TGPSC Daily Current Affairs - 18th November 2025
Source: The Hindu
Relevance: Mains Paper-III (Governance, Social Issues)
Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- Road Engineering
- Footpath Encroachment
- Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs)
- NCRB Road Accident Data (2023)
- Stockholm Declaration on Road Safety (2020)
- Potholes & Road Maintenance
For Mains:
- Systemic causes of road accidents
- Neglect of pedestrian infrastructure
- Infrastructure deficit in urban Telangana
- Impact of poor road engineering on vulnerable groups
Why in News?
A spate of devastating road accidents in Telangana — including the Kurnool sleeper bus fire that killed 19 passengers and the Chevella collision that also claimed 19 lives — has triggered nationwide concern. The incidents prompted the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety to hold urgent meetings with stakeholders in Hyderabad. The tragedies have reopened debate on an often-ignored but critical factor: road engineering and infrastructure quality.
Background
India records one of the world’s highest road accident casualties, and Telangana mirrors this trend, especially in urban belts.
Public discussions after accidents usually focus on:
- rash driving,
- traffic violations,
- unpaid challans,
but these explanations overlook deeper systemic failures in how Indian roads are designed, expanded, and maintained.
Despite rapid urbanisation, the essential components of safe road design — footpaths, dividers, shoulders, traffic-calming systems, signage — continue to be neglected in Telangana’s cities.
The Overlooked Factor: Poor Road Engineering
1. Vanishing Footpaths
During road-widening projects, the first casualty is the pedestrian.
Hyderabad — like most Indian cities — offers few accessible, continuous, safe footpaths, forcing pedestrians to walk on carriageways.
2. Vulnerable Road Users Most at Risk
The World Bank’s 2022 Environmental and Social Systems Assessment found that:
- More than 50% of India’s crash victims are pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists,
- Most belong to poorer households,
- Rural families suffer disproportionate long-term economic distress after accidents.
Obstructed, broken, or encroached footpaths are a major reason for pedestrian deaths.
3. Encroachments and Political Pressure
Pedestrian spaces are routinely occupied by:
- parked cars,
- two-wheelers,
- street vendors,
- food kiosks.
Efforts to relocate hawkers often collapse into political confrontation, resulting in the continued sacrifice of road safety for political convenience.
4. NCRB Data Signals a Deep Crisis
According to NCRB 2023:
- 27,586 pedestrians died in India due to road accidents.
- 1,554 pedestrian deaths occurred in Telangana alone.
This accounts for:
- 16% of India’s road fatalities,
- 20% of Telangana’s road fatalities.
Yet NCRB does not provide detailed data on engineering-related failures.
Road Maintenance: A Critical Gap
The Chevella accident underscored failures in road upkeep:
- A lorry swerved to avoid a pothole, leading to a frontal collision.
- Poor road surface quality is a recurring cause of accidents.
Despite this, conversations usually revolve around “black spots” rather than holistic maintenance, which includes:
- pothole-free roads,
- proper shoulders,
- functioning drainage,
- periodic audits.
A dedicated fund for mapping, repairing and maintaining roads is urgently needed.
Global Commitments and Local Reality
India is signatory to the Stockholm Declaration on Road Safety (2020), which commits countries to halve road deaths by 2030.
The Declaration urges the inclusion of:
- safe system design,
- urban land-use integration,
- stronger enforcement,
- safer vehicles,
- improved post-crash care.
However, halfway to 2030, India and Telangana remain far from meeting these targets.
Impact: What Is at Stake
If road engineering continues to be neglected:
- Vulnerable road users will remain at the highest risk.
- Pedestrian fatalities will stay disproportionately high.
- Urban congestion and pollution will worsen.
- Public trust in transport systems will erode.
- Telangana’s economic productivity will suffer due to accident-related losses.
Road safety is not merely a traffic issue — it is a public health, socio-economic, and governance challenge.
Conclusion
A road safety turnaround requires more than penalising drivers—it demands urgent upgrades in road engineering, maintenance, governance, and community awareness. Telangana and India need a coordinated, sustained effort to protect vulnerable road users and prevent avoidable deaths.
CARE MCQ
Q. Consider the following statements about the UN Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–2030):
- It aligns with the Stockholm Declaration and promotes walking, cycling, and public transport.
- It focuses only on vehicle safety and excludes improvements to roads or emergency care.
