Published on: June 2, 2025
Snippets : 2 JUNE 2025
Snippets : 2 JUNE 2025
- In response to rising digital threats like fake news and cybercrime in Karnataka, the government has merged the Information Disorder Tackling Unit (IDTU) with the Cyber Command Unit (CCU) for a centralized, tech-driven approach. A key innovation is the use of agentic AI — autonomous systems capable of independently scanning the internet, flagging harmful content, and supporting police action. The public platform satya.gov.in enables citizen participation in verifying or reporting misinformation. Built in-house using LLMs and SLMs, the initiative aims to reduce manual oversight. However, challenges like AI hallucinations, data accuracy, and a limited ₹5 crore budget persist.
- To address outdated urban land records and rising disputes due to rapid urbanization, the Department of Land Resources (DoLR) launched NAKSHA (National Geospatial Knowledge-based Land Survey of Urban Habitations). This pilot project modernizes urban land surveys using GNSS, ETS, and Web-GIS tools. Implemented with Survey of India, NICSI, and five Centres of Excellence, it covers 157 Urban Local Bodies across 27 states and 3 UTs. Phase 2, starting 2nd June 2025, trains 304 officers in geospatial skills at institutes like LBSNAA and ATI Mysuru. The initiative strengthens legal integration, mapping accuracy, and administrative efficiency for urban governance.
- With the rapid growth of e-commerce in India, consumers are increasingly vulnerable to deceptive digital tactics known as dark patterns, which manipulate user behavior through design tricks like false urgency, hidden charges, or confusing language. Recognizing the threat, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued binding guidelines in December 2023, identifying 13 types of dark patterns and launching digital platforms for grievance redressal. In May 2025, the government urged e-commerce platforms to self-regulate and eliminate these manipulations. Studies reveal that over 79% of Indian apps employ such practices, prompting stronger enforcement to uphold digital consumer rights and fair trade.
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed new draft guidelines to regulate gold loans amid rising defaults and increasing gold prices (₹95,760/10g in 2025). Gold loans, heavily used by low- and middle-income households, now face tighter norms due to rising NPAs — ₹2,040 crore in banks and ₹4,784 crore in NBFCs. The RBI aims to reduce over-valuation risks and emotional distress by restricting collateral to jewellery and bank-issued coins, capping LTV at 75%, and banning re-pledging. Assayers must be certified, and ownership must be proven. New rules also impose weight limits and distinguish between consumption and income-generating loans.
- India’s DHRUVA policy (Digital Hub for Reference and Unique Virtual Address) is a transformative digital initiative aimed at standardizing and modernizing the country’s address infrastructure. Building on the success of DIGIPIN, DHRUVA introduces Address-as-a-Service (AaaS), enabling interoperability, geo-tagging, consent-based sharing, and public-private innovation. It seeks to improve governance, enhance delivery efficiency, support e-commerce, and promote digital inclusion, especially in rural areas. The Department of Posts has opened the policy for public feedback until July 31, 2025. With integration to Aadhaar and mobile platforms, DHRUVA emphasizes user control and scalability, though challenges in adoption and privacy remain
- The Zangezur Corridor is a proposed transport route connecting mainland Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan, bypassing Armenia’s Syunik Province. Strategically, it enhances Azerbaijan-Turkey connectivity and aligns with the Middle Corridor initiative, boosting Ankara’s influence in the South Caucasus. Armenia strongly opposes it, citing sovereignty concerns, while India supports Armenia due to shared geopolitical interests and regional connectivity plans involving Iran and Russia. The corridor, still in the proposal stage, has heightened tensions in the region and competes with Iran’s North-South Transport Corridor, potentially affecting India’s Eurasian outreach. India’s growing ties with Armenia make the project geopolitically sensitive from New Delhi’s perspective.
- IEPFA (under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs) and SEBI launched Pune’s first Niveshak Shivir to promote investor empowerment and financial literacy. It addressed unclaimed dividends, share claims, KYC updates, and nominations, with 450+ participants and 19 kiosks for assistance. Officials provided guidance, and a new NSDL investor brochure was launched to facilitate claims, with future events planned in high-unclaimed-fund cities
