EN: NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) replaced the Planning Commission from January 1, 2015. It is NEITHER a constitutional body (no Article mentions it) NOR a statutory body (no Act created it) — it's an advisory body formed through a Cabinet Resolution. PM is the ex-officio Chairperson.

EN: Theme: 'Inclusive Human Development for Viksit Bharat @2047' — focused on development of every Indian regardless of age, gender, region, or socio-economic background. Held at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, chaired by PM Modi. Four pillars discussed: human capital & future skills, productive employment & decentralized growth, health/nutrition/welfare, governance via digital public infrastructure.

EN: Nidhi Chhibber became the new CEO of NITI Aayog in March 2026, replacing BVR Subrahmanyam. Ashok Kumar Lahiri (economist from West Bengal) became new Vice-Chairperson in April 2026, replacing Suman Bery. NITI Aayog has 7 full-time members.

EN: Jorom Anya is the first full-time NITI Aayog member from Arunachal Pradesh/Northeast India. Other full-time members include Rajiv Gauba (former Cabinet Secretary), KV Raju (economist), Arvind Virmani, M Srinivas (Director AIIMS Delhi), Arvind Panagariya (former).

EN: Yogasana Bharat (India's national governing body for yoga sport) and the World Yogasana body jointly organized the first World Yogasana Championship. India topped the medal tally with 114 medals (102 Gold, 9 Silver, 3 Bronze). Japan 2nd (11 medals), Argentina 3rd (5 medals). Sports Authority of India oversees implementation; Ministry of AYUSH (Minister Prataprao Jadhav) handles yoga governance.

EN: Medal table rankings in sports depend on the number of GOLD medals won, not total medal count. Nepal had only 1 Gold medal (36 Silver, 15 Bronze = 52 total), hence ranked 5th despite high total medals. This is a universal sports ranking principle (also used in Olympics).

EN: India officially gave Yoga sport status in December 2020 (via Ministry of AYUSH and Ministry of Sports). This recognition path led to the first World Yogasana Championship in 2026. 2026 theme for International Yoga Day (12th edition, June 21): 'Yoga for Healthy Ageing'.

EN: NCW recommended a National Commission for Prisons specifically to protect rights of women prisoners — part of a Law Review on women prisoners' laws (2025-26). Recommendations sent to Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Women & Child Development (Minister: Annapurna Devi) for consideration.

EN: NCW established under the National Commission for Women Act, 1990 (operational from January 31, 1992) — a statutory body (created by Parliament's law), NOT a constitutional body. First Chairperson: Jayanti Patnaik. Current Chairperson: Vijaya Kishore Rahatkar.

EN: Priyadarsini Scheme provides free bus travel for women in KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) ordinary buses, effective June 15, 2026, with no income or age limit. Benefits women of all ages, income groups, and transgender persons. Kerala joins Karnataka (Congress), Telangana (Congress), Delhi (BJP) in offering free bus travel for women.

EN: Annapurna Devi is the current Minister of Women and Child Development, to whom NCW sends its recommendations (like the National Commission for Prisons recommendation).

EN: India has 28 states + 8 UTs = 36 total administrative entities. West Bengal was the last one to implement PM-JAY (the world's largest govt-funded health scheme, providing ₹5 lakh/family/year cashless coverage), making it the 36th and final entity to join. Earlier blocked by TMC's Mamata Banerjee; now implemented after BJP came to power in WB. PM-JAY launched September 23, 2018.

EN: West Bengal Assembly has 294 seats. Suvendu Adhikari became the state's FIRST BJP Chief Minister in its history (after recent general elections). Governor: R.N. Ravi. Capital: Kolkata.

EN: Kerala's Governor is Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. Kerala has 140 Assembly seats; UDF (Congress is largest party) won the recent general elections, VD Satheesan became CM. Capital: Thiruvananthapuram.

EN: USA, Canada, and Mexico are jointly hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 — the first time 3 countries co-host. Mexico becomes the first country to host 3 different World Cups (1970, 1986, 2026). Opening match: Mexico vs South Africa at Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca). Final: MetLife Stadium, USA, in July.

