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Current Affairs – June 12, 2025
{GS2 – Governance – Initiatives} DIGIPIN
- Context (BS): Department of Posts unveiled a new digital addressing system called DIGIPIN, India’s new geo-coded digital addressing system.
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What is DIGIPIN?
- DIGIPIN is an open-source nationwide geo-coded addressing system developed by the Department of Posts in collaboration with IIT Hyderabad and National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), ISRO.
- It divides India into approx. 4m x 4m grids and assigns each grid a unique 10-character alphanumeric code based on latitude and longitude coordinates. It can be used offline.
- Objective: It seeks to provide standardised, geo-coded addresses for seamless delivery of public and private services and to enable “Address as a Service” (AaaS).
- It is part of DHRUVA (Digital Hub for Reference & Unique Virtual Address), which aims to create a standardised, interoperable, and geocoded digital addressing system.
- It applies to all geographical areas, including rural regions, forests, and maritime zones, also helps in areas where no clear address exists, making it universally applicable.
{GS2 – MoAFW – Schemes} CROPIC Initiative
- Context (IE): Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare plans to launch Collection of Real-Time Observations & Photo of Crops (CROPIC), a digital initiative under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
- Objective: Monitoring crop health, automated estimation of crop losses using AI-driven computer vision models and facilitating faster, transparent, and evidence-based insurance compensation.
- Working:
- Data Collection: Farmers and officials upload geo-tagged, time-stamped photographs four to five times during the crop cycle using the CROPIC mobile app.
- AI-based Cloud Platform: Analyses images for crop type, growth stage, stress symptoms, and damage extent using computer vision.
- Web Dashboard: Offers real-time visualisation for monitoring and decision-making by authorities at various levels.
- Pilot Phase (2025–26): Conducted during Kharif 2025 and Rabi 2025–26.
- Initially, in 50 districts per season, covering three major notified crops per district.
- Funding: Financed under the Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT), with an overall allocation of ₹825 crore for tech innovations.
Significance
- Reduces dependence on manual surveys and subjective assessments.
- Ensures faster, transparent, and more accurate crop insurance claims.
- Supports digital agriculture and AI integration in public schemes.
{GS2 – Social Sector – Health} Mental Healthcare in India
- Context (TH): WHO reports more than $1 trillion global productivity loss annually due to untreated mental health issues.
What is Mental Health?
- According to WHO, mental health is “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to contribute to their community.”
- Scope: Includes conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder & schizophrenia.
Mental Healthcare in India: Statistics
- WHO estimates that the burden of mental health problems in India is 2443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 10000 population.
- 15% of India’s adult population experiences mental health issues. Urban areas have a higher prevalence (13.5%) compared to rural (6.9%).
- Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in India is 13.7%.
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Impact of Poor Mental Health
- Impact on Productivity: Poor mental health leads to lower workplace performance, increased absenteeism, and reduced efficiency.
- Social & Emotional Well-being: Mental well-being affects interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, and social interactions.
- Economic Impact: Economic loss due to mental health conditions is estimated at USD 1.03 trillion (2012-2030).
Challenges in Addressing Mental Well-Being
- Treatment Gap: According to the National Mental Health Survey (2015–16), 70–92% of those affected do not receive any treatment due to social stigma, poor awareness & lack of accessible services.
- Shortage of Professionals: India has only 0.75 psychiatrists per 1 lakh population, far below the WHO-recommended 3 per 1 lakh, limiting timely diagnosis and treatment.
- Stigma: Deep-rooted societal taboos and misconceptions around mental illness discourage people from seeking help early.
- Insurance Gaps: Many policyholders are unaware that OPD and cashless mental health services are included in their plans leading to underutilisation of insurance benefits.
- Urban-centric Access: Mental health infrastructure, like clinics, therapists, and specialists, is concentrated in urban areas.
Initiatives for Mental Well-being
Government Initiatives
- Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: Ensures equal legal status for mental and physical health, mandating insurance coverage and rights-based treatment for mental illnesses.
- National Mental Health Programme (1982) & District Mental Health Programme (1996): Aims to deliver accessible, affordable mental healthcare through community-based services and awareness at the grassroots level.
- Tele MANAS: A nationwide tele-mental health initiative offering 24×7 digital counselling and support, especially for underserved and remote regions.
- National Suicide Prevention Strategy (2022): Aims to reduce suicide rates through public awareness, de-stigmatization, early detection, and intervention mechanisms.
International Initiatives
- Mental Health Action Plan (2013–2030): Provides a global roadmap to strengthen governance, expand access, and integrate mental health into primary healthcare.
