Current Affairs - State

Puducherry became the first Union Territory in India to integrate tuberculosis (TB) screening into the Family Adoption Programme, a unique health initiative where medical students adopt and monitor families over time. This innovation allows for routine TB checks, early detection, and improved access to care, significantly boosting community health outreach. Additionally, Puducherry introduced verbal autopsies to study TB-related mortality and involved all nine of its medical colleges in the process. These colleges are central to identifying cases, conducting diagnostics, and supporting treatment, making Puducherry a model for combining education, technology, and healthcare in public health policy.

Gujarat has become the third state in India to surpass the milestone of one crore registered stock market investors, following Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. This significant achievement reflects the growing financial awareness and participation among citizens in the western state. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) highlighted this in its latest data, showing that Gujarat, along with Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, now accounts for a substantial 36% of India's total investor base. The development is part of a broader trend of increasing retail participation in equities across India, despite a slowdown in the growth rate of new investor registrations in early 2025.

The Jan Suraksha Santrupti Abhiyan was launched in Gujarat by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar. This campaign is focused on identifying citizens who are eligible but have not yet benefited from various central and state welfare schemes. The initiative aims to bridge the gap in benefit delivery by ensuring that people get access to schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Atal Pension Yojana, and Jan Dhan Yojana. It reflects the state's commitment to inclusive governance and social security for all sections of the population.

The 'Mukhya Mantri Pratigya' scheme was launched by the government of Bihar under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The scheme aims to tackle youth unemployment by providing financial assistance to students for undertaking internship programs after they pass their class 12 examinations. This initiative not only encourages students to gain practical experience in their chosen fields but also helps bridge the gap between academic learning and industry requirements. By offering paid internships, the scheme promotes skill development and enhances employability among the state's youth.

The Union Cabinet has approved the development of a 46.7 km four-lane highway between Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram in the state of Tamil Nadu, under the National Highway-87 (NH-87). The project, with an outlay of ₹1,853 crore, is set to be executed through the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). This initiative aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety standards, and promote socio-economic development in the region. With rising traffic volume and increased tourism towards Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, the infrastructure upgrade is critical. It will also generate significant employment—over 18 lakh person-days—contributing to regional and national development goals.