Current Affairs - State

Bihar has introduced a significant policy reserving 35% of state government jobs exclusively for women who are domiciled in Bihar. This marks a shift from the earlier system that allowed women from any state to benefit from the reservation. The policy aims to enhance women's participation in governance and prioritise local candidates in public employment. Alongside this, the Bihar cabinet has also approved the establishment of the Bihar Youth Commission to support skill development, employment, and educational opportunities for the state's youth. These decisions are viewed as critical steps toward inclusive development and empowerment within Bihar.

Haryana has announced that it will build Asia’s largest jungle safari in the Aravalli Hills, covering approximately 10,000 acres of forest land. This ambitious project aims to protect wildlife, promote eco-tourism, and create employment opportunities for local communities. The initiative is being closely monitored by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and supported by both the Forest and Tourism Departments. By using modern, eco-friendly technology and drawing inspiration from successful models like the Vantara Wildlife Facility in Gujarat, Haryana hopes to lead the way in environmental conservation and green development. The project reflects a balanced approach to tourism and ecological preservation.

The Mukhya Mantri Sehat Yojana was launched by the state of Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. The scheme aims to provide cashless medical treatment up to ₹10 lakh annually for every family in the state, including beneficiaries of existing central health schemes. This initiative ensures that healthcare is accessible to nearly 3 crore residents across government and private hospitals. By distributing digital health cards and eliminating previous colour-coded card systems, the scheme simplifies access to treatment for over 2000 diseases, making it one of the most comprehensive healthcare programs in India.

HIMCARE is a health insurance scheme implemented by the government of Himachal Pradesh to provide financial assistance for medical treatment, particularly aimed at supporting poor and needy families. The scheme ensures access to quality healthcare services and aims to reduce the financial burden on households. The state government has announced that registration for HIMCARE cards will now be open quarterly, in the months of March, June, September, and December. Additionally, principals of medical colleges and medical superintendents have been authorized to approve the creation of HIMCARE cards, streamlining access to this essential health benefit.

Himachal Pradesh became the first Indian state to introduce Aadhaar-based face authentication (FaceAuth) for ration distribution under the Public Distribution System (PDS). This system, launched in July 2025, was developed to address challenges with previous methods like fingerprint scans and OTP verification, which often failed in hilly and remote areas due to network issues or biometric mismatches. The new FaceAuth method uses a mobile app on Fair Price Shop dealers’ smartphones to scan beneficiaries’ faces and match them with Aadhaar records, ensuring quicker and more reliable authentication. This initiative marks a significant advancement in digital governance and inclusive public service delivery.