• Chairing of the inaugural session: The inaugural session was chaired by Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar, in the presence of Ministers of State B. L. Verma and Ramdas Athawale.

Important Launches:

• Several important digital portals and apps have been launched during the camp:
• SAMAVESH Portal: A single access mechanism for all areas of empowerment and social harmony.
• NMBA 2.0 App: To strengthen the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.
• SETU App: A scholarship-related app for educational transformation and upliftment.
• SMILE App: For rehabilitation and data collection of marginalized individuals (especially those engaged in begging).

• Establishment: Founded on April 24, 1961.
• Organization: It is one of the oldest projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Leadership: It was launched under the visionary leadership of the Third King of Bhutan and India's then-Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru.
• Objective: To construct motorable roads and other critical infrastructure in the remote regions of Bhutan.
• Significance: It has served as a cornerstone in fostering Bhutan's socio-economic development and connectivity.

Major Achievements and Works:

• Roads: Constructed the road connecting Samdrup Jongkhar to Trashigang in 1968, and linked Thimphu to Phuentsholing.
• Airports: Constructed Paro Airport and Yonphula Airfield.
• Education: Developed Sherubtse College in Kanglung.
• Others: Construction of telecommunications and hydroelectric infrastructure, as well as the India House Estate.
• Recent Progress: In 2026, it celebrated its 66th Raising Day. Currently, it is focusing on the modernization of key routes such as 'Confluence–Haa' and the Samdrup Jongkhar–Trashigang Highway.

• The primary objective of this collaboration is to define an independent AI reference architecture and to establish benchmarks for performance, energy efficiency, and security.
• Under this partnership, LTSCT will provide custom AI chips—such as AI ASICs and XPU silicon platforms—designed to handle independent AI workloads based on the BharatGen model.
• L&T's other subsidiary—focused on data center and cloud services—will enable an AI-ready computing environment through its 30 MW facility located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, as well as via its other hyperscale data center infrastructure.
• BharatGen will define representative AI workloads, including Large Language Models (LLMs), Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), and Small Language Models (SLMs).

• Key Features of Helpline 1855:
• Multilingual Support: This service is available in regional languages ​​as well as English.
• Focus on Phase I: Currently, this helpline addresses queries related to House Listing and Housing Census (HLO).
• Direct Connectivity: For specific queries, calls will be routed to the respective State's Directorate of Census Operations (DCO).
• Other Digital Initiatives: Alongside the helpline, a WhatsApp chatbot has also been launched for the public.

Census 2027:

• Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, Amit Shah, unveiled two official mascots for Census 2027—named "Vikas" (Male Enumerator) and "Pragati" (Female Enumerator)—in New Delhi.
• The Cabinet has approved a budget of ₹11,718.24 crore for India's 16th Census (Census of India 2027), which will be the first fully digital census.
• House Listing and Housing Census (April–September 2026): In this phase, information regarding houses and living conditions will be collected.
• Population Enumeration (February 2027): In this phase, information related to each citizen's age, gender, education, caste, language, employment, etc., will be gathered.
• First Phase in Four States: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
• The Census is conducted by the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner. It functions under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
• The 2027 Census will be the 16th census since 1872 and the eighth census since independence. The government has decided to collect data for the upcoming census, the caste-based enumeration, and the National Population Register (NPR) simultaneously.

• This visit is part of a 10-month-long global maritime expedition named 'Lokayan 26'.
• Its primary objective is to showcase India's rich maritime heritage and to foster international naval cooperation.
• The ship is spreading the message of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (The World is One Family) and MAHASAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) on a global stage.
• Departure: INS Sudarshini set sail from Kochi on January 20, 2026.
• Journey So Far: Before reaching Las Palmas, the ship has visited ports in Oman, Egypt, Malta, France, and Morocco.
• Next Destination: From here, the ship will embark on its ambitious Trans-Atlantic voyage to participate in the United States' 250th Independence Day celebrations, 'SAIL 250'.

Features of INS Sudarshini:

• It is a 54-meter-long, three-masted Sail Training Ship, indigenously built by Goa Shipyard Limited.
• It is equipped with 20 sails, covering a total surface area of ​​over 1,000 square meters.
• During this expedition, approximately 200 trainees from the Navy and the Coast Guard are undergoing rigorous training in seamanship and navigation at sea.

The Canary Islands:

• Location: Situated off the northwestern coast of Africa (near Morocco and Western Sahara).
• Administration: Politically, it is an autonomous community of Spain.
• Main Islands: It comprises 8 main islands, with Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Palma, and Lanzarote being the most renowned. Capital: It has two capitals—Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Science and Nature:

• Volcanic Origin: All these islands were formed by volcanic eruptions.
• Mount Teide: Located on the island of Tenerife, this volcano is Spain's highest peak.
• Diversity: Here, you can find everything from sandy beaches to towering mountains and dense forests.

