Why in the News? ● Major Reform: The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has revised the National Pension System (NPS) withdrawal rules, making retirement corpus more flexible and supporting long-term financial sustainability aligned with climate goals. ● Key Change: Subscribers can now withdraw a larger lump sum while reducing the mandatory annuity requirement….
Why in the News? ● Global Leadership: India is chairing the 9th Session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGE) on Consumer Protection Law and Policy at UNCTAD in Geneva, Switzerland. ● Key Development: The session will witness the launch of the United Nations Principles for Consumer Product Safety, adopted by the UN General Assembly…
Why in the News? ● Retention Proposal: The Indian Armed Forces are considering increasing the retention of Agniveers beyond the existing 25% after completion of their four-year service under the Agnipath Scheme. ● Operational Need: The proposal is driven by the requirement for a larger pool of experienced, technologically trained, and combat-ready personnel, drawing lessons…
Why in the News? ● Growing Adoption: Farmers are increasingly adopting Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR) technology due to water scarcity, rising labour costs, groundwater stress, and below-normal monsoon rainfall associated with El Niño, promoting agricultural sustainability and water resource management. ● Water-Efficient Cultivation: The adoption of herbicide-tolerant (HT) basmati varieties is enabling wider use of DSR…
Why in the News? ● New Legislation: The West Bengal Assembly has passed the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-social Activities Bill, 2026 and the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026. ● Objective: The laws aim to strengthen preventive detention provisions and establish a mechanism to recover compensation for damage…
Why in the News? ● Recent Debate: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that an Indian passport is a travel document, not a citizenship document, triggering debate on proof of citizenship. ● Broader Context: The issue has gained significance amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and ongoing discussions on citizenship verification,…
Why in the News? ● Drug Rules Amended: The Central Government has amended the Drugs Rules, 1945 to bring stem cell-derived products, gene therapeutic products, and xenografts under the Centrally Licensed Approving Authority (CLAA) framework. ● Regulatory Objective: The amendment aims to strengthen regulatory oversight of advanced and emerging medical therapies while ensuring patient safety,…
Why in the News? ● New Scheme Notified: The Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified the Employees’ Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 2026, replacing the EPF Scheme, 1952 under the Code on Social Security, 2020. ● Key Reforms: The new scheme simplifies PF withdrawal rules, introduces provisions for principal employers, while retaining the existing contribution…
Why in the News? ● Environmental Clearance: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted Environmental Clearance (EC) for the Kente Extension Integrated Coal Block in Hasdeo Arand forests, Chhattisgarh. ● Mining Expansion: The project will have a production capacity of 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) and is the third major…
Why in the News? ● New Legal Framework: The Central Government is considering a new legal framework requiring Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers to establish a local presence in India and appoint compliance officials. ● Regulatory Objective: The move aims to strengthen enforcement against the misuse of VPNs to bypass government restrictions on online content…