SIPCOT Industrial Innovation Centres (SIIC) were inaugurated on 24.06.2022 by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister with an investment of Rs.33.46 crores to encourage the fourth generation (4.0) industrial revolution and to further increase productivity and competitiveness in the manufacturing sector. The SIPCOT Industrial Innovation Centres were opened in Hosur and Thirupperumbudur. Currently, 34 startup companies are using these facilities at the Hosur centre, and 23 startup companies are using these facilities at the Thirupperumbudur centre.

About SIPCOT: The Tamil Nadu State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited (SIPCOT) was established in 1971 with the objective of planning, developing, implementing and promoting industrial development in Tamil Nadu. Currently, SIPCOT has developed 50 industrial parks including 8 Special Economic Zones (SEZ).

The 40th meeting of the Cauvery River Water Management Authority was held on 22.5.2025 in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Mr. S.K. Haldar, Chairman of the Cauvery River Water Management Authority. In this meeting, representing the Tamil Nadu Government, Tamil Nadu Government Water Resources Department Secretary Mr. J. Jayakanthan, IAS [Indian Administrative Service], Cauvery Technical Committee Chairman Mr. R. Subramanian, Member Mr. L. Pattabi Raman, Cauvery Technical Committee Assistant Executive Engineer Mr. Kolanjinathan, and Assistant Engineer Mrs. Nisha participated in person. Members from other states including Kerala, Karnataka, and Puducherry participated both directly and through video conference.

The Chief Kazi to the Tamil Nadu government, Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub, passed away here late on 24.5.2025. 

Archaeologist K. Amarnath Ramakrishna defended his excavation report on the Keezhadi site in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, in response to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), which requested a rewrite due to concerns over the chronology and nomenclature of the site's three identified periods. In a letter to Hemasagar A. Naik, Director of Exploration and Excavation at the ASI, Ramakrishna rejected the call for revisions, asserting that his findings, submitted in January 2023, were conclusive and based on standard archaeological methods. These methods included stratigraphic sequences, cultural deposits, material culture analysis, and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) dating. The ASI, citing two experts, specifically questioned the time bracket for Period I (8th century Before Common Era [BCE] to 5th century BCE), demanding stronger justification and a reorientation of the periods. Ramakrishna maintained that his periodization was robust and aligned with established archaeological practices.

Made of Chennai (MoC), The Hindu Group’s flagship initiative, made an impressive mark at the prestigious International News Media Association (INMA) Global Media Awards, bagging top honours across multiple categories. The MoC campaign, which marked Chennai’s 385th birthday, was conceived as a vibrant 40-day celebration of the city’s rich heritage and contemporary pulse.

Minister of Health and Public Welfare Mr. Ma. Subramanian delivered a speech on the topic 'Impact of Daily Walking on Physical and Mental Health' at the International Mental Health Conference held on 20.05.2025 in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the statue of Sir John Hubert Marshall at the Chennai Egmore Museum complex. Sir John Hubert Marshall deserves credit for first revealing the Indus Valley Civilization and paving the way for the theory of Dravidian civilization as the Chief Director of Archaeology of British India. Sir John Hubert Marshall announced the discovery of the historically significant Indus Valley culture to the world on September 20, 1924. During Sir John Hubert Marshall's tenure as head of the Archaeological Survey of India, excavations at Adichanallur (1903-04) were conducted through British archaeologist Alexander. Sir John Hubert Marshall, who laid the foundation for the world to know the antiquity of Tamil land, passed away on 17.8.1958.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will inaugurate the deep-sea tuna fishing port built at a cost of Rs. 272 crores in Tiruvottiyur on May 28.

Key highlights of the speech delivered by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr. M.K. Stalin at the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog [National Institution for Transforming India] held on 24.5.2025 under the leadership of Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi:

• A target has been set to achieve one trillion dollar economic growth in Tamil Nadu by 2030. Tamil Nadu has seen the highest growth of 9.69 percent in the country in the last financial year. The Tamil Nadu government is working with the challenge of achieving a 4.5 trillion dollar economy in India's centenary of independence (in 2047). Tamil Nadu's contribution will be strong in India's target of 30 trillion dollar economy in 2047.