- It was developed by WHO along with UN regional commissions and the UN Road Safety Collaboration.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Correct Answer: (b) Only two
Source: The Hindu
Relevance: UPSC GS-I Modern Indian History – Revolutionary Nationalism, HSRA
Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- Batukeshwar Dutt (1910–1965)
- Central Assembly Bombing (1929)
- Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)
- Inquilab Zindabad slogan
- Delhi Assembly Bomb Case
- Quit India Movement (1942)
For Mains:
- Role of lesser-known freedom fighters
- Historical erasure and post-independence neglect
- Political prisoner conditions in British India
- Bhagat Singh–Dutt ideological partnership
- Debate on public commemoration and portraits in Parliament
Why in News?
November 18 marks the birth anniversary of Batukeshwar Dutt (1910–1965), the revolutionary who played a crucial role in the 1929 Central Assembly Bombing alongside Bhagat Singh. Despite his courage, long imprisonment, and sacrifices, Dutt remains largely absent from national memory, highlighting how India selectively remembers its revolutionaries.
Background: The Assembly Bombing and the Revolutionary Moment
On April 8, 1929, two young revolutionaries shook British rule by throwing harmless bombs into the Central Assembly Hall in Delhi, shouting “Inquilab Zindabad” and “Down with Imperialism.” Newspapers rushed to report the incident, and the world learned the names Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt. While Singh became legendary, Dutt slowly vanished from public consciousness, despite equal bravery.
A Revolutionary’s Journey
- Born in Burdwan, Bengal in 1910.
- Convicted in the Delhi Assembly Bomb Case on June 12, 1929.
- Spent nine years in harsh prisons: Multan, Jhelum, Trichinopoly, Salem, Andamans.
- Undertook repeated hunger strikes, twice fasting for over one month.
- Was in Salem Jail when Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev were executed on March 23, 1931.
- Released in 1938, rearrested during Quit India Movement (1942); jailed for four more years.
- Married Anjali, settled in Patna, daughter Bharti.
- Post-independence life marked by economic hardship.
- Coal depot allotted by Bihar govt failed; received only a symbolic six-month nomination to the Legislative Council.
Final Years: Illness, Neglect, and a Revolutionary’s Death
- Developed bone cancer in the mid-1960s.
- Spent eight months in AIIMS, New Delhi under Dr. Vig, who said only a “painless death” was possible.
- Plans to send him abroad dropped; Delhi care deemed equivalent.
- Died on July 20, 1965.
- As per his last wish, cremated at Hussainiwala beside Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev.
- Funeral attended by President, PM, ministers, but remembrance faded soon after.
Neglect and the Politics of Memory
- Parliament building still lacks portraits of Bhagat Singh and Dutt.
- Yet V. D. Savarkar’s portrait occupies a prominent place.
- In 2014, MPs Dharamvira Gandhi and Sitaram Yechury demanded inclusion of Bhagat Singh’s portrait; the demand was ignored.
- Dutt’s erasure documented by Chaman Lal Azad in Bhagat Singh aur Dutt ki Amar Kahani (1966).
- Book contains Bhagat Singh’s letters, Gandhi’s letter to Dutt, rare photos, eyewitness accounts.
- Remains out of print due to copyright issues.
- Dutt shared memories of comrades like Hari Kishan Talwar and Ehsan Ilahi.
- Criticised early films on Bhagat Singh; approved Manoj Kumar’s Shaheed (1965).
A Bond Beyond Martyrdom
- Mata Vidyawati, Bhagat Singh’s mother, lived with Dutt during his final days.
- She sold a gifted epic poem to fund his treatment.
- Comrades Shiv Verma, Sadashiv Malkapurkar, Kiran Das regularly visited him.
- Senior leaders, including Gulzari Lal Nanda, Y. B. Chavan, Jagjivan Ram, Swaran Singh, and Dr. Sushila Nayyar, visited him in hospital.
- Respect and sympathy rarely translated into material support during his life.
Legacy: A Revolutionary Forgotten
- Dutt admired Bhagat Singh’s intellectual depth and socialist ideals.
- Noted Singh was “far-sighted, always with a book in hand.”
- Yet national memory celebrated Bhagat Singh while Dutt slipped into obscurity.
