Current Affairs - National

The CSIR Mega Innovation Complex, India’s first facility of its kind, was inaugurated in Mumbai on January 17, 2025, by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. The complex aims to support start-ups, MSMEs, and industries by providing advanced infrastructure such as incubation labs, office spaces, and networking zones. Additionally, it promotes innovation, regulatory compliance, and technology transfers, facilitating collaboration between start-ups, researchers, and innovators. This initiative contributes to India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and aims to enhance growth in sectors like healthcare, chemicals, energy, and materials science.

Piyush Goyal has set an ambitious target of achieving 10,000 Geographical Indication (GI) tags by 2030. Currently, India has 605 GI tags, with authorized users increasing from 365 to 29,000. To support this initiative, a committee will be formed to oversee the expansion of GI tags. Efforts include better branding, collaboration with FSSAI and BIS to combat counterfeit products, and engaging private sector players, e-commerce platforms, and embassies to promote GI products globally.

The Government of India launched Entity Locker, a secure, cloud-based platform for efficient business document management. It is developed by the National eGovernance Division under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. Key features include Aadhaar-authenticated access, 10 GB encrypted storage, real-time integration with MCA, GSTN, DGFT, and legally valid digital signatures. This initiative aligns with the goals of Digital Public Infrastructure to improve the ease of doing business and ensure the secure handling of documents for enterprises.

The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana was launched on 22nd January 2015 as part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign to promote financial inclusion for the girl child in India. This scheme allows parents to open an account for their daughters at any post office or designated commercial bank branch. The initiative has been widely successful, with over 4 crore accounts opened across the country, and 2025 marks its 10th anniversary. It aims to secure the financial future of girls through savings and interest.

The Indian Sustainable Natural Rubber (iSNR) initiative was launched in Kottayam, Kerala, to align with global sustainability principles and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This initiative focuses on promoting sustainable rubber farming practices by offering free certification and training to farmers, thereby empowering smallholders. It also aims to prevent deforestation and improve supply chain traceability. Kerala, known for its significant rubber cultivation, was an ideal location for launching this initiative to enhance sustainability in the rubber sector.