NITI Aayog Roadmap for India’s Bioeconomy
- Context:NITI Aayog released the report “Roadmap for Building India as a Leading Bioeconomy Powerhouse by 2035”, proposing a ₹50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund, a dedicated PLI scheme for biomanufacturing, and six National BioMissions to make India one of the world’s top three biotechnology powers by 2035.
About Bioeconomy
- Bioeconomy refers to the industrial use of biological resources (plants, animals, microorganisms) and natural biological processes for producing goods and services.
Traditional and Expanding Applications
- Biological resources have long been used in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.
- Their use is now expanding to fuels, textiles, plastics, construction materials, and chemicals due to their renewability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability.
Sustainable Alternatives
- Ethanol, produced via fermentation of sugarcane or corn, is replacing hydrocarbon-based fuels.
- Biotechnology enables biomedicines and synthetic biology, allowing the design of microorganisms with specific traits.
Scope for Rapid Growth
- The economic use of biological resources is still in its early stages but has vast untapped potential.
- With advancements in biotechnology and sustainability, the bioeconomy is expanding rapidly
Key Highlights
- Proposes a ₹50,000-crore BioEconomy Growth Fund (2026–2035) to support biotechnology innovation and commercialisation.
- Recommends a Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for biomanufacturing.
- Targets expansion of India’s bioeconomy from $195.3 billion (2025) to $691 billion (2035) and $2.6 trillion (2047).
- Aims to generate over 30 million high-value jobs.
- Suggests mission-mode implementation, regulatory reforms, and stronger coordination among ministries.
Six National BioMissions
- GeneIndia : Affordable gene and cell therapies.
- AgriBio 2.0: Climate-resilient gene-edited crops and biological farm inputs.
- BioX Foundry : Commercialisation of synthetic biology innovations.
- One Health Grid : Integrated surveillance of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
- Marine Biotechnology : Seaweed cultivation and marine bioproducts.
- BioPharmaNext :Global hub for biologics, biosimilars, and AI-enabled drug discovery.
CapaCITIES Project
- Context: The event titled “Scaling Up Urban Climate Resilience: CapaCITIES Achievements and the Way Forward” celebrated the milestones achieved by the CapaCITIES project over the past decade.
About the CapaCITIES Project
- It is a capacity-building initiative for low-carbon and climate-resilient urban development in India, designed to help Indian cities transition into low-carbon and climate-resilient urban centers.
- It enhances the knowledge, skills, and operational capabilities of cities to plan and manage sustainable urban development.
- The project was launched in 2016.
- Knowledge Partner: National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
Funding Support
- The project is funded by the Embassy of Switzerland in India and Bhutan.
Implementing Agencies
- The project was implemented through the collaborative efforts of the following organizations: ICLEI South Asia, South Pole, and econcept.
Phases
- Phase I: 2016–2019
- Phase II: 2019–2023
Key Features
- Capacity Building
- Assisted Indian cities in acquiring the knowledge, tools, and institutional support required for climate-friendly urban development.
- Encouraged cities to integrate low-carbon and climate-resilient practices into their planning and governance processes.
- Support for cities
- The project supported several cities, including:
- Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli
- Gujarat: Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara
- Rajasthan: Udaipur
- West Bengal: Siliguri
- It also collaborated with the state governments of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
- Institutional governance
- Permanent ‘Net-Zero’ and ‘Climate Action’ cells were established in six cities under the project.
- These cells assist cities in:
- Implementing climate action plans.
- Continuously monitoring progress.
- Preparing climate-related budgets.
- Pursuing long-term climate planning.
Significance of the project
- Builds the capacity of cities to tackle climate change.
- Promotes sustainable and low-carbon urban development.
- Helps enhance urban resilience against climate risks.
- Strengthens local institutions for long-term climate action.
- Supports India’s goal of creating green, clean, and climate-resilient cities.
NIPUN Bharat Mission
- Background: Launched in July 2021, the NIPUN Bharat scheme is undergoing a review after five years to enhance learning outcomes, extend support beyond Grade 3, and contribute to the ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) vision.
- With over 5 crore primary school students lacking basic reading and numeracy skills, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 identified Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) as a top priority.