- World Mental Health Report 2025: Urges countries to reform outdated policies, combat stigma, and shift focus toward community-based and rights-oriented care.
- Mental Health as a Global Development Priority: Recognizes mental health as essential for achieving SDGs, especially those related to education, poverty alleviation, and gender equality.
Way Forward
- Expand Insurance Access: Full compliance with MHCA, promote affordable, inclusive coverage.
- Public Awareness: Mass campaigns to normalize mental health treatment.
- Digital Expansion: Leverage platforms like Tele MANAS and app-based therapy for wide reach.
- Policy Enforcement: Stronger IRDAI monitoring to ensure coverage and transparency.
- Employer Role: Mandate workplace-based mental health support under group insurance.
Read also> Mental Health in India
{GS2 – Vulnerable Sections – Women} Maternity Benefits integral to Right to Life
- Context (IE): Recent Supreme Court ruling (K. Umadevi v. Government of Tamil Nadu) affirming maternity leave as a constitutional right has reignited debate on reproductive justice and social inclusion.
SC Judgment
- Upheld maternity leave as a reproductive right protected under Article 21.
- Held that state rules cannot override central laws (Maternity Benefit Act, 1961) under Art 254 of IC.
- Emphasized that reproductive rights form part of international human rights law, including right to health, dignity & non-discrimination.
Reproductive Rights
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Maternity Leave Policy in India
- Maternity Benefit Act, 1961: Provides paid maternity leave for 12 weeks.
- Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017: Provides for paid maternity leave to all women (incl. adoptive & commissioning mothers) for 26 weeks for 1st and 2nd child and 12 weeks for 3rd child.
- Creche Facility: Mandatory for establishments with 50+ employees, allowing 4 daily visits by mother.
Need for Maternity Leave
- Equal participation of women: PLFS 2022–23 states Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR) stands at 37%.
- Bridge Gender Employment Gap: 98% of the employment gap between men and women is due to gender-based discrimination, including maternity concerns (Oxfam India Report, 2022).
- Workplace Benefits: Reduces attrition, improves employee retention, job satisfaction, and women’s career continuity.
- Physical & Emotional Recovery: Essential for maternal health, postpartum healing & reducing maternal mortality.
- Childcare & Bonding: Crucial for neonatal care & development of strong mother-child emotional bonds.
Challenges
- Coverage Gaps: Only 10% of women in the formal sector are included & majority of working women in the informal sector are excluded.
- Private Sector Non-Compliance: Women face discrimination in hiring, promotions or are forced to resign post-pregnancy. Resistance to providing creche facilities.
- Policy Limitation: No universal parental or paternity leave law yet. Countries like Sweden (1974), Norway, & Estonia offer gender-neutral family leave of up to 1 year.
Way Forward
- Extend Coverage: Bring informal sector and contractual employees under Maternity Benefit Act.
- Awareness: Conduct awareness campaigns about legal maternity rights.
- Gender Equity: Introduce paid paternity and family leave to balance caregiving roles.
- Population Control vs. Rights: Reproductive autonomy must not be compromised for demographic goals.
Also read > Maternity Benefit Amendment Act, 2017
{GS3 – IE – Investment} FDI Inflows in India
- Context (TH | PIB): Net foreign direct investment inflow in India has sharply declined, as per RBI data.
RBI Data on FDI Inflows
- Total FDI Inflows: Stood at $81 billion in FY 2024–25 ($36.05 billion in FY 2013–14), a 14% increase from FY 2023–24.
- Sector share in total FDI: Services sector (19% of total inflows), followed by computer software and hardware (16%) & trading (8%).
- Maharashtra accounted for the highest share (39%) of total FDI equity inflows, followed by Karnataka (13%) and Delhi (12%).
- Maximum FDI from Singapore (30% share), followed by Mauritius (17%) & United States (11%).
Credits: TH
- Increase in Gross FDI: India attracted $75.1 billion in gross FDI inflows during April–February 2024–25, an increase from $65.2 billion the previous year.
- Fall in Net FDI: Crashed by more than 96% to just $353 million in 2024-25 as compared to previous year.
- India’s FDI dipped to $0.4 billion in FY25 from $10.1 billion a year earlier.
- Gross Foreign Inflow-To-GDP Ratio: Steadily declined from 3.1% in 2020-21 to 2.1% in 2024-25. However, the decline was slightly steeper in net FDI, from 1.6% of GDP to zero in the same period.
- India’s Net Outward FDI (OFDI): Reached $29.2 billion in 2024–25, marking a growth of more than 75 % over the previous year.
