Current Affairs – December 17, 2025

{GS2 – Governance} “Viksit Bharat – G Ram G Bill 2025” Introduced in Lok Sabha **

Context (IE): The Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (or VB–G RAM G Bill), 2025, was introduced in the Lok Sabha to replace the existing MGNREGA.

Key Features of the Bill

Workdays: Wage employment guarantee rises from 100 to 125 days per rural household annually.
Funding: Wage funding move from 100% Central financing to a centrally sponsored scheme model.
- The Bill proposes a 60:40 Centre-State ratio for most States, 90:10 for North-Eastern and Himalayan States, and 100% Central funding for Union Territories.
Budget: Demand-driven Labour Budget is replaced by a centrally fixed normative funding system.
- State-wise funds are allocated using parameters notified by the Central Government.
- Expenditure beyond the allocated limit is borne entirely by State governments.
Pause: States may pause the scheme for up to 60 days during peak sowing and harvesting periods.
Projects: All works must originate from approved Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans only.
- Asset creation is restricted to: water security, rural infrastructure, livelihoods, and weather resilience.
- Village-level assets are integrated into a national digital stack linked with PM Gati Shakti.
Cards: Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Cards replace job cards, reducing validity from five to three years.
- Special-coloured cards are issued to PwDs, PVTGs, and transgender beneficiaries.
Timelines: Wage payments follow a weekly cycle or settlement within a maximum period of 15 days.
Compliance: Biometric, AI checks, GPS tracking, and biannual social audits become mandatory.
- Penalties for violations increase from ₹1,000 to ₹10,000.

Rationale Behind the Introduction of the Bill

Socioeconomic Transition: Poverty has declined from 25.7% in 2011–12 to 4.86% in 2023–24, necessitating a shift from distress relief to productivity-linked employment.
MGNREGA Drawbacks: Monitoring reports flagged substandard works and fund misappropriation under MGNREGA; only 7.61% households completed 100 workdays post-pandemic.
Fiscal Discipline: Open-ended demand-based funding caused budget unpredictability, requiring a move toward objective, parameter-based allocations.
Labour–Farm Balance: Diversion of labour to public works during peak agricultural seasons caused shortages, making the statutory pause critical for food security and wage stability.

Significance of the Bill

Higher guaranteed workdays from 100 to 125 days improve income support for rural households.
Normative funding introduces expenditure predictability and limits unchecked cost escalation.
Linking works with PM Gati Shakti promotes durable, productive rural infrastructure creation.
Seasonal pause provisions reduce labour shortages during peak agricultural operations.
Technology-based monitoring improves transparency and reduces leakages.

Challenges with the Bill

Higher State cost-sharing burdens poorer States with high employment demand.
Normative funding restricts work availability during droughts or sudden local distress.
Seasonal pause provisions weaken workers’ bargaining power during peak agricultural seasons.
Strict digital compliance may exclude genuine workers due to technical failures.
Centralised parameters reduce the Gram Sabha’s flexibility over small, localised development works.

Read More > MGNREGA | VB-G RAM G Bill

Context (WHO | NM): Global leaders at the 80^th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) have adopted a political declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCD) and mental health.

About the Declaration

The declaration serves as a roadmap to achieve the SDG of reducing premature deaths from NCDs by one–third by 2030.
Key Targets: It commits to reducing tobacco use by 150 million people, controlling hypertension in 150 million more individuals, and expanding mental health access for 150 million.
Fifth Pillar: It formally integrates mental health and neurological conditions into the global NCD framework alongside the four traditional NCDs.
- Four Traditional NCDs: Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases.
Disease Scope Expansion: The declaration addresses global challenges like oral health, kidney disease, liver disease, childhood cancers, and rare diseases for the first time.
Digital Risks: It recognises digital harms, including excessive screen time, algorithm-driven mental distress, and health misinformation impacts.
Solution Approach: It mandates a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response involving civil society, youth, disabled persons, and lived-experience groups.
New Determinants: It acknowledges environmental drivers of NCDs expanding beyond air pollution to lead exposure, hazardous chemicals, and clean cooking deficits.
Accountability: It proposes a global accountability framework to track national progress biannually.

