National News

1. Rahul Gandhi to be Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

It is the first constitutional position that he would be holding in his 20-year political career; the announcement was made after a meeting of the floor leaders of INDIA bloc at Kharge's residence.
Rahul Gandhi will be the the Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Lok Sabha, the Congress announced on Tuesday.
The announcement was made after a meeting of the floor leaders of the Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) grouping at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's official residence.
The decision came on a day when Mr. Gandhi took oath as an MP for the fifth consecutive term. This is the first constitutional position that Mr. Gandhi would be holding in his 20- year-old political career.
As LoP, Mr. Gandhi is likely to open the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her ad- dress to the join session of Parliament when the Lok Sabha takes it up later this week or next week.
The LoP, enjoying the rank of a Cabinet Minister, is also on the selection panel for key official appointments such as Election Commissioner, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director, Central Vigilance Commissioner and National Human Rights Commission chief.
Gandhi has already sent a letter to pro term Speaker Bhartruhari Mahtab, informing him that Rahul Gandhi will be the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha,” party general secretary (organization) K.C. Venugopal told press persons.
“As Congress president, I am condent that a leader who has traversed the length and breadth of the country from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, and from Manipur to Maharashtra shall raise the voice of the people — especially the marginalized and the poor,” party chief Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). ‘Voice of people’.
“We are condent that as LoP, Rahul ji will be a bold voice for the common people of India and ensure that the NDA governmentis held accountable at all times,” Mr. Venugopal added in a post on X.
The Congress was unable to secure the official post of Leader of the Opposition 2014 and 2019 as the party did not have the minimum required 10% strength in the 543-member Lok Sabha. However, with 99 MPs, the party is now entitled to the post, and therefore, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had urged Mr. Gandhi to take over the responsibility.

2. Ahead of roll-out of the new criminal laws, Union Home Ministry tests eSakhsya App

Days ahead of the implementation of the three criminal laws, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is testing eSakshya (e-evidence), a mobile-phone application to help police record scene of crime, search and seizure in a criminal case and upload the file on the cloud-based platform.
The police official will have to upload a selfie after the procedure is complete. Each recording could be maximum four minutes long and several such files could be uploaded for each First Information Report (FIR), according to the details shared with State police departments.
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) that replaces the Indian Penal Code, 1860; the Bharatiya Sakskya (BS) which replaces the Indian Evidence Act, 1872; and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) that replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898
The mobile application will be available to all police stations to download and register are all set to come into force from July 1.

Conviction rate

The BNSS mandates compulsory audiovisual re- cording of search and sei- zure in each criminal case and mandatory forensic examination in all cases where an offence attracts punishment of seven years or more. Procuring hard ware and cloud space is an expensive affair and many States do not have enough resources, said an official, adding that it will also help uniformity in investigations, thereby increasing the conviction rate.
The mobile application developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) will be available to all police stations which register and download the app.
A senior government official said the app was un- der final stages of trial and the police were given two options. "If there is connectivity issue, the police can record the crime scene on their own device such as personal mobile phones and generate a hash value, come back to the police station and upload the file.
The other method is they can directly upload through eSakhsya for which good Internet speed is required," explained the official.
Another police officer cautioned that the sanctity of the chain of evidence submission will have to be adhered to, else, it could benefit an accused.
"Many accused escape the clutches of law due to procedural infirmities. The new laws make everything digital; if there is slightest of issue in procuring digital evidence, it could lead to criminals walking free. Forensic evidence is not al- ways challenged on the grounds of quality but on the chain of command," said the officer.

