GK One-Liners

What: The Central Government has formed two high-level panels chaired by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to drive India’s development agenda. The first panel will steer the ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) initiative aimed at transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, while the second panel focuses specifically on driving non-financial regulatory reforms to ease compliance burdens and improve the business environment. These panels will coordinate with ministerial groups led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and align with a parallel state-level deregulation effort being steered by TVS Swaminathan.

How: The Viksit Bharat panel will coordinate cross-ministerial efforts across key development sectors including infrastructure, education, healthcare, digital transformation, and manufacturing. The regulatory reforms panel will identify outdated regulations, eliminate redundant compliances, and harmonize central-state regulatory frameworks. Working groups under these panels will conduct sectoral reviews, consult stakeholders, and propose time-bound action plans. The coordination with Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh ensures political oversight, while the TVS Swaminathan committee’s state-level focus ensures reforms cascade to ground implementation, addressing both policy-level and operational bottlenecks.

Why: This is crucial for UPSC Polity and Governance (GS Paper 2) questions on government machinery, administrative reforms, and development planning. The Viksit Bharat vision for 2047 connects to India’s centenary of independence and is a recurring theme in policy questions. Regulatory reforms link to ease of doing business rankings, cooperative federalism, and economic growth enablers covered in GS Paper 3. For state PSC exams, the coordination between central panels and state-level committees represents evolving center-state relations. Banking exams frequently test current Cabinet Secretary names and major government initiatives like Viksit Bharat.

What: Kerala has achieved the distinction of becoming India’s first fully digitally literate state after successfully completing Phase-I of the Digi Kerala initiative. The program trained over 21.87 lakh (2.187 million) people across all demographics, including senior citizens, in essential digital skills. The training covered fundamental digital literacy competencies such as operating smartphones and computers, using internet services, accessing government portals, digital payment systems, and basic cybersecurity awareness, ensuring inclusive digital empowerment through a grassroots approach.

How: Digi Kerala adopted a community-based training model leveraging local government institutions, volunteer networks, IT@School infrastructure, and public libraries as training centers. The program specially focused on reaching marginalized sections including elderly citizens, homemakers, agricultural workers, and persons with disabilities through customized curricula in regional languages. Digital literacy certificates were issued upon completion, with continuous handholding support through help desks. The initiative coordinated with Kerala State IT Mission, local self-government bodies, and civil society organizations to ensure last-mile reach and sustainability.

Why: This achievement is significant for UPSC Governance and Social Issues (GS Paper 2) covering digital inclusion, bridging the digital divide, and e-governance initiatives. Questions may test Kerala’s innovative governance models, comparison with Digital India mission objectives, and the role of state governments in technology adoption. The 21.87 lakh beneficiaries figure and “first fully digitally literate state” status are factual recall points. For banking/SSC exams, this connects to financial inclusion through digital payments, PM Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, and Kerala’s high human development indicators including literacy rates.

What: India was elected as the Chair of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) Executive Board during the organization’s 23rd General Conference held in Phuket, Thailand. This marks India’s return to the prestigious position after previously holding it in 2016. The chairmanship strengthens India’s leadership role in shaping regional broadcasting cooperation, content exchange frameworks, and capacity building initiatives across the Asia-Pacific region’s broadcasting sector.

How: As Chair, India will lead the Executive Board in setting AIBD’s strategic direction, approving programs for member countries, facilitating knowledge sharing on digital broadcasting technologies, coordinating training workshops, and promoting regional content collaboration. India will leverage its robust broadcasting infrastructure through Prasar Bharati, private media networks, and digital platforms to support capacity building in developing member nations. The role involves coordinating with 26 full member countries and numerous affiliate members to address challenges like digital transition, fake news mitigation, and sustainable broadcasting models.

Why: This topic is relevant for UPSC International Relations (GS Paper 2) covering India’s role in multilateral organizations, soft power diplomacy, and regional cooperation frameworks. Questions may probe India’s contributions to regional institutions, comparison with other UN-affiliated organizations, and how broadcasting cooperation serves strategic interests. The AIBD’s role in promoting Asian perspectives in global media connects to cultural diplomacy. For banking exams, this tests knowledge of international organizations where India holds leadership positions, headquarters locations (AIBD is based in Kuala Lumpur), and Prasar Bharati’s role in international media cooperation.

