higher BP, lower vitamin D, and lung function decline.
• A 2013 study showed lung function in children worsened with each 1°C drop below 14–16°C.

Comfort Science and Global Standards

• Comfort = balance between core (37°C) and skin temperature without sweating/shivering.
• Standards:
  • ASHRAE-55 & ISO 7730: Comfort range adjusted by region, clothing, cultural context.
• Typical human heat dissipation at rest: ~100 W via radiation/convection around 20–24°C.

Mental Health Implications

• U.K. 2022 study found:
  • People in “cold homes” were at 2x higher risk of depression and anxiety.
  • Association remained even after controlling for income and prior mental distress.

Global Context & Demand

• As of 2022, 2 billion ACs in use worldwide; 1.5 billion in residences (tripled since 2000).
• Asia-Pacific region still faces a large cooling gap — 43% lack sufficient cooling.

Conclusion: Case for Temperature Standardisation

• The proposed temperature cap ensures:
  • Public health protection
  • Energy conservation
  • Sustainable load management
• Reinforces India’s move toward climate-conscious, health-aligned cooling policies.