NATIONAL – DIARY OF EVENTS

Nationwide HPV Vaccination Programme

- Context: The nation-wide programme will target girls aged 14 years, an age at which the HPV vaccine offers maximum preventive benefit, well before potential exposure to the virus.

Under India’s partnership with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Gardasil vaccines, which are approved by India’s drug regulator and widely used internationally, have been made available for the national programme.

The government to provide the vaccine free of cost to eligible girls across all States and Union Territories.

Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in India, with nearly 80,000 new cases reported annually.

Tamil Nadu HPV Vaccination Programme

Tamil Nadu introduced the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) immunisation programme.

- The initiative will initially be implemented in four districts reporting higher incidence of cervical cancer – Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruvannamalai, and Dharmapuri.
- In the first phase, around 27,000 children in these districts will receive the initial vaccine dose.
- In total, nearly 3.38 lakh girls across 38 districts are expected to be covered under the scheme.

The vaccination campaign targets girls between 9 and 14 years of age to help prevent cervical cancer.

National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (NMP 2.0)

Context: The Union Finance Minister has unveiled the National Monetisation Pipeline 2.0 (NMP 2.0), aiming to raise ₹16.72 lakh crore through asset monetisation during the period 2025–26 to 2029–30.

About NMP 2.0

NMP 2.0 expands upon the earlier National Monetisation Pipeline (2021–2025) by setting out a fresh monetisation plan for FY 2026–2030.
The strategy focuses on leasing or monetising already operational brownfield public assets—such as highways and railway infrastructure—to attract private investment.
The funds generated will be channelled into building new greenfield infrastructure projects, without increasing government borrowing or imposing new taxes.
The framework has been prepared by NITI Aayog in coordination with various ministries.
It operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Finance and is overseen by the Core Group of Secretaries on Asset Monetisation (CGAM), chaired by the Cabinet Secretary.

Key Objectives

Unlock nearly ₹5.8 lakh crore in private capital to support capital expenditure (capex).
Apply best practices and lessons learned from NMP 1.0 to ensure streamlined procedures and timely implementation.
Direct monetisation proceeds to the Consolidated Fund of India, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), or State governments, as applicable.

PM Surya Ghar Scheme Achieves Major Rooftop Solar Milestone

- Context: Recently, the Prime Minister highlighted that 30 lakh households have adopted rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar initiative, marking an important achievement in India’s clean energy transition.

Gujarat ranks first in rooftop solar installations.It is followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

About PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY)

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana was launched by the Government of India in February 2024.

It seeks to facilitate rooftop solar (RTS) installations in one crore households in the residential sector by FY 2026–27.

Eligible households can apply through a dedicated national portal to install solar panels, making access to clean energy simpler and more affordable.

To boost participation, the scheme offers collateral-free loans up to ₹2 lakh at a subsidised interest rate of 6.75%, provided through 12 Public Sector Banks.

President Unveils Bust of C. Rajagopalachari

Context: The President of India inaugurated a bust of C. Rajagopalachari at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Rajagopalachari was the first and only Indian to serve as Governor-General after Independence.

About C. Rajagopalachari (Rajaji)

C. Rajagopalachari Born in 1878 in Thorapalli, Tamil Nadu. Entered public service in 1917 as the Chairman of the Salem Municipality.

- His meeting with Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 significantly influenced his political journey. He gave up his successful legal practice to join the national movement.

Actively participated in: Protests against the Rowlatt Act, The Non-Cooperation Movement, The Vaikom Satyagraha, The Civil Disobedience Movement.

- He was imprisoned five times between 1912 and 1941 for his involvement in the struggle.

Served as the last Governor-General of India until 1950.
Held office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu from 1952 to 1954.
Established the Swatantra Party in 1959, promoting classical liberal economic principles.

He was the author of well-known English retellings of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana and wrote Ramayana – Chakravarti Thirumagan in Tamil.
He Awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1954 for his significant contributions to public life and literature.