NATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
₹1,500 Crore Projects at V.O. Chidambaranar Port
Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) inaugurated and laid the foundation for projects worth over ₹1,500 crore at V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port), Tuticorin.
The projects mark a major expansion in infrastructure development, renewable energy integration, digital transformation, and security modernisation, strengthening the port’s role as a green and technologically advanced maritime hub.
VOC Maritime Heritage Museum Inaugurated
- Dedicated to India’s maritime legacy.
- Honours freedom fighter V. O. Chidambaranar.
- Designed as a cultural and educational landmark for southern Tamil Nadu.
- Expected to promote tourism, community engagement
BANKING | ECONOMY CURRENT AFFAIRS
Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0
Government has approved the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 (FoF 2.0) with a total corpus of ₹10,000 crore. This second phase of the initiative is designed to accelerate India’s startup growth by mobilising long-term domestic venture capital and reducing reliance on foreign funding. Startup India FoF 2.0 builds on the foundation of the original Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS 1.0) launched in 2016
- Parent Initiative: Startup India (launched in 2016)
- Objective: Accelerate the next phase of India’s startup journey
- Total Corpus₹10,000 crore
Urban Challenge Fund (UCF)
The Government has approved the launch of the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with a total Central Assistance (CA) of Rs. 1 lakh crore. It is designed to transform Indian urban infrastructure through a reform-driven, competitive “challenge” model. It encourages cities to secure 50% of project costs via market financing (bonds, PPPs) to receive 25% central assistance, promoting fiscal discipline and sustainable urban development.
- Objective: Build resilient, productive, inclusive and climate-responsive cities as key drivers of India’s next phase of economic growth
- Duration: FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31 (extendable up to FY 2033–34)
- Project Financing Pattern: Minimum 50% financing from market sources (municipal bonds, bank loans, PPPs)
CBDC-based Digital Food Currency Pilot
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Digital Food Currency Pilot is a landmark reform in India’s Public Distribution System (PDS), launched by the Government of India.
- The initiative integrates the Reserve Bank of India’s Digital Rupee (e₹) into the welfare delivery framework to ensure purpose-bound, transparent, and leakage-free food subsidy transfers.
- The system uses “programmable” digital currency, which allows the government to “lock” funds for a specific use.
- Pilot Districts (Gujarat): Ahmedabad, Anand, Valsad, Surat
- Future Expansion (UTs): Puducherry; Chandigarh; Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES CURRENT AFFAIRS
Indigenously Manufactured Tetanus & Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine Launched
Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the indigenously manufactured Tetanus and Adult Diphtheria (Td) Vaccine at the Central Research Institute (CRI), Kasauli. This launch marks a major step toward national health security, strengthening India’s public health infrastructure, and advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in healthcare.
- The Td vaccine will now be supplied under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).
- CRI will supply 55 lakh doses by April 2026.
- The initiative aligns with India’s goal of self-reliance in pharmaceuticals and vaccine manufacturing.
- CRI is the first government institute manufacturing vaccines under Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards.
Export Promotion Mission
Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently launched seven additional interventions under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM). These interventions aim to address key challenges faced by Indian exporters, promote broad-based and inclusive export growth, and strengthen India’s position as a globally competitive export powerhouse.
About Export Promotion Mission (EPM)
- It is a flagship initiative of the Department of Commerce aimed at empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for global markets.
- It adopts a holistic ecosystem approach through two components combining:
- Niryat Protsahan – Financial enablers
- Niryat Disha – Trade ecosystem support
Vibrant Villages Programme II
Union Home Minister recently launched the Vibrant Villages Programme–II (VVP–II) from Nathanpur village in Assam’s Cachar district. It aims to strengthen border villages and promote inclusive development in border areas.
It builds on:
- First phase (VVP-I), which focused solely on the northern (China) border,
- Second phase significantly expands India’s strategic reach to include villages along the borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Myanmar.
Meri Parampara – Meri Virasat Initiative
Ministry of Panchayati Raj has conceptualised the Meri Parampara – Meri Virasat initiative to document and digitally preserve the cultural heritage of tribal communities residing in Scheduled Areas.
Objective
- It aims at comprehensive documentation and digital preservation of tribal heritage, including folk songs, festivals, worship practices, oral traditions, traditional art forms and customary governance systems
Implementation:
- It is being implemented in collaboration with State Governments and other stakeholders, reflecting a decentralised and participatory approach.
SAHI and BODH Initiatives
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two key national initiatives at the India AI Summit at Bharat Mandapam for building a robust, responsible, and globally competitive health AI ecosystem. They are
- Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India (SAHI)
- Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH)
What is SAHI?
- It is a national guidance framework to enable the safe, ethical, evidence-based, and inclusive adoption of Artificial Intelligence across India’s healthcare system.
Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima
Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance has launched Paripoorna Mediclaim Ayush Bima for Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries to enhance their financial well-being and social security. It is being implemented by the New India Assurance Company Limited for CGHS beneficiaries.
