Context: Bihar is preparing to open mining of major minerals through e-auction of two mineral blocks: the Pindara Copper–Lead–Zinc Block in Banka and the Majos–Bhanta Magnetite Block in Jamui.
Key details
- The e-auction will be conducted through MSTC Limited, the government’s e-auction platform. Before auction, processes such as mineral-block identification, environmental assessment, land verification and preparation of tender documents must be completed.
- Banka – Pindara Block: Copper, lead and zinc → electrical wiring, electronics, construction, galvanisation, alloys and batteries.
- Jamui – Majos–Bhanta Combined Block: Magnetite → iron ore used in iron and steel production.
- The Majos–Bhanta block is estimated to contain about 54.89 million tonnes of magnetite resources. Earlier assessments estimated the Majos deposit at 48.40 million tonnes and the Bhanta deposit at around 6.49 million tonnes.
Why It Matters
- Industrial development: Magnetite can support iron and steel production, while copper, lead and zinc are essential for electrical equipment, construction, renewable-energy systems and manufacturing.
- Revenue mobilisation: Transparent auction of mineral leases can enhance Bihar’s royalty and mining revenue.
- Employment: Exploration, extraction, transport, processing and associated services can create jobs in relatively underdeveloped districts.
- Investment: Large mineral blocks can attract private capital, technology and downstream processing industries.
- Resource diversification: Bihar seeks to reduce dependence on traditional sources of State revenue and build a broader mineral-based industrial base.
PM Surya Ghar Scheme in Bihar
Context: Bihar has received over 1.22 lakh applications under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, reflecting growing interest in residential rooftop solar.
Scheme Progress
- The scheme enables households to install rooftop solar systems and reduce electricity bills through self-generation and net metering.
- Bihar has already installed more than 26,000 rooftop solar plants under the scheme, while over 71,000 applicants have selected vendors for installation.
- Around ₹171.74 crore in subsidies had been released to beneficiaries by mid-August 2026.
About PM Surya Ghar
- PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is a Central scheme aimed at installing rooftop solar systems in one crore households.
- It provides central financial assistance for residential rooftop solar and targets savings of up to 300 units of electricity per month for beneficiary households, depending on system capacity and consumption.
- Households may access collateral-free, concessional loans for rooftop systems up to 3 kW, in addition to the applicable subsidy.
Significance
- Rooftop solar lowers household power bills and reduces dependence on grid electricity.
- It supports decentralised clean-energy generation, lowers peak demand and contributes to climate goals.
- It can generate work for local installers, electricians and maintenance providers.
Indigenous Popcorn Maize Hybrid Launched
Context: Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan launched India’s first indigenous, non-GMO, high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid seeds at Musunuru in Eluru district, Andhra Pradesh, on 24 August 2026.
Key details
- The launch took place at Gourmet Popcornica’s facility and was presented as a step toward agricultural self-reliance and reduced dependence on imported popcorn-maize hybrids.
- Non-GMO: Developed through conventional plant breeding without genetic engineering or insertion of foreign genes.
- Hybrid: Produced by crossing selected maize lines to combine desirable traits.
- High-expansion: Kernels expand substantially when heated, making them suitable for commercial popcorn.
- Indigenous: Bred and trialled in India for local tropical conditions, soils and farming environments.
- The reported hybrid varieties are Krisna459 and Godari234. They were developed to approach the kernel size and popping quality of imported benchmarks while offering traits needed by Indian growers, such as shorter duration and tolerance to local production conditions.
Why It Matters
- Import substitution: India has depended on imported hybrid technology for premium popcorn maize. A domestic seed can reduce this dependence and retain more value within the Indian farm and food-processing ecosystem.
- Value addition: Popcorn maize is a specialised, higher-value crop compared with ordinary maize because its kernels are processed and marketed as a branded food product.
- Farmer participation: Gourmet Popcornica reportedly works with more than 17,500 farmers across eight States, creating a farm-to-processing value chain.