CURRENT CONTEXT : The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has released the results of Swachh Survekshan 2024–25, India’s annual cleanliness survey under the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM–U).

HIMACHAL PRADESH HIGHLIGHTS

• Theog, a small town near Shimla, has been declared the cleanest city in Himachal Pradesh.
• It secured 12th rank nationally in the “Promising Swachh Shehar”
• Naidun ranked second in the state, followed by Shimla at third.

SHIMLA’S DECLINE IN RANKING

• Shimla, once the cleanest city in Himachal Pradesh, slipped from 188th to 347th place nationally.
• Major reasons cited include:
• Poor waste collection and segregation
• Inadequate cleaning of water bodies
• Delays in dump-site remediation
• Shimla Municipal Corporation has requested a re-evaluation of the survey findings.ABOUT SWACHH SURVEKSHAN

• Launched in: 2016
• Conducted by: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in collaboration with the Quality Council of India (QCI)
• Objective: To promote a competitive and cooperative approach to improving urban sanitation
• Coverage: Over 4,500 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the country
• Citizen Engagement: More than 12 crore responses collected in the 2024–25 edition
• Evaluation Parameters:
• Service Level Progress (SLP)
• Citizen Feedback
• Direct Field Observation
• Third-party Certification & Documentation

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Labour Bureau has revised the base year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Agricultural Labourers (AL) and Rural Labourers (RL) from 1986–87 to 2019.

ABOUT CPI–AL & RL

• Compiled by: Labour Bureau, Ministry of Labour and Employment
• New Base Year: 2019 = 100 (Earlier: 1986–87 = 100)
• CPI measures price changes of a fixed basket of goods and services over time.

DEFINITIONS

• Agricultural Labourer (AL): One who works in agriculture on hire (paid in cash, kind, or both).
• Rural Labourer (RL): One who does manual labour in rural areas, in agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, for wages in cash/kind.

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Government of Kerala has declared the State Kathakali Awards, Pallavur Appu Marar Vadya Puraskaram, and Keraleeya Nritta-Natya Puraskaram for the year 2023 to honour artists for their contribution to Kerala’s classical performing arts.

ABOUT THE AWARDS

• These awards aim to promote, preserve, and honour Kerala’s traditional arts such as Kathakali, Koodiyattam, and traditional percussion music.
• Reflects Kerala’s cultural policy to recognize veteran artists and support art forms unique to the state.

AWARDEES – 2023

State Kathakali Award

• Kuroor Vasudevan Namboothiri – for excellence in Chenda
• Kalamandalam Sankara Warrier – for mastery in Maddalam

Pallavur Appu Marar Vadya Puraskaram

• Mattannur Sankarankutty Marar – renowned Chenda exponent, known for innovation and rhythmic brilliance

Keraleeya Nritta-Natya Puraskaram

• Kalamandalam P.N. Girijadevi – for contributions to Koodiyattam, the ancient Sanskrit theatre tradition of Kerala

CURRENT CONTEXT : The European Space Agency (ESA), along with UK-based Frazer-Nash Consultancy, has launched INVICTUS, a programme to develop hypersonic flight technologies.

ABOUT INVICTUS

• Type: Experimental, fully reusable aerospace vehicle
• Speed: Capable of reaching Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound)
• Funded under:
• ESA’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP)
• Technology Development Element (TDE)

KEY FEATURES

• Designed for sustained hypersonic flight within Earth’s atmosphere
• Fully reusable and upgradable platform Allows exchange of materials, propulsion systems, and software between test campaigns

SIGNIFICANCE

• Aims to demonstrate the feasibility of a hydrogen-fuelled, precooled air-breathing propulsion system

Supports horizontal take-off and landing, paving the way for reusable spaceplanes in the future

CURRENT CONTEXT : India reaffirmed its commitment to the ‘Pact for the Future’ at the United Nations Dialogue.

ABOUT PACT FOR THE FUTURE

• Adopted at: Summit of the Future, 2024
• The pact aims to shape international cooperation and commitments for a better, more sustainable future.

KEY COMPONENTS

• Global Digital Compact
• First global framework for digital cooperation
• Promotes inclusive, secure, and open digital transformation
• Declaration on Future Generations
• Focuses on intergenerational equity and long-term planning

FOCUS AREAS

• Sustainable development and financing for development
• International peace and security
• Science, technology, and innovation (STI) and digital cooperation
• Youth and future generations
• Reform and transformation of global governance systems

FEATURES

• Emphasis on human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development
• Calls for concrete deliverables across thematic priorities
• Strengthens global commitments on shared challenges

CURRENT CONTEXT : The Union Minister has launched the National Standards for Civil Service Training Institutes 2.0 (NSCSTI 2.0)framework to improve governance and training quality.

 ABOUT NSCSTI 2.0 FRAMEWORK

• Developed by: Capacity Building Commission (CBC)
• Aim: To make civil service training institutes future-ready through standardization and innovation.

FEATURES

• Evaluation based on streamlined metrics
• Inclusive and accessible design for wider reach
• Digital integration with hybrid and e-learning models
• Promotes institutional excellence and knowledge sharing

ABOUT CAPACITY BUILDING COMMISSION

• Established in: 2021 under the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB)
• Also known as: Mission Karmayogi
• Functions as an independent executive body
• Responsible for guiding reforms in civil service training and performance

CURRENT CONTEXT : Recently, Ukraine has officially joined the International Criminal Court as the 125th State Party to the Rome Statute.

 ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT

• It is the world’s first permanent international court established to try individuals for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community.
• Established by: Rome Statute (adopted in 1998, came into force in 2002)
• Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands

 JURISDICTION AND ROLE

• Investigates and prosecutes:
• Genocide
• War Crimes
• Crimes Against Humanity
• Crime of Aggression
• The court functions independently of the United Nations but cooperates with it.

INDIA’S POSITION : India is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and is not a member of the International Criminal Court.

Observed on 20 July every year.

Aim : To mark the Apollo 11 mission’s Moon landing on 20 July 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans on the lunar surface.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL MOON DAY

• Declared by: United Nations General Assembly via Resolution A/RES/76/76
• Adopted on: 9 December 2021
• First observed: 20 July 2022

Purpose

• Commemorates the historic lunar landing of Apollo 11
• Promotes public awareness about sustainable lunar exploration
• Encourages global dialogue on international cooperation in space missions
• Historical highlight : On 20 July 1969 at 22:56 EDT, astronaut Neil Armstrong made history with the words:
  “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Observed every year on 20 July

Aim : to commemorate the establishment of Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE)in 1924.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL CHESS DAY

• Organized by: Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), also known as the International Chess Federation
• Founded on: 20 July 1924 in Paris, France
• First observed globally: In 1966 by the initiative of UNESCO
• UN Recognition: The United Nations General Assembly officially declared it as International Chess Day in 2019

Current Context: Recently, the White House confirmed that President Donald Trump, 79, was diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency after noticing mild swelling in his lower legs and bruising on his hands.

 About Chronic Venous Insufficiency

• A condition where veins in the legs fail to return blood properly to the heart due to damaged vein valves, causing blood pooling and pressure build‑up.
• Affects about 1 in 20 adults, especially those over 70 years, overweight, or with a history of prolonged standing or vein damage.

 Symptoms and Diagnosis

• Common signs: leg swelling, aching, skin discoloration, flaky skin, varicose veins. No ulcers or serious complications in this case.
• Diagnosis made via Doppler ultrasound of leg veins and an echocardiogram, which ruled out deep vein thrombosis, arterial disease, heart or kidney problems.
• Management : The condition is benign and manageable with everyday treatments.