National Affairs

Delhi Metro Phase-V(A) Expansion Approved by Union Cabinet

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has greenlit the expansion of the Delhi Metro Rail Project Phase – V A. This project aims to significantly enhance the mass rapid transit framework across the National Capital Territory.

• Total Infrastructure Budget: Rs 12,014.91 crore
• Expansion Length: 16.076 km (pushing the complete network past the 400 km mark)
• Project Timeline: 3 years
• Station Breakdown: 13 new stations (10 underground, 3 elevated)
• Environmental Impact: Projected to prevent approximately 33,000 tonnes of $CO_2$ emissions.

Approved Corridors and Funding Outlays

DMRC Milestone: The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) currently operates 12 lines spanning 395 km and 289 stations, standing as India's largest metro network. DMRC was also selected for the ICI Awards 2025 by the Indian Concrete Institute, Chennai.

'PESA Mahotsav' Celebrated in Visakhapatnam

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) hosted the "PESA Mahotsav: Utsav Lok Sanskriti Ka" at the Visakhapatnam Port Authority Stadium in Andhra Pradesh to celebrate the anniversary of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.

• Inaugurated By: Konidala Pawan Kalyan (Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh).
• Official Mascot: Unveiled as 'Krishna Jinka' (Blackbuck).
• Key Digital Initiatives Launched:
  • PESA Portal: For monitoring implementation and tracking data.
  • PESA Indicators: To systematically evaluate state-level progress.
  • Tribal Language Modules: Custom training toolkits designed for grassroots capacity building.

Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project Unit-2 Operationalized

Union Minister Manohar Lal (Ministry of Power) virtually inaugurated the commercial operations of Unit-2 (250 MW) of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project in Lakhimpur, Assam.

• Developer: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• Location: Built on the Subansiri River along the Assam–Arunachal Pradesh border.
• Total Designed Capacity: 2,000 MW ($8 \times 250$ MW units).
• Operational Mechanism: It functions as a run-of-the-river framework, projected to yield 7,422 million units of clean electricity annually. The remaining units are scheduled for phased completion across 2026–2027.

Youth Affairs Ministry Rolls Out New Sports Internship Policy

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) launched its Comprehensive Internship Policy to nurture the next generation of sports management professionals. The program is backed by an annual allocation of Rs 5.30 crore and aligns with Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.

• Annual Openings: 452 internships per year.
• Monthly Stipend: Rs 20,000 per month.
• Duration: Ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months.
• Partner Institutions: Placements will be distributed across the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), and the National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).
• Hiring Cycles: Conducted twice a year (January and July) via a centralized digital portal.

India’s First PPP-Model Medical Colleges Announced in Madhya Pradesh

Union Health Minister JP Nadda and MP Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav laid the foundation stones for India's pioneering medical colleges under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework.

• Locations: Tribal-dominated districts of Dhar and Betul (part of a 4-district plan including Katni and Panna).
• Operational Blueprint: Designed under the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) model. The state provides land, while private foundations manage infrastructure.
• Dhar Center Details: Spans 25 acres with an outlay of Rs 260 crore, partnered alongside the Swami Vivekananda Shiksha Dham Foundation.
• Betul Center Details: Estimated setup cost stands at Rs 300 crore.

MoSJE Partners with Spiritual Bodies for Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) signed crucial Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and the University of Patanjali under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA).

• Objective: To leverage wellness practices like yoga and meditation to scale up community-driven substance abuse awareness.
• NMBA Timeline: Launched originally on August 15, 2020. As of today, NMBA has partnered with eight major spiritual organizations to bolster its grassroots anti-drug campaigns.

International Affairs

Dr. S. Jaishankar Visits Sri Lanka Under 'Operation Sagar Bandhu'

External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar traveled to Sri Lanka as a Special Envoy following the severe destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The diplomatic mission was executed under India's Neighbourhood First Policy.

• Financial Aid Package: India committed a USD 450 million recovery package (USD 350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and USD 100 million in direct grants).
• Infrastructure Relief: Inaugurated a 120-foot dual-carriageway Bailey Bridge in Kilinochchi. The 110-tonne bridge components were airlifted directly from India via Operation Sagar Bandhu to restore cut-off transit lines.

Russia Announces Lunar Nuclear Power Plant Goal by 2036

Russian Space Agency Roscosmos signed an agreement with aerospace firm Lavochkin Association outlining plans to establish a nuclear power plant on the Moon by 2036. The facility is designed to supply continuous energy to automate future rovers, observatories, and the upcoming joint Russian-Chinese Scientific Research Station.

Banking and Finance

RBI Defers Phase-II of Cheque Truncation System (CTS)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has postponed the rollout of Phase-II of Continuous Clearing and Settlement on Realisation (CCSR) in the Cheque Truncation System until further notice. This directive under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007 gives commercial banks more buffer time to upgrade their operating software.

