Master10
Current Affairs Module

National Events & Policy Initiatives

National events encompass major legislative enactments, infrastructural milestones, and apex policy initiatives across India. Significant milestones include the rollout of the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, the operationalization of the Digital India Act frameworks, and landmark infrastructure projects like the Chenab Rail Bridge and Atal Tunnel. Tracking these developments involves analyzing legislative passage through Parliament, central budgetary reallocations, and state-centre cooperative governance mechanisms. Evaluating national initiatives provides critical insight into economic modernization, statutory reforms, and structural governance priorities.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan was launched in October 2021 with a ₹100-lakh-crore digital platform to synchronize infrastructure projects across 16 ministries.
  • The Atal Tunnel, measuring 9.02 km under the Rohtang Pass on the Leh-Manali Highway, is the world's longest highway single-tube tunnel above 10,000 feet.
  • The Chenab Rail Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir spans 1,315 metres at a height of 359 metres above the riverbed, making it the highest railway arch bridge in the world.
  • The New Education Policy (NEP 2020) replaced the 1986 policy, introducing a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure and aiming for 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio in school education by 2030.
  • The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), reserves one-third of all seats in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women for a period of 15 years.
  • The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) came into force on 1 July 2024, replacing the colonial-era IPC 1860, CrPC 1973, and IEA 1872.
  • The PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was approved in February 2024 with an outlay of ₹75,021 crore to provide up to 300 units of free monthly electricity to one crore households through rooftop solar installations.
  • The Sudarshan Setu (Okha-Beyt Dwarka Signature Bridge) in Gujarat, spanning 2.32 km, was inaugurated in February 2024 as India's longest cable-stayed bridge.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched to drive the ecological and economic transformation of India's fisheries sector under the Blue Revolution.
  • The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, establishes a statutory framework for processing digital personal data, setting up the Data Protection Board of India.
  • The PM-VISHWAKARMA scheme was launched on 17 September 2023 with an outlay of ₹13,000 crore to provide end-to-end holistic support to traditional artisans and craftspeople.
  • The new Parliament House of India was dedicated to the nation in May 2023, featuring a Lok Sabha chamber inspired by the peacock and a Rajya Sabha chamber styled after the lotus.
  • The Sengol, a historic golden sceptre symbolizing righteous rule from the Chola tradition, was installed adjacent to the Lok Sabha Speaker's chair in the new Parliament building.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) completed 10 years of implementation in August 2024, having opened over 53 crore bank accounts with aggregate deposits exceeding ₹2.3 lakh crore.
  • Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) was expanded in September 2024 to provide universal health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh annually to all senior citizens aged 70 and above.
  • The Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), officially named Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu, spanning 21.8 km, was inaugurated in January 2024 as India's longest sea bridge.
  • The Unified Lending Interface (ULI) was introduced by the Reserve Bank of India in August 2024 to facilitate frictionless credit flow to small borrowers and farmers through digital data integration.
  • The PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme was approved to develop 7 world-class greenfield and brownfield mega textile parks across India.
  • The Semiconductor Mission (India Semiconductor Mission or ISM) approved major commercial semiconductor fabrication units in Dholera and Sanand in Gujarat, and Morigaon in Assam.
  • India's first commercial underwater metro service was inaugurated in March 2024 as part of Kolkata Metro's East-West corridor, running beneath the Hooghly River.
  • The Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) was launched globally by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres at Kevadia, Gujarat, to promote sustainable living.
  • The National Green Hydrogen Mission was approved in January 2023 with an initial outlay of ₹19,744 crore, targeting the production of 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U 2.0) was approved in August 2024 to assist one crore urban poor and middle-class families with an investment outlay of ₹10 lakh crore.
  • The Telecom Act, 2023, came into force in June 2024, repealing the colonial-era Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and modernizing the regulatory framework for telecommunications.
  • The PM-eBus Sewa scheme was launched to deploy 10,000 electric buses on a public-private partnership model across designated Indian cities to decarbonize public urban transport.
  • The New Parliament Building of India in New Delhi was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, 2023, featuring the historic 'Sengol' installed near the Lok Sabha Speaker's chair.
  • The Parliament of India passed the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam), reserving 33% of seats in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for women.
  • The Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, was performed on January 22, 2024, designed in the traditional Nagara architectural style.
  • Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan and Yashobhoomi (India International Convention and Expo Centre) in Dwarka, New Delhi, were inaugurated in 2023 as world-class convention infrastructure.
  • Three new criminal law codes—the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—came into force on July 1, 2024, replacing the colonial IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act.
  • The Government of India launched the PM Vishwakarma Scheme on September 17, 2023, providing collateral-free credit, skill training, and toolkits to traditional artisans and craftspersons across 18 trades.
  • The PM-PRANAM (Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth) scheme was approved in 2023 to incentivize states to promote balanced alternative fertilizer usage.
  • The Vande Bharat Express network expanded rapidly across Indian Railways, connecting major intercity routes with semi-high-speed, indigenously developed trainsets produced at ICF Chennai.
  • India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) launched cross-border instant payment linkages with Singapore's PayNow, the UAE's Jaywan, and Mauritius, expanding digital payments internationally.
  • The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) was approved by the Union Cabinet in August 2024, assuring central government employees an assured pension of 50% of the average basic pay drawn in the last 12 months.
  • The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, 2023, was enacted to establish an apex body to seed, grow, and promote scientific research and development across universities in India.
  • The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, was enacted by Parliament to establish a comprehensive legal framework governing the processing of digital personal data in India.
  • The Prime Minister inaugurated the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh in March 2024, constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 13,000 feet to provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang.
  • The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Sewri-Nhava Sheva Atal Setu (Mumbai Trans Harbour Link), India's longest sea bridge measuring 21.8 km, was inaugurated in January 2024.
  • The Chenab Rail Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge standing 359 meters above the river bed in Jammu and Kashmir, was completed as part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
  • The Prime Minister launched the 'Mission LiFE' (Lifestyle for Environment) global movement at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat, to promote individual sustainable environmental behaviors.
  • The Government of India initiated the 'Mera Yuva Bharat' (MY Bharat) autonomous body on October 31, 2023, to serve as an overarching youth development facilitation platform.
  • The 100th episode of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat' was aired on April 30, 2023, reaching millions of listeners across India.
  • India celebrated 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' from March 12, 2021, to August 15, 2023, commemorating 75 years of Indian independence with nationwide cultural and development initiatives.
  • The 'Har Ghar Tiranga' campaign was organized under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture to encourage citizens to hoist the National Flag at their homes during Independence Day celebrations.
  • The Cabinet approved the continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) to provide free food grains to over 80 crore beneficiaries for a period of five years starting January 1, 2024.
  • The Prime Minister launched the PM-eBus Sewa scheme in 2023 to deploy 10,000 electric buses in 169 cities across India under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
  • The Green Hydrogen Mission was launched with an outlay of ₹19,744 crore to make India a global hub for the production, utilization, and export of green hydrogen and its derivatives.
  • The Telecommunications Act, 2023, was enacted by Parliament to replace the archaic Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and modernize telecommunications regulations.
  • The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is being developed at Lothal, Gujarat, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to showcase India's rich maritime history.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Press Information Bureau (PIB), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Ministry of Railways, and Cabinet Secretariat.

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.EASY

Who was sworn in as the 15th President of India in July 2022, becoming the first tribal woman to hold the constitutional office?

Q2.EASY

What is the name of the new Parliament building of India inaugurated in New Delhi in May 2023?

Q3.EASY

What historic gold-plated sacred sceptre was installed near the Lok Sabha Speaker's chair in the new Parliament building?

Q4.EASY

What major infrastructure project created the world's longest twin-lane bi-directional road tunnel (Sela Tunnel) above 13,000 feet, inaugurated in Arunachal Pradesh in 2024?

Q5.EASY

What is the name of India's high-speed semi-high-speed express train network introduced by Indian Railways?

Q6.EASY

What is the name of the grand Hindu temple inaugurated in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on 22 January 2024 following the Pran Pratishtha ceremony?

Q7.EASY

What is the name of the unified payment system developed by NPCI that revolutionized digital transactions in India and is being adopted internationally?

Q8.EASY

What is the name of India's world-class convention center inaugurated at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, which hosted the G20 Summit in 2023?