News of The Day: 20th August 2025

News of The Day – 20th August 2025

Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express, Live Mint, Business Standard, Economic Times, PIB and AIR, etc

(Syllabus Relevance)

(Static + Dynamic Linkage)

(GS 1: History)

• 117th birth anniversary tributes to Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur.
• His Contributions and Legacy.

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• About the Ladki Bahin Scheme
• Socio-Economic Impact of Welfare Schemes
• Fiscal Challenges and State Finances

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• Supreme Court’s Pendency Challenge
• Strategies to Increase Case Disposal Rate
• Role of Technology and AI in Judicial Efficiency
• Implications for Judicial Reforms Across India

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• About Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Provisions to be amended.
• Separate bills for Centre, states, and UTs.
• Disqualification under Representation of People Act
• Significance: Enhances accountability and ethical governance.
• Challenges: Potential misuse, federal implications.

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• Bill introduced in Lok Sabha to decriminalize minor offenses across Referred to Select Committee amid Opposition protests. 
• Provisions of The Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• About Jan Vishwas 1.0. 
• Significance: Promotes trust-based governance, reduces compliance burden. 

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• About Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan.
• Focus: Capacity building for scheme implementation.
• Significance: Empowers grassroots tribal governance. 

(GS 2: Polity and Governance)

• Kerala declares 100% digital literacy on August 21 via Digi Kerala program.
• Significance: Model for Digital India. Challenges: Sustaining skills amid tech evolution. 

(GS 2: International Relations)

• Overview of White House and Alaska Summits
• Security Guarantees for Ukraine
• Ceasefire Line and Territorial Issues
• Stakeholder Positions and Challenges
• India’s Role and Perspective

(GS 3: Economy)

• About the greenfield airport project at Kota-Bundi.
• Significance: Enhances connectivity, tourism, and economic growth in Hadoti region.
• National Civil Aviation Policy and UDAN scheme for regional airports.

(GS 3: Economy)

• Status update on Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme.
• Clearances on different sectors.
• Significance: Boosts domestic manufacturing in high-growth areas. Challenges: Delays in tech-intensive sectors hindering green transition.
• PLI scheme alignment with net-zero targets under Atmanirbhar Bharat. 

(GS 3: Economy)

• Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill 2025.
• Provisions of the Bill.
• Significance: Boosts supply of critical minerals for EVs, renewables. Challenges: Environmental safeguards.

(GS 3: Environment)

• The report recommends reforming fuel tax credits and subsidies to support decarbonization, potentially funding green hydrogen and renewables.
• India could lead the global green H2 market with industry mandates.
• Significance: Reduces fossil dependence, aligns with climate goals. Challenges: Balancing energy security and transition costs.

(GS 3: Environment)

• Initiative under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA: CTR)
• Addresses water scarcity in state-managed resources. 
• Challenges: Implementation in rural areas. 
• National Water Policy 2012.
• Jal Jeevan Mission for sustainable development goals (SDG 6).

(GS 3: Science and Technology)

• WHO verifies Nepal’s elimination of rubella as a public health problem through vaccination drives.
•  Efforts to end measles-rubella by 2026 in South-East Asia.
•  Over 90% immunization coverage achieved.
• Lessons for ongoing MR campaigns in India.
• About Rubella (German measles).

(GS 3: Science and Technology)

• Nationwide rollout of Advanced Postal Technology (APT) under IT 2.0.
• Features: Real-time tracking, digital payments, faster transactions. 
• Significance: Modernizes India Post for e-commerce era.