18 December 2025 -Daily Current Affairs Updates

GS–2 | POLITY & RURAL GOVERNANCE

1. Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Bill, 2025

Subtopic: Rural Employment Guarantee & Decentralised Development

Value Addition:

• Full name: Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025.

• Introduced in Lok Sabha to replace MGNREGA, 2005.

• Employment Guarantee Enhanced:

  • 125 days per rural household per year (earlier 100 days).

• State Flexibility:

  • States may temporarily suspend work (up to 60 days) during peak sowing/harvest to avoid labour shortages in agriculture.

• Asset Creation Priority:

  • Four focus areas:

    1. Water security

    2. Core rural infrastructure

    3. Livelihood-linked assets

    4. Works addressing extreme weather events

• Decentralised Planning:

  • Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs) prepared locally.

  • Integrated with PM Gati Shakti GIS platform.

• National Integration:

  • VGPPs aggregated via Viksit Bharat National Rural Infrastructure Stack for data-driven planning.

• Performance-Based Governance:

  • Panchayats graded on development indicators.

  • Higher funds for underperforming panchayats to reduce regional disparities.

• Institutional Oversight:

  • Central & State Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Councils.

  • Steering Committees for financial allocation and convergence.

• Transparency Tools:

  • Biometric authentication

  • AI-based analytics

  • Mandatory Gram Sabha social audits

  • Multi-level grievance redressal.

Subject Analysis:

• Marks a shift from wage-centric employment to infrastructure-led rural transformation.

• Balances employment security with agricultural productivity needs.

• High-value GS–2 topic linking decentralisation, digital governance, and welfare reform.

GS–3 | ECONOMY / FINANCIAL SECTOR

2. Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Insurance Laws Amendment) Bill, 2025

Subtopic: Insurance Sector Liberalisation & Consumer Protection

Value Addition:

• Passed by Lok Sabha.

• Amends:

  • Insurance Act, 1938

  • LIC Act, 1956

  • IRDAI Act, 1999

• FDI Liberalisation:

  • Cap raised from 74% to 100% of paid-up equity capital.

• Paid-up Capital:

  • Capital fully paid by shareholders in exchange for ownership.

• Policyholders’ Education & Protection Fund:

  • New fund to promote awareness and protect consumers.

  • Administered by IRDAI.

• Re-insurance Reform:

  • Net-owned fund requirement for foreign reinsurers reduced:

    • ₹5,000 crore → ₹1,000 crore.

• Regulatory Strengthening:

  • IRDAI granted SEBI-like powers to recover wrongful gains.

• LIC Autonomy:

  • Allowed to open zonal offices without prior central approval.

Subject Analysis:

• Encourages capital inflows, competition, and insurance penetration.

• Balances liberalisation with stronger regulatory enforcement.

• Important GS–3 topic for financial sector reforms and FDI policy.

GS–2 | INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS / TECHNOLOGY

3. Tianjin Declaration (SCO Summit, 2025)

Subtopic: AI Governance & Multilateral Cooperation

Value Addition:

• Adopted at Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit, Tianjin (2025).

• Endorsed by all SCO Heads of State, including India.

• Focus areas:

  • Responsible development of Artificial Intelligence

  • AI for economic growth and social welfare

  • Respect for national sovereignty in AI governance

  • Opposition to monopolisation of critical technologies

• Reinforces SCO’s role beyond security into emerging technologies.

Subject Analysis:

• Shows growing AI norm-setting outside Western-led forums.

• India’s participation aligns with its push for inclusive and sovereign tech governance.

• Relevant for GS–2 questions on tech diplomacy and global governance.

GS–3 | HEALTH / GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

4. UN Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)

Subtopic: Global Health Policy & Preventive Healthcare

Value Addition:

• Adopted at 80th UN General Assembly session.

• First declaration to jointly address NCDs and mental health.

• Targets set for 2030.

• Expanded Disease Coverage:

  • Oral health

  • Lung health

  • Childhood cancers

• New Risk Determinants Recognised:

  • Air pollution

  • Lack of clean cooking fuel

  • Lead exposure

  • Hazardous chemicals

• Digital Health Risks Acknowledged:

  • Excessive screen time

  • Social media harm

  • Misinformation and disinformation

• Regulatory Push:

  • Tobacco, trans-fats, unhealthy foods, e-cigarettes.

• Governance Framework:

  • Whole-of-government & whole-of-society approach.

  • UN Secretary-General to report progress.

  • WHO to provide technical support.

Subject Analysis:

• Reflects shift toward preventive and environmental health governance.

• Highly relevant for GS–3 questions on public health, SDGs, and global health diplomacy.

GS–3 | ECONOMY / NATIONAL ACCOUNTS

5. Goldar Committee & GDP Base Year Revision

Subtopic: National Accounting Reforms

Value Addition:

• Advisory Committee on National Account Statistics chaired by Prof. B. N. Goldar.

• MoSPI preparing to revise GDP base year.

• Proposed Revision:

  • From 2011–12 → 2022–23.

• Reason:

  • Reflect structural changes in economy post-GST, digitalisation, services expansion.

• New Data Sources Recommended:

  • GST datasets

  • Digital economy indicators

  • Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS)

• Focus on improving Expenditure Approach estimates.

Subject Analysis:

• Base year revision improves accuracy and relevance of GDP data.

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