- Works like Justice Anil Verma’s Bhagat Singh ke Sahyogi: Batukeshwar Dutt and Bhairav Lal Das’s Viplvi Batukeshwar Dutt attempt to revive his legacy.
- His life reflects how many revolutionaries were briefly honoured, rarely remembered, and largely neglected despite immense sacrifices.
Conclusion
Batukeshwar Dutt’s life reflects the courage of a revolutionary and the tragedy of a nation that forgot one of its own heroes. Despite his sacrifices, he remained marginalised in independent India’s memory. Remembering Dutt is essential not only to honour his contribution but also to correct historical neglect and ensure that the legacy of all freedom fighters is preserved with dignity.
UPSC PYQ
Assertion–Reason (CDS-I/2002)
Assertion (A): Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs in the Legislative Assembly in 1929.
Reason (R): They wanted to kill some members of the Legislative Assembly as revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
Options
- Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
- Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
- A is true but R is false
- A is false but R is true
Correct Answer: (3) A is true but R is false
CARE MCQ
Q. Consider the following statements about Batukeshwar Dutt:
- He was a member of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
- The 1929 Assembly bombing was intended as a symbolic protest, not to cause casualties.
- He came in contact with Bhagat Singh during his college days in Kanpur.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Correct Answer: (c) All three
Source: The Indian Express
Relevance: GS Paper II (Polity & Governance — Laws, Rights), Prelims (NDPS Act definitions & punishments), GS Paper IV / Ethics (legal-ethical tensions)
Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- NDPS Act, 1985
- Definition of cannabis (charas, ganja)
- Legal status of bhang (not covered under NDPS)
- Section 8(b)
- Kerala High Court ruling (2025)
- Punishment for cultivation
For Mains:
- Cannabis plant vs bhang: legal contradiction
- Right to culture vs NDPS restrictions
- Federal structure: Centre (NDPS) vs States (bhang rules)
Why in News?
- Kerala High Court (Nov 4, 2025) dismissed a petition by a man caught with five cannabis plants on the terrace.
- He argued:
- Plants had no flowering or fruiting tops → So they are not “ganja”.
- Court held:
- NDPS Act makes cultivation of any cannabis plant illegal, regardless of flowering or not.
- The law separates “cannabis plant” from products like ganja or charas.
What Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 Defines Cannabis (Section 2)
- NDPS Act (1985) was enacted due to international pressure, mainly USA, to criminalise cannabis.
- It does not ban all parts of cannabis.
Legal Definitions
Charas
- Resin extracted from cannabis plant.
- Includes hashish oil, any form of separated resin.
Ganja
- Flowering or fruiting tops of cannabis plant.
- Contains the psychoactive component (THC).
Excluded parts
- Leaves and seeds not accompanied by flowering tops.
Therefore, not considered cannabis under NDPS Act.
The Bhang Loophole
- Bhang is made from leaves, which are not illegal under NDPS Act.
- Thus:
- Bhang is NOT a narcotic drug.
- Its consumption is legal under central law.
But Bhang Is Not Completely Free
- NDPS National Policy states:
- States can regulate, permit or ban bhhang.
- Examples:
- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan → licensed bhang shops
- Assam → bhang banned under local law
This creates a unique situation:
You can drink bhang legally at Holi, but cannot grow the plant whose leaves make bhang.
Why Growing Cannabis Is a Crime
Main legal reason
- Section 8(b) NDPS Act:
- Prohibits cultivation of ANY cannabis plant unless government-approved.