• Status of Phase-I: Operations launched on October 4, 2025, remain active.
• Revised CTS Operational Windows:
  • Presentation Window: Shuffled to 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Previously 10 AM – 4 PM).
  • Confirmation/Rejection Window: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Previously 10 AM – 7 PM).
• Phase-II Objective: Intends to cut cheque expiry windows down to a strict 3 hours (T+3 hours), drastically dropping transaction clearing cycles.

IRFC Refinances Rs 9,821 Crore World Bank Loan for DFCCIL

The Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) has successfully refinanced a Rs 9,821 crore foreign currency loan previously taken by the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL) from the World Bank.

• Impact: By substituting the foreign debt with an IRFC rupee-denominated term loan, DFCCIL insulates itself against global exchange rate volatility, matching its debt obligations perfectly with domestic revenue streams.

Economy and Business

Goldman Sachs Estimates India’s Growth at 6.7% for 2026

In its newly published Global Economics Analyst: Macro Outlook 2026 report, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. forecasted India’s real GDP growth at 6.7% for 2026 and 6.8% for 2027.

• Growth Triggers: Driven largely by resilient domestic consumption and consistent government infrastructure spending.
• Global Context: Global economic growth is expected to average 2.8% in 2026, outperforming consensus estimates of 2.5%.

Science and Technology

ICG Inducts First Indigenous Pollution Control Vessel 'Samudra Pratap'

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) formally commissioned 'Samudra Pratap' (Yard 1267), India's very first indigenously designed and constructed Pollution Control Vessel (PCV), at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

Vessel Dimensions: 114.5m Length x 16.5m Width | 4,170 Tonnes Displacement
Indigenous Content: Greater than 60% (Built under Aatmanirbhar Bharat)
Defense Armament: 30mm CRN-91 Cannon + Two 12.7mm Remote-Controlled Guns

• Special Abilities: It is the first ICG ship armed with Dynamic Positioning (DP-1) capabilities alongside Fire Fighting Level 2 (FiFi-2) parameters. It can isolate, analyze, and separate chemical and oil pollutants directly from sea water.

TASL Exports WhAP 8x8 Armoured Vehicles to Morocco

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) delivered its opening batch of Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 combat vehicles to the Royal Moroccan Army.

• The Agreement: Covers 150 total units to be delivered over 3 years.
• Engineering Attributes: Developed alongside the DRDO, the platform features a 600 hp engine, hitting 100 km/h on land and 10 km/h in water using hydro-jet propulsion.
• Geopolitical Focus: Production is backed by TASL's new plant in Berrechid, marking the first operational Indian private defense manufacturing hub in Africa.

Sports

Alpine SG Pipers Claim Global Chess League 2025 Crown

The Alpine SG Pipers won the 3rd edition of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League (GCL) 2025, defeating the defending champions Triveni Continental Kings 2–0 in the finals hosted at Mumbai's Royal Opera House.

• Joint Organizers: FIDE (International Chess Federation) and Tech Mahindra.
• Top Player Awards:
  • Male Player of the Tournament: Alireza Firouzja (Triveni Continental Kings)
  • Key Female Performer: Hou Yifan (Alpine SG Pipers)
• Third Position: Secured by the PBG Alaskan Knights after D Gukesh defeated Viswanathan Anand in a sudden-death blitz tiebreaker.

Books and Authors

• Book Title: “Economic Empowerment of Bharat in the Modi Era”
• Authored By: Professor Dr. Sikander Kumar (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha).
• Released By: Vice President of India, C.P. Radhakrishnan.
• Core Subject: Evaluates India’s structural reforms over the last decade, focusing heavily on Digital India, GST, UPI scaling, and the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) connectivity matrix.

Important Days and State Initiatives

Good Governance Day: December 25

India observed Good Governance Day (Sushasan Diwas) on December 25 to mark the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

• Good Governance Week: Celebrated from December 19 to 25 under the theme 'Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore' (Governance Towards Villages).
• Rashtra Prerna Sthal: Inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, to honor Vajpayee's structural contributions to the nation.
• QCI Quality Reforms: The Quality Council of India launched 'Q Mark – Desh ka Haq' QR codes to instantly authenticate medical labs and MSMEs, alongside a single-window portal called 'Quality Setu' for grievance management.

Delhi Government Launches 'Atal Canteen Scheme'

To mark Good Governance Day, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta introduced the Atal Canteen Scheme to provide highly subsidized, healthy meals to the public.

• Pricing: Rs 5 per plate (Actual plate cost is Rs 30; the state provides a Rs 25 subsidy).
• Scale: Rolled out across 100 designated urban hubs (45 active in the initial phase).
• Daily Schedule: Lunch (11:00 AM – 4:00 PM) and Dinner (6:30 PM – 9:30 PM) serving Dal-Chawal and Roti-Sabzi.
• Target Group: Designed primarily for daily wage laborers, migrant workers, and low-income families residing in slum pockets.