• 41 percent of women working in factories in India are in Tamil Nadu. Information was provided about the breakfast scheme benefiting 18 lakh children, the 'Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam' [Kalaignar Women's Rights Scheme] providing Rs. 1000 monthly to 1 crore 14 lakh women, the Vidiyalai Payanam [Dawn Journey] scheme under which women have undertaken 694 crore free journeys so far, Thozhi hostels for working women to stay, 'Naan Mudhalvan' [I am the Leader] which has provided skill development training to more than 40 lakh youth, and 'Tamilpudhalvan' [Tamil Son] and 'Pudhumaippenn' [New Woman] schemes that encourage higher education.

• In the last four years, 30 new industrial parks and 16 new small IT parks have been created as the foundation for information revolution. A major scheme with substantial funding is essential for the development of urban areas in the country. The 'Amrut 2.0' scheme is nearing completion. In this situation, it is urgently necessary to create a new urban renaissance scheme centered on excellent infrastructure, mobility, and health.

• Like the "Clean Ganga" project, a similar scheme is needed to clean and restore important rivers including Cauveri, Vaigai, and Tamiraparani in Tamil Nadu, as well as other important rivers in the country.

• Due to some states not signing the Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Education regarding the 'P.M. Shri' scheme, S.S.A. [Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan - Education for All Movement] funds have been denied. In 2024-2025, nearly Rs. 2,200 crores of Union funds have been denied to Tamil Nadu. This affects the education of children studying in government schools and children studying under R.T.E. [Right to Education Act]. Therefore, it was requested to release these funds without delay and without insisting on unilateral conditions.

• According to the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, they increased the share of tax revenue that can be distributed to states to 41 percent. But contrary to this recommendation, in the last 4 years, only 33.16 percent of the Union government's total tax revenue has been shared with the states. It would be appropriate to increase the share of tax distribution for states in Union revenue to 50 percent.

• The Chennai Suburban Train project should be handed over to the Chennai Metro Rail project. Furthermore, demands were emphasized such as converting the Chengalpattu-Tindivanam National Highway into an 8-lane road and establishing AIIMS [All India Institute of Medical Sciences] hospital in Coimbatore. Demands were emphasized such as changes in the names of some communities in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes caste list (requesting to change names ending with "N" and "A" to "R"), continuing Christians who converted from Scheduled Castes in the Scheduled Castes list, and rescuing Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats captured by the Sri Lankan Navy.

The All India Education Protection Committee (AISPC) released the draft report of People's Education Policy 2025 in Chennai on 22.5.2025 as an alternative to the National Education Policy. It is necessary to allocate 10 percent of the Union budget and 20 to 25 percent of the state budget for education. Education should be included in the State List. Free education should be ensured for all aged 3 to 17 years. Introducing annual system as much as possible instead of the current semester examination system, ensuring continuity of time-tested formal classroom teaching-learning process as an alternative to online and hybrid teaching methods introduced by the National Education Policy, canceling centralized national level entrance examinations like CUET [Common University Entrance Test] and NEET [National Eligibility cum Entrance Test] are the ideas included in this policy.

Tamil Nadu Government's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department's programs and achievements - An overview:

Worship in Mother Tamil : It was announced that archana [ritual prayers] would be performed in Mother Tamil in temples, and this was first implemented in 48 temples. To encourage worship in Mother Tamil, 60 percent of the archana fee is provided as a share to the priests performing archana. Furthermore, the Dravidian Model government has added strength to this scheme by printing and distributing 14 praise books.

UNESCO Award The UNESCO Asia Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage has been announced for the reconstruction of Apatsakayeswarar Temple in Thukkachi, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district, for preserving traditional architectural art with modern scientific assistance while maintaining tradition.

