Lead IAS Daily Bulletin-22 August 2026 - PHWR and PWR, NMCG, NEP 2020

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra

22 August 2026 Daily Bulletin covering PHWR and PWR reactor technologies, with comparisons of moderator, coolant, fuel cycle and heavy-water versus light-water requirements, plus India’s PHWR role in the Three-Stage Nuclear Programme. It also explains the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) framework, Namami Gange implementation, governance bodies, legal mandate elements, biodiversity priorities, and river basin ecological measures, followed by key NEP 2020 highlights on equity, digital interventions, curriculum structure, mother-tongue approach, and vocational education.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

AccessFree to download

Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR)

National Mission For Clean Ganga (NMCG)

National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

22 August 2026 Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and Pressurised Water Reactors (PWR) Indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) have emerged as the preferred technology for private players driving India’s nuclear capacity expansion. o PHWR: Uses unpressurised Heavy Water moderator and separate pressurised Heavy Water coolant to transfer core heat. o PWR: Employs ordinary Light Water serving simultaneously as both the high-pressure coolant and the neutron moderator. o Coolant: PHWRs circulate high-pressure Deuterium Oxide, whereas PWRs utilise high-pressure ordinary Light Water for heat transfer. o Moderator: PHWRs require Heavy Water to sustain reactions, while PWRs rely on normal Light Water for neutron thermalisation. o Fuel: PHWRs operate efficiently on Natural Uranium (0.7% U-235), avoiding complex and expensive enrichment infrastructure. PWR uses enriched uranium fuel. o Heavy Water: Deuterium Oxide absorbs fewer neutrons, allowing the reactor to sustain a chain reaction with unenriched uranium. o Light Water: Normal water absorbs more neutrons, demanding Low Enriched Uranium (3-5% U-235) to maintain continuous fission in PWRs. o Fuel Cycle: PHWRs allow continuous on-power refuelling, whereas PWRs necessitate shutting down thereactor for batch refuelling operations. o India: PHWRs form the backbone of India's current nuclear fleet, directly enabling the first stage of the ThreeStage Nuclear Programme. o Indigenous Technology: NPCIL has successfully mastered and scaled domestic 700 MWe PHWR designs, deploying them in active fleet mode. o Three-Stage Programme: PHWR spent fuel yields vital Plutonium-239, necessary for triggering the second-stage Fast Breeder Reactors. National Mission For Clean Ganga (NMCG) The National Green Tribunal (NGT) sought a response from the Centre on a petition challenging the recent amendments notified by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) . o NMCG: Operates as the registered society and primary implementation arm under the Ministry of Jal Shakti for comprehensive river rejuvenation. o Namami Gange: An integrated Central Sector Scheme executed by NMCG for pollution abatement, conservation, and river basin restoration. o Establishment: Evolved from the erstwhile National Ganga River Basin Authority, reconstituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 in 2016. o National Ganga Council: Serves as the apex and policy oversight body chaired by the Prime Minister of India for basin governance. o Ganga River Basin: Covers eleven riparian states and drains over twenty-six percent of India's landmass, supporting critical ecological and agricultural systems. o E-Flows: Legally mandated minimum environmental flow regimes maintain continuous ecological discharge across upper and lower stretches of the river. o River Ecology: Focuses on restoring longitudinal, lateral, and vertical ecological connectivity across the river channel and its active floodplains. o Biodiversity: Prioritises conservation of endemic riverine aquatic fauna, including the Gharial, Smooth-coated Otter, Golden Mahseer, and freshwater turtles. o Ganga Dolphin: Protects the endangered national aquatic animal (Platanista gangetica), serving as the apex biological indicator of overall river ecosystem health. o Funding: Implemented as a centrally funded umbrella scheme supported by multilateral developmental assistance from institutions like the World Bank. o Other Bodies: | Feature | CPCB | National Ganga Council | | --- | --- | --- | | Legal/ Institutional Basis | Statutory Body
under Water Act, 1974 | Statutory Authority under
Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 | | Main Function | Nationwide pollution monitoring and industrial standard setting | Apex policy formulation
and inter
ministerial
river
coordination | 22 August 2026 | Jurisdiction | Pan-India territorial jurisdiction | Ganga River Basin (Covering all
11 basin states)

FAQs

What are the key differences between PHWR and PWR technologies?

PHWR uses unpressurised heavy water as moderator and pressurised heavy water as coolant, while PWR uses ordinary light water for both high-pressure coolant and neutron moderation. They also differ in fuel enrichment needs and refuelling requirements.

How does NMCG implement Namami Gange and support river rejuvenation?

NMCG operates as a registered society and primary implementation arm under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Namami Gange is executed by NMCG to address pollution abatement, conservation, and river basin restoration.

What major reforms does NEP 2020 introduce in India’s education system?

NEP 2020 aims to make education more holistic and multidisciplinary and replaces the earlier 1986 policy. It proposes a 5+3+3+4 structure, emphasises mother-tongue instruction at least up to Grade 5 (preferably to Grade 8), continues a flexible three-language formula, and integrates vocational education from Grade 6.

Sep 20, 2026

Uploaded by Ezra