Current Affairs

The Vice President, Prime Minister, and Defence Minister extended greetings to the personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on their Raising Day. The leaders praised the force for its unmatched courage, sacrifice, and pivotal role in eliminating Maoism and maintaining internal security.

The CRPF was originally established as the Crown Representative's Police on July 27, 1939, at Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh) to help princely states maintain law and order during British rule. After Independence, it was renamed as the Central Reserve Police Force on December 28, 1949, under the CRPF Act. Envisioned by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as a multi-role force, it played a crucial role in integrating rebellious princely states like Junagadh into the Indian Union. Today, it stands as India's largest Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, serving as the primary responder for internal security challenges ranging from Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism) to counter-insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir.

GS3: Internal Security

A seven-month nationwide campaign named 'Samarasya Sankalp Abhiyan' has been announced to commemorate the 650th birth anniversary of the revered saint, Sant Guru Ravidas. The campaign will run from Guru Purnima to his birth anniversary on February 20, 2027, focusing on his ideals of social equality and harmony.

The campaign aims to promote social harmony and spread the teachings of Sant Ravidas across the country. Emerging during the medieval Bhakti movement, Sant Ravidas was a revolutionary figure in India's spiritual history. He used his devotional poetry to boldly challenge the deep-rooted caste system and untouchability. Today, he is revered not just as a spiritual leader but as a symbol of dalit empowerment and social reform, with millions of followers globally who identify with the Ravidassia religious movement.

GS1: History and Culture

India has accelerated its efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. The government is rapidly expanding free diagnostics and life-saving treatments under the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP) to grassroots health centers.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, primarily caused by viral infections (A, B, C, D, and E), though alcohol, drugs, or autoimmune conditions can also trigger it. While Hepatitis A and E spread mostly through contaminated food and water, Hepatitis B and C are transmitted through infected blood and body fluids, leading to severe chronic conditions like liver cancer and cirrhosis. To combat this, the Indian government launched the NVHCP in 2018 under the National Health Mission. By leveraging cost-effective generic drugs and decentralizing care down to primary health centers, the initiative directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3, which targets the end of communicable diseases like hepatitis by 2030.

GS2: Health

Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently addressed youth participating in the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme, urging them to actively connect with India's border regions. He emphasized that these border settlements, now recognized as the country's "first villages," are the foundation for building a developed India (Viksit Bharat).

Historically, India's border villages suffered from poor infrastructure and limited economic opportunities, leading to massive out-migration. To reverse this trend and secure the borders, the government shifted its strategic approach by designating these remote areas as the "First Villages" rather than the "Last Villages" of India. To execute this vision, the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. By integrating youth through platforms like Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat), the government aims to bridge the gap between urban youth and grassroots realities, fostering national integration, border tourism, and inclusive development.

GS2: Government Policies and Interventions

The Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has extended the Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) for another year, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. This scheme acts as a crucial safety net, providing direct financial relief to organized sector workers who suddenly lose their jobs.

Providing social security to the working class is a core principle of a welfare state. In India, the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), a statutory body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, manages the ESI Act of 1948 to provide medical and cash benefits to workers. Recognizing the severe financial stress caused by unexpected job loss, the government utilizes the ABVKY scheme to offer a direct unemployment allowance. To eliminate middlemen and ensure transparency, the scheme uses Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to send the compensation straight to the unemployed worker's bank account.

GS2: Government Policies and Interventions

The Gujarat government is finalizing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the ambitious Kalpasar Project, which involves constructing a massive dam across the Gulf of Khambhat. The project aims to build a giant coastal freshwater reservoir to solve acute water scarcity in Saurashtra and cut the travel distance between Bhavnagar and Surat by 179 km.

Saurashtra and Kutch in Gujarat historically face severe water stress due to an arid climate and high groundwater salinity. The Kalpasar Project (officially named the Gulf of Khambhat Development Project) was conceived to impound the freshwater flowing from major rivers like the Narmada, Tapi, Mahi, and Sabarmati into the Arabian Sea before it turns salty. By converting a portion of the marine gulf into a freshwater lake via a 30 km long dyke/dam, it creates a massive water security reserve for irrigation and drinking. The project is assisted by Indo-Dutch technical collaboration for advanced hydraulic modeling and salinity barrier engineering.

GS1: Geography | GS3: Infrastructure and Water Resources

India’s weightlifting contingent is making the nation proud at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. While Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu secured a historic third consecutive CWG Gold, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Rishikanta Singh, and Raja Muthupandi brought home Silver medals in their respective weight categories.

The Commonwealth Games (CWG) is a major international multi-sport event held every four years, featuring athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations (mostly former British territories). The first games were held in 1930, and the 2026 edition is currently being hosted in Glasgow, Scotland. In competitive weightlifting, athletes must perform two types of lifts: the Snatch (lifting the barbell from the ground to overhead in one continuous motion) and the Clean and Jerk (lifting it to the shoulders first, then powerfully pushing it overhead). India has historically used weightlifting as a strong medal-winning platform at the CWG.

Prelims: Current Events of National and International Importance

Indian shooters continue to make the nation proud on the global stage. At the ISSF World Cup 2026, Esha Singh struck gold while Manu Bhaker secured the bronze medal in the women's 25-metre Pistol event, earning high praise from the Defence Minister for strengthening India's sporting ecosystem.

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup is a premier global shooting competition introduced in 1986 to provide a qualification system for the Olympic Games. India has invested heavily in its grassroots sporting infrastructure, leading to consistent medal hauls in precision sports like shooting. The 25-metre pistol event is a grueling test of accuracy and nerve, requiring female athletes to shoot a .22 caliber pistol at a stationary target in two distinct stages: precision and rapid-fire. Both Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker have previously represented India at the highest levels, including the Asian Games and Olympics, cementing India's status as a global shooting powerhouse.

Prelims: Current Events of National and International Importance