Current Context: The Government of India has approved Phase II of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) with a financial outlay of ₹6,839 crore, aimed at developing strategic border villages across 15 states and 2 Union Territories till 2028–29.

About

• Objective: Improve living conditions, create jobs, and support border security through local engagement.
• Coverage: Villages within 0–10 km of the international border.
• Infrastructure: Roads, power, telecom, SMART classes, and tourism circuits.
• Implementation: 100% Centrally Funded; monitored by a high-powered committee.
• Community Engagement: Local fairs, festivals, awareness camps, and regular visits by officials.
• Focus Areas: Tourism, cultural heritage, skill development, cooperatives, housing, health, and sanitation.
• Goal: Stabilize border populations and promote local economies through comprehensive development.

Current Context: The Technology and Innovation Report 2025, titled “Inclusive Artificial Intelligence(AI) for Development”, was released by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development).

About

• Aims to guide inclusive AI policies for development.

AI Investment (2023):

• US: $67 billion (70% of global share)
• China: $7.8 billion
• India: $1.4 billion (10th position)
• India ranked 36th in 2024 on Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index (up from 48th in 2022).

Concerns:

• 100 firms (mostly US & China) drive 40% of global R&D.
• 118 Global South countries excluded from AI governance.
• Up to 40% of global jobs could be affected by AI.

Recommendations:

• Focus on reskilling, infrastructure, data ecosystems, and digital skills.
• Create global AI access facility.

Current Context: Rongali Bihu (also called Bohag Bihu) is a major festival of Assam, celebrated in mid-April. It marks the Assamese New Year and the onset of the agricultural season.

About

• Rooted in agrarian traditions, it celebrates the arrival of spring and the start of the harvest.
• Celebrated over 7 days, collectively called ‘Xaat Bihu’.

Each day has a distinct focus:

• Goru Bihu (cattle worship):Cattle are bathed and honored on Goru Bihu for their role in agriculture.
• Manuh Bihu (human celebration):Manuh Bihu involves feasting and wearing new clothes.
• Gosain Bihu (deity worship):Gosain Bihu includes prayers and offerings to household deities.
• Cuisine:Traditional dishes like ‘Chira’ (flattened rice) and ‘Pitha’ (rice cakes) are central to the celebrations.

Current Context: Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Industry and Construction has announced the discovery of the country’s largest rare earth metals deposit at the Kuirektykol site in the Karaganda region, about 300 km southeast of Astana (now Nur-Sultan).

About

• Key zones: Irgiz and Dos
• Rare earth concentration: 0.1% to 0.25%
• Irgiz zone alone may hold 800,000 tons
• Average concentration: 700 grams/ton
• Key elements: Cerium, Lanthanum, Neodymium, Yttrium

Global Relevance:

• Rare earths are vital for Electric Vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, modern electronics, and defence technologies
• Rising global demand; strategic interest from China, United States (US), Russia, and the European Union (EU)

Geopolitical Angle:

• Discovery announced during the first EU–Central Asia Summit
• EU interest tied to carbon neutrality goals by 2050
• Opens scope for increased EU–Kazakhstan cooperation in the critical minerals and resource sector.

Current Context: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is leading India’s delegation to the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly being held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 5 to 9 April 2025.

About

• Theme: “Parliamentary action for social development and justice”
• Focus areas: Poverty eradication, promotion of decent work, social inclusion, and participation of marginalized groups in decision-making
• The IPU is a global organization of 181 national parliaments and 15 associate members, founded in 1889
• It promotes peace, democracy, sustainable development, human rights, gender equality, youth empowerment, and climate action
• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; offices in New York and Vienna

Current Context: Poland, Finland, and the three Baltic states have announced plans to withdraw from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel landmines, citing increased security concerns due to Russia.

About

• Official Name: Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction
• Adopted: 1997 (Oslo), Opened for signature in Ottawa
• Came into Force: 1 March 1999
• Objective: To ban anti-personnel landmines and ensure their destruction

Impact:

• Over 40 million stockpiled mines destroyed
• Support for mine survivors and clearance of contaminated areas
• Led to decline in landmine-related casualties

Current Context: India has called upon BRICS nations to collaborate on the ‘Baku to Belém Roadmap’ to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, supporting developing countries Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and enhancing climate action efforts.​

About

• Initiation: Launched at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the roadmap outlines strategies for scaling up climate finance through public and private sources. ​
• BRICS Involvement: India has urged BRICS nations to collaborate on this initiative, emphasizing their collective role in achieving equitable climate transitions. ​
• Financial Gap: The current climate finance goal of $300 billion annually by 2035 falls short of the estimated $1.3 trillion needed by developing countries to fulfill their NDCs.

Current Context: At the 6th BIMSTEC Summit held in Bangkok, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 21-point action plan to strengthen regional cooperation. The initiative aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First and Act East policies.

About

• Business Cooperation:
  • BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce to be established
• Annual Business Summit for dialogue between governments and businesses
  • Study on local currency trade to reduce dependence on the US dollar
• Digital and IT Initiatives:
  • Pilot study on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
  • Linking India’s UPI with BIMSTEC payment systems
• Disaster Management:
  • BIMSTEC Disaster Management Centre to be set up in India
  • 4th joint exercise of disaster authorities to be held in India in 2025
• Security and Space:
  • First BIMSTEC Home Ministers’ meet in India
  • Focus on cybercrime, terrorism, trafficking
  • Nano-satellite training and ground station infrastructure
• Capacity Building:
  • BODHI initiative: 300 youths to be trained annually in India
  • Scholarships at Forest Research Institute and Nalanda University
  • Centres of Excellence in traditional medicine and agriculture
• Energy and Youth Engagement:
  • BIMSTEC Energy Centre operational in Bengaluru
  • Faster electric grid connectivity
  • Athletics Meet (2024) and BIMSTEC Games (2027) to be hosted in India
• Cultural and Maritime Cooperation:
  • Traditional Music Festival in India
  • Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre to be established in India

Current context : Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Pamban Bridge on April 6, 2025, connecting Rameswaram Island to mainland Tamil Nadu. ​

Structural Features:

• Length: 2.08 kilometers
• Vertical Lift Span: 72.5 meters, capable of rising 17 meters to allow large vessels to pass. ​
• Height: 3 meters taller than the previous bridge, enhancing maritime navigation. ​

Significance:

• Replaces the 110-year-old Pamban Bridge decommissioned in 2022.​​
• Construction Details:Developed by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Railways. ​

Current context: The Himachal Pradesh government is considering a public-private partnership (PPP) model to develop a satellite township at Jathia Devi, aiming to decongest Shimla. ​

Key Highlights:

• Project Objective: Establish a satellite township 14 km from Shimla to relocate government offices and create housing societies, reducing congestion in the state capital. ​
• Land Acquisition: The Himachal Pradesh Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) has acquired 35 hectares and plans to acquire an additional 100 hectares for the township. ​
• Planning Area Notification: On January 23, 2024, the Town and Country Planning Department designated Jathia Devi as a Planning Area, incorporating 177 villages from Shimla and Solan districts for structured development. ​
• Funding Challenges: The state sought ₹500 crore from the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Urban Challenge Fund but has yet to receive a response, prompting consideration of the PPP model. ​