Current Affairs – December 15, 2025

{GS2 – Governance} MGNREGA to be Revamped as Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojana

Context (IE): The Union Cabinet approved a bill to rename MGNREGA as Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojana and increase the guaranteed employment days from 100 to 125 annually.

Status of MGNREGA in FY 2024-25

Person-Days: Total work person-days declined to 290.6 crore from 308 crore in FY 2023-24.
Average Employment: It remained 50.24 days per household, well below the 100-day guarantee.
Women Participation: Women accounted for 58.15% of person-days, the highest share in a decade.
Allocation: Budget allocation remained unchanged at ₹86,000 crore compared to the previous FY.
Household Coverage: About 5.54 crore households received work, while 60-70 lakh demanding households were unmet.
Wage Delays: Wage arrears reached about ₹974 crore due to the delayed release of central funds.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

MGNREGA is a centrally sponsored scheme guaranteeing the legal right to rural wage employment.
The scheme was enacted under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 and renamed Mahatma Gandhi NREGA in 2009.
- Initially launched in 200 most backward rural districts, MGNREGA was extended nationwide from FY 2008-09.
It is a demand-driven scheme, allowing registered households to demand employment formally.
Section 3(1) guarantees at least 100 days of unskilled wage employment per rural household annually.
- States may provide employment beyond 100 days at their own expense.
- Entitlement increases to 150 days in drought or natural calamity-affected areas and for ST households under the Forest Rights Act.
Eligibility: Applicants must be citizens aged 18 years or above, rural residents, and willing to perform unskilled labour.
- At least one-third of total beneficiaries under MGNREGA must be women workers.
Time Limit: Employment must be provided within 15 days, failing which unemployment allowance becomes payable.

Governance Framework

Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Rural Development is the central nodal ministry.
Decentralization: Gram Panchayats receive applications, issue Job Cards and approve works.
- Panchayats must execute at least 50% of the total works in terms of cost.
Monitoring: Central and State Employment Guarantee Councils monitor scheme implementation.
- Social audits by Gram Sabha are mandatory under Section 17 of the MGNREG Act.

Funding: The Central Government bears 100% unskilled wage costs and 75% of the material costs.

Work Conditions

Work is normally provided within five kilometres, with 10% extra wages beyond this distance.
Permissible works prioritise natural resource management and durable rural infrastructure development.
Prohibition: Contractors and labour-displacing heavy machinery are strictly prohibited.
Cost Ratio: A 60:40 wage-to-material expenditure ratio is mandated at the district level.

Payments & Records

Every registered household is issued a Job Card to record employment & formally demand work.
Wages are paid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into bank or post office accounts.
Wages are revised annually and linked to the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labour (CPI-AL).

Emerging Trends in MGNREGA

Digital Purge: Mandatory Aadhaar seeding and e-KYC enforcement have led to mass deletion of MGNREGA job cards.
Ecological Shift: MGNREGA now prioritises Natural Resource Management (NRM), with at least 60% of all sanctioned works reserved for NRM.
Wage Mismatch: Low MGNREGA wages relative to market rates are pushing young male workers out.
Attendance Loss: Technical glitches in the app-based attendance systems have caused a 12% decline in recorded person-days.
Drone Audits: District Ombudsmen increasingly use drones to verify ghost assets, reducing reliance on local field verification.
PMAY-G Convergence: PMAY-G beneficiaries receive 90 days (in plains) or 95 days (in hills) of unskilled wages to build their own homes.

{GS3 – IE} NCAER Report on Employment

Context (PIB | DDN): The National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) released a report titled “India’s Employment Prospects: Pathways to Jobs.”

It highlights skilling and small enterprises as key drivers of job creation to sustain the 8% GDP growth.

The NCAER is India’s oldest and largest independent, non-profit think tank. Established in New Delhi in 1956, it conducts evidence-based economic research to guide public policy.

Key Findings of the Report

Employment Pattern: India’s recent employment growth is driven mainly by necessity-based self-employment in low-technology, subsistence household enterprises.
Income Level: Despite economic growth, India’s per capita GDP is relatively low, ranking 128^th globally.
Skill Deficit: Transition to skilled labour has been slow; only 4.1% workers had vocational training in 2024, much less than in countries like Germany, Singapore, and Canada.
Job Potential: A 9% rise in skilled workers could generate about 9.3 million jobs by 2030.
Multiplier Effects: Moderate growth of labour-intensive sub-sectors could increase employment in manufacturing by 53% and in services by 79%.