What: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate SEMICON India 2025 on September 2 in New Delhi, a landmark event showcasing India’s semiconductor industry ambitions. The conference will feature over 350 exhibitors from across the semiconductor value chain and more than 50 global Chief Executive Officers (CXOs) representing major semiconductor companies. The theme “Building the Next Semiconductor Powerhouse” reflects India’s strategic goal of establishing itself as a significant player in global semiconductor design, manufacturing, and assembly-testing-marking-packaging (ATMP) operations.

How: SEMICON India 2025 serves as a platform to showcase India’s semiconductor ecosystem progress under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), including approved fabrication units, ATMP facilities, and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) plants. The event will facilitate partnerships between Indian companies and global technology providers, demonstrate India’s design capabilities through chip design centers, and highlight the ₹76,000 crore incentive package under the Modified Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem. Technical sessions will cover emerging areas like AI chips, automotive semiconductors, and compound semiconductors.

Why: This is critical for UPSC Economy and Science & Technology (GS Paper 3) covering strategic manufacturing, technology sovereignty, and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. Questions frequently test knowledge of the India Semiconductor Mission, PLI schemes, approved semiconductor fabs (Micron, Tata, CG Power), and India’s position in the global semiconductor supply chain. The semiconductor industry connects to broader themes of China+1 strategy, supply chain resilience post-COVID, and Make in India in high-technology sectors. For banking exams, key facts include the ₹76,000 crore incentive package, ISM approval dates, and major investor countries (USA, Taiwan, Japan).

What: India has entered into a strategic partnership with France’s Safran to co-develop and manufacture a 110-kilonewton (kN) thrust jet engine specifically designed for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter program. The partnership received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s apex decision-making body on defense matters. This collaboration represents a watershed moment in India’s quest for self-reliance in critical aerospace technologies, as indigenous jet engine development has remained a major capability gap despite decades of efforts through programs like Kaveri engine.

How: The partnership will involve technology transfer, joint development of engine core technologies, establishment of manufacturing facilities in India for production and maintenance, and creation of a skilled workforce in advanced aerospace engineering. Safran brings expertise from successful engines like M88 (Rafale) and will work with Indian partners including Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and potentially private sector entities. The 110-kN engine will be more powerful than engines currently used in Tejas fighters, meeting AMCA’s requirements for supercruise capability, advanced thrust vectoring, and integration with stealth airframe design.

Why: This partnership is crucial for UPSC Defence and Internal Security (GS Paper 3) covering indigenous defense manufacturing, strategic partnerships, and technology absorption. Questions frequently test knowledge of AMCA specifications, comparison with global fifth-generation fighters (F-35, Su-57), India-France defense cooperation, and Make in India in Defense initiatives. The jet engine represents the most complex technology in fighter aircraft, and this partnership addresses India’s dependency on foreign engines (GE F404/F414 for Tejas). For banking/SSC exams, factual details include the 110-kN thrust rating, Safran as the partner company, CCS approval, and AMCA’s classification as a fifth-generation fighter.

What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed Indranil Bhattacharyya, Executive Director heading the Monetary Policy Department, as an ex-officio member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), replacing Rajiv Ranjan who previously held this position. This appointment comes ahead of the October 2025 MPC meeting, which will review monetary policy stance, repo rate decisions, and macroeconomic projections. As an ex-officio member by virtue of his position as Executive Director of the Monetary Policy Department, Bhattacharyya joins RBI Governor and Deputy Governor as the three internal members of the six-member MPC.

How: The MPC operates under the amended RBI Act, 1934, with six members: three internal (RBI Governor as Chairperson, Deputy Governor in charge of monetary policy, and Executive Director of Monetary Policy Department) and three external members appointed by the Government of India. The committee meets at least four times annually to set the policy repo rate through a majority vote, with each member having equal voting rights. Indranil Bhattacharyya brings expertise from his role overseeing monetary policy formulation, liquidity management operations, and macroeconomic analysis, providing technical inputs on inflation trends, growth dynamics, and global spillover effects.

Why: This appointment is significant for UPSC Economy (GS Paper 3) and banking exams covering monetary policy framework, institutional structures, and current economic management. Questions frequently test MPC composition (3+3 structure), decision-making process (majority voting, Governor’s casting vote), inflation targeting framework (4% target with +/-2% tolerance band), and recent policy decisions. The October 2025 timing is relevant given potential rate decisions amid evolving inflation and growth scenarios. For banking exams, knowing the current MPC members, their voting patterns, and recent repo rate changes is essential. The RBI’s inflation targeting mandate and MPC’s statutory basis under the RBI Act are standard static GK questions.