• 09 Mar 2026

Amit Shah Inaugurated Cooperative Sector Projects in Odisha

Why in News? 

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for multiple cooperative sector and development projects worth over ₹3,770 crore in Odisha during an event held in Bhubaneswar. 

Key Points: 

• Initiatives: Projects of the National Dairy Development Board, Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation, and the Odisha government were inaugurated or had foundation stones laid during the event. 
  • A total of 173 projects of the Odisha government were inaugurated, including 61 completed projects worth ₹1,230 crore and 112 new projects worth ₹2,116 crore. 
• Cooperative Sector Development: The Union government and the Odisha government plan to build a strong cooperative network in every village, particularly in the dairy sector, inspired by the cooperative model of Amul. 
  • A new cooperative policy for Odisha is planned to strengthen dairy, fisheries, and other cooperative activities, aiming to boost rural income and women’s participation in economic activities. 
• Revival of Sugar Mills: The restart of the Badamba Sugar Mill has been completed by Indian Potash Limited, and the government aims to revive other closed sugar mills across the country through cooperative efforts. 
• Sulphuric Acid Plant–III: The third stream of a sulphuric acid plant was inaugurated at Paradip at the facility of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited. 
• Forensic Infrastructure: The foundation stone for a campus of National Forensic Sciences University was laid in Odisha. 
  • Under the new criminal laws, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) visits have been made mandatory for serious crimes punishable with more than seven years of imprisonment, strengthening scientific investigation. 
• Cyber Infrastructure: Specialized cybercrime and economic offences branches have been launched in 20 districts of Odisha to enhance digital and financial crime investigation capabilities.  
• Conviction Rate: Odisha has recorded a conviction rate of more than 87% in FIRs registered under the new criminal laws.  
• Significance: The initiatives aim to strengthen cooperative institutions, forensic infrastructure, agricultural processing, and industrial capacity in Odisha, contributing to rural development, improved law enforcement, and greater self-reliance in fertilizer production. 

Read More: Cooperative sector , Amul, Cyber Infrastructure, New criminal laws 

Advanced Aadhaar Seva Kendra Inaugurated in Ranchi

Why in News? 

The Advanced Aadhaar Seva Kendra (ASK) was inaugurated in Ranchi, Jharkhand by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth to strengthen Aadhaar enrolment and update services in the region. 

Key Points: 

• Implementing Authority: The centre operates under the Unique Identification Authority of India, the statutory authority responsible for issuing Aadhaar numbers and managing Aadhaar-related services. 
  • The day-to-day operations of the Aadhaar Seva Kendra will be managed by Protean eGov Technologies Ltd to ensure efficient enrolment and update services. 
• Expansion of Aadhaar Centres: New centres will be opened in several districts including Bokaro, Hazaribagh, Giridih, Deoghar, Godda, Dumka, Sahibganj, Saraikela-Kharsawan, West Singhbhum, Garhwa, and Palamu in a phased manner. 
• Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU): Parents have been urged to ensure children complete the mandatory biometric update at the ages of 5 and 15 to enable access to government schemes and avoid issues during examinations such as NEET and CUET. 
  • The centre has also introduced Birth Registration Number (BRN)-based child enrollment, enabling easier Aadhaar registration for children linked with birth records. 
• Significance: The initiative aims to enhance transparency, improve service delivery, and expand Aadhaar infrastructure in Jharkhand, ensuring easier access to digital identity services for residents.  

Read More: Aadhaar, Unique Identification Authority of India 

Shiva Temple Tourism Circuit in Bihar

Why in News? 

The Government of Bihar is planning to develop a Shiva temple tourism circuit connecting major temples dedicated to Lord Shiva across the state to promote spiritual tourism beyond traditional destinations such as Patna, Nalanda, and Gaya. 

Key Points: 

• Proposal: The plan to develop a Shiva Circuit was announced in the Bihar Assembly by Road Construction Minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal during a discussion on improving connectivity to important Shiva temples. 
• Objective: The initiative aims to boost religious and spiritual tourism, preserve historical and mythological heritage associated with Lord Shiva, and encourage visitors to explore multiple pilgrimage destinations in the state. 
• Preparation of Temple List:  
  • Ajgaibinath Dham 
  • Budhanath Temple 
  • Harihar Nath Temple 
  • Ugna Mahadev Temple 
  • Brahmeshwar Nath Temple 
  • Ashok Dham 
• Inter-Department Coordination: Departments such as Tourism, Transport, and Road Construction will work together to develop roads, tourist facilities, and connectivity between temple sites. 
  • The proposed circuit will be developed on the lines of the existing Buddha Circuit and Ramayana Circuit, which already attract large numbers of pilgrims and tourists. 
• Significance: The Shiva Circuit is expected to strengthen Bihar’s religious tourism sector, improve infrastructure, increase pilgrimage travel, and generate employment and local economic opportunities in temple towns across the state.  

Read More: Tourism, Lord Shiva 

Jammu & Kashmir Artificial Intelligence Mission

Why in News? 

The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated steps to establish the Jammu & Kashmir Artificial Intelligence Mission (JK-AIM) to promote the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies in governance and public service delivery. 

Key Points: 

• Proposal: The initiative was discussed in a meeting chaired by Dr. Piyush Singla to create an institutional framework for integrating AI-based solutions in government functioning. 
• Objective: The proposed mission aims to promote the use of Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies across government departments to improve governance, data-driven decision-making, and citizen service delivery. 
  • JK-AIM will support the development of several AI tools such as intelligent chatbots, automated grievance systems, multilingual communication platforms, predictive analytics, and AI-enabled cybersecurity solutions. 
• Institutional Structure: It will function as a mission-mode initiative under the Information Technology Department with a structured governance framework including a Mission Steering Committee for strategic oversight and a Technical Wing for implementation.  
  • The initiative will encourage collaboration with research institutions, startups, and technology partners to foster innovation and develop AI-driven solutions for public administration. 
• Significance: The proposed JK-AIM is expected to strengthen digital governance, improve administrative efficiency, and enhance public service delivery in Jammu & Kashmir through advanced technologies. 

Read More: Artificial Intelligence, Digital governance