• 01 Oct 2025

Rajasthan to Make State Elderly Friendly

Why in News?

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reiterated the state government's commitment to making Rajasthan an "elderly-friendly state" during his address ahead of the International Day of Older Persons, which is observed annually on 1st October.

Key Points

• Initiatives by Rajasthan Government:
  • Honouring Contributions: The Social Justice and Empowerment Department has launched various welfare programs for the elderly, and on 1st October, individuals and institutions contributing to elderly welfare will be honoured at the district level.
    • Rajasthan currently operates 63 old-age homes that provide food, healthcare, and shelter for destitute citizens.
    •  Facilities like Shravan Kumar Welfare Ashrams offer medical support, adult education, religious activities, and recreation for senior citizens.
  • Inclusive Welfare Projects: All new welfare and infrastructure projects will include provisions tailored for senior citizens.
  • Housing Schemes: New housing developments will feature ramps, supportive staircases, parks, and medical facilities to cater to the needs of the elderly.
  • Parents and Senior Citizens Maintenance Act, 2007: The Act is being strictly enforced, and tribunals have been set up at both subdivision and district levels to safeguard the rights of senior citizens.
• International Day of Older Persons: This day is celebrated to recognise the contributions made by older people and promote the need for inclusive and age-friendly societies.
  • Designated by the UN General Assembly on 14th October, 1990, it is based on the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing (1982) and the UN Principles for Older Persons. 
• Theme: The 2025 theme, “Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being and Our Rights”, highlights the transformative role older persons play in building resilient and equitable societies.
• Commitments & Global Framework:
  • The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) aligns with SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being. 
  • India formulated the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) in 1999 and is a signatory to the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002).
    • As of December 2023, India has 153 million elderly individuals (aged 60 and above), projected to rise to 347 million by 2050, accounting for 20.8% of the total population.

3.7 lakh Electors Declared 'Ineligible' in Bihar

Why in News?

The final Bihar voter list published on 30th September 2025 has 7.42 crore voters, about 6% less than the 7.89 crore recorded on 24th June 2025, when the Election Commission of India announced a three-month Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.

Key Points

• Deletions and Additions: 65 lakh names were deleted from the draft roll, with major categories being death, migration, and duplication.
  • 3.66 lakh additional names were removed in the final stage after claims and objections.
  • There was a negligible number of non-citizens or foreigners removed.
  • 21.53 lakh new voters were added to the final list.
  • The number of electors increased by 17.9 lakh compared to the draft roll (7.2 crore) published on 1st August 2025.
• Gender Representation: The percentage of women electors decreased slightly from 47.75% in January to 47.15% after the completion of SIR.
• Legal Aspects:
  • Supreme Court Judgement: The Court ruled that Aadhaar would be included as the 12th document for proof of identity, thus raising the bar for exclusions.
  • Appeal Process: Voters dissatisfied with deletions can appeal to the District Magistrate and the Chief Electoral Officer.

Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls

• Electoral Rolls: An Electoral Roll (also known as a Voter List or Electoral Register) is the official list of all eligible and registered voters within a specific constituency. 
  • It is used to verify voter identities and ensure a fair and transparent electoral process during elections.
  • The Electoral Rolls are prepared by the ECI under the Representation of the People Act (RP Act), 1950.
  • It excludes non-citizens (Section 16) and includes citizens aged 18 or above who are ordinarily resident in the constituency (Section 19).
• Special Intensive Revision: SIR is a focused, time-bound house-to-house voters’ verification process conducted by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to update and correct the electoral rolls before major elections. 
  • It ensures that the voter list is accurate, inclusive, and free from discrepancies by allowing new registrations, deletions, and modifications.
  • Section 21 of the RP Act, 1950 empowers the ECI to prepare and revise electoral rolls, including conducting a special revision at any time with recorded reasons.
• Constitutional Basis of SIR: Article 324 vests the ECI with the power to supervise and control the preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of elections.
  • Article 326 guarantees universal adult suffrage, allowing citizens aged 18 and above to vote, unless disqualified by law due to criminal conviction, unsound mind, or corruption.
  • Article 327 deals with the power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.
  • Article 328 deals with power of the Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.
• Judicial Stand: The Supreme Court in the Mohinder Singh Gill v. The Chief Election Commissioner Case, 1977 upheld the ECI’s broad powers under Article 324 to ensure free and fair elections, including ordering re-polls if needed, and emphasized that judicial review is restricted during elections as per Article 329(b).
  • It clarified that ECI can act independently if laws under Articles 327 and 328 are silent on any aspect.
  • It also noted that while natural justice is important, the ECI can take swift and practical decisions in exceptional situations. 
• Previous Electoral Roll Revision: SIRs were conducted in 1952–56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983–84, 1987–89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003, and 2004 in various parts of the country. In Bihar, the last SIR was held in 2003.

