IAS Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs 26 June 2026 – IAS Current Affairs

IAS Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs 26 June 2026 – IAS Current Affairs

Current Affairs 26 June 2026 focuses on the Prelims-Mains perspective. Major events are :

MSMEs In India: Growth, Reforms And Government Initiatives

Source: PIB
GS III: Indian Economy and Employment, Inclusive Growth, Industrial Growth.

Overview

  1. News in Brief
  2. Role of MSMEs in Inclusive Growth
  3. Expansion of MSME Ecosystem
  4. Major MSME Schemes

Why in the News?

Ahead of the observance of the International MSME Day, the PIB Backgrounder highlighted the growing contribution of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to India’s economy and the major initiatives supporting the sector.

News in Brief
  • MSMEs are key drivers of employment, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and exports in India, while supporting the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.
  • Government reforms and digital initiatives have improved formalization, credit access, market opportunities and ease of doing business for MSMEs.
  • The theme of MSME Day 2026 is ” Empowering MSMEs through Innovation and Sustainable Industrial Development”.
Role of MSMEs In Inclusive Growth
  • MSMEs form the backbone of India’s economy, ranging from artisans and rural enterprises to innovative manufacturers and startups.
  • The sector promotes entrepreneurship, employment generation, innovation, and balanced regional development across rural and urban areas.

Significance

  • Major contributor to GDP, manufacturing and exports.
  • Second largest source of employment after Agriculture.
  • Supports women, youth, and first-generation entrepreneurs.
  • Strengthens the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.
Expansion of MSME Ecosystem
  • Formalisation and Digitalisation
    • Udyam Registration and Udyam Assist have significantly expanded the formal enterprise base.
    • Formalisation has improved access to finance, government schemes and markets.
  • Improved Access to Credit
    • Credit guarantee support for MSMEs has been expanded.
    • Higher collateral-free credit availability is enabling enterprise growth and expansion.
  • Technology-driven Governance
    • MSME Samadhaan addresses delayed payment disputes.
    • CHAMPIONS Portal provides grievance redressal.
    • Online Dispute Resolution Portal promotes faster settlement of disputes.
  • Better Market Access
    • Government procurement policies encourage participation of micro and small enterprises.
    • Trade fairs and exhibitions provide wider market exposure for MSMEs, women entrepreneurs and traditional artisans.
Major MSME Schemes
  • PM Vishwakarma
    • A flagship initiative supporting artisans and craftspeople engaged in traditional occupations through skill development, credit support, digital enablement and marketing assistance.
    • Key Features
      • Skill upgradation
      • Toolkit support
      • Concessional collateral-free loans
      • Promotion of digital transactions
      • Marketing assistance.
  • ASPIRE Scheme
    • Promotes rural entrepreneurship through incubation. skill development and support for micro-enterprises.
    • it encourages livelihood generation and enterprise creation in rural areas.
  • Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP)
    • A credit-linked subsidy scheme promoting self-employment through establishment of new micro-enterprises n the non-farm sector.
    • Importance
      • Encourages entrepreneurship
      • Generates employment opportunities.
      • Expands access through regional language support.
  • MSME Champions Scheme –
    • Supports enterprises in becoming innovative, sustainable and globally competitive.
  •  Components are,
  • MSME Sustainable (ZED)
    • Promotes Zero Defect Zero Effect manufacturing
    • Encourages quality production with minimal environmental impact.
  • MSME Competitive (LEAN)
    • Promotes lean manufacturing practices..
    • Enhances productivity and operational efficiency.
  • Self-Reliant India (SIR) Fund
    • A Fund of Funds initiative that provides equity support to growth-oriented MSMEs and helps them scale operations and attract investment.
  • Promotion of MSMEs in the North-Eastern Region and Sikkim
    • Supports manufacturing, skilling, testing, packaging, and innovation infrastructure to strengthen enterprise-led growth in the region.
  • National SC-ST Hub (NSSH)
    • Enhances market access, capacity building and public procurement participation for SC/ST entrepreneurs.
  • Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP)
    • Promotes cluster-based development through common facility centers and infrastructure support to improve productivity and competitiveness.
  • SFURTI
    • Supports traditional industries by organizing artisans into clusters, improving technology access, market linkages and sustainable income generation.
  • Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP)
    • A World Bank supported programme aimed at improving MSMEs’ access to finance, markets, and technology through reforms and Centre-State collaboration.
  • Technology Centers and Extension Centers
    • Skill Development
    • Technology support
    • Innovation assistance
    • Industry-ready workforce training

Conclusion

MSMEs are crucial drivers of employment, entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth, supporting India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Key Takeaways
MSMEs in India growth reforms government initiatives and major schemes for UPSC
Click image to enlarge for better readability
UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements regarding MSMEs in India

    1. MSMEs are the second largest source of employment in India after agriculture.
    2. PM Vishwakarma provides end-to-end support to artisans engaged in traditional trades.
    3. The Self-Reliant India Fund provides equity support to promising MSMEs.

