11 Year of Digital India Programme

Polity

Context

The Digital India Programme completes 11 years as on 1 July 2026.

Digital India Programme,

Launched on – 1 July 2015
Implementation – Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
Objective – It is a flagship scheme aimed at transforming the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Flagship Initiatives under Digital India

JAM Trinity: The Foundation of Digital India has revolutionised financial inclusion and welfare delivery in India. It brought millions into the formal banking system and enabled seamless access to government services.
DigiLocker: DigiLocker is replacing physical documents with a secure digital wallet, and transforming document storage and verification across India.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI): Completing ten years in 2026, UPI is transforming digital payments through instant and secure transactions for citizens and businesses.
eSanjeevani: The telemedicine platform is connecting patients with doctors remotely, especially in rural and underserved regions.
Tele MANAS provides free tele-counselling and mental health support nationwide.
Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has transformed public procurement by making it transparent, efficient and paperless.
Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is creating an open and interoperable digital commerce ecosystem that connects buyers and sellers across platforms.
AgriStack – It is a farmer-centric DPI powering services such as e-NAM for online agricultural trading and Kisan e-Mitra, an AI-powered chatbot providing instant farming information and government scheme support.
DIKSHA (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is transforming school education through curriculum-linked digital learning resources and teacher training.
SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds) and SWAYAM Prabha are expanding access to quality education beyond classrooms.
PMGDISHA bridged the rural digital divide by training citizens in smartphone usage, internet access, digital payments and online services.
FutureSkills Prime is preparing learners for emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analytics.
Skill India Digital Hub (SIDH) is a unified platform for skilling, certification and employment services.
IndiaAI Mission is strengthening AI education, infrastructure and responsible AI adoption.

Matcha Tea

Economy

Context

Assam has become the first state in India to commercially produce Matcha tea, with production commencing at the Chota Tingrai Tea Estate in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district.

Matcha

- Matcha is made after shading Camellia sinensis tea leaves for three to four weeks before harvest.
- Blocking 90% of sunlight from the leaves boosts their chlorophyll and amino acid levels, and gives its characteristic bright green colour and rich umami flavour.
- Matcha originated through cultural exchanges between China and Japan during the premodern period.

China is the largest producer of matcha tea.

Additional Information – Indian Tea Industry

- India is the 2nd largest tea producer and largest black tea producer.
- Export destinations – Iran, Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Russia etc. India is the 4th largest tea exporter in the World.
- Employment – The Indian tea Industry is employing 1.16 million workers directly.
- Note – Assam grows about 55% of the teas produced in India. India’s tea production has increased by 39% in 2022 from 2008.
- Prominent tea regions: Assam (Assam Valley, Cachar) and West Bengal (Dooars, Terai, Darjeeling).

Global reputation: Indian teas, especially Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri, are renowned for their quality.

Geographical Condition for Tea production

The tea plant grows well in tropical and subtropical climates.
Soil: It requires deep and fertile well-drained soil, rich in humus and organic matter.
Temperature: The average annual temperature for tea plants to grow well is in the range of 15-23°C.
Precipitation: The rainfall needed is between 150-200 cm.
Frequent showers evenly distributed over the year ensure continuous growth of tender leaves.
Major tea producing states are Assam, hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Apart from these, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh and Tripura are also tea-producing states in the country.

Asia Tea Alliance

Member countries – It is a coalition of tea associations from major tea-producing countries in Asia like India, China, Sri Lanka, Japan etc.
Objective – It aims to promote the collective interests of member nations within the global tea market.

Tea Board of India

It was set up as a statutory body in 1954 under the Tea Act, 1953.
It was established for the purposes of regulating the Indian tea industry and protecting the interests of tea producers in India.
Headquarters-Kolkata.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR)

Economy

Context

India is nearing completion of its first bullet train corridor – the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR).

About

The corridor will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad in about 1 hour 58 minutes. It covers a total length of approximately 508 kilometres.
12 stations have been planned along the route.
It is expected to commence in August 2027. The first section to open will be from Surat to Vapi.
The corridor has a design speed of 350 kmph and an operational speed of 320 kmph.
The MAHSR Project is being developed using Japanese Shinkansen technology and operational practices.
Track System: J-Slab ballastless track technology is being introduced in India for the first time.

7th National Water Awards

Miscellaneous

Context

Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched the 7th National Water Awards on the Rashtriya Puraskar portal of Ministry of Home Aﬀairs.

National Water Awards

The National Water Awards were first launched in 2018.
Objective – The awards aim to recognize efforts in water management and conservation.
Significance – The initiative supports the government’s vision of a ‘Jal Samridh Bharat’ (Water Prosperous India).

Simla Agreement

International Relations

Context

The Simla Agreement completed 54 years on 2 July 2026.

About

The Simla Agreement was signed in 1972 to establish lasting peace between India and Pakistan post the 1971 war.
The agreement was signed between Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

Key Provisions of Simla Agreement

Peaceful resolution: Both countries agreed to resolve disputes through bilateral negotiations without involving third parties.
Line of Control (LoC): The ceasefire line in Jammu and Kashmir was redefined as the Line of Control, with both sides committing not to alter it unilaterally.
Release of prisoners: India agreed to release Pakistani prisoners of war, and Pakistan committed to normalising relations and recognising the sovereignty of Bangladesh.

MANAS Initiative

Government Schemes

Context

The National Narcotics Helpline MANAS is strengthening India’s fight against drug abuse.

MANAS (Madak Padarth Nishedh Asoochna Kendra)

- It was launched in 2024 under the aegis of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Ministry of Home Affairs, in collaboration with the Digital India Corporation (DIC).

It enables citizens to report drug-related activities, seek counselling, and access rehabilitation support at any time.

The platform is accessible through the national helpline number 1933, the official portal, email and the UMANG app.
MANAS brings together the vision of Digital India and the mission of a Nasha Mukt Bharat.

India’s War Against The Drug Menace

Constitutional Basis: Article 47 states that the State not to promote consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs that are injurious to health except for medicinal purposes.
Global Commitment: India is a party to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Drug Trafficking.
Legal Frameworks: The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, NDPS Act, 1985, PITNDPS Act, 1988.
Key Initiatives: NIDAAN Portal for monitoring drug cases; Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan for awareness, prevention and rehabilitation.

Hasdeo-Arand Forests

Environment

Context

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has granted environmental clearance for mining in the Kente Extension Integrated Coal Block in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo-Arand forests.

Hasdeo-Arand forests

The Hasdeo-Arand forests, spread across Chhattisgarh’s Korba, Surguja, and Surajpur districts, cover about 1.7 lakh hectares and are considered the Green Lungs of Central India.
They are home to around 640 plant species and nine schedule-1 wildlife species, which are accorded highest legal protection.
It is also the catchment area of the Hasdeo river, the largest tributary of the Mahanadi.