SKOCH Award The SKOCH Group operating in New Delhi awarded the SKOCH Gold Award for government sector organizations for 2025 to the Integrated Temple Management Scheme, a web service implemented through the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, at a ceremony held in New Delhi on 29.03.2025.

Food Quality Certificate Quality certificates have been issued to temples by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ensure that prasadam [temple food offerings] and annadanam [free food distribution] prepared in temples are prepared with quality and in a hygienic manner by the Union Government. Tamil Nadu is notably the state with the highest number of quality certificates in India.

Spiritual Journey The government subsidy provided annually to devotees for Manasarovar Muktinath spiritual journey has now been increased. Similarly, 2,000 devotees were taken to the six abodes of Murugan and 920 devotees were taken on Rameswaram Kashi spiritual journey at government expense for senior citizens aged 60 to 70 years.

All-day Prasadam The all-day prasadam distribution scheme has been implemented in 25 temples.

Reprinting and Publishing Spiritual Books 516 ancient rare books on temple history, temple puranas, architecture, and inscriptions have been reprinted and published with new polish through the publishing division of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

Vallalar's Triple Grand Festival The triple grand festival commemorating the historical events of Arulprakasa Vallalar's 200th birth anniversary, the 156th anniversary of the establishment of the charity hall, and the 152nd anniversary of Jyoti Darshan was celebrated grandly for 52 weeks starting from October 2022. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister participated in the first week's celebration and released the Vallalar 200 logo, postal cover, and special flower.

Stone Temple for Thiruvalluvar The Mylapore Thiruvalluvar Temple renovation work, started by Scholar Kalaignar on 27.4.1973 and completed, is now being built as a stone temple at a cost of Rs. 19.17 crores through the initiative of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr. M.K. Stalin.

Manimandapam for  Avvaiyar A Manimandapam [memorial hall] is being constructed for   Avvaiyar at the Avvaiyar Temple in Thulasiyappattinam, Vedaranyam taluk, Nagapattinam district, at an estimated cost of Rs. 18.95 crores.

Renovation of Thousand-Year-Old Temples From the financial year 2022-2023 to 2024-, renovation and preservation work has been carried out on thousand-year-old temples.

International Multi-Tamil Murugan Conference The International Multi-Tamil Murugan Conference was held very successfully on August 24 and 25, 2024, in Palani, Dindigul district, to proclaim the greatness of Lord Murugan, the Tamil God. 

Priesthood for All Castes Scholar Kalaignar passed the law in 1972 for people of all castes to become priests, with the aim that the service of serving God should be provided to all castes as one of the ways to eliminate caste differences. This law is being implemented in this administration.

The standing committee meeting of State Public Service Commission Chairpersons was held in Chennai for two days on 24.05.2025 and 25.05.2025 under the chairmanship of the honorable Chairman of Union Public Service Commission Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS [Indian Administrative Service]. In this meeting, Standing Committee Chairman Mr. Alok Verma, Tamil Nadu State Public Service Commission Chairman Mr. S.K. Prabhakar, IAS, and chairpersons and government officials of state public service commissions of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh participated.

Annual Comprehensive Bird Census 2025: The Tamil Nadu government has been conducting a massive comprehensive bird census at more than 2000 locations (wetlands and terrestrial areas) throughout the state continuously since 2023. The purpose of monitoring Tamil Nadu's birds is not only to record the presence of birds but also to record other important ecological aspects including threat factors related to their habitats, helping to design better long-term plans for bird habitat conservation. These provide insights into bird species activities, distribution, and concentration, helping bird conservation efforts.

The migratory bird season in Tamil Nadu usually begins in October during the northeast monsoon season and continues until April every year. While monitoring birds in bird sanctuaries and protected sanctuaries is an ongoing practice, state-level monitoring practice in various bird habitats is also conducted annually by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department. The comprehensive census for 2025 was conducted in two phases in March 2025. This year's bird census gave special importance to documenting endangered birds and nocturnal birds. In this census, 26 species out of 37 endangered bird species in Tamil Nadu have been recorded. Additionally, 17 nocturnal bird species have been recorded.

Little egret, Little cormorant, Asian open bill, Black headed Ibis, Glossy Ibis, and Indian pond Heron were found to be the most common among resident birds. Greylag Goose, Greater Flamingo, Eurasian Curlew, Pied Avocet, Lesser Crested Tern, and Eurasian Spoon bill were found to be the most common among migratory birds.

A memorial has been built for writer Mr. Ki. Rajanarayanan in Kovilpatti, Thoothukudi district.

Tholkudi Research Revival Scheme: The Tamil Nadu government is implementing this scheme at a cost of Rs. 1.50 crores to encourage young experts pursuing undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral studies and research related to tribal communities.

Tamil Pudhalvan Scheme - Key Information: The Tamil Pudhalvan scheme was announced by the honorable Finance and Human Resource Management Minister on 19.02.2024 during the budget speech in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The Tamil Pudhalvan scheme was launched by the honorable Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr. M.K. Stalin on August 9, 2024, in Coimbatore.

Rs. 360 crores has been allocated for this scheme in the current financial year. Furthermore, under the Tamil Pudhalvan scheme, Rs. 1,000 monthly assistance is provided to 3.28 lakh students pursuing higher education.

• "Realizing that the enrollment rate of students in higher education who studied in government and government-aided schools (in Tamil medium) is very low, the Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Marriage Assistance Scheme was changed to Moovalur Ramamirtham Ammaiyar Higher Education Assurance Scheme to improve higher education for students from economically backward families. All students who studied from 6th to 12th standard in government schools and government-aided schools (in Tamil medium) will be directly paid Rs. 1,000/- monthly to their bank accounts until they complete their undergraduate degree, diploma, and ITI [Industrial Training Institute] courses without hindrance. Even if they are receiving any other scholarship, they are eligible to benefit from this scheme."

• This scheme ensures socio-economic empowerment for men, prevents dropouts in higher education after secondary education, and increases retention rates in higher education.

• Under this scheme: Students who studied from 6th to 12th standard in government and government-aided schools (in Tamil medium) will be provided Rs. 1000 monthly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) until they complete their first higher education course.

• Students receiving other scholarships are also eligible to join this scheme.

• All students from the same family pursuing higher education in recognized institutions/colleges/universities are eligible to receive incentives under this scheme.

• Tamil Pudhalvan scheme operations are implemented through the 'UMIS' [Unified Merit-cum-Income Scholarship] website and students can apply themselves through the UMIS website.

• Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency maintains the website portal for this scheme and assists the department in implementing the digital system from the beginning to the end of the scheme.

• Students are helped to start 'zero balance' bank accounts and to confirm the attendance status of scheme beneficiary students once every six months on June 30 and December 31.

• A State Project Management Unit (SPMU) has been established to monitor the effective implementation of this scheme.

• Opening Aadhaar-linked bank accounts from any bank, debit cards are provided to students who need them.

• Students must pursue their first higher education course only in recognized colleges or universities.

Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme (AABCS): The Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme was launched by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of Tamil Nadu Government in the financial year 2023-24 as a pioneering scheme in India to change the situation where Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are limited to agriculture, government jobs, and working in private companies, to develop as entrepreneurs, provide employment to many, and help those community people unite and move on the path of progress.

Scheme Highlights: 

• 35% capital subsidy on eligible project amount (maximum limit Rs. 1.5 crores) The project amount includes the cost of land, building, machinery and equipment, testing and evaluation equipment, and computers. Land value should not exceed 20% of the total project amount. Building value should be within 25% of the total project amount. Working capital required for one operating cycle and limited to 25% of the total machinery/equipment value will be considered as project amount. The value of vehicles that form an integrated part of project operations will also be considered.

• 6% interest subsidy for the entire loan repayment period (maximum 10 years) for seasonal loans obtained for purchasing machinery/equipment. Interest subsidy will be paid in advance to banks.

• Interest subsidy for loans obtained for working capital for a maximum of 2 years.

• Beneficiaries under this scheme are not prohibited from receiving subsidies from other government/non-government organizations not under Tamil Nadu Government control.

