Current Affairs - National

The 374 km Nashik–Solapur–Akkalkot greenfield corridor in Maharashtra, approved by the Union Cabinet at a cost of ₹19,142 crore, will be developed under the BOT (Toll) mode. This Build-Operate-Transfer model allows private entities to design, construct, and operate the highway while collecting toll revenue for a specified period. The corridor aims to reduce travel time by 17 hours, improve logistics efficiency, and enhance regional economic growth. Integration with major expressways like Delhi–Mumbai and Samruddhi Mahamarg further strengthens India’s national transport network while ensuring high-speed, uninterrupted traffic flow for both passenger and freight vehicles.

The Indian AI Research Organization is set to be established at GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem. Gandhinagar was chosen due to GIFT City’s status as a premier global financial and technology hub with world-class digital and physical infrastructure. The location offers proximity to fintech, pharmaceutical companies, startups, and innovation-driven institutions. Establishing IAIRO in Gandhinagar supports collaboration between government, industry, and academia under a public–private partnership model, while aligning with national initiatives like the India AI Mission and Gujarat’s AI Action Plan.

The Delhi government has partnered with IIT Kanpur to develop the Intelligent Grievance Monitoring System, an AI-powered platform aimed at improving public grievance redressal. IIT Kanpur is responsible for system integration, ensuring secure API connectivity, conducting cybersecurity audits, and performing vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. The collaboration leverages IIT Kanpur’s technical expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity. By integrating multiple grievance portals into a single dashboard, the initiative seeks to reduce delays, eliminate duplication, enhance transparency, and enable data-driven governance, ultimately strengthening citizen trust in public service delivery.

The REPM scheme represents a strategic initiative to build India’s first fully integrated domestic manufacturing ecosystem for high-value rare earth permanent magnets. Its core focus is to promote manufacturing of sintered rare earth permanent magnets, which are vital for sectors such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, electronics, aerospace, and defence. By developing end-to-end capacity from rare earth oxides to finished magnets, the scheme aims to reduce dependence on imports, particularly from China. With an approved outlay of over ₹7,000 crore, the initiative supports long-term national goals like Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat by 2047 while strengthening supply-chain resilience.

Zoho played a crucial supporting role in the development of India’s first Made-in-India MRI scanner by backing the medtech startup VoxelGrids. This support enabled the startup to design and manufacture a 1.5-tesla MRI machine entirely within the country, significantly reducing reliance on imported diagnostic equipment. The indigenous MRI is around 40% cheaper than foreign alternatives and does not require liquid helium, making it more cost-effective and sustainable. Zoho’s backing aligns with the goals of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, strengthening domestic innovation, improving affordable healthcare access, and boosting India’s medical technology ecosystem.