Policy Recommendations for Job Creation

PLI Reorientation: Redirect Production-Linked Incentives toward labour-intensive sectors like textiles, garments, footwear, and food processing.
Service Sectors: Increase support for tourism, education, and healthcare to generate large-scale, employment-intensive job opportunities.
Digital Adoption: Improve access to digital technologies and credit, as enterprises using digital technologies hire 78% more workers than non-digital firms.

{GS3 – IE} New Insurance Bill, 2025 **

Context (IE): The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, aims to modernise India’s insurance framework in line with Insurance for All by 2047.

It has amended the Insurance Act 1938, the LIC Act 1956, and the IRDAI Act 1999 to expand the insurance coverage.

Status of Insurance Sector in India

Insurance Market (Global): India’s overall insurance market is ranked the 10^th largest in the world in terms of total premium volume.
Life Insurance Sector: India also ranks 10^th globally in the life insurance business.
LIC Global Ranking: The Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is ranked among the 3^rd strongest insurance brands globally according to Brand Finance’s 2025 report.
Market Size: The Indian insurance market was valued at approximately USD 303.3 billion (₹25 lakh crore) in 2024 and is expected to grow substantially in the coming decade.
Penetration: Insurance penetration in India stood at around 3.7% of GDP (latest for FY24), with life insurance accounting for ~2.8% and non-life for ~0.9%.

Need for the New Insurance Bill

Low Insurance Penetration: Insurance penetration in India is only ~4% of GDP, compared to the global average of ~7%, leaving large populations uninsured.
Capital & Investment Deficit: Long-term insurance requires deep capital, but restricted inflows limited expansion. E.g. Raising FDI to 100% can attract global insurers into a market with a 1.4 billion population.
Reinsurance Concentration Risk: India’s reinsurance market is dominated by GIC Re (General Insurance Corporation of India Reinsurance), limiting risk diversification.
Weak Consumer Protection: Earlier regulatory tools had limited deterrence against unfair practices.

Key Provisions of the Bill

FDI Liberalisation: Raises insurance FDI cap from 74% to 100%, enabling global capital inflows.
Reinsurance Entry: Cuts Net Owned Funds for foreign reinsurers from ₹5,000 crore to ₹1,000 crore.
Equity Flexibility: Raises IRDAI approval threshold for share transfer from 1% to 5%.
Autonomy: Allows LIC to open zonal offices and restructure overseas operations without prior approvals.
IRDAI Empowerment: Grants powers for disgorgement, penalties and one-time registration.

Disgorgement: A regulatory enforcement tool that requires entities to return unlawfully gained profits, preventing unjust enrichment and deterring violations.

Key Issues Within the Bill

Composite Licensing: No provision allowing insurers to operate across life and non-life segments.
Entry Barriers: ₹100 crore minimum paid-up capital for insurance companies (life and general insurers) and ₹200 crore for reinsurance companies, remaining unchanged under the Bill
Limited Inclusion: Missed opportunity for niche, regional, health-only, or micro-insurers.
Product Silos: No permission for bundled insurance or cross-financial product distribution.
Risk Innovation: Absence of a framework for captive insurance for large corporations.

Captive Insurance: A risk-management arrangement where a company creates its own subsidiary insurer to cover internal risks and reduce dependence on external insurance markets.

Way Forward

Composite Licensing: Allow single insurers to operate across life, health and general insurance; E.g. global markets like the UK and Australia permit composite insurers.
Capital Rationalisation: Reduce minimum paid-up capital to enable niche and regional players; E.g. micro-insurance models in ASEAN markets expanded coverage among low-income households.
Inclusive Insurance: Promote health-only, micro and rural insurers to reach underserved groups; E.g. PMFBY and Ayushman Bharat show targeted schemes improve last-mile coverage.
Regulatory Safeguards: Strengthen IRDAI’s supervision alongside liberalisation to protect policyholders; E.g. SEBI-style disgorgement powers ensure market discipline.

{GS3 – S&T} National Blood Transfusion Bill, 2025 **

Context (TH): Thalassaemia patient groups welcomed the National Blood Transfusion Bill, 2025, introduced in Parliament.

The Bill proposes a National Blood Transfusion Authority to enforce uniform statutory blood management standards, to consolidate the fragmented regulation framework.

Blood regulation in India currently operates under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940; the National Blood Transfusion Council, created by a Supreme Court directive, issues non-statutory guidelines.