International News

3. USA designates Kenya as Major Non-NATO Ally

The United States has designated Kenya as its Major Non-NATO Ally, MNNA. A memorandum published by the White House states that MNNA status is a designation under US law.
Kenya has become the first subSaharan African nation and the fourth country in Africa to be given this status. Earlier, Egypt was given this status by former President Ronald Reagan (1987), Morocco by George W. Bush (2004) and Tunisia by Barack Obama in 2015.
President Biden had pledged to designate Kenya as a Major NonNATO Ally during Kenyan President William Ruto's three-day visit to the US last month.
According to the US State Department, the MNNA designation is a powerful symbol of the United States' close ties with those countries. While MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitment to the designated country.
As a non-NATO ally, Kenya will have privileged access to sophisticated military equipment, training and loans to boost defence spending. However, the US is not obligated to provide direct military assistance to it and Kenya does not have the right to send troops to NATO operations.
But NATO members do not have mutual defence commitments under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. US-owned war reserve stockpiles can be placed in the MNNA area. MNNA can be considered for the purchase of depleted uranium ammunition. The US has currently designated 18 countries as MNNA.
These include Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, South Korea, Thailand and Tunisia.

4. Pak. delegation inspect Ratle power project on Chenab river in J&K

A five-member Pakistan delegation and neutral experts of the World Bank toured the Ratle power project, a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power project in the Chenab Valley, on Tuesday.
The delegation, which is on the second day of its vi- sit to Kishtwar, visited the 850-MW Ratle project on the Chenab river at Drabshalla village and inspected several units of the project. The inspection by the 40- odd member team, including delegates from India, was kept away from the media gaze.
Pakistan has been raising technical objections in different forums, including the Permanent Indus Commission, since 2006 regarding power projects in
J&K and even demanded an arbitration by different international forums, which was rejected by India. Pakal Dul project
Official sources said the Pakistani delegation is also likely to inspect the 1,000- megawatt Pakal Dul hydroelectric project being built on the Marusudar river, which emerges from the Marwah Valley before joining the Chenab river.
Pakistan also raised its objection over the Kishan- ganga project in Kashmir valley in 2006. Officials are tight-lipped on whether the delegates will be given access to the power project set up over the Kishanganga river in north Kashmir's Bandipora district.
The delegation will be in Jammu and Kashmir till June 28.

5. China and France launch ‘SVOM mission’ to study gamma-ray bursts

The Space Variable Object Monitor (SVOM) satellite, a joint SinoFrench mission aimed at studying gamma-ray bursts, was launched by a Long March 2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center on June 22, 2024.
The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) declared the launch successful soon after the launch. It is the first astronomy satellite jointly developed by China and France. In 2018, the two countries had jointly developed and launched an oceanography satellite.
According to China, it is the most powerful satellite ever built to study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) – they result from some of the most explosive events in the universe such as the birth of black holes and neutron star collisions.
The 930-kg satellite carries four payloads – two developed by the French and two by the Chinese. The French have built the ECLAIRs and MXT telescopes. The Gamma Ray Burst Monitor (GRB), built by the Chinese, will measure the spectrum of GRBs. The Visible Telescope (VT), also developed by the Chinese, will detect and observe the Visibles.

Gamma-ray bursts

These are bursts of highly energetic gamma rays, lasting from one second to several minutes. According to NASA, they are found in remote regions of the universe, and can "burst with a luminosity of up to one quintillion (10 followed by 18 zeros) times greater than the luminosity of the Sun".
There are two types of GRBs, short GRBs and long GRBs. Short GRBs are the result of the collision of either two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole, resulting in the formation of a black hole. They last less than two seconds.
Sometimes, short GRBs are followed by kilonovae - bursts of electromagnetic radiation (or light) produced by the radioactive decay of chemical elements. The decay can produce heavy elements such as gold, silver and platinum, NASA said.
Long GRBs are produced due to the explosive death of massive stars. These can last for two seconds or more.

