UniFocus IAS ( UNIFOCUS UNIVERSAL )

The Banking Regulation Act, 1949 has been amended to provide additional powers to RBI for more effective regulation of Co-operative banks vide Banking Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2020. The major amendments pertain to areas such as management, audit, capital, reconstruction/ amalgamation, etc. The provisions of the Act have been brought into force for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) with effect from 26.06.2020. Post these amendments, interalia, the governance/management related provisions of the BR Act, (such as Section 10,10A,10B,35B,36AB, etc.), have become applicable to co-operative banks. Further, the following measures are in place to prevent corruption and irregularities in cooperative banks:  RBI has issued Master Direction on Fraud Management for the Regulated Entities viz.  Cooperative Banks in 2024 which contain comprehensive guidelines related to reporting of fraud, following of principles of natural justice, governance mechanism, implementation of early warning mechanism...

  As per Article 246(3) of the Constitution of India, the preservation, protection, and improvement of livestock, as well as the prevention of animal diseases, veterinary training, and practice, fall under the jurisdiction of State Governments. As per Articles 243(W) and 246, local bodies are mandated to control the stray dog population. Accordingly, local bodies are implementing the Animal Birth Control Programme to regulate the population of stray dogs. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is responsible for the human health component related to dog bites and human rabies. Under the National Rabies Control Program, data on animal bites, including high-risk groups such as children, is being collected, and necessary provisions for post-exposure prophylaxis are being made for all animal bite victims across the country through healthcare facilities. As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, state-wise data on dog bite cases and suspected huma...

  25 GW of Renewable Energy Added in FY 2024-25, Marking a 35% Increase Over Previous Year The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) achieved historic milestone in the renewable energy sector for the financial year 2024-25. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the country has added an unprecedented 25 GW of renewable energy capacity, marking an increase of nearly 35% over the previous year’s addition of 18.57 GW. Solar Sector Drives Renewable Surge India’s solar power sector led the renewable energy growth, with capacity additions soaring from 15 GW in FY24 to nearly 21 GW in FY25, a remarkable 38% increase. The country also achieved the significant milestone of surpassing 100 GW of installed solar capacity this year. Domestic Solar Manufacturing Scales New Heights In a strong push towards Atmanirbharta, India's solar module manufacturing capacity nearly doubled from 38 GW in March 2024 to 74 GW in March 2025, while solar PV cell manufacturing capacity t...

  To address the problem of Drug Abuse, Government has formulated and implemented the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) under which the Government is taking a sustained and coordinated action for arresting the problem of substance abuse. This includes: Launched Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) in all districts of the country through more than 10000 master volunteers. It has reached out to more-than 14.79 crore people including 4.96 crore youth and 2.97 crore women. 350 Integrated Rehabilitation Centers for Addicts (IRCAs) are supported by the Government to provide treatment for the drug victims, preventive education, awareness generation, motivational counseling, detoxification/de-addiction, after care and re-integration into the social mainstream. 46 Community based Peer led Intervention (CPLI) Centers supported by the Government focuses on vulnerable and at risk children and adolescents. 74 Outreach and Drop In Centers (ODICs) supported by the Government pr...

The Let’s Fix Our Food (LFOF) Consortium, led by the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), UNICEF-India along with other esteemed national and international partners, convened a dissemination and stakeholder consultation today at the ICMR, New Delhi. This initiative marks a significant step towards addressing the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity among Indian adolescents by working in factors influencing their food environments. Let’s Fix Our Food (LFOF) Consortium is a multi-stakeholder initiative led by ICMR-NIN, PHFI, and UNICEF, working in collaboration with national and international organizations to create healthier food environments for adolescents. It aims to advance evidence-based policies, empower youth through nutrition literacy, and advocate for regulatory frameworks that promote healthier food choices. The LFOF Consortium recognizes that bettering food environments for adolesce...