Current Affairs 09 June 2026

Prime Minister of Armenia

Nikol Pashinyan is the current Prime Minister of Armenia. He has been serving as Prime Minister since 2018 and leads the Civil Contract party.

Key Points

• Nikol Pashinyan became Prime Minister following the 2018 Velvet Revolution in Armenia.
• He heads the ruling Civil Contract party.
• In the latest general election, his party secured approximately 49.82% of the preliminary vote, helping him retain power.
• Armenia is a landlocked country located in the South Caucasus region between Europe and Asia.
• Capital: Yerevan
• Currency: Armenian Dram

Andhra Pradesh Launches ‘Yogandhra-2026’ Campaign

The Government of Andhra Pradesh launched its flagship Yogandhra-2026 campaign on June 8, 2026, to promote yoga and encourage public participation ahead of International Yoga Day 2026.

Highlights

• The State-level launch was held at Lepakshi Temple under the leadership of Health Minister N. Satya Kumar Yadav.
• The campaign aims to involve 1 crore people in yoga activities across the State.
• It will run from June 8 to June 20, 2026, covering all 28 districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• Around 25,000 people registered on the Yogandhra portal on the very first day.

Report on Datasets for State Finance Commissions Released

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released the Report of the Committee on Datasets for State Finance Commissions (SFCs) on 8 June 2026. The report was released by V. Anantha Nageswaran in New Delhi.

Report Highlights

• The report aims to strengthen data-driven fiscal decentralisation and improve the functioning of State Finance Commissions.
• State Finance Commissions are constituted under Article 243-I of the Constitution.
• The report recommends:
  • Creation of Panchayat-level fiscal databases.
  • Standardised accounting and reporting frameworks.
  • Establishment of dedicated State Finance Commission Cells.
  • Preparation of a State Finance Commission Manual.
  • Publication of comprehensive data handbooks.
• The report emphasizes that reliable, timely, and granular data is essential for effective fiscal devolution and local governance.
• The Chief Economic Advisor highlighted the need for a performance audit of the implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment to assess the extent of devolution to Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Supreme Court Strength Increased Through Presidential Ordinance

The Union Government recently increased the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38 judges through a Presidential Ordinance issued under Article 123 of the Constitution.

• Five new judges were sworn in to the Supreme Court.
• Of these, two judges filled existing vacancies, while three were appointed to newly created posts established through the Ordinance.
• The newly appointed judges include four former Chief Justices of High Courts and one distinguished advocate from the Bar.
• Article 124(1) of the Constitution empowers Parliament to determine the number of Supreme Court judges.
• An Ordinance promulgated under Article 123 has the same force as a law but must be approved by Parliament within six weeks of its reassembly.

Constitutional Significance

• The move has sparked debate over judicial independence and security of tenure.
• The Supreme Court has previously held that Ordinance-making power should not become a substitute for regular legislation.
• In D.C. Wadhwa vs State of Bihar, the Court termed repeated re-promulgation of Ordinances a “fraud on the Constitution.”
• In Krishna Kumar Singh vs State of Bihar, a seven-judge Bench ruled that Ordinances cannot become a parallel source of law-making.

APPSC Group 1 Mains Angle

This topic is important for the Mains exam under Indian Polity & Governance. Aspirants should prepare concepts related to Judicial Independence, Collegium System, Article 123 (Ordinances), Article 143 (Supreme Court), and Separation of Powers.

BHAVYA Portal Launched to Develop 100 Industrial Parks Across India

Union Minister Piyush Goyal launched the BHAVYA (Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana) Portal in New Delhi to operationalise one of India’s largest industrial infrastructure programmes.

Highlights

• BHAVYA aims to develop 100 world-class industrial parks across India over the next six years.
• The scheme has a Cabinet-approved outlay of ₹33,660 crore.
• Industrial parks will be developed through a challenge-based competitive model, where States submit proposals highlighting industrial strengths, land availability, and investment potential.
• The National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) is the Project Management Agency for the scheme.
• Parks will provide plug-and-play infrastructure, including:
  • Assured power and water supply
  • Road and rail connectivity
  • Digital single-window clearances
  • Worker housing and social infrastructure
  • Facilities for startups, GCCs, R&D, and deep-tech enterprises.
• Applications received between June 1 and July 31, 2026, will be considered for the first phase of 20 industrial parks.

Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA)

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is celebrating “10 Years of PMSMA – A Decade of Care” on 9 June 2026, marking ten years of the successful implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA).

Highlights

• PMSMA was launched on 9 June 2016.
• It aims to ensure safe pregnancy and healthy motherhood through quality antenatal care.
• The scheme provides free antenatal check-ups on the 9th of every month at government health facilities.
• Target beneficiaries are all pregnant women in their second and third trimesters.
• Services include free health check-ups, Haemoglobin and blood tests, HIV and syphilis screening, one free ultrasound during the second trimester, Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) and Calcium supplements, and Tetanus/Td vaccination.
• The Extended PMSMA (E-PMSMA) was launched in 2022 to track High-Risk Pregnant (HRP) women for up to 45 days after delivery.
• To commemorate the scheme’s 10th anniversary, the Government recently released a ₹75 commemorative coin and ₹5 postal stamp.

Q1. Who is the current Prime Minister of Armenia?
A. Ilham Aliyev
B. Nikol Pashinyan
C. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
D. Salome Zourabichvili

Q2. The BHAVYA Scheme, recently launched by the Government of India, aims to develop how many investment-ready industrial parks across the country?
A. 50
B. 75
C. 100
D. 150

Q3. Which Article of the Indian Constitution provides that the number of judges of the Supreme Court shall be determined by Parliament?
A. Article 123
B. Article 124(1)
C. Article 217
D. Article 368

Q4. With reference to Article 123 of the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
1. The President can promulgate an Ordinance only when Parliament is not in session.
2. An Ordinance has the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament.
3. An Ordinance remains in force permanently unless withdrawn by the President.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 3

Q5. The Yogandhra-2026 campaign launched by the Andhra Pradesh Government aims to involve how many people in yoga activities before International Yoga Day 2026?
A. 10 lakh
B. 25 lakh
C. 50 lakh
D. 1 crore

Q6. State Finance Commissions (SFCs) are constituted under which Article of the Constitution of India?
A. Article 243G
B. Article 243H
C. Article 243I
D. Article 243J