Landscape of NCDs and Mental Health

NCD Burden: They cause 75% of global deaths, killing about 43 million people annually, including 18 million premature deaths.
- In India, NCDs cause nearly 65% of total deaths; about one-fourth of NCD deaths are premature.
Mental Health Burden: Over 1 billion people live with mental health conditions, with anxiety and depression rising 25% after COVID-19.
- Around 10.6% of Indian adults suffer from mental disorders, with a lifetime prevalence of 13.7%.

Read More > Mental Health in India

{GS2 – IR} PM Modi’s Visit to Ethiopia

Context (NOA): Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ethiopia as the second leg of his three-nation tour, following Jordan.

About Ethiopia

Location: Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa bordering Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, and South Sudan.
History: It is among the world’s oldest continuously existing states & was never formally colonized.
Geography: The Simien Mountains, called the “Roof of Africa,” are located in Ethiopia.
- The Danakil Depression, among the hottest places on Earth, lies 125 metres below sea level.

Key Outcome of the Visit

PM Modi received the ‘Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia’, the highest civilian award for foreign leaders.
Both countries agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a Strategic Partnership.
India signed an MoU on Ethiopia’s debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework.
An agreement on Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters was signed to ease trade barriers.
India agreed to set up a Data Centre at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The countries signed an arrangement for cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Training.

Overview of India-Ethiopia Bilateral Relations

The countries are often called civilizational twins, with recorded ties dating back over 2,000 years.
Trade: India is Ethiopia’s second-largest trading partner and among the largest foreign investors.
- Bilateral trade reached $550 million in 2024-25, with Indian exports worth $476 million.
- India exports pharmaceuticals, steel, and machinery, and imports pulses, oilseeds, and spices.
Credit: Ethiopia is the largest recipient of Indian concessional Credit in Africa, with $1B sanctioned.
Diaspora: The Siddi communities in Gujarat & Karnataka trace their ancestry to Ethiopia.

{GS3 – Envi} Inhalable Microplastics Threat

Context (TH): Emerging evidence shows that inhalable microplastics have become a hidden but serious air pollutant in Indian cities, compounding the public health crisis.

Inhalable microplastics are microscopic plastic particles (≤10 µm) small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs, bypassing natural respiratory defences and enabling chronic exposure.

Why are Inhalable Microplastics a Serious Concern in India?

High Urban Exposure: A multi-city IISER Kolkata study found an average concentration of 8.8 µg/m³, implying Indians inhale ~132 µg daily, a significant toxic load.
Winter Amplification: Winter evening concentrations rose by 74% (32.7 particles/m³ vs 18.8 non-winter), aligning with India’s seasonal smog problem.
City Disparities: Delhi (14.18 µg/m³) and Kolkata (14.23 µg/m³) show far higher exposure.
Trojan-Horse Toxicity: Microplastics carry heavy metals (lead, cadmium) and endocrine-disrupting chemicals like diethyl phthalates, magnifying health risks.
Disease Vector Risk: Particles were found carrying fungi (Aspergillus fumigatus) and antibiotic-resistance genes, raising infection and treatment-failure risks.
Occupational Vulnerability: Traffic police and construction workers face higher exposure due to tire-wear microplastics, known for carcinogenic potential.

Measures Taken by India to Curb Microplastic Pollution

Single-Use Plastic Ban (2022): Ban on identified single-use plastic items (straws, cutlery, thin bags, thermocol) to reduce fragmentation of plastics into microplastics.
Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules: Extended Producer Responsibility in PWM mandates producers to collect, recycle, and safely dispose of plastic waste, limiting environmental leakage.
Microbead Prohibition: PWM Rules prohibit plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products, directly eliminating a primary microplastic source.
National Action Plan for Marine Litter: Targets plastic inflow into rivers and seas through better waste management, coastal clean-ups, and monitoring to curb secondary microplastics.

