Current Affairs - State

Kolhapuri chappals, renowned for their handcrafted leather craftsmanship, are a traditional footwear style originating from Maharashtra. These chappals have been in use since the 12th century and are typically made by local artisan communities using unique methods like applying black mud paste (kala mitti) to hold leather layers and employing decorative techniques such as chaprega. Their cultural and historical significance was officially recognized in 2019 when they received Geographical Indication (GI) status, affirming their association with a specific region and traditional craftsmanship. Maharashtra remains the primary hub for the creation of authentic Kolhapuri chappals.

As of early June 2025, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has overtaken Visa in daily transaction volumes, recording over 650 million transactions per day compared to Visa’s global daily average of 640 million. This marks a historic moment where a homegrown digital payments system from an emerging economy outpaces one of the largest international card networks. UPI’s rapid growth can be attributed to its real-time, zero-cost model, increasing smartphone and internet usage, deeper rural adoption, and merchant integration across various scales. Innovations like offline payments and credit-based UPI services, it is reshaping the global payments ecosystem.

Starting July 1, 2025, the Madhya Pradesh government has made it mandatory for all teachers and staff in government schools to record their attendance digitally using the 'Humare Shikshak' platform. This platform is integrated with the Education 3.0 portal and is designed to improve governance, ensure transparency, and enable real-time monitoring of attendance. Teachers must mark attendance within a strict time window, and failure to do so results in automatic leave deductions. The initiative supports data-driven decision-making in transfers and promotions, reduces manual errors, and strengthens digital record-keeping in the education sector of Madhya Pradesh.

Gujarat has been selected to host the 2029 World Police & Fire Games (WPFG), marking a significant achievement for India in the realm of international sports. The games will be held in three major cities of Gujarat—Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Ekta Nagar. This honour was secured after Indian authorities presented a successful bid in Birmingham, USA. Gujarat was chosen due to its modern sports infrastructure, strong logistics and connectivity, and experience in hosting major global events. The games will feature participation from over 70 countries and more than 10,000 athletes, representing police, firefighters, customs, and correctional officers worldwide.

Karnataka emerged as the top-performing state in the 78th Senior National Aquatic Championships by securing the highest number of medals overall. The state’s athletes collectively won 16 gold, 11 silver, and 14 bronze medals, amounting to a total of 41. This impressive tally placed Karnataka significantly ahead of other states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, who secured 17 and 16 medals respectively. The performance of swimmers such as Shoan Ganguly, who set a new meet record in the 400m medley, contributed greatly to Karnataka's dominant position in the competition.