19th Statistics Day and Contribution of PC Mahalanobis

Introduction and Celebrations

  • The 19th Statistics Day was celebrated on 29th June, commemorating the 132nd birth anniversary of Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis.
  • The theme for the year was ‘75 Years of National Sample Survey’, highlighting the key role of NSS in reinforcing the statistical system in India.
  • The government marked the occasion by releasing the SDG National Indicator Framework Progress Report 2025, giving the Prof. C.R. Rao Award to Dr Prajamitra Bhuyan, and launching the GoIStat app.

 

About National Statistics Day and PC Mahalanobis

  • National Statistics Day was introduced by the Government of India in 2007 and is celebrated on June 29 each year. 
  • The day is dedicated to PC Mahalanobis and promotes the importance of statistics in the areas of policy-making, development, and governance. 
  • PC Mahalanobis was a notable Indian scientist and statistician born in Calcutta, today known as Kolkata. 

 

Contributions of PC Mahalanobis

  • Mahalanobis made several significant contributions to the field of statistics, including developing the Mahalanobis Distance formula, a measure for multi-dimensional data. 
  • He founded the Indian Statistical Institute in 1931 and Sankhya, the first Indian statistical journal, in 1933.
  • Mahalanobis played a pivotal role in India's Second Five-Year Plan (1956–61) by advocating for the emphasis on heavy industries.
  • He was instrumental in the launching of the National Sample Survey in 1950, which he recommended as the then Statistical Adviser to the Cabinet. 

 

The Feldman-Mahalanobis Model

The Feldman-Mahalanobis model is an economic growth strategy adopted by developing nations, primarily focusing on investments in heavy industries to establish a robust industrial base and achieve long-term self-reliance.

 

About National Sample Survey (NSS)

  • The NSS has been conducting extensive sample surveys throughout India since 1950. 
  • The National Statistical Office (formerly National Sample Survey Organisation) gathers data through numerous surveys focusing on households, industries, rural and urban prices, and crop estimates. 
  • Additionally, it maintains a sampling frame for urban surveys.

 

About Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)

  • MoSPI was established as an independent ministry on 15th October 1999 following the amalgamation of the Department of Statistics and the Department of Programme Implementation.
  • The ministry oversees the National Statistical Commission and the Indian Statistical Institute, and comprises two wings: Statistics and Programme Implementation.
  • The Statistics Wing includes the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), whereas the Programme Implementation Wing comprises the Central Twenty Point Programme (TPP), Infrastructure and Project Monitoring (IPM), and Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS).

 

Birsa Munda Martyr’s Day Tribute and Significance

 Introduction and About

  • Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a tribal leader, religious reformer, and freedom fighter, is commemorated on 9th June, recognized as his Martyr’s day.
  • Also known as Dharti Abba or Father of the Earth, Birsa Munda is renowned for leading a resistance against British colonial policies and rallying Adivasi communities for land rights, social reform, and spiritual unity.

 

 Early Life and Education

  • Born on 15th November 1875 in Ulihatu, Jharkhand, to a Munda tribal family, Birsa was educated at the German Mission School.
  • Initially influenced by Christian teachings, he eventually rejected them due to cultural alienation, instead founding the Birsait religion and drawing inspiration from Vaishnavism.

 

Beliefs, Teachings, and Resistance Against British Rule

  • Birsa Munda advocated for monotheism through the worship of Singhbonga, the sun god, denounced societal ills, and promoted hygiene, spiritual unity, tribal identity, and community land ownership.
  • His resistance against British land revenue policies which encouraged exploitation of tribal peasants spurred him to campaign for the reclamation of their rights.

 

 The Ulgulan Movement

  • After his arrest for rioting in 1895, Birsa spent two years in prison before resuming his efforts in mobilising support for the Ulgulan (The Great Tumult) movement upon release in 1897.
  • The movement fought against British authority and promoted the establishment of a self-governed tribal state known as "Birsa Raj"

 

Aftermath and Legacy

  • Although captured in February 1900 and dying in custody months later, Birsa Munda’s impact was significant.
  • The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act was passed in 1908, recognising tribal land rights, banning land transfer to non-tribals, and abolishing forced labour.
  • Since 2021, Birsa Munda's birth date, 15th November, has been observed as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day).

 

Key Initiatives Related to Tribal Communities

  • Numerous initiatives have been implemented for the welfare of tribal communities including the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, targeting integrated development across Scheduled Tribe-majority villages.
  • In 2023, PM-JANMAN was introduced to support Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups with targeted schemes.
  • The Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAAGY) aims to provide basic infrastructure in villages with a significant tribal population.

 

Goa Achieves Full Functional Literacy

 Full Functional Literacy in Goa

  • Goa has been declared fully functionally literate under the Ministry of Education’s ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society)-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram programme, also known as the New India Literacy Programme (NILP). 
  • While Goa’s literacy rate was 93.60% as per PLFS 2023–24, the state-level ULLAS survey confirmed it has surpassed the 95% functional literacy benchmark.  
  • Earlier, Mizoram became the first state and Ladakh the first UT to achieve full functional literacy. 