About Microplastics

Microplastics are defined as plastics less than 5mm in diameter.
There are two categories of microplastics.
- Primary microplastics: tiny particles designed for commercial use, like in cosmetics or textiles.
- Secondary microplastics: tiny particles that are a product of the breakdown of larger plastic items due to exposure to environmental factors such as the sun’s radiation or ocean waves.

{GS3 – DM} Kenduadih Gas Leak Crisis **

Context (IE): A carbon monoxide (CO) gas leak in Kenduadih, Jharkhand’s Jharia coalfields, causing deaths and mass displacement, has exposed chronic vulnerabilities arising from legacy mining.

Legacy Mining: Decades of unregulated, pre-nationalisation coal mining left behind underground fires, gas pockets, and unstable seams, creating long-term safety hazards for present-day settlements.

Vulnerability Of Kenduadih

Toxic Gas Exposure: CO levels reportedly reached ~2,000 ppm, capable of causing asphyxiation during sleep, leading to at least two confirmed deaths.
Habitation: Around 1,200 families continue to live above fire-affected seams, amplifying human risk.
Invisible Risk: Carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, making detection.
Emergency Preparedness: Allegations of ambulances without oxygen and delayed medical response.

About Jharia Master Plan (JMP)

Objective: To extinguish underground fires and relocate residents from unsafe zones.
Timeline: Original plan notified in 2009, ended in 2021; Revised JMP approved in June 2025.
Rehabilitation Strategy: Construction of ~16,000 housing units at sites like Belgarhia township.
Current Status: ~3,700 flats occupied; remaining construction ongoing with a 2028 target.

Concerns Regarding Jharia Master Plan

Forced Displacement: Residents allege that evacuation is driven more by land clearance than safety.
Livelihood Disruption: Belgarhia lies 15–20 km away, disconnecting families from social networks.
Quality of Rehabilitation: Earlier phases faced criticism for small housing units and poor amenities.
Delayed Fire Control: Underground fires continue despite decades of planning, undermining credibility.

Way Forward

Scientific Audit: Independent gas-mapping studies, like third-party CO monitoring, before evacuation.
Transparent Data: Disclosure of gas readings through real-time dashboards accessible to residents.
Polluter-Pays Norms: Enforce norms, with compensation funded by BCCL (Bharat Coking Coal Limited).
Community Consent: Participatory planning through local committees in rehabilitation decisions.

Legal Safeguards Against Unsustainable Mining and Gas Leakages

Environmental Clearance (EC): Mandatory prior approval under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and EIA Notification, 2006 to assess ecological and social.
Mine Safety Regulation: Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) enforces safety standards under the Mines Act, 1952, to prevent hazards like gas leakage, fires, and subsidence.
Extraction Norms: Mineral Conservation and Development Rules (MCDR), 2017 mandate scientific mining, progressive mine closure plans, and land reclamation.
Rehabilitation & Resettlement: Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, ensures humane relocation.
Corporate Accountability: Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991 mandates compensation for victims of industrial accidents involving hazardous substances, including mining-related gas leaks.

{GS3 – DM} National Disaster Mitigation Fund

Context (PIB): The Union Government has extended the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) to Panchayati Raj Institutions.

About National Disaster Mitigation Fund

It was established by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in 2021 to fund projects that prevent or reduce the long-term impact of natural disasters.
It was mandated under Section 47 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005 and is administered by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The 15^th Finance Commission allocated ₹13,693 crore to the NDMF for 2021-26, marking India’s first dedicated national funding window exclusively for disaster mitigation.
Key focus areas of the NDMF include urban flooding, drought-prone states and seismic risk zones.

About National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

It was constituted in 2006 under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 as the apex body for disaster management in India and is chaired ex officio by the Prime Minister.
It consists of a Vice-Chairperson and up to eight members, all appointed by the Central Government, and functions through specialised divisions.
It approves the National Disaster Management Plan, issues binding guidelines to Centre and States, administers disaster funding like NDRF and NDMF, and oversees national preparedness measures.

{Prelims – IR} United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)

Context (NOA): India reaffirmed its commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and interfaith harmony at the 11^th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Forum held in Riyadh.

