pib summaries December 10, 2025 | Legacy Ias Academy

Contents

1. India is hosting UNESCO’s 20th ICH Session
2. National Edible Oils Mission (NMEO)

India is hosting UNESCO’s 20th ICH Session

Why in News?

• India hosts the 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) by December 8–13, 2025 bee Red Fort, New Delhi.
• First time ever India hosts this global ICH governing body.
• Coincides with 20 years of India‘s ratification (2005) of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on ICH.
• Chaired by Vishal V Sharmathe Permanent Delegate of India to UNESCO.
• Nodal agencies:

Relevance

GS 1 — Indian heritage and culture

• Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) versus tangible heritage
• 2003 ICH Convention:
  • Objectives, protection mechanism
• Indian elements on UNESCO ICH list (15 elements)
• Living traditions:
  • Rituals, festivals, crafts, oral traditions
• Culture as dynamic, community-managed processno static monuments

GS 2 — International relations and global institutions

• Role of UNESCO in global cultural governance
• India as:
  • Chairman and host of a major multilateral cultural body
  • Voice of the Global South in the field of heritage management
• Congressional diplomacy:
  • Cultural cooperation as an instrument of IR
• Cultural multilateralism as a pillar standards

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)?

• Living traditions, including:
  • Oral traditions, performing arts
  • Rituals, festivals, social practices
  • Traditional craftsmanship and indigenous knowledge
• Dynamiccommunity property, and transmitted intergenerationally
• Differs from material heritage (monuments, artefacts)

2003 UNESCO Convention on ICH – Core Architecture

• Accepted: October 17, 2003, 32nd General Conference of UNESCO, Paris
• Entry into force: 2006
• Four objectives:
  • Increase national and global awareness
  • Promote international cooperation

Intergovernmental Committee — Key functions

• Implements the 2003 Treaty
• Decision on:
  • ICH urgently needs protection
  • Register of good conservation practices
• Operation:
  • International aid grants
• Reviews:
  • Periodic reports of the State Party

India’s role in global ICH governance

• India has served three terms in the ICH committee.
• 15 Indian elements inscribed on the UNESCO ICH Representative List.
• Nominations 2025:

Strategic objectives of India as host

• Shop window India‘s ICH security model:
  • National inventory & documentation
• Promote:
  • Joint multinational nominations
  • Capacity building and knowledge exchange
• Boost:
  • Global research and funding for Indian traditions
• Strengthen:
  • Youth participation in the transfer of heritage
• Advance payment:
  • Soft power and cultural diplomacy
• Integrate:
  • Heritage + Sustainable Development + Livelihood

Economic and social significance of ICH for India

• Security of life:
  • Craftsmen, artists, craft communities
• Social cohesion:
  • Strengthens pluralism across caste, tribe, region and religion
• Retention of knowledge:
  • Ecology, folk medicine, oral history, rituals
• Soft power dividends:
  • Global branding through Yoga, Garba, Durga Puja, Kumbh, etc.

Institutional framework in India

1. National ICH scheme (Ministry of Culture)

• Objectives:
  • Documentation & digitization
  • UNESCO nomination files
  • Training and skills development
• Stakeholders:
  • States, universities, NGOs, local practitioners

2. Sangeet Natak Academy (SNA)

• Capacity building
• Field documentation
• Awareness and transmission programs

Linking Governance and Development (UPSC Value Addition)

• I supports SDGs:
  • SDG 4 (Education & knowledge transfer)
  • SDG 11 (Sustainable Communities)

Emerging challenges

• Commercialization versus authenticity
• Urbanization-driven skills loss
• Young people breaking away from traditional practices
• Insufficient basic documentation
• Digital misappropriation of community knowledge

Conclusion

• Hosting the 20th ICH session exalts India as:
  • A voice of the Global South in the field of cultural governance
• Strengthens the Indian model of:
  • Community-based protection
  • Heritage-led sustainable development
• Convert India’s cultural diversity into:
  • Continuity of civilization

National Edible Oils Mission (NMEO)

Why in News?

• Government has released the latest progress update (December 2025) on:
  • NMEO–Oil palm (OP) area expansion and CPO production
  • NMEO–Oilseeds (OS) scaling up the implementation
• NITI Aayog‘2024 report marked:
  • India is in the rankings Number 1 worldwide in the production of rice bran oil, castor, safflower, sesame, niger
• By means of November 2025:
  • 2.50 lakh hectares freshly covered under NMEO-OP
  • Total oil palm area now 6.20 lakh hectares
  • CPO production doubled by 1.91 lakh tonnes (2014–15) Unpleasant 3.80 lakh tonnes (2024-2025)

Relevance

GS paper 3 — Agriculture

• Oilseeds such as:
  • The second largest crop group, after food grains
• NMEO branches:
• Yield difference, rainwater dependence, seed replacement strategy