- Singapore, US, UAE, Mauritius and Netherlands together accounted for more than half of the rise in outward FDI.
Net FDI = Gross FDI Inflows – (Repatriation by Foreign Companies + Outward FDI by Indian Companies). |
Reasons for Decline in Net FDI
- Rising Repatriations: Repatriations and disinvestment rose by 15.7% in FY25 to $51.5 billion from $44.5 billion in FY23, mainly due to profit-booking by global investors amid big-ticket IPO exits (e.g. Swiggy).
- Rise in Outward Investments: Outward FDI by Indian firms jumped to $29.2 billion, as domestic companies increasingly seek global growth opportunities.
- Global Economic Uncertainty: Rising trade tensions, particularly after the United States imposed sweeping tariff hikes in April 2025, have rattled investor confidence.
- Weak Global Demand: Export-oriented sectors in India have become less attractive to investors due to sluggish international trade.
- Geopolitical Tensions: Escalating tensions in the Middle East, alongside intensifying trade friction among global superpowers, have contributed to a more cautious approach from international investors.
- India’s renewed tensions with Pakistan in early 2025 added to domestic market volatility, which further affected investor confidence in the short term.
- Maturing Investment Cycle: Several earlier FDI inflows are now entering the harvest phase, where foreign companies begin withdrawing parts of their investments after achieving their profits.
Implications
- The RBI termed the rise in net outward FDI and repatriation as a “sign of a mature market where foreign investors can enter and exit smoothly, which reflects positively on the Indian economy.”
- However decline in FDI relative to GDP is a matter of concern and points toward a declining interest among foreign investors.
Concerns
- Tax Heavens: Outward FDI also includes financial flows to many known tax havens, such as Singapore and Mauritius.
- Treaty Shopping: Large financial conglomerates move liquid capital across the world to take advantage of variations in tax laws, a practice known as ‘treaty shopping’.
- Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs): The majority of FDI consists of alternative investment funds, which hardly contribute to enhancing long-term capital formation, technology acquisition, and augmenting India’s potential output.
Read More > Difference Between FDI, FPI and FII
{GS3 – IE – Reports} Global Economic Prospects Report 2025
- Context (IE): World Bank has released its mid-year Global Economic Prospects (GEP) Report, 2025.
Key Highlights
- Global GDP is projected to slow to 2.3% in 2025, the lowest since 2008 (excluding global recessions).
- Emerging markets and developing economies are expected to grow by 3.8% in 2025.
- Growth in developing economies has ratcheted down for three decades, from 6% annually in the 2000s to 5% in the 2010s.
- Global trade would grow by 1.8% in 2025 (down from 3.4% in 2024) due to tariff effects. US-China trade frictions continue to disrupt supply chains and dampen global demand.
- Halving global tariffs could improve world GDP growth by 0.2% in both 2025 and 2026.
India Specific Findings
- India’s GDP is expected to grow at 6.3% in FY26 (is 0.4 percentage points lower than the January 2025 forecast), maintaining its status as the world’s fastest-growing large economy.
- Growth is projected at 6.5% in FY27 and 6.7% in FY28, supported by strong performance in the services sector and improving exports.
- Investment growth may moderate due to global policy uncertainty, despite supportive domestic factors.
- Fiscal consolidation is likely to continue, driven by rising tax revenues and reduced spending. Public debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to fall from 56.1% in FY26 to around 50% by FY31.
{GS3 – Infra – Initiatives} NHAI Releases 1st Ever Asset Monetisation Strategy
- Context (PIB): National Highways Authority of India released its first-ever ‘Asset Monetization Strategy for the Road Sector’.
- NHAI monetizes its assets through 3 modes: Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT), Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT), & Securitisation (Project-based Financing through a Special Purpose Vehicle, or SPV).
- Instruments such as ToT, InvITs, and securitization have enabled the state-run agency to raise over ₹1.4 trillion so far across more than 6,100 km of national highways under the National Monetisation Pipeline.
What is Asset Monetization?
- Asset monetization is the process of generating new sources of revenue for the government and its entities by unlocking the economic value of underutilized public assets.
- Objectives: Unlocking value from public investments in infrastructure and leveraging productivity in the private sector. It aims to tap the private sector investment for new infrastructure creation.
- It was 1st suggested by the Vijay Kelkar Committee in 2012 on the roadmap for fiscal consolidation.
Credits: NHAI
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About NHAI’s Asset Monetization Strategy for the Road Sector
- The strategy is formulated for the medium term and would be revised after four years, i.e. in FY 28-29.
