Current Affairs - National

The Jai Vakeel Foundation (JVF) partnered with the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (NIEPID) to create a nationwide, uniform education model for children with intellectual disabilities (CwID). Signed on July 18, 2025, this MoU is a major component of the Disha Abhiyan initiative and aims to provide scalable curriculum solutions, digital tools, regional language resources, and professional training for educators. The collaboration addresses long-standing disparities in education access and aligns with Sustainable Development Goals like quality education and reduced inequalities.

The Ministry of Minority Affairs launched a project under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme focusing on skill training and women entrepreneurship development. This initiative aims to equip 150 youth with training in Internet of Things (IoT) and 300 women with entrepreneurship training. The broader PM VIKAS scheme integrates prior initiatives to support skilling, education, and leadership development in minority and artisan communities. It emphasises convergence with other ministries and links to credit facilities to promote self-reliance and employment. The initiative also encourages trained women to become 'Biz Sakhis' entrepreneurial mentors within their communities.

The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) is a major agricultural reform initiative introduced in the Union Budget 2025–26. It consolidates 36 central government schemes under 11 ministries into a unified framework aimed at enhancing productivity, sustainability, and efficiency in farming. This merger addresses issues of overlap and fragmentation in agricultural support programs. By uniting these schemes, PMDDKY promotes decentralised planning, district-specific interventions, and improved coordination, making implementation more impactful. With an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore over six years, it targets 100 low-performing districts and aims to benefit around 1.7 crore farmers across India.

The Mahila Aarogyam Kaksh was inaugurated at Shastri Bhawan in New Delhi by the Department of Legal Affairs under the Ministry of Law and Justice. Launched on 18th July 2025 by Union Minister of State Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, this wellness facility marks a significant step toward promoting physical and mental well-being among women employees in government offices. Developed from a repurposed garage, the space includes a fully equipped gym and a private lactation room, reflecting a shift in workplace culture that prioritises inclusivity, health, and self-care. The initiative aligns with the Fit India Movement and Viksit Bharat vision.

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh launched the National Standards for Civil Service Training Institutes 2.0 (NSCSTI 2.0) in New Delhi at the Civil Services Officers Institute (CSOI). This initiative, developed by the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), aims to enhance the training framework for civil services by focusing more on outcomes. It reduces the evaluation metrics from 59 to 43, making the system more streamlined and performance-driven. Inputs from over 160 CSTIs, domain experts, and assessors contributed to its creation, and the approach includes hybrid learning to meet future-ready training goals.