Current affairs 25 December 2024

Smartphone exports surpass Rs 1 lakh crore under PLI scheme.

• Smartphone exports in India exceeded one lakh crore rupees in the first eight months of FY 2024-25.
• The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme boosted exports by 45% compared to last year.
• The government aims to achieve smartphone exports worth 1.7 lakh crore rupees this fiscal year.
• The PLI scheme has generated over three lakh direct and six lakh indirect jobs.

India Rises to 49th Rank in Network Readiness Index 2024.

• India achieved a significant leap in the Network Readiness Index (NRI) 2024, ranking 49th, up from 60th in 2023.
• Published by the Portulans Institute, the index evaluates nations on technology's impact on governance, citizen engagement, and innovation.
• India improved its score from 49.93 in 2023 to 53.63 in 2024, driven by advancements in AI, mobile networks, and broadband.

India’s Telecom Subscriber Base Declines in October 2024.

• The report highlighted a decrease of 33 lakh active subscribers, with the total subscriber count falling to 1,188.20 million as of October 31.
• Urban subscribers dropped to 660.42 million, while rural subscriptions fell to 527.79 million.
• Contrastingly, wireline subscribers grew from 36.93 million in September to 37.79 million in October.
• The overall wireline tele-density rose to 2.69%.

Nepal to Launch HPV Vaccination Drive in February 2025.

• Nepal’s Ministry of Health, with GAVI's support, has imported 1.77 million HPV vaccine doses to combat cervical cancer, starting a 15-day drive on February 5, 2025.
• 460,940 doses are currently stored in Kathmandu for gradual distribution across provinces.
• The campaign targets 1.68 million girls aged 10-14, including out-of-school girls, to reduce cervical cancer risks.

Consumer Affairs Dept to launch Jago Grahak Jago App, Jagriti App etc.

• The Department of Consumer Affairs launched Jago Grahak Jago App, Jagriti App, and Jagriti Dashboard on National Consumer Day.
• Jago Grahak Jago App alerts users about unsafe URLs during online activities.
• Jagriti App enables users to report URLs suspected of hosting illegal dark patterns.
• Complaints via Jagriti App will be addressed by the CCPA for redressal and action.