Home » Comprehensive Current Affairs Digest( August 2024- January 2025)

Comprehensive Current Affairs Digest( August 2024- January 2025)

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1. Politics and Governance

A. Implementation of Women’s Reservation Bill

  • Context: The Women’s Reservation Bill (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), passed in September 2023, is set to be implemented after the 2024 delimitation exercise.
  • Key Developments:
    • Delimitation process expected to conclude by mid-2025.
    • 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies to be enforced post-delimitation.
  • Significance:
    • Aims to enhance women’s political representation.
    • Critics argue that rotation of reserved seats may disrupt political continuity.

B. Electoral Reforms and Voting Rights

  • Context: The government introduced the Remote Voting Machine (RVM) pilot project in December 2024 to enable domestic migrants to vote in their home constituencies.
  • Key Features:
    • RVMs allow voting without physical presence at polling booths.
    • Pilot conducted in 5 states with high migrant populations.
  • Implications:
    • Potential to increase voter turnout.
    • Concerns over technical glitches and security of RVMs.

2. Economy

A. India’s Economic Growth and Challenges

  • Recent Data: India’s GDP growth for Q3 (October-December 2024) stood at 6.7%, driven by robust performance in manufacturing and services.
  • Key Highlights:
    • Inflation eased to 4.8% in December 2024 due to stable food prices.
    • Exports grew by 12%, led by pharmaceuticals and IT services.
  • Challenges:
    • Rising crude oil prices impacting trade deficit.
    • Slowdown in global demand affecting export growth.

B. RBI’s Digital Currency (e-Rupee) Expansion

  • Context: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expanded the e-Rupee pilot project to include retail transactions in November 2024.
  • Key Features:
    • e-Rupee can be used for peer-to-peer and merchant transactions.
    • Aimed at reducing dependency on cash and promoting digital payments.
  • Significance:
    • Enhances financial inclusion.
    • Reduces transaction costs for small businesses.

3. Environment and Ecology

A. Global Climate Action Post-COP29

  • Context: The COP29 summit held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024 focused on climate finance and adaptation measures.
  • Key Outcomes:
    • Developed nations pledged $500 billion annually by 2030 for climate finance.
    • India emphasized the need for technology transfer and equitable carbon space.
  • Implications:
    • Strengthens global cooperation on climate change.
    • Challenges remain in ensuring timely disbursement of funds.

B. India’s Green Hydrogen Mission

  • Recent Development: India achieved its first phase target of producing 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by December 2024.
  • Key Features:
    • Focus on reducing carbon emissions in industries like steel and fertilizers.
    • Incentives for private sector participation in green hydrogen production.
  • Significance:
    • Positions India as a global leader in renewable energy.
    • Supports the Net Zero by 2070 target.

4. International Relations

A. India-US Strategic Partnership

  • Context: The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the US was held in October 2024, focusing on defense and technology cooperation.
  • Key Outcomes:
    • Agreement on co-development of next-generation drones.
    • Collaboration on semiconductor manufacturing to reduce dependency on China.
  • Significance:
    • Strengthens India’s position in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • Enhances self-reliance in critical technologies.

B. India’s Role in BRICS Expansion

  • Context: BRICS expanded to include Egypt, Iran, and Argentina in January 2025.
  • Key Developments:
    • Focus on de-dollarization and promoting local currencies in trade.
    • India advocated for reforms in global financial institutions like the IMF and World Bank.
  • Implications:
    • Increases BRICS’ influence in global geopolitics.
    • Challenges in aligning diverse economic and political interests.

5. Social Issues

A. National Education Policy (NEP) Implementation

  • Recent Developments: The government announced the full implementation of NEP 2020 by January 2025.
  • Key Features:
    • Introduction of multidisciplinary education in higher education institutions.
    • Emphasis on vocational training and skill development.
  • Significance:
    • Aims to make education more holistic and job-oriented.
    • Challenges in infrastructure and teacher training remain.

B. Mental Health and Well-being Initiatives

  • Context: The government launched the National Mental Health Survey 2024 in December 2024 to assess the mental health status of citizens.
  • Key Findings:
    • 15% of adults reported symptoms of depression or anxiety.
    • Stigma around mental health remains a major barrier to seeking help.
  • Initiatives:
    • Expansion of Tele-MANAS helpline to cover rural areas.
    • Integration of mental health services in Ayushman Bharat.