Select the correct answer from the code below

a)1 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1,2 and 3

d) 1 and 3 only

Answer: c) 1,2 and 3

Indian Citizenship: Constitutional Basis, Passport Role and NRC Debate

Source: Indian Express
GS II: Indian Constitution – Significant Provisions, Government Policies and Interventions and issues arising out of their design and implementation

Overview

  1. News in Brief
  2. Citizenship In India
  3. Citizenship as a legal status
  4. Passport and Citizenship
  5. National Register of Citizens Debate

Why in the News?

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) recently clarified that an Indian passport is a travel document and not conclusive proof of Indian Citizenship, reviving discussions on how citizenship is determined and documented in India.

News in Brief
  • The Constitution and the Citizenship Act, 1955 govern India’s citizenship framework.
  • Citizenship is a legal status acquired through specific legal provisions, while documents such as passports serve as evidence of citizenship rather than creating citizenship themselves.
  • The issue gained attention after questions were raised on whether possession of a passport alone can conclusively establish citizenship.
Citizenship In India

Constitutional Basis

  • Articles 5 to 11 of the Constitution deal with citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution.
  • The Citizenship Act, 1955, provides the legal framework for the acquisition and termination of Citizenship.
  • Neither the Constitution nor the Citizenship Act identifies a single document as definitive proof of citizenship.
Citizenship as a Legal Status
  • Citizenship arises from legal facts such as birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, or incorporation of territory.
  • Documents only serve as evidence supporting these facts.
  • A passport is issued because authorities are satisfied that an individual is a citizen, but the passport itself does not create citizenship.

Ways to Acquire Indian Citizenship

  • Citizenship by Birth
    • Granted according to conditions prescribed under the Citizenship Act.
    • Eligibility varies depending on the date of birth and citizenship status of parents.
    • Significance – Most Indians are citizens through birth.
  • Citizenship by Descent
    • Available to persons born outside India to Indian parents.
    • Subject to registration and other legal requirements.
    • Significance – Ensures continuity of citizenship across generations residing abroad.
  • Citizenship by Registration
    • Available to certain categories of persons connected with India through ancestry, marriage, or long residence.
    • Significance – Provides a legal pathway for eligible foreign nationals with close links to India.
  • Citizenship by Naturalisation
    • Granted to foreign nationals fulfilling prescribed residency and eligibility conditions.
    • Significance – Allows integration of long-term residents into the Indian polity.
  • Waiver Clause
    • Under the Citizenship Act, the Central Government may relax or waive certain conditions for granting citizenship if a person has rendered distinguished service in fields such as,
      • Science, Philosophy, Art, Literature, World Peace, Human Progress.
    • Significance – This provision allows exceptional individuals to obtain Indian Citizenship even if they do not fully satisfy the usual eligibility requirements.
    • Example – The provision has been used in granting Indian citizenship to figures such as the Dalai Lama and Adan Sami, a Pakistani Singer.
Passport and Citizenship

What does a passport represent?

  • A passport is an official travel document issued by the government.
  • It facilitates international travel and identification abroad.
  • It reflects administrative satisfaction regarding citizenship.

What does it not represent?

  • It is not a standalone legal certificate of citizenship.
  • Its validity can be questioned if citizenship claims are challenged.

Eligibility for Passport

  • The Passport Act empowers the governments to issue passports even in exceptional situations where humanitarian considerations arise.
  • Examples include Stateless individuals, Refugees facing travel-related difficulties, and Persons requiring international travel under special circumstances.

Supreme Court Observation

  • Courts have noted that no single document conclusively proves citizenship.
  • Citizenship determination requires examination of multiple facts and records.
  • Sarbananda Sonowal v. Union Of India (2005)
    • The Supreme Court held that the burden of proving citizenship lies on the claimant.
  • State of Andhra Pradesh v. Abdul Khader (1962)
    • The Supreme Court treated a passport as evidence of nationality but examined other constitutional criteria for citizenship.
National Register of Citizens (NRC) Debate
  • NRC was conceived as a mechanism to identify genuine citizens through documentary verification.
  • Challenges
    • Documentation gaps.
    • Spelling variations in records.
    • Missing historical documents.
    • Difficulties in proving family lineage.

Conclusion

  • India does not recognise any single document as absolute proof of Citizenship, as the country does not issue a universal citizenship certificate.
  • Citizenship is determined through constitutional and statutory provisions, while documents such as passports, voter IDs, birth certificates, and other records serve as evidence supporting a citizenship claim.
Key Takeaways
Click image to enlarge for better readability
UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements

    1. A passport creates Indian citizenship.
    2. Citizenship in India is governed by constitutional provisions and the Citizenship Act, 1955.
    3. Courts may examine birth records, ancestry documents, and other relevant evidence while determining citizenship.
    4. NRC was intended to verify citizenship through documentary evidence.

