PM Vishwakarma Scheme

Government Schemes

Context

The PM Vishwakarma scheme has achieved its target of registering 30 lakh beneficiaries as it approaches three years of implementation.

About –

Launched: 17 September 2023
Ministry: Ministry of MSME
Aim: Support and strengthen traditional artisans and craftspeople working with hands and traditional tools.
Coverage: 18 traditional trades such as carpenter, blacksmith, potter, goldsmith, sculptor, cobbler, mason, barber and washerman.

Key Benefits

PM Vishwakarma Certificate & ID Card
Skill training + ₹500/day training stipend
Toolkit incentive: Up to ₹15,000
Collateral-free loans: Up to ₹3 lakh in two tranches at 5% interest
Digital transaction incentive
Marketing support

Key Facts

Outlay: ₹13,000 crore
Implementation period: 2023–24 to 2027–28
Funding: 100% Central Government

Global Gender Gap Index 2026

International

Context

India has retained its 131st rank on the Global Gender Gap Index 2026 released by the World Economic Forum, with only 14 economies ranking below it.

Global Gender Gap Index 2026

Released by: World Economic Forum (WEF); 20th edition, covering 145 economies.
Measures: Gender parity across 4 dimensions:
1. Economic Participation & Opportunity
2. Educational Attainment
3. Health & Survival
4. Political Empowerment
Scale: 0–1; 1 = full gender parity.
Global parity: 69.2% of the gender gap has been closed.
Time to parity: At the current global pace, about 120 years.

India

Rank: 131st
Overall parity: 64.5%
Educational Attainment: 96.6%
Health & Survival: 95.6%
Economic Participation & Opportunity: 41.2%
Political Empowerment: 24.5%

Top & Bottom

1st: Iceland – 93.0%
2nd: Finland – 87.2%
3rd: Norway – 85.7%
143rd: Pakistan
144th: Iran
145th: Chad

News

The Prime Minister has paid homage to Saratchandra Chattopadhyay on his 150th birth anniversary.

Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (1876–1938) – UPSC

Born: Devanandapur, Bengal (1876); later lived in Rangoon (Myanmar).
Associated with the Indian freedom movement; President of Howrah Congress unit (1921–36).
Major Bengali novelist known for portraying women, social oppression and orthodox social norms.
Major works: Devdas, Srikanta, Pather Dabi, Parinita, Biraj Bau, Palli Samaj, Charitraheen and Swami.
Pather Dabi: Depicts revolutionary nationalism and anti-colonial resistance.
Srikanta: Narrates the life and experiences of a wandering protagonist.
His works gained pan-Indian and international popularity.

Sohar Port

Places in News

Context

The Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched investment opportunities to India in Sohar Port of Oman.

About

Location: Oman, on the Gulf of Oman.
Strategic significance: Located outside the Strait of Hormuz, providing an alternative maritime route to Gulf markets and energy resources.
Connectivity: Offers access to Persian Gulf hubs without directly depending on passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Geostrategic advantage: Situated in northeastern Oman, relatively close to energy infrastructure/pipelines of the UAE and eastern Saudi Arabia.
Other Omani ports offered to India: Duqm and Salalah.

Gulf of Oman

Location: Northwestern arm of the Arabian Sea.

Boundaries:

Southwest: Oman
North: Iran

Extent: ~560 km long and up to 320 km wide.

Connectivity: Connects the Arabian Sea with the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz.

Important ports:

Oman: Sohar, Al-Khaburah, Muscat, Sur
Iran: Jask, Bandar Beheshti (Chabahar)

India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025

Environment

News

NITI Aayog released the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025.

India Electric Mobility Index 2025

Released by: NITI Aayog
Purpose: Measures the development of the e-mobility ecosystem and EV adoption across 36 States/UTs.
Score range: 10–84; median 40.

Top Performers

Rank State/UT Score

1 Delhi 84

2 Maharashtra 78

3 Karnataka 73

4 Chandigarh 71

5 Goa 65

Madhya Pradesh: Improved from 23rd → 7th.
Transport electrification: Delhi, Chandigarh & Maharashtra were the top three.
EV charging infrastructure readiness: Karnataka topped.
EV research & innovation: Delhi topped.

Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024

Miscellaneous

Context

Legendary actor Anant Nag, known for his impressive work in Hindi and Kannada cinema will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for 2024.

About

Instituted: 1969
Highest Indian award in the field of cinema, presented annually at the National Film Awards.
Awarded by: Government of India, on the recommendation of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award Selection Committee.
Named after: Dadasaheb Phalke (1870–1944), regarded as the “Father of Indian Cinema”.
Contribution: Directed Raja Harishchandra (1913), India’s first full-length feature film.
Components: Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) + Shawl + ₹10 lakh.
First recipient: Devika Rani (1969).