Jaipur Leads NCRB List in Cheating Cases

Why in News?

The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report for 2023 highlights that Jaipur ranks third in the country for major crimes, including murder, theft, kidnapping, and crimes against women.

• However, the most significant concern for the city police is the surge in cheating cases, where Jaipur occupies the first position nationwide.

Key Points

• Cheating: According to the NCRB, Jaipur recorded 3,331 cases of cheating in 2023, making it the highest in the country. Bengaluru followed with 3,109 cases, New Delhi with 2,766 cases, and Mumbai with 2,445 cases. 
  • A large number of these cases are linked to financial fraud, such as the use of cloned debit and credit cards, which the police admit pose a serious challenge because of the involvement of multiple stakeholders like banks and financial services companies. 
• Theft: In terms of theft, Jaipur stands at the third position with 10,003 cases, only behind Bengaluru, which recorded 10,438 and New Delhi, which topped the list with an alarming 2,28,173 cases. 
• Kidnappings: A similar trend is seen in kidnappings, where Jaipur registered 939 cases, again ranking third after Bengaluru with 1,203 cases and New Delhi with 5,867 cases. 
• Murder: When it comes to murders, Jaipur is in the third spot with 131 cases, while Bengaluru recorded 215 and New Delhi 521 cases in 2023.
• Crime Against Women: The city also features prominently in crimes against women, especially in cases related to outraging the modesty of women. Jaipur recorded 408 such cases in 2023, placing it behind Bengaluru with 736, Mumbai with 781, and New Delhi with 800 cases.

Law and Order Initiatives by Rajasthan

• Strengthening of the surveillance and security system under the 'Rajasthan Civil Security Act'
• Provision of expenditure of Rs 350 crore on the establishment of the Sardar Patel Centre for Cyber Control and War Room. 
• Establishment of 400 Video Conference (VC) Nodes for the production of undertrial prisoners. 
• Installation of the T-HCBS system to block illegal mobile signals in 7 Central Prisons. 
• Provision for establishing 8 new cyber police stations. 

MP Reintroduces Bhavantar Scheme

Why in News?

The Madhya Pradesh government has reintroduced the Bhavantar Scheme (Price Deficiency Payment Scheme) to provide price compensation to soybean farmers facing market losses and crop damage, ensuring fair prices and farmer welfare.

Key Points

• About: The scheme aims to bridge the gap between market prices and the Minimum Support Price (MSP), ensuring that farmers do not face financial losses. 
  • With a commitment to support farmers, the state government plans to compensate for losses caused by market fluctuations or crop diseases like yellow mosaic disease.
• Eligibility and Registration: Farmers must register their crops under the Bhavantar Scheme to receive compensation for any selling price below the MSP, with the state government paying the price difference directly to their account.
  • MSP for Soybean is ₹5,328 per quintal, but many farmers are currently selling at prices below this amount.
• Significance: Madhya Pradesh, accounting for nearly 50% of India's total soybean production, is the country's leading soybean producer, earning it the title of the soybean bowl of India.
• Challenges: Despite the significant contribution, farmers face immense challenges, with poor market returns, natural disasters, and disease affecting their livelihood.
  • The earlier implementation of the Bhavantar scheme (2017) faced several challenges, including delayed payments and an oversupply of crops, which led to a sharp decline in prices and ultimately harmed farmers.

Soybean Crop 

• Soybean is a Kharif crop in India. 
• Soybean (Glycine max) is the world’s most important seed legume, which contributes 25% to the global edible oil, about two-thirds of the world's protein concentrate for livestock feeding and is a valuable ingredient in formulated feeds for poultry and fish. 
• It is predominantly grown as a rainfed crop in Vertisols and associated soils with an average crop season rainfall of 900 mm. 
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are the major Producing States in India.

