Prelims Focus 29th September 2026

Anti-Goonda Bill, 2026

In News: The President of India tabled the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill (also called as ‘anti-Goonda’ Bill) back to the state for reconsideration.

• A preventive detention law targeting ‘goondas’ and ‘anti-social activities’.
• Detention Period: An extension of detention without trial for up to 12 months and barring a person from entering a particular “area, district or districts” for up to 12 months for “anti-social” activities. 
• Definitions: It has expansive definitions of the term ‘goonda’, as well as ‘anti-social activity’.
• A goonda is someone who “is generally reputed to be desperate and dangerous to the community” or is a “Habitual Offender.”
• “Anti-social activity” is defined as activity which directly or indirectly causes “alarm or insecurity among the public”, “danger to life or property”, “disturbance of public order”, “unlawful dispossession” or “illegal mining, quarrying or sand or forest activity that drains the public exchequer”.
• It also provides for search and seizure, punishment for harbouring or externing a person, good-faith immunity to officials and renders offences cognizable and non-bailable.

Declining Sugar Production in Uttar Pradesh

In News: Due to the prevalence of red rot disease in the widely grown Co-0238 variety of sugarcane, the production of sugarcane in Uttar Pradesh has reduced from 126.4 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 to 89.5 lakh tonnes in 2025-26.

• Red rot is a fungal disease of sugarcane caused by Colletotrichum falcatum and causes a disturbance in the flow of water and nutrients in the plant.
• The disease is characterised by symptoms of leaf discolouration, wilting, internal reddening of the cane and drying and hollowing of the stem, causing significant losses.

Livestock Insurance Portal

In News: The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) took a significant step towards digitalizing livestock insurance services in the country by launching the Livestock Insurance Portal in New Delhi.

• Livestock Insurance Portal
• In the Livestock Insurance Scheme of the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, it will offer a single integrated digital platform for issuance of livestock insurance policies, claim processing, monitoring, and reporting. 
• It will also be published in 11 regional languages (excluding Hindi and English), to reach livestock farmers in their own language and facilitate information and service delivery.

India’s first LNG Train

In News: India has introduced the first LNG-powered train after launching the nation’s first hydrogen train.

• It is a dual-fuel diesel-LNG train that was flagged off from Sabarmati, Gujarat. 
• On the occasion, two 1400 HP Driving Power Cars (DPCs) at Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted to run on both fuels. 
• As part of the dual-fuel system, LNG is able to replace approximately 40% of the diesel consumption, thereby reducing the amount of fuel used, fuel costs, and emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.

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