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• The ‘Bal Vivah Mukt Bharat’ campaign was initiated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, to unite various stakeholders in a concerted effort to eliminate child marriage in the country.
• The campaign focuses on seven high-burden states—West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Tripura, Assam, and Andhra Pradesh—along with nearly 300 districts where the prevalence of child marriage exceeds the national average.
• A key objective is to encourage every State and Union Territory to develop an action plan with the goal of reducing child marriage rates to below 5% by 2029. According to government data, child marriage rates have dropped from 47.4% in 2006 to 23.3% in 2019-21.
• A prominent feature of this initiative is the launch of the Child Marriage Free Bharat portal, a platform designed to raise awareness, report incidents, and track progress. The portal will help in monitoring the activities of Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs), strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure their proactive involvement in preventing child marriages and supporting victims.
• Through the portal, the public can file complaints related to child marriages, which will be directly forwarded to the relevant CMPOs across the country. All states have been instructed to register CMPOs on the portal for real-time case tracking.
• Nodal officers at the Centre will oversee the portal’s monitoring to ensure effective implementation. The campaign aims to make information more accessible, promoting better communication and support for the cause.

• The government recently introduced an updated version of its e-auction portal, ‘Baanknet,’ in Delhi.
• About the Baanknet Portal:
  • Baanknet is an e-auction platform designed to centralize information on properties available for online bidding by Public Sector Banks (PSBs).
  • It serves as a comprehensive hub for both buyers and investors, offering a wide selection of properties.
  • The portal features various listings, including residential properties like flats, independent homes, and open plots, as well as commercial real estate, industrial land and buildings, shops, vehicles, plant and machinery, along with agricultural and non-agricultural land.
• Key Features:
  • The upgraded platform boasts a range of enhanced features, including a seamless user experience where the entire process—from pre-auction to auction and post-auction—can be navigated through a single application.
  • It also integrates an automated payment gateway and KYC verification tools, built on a microservices architecture that allows easy third-party integration via an open API.
  • Users can access a convenient dashboard for detailed 'Spend Analytics' and various 'Management Information System (MIS) Reports' with just one click.
  • Moreover, the portal includes a dedicated helpdesk and call center with a callback request option to assist users with any queries.
  • By bringing all auction-related information into one platform, Baanknet simplifies the process for buyers and investors, enabling them to discover and participate in property auctions more efficiently.
  • The platform plays a crucial role in supporting the asset recovery efforts of PSBs, thus enhancing their financial health and improving credit flow to businesses and individuals.
  • To date, over 122,500 properties have been successfully migrated to the new portal for auction.

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• The Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA) scheme, launched in January 2015, has marked a decade of success, distributing 36.87 crore LED bulbs, which have resulted in annual electricity savings of ₹19,153 crore, according to official data from the Ministry of Power.
• About the UJALA Scheme:
  • In May 2015, the Government of India launched the UJALA scheme, also known as the LED-based Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme (DELP), with the aim of enhancing energy efficiency across all households. This scheme is recognized as the world's largest zero-subsidy LED lamp distribution program. Implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power, the initiative targets reducing energy consumption by replacing traditional bulbs, CFLs, and streetlights with energy-efficient LEDs. The primary goal of the UJALA scheme is to save 85 lakh kWh of electricity and 15,000 tonnes of CO2 by replacing 77 crore conventional bulbs and CFLs, along with 3.5 crore streetlights, with LEDs.
• Eligible Households:
  • Any domestic household with a metered connection from their local Electricity Distribution Company is eligible to obtain LED bulbs under the UJALA scheme. Consumers can either purchase the bulbs through EMI payment (monthly or bimonthly installments via the electricity bill) or through a one-time upfront payment. In an effort to ensure inclusive growth, especially in low-income communities, EESL has partnered with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to facilitate the distribution of LEDs under the scheme.
  • The annual energy savings from the scheme now stand at 47,883 million kWh, with peak demand reduced by 9,586 MW and a decrease of 3.87 crore tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. These significant savings have been achieved through e-procurement and bulk purchasing, which allowed LED bulbs to be offered at affordable prices to millions of households. The UJALA scheme has successfully reduced the retail price of LED bulbs from ₹300-350 per bulb to ₹70-80 per bulb.

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• The Prime Minister will inaugurate 'Mission Mausam' during the 150th foundation day celebration of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• About Mission Mausam:
  • Mission Mausam is designed to enhance India's weather and climate science, research, and services, with the goal of transforming India into a 'Weather-ready and Climate-smart' nation.
  • The ambitious initiative, with a budget of Rs 2,000 crore over two years, will primarily be implemented by the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting.
  • This mission aims to improve forecasting accuracy, deliver near real-time localized weather forecasts, and foster research in weather management technologies.
  • The mission will achieve its objectives through the development of advanced weather surveillance technologies and systems, including high-resolution atmospheric observations, next-generation radars and satellites, and high-performance computing resources.
  • By harnessing these technologies, the program seeks to enhance data collection and analysis, improving the accuracy of forecasts both spatially and temporally, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
  • Additionally, the mission will focus on enhancing understanding of weather and climate processes and providing air quality data, which will aid in long-term weather management and intervention strategies.
  • It will also empower stakeholders, including citizens and last-mile users, to better prepare for extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change.

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