Definition under Section 2(iv)
- “Cannabis plant” = ANY plant of genus cannabis, irrespective of:
- Age
- Flowering
- Fruiting
Kerala High Court Clarification
- Act does not distinguish between:
- A mature plant vs a small sapling
- A plant in the ground vs a pot
- “Cultivation” includes:
- Growing
- Raising
- Gardening
- Even keeping in pots
Conclusion:
🔹 You can legally buy bhang, but legally you CANNOT grow the cannabis plant.Difference Between Bhang and Cannabis
| Category | Bhang | Cannabis (Ganja/Charas) |
| Part of Plant Used | Leaves | Flowering tops (Ganja) and Resin (Charas) |
| Legal Status (NDPS Act) | Legal (Leaves are excluded from NDPS definition) | Illegal (Flowers/resin included in NDPS definition) |
| Cultivation | Cannot grow the plant; but bhang consumption is allowed | Growing ANY cannabis plant is illegal |
| Psychoactive Strength | Mild (Low THC) | Strong (High THC) |
| Form of Use | Drinks (bhang thandai), sweets | Smoked, vaped, resin consumed |
| Regulation | Controlled by state laws (licensed shops in some states) | Controlled strictly under NDPS Act |
| Cultural Use | Used in festivals (Holi, Maha Shivaratri) | No cultural sanction under law |
| Purpose | Traditional/religious consumption | Recreational or intoxicant use |
| Legal Reason | Leaves are not considered “cannabis” under law | Flowers/resin are officially defined as cannabis |
Punishments Under NDPS Act
Quantity-Based Punishments
For Ganja
- Small quantity → up to 1 kg
- Jail up to 1 year
- Fine up to ₹10,000
- Commercial quantity → 20 kg or more
- Jail 10–20 years
- Fine ₹1–2 lakh
For Charas
- Small quantity → up to 100 g
- Commercial quantity → 1 kg or more
Punishment for Cultivation
- Growing even one cannabis plant can result in:
- Up to 10 years rigorous imprisonment
- Up to ₹1 lakh fine
Important:
The offence is punishable even if no flowers or Ganja are produced.
Legal Exceptions — Industrial Hemp & Medical Use
Permitted under Section 14
Government may allow cultivation for:
- Industrial use (hemp fibre, seeds)
- Horticultural use
- Medical and scientific research
States that Allow Industrial Hemp
- Uttarakhand — first to issue licences in 2018
- Uttar Pradesh
- Himachal Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
Medical Cannabis
- CSIR and other research bodies licensed for:
- Medical trials
- Research on cannabis-based medicines
- India’s first medical cannabis clinic opened in Bengaluru in 2020.
International level: Commission on Narcotic Drugs
- It is the UN agency mandated to decide on the scope of control of substances by placing them in the schedules of global drug control conventions.
- It was founded in 1946
- Headquartered in Vienna.
- Global attitudes towards cannabis have changed dramatically since the commencement of the 1961 Convention, with many jurisdictions permitting cannabis use for recreation, medication or both.
- Currently, over 50 countries allow medicinal cannabis programmes, and its recreational use has been legalised in Canada, Uruguay and 15 states of the USA.
Ongoing Legal Challenge to Ban
- Delhi High Court is hearing a petition by:
- Great Legalisation Movement India Trust
- Petition argues:
- Ban on cannabis is arbitrary, unscientific, and violates personal liberty.
- Case is still ongoing.
CARE MCQ
The Kerala High Court (2025) ruled that cultivation of cannabis is illegal even if:
(a) The plant is dried
(b) Only three plants are grown
(c) The plant has no flowering tops
(d) The leaves are not harvested
Answer: (c)
Source: The Indian Express
Relevance: GS Paper II (Polity & Governance — Laws, Rights), Prelims (NDPS Act definitions & punishments), GS Paper IV / Ethics (legal-ethical tensions)
Key Concepts for Prelims and Mains:
For Prelims:
- NDPS Act, 1985
- Definition of cannabis (charas, ganja)
- Legal status of bhang (not covered under NDPS)
- Section 8(b)
- Kerala High Court ruling (2025)
- Punishment for cultivation
For Mains:
- Cannabis plant vs bhang: legal contradiction
- Right to culture vs NDPS restrictions
- Federal structure: Centre (NDPS) vs States (bhang rules)
Why in News?
- Kerala High Court (Nov 4, 2025) dismissed a petition by a man caught with five cannabis plants on the terrace.
- He argued:
- Plants had no flowering or fruiting tops → So they are not “ganja”.
- Court held:
- NDPS Act makes cultivation of any cannabis plant illegal, regardless of flowering or not.
- The law separates “cannabis plant” from products like ganja or charas.
What Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 Defines Cannabis (Section 2)
- NDPS Act (1985) was enacted due to international pressure, mainly USA, to criminalise cannabis.
- It does not ban all parts of cannabis.
Legal Definitions
Charas
- Resin extracted from cannabis plant.
- Includes hashish oil, any form of separated resin.
Ganja
- Flowering or fruiting tops of cannabis plant.
- Contains the psychoactive component (THC).
Excluded parts
- Leaves and seeds not accompanied by flowering tops.
Therefore, not considered cannabis under NDPS Act.
