Explore the Daily Current Affairs 8 November 2025, relevant for UPSC exam. Download quick REVISION NOTES from our telegram channel – https://t.me/CivilMentorIAS.
Nationwide Removal and Regulation of Stray Dogs
GS Paper 2: Polity & Governance (Role of Supreme Court, Judicial Intervention, Local Governance, Implementation of Welfare Laws)
Context: Supreme Court has directed all States and Union Territories to immediately remove stray dogs from sensitive public spaces, such as educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands, depots, and railway stations, and relocate them to designated shelters.
Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023:
ABC Rules, 2023 was notified by Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. Its objective is to manage the population of stray dogs humanely through sterilisation and immunisation, thereby reducing human–animal conflict and ensuring animal welfare. These Rules align with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) standards for the Capture–Neuter–Vaccinate–Release (CNVR) approach.
Key Provisions:
- Humane Population Control: Stray dogs to be captured, sterilised, vaccinated (especially against rabies), and not to be released back into the same area after recovery.
- Implementation Authority: Local bodies (municipalities, panchayats) are responsible for planning and executing the ABC programme. Must collaborate with Animal Welfare Organizations (AWOs) recognized by the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).
- Registration & Monitoring: All ABC centers must be registered with AWBI. Regular monitoring and audits to ensure humane practices.
- Rabies Control: Vaccination of stray animals made mandatory to reduce rabies transmission to humans and pets.
- Public Participation: Citizens encouraged to cooperate and avoid obstructing ABC activities.
Major Concerns:
- Public Safety Concern: The increase in dog-bite incidents poses a threat to citizens, particularly children and the elderly.
- Urban Governance Failure: Municipal bodies’ inefficiency in managing stray populations has led to public health and safety risks.
- Legal & Administrative Framework: The ABC Rules, 2023, provide for sterilisation and vaccination, but enforcement remains weak.
- Road Safety Issue: Stray animals and cattle contribute significantly to accidents on highways.
Way Forward:
- Strengthening municipal-level animal control infrastructure.
- Promoting public awareness on responsible pet ownership and vaccination.
- Building public-private partnerships for humane stray management.
- Integrating GIS-based monitoring for animal population control.
- Encouraging community involvement and cooperation with NGOs.
Prelims practice Question:
Q1. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 have been notified under which of the following Acts?
A. Wildlife Protection Act, 1972
B. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
C. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
D. Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Answer: B. Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960
Q2. Which of the following bodies is responsible for monitoring and registering Animal Birth Control (ABC) programmes and organizations?
A. National Biodiversity Authority
B. Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)
C. Central Zoo Authority
D. National Green Tribunal
Answer: B. Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI)
Explanation:
The AWBI, under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, oversees the registration, monitoring, and implementation of ABC programmes.
Q3. The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023 aim to achieve which of the following objectives?
- Control the stray dog and cat population humanely.
- Prevent spread of zoonotic diseases such as rabies.
- Regulate animal breeding for commercial purposes.
Select the correct answer using the code below:
A. 1 only
B. 1 and 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3
Answer: B. 1 and 2 only
Explanation:
The ABC Rules focus on humane control of stray populations and disease prevention, not on commercial breeding regulation (which is covered under separate Breeding and Marketing Rules).
Source: The Hindu newspaper (Page 10)
Property Law reforms
GS Paper 2 – Polity & Governance (Judicial reforms, property rights, Law Commission, Centre–State relations). GS Paper 3 – Science & Technology (Application of blockchain technology in governance and transparency).
Context: The Supreme Court of India, in a significant judgment, observed that buying and selling property in India remain “traumatic experiences”, as property-related cases constitute nearly 66% of all civil litigation in the country.
Key Issues:
1. Colonial Legacy of Property Laws:
- Existing statutes (1882, 1899, 1908) are outdated and ill-suited to the complexities of modern property ownership, urbanization, and digital governance.
2. High Litigation Burden:
- Property disputes form two-thirds of India’s civil cases, clogging courts and delaying justice.
3. Governance Challenges:
- Fake documents, encroachments, corruption, and bureaucratic inefficiency hinder property registration.
- Variations across States due to land being a State subject (Seventh Schedule – List II).
4. Citizen Rights and Economic Implications:
- The right to property (Article 300A) may no longer be a fundamental right, but it remains a constitutional legal right central to economic freedom.
- Transparent property transactions improve ease of doing business and investment climate.
Blockchain Technology in Land Records:
Definition: A distributed digital ledger that records transactions in a secure, verifiable, and tamper-proof way.
Advantages:
- Prevents fraud and duplication of land titles.
- Ensures real-time verification of ownership and encumbrances.
- Enhances transparency, efficiency, and citizen trust.
- Creates a single source of truth for property ownership.
Examples in India: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Maharashtra have initiated pilot blockchain projects for land records.
Prelims practice Question:
Q4. Which technology can provide a transparent and tamper-proof record of land ownership and transactions?
(a) Artificial Intelligence
(b) Blockchain
(c) Cloud computing
(d) Big data analytics
Answer: (b)
Aircraft Carrier “Fujian”
GS Paper II – International Relations (India-China relations, China’s military expansion, South China Sea security, regional maritime balance). GS Paper III – Defence & Security (Naval capabilities, aircraft carriers).
Context: China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, at a naval base on Hainan Island.
Features:
- This carrier is the first designed and built entirely in China, marking a milestone in Beijing’s military modernization program.
- It is the second carrier in the world (after the US Navy’s Ford class carriers) which is quipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) for launching carrier-based aircraft, compared to older ski-jump systems to help planes take flight.
Key Points and Implications:
- Strategic Military Significance
- Fujian strengthens China’s blue-water navy capabilities. It enhances power projection across the First and Second Island Chains, challenging U.S. and allied naval dominance.
- Aligns with Xi Jinping’s vision of a “world-class” military by 2050.
- Technological Leap: First Chinese carrier with electromagnetic catapult (EMALS) vs older ski-jump systems.
Advantages of EMALS:
- Launches wider variety of aircraft.
- Reduces stress on airframes and ship.
- Improves precision and operational efficiency.
- Regional Security Implications
- May intensify China-Taiwan tensions.
- Could impact South China Sea maritime disputes involving Vietnam, Philippines, and Malaysia.
- Forces U.S., Japan, India, and ASEAN nations to recalibrate naval strategies.
First Island Chain:
The First Island Chain is a strategically significant chain of islands in the Western Pacific, extending from the Kuril Islands in the north, through Japan (including Okinawa), Taiwan, the northern Philippines, and down to Borneo. It acts as a natural barrier limiting China’s access to the wider Pacific, making it a key focus of U.S. and allied containment strategies, while China views it as a challenge to its naval expansion.
Prelims practice Questions:
Q5. Which of the following advantages does an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) have over a ski-jump system?
- Launches a wider range of aircraft
- Reduces stress on the aircraft and ship
- Increases fuel efficiency of aircraft
Select the correct answer using the code below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Q6. The term “First Island Chain” in the Indo-Pacific context refers to:
(a) A chain of islands in the Indian Ocean linking India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives
(b) A series of islands in the Western Pacific, including Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines
(c) A line of islands in the Arctic Ocean used for naval strategy
(d) The chain of islands in the Mediterranean controlled by NATO
Answer: (b)