GK One-Liners

What: The Prime Minister released the 17th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, providing ₹6,000 annual income support to eligible farmers. Launched in December 2018, PM-KISAN is a Central Sector Scheme offering direct cash transfers to landholding farmer families in three equal installments of ₹2,000 each through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.

How: Eligible farmers are identified through land records verified by state governments and local revenue officials. Payments are transferred directly to bank accounts linked with Aadhaar, eliminating intermediaries and ensuring transparency. The scheme covers over 11 crore farmer families across India, with strict provisions to exclude institutional landholders, constitutional post holders, and income tax-paying professionals to target genuine small and marginal farmers.

Why: PM-KISAN is one of India’s largest cash transfer programs and a flagship initiative for agricultural income security, frequently tested in UPSC GS Paper-2 (Governance & Agriculture Schemes) and GS Paper-3 (Agriculture & Farmer Welfare). Questions on DBT mechanisms, financial inclusion, Aadhaar linkage, and farmer support schemes regularly appear in Prelims and Mains. Understanding PM-KISAN’s implementation challenges, coverage expansion, and impact on rural economy is essential for comprehensive exam preparation.

What: The Central Government notified the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), a new pension framework for central government employees that combines elements of the old Defined Benefit Pension system and the National Pension System (NPS). UPS aims to provide assured pension benefits while maintaining fiscal sustainability, addressing long-standing demands from employee unions for pension security.

How: Under UPS, employees will receive assured pension equal to 50% of their average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months of service for a minimum qualifying service of 25 years, with proportionate pension for shorter service periods. The scheme maintains government contribution at 18.5% of basic pay plus Dearness Allowance (DA), while employee contribution remains 10%. Unlike NPS, UPS guarantees minimum pension and family pension benefits, with inflation indexation through dearness relief similar to the old pension scheme.

Why: Pension reforms and fiscal implications are critical topics in UPSC GS Paper-2 (Governance & Administrative Reforms) and GS Paper-3 (Economy & Government Budgeting). Questions on Old Pension Scheme (OPS) vs. NPS vs. UPS, fiscal burden of pensions, and employee welfare regularly appear. Understanding the transition from Defined Benefit to Defined Contribution systems, their financial sustainability, and political economy is essential for Mains essays on administrative reforms and public finance management.

What: The G7 Summit 2025 was held in Italy, bringing together leaders from the Group of Seven advanced economies—Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and United States—plus the European Union. The summit addressed global challenges including economic stability, climate change, artificial intelligence governance, supply chain resilience, and geopolitical tensions in Ukraine and Indo-Pacific regions.

How: The summit resulted in joint declarations on coordinated sanctions against Russia, commitment to clean energy transition targets, framework for responsible AI development, and infrastructure investment pledges for developing nations through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). India, though not a formal G7 member, was invited as an outreach partner reflecting its growing global influence and strategic importance in multipolar world order.

Why: G7’s role in global economic governance, trade policy, and geopolitical issues is frequently tested in UPSC GS Paper-2 (International Relations & Global Groupings). Questions on G7 vs. G20 differences, India’s engagement with plurilateral forums, climate finance commitments, and technology governance frameworks regularly appear in Prelims and Mains. Understanding G7’s declining economic share (around 40% of global GDP) versus emerging economies’ rise helps contextualize changing global power dynamics—a key Mains essay theme.

What: India’s Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation turned negative in May 2025, indicating deflation at the wholesale level. WPI measures the average change in prices of goods at the wholesale or producer level, covering manufacturing products, primary articles (food, minerals), and fuel & power. Negative WPI suggests declining prices in bulk transactions, contrasting with retail-level Consumer Price Index (CPI) trends.

How: The decline is attributed to falling commodity prices globally, particularly crude oil and metals, easing supply chain pressures post-pandemic disruptions, good agricultural output reducing food prices, and base effect from high prices in the previous year. While negative WPI indicates lower input costs for businesses, sustained deflation can signal weak demand, affecting investment decisions and economic growth momentum. The divergence between WPI and CPI reflects different basket compositions and pricing levels.

Why: Understanding inflation metrics—WPI vs. CPI, core vs. headline inflation—is critical for UPSC GS Paper-3 (Economy & Monetary Policy). Questions on inflation measurement, causes of deflation, monetary policy responses, and their impact on different economic sectors regularly appear in Prelims and Mains. Analyzing WPI-CPI divergence, base effects, and implications for interest rate policy helps develop comprehensive answers for economy-related Mains questions.

What: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully tested the Reusable Launch Vehicle-Landing Experiment (RLV-LEX), demonstrating India’s capability in developing reusable space transportation technology. RLV-LEX is a scaled-down prototype of a space plane designed to take off vertically like a rocket, deploy satellites in orbit, and return to land horizontally like an aircraft, significantly reducing launch costs.

How: The test involved autonomous landing of the winged vehicle at the Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka after being lifted by a helicopter and released from altitude. The vehicle demonstrated precise navigation, autonomous decision-making, and runway landing capabilities essential for future operational systems. This follows earlier RLV-TD (Technology Demonstrator) missions testing hypersonic flight and re-entry technologies. Full-scale RLV development aims to reduce launch costs by up to 80% compared to expendable rockets.

Why: ISRO’s achievements, particularly in cost-effective space technology, are high-yield topics for UPSC GS Paper-3 (Science & Technology). Questions on satellite launch vehicles, reusable rocket technology, space economy, and India’s space program milestones regularly appear in Prelims and Mains. Understanding RLV technology connects to themes like Atmanirbhar Bharat in space sector, commercial space policy reforms (IN-SPACe), and India’s competitive advantage in affordable space launches—relevant for both factual MCQs and conceptual Mains answers.

What: World Blood Donor Day is observed annually on June 14 to raise awareness about the critical need for safe blood and blood products, thank voluntary unpaid blood donors, and encourage new donors to participate. Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2004, the date commemorates the birthday of Karl Landsteiner (June 14, 1868), who discovered the ABO blood group system in 1901, revolutionizing transfusion medicine.

How: WHO coordinates global campaigns involving blood transfusion services, governments, donor organizations, and civil society to promote voluntary non-remunerated blood donation as the safest source. Activities include blood donation camps, awareness programs on donation benefits, recognition of regular donors, and advocacy for establishing national blood transfusion services. India’s National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) under Ministry of Health implements strategies for 100% voluntary blood donation, quality assurance, and emergency blood availability.

Why: WHO observances and international health initiatives are frequently tested in UPSC GS Paper-2 (International Organizations & Health Governance). Questions on blood donation policies, healthcare infrastructure, National Health Mission components, and India’s progress toward voluntary donation targets appear in Prelims. Understanding the distinction between voluntary and replacement donation, blood safety protocols, and public health campaigns is essential for comprehensive preparation on health sector reforms and social welfare themes in Mains.