PMUY Beneficiaries to Get Free LPG Refills

Why in News?

The Uttar Pradesh cabinet has approved the distribution of two free LPG cylinders to 18.6 million beneficiary families during Holi and Diwali under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), emphasising the government's support for low-income households.

• This initiative underscores the government's continued commitment to women's health and empowerment, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,385.34 crore for providing the free refills.

Key Points

• About: 
  • The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOPNG) introduced the ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana’ (PMUY) as a flagship scheme with the objective of making clean cooking fuel, such as LPG, available to the rural and deprived households, which were otherwise using traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, coal, cow-dung cakes, etc. 
• Objectives: 
  • Empowering women and protecting their health. 
  • Reducing the number of deaths in India due to unclean cooking fuel.
  • Preventing young children from a significant number of acute respiratory illnesses caused by indoor air pollution from burning fossil fuels. 
• Features: 
  • The scheme provides financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households. 
  • Along with a deposit-free LPG connection, Ujjwala 2.0 will provide the first refill and a hotplate free of cost to the beneficiaries.
• Benefits of PMUY:
  • The eligible beneficiaries receive a free LPG connection.
  • The beneficiaries also receive a subsidy on the first six refills of 14.2 kg cylinders or eight refills of 5 kg cylinders.
  • The beneficiaries can opt for an EMI facility to pay for the cost of the stove and the first refill.
  • The beneficiaries can also join the PAHAL scheme to receive the subsidy amount directly in their bank accounts.
• Phases of PMUY:
  • Ujjwala 1.0: The scheme, launched on 1st May 2016, aimed to provide 8 Crore LPG connections to deprived households by March 2020.
  • Ujjwala 2.0: To cover the remaining poor households, the Government launched Ujjwala 2.0 in August 2021. 
    • Under Ujjwala 2.0, a special provision was made for migrant families, allowing them to avail a new LPG connection through a self-declaration instead of requiring Proof of Address and Ration Card.
• Consumption Trends: Globally, PMUY is the biggest program of its kind that provides Domestic LPG to more than 10.33 crore poor households at an effective price of just about Rs. 35/Kg. 
• Top States: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan are the top states leading the PMUY implementation.

Promulgation of District Mineral Foundation Trust Rules

Why in News?

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has given approval for the promulgation of the Uttar Pradesh District Mineral Foundation Trust (Third Amendment) Rules, 2025, in line with the revised guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) issued in January 2024 by the Ministry of Mines.

Key Points

• Objective: The amendment aims to benefit individuals in areas directly affected by mining operations by utilising District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds for community development and welfare activities.
• Funds Allocation: 70% of DMF funds will be exclusively allocated for drinking water supply, environmental protection, health care, education, and skill development in mining-affected areas.
  • The remaining 30% of funds can be utilised for physical infrastructure, irrigation, alternative energy sources, etc.
• Financial Impact: The promulgation of the revised rules will not impose any financial burden on the state government.
• Monitoring Systems: A state-level monitoring committee will be set up, chaired by the Chief Secretary, to oversee the implementation of works under PMKKKY and ensure effective use of the DMF funds.

District Mineral Foundation (DMF)

• About: As per the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2015, in every district affected by mining-related operations, the state government shall, by notification, establish a trust as a non-profit body to be called the District Mineral Foundation.
• DMF Funds: Each mining leaseholder will pay a portion of the royalty, not exceeding one-third of the total royalty, to the DMF, in accordance with the rates prescribed by the Central Government.
• Functioning: The functioning of the DMF Trusts and the utilisation of funds, governed by the respective States’ DMF Rules, incorporates the mandates of the central guideline, PMKKKY.

Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY)

• Nodal Ministry: Launched in 2025, PMKKKY is a scheme by the Ministry of Mines for the welfare of people & affected areas by using the funds accrued under the District Mineral Foundation (DMF). 
• Objectives: Implement welfare projects in mining areas to complement government schemes, mitigate adverse impacts, and ensure sustainable livelihoods.
• PMKKKY 2024 Guidelines: PMKKKY 2024 mandates that at least 70% of DMF funds must be spent on High Priority Sectors, which directly impact the well-being of mining-affected communities.