- It aims to unlock the value of operational National Highway assets and increase Public-Private Partnerships in India’s infrastructure development.
- It aligns with the Government of India’s objective under the Assets Monetisation Plan – 2025-30.
Objectives
- Streamline Processes: Strategy for simplification and standardization of processes involved in asset monetization, to ensure activities are conducted as per defined timelines in an efficient manner.
- Enhance Transparency: Strategy for the development of measures to enhance transparency in all transactions and operations.
- Mitigate Risks: Identification of potential risks associated with asset monetization and develop strategies for risk mitigation.
Three Pillars
- To achieve the objectives of asset monetization, the strategy will focus on three pillars.
- Value Maximation: Structured Identification of Appropriate Projects, Fair Asset Valuation, Asset Categorization, Execution of Monetization Process, etc.
- Transparency: Standardization and Dissemination of Processes and Documents; Public Dissemination of Relevant Investor Information
- Market Development: Broaden the investor base to attract more private participation and enhance stakeholder engagement, thereby increasing the traction of NHAI’s asset monetization program.
{GS3 – S&T – Defence} Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM)
- Context (MC): India is set to test the Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile.
Key Features
- Developed indigenously under the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) classified initiative Project Vishnu.
- The missile is powered by an advanced scramjet engine. Unlike traditional jet engines, a scramjet uses atmospheric oxygen for combustion, enabling sustained high speeds for extended durations.
- Hypersonic Speed: The missile can travel three kilometers in a second at its maximum speed of Mach 8, which is about 11,000 km/h, or eight times the speed of sound.
- With the ET-LDHCM, India joins a select group of nations, including the United States, Russia, and China, that have mastered hypersonic weapon systems.
- Range: About 1,500 kilometers.
- Payload: It can target & destroy enemy sites using conventional or nuclear warheads weighing 1,000–2,000 kg.
- It can deliver swift and devastating strikes deep into enemy territory, including targets in China and Pakistan. Thus, touted as a potential game-changer in the Asian military balance.
- Manoeuvrability and Low-Altitude Flight: Unlike ballistic missiles that follow predictable trajectories, the ET-LDHCM travels at low altitudes and can manoeuvre in mid-flight.
- Stealth and Durability: It is made of heat-resistant materials that can sustain temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius. It has oxidation-resistant coatings that guarantee it will continue to work in the most extreme conditions, such as seawater and intense sunshine.
- Versatile Launch Platforms: It can be launched from land, air, or sea.
Project Vishnu
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{GS3 – S&T – Space} KATRIN Observes Upper Limit of Neutrino Mass
- Context (TH): Karlsruhe Tritium Neutrino Experiment (KATRIN) collaboration observed the disintegration of molecular tritium to estimate the neutrino mass.
- KATRIN collaboration unites worldwide expertise in tritium-β-decay in a key experiment in the research field of astroparticle physics.
- It comprises more than 150 scientists, engineers, technicians, and students from 12 institutions in Germany, the UK, the Czech Republic, and the USA.
Key Highlights
- Between March 2019 and June 2021, the KATRIN collaboration recorded 36 million electrons over 259 days of data-taking.
- The results, recently published, set a new upper limit: the sum of the masses of all three types of neutrinos cannot exceed 8.8 × 10⁻⁷ times the mass of an electron.
- This is twice as precise as the previous best direct measurement.
What are Neutrinos?
- Neutrinos are tiny particles with no electric charge (neutral) and very little mass. They are the lightest of all the subatomic particles that have mass.
- They are called “ghost particles” due to their extremely weak interactions with matter, making them hard to detect (elusive). They interact only via the weak nuclear force and gravity.
- Trillions of them move through our bodies every second without ever interacting with us.
- Neutrinos are the most abundant particles that have mass in the universe.
- Sources of Neutrinos: Sun (solar neutrinos); Cosmic rays hitting Earth’s atmosphere; Nuclear reactors; Supernovae; Early universe (relic neutrinos), etc.
- Three known types of Neutrinos: Electron neutrino, Muon neutrino, and Tau neutrino.
Importance
- Messengers of the Universe: Since they interact weakly, they can escape from dense objects like the Sun’s core or supernovae, carrying deep cosmic secrets.
- Role in the Standard Model: They challenge and expand our understanding of physics, especially since they have mass (contrary to early assumptions).
Measuring the Mass of Neutrino
- Particle oscillations confirm that at least two neutrinos have mass, a discovery that won the 2015 Nobel Prize. However, they only measure the differences in the squares of the neutrino masses, not the masses themselves.
Why is measuring the actual mass of the Neutrino challenging?
