Observed annually on 12 June.

Aim : to raise awareness and promote action to end child labour globally.

• Started By: International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 2002.
• Purpose: To focus attention on eliminating child labour, especially the worst forms.
• Global Support: Linked to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 8.7 – ending child labour in all forms by 2025.
• India’s Status: Child labour is banned under Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, amended in 2016.

Current Context: Recently, in Nice, France, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025, marking the first time the event was held in Europe and outlining five global priorities for building climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure.

ABOUT:

• About the Conference:
  • Organiser: Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (headquartered in New Delhi).
  • Theme: “Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions.”
  • Alignment: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and UN Ocean Conference.
• Key Priorities Outlined by the Prime Minister:
  • Integrate disaster resilience into higher education curricula.
  • Establish a global digital repository of best practices.
  • Mobilise innovative financing for resilient projects.
  • Prioritise Small Island Developing States as Large Ocean Countries.
  • Strengthen early warning systems and last-mile communication.
• Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI):
  • Founded: 2019 under India’s leadership with United Nations support.
  • Membership: 46 Member Countries, 8 Partner Organisations.
  • Mission: By 2050, guide US $10 trillion of infrastructure investment toward resilience, benefiting over 3 billion people.
  • Governance:
    • Governing Council: Annual meeting of all members.
    • Executive Committee: Biannual programme oversight.
    • Secretariat: Led by Director General Amit Prothi.
  • Significance: Reinforces India’s role in global climate resilience efforts and advances Sustainable Development Goals on resilient infrastructure (SDG 9) and climate action (SDG 13).

Current Context: Recently, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district conducted intense anti-Naxal operations in the Indravati National Park area, neutralising seven Maoists, including two top leaders—Central Committee member Sudhakar and State Committee member Bhaskar—while seizing arms and ammunition.

About:

• Location : Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh; declared a tiger reserve in 1983 under Project Tiger.
  • Named for the Indravati River, which forms its northern boundary with Maharashtra.
• Terrain & Connectivity:
  • Undulating hills (177–599 m elevation) of the Vindhya and Aravalli
  • Linked to Kawal, Tadoba, and Kanha tiger reserves via forest corridors.
• Flora & Fauna:
  • Forest types: Moist mixed deciduous (with and without teak) and southern dry mixed deciduous.
  • Notable species: Wild buffalo (rare), tiger, leopard, gaur, nilgai, sambar, chital, sloth bear, wild boar.
• Operation Highlights:
  • Casualties: Seven Maoists, including ideological chief Sudhakar (bounty ₹40 lakh) and leader Bhaskar (bounty ₹45 lakh).
  • Forces Involved: District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force’s CoBRA units.
  • Seized: AK-47 rifles, explosives, ammunition.
• Significance:
  • Represents one of the most consequential counter-insurgency actions in recent years, disrupting Maoist command structure.

Current Context: The United Nations General Assembly declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, following a consensus resolution proposed by the United States of America and co-sponsored by 123 countries, to highlight women’s vital role in agriculture and food security.

About:

• Objectives:
  • Recognize and support the contributions of rural women farmers to food security, nutrition, and poverty eradication.
  • Promote gender equality, access to land, credit, technology, and training for women in agriculture.
• Global Context:
  • Women produce nearly 50 percent of the world’s food yet face disproportionate barriers to resources.
  • Ties into Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality).
• Planned Activities for 2026:
  • National campaigns, capacity-building workshops, policy dialogues, and research initiatives.
  • Collaboration among Food and Agriculture Organization, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Member States.

Current Context: Justice Neranahalli Srinivasan Sanjay Gowda, aged 58 and formerly a judge of the Karnataka High Court, was sworn as a judge of the Gujarat High Court—part of a Supreme Court Collegium recommendation to promote diversity and strengthen administration across High Courts.

ABOUT:

• Significance:
  • First of four Karnataka judges transferred under this collegium round, enhancing cross-pollination of legal perspectives.
  • Aims to bolster the quality of justice and administrative efficiency in the Gujarat judiciary.

Current Context: Recently, a girl from the tribal community of the Kalvarayan Hills became the first from her region to secure admission to the Indian Institute of Technology, highlighting educational outreach in remote areas.

ABOUT KALVARAYAN HILLS:

• Geography: Part of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, covering 1,095 sq km; elevations 2,000–3,000 ft (Chinna and Periya Kalrayans).
• Drainage Divide: Separates Kaveri basin (south) from Palar basin (north).
• Vegetation: Deciduous forests, sholas, and grasslands; home to Megam and Periyar Falls.
• Inhabitants: Indigenous Malayan tribes; economy based on agriculture, minor forest produce, and migratory labor.
• Infrastructure: Gomukhi Dam at foothills; improving road and communication links as part of tribal development initiatives.

Current Context: The Supreme Court ordered the Rajasthan Government to immediately ban all mining in the core zone of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve to protect its critical habitat.

ABOUT RANTHAMBORE TIGER RESERVE:

• Location & Size: Sawai Madhopur district, southeastern Rajasthan; spans 1,411 sq km.
• Key Features:
  • Named after Ranthambore Fort (UNESCO World Heritage Site).
  • Bounded by Banas River (north) and Chambal River (south).
• Landscape & Vegetation:
  • Dry deciduous forests, grassy meadows, and rocky plateaus.
  • Dominant flora: Anogeissus pendula (dhok), Acacia, Prosopis.
• Fauna: Royal Bengal tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, caracal, wild boar.
• Historical Significance: Former hunting grounds of Jaipur’s Maharajas; now a flagship Project Tiger reserve.

Current Context:  Sailesh C. Mehta—Managing Director of Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited and Mahadhan AgriTech Limited—was elected Chairman of the Fertiliser Association of India, succeeding N. Suresh Krishnan.

About Fertiliser Association of India:

• Founded: 1958 as an apex industry body for India’s fertiliser sector.
• Membership:
  • Public sector, joint sector, and private sector fertiliser companies.
  • Represents over 150 corporate members, including major producers and distributors.
• Mandate & Functions:
  • Policy Advocacy: Advises Government of India on fertiliser policy, subsidies, and regulations.
  • Research & Statistics: Publishes annual data on production, consumption, and imports; benchmarks India’s operational efficiencies against global best practices.
  • Standards & Safety: Frames guidelines on nutrient management, product quality, and safe handling.
  • Capacity Building: Organises training, seminars, and workshops for industry professionals and farmer outreach programs.
• Industry Impact:
  • In 2024, the fertiliser industry generated over US $ 11.5 billion in revenues.
  • Has contributed to a 60 percent increase in India’s agricultural output and 40 percent rise in horticulture over the past two decades.

Current Context: Archaeologists unearthed an 800-year-old Shiva temple from the Later Pandya period in Udampatti village, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu—shedding new light on the dynasty’s architectural heritage.

ABOUT PANDYA DYNASTY:

• Timeline:
  • Early Rule: From at least 4th century BCE; decline in early medieval period; revived under Kadungon(6th century CE).
  • Later Golden Age (1216–1345 CE): Under rulers Maravarman Sundara Pandyan and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan.
• Territorial Extent: Controlled Pandya Nadu from Korkai and later Madurai; at times extended over Kerala, Chola country, and Sri Lanka.
• Trade & Culture:
  • Major pearl fisheries; maritime links with Srivijaya and diplomatic ties with Rome.
  • Patrons of Tamil Sangam literature, Meenakshi Temple, and Bharatanatyam.
• Symbol: The fish, representing fertility and maritime prowess.
• Decline: Eclipsed by Vijayanagara and Madurai Sultanate in the 14th–16th centuries.

Current Context: Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney invited India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the 51st G-7 Summit, scheduled for 15–17 June 2025 in Kananaskis, Alberta, to discuss global economic and security challenges.

About G-7:

• Genesis: Formed in 1975 in response to the global oil crisis.
• Membership: Seven democracies—United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom—plus the European Union as a non-enumerated participant.
• Evolution: Expanded to G-8 with Russia (1998), reverted to G-7 after Russia’s suspension in 2014 over Crimea.
• Aim: Coordinate on foreign policy, security, and international economic policy.
• Economic Weight: Members account for 40 percent of global gross domestic product and 10 percent of the world’s population.