The Bhang Loophole
- Bhang is made from leaves, which are not illegal under NDPS Act.
- Thus:
- Bhang is NOT a narcotic drug.
- Its consumption is legal under central law.
But Bhang Is Not Completely Free
- NDPS National Policy states:
- States can regulate, permit or ban bhhang.
- Examples:
- Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan → licensed bhang shops
- Assam → bhang banned under local law
This creates a unique situation:
You can drink bhang legally at Holi, but cannot grow the plant whose leaves make bhang.
Why Growing Cannabis Is a Crime
Main legal reason
- Section 8(b) NDPS Act:
- Prohibits cultivation of ANY cannabis plant unless government-approved.
Definition under Section 2(iv)
- “Cannabis plant” = ANY plant of genus cannabis, irrespective of:
- Age
- Flowering
- Fruiting
Kerala High Court Clarification
- Act does not distinguish between:
- A mature plant vs a small sapling
- A plant in the ground vs a pot
- “Cultivation” includes:
- Growing
- Raising
- Gardening
- Even keeping in pots
Conclusion:
🔹 You can legally buy bhang, but legally you CANNOT grow the cannabis plant.Difference Between Bhang and Cannabis
| Category | Bhang | Cannabis (Ganja/Charas) |
| Part of Plant Used | Leaves | Flowering tops (Ganja) and Resin (Charas) |
| Legal Status (NDPS Act) | Legal (Leaves are excluded from NDPS definition) | Illegal (Flowers/resin included in NDPS definition) |
| Cultivation | Cannot grow the plant; but bhang consumption is allowed | Growing ANY cannabis plant is illegal |
| Psychoactive Strength | Mild (Low THC) | Strong (High THC) |
| Form of Use | Drinks (bhang thandai), sweets | Smoked, vaped, resin consumed |
| Regulation | Controlled by state laws (licensed shops in some states) | Controlled strictly under NDPS Act |
| Cultural Use | Used in festivals (Holi, Maha Shivaratri) | No cultural sanction under law |
| Purpose | Traditional/religious consumption | Recreational or intoxicant use |
| Legal Reason | Leaves are not considered “cannabis” under law | Flowers/resin are officially defined as cannabis |
Punishments Under NDPS Act
Quantity-Based Punishments
For Ganja
- Small quantity → up to 1 kg
- Jail up to 1 year
- Fine up to ₹10,000
- Commercial quantity → 20 kg or more
- Jail 10–20 years
- Fine ₹1–2 lakh
For Charas
- Small quantity → up to 100 g
- Commercial quantity → 1 kg or more
Punishment for Cultivation
- Growing even one cannabis plant can result in:
- Up to 10 years rigorous imprisonment
- Up to ₹1 lakh fine
Important:
The offence is punishable even if no flowers or Ganja are produced.
Legal Exceptions — Industrial Hemp & Medical Use
Permitted under Section 14
Government may allow cultivation for:
- Industrial use (hemp fibre, seeds)
- Horticultural use
- Medical and scientific research
States that Allow Industrial Hemp
- Uttarakhand — first to issue licences in 2018
- Uttar Pradesh
- Himachal Pradesh
- Madhya Pradesh
Medical Cannabis
- CSIR and other research bodies licensed for:
- Medical trials
- Research on cannabis-based medicines
- India’s first medical cannabis clinic opened in Bengaluru in 2020.
International level: Commission on Narcotic Drugs
- It is the UN agency mandated to decide on the scope of control of substances by placing them in the schedules of global drug control conventions.
- It was founded in 1946
- Headquartered in Vienna.
- Global attitudes towards cannabis have changed dramatically since the commencement of the 1961 Convention, with many jurisdictions permitting cannabis use for recreation, medication or both.
- Currently, over 50 countries allow medicinal cannabis programmes, and its recreational use has been legalised in Canada, Uruguay and 15 states of the USA.
Ongoing Legal Challenge to Ban
- Delhi High Court is hearing a petition by:
- Great Legalisation Movement India Trust
- Petition argues:
- Ban on cannabis is arbitrary, unscientific, and violates personal liberty.
- Case is still ongoing.
CARE MCQ
The Kerala High Court (2025) ruled that cultivation of cannabis is illegal even if:
(a) The plant is dried
(b) Only three plants are grown
(c) The plant has no flowering tops
(d) The leaves are not harvested
Answer: (c)