6.Bharat 6G Alliance signs MoU with University of Oulu, Finland

Bharat 6G Alliance has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G IA) and 6G Flagship - University of Oulu, Finland. Bharat 6G Alliance has already signed MoUs with NextG Alliance of USA, 6G SNS IA of EU, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said in a statement.
Also, these MoUs with 6G IA and University of Oulu will further enable the development of secure and reliable telecommunications technology, including resilient supply chains.
DoT said the MoU will provide India an opportunity to connect EU and Indian R&D companies, academia and research institutions, align R&D efforts in 6G and related technologies, promote joint research initiatives, conduct pilots of 6G technologies and use cases.
Under the India 6G Vision, the Department of Telecommunications is already evaluating 470 proposals on "accelerated research on 6G", it said, adding that these strategic partnerships are important steps on this journey towards achieving India's vision of empowering society through sustainable and advanced telecommunications while contributing to the global 6G ecosystem.
The Bharat 6G Alliance (B6GA) is an initiative of Indian industry, academia, national research institutions and standards organisations and aims to align with the government's India 6G mission to design, develop and deploy technology and innovations that provide an intelligent and secure solution for high-quality life experience of citizens in India and around the world.
The 6G Flagship Programme is a world-leading research initiative funded by the University of Oulu and the Research Council of Finland. It aims to develop key 6G technology components, establish a comprehensive 6G test centre and advance societal digitalisation of the 2030s through 6G research and innovation, the Department of Telecommunications said.

State News

7.64th International Sugar Organization Council Meeting begins in New Delhi

The 64th International Sugar Organization-ISO Council Meeting has begun in New Delhi, hosted by India, on 25 June 2024. Delegates from over 30 countries and representatives of several international organizations will participate in the three-day meeting to deliberate on critical issues in the sugar and biofuel sectors.
Shri Sanjeev Chopra, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution will chair the meetings on 26-27 June 2024. The last meeting was held at the London headquarters.
India is starting the series of events with an industrial visit of international delegates to a grainbased distillery in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh to showcase the adoption of latest technology in the production of biofuels and other by-products adopted by India.
A workshop titled 'Sugar and Biofuels - Emerging Scenario' is also being organised at Bharat Mandapam. The ISO Council has nominated India as the chair of the organisation for 2024 as India is the world's largest consumer and second largest sugar producer.
The International Sugar Organization (ISO) is a United Nations-affiliated body headquartered in London. ISO has around 85 member countries, covering about 90% of the world's sugar production. The ISO is also working on biofuels, especially ethanol, as sugarcane is the second major feedstock for ethanol production in the world.

8.Assam government launches 'School in a Box' initiative for children in flood relief camps

Flood-affected children are set to get a "school in a box" at model relief camps across Assam. Such a box or child-friendly space (CFS) kit containing learning material and other items will be provided to each of the 167 model relief camps in the state, where floods and raininduced landslides have claimed at least 31 lives since May.
Though the kit designed by UNICEF for Assam has existed for some time, the new-look box caters to the educational needs of children and adolescents in the age group of 6-18 years.
Officials of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said this has been done after assessing the psychological impact of displacement on children above the age of 6.
ASDMA started training officials and field workers of the Women and Child Development and Education Department to maximize the utility of the box for floodaffected children in model relief camps and help reduce their mental stress.
Apart from the educational needs of children, officials are being trained to run the relief camps smoothly through initiatives such as installing sanitary napkin vending machines and incinerators for women and adolescent girls in relief camps.

Prime Minister Excellence Colleges in all 55 districts in Madhya Pradesh

Prime Minister Excellence Colleges will be formally inaugurated in all 55 districts of the state on July 1 in Madhya Pradesh. In a meeting with senior officials on the activities of the Higher Education Department, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that a drone policy will also be made in the state.
He directed to ensure better education system in view of the increasing employment opportunities in aviation, agriculture and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Under the National Education Policy, the Madhya Pradesh government has approved the establishment of a Prime Minister Excellence College in all the districts of the state.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that 'Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Kendra' i.e. a center of traditional Indian knowledge will also be established in each Prime Minister Excellence Colleges .
Vidyavan or educational gardens will be developed in all government, non-government and grant-in-aid colleges in Madhya Pradesh to increase awareness about environmental protection among students.