• Agreement: This withdrawal is part of a new framework agreement between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) for the period 2024–2027.
• Background: The agreement was signed during the state visit of Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu to New Delhi in October 2024.
• Objective: The assistance aims to support Maldives in maintaining economic stability and meeting liquidity needs during foreign exchange shortages.
• Previous Repayment: On the same day India approved this assistance, Maldives also completed the repayment of the $400 million swap facility taken in October 2024.
• India continues to act as a 'First Responder' for Maldives in times of crisis.
• This assistance aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and the Vision SAGAR (MAHASAGAR).
• Since 2012, the RBI has provided more than $1.1 billion in swap assistance to Maldives.

About 'SAARC Swap Arrangement':

• It is a financial mechanism under which the Reserve Bank of India provides short-term foreign exchange support to member countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
• Its primary objective is to address short-term liquidity requirements and maintain economic stability during balance of payments crises.

• What is Malaria? It is a parasitic (protozoan – *Plasmodium*) disease transmitted through the bite of the female *Anopheles* mosquito.
• Malaria-Free Countries: As of 2026, 47 countries worldwide have been officially certified as malaria-free by the WHO.
• In the current scenario, the 'Annual Parasite Index' (API) recorded across 34 states and Union Territories of the country stands at less than 1.
• The Government of India has set an ambitious target to completely eliminate indigenous transmission by the year 2027 and to achieve the total eradication of malaria by 2030.
• Organized initiatives for malaria control in India are traced back to the 'National Malaria Control Programme' (NMCP), which commenced in 1953.
• Between 2015 and 2024, India recorded a reduction of approximately 80 percent in malaria cases and a decline of over 78 percent in the mortality rate.
• At the core of India's current success lies the robust 'Test, Treat, and Track' (3Ts) strategy, which renders malaria control scientific, rapid, and result-oriented.

• A civil engineer by profession, Narayana joined the Gurukulam in 1968. The Gurukulam is a spiritual institution dedicated to the philosophy of Sri Narayana Guru. In 1999, Sri Narayana Prasad became the head of the Gurukulam. An author and philosopher, Muni Narayana Prasad wrote over 100 books on Indian philosophy. He was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri and the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award.

• Ashok Kumar Lahiri (Vice-Chairperson): A renowned economist and BJP MLA from Balurghat, West Bengal. He previously served as the 12th Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) to the Government of India and as a member of the 15th Finance Commission. He will succeed Suman K. Bery.
• Prof. Goverdhan Das (Full-time Member): A distinguished scientist and Director of IISER Bhopal. He is an expert in Immunology and has previously served as a Professor of Molecular Medicine at JNU.

NITI Aayog:

• It is the premier policy think-tank of the Government of India.
• Full Name: National Institution for Transforming India
• Establishment: January 1, 2015
• Headquarters: New Delhi
• Predecessor Institution: It replaced the 65-year-old Planning Commission.
• Nature: It is a non-constitutional and non-statutory body, constituted through a Cabinet resolution.

Organizational Structure:

• Chairperson: The Prime Minister of India (ex-officio).
• Vice-Chairperson: Appointed by the Prime Minister. Currently, Ashok Kumar Lahiri (effective from April 24, 2026).
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Currently, B.V.R. Subrahmanyam.
• Governing Council: Comprises the Chief Ministers of all states and the Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories.
• Full-time Members: Experts are appointed to these positions. Recent appointees include Prof. Goverdhan Das, Rajiv Gauba, Prof. K.V. Raju, Dr. M. Srinivas, and Prof. Abhay Karandikar.
• Composition: It consists of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Full-time Members, Ex-officio Members (a maximum of 4 Union Ministers), and Special Invitees.

• Historical Significance: The first female Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
• Background: Justice Gill originally hails from Chandigarh and previously served as a Judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
• Process: Based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
• Succession: She succeeded Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, who retired on April 24, 2026.
• Article of Appointment: Article 217(1) of the Constitution of India.
• Oath: Administered by the Governor of the respective state.

• Reporting: He will report to Dabur's Global CEO, Mohit Malhotra.
• Experience: Bhalla possesses over 25 years of experience in the FMCG and retail sectors.
• Previous Career: Prior to joining Dabur, he served as the Vice President (Canada and Global Customers) at The Hershey Company. He has also held significant positions at Hindustan Unilever (HUL) and Metro Cash & Carry.

• Assumption of Office: He succeeds Sindhu Gangadharan (MD of SAP Labs India), whose tenure concluded in April 2026.
• Vice Chairperson: Kishore Patil, CEO and MD of KPIT, has been elected as the new Vice Chairperson of NASSCOM.
• Priorities: Under Velamakanni's leadership, NASSCOM's primary focus will be on AI-driven growth, DeepTech, and skill development for Human + AI roles.
• NASSCOM:
• Full Name: National Association of Software and Service Companies
• Established: 1988 (It is a non-profit industry association)
• Role: It serves as the advocate for policy and development for India's $250 billion IT-BPM industry.
• Headquarters: New Delhi