Objective
- Complement CGHS benefits with expanded, flexible and seamless healthcare access
Launched by
- New India Assurance Company Limited
PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment) Scheme
Prime Minister recently approved the launch of the PM RAHAT (Road Accident Victim Hospitalization and Assured Treatment) Scheme to ensure road accident victims receive immediate life-saving treatment during the critical “Golden Hour” without upfront payment.
Objective
- Provide assured, cashless, time-bound medical treatment to road accident victims;
- ensure life-saving intervention and financial certainty for hospitals;
- create a technology-driven emergency response ecosystem
NALSA SAMVAD Scheme
Ministry of Law and Justice NALSA SAMVAD is implementing NALSA SAMVAD (Strengthening Access to Justice for Marginalized, Vulnerable Adivasis and Denotified/Nomadic Tribes) Scheme, 2025 to bridge the gap between legal entitlements and their delivery for India’s most marginalized communities
- Launch Year: 2025
- Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Law and Justice
- Implementing Agency: National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
- Objective: Improve legal awareness, outreach and delivery of legal services through a community-based, outreach-driven approach
Lakhpati Didi Initiative: Target revised
The Government has doubled the Lakhpati Didi initiative target to 6 crore rural women, aiming for completion by March 2029, following the successful achievement of the 3 crore target ahead of the original March 2027 timeline. This initiative, part of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), empowers Self Help Group (SHG) members to achieve a sustainable annual income of ₹1 lakh or more.
- A Lakhpati Didi is a Self-Help Group (SHG) member with a sustainable annual household income of ₹1,00,000 or more.
- Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Rural Development
- Coverage: All States and Union Territories (except Chandigarh and Delhi)
INTERNATIONAL CURRENT AFFAIRS
Pax Silica Initiative
India recently joined the Pax Silica initiative by signing the Pax Silica Declaration along with a bilateral Joint Statement on the India–US AI Opportunity Partnership. The move advances the vision of deeper tech cooperation under the Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) initiative in India–US relations.
About Pax Silica Initiative (2025)
- It is a US-led initiative on AI and supply chain security, advancing a new economic security consensus among allies and trusted partners.
- Core Objectives:
- Reduce coercive dependencies
- Partner to secure global tech supply chains, address AI supply chain opportunities and vulnerabilities, and explore joint investment
ADB Expands Affordable Housing & MSME Lending in India
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a senior secured debt financing package of up to USD 108 million (INR equivalent) with Aavas Financiers Limited to expand access to:
- Affordable housing loans for lower-income households
- Business loans for Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs)
- Climate-resilient and energy-efficient housing solutions
The initiative targets underserved semi-urban and rural regions across India.
DEFENCE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Indian Army’s Exercise Agni Varsha 2026
Indian Army, under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Command, conducted the Integrated Fire and Manoeuvre Exercise (IFME) ‘Agni Varsha’ at the Pokhran Field Firing Range. The large-scale exercise validated operational preparedness, joint combat capability, and precision strike effectiveness in desert and semi-desert terrain.
Nature of Exercise
- Type: Integrated Fire and Manoeuvre Exercise (IFME)
- Operational Theatre: Desert Sector (Thar region)
- Focus: Offensive operations under near-battlefield conditions
- Aim: Validate synchronised manoeuvre and precision firepower
ENVIRONMENT CURRENT AFFAIRS
Standard Framework & RAM Implementation in NCR to Control Road Dust
In a coordinated effort to curb air pollution in Delhi-NCR, Public Works Department (PWD) and urban departments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan signed MoU) to implement a Standard Framework for Urban Roads along with a Road Asset Management System (RAMS). The initiative focuses on
- tackling road dust, a major contributor to PM10 pollution, which significantly impacts air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The MoUs are aligned with framework issued by:
- Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for paving and greening of urban roads in NCR and adjoining areas.
POLITY CURRENT AFFAIRS
Parliamentary Friendship Groups Constituted with 64 Countries
In a significant move to deepen India’s global parliamentary outreach, Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, has constituted Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) with more than 60 countries.
The initiative is aimed at:
- Strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation,
- legislative dialogue,
- people-to-people engagement,
- reinforcing India’s role as the world’s largest democracy on the global stage.
AGRICULTURE CURRENT AFFAIRS
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
The Government has officially doubled the loan target of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) from ₹1 lakh crore to ₹2 lakh crore. This expansion, aims to accelerate the creation of critical infrastructure like cold chains, warehouses, and processing units to reduce wastage and boost farmer incomes.
- Objective: Medium to long-term debt financing facility for investment in viable post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets, supported through interest subvention and credit guarantee
- Type of Scheme: Central Sector Scheme
- Implementation Period: 2020-21 to 2029-30
Bharat VISTAAR Phase 1 launched
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has launched an AI-powered multilingual tool Bharat-VISTAAR (Virtually Integrated System to Access Agricultural Resources) Phase-1 from Jaipur, Rajasthan.
What is Bharat-VISTAAR?
- It is a farmer-centric, AI-powered Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for the agriculture sector.
- It was announced in the Union Budget 2026-27.