Daily Current Affairs- 16th June 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 16th June 2025

India Marks 10 Years of IDY: Visakhapatnam Chosen as National Host
In the News: On June 21, 2025, India will celebrate the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY), marking a decade since its inauguration in 2015. Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, has been officially selected as the national host city for the flagship event, hosting a large-scale celebration aligned with the theme "Yoga for One Earth, One Health."

Key Points:

• Host City Designation: Visakhapatnam will serve as the national hub for IDY 2025, with Prime Minister Modi scheduled to lead the main event on June 21.
• Venue Overview: The primary setup spans a 26.5 km coastal stretch from RK Beach (Kalimata Temple area) to Bheemili, divided into 127 compartments to accommodate around 500,000 participants. Water stations, medical teams, volunteers, lifeguards, and surveillance infrastructure are being put in place.
• Security & Logistics: Deployment of around 8,000 police personnel, lifeguards, enhanced CCTV surveillance, and coordination with bus services and South Coast Railway are key components of the operational blueprint. A contingency venue at Andhra University is also prepared.
• Field Review by Officials: A high-level delegation including AYUSH Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, AP Special Chief Secretary Vijayanand, Joint Secretary Monalisa Dash, and District Collector M. N. Harendhira Prasad, has conducted site inspections at RK Beach, Rishikonda Beach, Andhra University, and GITAM University to finalize coordination, security, and crowd management protocols.
• Yogandhra Initiative: Andhra Pradesh has launched a comprehensive campaign to promote yoga: Outreach: Targeting 1 lakh+ locations across the state. Participation: Over 2 crore citizens expected to engage in daily yoga. Certification Goal: Train and certify 20 lakh yoga practitioners through camps in schools, universities, prisons, and public spaces.
• Event Theme: The national celebration aligns with IDY 2025’s theme: "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," emphasizing the synergy between individual wellness and planetary health.
• Scale of Participation: In addition to the 5 lakh participants expected in Visakhapatnam, over 100,000 satellite IDY events are planned nationwide, including at historic, cultural, and wellness landmarks.
• Strategic Vision: The event embodies PM Modi’s vision of making yoga a “people-centric movement,” extending its reach to the grassroots and “last mile” communities, reinforcing India’s role in global wellness and cultural diplomacy. 

MGNREGS Spending Cap: Centre’s Rationale and the Legal Backlash
In the News: On June 16, 2025, the Union Finance Ministry announced a 60% expenditure cap on MGNREGS for the first half (April–September) of FY 2025–26, integrating it into the Monthly/Quarterly Expenditure Plan (MEP/QEP) framework. This marks a notable shift from the scheme’s traditional demand‑driven model.

Key Points:

• Cap Introduction: For the first time, MGNREGS spending has been limited to 60% of the ₹86,000 crore annual allocation during H1 FY 26.
• Centre’s Rationale: Address chronic overspending—historically, over 70% of funding is used by September, leading to mid‑year supplementary allocations. Reduce pending dues, which averaged ₹15,000–₹25,000 crore over the past five years. Ensure fiscal discipline and prevent depletion of resources before year-end.
• Financial Snapshot (as of June 2025): Budget: ₹86,000 crore. Released: ~28%, Pending dues from FY 25: ₹19,200 crore; FY 26 dues: ₹3,262 crore. Estimated: ~50% of the budget tied up in clearing previous liabilities.
• Demand‑Driven Model Undermined: MGNREGS responds to rural distress and agricultural cycles (e.g., higher demand during droughts or monsoon delays), but the cap limits this flexibility. Example: In 2023, drought-driven spikes in Karnataka consumed over 70% of the budget within six months.
• Legal Backlash: MGNREGS is a statutory right under the 2005 Act, mandating work within 15 days and timely wage payment. Courts have ruled that financial constraints cannot override statutory obligations (e.g., Swaraj Abhiyan v Union of India 2016; Ratlam 1980; Paschim Banga 1996). The cap potentially denies legally guaranteed employment, violating the Act.
• Practical Concerns: Unclear mechanism post‑cap—states may either refuse work to meet the cap or delay wage payments. Existing issues of wage delays and pending unemployment allowances may worsen. Civil society and worker unions have criticized the move as diluting the scheme’s purpose.
• Programmatic Tension: There is growing concern that short‑term fiscal discipline is being prioritized over the scheme’s role as a rural economic lifeline and legal guarantee. The move may set a precedent of treating statutory rights as discretionary in budget planning. 

India’s 16th Census Announced for 2027
In the News: On June 16, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued the official Gazette notification launching India’s 16th decennial Census, slated to begin in two phases: October 1, 2026, for snow-bound regions, and March 1, 2027, for the rest of the country. This major exercise will feature caste enumeration for the first time since Independence, alongside a fully digital operation.

Key Points:

• Official Notification & Timeline: Gazette notification issued June 16, 2025. Two‑phase count: snow‑bound areas (Ladakh, J&K, HP, Uttarakhand) begin Oct 1, 2026; national count starts Mar 1, 2027.
• Digital-First Census: The first fully digital census—featuring GPS-tagged households, geofencing, real-time data entry via mobile apps (in 16 Indian languages), and built-in validation alerts for demographic anomalies.
• Caste Enumeration Restored: Caste data collection resumes—first since 1931 (OBC data last gathered in 1951), with full caste inclusion for the 16th census, following government approval on April 30, 2025.
• Scale & Governance: Around 4 million enumerators and 130,000+ supervisory staff, overseen by Home Minister Amit Shah, Home Secretary Govind Mohan, and Census Commissioner Mritunjay Kumar Narayan. Preparation reviews emphasized data security and operational readiness.
• Policy Implications: The census will underpin the Women’s Reservation Bill (allocating 1/3 Lok Sabha and assembly seats), inform delimitation, and serve as the basis for updating the NPR and future policymaking.
• Delayed & Deferred: Originally due in 2021, it was postponed due to COVID-19 and delimitation-linked delays; administrative boundaries freeze extended several times until a firm schedule emerged.