About Thalassaemia

Thalassemia is an inherited genetic blood disorder in which defective haemoglobin production leads to chronic anaemia.
Types: There are two main types based on the haemoglobin protein affected.
- Alpha thalassaemia: Insufficient production of the Alpha globin chain of haemoglobin; disease severity increases as more genes are affected.
- Beta thalassaemia: Insufficient production of the Beta globin chain; one affected gene causes beta-thalassaemia minor (mild), while two affected genes cause beta-thalassaemia major (severe).

Globin chains are the protein building blocks of haemoglobin that enable red blood cells (RBCs) to carry oxygen throughout the body.

Treatment: Severe cases need regular blood transfusions coupled with Iron Chelation Therapy; a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) or Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is the only cure.
India’s Burden: India accounts for about 25% of the global beta-thalassaemia burden; it affects around 3–4% of the population.

Govt Initiatives for Thalassemia Control

Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana: A Coal India Limited CSR initiative providing up to ₹10 lakh for bone marrow transplants of underprivileged children with thalassaemia major or aplastic anaemia.
NHM Support: The National Health Mission supports states with blood banks, transfusion day-care centres, free blood products, iron chelation drugs, diagnostics, and trained healthcare personnel.
National Guidelines 2016: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines for the prevention and control of haemoglobinopathies, including thalassaemia.
e-RaktKosh Platform: A national digital platform linking licensed blood banks to provide real-time blood availability for patients needing regular transfusions.
Legal Recognition: Thalassaemia is recognised as a disability under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD Act), 2016, enabling access to welfare benefits.

{Prelims – A&C} Preah Vihear Temple

Context (NOA): India expressed concern over reported damage to conservation facilities at the Preah Vihear temple amid ongoing Thailand-Cambodia border clashes.

About Preah Vihear Temple

It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Preah Vihear province, northern Cambodia, situated atop a cliff in the Dangrek Mountains along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
It was constructed during the Khmer Empire in the 11^th-12^th centuries CE, initially built under Suryavarman I (1002-1050 CE) and later expanded by Suryavarman II (1113-1150 CE).
It embodies the Khmer temple architecture, aligned along an ~800-metre axial processional path with a sequence of five gopuras connected by stairways and pavements.
It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (2008) for its architectural significance and outstanding testimony to the Khmer civilisation.

{Prelims – A&C} Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II *

Context (IE): A commemorative postage stamp in honour of Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II was released by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan.

About Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II

Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (c. 705-745 CE), also known as Suvaran Maran and Shatrubhayankar, was a ruler of the Mutharaiyar lineage, feudatories of the Pallava dynasty.
Mutharaiyar rule under him extended over regions around the Cauvery basin, including Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Perambalur, and adjoining areas.
He is remembered as a strong administrator and military leader; patronised Shaivism while allowing Jain scholarly debates, including visits by Jain monk Vimalachandra.
The Mutharaiyars were major early temple builders, pioneering cave and early structural stone temples such as the rock-cut shrines at Narthamalai and Sendalai.
The Mutharaiyars were eventually defeated by Vijayalaya Chola, marking the rise of Chola dynasty in Thanjavur.

About Pallava Dynasty

Simhavishnu (c. 575 CE) defeated the Kalabhras and founded the Pallava dynasty, ruling 575-897 CE from Kanchipuram over north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra.
The Pallavas emerged as a major power under Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla), remaining in constant conflict with Chalukyas of Vatapi and southern Tamil kingdoms.
They laid the foundations of Dravidian architecture, evolving from rock-cut caves to monolithic rathas and finally structural stone temples (e.g., Shore Temple, Kailashnath Temple).
The Pallavas were strong patrons of Shaivism and Vaishnavism; the Bhakti movement flourished, with Alvars and Nayanmars, alongside Sanskrit and Tamil literary activity.
Continuous wars weakened the dynasty, culminating in the defeat of the last ruler Aparajitavarman, by the Cholas, ending Pallava rule.

Read More > Mamallapuram Temple

{Prelims – Geo} Moei River

Context (TH): The Moei River has emerged as a key crossing route used by traffickers to move victims into Myanmar-based cyber-slavery compounds.

About Moei River

The Moei River (called Thaungyin / Tonge Yin in Myanmar) is a transboundary river of mainland Southeast Asia and a left-bank tributary of the Salween (Thanlwin) River system.
It originates in the Tenasserim Hills, part of the Indo-Myanmar ranges, and flows north-northwest, reflecting tectonic control rather than monsoonal drainage typical of Thailand.
The river runs for about 327 km, draining western Thailand before joining the Salween River inside Myanmar, ultimately flowing into the Andaman Sea.
For long stretches, the Moei forms the international boundary between Thailand and Myanmar, particularly near Mae Sot-Myawaddy, a historically porous frontier zone.
The Mae Sot-Myawaddy crossing lies on the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway, making the river critical to regional connectivity, trade, and security.