9.Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir became the fourth city in the country to receive the status of 'World Crafts City'

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, has been officially recognized as a World Crafts City by the World Crafts Council (WCC). The Crafts Council has recognized the handicrafts and handloom sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
In 2021, Srinagar also received the title of UNESCO Creative City under Crafts and Folk Arts. Earlier, Jaipur, Malappuram and Mysore are other Indian cities that have been recognized as World Crafts Cities before.
At least 10 different types of crafts still survive in Srinagar and its suburbs, including paper-mache, walnut wood carving, Kashmiri hand-woven carpets, Sozni embroidery and pashmina and kani shawls.
Sir Walter Lawrence, a colonial administrator who worked in Kashmir in the 19th century, introduced the amazing ingenuity and creativity of native Kashmiri artisans.

World Crafts Council

It was founded on June 12, 1964 at the First World Crafts Council General Assembly in New York by Ms. Aileen Osborne Vanderbilt Webb, Ms. Margaret M. Patch and Mrs. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay.
In November 2012, the organization World Crafts Council was formally constituted as an international association in Belgium. As per its by-laws, every 4 years of the term, the presidency of the organization changes. The current headquarters for the term (2021-2024) is located in the State of Kuwait.
The WCC-World Crafts City Programme is a groundbreaking initiative launched by the World Crafts Council AISBL (WCCInternational) in 2014.

Defence News

10. Defence Ministry signs 350th contract under iDEX for 'miniaturised satellite’

The 350th contract under the Innovations for De- fence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of the Defence Ministry, was signed with SpacePixxel Technologies for the design and development of a "miniaturised satellite capable of carrying electro-optical, infrared, synthetic aperture radar, and hyper- spectral payloads up to 150 kg", the Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday. This challenge is being led by the Indian Air Force.

Pros of the satellite

"This 350th iDEX contract enables innovation in space electronics, wherein many payloads earlier deployed on dedicated large satellites are now being minister Rajnath Singh miniaturised," the Ministry said.
The modular small satellite will integrate multiple miniaturised payloads as per requirement, providing advantages such as faster and economical deployment, ease of manufacturing, scalability, adaptability, and less environmental impact, it stated.
The contract was exchanged between Anurag Bajpai, Additional Secretary (Defence Production) & CEO, Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), and Awais Ahmed Nadeem Alduri, founder and CEO of the SpacePixxel Technologies.
SpacePixxel has been actively working to build and launch high-resolution hyperspectral imaging satellites to provide detailed earth observation data, the statement said.
Established by the DIO under the Department of Defence Production, iDEX has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge and recently unveiled the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies .

11.Cost of future wars is enormous, resources should be optimised: Chief of Defence Staff

Saying that the cost of future wars would be "enormous", Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Tuesday stressed the need to optimise resources and manpower and bring in efficiencies to afford weapons and systems of the future. Before talks of fusion between civil and military resources, there should be fusion within the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force, General Chauhan said.

"We have taken that up. (service integration) and at last count, we had almost 170-odd initiatives where the three Services canwork together in an inte grated manner, In these processes, we will be able to optimise time, resoure es, processes, infrastruc ture and manpower," General Chauhan said at the Air Force capstone seminar which marked the culmination of the third War- fare & Aerospace Strategy Program (WASP) course.

Strategic programme WASP is a strategic education programme of 15 weeks that was started in 2022 to provide participants with a deep under- standing of geopolitics, grand strategy and com prehensive national power, and is conducted by the IAF along with the College pants of Air Warfare and Centre for Air Power Studies.

General Chauhan said that after integration with in the three Services, the logical step would be to take the approach forward to other Services.

For instance, the Navy and Coast Guard can get the inverstiries and maintenance, repair and overhaul together. "We can also involve the Central Armed Police Forces into whatever logistics and infrastructure (need to be) created," he said.

Alternate ways He added that there are "hundreds of things where we can actually help the government to reduce costs", "Because the cost of future wars is enormous, weapon systems and platforms are going to be very costly," he said. Noting that civil aviation is expanding, General Bexpand Chauhan asked if it could have a military payoff.

