Daily Current Affairs and GK | 29 and 30 June 2025

Topic: Important Days

1. National Statistics Day: 29 June

• National Statistics Day is celebrated every year on 29 June.

• This year, the theme for the National Statistics Day celebration is “75 Years of National Sample Survey”.
• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation celebrated the 19th Statistics Day on  29th June 2025 at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi.
• In 2007, the Government of India designated June 29 as the “Statistics Day”.
• National Statistics Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of the late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
• He set up the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata.

Topic: Personality in News

2. The nation paid tribute to PV Narasimha Rao on his birth anniversary.

• Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao was paid tributes across India on his birth anniversary and his important role in shaping the economic direction of India was recognized.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Rao’s leadership during a defining era of India’s development and praised his intellect and wisdom.
• PV Narasimha Rao, born on June 28, 1921, in present-day Telangana, served as India’s ninth Prime Minister from 1991 to 1996.
• His tenure is widely remembered for initiating the 1991 economic reforms that liberalized India's economy and accelerated national growth.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described Rao as a towering statesman and an outstanding scholar who guided India towards economic transformation.
• Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge credited Rao’s policies for expanding the middle class and advancing the country’s nuclear and foreign policies.
• Rao's bold 1991 reforms laid the foundation for a liberal, self-reliant, and progressive India.
• He was the first South Indian and the second non-Hindi-speaking leader to hold the position.

Topic: State News/Andhra Pradesh

3. Amaravati will host India's first quantum computing valley.

• India’s first Quantum Computing Valley will be launched in Amaravati by January 2026, as announced by IT Secretary Katamneni Bhaskar.
• This will enable educational institutions, healthcare providers, pharma companies, and agri-tech and med-tech industries not only in Andhra Pradesh but across the country to avail the services of Quantum Valley.
• The Quantum Valley Tech Park is expected to provide employment to lakhs of professionals through research, innovation, and industry collaboration.
• Access to its infrastructure will be provided to various state bodies, institutions, and industries nationwide.
• Katamneni Bhaskar clarified that quantum computing will not eliminate jobs, as classical systems will continue to be relevant.
• Employment generation and startup growth are projected, with skill training supported by the Ratan Tata Innovation Hub.
• The center will align with the National Quantum Mission to enhance national productivity and technological advancement.
• The global firms like IBM and Google are already involved in quantum research in India.
• He said that on the security front, the central government is implementing the 'QNU Project' (Quantum Secure Communication Network) to ensure the security of computing networks and password security using quantum technology.
• IBM plans to deliver a large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2029 and has committed to setting up logical qubit quantum systems in Amaravati.

Topic: National Appointment

4. Parag Jain appointed as the new chief of RAW.

• On June 28, 2025, the Union Government has appointed senior IPS officer Parag Jain as the new chief of Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) for a fixed term of two years.
• Parag Jain will take over from current R&AW chief Ravi Sinha, who is set to retire on June 30.
• The appointment will be effective from July 1, 2025.
• Mr. Jain is a 1989-batch IPS officer from the Punjab cadre and currently heads the Aviation Research Centre.
• He was instrumental in Operation Sindoor, which involved precision missile strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan.
• Jain has held crucial posts during Punjab's terrorism period and also handled operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the 2019 Article 370 abrogation.
• Research and Analysis Wing (RAW):
  • It is one of the premier foreign intelligence agencies in the world.
  • It was formed in 1968 following the two consecutive wars in which India was involved: the India-China War of 1952 and the India-Pakistan War of 1965.
  • Its motto is “Dharmo Raksati Raksitah,” i.e., Dharma protects when it is protected.
  • The primary functions of the agency are to gather foreign intelligence, counter terrorism and counter-proliferation, advise Indian policymakers, and advance India’s foreign strategic interests.
  • It is also involved in the security of India’s nuclear program.
  • The head of RAW is designated as the Secretary (Research) in the Cabinet Secretariat and is under the authority of the Prime Minister.
  • The first secretary of RAW was Rameshwar Nath Kao.
  • RAW is headquartered in New Delhi.
  • Prior to the formation of RAW, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) was responsible for overseas intelligence collection.

Topic: Indian Polity

5. Draft rules issued by the center to promote agroforestry and ease the felling of trees.

• Draft rules were issued by the center to simplify tree felling on agricultural lands and promote agroforestry.

• These rules aim to double farmers’ income, enhance tree cover, and contribute to climate mitigation efforts.
• In a letter to all state governments on June 19, the environment ministry said the 'Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands' aim to simplify procedures and promote agroforestry by encouraging farmers to grow trees without facing bureaucratic hurdles.
• According to the model rules, the State Level Committee (SLC) already constituted under the Wood Based Industries (Establishment and Regulation) Guidelines, 2016, will work as the committee for these rules.
• It will now also include officials from the Revenue and Agriculture departments.
• The rules direct registration of plantation land on the National Timber Management System (NTMS) portal with land and sapling details.
• Verification agencies will be empanelled to conduct field visits and generate felling permits based on reports.
• For small-scale felling (up to 10 trees), photos and geotagged data will suffice for permit processing.
• Divisional Forest Officers will monitor verification efficiency and report quarterly to the State Level Committee.
• Transit and yield data will be digitally managed and streamlined through NTMS for greater transparency.
• These reforms are part of India’s efforts under the Paris Agreement to promote sustainable agriculture and reduce timber imports.