GFW 2024 Report on Indian Forests
In the News: The Global Forest Watch (GFW) 2024 assessment—covering tree cover and primary forest loss across India—reveals concerning trends. India lost approximately 18,200 hectares of primary forest in 2024, signalling a continued decline in natural forests and rising carbon emissions.

Key Points:

• Primary Forest Loss Surge: India saw 18,200 ha of primary (humid) forest deforested in 2024, up from 17,700 ha in 2023. Since 2001, primary forest losses total 348,000 ha, representing 15% of total tree cover loss.
• Overall Tree Cover Decline: From 2001–2024, India lost 31 million ha of tree cover—a 7.1% drop—resulting in roughly 1.29 Gt CO₂e emissions. In 2024, about 150,000 ha of natural forest were lost, translating to 68 Mt CO₂e. Regional Hotspots: Assam and North-East India bear the brunt, accounting for 74% of the nation's tree cover loss during 2001–2024. Assam alone lost 3,400 sq km (~169 sq km in 2023), releasing ~174 Mt CO₂. In Andhra Pradesh, 468 ha of primary forest vanished in 2024—the second-highest since 2017. The state lost 5,730 ha of natural forest, emitting 1.75 Mt CO₂e. Districts like East Godavari and Visakhapatnam made up 76% of this loss.
• Drivers Behind Losses: Agricultural expansion, deforestation, infrastructure development, urbanisation, and commodity production are leading causes. Human-caused Forest fires, exacerbated by climate change, drove global primary forest losses, though specific Indian data focus on land use change.
• Environmental Impact: Losses contribute to carbon emissions, disrupt climate regulation, biodiversity, and livelihoods, particularly in sensitive northeastern ecosystems.
• Gains vs Losses: India recorded some tree cover gains (e.g., Andhra Pradesh added 194,000 ha between 2002–2020), but these falls short compared to losses.

Green Fertiliser Breakthrough Wins $2M Food Planet Prize 2025
In the News: Swedish startup NitroCapt AB was awarded the $2 million Food Planet Prize 2025 for its pioneering green fertilizer technology. The breakthrough method produces nitrogen fertilizer using air, water, and renewable electricity, drastically reducing emissions compared to conventional fossil-fuel-based production.

Key Points:

• Prize & Recognition: NitroCapt secured the $2 million Food Planet Prize, the world's largest environmental award, in recognition of its potential to revolutionize sustainable agriculture.
• Innovative Process: The company’s proprietary method uses plasma technology to extract nitrogen from air, combining it with water and green energy to create fertilizer—eliminating fossil fuel dependence and cutting energy usage by tenfold.
• Decarbonising Fertilizer Sector: Traditional nitrogen fertilizer production contributes significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions—comparable to the aviation industry. NitroCapt’s solution enables local, low-emission fertilizer production, reducing logistical needs and supporting resilient food systems.
• Scaling Up: Prize funding will accelerate NitroCapt’s transition from pilot stage to commercial-scale production, enabling broader deployment. CEO Gustaf Forsberg emphasized the importance of scaling to “start shifting the use of nitrogen fertilizers to sustainable fertilizers.”
• Global Impact & Localisation: The technology’s modular design allows localized manufacturing near farms, reducing transport emissions and enhancing access—particularly beneficial in regions with fragmented fertilizer supply, including parts of Africa.
• Expert Praise: The Food Planet Prize jury noted that the solution: Reduces global energy consumption in fertilizer production. Uses only green electricity. Produces clean nitrate fertilizer supporting soil health and sustainable farming. 

Inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025

In the News: On June 14, 2025, the newly revamped 32-team FIFA Club World Cup began in the United States, marking a historic shift from the smaller annual tournament. Spanning June 14 to July 13 across 12 North American venues, the event features elite clubs like Manchester City, Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Inter Miami, with the final set for July 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Key Points:

• Tournament Launch & Format: Kicked off at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, on June 14 with Inter Miami vs Al Ahly. The competition features eight groups of four, with group winners and runners-up progressing to knockout rounds, culminating in the final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.
• Prize Money & Coverage: The prize pool totals around US $1 billion, awarding up to $125 million to the champions. DAZN is streaming all matches globally for free, with select games also airing on Channel 5 (UK), TNT Sports (US), and others like Foxtel and Telefe.
• Venues & Scale: Held in 12 U.S. cities—including Miami Gardens, Seattle (Lumen Field), Cincinnati (TQL Stadium), and East Rutherford (MetLife)—totaling 63 matches. Five of these stadiums will also host the 2026 Men’s World Cup.
• Star Power on Display: Features top-tier talent like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane, and Kingsley Coman, who scored the first goal of the tournament. Major clubs include PSG, Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Seattle Sounders.
• Opening Ceremony: Took place at Hard Rock Stadium, headlined by French Montana and Swae Lee, promoting the event as a global football celebration.
• Controversies & Criticism: Notable absentees include Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool—limited to two clubs per country based on UEFA Champions League performance. Concerns over fixture congestion, player fatigue, and broadcast rights; critics claim FIFA’s expansion prioritizes commercial gain over sporting integrity. Legal issues arose due to multi-club ownership rules (e.g., Club Le ón/ Pachuca), and selection of Inter Miami via Supporters’ Shield rather than playoff performance.