Current Affairs - State

Arunachal Pradesh hosts the 1,750 MW Demwe Lower hydel project located on the Lohit River. The project has been granted an 11-year extension of environmental clearance, allowing operations to continue until 2037. The approval was given by the Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment after considering litigation delays. However, the extension has generated debate due to earlier interventions by the National Green Tribunal regarding wildlife clearance and biodiversity concerns in the ecologically sensitive Lohit basin region.

The pilot project for distributing digital food coupons using Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) was launched in Gujarat. This initiative was introduced by the Government of India to enhance targeted welfare delivery through secure and transparent digital payments. By issuing coupons in digital rupee, the scheme ensures leakage-free subsidy transfers directly to beneficiaries. The pilot also promotes financial inclusion and strengthens India’s digital payment ecosystem. The move supports broader CBDC adoption efforts led by the Reserve Bank of India, aiming to modernise welfare distribution through innovative financial technology solutions.

The Kumar Bhaskar Varma Setu was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the state of Assam. The six-lane extradosed PSC bridge has been constructed over the Brahmaputra River in Guwahati and provides a direct connection between Guwahati and North Guwahati. It is the first extradosed bridge in the Northeast region, marking a significant milestone in regional infrastructure development. The project is expected to improve connectivity, facilitate smoother transportation, and boost trade, tourism, and overall socio-economic integration across Northeast India.

Gujarat signed a Letter of Intent with Starlink to deploy satellite-based broadband connectivity in remote, tribal, and underserved regions. The agreement, signed in Gandhinagar, aims to bridge the digital divide by strengthening e-governance, healthcare, education, disaster management, and industrial connectivity. Pilot projects will cover tribal and Aspirational Districts such as Narmada and Dahod. The initiative aligns with the Digital India vision and seeks to ensure last-mile digital access, enabling efficient public service delivery, telemedicine, smart classrooms, and improved emergency response systems across the state.

The 18th Foundation Day of the National Statistical Systems Training Academy (NSSTA) was organised at Mahalanobis Auditorium, Knowledge Park-II, Greater Noida, in Uttar Pradesh. NSSTA operates under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation and serves as a premier training institute for strengthening India’s official statistical system. The event emphasized AI-driven capacity building, digital transformation, and improved data governance aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. The inauguration of the Digital Data Lab and focus on advanced analytics highlighted efforts to modernize statistical infrastructure and enhance evidence-based policymaking in India.