National Affairs

PMGSY Celebrates 25 Years of Rural Connectivity

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) marked its 25th anniversary on December 25, 2025. Launched in 2000, the flagship infrastructure initiative has achieved nearly 95% of its planned physical progress, clearing over 8,25,114 km of rural roads and completing roughly 787,520 km.

• Core Objective: To deliver single, all-weather road connectivity to eligible, previously unconnected rural habitations of designated population sizes.
• Implementing Body: Executed by the Rural Roads Wing of the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) alongside state and union territory administrations.
• Financial Allocation: A budget of Rs 19,000 crore has been designated for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26).
• Funding Split: Operates as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a 60:40 ratio for general states. A 90:10 ratio applies to Special Category states (8 North Eastern states, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand) and UTs with legislatures. UTs without legislatures receive 100% central funding.
• Phase-IV Road Map: Introduced in 2024, Phase IV targets 25,000 unconnected habitations using Census 2011 data. It plans a 62,500 km network between FY25 and FY29 backed by an outlay of Rs 70,125 crore.

DoPT Rolls Out Five Major Digital Governance Initiatives

On Good Governance Day (December 25, 2025), Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh launched five tech-driven reforms developed by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT):

• Ex-Servicemen (ESM) Reservation Compendium: Merges all active guidelines regarding central government job reservations for veterans into a single handbook.
• AI-Powered Recruitment Rules Generator: A smart tool integrated into the Recruitment Rules Formulation, Amendment and Monitoring System (RRFAMS) platform to streamline policy updates.
• e-HRMS 2.0 Mobile Application: A mobile-first upgrade under Mission Karmayogi (available for Android and iOS) linking core personnel services—like promotions, transfers, and retirements—with SPARROW, PFMS, and the Bhavishya platform.
• AI Additions to iGOT Platform: Debuted iGOT AI Sarthi for localized resource discovery and iGOT AI Tutor for tailored learning paths within the civil services training ecosystem.
• KDLL 2.0: An upgraded version of the Karmayogi Digital Learning Lab designed for high-efficiency digital content development.

Ministry of Civil Aviation Issues NOCs to Three Aspiring Airlines

To introduce more competition into a highly consolidated domestic market, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) cleared No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Al Hind Air and FlyExpress, joining the previously cleared Shankh Air. The trio is on track to begin flights in 2026.

Next Phase: The carriers must secure an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to begin commercial operations.

• Current Market Dynamic: The local landscape remains duopolistic, with Interglobe Aviation (IndiGo) commanding over 65% market share and the Tata-owned Air India Group holding roughly 27%. Combined, they account for over 90% of local air traffic.

Constitution of India Released in Santhali Language

President Droupadi Murmu formally launched the Santhali translation of the Constitution of India, written in the Ol Chiki script, during a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• Historical Milestone: The publication marks the 100th anniversary of the development of the Ol Chiki script.
• Legal Status: Santhali was integrated into the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution via the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003. It is widely spoken across Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Bihar.

NIFTEM-K and Minority Affairs Ministry Partner for PM-VIKAS

The National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli (NIFTEM-K) entered into an agreement with the Ministry of Minority Affairs to implement the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM-VIKAS) initiative.

• Operational Scope: Launching in January 2026, NIFTEM-K will operate as a Project Implementing Agency to offer specialized vocational courses to 2,110 selected candidates.
• Training Portfolios: Courses include Millet Products Processor, Assistant Baking Technician, and Multi Skill Technician (Food Processing).
• Target Regions: Training setups span 7 specialized centers across Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, and Punjab, offering NCVET-approved certifications linked with career placement support.

Zoho-Backed VoxelGrids Deploys India's First Domestic MRI Scanner

Medical tech firm VoxelGrids successfully installed India’s pioneer indigenously designed 1.5-Tesla (1.5T) MRI scanner at the Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation near Nagpur, Maharashtra.

• Coolant-Free Magnetics: The scanner uses a specialized helium-free "dry magnet" architecture, eliminating reliance on liquid helium supplies.
• Economic Impact: Reduces overall manufacturing expenditures by nearly 40% compared to imported machinery, creating a lighter, energy-efficient blueprint scalable for rural healthcare networks.
• Institutional Framework: Cultivated over a 12-year development window under the Aegis of the National Biopharma Mission (NBM).

MHA Unveils AI-Powered Organised Crime Network Database

Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the country’s premier Organised Crime Network Database (OCND) during the annual Anti-Terror Conference in New Delhi.

• Technical Pipeline: Engineered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alongside NATGRID, the setup leverages artificial intelligence to run real-time analytics across state-level FIRs, charge sheets, and intelligence profiles.
• Strategic Purpose: Grants multi-agency, immediate search access to active investigators investigating syndicates with cross-border terror ties.