"We need to think on alterna tive ways of doings things. It has to be very practicaland time bound,” he said.

Addressing the seminar,IAF chief Air Chief Marshal V. R. Chaudhari said WASP has rened the denition of scholar warriors. “A scholar warrior is amilitary professional who combines intellectual acumen with combat prowess in today’s increasingly complex and dynamic security environment,” he said.

Talking of India’s strategic culture, the Air Force chief said it is shaped by historical experiences and the ever-evolving geopolitical environment. “It emphasises strategic autonomy, caution and a strong focus on territorial integrity,” he said.

12. Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani will be the next Vice Chief of Army Staff

Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani is set to become the next Vice Chief of Army Staff. The officer will replace Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, who is currently handling the Army's Central Command.
Lt Gen Dwivedi, currently serving as the Deputy Chief, will be the next Army Chief after the retirement of the incumbent General Manoj Pandey on June 30. While appointing Lieutenant General Subramani as the Vice Chief of Army Staff, the government followed the principle of seniority.
Lt Gen Subramani was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in 1985. He has had a long and illustrious military career spanning over 37 years. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, the officer has also studied at the Joint Services Command Staff College, Bracknell (UK) and the National Defence College, New Delhi.
He holds a Master of Arts degree from King's College, London and an MPhil in Defence Studies from the University of Madras.
Lt Gen Subramani has had the distinction of commanding a battalion during 'Operation Rhino' in Assam, an infantry brigade on the International Border with Pakistan and a 'Black Cat' Division in Northeast India.
Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka gets one-year extension Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka has been given a oneyear extension till June next year. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension in Mr Deka's service as Director of Intelligence Bureau. He is a 1988 batch IPS officer of Himachal Pradesh cadre.
Deka has served as Joint Director (Operations) for the Intelligence Bureau and has handled Islamic extremism in India for the past two decades. Deka has been serving in the Northeast since the 1990s and is an expert on the Northeast insurgency.
During his tenure as IB chief, Deka fought Left Wing Extremists in Central India while the Maoists are now confined to Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.
The Intelligence Bureau (IB) is the intelligence agency of India that gathers intelligence from within the country and also carries out counter-intelligence and counterterrorism operations.
It operates under the aegis of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquartered in New Delhi.
The Intelligence Bureau was established in 1887 by the British Indian government as the Central Special Branch. It is believed to be the oldest such organization in the world.
Until 1968, it handled both domestic and foreign intelligence, after which the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was formed exclusively for foreign intelligence.

Ranks and reports News

13. India ranked 171st by number of female heads of state and cabinet members according to UN Women global data

According to UN Women's Global Data on Women Political Leaders 2024, women are still largely excluded from positions of power and diplomacy. 113 countries around the world have never had a female head of state or government.
According to a report by United Nations Women (UN Women), only 26 countries are being led by a woman, a slight increase from only 18 countries a decade ago.
According to the UN, the countries have been ranked according to the share of female cabinet members leading ministries as of January 1, 2024. The top positions are held by Finland, Nicaragua, Liechtenstein and Belgium.
At the last 184th place are Azerbaijan, Hungary, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Yemen. India has been placed at 171st place. India has 6.5 per cent women in key political positions.
Other countries - 17 France, 28 New Zealand, 41 United Kingdom and United States, 108 Nepal, 134 Singapore, 139 Maldives, 148 Bhutan, 162 Bangladesh, 173 Pakistan, 177 Sri Lanka and 183 China.
In 1893, New Zealand became the first country to ensure voting rights for women. 47 years later, a leader named Khertek Anchimaa Toka of the now-defunct Tuvan People's Republic (formerly a Soviet protectorate, currently part of Mongolia) became the first head of state anywhere in the world.

Key facts

As of January 1, 2024, only 23 per cent of ministerial positions are held by women and women make up less than a third of cabinet ministers in 141 countries. Seven countries have no female representation in their cabinets.
The dominance of men in diplomacy and foreign affairs extends to permanent missions to the UN, where women are underrepresented as permanent representatives. By May 2024, 25 percent of permanent representative positions in New York were held by women, 35 percent in Geneva and 33.5 percent in Vienna.