• Only Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe individuals and enterprises fully owned by Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe people can benefit.

• Both new enterprises and expansion initiatives of operating enterprises can seek assistance.

• Commercial/trading business projects exceeding the project amount limit under the Unemployed Youth Employment Generation Scheme can benefit.

• Maximum age limit for beneficiaries is 55.

• No minimum educational qualification required.

New Entrepreneur Cum Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS): The New Entrepreneur Cum Enterprise Development Scheme (NEEDS) is being implemented by the Tamil Nadu Government to encourage first-generation entrepreneurs to start their own businesses. Under this scheme, capital subsidy and interest subsidy for loans are provided.

Important features :  

• Uniquely designed and excellently implemented to assist and encourage the first business venture of first-generation entrepreneurs.

• Beneficiaries should generally be aged between 21-45. Relaxation up to 55 years for special categories including women/backward classes/most backward classes and minorities/scheduled castes/scheduled tribes/ex-servicemen/differently abled/transgender persons.

• Manufacturing or service enterprises with project amounts ranging from Rs. 10.00 lakh to Rs. 500.00 lakh.

• Entrepreneur contribution: 10% of project amount for general category, 5% for special category.

• Loan assistance through Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation/Commercial Banks/NABARD [National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development].

• Individual investment subsidy: 25% of project amount (maximum limit Rs. 75.00 lakh).

• 3% backward interest subsidy for the entire loan repayment period.

Maternity leave vital part of women's reproductive rights - Supreme Court : 

The landmark order came on a petition filed by a Tamil Nadu woman government teacher who was denied maternity leave after the birth of her child from a second marriage. The Court set aside a Madras HC order that had denied maternity leave to a woman on the birth of her 3rd child, based on the State’s policy limiting benefits to women with only 2 children.

The Tamil Nadu government provides maternity leave to its women employees in accordance with both state service rules and the national Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 (as amended in 2017). 

Traditionally, Tamil Nadu’s service rules restricted maternity leave to women employees with less than two surviving children, aligning with a population control policy. 

However, recent Supreme Court rulings have clarified that maternity leave is an integral part of maternity benefits and a vital component of women’s reproductive rights. 

The Court held that the state’s two-child norm should not override the broader protections offered by the Maternity Benefit Act, which allows 26 weeks of paid maternity leave for women with fewer than two surviving children and 12 weeks for those with two or more.

Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme

The Tamil Nadu government implements the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme to support pregnant and lactating women, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Under this scheme, eligible women receive up to Rs. 18,000 in financial assistance, distributed in several installments at different stages of pregnancy and after childbirth. 

The benefits are provided in both cash and kind, with two nutrition kits worth Rs. 4,000 included to ensure better maternal and child health. 

The main objectives are to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates and improve nutrition among mothers and infants. 

Eligibility requires women to be at least 19 years old, and the scheme is available for up to two deliveries per beneficiary. 

The installments are linked to antenatal registration, delivery, and completion of key child vaccinations. 

The scheme is managed by the state’s Health and Family Welfare Department and is designed to complement central government initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, ensuring comprehensive maternity support for women in Tamil Nadu

Background 

The Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme was first introduced by the Tamil Nadu government in 1987 as a modest childbirth assistance scheme aimed at supporting poor pregnant women, particularly in the informal sector. Initially, the benefit was a one-time payment of Rs. 300 to cover childbirth expenses. Over the years, the scheme has been expanded and enhanced several times: it was formally named after Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, and the financial assistance amount was periodically increased, reaching Rs. 6,000 in 2006, Rs. 12,000 in 2012, and Rs. 18,000 in 2018. The scheme continues to serve as a key welfare initiative for maternal and child health in Tamil Nadu.