International Affairs

India Set to Lead Kimberley Process in 2026

Beginning January 1, 2026, India will assume the official Chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS), succeeding the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This marks India's third tenure leading the global anti-conflict diamond framework.

• Interim Step: India took over as the formal Vice-Chair of the global body on December 25, 2025.
• Local Focal Point: The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), operating under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, handles nodal duties for India.
• The KP Matrix: Set up via a UN resolution in 2003, the tripartite layout unites governments, industry stakeholders, and civil groups across 60 participant units (representing 86 nations) to track over 99% of raw diamond flows.

Banking & Finance

SEBI Streamlines Issuance Rules for Duplicate Securities

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) relaxed the paperwork and procedural guidelines required for investors tracking down lost or duplicate physical security certificates.

• Revised Limits: The regulatory body has doubled the monetary threshold for simplified documentation processing from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
• Immediate Effect: The rule applies instantly to all new applications as well as files currently undergoing institutional review.

Appointments & Resignations

Three New Additional Solicitors General Appointed to Supreme Court

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved three-year terms for Senior Advocates Davinder Pal Singh, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, and Anil Kaushik as Additional Solicitors General (ASGs) representing the Union Government before the Supreme Court.

• Davinder Pal Singh: Founder of Arthe Law; former Special Counsel tracking enforcement cases for the CBI and ED.
• Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar: Constitutional expert and former Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra Pradesh (2018–2024).
• Anil Kaushik: Veteran advocate with extensive state counsel experience across Haryana, Odisha, and Madhya Pradesh.

PV Sindhu Chosen as Chair of BWF Athletes’ Commission

Two-time Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhu has been elected as the Chairperson of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Athletes' Commission for the 2026–2029 cycle, securing an automatic seat on the powerful BWF Council.

• Leadership Team: Sindhu replaces Indonesia's Greysia Polii. She will work alongside newly elected Deputy Chair Debora Jille (Netherlands).
• Para-Badminton Focus: Two-time Paralympian Chan Ho Yen Daniel (Hong Kong) won the election to head the Para Badminton Athletes’ Commission for the same three-year window.

Science & Technology

India Validates 3,500-km Range K-4 SLBM from INS Arighaat

India successfully executed a developmental trial of its indigenous K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The projectile was launched from INS Arighaat, India’s second operational nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), stationed in the Bay of Bengal.

[Cold Launch Mechanism] 
       │
       ▼ (High-pressure gas expels missile from submarine silo)
[Atmospheric Ignition] 
       │
       ▼ (Solid-fuel rocket motor fires mid-air)
[NavIC Guidance & 3D Maneuvering] 
       │
       ▼ (Evades defense nets; lands within ~100m CEP)

• Design & Execution: Engineered by DRDO's Armament and Combat Engineering (ACE) cluster and mass-produced via Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
• Technical Footprint: A two-stage solid-fuel intermediate missile, roughly 10–12 meters long, holding payload capacity for nuclear warheads weighing up to 2.5 tonnes. It uses an advanced cold-launch system and NavIC tracking to dodge defense arrays, yielding a precise Circular Error Probability (CEP) of under 100 meters.

Environment

ZSI Teams Uncover New Arthropod Genus in Sikkim

Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a microscopic, soil-dwelling springtail species named Neelus sikkimensis in high-altitude zones of Sikkim.

• Taxonomic Record: This is the first confirmed recording of the Neelus genus inside India, shifting the global species count under this specific genus to eight.
• Biological Traits: The organism is eyeless, adapted to deep darkness, and lives primarily within dense moss and soil layers. It is distinguished by its unique labral chaetotaxy (mouthpart hair layout) and assists in organic decay and soil health restoration.

Important Days

Veer Bal Diwas Observed Nationwide on December 26

India marked the 4th consecutive year of Veer Bal Diwas to honor the bravery and supreme sacrifice of the four Sahibzadas (sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji).

• National Platform: The Ministry of Women and Child Development hosted the central event at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• PMRBP 2025 Honors: President Droupadi Murmu presented the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar to 20 exceptional children. Notably, 14-year-old cricket prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi from Bihar received the honor following his historic runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

6th International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

Observed globally on December 27 under the UN mandate to strengthen cross-border pandemic response architectures and surveillance.

Key Statistic: Approximately 60% of known human pathogens are zoonotic in nature, and 75% of newly emerging infectious conditions track their root source back to animal populations.

State News

Anu Garg Appointed First Female Chief Secretary of Odisha

The Government of Odisha broke historic bureaucratic ground by appointing Anu Garg (IAS, 1991 Batch) as the state's top administrative officer.

• Transition Timeline: She assumes office on January 1, 2026, directly following the retirement of Manoj Ahuja.
• Distinguished Profile: Garg previously served as Odisha's first female Development Commissioner, worked as a Joint Secretary within the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), and served on the national Planning Commission's expert panel for Universal Health Coverage.