The PRESS Pad

11.55% Increase Over FY 2025–26 as 53 Ministries and 5 UTs Report Gender Budget Allocations The Union Budget 2026–27 , presented in Parliament on 1st February 2026  by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman , witnessed a significant rise in the Gender Budget (GB)  allocation. An allocation of ₹5.01 lakh crore  has been reported for the welfare of women and girls in the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) of FY 2026–27. This marks an 11.55% increase

Weeks after the government enacted the SHANTI Act , which opened India’s nuclear power sector to private participation, the Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP) 2026  signals a decisive policy shift — positioning nuclear power as a long-term substitute for coal-based thermal generation , especially for captive and industrial use. The draft policy, released by the Ministry of Power , seeks to recalibrate India’s power mix at a time when the country remains heavily dependent

Sanchar Saathi: Successor to the May 2023 Portal and the Android–iOS App Launched in January 2024—Now Mandated for All Smartphones Under New DoT Rules The Government of India, through the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), directed smartphone manufacturers and importers to preinstall a government-developed cybersecurity application called Sanchar Saathi  on all new smartphones sold in the country. It also instructed companies to roll out a software update to install the

Draft Seeds Bill 2025 Introduced: Mandatory Registration, New Seed Quality Standards, Testing Labs, and Penalties Up to ₹30 Lakh The Department/Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare  has released the Draft Seeds Bill, 2025 . The Bill is intended to replace the Seeds Act, 1966 . It is also intended to replace the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 . The Bill is aligned with current agricultural and regulatory requirements . The Bill aims to: safeguard farmers’ rights . ensure t

Why India Launched the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Dalhan Aatmanirbharta Mission) , Key Features, Data Trends, Challenges, Government Initiatives, and NITI Aayog Recommendations. Why Was the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses Launched? The Prime Minister of India launched the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (Dalhan Aatmanirbharta Mission)  to reduce import dependence and boost domestic production. The mission aims to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses by Dece

Key Findings of the Global Burden of Disease Report, India’s Health Transition, and Global Efforts to Combat Non-Communicable Diseases The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Report  was released by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME)  at the World Health Summit in Berlin . It provides a comprehensive analysis of global, regional, and national health trends. The report quantifies health loss from diseases, injuries, and risk factors using Disability-Adjusted Lif

Explained: Key Provisions, Global Significance, and India’s Stand on the UN’s Landmark Cybercrime Treaty What Is the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime? The United Nations Convention against Cybercrime (UNCC)  is the world’s first universal legislative framework  to combat cybercrime. The convention aims to create a legally binding global system  for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting cybercrimes while protecting human rights. It was adopted by the UN Genera

Global childhood obesity reaches 9.4% — surpassing underweight (9.2%) for the first time; 1 in 20 under-fives and 1 in 5 adolescents are overweight, as obesity among 5–19-year-olds triples since 2000. In 2025 , the world reached a historic and alarming milestone — for the first time , the prevalence of obesity among school-aged children and adolescents  has surpassed that of underweight . According to the UNICEF report “Feeding Profit: How Food Environments are Failing Childr

Why Are Anti-Immigration Policies Increasing Worldwide and What Do They Mean for India? In recent years, several countries across Western democracies and parts of Asia have seen a sharp rise in anti-immigration rhetoric, protests, and restrictive policies . These include public demonstrations, political campaigns, and administrative actions targeting migrants—both skilled and unskilled. Recent global examples include: United States:  Hike in H-1B visa fees , affecting thousan

In October 2025, the President of India inaugurated the observance of the Mahasamadhi centenary  of Sree Narayana Guru  in Kerala, marking 100 years since the passing of one of India’s greatest social and spiritual reformers. Who Was Sree Narayana Guru? Sree Narayana Guru (1856–1928) was a saint, philosopher, poet, spiritual guide, and a revolutionary social reformer  from Kerala. Birthplace:  Chempazhanthy, near Thiruvananthapuram Community:  Born into the Ezhava community ,

Why Did UNESCO Include the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Its World Network, and What Makes This Himalayan Region Globally Significant? Biosphere Reserves in India UNESCO has included the Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve  in India as part of 26 new sites  added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) . Key Highlights India now has 13 Biosphere Reserves  in the UNESCO WNBR. Globally, WNBR now includes 785 biosphere reserve sites . São Tomé and Príncipe  became the fir