Which of the above statements are correct?

a) 1, 2 and 3

b) 2,3 and 4

c) 1 only

d) 1,2,3 and 4

Answer: b) 2,3 and 4

Venezuela Earthquake: Seismic Doublet, Faults, And Tectonic Activity

Source: Indian Express
GS I: Important Geographical Phenomena – Earthquakes

Overview

  1. News in Brief
  2. What happened in Venezuela?
  3. What is a Seismic Doublet?
  4. What is a  Fault?
  5. Notable Earlier Seismic Doublet Events

Why in the News?

Recently, Venezuela experienced two powerful earthquakes in quick succession near its capital Caracas, an unusual event that attracted global scientific attention.

News in Brief
  • Scientists classified the earthquakes as a rare seismic doublet, where two earthquakes of similar magnitude occur within a short time span.
  • The earthquakes occurred along the tectonic boundary between Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate, a seismically active region.
  • Their shallow depth and close timing increased the potential for damage, highlighting the risks associated with strike-slip fault activity.
What Happened In Venezuela?
  • The first earthquake occurred near the coastal region of northern Venezuela.
  • A second major earthquake followed soon after.
  • The event was classified as a seismic doublet by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
  • Tremors were felt across neighboring areas and parts of nearby countries.

Tectonic Setting of Venezuela

  • Venezuela lies in a tectonically active zone.
  • The region marks the interaction between
    • Caribbean Plate
    • South American Plate
  • Movement between these plates generates stress along faults.
  • Much of the seismic activity is associated with strike-slip faulting.

Reasons behind the destructive impact of the Venezuela Earthquake

  • Shallow Depth
    • The earthquakes originated at relatively shallow depths.
    • Shallow earthquakes transfer more energy to the earth’s surface.
  • Double Effect
    • The second earthquake struck before affected structures could fully recover from the first shock.
    • Buildings weakened by the initial tremor became more vulnerable.
  • Repeated Ground Shaking
    • Consecutive strong tremors increased structural stress.
    • Infrastructure already damaged by the first event faced additional strain.
What is a Seismic Doublet?
  • A seismic doublet refers to
    • Two earthquakes of similar magnitude.
    • Originating from separate but closely related fault ruptures.
    • Occurring within a short period of time.
    • Unlike normal earthquake sequences where a major quake is followed by smaller aftershocks.

Key Features

    • Similar magnitude events.
    • Occur close together in time and location.
    • Can produce greater damage than a typical mainshock-aftershock sequence.
    • Relatively rare in global seismic activity.

Difference Between A Doublet And A Aftershock

  • Seismic Doublet
    • Two earthquakes of similar magnitude
    • Separate but related fault ruptures
    • Both events may be highly destructive
    • Two major events in quick succession.
  • Aftershock
    • Smaller earthquake after a mainshock
    • Crustal adjustment following the main earthquake.
    • Usually less destructive
    • Secondary event triggered by the mainshock.
What is a Fault?
  • A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between blocks of rock.
  • When these blocks move relative to one another, energy is released in the form of an earthquake.

Major Types of Faults

  • Strike-Slip Fault
    • Blocks move horizontally past one another
    • Commonly associated with strong earthquakes.
  • Normal Fault
    • The block above moves downward relative to the block below.
    • Usually linked to crustal extension.
  • Reverse Fault
    • The upper block moves upward over the lower block.
    • Common in compressional tectonic environments.
Notable Earlier Seismic Doublet Events
  • Turkey–Syria Earthquakes
    • Two major earthquakes occurred within a short interval.
    • The second event significantly increased destruction and casualties.
  • Indian Ocean Region
    • A major earthquake sequence that occurred in the Indian Ocean region, near Malaysia, displayed doublet-like characteristics.
    • Closely spaced large earthquakes amplified regional seismic impacts.
  • Australia
    • A ‘triplet’ – a series of three earthquakes just half an hour apart from each other.

Significance

  • Highlights the dangers posed by seismic doublets
  • Demonstrates how tectonic plate interactions can trigger a complete earthquake sequence.
  • Emphasises the importance of earthquake-resistant infrastructure and disaster preparedness in tectonically active regions.
Key Takeaways
Click image to enlarge for better readability
UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Consider the following statements

    1. Shallow earthquakes generally have a greater potential to surface damage than deep-focus earthquakes.
    2. Seismic doublets can cause greater damage because structures weakened by the first quake may be affected by the second.
    3. Strike-slip faulting involves the horizontal movement of rock blocks.

Select the correct answer using the code given below

a) 1and 2 only

b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 only

d) 1,2 and 3

Answer: d) 1,2 and 3

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