About UNAOC

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was established in 2005 as a UN political initiative by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, co-sponsored by Spain and Türkiye.
It functions as a UN soft-power mechanism for conflict prevention by promoting intercultural, interreligious dialogue and cooperation to counter polarisation and extremism.
It is headed by a High Representative of the UN Secretary-General, supported by a Secretariat in New York, and operates through a global partner network.
Its activities focus on priority areas such as youth, education, media, migration and women.

Read More > UN Peacekeeping

{Prelims – IR} India Left Out of US-Led Pax Silica Initiative

Context (IE): The United States announced the Pax Silica initiative, a nine-nation framework to secure high-tech and AI-related supply chains, without including India.

About Pax Silica Initiative

It is a US-led strategic initiative to secure the end-to-end silicon and AI supply chain, from critical minerals and energy inputs to semiconductors and logistics.
Goal: To reduce coercive dependencies, safeguard AI-critical materials and capabilities, and enable trusted partners to develop and deploy advanced technologies at scale.
Members: United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and Australia; India is not a member.

{Prelims – Envi} Key Outcomes of UNEA-7

Context (DTE): The seventh session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) has concluded in Nairobi, Kenya.

The session adopted 11 resolutions, three decisions, and a Ministerial Declaration.

Key Outcomes of UNEA-7

UNEP Strategy: UNEP’s new Medium-Term Strategy (2026–2029) was adopted, prioritising a circular economy, resource efficiency, and integrated climate-biodiversity action.
Wildfire Management: An India-led resolution was adopted to strengthen global cooperation on wildfire prevention, early warning systems, and ecosystem restoration.
Sustainable AI: For the first time, the environmental footprint of Artificial Intelligence was addressed, with a focus on reducing energy and water consumption.
Minerals & Chemicals: Resolutions were passed for the sustainable management of minerals and metals essential for green energy transition and to tighten controls on chemicals and waste.
Ministerial Declaration: Ministers committed to sustainable actions, implementing multilateral environmental agreements, and advancing inclusive participation.
GEO-7: The seventh Global Environment Outlook was launched, providing the most comprehensive global environmental assessment.

About the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA)

UNEA is the highest environmental decision-making body, established in 2012 at the Rio+20.
It is the governing body of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), comprising all UN Member States.
It holds its biennial sessions in Nairobi, Kenya, adopting non-binding resolutions that influence global environmental governance, norms, and cooperation.
It is managed by a Bureau of 10 members (including the Rapporteur), elected for a two-year term.

Read More > GEO-7 | UNEP

{Prelims – Species} New Snakehead Fish ‘Channa bhoi’ *

Context (HN): Scientists discovered a new snakehead fish species, Channa bhoi, in Meghalaya.
The species was named after the indigenous Bhoi community of the Khasi tribe in Meghalaya.
Taxonomy: It belongs to the Gachua group of dwarf snakeheads, known for high endemism in the Eastern Himalayas.
Appearance: The fish has a bluish-grey body with distinctive black spots present on each scale.
Habitat: It inhabits shallow, slow-flowing mountain streams with dense riparian vegetation.
Distribution: The species is endemic to the Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya.
Role: It is a micro-predator and acts as a key indicator of freshwater ecosystem health.

{Prelims – Species} Macrocephalosaurus mariensis

Context (DDN): Scientists discovered CAPPA/UFSM 0295, a rare hatchling fossil of Macrocephalosaurus mariensis, in southern Brazil.

M. mariensis was a herbivorous rhynchosaur species that lived during the Late Triassic Period.
It was a four-legged reptile with a barrel-shaped body, growing to over two metres in length.
The species had a distinctive downward-curved, beak-like snout used for cropping low vegetation.
Fossils of M. mariensis are found exclusively in the Santa Maria region of southern Brazil.

Rhynchosaurs were extinct herbivorous quadrupedal reptiles with downturned parrot-like beaks that thrived during the Triassic Period.

{Prelims – S&T} Nitrofurans

Context (IE): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) initiated a nationwide drive to test egg samples for nitrofurans contamination.

