In News:

According to the World Bank’s Spring 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, India has emerged as the fourth most equal society globally, with a Gini Index of 25.5—outperforming all G7 and G20 nations. Only the Slovak Republic (24.1), Slovenia (24.3), and Belarus (24.4) rank ahead.

This achievement marks a significant improvement from India’s Gini score of 28.8 in 2011 to 25.5 in 2022, reflecting a steady narrowing of income inequality and growing social equity.

Key Highlights:

Gini Index Comparison (2022-2023):

Poverty Reduction Achievements:

• 171 million people lifted out of extreme poverty (2011–2023).
• Population living under $2.15/day fell from 16.2% (2011–12) to 2.3% (2022–23).
• Under revised poverty line of $3.00/day, poverty fell to 5.3% in 2022–23.

Drivers of Income Equality:

a) Financial Inclusion:

• Jan Dhan Yojana: Over 55.69 crore bank accounts opened (as of June 2025).
• Enabled Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), reducing leakages and ensuring targeted welfare.

b) Digital Infrastructure:

• Aadhaar: Over 142 crore issued (as of July 2025), enabling real-time, identity-based service delivery.
• DBT savings: Over ?3.48 lakh crore by March 2023.

c) Universal Healthcare Access:

• Ayushman Bharat: Over 41.34 crore health cards issued.
• Covers ?5 lakh per family/year; now extended to all citizens aged 70+ under Ayushman Vay Vandana.
• Over 32,000 empanelled hospitals ensure access to treatment.

d) Empowerment of Marginalized Communities:

• Stand-Up India: Loans worth ?62,807 crore disbursed to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
• PM Vishwakarma Yojana: Nearly 30 lakh artisans registered for credit and marketing support.

Significance for India and the World:

India’s low Gini score demonstrates that economic growth and social equity can be pursued together. The country’s targeted welfare architecture, digital governance tools, and inclusive schemes have created a replicable model for other developing nations.

As global inequality widens, India’s success offers a template for countries seeking to integrate economic reforms with social protection mechanisms to foster inclusive development.

In News:

At the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held in Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the transformative potential of India's Orange Economy—a sector driven by creativity, content, and culture. With Indian films now screened in over 100 countries and a surge in OTT platform consumption, India is fast emerging as a global content leader.

What is the Orange Economy?

Also known as the Creative Economy, the Orange Economy encompasses industries rooted in individual creativity, talent, and intellectual property. Coined by Colombian economists Felipe Buitrago and Iván Duque, the term “orange” reflects the vibrancy of cultural identity and innovation.

Core Sectors:

• Advertising, architecture, and design
• Arts and crafts, fashion, and publishing
• Film, music, performing arts, and photography
• Animation, gaming, software, and digital media
• Television, radio, and electronic publishing
• Research and development (R&D)

Key Features of the Orange Economy

• Knowledge-driven and innovation-centric
• Promotes cultural diversity and economic inclusivity
• Combines economic, social, and cultural dimensions
• Strong links to technology, tourism, and intellectual property rights

Global and National Significance

• As per UNESCO, the Orange Economy contributes approximately 3% to global GDP and supports over 30 million jobs worldwide.
• The global animation industry alone is valued at $430 billion.
• In India, the creative sector is being nurtured through flagship initiatives like Skill India, Startup India, and platforms such as WAVES, aiming to empower young creators—from Guwahati musicians to Kochi podcasters.

Government Support and Vision

Emphasized that though the "screen may be shrinking, the scope is infinite," underlining the massive potential of digital platforms and content innovation. The government is actively working to build an enabling ecosystem for the creative economy, blending economic growth with cultural preservation.

Why in the News?

Hundreds of tons of aid from multiple countries have been stationed in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, awaiting an agreement for secure transportation to Gaza for several days.

About the Sinai Peninsula:

• Geographical Location: The Sinai Peninsula is a triangular landmass located in northeastern Egypt, serving as a critical land bridge that connects the continents of Asia and Africa.
• Size and Sovereignty: Encompassing an expansive area of 23,500 square miles (61,000 square km), the Sinai Peninsula is recognized as a sovereign territory within the boundaries of Egypt.
• Geographical Boundaries: It is bordered to the north by the Mediterranean Sea and to the east by Israel and the Gaza Strip.
• The Suez Canal lies to the west, acting as a separation from the African part of Egypt.
• To the southwest, the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea border the peninsula, while the Gulf of Aqaba marks its southeastern boundary.
• Egypt shares maritime borders in the Sinai with Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
• Historical Significance: In the late 19th century, including the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt became part of the British Empire until gaining independence in 1922.
• During the Six-Day War of June 1967, the peninsula was occupied by Israeli forces and returned to Egypt in 1982 as part of the peace treaty signed in 1979.
• Diverse Geography: The Sinai Peninsula is characterized by a diverse landscape, featuring mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, and coastal regions.
• Population Composition: With a relatively sparse population, the Sinai is home to about 600,000 people, predominantly consisting of Arab Egyptians and Bedouins.

Why is it in the News?

The James Webb Space Telescope by NASA has recently documented a striking image of a star that underwent a supernova explosion within the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant.

What is Cassiopeia A?

• Cassiopeia A is the aftermath of a colossal star's explosion approximately 340 years ago, standing as the most recently formed remnant of its kind in our galaxy.
• Renowned for its status as a prototypical type of supernova remnant, it has been the subject of extensive exploration by various ground- and space-based observatories.
• Encompassing around 10 light-years, this remnant resides 11,000 light-years away in the Cassiopeia constellation, offering valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of supernovae.

What is Supernova?

A supernova is a powerful and catastrophic stellar explosion that occurs during the final stages of a massive star's life cycle. This extraordinary event releases an immense amount of energy, temporarily outshining entire galaxies and producing luminosities that can briefly outshine an entire galaxy.

What happens during a supernova explosion?

• Massive stars: Supernovas typically occur in massive stars, at least 8 times the mass of our sun.
  • These stars burn brightly and fiercely, fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores.
• Nuclear fusion: As the star ages, it runs out of hydrogen fuel in its core.
  • The core starts to collapse inwards due to gravity, while the outer layers expand and cool.
  • This increased pressure and temperature trigger the nuclear fusion of heavier elements, like carbon and oxygen, releasing immense energy.
• Bounce and shockwave: The core's collapse eventually leads to a sudden rebound, called the core bounce.
  • This bounce creates a shockwave that rips through the star's outer layers, ejecting them outwards in a violent explosion.

Types of supernovae: There are two main types of supernovae:

• Core-collapse supernovae: The explosion blows away the star's outer layers, leaving behind a neutron star or, if the mass is even greater, a black hole.
• Type Ia supernovae: These occur in binary systems where a white dwarf, the remnant of a low-mass star, siphons material from its companion star.
  • This builds up mass on the white dwarf until it reaches a critical point and undergoes thermonuclear runaway, leading to a massive explosion.

Significance of supernovae: Supernovae play a crucial role in the universe's evolution.

• Enrich the interstellar medium with heavy elements: The ejected material from supernovae is rich in elements heavier than hydrogen and helium, which are essential for the formation of new stars and planets.
• Trigger star formation: The shockwaves from supernovae can compress surrounding gas clouds, triggering the formation of new stars.
• Create black holes and neutron stars: The most massive stars leave behind black holes or neutron stars, incredibly dense objects with fascinating properties.