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, as amended in 2017, provides paid maternity leave and related benefits to women employees before and after childbirth. It applies to factories, mines, plantations, government establishments, shops, and other workplaces with 10 or more employees. Women covered under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Act, 1948, receive maternity benefits under the ESI Act instead. The Act grants 26 weeks of paid maternity leave to women with less than two surviving children and 12 weeks of leave to those with two or more surviving children. Additionally, women adopting a child below three months of age or commissioning mothers through surrogacy are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave. The Act also provides paid leave for miscarriage, medical termination of pregnancy, or tubectomy, along with nursing breaks and protection from dismissal during maternity leave. These provisions ensure the welfare and protection of working women during and after pregnancy in India.

India (Unit III) 

 Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) Version 2.0 : 

The PAI has been developed as a robust, multidimensional tool to assess and monitor the progress of Gram Panchayats against nine themes aligned with the Localized Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs). These themes cover areas such as poverty alleviation, health, education, water sufficiency, clean environment, infrastructure, governance, social justice, and women’s empowerment.

While PAI 1.0 (FY 2022–23) served as a baseline assessment tool, PAI 2.0 incorporates major enhancements based on extensive field experience and stakeholder feedback. PAI 2.0 introduces a sharper and more focused framework by rationalizing the number of indicators from 516 to 147. The key improvements in PAI 2.0 include:

• Reduction in the number of indicators from 516 in PAI 1.0 to 147 in PAI 2.0 to improve usability and reduce reporting burden;

• Rationalized data points and themes, focusing on quality over quantity;

• Auto-integration of data from national portals of Union Ministries and Departments;

• Streamlined and mobile-friendly portal interface with improved dashboards and user accessibility;

• Built-in validation and anomaly detection mechanisms for ensuring accurate data entry and tracking;

• A Decision Support System to help Panchayats identify development gaps and prioritize resource allocation.

India participates in the BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting on 26 May 2025 in Brasília, Brazil. The Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, will lead the Indian delegation. The BRICS Culture Ministers’ Meeting is an important platform for promoting mutual understanding, cultural exchange, and collaborative initiatives among the member countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. 

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rising North East Investors Summit 2025 at  New Delhi on 23.5.2025. 

The Regional Conference for the Southern Region States/ UTs was held on 23rd May in Bengaluru under the chairmanship of Shri Manohar Lal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs.

India Post Payments Bank Partners with Aditya Birla Capital Limited to Simplify Accessibility to Loan Products across India. 

• This partnership integrates Aditya Birla Capital’s diverse suite of lending products with IPPB's extensive network and digital infrastructure, aiming to provide seamless credit access to IPPB customers nationwide. Through this collaboration, IPPB will provide referral service for Aditya Birla Capital’s wide range of loan solutions including personal loans, business loans, and loan against property to its existing customer base.

• IPPB Customers will be able to avail loan facilities through Aditya Birla Capital’s state-of-the-art digital platforms ensuring a streamlined process for quick approvals, minimal documentation and hassle-free disbursement. 

About India Post Payments Bank: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) has been established under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by Government of India. IPPB was launched on September 1, 2018. The bank has been set up with the vision to build the most accessible, affordable and trusted bank for the common man in India. The fundamental mandate of India Post Payments Bank is to remove barriers for the unbanked & underbanked and reach the last mile leveraging the Postal network comprising ~1,65,000 Post Offices (~140,000 in rural areas) and ~3,00,000 Postal employees.

India has formally assumed the Chairmanship of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) for the 2025–26 term during the ongoing 67th Session of the Governing Body Meeting (GBM) of the APO, being held from 20–22 May 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia. 

Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the banned CPI (Maoist), in Chhattisgarh on 21.5.2025 by the security forces, a combination of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG).

Sachin Chaturvedi  took charge as the Vice-Chancellor of Nalanda University in Bihar on 21.5.2025,

Mizoram has become the first state in India to attain full functional literacy, as officially declared on May 20, 2025. The state achieved a literacy rate of 98.2% according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, surpassing the Ministry of Education’s benchmark of 95% required for full literacy status. This milestone was realized under the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) programme, a centrally sponsored scheme launched by the Ministry of Education for 2022–2027. ULLAS targets adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling, focusing on foundational literacy, numeracy, critical life skills, vocational skills, and continuing education, with implementation through volunteerism and community engagement.