Read More > Indus River System

{Prelims – PAN} Kopra Reservoir (Chhattisgarh) and Siliserh Lake (Rajasthan) Added to India’s Ramsar Sites *

Context (TOI | TOI): Siliserh Lake in Rajasthan and Kopra Reservoir in Chhattisgarh were recently designated as Ramsar Sites.

India’s New Ramsar Sites

These additions increased India’s total number of Ramsar sites to 96.

Kopra Reservoir

Kopra Reservoir is India’s 95^th and Chhattisgarh’s first Ramsar site, located in Bilaspur district.
It is a unique ecosystem blending both natural and man-made features.
- Originally built for irrigation and water supply, it naturally evolved into a wetland ecosystem.
The reservoir is primarily rain-fed and supported by seasonal streams of the upper Mahanadi basin.
It serves as a winter halt and stopover for migratory birds. Key species include Egyptian vulture, greater spotted eagle, common pochard, and woolly-necked stork.

Siliserh Lake

Siliserh is a man-made lake located in the Aravalli Hills, near Alwar city, Rajasthan.
It was created in 1845 by Maharaja Vinay Singh to supply drinking water to Alwar city.
- The lake was formed by building a dam on a tributary of the Ruparel River.
It covers about 7 square kilometres and lies within the buffer zone of Sariska Tiger Reserve.
Siliserh Lake has been designated India’s 96^th Ramsar site and the fifth in Rajasthan.
It is a critical freshwater ecosystem in a semi-arid region, supporting over 100 bird species.

Ramsar Sites

Ramsar Sites are Wetlands of International Importance designated under the Ramsar Convention.
Adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, the convention promotes wetland conservation and wise use.
- India ratified the convention in 1982.
India Count: As of December 2025, India has a total of 96 Ramsar Sites.
State Leaders: Tamil Nadu leads with 20 sites, followed by Uttar Pradesh (10) and Bihar (6).
First Sites: Chilika Lake (Odisha) and Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) became India’s first Ramsar sites in 1981.
Size Extremes: Sundarbans Wetland (West Bengal) is the largest Ramsar site, while Renuka Wetland (Himachal Pradesh) is the smallest in India.

Read More > Ramsar Sites in India

{Prelims – Species} Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

Context (DTE): Cyclone Senyar in Sumatra’s Batang Toru region have pushed the Tapanuli orangutan species close to extinction.

About Cyclone Senyar

Senyar was a rare tropical cyclone that formed in the Strait of Malacca in November 2025.
The cyclone caused extensive floods and landslides across Sumatra, Malaysia, and Thailand.
It was one of only two documented tropical cyclones ever recorded in the Strait of Malacca.

About Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

The Tapanuli orangutan is the world’s most endangered great ape, with fewer than 800 surviving.
It was officially identified as a distinct orangutan species in 2017.
Appearance: The species shows frizzier cinnamon-coloured hair, smaller heads, flatter faces, and distinctive male cheek pads.
Reproduction: Females have the slowest breeding cycle among land mammals, giving birth once every 6-9 years.
Diet: They are primarily frugivores, but also consume caterpillars and conifer cones.
Habitat: The orangutan is strictly arboreal and inhabits upland tropical rainforests at 300-1,300 metres.
Range: Its distribution is limited to the Batang Toru highland rainforest in North Sumatra, Indonesia.
Ecological Role: They act as forest gardeners by dispersing seeds and supporting forest regeneration.
Major Threats: Habitat fragmentation, hunting pressure, slow reproductive rate, etc.
Conservation Status: IUCN: Critically Endangered; CITES: Appendix I.

{Prelims – S&T} MahaCrimeOS AI *

Context (IE): Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella launched MahaCrimeOS AI, an advanced AI-powered platform to accelerate cybercrime investigations for Maharashtra Police.
It is India’s first AI-powered operating system designed for law enforcement.
Collaboration: The platform was jointly developed by the Maharashtra government’s MARVEL, cybersecurity startup CyberEye, and the Microsoft India Development Centre (IDC).
Significance: It supports time-bound investigations mandated under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), marking a significant step toward AI-enabled governance.

MARVEL: Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement is a Maharashtra government-owned special purpose vehicle (SPV) that integrates AI and advanced technologies into public governance and policing across the state.