14. India ranked third in the Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2024

The Henley Private Wealth Migration Report 2024 states that India will rank third in the world in terms of net outflow of millionaires from the country this year, with 4,300 more millionaires leaving the country than arriving. The top two countries on the list are projected to be China (15,200) and the UK (9,500).
Other significant outflows are expected from South Korea, Brazil, South Africa, Taiwan, Vietnam and Nigeria. An unprecedented 128,000 millionaires are expected to move worldwide this year, beating the previous record of 120,000 set in 2023.
However, comparison with the last available reports from Henley shows that the projected net outflow of millionaires from India in 2024 is lower than the projections for 2023 (6,500) and 2022 (7,500).
The United Arab Emirates continues to be a preferred destination for global and Indian millionaires. The UAE is expected to attract a record net inflow of 6,700 wealthy expatriates in 2024, driven by its zero income tax policy, Golden Visa programme, luxurious lifestyle and strategic location.
Other top destinations include the United States, Singapore, Canada and Australia.
Popular choices include Portugal's Golden Residence Permit Programme, Greece's Golden Visa Programme, Spain's Residence by Investment Programme and Malta's Citizenship by Naturalisation for Exceptional Services by Direct Investment.
In the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda's Citizenship by Investment Programme and Grenada's Citizenship by Investment Programme continue to attract wealthy Indians and their families.
The exodus of millionaires from India is driven by a combination of factors, including the search for a better lifestyle, safer environment, and access to premium health and education services.
According to Henley data, India ranks 10th in the world with 3,26,400 high-net-worth individuals, including 1,044 centi-millionaires (those with assets of over $100 million) and 120 billionaires. It has the third-largest billionaire population in the world.

Scheme and committees News

15.Urban Affairs Ministry to revamp affordable housing scheme

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), a scheme to enable affordable housing for urban poor, would be revamped with new features based on learning from the past nine years since when it has been operational, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs said on Tuesday.
The PMAY (Urban), launched in 2015, has been given an extension till December 2024. The mission aims to address urban housing shortage among the poor and middle income groups, including the slum dwellers, by ensuring a pucca house to all eligible urban households.
A senior official of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said that the revamp would focus on ensuring that there are no delays on reaching out to beneficiaries who have signed up for the scheme.
The Ministry had also announced a scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment 2023-24 and 2022-23 and for improving and speeding up basic urban planning ecosystem in cities by incentivising the States.

16 Jal Shakti Ministry conceives 'new project' to fix water deficit in Jal Jeevan Mission

Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil said at a public event on Monday that the government was conceiving a "new project" to ensure that rural households which were provided taps under the ambitious Jal Jeevan Mission but had not yet been able to get water, would soon be provided potable water.
"In some places, we have not been able to fully accomplish the Prime Minister's target," Mr. Patil said at a workshop organised for officers in the Ministry. "Some people say in jest that we have taps but no water. We are in the process of setting up a new project, where in a time- bound manner, we shall ensure that households 13 with taps and no water, and those without taps are all covered," he added.
The ₹3.6-lakh-crore Jal Jeevan Mission was implemented after Prime Minis- ter Narendra Modi promised from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 2019 to provide potable tap water to every rural household in India. As of June 25, the scheme had encompassed
77% of its target house- hold, officials from the Mi- nistry said at an event on Monday. Overall, 15 crore households out of a targeted 19 crore have been provided with tap water connections.
However, as The Hindu has earlier pointed out, there is a difference bet- ween a household getting a tap connection and the daily quota of 55 litres per person day of water being provided.
To measure households that have been provided water connections, the water supply departments of the States or Union Territories aggregate the numbers provided by districts of the households, anganwadi or schools in their respective administrative units who have been provided tap water connections.

Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 26th June 2024