Current Affairs - National

Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) reached a major milestone by rolling out its 2,500th electric locomotive, specifically a WAP-7 class with 6,000 horsepower. This achievement was accomplished within just 8 years since electric locomotive production began at BLW in 2017. Known for its significant contribution to Indian Railways, BLW has also extended its reach globally by exporting locomotives to Mozambique. In the financial year 2024–25 alone, the unit manufactured 472 electric locomotives, showcasing both scale and efficiency in production. This milestone reflects BLW’s pivotal role in advancing India’s railway electrification and modernisation goals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a ₹15,000 incentive scheme on July 19, 2025, aimed at encouraging first-time employment in the private sector, particularly targeting youth in states like Bihar. The initiative seeks to address unemployment and reduce migration by offering financial support to individuals entering formal private jobs for the first time. With a planned rollout from August 1, 2025, and a substantial budget allocation of ₹1 lakh crore, the scheme is positioned to make a significant impact on local job creation, youth retention, and overall economic development in underemployed regions such as East Champaran and beyond.

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.