Current Affairs - National

Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty was elected as the first woman President of the Press Club of India, marking a historic milestone in the country’s media landscape. A senior journalist with extensive experience in political and investigative reporting, her election represents a breakthrough in gender representation within media leadership. Her panel secured a clean sweep in the 2025 elections with an overwhelming mandate, reflecting strong support from the journalistic community. Her leadership is expected to strengthen press freedom, promote ethical journalism, and address key concerns such as journalists’ rights, professional safety, and media independence in a rapidly evolving digital environment.

The Union Cabinet has approved a significant reform of India’s flagship rural employment programme by renaming MGNREGS as Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojana. Along with the renaming, the scheme has been strengthened by increasing the guaranteed wage employment from 100 days to 125 days per household each year. This move aims to enhance rural livelihood security and provide greater employment opportunities in rural areas. Despite the changes, the scheme continues to be implemented and overseen by the Ministry of Rural Development, ensuring continuity in administration and objectives.

The Union Cabinet has approved the conduct of the Census of India in the year 2027, marking a significant milestone as it will be the country’s first completely digital census. This will be the 16th national census and the 8th since independence. Scheduled in two phases, the houselisting and housing census will take place from April to September 2026, followed by population enumeration in February 2027. The digital approach is expected to improve data accuracy, speed of collection, accessibility, and policy relevance while covering the entire population of the country.

Kolkata, often referred to as the football capital of India, has unveiled a massive 70-foot iron statue of Lionel Messi, making it the largest statue of the Argentine football icon in the world. The statue has been installed at Lake Town in South Dum Dum and was created by the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club. This initiative highlights the city’s deep-rooted passion for football and its admiration for international football stars. Adding to its global significance, Lionel Messi himself is set to virtually inaugurate the statue, drawing international attention.

The month-long campaign was carried out on a major metro network operating in the national capital region, making New Delhi the focal point of this initiative. As the seat of the Union Government, New Delhi is a strategic location for public awareness drives launched by the Union Health Ministry in collaboration with global organizations such as the WHO. The city’s extensive metro network enables wide outreach among daily commuters, ensuring effective dissemination of messages related to women’s health, safety, mental health, tuberculosis awareness, and legal compliance. This initiative also aligns with broader national programs like Ayushman Bharat, emphasizing the role of healthy women in nation-building.