Context: The number of people demanding work every month on average under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) increased to a four-month high of 25.73 million in December, according to the latest data from the government. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)

SpaDeX Mission

Context: ITD Cementation India Ltd has won an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract worth ₹ 1,648 crore for construction at the Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra. Vadhvan Port: Deep Seaport in Maharashtra Switzerland to Invest in Vadhvan Port

Context: A large quantity of suspected spurious anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and other drugs has been seized from Kolkata. The seizure follows a joint investigation conducted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). Not of Standard Quality (NSQ) Drugs

Context: The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre, or IN-SPACe, was successful in establishing and operationalizing 10 hosted payloads from NGEs onboard PSLV-C60/SpaDeX. PSLV-C60/SpaDeX

Context: Several government websites went down on Tuesday following a power outage at the National Informatics Centre’s (NIC) data centre in Shastri Park in northeast Delhi, sources said. National Informatics Centre Services National Informatics Centre Services Inc. is a government department of India under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Context: The highest number of foreigners deported from India were from Nigeria, followed by Bangladesh and Uganda, the Union Home Ministry said in its annual report for 2023-24. Key Highlights: The Foreigners Registration Office The Foreigners Registration Office is a department of the Indian government which is responsible for registering foreign nationals visiting India on a long-term visa. Its registration is within 14 days, 24 hours for Pakistani nationals, and children under 16 years are exempted from its registration.

Context: Unlike the U.S., Indian judges are not appointees of the ruling party and are selected through a collegium of senior judges. Appointment of Judges The Constitution of India provides for the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts under Articles 124(2) and 217. Impeachment of High Court Judge

Context: Pew Research Center‘s religion-related hostilities report for the year 2022. Highlights: Important Indexes and India’s Position Index India’s Position (2023/2024) Description Issuing Organization Human Development Index (HDI) 132nd (2022) A composite index measuring average achievement in three basic dimensions: life expectancy, education, and per capita income. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) 58th (2023) Measures factors that drive long-term productivity and prosperity, including institutions, infrastructure, and innovation. World Economic Forum (WEF) Ease of Doing Business Index 63rd (2020) Ranks countries based on the conduciveness of their regulatory environment to business operations. (Note: Discontinued in 2021) World Bank Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 86th (2023) Ranks countries based on perceived public sector corruption, determined by expert assessments and surveys. Transparency International World Press Freedom Index 161st (2024) Measures media freedom in different countries, based on pluralism, independence, and transparency. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Global Innovation Index (GII) 40th (2023) Assesses innovation capability based on R&D, infrastructure, and education. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 168th (2022) Ranks countries on environmental health and ecosystem vitality. Yale University, Columbia University Global Hunger Index (GHI) 107th (2023) Multidimensional index measuring hunger and malnutrition around the world. Concern Worldwide, Welthungerhilfe World Happiness Index 126th (2023) Measures happiness levels based on income, freedom, trust, and social support. United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 11th (2023) Assesses terrorism impact based on incidents, fatalities, and threats. Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) World Economic Forum’s Social Mobility Index 52nd (2023) Assesses how well countries offer opportunities for social mobility, including access to education, health, and economic opportunities. World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 10th (2020) Measures countries’ commitment to cybersecurity, considering legal, technical, organizational measures, and capacity building. International Telecommunication Union (ITU) International Tax Competitiveness Index (ITCI) 61st (2023) Ranks countries on the competitiveness of their tax systems, evaluating corporate taxes and individual taxes. Tax Foundation Global Peace Index (GPI) 135th (2023) Measures peacefulness based on violence, conflict, incarceration rates, and access to weapons. Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) Sustainable Development Goals Index 120th (2023) Measures countries’ progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN. Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Logistics Performance Index (LPI) 44th (2023) Ranks countries on logistics performance, including trade efficiency, infrastructure, and customs procedures. World Bank Global Talent Competitiveness Index (GTCI) 80th (2023) Assesses a country’s ability to develop, attract, and retain talent based on education, training, and employment. INSEAD, Adecco Group, Google