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Tax Exemptions Boost Lithium-Ion Cell Manufacturing

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  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced a set of targeted tax and duty exemptions in the Union Budget 2026, aimed at strengthening India’s clean energy, manufacturing, and regional development agenda. The proposals focus on easing input costs for advanced battery production, renewable energy components, and cleaner transport fuels, while aligning with the broader goal of building domestic industrial capacity. Customs Duty Relief for Battery Manufacturing The Budget proposes the extension of basic customs duty exemption on capital goods used for manufacturing lithium-ion cells for battery storage. This move is intended to support domestic value addition in advanced energy storage technologies, which are critical for electric mobility and grid-scale renewable energy integration. By lowering the upfront cost of specialised machinery, the measure seeks to improve the competitiveness of Indian manufacturers and attract further investment into battery cell production. Support...
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New Plant Species Discovered in Nagaland Forests

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  Researchers from Nagaland University have recorded a new plant species in the high-altitude forests of Nagaland, reinforcing the northeastern region’s status as a biodiversity hotspot. The discovery also highlights the critical role played by community-protected forests in conserving rare and undocumented flora. Discovery in community-managed forests The newly identified species, named “Hoya nagaensis”, was found during botanical surveys in remote forest areas that have remained largely unexplored by scientists. Nagaland’s forests are distinct because many are owned, protected and managed by local communities rather than the State. While this traditional stewardship has preserved large forest tracts, limited scientific surveys have meant that much of the region’s biodiversity remains undocumented. Scientific study and identification process The research was led by Gyati Yam from the Department of Forestry at Nagaland University, along with researchers Vieneite-o Koza and Joynath ...
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Kerala Declares Bacillus subtilis As State Microbe

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  Kerala has created a national first by officially declaring a microorganism as its State Microbe, underlining the growing importance of microbiome research in health, agriculture , and sustainability. The announcement reflects the State’s focus on science-led development and innovation-driven economic growth. Bacillus subtilis Gets Official Recognition Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared “Bacillus subtilis” as the State Microbe at a function held in Thiruvananthapuram. With this move, Kerala became the first State in India to formally recognise a microbe as part of its official identity. “Bacillus subtilis” is a probiotic bacterium commonly found in soil, fermented foods, and the human gut, known for its beneficial role in health and agriculture. Centre of Excellence In Microbiome Launched The declaration coincided with the dedication of the Centre of Excellence in Microbiome (CoEM) to the public. The centre has been established by the State government to scientifically stud...
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Tamil Nadu Diabetes Surge Signals National Public Health Emergency

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  India is facing a rapidly intensifying diabetes epidemic, with Tamil Nadu emerging as a major hotspot. Recent evidence highlights a sharp rise in both diabetes and prediabetes, signalling deep-rooted lifestyle and dietary challenges. Experts warn that without urgent policy and behavioural interventions, the burden of non-communicable diseases could overwhelm health systems. Alarming Rise in Diabetes and Prediabetes India currently has around 101 million people living with diabetes and nearly 136 million with prediabetes. Tamil Nadu shows one of the steepest increases. According to the ICMR–INDIAB study, diabetes prevalence among adults above 20 years in the state rose from 11.1% in 2008–2010 to 22.7% in 2022–2023, a 104% increase. Prediabetes nearly doubled from 12.2% to 24.8% during the same period. This places nearly 12 million people in Tamil Nadu with diabetes, with another 10 million at high risk of developing it within a few years. Rural Areas Catching Up Fast The diabetes ...
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Tobacco’s Quiet Surge: Why India’s Welfare State Faces a Growing Health and Fiscal Risk

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  The Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023–24 reveals a trend that sits uneasily with India’s expanding welfare and healthcare ambitions: tobacco consumption is rising rapidly, spreading across regions and income groups, and is increasingly concentrated among poorer households. This shift has profound implications — not only for public health outcomes, but also for the long-term fiscal sustainability of publicly funded healthcare and for India’s broader social policy priorities. What the HCES data shows — rising spend and widening reach Adjusted for inflation, per capita spending on tobacco has risen sharply over the past decade. Between 2011–12 and 2023–24, tobacco expenditure increased by 58% in rural India and by an even steeper 77% in urban areas. Tobacco now accounts for about 1.5% of monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) in rural areas and around 1% in urban India. These percentages may look modest in isolation. But the real concern lies in the exp...
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Darwin’s Bark Spider Silk Redefines Natural Material Strength

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  One of the strongest materials on Earth is produced not in laboratories but by a spider barely a few centimetres long. The Darwin’s bark spider, Caerostris darwini, native to Madagascar ’s forests, spins silk that surpasses steel and most synthetic fibres in both strength and toughness. With a tensile strength of about 1.6 gigapascals, its silk is the toughest biological material ever tested, yet scientists now show that such extreme performance is not universal across all individuals. Silk Strength and Evolutionary Drivers Across spider species, body size is closely linked to silk quality. Larger spiders tend to produce tougher silk to capture faster or larger prey. In orb-weaving spiders, evolutionary increases in body size have gone hand in hand with larger webs and stronger threads. The Darwin’s bark spider exemplifies this pattern by building the largest orb webs ever recorded, sometimes spanning entire rivers. Comparative Study Under Controlled Conditions An international t...
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Guillain-Barre Syndrome Outbreak in Neemuch District

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  Authorities in western Madhya Pradesh ’s Neemuch district are on high alert following a sudden outbreak of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare immune-mediated neurological disorder. The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of two children and raised serious public health concerns in border areas adjoining Rajasthan. Emergence of Cases in Manasa and Surrounding Areas The outbreak was first detected in Manasa town during the second week of January after two boys aged seven and 15 died within three days. Since then, 13 additional cases have been identified. Eleven of these patients are under 18, while two are adults aged 31 and 60. Twelve cases are from Manasa, with one reported from Neemuch city. A suspected case has also emerged in neighbouring Mandsaur district, indicating possible regional spread. Medical Response and Patient Status Out of the 13 recently reported patients, five have recovered and been discharged. Five are under treatment at MY Hospital and Bombay Hospital in I...
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