Key Features

Faster Investigations: The tool automates workflow and minimises manual processing burdens, thereby reducing investigation turnaround time.
Advanced Analytics: It analyses vast amounts of digital evidence, links related cases, and tracks digital trails more effectively.
Multiformat Support: It supports multilingual data extraction from multiple formats, such as PDFs, audio, handwritten notes or images.
Legal Integration: The system has built-in access to Indian criminal laws and best-practice protocols that enable it to design structured investigation plans.

{Prelims – S&T} Rising Use of Sahyog Portal

Context (IE): Disclosures show a rising number of unlawful content removal orders issued through the Sahyog Portal.

Recent Trends in Sahyog Portal

2,312 blocking orders were issued between October 2024 and October 2025, averaging about 6 daily.
- Each blocking order typically contained multiple links or user accounts.
Meta platforms accounted for over 78% of all blocking orders, with WhatsApp receiving the highest.
More than 118 online intermediaries have been onboarded to the Sahyog Portal.

About Sahyog Portal

Sahyog is a centralised portal designed to streamline the removal of unlawful content from the internet.
Objective: It creates a single window for government agencies to report unlawful online content.
Nodal Ministry: The portal functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) manages the Sahyog portal.
Mechanism: Authorised officials flag unlawful URLs on the portal instead of emailing grievance officers.
- The system automatically forwards takedown requests to intermediaries as formal notices.
Legal Basis: The portal operates under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(1)(b) of the 2021 IT Rules.
- Section 79(3)(b): Creates a legal obligation for intermediaries to remove unlawful content.
- Rule 3(1)(b): Defines categories of content that users are prohibited from hosting.
Intermediaries lose safe harbour immunity if unlawful content is not removed after ‘actual knowledge’.

Read More> Sahyog Portal

{Prelims – Disease} New Medicines Approved for Gonorrhoea

Context (CNN): The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved two new oral medicines for gonorrhoea treatment.

The two approved oral antibiotics are Blujepa (gepotidacin) and Nuzolvence (zoliflodacin).

About Gonorrhoea

Gonorrhoea is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, a gram-negative bacterium. It is also known as “the clap” or “the drip.”
Transmission: It spreads mainly through sexual contact; it can also be transmitted from an infected mother during childbirth, causing neonatal gonococcal conjunctivitis (severe eye infection).
- Untreated gonococcal conjunctivitis in newborns can lead to permanent blindness.
Symptoms: Most infected individuals, particularly women (up to 50%), are asymptomatic; symptoms include sore throat, conjunctivitis, abnormal genital discharge, and pelvic or genital pain.

Health Complications: It can cause pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the womb), and infertility in women; in men, it can lead to epididymitis.
- Gonorrhoea increases the risk of acquiring and transmitting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

Antimicrobial Resistance: Neisseria gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to penicillin, tetracyclines, and fluoroquinolones. Ceftriaxone-resistant strains are emerging as a serious public health threat.
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae is classified as a “high-priority pathogen” by the WHO.
Diagnosis & Treatment: It is diagnosed using Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs). Treatment involves dual therapy of antibiotics and ceftriaxone injection due to AMR.
Health Burden: WHO estimated 82.4 million new gonorrhoea infections globally in 2020. India has an estimated STI prevalence of around 6%, with about 94.4 million cases in 2021.

{Prelims – Defence} MH-60R Helicopter Squadron

Context (TH): The Indian Navy will commission INAS 335, its second squadron of MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, at INS Hansa, Goa, adding to its operational maritime helicopter force.

About MH-60R Seahawk Helicopter

Platform: US-origin multi-role maritime helicopter (naval Black Hawk variant) inducted to replace the ageing Sea King 42/42A helicopters of the Indian Navy.
Roles: Configured for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search and rescue, medical evacuation, and vertical replenishment from frontline ships and aircraft carriers.
Systems: Fitted with advanced sensors, weapons, and avionics; fully integrated with fleet operations after validation under Indian Reference Atmosphere (IRA) conditions.
Procurement: India signed a $2.4-billion deal in 2020 with the US for 24 MH-60R helicopters; 15 have been delivered so far.
Induction: The first MH-60R squadron (INAS 334) was commissioned in March 2024 at INS Garuda, Kochi, strengthening India’s blue-water capability in the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Reference Atmosphere (IRA) is a benchmark used by Indian defence services to test aircraft performance under Indian climatic and operating conditions before induction.

Read More > INS Jatayu