Economy (Unit V)

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced sharing of “Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI)” with stakeholders- an output from a multi- dimensional analytical tool developed as part of the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) to empower financial institutions with advance actionable intelligence for cyber fraud prevention. 

What is the “Financial Fraud Risk Indicator”?

It is a risk-based metric that classifies a mobile number to have been associated with Medium, High, or Very High risk of financial fraud. This classification is an outcome of inputs obtained from various stakeholders including reporting on Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C’s) National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), DoT’s Chakshu platform, and Intelligence shared by banks and financial institutions. It empowers stakeholders-especially banks, NBFCs, and UPI service providers- to prioritize enforcement and take additional customer protection measures in case a mobile number has high risk.

How does such advance notification help?

The Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) of DoT regularly shares the list of Mobile Numbers that were disconnected (Mobile Number Revocation List - MNRL) with stakeholders along with the reasons for disconnections viz. found involved in cyber-crime, failed re-verification, exceeding prescribed limits. These numbers are also usually used for financial frauds.

The government has ratified the rate of interest on employees’ provident fund (EPF) at 8.25% for the financial year 2024-25, enabling the retirement fund body EPFO to deposit the annual interest accumulation in the post-retirement funds of over seven crore subscribers.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Board has approved a record surplus transfer of Rs 2.69 lakh crore to the Central Government for the financial year 2024-25.  The surplus amount was determined based on the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF), which was updated and approved by the RBI’s Central Board on May 15, 2025. 

The practice of surplus transfer is mandated by Section 47 of the RBI Act, 1934, and is a regular feature of the RBI’s relationship with the government, though the size of this year’s transfer is unprecedented.

Economic Capital Framework (ECF) was adopted by RBI in 2019, based on the recommendations of the Bimal Jalan Committee.

Science  & Technology (Unit I)

Earth Sciences Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated "Sagar Bhavan" and "Polar Bhavan", two first-of its-kind facilities in India and among the very few in the world at Goa's "National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research" (NCPOR).  

The newly inaugurated facility marks a significant step in India’s growing focus on polar and ocean studies.  He also launched the “Science On Sphere (SOS)” initiative, a 3D visualization platform for displaying earth systems and climate-related data.

Polar Bhavan includes laboratories for polar and ocean research, 55 rooms for scientific personnel, a conference room, seminar hall, library, and canteen. It houses the newly inaugurated SOS facility and will eventually serve as the home of India’s first Polar and Ocean Museum.

Sagar Bhavan includes two -30°C ice core laboratories and +4°C storage units for archiving sediment and biological samples. The building also features 29 rooms, including a metal-free Class 1000 clean room for trace metal and isotope studies.

National Centre of Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) was started in the year 1998, as an autonomous Institution of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

PM E-DRIVE Scheme:  The PM E-DRIVE Scheme—formally known as the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement—is a flagship initiative by the Government of India to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and develop supporting infrastructure nationwide. The scheme was launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industry on September 11, 2024. 

With a financial outlay of ₹2,000 crore, the PM E-Drive scheme will support the installation of approximately 72,000 EV public charging stations across the country.  These stations will be strategically deployed along 50 national highway corridors, within high-traffic destinations such as metro cities, toll plazas, railway stations, airports, fuel outlets, and state highways.

First report on world’s animal health was  published by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). WOAH has its Headquarter in Paris. It was founded in 1924 as the Office International des Epizooties (renamed as WOAH in 2003).

Key findings of the report: 

• Animal diseases are migrating into previously unaffected ​​areas, ​​half (47%) of which have zoonotic – or animal-to-human – potential. 

• Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals more than doubled last year compared to 2023, increasing the risk of further spread and human transmission. 

• Access to livestock vaccines remains uneven around the world, with disease eradication efforts facing funding and political challenges. 

• Antibiotic use in animals fell by 5​​% between 2020 and 2022 and expanding livestock vaccination globally would reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.

World