GK One-Liners

What: The BHAVYA (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana) Portal was launched by Union Minister Piyush Goyal to develop 100 world-class industrial parks across India over six years, with a total outlay of ₹33,660 crore. It is implemented by the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

How: The scheme follows a 51:49 Centre-State funding model, where the Centre contributes 51% and the respective State contributes 49%. The portal itself serves as a unified platform for Detailed Project Report (DPR) submission, tracking approvals, and monitoring project progress in real time.

Why: BHAVYA is relevant for UPSC Prelims and Mains under Economy (industrial policy, Make in India), as well as for state PSC exams. Key exam angles include the implementing agency (NICDC under DPIIT), the funding ratio, and the policy goal of boosting manufacturing competitiveness.

What: The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook 2026 ranks India as the 5th largest military spender globally, with expenditure of USD 92.1 billion — an 8.9% increase over the previous year. India now holds 190 nuclear warheads, up from 180 in 2025. Global military spending reached USD 2.9 trillion, marking the 11th consecutive year of increase.

How: The top spenders are the USA (USD 954 billion), China (USD 336 billion), Russia (USD 190 billion), and Saudi Arabia, with India at 5th. India’s nuclear arsenal growth reflects its ongoing modernisation under the declared No First Use (NFU) doctrine, with investments in land, sea, and air-based delivery systems.

Why: SIPRI data is consistently asked in UPSC Prelims, defence exams (NDA, CDS), and current affairs rounds of banking/SSC exams. Focus points: India’s rank, expenditure figure, warhead count, and the global spending total. The NFU doctrine and triad capability are Mains-relevant for IR and Security papers.

What: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recognised Sahamati Foundation as a Self-Regulatory Organisation (SRO) for India’s Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem. An Account Aggregator is a consent-based digital framework that enables secure sharing of financial data between regulated entities with explicit user permission. The ecosystem now has 1,120 regulated entities, 17 operational AAs, 294 million linked accounts, and over 290 million monthly data-sharing transactions.

How: Under the AA framework, a user grants consent through an AA platform, which then facilitates the transfer of financial data from a Financial Information Provider (FIP — e.g., a bank) to a Financial Information User (FIU — e.g., a lending app). Sahamati, as SRO, will set industry standards, resolve disputes, and ensure compliance among AA operators.

Why: This topic is relevant for RBI Grade B, SEBI, NABARD, and UPSC Mains (GS-3: Economy, Digital India). Key facts to remember: SRO recognition by RBI, the consent-based architecture, and the scale of the ecosystem (294M+ accounts). The AA framework is part of India’s broader Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture (DEPA).

What: A new Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) was jointly inaugurated in Lucknow by Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The centre is equipped with 3 Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs), 107 Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), 140 Automatic Rain Gauges (ARG), 7 Lightning Sensors, and provides aviation support for 11 airports in the region.

How: The RMC feeds real-time atmospheric data into the India Meteorological Department (IMD) network, improving hyper-local weather forecasting accuracy. Under Mission Mausam, the government aims to scale up Doppler Weather Radar coverage from the current ~50 DWRs to approximately 100 DWRs across India, significantly improving early warning systems for extreme weather events.

Why: Relevant for UPSC Prelims (Science & Tech, Environment), state PSC exams for UP, and SSC. Key facts: inaugurating ministers, infrastructure numbers (3 DWRs, 107 AWS), Mission Mausam target (50→100 DWRs), and the ministry involved (Ministry of Earth Sciences — MoES). Disaster management and climate adaptation themes are Mains-relevant.

What: The inaugural edition of the World Yogasana Championship 2026 was held at EKA Arena, Ahmedabad, Gujarat from June 4–8, 2026. India dominated the medal tally with 114 medals (102 Gold, 9 Silver, 3 Bronze) from a 122-member contingent, with Japan finishing a distant 2nd with 11 medals. The event’s mascot was Veer the Lion.

How: The championship was co-organised by World Yogasana, Yogasana Bharat, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Yogasana as a competitive sport has been gaining recognition under the Khelo India and Fit India frameworks, with the government actively pushing for its inclusion in international multi-sport events. The IOA’s involvement signals a push toward international sporting recognition for yoga.

Why: Sports current affairs are regularly tested in SSC CGL, Railway, Banking, and UPSC Prelims. Being the inaugural edition makes it highly exam-relevant — expect questions on the venue (Ahmedabad/EKA Arena), India’s medal count, the mascot (Veer the Lion), and the organising bodies. Yogasana’s link to International Day of Yoga (June 21) may also feature as a connected question.

What: Han Seong-sook has been nominated as the next Prime Minister of South Korea by President Lee Jae Myung. If confirmed by the National Assembly, she will become only the 2nd woman Prime Minister in South Korea’s history. The first was Han Myeong-sook, who served from 2006 to 2007. Han Seong-sook currently serves as Minister for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and was previously the first woman Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naver Corporation in 2017.

How: The nomination follows the stepping down of incumbent PM Kim Min-seok. South Korea’s PM is nominated by the President and must be confirmed by the National Assembly. President Lee Jae Myung’s nomination reflects an effort to bring technocratic and gender-diverse leadership to the executive, with Han’s background in both corporate governance (Naver) and ministerial policy bringing a dual credential.

Why: International appointments of this kind — particularly historic firsts — are a staple of UPSC Prelims, IBPS, SSC, and state PSC current affairs sections. Key facts to memorise: nominee’s name (Han Seong-sook), President’s name (Lee Jae Myung), 1st woman PM of South Korea (Han Myeong-sook, 2006–07), and her prior role as first woman CEO of Naver. India-South Korea bilateral relations (CEPA, defence ties) may provide a Mains link.