EN: Teams increased from 32 (2022) to 48 (2026) — the largest World Cup ever, with 104 matches across 16 cities, 12 groups of 4 teams each. Round of 32 introduced for the first time. Defending champion: Argentina (Lionel Messi). India has never qualified for FIFA World Cup. FIFA established 1904 in Paris, HQ in Zurich, Switzerland.

EN: Winner gets $50 million (~₹476 crore); Runner-up gets $33 million (~₹314 crore); 3rd place gets $29 million (~₹276 crore). Total prize pool: $871 million across all participating teams.

EN: Three mascots: Clutch (an eagle) from USA, Zayu (a jaguar) from Mexico, and Maple (a moose) from Canada. Each host nation contributed one mascot for World Cup 2026.

EN: Lionel Messi (Argentina, captain, won 2022 World Cup) is expected to play his final World Cup in 2026, along with Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Neymar (Brazil) — all playing potentially their last World Cups.

EN: Shiveluch Volcano is located in Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula — one of the largest and most active volcanoes in the region, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Age: ~60,000-70,000 years. Type: Stratovolcano (layers of ash, lava, volcanic rock). Peak height: 3,283m, with a 9km wide caldera. Russia capital: Moscow; President: Vladimir Putin; Currency: Russian Ruble.

EN: A stratovolcano is formed by alternating layers of ash, lava, and volcanic rock — typically known for severe/explosive eruptions. Examples include volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire region (Indonesia, Philippines, Kamchatka).

EN: The Pacific Ring of Fire is a zone of intense tectonic activity surrounding the Pacific Ocean, home to Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, and Kamchatka (Russia) — explaining frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Earlier in the same period, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake hit Philippines too.

EN: Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) became the first city under India's 'Easy Connect Model', effective June 25, 2026. This model allows international travelers departing from Varanasi to complete immigration, baggage check-in processes at their HOME airport itself, before connecting through Delhi to other destinations — reducing hassle. Implemented mainly by Air India (Tata Group airline).

EN: India shares land borders with 7 countries: Bangladesh (longest, 4,096.7 km), China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan (shortest, 106 km, via Gilgit-Baltistan/PoK area in J&K). Land Port Management System (also called 'VINIY') is implemented by Land Ports Authority of India (statutory body under Home Ministry).

EN: Land ports along China border will be developed at: Nangia area (Himachal Pradesh), Gunji area (Uttarakhand), and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim). 4 states/UT share border with China: Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh (5 total). Current trade points with China: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand), Shipkila Pass (Himachal Pradesh), Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).

EN: Phase 2 of Land Port development: Nepal (13 ports), Bangladesh (12 ports), Bhutan (4 ports), Myanmar (2 ports). Currently, only Attari in Punjab is the operational land port with Pakistan. New Pakistan border ports planned: Teetwal/Chakan-Da-Bagh (J&K), Hussainiwala (Punjab), Munabao (Rajasthan).

EN: The Land Port Management System is also called 'VINIY' by the Government of India. It is implemented by the Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) — a statutory body under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

EN: Assam Government and the European Union (27 countries, HQ Brussels, Belgium) jointly launched the Blue Valley Cluster project to attract EU investments in semiconductors, electronics, tea sector, and AYUSH (traditional medicine) products — boosting industrial growth in Assam and Northeast India. Assam CM: Himanta Biswa Sarma. At Republic Day 2026, European Council President and European Commission President (Ursula von der Leyen) attended as chief guests.

EN: UP's Project Ganga (launched by CM Yogi Adityanath) aims to provide high-speed internet to 20 lakh families via 8,000-10,000 Digital Service Providers, creating 1 lakh+ jobs, benefiting 57,000 gram panchayats across 21 districts in Phase 1. Knowledge Partner: One OTT Entertainment Limited.

EN: CAQM = Commission for Air Quality Management — a statutory body aiming to reduce air pollution in NCR (Delhi) and surrounding areas like Haryana. CSIR-CRRI will help control dust on urban roads in Haryana and develop 'green/sustainable roads'. CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) established 1942 by Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar and Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar; current DG: N. Kalaiselvi (Tamil Nadu, first woman DG of CSIR); under Ministry of Science & Technology, HQ New Delhi.

EN: The main objective is to control dust on Haryana's urban roads and develop sustainable/green roads — contributing to the broader CAQM goal of reducing air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.