GS 3 — Food security and nutrition

• Edible oils such as:
  • Core source of fats and fat-soluble vitamins
• Per capita consumption is rising relative to the domestic supply gap
• Import dependence risks for nutritional security

Strategic context

• Only India meets ~44% of edible oil demand from domestic production (2023–24).
• Import dependence:
  • Of cases 63.2% (2015-2016) → 56.25% (2023-2024)
• Import of edible oil (2023–24): 15.66 million tons
• Consumption increase (2004-2005 → 2022-2023):

Historical background

• Yellow Revolution (1990s) via technology mission on oilseeds:
  • Achieved near self-sufficiency through:
• Post-WTO phase:
  • Reduced rates + weaker price support
  • Imports soared, domestic productivity stagnated

National Edible Oils Mission (NMEO)

• Launched to achieve the following:
  • Atmanirbharta in edible oils
  • Improving farmers’ income
• Two vertical markets:
• Implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare

NMEO – Oil Palm (OP)

Why oil palm?

• Highest oil yield per hectare among all oilseeds
• Oil yield ≈ 5× traditional oilseeds
• Produces:
  • Palm kernel oil (industrial)

Financial architecture

• Total spend: ₹11,040 crore
• Centrally sponsored program

Core innovations

• Viability Award (VP) for fresh fruit bunches (FFBs):
  • Protects farmers from the global price volatility of crude palm oil
• Entrance subsidy improved:
  • Plant material: ₹12,000 → ₹29,000 per hectare
  • Rejuvenation of old gardens: ₹250 per plant
• Focus on:
  • Intercropping during the 4-year gestation period
  • Crop diversification of low yielding cereals

Regional focus

• Traditional leaders:
  • Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (98% production)
• New expansion:
  • Northeast, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Odisha

Objectives versus progress

NMEO – Oilseeds (OS)

• Approved: 2024–25 to 2030–31
• Expense: €10,103 crore

Coverage

• Primary oilseeds:
  • Mustard, Groundnut, Soy, Sunflower, Sesame, Safflower, Niger, Linseed, Castor
• Secondary sources:
  • Cottonseed, Rice Bran, Coconut
• Tree-borne oilseeds (TBOs) included

Objectives (by 2030-2031)

• Area: 29 → 33 million hectares
• Production: 39 → 69.7 million tons
• Yield: 1,353 → 2,112 kg/ha
• Additional:
  • Expansion of 40 lakh hectares via:
• Combined with NMEO–OP:
  • Domestic oil production target: 25.45 million tons

Implementation framework

• 600+ Value Chain Clusters
• Coverage: > 10 lakh ha annually
• Managed by:
• Farmers receive:
• After harvest:
  • Support for oil extraction and storage

Digital and institutional backbone

• SATHI portal:
• Infrastructure:
• Supervision:
• Last mile delivery:
  • Krishi Sakhis (CASPs) through SHGs

Role of Research & Technology

Implemented by Indian Council of Agricultural Research via AICRPs:

• 432 high-yielding varieties registered (2014-2025)
• Focus on:
  • Climate-resistant varieties
• Seed performance statistics:
  • VRR (Replacement rate of different species)
  • SRR (Seed replacement rate)
• Breeding seed production (2019–24):

Additional policy support

• PM-AASHA:
  • MSP purchasing via NAFED, Nccf
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana:
  • Crop insurance for oilseeds
• Import duties increased:
  • Crude oils: 5.5% → 16.5%
  • Refined oils: 13.75% → 35.75%
• MSP increased for mustard, soybeans and groundnuts

Strategic significance

• Macroeconomic:
  • Reduces vulnerability to global price shocks
• Farmers Welfare:
  • Secure prices + stable demand
• Food safety:
  • Addresses fat and vitamin deficiencies
• Agro-industrial growth:
  • Strengthens the oil processing ecosystem
• Atmanirbhar Bharat:
  • Core pillar of self-reliance in agriculture

Main challenges

• High dependence on rainwater (76%)
• Interest rate differentials versus global benchmarks
• Long gestation period of oil palm
• Environmental risks (monoculture, water stress)
• Market volatility despite price certainty

Relevance

• GS-3:
  • Agriculture, food security, MSP, agricultural import substitution
• Essay:
  • Atmanirbhar Bharat through agricultural transformation
• Preliminaries:
  • Viability Award (VP), SATHI, Krishi Sakhi

Conclusion

• NMEO represents India most comprehensive edible oil reform since the Yellow Revolution.
• Combines:
  • Traditional oilseed productivity
• When implemented sustainably, NMEO can:
  • Reduce import dependence to under 30%
  • Transform oilseeds into one high-quality driver for farm income
  • Secure India nutritional and economic sovereignty.