Topic: National News

6. India's social security coverage increased to 64.3%, benefiting 94 crore citizens.

• India has expanded its social security coverage from 19% in 2015 to 64.3% in 2025, benefiting over 94 crore citizens.

• The International Labour Organization (ILO), through its ILOSTAT database, has acknowledged India's 45-percentage-point increase in social security coverage over the past decade.
• This achievement makes India the world’s second-largest provider of social protection benefits, after China.
• A national data pooling exercise is being conducted using Aadhaar as a unique ID across 34 schemes such as MGNREGA, EPFO, ESIC, and PM-POSHAN
• The first phase, launched on March 19, 2025, includes ten states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra.
• In the second phase, the number of beneficiaries is planned to cross 100 crores after verification of additional schemes.
• The government has codified 29 labor laws into four labor codes: the Wage Code, the Social Security Code, the Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Code, and the Industrial Relations Code.
• This reform has extended legal protections to the unorganized sector, which makes up nearly 90% of India’s 50 crore workers.
• The Social Security Code, 2020, ensures pensions, insurance, maternity, and other benefits.
• Jan Dhan accounts and Aadhaar-linked systems have enabled efficient direct benefit transfers, saving over ₹3.48 lakh crore.
• Women’s empowerment schemes such as Ujjwala Yojana and Lakhpati Didi have reached millions of beneficiaries.
• Health and food security have improved with Ayushman Bharat issuing 41.29 crore health cards offering up to ₹5 lakh insurance and PMGKAY ensuring food for 80.67 crore people.
• Ayushman Vay Vandana covers seniors above 70, while 31.16 lakh persons with disabilities benefited from ADIP, and the SMILE scheme supports transgender individuals through 12 pilot Garima Greh shelter homes.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

7. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla inaugurated the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Zone-2 conference.

• The event took place at Tapovan in Dharamshala.
• Zone-2 includes Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.
• The conference acts as an important platform to uphold democratic principles.
• It encourages the exchange of successful legislative practices.
• The event also focuses on strengthening governance in the digital era.
• Participants explored new and effective approaches to lawmaking and administration.
• The theme of the conference is "Good Governance in the Digital Era: Managing Resources, Defending Democracy, and Embracing Innovation."
• The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is a global organization of parliamentarians.
• It works to promote and protect parliamentary democracy through cooperation and dialogue.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. India has recorded a remarkable 78% reduction in under-five mortality.

• This surpasses the global average decline of 61%.
• The 2024 report by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation highlights this progress.
• It also shows a 70% drop in India’s neonatal mortality rate.
• Globally, the decline in neonatal mortality is 54%.
• The Ministry of Health attributes India’s improvement to targeted efforts in expanding immunization.
• Special focus has been placed on reaching underserved communities.
• Vaccination is acknowledged as a highly effective and affordable public health strategy.
• India’s Universal Immunization Programme plays a key role in this achievement.
• It provides free vaccines annually to 2.9 crore pregnant women. It also covers 2.6 crore infants every year.
• Ongoing immunization drives have also reduced the number of zero-dose children.
• Their proportion fell from 0.11% in 2023 to 0.06% in 2024.

Topic: National News

9. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has introduced updated guidelines for Waste-to-Energy projects.

• These changes aim to improve operational efficiency and speed up the release of Central Financial Assistance (CFA).
• The new rules reduce paperwork and relax approval requirements.
• This simplifies the overall process for project developers.
• CFA disbursement is now tied to the plant’s performance instead of waiting for full capacity.
• Earlier, financial aid was given only after the plant reached 80% of its generation capacity.
• The revised guideline allows CFA to be released in two separate phases. This helps provide funding more quickly.
• The first 50% of CFA will be granted once the project obtains the Consent to Operate from the State Pollution Control Board.
• The remaining 50% will be released after the plant reaches 80% of its rated capacity or the maximum CFA-eligible capacity, whichever is lower.
• These updates are expected to assist industries, especially MSMEs, in boosting production of Compressed Bio Gas, Biogas, and Power.
• The new guidelines aim to foster a more efficient, transparent, and performance-driven Bio Waste-to-Energy sector in India.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors 

10. Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the National Turmeric Board headquarters in Nizamabad, Telangana.

• A four-decade-old demand of turmeric farmers has been fulfilled by establishing the Board.
• This demand was especially strong in Telangana, where turmeric farming is widespread.
• The Board will help bring Nizamabad’s turmeric to international markets within three to four years.
• Turmeric farmers will no longer depend on middlemen.
• The Board will manage the entire value chain, including packaging, branding, marketing, and exporting.
• The government aims to achieve $1 billion in turmeric exports by 2030.
• Preparations to meet this goal are already in progress.
• In 2025, farmers earned ₹18,000 to ₹19,000 per quintal for turmeric.
• The government plans to help farmers earn an extra ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per quintal within the next three years.
• Turmeric is known for its strong medicinal properties.
• It is anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory.
• The National Turmeric Board will also promote GI-certified organic turmeric.
• National Cooperative Exports Limited has been launched to support export-oriented farmers.
• National Cooperative Organics Limited has been formed to help organic producers.
• Nizamabad, Jagtial, Nirmal, and Kamareddy are among the top turmeric-producing districts in Telangana.
• In 2023–24, turmeric was cultivated on 3 lakh hectares across India.