About NIPUN Bharat
- NIPUN Bharat stands for ‘National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy’.
- It is a national mission aimed at ensuring that all children acquire basic reading, writing, and numeracy skills.
- It was launched in July 2021.
- It is implemented by the Ministry of Education under the ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme.
- The mission is based on the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Objective
- To ensure every child acquires Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills.
- Children are expected to attain these skills by the end of Grade 3 or, at the latest, by Grade 5.
- Target Year: 2026–27.
Target Group
- Covers children aged 3 to 9 years.
- Includes students from Balvatika (pre-school) up to Grade 3.
- Utilizes grade-wise learning targets known as ‘Lakshya’. Learning
Approach
- This initiative promotes child-friendly teaching methods, such as:
- Play-based learning
- Activity-based learning
- Experiential learning (learning by doing)
- Toy-based learning
- Storytelling
- Art-integrated learning
- Sports-integrated learning
- Teaching based on the child’s linguistic and social background
Foundational Skills
- Foundational Literacy
- What children learn:
- Oral language skills
- Letter and word recognition (decoding)
- Reading skills (fluent reading)
- Reading comprehension
- Writing skills
- Foundational Numeracy
- What children learn:
- Number concepts
- Basic mathematical operations
- Measurement
- Shapes
Teacher Capacity Building
- Teachers and school leaders receive specialized FLN training through ‘NISHTHA’ modules.
- The training focuses on:
- Teaching in the mother tongue/local language
- Peer learning
- Classroom support
- Optimal use of teaching-learning materials
Learning Resources
- Digital learning materials provided by DIKSHA include:
- Reading materials
- Worksheets
- Assessment tools
- Educational videos
- Children’s books
- Teacher manuals
- Resources for students and teachers
Assessment and Monitoring
- Utilizes continuous, competency-based, and stress-free assessments.
- Helps in the early identification of students’ learning gaps.
- IT-based systems
- Used for the following:
- Monitoring each child’s progress
- Conducting annual learning assessments
- Systematic monitoring of the scheme
Implementation
- Implemented by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education.
- Carried out under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which is funded by the Central Government.
About Samagra Shiksha
- It merged three earlier schemes:
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
- Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)
- Teacher Education (TE)
- Covers school education from preschool to Class 12 through a holistic approach.
Implementation Framework
- The scheme follows a five-tier structure:
- National level, State level, District level, Block level, and School level
- It also involves:
- School Management Committees (SMCs)
- Parents
- Local bodies
- Community participation
Expected Outcomes
- Improving children’s reading, writing, and mathematical skills.
- Enhancing overall learning outcomes.
- Reducing school dropouts.
- Facilitating the smooth transition of students to higher classes.
- Supporting the Viksit Bharat (Developed India) vision by creating a skilled and educated generation.
New India Literacy Programme
- context: Uttarakhand has been officially recognised as India’s sixth fully literate state after achieving the adult literacy benchmarks prescribed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS – New India Literacy Programme.
About New India Literacy Programme – Uttarakhand
- Uttarakhand became India’s sixth fully literate state under the Ullas – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme).
- Sixth Fully Literate State: Uttarakhand joins Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim as the sixth state in India to attain full literacy status.
- The state’s literacy rate has crossed 98%, meeting the Government of India’s prescribed adult literacy standards.
- Official Recognition: The recognition was accorded after the state fulfilled the literacy standards laid down by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education.
- Governor’s Approval: The proposal recognising Uttarakhand as a fully literate state was approved by Governor Lt Gen (Retired) Gurmit Singh in July 2026.
- The proposal had earlier received approval from the Uttarakhand State Cabinet in June 2026.
- ULLAS Programme: ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) is the New India Literacy Programme aimed at promoting adult literacy, lifelong learning, digital literacy, financial literacy, life skills, and continuing education.
- Government’s Vision: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami stated that the achievement would strengthen Uttarakhand’s contribution to the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
- The state achieved a literacy rate of 98% or above, meeting the criteria for full literacy certification.
- Earlier, Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim were declared fully literate states.
- Under the programme, a state attains full literacy status after achieving at least 95% adult literacy among people above 15 years.
- Ladakh became the first Union Territory to receive full literacy certification under the scheme.
