UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

  In a significant milestone for India’s animal health system and international trade facilitation, the country has established and secured global recognition for its   first Equine Disease-Free Compartment (EDFC) . Recognised by the   World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)   on   3rd July 2025 , this approved facility at the   Remount Veterinary Corps (RVC) Centre & College, Meerut Cantonment, Uttar Pradesh , marks a major step towards enabling the   international movement of Indian sport horses   in compliance with global biosecurity and animal health standards. With the implementation of  robust biosecurity protocols, stringent veterinary surveillance, and adherence to international norms , Indian sport horses from this facility can now be eligible to  travel and compete abroad . This significantly enhances the prospects of Indian riders and horses in global equestrian competitions and  raises India’s profile in the inte...

  The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) came into force in 1997, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention, with its 193 Member States, it oversees the global endeavour  to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons. The OPCW was awarded the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize for its extensive efforts in eliminating chemical weapons.  India is an original signatory to the Convention. The National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC) is the national authority responsible for implementing the Convention in India. In 2024, NACWC successfully mentored the Kenya National Authority under the OPCW Mentorship/ Partnership Programme to strengthen its implementation capacity. The Indian Chemical Council (ICC), India’s  oldest Chemical  Industry Association works closely with  the NACWC for reaching out to industry. ICC brought laurels for India as it was awarded the OPCW-The Ha...

  The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has approved SPREE 2025 (Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees)—during its 196th ESI Corporation Meeting held in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, under the chairmanship of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports. SPREE 2025 The Scheme for Promotion of Registration of Employers and Employees (SPREE) 2025, approved by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), is a special initiative aimed at expanding social security coverage under the ESI Act. The scheme will be active from 1st July to 31st December 2025 and provides a one-time opportunity for unregistered employers and employees—including contractual and temporary workers—to enrol without facing inspections or demands for past dues. Under SPREE 2025: Employers can register their units and employees digitally through the ESIC portal, Shram Suvidha and MCA portal. Registration will be considered val...

  The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) welcomes the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) advisory issued on June 30, 2025, directing all Scheduled Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Payments Banks, and Co-operative Banks to integrate the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) developed by DoT into their systems. This is a watershed moment in the fight against cyber-enabled financial frauds and a testament to the power of inter-agency collaboration in safeguarding citizens in India’s growing digital economy. It also underscores the strategic importance of automating data exchange between banks and DoT's DIP through API-based integration, enabling real-time responsiveness and continuous feedback to further refine the fraud risk models. What is  “Financial Fraud Risk Indicator” and how will it help Banks to prevent Cyber fraud ? The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), launched in May 2025 by DoT’s Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU), is a risk-based metric that classifies a mobile...

  The Coal Ministry is set to launch RECLAIM – a community engagement and development framework. The framework will be launched by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Sh G Kishan Reddy on 4 th   July, 2025. The Coal Controller Organisation, under the Ministry of Coal, in partnership with the Heartfulness Institute, has developed this comprehensive Community Development Framework designed specifically for mine closures. Recognizing that mine closures significantly impact both landscapes and local livelihoods, this framework is a key step toward ensuring a just and sustainable transition for communities that have developed alongside mining operations over decades. The framework—referred to as the RECLAIM—serves as a structured guide for inclusive community engagement and development throughout the mine closure and post-closure phases. It offers a practical, step-by-step approach to institutionalizing community participation in the transition process. The framework is supported by a...

  The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has  approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme to support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector.  Under the Scheme, while the first-time employees will get one month’s wage (up to Rs 15,000/-), the employers will be given incentives for a period to two years for generating additional employment, with extended benefits for another two years for the manufacturing sector.  The ELI Scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 as part of PM’s package of five schemes to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 Crore youth with a total budget outlay of Rs 2 Lakh Crore.  With an outlay of Rs 99,446 Crore, the ELI Scheme aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years.  Out of these, 1.92 Crore beneficiaries wi...

Union Cabinet approved the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with a corpus of Rs. One lakh Crore.           Recognizing the critical role that the private sector plays in driving innovation and commercializing research the RDI Scheme aims to provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors at low or nil interest rates to spur private sector investment in RDI. The scheme has been designed to overcome the constraints and challenges in funding of private sector and seeks to provide growth & risk capital to sunrise and strategic sectors to facilitate innovation, promote adoption of technology and enhance competitiveness. Key objectives of the Scheme are as follows: a)   Encourage the private sector to scale up research, development, and innovation (RDI) in sunrise domains and in other sectors relevant for economic security, strategic purpose, and self-reliance; b)   Finance tra...

  The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today approved the  the  National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025 , a landmark initiative aimed at reshaping the country’s sporting landscape and empowering citizens through sports. The new policy supersedes the existing  National Sports Policy, 2001 , and lays out a visionary and strategic roadmap to establish India as a global sporting powerhouse and a strong contender for excellence at international sporting events, including the  2036 Olympic Games . The NSP 2025 is the outcome of extensive consultations involving Central Ministries, NITI Aayog, State Governments, National Sports Federations (NSFs), athletes, domain experts, and public stakeholders. The policy is anchored on five key pillars. 1. Excellence on the Global Stage This pillar aims to: Strengthen sports programs from the grassroots to elite levels, including mechanisms for early identification and nurturing of talent. Promote the establ...

 The Minister of State for Environment and Forests clarified the issues regarding Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act in tiger reserves and in the critical wildlife habitats. The Minister states that: 1.                  “Section 38V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (as amended in 2006) explains the core or critical tiger habitat as well as the buffer or peripheral area of a tiger reserve. 2.                  A tiger reserve includes two parts: A.                Core or critical tiger habitat (National Park or Sanctuary status). B.                 Buffer or peripheral area. 3.                  The phrase ‘core or critical tiger habitat’ is mentioned only in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, as a sequel t...