Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme Phase-III Strengthens India’s Import Substitution Drive

The Union government has approved the third phase of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with a substantial outlay of ₹41,863 crore, marking a major step in India’s strategy to deepen domestic electronics manufacturing. The decision reinforces the country’s objective of reducing import dependence, strengthening supply-chain resilience, and building a globally competitive electronics component ecosystem aligned with industrial growth and export ambitions.

Rural Connectivity Milestone: HRTC Bus Reaches Remote Tumman Village in Mandi

Nearly eight decades after Independence, Tumman village in Himachal Pradesh has finally been connected to the public transport network. On December 31, 2025, a government-run bus of the Himachal Road Transport Corporation rolled into the village for the first time, marking a historic milestone in rural connectivity and infrastructure development.

India’s Growing Tiger Population Faces Habitat Stress as Mortality Increases in 2025

India recorded the deaths of 166 tigers in 2025, according to the latest figures released by the National Tiger Conservation Authority. The number represents a sharp increase from 126 tiger deaths in 2024, prompting renewed concern among conservationists over habitat stress, territorial conflict, and emerging risks despite India’s globally praised success in boosting tiger numbers.

Surat’s Slum-Free Vision and Urban Strategy

Surat, popularly known as India’s Diamond Capital, is on the verge of achieving a landmark urban milestone by becoming the country’s first fully slum-free city. Officials from the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) have stated that the city is close to ensuring permanent, safe housing for every family, effectively eliminating the need for informal slum settlements. The city’s strategy has centred on large-scale in-situ redevelopment, under which existing slum clusters are replaced with planned multi-storey housing at the same location. This ensures that residents are not displaced far from workplaces, schools, and social networks.

Landmark Policy Shift in a Closed Economy

In a notable departure from its traditionally restrictive economic model, Turkmenistan has formally legalised cryptocurrency mining and exchange operations. The new legislation, signed on January 1, 2026 by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, provides official legal recognition to crypto-related activities and places virtual assets within the country’s civil law framework. The move represents one of the most significant financial policy changes in the gas-rich Central Asian nation in recent decades.