 

Understanding Functional Literacy and the ULLAS Scheme

  • Functional literacy refers to an individual’s capability to read, write, and apply numeracy skills in daily life to promote personal development and community engagement. 
  • The ULLAS scheme covers not only basic literacy but also empowers learners with significant life skills, nurturing lifelong learning and active citizenship.
  • ULLAS is a centrally sponsored scheme, implemented from 2022 to 2027, designed to empower adults (15 years and above) who missed out on formal schooling. 
  • The scheme aims to achieve Foundational Literacy and Numeracy for 5 crore learners during FY 2022–27.
  • Key components of the scheme includes Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills & Continuing Education.  
  • The scheme is implemented through volunteerism in hybrid mode to instill social responsibility and a strong sense of duty among citizens. 

 

 Key Features of the ULLAS Scheme

  • Offers access to learning resources through the DIKSHA platform and ULLAS mobile/web portal, with support for  22 Indian languages. 
  • Incorporates the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT), held twice every year or as needed for evaluation and certification.  

 

 Brief Overview of Goa

  • Goa, with its capital at Panaji, is located on the southwestern coast of India in the Konkan region and is geographically separated from the Deccan by the Western Ghats.  
  • Portugal retained control over its Indian territories despite Indian independence in 1947, until Operation Vijay was launched in 1961. 
  • The Goa Liberation Day is celebrated on 19th December to commemorate the liberation of Goa. 
  • On 30th May 1987, Goa attained statehood and this day is commemorated annually as Goa Statehood Day.

 

Current Administrative Structure of Goa and other UTs

  • After attaining statehood, while Daman and Diu remained a Union Territory. 
  • On 26th January 2020, the UTs of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli were combined to form a single UT named Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

 

 

Celebrating the 648th Birth Anniversary of Sant Kabir Das

Remembering the Life and Contributions of Sant Kabir Das

  • On 11th June 2025, the country commemorated the 648th birth anniversary of Sant Kabir Das, also known as Kabirdas Jayanti or Kabir Prakat Divas. 
  • Sant Kabir Das (1440–1518) was an eminent mystic poet, a saint, and a social reformer who was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
  • Often portraying himself as a “julaha” (weaver) and “kori” (lower-caste identity), Kabir's humility and identification with the less privileged was evident.
  • Receiving spiritual guidance from Ramananda, a Bhakti saint, and Sheikh Taqi, a Sufi teacher, he grew to become a significant follower of the Nirguna Bhakti tradition.

 

The Teachings and Philosophy of Sant Kabir Das

  • As a fervent proponent of the Nirguna Bhakti tradition, Kabir emphasized devotion to a formless and attribute-less God (Nirguna Brahman).
  • Alongside Ramananda, Kabir made devotional worship accessible to the masses by promoting it in vernacular languages, which was a revolutionary move. 
  • His teachings challenged the religious and social norms of his time, advocating a universal and inclusive path to God and highlighting the significance of truth, compassion, and equality.

 

The Role of Sant Kabir Das in the Bhakti Movement 

Kabir played an essential role in the Bhakti movement (between the 7th-15th centuries), promoting devotion, inner purity, and social equality, while simultaneously rejecting rituals and casteism.

 

Literary Contributions of Sant Kabir Das 

  • Kabir composed dohas (couplets) and bhajans (devotional songs) in Brajbhasha, Awadhi, and Sant Bhasha, which significantly impacted the evolution of Hindi literature. His compositions typically featured "ulatbansi", paradoxical verses with reversed meanings, to make readers rethink.
  • Some of his renowned compilations include Kabir Bijak, Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Anurag Sagar, and Kabir Granthawali.
  • Many of his verses are enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib, which was compiled by Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru, underscoring his influence on Sikhism.

 

Legacy and Following of Sant Kabir Das 

  • Kabir is revered by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs alike, and his teachings laid the foundation for the Kabir Panth, a spiritual sect. His followers are known as Kabir Panthis.
  • His legacy represents communal harmony, moral integrity, and inner spiritual awakening, and continues to be celebrated annually on his birth anniversary.

 

50 Years of India's Crocodile Conservation Project and World Crocodile Day 

 Introduction and About 

  • The 17th of June, known as World Crocodile Day, marks a significant timeline for India as it commemorates 50 years of the Crocodile Conservation Project (CCP) from 1975 to 2025. 
  • The Indian state of Odisha is pivotal to this ecological initiative, being the only state in the country to host wild populations of all three native crocodilian species. 

 

Crocodile Conservation Project (CCP)

  • The CCP was launched by India at Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha, supported by the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organisation. 
  • The project implemented a strategic approach, the "rear and release" method, to increase the crocodile population. 
  • It also designed protected habitats, including Bhitarkanika and Satkosia Tiger Reserve, and boosted captive breeding alongside community awareness to further its conservation efforts.

 

 Introduction to Crocodiles

  • Known as the largest surviving reptiles, crocodiles predominantly dwell in freshwater ecosystems such as swamps, lakes, and rivers, with a single saltwater species exception.
  • These nocturnal creatures are also poikilothermic, meaning their body temperature adjusts according to environmental fluctuations which earns them the term 'cold-blooded animals'.
  • Despite their adaptive abilities, their existence is threatened by factors such as habitat destruction, egg predation, illegal hunting, dam construction, and sand mining.

 

Crocodile Population in India

  • India is home to almost 80% of the global wild Gharial population, with an estimated count of 3,000 individuals across areas such as the National Chambal Sanctuary, Katarnia Ghat, and Son Gharial Sanctuary.
  • The Saltwater crocodile population has seen recovery, with a total count of about 2,500, mainly spotted in zones like Bhitarkanika, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and the Sundarbans.