About Nitrofurans

Nitrofurans are synthetic broad-spectrum antimicrobial drugs, including nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, nitrofurazone and furaltadone, earlier used in human and veterinary medicine.
They act mainly as bacteriostatic agents (bactericidal at high doses), effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, protozoa and some fungi, with better efficacy in acidic conditions.
Long-term exposure is linked to carcinogenicity, DNA damage, lung and liver toxicity, nerve damage and blood disorders, raising serious public health concerns from food residues.
They are banned in food-producing animals in the EU, US and Australia; India imposed a formal ban in March 2025.

Gram-positive bacteria have a thick outer cell wall that retains the purple stain in laboratory tests and are generally easier to target with antibiotics.
Gram-negative bacteria have a thinner cell wall and an extra outer membrane, making them more resistant to antibiotics and often harder to treat.

Read More > Calcium Carbide

{Prelims – Defence} Apache Attack Helicopter *

Context (TH): The Indian Army has completed the induction of AH-64E Apache attack helicopters into the 451 Army Aviation Squadron based in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

About AH-64E Apache Attack Helicopter

It is the latest version of the Apache attack helicopters developed by Boeing (USA), also called the Apache Guardian, used for reconnaissance, precision strikes and close air support.
It enables rapid response with a top speed of ~300 kmph, range of ~500 km, strong thrust–lift, and infrared laser-based precision targeting.
It features an open systems architecture for network-centric warfare, advanced night/thermal sensors, and is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun, Hellfire missiles, Hydra rockets, and Stinger missiles.

Hellfire Missile: Primary precision strike weapon of the Apache, designed for destroying tanks, bunkers, and hardened targets with fire-and-forget / laser-guided variants.
Hydra Rocket: Unguided 70 mm rocket system used for area saturation, troop suppression, and soft targets, offering high flexibility in close air support missions.
Stinger Missile: Short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missiles enabling the Apache to engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for self-defence.

Read More > Defence Modernisation in India

{Prelims – Exercise} Exercise Ekatha *

Context (PIB): The Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS) of the Indian Navy is visiting the Maldives to attend the closing ceremony of Exercise Ekatha 2025.

About Exercise Ekatha

It is an annual bilateral maritime exercise established in 2017 between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
It is hosted alternatively by India and the Maldives, and is aimed at enhancing naval interoperability and maritime cooperation between the two forces.
India and Maldives also conduct Exercise DOSTI, a biennial trilateral maritime drill (with Sri Lanka), and Exercise EKUVERIN, an annual army exercise focused on counter-insurgency and disaster response.

The 14^th edition of India-Maldives bilateral Exercise EKUVERIN concluded in Thiruvananthapuram after two weeks of intensive training to enhance interoperability between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Forces.

{Prelims – PIN – India} Dok La and Cho La Passes *

Context (TH): Sikkim opened the Dok La and Cho La passes to tourists under the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan battlefield tourism initiative and the Vibrant Villages Programme-II.

About Dok La and Cho La Passes

Dok La is a strategic mountain pass (13,780ft altitude) on the India-China border in East Sikkim, connecting Sikkim to the Doklam plateau, the site of the 2017 India-China military standoff.
- The pass lies close to the India–Bhutan–China tri-junction, making it critical for India’s security.
Cho La mountain pass is at an altitude of 17,780ft in eastern Sikkim, connecting East Sikkim with Tibet, China. It is known for the 1967 India-China military clash.
Both Dok La and Cho La are a part of the Dongkya Range of the Eastern Himalayas, which runs along the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction in eastern Sikkim.

Read More > Major Mountain Passes in India

{Prelims – PIN – World} Bondi Beach

Context (TH): One of the attackers in a recent mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach was an Indian citizen from Hyderabad.

Bondi Beach is located on Australia’s east coast, about 7 km east of Sydney’s Central Business District.
It is a crescent-shaped sandy beach facing the Tasman Sea.
The name “Bondi” derives from the Dharawal word “Boondi,” meaning water breaking over rocks.
Historically, the land was inhabited by the Bidjigal, Birrabirragal, and Gadigal Aboriginal peoples.