Current Affairs 27 December 2025

NATGRID Linked with National Population Register (NPR)

The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been linked with the National Population Register (NPR), giving authorised security and investigating agencies access to family-wise details of about 119 crore residents, the government has informed.

Key points:

• NATGRID is a secure, indigenous data-sharing platform that enables real-time access to multiple government and private databases for intelligence gathering and criminal investigations.
• The platform was conceptualised in 2009 after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and became operational recently.
• An Organised Crime Network Database is being developed on NATGRID to facilitate secure information-sharing between the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Anti-Terror Squads (ATS).
• Upgraded NATGRID tools, especially “Gandiva”, support multi-source data collection, facial recognition, and entity resolution.
• NATGRID handles around 45,000 requests per month, accessible only to authorised security agencies.

About NPR:

• NPR data was first collected in 2010–11 and last updated in 2015 through door-to-door enumeration.
• NPR is considered the first step towards the creation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
• While the Union Cabinet has approved Census 2027 (₹11,718 crore), there is no separate allocation yet for updating the NPR.

Privacy:

Government officials have stated that every query on NATGRID is logged, the purpose must be specified, and senior officers exercise oversight, with multiple checks and balances in place.

Significance:

The integration of NATGRID with NPR is aimed at strengthening internal security, counter-terrorism, and organised crime investigations, while also raising important debates on data privacy and civil liberties.

15-Foot Statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Inaugurated in Amaravati

A 15-foot bronze statue of Atal Bihari Vajpayee was unveiled at Venkatapalem in Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, on the occasion of his 101st birth anniversary. The event was organised as part of Good Governance Day celebrations. The site where the statue has been installed will be developed as Atal Bihari Vajpayee Smriti Vanam, a memorial park dedicated to the former Prime Minister.

‘Andhra Taxi’ App Launched to Boost Tourism in NTR District

The NTR District Administration has launched a dedicated tourism mobility platform named “Andhra Taxi” with the objective of positioning the district as a top tourism destination in Andhra Pradesh.

Child Marriages in Andhra Pradesh

Nearly 18 years after the enactment of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, Andhra Pradesh continues to report a high incidence of child marriage, highlighting deep-rooted socio-economic challenges.

Although the State has joined the Centre’s Bal Vivah-Mukt Bharat campaign, stakeholders point out that poverty, lack of awareness, social pressure, and limited access to support systems often push families to view child marriage as a coping mechanism rather than a crime.

Key points:

• The Andhra Pradesh government revised the AP Prohibition of Child Marriage Rules, 2012 in 2023 to strengthen enforcement.
• District Collectors have been designated as Child Marriage Prohibition Officers (CMPOs).
• Since 2023, 3,967 child marriages were reported, of which 3,828 were prevented; 116 FIRs were registered.
• The State aims to become child marriage-free by 2030.

Veer Bal Diwas Awards – 2025

The Veer Bal Diwas Awards are conferred every year to recognise exceptional courage, determination, and service by children across India. A maximum of 25 awards are given annually under this initiative. In 2025, Shivani Hosuru Uppara, a 17-year-old divyang para-athlete from Annamayya district, Andhra Pradesh, was selected for the Veer Bal Diwas Award (Sports category).

“Your Money, Your Right” Initiative

The Government of India launched “Your Money, Your Right” in October 2025 as a nationwide awareness and facilitation initiative to help citizens identify and reclaim unclaimed financial assets such as bank deposits, insurance proceeds, mutual fund investments, dividends, shares, and retirement benefits.

The initiative is coordinated by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with financial regulators including RBI, IRDAI, SEBI, IEPFA, and PFRDA. It combines digital portals (UDGAM, Bima Bharosa, MITRA, IEPFA) with district-level facilitation camps across all States and UTs.

As part of a three-month nationwide drive (October–December 2025), facilitation camps were organised in 668 districts. Through coordinated efforts, nearly ₹2,000 crore of unclaimed money has been returned to rightful owners, strengthening financial inclusion, transparency, and citizen trust in the formal financial system.

Disclaimer: This article is prepared for competitive exam preparation using publicly available information.