- Low Mass: Neutrinos are among the lightest fundamental particles, with masses possibly a million times smaller than electrons, making their detection and mass measurement extremely challenging.
- Weak Interactions: Interact very weakly with matter, making them difficult to detect and study.
- Limitations of Standard Model of Particle Physics: It doesn’t fully account for neutrino mass.
Read More> Elementary (Fundamental) Particles & The Standard Model
{Prelims – Festivals} Poson Poya
- Context (AKV): Poson Poya, celebrated in Sri Lanka, marks the introduction of Buddhism over 2,300 years ago.
- Poson Poya is an annual Buddhist festival celebrated on the full moon day of June.
- The devotees dress in white and gather at sacred locations for meditation, almsgiving (dansals) & lantern processions, reflecting values of ahimsa (non-violence) & unity.
Buddhism in Sri Lanka
- Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in 236 BCE when Arahat Mahinda, son of Indian Emperor Ashoka, preached to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale, marking a turning point in Sri Lankan history.
- The event led to widespread acceptance of Theravāda Buddhism, establishment of monasteries & construction of iconic sites like Anuradhapura and Mihintale, stupas, and Pali scholarly traditions
- As per the Sri Lanka Census (2021), ~70% of the population identify as Buddhist, making it the dominant religion.
- Sri Lanka remains a key center for international Buddhist diplomacy, hosting pilgrims & scholars and supporting cultural outreach in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
{Prelims – S&T – Defence – Exercises} Exercise Khaan Quest
- Context (TH): 22nd edition of Exercise Khaan Quest took place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
- It is an UN-mandated multinational peacekeeping exercise with participation from several countries.
- Began in 2003 as a U.S.-Mongolia bilateral drill and evolved into a multinational exercise in 2006.
- Objectives: Enhance interoperability in multinational settings & strengthen military readiness for UN peace support operations.
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Tactical Drills include:
- Mobile/static checkpoints, cordon & search, patrolling, civilian evacuation.
- Counter- Improvised Explosive Device (IED) tactics, combat first aid, and casualty evacuation.
{Prelims – Sci – Bio} Cathepsin B (Cat B)
- Context (TH): Inhibiting the activity of Cathepsin B (Cat B) can delay reproductive ageing by preserving the ovarian reserve.
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- It is a lysosomal cysteine protease (protein-degrading enzyme).
- Function: Involved in protein turnover, antigen processing, apoptosis, and degradation of matrix components like collagen and fibronectin.
- Cellular Role: Active in lysosomes and endosomes; part of cellular stress and degradation mechanisms.
- Medical Role: Previously associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Now found to accelerate oocyte degradation and reproductive ageing.
Significance of Discovery
- For Human Health: Provides a biological alternative to delay fertility decline by protecting oocytes.
- Reduce reliance invasive Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) like In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
- For Livestock & Rural Economy: Enhance fertility in ageing cattle, reduce unproductive animals and improve farmer livelihoods.
{Species – Mammal – VU} Fishing Cat (Prionailurus viverrinus)
- Context (TH): Wildlife Institute of India has successfully radio-collared three fishing cats in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary under the Fishing Cat Collaring Project.
Credit: IUCN
- Medium-sized wild cat, commonly known as Kla Trey or Tiger Fish.
- Behaviour: Solitary, nocturnal, and an excellent swimmer; primarily active at night.
- Physical Features: Stocky build, short legs and tail, elongated round face; females smaller than males.
- Habitat: Wetlands, swamps, marshes, riverbanks, reed beds, and mangrove forests.
- Distribution: Found in Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Java, Sumatra.
- India: Sundarbans, Ganga-Brahmaputra plains, Western Ghats, AP mangroves.
- Diet: Primarily fishes, frogs, crustaceans, and small rodents.
- Threats: Wetland degradation, pollution, habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Vulnerable | CITES: Appendix II | WPA, 1972: Schedule I.
Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary
- Situated in Godavari estuary, where Coringa River meets Bay of Bengal, in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.
- Spread over 235 sq km, with ~40% covered by sea backwaters, & remaining crisscrossed by tidal creeks.
- Vegetation: Mangrove forests (India’s 2nd largest after Sundarbans) & dry deciduous tropical forests.
- Flora: Dominated by mangrove species such as Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Sonneratia spp.
- Fauna: Mammals like Fishing Cat, Smooth-coated Otter, Jackal. Birds like Black-capped Kingfisher, Brahminy Kite, Reef Heron, Sandpiper, Gulls, etc.
- Important nesting site for Olive Ridley Turtles along the sanctuary’s coast.
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Also Read > Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary
